Guest Carol Lee S Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 Hi, My Husband age 61 was diagnsoed 2/03 with lung cancer originally as stage 1B however today it was determined that in addition to the left lung large tumor that is also partially collasped, the right lung appears to have many nodules. No other spread has been detected. The Dr. told us today that the prognosis is very grim and he will try Gamazar but does not hold to much hope. He originally had four blasts of Taxol and Carbo which at first was working, he was scheduled for surgery to remove the left lower lobe but now with the apparant spread that will not happen. He had a plueral effusion last week that was not maligant and seems to have subsided. Does any one have any suggestions? We are attempting to find another opinion but are not sure where to go. Appreciated your advice as I have been reading your Boards but never had the nerve to respond. Carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea B. Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 Dear Carol, I am so sorry to hear about your husband. You have found wonderful, caring and supportive people here. Their kindness means the world to me. My mom was diagnosed in March and Ada sent me a link, www.nci.nih.gov/cancercenters/centerslist.html that helped me to find a doctor for my mom to get a second opinion. I strongly encourage you to get a second opinion. Never give up hope! "Courage consists not in blindly overlooking danger, but in seeing it, and conquering it." Richter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carleen Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 Hi Carol, I am so sorry to hear about your husband. Boy, do I hate hearing about all these Doom and Gloom doctors. There are so many of them just willing to quit. I think you are correct in wanting a second opinion. Especially, since there are so many people out there who are beating this darn disease, from more advanced stages and with spread to distant organs than what your husband has. I know that there is a number on the alcase website that you can call, and they recommend lung cancer specialists in almost every area. I would give that a try. This site also has links to other websites that rank and list leading cancer care centers all over the world. http://www.alcase.org/education/bestcar ... nters.html I will be praying for you and your husband. Carleen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdaW Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 Dear Carol, I agree that you should seek a second opinion if possible. Also, if your husband needs more treatment after Gemzar, please inquire about IRESSA. It is chemotherapy in pill form which has just been approved by the FDA for treating advanced stages of NSCLC. I just started IRESSA on Tuesday. So far, so good. I'll be thinking of you and hoping for the best. Ada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Carol Lee S Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 Thank you all for your speedy response. We have a very small family and for the most part they are sticking their heads in the sand when it comes to cancer. We are is such a state of shock it is hard to think. I have left messages for a few doctors from the web links you all sent. Hopefully they will bring some good news. In the meantime I will still try to comprehend what has happened to us today. It is so hard to imagine this awful news when my husband is feeling so wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carleen Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 Carol, I am glad that you found this board. You will find a lot of support, information and love here. Although family and friends are wonderful, sometimes people that are closest to us find the news of cancer too painful to deal with, so they bury their heads in the sand and hope it will go away. There are others who will be there in some capacities, but they may not really understand what you are going through and feeling. That is where this site is so helpful. Everyone here can relate to whatever you are feeling, no matter what. Chances are we've been there or are there right with you. Whatever you need, we will try and help. We can be here to celebrate life's joys and vent on hardships, offer advice and information, be a place to laugh and cry. We really do care about one another, and I feel like these people are an extension to my family. So, I want to welcome you to my family now... you are now part of a family of 300+. This diagnosis is a heavy load to carry, and you are not alone. I think it is a good sign that your husband is feeling wonderful. It means he can go into this fight with some strenght and health behind him. I understand what you mean though. My husband barely had any symptoms, he had a bit of a cough and a pulling in his neck when he coughed, but we thought that was reminents of pnuemonia he had a month earlier. If it wasn't for the follow-up from that we would never have been diagnosed. He still feels relatively good. The only symptoms he's feeling now are from the chemo, not the cancer. It's weird to look at him, looking handsome and strong and think... my God, my husband is sick. I know the beginning of this ride to hard and horrible, and I wish you all the best. I am sending prayers your way, for you and your husband. Carleen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimblanchard Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 Carol I'm terribly sorry you had to meet all of us under these conditions. But, I welcome you in spite of this horrid cancer. At the beginning, this whole event is full of ups and downs. Lean on the folks on this board. Chances are one of us has been there or maybe going through the same thing. Good Luck and God Bless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 Carol, welcome to the message board and a great little support family. I hope you will find much support here. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmc Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 Hello Carol, welcome, my very best to you and your husband; Glad you found us, I agree a second opinion would be the thing to get, also treatment at a cancer center by doc's that specialize in it. I was dx.'ed stage IIB, squamous type NSCLC. That was over two years ago and although my left lung was removed I'm doing fine today. There is always hope and on this board you will find much of it along with many SURVIVORS! So again, welcome, and tell us a bit more about yourself, where you live, how the cancer was dx.'ed, what type, etc. God bless and be well; you and your husband will be in my prayers. Bobmc - NSCLC- stageIIB - left pneumonectomy- 5/2/01 " absolutely insist on enjoying life today!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DaveG Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Carol: Welcome to the baord. Please register as a member so then you can updates as they occur and also officially become one of us. You can an auto log on, so that everytime you come to the site you will be logged as a member, whcih also means you don't have to be concatntly entering your name as well. As you see, I have a recent set back, but am not letting that stop me. I have enjoyed 18 good months and have many more to go. Make that years to go. I may be bald from the chemo, but that hasn't dampened my spirits. Many people say I look like Bruce Willis now. I will be posting a new picture soon. I am glad you have found us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Carol Lee S Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Dave and everyone one the Board,Thank you all so much for your support I am so glad I found this understanding board and all of you. I had problems logging on, I went to the welcome newcomers but obviously didn't do it right, please give my little tutoring. Thanks again, Carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DaveG Posted May 30, 2003 Share Posted May 30, 2003 Carol: Right under the words: LUNG CANCER MESSAGE BOARDS, at the top of the screen (scrool up to the very top, you will see, on the top right hand line, the word "Register". Click on the at and simply fill in the blanks. You may even add a picture of your self. If you can't figure that out email Rick, our "techie guru" and he will do it for you. By registering, you then get email privileges to anyone on the group and have the ability to receive and send Private Messages (mini emails) from and to anyone else in the group. Any tech questions, can also beleft for Rick on the Technical Forum. Rick is very good and he is one of us, as his Father-In-Law, Katie's dad, has LC as well. Hope to see you registered soon. If you have problems registering now, please post that on the Technical section, and again Rick can step in and help you. Also, once you are registered, the first time you logon, you can click a box that will log you on automatically, each time you come to the board. Thank you for your inquiry and we are looking forward to seeing more of you on the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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