millie's girl Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 I will never forget the day that my mom informed me that she had a "spot" on her lungs. Me being a Registered Nurse, I knew what was next but I prayed for the best. We went through the standard tests for a lung cancer diagnosis (Chest X-ray, CT scan, broncoscopy & CT guided biopsy). On August 26, 2009 @ approximately 1:10 PM; my greatest fears knocked at my front door and took up residence in my life. My mom told me that the biopsy confirmed that she had lung cancer. My mother raised my sister (40 y.o.), myself (37 y.o.) & my brother (27 y.o.) with an iron fist but with a lot of love. She has been the BACKBONE for 15 siblings as well as for our individual families. She has a big heart and this had devastated everyone that knows her. She is loved by sooooo many people in our small community. She and my stepfather have been married for 24 years and this has been very difficult for him as well. Both of my mother's parents died from lung cancer. Neither of them had treatment. My grandmother lived 5 years after being diagnosed. My grandfather lived 3 years after being diagnosed. My mother has been adament that she doesn't want treatment. My siblings and I have been supportive of her decision. Her pulmonologist indicates that she has non-small cell lung cancer (stage 2A or 2B). He would like for her to have surgery but my mother is totally against this idea. Her siblings have been talking to her and she has decided to at least see an oncologist. Her appointment is Monday, September 21, 2009. I will be accompanying her to this appointment and any other appointments. My mom is my greatest inspiration. She has been there for me through all of my life ups & downs. She has been the one consistency regardless of my circumstances. I have had a very difficult time dealing with this situation. I am a woman of faith and this situation has shaken my faith to its core. I've cried soooooo many tears over the past month. It's been really hard for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fillise Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 I'm sorry about your mom's diagnosis with lung cancer, but am gald you found us. Please take the time to read the many survivor stories here. If you mom's staging is correct they have caught her cancer far earlier than most people and she has a much better prognosis because of it. We have many long term survivors. Surgery offers the best chance for an outright cure. I hope she will keep an open mind when talking to her doctors. They can do a lot with treatment that they didn't used to be able to do. There is another excellent resource, www.cancergrace.org, which is a physician mediated site, that offers excellent information on the treatment options for every stage of the disease. I suggest you do some reading over there to find out what the options are and what questions she needs to be asking her doctors. In the meantime, we will be here to answer any question you have. Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bud Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 You found the right place, post often. Wishing Your mom and You well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patti B Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Sorry you have the need to be here but I am so glad you found us. This is a very supportive and informational site. Please read around the different forums on this site. Maybe once you see how many survivors there are here, you can show her and she will change her mind. Stage 2 is really a stage at which she can be "cured" or at least have surgery and be a long term survivor. In the meantime, please feel free to come here for any question you may have, or if you feel the need to vent or cry, we will be here for you. Hugs - Patti B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Hi millie's gir! I welcome you along with everyone else here. First off, let me say that I am sorry your dear momma has received this diagnosis. NEXT let me say this.........at STAGE II there is great HOPE hope for treatment being more than successful. I was dx at stage llla or b - depending upon which doc you were talking to. It is now 5 years later and I am still here living life and doing pretty darn good. At your mom's stage I hope she reconsiders for some treatment. There have been great strides forward in the tx of LC. She could have GREAT response and even a chance of cure. Let her know there are MANY here doing well YEARS after dx, BUT we did choose some tx. Hope you stick around and feel free to ask for any help you need. Kasey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbvh Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Millie's Girl, Sorry to hear about your Mom. Glad that you found us. She is vert luck to have you, a RN, in her corner. I hope that she listens to all her options before she decided no treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Hi, welcome to the group. I fully agree with the others. Stage II is very treatable and potentially curable, especially with surgery. Even cancers which have been declared incurable and inoperable can often be managed over the long term, much like some other chronic conditions. Your mom's reluctance to accept treatment may stem from stories she's heard from others about bad chemo side effects, but if these experiences were a number of years ago, it's important to know that great advances have been made recently with newer chemo agents as well as medications to counter the worst side effects of the older agents. Whatever choice she eventually makes, it's great that she'll have your support. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millie's girl Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 Thanks for all of the responses...I feel so welcomed to this community Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolhg Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Hello and Welcome Millie's girl. I certainly will be praying for your mother and I hope that she does decide to have surgery. Surgery is what you want with this disease. I was stage 3A. I had 6 weeks of daily radiation and weekly chemo. I then had surgery and had my upper righ lobe removed. After surgery I had two sessions of adjuvant chemo to kill any microscopic cells that might be there. My surgery was in July, 2005. At the end of August 2005 I was back in my classroom teaching high school history. I have since retired, got a second grandchild and my scans have been clean since. The people on this website were extremely helpful and supportive to me for which I will forever be thankful. I am grateful to be here and give God the Glory. Carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatlemike Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Hello and welcome, I really hope your mom has the treatment and surgery if she is given the option. I was stage2b and had my right lung removed 4 years ago and altho I cannot do everything I used to,I still enjoy my life very much and am fairly active. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Baker Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Welcome, Millie's girl. I am a stage IIa survivor who has been cancer free for 21 months now since surgery. There are no guarantees here, but I really hope you can get your mother to change her mind about treatment. Keep us up to date on what happens, and good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaminkw Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Welcome millie's girl. I echo the others about encouraging your mother to opt for some kind of treatment since there is great hope in early stage 1 or 2 cancers. Even in advanced, I agree with Ned, many of us are also doing well. Relative to anesthesias, pain meds and chemo, I have always been a "chucker." My daughter (also an RN) always dreaded the day I might get cancer. My father died of lung cancer also. I've been doing chemo for most of nearly two years and have never vomited. They have great meds now, Amend for the big chemos and Zophran the best for followup naseau or with chemos that don't have a primary naseau effect. I think many older people come into this with horrorfying stories of others who have endured chemo with terrible side effects. That's not the norm now. Impress that on your mom and then accept her decision. That's another philosophy I see here, do what you can to convince them of what you think is best then support the person with cancer in whatever they finally choose. Good luck and keep us posted. Judy in Key West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstdzy Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Sorry you had to find us, but glad you did! Please keep us posted on Mom. Cancer does not have to be a death sentence! Dana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I am sorry I am late in welcoming you to the board. I am so glad you are going with your mom to her appointment. As others have said, she is at a stage where she has good odds. Keep us posted on how the appointment goes-- we will all be thinking of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debi Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I just happened to come by this evening and saw your post! I am a 6 plus year survivor, diagnosed at Stage 1a. I had surgery, and had 2 lobes of my right lung removed. Today I have no problems, my life is 'normal', I go to the gym, etc and there are no traces of the cancer. Please, please ask your mom to keep an open mind to the surgery. So many lung cancer patients are diagnosed too late for surgery and would give anything for that opportunity. In the beginning, I never understood when people said I was 'lucky' because I could have surgery --- today I understand. The surgery is doable, I am a big chicken and was never sick in my life, so I am a good judge! The pain meds afterward keep things in check. Ultimately of course, this is her decision. Just wanted to let you and her know, as the others before me, that surgery is a good option. Best wishes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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