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Drum Roll Please


jaminkw

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Dum de dum, dum de dum, dum de dah dah dum! O.k. so it's ONLY STABLE but stable is very good when you are stage 4. How did I miss that. The PA said stage 4 and I said I was only 3b. She said no, I became stage 4 when it went to the lining of my abdomen. How did I miss that lol. I swear throughout this whole process, I just hear things when I'm ready to hear them. But now that just makes my "still stable" that much more remarkable. Oh, and my MRI is clear, unremarkable, just fine.

I was so tired yesterday that I ate dinner around 4:30 pm and fell asleep on the couch shortly after. Stan woke me at seven and told me to go to bed. I did wake and fall back to sleep a couple of times thru the night but essentially slept til 6 am. I had a good day after an early appmt at the onc but managed to romp around Sam's Club and visit the couple that run the RV here. My BP is still fluctuating but I'll get that settled after Christmas. In the meantime, my worry that I might have progressed has been resolved and I'm planning a Merry Christmas.

Judy in KW

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Well, Merry Christmas to you and Stan and the whole family!

And your nurse is technically incorrect. 3b stays 3b with mets to abdomen but is treated at Stage IV, but is not re-staged. I was incorrectly staged prior to surgery as IA and restaged to IIIB after surgery/pathology, but that's it. Now I have metastatic lung cancer.

You can think about it like this - if everyone was upstaged when they had mets, the mortality rate of everything other than Stage IV would be excellent. Sadly, that it not the case. We've had this discussion on Grace many times and the docs support no re-staging except for at the time at original surgery. One thing that pops up every now and then, the survival rate of lower staged cancers is better, so hang on to your lower stage. Also, lung cancer that becomes metastatic has better stats than that that started with mets in the first place.

I sleep like that a lot - but I have been coughing in the night, so I'll take my sleep when I can. Settling down with a cup of honey-lemon hot water. Where's the brandy?

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Thanks guys for the good wishes. And thank you Stephanie. I was sure I heard it from a good source and it was probably cancergrace. My daughter (the RN) really does not like my PA at MDA. She has given us serious misinformation before. I like your explanation. I really am over the top with this stable. Maybe it's because they are piling up or maybe because Dr T responded positively when I said I might want to take a chemo break somewhere down the line. Something great to look forward to!

Judy in KW

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Judy,

Still say your nurse was incorrect, however under the new staging, a malignant pleural effusion is considered Stage IV. I'd still stay with your original staging, unless it suits your needs to update it for any reason.

But just keep on being stable. We keep being told about stable and miracles this time of year.

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Thanks again all. And Stephanie, Dr W told me some time ago that I'd be 4a under the new staging system. I'll keep what I have because it sounds less scary (to me or others????) but I think he said 4a had an even better survivor rate so it could be a coin toss lol.

Judy in KW

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Judy, I was so positive I had come here to post to this awesome news, but I guess I posted on facebook and never got here. Anyway, I am here now and it can't be said enough that I am so thrilled to read any and all good news for you my dear friend. You remain in my thoughts and prayers ALWAYS!!!

Love,

Sue

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