TJ

Debi, I am so glad you are doing so well. I had surgery in Feb. and went through all of the same things including the weight gain. I have joined weight watchers but it just seems to be staying with me, but they said that my metabolism will wake up one day soon and the weight will come off. My surgeon told me the numbness will be there for a quite a while. Boy you were able to sleep in bed quicker than I did it was a month before I could even with pillows. I did have home health care when I came home twice a week for three weeks which was a godsend. About being regular, that was also a big problem but I did have one home health care nurse that had an idea that helped with that. I was already taking stool softeners and it wasn't helping they told me to drink a small glass of prune juice each day and to warm it in the microwave and that really does work. I hope this helps with that problem. It is true about moving your arm mine was getting very painful but it is better now that I have been exercizing it. I did find a great exercize program on the net for lung cancer patients that you might like to check out www.cancernetwork.com I have been doing them and it has helped a lot. I have found that my body lets me know when I am doing to much. When I first started moving around they told me to walk that was the best thing. To begin with I could only make it two houses from my home but it has gotten better. The heat really bothers my breathing when outside. TJ

Hi Everyone, This is my first time posting I have only known about this sight for a couple of weeks. I had surgery Feb. 12, 2003, they removed the upper right lobe. Was diagnosed with stage 1A NSCLC. It was a miracle that mine was found. My primary Dr. was closing his practice in Dec. 2002 and I had to find a new Dr. When I switched the new Doc ordered a chest x-ray as routine for a new patient, the last chest x-ray I had was in 1997 that one was clear. Two days after the x-ray the Drs. office called me at work and told me to come in that day. The Dr. said the tech. had acctually put a size to the spot on the film and that raised his antenna, he is a gen. practitioner but has done pulmonary. From there he ordered a CT scan and it was there also 2.8 cm. He sent me to a Pulmonary Spec. and he did a Broncoscopy but they were unable to get enough to make a diagnosis which I had to wait 1 week to find this out. Then he did a needle biopsy then waited 3 days the nurse called told me the results were positive, when I asked if that meant it was malignant she told me not necesarily(but I thought that was what they were checking for). This all happened the two weeks before Christmas which was very stressful for me. The end of Jan. went back to the Pulmonologist and he confirmed what I already knew it was malignant. He is a good Christian man and actually had prayer with us in his office that day which I have never had a Dr. do before. He called and got me in to see a thoracic surgeon the next day which I found out later that he is one of the best thoracic surgeons in our area. Didn't have my surgery for two weeks because I had to have more scans. Everything went great the cancer was contained in that lobe everything else was clear so I didn't have to have rad or chemo. I have not gone back to work yet, supposed to try April 14th. My primary Dr. says I am way ahead of schedule. I have not taken any pain meds for 3 weeks now. I still have a little pain but not bad. How long was it before you were able to lift things and exercise? I have been doing some walking but still get out of breath alot. Wish I had found this site before my surgery. TJ