Starting the journey

[Suzanna]

Hello everyone! First, I need to say how incredibly grateful I am to have found this organization. I don't think anything has provided us as much hope as reading the stories, perusing the forums, and utilizing the many resources available for us. I know where our next financial gift is headed and I know it will be put to good use for so many. That aside, we have had some big ups and downs this week. For the ups - we received a clear brain MRI yesterday, so no metastasis there. For the downs - the PET scan results showed a bit more spread than we were hoping. As of now the spread is to the other lung, an adrenal gland, a lymph node, hip bone, and C3 vertebrae. On the up side, it has not spread to any major organs and none of this changes the prognosis we received last week, it just feels a bit more real. We are still waiting for the results of the genetic marker testing, but have decided to start treatment. Radiation will begin next week to help with pain, and then chemo will follow, finally adding in immunotherapy once the genetic marker tests are complete. I'm planning to join the September 24 caregiver call and I'm looking forward to connecting with some of you there. Part of Adam's treatment plan is to continue working as much as he can. He is the president and CEO of our local economic development corporation and as you can imagine, the pandemic has made his job pretty intense. I know this keeps him going, as does his family. I'm struggling a bit today to manage my own fears and trying to remain positive, but I suspect it's a battle I'll be fighting for many years to come. Thanks to all who have reached out and though I wish we hadn't had to meet, I'm certainly glad we did. 

[Blossomsmom]

Hi Suzanna. I’m sorry to see your has been diagnosed with lung cancer. But you have come to the right place. The knowledge and support this group has to offer is not only amazing, it is invaluable. I as a caregiver don’t think I would’ve survived without the encouragement and advice from the people on this site. It’s unique because you will get perspectives from both the people who have lung cancer and those who care for them. As a caregiver, the fear is real, everyday. Sometimes it’s the fear of the unknown, sometimes the fear of the known. I tried to focus on the here and    now and think of the positive things. Was I always successful? No. There were dark days but then the sun would come out again and I was back to putting one foot in front of other and moving forward. Someone told me that this is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. And that was so true. I will hold a good thought for you and your husband. 

[Donna G]

So o hear that Adam has been diagnosed with lung cancer    It is good that he has you to help him. 

Are you able to go to Dr appointments and treatment with him?  It is wonderful to have another set

of ears and take notes for what is being discussed .   It is so hard to do well on your own .   I am a survivor and

was later also a caregiver to my husband.  Please keep us posted and feel free to ask questions.

Donna G

 

[Suzanna]

Thank you both for your kind words and encouragement! I'm sorry you are on this journey as well, but it sounds like we were all fortunate to find this group. I'm absolutely going to his appointments with him. I bought a journal just for this purpose and have taken a lot of notes and kept every handout. The amount of information we are consuming right now is overwhelming for sure! He had his first chemo treatment today, so one down and three more to go for this round. Appreciate your thoughts, thanks so much for sharing!