Introducing myself

[Lorrie Fox]

Good Evening,

my name is Lorrie, and Ilive in Fort Myers, Fla. I was recently diagnosed with State 4 Non Small Cell Lung Cancer. I have an appointment with my Oncologist on Monday to set up my treatment plan. I am scared. I survived B cell Lymphoma 15 years ago, so you might say that I have done this before. It seems different now. I am older, and my body is badly beat up from the side effects of the CHOP-R chemo I had from the Lymphoma. I have CHF, and Arthritis all over my body. I am in severe pain from the bone mets from the Lung Cancer. I am driving myself crazy trying to figure out how I was treated for Fibromyalgia for 10 years when I All the while had lung cancer with bone mets! Anyway, it is was it is.

my husband says I am negative, and apparently he is right. I want to get onboard with the positive spirit. It’s hard. I am also a nurse, and my pain reveals how serious my illness is. Hope this group can help me stay spiritual and help me find ways to cope with my pain. 

[MBinOregon]

Hi Lorrie,

I haven't met/found anyone who wasn't shocked by the diagnosis of lung cancer, but this is the place for lung cancer patients, so welcome to the forum.  Although I have not met anyone from here in person, the support from this forum has been significant for me since my diagnosis a year ago.  

What I've found is no matter how supportive my friends might be, they don't REALLY know what I've been going through.  Earlier in my journey, when I was having a bad moment (wait, I had lots of bad moments) and someone tells me to be positive, I knew logically they were just being supportive, but my claws were coming out like the Wolverine from X-Men.  (Thank goodness for self-control!)  But, we on this forum get it.  We get that you know you should be positive, but that dang brain will not stop going crazy...   We totally get it when you said you're scared - I don't know how anyone can be NOT scared.

Please feel free to share your updates, ask questions, or just vent - we all are here to support each other and I hope you'll find this forum helpful as you start this journey.

Sending you gentle hugs,

MB

[BridgetO]

Hi Lorrie and welcome. I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. As MB said, we get it. I am wondering whether you've had biomarker testing . There are a lot of new treatments out there for lung cancer and many of them work only for subtypes identified by biomarkers. I'm also wondering whether you've considered getting a referral to palliative care. Some people think that palliative care is the same as hospice, but as a nurse you undoubtedly know this isn't the case. A palliative doc might be in a good position to help with pain management and quality of life and coordinate care for your CHF and arthritis  as well as your cancer. Maybe fibromyalgia too-- you could have both bone mets and fibromyalgia. Keep us posted about your treatment and let us know how we can support you.

Bridget O