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Anniemac

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Posts posted by Anniemac

  1. Sorry I didn't get back to post sooner about the vocal cord surgery. It's called Vocom surgery. During his lung surgery,they had to remove one of the nerves to Tim's left vocal cord and it paralyzed one cord. The other cord still worked, but his voice was weak and breathy. He would run out of air a couple of times during each sentence, so it made him feel breathless.

    There are two cords and they make an open V shape. When you speak, they come together and touch each other and vibrate. (This is hard to explain without using hands :? ) His right cord would come over, but the left cord was not moving over to meet it and the air would just rush out, giving him the breathy voice. During the surgery, they shimmed the left cord over to the center so it's always there. Now the right cord has something to meet when he talks. Am I making this clear? Picture a pair of scissors opening and one side can't close.

    He was awake for the surgery, so he could speak and the doctor would know if he had the right size shim.

    I don't know if it would work for someone who had no voice at all. I would sure make an appointment with an Otolaryngology doctor and see if there is anything they can do.

    I don't think Tim feels so much like a sick person now that he has a strong voice again. He seems to stand up straighter and square his shoulders. He had been walk a bit hunched after his lung surgery, now that's gone. No one could tell by looking at him or talking to him that there is anything wrong with him at all.

    Let me know if you have any more questions and I'll try to get back to you right away. Good Luck.

    Annie

  2. Lillian, I'm sorry you are having to go through this. Tim went to a general doctor with a complaint of stomach and flank pain. She did a blood test and a chest Xray (just because he was a smoker) and called us that afternoon with the results that he was anemic, his white cell count was high and his protein levels were high. She scheduled him for a CT scan of his abdomen for two days later and they called the afternoon of the CT scan and said it showed and abnormal kidney and his chest Xray didn't look good. Within 4 days of his first doctors appointment, he had a chest CT and that evening they called and said to make an appointment with a pulmunoligst. So within 4 days of the orginal doctors visit we were knew he had something wrong with his kidney and probably had lung cancer.

    They did tests for his kidney, washing out cells and looking up inside his kidney with a scope. They also did a broncoscopy to verify the lung cancer and get a biopsy. He also had a PET scan and another broncoscopy to verify everything.

    I don't know why John didn't have any of these test. Doesn't seem right to me. I think this is the way things are supposed to progress; step by step tests to verify and rule out and type and stage.

    I sure hope you can find someone in the legal field to help you go after the doctors who mistreated John. I was shocked when I read the story you emailed me.

    Annie

  3. Tim is having problems with his stomach. He says he feels full and bloated, even if he only eats small amounts. He says he feels so bloated that it hurts.

    Have any of you had this? Is it from the chemo? He had a CT scan of his abdomen on Sept 8, and it showed nothing. Any ideas or solutions out there??

    Annie

  4. Yes, Tim's pot. runs high. The onc thought his kidney was having a problem with the chemo, and the kidney doctor thought so too, but it doesn't seem to be the case. He's taking a medication to lower it and avoiding fruit. So far they don't know what it is, but if your docs come up with something, please post it. I'll do the same.

    Annie

  5. David, I'm keeping good thoughts for your scan results. Tim got his today and they were good, so we're on a roll here. Lets not screw this up now...OK! :)

    Annie

  6. Cheryl,

    I'm so gald you get to have surgery!! I know it's been a struggle getting to this point, but soon it will be over and your doc's right, your young and health (well, mostly) and you'll heal up great. With all these people praying for you, nothing can go wrong.

    Annie

  7. We got Tim's CT scan results today and they are good!! The 1st scan after his surgery showed a nodule in his right lung and some shadows, but the onc thought is was due to inflammation from the lung surgery. The 2nd one showed the same things, but he and the radiologist agree that it sure looks like inflammation and not tumor. He said he would consider it NED!! Love to hear that. 8)

    Tim came home from the hospital on Wednesday. His vocal cord surgery worked great, but they gave him an antibiotic that really disagreed with him. Vomiting and diarrhea big time. He only ate a few spoonfuls of yogurt on Wed. and today. He was supposed to have chemo today and we went in for the scan results. I knew they wouldn't give him chemo, but they gave him a liter of fluids. I had to take him in a wheelchair because he was too weak to walk, but he pick up a bit after the fluids. He'll have more tomorrow.

    Sorry, this is supposed to be the good news section and here I am rambleing on about this. But I know that this is temorary and he had a good scan and his strong voice is back...so I just concentrate on the good stuff. :D:D

    Annie

  8. Boy, Caroline, your husband has sure been through the wringer. Driving again is great..a real sense of indepencence. Also a little pressure off you as the ride provider.

    Hope things continue to improve.

    Annie

  9. Tanya,

    I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. He was very young to pass so quickly, but I'm sure having the family with him was comforting. He will be your guardian angel now and watch over you until you meet again.

    Annie

  10. Tim had surgery on his vocal cord today and it worked great. He's a little hoarse, but the small, breathy, weak, phlemgy voice is gone!! He sounds strong and his voice is deep again.

    This will do wonders in making him feel as if he's getting better. I think the "little voice" made him feel weak and sickly. He'll come home tomorrow and have his chemo on Thursday, so not too bad.

    Now we're just waiting for the CT of his chest; should hear on Thursday. Hope I can post the results here!! :D

    Annie

  11. Gloria

    My heart is breaking for you and your daughter. What a heavy burden you have to bear. It doesn't seem possible to have such poor medical treatment in this day and age, but I read about it on these boards everyday. I am so sorry for you loss.

    Annie

  12. Becky,

    I have wondered the same thing. I just assumed they would go through the front and when I found out they didn't I was surprised. Maybe its because by opening the side/back area they are starting on the outside edge of the lung and working their way in. Also, they stay away from the heart area. Just a guess, but if I remember I will ask the surgeon on the next checkup.

    Annie

    PS--love the picture, what a beautiful daughter.

  13. Donna, thanks for the update. Connie is on my mind a lot. Her poor doctor!! I alway wonder if the doctors know how painful the chest tubes are...I guess this one does. :? Hurts just to read about it. I'm glad to hear Connie is getting along OK. Time heals all and of course she is in our thoughts and prayers.

    Annie

  14. Carlton,

    My husband, Tim, is on Gemzar and has had two rounds. It's combined with carbo and they are giving him fairly strong doses. This is a lot harder on him than his previous chemo. He has two weeks on and 1 week off. He has had to have blood transfusions at the end of each round, 4 units the first time and 2 this last Friday. He has no appitite, says he always feels full and it's uncomfortable to eat. He has not been sick to his stomach, just feels full. He also has a lot of fatigue and sleeps more than he used to. Hope this helps.

    Annie

  15. Is your dad getting steriods with his chemo? They would give Tim Decadron--2 pills the night before, 2 the morning of chemo and some in his IV. They told us it could make him either very emotional and weepy or angry and short tempered. Kind of a roid rage thing. Check to see if they are giving him anything like that. If so, it's only a temporary problem.

    It made Tim very hungry and he would just eat everything in sight during his chemo days. He gained 15 pounds in 5 weeks.

    Annie

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