Flyman35 / Tom's Profile

[Flyman35]

In a nutshell.

Tom had started coughing a lot in October 07. For 2 weeks he though he just had a cold. "If it's not better by Monday I will go to the doctor" he says. Monday came and went twice. Finally sees GP. GP states Pneumonia. Takes a course of antibiotics and an inhaler. Feels a little better with the inhaler. Coughing comes back strong. Goes back to GP and another course of antibiotics. December still coughing. Extreme SOB. GP says give it time to clear. 1/14/08 finally an x-ray. 7cm lung mass. Over next 2 weeks CT, Bronchoscopy, MRI and PET. PET lit up liver and a couple of lymph nodes.

Stage 3A at diagnosis. 2 rounds of chemo and another CT. Restaged at IV.

Funny thing is. In April 07 when an x-ray was done for the AAA pre-op. Nothing was there.

11/03 Passes out one night on the way back from nightly bathroom run. He is ghost white and in a cold sweat. Will not go to the doctor. Thinks is blood sugar may be off so he drinks OJ and has a grayish color to his skin. Passes out 2 more times over the next month.

1/22/04 Sees Doctor and has x-ray which shows fluid build up in lungs.

2/01/04 11 p.m. Has his last cigarette in 55 years before angiogram that morning.

2/02/04 Angio shows complete blockage of 2 arteries with 2 blockages in a 3rd.

2/03/04 Quadruple Heart Bypass performed.

2/08/04 Comes home.

3/08/04 Went back to work part time with a driver. Not allowed to drive himself until 6 weeks out.

3/26/04 Amazing man goes back to work full time never having taken a pain pill.

4/05 Another Angiogram. All clear!!!!

_________________________________

4/04 - 3/07 Non eventful. In good health.

4/07 Test happy Cardiologist says, you are over 55 and smoked for many years so lets do an abdominal ultra sound just for fun.

4/19/07 Has 2cm Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair laprascopically.

4/20/07 Comes home.

4/24/07 Back to work. The Doctors are amazed.

__________________________________

8/07 Routine blood work shows he is now full Diabetic. Actos added and tests daily.

__________________________________

10/07 Tom developed what he thought was a cold with cough.

11/07 After numerous over the counter meds the cough is worsening. Finally goes to the doctor and is told he has pneumonia. Gets antibiotics and inhaler.

12/07 Cough still not going away. More antibiotics and another inhaler.

1/14/08 An x-ray is ordered.

1/15/08 is called back to the doctors office immediately. There is a 7cm mass in the right hilar region with increased interstitial markings. Sent to lung specialist the same day.

1/21/08 CT Scan

1/23/08 Bronchoscopy

1/25/08 PET Scan

1/29/08 Diagnosed with Stage IIIA or IV NSCLC Squamous Cell with lymphnode involvement. There is a questionable spot on the liver. Still has cough and Spiriva is added.

2/08/08 Met with Oncologist orders 2 cycles of Chemo and then a rescan.

2/11/08 1st round Chemo w Carbo/Taxol. No side effects.

2/12/08 Neulasta shot. For the next week pain and fatigue.

3/03/08 Round 2 Carbo/Taxol.

3/04/08 Neulasta and a week of pain and fatigue again.

3/20/08 CT Scan

3/24/08 Although tumors are shrinking and cough is gone Tom is restaged at IV. 2 more rounds of Chemo are ordered with another scan to come 3 weeks after the 4th round.

3/24/08 Stays at Oncologists office for 3rd round of Carbo/Taxol.

3/25/08 Neulasta. Pain from shot worse then the last 2 times.

3/27/08 Called Oncologist about pain. Decadron and Vicodin ordered.

3/28/08 Vomiting, diahrrea and weakness.

3/29/08 Diahrrea continues. 9 lbs lost in 2 days.

3/30/08 Go out for breakfast and after says he feels dizzy. Go home and rest with a low key day. Feels better after resting.

The next few days show much improvement in mood and energy level. Still says legs feel weak. I hear that comes with the decadron.

4/14 Chemo round 4 due

4/15 Feeling a bit dizzy this morning. Neulasta shot at 9:15 a.m.

4/15 Says he feels wiped out today. Didn't eat anything for over 12 hours. No Wonder!! AARRRGGGHHHH!!!!

4/19 While visiting a friend in the hospital gets very weak, loses color and in a cold sweat.

4/20 Go to Onc and get IV fluids to bring BP back up.

4/28 CT Scan & Doctor cuts BP meds in half.

5/5 Results day / Great scan. We have more shrinkage and the liver lesion cannot be seen on the CT.

5/6 Chemo round 5

5/12 MRI scheduled. If it verifies no liver lesion then it's on to Radiation if Rad Onc says okay after consult.

5/12 - Had 1 1/2 hour MRI today!!!

5/19 - Liver lesion still there. 7mm in size.

5/20 - Rad consult

5/21 - Cardiologist visit. All okay

5/22 Rad planning CT - mold of head and shoulders taken

5/23 - Brain MRI scheduled

5/28 - 7/16 35 Radiation treatments to chest

6/2 - Chemo round 6

6/30 - Chemo round 7 due

7/7 - 2 liters of fluid for low BP and a case of the dizzies

7/16 - Last planned Radiation

7/21 - Meeting with Onc

8/17 - CT of chest & abdomen planned

8/18 - CT results- CT shows the lung tumor is down to 3.7cm x 2.7cm and liver lesion is GONE!! No signs of metastatic disease within the abdomen. No further treatment need at this time. Next scan in 3 months.

12/5 Hospitalized with pneumonia

12/6 CT Scan all clear. Tumor continues to shrink

12/10 Comes Home with O/2

5/18/09 PET SCAN ALL CLEAR!!!

Every sixty seconds that you spend upset is a minute of happiness you’ll never get back.

Don’t be afraid your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.

"The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it."

Chinese Proverb.

Tom lost his 66 yr old father to Lung Cancer, a sister aged 50 to Breast Cancer and another sister aged 68 to Throat Cancer.

I lost my grandfather aged 63 to Lung Cancer and my paternal grandmother to uterine cancer.

Tom's kid's lost their step-father of 17 years 6/07 to Pancreatic Cancer.

My mother as of 06/09 is a 4 year breast cancer survivor.

We are no strangers to this horrible disease.