Newly Diagnosed

[ferziefabrics]

Hello, my name is Jennifer, and I am 45 years old. Because of an eye exam that required some more tests, my lung nodules were found by mistake. I went thru a battery of tests, and then after about 3 months the surgery was a go. The plan was to do a wedge ressection on my upper right lobe...and if the lab showed malignancy, they would continue with a lobectomy and lymph node dissection. In the months leading up to this, I prepared myself for what I thought would be the worst. It was the best way for me to get thru that time.

I had my surgery on January 9th. They did wind up doing a lobectomy and removing several lymph nodes. Pathology did not come back with it's complete report until the following Wednesday. That is when I got the shock of my life. I am not even really sure that it has completely set in even still. I was prepared for the mass to be cancerous....I was prepared for a lobectomy and the recovery time involved in that. I was prepared for a level I diagnosis, as after all this was found by mistake and it just had to be in beginning stages.

But, I did not get that news. The news I received that I was at stage IIIb. Still trying to learn what that means, exactly. My first oncology appointment is on the 28th when we will discuss my treatment plan. Anything the oncologist said to me while I was in the hospital, I don't think I really heard. It was just all so surreal. The plan, I believe is to start chemo 2 weeks after my oncologist visit..of course that will all depend on if I have completely healed from the surgery and have a green light from my surgeon.

[Bud Baker]

Hi Jennifer. Welcome to the site, although I'm sorry you need to be here. I had a similar experience just over a year ago. I had an upper left lobectomy, then what doctors thought was Stage I turned out to be Stage II because one of the lymph nodes they took and biopsied was cancerous.

I'm not sure what made yours Stage III, but I do know that particular lymph nodes being cancerous can cause that diagnosis, so that may be it.

You'll find a lot of knowledgeable, helpful, and supportive people here. Again, welcome, and I'm glad you found us.

[Muriel]

Hi Jennifer,

Sorry you have reason to be here, but welcome to our group. Where are you? You don't have to be too specific if you don't want to, but at least tell us state and which part of the state, if not the city. Thanks.

Did you have a PET scan before your surgery?

Hope your recovery is moving along nicely. Keep us posted on how you are feeling and, when you get it, your treatment plan. We have lots of IIIb's here. Many have done quite well.

Muriel

[recce101]

Hi, Jennifer, welcome. Many of us here know what you mean about the shock of your life, and IIIb seems to be a rather common initial diagnosis (that was mine too). Stage IIIb doesn't really say anything about how sick a person is or how large and well developed the tumor is, but whether the location of the tumor and any affected lymph nodes makes it likely that cancer cells have escaped into the bloodstream. If they have, then surgery cannot effect a cure and systemic chemo is needed. During my surgery it became obvious that was the case, so they cleaned things up as best they could and didn't proceed with a lobectomy (but it still took 4 hours).

We have some members with stage IIIb who, after chemo, reached and have maintained the treasured NED (no evidence of disease) status. You'll probably be hearing from at least one of them soon. Best wishes and Aloha,

The not-NED Ned

[jstdzy]

Jennifer,

Welcome! I would say don't be scared about a stage IIIb diagnosis, but I know that is just not possible. I was stunned when I got dx. I imagine we all go through that. I was just reading a minute ago on this site about a lady with your dx just getting to her 3 year anniversary. Cancer doesn't mean we are going to die. It really doesn't. That's what I thought at first. Hang out on these boards you will feel alot better. I did! Any questions you have or if you just want to scream this place is for you!

[MsC1210]

Hello Jennifer and welcome

As you can see this is a wonderful site for support and information!

I hope you will continue to post and let us know how you are doing.

Warmly

Christine

[ferziefabrics]

Thank you everyone for your warm welcome

I live in a suburb NW of Chicago called Algonquin.

When I asked the surgeon the reason for the stage, she said that the lymph nodes she took looked clean, but the main mass appeared to have spread. They found single cells outside that area. I am about a week and a half after surgery and I am quite tired and sore...seems more so now than before. Probably doing too much! The doctor ordered home nursing after my hospital stay. Right now she comes 3x a week. Her last visit was on Monday, and she said I was doing quite well.

Thanks again for your warm welcome. I am confident I will find lots of answers and support here.

Jennifer

[Flyman35]

Hi Jennifer. welcome to the boards. I'm sorry you needed to find us but glad that you did. this is a great site for support and infromation.

You are literally just down the street from me. I live in Palatine and have a friend that lives in Algonquin.

Wishing you all the best in your recovery.

Denise

[Isunique]

Hi Jennifer and welcome. You will find the best people here. One piece of advice I will give and that helped me out greatly was to take a tape recorder with me to all of my appointments that way I could pay attention and not worry about trying to remember or take notes. Even when my husband goes with, we find we both hear the same thing but remember it differently.

Take Care

Sarah

[robobbi]

Hi- Just want to say if you need a "close" friend I'm right here - I live in Niles. I know I haven't posted all my particulars but just want you to know that my surgery was in January, 2005 and I was staged at III B as well. Please let me know if there's anything I can do.

Bobbi

[ts]

Hi Jennifer-

Same boat as you, but a few lengths further along - see my intro for TS

A couple of things to remember (some borrowed from friends):

Cancer is not an existential crisis, it's a disease and while it is scary, it's a lot less so than 25 years ago. (Life is the crisis.)

Don't get mad at friends at who say the wrong things, you'll just end up with no friends. Take the good wishes and wish they could fix it for you as power for healing.

Have faith in your docs (and make sure you have docs you feel are worth that trust.) You'll question it all enough often enough, especially on days when you don't feel so good.

Statistics are meaningless. If they made sense, we wouldn't have dx of IIIb as non smokers (assume you are) in otherwise good health, now would we? Either you are here or you aren't. Don't get hung up on the numbers or stats. I don't even know that the dx still applies - we've had surgery, so the cancer is out other than the mop up for chemo and radiation (assuming they offer you both.) So what staging is it now? Does it matter if they can still look at a cure?

Surreal - my word over and over again.

I'm not through treatment, but I have been a good fighter from original dx.

Stay fierce.

[jaminkw]

Jennifer,

I would like to add my welcome to the list of others here. Like you, my cancer was found by what I thought was an accident. I not only convinced myself but my RN sister and RN daughter that I was early stage. I was sure I'd hear Stage 1. When the pulmonologist said "it's a 3 or 4, you don't get a pleural effusion with a stage 1," I completely lost it. We adjust though, don't we. I love the list ts provided. Lots of good stuff there.

Judy in Key West