Why must they always make it sound like the worst?

[Allison]

I am weary of all of our doctors. What last week looked like

"improvement" on my Dad's chest xray, this week shows spreading

cancer and lymph node involvement. Can you even see lymph nodes

on an xrays?

What was pneumonia yesterday is cancer today. Are they even looking at

the actual films? Why must I be stuck at work and have my Mom and Dad

going through all this alone?

Our oncolocgist says he'll do whatever we want, whatever drug combo we

decide on - although he wants to give my Dad Gemzar starting soon. Then

he thinks it isn't worth trying anything else.

I wonder if I can apply to and get through medical school and an oncology

residency in the next week or so, so I can feel like *someone* acutally

knows what's going on inside my Dad!

Allison

[dadstimeon]

Hi Allison,

Sorry to hear about your father. I also have stage (BAC) IV. I would seek another opinion. I live outside Boston and have had very great success with chemo if you are interested in (I have an excellent doctor and health care team / located in Boston) where I go please e-mail. There are lots of options for your father to try. Not sure if they can see lymph nodes on an x-rays, perhaps someone else can answer that. Stay positive. Be pro-active. Don't take no for an answer. Perhaps you can take some time off to help your parents. Peace, take care and God Bless.

Rich

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https://www.alcase.org/advocacy/sign_the_petition.html (Advocacy /Sign the Petition)

http://www.cancersymptoms.org (Oncology Nursing Society)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 08,00.html http://www.alcase.org/education/publica ... reath.html (With Every Breath A Lung Cancer Guidebook / From ALCASE / A Wealth Of Information / Free)

http://www.cancersurvivaltoolbox.org (The Cancer Survival Toolbox / Free / From NCCS)

http://www.centerwatch.com (Clinical Trails Listing Service / Center Watch)

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&editi ... ung+cancer (Lung Cancer In The News)

http://www.thewellnesscommunity.org/pro ... /guide.asp (The Wellness Community / National Cancer Support, Education And Support / Free)

http://www.drugs.com (Drug Information Online)

http://www.alcase.org (ALCASE / Alliance For Lung Cancer Advocacy, Support, Education)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov (Unites States / National Library Of Medicine)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/encyclopedia.html (Health Information / Medical Encyclopedia)

http://www.google.com (Great Search Engine)

http://blochcancer.org (R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation, Inc. / Please read: A Letter to all newly diagnosed cancer patients)

http://www.cancer.org (American Cancer Society)

http://www.cancer.gov (Cancer Information Service / NCI)

http://www.cancerresearchcenter.org (Cancer Research Center)

http://www.aicr.org (American Institute for Cancer Research; Nutrition Hotline / AICR)

http://www.cancerhopenetwork.org (Cancer Hope Network)

http://www.acor.org (Association of Cancer Online Resources / Free Online Lifeline For Everyone Affected By Cancer & Related Disorders)

http://www.meds.com/lung/lunginfo.html (Lung Cancer Information Library)

http://www.lungusa.org (American Lung Association)

http://www.ama-assn.org (American Medical Association)

http://www.docguide.com/news/content.ns ... g%20Cancer (Doctor’s Guide / Lung Cancer)

http://www.healthfinder.gov/Scripts/Sea ... ?topic=506 (Healthfinder)

http://www.medicinenet.com/Lung_Cancer/article.htm (Medicine Net)

http://www.cancerindex.org/clinks2l.htm (Cancer Index / Lung Cancer Resources Directory)

http://www.nfcr.org/site/PageServer?pag ... ncers_lung (National Foundation For Cancer Research)

http://www.patientadvocate.org (Patient Advocate Foundation)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/effects ... fects.html (Lung Cancer Online / Hematologic (Blood) Effects)

http://www.cancerlinks.org/lung.html (Lung Cancer Links)

http://www.cancer-free.com (Cancer Free Connections)

http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/C ... ung_cancer (Health Insite)

http://www.lungcancerclaims.com (Lung Cancer / Lung Cancer Information Page)

http://www.cancerlifecenter.com/engine. ... =dictionar (Cancer Life Center/ Cancer Dictionary)

http://www.canceryellowpages.com/Resour ... G%20CANCER (Cancer yellow Pages)

http://icare.org (ICARE / The International Cancer Alliance)

http://www.vh.org/index.html (Virtual Hospital)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/support/financial.html (Lung Cancer Online / Financial, Legal & Insurance Issues)

http://cancernews.healthology.com/focus ... cancernews (Cancer News)

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[Andrea]

Hi Allison,

I share your frustration. One second things are seeming ok, the next not. To answer the questions about lymph nodes, they were shown on my mom's chest xray, I guess b/c it is so close in the area.

I am going nuts waiting. My mom finished a cycle of carbo/gemzar with two weeks on once a week, one week off. Just started second cycle. They took blood last Thurs and checked CEA which is a tumor marker. They told my dad yest the result had not come back. I cannot help but wonder if they are lying and did not want to say over the phone. Anxiously awaiting each day to see what side effects chemo will bring or when the next scan will be is no fun.

I would recommend researching your oncologist on the internet and calling around anyone you know to see if anyone has an oncologist they recommend.

Good luck,

Andrea

[David A]

HI Allison, I had a check up last week with my thoracic surgeon for a follow up to a stent he put in my lung in late october, had to have an xray of my lung too that day, he was able to show me the stent, then I asked can you show me where the tumor is now, his reply(and I highly respect his opiion) is that you can't see a tumor with an xray. So in my humble, nonmedical opinion maybe dad needs a cat scan.

At any rate know that Dad and you are in my thoughts.

[john]

Dave is right. X-rays usually can not pick up anything smaller than 3cm or so. The link below says enlarged lymph nodes DO show up on an x-ray

http://www.information-on-hodgkins-dise ... ptoms.php3

[kimblanchard]

A strong suggestion from this household is that you ask the Onc for a STAT Spiral CT, neck-to-pelvis view, now, with a follow-up PET next week.

Please see post below.

[kimblanchard]

A strong suggestion from this household is that you ask the Onc for a STAT Spiral CT, neck-to-pelvis view, now, with a follow-up PET next week.

By stating you are requesting the above, you put him in a medico-legal dilemma of really not being able to say "NO" without putting himself at some risk for later liability. Do not accept "NO", regardless.

If you were to get stonewalled or "blown-off" by the Onc when you request these STAT scans, remember your family Doc can schedule them just as easily as any Onc.

(RUN from negativism...it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy!)

THEN, with the results from these 2 scans in your hands, you'll be armed with info for your consultations for 2nd/3rd opinions, hopefully at major NCI-certified teaching facilities, geared & equipped for state-of-the-art treatment options and modalities.

Time is CRITICAL, so please, stay busy at these tasks!