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LexieCat

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Posts posted by LexieCat

  1. Hi there, and welcome!  I had a nodule that was discovered through screening, while it was (fortunately) quite small--when the nodule had grown since the scan the year before, I had a lobectomy (July 10) and I, too, am now on a surveillance protocol.  I opted not to have chemo (surgeon was strongly opposed to chemo in my case and my oncologist was neutral, but was just fine with my decision to forego it).  I won't have my first post-op CT scan until late November, and I know I'll be nervous, too, even though I'm feeling great and reasonably confident about my decision.

    Hopefully yours will be good news!

    Teri

  2. TERRIFIC news, Tom!  And a great reason to celebrate!

    I just finished reading The Emperor of All Maladies, which I started while I was in the hospital recovering from surgery.  Fascinating account of the journey to understand and treat cancer--can't recommend it highly enough to those interested in how some of these discoveries were made.  The author is a cancer researcher, but the book is a real page-turner.

  3. Great--you just want to keep an eye on it.  With regular scans, if something DOES go bad, they can jump on it right away.  That's what happened to me--it was still very small (though slightly larger than before), and the CT/PET showed that nodule as the ONLY thing lighting up--I had my upper left lobe removed, was recovered in no time flat, and don't even have to have chemo or anything--just periodic scans to make sure everything stays happy.  When they know what to look for, you can be WAY ahead of the game. :)

  4. Yay!  I'm not sure why you had the CT scan that started this whole thing--was it for a cancer screening?  If you're a former smoker or have other significant risk factors, it might be a good idea to have a yearly CT scan to keep an eye on that nodule.  One of mine became cancerous a year after I started the annual screenings.  If you're NOT at any particular risk for lung cancer, then it's probably just one of those nodules that is sitting there doing no harm and no need to watch it closely.  Discuss it with your doctor.

    But for now, sounds like you're in good shape--be happy!

  5. Hi, Ernest,

    Lung nodules are not always cancer--they can be scar tissue from an infection or other causes.  The PET scan will help determine whether there is suspicious metabolic activity--cancer cells are hyperactive when it comes to using glucose, so the PET scan will show the nodule as "lit up" if there is cancer, and it may also show whether any cancer has spread.  The PET scan isn't foolproof, and you might need further tests, like a biopsy, to determine whether it's cancer.

    I know it's scary, but try not to get ahead of yourself.  If it IS cancer, and it's a very small tumor, it may be quite treatable.  I just had the upper left lobe of my lung removed for a small nodule that turned out to be cancer.  I had the surgery on July 10, and I'm feeling great.  I don't even have to have chemo--just periodic scans to make sure everything stays happy.

    Hopefully you will get the results soon and you will get good news.

    Welcome, glad you found us.

    Teri

  6. Hi, Roger,

    I'm so sorry about your wife.  I am not, myself, a fount of information on the subject, but I do know there are treatments that can make her much more comfortable--palliative care is available to help someone with pain or other symptoms caused by the cancer or by other treatments. Other folks who are more knowledgeable on the subject will be along shortly. Please remember to take care of yourself, as well.  

    Glad you found us.

    Teri

  7. Crap--sorry to hear that news.  I was fortunate enough to be early stage so I'm not much help in terms of treatment or what to expect.  Thankfully there are some very knowledgeable people around here who can give you more guidance as far as that goes.

    I know that for myself, personally, I can't stand the thought of anyone worrying about me.  I think it's nice that you made him laugh, and that you are having this opportunity to connect after so many years of estrangement.  My guess is that he's feeling some regrets about not being closer to you--before I had my surgery, I was doing some of that soul-searching.  I'd suggest just kind of following his lead.  Maybe your half-brother can keep you informed about the details and you can just provide whatever emotional support he seems to want.  

    Just sending you a hug, if that's OK.

    Teri

  8. Hi, Julie,

    I just had my upper left lobe removed after a lung nodule my pulmonologist had been following grew and had a "highly suspicious appearance."  Pulmonologist said there was, based on what he was seeing, maybe a 1-2 percent chance that it was non-malignant, and it was suspicious enough he recommended removal regardless of whether it turned out to be cancer.  At the time, the nodule was about 1 cm (it grew a bit more before surgery and was about 1.5 cm when it came out).  Everything I read about cyberknife suggested that it was really only appropriate when the patient can't tolerate surgery (e.g., poor lung function).  I was tested and found to have GREAT lung function, and my surgery (VATS--minimally invasive) was pretty undramatic (though I did have a post surgical air leak that puffed me up pretty bad and put me back in the hospital for a few more days to properly deflate).  I had surgery on July 10, and have recovered virtually completely.  I still try to take it easy stretching the area of the incisions--I started back to yoga bit too soon and paid for that, but after a week off from yoga and going slow and easy, I'm doing great.  I figure in a few more weeks I probably won't even feel the effects of the surgery.

    After the pathology was finally worked out, I was staged at 1b NSCLC (adenocarcinoma) (surgeon thinks it SHOULD be 1a, but there was some disagreement about whether the tumor had invaded the pleura).  Anyway, no chemo for now--just on scans every six months to make sure everything stays happy.

    I just wanted to reassure you that if you are eligible for the VATS surgery, it really isn't a terribly big deal, and offers the best prospects.  When I asked my surgeon to explain the reasoning behind removing the entire lobe, he said that doing that cuts off (literally) all the blood/lymph vessels that errant cancer cells could use to escape.  That's why it's the preferred mode of treatment when it's early stage.  The traditional "open" surgery is a much bigger deal in terms of recovery time/pain/etc., so I was really relieved I didn't have to go that route.

    Keep us posted!

    Teri

  9. Megha, the best advice I can suggest is what we suggested on your other thread--look into hospice.  They can definitely help keep her comfortable, and relieve you of some of the worry over how to do that.  You can continue to take care of her--they will come to you.  She can be comfortable at home that way.

  10. Hospice doesn't mean you can't continue to care for her. I have a good friend who's a hospice nurse, and she makes regular visits to her patients in their home, managing medications etc.  I'd suggest giving one or two places a call and find out about what they can provide that will help you both and keep your mom comfortable. 

     

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