heather Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 Hello there, my mother recommended this site to me, I guess as a support. So I will try it. My dad was diagnosed with sclc a few days ago. It is in his lung and in the adrenal glands and also they say in the lymph chain in the lung. He only had symptoms a few weeks ago where his face and neck sweld up, by the time he was daignosed it was horrible. I guess what happened is that the tumor is so big, it was putting pressure on the vena cava, and it was stopping the bolld and oxygen flow to the head, neck, then arms, under arms, chest etc.. This all happened while he was out of town on work. So I got him home here and took him to the ER and now we have started chemo, he had 2 radiation treatments, which that and the steroids dramaticlly got the swelling down to where he looked more normal and can breath better now. THANK GOD!!! He is handling it all so remarkably, it is so hard when there are so many teams of dr.'s. The Internal medicine group spent an hour with me yesterday explaining to me how important it was that I CONVINCE my dad that he isn't going to live very long, because they said they spent almost two hours trying to and I guess he just kept telling them the chemo was his chance to survive. To be honest he has convinced even me that maybe he has a good chance.. He is amazing me, I have never seen someone be so brave, as he just took a deep breathe while the first flow of chemo went through his veins, as I left I told him he was strong and he was going to kick butt, and he told me he didn't need the pep talk, he knew what he had to do.. so I am living this day by day, yesterday i thought i couldn't possibly take one more day because he is having these seizures from the lack of oxygen, they happen when he coughs and it is unbarable for me to watch. Then there are days like today, and you make it through because you simply have too... So I guess I am just rambling now, but I am sure that I will find information and comfort through this forum, I hope that I can also provide some as well, as we all go through this together.. I am hoping to find as much from you all as I can so that I can help my dad as much as possible.. So please I am open to any comments.. Thank you very much, Heather PS what is this info that you all have at the bottom of your forums, and how do you put it there.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beckyg Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 Heather, Good for your dad! We all know that we might not make it, but it sure doesn't help having doctors try to force us to bvelieve that we won't. We also just might make it, and that's the thing to concentrate on. As for the info at the bottom of the posts, click on "profile" and you will get a screen that allows you to put in all kinds of information. Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norme Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 Hi Heather, So sorry you had to find this board but glad you are hear to help us and us help you. We are all survivors in some forms. Most drs feel that when one has lc they cannot survive but they are wrong. there are many on here who can readily prove them wrong. I have said this over and over again. None of us knows what day the Lord will see fit to take us whether we have cancer or not so just try not to dwell on it. Your father is in the right frame of mind. He knows he can survive... You and your family will have some very hard times going though some days but you will make it. We don't have any choice because we are caregivers to our loved ones. We will help them to survive by being with them as much as possible and helping them to carry on as best as possible each day until the day comes when they can again get back their life and we can again take care of each other as it was... Hang in there and get ready for a hard and fast ride. God Bless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 Heather, Your Dad has what it takes -- will and hope. Keep that spirit going and phooey on anything trying to convince him otherwise. I wish you and your family the very best in this battle. Peace, Margaret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carleen Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 Heather, Your father has such a wonderful attitude, and there have been numberous studies that show that a positive mental attitude can have a positive effect on survival of cancer patients. So, if your father is determined and has this strong will, then he CAN beat this. Never give up hope, and spend each day sharing in the love and the wonderful radiance of this brave man. I will pray every day for your father and for you. Carleen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remembering Dave Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 Heather, hang in there. Welcome aboard! I guess the Docs also told you that SCLC is highly agressive.......YET IT IS ALSO VERY RESPONSIVE TO TREATMENT!!!!! Do not look atg the statistics- they do not appy to any of us. I firmly believe that being a care giver as you are is worse than actually being the patient. I see what my wife and family are going through and see that they want to help so bad but feel they can do nothing at times. Your father has the right attitude. You have to fight, fight, fight and never give up. Do not listen to your doctors advice. They do seem to be very aggressive in thier treatment of him, getting him chemo so fast and that is good. We are all here for you. Tell your dad to fight like he has never fought before and YES, he will beat this. David C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heather Posted September 3, 2003 Author Share Posted September 3, 2003 Thank you to everyone that has responded and even read my message.. I am taking everything minute by minute.. I feel so blessed they have done as much as they have so far for my dad. you know, you get this news and at first so much runs through your head like today would be the last day, and there is too much to do or say to one another.. I am so grateful that they took that horrible swelling away from him. I would have to say seeing my father unrecognizable, and barely able to walk and breathe was tied as the worst with those siezures.. Thank god the seizures werent from anything in the brain, but the lack of oxygen from the tumor compressing the vena cava and pulmonary artery. I never thought I could see him look semi-normal again, so so far so good. Yesterday was his 3rd day of the first time of the chemo, so I hear here is where the down fall can be.. so thanks for all the comments and silent prayers.. and I am sure that I will be back on here, and hopefully to return the kindness and support.. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natalie Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 Heather- I had the doctors trying to convince us too....they are very big about being "realistic" but to me, I agree, what's wrong with hope? They don't know for sure what could happen...they don't have a crystal ball...they aren't God. My mom said that the doctor's visits were extra horrifying for her because every doctor was set on telling us the reality of this disease like we are idiots or something or that we aren't handling the situation the way they think we should, but they were set on taking every ounce of hope away from my Mom. I swear we have had it mentioned to us at least 10 times. She would end up depressed after the visits. Thankfully we finally got set up with a doctor and we don't really have to go through with the introduction with each new doctor. That, I think, was the worst part. The first visit with this particular oncologist (we had gone through a few) I just flat out told her before she could even speak "We know what we are dealing with, we've chosen not to know statistics and want to remain hopeful and optomistic, so please spare us the technicalities and statistics of this disease. We want someone that is going to get to know my mom on a personal level and not treat her as a number. Can you do that for us, because if not, I'll have to keep searching for someone that can." She just looked at me and said "okay, thanks for letting me know" and she's been the best doctor with my mom so far. The doctors want statistics? Well here I'll give them statistics...scientifically it's been proven that postive mental health is extremely important in fighting this disease...so basically in the best interest of my mothers health, they should be respecting the way she wants to deal with this mentally. Some people need realism and others need to be in denial or have hope, faith, whatever. Everyone deals with it differently and for a doctor to tell you how you should deal with it really makes me mad. They are not psychologist, they have never been through what our parents have been through, so how dare they tell us how they should be dealing with it? I've been in pissed off mode lately, so please excuse my ranting but this has been one sour note with me too and I have to get it out. One week I'm humbled and quiet, the next week I'm sad and depressed, then one day I'm just fuming mad, the next a basketcase... I wonder if I'm ever going to return to normal. Heather, here's to hope and believing that our parents can beat this...because they can. Thanks for posting on the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 Hi Heather, Unfortunately we have something in common. My husband was also diagnosed due to Vena Cava Syndrome. He had a pressure in his head and went to the doctor. Due to our primary doctor being very aggressive and going past the schedulers, we had the CT, biopsy, and radiation started within 24 hours! Once the pressure was relieved he felt much better. The body is an amazing thing, the blood will find new paths back to the heart. We were also told to go and get our affairs in order, take a trip or do whatever we wanted to do. Our doctor said, "If I told you that you had 2 weeks to live what would you want to do?" Like you father, my husband also decided he could prove the doctor wrong. He went through three different chemo therapies with some success and was later put on Iressa. His tumor is shrinking with the Iressa and he feels pretty well now. He was diagnosed in June of last year and he was only given 4 months. Your dad is right there is hope, many people on this board have been living with their cancer for a long time, and others are cancer free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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