Flightline

Thank you all so much for your words of comfort and hope and prayers. They really mean alot to me. My husband is still on the ventilator, but was not very happy today. Then I guess no one would be happy with that tube down their throat. He tells me he wants to tube out, but when I explain the consequences he gets quiet. I'm hoping that tomorrow is a better day, apparently his breathing improved slightly. At least the weekend is over and the regular staff will be in tomorrow. It seems all our crises occur on weekends when no one is available. Hopefully the radiologist will be able to do something for him. I'm praying for a miracle. Karen

I am ashamed & embarassed to admit that I have been a lurker for a very, very, very long time and have never stepped forward. After sharing your tears and joys I have come to ask for some help/support. My husband, a lifetime nonsmoker was diagnosed April 2003 with Stage 4 NSLC - a tumor in his right lung w/mets to bones and lymph nodes. He received carbo/taxol & radiation for several months and then had disease progression. Last August he entered a clinical trial of Erbitux and had great success until February of this year. He was then given radiation for a bone met and placed on Gemzar/Navelbine during March. April was a terrible month where he was hospitalized with a DVT. Less than a week out of the hosipital he was readmitted for pericardial effusion then a pericardial window was put in. At the end of the month he had a fluid drained from his lung. The first week of May he was put on Iressa which I had hung all my hopes on since he responded to the Erbitux. For a while he had trouble eating and it seems linked to when he started Oxycontin. Last week he had a terrible coughing fit and then his voice became very hoarse. (He rarely had coughed previously) We learned this week, that there was a stricture around his esophagus and also a paralyzed vocal cord. The doctor recommended surgery to have a stent put in to open the esophagus so he would no longer have difficulty eating, another Dr was called in to resolve the vocal cord issue. My husband had the surgery to insert the stent on Thursday. It was supposed to be an 'in and out' procedure. After the surgery they were unable to get him off the ventilator due to respiratory distress!! They put a drain in his right lung to get rid of some fluid because the Dr. thought it should help get him off the ventilator but it was not to be. The surgeon went back in on Friday because he noticed that the windpipe going into his right lung was mostly closed off by tumor. He wanted to open that up as well and insert another stent there. During the second surgery he found that too many branches of the broncial area were invaded by the disease and he couldn't get a clear passage through so they brought him out of surgery without actually doing anything. Still couldn't get him off the ventilator. . . Now they tell me that I will probably have to make "the decision" in a few days. They don't feel the Iressa is working. Our Dr. is at the ASCO conference, but before he left he told me we are running out of options, and he didn't feel that my husband would want to spend the rest of his days on a ventilator. My husband had no problem breathing before the surgery and now this. I always thought we'd have more time. How can you take someone off a ventilator when they can still smile when you tell them you love them, can still squeeze your hand to respond and is confused when they see you crying. I know that he still thinks he can recover because he's cooperating with the nurses. The surgeon suggested we look into more radiation on Monday, but I'm not sure it's possible because of the prior treatment. I fear I'm running out of time. Anyone have any advice, or know of someone who's made a comeback? Thanks for listening, Karen