2doglover

Thank you, Alan! That makes alot more sense to me now!! I appreciate you getting back to me.

His next PET scan will be 4 weeks after round 4 of chemo. He starts round 3 on Monday. I've been doing some research about prentative brain radiation but all I can seem to find is how it relates to large cell or NSCLC. My dad has extensive SCLC.

My dad finished a rough round 2 of chemo and has now lost all his hair. I get the impression that he's not at all happy about it because he had a fully head of thick brown hair before all of this. I find myself not wanting to look at him too long because I don't want him to think I'm staring but not wanting to not make eye contact at all for fear he'll think I'm ignoring him. I'm the emotional one in the family. I can cry at a Folgers commercial. The rest of the family is pretty tight lipped. I've learned that doesn't really work for me. This week he feels good and I talked to my Lungevity Buddy on the phone tonight and that was a good feeling. A good connection. My dad went to the doctor today and we found out he's probably going to do brain radiation after he finishes 2 more rounds of chemo. The doc said this is preventative - but seems a little much for prevention. Thoughts? I really want to try to share the hope. I feel like my family thinks there's this looming dark cloud of impending death over us. That we are counting the minutes until he's gone. But it seems like there are a number of survivors and people living with Stage IV lung cancer. So maybe...just maybe there's hope. No one knows the future so why not just hope for the best I guess, right?

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome! It's very comforting to know I'm not alone.

I'm new. Not even really sure where to start. I feel like I cry a little each day. I haven't seen my dad this week but my mom went with him for a haircut today and all his hair is gone. Kind of makes me scared cuz I don't want to remember him sick but I don't want to not spend any time with him. I know it's OK to cry but I feel like I can't even get a word out and tell my friends how I'm feeling because all I do is cry. Just want to get a breath, ya know?

I'm pretty computer savvy but new to this whole message board thing. My dad told my brother, sister and me on his 60th birthday that he had Stage IV SC carcinoma and was starting chemo the next day. I felt my soul scream and then get wind was totally knocked out of me. He's finished 2 rounds of chemo. Round 1 wasn't so bad - very mild side effects. Round 2 is a whole other story. Anyway, we are a very close family and I feel like I needed to reach out to others who have gone through or are going through the same thing. It's only been a month but I feel like I cry every day. I'm trying to stay in the moment but this just f-ing sucks!!! I'm a mom of a beautiful 3 year old daughter and wife to a supportive and hardworking husband. And I'm a mama to 2 fantastic fur-kids.