Doughnut Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Welcome to you Donna. I've always used my nickname on this site although it's what everyone's always called me so it might as well be my real name! Read, read and read some more. You will find a lot of people here with your diagnosis who are doing really well. Looking forward to hearing more from you. Dee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leslie221 Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Welcome Donna. It generally gets easier to see the glass as half full as time goes on and you learn more. I hope a couple of months from now you'll be able to look back on your first posts and see how far you've come since then. Leslie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raffielle Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 I'm new to this site but am grateful I found it. I am unsure of what to even say and I know I won't use the proper terminology, sorry. In November of 2004 my right lung collapsed and went to emergency because it only collapse 30% they sent me home and told me to get a follow up. I felt better and didn't, my doctor contacted me in March of this year wanting me take some tests. I did a chest xray, followed by a ct scan, and can't spell the name (the painful tube down your throat). Turns out I had cancer on the upper left lobe (which I thought was strange as it was my left lung that had collapsed, but my original chest xray from the hospital got misplaced and they figured Ijust got it wrong) and was scheduled to have the upper left lobe removed. On the day before my surgery, I was asked to do another emergency ct scan followed by a mri, turns out I had another tumor in my right lung, smaller than the one on the left almost not even visable but because of the placing of it and the fact that the cancer was in both lungs surgery was postponed. I was told that my condition was much more serious than had first been expected and with a pre existing heart condition (congenitive heart failure diagnosed at 19 after a massive heart failure) and the fact that the cancer was in both lungs, they wanted to do more test before proceeding with surgery. I did a little reading and got another opinion and it doesn't sound good. I have small cell cancer yet I feel perfectly fine, with no symptoms other than what they see in these test, which kind of scares the hell out of me. I kind of freaked out and did absolutely nothing, refused to see the doctor's, refused treatment of any kind, I tried to read about it, something I am attempting again, but to be completely honest everytime I read about it, it sounds pretty hopeless and scares me. I really want to get some help but I also don't want to affect the quality of my life and the options the doctor's are giving me sound like my quality of life will be alter quite drastically. I know I sound like a foolish child and I should seek some type of treatment and soon because this will not get better by me wishing for it to, I'm just scared. A little about myself. I'm 37 years old, smoker for the past 27 years, two children (12 and 13)and I am very active in my sports. The only person I have told about this is my ex-husband, who I needed to watch the children when I thought surgery was going to happen, but swore him to secrecy. The last thing I want is a bunch of people looking at me with sad eyes and treating me different. Anyways, I am hoping to gain some knowledge and hopefully some strength to go back to the doctor and get some help before it's too late. Thanks for reading this long, long post and thanks a lot for letting me finally get it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Hi Raffielle, you may want to move this post and start a new thread so others are sure to see it. But I just wanted to welcome you and I hope everything turns out for you. I hope you see the Dr. soon, since as you can see, there are many survivors on here. I too am an ostrich about things---as a matter of fact , I am a little late on my 5 year scans. However, knowing and dealing with the situation is 100% better mentally than not knowing and imagining the worse. Regards, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leslie221 Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Welcome Raffielle! I'm glad you are feeling so well and have been able to approach your cancer the way you want to. Nice to have some control when things seem so out of control. BUT...I don't think you'd be here sharing with us if you weren't having second thoughts about working with an oncologist. I understand your concerns about quality of life changes with different treatments because I have that worry in the back of mind, too. I'm just concerned that, with all the new therapies and research coming along, you may actually be denying yourself a better quality of life for a longer period of time by avoiding them. Well, that's MY concern and it's YOUR life. But please continue to talk with us no matter what you end up choosing to do. Okay? Leslie P.S. I've been to Vancouver and really loved it. With all the movies and TV shows filmed there, have you ever been an "extra?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna G Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 I guess I had better call you Donna also. I hope we have more in common than our name. I had chemo and radiation first then after the tumor shrunk I was able to have surgery. Just for your knowledge I do want to say after surgery I asked the doctor about the tumor and he said all that was left was scar tissue! I pray your tumor responds to chemo just like that! Again welcome Donna G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelliemacs Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Donna, I am not a survivor but rather was the caretaker for 3 LC and 1 breast cancer survivors. My mom was dx'd in Jan of 03 with Non Small Cell, but I lost her in August of 03. My dad was dx'd in January of 04 with Small Cell, and I too lost him in June of 04. My sister was dx'd with breast cancer the day we burried dad and she is cancer free right now. and just this year my Father in Law was dx'd with Non Small Cell and again I lost him. from the point of view of a caretaker. Have someone with you at your appointments so someone who isn't the patient will hear exactly what the dr's are saying. someone who can take notes. so you can refer back to them when the "fog " lifts. and just someone to hold your hand. Turn to your family now. They feel helpless enough not being able to cure your themselves, make them part of your treatment. Make them feel like they are helping you in some small way. I needed to know I helped my parents. I could do nothing else. I am sorry your here. but your have a great deal of options and living a long life is more an option now than ever with the newest treatments. never give up the fight and you are already a survivor against cancer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richinsdakota Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Hi and welcome; Glad ur feeling fine, but I would not put it off for long. As I understand it, small cell is a faster, more aggressive cancer and can progress rapidly. Good news is, it is also much more treatable than non-small cell, they say. Get with the doctors, dont go by the generic info and statistics on the net. Individual cases are very different, sometimes. My research convinced me I had 10-12 mos. to live, but after surgery and little chemo, the docs say I have as good a chance of being cured as anyone. Quite a difference. Get examined, diagnosed, treated...might well save ur life. Refusing treatment could be risky, I would think. Get good docs and find out what the facts/options are for you. Start the fight against the disease, so u can beat it. Most here have found the statistics simply dont apply to them, and they have far outlasted them. The more knowledge you gain, the less fear of the unkown there is, and there may be much more hope than u assume at this point. Hope youll start treatment soon to give urself the best chances. Just my advice, from what Ive learned here. Lots of help and knowledge here, others will be along, Im sure...keep us posted, and the best of luck to you. Rich B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richinsdakota Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 My previous post above was for Raffielle...sorry forgot to clarify with the name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamataca Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Hey Raffielle! Welcome...you've found a very supportive community here. I'm new too, but I've drawn a lot of strength from the folks here already. I can imagine what a shock the diagnosis was for you. You sound like a very strong person who wants to take care of herself, not burden others, or be an object of pity. My mom is a very similiar person. You may be surprised by the reaction of those around you when you are ready to tell them. They might go through the same initial shock, but I hope you can find support there as well. It was so hard for my mom to ask for help, but once she did our community here responded for her. She now has plenty of rides to radiation and the myriad of doctor appointments she seems to accumulate. Plus, I'm less stressed now that she has other people she can rely on as well if I'm not readily available. Take care of yourself! Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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