KC Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Hello everyone. I am a member here since around 2001 when my Dad was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. He passed away in March 2004. I feel like I am just somewhat getting back to the new normal and now my Aunt, who is like my second Mother and a second Grandmother to my daughter was just admitted to the hospital today. She is 70 years old and a long time smoker. She quit in February because she was having trouble breathing. She saw a pulmonologist yesterday and he said all her breathing functions came back normal but he saw a mass on her lung. Today she went to the ER because for the past 2 days she has been unable to articulate her thoughts. They did a CT scan and saw the mass and did a CT scan of the brain and said they saw fluid on the brain. Now I wasn't there when this was going on and I never did get to speak to a dr. because I wasn't informed of all of this until 8:00 tonight. Her oxygen was at 95. The ER dr. actually told her that it doesn't look good looks like cancer that spread to the brain. But they can't diagnose without a biopsy. I am just wondering how a dr. can say this to someone without knowing for sure. Also, my Dad never had brain mets, so I don't know how they present themselves. Does it show up on CT scan as fluid and not a mass? Or is the fluid from the tumor? I am sick to my stomach over this. I don't think I am strong enough to deal with it again. I have 4 people in my entire family, I can't lose another! Not this way again! My sweet Aunt. Please pray for her and any answers or experience you may have with fluid on the brain that effect speech is greatly appreciated. She understands everything that is said to her, and she knows what she wants to say, just has trouble getting the words out. She also told me that the past couple of days she started not being able to let go of things that were in her hand. Obviously her brain isn't sending the proper signals. I just wondering why they didn't see a mass on the brain and only fluid. Sorry for the rambling. Also her feet are swollen. I am numb and in shock and that knot in my entire body is back. I know you all know what knot I am speaking of. Thank you so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KC Posted May 30, 2009 Author Share Posted May 30, 2009 I just re-read my post and don't think I was clear. My Aunt went to the hospital because she thought maybe she was having mini strokes (which I still think might be possible). She has no pain, headaches or cough or mucous. She was told last year that she had pleurisy in the lung. Would that show up as a mass on a CT sca?. I'm just hoping for the best here that the "mass" as inflammation or the pleurisy and the fluid was actually from mini strokes (not that that is great news either). I also failed to mention that the mass on the CT scan was seen on her lung. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Hi, KC. I'm sorry you're having to go through this again, and also that you're having trouble getting answers. I think the second part has as much to do with the hour as with the weekend, and the fact that few if any of us are qualified to discuss the appearance of a mass versus fluid on a scan. But I do have a suggestion which should get you an authoritative answer before the weekend is over: Please visit cancergrace.org (GRACE — Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education). GRACE is led by Dr. Howard "Jack" West, a Seattle oncologist who is an internationally-recognized expert on lung cancer and who gives high priority to promptly answering questions online. A lot of us are "dual citizens" and have the same usernames there as here. Aloha, Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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