NellW

Today Bob's urologist told him this in not any bladder , prostate or kidney problem ,they are all fine, and that he needs an MRI right away, but I am really pushing them to request a pet and or bone scan. The urologist said he was concerned about the cancer being in the bone, and at least they both heard him say that. He gave him vicadin for pain, and it is making the pain barely liveable for about 2 hours. Sure need your prayers. Will an MRI show anything if there is a met to bone? I agree, he needs an oncologist for sure. Will update soon as we know more. Don't know why the gp is so slow to act. Pushing hard on them to push for more scans. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers, we sure need em.

Well, I spoke with his wife last night again and she says he is seeing the urologist today, but that she is getting more concerned about a possible met to bones. I told her I did not want to scare them but that I really wish they would get more scans done. Told her that I know it is scarey for them but that his pain, which is getting worse with each day, has to be managed and to do that we have to know what is the cause. I think they just don't want to believe it could be a met .

Gayle,So sorry about your loss. We sure do fly by the seat of our pants as friends and loved ones, but hopefully we can learn a little as we go. I can't understand how this awful disease moves so very fast. I know you have many good memories of your wonderful Mom. Prayers and love coming your way.

Hello again, I have not posted for quite some time. If any of you remember, our friend Bob had surgery for stage 2, squamous cell lung cancer about 3 months ago. He did very well with his recovery. There were 2 out of 8 lymph involved and they removed about a third of his lung. No follow up treatment was advised because the doc felt his age (76) and general health (emphysema) were against it. He would not get another opinion on that . My question is about his new problems. He has been all of a sudden in terrible pain in the groin area and thighs. His primary doc has been dealing with it as though it were a bladder and prostate infection, and there seems to be some of that there, but it has been 3 weeks and nothing is helping with the pain. He has oxycodone which he took post surgery, but that helps him sleep a couple of hours and thats it. He is sleeping about 2 to 3 hours a night . He went to ER last night and they say there is no bladder problem bad enough to cause this much pain and are sending him to a urologist. He never had an onc. , only a lung doc and a surgeon. An ER doc suggested last night that the bone should be checked and his wife said that he had a PET scan in March and she did not believe there could be bone mets this fast since there was nothing in the bone then. I feel concerned that there may be. Can anyone share anything about that type of location and intensity of pain? Thank you so very much Love and prayers for all.

Hi Francine. Glad to hear your good news, and praying for the rough stuff. You've been through it a bit lately it sounds like. Hoping the nausea and pain will improve very soon.

Wow! You really came through that surgery well! Continuing prayers for better health everyday!

Thanks for all the input. Bob will see his primary on Monday, and hopefully go to another doc for second opinion within the next week. Going to ask his prim. for a referral to one. Tiny, thanks for all the research. We will look up and read at these sites as well. Hope you all have a blessed weekend!

It came yesterday finally, instead of last Fri. I posted last week that Bob's info was going before this "board" which I now understand is normal, and that we would have the recomendation for further treatment a week ago. Well they didnt discuss his case until yesterday. When the PA of the surgeon who did his segmentectomy on 3/26 called, she said the consensus of the board was that there are no studies on the effects of chemo and rad. on people over 75 (he is 76). Therefore they reccomend that he simply have CAT or chest xrays with his primary phys. every 4 months! He had 2 out of 8 nodes involved and they cant tell him the location of those. They also do not necessarily believe he is clean. He feels like they said "ok you are old so forget it". We could use some input please from the exp. and wisdom of all of you. It's not that he is anxious to go through anything more with treatment, but he feels uneasy. Maybe anyone would with this monster disease. Feeling a bit frustrated. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers for Bob and Jo. xxoo

Hi friends! Bob is up and around much more now. Had a visiting nurse come and she is a wonderful help! He is sleeping in his recliner, doing 6 steps to get to the restroom level of the house, but very very tired. He says the pain is still a 6 on a scale of 1-10 even with the oxycontin, but he is a trooper. We will hear from the board who will give him the recommendations for treatment since nodes are involved, sometime on Monday. Thanks so much for all your support. I print your replies and give them to him. He is very encouraged by all of you. More later xo

Hi Deb, Welcome to the most supportive place around! Glad you decided to post.

Hi Karen, Will be praying for you on Tuesday for a good and quick recovery and for your wonderful Doc as well. Your attitude is amazing and your faith is encouraging. xxoo

How wonderful to have your Mom coming home. Sounds like she is really doing well!

Praying for you that all goes well! It's a hard fight, isn't it.

How encouraging to have a radiologist who thinks like that!!

Hi Friends, Well, Bob is home, and he is not walking around like he should be. He is in a lot of pain and on oxycontin but still, the surgeon gave him explicit orders to move move move!! Also the report came back yesterday and out of 8 nodes, 2 were positive. All we know is the surgeon says he needs to talk to the "board" whoever that is, and we will know the recommendations Monday. Bob has up till now not had an oncologist, only a pulm. doc and the surgeon. He seemed to think he was n ot going to have anything except the surgery, but I bet they will reccomend chemo or rad. or both. What is your exp. with that? Concerned but trusting God!

All went very well. Bob came to a stepdown from ICU room, was already off the vent. and was joking in a very sedated fashion. YEEE HAAA!! He was saying " I want coffee" Doc said he did a segmentectomy on lower right lobe and took out the tumor, and also several nodes, one of which is positive for sure so of course we are waiting on the path. report. Can anyone tell me when to expect that. We are so very grateful for all your prayers and thoughts. MJ the daughter says thanks for the sweet invitation Norme. She will be here for probably a month depending on how her Dad does. It has been a good day all in all. His lungs are in rough shape what with the emphysema but so far so good. More later when we know a bit more. Hugs

Wonderful report!!! Will be praying for continued good recovery.

Hi Friends. We are packing to go to Ann Arbor tomorrow evening and check in at the Residence Inn there to stay with Bobs wife Jo and his daughter MJ . The surgery will be early Friday morning and will be a segmentectomy of lower right lobe and also removing a section of upper lobe that has lot of the emphysema, and several lymph removed as well. It will be a long day and we surely hope for and count on your prayers! I will post if I can from the hotel on Friday night to update you. Thank you so much for being here for us. By the way Norme.. that is Eden park. MJ lives in Cin. and we were all visiting her when that picture was taken. Lovely park. Hugs and prayers to all.

From left to right, my hubby Art, me, Jo (Bob's wife) and of course Bob. Thought it might help to put a face with the names.

Thanks for all your responses. Bob and his wife Jo are headed for Ann Arbor to the hospital again this afternoon for the rest of the tests. Before they go they see the Card. for his results as well. Will talk to them tomorrow night and try to encourage them that they are supported by love and prayer and that my new friends here say he has good chances. Praying for a good day in every way for all of you!

He says there was a message on his answering machine saying they added a new test for Fri. when he is getting some sort of a specialized additional CT scan to check the degree of emphsyema he has. The added test is some sort of Nuclear Med. test as well that he thinks contains the letters QV. Hmmm. Can anyone think of what this could be or what could be the reason for it. He is feeling like he just wants to not do another thing. Wants to just forget it. Thanks

Think he is getting a clearer picture of the fact that he is not going to be racing around for quite some time. Shared some of all of your comments with him. They have an appt. with the PA for the surgeon on Monday to discuss what he can expect with the surgery itself and also the discharge condition he will be in. He had a long day of cardio tests today and is feeling like he wants to say "just forget it, it's to exhausting to do all this" but his wife is saying she wants him to go forward with the plan. Thanks for all your comments and prayer. Will let you know how things are going.

Our close friend was dx the last of Jan. and is still waiting for treatment. Lot's of tests and therapy (pulmonary rehab) ordered by the surgeon. Surgery will be a week from Friday if all goes well. Still a couple more tests to get results from. Heart tests, and biopsy on thyroid nodule. It's nerve wracking for sure! Praying for you and your family!

Yes he does have his wife there to help him with comode if that is the choice they make. We will just need to see how it goes as you said. I will tell him of your prayers. He will be so thankful for them.

Post is titled "friend of Bob.." Sometimes I can't think straight. We are going to Bob and his wife Jo's tonight to listen to the audio tape of the surgeons visit last Thursday tonight. Thanks again.