chloesmom Posted February 24, 2005 Share Posted February 24, 2005 Bill, I don't really have anything else to add but to agree with all the previous posters and to say that during my time of waiting for diagnosis and surgery, xanax was a mainstay for me. You have to rest and you have to sleep, otherwise after a few days, things just get looking worse and worse. The waiting is agony, and I think that I, along with a lot of other survivors, felt much better once a plan was in motion to rid my body of cancer. I hope that your nodule turns out to be benign, but even if it isn't you can get through it. Good luck and keep us posted. Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogfam Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 Bill, just wanted you to know you're in my prayers. Trust in God for the peace that will get you through the 'waiting game'. It's the worst, but God will always get ya through it. Keep the faith. God is good. ((hugs)) Christy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbays Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 Sorry it took so long to respond. I am quite new to the site also. I just wanted to let you know that I am praying. The waiting is HORRIBLE! God bless and may those nodules be negative. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wfshaw Posted March 1, 2005 Author Share Posted March 1, 2005 First and foremost I would like to thank all the kind and caring people who have responded to my post. I finally got to the pulmonary Dr today and the prognosis was yes, it is cancer. 2.5cm in the lower right lung and no indication of enlarged lymph nodes and his initial comments are promising. Of course I need all the followup tests, MRI, chest x-ray, blood work, pulmonary tests, and the biopsey before he can give me a definate. Because of the Petscan he seems to think it may be stage 1a or 1b and I would be a candidate for surgury and a complete recovery. But again nothing is definate until the tests are complete. He wants them done, including the surgury if I am a candidate in the next three weeks. Just wanted to post and update and thank you all and God bless all of you. Please pray for me. I'm am still very scared and nervous. Thanks again, Bill in PA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 I'm sorry you had bad news, but it sounds like you will be able to have surgery and thats a good thing. I went through the surgery without any major problems and didn't allow it to keep me down for too long. I'm 3 1/2 years out now and doing just fine. It is scary stuff. Just remember that it is beatable. Hang in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 I'm sorry you had bad news, but it sounds like you will be able to have surgery and thats a good thing. I went through the surgery without any major problems and didn't allow it to keep me down for too long. I'm 3 1/2 years out now and doing just fine. It is scary stuff. Just remember that it is beatable. Hang in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justakid Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 Hang in there Bill in PA. I had the surgery, chemo and radiation, from reading your posts, your a strong man and take on anything! Be positive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 You are very fortunate your cancer was found early enough to be removed. I am sorry it turned out to be cancer, but I am happy you have a chance to make a complete recovery. Keep us posted on how you are doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Lamb Posted March 2, 2005 Share Posted March 2, 2005 Bill, I'm glad you are a candidate for surgery.I feel that really increases the formula for sucess.Once the time comes for surgery I wish you all the best of results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindi o'h Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 doggonit, Bill.. I was hoping that we wouldn't be seeing any more of you!! (again, if you get my drift). I am so sorry that it is lung cancer. I know that it is a shocker. Please hang in there and use every tool of recovery that you can get your hands on and apply every one of them to this program of recovery. I am not an alcoholic but I am very familiar with the 12 steps. Without this base, I don't know that I would have/ could have survived cancer. Like Deb said...use your tools. They work! one two three one two three one two three ...know what I mean???? let's waltz! Now that you are here. You already know that there are alot of us that have been in the exact same place you are. You will have a lot of questions and someone here will be able to guide you through. I am so glad that you found us in the very beginning of all of this and that you are courageous enough to reach out for help. You will be having questions about surgery, about treatment, about the staging and chemo radiation. I didn't know a thing about cancer before I started this. I just learned as I went. You will too. But, we will be there to help you. Hang in there. God loves you. Cindi o'h Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wfshaw Posted March 3, 2005 Author Share Posted March 3, 2005 Thanks again all of you caring people. Question: I live in a small town area and not many Dr's perform cancer surgery. I am seriously looking at the Fox Chase Cancer center in Phila and the Sloan Kittering cancer clinic in NY if I indeed am a candidate for surgery. I am only about 120 miles from each. I have had many people say go to the big city, they have the best Dr's and latest technology for treatment. I have heard Fox Chase is one of the best in the country. What do you all think about this topic?? The pulmologist has already recommended a Thoracic surgeon here in my area but when I've asked around no one has ever heard of him and has no opinions on him!! Of course I have Blood work, EKG, and Chest XRAY scheduled for 3/3, a Bronchoscopy/biopsy scheduled for 3/7, the Pulmonary function test and bone scan on 3/14 and an MRI on 3/18 before I will even know if I am a candidate for surgery and what stage of LC I have. Any comments or help will bre greatly appreciated. Thanks you all again, Bill in PA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindi o'h Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 Hi Again, Bill. I went to a seminar on lung cancer at the U of M regarding surgery for the lungs. There are differences in the surgeons and the skills and the types of surgery that can be performed. There are thorasic surgeons who operate in the thorasic cavity...heart...lungs all that business. Then there are thorasic surgeons who do only lungs. And of those some are not trained or equipped to perform video assisted thoracotomies. VATS technique. If I were a candidate for surgery and knowing what I do now, I would prefer this type of surgery over the more invasive open thoracotomy. With the VATS technique, it is quite a bit less invasive. There are punctures for the scopes, and instruments and staplers but the ribs aren't broken or removed; the recovery time is shorter and the pain from the surgery doesn't linger as long and is not as severe. This would be a good thing to check out. At the UofM they have a whole surgical suite set up exclusively for this procedure. There is probably something like this in the city a few hours from you. See what you can find out about this. I think you are being prudent to look into the qualifications of the best surgeon that you can find. I love that you are taking the steps already to ensure the success of your treatments..you kinda remind me of me! (I don't know if that is good or not, but I like your determination to succeed and your efforts!) Good luck, Bill cindi o'h Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gre1 Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 Bill, I am an MSKCC graduate. I had a Video assisted thoracic surgery for a wedge resection and a full thoracotomy for removal of 2 lobes. Both went very well and I can't speak highly enough about the place. NYC is big $$$ for family and friends if you are in for a while. I happen to live 25 minutes away so for me it was the logical choice. Once you gather opinions let me know and I'll forward some names and numbers. They have an excellent and very informative web site. Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 I would definitely go to a big city hospital. I didn't have vats but I did have muscle sparing surgery. I have a 6 inch scar on my back that I usually forget is there. I had my surgery at Thomas Jefferson hospital but the doctor was from the University of Pennsylvania. He had just taken over as the chief of thoracic surgery and is now back at U of P. I prefer Penn but know quite a few people that have gone to Fox Chase and were very happy with the results. Where in PA do you live? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wfshaw Posted March 8, 2005 Author Share Posted March 8, 2005 Went for a bronscopy yesterday and one thing the Dr had to say was that he hoped he got enough tissue. Had to stop because of bleeding. I read a post somewhere that someone else had a bronco and it was inconclusive and they had to do the needle test. Can anyone explain to me what that involves/ I assume if he didn't get enough I will need to have this other test?? Thank you all, Bill in PA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hebbie Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 Bill, I had my surgery done at the Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) and HIGHLY recommend Dr. Larry Kaiser -- he is a nationally known thorasic surgeon -- all he does is lung surgery. If you can get in to see him, please do! Fox Chase is also a wonderful hospital and Dr. Corey Langer is their best lung cancer oncologist -- not sure who their top thorasic surgeon is though. I think you are on the right track with seeking a large city hospital and I wish you the very best as you begin this journey! Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mrsmanny Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 Went for a bronscopy yesterday and one thing the Dr had to say was that he hoped he got enough tissue. Had to stop because of bleeding. I read a post somewhere that someone else had a bronco and it was inconclusive and they had to do the needle test. Can anyone explain to me what that involves/ I assume if he didn't get enough I will need to have this other test??Thank you all, Bill in PA Our Bronchoscopy last monday was inconclusive...(even through they told me it was lung cancer then) We went in for a CME (cutting below the adams apple about an inch long) and they found we have an infection istead. The CME is not scary. Bronchoscopy seemed scarrier. Our Thoracic surgeon said last week that he would do the bronch and if he didn't have enough at the same time he would then go in and do CME(since my hubby was aleady under), he thought he had enough...but didn't. Best of luck to you! We will pray for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryanne Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 Hi Bill, My husband had none of the LC signs. He was just going for a routine physical and asked for a chest Xray as he is a smoker. The chest Xray showed a mass on his left lung. We were baffled by this news, caught completely off guard and was so scared. He wae feeling so good, how could this happen? We then went to a pulmonary doctor who set up a Ct and Pet scan. When he got the results of that, the doctor felt he is was cancereous. Now he had to have the biospys to see if it was. First he had a bronchoscopy, which was inconclusive. The doctor took tissue but had to stop because of bleeding. He was not sure if he got enough tissue for a correct reading. It actually came back negative.(yea, but that was short lived) He then had to have a needle biospy. The needle is inserted though the back into the lung. Then they take a certain amount of tissue from the infected area to be tested. Sometimes they can puncture a lung doing this test, so they have to be careful. If that happens, I think you then have to stay overnight and then get Xrays until the bleeding stops. Joel had no problems and he went home. It is a long day, so be prepared for that. Joel had high anxiety about a needle going into his back. This did not hurt at all. So don't worry about pain, they take care of that. His test came back positive. It was operable and he then had to see a Thoractic Surgeon to have a portion of his lung or a portion of his lung removed. We went to a wonderful doctor at Cooper Hospital in Camden, NJ. He preformed the operation and instead of taking out the whole left lung, he was able to take out just the upper lobe. He did have some complication during surgery, but that is a whole other story. Everything came out fine. His doctor said that according to the margin around the tumor, they got it all and only had to take the upper lobe and not the whole lung. The operation was prefomed on Dec. 15. During the operation they also take tissue from certain areas of the lymph nodes. If any one comes back positive then that will determine if the new stageing. In other words Joel was first diagnoised with 1b, they tested I think 4 nodes. If one came back positive it would be changed to II A, if 2 came back IIB etc. His all came back negative. So we were so incredibly glad for that. Waiting for results to come is the most stressful time as I am sure you know. He is doing really well and has to go back soon for his 1st 3 month CT. We pray everything is clear. He is also opting to go for preventive chemo, which increases percentage rate about another 5%. Right now I think he is at 65% survival rate and that will increase to 70% with the preventive chemo. That is great odds to us. I am not exactly sure about that percentage rate, I think that is right. Everything went well. Joel has made a full recovery from the operation, but developed a thyroid problem which knocked him through a loop. That was finally taken care of and his is back to himself, doing wonderfully. It is wonderful to have this message board. I would have been so lost without it. I was so scared and felt so alone and didn't know who to turn to . I was so surprised to see this whole world here. Their support has been overwheming. You do not have to go through this alone, we are here for you and each other. Please take care, try not to worry too much. Take one day at a time and keep us informed of your progress. Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katester Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 I'm sorry about the diagnosis. You can beat this and you are fortunate that you are being considered for the surgery. I hope all goes well for you. I am just two months out from a wedge resection of my upper left lobe for a very small tumor. Unfortunatley the surgery is the same for a wedge resection. I haven't had nor was prompted to have chemo after the surgery. I remember being really concerned that I coulldn't have the surgery because I have asthma and really don't exercise like I should but I passed all the tests easily. I can remember the surgeon saying to me if you walked in here you can do the surgery. You can do this like many others before you. Lead the way for those behind you. Good Luck through it all. Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieLR Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 Hi Bill, Sorry I'm so late posting. Welcome to our site. Sorry too for your need to be here. I want you to know that you are among some of the most outstanding people I know. This site helps keep the sanity but as Ry said, "who said we keep it?" As always, the waiting is truly the worst part. Just keep your chin up, or as in my case with all the steroids, I work on keeping all my chins up. May God bless & you are in my prayers, Melanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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