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What NOT to say to someone with lung cancer


LaurenH

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Sometimes, people don't realize how much their words can hurt. It's important for us to educate and raise awareness among family, friends, and social networks.

 

This is an enlightening piece about what NOT to say to someone who has been diagnosed with cancer. If you'd like to add anything, please comment below!

 

http://holisticlifetransitionsinstitute.com/what-not-to-say-to-a-cancer-patient/

 

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  • 1 month later...

I agree with all of those statements.  Another to add: Do you/did you smoke? I am continually surprised as I travel this path at the number of medical professionals (radiation techs, nurses, etc.) who ask this.  The answer to both is no, but it really doesn't matter at this point, does it?  

 

What I would love is a way to make more physicians realize that they should be considering lung cancer as a possibility for more patients, not just those who fit the "typical" demographics for diagnosis.  Had my prior pulmonologist asked for an x-ray when (what we thought was) my asthma took a turn, he would have likely found my cancer.  But as a 45 year old non-smoker with a history of asthma, cancer apparently didn't cross his mind.

 

We have a long way to go to get this disease the attention it needs in order for more people to survive.  That's my soap box rant for today!

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  • 2 weeks later...

My wife was facing some health issues which got serious with time. When we went for diagnosis, doctor assumed it be the cancer and recommended CT scan. Report illustrated that she is having multiple ground nodules in both lungs. Doctor told us that she has Adenocarcinoma and as the GGO's are in both lungs, it is certain that both are affected. We were just shocked to know that it is the advanced stage of cancer that she is going through.

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Hi ryansmith,

I am very sorry to hear of your wife's diagnosis. It is very difficult to find out that someone you love is fighting cancer. One of the best ways you can help support her is to learn about adenocarcinoma. LUNGevity has several resources to help you and your wife navigate her diagnosis.

The Lung Cancer 101 section of LUNGevity's website has a section dedicated to adenocarcinoma:

https://www.lungevity.org/about-lung-cancer/lung-cancer-101/types-of-lung-cancer/lung-adenocarcinoma

Here is a link to download LUNGevity's educational booklet on adenocarinoma:

https://www.lungevity.org/sites/default/files/file-uploads/adeno-brochure-020516.pdf

And this is a link to LUNGevity's Caregiver Resource Center, which provides resources specifically for people who are caring for a loved one fighting lung cancer:

https://www.lungevity.org/support-survivorship/caregiver-resource-center

Please keep us posted on your wife's progress and let us know if you have questions. We are here for you!

Lauren

--

Digital Community Manager
LUNGevity Foundation

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Welcome here ryansmith.

Unfortunately, I know what you are going through.  I've survived more than 12 years since diagnosis with late stage non small cell lung cancer.  I've had many surgeries, radiation treatments and too many chemotherapy infusions.  The bottom line is if I can live, so can your wife.

Lauren's told you about read-in resources for adenocarcinoma and I suggest you spend some time learning about your wife's disease.  Fortunately, new treatments are emerging rapidly for people with adenocarcinoma because of exciting developments in the filed of molecular profiling.  So learn about these new developments and ask your wife's doctor if her treatment can benefit from one of these new therapies.

You will have a ton of questions and this is a good place to ask away.

Many of us here have been where you are right now, and the important take-away for you is that we are still here!

Stay the course.

Tom

 

 

 

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