New lung cancer diagnosis

[Melissa Blevins]

Hello everyone,

My mom has just had her surgery and pathology revealed small cell lung cancer of the left upper lobe.  She had the upper lobe removed on March 13th at the UT medical center. Since this date, she developed atrial fibrillation and has thrown two blood clots, one to the right lung and one in her lower extremity.  I am so scared that I will lose my mom over surgical complications. Her cancer was only a 1/cm cancer and negative lymph nodes.  I just don't know what to do or where to turn. My poor Dad is a total wreck. 

[Tom Galli]

Melissa,

I gave you my surgical complications in an another discussion forum answer.  

I wouldn't know how atrial fibrillation is related to a surgery.  As my mom aged, she acquired it one day.  Blood clots, in my case, a pulmonary embolism was a side effect of one of my surgeries.  These seem to pair because I suppose the pulmonary system is stressed by surgery and recovery (my guess - not a doctor).  If she has a single tumor and negative lymph nodes, that is very good news.  It is likely a Stage I, early find and surgery ought to do the trick.  I hope she recovers quickly.

Stay the course.

Tom