Annette

I just had my right middle lobe removed on June 15th. I could have left after 4 but was glad they kept me one more night. It all depends on how well you do following surgery. I still have a very small amount of pain but believe it or not I'm ready to go back in and do it again to a spot on my left side. If they say they can take it out - by all means let them! Annette

So I was wondering - has anyone used a heating pad to help with tight muscles even though you are combating cancer. I may be just "crazy" but I was afraid it would help "spread" it. I have read so many "healthy" profiles - getting into exercising, etc. Does anyone continue to drink soda? coffee? I have not smoked in over 60 days - and I have cut down from a LOT of soda to 2 or 3 a day - but I would surely love a cup of coffee.... Thanks for any input. Annette

Congratulations Jamie - as a newbie I look forward to seeing your signature grow and grow and grow - especially now that your additions will be coming further and further apart (6 months now) - Way to go!! Annette

Kathi, Dana is right - I did have VATS. They did go in from the back - have about a 5 - 6 inch cut right at the bottom of my shoulder blade and three or four 1 inch cuts in my side. The worst part of coming back to work, as a female, was the amount of clothes I had to put on - I could do with one less garment! I had it on June 15 and actually came back to work on June 30th. My surgeon told me that it was up to me as long as I was off pain meds (for driving purposes). I work in an office environment and last week still needed a pillow to cough because the "nerve" pain was horrible. Still have a small amount of pain coughing. I am hopeful that I can recover from the next surgery fast as well - but would bet that it might take me a little longer. As for the "Chemo" conversation. I can't begin to describe the relief I felt when my oncologist told me no chemo for my stage (even considering the other side). I agree it is something to discuss but I want that other tumor out while it is still "small". Then she said we would do a pet and go from there. While I understand from reading this board the chemo isn't as hard as it once was - it still scares the .... out of me - so one step at a time. Thanks for all your wonderful replies. Annette

Had my first oncologist appointment following surgery June 15th. She says that since there was no lymph node involvement and the margins were clean that I was staged as a 1A and they were not recommending chemo. She is going to call the surgeon today and tell him to get busy taking the tumor on the left side out we want the same results. So I am feeling pretty good since the left side tumor was small. Still scared obviously but these are good results. The report says pT1pN0MX and the oncologist said let me write the stage on the paper for you and Wrote Stage IA!!!

I know what you mean - even as the person diagnosed I had some of the same feelings you are having. Like others have said - crying can be a great help right now. Once you get the "list" of things to do - every checkmark makes it seem a little easier. I have been reading everything posted on this website for over a month now and that has been helpful too. Good luck at the oncologist and make sure you let the board know how it goes. Annette

I stumbled across this site some time after my diagnoses May 7th I believe. I had a cough and my PA recommended an xray. The tech say a spot and recommended a CT. The CT showed abnormalities and I was sent to a pulmonologist who set up a PET Scan. The pulmonologist set up appointments with an oncologist and then called and set me up with a surgeon. The surgeon appointment turned into a Hospital Board which was good and bad. Obviously in all of this I was scared to death but each step so far has been the best of the worst - so to speak. The Cancer Board Thoracic Surgeon recommended surgery on a spot on my middle lobe of my right lung. So June 15 the middle lobe was removed via VATS and 4 days later the surgeon told me the pathology was clear in the nodes - yeah. I have had a follow up with the surgeon who says this side looks good and we are waiting a bit to aggressively attack a spot on the left lung that is small at this point and they aren't positive it's cancer yet. I have an appointment with the oncologist on July 7 and will find out if she is recommending chemo/radiation following the right lung surgery and when/what she thinks is the best approach on the left side. So I am still waiting and watching and worrying. This is a wonderful and sad site but I am so glad to see people actually surviving that hope is just a great thing for me at this point. Annette

Is this group still meeting? I have recently been diagnosed and am having surgery on June 15th at the Forest Campus.