carolhg

Hello, Your treatment plans sounds very much like the treatment plan that I had. I just want to let you know that I was diagnosed stage IIIA. I had two lymph nodes to light up in my chest. I had 6 weeks of weekly chemo (carboplatinum/taxol) and daily radiation. I was surprised that it was not as bad as I thought it would be. I did not lose my hair, nor did I get sick from the chemo. My radiation oncologist gave me a liquid medicine to take which helped with the radiation discomfort you might get on your esophogus. Be sure to ask. Also I used 100% Aloe Vera Gel and Aquaphor on my chest for radiation discomfort which I had very little of. The good news was that at the end of the 6 weeks my tumor had all but disappeared. My surgeon told me that he was going to take me to surgery and test my lymph nodes and if they showed no cancer he would go ahead with the surgery otherwise he would close me up and not do the surgery and I would be treated with more chemo and radiation. Well, thank God my lymph nodes did not test positive for cancer and I was able to have surgery. I had an upper right lobectomy and my surgeon removed twenty lymph nodes. The pathology report was that nothing showed positive for cancer. I had two more sessions of the same chemo after my surgery. That was rough because the chemo was three times stronger than what I had before surgery. I did lose all of my hair and I had aches and pains which started the second day after the infusion and lasted 2 to 3 days. My surgery was in July of 2005. At the end of August 2005 I was back at work teaching high school. All of my scans since my surgery show no cancer.You did not mention if you had a PET scan, which determines if cancer has spread anywhere else in your body. It is like a CT scan they give you an injection and it lights up anywhere in your body where there is cancer. I am very grateful to God, to my friends and family and to this wonderful website where I came so many times and got support because I was so scared. Please remain positive and fight this disease with all of your heart and soul. When I was first diagnosed I thought I was going to die. Myself as well as others are here to let you know that you most certainly can survive this awful disease. Also like others have already said, drink plenty of water. Just make it a habit to always have a bottle of water with you. I will be praying for you. Carol

So nice to have some light moments. You certainly deserve them. God Bless you. Carol

Thank you all so very much for your responses to my post. I was told to expect some discomfort, but I thought by now all discomfort would be gone. Wrong! Once I know what to expect then it is much easier for me to deal with. My right side had been numb for a long time and now it has some tingly feeling, some soreness, some numbness and honestly it scared me. I thought it might be the cancer coming back even though my scans have been good. I guess I am just hyper-vigilant.I have gained 45 pounds since my surgery. I am going to work on losing that and hope that my help. I am not glad that any of you are having or had discomfort, but I am glad that you are able to relate and share your experiences with me. Again, thank you very much. I am so looking forward to a anti-cancer vaccine this year. It is way overdue. Happy New Year to all of you. Carol

Happy Birthday Lilly and wishing you many, many more birthdays to come. Keeping you in prayer. Carol

Welcome, I am sorry to hear that you lost your mother to this awful disease. I hope that you find support and the information that you see here.

I certainly am praying that all goes well with your mother and with us all. My prayers to you both. Carol

Mine is not the scar. It is the right side below my breast. It feels tight and numb and sometimes tingly. On the inside it feels like something on the inside of my ribs is pushing against my ribcage.

I thought that by now the nerves or whatever would have healed by now and that I would be back to my old self. I had an upper right lobectomy in July 2005. For a long time my right side was just plain numb. Now it is numb somtimes, sometimes tickly prickly and it just feels tight like something is pushing against my rib cage from the inside. Does anyone know how long this feeling will last? Thanks for any info. Carol

I would definitely call her doctor and let the doctor know about the pain that your mother is having. The doctor can give her something for the pain and be prepared to look for what is causing the pain when she goes in for her appointment.

I say 'giant leap' is really, really GREAT!!!

I am so very sorry that there is so much on you. There are many families that now matter how many in the family the work all falls to one person in the family. I pray that God give you strength for all that you have to do and prayers also for your mother. Carol C

Your life sounds good Debi. Enjoy the Blessings! Just keep on keeping on!!! Carol

Also praying for the both of you. Carol

Welcome to this wonderful site Valerie. You will find much support here. Carol

God Bless you and your family Don.

Merry Christmas Don! God Bless you. Carol

Merry Christmas! God Bless you. Carol

Merry Christmas!

(((((((((((((((((((((PRAYERS)))))))))))))))))))))))) Carol

((((((((((((((((((((((PRAYERS))))))))))))))))))))))) Carol

Merry Christmas Dr. West and thank you so very, very much! Carol

FANTASTIC! Truly wonderful, wonderful news!!! Carol

Oh Jamie, That is truly wonderful, wonderful news! I am so happy for you. God Bless you.

Thank God! Glory Be to God!! What a wonderful Blessing!!! Carol

I don't have pain on the incision but I do occasionally have soreness there. I thought it might be because the numbness has finally started to go away.