Cathy's daughter

Please don't be too hard on yourself. There is definitely no rule book on how you should feel at any point through this ordeal. I think it's very hard to prepare for the worst and be completely taken aback, maybe even as hard as being taken aback by bad news when your hopes were high. It's a roller coaster ride, that's for sure. Praying for your family.

Thank you all so much. She has the PET this Friday. Praying for a clear PET. Oncologist meeting is the Tuesday after Memorial day. Thanks again! Lisa

I was going to say Ativan too, IV if necessary. It is not uncommon to have anxiety when on the ventilator, and it's a pretty standard drug ordered for intubated patients. Encourage him to take slow, deep breaths when the vent isn't breathing for him. Also, when he is off the vent and extubated, he can do pursed lipped breathing (in through the nose slowly, out slowly through pursed lips) to allow better oxygenation and reduce anxiety. I hope he gets some relief soon.

Thank you all for your responses. I was just shocked at the 2 totally different responses by the doctors, one seemed so laid back and the other had a sense of urgency. The deciding factor for us was that my mom cannot wait 2-1/2 more months mentally or emotionally to see what this spot does. Your reassurance helps so much. Thanks again, and I did find Dr. West's site and post there as well. Thanks, Lisa

Happy birthday Eric, and what wonderful milestones, mom!

She went to the ER doubled over in lower abdominal pain. Turned out to be nothing, but the abdominal x-ray picked up a tumor on the lower left lobe. Her surgeon called it an "incidentaloma", we call it a miracle.

My mom, age 57, was diagnosed last July with Stage IA Squamous cell, tumor size 1.6 cm. She had a left lower lobectcomy and has done well. No oncology consult, no chemo/radiation. She had a chronic cough which led the surgeon to order a CT scan in January which showed a 4 mm mass. He did a follow-up CT 12 weeks later (end of April) which showed change to 6-mm, no big deal, but showed "multiple new areas on left, 1-cm in diameter in size and smaller, worrisome for metastatic disease." Her surgeon said too small for PET, wait and do another CT in 10 weeks. My aunt is a chemo nurse and said no way, and the oncologist she works for agreed, and has ordered a PET on May 18 and he will see mom on May 29. Also, the cough is better, they took her off her ACE inhibitor and that seems to have worked. Anyone have experience with 1 cm being too small for PET? Her surgeon said that even if the PET was positive, he would be hesitant to go back in with surgery at 1cm. He is taking a very conservative approach, and the oncologist seems to be very aggressive. I'm at a loss for who is right? Any and all advice appreciated. Lisa