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More Pain, New Scares


IIIp0

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Hello everyone -

Welp I've been sitting back now for a while taking this ride day by day until this past week when Bob and I both noticed his cough getting progressively worse again, AND new pain on the opposite side of his chest. This after five weeks of chemo. Tomorrow we get another CT can of his lungs to see what's progressing here: the cancer or the chemo.

Please think of us tomorrow, or at least Friday. Hopefully the results won't be what we think it might be. I'm terrified that while he's been in minimum to medium pain at times, that if they change or "up" the dosage of chemo, he'll become much more under duress, and not eat; and so forth.... Have others had experience with this? Also, my husbands extremeties are freezing most times~ His fingers and toes like ice, really. Is that a subset of the chemo regimen to be expected??? His doctor just shrugs his shoulders.....

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Husband diag. 12/5 w/extensive Stage IV SCLC to lung

secondary to liver w/mets to spine, femur, bone marrow

Carbo/Taxol once a week for five weeks now.

Good appetite

No hair loss

Some nausa, mild to medium pain in chest lately.

Weakness on and off.

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I'll be sure to ask Dean's Hospice Nurse tomorrow (Tues) about what you are describing - Dean's always cold (here in San Diego area - has to have the heat on when it's 70o) - not just extremeties; but cold all over and maybe blame it on my 46 year old womanhood; I'm always hot or at least comfortable. It's the "battle of the thermostat" sometimes.

About pain. Just this past few days, Dean is in more severe pain, chest is worse, upper body worse and legs are very painful (he may no longer able to drive soon - that weak - com'on scooter; any day now???). He just takes Tylenol or Ibuphrophren for now. He doesn't want pain meds that mess up his concentration etc.

I'll keep you posted.

Gay

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Hi! Hope all went well today. I asked the Hospice Nurse and she said body temp's vary. As to pain - there's a hormone produced by Dean's cancer that sends signals (in this case mainly to his legs and now has upper body weakness etc) to various parts of the body producing pain; not just the pain in his lung. If you know of any pain lessening med (which would allow him not to "space out" and still have the ability to drive; please let me/us know. Thanks.

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Thanks everyone for your kind words of encouragement and possibilities to think about. Yes, tomorrow we get the results.

I spoke with a lady friend where I work [who was a cancer nurse case manager at M.D. Anderson], who suggested that what Bob was experiencing with his cough is probably plural effusion and told me to make sure they are checking the "CEA" bloodtest [cardio-something] which measures the degree in which the plural effusion [fluid in the lungs around the heart?] is. It's a "marker" for cancer. Similar, I suspect, to PSA's that is used for prostrate cancer.

Anyways, tomorrow is the day so we'll see. It stands to reason. Bob says he's been coughing up loose stuff when he coughs, but to cough is to have pain. Thanks for listening, for being there and letting me 'talk' through whateverthisis~

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Well Bob went in today for his 7th chemo treatment [each Friday], and while the CT scan was clear for enlarged or new mets, everything else is still about the same. So the good news is, the pain in his chest they suspect is from the coughing, whicih is from the chemo working in his chest to disengage the fluid in the lungs/chest cavity. The bad news is that there were no miracles worked today, his cancer is still there, with "minimal" shrinking. So I guess the bad news IS really good news [smile].

He is on the same treatment plan, no change. I guess that's what they mean by "no news is good news"?..... Just wanted to update ya'll from the last one~

Hugs to all -

Beth

===========================

Husband diagnosed 12/5 w/SCLC Stage IV to lungs

mets to liver, spine, ribs

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So Glad Beth! Sometimes our fears just take over don't they. I know just how you feel, I just have to see my David falling asleep in the middle of the day, (which is the first symptom we noticed,) and the fear hits me again ach. I am sure your Husband will begin to feel so much better when the chemo sessions are finished.

Lots of love,

Paddy

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