introduce myself Hello to the community from Samantha

[SamanthaThompson]

Hello everyone! What should I start with.. umm I'll try to share with you my story from getting diagnosed to living with lung cancer. My name is Samantha Thompson. Mom of a boy Jackson and a beautiful girl Ana. I was diagnosed with lung cancer in the march 2022. It’s very hard to describe my emotions and loved ones when I was diagnosed… especially kid's emotions... Of course we didn’t know any clinics, we would never have thought that this was waiting for one of us. We started reading a lots of articles before about cancer and I was sure I'll get diagnosed. Of course I try not to talk about cancer not to cause even more pain to my family but I know how much they care about me and maybe it's a big mistake to hide my emotions. In june of 2022 I started my treatment via them (not sure is it important) which is still going on. It’s hard to say how I’m feeling now... all the time I feel pain... I feel lonely all the time… I hope I’ll find a bit of support here I just want to share my emotions and just to talk. My friend Julie advised me LUNGEVITY Community and after a few days here I found similar people with similar problems and stories so I feel now not so alone how I was before. I know how imagination works and I understand how loved ones can think about things worse than they really are but I'm still afraid to make them constantly think about it. But the feeling of expecting something bad does not leave me. Autumn is my favourite season and I’m fighting to see it again! How do you share your emotions with your family and do you even share with somebody?? Big hugs to the community here‌‌♥I have read several stories already and I feel this pain, I am sure that everything will be fine if we stick together! Samantha

[Justin1970]

Hi Samantha 

Welcome to a great support group, it really helped me being here in my early stages and still helps me now, I do speak to all my family about everything I do worry I say to much but everyone has told me this is there journey too and want to be part of it and share it with me, it is so worrying knowing what's the right thing to do but I really believe it has helped me,I f you ever need to talk or rant and don't want to do it with loved ones then come here and do it, goodluck with the treatment and try and stay strong and positive all the best 

Take care Justin x 

[SamanthaThompson]

1 hour ago, Justin1970 said:

Hi Samantha 

Welcome to a great support group, it really helped me being here in my early stages and still helps me now, I do speak to all my family about everything I do worry I say to much but everyone has told me this is there journey too and want to be part of it and share it with me, it is so worrying knowing what's the right thing to do but I really believe it has helped me,I f you ever need to talk or rant and don't want to do it with loved ones then come here and do it, goodluck with the treatment and try and stay strong and positive all the best 

Take care Justin x 

Thank you for warm welcome and support! I'm glad to see it helped you I'm sure everything will be fine at us!

[LouT]

Hi Samantha,

Welcome to the club nobody wants to be a part of, but here we are.  Your feelings are to be expected.  I often felt that regardless of how many people were around me or the support i had I was alone with this terrible disease.  But the group of people here at Lungevity proved me wrong.  We have people here who were diagnosed many years ago and are still here to share their stories and strength with us so, in many ways, we are a blessed group.  You haven't told us much about your diagnosis or your treatment plan, but if you have any questions please ask, there is always someone here who will be able to share their own experience and knowledge with you.  In the meantime I recommend you read a blog titled "10 Steps to Surviving Lung Cancer; from a Survivor" it can be found here.

I look forward to learning more about your situation and supporting wherever I can.

Lou

[Tom Galli]

Welcome Samantha,

"The feeling of expecting something bad...." Oh my, I completely understand. I'm an 18-year survivor of diagnosed Stage IIIB, progressed Stage IV, non small cell, squamous cell, lung cancer and I still have that feeling. I'm nearing my annual CT scan screening and that feeling is resonating. I call it scanziety. 

So treatment arrested my disease but it did nothing to stop scanziety. I wish I had a magic wand that would wipe away our feelings of doom. But instead, consider this point: if I can live, so can you!

Autumn is fantastic in British Columbia. The mosquitos departed, the Tamarack trees turn a brilliant yellow, and the temperatures are pleasantly cool. Even the rain stops depending on where one is but British Columbia Autumn can be heaven. So, let's set a goal to frolic outdoors this Autumn. 

Stay the course.

Tom

[Judy M2]

Hi Samantha, glad you joined. I know what you mean when you say you feel alone. I did too when I was undergoing treatment (chemo and radiation). I didn't know about LUNGevity then, and I didn't know anyone with lung cancer. I was diagnosed at Stage IIIB in October 2019 and did not think I'd last through 2020. Believe me, that was a rough year. 

Well, I made it through and I'm still here and healthy. This community and LUNGevity's many resources have helped me understand this disease and my particular driver mutation (EGFR Exon 19 deletion). We may not have all the answers, but chances are someone here has similar experiences. Don't hesitate to ask, and venting is acceptable! 

[Pstar]

Samantha,

I’m sorry that you feel pain and so alone. This is a great group of people and we are always here to help in any way we can. Hoping that your treatments do their job and hang in there.

Pam

[Susan Cornett]

Hi Samantha - 

My feelings brought me to Lungevity six years ago and it was an excellent choice for me. I can come here to ask questions, vent, worry, etc. It's not that my support system wouldn't listen - they would. But they don't understand all that I've gone through. I was diagnosed 6.5 years ago (stage IV) and have been cancer free for almost 4 years. This diagnosis isn't the death sentence it once was.

If you haven't already seen it, there is a forum just for caregivers. Your family might find it useful for their questions.

 

[LilyMir]

Hi Samantha, we share quite a bit. I am a mom of a 6 year old kid. I suddenly was diagnosed with stage 3b lung cancer in Mar 2022. I live in Vancouver too! It has been a roller coaster of emotions from shear rage (radiology missed my cancer that was visible on an incidental scan back in 2018, which probably was stage 0 or 1), to terrifying fear and nightly sobs, to deep sadness, to a more calm melancholy mixed with hope. I still have my bad and better days, not sure I have good days yet, it is all still too raw and very scary. I share all my emotions with my husband and mother, and a couple of close friends. Most people I know or work with do not care much so I focus on the very few who matter and care. Stay in touch with the wonderful people on this forum, they are amazing. I tried a councillor at BC Cancer and it was a terrible experience. I don't think I can benefit from advice from anyone who does not know and have experienced what I am going through. It is a very tough journey but as the others already told you, there is so much more hope these days with many new treatments. I don't know your specific diagnosis and treatment plan but if you have specific questions just ask. BC Cancer has all the treatments available anywhere in the world, though service leaves much to be desired sometimes. The important thing is that you get treated ASAP so educate yourself about your diagnosis, advocate strongly for yourself and ask a lot of questions until you are satisfied with the answers you get! Stay hopeful! Welcome and good luck!