richinsdakota

Also; Ive heard it is difficult to determine exact size from one scan to another, as the spiral CT takes "slices" of the area...if the slice cuts one end, vs the middle..size will vary, etc. I guess this is sometimes a factor in varying size estimates. Id "ask the experts" above, tho, for prof. info. Good luck...Rich B.

*Disclaimer: I am only really neurotic when I get odd pains or at test time. I only share this with you all, so that you will know that your not alone if you become temporarily insane, and that I know that I'm not alone when I get wacky. I actually look perfectly sane when seen on the street . (From Debi's post.) Haaa..ur too much.

Debi; I agree..if u arent already a writer, you could be...very well written. Yea, the dang anxiety thing, I know the feelin. I got a CT soon. In MRI, i also need the towel over my eyes...like Linus, heh. When I leave the machine, I steal a glance at the contol room monitor...course I always see a big spot "lit up"...always scares h... out of me, till doc reports. (I dont get to see the scans, only the docs do here.) I guess the "spot" is just something like the spine or something which is normally there..? Dunno if Id take the cell phone in the MRI...you might play h... trying to catch up with it when they turn those magnets on.. BTW, my request for "easy listening" music ended up being raunchy country drawling stuff. heh. Hope thats the only wrong button she pushed. I had one serious dizzy spell, bout 2-3 months after surgery...saw the road go away to the left and found myself in the middle of someones yard, inspecting the lawn till it finally subsided. Weird. The surgeons nurse guessed it was probly a temp. drop in blood pressure..? Dunno what caused it, but hope it dont happen again . So I hope u get that under control, if they figure it out. Bad enuff we got things that "go pop" huh? Good luck...Rich B.

Oh, geez...another one here..hehe...between Cindy and some of the others here, my ribs already hurt from laughing some days. Oh, by the way Doughnut...dont ask if anyone uses those "silly" emoticons on the left there...hehe. Glad ur here tho...the more fun, the lighter the atmosphere. Rich B.

Yea, drop the boxes, live out of em till you get thru this. Concentrate of you, finding out what is going on...getting in touch with your pul. doc, etc. if u can wait. But Id be ready to hit the ER fast, if things get worse. Like do you have a ride lined up for that?..etc. Meantime, take it easy, girl...spend time where u are more comfy, less SOB, like the couch, with phone...? Take care and good luck...Rich B.

I researched RFA before my surgery, but dont recall seeing anthing about treating the brain with it. Lung, liver, and soft tissue of various kinds they do treat with it, tho. I called Amer. cancer society, they said it was still experimental, so they couldnt recomend it over other treatments, etc. Turned out, I wouldnt have been a good candidate, as tumor was pressing on major blood vessel in lung. Im sure theres a lot of info on it here, or on net. search for Radio Frequency Ablation, should get lot of info. Good luck...Rich B. It definitely is a minimally invasive procedure, much like a needle biopsy, preferable to major surgery I had. But again, dunno about brain met treatment.

How fast tumors grow, I dunno, but mine was 4.1 x 10.1 cm...the size of a fist or so. But was still localized, and operable. Lost one lung, but chance for being cured is good as anyone, doc says. So hope it is as treatable, if biopsy is positive...Good luck...Rich B.

Welcome Kim and friend, the more support, the merrier. U will learn a lot and find hope and practical options here. Good luck. Rich B.

Welcome; yea, keep learning, searching for docs who can help...Lot of ppl have had tumors reduced by chemo or radiation which made surgery possible, etc. Anyway, youre in the right place for help and support. Good luck...Rich B.

You see, Claire...nothing but sincere,helpful folks here, who only try to help and support each other, and dont hold our tobacco addiction against us...Im still an addict too, after all my trials with this disease. (See bio info below), and noone here has ever put me down for still smoking, only offer support and good wishes for me. I cant quit either, for whatever reason, so come on in and we might as well relax and have a smoke while we learn and get support in our battle with this dang disease. Some of us are just never gonna quit smokin, so just concentrate on treatments and fighting the disease, ok? For that...this site and the folks here are invaluable. Join us...youll find friends here. Rich B.

Welcome to all of you newbies...this is the place to be, when we have to be. Good luck...Rich B.

Wow, more troubles with sealing...hope they get it soon. Makes me feel lucky that I never had that problem. Good luck and get home soon...Rich B.

Sorry to hear Kid...that nausea can be awful, hope they get the meds right so you can catch a break! Like, enuff already, huh? K...good luck..Rich B.

Great; good to hear great reports like that...continued good luck to you all. Rich B.

Yep; hang in there, try to keep calm while getting tests and diagnosing exactly what it is. All you can do...one step at a time...diagnose, then treatment plan...if u get anxiety, there are anti-anxiety pills..ask for some, if u need. (I still use a few after 10 mos.) Find a good doc who gets good results, and explains things, if u havent already. They are all different, as we are too. K..welcome, hope you get good news. Come here for lots of help and support too. We learn more here than from anywhere, I think. Good luck...Rich B.

Dittos; welcome and congrats on NED...How did u get thru all that without the support of this fine group? hehe...I dont know how I would have...great group here. Will look forward to your posts and story...good luck to us all...Rich B.

wf; well, Im 10 months out from surg...pain is down to mostly just discomfort now....I just found out I can ride the lawnmower, if only about half speed. hehe. Still not able to do much tho, beyond lifting a half-gallon of milk, upper bod is easily aggravated by heavy lifting, work. Durn rib cage muscles are involved in every movement, it seems...even walking to some degree. Also, run outa breath soon as I exert a little. (Like carry the groceries up the stairs.) Guess its gonna take me more time to get back to any projects...sigh. Just getting to sleep in bed, on my sides a little, the last month or so too. Debi; Yea, my surg. cut me off the narco pain pills about same as you, but I was still in pain, so I asked onc. at first visit..he doled em out freely, said addiction was a myth really, but some docs are nervous about it, I guess. Anyway, pain eventually decreased, about 5mos. out, and I didnt miss the pills at all, long as I didnt need em. (And I didnt enjoy the constipation much. hehe) I keep a little darvocet around..(not narco), for mostly my back pain days...but dont use much. Dunno...all docs and peeps are diff., I guess...but Im addicted to nicotine still...so not like Im not a "personality". hehe. Anyway, ...good luck to us all...Rich B.

Want to add my welcome; great place to learn and get support here. Yea, smokin is a beast in itself...I still havent quit either, really tough. Glad u did tho....good luck...Rich B.

Hi; I just developed "things that go pop" too. When I bend down...right where the rib was removed, it pops...feels like muscle or scar tissue folding over or something...weird. Also, when Im walking or deep breathing in certain positions..I swear I can feel the lung stump flopping around in there...yuk. Just wanted you to know youre not alone. hehe...Rich B.

Interesting; Here in S. Dakota there are a few chokecherry trees left, and prairie apple trees. (I luv em green and sour, hehe.) On my excercise walks, Im raiding the neighbors trees all the time...w/permission of course. Delicious stuff and good for me of course. Not as much fun as stealin em without askin like we did when kids here, but luv to eat em. Only problem is , noones figured out how to make em grow in the winter, so fruits are scarce here when the snow flies...but spring is here, and I see the green berries appearing now...soon, will be piggin out on em while I walk. hehe Rich B.

There was a post sometime back about someone had a "lung leak". Dont remembr what the outcome or treatment was...maybe a search for "lung leak" might turn it up..? Not sure if its still in archives...but worth a try. Rich B.

Yep/; Happy Mother's Day to my Mom, (recovering from car accident), and to all you Moms out there, and your Moms too. Have the best one possible...Rich B.

Oh geez, sorry to hear of problems. Hope you get it all under control and get home soon. Make up for Mothers day later, when feeling better...Good luck...Rich B.

Yep, congrats! I know thats a big one to get over cause I havent got over it yet. But they cant hurt you if you dont smoke em, so kudos to you for being so strong willed. Rich B.

Yea, I know the feeling; better now, but when I had the chemo pulmonitis, or whatever it was...I hit emergency room for a little oxy one nite...they measured B/O level at 89 %. 88 required by ins. to get oxy. of course. Im better now that lung is cleared up, but can identify with stairway exhaustion,etc., still have that. I just have to live with SOB, whenever I exert, I guess. sigh. So, dunno the answer, they are stingy about oxy., and there doesnt seem to be a small tank for just such emergencies as you describe, far as I can find out. I suppose oxy could do some harm, ...tho it doesnt seem like a few lite hits would hurt at SOB time...dunno..ask the experts? Hope you get better answers...Rich B.