I (Rhonda aka Jadedparrot) am new to the Lung Cancer world and am here to help myself help my mother. She (Sandy) was diagnosed with Stage 2, Adenocarcinoma NSCLC on Feb. 4, 2009. Right now, she is on her 5th day in ICU. They cannot take her tubes out yet as the lung has not sealed. Today was a rough day for all of us. She cried a lot, has a ton of anxiety and stress and more pain as they are turning down the pain numbing drugs in her back tube. The top half of her right lung was removed this past Wednesday, a bit more then they expected to take. She is not expected to need chemo or radiation.
As a 45 year smoker, you always think it will happen to someone else. I am her daughter and I have smoked for 30 years, minus a 8 year hiatus stress sent me back to the pack. Mom and I have been quit for 34 days. As bad as everything she has been through, how can we both want a cigarette more then ever? It amazes me how bad this addiction is. Neither of us will smoke again but it sure is testing our will. Especially mine, as I came home for a few minutes and had to find an outlet for help. I googled Lung Cancer support and found myself here.
My father has Non-Hodgekins Lymphoma and has heart disease. He has had 3 stents, two defibrillator implants and quad-bypass. He keeps going, thank God. He will start his chemo treatments again in March.
We are not supposed to take on more then we can handle. I have surpassed that, especially on a bad day like today. I am 42, an only child, both my parents have severe illness and I have one knot left on my rope. I'm holding on tight.
I'm not looking for pity. I just need a place to deal with this. Thanks for having me.
Rhonda