Irwin1 Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 I just went to Moffitt's website and they take my insurance. However I am in Central Florida on the east coast. They are directly across the state on the west coast ( just a bit south) I am going to call them tomorrow and see how they treat patients that are within about 150 miles from them. There has to be a way that they can solve the problem. Please pray 🙏 for me when I make the call tomorrow. Thanks much, Irwin Furthermore I am starting my.Anti.Cancer Living diet tomorrow. It is radically different from how I was eating my whole life. But eating this diet gives me the feeling that I have some control over my situation. Furthermore , I don't want to violate any forum rules by saying this specific faith I have) I am going to spend time meditating on the OT and NT Bible. I am sure that faith and meditation release healthy chemicals into my system. And during the day I am going to be picturing beautiful tropical waterfalls and similar places all day. I feel so excited about this!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rower Michelle Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 Well there ya go! Moffit is a National Cancer Institute. You might want to ask them how they collaborate with local oncologists. For example, Here in KS there is only one NCI around for hundreds of miles, Kansas University. KU often does the initial assessment and treatment plan recommendation for a local team to follow. The collaboration can work quite well. The Anti Cancer Living has lots of great advice to put you in the drivers seat of your treatment. While you converting your diet, you might want to invest in a NutraBullet/Magic Bullet. Easy way to get more veggies in the day. Faith works! We’ve got a giant prayer group around the world here. What an awesome bunch of prayer warriors we can call on! Some of us listen to Bellaruth Naperstack CDs she’s quite good in “Fighting Cancer”. Theres a free phone app called Insight Timer that’s pretty decent too. You will be ready for the appointment on the 19th! Lock & load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irwin1 Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share Posted June 17, 2019 Does the prayer group use the Bible ? I'm trying to keep this delicate as not to offend anyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgetO Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 Some use the Bible and some don't, and those that do interpret it a lot of different ways. But we're all in this together! I'll take any kind of prayer, kind loving thoughts, lighting of candles, laying on of hands, whatever spiritual practice you want so send my way, whether or not it's the "brand" of prayer I practice. I think it all can help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irwin1 Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share Posted June 17, 2019 Yes. I am finding people supporting me coming out of the woodwork. And this helps. Got to take every positive thing and count it as a blessing.. I am a brand new rookie to this disease. I am learning more and more every day. One thing that I am working on is waking. I wake up after a beautiful nights sleep. Then maybe 15 seconds after I wake up , boom! Lung Cancer. It hits me in the face. I'm not sure if that will ever go away. I mean I am learning to handle it after I wake up. It's just those first few seconds of waking up and reality hits. Today I see my psychiatrist of many years because of my anxiety disorder.. I might get some valuable information from him because he was a surgeon before switching to psychiatry. I don't seem to have any symptoms today that are significant so I will relish that because it looks like I am going to have chemo in my future. I am a student in living the life defeating LC. Oh Bridget. May God bless you with a wonderful day. Or if you are in chemo.and pain may he give you strength to have a victorious day! Thanks for your reply. I count every reply a blessing 😇 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 Hi Irwin. I can relate to the smack in the face from the realization you have cancer. I’m currently NED and my mind often drifts away from my having had cancer. But sometimes I get a sense of dread when my mind suddenly remembers and panics. It’s not often but when it happens it’s definitely like a smack in the face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irwin1 Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share Posted June 17, 2019 It's not so bad for me during the day. I don't have any symptoms. The only thing I have is a 5cm mass and a lymphnode that lit up in my PET scan. So I won't know what I have until the surgeon gets in there and gets a piece of it. So I pretty much just live my life as usual right now. It's when I wake up in a good mood in the morning after a good dream and I suddenly remember the LC nightmare. What really sucks is that I would have been a candidate for a stage II B diagnosis if it wasn't for the 1 lymphnode that lit up on the PET scan. There is an outside chance that the node was reacting to the pneumonia I had at the time. But I will have to wait for the surgeon gets a piece of it. But yes. Using the old expression every morning when I wake up I wake to a rude awakening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irwin1 Posted June 27, 2019 Author Share Posted June 27, 2019 I got some more hope today. Last Friday I took a fresh CT scan. I had my first CT scan in the ER on May 20 when they discovered the mass. Then I had my PET scan after I was discharged. Then this later the one on Friday. In the ER the mass was between 5-6 cm. I had a needle biopsy that said that the pathologist did not see any cancer. Just cells and dead tissue. Then in the PET scan my wife noticed that the mass shrank to 4 cm. She asked the oncologist about this but he said that the shrinking was because of the PET scan was not as accurate as the CT scan. ...I was feeling very healthy today and I still did not have even one of the symptoms of LC even with the 5cm mass in my lung with a PET scan with positive lymphnodes.So I called into the thoracic surgeons office to see if they would read the results to me..The girl who answered the phone that she had to get someone in the technical department to read the results. So I have no idea what the qualifications of the girl that read the report to me. I don't remember what the report called the mass but the report said that there was shrinkage in this CT scan too. The girl told me that it was very rare that something cancerous to shrink by itself.. But I am sure that the girl had to know that she would get into a lot of trouble saying this. She told me that I would still recommend taking the bronchoscopy. So I am taking what she told me with cautious optimism. If I get over exited about this I could get emotionally body slam if I get a terrible report from the bronchoscopy. But I do have some real hope the way things are going. The positive PET scan lymphnodes could be reactive from infection along with the mass. For those who pray keep praying 🙏 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irwin1 Posted June 28, 2019 Author Share Posted June 28, 2019 I am really to get teed off. My bronchoscopy was scheduled today at 1pm to give me a thumbs up or down on my cancer diagnosis. During the morning my surgeon's office called to tell me that he had a rare emergency with a heart patient which I can understand. But they were unable to reschedule the procedure today which leaves next week. This is fine with me except for the fact that they told me that he will be out of town on the week after next. I have lymphnodes lit up on my PET scan and I really would appreciate that I would like to start treatment on them just in case they are not reactive but in fact malignant. I am not sure if they can set up a bronchoscopy with another surgeon next week. That would be ok with me. But I really wish that they would show some sense of urgency with my diagnosis. I think after they found the mass on May 20 the time expired is a little much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Galli Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 Irwin, I know! Diagnostic delays are horrible. I do hope you are able to get on track next week. Stay the course. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rower Michelle Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 Another way to look at this is if the medical team really thought there was a need for an emergency broncosopy then you would inpatient right now. The outpatient process is like watching pot to boil you’re starving & it seems to take forever. Keep plugging away and advocate for yourself, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irwin1 Posted June 28, 2019 Author Share Posted June 28, 2019 Thanks for your caring support. I really appreciate it. First thing Monday morning I am going to leave the surgeon a message to get serious and to cut it out Yeah. It was a pretty bad joke. But my sense of humor seems to be an effective coping skill. But in many ways I feel like a criminal waiting for a sentence of life without parol. At least I felt that way this morning getting ready to go to the bronchoscopy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irwin1 Posted June 28, 2019 Author Share Posted June 28, 2019 12 minutes ago, Irwin1 said: Thanks for your caring support. I really appreciate it. First thing Monday morning I am going to leave the surgeon a message to get serious and to cut it out Yeah. It was a pretty bad joke. But my sense of humor seems to be an effective coping skill. But in many ways I feel like a criminal waiting for a sentence of life without parol. At least I felt that way this morning getting ready to go to the bronchoscopy Funny thing. While I was editing my previous post the surgeon's office called and I have to be there ready to go on Monday morning at 7am. That'll definitely work out for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 Yes! You're keeping them moving. Hugs and prayers for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irwin1 Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 I'm not sure if I posted this but my mass has shown shrinkage from 5.5 cm to 3cm on the new CT scan which I believe is makes it a nodule. This has occurred without treatment. All the attention is focused on the lymphnodes. But the chances of the nodule being cancerous is way down. I am having mixed feelings because I am having this news when so many people here are dealing with tough reports. If my bronchoscopy turns out cancer free that probably will clear me of all cancer because I have had shrinkage to 4cm in my PET scan and to 3cm in the latest CT scan. I was positive in my mass and lymphnodes but can be explained by the infection of the pneumonia..I feel guilty because I may not have cancer and so many people have bad cancer reports. Maybe if I am cancer free and have gone through the nightmare I could become an activist. But maybe I am jumping the gun here and I am not out of the woods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 Irwin....never feel guilty. Celebrate all positive health reports. Hugs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rower Michelle Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 Joy! Praise God! Not guilt. Having an unknown illness is a wild ride no one wants to take- getting closer to a diagnosis... hang on.... 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irwin1 Posted July 1, 2019 Author Share Posted July 1, 2019 I am getting last minute anxiety. Ok. So the mass is shrinking. I still have to deal with the positive lymphnodes. I am back in the world of LC and it's horrible. I think I got myself thinking too positively. I know if I wake up in the recovery room to bad news after I put my faith in the word of a staff member I may be letting my guard down to a rude awakening. And that can be taken literally 🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Macaulay Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 Have they told you that you will get the results in the recovery room.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irwin1 Posted July 1, 2019 Author Share Posted July 1, 2019 I assumed that. But things continue to go downhill. I am coming down with a cold . I hope that they can do the procedure. Like the song goes He has the whole world in his hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 Prayers and soft hugs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irwin1 Posted July 2, 2019 Author Share Posted July 2, 2019 Well I am back from the hospital. Had to wait 8 extra hours because of an emergency bipass..The emergency was that they bipassed. Got to the hospital fasting from last night since 9pm with no liquids . The bronchoscopy began around 3pm. Had a great time telling medical joke's on recovery room. Of course my throat is torn up. But nothing really terrible as you probably all familiar with the proceedure. But I have to say that I did have some good feedback about the outcome of the results. But I am not feeling it tonight. The surgeon is going to call me tomorrow or the next day. It iust as scary now to me than had I not gotten any good news. I will release the results when I get them. But I am not a happy camper tonight. Torn up throat and mystery results coming in by phone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 Waiting is so difficult. Sending soft hugs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irwin1 Posted July 2, 2019 Author Share Posted July 2, 2019 My pulse oximeter is way off. I used to get a resting heart beat at 75.its now hanging at 88-90 My O2 level without my Cpap has usually been 93%-94%.With CPAP it used to jump at times to 96%. Now without CPAP it is 88-91%.And with CPAP it hangs around 91-92% My vitals are all screwed up. I got a day and nightmessage from the surgeon to wear my CPAP all today and tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.