Jump to content

Katherine

Members
  • Posts

    1
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Reputation Activity

  1. Like
    Katherine reacted to Tom Galli in Mom diagnosed last week   
    Katherine,
    Oh my, I am sorry to learn of your mom's diagnosis.  Bottom line up front:  I was diagnosed stage III, had pre-surgical chemo and radiation, then surgery, then complications, then more chemo and radiation but all that ended in 2007.  Then, I've achieved a state of "no evidence of disease" or NED; the state all lung cancer survivors hope to attain.  So, if I can live, so can your mother.  I was diagnosed February 4, 2004 and since that time very sophisticated and effective treatments have been introduced.  So, there is hope.
    What can you do?  Become a subject matter expert on lung cancer.  There will be questions to ask as tests and treatments take place.  Educated questions prompt alternative treatment ideas.  My wife's TPQ "terribly perceptive question" likely saved my life. Here is where you might start your reading.  Send this link to your other family members and encourage them to learn about lung cancer.  While you are at it, you might pass this along to your dad as he prepares to accompany your mother to treatments.
    What can you expect to change in your lives? I wouldn't begin to know how to answer that.  Certainly, you shouldn't have an expectation that your mother's life is going to be different.  I lost a lung and have residual side effects from my many treatments but my life since February 2007 has been wonderful and fulfilling.  If you are temped to peek at lung cancer survival statistics, read this instead and do listen to the Stephen Jay Gould essay cited in the link.
    Encourage your dad and perhaps your mom to join us.  Questions?  This is the place!
    Stay the course.
    Tom
  2. Like
    Katherine got a reaction from Mally in Mom diagnosed last week   
    Hi everyone, 
    I got the news last week that my mom has stage 3 lung cancer. It really tore me apart, she's my best friend and I owe everything I have, and every part of who I am to her. When she was younger she also battled and won the battle with lymphoma. I've always been so proud of her for that, but I wasn't around to see her go through all of the treatments and how they can change a person. I'm scared to see how the treatment for her lung cancer will affect her. My dad is her primary caregiver but we will all be helping her through this as much as possible. He was by her side through her cancer the first time so I'm happy he will be with her again. He is good at staying positive. I've been doing a lot of crying in private, but staying positive around the family, especially my mom herself. She herself is staying positive, saying today that "she's got this" after we learned after her MRI showed that she had no other tumors in her body as of now besides in her lung. After learning this I felt a big sense of relief, but then it slowly faded once I realized how hard this was still going to be to fight. I don't feel right for allowing myself to breathe and feel hopeful, I feel like I should take this as realistically as possible but I'm not informed enough to even know what that entails. 
    Tomorrow she sees a surgeon to see if she should do chemo and surgery or chemo and radiation. At first glance before the MRI they didn't think surgery would be an option at all, so I feel a bit of optimism that maybe surgery can happen after chemo now. I know people have beaten lung cancer with just chemo and radiation. I also know a family friend's mother just had half of her lung removed and is in remission doing very well. These things make me feel so much better but I know every single case is different. My mother is the most resilient, strongest, and most selfless woman in the world. Everyone who meets her loves her and her smile lights up the room. I want to know what I can do to make this easier on her, my brothers, my dad, and myself as well. What are the steps to take? What can I expect to change in our lives? She's always taken care of me and been my rock and I plan to do the same for her.
    Any advice, thoughts, anything would be good. 
    Thank you!!!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.