Mri scan

[LilyMir]

Bravo for going ahead with treatment. Hope the side effects are mild. When do they check with imaging again? 

Try to sleep, even with pills, your body needs it more than ever, to recover and fight back. 

[Justin1970]

Thanks lily 

I haven't heard when the scan will be yet I hope the side effects won't be to bad they did say I will be fatigued and tired so that's a bonus lol 

Hope your well take care Justin x 

[Karen_L]

@Justin1970 People have to have a lot of guts to keep up with this lung cancer thing. You obviously have them. So glad you've started the WBRT so you can stop dreading it and just be in it. No matter what comes, we're rooting for you.  You can do it! Hope your little dog is covering you in doggy kisses.

[Justin1970]

Thanks Karen 

I have had a a couple of small seizure activities one last night,I really do hope that this will work but unfortunately I think I'm losing my faith and heart in this now and feel like I just want to give up fighting, my puppy really does give me joy and love, thank you so much for your support hope your well take care Justin x 

[Izzy]

Right Jus !! That's not going to happen ! We all give you joy and love and you give it back to us , this will work for you and  you just need to believe in that as we all do ( including Bonnie) Your bound to feel like it's a waste of time cause you've been knocked back, but life is never a waste of time and I'm not about to let you give up on it !! It's a hurdle I'm convinced you can jump,  just find that heart and faith I know you have xx Love you so very much and I'm not about to let you give up xxxx Love you sweetheart always xxx mum xxx

[Justin1970]

Hi everyone 

So I had another session yesterday it's going alright apart from the terrible headache after being on the bed and the tiredness seems to already creeping in, 

I only have 2 more sessions to go but I think the steroids are making me feel very depressed and low so I need to get hold of them thoughts,I wish I could think more positive about the treatment I'm having but I'm afraid to even Google it incase it is no good, anyway I guess I don't have a choice but to try I hope everyone is well take care Justin 

[LilyMir]

Hang in there Justin! Do not google, rather rest and talk to your symptom management doctors about your depression.  When the mind struggles, focus on: 1) Radiation kills cancer. 2) Whole-brain radiation targets entire brain, including microscopic tumors not seen on scans. We all have fingers and toes crossed for you!

[Izzy]

I know how tough this is for you Jus but your getting there, rough n smooth is the road, just talk yourself thro those horrible feelings always here n ready to listen, it will get better as you go further down this road with all of us along side of you, don't worry about other people just concentrate on yourself and getting better, this will work for you !!!! Love you sonzie xxxx mum xxxx 

[LouT]

Justin,

Lily's counsel is spot on.  To hell with google...stick with your medical team and do all you can to keep yourself focused on healing.  All of us are pulling and praying for you.

Lou

[Karen_L]

Justin,

What Lou said is true!

Hang in there. We're pulling for you.

Karen

[Justin1970]

Thankyou everyone 

I have the last treatment done today my headaches are quite intense and my head already feels sore and red like sunburn especially around the brain surgery scar area,I didn't think things would happen ao fast it's 3.15am here and I've woken up every hour since 11.30 but this time I'm absolutely freezing I hope the symptoms don't last to long thanks for all your support 

Take care Justin 

[LilyMir]

Hi Justin, so sorry to hear you have intense side effects from treatment!

Don't your doctors take calls from patients about symptoms? Do not assume you need to ride things out on your own and reach out to your hospital asking for help with symptoms including pain and skin reactions. No need to suffer in silence. There must be pain killers and other medications to help with symptoms. I find my 'side effects' medications help a lot in me tolerating targeted therapy.

Hope your pain subsides very shortly. Take care!

[Pstar]

Glad you are done with the treatment. Praying for you and sending positive thoughts. Totally agree with Lily.

[Judy M2]

Justin, just sending you some encouragement during this difficult time. I've been in a similar place and understand how you feel. I hope your care team can help you with your side effects. 

[Justin1970]

Hi Judy

Thank you for your message of encouragement, did you have to WBRT I still don't know much about it because I'm afraid what Google will say, they did did tell me about all the potential side effects but not much about the success rates only that it will try and keep it a bay, I am really tired and fatigued and get out of breath quite quickly but I haven't done anything much really for a few weeks because my right side mobility is still bad so maybe it's lack of exercise and muscle wastage, I have to reduce the steroids down today but I am a bit worried because they stop the swelling and fluid and I still can't use my right side properly and I'm afraid it will get worse, apparently the symptoms will all get worse for approx 3 weeks then start to get better, I really am trying to stay positive about everything but it is really difficult, they were certainly right about the cognitive skills I've got no patience for certain things now like my wife's father and sister who has made this last 18 months a living hell of unbearable stress alongside this cancer journey,I think we've just about sorted it with my wife's dad as he's finally seen how evil the sister is, i feel a lot better for my wife but still very sad that she had to endure this for so long,i could have done without the added stress but it's been going on for over 7 years and we have never had a break from it even with cancer she and her boyfriend were wishing me dead and why haven't I died yet, but hopefully this part is now over and I can start the healing process and try and get better, 

Hope your well take care Justin x 

[LouT]

Justin,

I'll give you bit of advice I first rejected when I received it, but over time I came to realize how true and helpful it was.

"What other people think about you is none of your business"  

It may sound weird, but what others think (regardless of relationship) should never interfere with our peace, serenity, and focus on living.  I hope you come to a better place around the personal situation.

Lou

[JuneK]

Hi Justin,

I am so sorry and sad to read about all that you are going through. This treatment does sound scary (like so much of this cancer mess we have to go through) and with so many unknowns it makes it that much worse. Just remember that so many have been through this before you and survived, so maybe that can help keep the hope going. Please know you are in my prayers and I am wishing the best for you every single day. I'm doubly sorry that there are horrible people who have made added stress for you. I can't imagine being so heartless, what is wrong with people? But just know we are thinking about you every day and rooting for the best outcome possible. I hope the side effects do not get too bad and begin to improve soon!

Take care, June

[LilyMir]

Justin, I discovered that the horror of getting Cancer has one bright side: showing you what and who matters in your life, who deserves your time, and who you should shut out. Do you best to dump all toxic people and reserve your entire energy for your recovery and the company of the ones who love you most.

[Karen_L]

Lily and Lou are right on, Justin. How wonderful is it that you're still alive and kicking despite whatever anyone else may be thinking! 

You have a lot of hard physical stuff to deal with. I know, for myself, I don't focus on whether I have hope or not about where this stupid cancer may be headed-- it's out of my hands. What I do focus on, or try to, is what in the day is possible? What small thing will bring me joy? Peace? *That's* what I try to give my attention to. 

Thinking of you,

Karen

[Justin1970]

Hi everyone 

Thank you so much for your replies it does mean a lot to me just knowing that you are there to support me you all have helped me through this I know that I've had low times and you have all tried your best to help me through it and I really appreciate it, 

Thank you, I'm hoping it's all gone quiet now for now my wife has given her father some rules about her sister and he's not allowed to bring her up in conversation anymore or he can't be part of our lives, I think he has finally seen her for who she is, she has been bullying him and my family for 7 years since my wife's mother died, it's all because of her guilt towards her mum while she was going through her cancer battle that took approximately 6 weeks from start to finish as she wasn't there for her mum and my wife was, my wife and her mum had a fantastic relationship but the sister has always been selfish and terrible drunk and drug taker and said some cutting things that are unforgiving , there father hasn't ever really stood up for my wife and always took the sisters side I feel so sorry for her because I feel like she lost both parents the day her mum died, we even had him for dinner twice a week since her passing and going on days out and making him part of the family still, me and my youngest son even done his shopping for 2 years through the pandemic not knowing I was the vulnerable one with lung cancer, but unfortunately we were living a lie because he they really didn't like us or his grandchildren, my wife's nan died a couple of months ago and we couldn't even go to the funeral for fear of causing a problem there because her dad sister and boyfriend were going together and we didn't want it to become a spoilt occasion on such an important day, luckily she has now upset her entire family and even threatened my wife's dad's brother who is 84 and disabled,she really has lost control the police are involved now because of her and her boyfriends behaviour they even threatened to burn down her cousins house with 2 small children inside, I think her dad is feeling guilty for listening to her for so long and he doesn't want to lose everyone aswell, 

My family and i are going through enough at the moment without this,I would just like to try and get better from this cancer or atleast make the end of the journey as peaceful as possible full of great memories with my family and friends, 

The oncologist has reduced the amount of dexamethasone but there is still no improvement of my right hand side mobility and my head is really itching but I think the worse part is the fatigue, they did say my hair will probably start to fall out around the 10 to 14 day period so dreading that part aswell I know it's only hair but I've always liked my elvis presley style hair cut lol, I was even hoping to get to graceland once more but I'm not convinced I will, I think my bucket list is a bit to extreme lol I'd like to stay at the yellowstone ranch and travel through montana aswell and see the fjords of viking Norway, there were so many things I wanted to do in my later life I really wish I did them sooner, I really hope this treatment works and will give me some time to realise my dreams 

Anyway thanks all of you for listening all take care Justin x 

[Pstar]

Justin…so sorry you have had to deal with the family drama on top of your cancer journey. Don’t give up on your dreams and even tho it is hard, stay on the positive side. Thinking and praying for you.

[Justin1970]

Hi pam 

Thanks for your message I know i can't give up on my dreams and hopefully the family dramas are now over, I'm definitely going to stay positive, how are you feeling, Take care Justin x 

[catlady91]

I'm sorry to hear about your family problems Justin; my mum and I have had our fair share of problems with certain family members who weren't as supportive as they could have been during her illness. Although we've made up with them, I will always feel bitter and sadness for how they behaved. Family problems are a pain and makes life harder than it needs to be. 

I'm glad to hear that you're sounding a bit more positive. Don't give up on your dreams and don't let cancer hold you back. I let my mum's illness hold me back and stop taking care of myself and looking forward to things. I was scared to plan holidays or look forward to things in case the cancer returned and my mum had to urge me to book those holidays and live my life. My mum is also fulfilling her dreams. When she was first diagnosed with cancer, she said that if she survived the year and would be in reasonable health, then we'd go to Croatia and we did (though after 18 months due to COVID)!! 

Mum was worried she wouldn't go home to her flat in Poland and see her friends after being diagnosed but she's been four times for longer than a month each time! Mum also has booked other holidays. She's going to Israel at the end of March and she wants to book a holiday to Florence. 

Please don't give up. Anything is possible. The only obstacle I can think of going to the US is health insurance which is more expensive for people with pre-existing health conditions. However it's still possible to go, but it means that health insurance will probably cost more. 

Stay positive and keep us updated xx

[BridgetO]

Hi Justin,

Lung cancer is a bear! Family members who are worse than unsupportive are another kind of bear! Set your boundaries with those people and keep them. I do know from personal experience that boundary-setting is much easier said than done.  Use whatever kind of support you can get-- from us here, from supportive family ( I know you have those, as well as the other kind), from counseling, and  from whatever suits your religious or spiritual beliefs - prayer, meditation, visualization. How about visualizing some kind of firm boundaries- a strong fence, an invisible shield?  When I was a child, we used to say to name callers "I'm rubber and you're glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you." It still works! Surround yourself with white light, angels, or whatever feels  protective to you.  Or visualize cutting whatever "cords" tie you to these folks. Get out an imaginary pair of great big scissors!  Hang in there, Justin, and know that  you can do this! 

[Izzy]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to thank you all for the wonderful support you give my son. Jus has had a pretty rough time of late and certainly didn't need the added stress from people who were supposed to be family (well by marriage) as he needs all his strength to fight this evil disease. Things are better now and I feel he is getting stronger and back to the man we all know and love. Your help and support has been invaluable to him and me, you truly are a family to us and once again thanks, I know it means a great deal to him to have people he can confide in and that fully understand what he's going thro and how he's feeling, I hope you are all doing well and keeping positive Take care and keep fighting Love and best wishes Isla xxx