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Showing results for tags 'diagnosis'.
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Greetings everyone. My name is Ray. For me, introductions & first impressions have always been awkward, so please bear with me as I stumble through this. I just recently retired after a long career in Government. So, at 65 years of age, I anticipated my golden years, sharing new memories with the wife, traveling, and enjoying life. Well, that was the plan, up until five days ago. Suffering from a severe back pain for almost a 2 months, mostly behind the left shoulder blade, I finally reneged and went to see my PCM. An X-Ray revealed a 4cm 'mass' on the top of my left lung. Then, yesterday, I completed a follow-up CAT Scan - that's when my world dropped out from under me. The CAT scan revealed a >7cm mass sitting on the top of my left lung accompanied by evidence of 'spotting' throughout the same lung. Apparently, the right seems to be free of aberration. The attending physician said the mass (to which I'm euphemistically now calling the 'it') is consistent with Metastatic Cancer. Because of the size, the Radiologist was consulted and he decided against a biopsy opting for a PET Scan first to see if the 'it' has spread to the liver. If so, they will accomplish the biopsy from the liver site. The PET is scheduled for next week. The back pain is increasing in severity daily but the pain meds help. A little. What my wife and I find worrisome is the rapidity of the appointments (where a very long waiting list for CAT/PET Scans is the norm) and his 'strong' encouragement to see my PCM for mental health needs. That's it. That's all I know. To be honest I'm really freaking out and really unsure what I'm supposed to think. Ok, I've got cancer -- or do I? If the 'it' was benign then the 'it' wouldn't be spreading throughout the same lung, right? And, if the 'it' is that large, shouldn't 'it' be a Stage IV'ish, right? I'm a wreck. My wife is a wreck. So, I found this forum hoping someone else can provide either a sobering truth or persuasion to calm down. Thanks, folks.
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Hi I have small cell lung cancer which was diagnosed in 2015 and was told that there was no time that they could give me for when this cancer usually takes peoples' lives. It was put to me as, don't believe the internet that says 5 years, that's not always the case. Well as I, thank The Lord, have come upon my 2 year mark with no more growth, my Dr. says, oh Small Cell Lung Cancer usually gives the patient only 18 months to live. So now that you're at the 2 year mark, you're considered in remission. If you get to the five year mark, we consider you cured. I find myself getting very frustrated and angry, feeling sort of..... misled. What if I did only have 18 months? I would have lived my life differently if he had told me the truth. I thought Dr.'s were supposed to be bound to tell you the truth! Am I just nitpicking? Or are my feelings valid for thinking this Dr. was totally wrong.
