Tom Galli

Win, Welcome here. As a community of lung cancer survivors and caregivers, we don't recommend doctors or treatment centers. And with the outbreak of COVID-19 and your relative's current medical situation, getting an in-office consultation will be difficult. I wouldn't know about the possibility of a video oncology consultation. Have family members asked her current medical team for a second opinion? Does your relative have a general practice physician that might suggest another oncologist? Stay the course. Tom

Terry, Am fortunate to have a wife who is both a registered nurse and dietician. My lung cancer is squamous cell and targeted therapy does not have effect on squamous. But, during chemo, my appetite departed. Everything tasted horrible, and I was losing weight at a time when I most needed calories to sustain life. Strangely, I found I could taste the peppermint in my toothpaste. That discovery resulted in Martha making peppermint chocolate ice cream and she added crushed peppermint Oreo cookies to boost calories. My weight loss was quickly reversed. I have a theory about lung cancer. Before targeted therapy and immunotherapy, many of us did not hang around long enough to report long term side effects. For example, my neuropathy called "taxol toes" was supposed to be short lasting; it is not short lasting in me. I also found constipation to be a real problem and while the milk fat in ice cream generated calories, it also caused constipation. So use laxatives to keep thing moving. One more thing. Know that your immune system is compromised. We are struggling with COVID-19 but with your white blood cells under chemo assault, any garden variety cold could put you down. Isolate to the extreme during treatment. Stay the course. Tom

Steve, I'm so very sorry to hear of your wife's treatment side-effects. I've been off-line myself, unable to sit in front of my computer because of a very painful neck and numbness extending to my right hand. Had a face time consult with orthopedic surgeon to review results of MRI. Have severe herniation of disc at C-5/C-6. Likely facing surgery when COVID-19 wanes. Weird typing on keyboard and not feeling anything in my right fingers. I completely understand your concern about BP, salt levels and other problems. I note her tumor has reduced by 1 cm and that is a good indication that chemo is having an effect. Let us hope she is able to complete the course of chemo and a post treatment scan shows NED. Stay the course. Tom