SCLC and Cyberknife

[Sheri]

Hello everyone, when I first came upon this site, I started reading the SCLC forum from the last post to the most recent. I read every page, every post so that's why I wanted to put this post in this forum, to give those who are battling SCLC hope.

On Father's Day, my Dad was up in Clio babysitting his brother's dogs. We were suppose to go to Lonestar for dinner and my Stepmom called and told me that my Dad had a seizure or spell of some kind and dinner was out of the question. She wanted to get him home (two hour drive) asap. I asked to talk to him and I never heard him sound so weak. An hour later he called me from the road and sounded perfectly normal. I went to his house and barbequed prime rib for him, the same thing he would have ordered at Lonestar.

The following Wednesday, my Stepmom called to tell me that he had another spell and he refuses to go to the hospital. I went right over there, begged and cried and he finally agreed to go. At the emergency room they did a Brain CT scan and said there were no changes and he could go home. I called his onc the next day, they received the ER scans/reports and noticed the skull met that had been radiated showed growth. I was told the area received the maximum amount of radiation and we may want to talk about Hospice at our June 25th meeting. I asked for a steriod prescription to be called in to get him through the weekend, which they obliged.

I immediately went into research mode and thinking of our own tenacious DonM, looked into Cyberknife. I called the cyber center in Ann Arbor and they told me they could not treat it because the met was attached to the cranial wall and they considered it a bone met. The next closest center is in East Chicago, Indiana and they agreed to consider it. At our Monday morning meeting I let the onc say what he was going to say and then he said we would do another MRI to compare apples to apples. I really think the onc didn't know what to do, why scan if they couldn't treat? I think he just wanted us out of his office. At that point, my Dad pulled out our ace and said we were looking into Cyberknife.

His cancer center was real receptive to faxing all the info the Cyber Center in Indiana needed and today I received the call, they are going to treat him! We have a consultation scheduled for Friday!

We don't know when actual treatment will begin, they are backed up but the nurse I'm talking with said they will get him in as soon as humanly possible.

Thank you for this site, I may never have known of Cyberknife. Please keep Dad in your prayers that the Cyberknife is successful and his treatment begins quickly.

I'm so relieved, I'm still a blubbering mess.

[Cindy RN]

Sheri-I am so glad he has you to push the envelope!

So many Dr and health care people give up on us who have sclc.

Tell him to keep up the good spirits and do whatever is needed to get his strength. I am glad there is another option for you all.

I had good response to my chemo and rad after my relapse in 2003. here it is 2007!

Good luck.

Cindy

[Ry]

Sheri-

I am so glad you found a hospital to treat your dad. Let us know how it all works out for him.

[teriw]

Sheri,

That's fantastic news -- prayers for a successful treatment. Thank goodness you were all so proactive. It's a good lesson for all.

[lc46]

Thanks for the info. My Mom's Dr said he isn't a "fan" of the gamma or cyber after doing whole brain rad....what???? I will fight for my Mom and do whatever I have to if her met is still there when we get scanned in a couple weeks. I already told her we will just go somewhere else. She didn't come all this way to not get everything done that is available to her. I am glad you were persistent and got your Dad a consultation. Good Job!!

Keep us posted

Dar

[dscherer]

Good for you for being so proactive! I think we all know we need to be that way but this is a great reminder!!

Keep us posted,

Dana

[ztweb]

Wow! Sheri, without a doubt you have my most sincere prayers for a succesful treatment for Dad. Good for you, for being aggressive and "gettin 'er done!"

Blessings,

Jen