Check up appt.

[rmm17]

Hi guys. I wanted to let you all know i am still thinking/praying about you all even though i havent been posting. Its been 1 year this week that my Mom was diagnosed. She's been doing great. She has a check up appointment with the onc. tomorrow but he isnt planning on doing any scans since she is feeling so great. He last scans were in June. Is this normal? Should she request that they do scans? Would it make a difference that she doesnt have insurance?

Thanks,

Rochelle

[Muriel]

Hi Rochelle, How's grad. school? As for the frequency of CTs, I was first diagnosed (Stage IB)in June '03, had surgery and chemo. I had CTs every 3 mo. from the completion of chemo (11/03) to the discovery of a tumor in the upper lobe of the other lung (11/4). Surgery and chemo again and CT scans every 3 months. I've had two PETs since then. In both VA and central FL, generally they do CTs every 3 mo for a year or so and then go to 6 month scans for a while.

I was feeling great in Nov '04 when the CT scan showed another tumor. I don't think "how you feel" is a good indicator of how you are doing. I didn't have a clue that I might have lc again.

I don't know if not having insurance would make a difference in her treatment. It shouldn't. Her Dr.s should at least offer the CT and let her decide how she wishes to spend her money.

Good luck. She's probably just fine. But it doesn't hurt to be sure.

Muriel

[rmm17]

Yeah. Mom just got back from her appt. and they DID NOT do any scans. They scheduled them for December. I find that very strange that they would wait 6 months when she finished treatment so recently.

[ztweb]

How is school going?! I hope you are enjoying it, amongst all the stress of the Big C!

I have to say that I agree with you. I think with SCLC, the best plan is to get it right away. How one feels doesn't really indicate much, in my opinion.

If it were me, I think I would ask why, why, why?

God bless and good luck!

Jen

[Don Wood]

Hi, Rochelle. Since your mom is NED, it would not be uncommon to wait on the scans. The oncs usually go by whether there is a problem or not (pain, etc.). However, I personally do believe if you don't have insurance, that tends to lower the number of things like scans. Don

[DebsSky]

Hi Rochelle:

I would push for the scans. I'm not sure how medical coverage works down there, but up here in Canada, I had to push for things.

Good luck with it,

Deb