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New here - husband with lung cancer


beachnut

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Hi Everyone:

My husband had a lobe of this right lung removed two years ago due to a malignant nodule. Stage I with no lymph node involvement. Long hard road of recovery from throacotomy. No treatments advised. A week and a half ago when we went for a check up with his pulmonary doctor after a routine chest x-ray we found that there was a suspicious spot in left lung. Had PET scan next day which showed uptake but nothing anywhere else. (They scanned his whole body beginning with scull.) We have an appt. next Wednesday with the thoracic surgeon who performed his original surgery. We don't know if he will even be a candidate for the surgery. He has atrial fibrillation and the arteries in his legs are not great. They will more than likely request heart testing and lung volume testing before deciding about the surgery. The lung where his first cancer was is still totally clear. His pulmonologist doesn't feel that this nodule is a byproduct of the original one. I feel totally panicked and was wondering how you deal with the fear. He is afraid of the chemo and/or radiation and doesn't what to do that because of the side effects. He loves his work as a jailer and doesn't want to retire yet. He is 65 years old.

I am totally afraid inside. I can't help also but worry about the financial repercussions if he can not work. The most important thing is for him to be okay, but the other is in my mind also.

How do you deal with all the worry and uncertianty??

I am a Christian and believe that God works miracles and will get us through this, but I give it to Him and end up taking it back to worry on.

Any encouragement will be appreciated. Reading your stories here helps. Sometimes reading so much on the internet about all the negatives makes things worse.

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You are jumping pretty far ahead, as many of us do under these circumstances. Problem with that is that it can overwhelm you to think of all possiblities and repurcussions at once, when in reality, developments and challenges generally come just one or two at a time, and you will cope with them as they occur.

If the doctor at this point does not think this is a met from the original cancer, and the PET is showing no uptake elsewhere, it is entirely possible that you are looking at a new (manageable) Stage 1 or 2 cancer. You've already done that once, and managed ok.

Are there ways to replace any potentially lost income? Does your husband have short term disability through work?

Remember that the miracles God works may very well be as simple as giving you strength to cope and manage.

Take a deep breath and know that you'll deal with needs as they come up. I do, and there's nothing special about me. You can, too.

Keep us posted!

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Hello and welcome.Im kinda of a newbie here myself but have found much wisdom and some comforting words here. For myself chemo wasnt really all that bad and I have heard many others also say the same. I suppose its what kind you get and a lot of other reasons. Im sure it did come as a shock to you after 2 years ned. I myself am coming up on 2 years and waiting for the results of ct scan. I hope and pray the best for you and your husband. Mike

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hi....

I am sorry you are dealing with this...unfortunately uncertainty is par for the course...I guess if you really look at it..all life is uncertain..but it gets brought to light a lot more in these circumstances...

it is defintely easy to get caught up with all the worrying..esp in the beginning...and while our loved ones are a priority..it is hard that "regular' life still goes on around us and does not stop...therefore we still do have to worry about bills and all the normal everyday things ON TOP of all of this new cancer stuff... that was what has been frustrating for me... life continues to go on all around us and stops for nothing...

realy my only advice is to slow down and take a deep breath and tackle things one at a time... it gets way to overwhelming to try and deal with it all at once.... right now..your concern should be with his dx and treatment plan... then you will have more infomation to deal with all the other issues...

it sounds like you were fortunate twice to have this caught so early...so try to take some comfort in that....many find out way too late....

I dont know where you live but if you are in the States...if he has to take off for a large period of time...he is old enough to apply for and start Social Security...so you do have that to fall back on...

I live in CA and fortunatly here we pay into a State Disability fund...my husband can collect up to 1 year of Disability through the state that amts to appro 60% of his salary and it isnt taxed...I am also fortunate b/c just 5 years ago they started a paid family leave fund through disbility so a caregiver who is losing wages to care for a spouse or child can collect up to 6 weeks paid leave....I am in the process of applying for that now....

you might look into if there are any state programs where you live....

you have found the right place to go for help and understanding with this awful disease....

welcome...

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Who of us by worrying can add a single minute to our lives??? Chemo and radiation were NOT a party but they were not nearly as bad as I had been led to believe. I try to always keep one thought foremost in my mind. I believe that from the very second I was conceived in my mother's womb that GOD knew everything that would take place in my life until I am called home to be with him. He alone has the knowledge of what has been and what is yet to come and he is so fantastic that he made sure I was fully equipped to handle the journey. I may have to reach deep down within or stretch out a little further than is comfortable but I know he placed the strength in me to get through it all. Keep a positive attitude and Expect A Miracle.

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I know this is hard, but try to take it one step at a time. If chemo and/or radiation becomes necessary it probably won't be as bad as he fears. My 77 year-old mother came through 4 rounds of chemo just fine. It's not fun, but it wasn't nearly as bad as she feared it would be.

Susan

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