Austinb1985 Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Hello All, My name is Austin, and my Mom who I adore and love so much has just been diagnosed with small cell lung cancer. Today is Sunday, and I found out on Friday. All I can think about is this, I think, imagine, I research, I cry, I don’t know what to do. We don’t know much yet. She has had a ct scan which found the growth in her chest, and then she had a biopsy of that, they had a pathologist look at the cells after extracted and his first conclusion was no cancer. A week later the more inclusive test Came back cancer. She goes on Monday and is getting admitted and will have several more tests including a pet scan to determine if she has any other cancer anywhere else. I’m scared, I’m heartbroken, I’m lost! I can’t lose my momma! I want to gain knowledge from others, other than getting basic information from the internet. I know the support from others will help. I won’t know more before tomorrow, but I want to be proactive! Thank you all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LexieCat Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Hi, Austin, and welcome. I'm sorry to hear about your mom's diagnosis. I don't know a lot about SCLC--I had NSCLC, which is a lot more common. We have a few members here, though, who are either being treated themselves for SCLC or have family who are. SCLC treatment tends to be a bit trickier than treating other kinds of lung cancer. I think if it were me (or one of my family members), I'd want to be treated if possible at a research hospital that conducts clinical trials of the newest therapies. Let us know how her additional tests turn out, and what the doctors propose in the way of treatment. Glad you found us--this is a great place for support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgetO Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Hi Austin and welcome from me, too. You're in a hard place right now. It will probably continue to be hard in some ways, but things will probably settle down some and seem a bit less chaotic as you get more information. I suggest that you look at Lung Cancer 101 on the main Lungevity site, if you haven't seen it already. Here's the link: https://lungevity.org/for-patients-caregivers/lung-cancer-101 The information on there is reliable. There are other places on the internet that are reliable, too, but also some that aren't, for example, they may be out of date or promotinng some " cure" not based on evidence. And beware of survival statistics. First, because lung cancer treatment is changing so rapidly, they are likely to be out of date. And second, everybody is a "case of oe" and stats are based on averages of large numbers. Stats can't tell us how any particular individual will do. You'll probably hear from members on here who have "outlived the stats". Let us know any particular questions you have and how we can best support you. That's what we're here for. Hang in there, Austin Bridget O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 I am so sorry for your mom, for your family. This is a difficult time of testing....waiting. At the start of my cancer journey in October 2017, my sister told me two internet sites to visit, telling me to stay away from the others. There is so much help, treatment now. Get all the information on what she has, share it here. Someone will have gone through something similar and can help you. Sending hugs and prayers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Austin, I've said this many times before, a cancer diagnosis is a punch in the gut for all involved. I have not had anything worse in my life happen at this point. My mom was also diagnosed with lung cancer. She has a different kind - non small cell, but it's lung cancer just the same. I have felt everything you are feeling right now. And as new issues arise with my mom, those feelings arise again as well. Because I like to feel I am in control and there is nothing to control about lung cancer, I did millions of hours of research. Most of my research made me feel worse than I already did. That was until I found Lungevity. These forums helped me immensely. The overall message is not just survival, but living. And although the journey isn't easy and sometimes the battles seem endless, survivors emerge everyday. Bridget's advice in looking at Lungevity's Lung Cancer 101 is exactly where I started. I then began to take a look at other pages on this site and came across lists of questions to ask doctors and many other tools that have been useful along the way. We all are here for you too. Feel free to vent, ask questions, lose your mind...we are here and we have experienced what you are feeling right now. Take Care, Steff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamma Om Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Hello Austin, do not worry until it's time to worry. My son told me this when I was first diagnosed. By which he meant, don't worry until you have final, valid, provable facts to worry about. In my case, I was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma and had a right lower lobectomy. Pathology foundl another tumor that was initially diagnosed as Small Cell. Then they said it wasn't. Then they sent it to the Tumor Board. Finally came back as a rare carcinoid tumor. Having had it removed was all the treatment I needed. It's good to research and read, but don't do so much you scare yourself. I found out that there isn't nearly enough information about SCLC as other types of lung cancer. I also learned that medicine is not an exact science, especially cancer, and especiallt lung cancer. It takes a lot of educated, talented people to come up with a final diagnosis. I was minutes away from having chemotherapy and radiation when they took all that away. Now I have had a good mammagram, and will have an ultrasound of my liver the end of the month just to check a shadow. As for "losing your Mom", I am now a four time cancer survivor (age 74), having had breast cancer in both breasts 11 years apart, having had thyroid cancer, and then two types of lung cancer. Hang in there, be strong, and just be brave for your Mom. Best wishes to you both. Mamma Om. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Welcome Austin, You've already received lots of good suggestions. At this juncture, it is indeed best to wait till all the diagnostics are in. I know that is hard because I've been there and done that. Small cell is tricky. Surgery or precision radiation often do the trick. You'll have lots of questions as typing and staging are complete and various treatment plans are suggested. We can provide first hand experience with the treatment and side effects. So, keep us in the loop. Stay the course. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austinb1985 Posted July 14, 2018 Author Share Posted July 14, 2018 Hey all, Thanks for all the responses! All of your advice has put me at ease quite a bit. I have had my ups and downs, but I have been busy with other things that have kept me from thinking about it so often. But it has still been at the top of my mind. My mom on the other hand, has been in the hospital since Monday, and has had nothing but time to think. Update on her: she has had a pet scan, which came back with a spot on her liver, and her rectum. They did a flex sig on her this morning and a biopsy on the liver. They didn’t see any cancer in the rectum! Thank goodness! But the biopsy is going to take about a week to come back with the results. The doctors don’t want to wait that long to start treatment so they are going to start tomorrow morning as if she does have liver cancer as well until they find out other wise. After the pet scan came back with its results my mom got really discouraged and I could hear all her confidence and optimism fly out of her like an untied balloon, which really upset me. But once she told me they were going to start treating her anyway I could see some of it come back. She is scared and I know it. So am I. As you all know. My mom has had her first, and second treatment with chemo and she has tolerated it well. Her hope and Confidence has returned. It’s scary but I have hope. Thanks for all y’all’s continued support! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy M. Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 Cute Pic!! I understand how your mom could have sounded discouraged after she got results and before her treatment began. To me those are some of the more difficult times. You know it's there and you aren't yet fighting it. That's why the 'further testing' time is so tough. But now sounds like they've got her in the battle and she's rallied to fight this thing. Judy M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaurenH Posted July 19, 2018 Share Posted July 19, 2018 Hi, Austin, Welcome to LCSC. I'm happy to see that you've already connected with several members. This community is a wonderful place to find support and information. Please continue to keep us posted on how you and your mom are doing. If you'd like additional information about LUNGevity's support programs and resources for patients/caregivers, I'd be happy to connect with you. We are here for you! Lauren -- Digital Community Manager LUNGevity Foundation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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