bauner95 Posted May 24, 2005 Share Posted May 24, 2005 Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 8:03 pm Post subject: Husband with Stage IV NSCLC I am new to all of this and don't have much to information for you. My husband is healthy with no symptoms of the cancer. If not for a softball injury, we still would not know he had it. We were diagnosed in Jan. 2005 with NSCLC Stage I. Attempted surgery on Feb. 16, 2005. Could not operate. Met. on Chest Wall. Now NSCLC Stage IV. Our wonderful surgeon came out to a waiting room full of people to break the news to me, my nine year old son, three year old daughter, his Mom and Dad and our two closest friends. He told the entire waiting room that we were looking at six months to a year. Talk about scared to death. Then there were our children full of questions. We went saw one onc., who we were not pleased with at all. We switched to a new one that has been wonderful. He thinks that considering my husbands age (33) and good health, remission could be a possibility for us. We are praying. He was a nonsmoker and they are not sure where this came from. We started Chemo on March 18th (right after my husbands 33rd birthday). The treatment we are using is Carboplatin and Taxotere. He is taking the Chemo pretty well, aside from the metal taste. Kim Miller (32) Husband Mike (33) Jan 2005 Diag. NSCLC Stage I Feb. 2005 Diag. NSCLC Stage IV Inoperable Met. to chest wall March 2005 Chemo Carboplatin/Taxotere (Every three weeks) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted May 24, 2005 Share Posted May 24, 2005 Welcome to the wives club...the new doc is right, your husband has lots of options! There are many individuals here beating the prognosis they were given. I am so glad you got another doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogfam Posted May 24, 2005 Share Posted May 24, 2005 wow, sooo young! I'm so sorry you're having to go through this. This is a wonderful place with lots of information, encouragement and HOPE!!! Never loose your hope. My mom is a five year survivor because of prayer, faith, hope, and good doctors. you and your family will be in my prayers from now on. ((hugs)) Christy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna G Posted May 24, 2005 Share Posted May 24, 2005 Welcome Kim. Sure hope that chemo helps to RE stage him so they can go back and get the tumor out. Keep us posted. Donna G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann Posted May 24, 2005 Share Posted May 24, 2005 Kim, I am so glad you found this site. You will find so much help from everyone on this board. I know what a shock the original diagnosis must have been for you. I think it was terrible that you weren't allowed to digest this information and then let your family know in your own way. Sometimes, doctors can be so very insensitive to the needs and feelings of others. Anyway, we're all here for you now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trishnmiller Posted May 24, 2005 Share Posted May 24, 2005 Your story is my story too. Your husand is younger than mine but my children are 10 and 12. Although my husband came home sick today he has been working steadily for the last 6 months (after being told he had 1-3 months to live) so you never know. Today was just a bad stomach ache. We will all be praying for your husband. In the meantime don't forget to take care of yourself...it can get really hard to do that! Trish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted May 25, 2005 Share Posted May 25, 2005 Kim, So sorry to hear about your husbands diagnosis. But I am really excited that you didn't take the 1st doctor's prognosis and you got a second opinion. Remember that there is hope with lc! I wish you both strength in your journey. Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treebywater Posted May 26, 2005 Share Posted May 26, 2005 I'm so sorry you have had need to find us, but glad you are here. Keep coming back... (((hugs))) to you and prayers for your whole family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caitwing Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 Dear bauner95, My new husband is also dealing with Stage IV NSCLC and is also a non-smoker (34 yrs old). We are stunned, as his cancer has appeared "out of nowhere". Our oncologist says that only 2% of people in the world have the kind of lung cancer he's dealing with, and thus I'm not sure whom to turn to for advice- your story sounds familiar though, so I thought I'd drop you a line. How are you feeling today? ~CMW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted June 1, 2005 Share Posted June 1, 2005 Kim and Mike, welcome here. My wife's first chemo was carboplatin and taxotere. She had every side effect, but it was quite effective on her advanced stage. Hang in there. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryanne Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Hi Kim and Mike, Welcome and so sorry you had to find us. We are a great support family. We are always here for you for support and to answer any questions you may have. There is always someone here who can help you and has been through what you are going through. I am so sorry your husband being so young was diagnoised with this dreadful disease. But what the doctor said is so right, he is young and strong, and that is such a plus for him. LC is NOT a death sentence...many people on this site have beaten the odds time and time again. Have faith and know that he can beat this and he will. You gotta believe and trust in your doctors. Prayers being sent to your husband that the treaments will work for him and you for strength. Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadstimeon Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Welcome Kim/Mike, Very sorry you have to be here but glad you found us. Lots of good info from good caring folks here. Stay with us and keep us posted. Prayers for the best. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carleen Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Hi Kim & Mike, I am so sorry about your husband's diagnosis. Like your husband, my Keith is also 33 and a non-smoker. I am appalled at the insensitivity of the first doctor you had to deal with. I am a firm believer that prognosis' are all crap. There is no doctor out there who can tell us exactly how anyone will react to treatment and who knows all the options available. One of the first doctors we talked to told us my husband had a prognosis of 9 months, that was 27 months ago and we are nowhere near done fighting yet. Keith still works full time, plays drums with the church band, records music with his friends, and other than feeling like crap from the chemo has no other major complaints. Keith's tumor type is also one of those rare types that isn't commonly seen, and even more rarely seen in someone of his age. But even after all the treatments we've already tried, there are still more options available. Keith will be starting Taxotere this Friday as well. We will have to compare notes on how they are doing on it. I understand how scared you are. I understand the pain you must be feeling. It is a hard journey, especially the beginning as you are forced into many changes as well as dealing with your new emotional struggle. Starting treatment helps as you have somewhere to focus your energy; you feel like you are doing something and fighting. I'd like to tell you it gets easy, but I can't. Take it one day at a time. Enjoy every day and every moment and don't worry about the maybe's what if's and the future. You will have down and sad times, but that is what we are here for, to lift you up when you are down. We're not too far from you either (just west of Milwaukee). E-mail me if you'd like my phone number and would like to talk. You and Mike are in my Prayers God Bless, Carleen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJAS Posted June 11, 2005 Share Posted June 11, 2005 Kim & Mike, So glad you found this wonderful place of support. I am not able to come here nearly as often as I'd like, but it is a wonderful place of support and information. My husband is also a nonsmoker who collapsed suddenly and was diagnosed (Stage IV - mets to bone & brain) at age 50. You've already taken the right steps by getting an oncologist you trust - good for you! I remember when Steve was first diagnosed, one of the most helpful things someone told me "doctors are not God. No doctor in the world can tell you when you will die." I tell Steve that every day brings us closer to some new answers. You are in my thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marion Posted June 19, 2005 Share Posted June 19, 2005 I just saw your letter today and thought I would write. As you can see from my history that I am state IV NSCLC but I am older than your spouse. As far as I know I am still in remission. I will go in tomorrow for my monthly check up and probably a PET scan. I am sorry your doctor wasn't more sensitive to you and your husband's situation. My doctors have been rather good for the most part. I am not the go getter I used to be and have lost weight; but still going but at a slower pace. I would have to be doing that anyway at my age. Take care and God Bless you and your family. marion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marion Posted June 19, 2005 Share Posted June 19, 2005 I forgot to tell you that I have been taking the pill, Iressa since August of 2004. It seems to be doing the trick. Marion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunny Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 kim and mike I am fairly new to this board but the welcomes I received, when I was lost in that 'mom's cancer is back' terror I was in when I found LCSC, meant the world to me. I have come to the hope I have now slowly. hey, thank god for the softball injury! my mom's LC was first discovered in a pre-op xray for another procedure. I hope mike's treatment goes well, and my thoughts and prayers are with you. xoxo bunny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bauner95 Posted June 20, 2005 Author Share Posted June 20, 2005 Let me just start by saying God is Good! We knew from x-rays that Mike's main tumor was shrinking and that the chemo was working, but we did not know how well the chemo was working until Wednesday. We saw the doctor and he told us that the tumor had shrunk over 60% and that the other nodules were gone! He wants Mike to have 4 more chemo treatments and then he will have another scan. Then he will do a scope to see what is left. Then depending on the results, he would suggest that he have a resection of the lung to remove any remaining tumor! I am so excited! I can't hardly believe it! He did start him on Avastin this time along with his chemo. This is supposed to cut off the blood flow to the tumor. Thanks to everyone for all of your prayers! God is listening! Don't stop now. We are half way home! I love you all! God Bless, Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryanne Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 Hi Kim, Well, well talk about good news... That is so wonderful. I have a question that you did not mention. Did you seek out another doctor? Anyway time to celebrate at Cindi's pub!!!! GREAT NEWS KIM!!!!!!!!! What a difference 3 weeks makes. Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bauner95 Posted June 20, 2005 Author Share Posted June 20, 2005 The surgeon was the doctor that we were not pleased with or the oncologist he referred us to. We only saw her one time. My husband has received all of his chemo treatments from the oncologist we see at the James Cancer Center. He is wonderful and has been from the beginning. He says that the three of us are a team and the three of us with the good Lord's help will be the ones who fight this and beat it. We could not ask for a better doctor. We went from the worst to the best. We saw him on March 9th, the day after we saw the oncologist the surgeon recommended we see. Hope this makes sense. Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryanne Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 WHAT A DIFFERENCE 3 WEEKS AND A NEW DOCTOR MAKES!!! Thanks for clearing that up. Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunny Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 I am so glad mike is having so much success so far! we, too, changed doctors - my mom's resection was done by a doc we had very little confidence in (though that surgery was a success, we're grateful to him for that) and now that we're with a surgeon that feels like part of the family, it's a whole different experience. prayers and love xoxo bunny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endangered but surviving Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 Kim, Glad your husband is doing well. Saw he is on the avastin also, so glad to see more doctors are using it. Good luck JOyce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed70 Posted July 15, 2005 Share Posted July 15, 2005 Welcome! This a great place to be! God Bless you and your family!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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