JustMe

Tom, thank you SO much for that link...

Hi all, thanks for the care and replies...
Jay is home, spent 12 days in hospital, did get the stent finally and seems to be doing okay.  He's still in pain, but not as severe.  Had some congestion and slight fever last night, but both are better this morning.  The stent helped his middle lobe, but apparently his upper lobe is just screwed until we can find a chemo that works...clinical trial in Boston starts next week...
Hope you all are well...and your loved ones...
Jennifer

Hi all, thanks for the care and replies...
Jay is home, spent 12 days in hospital, did get the stent finally and seems to be doing okay.  He's still in pain, but not as severe.  Had some congestion and slight fever last night, but both are better this morning.  The stent helped his middle lobe, but apparently his upper lobe is just screwed until we can find a chemo that works...clinical trial in Boston starts next week...
Hope you all are well...and your loved ones...
Jennifer

Hi, JustMe,
Just wanted to check in and see how you and your husband are doing. Please post an update when you can, even if it's just to vent. We are here for you and happy to offer encouragement and advice.
With gratitude,
Lauren
--
Digital Community Manager
LUNGevity Foundation

Hi,
This is a good place to vent and to ask for information and support. Steff has given you more info than  I can about lung deflation/reinflation. I understand head banging (and arm biting) .  Hang in there and keep asking for what you need , both here and elsewhere.
Bridget O

Hi there,
Sorry you are frustrated (rightly so).  Waiting is the worst, especially when our loved one is struggling with medical issues.  I just wanted to chime in on the lung inflation - my mom just had a mostly collapsed lung due to a large plueral effusion (she hardly had any breath sounds in her right lobe, which is missing the upper lobe).  She was in the hospital for 2 weeks until they were able to successfully drain the fluid and get her on her feet again.  Her lung was partially deflated for much longer - we are suspecting at least 3 weeks.  When she had her upper lobe removed a few years back, her right lobe was deflated for a few days and it naturally re-inflated on it's own.  So my overall message is that within a reasonable amount of time, lungs can re-inflate, even on their own.  Perhaps once the stent is placed, the lung could re-inflate on it's own, but it's not a big deal if they have to help it.  
Best wishes for you and your husband...sorry you are playing the waiting game. Please know that we are here any time you need to vent or have questions, no need to bang your head!

Haven't had a chance to get to Mount Washington lately Tom...although a good suggestion, haven't been up there in a few years now.
Second try with a different chemo isn't working either...husband is starting radiation to the main tumor next week since that's where most of his symptoms are...although he also has pain in his ribs and recent CT scan suggests bone metastases in ribs...different ribs than the two that broke a few months ago...and have appointment in Boston with a different oncologist...also have blood to drop off at FedEx to send off to CA for another genetic test...
We were really shocked at CT results (again)...tumor that we could feel in collarbone was definitely shrinking, but overall everything else grew...
Hope anyone who reads this is doing okay...it's beautiful in NH today.

JustMe,
Good morning.  I'm sorry about your husband's diagnosis.  Lung cancer stinks.  I was diagnosed in February 2016 following removal of my left upper lobe.  I'm currently in treatment for a recurrence.  I tell you this because, although I'm an amateur compared to others, it is possible to move forward.  I spent a good deal of time last summer in tears and mentally giving away my belongings.  I couldn't imagine that things would get better, but they did.  There are so many 10+ year late stage (III or IV) cancer survivors on this site.  There is hope.  We have more treatment options today than just three years ago.  I truly believe this diagnosis is as hard on the loved ones as it is on the patient.  
Please know that we're all here for you, your husband, and your family.  Ask us anything.  
 

JustMe,
Right we know how you are feeling. Stage IV is not a good place. Just two points to capture a moment of your rightly divided attention. If I can live, so can your husband, and I've read great things about Krytruda and combination conventional chemo. So hang in there. Go to LUNGEVITY.org and search on Keytruda and read the remarkable results. 
Stay the course. 
Tom

Welcome, JustMe. You're in a hard situation. I wish you and your husband well. My cancer was found early. There are others on this forum who are,or who have partners who are Stage 4 who will be in a better position than I am to give you advice and information. I'm sure you'll hear from some of them soon. Hang in there and take care of yourself as well as your husband and daughter.