Bruce u

I had my surgery in September 2010 so getting close to the 10 year mark. I have chest x-rays once a year now. I think my nodule was 1.5cm but near a blood vessel so they staged it at 1b instead of 1a

Surgery will be over before you know it and within a couple days will be up going around. All the best for on your results

Lexiecat I had a lobectomy by VATS on my upper left lobe. I had surgery on a Friday, most everything was unhooked on Saturday and the rest on Sunday. Monday morning I was released from hospital and took a 1 1/2 hour flight home Monday evening. It sounds like you have been doing your preparation and research. Rest when you need to and eat as much or as little as you like. It was not near as bad as I had expected but don't push it even if you do feel ok.

Hi buzzy Great advice from everyone. I had my upper left lobe removed in 2007 and have been all clear since. On a ct scan in march, ground glass opacity showed up in my right lung. The radiologist thought it may have been an infection and suggested a follow up ct in 4 months. On the July ct scan every thing was all clear. They think it was just an infection from the flu I had in February.

I think you have been given great suggestions by Tom and Bridget. I had VATS surgery and my upper left lobe removed in 2007. I think for everyone the recovery will be different but mine was a lot easier than I expected. I had my surgery on Friday, was released from hospital on Monday morning, and took a 1 1/2 hour flight home that night. The next morning I had someone drive me into the office for a 20 minute visit. Now I still needed plenty of help and rest and certainly could not run a marathon. I think you should prepare to not go up stairs for the first few days. Even a couple weeks later I had to go for a Doctor's appointment and had to park a little farther away. I had a difficult time walking the distance. Just take it easy and let your body heal.

Hi Yovana Like you I had VATS surgery but on my upper left lobe. Lymp nodes and margins were clear. I followed that with 4 rounds of adjuvant chemo. That was in 2007 and I have been NED ever since. Vats surgery was not recommended for Stage 1B but I really pushed to have it and glad I did. The lower left lobe is 30% while the upper lobe is 70% so that should help you as well. You can do this and as Tom said, be vigilant with the testing. You have to be your own advocate on this journey.

If you can put it out of your mind and enjoy life it would be great. Just after my lobectomy I had a touch of the flu and was automatically thinking the worst. I told my oncologist about it and he looked at me and asked " you never had the flu before you got cancer?"

Hi KS I had my upper left lobe removed in 2007 and have been NED since. In March i had a CT scan and Ground Glass Opacities sowed up in 2 lobes of my right lung. I had Pneumonia before that and the Radiologist said it may be infection and recommended another CT in 4 months for comparison. I had it last Friday and got my results Monday and it was resolved so must have been infection. I was finding the lymph nodes on both sides of my chest but that has gone as well. So hopefully it is just from an infection.

Thank you Katie and Donna. Almost 9 years and still get scanxiety !!!

I had an upper left lobe lobectomy followed by 4 rounds of adjuvant chemo in 2007. Been NED since until a march ct showed ground glass opacity in two lobes of right lung. I had just gotten over pneumonia so was hoping it was infection but my gp and surgeon were very concerned. Had a follow up ct and results today said previous opacities were resolved and no metastis seen. Sounds good to me.

HiDebi I had a Cisplatin/Vinerolbine combination. Cisplatin is a difficult chemo drug. I know one of the side effects is "ringing in the ears" and the damage is permanent. My fourth treatment, the Cisplatin was changed to Carboplatin and I found it much easier.

Thanks Tom I appreciate your reply. I have done alot of research over the last 8 years on cancer but never had any reason to research GGO. So if it is just infection from the Pneumonia, they will just disappear? I know was still feeling congested the day I had the CT scan but it is a 7 week wait so I went not knowing about GGO's. I had a chest x ray the end of November and that was all clear. The Ct scan was for something else but i asked my GP to add the chest. Two weeks after my CT scan I went for a PFT. The results were the same as last year with the exception of the diffuser test. That one was just a few percent lower and the Respitory Technologist attributed it to lasting effects of the Pneumonia. She also said it is common for that test to fluctuate.

I had a lobectomy on my left lung in 2007 and have been NED since. On a CT scan last month, there was what the Radiologist termed Opacities in the middle and lower lobe of the right lung. I think this is referred to as Ground Glass Opacity. Seven days before my CT scan, I was diagnosed with Bronchitis/Pneumonia. The Radiologist had in his report that the opacity may be from infection/inflammation and recommended to do another CT scan in 4 months. My GP set up an appointment with the original surgeon who did the lobectomy. She wanted his opinion on if he should do a scope to get a biopsy instead of waiting. He didn't mention that but referred me for a PET scan. He did say that Pneumonia may have been the cause of the opacity. I spoke with his secretary yesterday and she said that she understood it was now being changed to a CT scan. I am certainly hoping it is just infection from the Pneumonia. Just wondering if any other members have any experience with this Ground Glass Opacity ?

Hi John I think most people find that after you start treatment it helps with the stress level. You start to feel more positive and moving forward. I was diagnosed in 2007 and like you I read anything and everything about lung cancer I could find. It is good to do some research because I do think you have to be your own advocate on this journey. But like Tom has said, those stats do not take alot of things into account. Everyone reacts differently to different treatments. Alot of those stats are older and do not reflect the progress in treatments over the last few years. I was told I had a 12% chance to still be alive in 5 years. Even Oncologist and Doctors lump you into a category. Everyone will be telling you to stay positive but that is easier said then done. No that you have started tratment try to focus on that and read all the good news stories you can. There are lots of those out there too. take care

I too was very scared when I started chemo. I think for me it was because I had heard so many horror stories of others who had chemo. Those stories are in the past and now they have meds that can help with the side effects. After my first treatment I felt great and didn't think I needed to take the meds I was given. Big mistake!! Take the meds and keep your chemo team updated on how you are doing. They will be able to help and maybe change your meds if they know what is going on. I found that a side effect of the steroid I was taking can make you very agitated. I had a cisplatin/vinerolbine combination which was switched to carboplatin for the last treatment. I found that alot easier than the cisplatin. Along with ringing in the ears, pay attention to any pain in the lower back when you are getting the chemo IV. It is not a common concern but a new nurse tried doing it too fast and kidneys began hurting. The chemo was not near as bad as I was expecting and I'm sure you will be the same. Take care

I learned early in this journey that you have to be your own advocate. If I had just accepted what I was told in the beginning my story may have been different. That journey may be frightening Christine but there are alot of good news stories like mine as well.

I just got my latest chest x-ray results and still NED since September 2007 Lobectomy. I give credit to members on this website encouraging me to push for adjuvant chemo.

Hey Randy, Katie I'm doing good and just staying busy. I haven't seen Alex in awhile Randy and no I don't watch Ice Road Truckers. LOL There is another show similar to that being filmed in Yellowknife as well. That one is living on a houseboat. Are you still working hard in the food industry? Katie I read a little about you every now and then on here. Still doing alot of public speaking and traveling? How are the kids ?

Missed you as well Ms Texas

Hi Cindy I am not sure where that old yellow bus is but it is getting chilly here in the north. Might be time to get going for a tour again and pick up members along the way.

Hey Eric and mike Great to hear that you are still living a fast paced life Eric. Spain sounds like a great place for a get away. Congratulations on the grand kids growing up mike. I walked my daughter down the aisle in September. During her thank you speech she told everyone the story how 8 years ago we didn't think I would be here to walk her down the aisle. I think almost everyone there had a tear in their eye by the time she was finished. No -30's yet mike but we did get a few snow flurries this afternoon. I remember back in the day we would all jump on the old yellow bus to get away from the cold. Lol Great to hear you both are doing good

I haven't posted for awhile but still drop in every week. i joined here in 2007 shortly after I had VATS surgery and my upper left lobe removed. LCSC was my lifeline when I had alot more questions than answers. i know there was a lady named muriel who convinced me to push for adjuvant chemo and that has worked out good so far. just wondering if any of the old gang is like me just reading and not posting these days.

My Brother had pain in his back and shoulders for 2 years. They finally discovered that it was cancer in his throat. Like Randy mentioned, it was around the vocal chord. I would mention it to the Doctor.

Hi Welcome to this great site. I think it is normal for you to be scared and have all those feelings. I know I was several months from the time a spot showed up on a chest x-ray until I had surgery to determine if it was cancer. I was stressed all the time. That was in 2007 and even now while I am waiting for the results of my test it is very stressful. Most members here refer to it as scanxiety. It sounds like they are being proactive in doing the biopsy. It could be other things as well but definitely better to be certain. I had surgery and had my left upper lobe removed. A few months after that I was also diagnosed with COPD. But I still work and enjoy a very active lifestyle. Take care and please post any updates. There are alot of members here with experience that nay be able to answer questions for you.

Hi I submitted a reply to your post last night but it disappeared somewhere. I had VATS and was staged 1B. That was in 2007. I think it is normal how you are feeling now with being so new on this journey. It is a big change not only in the patients lif but also family , friends, etc. Things will begin to fall in place and you will find your new " normal". It will get easier as you get farther out.