Petunia

Thank you for responding and thank you for your response about the disease. You are right... it is a disease. It took me a while to even start typing on this website and I think many people do the same. Sometimes you just need to vent and that is what I was doing. She is on carboplatin and epostide (not sure of spelling and I think it is like cisplatin)) It has spread to her liver and to her adrenal glands above her kidney and her lymph nodes are swollen in her throat and around her lungs and in her body so I am not sure if that means it spread to the lymph nodes (I am assuming so.) According to tests, her lymph nodes have masses with cm so I am guessing it spread to her lymph nodes. Correct? She also has the beginning of a collapsed lung. The last test did not show that it spread to the other lung. She got a ct scan done in the beginning and the doctor it looked fine, although I am now learning about PCI, a preventative measure for mets to the brain. They did not mention radiation yet because I think they are waiting to see what chemo does, or they don't think that is an option... I am not sure. Do most people go for second opinions? I don't see what a second opinion may do if it is basically in black and white. Maybe there are new trials out there. So far she is doing okay from the chemo, just a little tired. It has only been a week though and I know some symptoms do not start until after that. We are still waiting to see how her WBC are. Basically they say 6 month to 18 months, although I hear of stories (on here and from friends) where that means nothing. It is the will to be here and positive thinking. This might seem like a silly question, however, any experience with synthetic wigs verses real hair wigs? I know this is the least of her problems but I want to make sure she feels comfortable and at least, a little normal, once she loses her hair. How are you doing with you nsclc? Are you still going through treatments or are you NED (which I think I have learned is no evidence of disease..not sure) I wish you all the luck with your recovery. I believe you joined last year and you have given support to so many people on this site. Were you able to have surgery to help with your disease? Thanks for everything (I love you smiley shirt... it reminds everyone to keep smiling and keep their hopes up!)

I am so sorry to hear about your news. I will pray that wbr will help him (and you). I am sorry I don't know much about it because I am learning also. It is weird how this disease turns your life into letters: sclc, wbc, pci, mri, wbr.. and we just want to say f.u. Spend this time with your dad and your baby and treasure every moment. I know it is hard to be positive at a time like this, but positive thoughts will do so much. I just talked to a friend of mine whose friend was diagnosed with ex scls and was told 3 months and she went through radiation (she had mets to her brain), chemo, and other tests, and was going on vacation the following year. It is hard to see your loved one be in pain. I wish we could take away even a sliver of their pain. Hang in there, think of positive times and positive outcomes and stay strong for your dad, you, and your baby. I will be waiting to hear how everything is going.

Thanks, I think I may try some beet juice. Yes, you are right, positive thinking can get a long way. Today was the first day I think my mom began to get side effects. She was very tired and had to take naps throughout the day. One thing I noticed since chemo is that my mom is cold and my mom is never cold. She would sleep with the window open in winter. For some reason now she is sleeping with two covers and wearing an extra sweater around the house. I am thinking maybe because she is not in her routine and moving around so much. Tuesday is wig shopping day so at least it will get her out of the house other than seeing a doctor. Thanks so much for support and I will keep you updated! Sending my good thoughts to your dad and you and your family!

Thanks, I think I may try some beet juice. Yes, you are right, positive thinking can get a long way. Today was the first day I think my mom began to get side effects. She was very tired and had to take naps throughout the day. One thing I noticed since chemo is that my mom is cold and my mom is never cold. She would sleep with the window open in winter. For some reason now she is sleeping with two covers and wearing an extra sweater around the house. I am thinking maybe because she is not in her routine and moving around so much. Tuesday is wig shopping day so at least it will get her out of the house other than seeing a doctor. Thanks so much for support and I will keep you updated! Sending my good thoughts to your dad and you and your family!

I am very new to this all (not just the cancer but also typing to other people on the computer.) I found this site weeks ago and would just endlessly search it, and then one day I said "Why not? Let me just type." As in a prior post, my mother just got diagnose with ext. sclc. "She was a smoker, as was I. She is not yet 70 and I am not yet 40. She has since quit since her diagnosis and I have also. She has smoked for over 40 years and I smoked for over 20. Quitting is the easiest and hardest thing I have done. Easiest because I know how dangerous it is and that it is taking my world away. Hardest because it has been my comfort, my friend, my stress reducer for so many years. For the smokers, have you quit or still smoked? I told my mother to just keep smoking because it was something she enjoyed, but can quitting help? Ever since this "cancer word" came into our lives, and it has only been 3 weeks, it seems that every where we look cancer is following us. All of the t.v. shows have to do about cancer, conversations seem to lead to cancer. I look at others who I now can tell have had chemo... But the even more horrible part is I also look at others, and think "Why not them?".. they are so miserable, not enjoying life, no care to do anything with themselves or to even get out of bed. And this is making me seem like I have already turned into this different person. Like the "c" word has changed me. In actuality it has changed our whole lives. Nothing is the same once this word enters your family. I also feel like I have been so strong around my mother, where in reality I am not. I now see where she got the strength from when we were going through this with her mother. I have yet to cry in front of her. She knows exactly how I feel,me being the "Ox" of the family, however I really am not. I am only okay when I am around her. I was okay yesterday, however, today was not able to stop crying. I can break down with my mom at any moment, however, I walk away because I don't want her to be upset. Males in our family, for some reason, do not hide their feelings. I want to know: Is it better if my mom and I have a breakdown moment together or will it make her depressed because, although she knows exactly what I am going through, it is different when you see it? Also, in regards to chemo, when do you begin the effects, if any,of chemo? She is done with her 3rd day of her 1st cycle and has been fine. She is doing her every day routine..not that it was much because she is retired, but looks great. Can anyone give any tips on how to be okay during chemo? Are there certain foods that you have used that helped boost your immune system? We go next week to check her WBC and I am just praying that they are okay. I hate the fact that she has to get tested every week. I do not mean to be a "downer" because I am SO not. I believe in the positive, and this site has helped me with that. Thanks for listening

Good luck with your dad's PCI. I have learned so much by visiting this site. How long was your dad diagnosed before he went for the PCI. Do you know how they will give him this test? I am also just curious about his diagnosis. How when did he get diagnosed? My mom just got diagnosed two weeks ago and just began her first cycle of chemo.

Thanks so much for responding. My mom is doing carboplatin and etoposide. Do you know if people carry on their regular activities like shopping or is it too risky because of getting an infection? I am sick right now so I cannot be around her. I know she has to go to the dr. to check her blood counts. I am not sure what they do if they are low? Will they make her stop chemo? I send all my hugs and prayers to any family that is going through this because I am only at the beginning and I have already taken a toll. I tell my mom that it is mind over matter and positive thinking will get her farther.

Can anyone give any info about side effects of chemo. My mom was just diagnosed with extensive sclc on her right lung, kidney and adrenal glands. She was not feeling sick, just had a cough. We were shopping and she fainted. If it were not for that we would never know. I took her for a head ct and made her get a chest x-ray because of her cough. Well from there, ct scan,, biopsy. She stopped smoking ( a little too late) but does this help with her recovery? Can anyone share current survival stories. Will she be here 12-18 months from now? After chemo cycles are over, will she be back to the way she was before chemo? We all want to take a family vacation and want to know when we should. I just hate to see her sick because she is a saint and does not deserve any pain. Our lives are changed forever and I just want to go back a month when she didn't look scared and cried. I tell her that a positive attitude is the best medicine. The only time I am okay is when I am with her because I am strong for her. I just want to know my best friend will be with me here next year.

I am new to this and have never posted anything on the internet (I don't even do facebook) but my mother was just diagnosed with extensive sclc and I feel like the life we knew has ended. She begins chemo tomorrow and I am scared of how she will feel during chemo because she is feeling fine now. It is very difficult to know that she may get sick from the chemo. I need to know that there are people out there that survived sclc for more than a year or so. I just need hope for my best friend to be here....