SBeth

I'm usually just lurking on the board and learning so much about cancer, treatments and just life in general for people dealing with cancer. I find myself in awe of the members that truly take such time to give helpful advice and answers to all questions...I wish I had the energy or heart to give back to the board and I hope that some day I will, but for now, if nobody minds too much, I'd like to continue taking and ask what will probably be a stupid question; but here goes. My husband just completed lung radiation a few weeks ago and had a CT Scan the next day. The results of the first post dx/ post treatment CT Scan show that everthing is stable and there is no further growth at the lung site. My husband received the Scan results via a phone call from his oncologist and feels that this is GREAT news, as did the nurse....but...prior to completing his radiation, we were told that a PET scan would need to be done to be sure there was no further growth and that the CT Scan would only show the presence of a tumor, and not cancerous cells. We go for an MRI on 10/15 to determine if the cancer has continued to spread to his brain, but I'm having a hard time sitting at the top of this roller coaster hill waiting for the downslide...am I just looking for bad news? Can we really take comfort in the CT Scan? Thank you in advance for any advice. Beth

Your story gives me so much hope. Thank you so much for sharing. Beth

Thanks to all of you for you insightful and heartfelt responses to this difficult decision I am facing. I especially would like to say thanks to Oncodoc - Joe for the words of encouragement. You are the first person, with clinical insight, to give me such hope!

In the 5 months since my husband was diagnosed with Lung Cancer, he has never once surfed the internet or accessed a web site to seek information or support. I, on the other hand, search endlessly for any crumb of information, support or hope. Are there many other caregivers out there that find the person they are caring for seems to be afraid or non-interested in learning? Also....those that have cancer...did it take some time before you were able to bring yourself to the keyboard and the "information-highway"? Beth

I'm at a total loss for what to do. Here is my problem...in a nutshell. My 47 year old husband was dx Memorial Day 2004 with NSCLC Adenocarcinoma Stage IV with mets to the brain at two sites. The brain tumors were removed via emergency surgery on Memorial Day and two weeks later, on June 15, 2004 he had a lung resect to remove most of the lung tumor. He has been extremely healthy and endured 35 rounds of radiation (is that what you call each radiation treatment...a round) and is receiving chemotheraphy of Carbo and Taxol weekly on Mondays. He has been extremely healthy so far. Last week we got a clean CT. Everything seems great...but I cannot forget that he was diagnosed Stage IV and I have read the stats and prognosis for this Dx. I'm keeping the faith, as is he, that everything will be okay. But....over the weekend he decided that he wanted to go back to our original plan to build our dream home. We had an appointment to sit down with a realtor and builders the day after he was diagnosed and obviously we cancelled. This project will be an enormous venture for both of us...both emotionally and financially. He will not be going back to work until the end of the year...but how do I tell him that I don't want to do this? I've tried to talk to him about what his reasons are and he just says...."nothing has changed since Spring" and that he just wants to get on with our lives. What do I do? I'm so scared that he (we) are biting off more than we are bargaining for and we will pay the price with his health, but what if this is the ONE thing he wants to do before ... what do I do? Please give me some advice...anyone?