BettyBP

Thanks Patti for the reply. I was able to speak to my Mom's nurse at the cancer center and she called in a prescription for her cough for me... and while I had her on the phone, I asked why she wasnt starting treatment if they foudn a new spot in her same lung. She told me that the nodule was 1.4cm and they were waiting for her next scan to see if there is change. Her onc told her yesterday that they are not going to do anything until her next scan... still worries me, but as one of my brothers just said to me "we waited a long time at initial diagnosis". I am not going to over worry and just keep the faith. I told her to pull out all her food books and keep up her anti-cancer foods. I just spoke with her on the phone and she told me that she hasnt coughed all day! WOOHOO that is a good sign and hopefully the cough and blood was adverse reaction to the dye from CT. this site is the best and reassuring to have people to talk to about this..... thanks again

thanks for info on humidifier and wondering how the Vicks is being used? thanks. I called her doctor to see what he would recommend and no reply as of yet- will let you know. thanks again

Thanks Dar and beleive you me, I have read almost every thread on the SCLC forum since day 1 and will remain hopeful. I also do not beleive the statistics and know this can be survivable..... so much praying, so much hope, too much fear

Hi Jen and thanks for the post. I just called Pluta Cancer Center where she receives her treatement regarding a cough medicine that would help her more. Regarding waiting til Feb 11 -My brothers and I also questioned this as we do know that SC is soooo agressive and thought they should have started treatment immediately - but both my parents assured us this was the doctors decision and he is not too worried about the new tumor. First off, they havent even called it a tumor yet - report just says "most likely recurrent" - he also told them IT COULD be from her getting sick on the table on Jan 15 while getting her CT. I just dont know - it is soo frustrating. We do beleive it is recurrent tho Mom feels and looks great and I know she is scared as all heck, but is ready to fight the good fight. I told her this CAN BE BEAT and we all have to remain hopeful thanks again. I wonder why they wouldnt start treatment immediately.........

Thanks Muriel and Ernie for your replies (made me cry) and beleive me, Mom is ready to fight and all of us are trying to remain positive about the new tumor. Since September/October we have all felt so hopeful due to her xrays and scans not showing signs of cancer. I will keep everyone informed on her next CT. I hate that waiting week...... will pray for everyone here....

This is a wonderful site and have been a member since I first heard about the "shadow" on her chest xray. Below is what I wrote last year, but never posted: Mom is 64 years old, strong and was having problems breathing after bronchitis - was sent for a chest x-ray on March 23. I have been reading this site since I found out about a "shadow" on my Mom's chest xray on March 24. The past 2 1/2 weeks have been full of doctor visits, lung biopsy, waiting for answers, high stress moments, many tears, screams etc. Last week on Thursday we did receive the final news that Mom has SCLC and yesterday we met with Onc at Strong Hospital and were given the news that the CT has NOT shown any spread of the disease and it is only in the lungs. Tomorrow morning we have brain scan (although they dont think it has gone there) to be on the safe side before she starts treatment of chemo and radiation next week. She has an upbeat attitude and has been taking good care of herself by eating all the right foods etc and plans to beat this disease. My concern right now is how she is going to feel after her first round of chemo - which will probably be Tues-Wed- Thurs of next week. She wants to attend a dinner that Saturday night if she is able to. Do you think that will be possible or will she be too tired out?? Also, my father is so worried about Mom going thru pain (especially since she is so "normal" right now)- is there any reassuring words to give to both of them (and my brothers)to keep her wanting to fight and beat this awful disease? If you are a caregiver or a survivor, can you please let me know about the burning pain from radiation, foods and more? Please. My fear is she will be sick from chemo and radiation that she will want to give up the good eats and taking care of herself. Right now she knows she will get sick and says she will follow her diet - but I know that can change. Sorry if this is all rambled.....I finally decided to post, because this is so hard to go thru and wake up every morning and WISH it was all a dream. We have a huge strong family base (my Dad has 5 sisters and 4 brothers- and Mom has 1 brother and 5 sisters) and all are remaining positive for her and hope this helps with healing and bringing her into some type of remission down the road...... January 2008 Mom went thru radiation (brain met) and chemotherapy with not too many side effects (no weight loss) but she did lose her hair (we had a wig party with some friends)and her red counts went down once during chemo and she had a transfustion - she also was low on whites twice and required series of VERY expensive shots. She probably only vomited once or twice during the chemo treatment time and had NO PAIN from her radiation to the brain and not much pain from the chemo. Us kids immediatley researched the day we found out about her "shadow" and started her on Flax oil and Maitake D-Fraction BEFORE we even received final diag of SCLC. She has continued this regimen and doctors seem to think thst her diet and supplements helped her to remain healthy. Our entire family was positive and full of FAITH. Thanks to websites like this, we were able to BELEIVE that this could be beat. After chemo was over in/around August they told her the tumor had shrunk around 80% and was very tiny - she asked for another round because she wanted to fight. The doctors gave her another round and subsequent xrays showed nothing. (we were all sooooo HAPPY) More info: Mom went thru 16 rounds of radiation to the brain after scan proved positive for cancer, immediatley after radiation - she started chemotherapy. Mom had to undergo steroids before and during radiation which made her a wonderful chatterbox - As the year progressed and she finished her 3 rounds of chemo, the doctor told her that her tumor was just about gone and she asked to please let her undergo one more round of chemo. She underwent her last round and subsequent xrays and scans showed nothing - that is, until last week. She supposively has a 4cm tumor in the same lung, lower right and in the past 2 days has been coughing up some blood. I am worried as she and my father go visit doc at 10:30 this morning....so scared. I have to note that during CT scan she became ill and vomited while lying down and doc said blood in sputum probably from strain on body from getting sick. One week later she is now getting blood in sputum when she coughs and says it is not all the time. I just pray this isnt the beginning of the end as she has done soooooooo very good since her initial diagnosis last April Mom is doign great and feels good and docs told her that her regimen of supplements and her diet helped her stay relatively healthy during and after treatments. What i dont udnerstand is that her report last week said "most likely recurrent" and that the cancer has not spread to abdomen or other lung - if it IS cancer, why would they not have her start chemo immediatley? As it is, they have us coming back on Feb 11 for another CT and then result on Valentines Day (nice) Mom is strong and will continue to fight - her hair has pretty much all grown back (which she is very happy about) but now the worries are here all over again. We are a positive and strong family - but todays results have me worried. Does anyone have any information they can share with me regarding blood in sputum from coughing and what this COULD mean? thanks so much everyone. Mom has taken her Maitake D and her Flax Seed Oil Pills everyday since initial diagnosis of "a shadow" Her last CT on January 9th showed a new spot around the size of a thumbnail and she will go for a rescan on Feb 11 (please pray and keep your fingers crossed) She has been coughing up some blood and the docs seem to think it is from her getting sick on the table during her last scan (she is having bad reactions to dye maybe?) as she has gotten ill from the last two CTs. Went to talk to ONC yesterday about blood in cough and he is not overly worried and also is not too worried about her new tumor right now. Would love to hear from anyone that can help during this time - all I can say is THANK GOD that she was here and so healthy for Christmas & New Years and with the docs news yesterday of him not being overly worried - we are all breathing a sigh of relief and whatever news follows with next months scan - she is ready to fight. I love my Mom, she is the best and sad to hear from my Dad yesterday (after her appt) that she was so scared the previous day that they were going to tell her she was going to die. She doesnt plan on going anywhere. thanks again everyone - this site is the best

You may reply on this thread instead of emailimg me as I can open links on husbands computer (but not on my laptop??) Mom would like a suggestion of something to help releive her coughing. Doc thinks the blood coming up is due to her getting sick on table and thinks she pulled or torw something - he isnt overly concerned about this. HELP

My mother has been coughing up some blood and am wondering what any of you may suggest for her to use to help ease the cough. Her Doctor is not too worried about the blood as she has had bad reactions to the dye (getting sick while lying down on table for scan) I just want to find something that eases her cough as she told me this morning she is using HALLS drops. I am having problems opening ANY/ALL posts on the SCLC board (and all other boards) so if you could post answer here and maybe also email or pm me at thanks so much..this site has been a plethera of assistance to us since her diagnosis last April Betty