NancyT Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 I have been visiting this site for a few weeks. I am so grateful for all the information and amazed by the great support I have seen. I just found out a few weeks ago my Dad has lung cancer. I am overwhelmed with grief but have done everything I can to pull myself together to help him. I will be meeting with his doctors next week to see where things are. He is very weak and has lost alot of weight. He is undergoing radiation. I am anxious to find out the facts of this cancer. My Dad lives alone and has always been very independent. It is so very difficult for my siblings and I to see our Dad suddenly so ill. Right now my Dad tells us the doctors give him less than a year. .I will know more when I can see the reports and scans. I greatly appreciate everyones information here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Nancy, Welcome, but sorry you had to find us. Congrats on pulling yourself together to help your dad, that in itself is hard! I remember when my mom was first diagnosed I completely fell apart. You are going to find lots of daughters here in the same situation as you. Please keep us posted on your dad! Do you know what kind of lung cancer it is and if it is confined to the chest area? Is he going to get chemo also? I guess you will get more info once you see scans and reports, etc Looking forward to hearing more from you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stand4hope Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Hi Nancy and WELCOME! We all understand your fears and want you to know that you have come to the right place for support of all kinds - emotional and technical. Feel free to ask any question you like and express any feelings you have. We have all been where you are. The first couple of weeks are the hardest. There is just a period of shock and "grief" as you say that I think we all have to go through. As soon as you meet with your dad's onc and get more information and understand the plan of attack, you will begin to feel better. The most important thing is to not listen to the one-year death sentence he was given. This is something that no one knows, and the doctor's estimates are based on out-dated statistics. There are many, many people on this website that have FAR exceeded the number of months they were given to live. My husband is one of them. As you can see by reading his profile, he has very advanced Stage IV lung cancer, yet he is 18 mos. post-diagnosis, working a full-time job and doing great. We have our ups and downs, like everybody else, but there are so many different things that come together to determine an individual's prognosis. All of us here have learned to expect the best, but to also prepare for the worst. That's kind of a tricky thing to do, but it can be done. I am expecting the best for your dad, and pray that you will do the same. Let us know what you find out. God bless you, Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Welcome, Nancy! Keep us posted of the details on your dad so we can offer specific help. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karenl Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Hi Nancy My Mum was diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer, which has a median survival time of about 9 months. That was 18 months ago, and she is still fine. She is not one of those lucky few who have had miraculous responses to treatment (unfortunately!!); but she has continued to do well with periods of stable disease. It is important that both you and your Dad understand that there are very many people surviving long and well with this disease. Be hopeful! Good luck with attending your Dad's appointment. As Don mentioned, we will be in a better position to offer advice when we know the specifics. All the best. Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryanne Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Hi Nancy, Welcome, sorry you had to come here. But asyou already know the people her are very informative and caring. We will help you get through these trying times. We will help with your fears and share some of our experiences. You are going through the initial hard time. We all have been through it. We get strength from each other, when we need it. The main advise I can give you is Don't listen to the statistics. Statistics are beatened by the odds every day. As you will see from the positings here. So many people here were given those same odds, and are still here 2-3 years later. Don't give up and convince your dad to fight for his life. He has to at least try. Go with your dad to his appointment and ask questions. If the Doc. still gives him those odds, then I would get a second opinion. This is his life we are talking about. But you have to fight to beat those statistics. You dad has a wonderful daughter in caring and being there for him. Take care, keep us posted Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.C. Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Hello Nancy, Welcome, but sorry you have to be here. Keep us posted on the news about your father. Hugs J.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Lamb Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Hi Nancy, and welcome to our support family.You will find lots of knowing and caring people here. There are many of us here that were given only a very short time left,and a lot of us are still doing fairly well after exceeding those predictions.Every day and every week there are new advances made in medicine and treatments. These first few weeks I found to be the worst.Once tests are completed and a treatment plan is founded the energy and time spent on worry and not knowing can be spent on fighting the disease. Good luck and let us know how we may help you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadstimeon Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Welcome Nancy and sorry to hear about your dad, Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrie Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Welcome Nancy, Looking forward to hearing more about your dads diagnosis and treatment plan. I don't pay alot of attn to the "you have this long or that long to live" these are statistics and I have found on this site and others the "statistics" do not apply to everyone unless we let them. Hope you will get us some more info when you talk to the doctor. Take Care, Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellakc2 Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Welcome Nancy, Good luck to your dad. Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindi o'h Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 Welcome, Nancy. So glad that you were able to find us in this short time. Use us. We are here for each other. Sorry about your dad getting lung cancer. It is a very scary time, but like the others have said, once you have all the tests done and a plan of action, you will feel so much more in control of everything. The initial shock is the worst. I am over two years from diagnosis. My cancer was advanced. So far the treatments that I received appear to have worked. I have no evidence of any disease anywhere! There is much hope to be found. Yes. Lung cancer is a serious illness. However, there have been so many advances made that improve your dad's chances of survival. Please let us know how we may help you and your dad. cindi o'h Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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