cbeldoch Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 My Story: I Had short term memory loss in the fall of 2007 which was thought to be caused by heavy drinking. After several months my wifes cousin who is an oncologist noticed something and I had scans and then a procedure where they removed some tissue from my lung which turned out to be SCLC. After a summer of chemo and radiation the cancer was mostly gone except for a lesion in my brain and was given sterotatic but did not do anything and the lesion kept getting bigger so I had the lesion removed in the fall of 2009. The lesion was more cancer now spread to my brain and spinal chord. Now I have had 2 sets of more chemo (etoposide) and expect to have a scan soon, but at my last visit with my onc. he indicated I will not survive. ( no time frame given) So here I wait. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 Time for another Oncologist!! I hate that one already!!! sorry you have to be hear with us but glad you are here! I don't like when an oncologist says things like that it shows an unwillingness to care and fight! Plus statistics are numbers! SCLC is harder to treat than NSCLC because it is not as common but that means nothing! We have many here who are fighting both kinds of Cancer and winning every day! Take a look around and check out the threads also titled good news and inspirational also ! they are full of good things to help out with motivational and the emotional issues as well!! The Small cell thread will give you some ideas for what everyone is doing to fight their SCLC diagnosis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 Hi, Chris, welcome to the group. Yes, SCLC can be a bear to treat, particularly if it has spread outside the chest, but that doesn't mean it's hopeless. Look around the membership here — there are a good number of SCLC survivor stories, so don't count yourself out yet. And next time you see that oncologist, just tell him that he's not going to get out of this world alive, either! Aloha, Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaminkw Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 Chris, I am so sorry you had to encounter one of "those" oncologists. I just don't know where they get off playing God. I agree with Randy and Ned, scan the site and you'll find SCLC survivors. We are people, not numbers. Judy in KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joppette Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 Hi Chris, Welcome here. The reason stinks, but we're glad you are here. Katie B has a picture on her page that says "Cancer is a word, not a sentence." I love that. Do not give up hope. Get other opinions, Doctor's are not God. There are people here that have survived. Read other journals in the SCLC board. Take care, Judy in MI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstdzy Posted May 19, 2010 Share Posted May 19, 2010 Hi Chris, Sorry for the late reply,but welcome. I was dx'd with SCLC 2 years ago. Mine was caught very early and they didn't find any mets. I agree with everyone else it's definitely time for a second opion! When I was dx'd I thought it was a death sentence, but that just isn't true. You said you were given etoposide, did you also get any of the platins? Carboplatin or cisplatin? Glad you are here! Dana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjb Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 You need a new oncologist! The first thing our oncologist did after he told my husband that he had extensive SCLC was to say "This is not a death sentence." And our doctor kept that positive attitude. The cancer went to the brain - twice. And my husband is still alive and kicking, though now being treated for a totally different cancer. If you're stuck with that doctor, for your own sake decide that he does not get to make the decision about whether you stay or go:) He doesn't, you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrider1 Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Chris, I have SCLC with extensive mets to the bones of my hip, femur, upper arm, tailbone, spine and many lymph nodes. I was dx'ed in May of 2008. Last chemo of carboplatin and etoposide was Oct 7 2008. My last scans show very little activity in area of mets with SUV'v of less than 2.0 and still decreasing from chemo. I was lucky as none of my Dr.s gave me a "time Limit"; absolutely refused to, (it was like they were worried I would sue them if the event did not occur when they said it would,lol!) But I have fooled them all by living well passed any time limit they would have given me (24 months post dx and 19 months post last chemo cocktail infusion). I have had what the Onc.s call a "Complete Response". I know it will come back and that we can fight it some more. All I can tell you is what helps me. And those things are: 1. I have never lost my faith in the fact that no matter what happens everything will be ok. One way or the other. 2. I also have faith in a God who said "I did not promise that you would not be tempested or travailed, but that you would not be overcome"! 3. I do my own research and never, ever take what anyone tells me as gospel or the final word. Knowledge is power and I need all the power I can get! 4.I thank God for every day he gives me, every morning when I wake up. I also commune with nature as much as possible and enjoy the wonders of our world (especially when the weather is bad. I love thunderstorms!) 5. I talk to my fur babies (dogs). They never pass judgment. 6. I try to eat right, and lord knows I sleep more the is really necessary!(but I only get it in 3-4 hour spurts) 7. And I come here, to vent, share news (good or bad) because here there is no judgment, just support and caring, regardless of who or what you are or any of those things that many people think are important such as titles, professions, financial status, background, etc. We all take care of each other because (as the song says) you ain't heavy, you are my brother(/sister). Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaminkw Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Dawn, beautiful list! Judy in KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric byrne Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Hi Chris, Welcome,sorry you have had to carry the additional burden of a vacuous remark by an uncaring oncologist,I have and I am sure many others here,have been subjected to similar,my lung nurse and my GP gave me a maximum of two years,nineteen months ago,cannot wait to see their faces this October.You may know the true story of the bumblebee,it is a well known fact that the ratio of its body mass is greater than its wingspan which means of course that it cannot fly,but since the bumblebee knows nothing about aerodynamics it just goes ahead and flies,live on Chris,one in the eye for your oncologist.Dawn-good to see you again,sorry I missed your talk in,you never waste a word,everyone here including Chris will benefit from your insight and experience,thanks for being you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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