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peggyoh

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I don't have a clue as to how to post here. I have used a Hip forum for over year so I guess I can learn. I had TLHR 11-03 and recovered well.

My husband had lung surgery a week ago. There was a malignant tumor on a vein from lower left lobe to his heart and into part of the heart. Not able to remove because it would in their words "cause a blood bath"

I have read lots of postings here but nothing like this. It sure does not sound good to me. He will start radiation and chemo when surgeon says o.k. Mayby 2/14. He looks like a concentration camp survivor and can hardly walk. I encourage him to excercise his arms and legs. But I'm just a nagging wife!

I have had all forms of skin cancer including the dread melanoma and kind of understand the mental turmoil of being told you have cancer.

A reply would be appreciated just to know I did this right. Thank you.

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Hi Peggy,

You did it right!! and WELCOME! :D

I'm Peggy, too. Is your real name Margaret?

Sounds like your hubby has had a really rough time. I appreciated the "nagging wife" comment. I get that a lot, too. LOL!

You will get the hang of this web site very quickly. It's really quite easy. There are numerous forums for different topics, and you posted in the right one for your first post. You can find the various forums listed on the Home page. The General forum is the most active, but some of the others get pretty busy, too.

It would help everyone if you add a profile under your post. See mine below as an example. You do this by going to Profile at the top of the page. Scroll down a ways, and you will see a signature section. Just type a brief history of your husband's treatments, etc.

While you are on the Profile page, you can also select other options. For example, you can ask to be notified of PMs (private messages) in your email. You can also select to get notified of PMs when you are on the site. It's really very cool. You can also post a picture. If you want to do that, we can help with that, too.

Just ask any questions you need to. Everyone is very helpful and will be very supportive for you and your husband during this battle.

Once again, WELCOME!

Love,

Peggy

P.S. The most helpful thing to me is that every time you log on, at the home page, you can select "View Posts Since Last Visit". This really helps to keep up with what's going on without having to click on each forum.

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Hi Peggy,

welcome!

Looks like you two are already on the first part of this ride.

Please try to remember that so much good can be done with radiation and chemo.

You will learn alot here and of course, have your own experience to share with the rest of us.

Keep your chin up and remember that this disease is survivable in any stage!! It is possible!

Come here as often as you need or want to. There will be someone here to guide/push/pull you through.

A great section if you have questions for any of the docs or onco nurses is in the middle of the top of the page....Ask the Experts. They answer your questions as a service to our lc community and they seem to be a wealth of knowledge.

Cindi o'h

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Thank you to the people who replied to my very first post. Gee, that was quick. Now I know what I will be doing in the evening. After watching the tapes of my favorite soaps.

Yep. I will have a lot of questions. So far I have not asked what stage my husband is in. I've done the research. I don't think he knows there are stages. He does not use computers but gets me a new one every few years.

I hope I can figure out how to post again. Watch for me. I'll be back!

Take a look at my home page http://www.geocities.com/pegmih

No, I'm not selling anything.

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Hi Peggy,

I'm glad you found us. This site is a terrific source of information and support. I'm so sorry your husband is sick. It's a tough battle as you apparently know. Somehow, we are getting through this together.

Welcome again to this site and please feel free to "communicate" anytime you want.

CathyR

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Peggy,

As you are finding out, chest surgery is tough and takes a while to recover fully. The most important things to nag your husband about are using his breathing machine and walking, walking and did I mention walking.

This is a great group of people here, lots of support and knowledge.

Welcome.

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Hi Peggy,

Welcome here. I am fairly new here and there are so many wonderful people here who are very knowledgable.

You said he went for surgery but they found that the tumor was on a vein to his heart ( which I imagine is the aorta) so they could not remove it.

Are you saying that he did not have surgery at all?

Maryanne

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To Maryanne.

Last December husband was hospitalized for 2 weeks with fluid on the lungs which was drained by tubes. Lots of tests were taken and that is when they saw an "abcess".

He had major lung surgery on 1/25/05 to remove the "abcess" but they found a tumor on a vein leading into his heart. It had invaded the area around the heart. Some stuff was cleaned out of his lower left lobe, but the tumor was inoperable.

Staples (nearly 50) will be removed next Thursday and a program of chemo and radiation set up.

It is over an hours drive to cancer center. Does anyone know of a service to drive back and forth? I really need my job for the good insurance. Does Medicare pay for this kind of stuff? We are over 65.

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Peggy,

Call your local ACS (American Cancer Society). Check into programs for Senior Citizens in your area. Many times, there are people who will drive patients to appointments...

I'm not sure if Medicare covers the cost of the travel if paid out of pocket. I believe the ACS folks are volunteers and there isn't a cost to the patient. Worth checking into...

Welcome,

Becky

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After only 1 day, I like this forum and have gotten some good information. I'm still figuring out some of it. For instance do I just keep "replying"?

I am discovering the same thing that I found on my hip forum last year. Members are soooo young. Is it because lung cancer is striking earlier now, or because seniors tend to not use computers? Probably the latter.

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Peggy,

Click on the Profile button at the top of the page to the right of the LCSC logo. Your info will pop up, go to the signature box and type in what you want, then hit submit at the bottom.

Also..regarding your transportation question...like Becky said, call the ACS. They transport patients to our cancer center all the time. The volunteers are real nice, hang out chatting in the waiting rooms and then take you home. They usually bring a few people at a time.

Good Luck~

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Hi again, Peggy.

You can start a new thread anytime you want. You just go to whichever forum that fits the subject you want to write about or ask about. The different forums are on the home page. You just click on the forum. For example, you click on the words Family Members/Caregivers and click new topic. You have to put in a subject and then type your message and hit submit.

You can also reply to anyone else that posts on any other thread in any forum. If you see a post where you can answer someone's question, or you want to express your sympathy, or if you want to welcome a newcomer, just click Post Reply at the bottom of the thread and add your comments. You don't have to type in a subject when you Post a Reply.

I think you're right about people your age not using computers. A lot of the people on here are caregivers or family of people that are your age, though, so feel right at home. I don't recall the ages of everyone, but I do know there are also a lot of people posting that are your age.

Have a great evening!

Love,

Peggy

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