TBone Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Hi everybody, Thanks for all the concern and prayers. To summarize what happened with my ER visit ------- I woke up about 2am coughing up bright red non frothy blood.It was a pretty bad bleed for a few minutes and then subsided.Scared me so I went to ER.I was impressed with the doctor on call.He was an ER doctor but quite knowledgeable about cancer and chemo.He xrayed from front and side and did a whole bunch of blood work and determined that I had bronchitis.He also did a culture the stuff I was coughing up.He,and another ER doctor who just stopped in to check on me were both amazed at the clarity of the chest xray and had to ask me where the cancer was supposed to be.They could not see it.I want to note that on Dec 10 of last year I went to ER coughing blood .This was before my diagnosis.The doctors at that ER encounter did not see cancer either and diagnosed bronchitis.It was about 2 weeks later when I had the brain met symptoms that I was diagnosed with lung cancer.It is so strange to me that nobody has detected lung cancer via xray in my case.Is this normal? The CAT scans show it and that is how I was diagnosed.That and a biopsy.Boy did I ramble or what? It is Sunday morning and I feel kind of "new normal".I have a lab and chemo scheduled for tomorrow morning.I will be taking the ER results to my oncologist and see where we go from here.Praying for us all.TBone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bean_si (Not Active) Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 TBone, I guess that in many cases, the X-ray doesn't pick it up. I know I had started to cough, blamed it on having to move office to a deteriorated building (100 yr old library) In my case, the tech called my primary in panic to say it showed a 10 cm. carcinoma. The primary called me to say there was a large mass and I needed to see an onc but NOT once did he say cancer. He told me later that after all he had seen me go through, he just couldn't give me more bad news. Heck, it looked like a baseball attached to the center and top of my lung. Yours must have been much smaller though it appeared to have met early on. I'm very glad you're out of the hospital. Prayers are with you. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanCarl Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Tbone, When I first had my x-rays done due to symptoms of pnuemonia they couldn't actually "see" the cancer either. What alerted them to something other than pnuemonia going on was that a blood vessel in my right upper lung that was supposed to be "here" was actually over "there". In other words it wasn't where it was supposed to be and SOMETHING had to be causing that. Glad you're home and praying for no more trips to the ER for you! Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 TBone, seeing you post is the best news I could get. Here's hoping for better times soon. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAnn Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Hi T-Bone, Glad to hear that you are doing better. The ER is never a fun place to be, all the sticks and pokes.....Yuk! My cancer was not caught on x-ray's either. Seems I've read posts on this board about the fact that x-rays are really outdated when it comes to determining lung cancer. Mine was found when I had a CT scan. I saw those films and there it was bright as can be.... a 3cm tumor in the upper right lung. Don't know why x-rays don't pick it up. Anyway, heavy coughing could have caused you to tear a blood vessel. Not fun..... Take Care, TAnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnmynatt Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 TBone, Glad you are feeling better. My husband had a chest X-ray about 3 weeks before he went in the hospital with blood clots in his lungs. His diagnosis followed from that. They could not see anything on the X-ray. What really bothers me is that they just completed a clinical trial of using spiral CT scans instead of just X-rays in high lung cancer risk people (previous smokers) and they are recommending AGAINST the CTs because there are too many false readings. I personally would rather be sure than going through what we are all going through. I guess it is too expensive for the insurance companies. I have recommended to several people that they get CT scans by whatever means they can. Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 T~ Glad you are home and doing well. Don't do that again, scared the crap out of me! Rochelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie Daughter of Bill Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Glad you are home and feeling better. Like Ry said, no more stunts like that, o.k.?? Hope your chemo is going o.k. and kills the heck out of those cancer cells!! Prayers for you!! Angie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berisa Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Did TBone finish the Chest Radiation? When finish? Is it a Radiation Pneumonitis? My dad had that pneumonitis right after 2 -3 months after radiation finished. His symptoms were coughing severely that he cannot sleep and he had headaches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nushka Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Tbone, I was so upset when I read the first part of this chain. I pray for you daily and have been a little worried about you lately. Seeing your post was the best part of the night for me. I am SO glad that you are better. I am a fellow southerner and can really understand your desire for fresh peas and cornbread. One of my favorite meals. I hope you have a great 4th and belated celebration of your birthday. You have a great family and support group.....we all think highly of you T. Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 TBONE: HI. Glad to hear from you. I am wondering what the size of your lung tumor was when you were dxed? Also it may have been inside a bronchus which is why it may not have shown on the xray. But anyway, what size did the CT scan say it was? Just curious. elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyCW Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 TBone & family, I was so sad to read the beginning of thos post, and then relieved to see the post from you, TBone. I'm really glad you're feeling back to "new normal." My thoughts and prayers are with you! BeckyCW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelliemacs Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 offering my hope that he recovers quickly from this pothole and gets home quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
close to the edge Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 Goes without saying many prayers being beamed your way luv & light Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhutch1366 Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 TBone, Glad you're feeling a bit better, and resting up for the weekend. Does us all good to hear directly from you. We love ya, and we worry too. ((((((((((((((TBone)))))))))))))))))!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to the ladies for keeping us posted, and flushing their dear brother out into the open! XOXOXOXOX Prayers always MaryAnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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