Angie Daughter of Bill

Wishing your Mom the VERY best for her surgery. She seems like a very strong lady and I am sure you are very proud of her for that! Prayers for your family..........

Wonderful!!!!!!!! Happy anniversary to your Mom!! May she have many more!

Hi gang! I will be taking my Dad for a pulmonary breathing test at 9:15 tomorrow morning. Immediately after, we will see the Dr. for results of the breathing test AND the PET that my Dad had on Monday. Hoping and praying for NO METS!! We will get my Dad's staging and find out if his tumor is operable. Whatever the outcome, I am ready to take the bull by the horns and do what has to be done. I want to express my heartfelt and sincere thanks to ALL of you here. (Including Katie B. and Rick) My emotional state is still rocky, but I think back to the day that I joined this group.............I've come a long way, baby! I owe it all to you guys. Take time and give yourself a big pat on the back. You are a wonderful group of folks!!! Since I signed on as a part of this "family", I have had sympathy, empathy, and stern advice(which I desperately needed). I have had hugs and prayers sent my way also. I have shared in your victories and your heartbreaks. Let's all continue to stick together..........we can do this.........one day at a time. Hugs and prayers to ALL of you!!

TBone Sending my prayers and best wishes to my neighbor.(I am in Alabama) I hope your radiation kicked some brain met butt! I will be thinking of you and your family while you are at M.D. Anderson. May God richly bless you and your family!!! Let us know how things go.

Gay You are entitled to break down. Up until yesterday, I had been living with my Dad's diagnosis as if he was already dead, too. But, I had some good advice and a swift kick in the rear from a few folks here, and I am coming to terms with this terrible disease. In fact there was a very smart guy who sent me a personal message that had some wonderful advice. He was a bit stern, but yet gentle...........like a father of an adult daughter would be. Yep, it was your Dean! You are lucky to have each other. Enjoy every moment. On the days that you don't feel like getting out and about, you can just sit around and talk ugly about the VA hospital. (That should be a full day!) Hugs to both of you!!

So sorry for your loss, Annie. May God bless you!

Thank you for your response. Take care and God bless!!

What is the difference in moderately differentiated or poorly differentiated squamous cell carncinoma? What does the "differentiated" mean exactly? Thanks!

After my anger and devastation this past week, I am coming to terms with the fact that my Dad has cancer. I am now living in today..........not tomorrow or next week or next month. My Dad is still feeling great......he has a little shortness of breath and swelling in his knees and ankles. Other than that, he is doing well right now. That means today is a good day! Instead of thinking of what is going to happen, we are making some plans. No............not dreary plans............fun plans. My Dad LOVES to watch professional bull riding on TV. My hubby and I are going to try our best to get tickets for all of us to go watch the bull riders in person. We are also going to take him on a mini vacation.(Haven't been on vacation with my Dad since I was 20 years old...........I'm now 32) I have decided that lung cancer is NOT going to rob me of my sense of peace or of good times with my Dad!! (Are you picking up on a fighting spirit that was not in me just a few days ago??) Thanks to God and many of you I have been able to reach down deep and grab some strength. For that, I will be eternally grateful!! You are a wonderful group of people and I pray for each and every one of you daily!! In fact, at church today, I requested special prayer for everyone who visits this site. Our whole church said a special prayer. My Dad is having a PET scan tomorrow. Please remember him and my family in your prayers. May God bless each and every one of you!!

Norme So sorry to hear Buddy is not doing well. We have been wondering how you guys are doing. You are wonderful for him. I will keep you in my prayers!

Welcome...........I am very new here...just got my Dad's dx yesterday, but I have been here a little over a week. Might I say that you are one heck of a lady!! I can feel your spirit in your post. Your other half is too bad either. He sure brought out some good points to me last night. I'm trying to pick all of this up and start walking with it. (not doing a good job with that) Sorry for all of the "mess" at the VA. As I told Dean, my Dad has been there once..........and that was too much!! We might have to utilize their services at some point in this journey, but I sure hope not! Wishing you and Dean all the best!! P.S. You might want to run a little faster than 5.75mph............just to stay out of Dean's way!! I've got a feeling that he's going to be heck on wheels!!

I really appreciate all of you taking your time to respond to me. I know I have got to get it together, but I just can't bring myself to pick up this load and put it on my shoulders! I am normally a very strong person, but I am no match for this!! All of you have encouraged me concerning chemo and radiation. The trouble is, my Dad does not want to fight. He just wants to "let nature take it's course". The only time he would consider radiation or chemo would be for palliative reasons. (Just to keep him out of pain) I admire the fight that all of you have. You should stand tall and be proud of yourselves. Maybe if I can grab just an ounce of that fighting spirit from each of you, I can keep on trucking. Thank you all again.

Dean Sorry you had such a rotten outing. My Dad has been qualified for Disable Veteran's benefits for 10 years..........how many times have we used the VA hospital???????? ONE TIME!! Your example is exactly why we only used it once. (And we weren't even trying to do anything like get a scooter, just see the Dr.) (Fumes coming from my ears!!!) It really is ridiculous. So, my Dad relies on his medical insurance. If on this journey through lung cancer we max out his medical insurance, then I guess we will have to go to the VA.(Our VA hospital is a 4HOUR round trip!!) I hope you feel better and recoup from that trip. Glad you are back!! We miss you when you are away! Angie

I am absolutely devastated!!! The pulmonary Dr. gave us my Dad's biopsy results.......NSCLC(squamous cell) I can not stop crying!!!!!! He will be having a PET scan done on Monday. On Wednesday, he will have some pulmonary breathing tests to see if he can function with only one lung. IF the cancer is operable, the whole left lung must be removed. We will find out the stage, if the tumor is operable, etc. on Thursday. Four appointments in three days next week!! My Dad has gotten REALLY quiet. He is not saying much at all. I just don't know what to do. Please continue to remember my family in your prayers. For those of you who took time to answer my post about taking some anti-anxiety meds............I have an appointment with my Dr. tomorrow. Something has to give..........I can't go on like this. I am ill with my children, ill with my hubby, crying all the time.......the list goes on. Thanks for being here!! Many prayers for all of you!

I wasn't sure if this is the correct forum to post this.(My Dad doesn't have a definite diagnosis, but Dr.'s are pretty sure it is some form of LC) Here's my question...........Did anyone have swelling and pain in their knees and ankles before their LC diagnosis? That is my Dad's major complaint right now. Dr.'s have put him on 50mg prednisone to help with the inflammation and pain. If there a certain type of LC that causes this?? (or could it be mets to other places?) By the way, tests for Rheumatoid arthritis are all negative. Any input would be appreciated. Angie Daughter of Bill

Thank you all again.......really from the bottom of my heart! As I read everyone's story, usually I am crying. I'm crying for those of you that have good news to report(happy tears) and I'm crying for those who have bad news.(Heart wrenching tears) The tears I shed here are different though...........I feel like .....well darn...... can't find the words. .....the tears here are helpful. The tears in public, they come from fear! Those are the ones I can't stand. Debaroo, you asked about family.......well, my Mom and Dad are divorced, so I must rely on my Dad's side of the family. He has a brother and sister in law.............work all the time.......never around. He has his mother, but she is 73 and not in real good health. He also has a sister in law, but we lost he husband, my Dad's baby brother, to a brain tumor one year ago this month. She is still in no shape to deal with this. So, sounds like it's pretty much up to me, huh? Thank you all again!(she says as she is crying.......crying because she is thankful for this place and all of you wonderful people!!!!!!!) May God richly bless you all!! Angie Daughter of Bill

Oh Shelly!! Bless your heart!! I can not imagine what you must be feeling right now. All I can offer to you is my prayers. Best wishes to you! Angie Daughter of Bill

Thank you so much! Boy, I sure got rid of some of my anxiety in my earlier post, huh? I Just got out of bed, logged on and re-read what I had written. I didn't realize that it was so long. (Sorry about that) One of the causes for my anxiety is my Dad's attitude with all of this. He says that IF it is as bad as it looks, he DOES NOT want to pursue any treatment. He just wants to do what he has to stay comfy. I know that it is a very personal decision and I respect that. I guess I just don't understand it. My Dad is a quiet person........he doesn't talk about his feelings very much, so asking him his reasons is like asking a brick wall. Dean Carl, maybe you could shed some light on this subject for me. If you would like to e-mail me personally, please do so. I will be calling my family physician today. I do think that I need some anti-anxiety meds of some sort. I am really a control freak and I can see that this is all going to be out of my control. But hey, it's in God's hands for all of us and who can we trust more? Thanks again! Angie

I signed up on this board about one week ago. My Dad does not have a diagnosis yet, but things do not look good at all. CT shows a mass, right in front of his heart, a partially collapsed lung with obstructive pneumonia, enlarged lymph nodes around the mass and also two other areas, and a nodule(3cm) on his adrenal gland that is bi-lobular. My Dad had a bronchoscopy done yesterday. We have an appointment on Thursday of this week to get the results. After the bronchoscopy, I asked the pulmonary Dr. what he thought........his gut feeling. He said, "I don't like to guess at things. We will have his test results on Thursday. It could be a malignancy or it could be TB or something else." Then I said to the Dr. "I am not the smartest person that God put on this earth, but if you REALLY thought that my Dad has TB I would think you would admit him to the hospital so fast that it would make my head spin!" The doctor and the two medical students who observed the bronch all just looked at the floor. After what seemed like forever, the Dr. said, "We just won't know until Thursday." The expression on his and the medical students faces pretty much answered my question!! I am soooooooo scared about the Thursday appointment!! It seems all I can do is cry!! Everywhere I go..........Walmart today.....crying while picking up a box of cookies.........then at the register, the clerk asks "How are you today?" I responded "I'm fine." Then my eyes filled with tears........crying again. Then it was off to get our taxes done.......crying in the accountants office. In the car........hear a song on the radio.......crying again. My heart starts pounding, then the tears start flowing!! My poor husband.....he doesn't know what to do except just hold me. My poor kids(ages 7 and 12).......I haven't told them anything yet. If they catch me crying, I tell them I have a bad headache. (which as of lately is really not a lie!!) A couple of my friends suggested that I see my family physician. My friends say that I need something for my nerves. I have never needed or taken anything like that. If I do get something like that, is it going to impair me to the point that I can't drive or function. I have to be able to drive. I have no brothers or sisters who can drive my Dad for his appointments. My Mom and Dad are divorced, so it is up to me.(and my husband) If anyone has taken these "anxiety" meds, let me know if they help and if I can function with them. Thanks! Angie Daughter of Bill P.S. I have only posted twice since signing on here, but I am reading daily. O.K.....I am reading A LOT! I admire so many of you already!! Dean Carl....you responded to my first post. For that I thank you. But man, you have some great advice and in some strange way, you remind me of my Dad. (Your live life to the fullest attitude, recovering alcoholic, several things) David C........are you the fiesty one of the bunch?? You look like it..........must be the hat!!LOL! (which by the way is really cute!) Norme.........you seem to be a rock! With everything that you are going through, I feel so ashamed to post how scared I am..........maybe your strength will rub off on me. There are so many more of you.........too many to list. Please know that I pray for this board daily. I pray for the caregivers, patients, and the doctors. Thank you all for listening to my ramblings............I'm not even sure if I have made any sense at all!

If there is anyone from northeast Alabama, please let me know. I have some questions concerning my Dad's doctor's, etc. Thanks!

My Dad and I just got home from his appointment with a pulmonary specialist. I logged on to the site.........I can't believe the number of respones that my earlier post got. To all who offered prayers and support.......THANK YOU!!! I have told no one about my Dad yet. He is divorced from my Mom and I am there only child. That means that I have to handle all of the Dr. appointments, etc. by myself. (Well, actually, I have my husband, but he has to work) It is a great comfort just to feel your support, eventhough we have never met! O.K.......about the appointment.....pulmonary Dr. would not say much. ......only that we needed to do a biopsy to get a definate diagnosis. The CT scan looks realy bad though!!! It shows a 4 x 6 x 7 cm pulmonary mass that includes contiguous left hilar lymphadenopathy. It effaces the aortic knob. It effaces and has partially encased the left main pulmonary artery with partial occlusion of the upper lobe branch. Mediastinal lymphadenopathy at the aortico-pulmonary window. Some obstructive pneumonia. Bilobular left adrenal nodule 3cm suspicious for metastatic disease. Good grief.....that is a lot of medical terminology!! The fact that it effaces the aortic knob, that it is encasing the main pulmonary artery and appears to be metastatic, is extremely scary!!! Does anyone here have anything like that?? I guess I need to settle down, huh? With God's help, I will just have to be patient. He is getting a bronchoscopy(biopsy) done on Monday. Then next Thursday he will go to the pulmonary Dr. at 1:00 then the hemotologist/oncologist at 3:30 the same day. Please pray for us next Thursday. Pray for strength and peace for us! All of you here are in my prayers!! Thanks for your support!!

Tracy...........I totally understand what you are saying. This is new to me. My Dad doesn't have a diagnosis yet, but it doesn't look good at all according to his family physician. Maybe we will know more today. We are seeing a pulmonary specialist. May God be with you! Angie daughter of Bill

Good morning everyone! I am brand new to this site........just stumbled upon it a few minutes ago. I am here as a caregiver and daughter of a man who will most likely be diagnosed with lung cancer very soon. We have an x-ray report that shows a 4 1/2cm parenchymal mass that is typical for primary neoplasm. The x-ray also shows enlargement of lymph nodes in the area. Our primary care physician told us this yesterday, sent him for a CT scan, and set up an appointment with a pulmonary specialist for today and with a hemotologist/oncologist for next week. We will stop by and the CT scan and report on the way to his appointment today. Things are happening very fast............I can't seem to catch my breath. I am 32 years old, married with 2 beautiful girls............but I am still my Daddy's little girl. Lord help us and be with us!!! Those of you who pray and believe in God's healing power, please say a prayer for Billy in Alabama!!