Tony's latest Scan results

[Welthy]

Just a little update to share with everyone.

Had CAT & PET scans on 5/22. The one tumor that was radiated in his left mid lung is GONE! Thank God! He is also still empty headed. Larger primary tumor in upper left lung is unchanged since Feb. PET/CAT scans. So that is good news. Other not so good news is that his lungs are showing progressive scarring, pleural thickening and pleural effusion that wasn't there last time around.

So kind of a mixed bag. Great news on the stable cancer, but he is extremely SOB now and on oxygen 24/7 again. Blood/ox levels are down even on oxygen. He can't walk to the kitchen without getting winded. He gets very fearful about moving around at all these days. Never thought that the SOB would overshadow the cancer itself. Kinda strange...

He had some of the nasty fluid retention side effects that can develop over a long haul of Taxotere. Hopefully some of the fluid will be reabsorbed now that he will be on his first "chemo holiday" for a few months. Yipee!! (Do we put a tree up for this holiday?)

He's such a rock of a guy and deserves the best of life. Hopefully he'll get to have more quality of life for a little while before our "mad scientist" of a Doctor cooks up a new potion for him to take! (We just love the Doc!)

Thanks to all for just being here and am forever grateful that this place exists.

Welthy

[cindi o'h]

Hi Welthy,

It does sound like a mixed bag report. I can relate, 100%.

After 3 1/2 years, I continue to be free of any signs of lc, but it is the SOB that I am up against on a daily basis.

I understand his fear and not wanting to move. To be that sob, is like having a pillow put over your face. It's a nightmare.

I did get some help about it by going through a pulm. rehab. program. Most hospitals of any stature offer them. I wish I would have done it much sooner. I think that many of the problems I now face would have been minimized. Please consider this for Mr. Welthy. It will help him to regain some control and ways of getting around so that he doesn't feel like he is suffocating all the time.

Very glad that the treatments are working for him. Sorry about the tradeoff. Even though, most of the time when I move, I am uncomfortable, I would prefer it over not being able to move at all, if you catch my drift.

Cindi o'h

[Welthy]

Cindi,

Thanks so much for the information on pul. rehab. Will talk to the lung specialist about this. Thanks too for sharing your story, sometimes I feel so alone coping with his illness. You're a doll!

Welthy

[dadstimeon]

Welthy, Glad to hear the word staple but sorry to hear about the other set backs. Prayers things will turn around qucikly. Rich

[myrnalu]

Glad to hear the stable part and praying the rest will improve soon.I still have swelling in my legs from the taxotere and havent had chemo in 6 wks now.

[Wendy]

LC is a funny little thing isn't it.

We seem to take one step forward and one step back in the same week.

Hang in there, I hope that Tonys breathing will improve soon.

Wemdy

[Jyoung20]

Glad to hear about the stability and shrinkage. I understand about the scarring. I have been dealing with it since radiation. I ended up being on steroids for about 9 months. It worked.

GOD BLESS!!

Jamie