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Hi, new to message boards


Joe L

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Hi,

My name is Joe, 47 yr old. I showed a spot on my lung xray in Nov 02 which turned out to be a cavity on the right lung and was told it was 90% TB. All test showed negative for cancer and TB. Even though the cavity was shrinking with medication, under advice from my Dr. I decided to have a lobectomy on 1/23/03 and was then told it was NSCLC. 12 days later middle section of lung twisted and became gangrenous and had to have another lobectomy. Same incision used just made larger. Finally released 02/17/03 a total of 25 days. Never was told a stage, but I don't need chemo or radiation. Two questions. Feels like something was left inside me, does this feeling ever go away? What are mets?

Thanks and nice to know there is someone else out there.

Joe

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Joe,

Welcome to this board-too bad you have a need to be here. I can't help with the operation question because my husband didn't have one.

Mets is short for metastasis. When the cancer spreads to other parts of your body, it is called that.

The mets determine what stage you are at. My husband is stage !V, NSCLC because it spread to the brain and liver. It also determines whether your operated on or not.

Hope this helps.

Rosanne

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Guest DaveG

Joe:

I am sorry that you have the need to be here. Nonetheless, you are welcome here.

As you see by signature, I have also had two surgeries. The feeling you relate to is probably do to the fact that many nerves have been cut during the surgeries. This is unadvoidable as thereare many nerves that run through our ribs. I have ongoing numbness in my right upper abdomen and it has been said that his may be permanent. I have grown to look at this small discomfort as being a reminder of what could have been a far different outcome.

At Lung Cancer Survivors for Change you find large doses of LOVE, very much FAITH, and a never ending outpouring of SUPPORT.

Please browse over all the messages, or at least some of the more recent ones and you will get a very good idea of what we are all about.

Make yourself at home here, as you have just become a member of a very large FAMILY.

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Hi Joe,

So sorry to hear of all your troubles...what an emotional and physical Ferris wheel you have been spinning around on! I'm glad you found this site, even though I wish you had no need to.

Since no chemo or radiation is being recommended for you, and you were able to have surgery, your cancer must be in the Early Stages. If the cancer has metastasized to other sites (i.e., mets), they usually will not operate because the odds of it simply continuing to spread are just too great. If you have to have lung cancer (UGH!), then being diagnosed early and being able to have surgery are considered distinct advantages as that condition has the greatest chance of "cure" or long-term non-recurrence. You were lucky your GP encouraged you to follow up, but very unlucky in all the extra crap that followed your first lobectomy...BUT YOU ARE STILL HERE :!: Yeaaaah!! :D

After my lobectomy I felt like things were sloshing around in there. That feeling has disappeared after a year, but where the nerves were cut still feels weird. The incision is in the back, but I am still exquisitely sensitive in the front under my breast and there are intermittent strange sensations in my armpit that were never there before...go figure. My point here is that things get better, but, as Dave G. said, some new quirks may never disappear, and what each of us experiences can be quite different.

Glad that you are home and hope that you are feeling better each day.

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