Rhonda 58 Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Thank you Mary, I welcome any and all prayers. When I got diagnosed I just turned it all over to the Lord as this is not in my control. I still have my roller coaster of emotions but as long as I know He is running the show I also have my peace of mind. Just one step at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda 58 Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Hi Vicki, I'm so glad you found this site like I did, everyone is so helpful and knowledgeable about all stages of LC. I'm so sorry to hear you are a very young mother but fighting this your youth will certainly be in your favor. You already got over the biggest hurdle and its that you are going to FIGHT this. Will surgery be a possibility for you after your chemo? I'm sure you know this but if you want to send a private message to any member you can click on their name and you will see a link for message. I wanted a personal opinion from a member so I opted for a private message. Are you able to attend the Hope Summit in Dallas at the end of the month?? I am registered and sure hope for a fast recovery so I can still attend. I am looking forward to meeting a lot of people, there will be so much information for us there. I am going to be praying for you Vicki, just know that even when we can't see it the Lord is always working in our lives. Blessings, Rhonda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Vicki, I join Rhonda and Mary in welcoming you here. We'll be here to support you throughout your treatment and as a survivor after. Our forum has a lot of resources you may be interested in reading about. Here is a great summary of information about lung cancer - http://www.lungevity.org/about-lung-cancer/lung-cancer-101 I noticed your diagnosis was adenocarcinoma. Have they biopsied your tumor. I ask because there is new research on targeting lung cancer tumor mutations and adenocarcinoma is a type that has new emerging therapies that I read good things about. Here is a youtube video by Dr. Sequist discussing lung cancer mutations. This might be a good question for your doctors on your next consultation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9gTMptexi4 Stay in touch and let us know how your treatment is going. Oh - we've got plenty of survivor expertise on hand so if you have questions, ask away. Stay the course. Tom Rhonda 58 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fannymae Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 I was diagnosted with t1n1 cancer i am so scared i was diagnosed in dec i had the middle right lobe taken out and now have chemo to go through i dont no what to think or do i need some help from people that can tell me something i am a emtional mess my family r not liking me to much but they still love me is there anyone i can talk to i would appreciate it thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyA Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Hi Fannymae, I'm sad to hear that you are going through this. Please fill out this form and we will connect you with a support mentor. http://www.LUNGevity.org/LifeLine We are here for you, Cindy Rhonda 58 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyA Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Hi my name is Vicki.i'am 33 years old and was diagnosed with stage 4 lung adenocarcinoma in December 2015. Big shock to myself and my family I have 3 young children and want to fight this and be around to see them grow up. I'm currently receiving chemotherapy and got 2nd cycle this Friday after last week was postponed due to me being in hospital with pneumonia hope to make some friends on here and find support x Hi Vicki, Welcome to the message boards. http://forums.lungevity.org/index.php?/forum/3-introduce-yourself/ I invite you to click that link to chat with other people who have been newly diagnosed as well. We have amazing survivors, caregivers, and advocates in these message boards. You have our full support. I look forward to getting to know you, Cindy Rhonda 58 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda 58 Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Hi Fannymae, Welcome to this site, I'm glad you found it as we all did at one time. Please just start looking around this site and read as many post as you can. Everyone here will welcome any of your questions and can help calm your fears. There are so many great survivor stories from people that were diagnosed at a late Stage of LC but are still here giving us all hope. When they see your post they will reach out to you. I am newly diagnosed myself so I'm not going to even pretend I have any answers at all, I am trying to learn everything I can about my LC. It sounds like you did well with your surgery and I'm happy to hear that. I too have been told I will need follow up chemo after my surgery and was told by a wise man here they call it "dusting" or "sweeping" to be sure there are no cancer cells floating around left behind. I'm sorry you are not getting the support you need from your family and I will keep you in my prayers. My oncologist gave me very low dose anti anxiety medicine for my panic attacks, please talk to your doctor if you are having trouble coping. I don't need it everyday but have it only for panic attacks. You are not alone in this fight against LC and I am so happy we both found this website. Post as often as you want to, ask as many questions as you need to, someone will help you. Blessings to you, Rhonda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Rhonda, How did I miss your good news announcement! OK - here is some advice on the chest tube. I've had many installed and removed. Every time, my thoracic surgeon short counted me. You know - "I'll pull it on three - ready, one, two" - pulls tube! And I believed him! It is a two person procedure. They use a circular stitch that is installed around the tube and the nurse grabs the sutures. When the doc pulled the tube, the nurse pulls on the sutures. And, it really doesn't hurt. Just a bit of drama that is now a humorous memory. But, no one ever told me, so beware of the short count! Stay the course. Tom CindyA and MaryTD777 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda 58 Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Hi Tom, Oh wow, thank you!! I will certainly be aware of that short count Funny how our minds let us forget things after awhile. When I had the core biopsy, the nurse kept saying, "she's not even flinching", what they didn't know is that my toes were curled under so tight I am surprised I didn't break a couple. Guess I knew the ramifications of moving during a biopsy. I appreciate your support Tom very much, you have helped me in so many ways, more than you realize!! Blessings to you, Rhonda MaryTD777 and CindyA 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjacksontex Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Hi Rhonda! Are you having the surgery at Clements? Part of UT Southwestern. Mine was there on a Tuesday also. I didn't have VATS. I had robotic and there is a difference. Since they told me they do the robotics on Tuesday, maybe that's what you are having. My doctor is Kent Kernstine. The whole staff there is great. In fact, I had a doctor who did a couple of skin biopsies on me for a clinical trial. Turns out he's going to be one of the guest speakers at the Hope Summit. I'm going. You might feel up to going. I know I was much better by my 2nd week home. Good luck this Tuesday. I'll be praying for you. Barb Jackson Rhonda 58 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda 58 Posted February 15, 2016 Author Share Posted February 15, 2016 Thank you Barb for the prayers, I am starting to feel the anxiety. I will be at Medical City Hospital, Dallas, Mitchell Magee is my surgeon. He said VATS so I guess that is what it will be. Yes, I hope to still be able to attend, I'm really looking forward to it. I know everyone is different, some breeze through surgery and some have unforseen complications. I am going to just be positive and pray for a good outcome. I think my biggest fear is what he may find in the lymph nodes as my stage will change at that point. One day at a time, one minute at a time. Take care Barb, God bless you, Rhonda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjacksontex Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Rhonda, I didn't exactly breeze through. I had some complications. LOL! And I had my sister take pictures so I'd never be tempted to smoke again. I got something called Sub Cutaneous Air. So, was in the hospital a tad longer. 7 days in all. The Path report takes 14 days for results. So at least I only had a week after surgery for my results. IAN0M0. Stage one a, cured. I see them again for CT in May. They took so many dang lymph nodes, it's a wonder I have any left in my bronch area. The docs get a feel for these things but are so careful. Oh, and for me, having the chest tubes removed was a weird but not painful thing. The second one I remember better. No pain. Just "whoosh." One guy did it and then took a stitch or two at the area. Rhonda 58 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjacksontex Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Rhonda, I had a bunch of people praying for me. In fact, it was kinda a miracle it was found so early stage. I'll be praying for you tomorrow. Careful. Don't text on heavy duty pain pills. I did and I'm still blushing from embarrassment. Hugs, Barb Jackson MaryTD777 and Rhonda 58 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda 58 Posted February 15, 2016 Author Share Posted February 15, 2016 Barb, I love your humor!!! I try to keep mine too, it helps the family cope better, especially my 38 yr old son who was just devastated. My dad died @ 65 with LC and my mom @ 59 with LC, so that has been the only experience my son has had and all he could see was losing his mom. No, it don't sound like you breezed through your surgery at all, OUCH!! I am so thankful you were a candidate like me for surgery, so many are not able to have surgery, also that your surgery was a cure for you, what a blessing!!! I am also very blessed in mine being found early. I am sure going to take your advice about texting while on those heavy drugs Mine is upper left lobectomy and I'm left handed so thinking I might not be too comfortable texting for at least for a couple of days. Thank you for your encouragement Barb!!! Will update as soon as I'm able. Blessings, Rhonda bjacksontex 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Barb, I second the emotion - texting on pain meds can be embarrassing. I can hardly hit those small keys when wide awake. Imagine my impaired text. Rhonda, Stay the course. Let us know how you are as soon as you are able. Tom bjacksontex 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjacksontex Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 I'm left- handed also Rhonda. I text with my right fingers. My son is f-f-f-orty years old. Boy, it hurt to say that. Trust me, he doesn't act forty. Ha! Sounds like you both have had some losses with this awful thing. My son also lost his Nana to this same awful crap. My mother quit 10 years before, but she passed away 8 years ago this week from NSCLC. Let's make sure our kids don't have to add us to the mix. If you can't type, you can call. My cell is 817-874-9033. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda 58 Posted February 18, 2016 Author Share Posted February 18, 2016 Hi Everybody, I made it and am back home today. So here is how it went. When I first got there the doctor told me me they were going to anesthetize me the first do a CME, where they make a incision in your neck and scope to biopsy my mediastinal lymph nodes. If they had been positive for cancer that was as far as they would go, no lobectomy. When I woke up my family relayed to me what the doctor said. All lymph nodes were negative. He did a complete upper lobectomy. He also did a lower wedge resection because the PET showed a suspicious nodule, it was benign, so no cancer there either. The 3.6cm cancer was removed in the upper lobe. He told my family that I will not need follow up chemo because they got all the margins. Just going to be honest, I had a really bad day yesterday. They did not give me a morphine drip so I was taking Norco by mouth and Toradol by IV, in a lot of pain (to be expected) I had a reverse reaction to the narcotics, I was very wired and had been awake for 40 hrs, it was only late last night that I could get 4 hrs sleep sitting up (after asking for Xanax) this morning I refused more narcotics and went to Tylenol. Yesterday I was throwing everything up, even water, they thought I had a Ileus, did a stomach xray, didn't get the report but it resolved overnight and today ok. Still having a lot of reflux figure it is from the scope, got lots of Halls lemon cough drops for throat. They sent me home with Tramadol which I will tolerate better. Doesn't get rid of the pain but after major surgery nothing but time will help. They removed my chest tube yesterday and no it sure wasn't pleasant but afterward felt much better. I feel pretty good considering, the worst pain is my neck, chest, where they scoped me. They also told me they had to use a larger intubation tube for my procedure so I'm sure that is also why it's pretty painful. Before I had my surgery my oxygen levels were 97/98 during the day without oxygen, today they are 95/96 without oxygen so all my worries about being on oxygen 24/7 because of getting the lobectomy with COPD were unfounded. I want to thank you all for your prayers, support and encouragement. I will do everything they told me to post op so hopefully will heal quickly. Blessings to you all!!! Rhonda bjacksontex and MaryTD777 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Rhonda, Good news, grand in fact. I didn't know they were going to scope you or I'd told you about the massive sore throat after. Glad you are recovered. Hope the pain moderates and superb news about not needing O2! Stay the course. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda 58 Posted February 19, 2016 Author Share Posted February 19, 2016 Thank you Tom!! I didn't know they were going to scope me either, found that out when the doctor came to talk to me in the surgery holding room?? He said he was going to do that first, if any of the lymphs in the mediastinal area were positive, he was not going forward with the lobectomy. Guess he felt my treatment plan would have been different at that stage. I thought it a little weird to not know that until I was prepped for surgery but it all worked out, the best outcome I could have had under the circumstances. Blessings for your continued health!! Rhonda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda 58 Posted February 19, 2016 Author Share Posted February 19, 2016 Thank you Tom!! I didn't know they were going to scope me either, found that out when the doctor came to talk to me in the surgery holding room?? He said he was going to do that first, if any of the lymphs in the mediastinal area were positive, he was not going forward with the lobectomy. Guess he felt my treatment plan would have been different at that stage. I thought it a little weird to not know that until I was prepped for surgery but it all worked out, the best outcome I could have had under the circumstances. Blessings for your continued health!! Rhonda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna G Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Rhonda you are back home ! Great news. So happy with your update. I hope you feel better and better every day. Donna G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda 58 Posted February 19, 2016 Author Share Posted February 19, 2016 Thank you Donna, I am doing pretty well today. I was able to take a shower and wash my hair, boy, that was exhausting but sure feel better since I did it. My breathing is pretty good, I have a nebulizer at home now since I had the pneumothorax so able to use it as needed every 4 hrs. I used it once today but going to try to not depend on it. The more I'm able to walk around and do my breathing exercises the better my breathing is. I have 5 incisions including the one one my neck and when my husband removed the dressings he said they all look good. I had a low grade temp this am but that's expected and its normal now since I took my Tylenol. Feeling blessed!!! Tom Galli 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjacksontex Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 Rhonda! You're home and cancer free. It sounds like you did excellent. My surgeon also did the mediastinoscopy (or however the heck it's spelled) & bronchoscopy first. He later told me they removed 37 lymph nodes to check. And yes, if the nodes were involved, they would stop there. Boy, I was scared I'd wake up still with cancer. Sounds like you are slowly getting back to normal. Still praying for you and a safe, complete recovery. Barb Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 Rhonda and Barb, As Texans, be careful of spring pollen. My first spring after my pneumonectomy was a nightmare. I had severe asthma symptoms and my doctor said the incisions and inflammation in my airway were causing me to be hyperactive to pollen. I never had asthma symptoms before my surgery and the problem has declined somewhat over the years, but be prepared. Stay the course. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda 58 Posted February 22, 2016 Author Share Posted February 22, 2016 Thank you Barb!! I am recovering very well, my breathing is better now than before surgery, room air Sat 96/97. I had to call about my pain management this morning though because they just sent me home with Tramadol and I am having severe pain under ly shoulder blade, the other pain is not severe. The PA told me my lower lobe was really adhered to the back wall and they had to cut a lot of pluera tissue away to get the lung to release so now I know why severe pain. She adjusted my meds and I am now more comfortable. She reminded me that the pathology report from surgery was a preliminary report and they are expecting the final report within a few days. Take care Barb, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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