Steven_Texas Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 I have been reading the boards and it just breaks my heart to know other people have to feel the pain I feel on a daily basis. My mom was told she had a compression fracture on her spine in mid-May that would require surgery to alleviate the pain. Upon receiving the cat-scan results before the surgery, her doctor informed her that she had a mass in her right lung. She immediately was checked into a hospital for further tests. After going through a bronchoscopy, they found that her tumor was indeed malignant and had spread to the lymph nodes in her medial cavity and along her spine (the now known cause of the fracture). As many of you know with going through the quick progression of the lung cancer, it was a complete shock when her oncologist came to her hospital room and told us that she has two choices. Treatment or no Treatment for small cell lung cancer. If she chose to not receive chemo he gave her 6 weeks to live and with treatment maybe a year. My mother has been one amazing fighter when it comes to beating the odds of a bad medical diagnosis. In 1988, after being diagnosed with both Multiple Sclerosis and Systemic Lupus, she was given at most, two years to live. 20 yrs later she is happy to have beaten those odds, but then came the diagnosis of cancer on top of everything else. After 4 rounds of chemo, carboplatinum and VP 16, her tumor shrunk considerably. She finished the last round in September and the oncologist wanted to do a scan every three months to check for any signs the small cell lung cancer was growing again. Last week she was having a considerable increase in the amount of back pain she was experiencing throughout a normal day. The doctor did not like these changes, so he ordered an early scan. Today, after only 1.5 months since the last round of chemo, we found at that it is growing again. My afternoon was spent calling family and friends to let them know the results, because my mom could not verbalize the news. It is so hard to watch a parent, who is only 57 years old, go through so much pain. My mom is one of my best friends and has truly been a hero in my life. To know she is so scared and upset about having her life cut short, is hard to handle. She needs me to be strong for her, and that is what I plan on doing until the very end. I know the next year is going to be difficult due to the aggressive form of cancer she has. I was lucky enough to have an employer that let me move in basically a week's notice from Washington DC back to Texas to work remotely and to be closer to my mom. The time I have now with her is so precious and I am thankful I am here to help her. Thank you for letting me verbalize my experience. I can talk to friends, who have been very supportive, but they do not truly understand all that I am going through. It is nice to be able to say it to a group of people who have similar fears and heartbreak. I wish you all the best as you go through this, Steven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsC1210 Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Steven I am so sorry about your Mom. My prayers are with you both. I am very happy that you found this site and that you have joined us here. Since you have read some of the content you know that this is a very warm and caring place and that we will be here for you and your Mom. Please keep us posted and lean on us when you need to. We are here for you and we understand. Warm hugs Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caren Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Steven, I'm so sorry that you and your family are having to go through this (((HUGS))) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick C Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Steven, sorry to have to meet you under these circumstances. Best of luck to you and your mom and I hope her treatments are effective and easy for her. You've found a great place for answers and support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shellit74 Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Steven, Sorry to hear about your Mom. You have found a wonderful place to come to for support! Wishing you and your mother well in this journey. Shelli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraL Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Hi Steven. I am so sorry to hear about your mom. Your love for her just shines through. It is so awesome that you have been able to move to be closer to her. Yes, this is a group of people who quite get it and are very eager to support each other through these difficult times. Prayers for you, your family and especially your mom. Please keep us posted Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marci Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Steven, Sending prayers for you and your mom. This board has helped me through so much and my mother as well although I only relay to her what is discussed here but it makes her feel hope and gives her strength when I bring home stuff to her to read to make her feel better. Not sure of the comfortability your mom has with this Doc. but we are in the middle of getting a 2nd opinion as we speak. I would only say to try and get other medical opinions from the start its much easier than to wait for more pain and stuff to occur. There is alot out there now and although the initial shock is hard there is hope. Alot of people have had shrinkage from chemo and there are drugs out there such as Tarceva that have helped others. I have just become informed on Tarceva on how it has stablized and helped others. May not be the magic for everyone but don't give up keep pressing and moving forward for care and treatment for her. Marci Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Hi, Steven, welcome to the group. I guess you'd say I'm an "ex" Texan — though born and raised and schooled in Texas, I've lived in Hawaii much longer than anywhere else. If you haven't already, may I suggest that you visit cancergrace.org (the previous onctalk.com has been folded into GRACE, Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education). There's a wealth of information there, especially on lung cancer, constantly updated by a Seattle oncologist who is an internationally-recognized expert on lung cancer and who gives high priority to promptly answering questions from people like you and me. A lot of us are "dual citizens" and have the same usernames there as here. My best wishes and Aloha to you and your mom, Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patti B Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Hi Steven- Sorry you find the need to be here but am so glad you found us. This is a great bunch of kind of supportive people who will answer any and all questions you may have. Please, please don't listen to timelines. Those are statistics and your mom is unique, and not a statistic. I was told one year and just passed my 2 year mark and am doing well. Please keep us posted on mom's progress. She is so lucky to have you by her side. Hugs - Patti B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven_Texas Posted October 21, 2008 Author Share Posted October 21, 2008 I just wanted to write all of you and tell you thank you for the warm responses. When I went to be last night, I was very sad. Throughout the day, you all have made me and my mom feel a lot better. I shared your words with her. She said you all were right, "I am not time line, I am unique, and I will beat the odds." Again, thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I now know I can turn to you all with questions, and use the resources you have given me to do my own research as well. All the best, Steven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsC1210 Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Hi Steven I am so glad you have been able to share this site with your mom and that it has been so helpful already! Katie is right.. THIS site, LCSC, is the best site for support and hope. There are many other sites out there but this one is, by far, the warmest and most compassionate! Please keep posting and let us know how we can be of help to both you and your mom. Warmly Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nancy B Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Hi Steven, I was diagnosed with sclc in 2004 and after a short period of remission I have been on chemo, off and on, ever since. My son was married this past Sunday (he's 27) and I danced at his wedding. Please don't listen to timelines - I have never asked "how long" because I don't think they know. Take care and I will keep you and your Mom in my prayers. Nancy B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolasDaughter Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Hi Steven, Welcome! So sorry you have a need to be here, but so glad you found us! My mom too has SCLC (we're at one year since dx) and you'll see her story below. She's been through some intensive treatments but is doing well. This can be beat! Prayers & best wishes to you and your mom! Love, Nicole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fillise Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Hi Steven, It sounds like you have been on quite the roller coaseter already. You can ask any questions you need to--someone here is bound to have a helpful experience, a good word of advice, or a hug to support you as you support your mom. My mom was diagnosed with stage IV NSCLC in January of 2007. Hers was also discovered because of a suspected compression fracture in her spine. She has done several courses of radiation and one course of chemo. So feel free to ask any question about the spine mets. There are others here who are experiencing the same thing as well. Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharyn Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 Steven, Welcome to this board and all the caring people who belong here will help you get through this... Together we kind of "hold each other up" through the tough times and cherish our good news also. I am praying for you and your Mom. You are so fortunate to be able to be near her and supporting her so closely. Love, Sharon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven_Texas Posted October 24, 2008 Author Share Posted October 24, 2008 Hello everyone... Again, thanks for the support. It is helping both me and my mom. I just got off the phone with her and was sharing some of the wonderful things you all had to share. It meant a lot to her. She is starting Topotecan on Monday (5 days in a row, once a month for 4 months). She is very worried about nausea. She experiences a lot of pain when she is sick to her stomach, so she is wanting to avoid that as much as possible. They said it should be very minimal with this chemo drug, but that everyone is different. Did Topotecan cause any stomach problems for any of you or your loved ones? Best regards, Steven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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