Darlene

Hi Darci, I'm new to all this too so I'll just jump on the roller coaster seat next to you... My husband had a chest x-ray (June 21) for surgery pre-op (back surgery) when a mass was found, pretty much indicating LC. Back surgery was postponed indefinately. He was then sent to his PCP for a CT scan.(June 30) The CT scan didn't look good so he was sent to a Pulmonary doctor for a lung biopsy. (August 10) The biopsy said nsclc, adenocarcinoma, and the doctor told us it was inoperable due to the size of the tumor and my husband's extensive heart problems. He is just now going to an Oncologist this week (August 24) for a PET scan and staging. Hope this helps.

Jane I can't even begin to imagine how you are feeling, but by the lovely responses you will not have to fight this alone. You will be backed by a great team cheering just for you. Scream, yell, kick, and even bite if you need to, looks like you will have many here to really hear you. And don't worry about losing you hair and all, it apears you have far too much inner beauty shining through for that to be even noticed. My husband has a PET scan scheduled for the same day as you, I'll say an extra prayer for too you on that day.

Thanks, the pacemaker one is one that I had not thought of as being a problem or concern since it is already in place. I guess that should be added in Special Instructions or Additional Requests. I also found this great website where all of these important documents are easy to download and change to have your own name and personal information added. http://www.familycaregiversonline.com

Thanks you all, now I have more questions than I started with, but I guess I better get them all answered now…. ~Peggy~ I already keep a three ring notebook with all his medical records in it. I can just add this to the back until needed. Thanks for replying looking at your ‘signature’ this must have been hard to reply to. ~Snowflake~ Thanks, I had already thought of not showing it to just everyone until it is ‘needed’ but wasn’t sure I could to that. That really helps knowing how to manage things for other health care issues, since he does have so many. ~ Don and Lynn~ Thanks that is great advice on DNRs, I wasn’t sure how things worked with a DNR and he certainly doesn’t want one flying around just yet. ~ Leslie~ GREAT SITE! ~bunny~ Ok a complete set? Are all these things found together? How do I find each so I can review our choices BEFORE we decide to see an attorney? And the last one, is that so his doctors can discuss his medical issues with me? This is not going to be fun, but I think I will feel better knowing they are all in place. I really think he is in denial about the seriousness of everything, and I want him to be able to make those important decisions about his future care now before he doesn't feel like it. I sure don't want chemo side effects to make those decisions for him, and I can see that hapening.

Thank you Dixie for a great post. You will find lots of help and support through this difficult time. I am really thankful you brought this up and had so many replies as it has also helped me see that I too am not as alone as I thought I was. My husband stopped smoking for about a month after each of his heart attacks and again after he found he had LC. But he is back at it only cutting his smoking in half. (3-4 ppd to 1/2-1 ppd) YES it is SCARY to watch someone with LC continue to smoke, but like the others, I just offer support. He KNOWS I would be thrilled if he would quit smoking, but I don't bring it up anymore. He has been told of every possible problem and risk associated with continuing to smoke, by every magazine article, newspaper article, every doctor, and each and every one of my children, he knows! So I just focus on what I can do and try not to focus on what I can't do day by day. Also keep in mind we all go through the emotional "stages" of cancer. I don't know them all, but I know it starts with "Denial" and "Anger" is in there someplace...maybe you are at different stages emotionally... I know we are over here.

We have set this week to begin putting together all our wants and wishes while my husband is in good spirits so that we will not have to contend with angry family if the time should come. It will probably take a couple weeks as we will discuss it, put it away, and come back to it many times because we just can't talk about it all at once. I expect opposition from his family every step of the way, so he wants to go ahead and put everything in place now. I also will be doing this for myself just incase anything should happen to me. Can anyone point me in the right direction of finding a sample of these things online? I don't type well (two fingers only) but I will if I need to.

Sounds like you are having such a tough time...As a midwife, nausea is something I deal with on a regular basis. What I recomend to my clients is Chamomile tea, sipped, not gulped, also peppermint. Peppermint can be taken in a peppermint tea, or just smelling the peppermint essential each time nausea creeps up on you makes a world of difference. My husband's daughter is staying with us for a while. She has severe nausea as she has a stomache virus and is pregnant. Peppermint tea, candles, essential oil, peppermint breath mints all must be used to keep anything down!

Leslie thanks for posting such an interesting way of looking at this. I have looked into diet and blood types but not medications. This will be very interesting. My husband is of German decent, and has type O negative blood. We'll see what the doctor recomends soon. It is great to see everyone post what blood type they are, what meds they are on and how they worked! I am also interested in how diet affects cancer and cancer medication...sugar, dairy, white flour, etc...

WELCOME! You'll find lots of love in this group, in my short time here they have sure helped me!

Of course I'll pray for her, but also for you, it sounds like you need stregnth right now so you can better support her in this difficult time. Lobster! You're on the right track! Hang in there!

What alarms me also is the fact that so many, many people will not get screened when they clearly are at risk and have none of these 'symptoms' mentioned or don't smoke.

Thanks everyone! Today has been a little hard as we have had to talk of all those things that no one likes to talk about. It's a little scary knowing that he had a chest x-ray in December '04 that was clear and just barely six months later a 4cm tumor with the high posibility of mets to lymph nodes. Ann~ I would like to talk to you more about your search. We have only known his bio-dad's name for about four weeks now. His mother died before she ever told him anything and he thought the dad he knew all his life was his bio-dad. Thanks for sharing it's nice to know someone else who has done this.

WOW whatm a wonderful story to share. I do believe CNN needs to do a story on YOU for the public to hear in a time like this...

I'll keep your brother in my prayers, also pray that he will continue to give you the stregnth and courage to help him the best you can.

Well we got the results back today on Ronnie's biopsy done yesterday. The doctor said it is NSCLC/ Adenocarcinoma. He will now be sent to another doctor for his PET scan. He did give the usual stats; amount of time left...blah,blah, but we are trying to keep positive on other things going on...like locating his bio-father for the first time...

This has been tough to read... I remember 18 years ago when my grandfather died of lung cancer in the last 24 hours or so everyone knew it was going to be soon. Many family members gathered in the home of my grandparents. In the last 45 minutes or so when his breathing was slowing down we all gathered around the bed said a prayer and sang Amazing Grace. We had a wonderful nurse from our church make sure he had his pain meds for that day and watch over him. He looked up at my grandmother, wiggled his nose like he always did to be silly, and closed his eyes and exhaled.

Thanks for so many warm replies! Fay A, what you said actually made me laugh out loud! I spoke with a new PCP today who called Dr. A's office to get records. Dr. A told him Ronnie's basic run down of health problems and that I will be coming in with my rather large notebook of medical records. With that Dr. Bhatia made the decision to accept him as his new pt. However he will not be able to write the Rx for Ronnie's OxyContin. So I called his Pain Mgt Dr, that he has not seen in a while, and he readily agreed to manage all his pain meds. Yipeeeeee! Ronnie did have his biopsy this morning, we will know what type of cancer tomorrow. This new doctor is just WONDERFUL. He called in all cardiac equipment for a just-in-case and none was needed. Ronnie came through with no problems and is home working on his airplanes tonight. (R/C airplanes-that is) ~ On another note I will be volunteering at Dr, A's office off and on for the next three weeks to see them through the close. I can schedule seeing my own patients around the days I will be there. When I offered to help out, he cried on the phone.....

That is just beautiful! I have shared it with so many people since you posted it here and I just wanted to tell you it has brought such joy!

Hi Jamie, WELCOME! I'm new here too and have already had so much help and support! And that baby is precious!

I didn't see (smell) that one coming!

Thanks! I'll take the "one door opening" as he will be working in the Emergency Room.

Thanks, Thanks, Thanks!!!! YES! I would love to get one for my husband. I just spent many hours today working on his 3-ring binder of his current medical records for a new doctor to look at. That would be of great help as we are just beginning all this with LC.

~Val~ I'll second that! Don has been a great help to me too as I am just learning here on the board...

I guess I just need to tell someone that 'gets it' but today when my husband had his appointment with our PCP he let us know he will be closing his practice as of 9-2-05! This is a wonderful man, friend and doctor. Another doctor from his small practice stole a large sum of money over some time making it impossible to Dr. A to continue in private practice He knows all about Ronnie, sees him through all he has been going through, overseeing all his care from the different specialists...it's just not fair!

Geri, Thanks for your original post...I needed that. I too got caught up today with stastics at the doctor's office. I knew ahead of time not to pay too much attention to them, but when I heard them out loud it just seemd to have a personal meening.... But my husband was strong, he didn't pay too close attention to all that stuff, he actually kept making jokes. While talking to the doctor he kept confusing 'biopsy' for 'autopsy'. After that broke the ice, the rest of the day he said he wants to have a shirt made that says, "I am scheduling my autopsy for next week." (by-the-way, it's scheduled for 7:00am on Wednesday)