Don M

Linda, I am really sorry it is like this. If only your mom's confusion would subside. Sigh... you both have my prayers. Don M

Rob and Bill, please accept my condolences for the loss of your mother/wife. don M

I am sorry your dad is having it so rough. He must be a very tenacious fellow to keep going with the treatment when it is so hard. I have no helpful advice, but you and your dad have my prayrers. Don M

Linda, I am sorry that it has come to this for your mom. At least hospice will give you a much deserved break and maybe they can level out your mom's state of mind.. Rest easy and let it go. You and your mom have my prayers. Don m

Siobhan, hello and welcome to this site. I hope your partner's tratment goes well and that he will have many quality years ahead. don M

Happy Father's day to you too Don, and all you other fathers. I had a great Father's Day. Don M

Hi Liz. I am sorry your mom got lung cancer. There are a quite a few late stage cancer survivors who have been around for 3 or 4 years or more and are still kicking. Where did your mom go for a second opinion? I think she should go to a major cancer center where they have a team approach and the latest techniques and drugs to fight cancer. It is like one stop shopping for cancer treatment and consultation. Your mom could see all the relevant specialists probably within a space of 3 days or less. Places like this have an impressive array of specialists , experts in their fields, who communicate very well with one another and with the patient. The smart doctors are the ones who say they don't really know how much longer one has to live or are reluctant to make predictions. If your mom is in otherwise good health so that she could undergo the rigors of treatment, she could be around for many years to come. I wish the best for your and your mom. Don M

Welcome Aliboo; you got good advice. I hope your boyfriened's pain can be managed soon. All it should take is a call to the on call doc. Don M

Very cool. Congratulations Katie and Rick. Don M

Linda, you and your mom have my prayers. Don M

Tina: yur mother in law hs my prayers. Don M

hi Judy and welcome. I recently finished radition and will soon sart my second chemo. Don M

Hi and welcome to the site. Don M

Hi Gwen: if your dad does not want treatment, that is the way it has to be. But if he says that because he thinks he is going to die soon, I think he may be wrong and so is that nurse for telling you he may have weeks left. How could she possilbly know if it is aggressive if there has not been a biopsy and there is no history of tracking the cancer? I thinkk your dad should reconsider not having tratment since he may have a long wait if he is waiting to die. From what you describe so far, the cancer is not widespread. I hope you get some answers soon. Don M

Debi: congratulations! go forth and live. Don M

Carleen, you and Keith have my prayers. Don M

Gwen: It sounds like your dad is in good hands. The bronchoscopy, if positive, will allow the docs to see what kind of cancer your dad has. If it is not positive, they will just call it inconclusive or non diagnostic. At least, it sounds like it is not widespread. I have heard of others who have had some node involvement and cancer limited to the lung, who have had radiation and chemo, followed by surgery. At this point, it sounds like your dad has a good shot at a cure, especially if he has enough strength to withstand treatment. You might ask about image guided radiation therapy (IGRT). It is a targeted form of therapy that would be used to kill the malignancys only and would not affect the rest of the lung as much. This therapy is not as debilating as conventional radiation. I just finished 33 treatments of it and did pretty well. The thing is, I am not sure if it can be used on a tumor plus 2 involved nodes. It is worth looking into, I think, because it may be less taxing on your dad. Chemotherapy would probably come after the IGRT. I just took a quick look at Walter reed Website and see that they don't have IGRT yet, but they do have Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) whcih will also spare healthy lung tissue. Don M

Hi Gwen: I am sorry you and your dad have to go through this now. Hopefully the PET scan will show reassuring news. If it is cancer, it may be operable or maybe the shadow does not show uptake. I hope the UTI is under control. That can be very debilating in itself. Perhaps you can make arrangements with your dad to have copies of all his tests and medical information faxed to you. You would be able to track everything and perhaps we could help you. I wonder about the shadow. Was that on an x-ray? Has he had a cat scan? Maybe the PET scan scheduled for yesterday is actually a PET/CT scan Don M

Cindy, I am gld to see that your dad has found some comfort and relief. Don M

Hi again Shirley: I hope beth Israel can do the cyberknife for your dad. I am convinced that cyberknife treatment of brain mets is far superior to conventional surgery. Don M

That is just swell Don. Don M

Randy, I hope your dad has a speedy recovery. Don M

Hi Lillian: now that you have a plan, the emotional aspect should level out for you. There will be some rough days, but just hang on to the notion that your treatment gives you a chance at being cancer free. You have my best wishes. People often ask me, "how do you feel"? It is a kind of a indirect question. I think they are afraid to say, "how is your lung cancer going?" I usually feel just fine unless I have a cold or am doing chemo, and it takes me a moment to realize they are asking about my cancer. Don M

Tina I am sure that fear and denial are a large part of it. I can easily imagine myself in a situation where I maybe should go to the ER but try to rationalize my way out of it. It is like crossing a threshhold, where you have to acknowledgdge you are in deep trouble. Tell the oncologist. Don M

Hi Donna and welcome to these boards. Don M