Karma1976 Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Hello and thank you for an idividual on the health boards to refer me to here. My dad went for a regualr check up a month ago. he thought he had pnemonia and told his dr. (he is also a survivor of mouth and throat cancer - 10 year remission) The dr. took x-ray and then called for a cat scan...biopsy. He was diagnosied with NSCLC squamous cell. After the biopsy they said if any problems arise to come back. his rib was hurting him, they x-ray thought that he broke it from coughing. They did the normal tests to determine the staging. When the results came back (which seemed sooo long and sporatic) they said he had cancer of the bones too. it mestasized to his rib, left leg and base of skull. so far so good on the cat scan of the brain. They staged it at IV. He started radiation and will start chemo on friday once every 3 weeks. I plan on going to read all sections of this site, but i am hoping their are some sucess stories of stage IV. I know the dr. told him on his appointment on friday he had a 30% chance of lasting the year. 30% good? or 30% bad? where is the 70%?? 70% he can last 300 years or 70% he will last 2 days? Sometimes the info isnlt clarified the way it could be. Thank you all again for taking the time out to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlon Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Hello Karma, I was the one on the healthboards site, and I have been coming here ever since last year when they had the old format. To answer your question from the other board, yes, my mom is close to being in remission. Her CT and PET scans came back clean. She was diagnosed July 2002 with malignant pleural effusion, which automatically places her at Stage IIIB. She had a small spot on her liver and small pleural effusion on her other lung as well, which have since resolved. As I started to mention on the other board, my mom has switched to a complementary cancer clinic here in Illinois, and in her 4 months of treatment there, has only been hospitalized ONCE due to a slight fever. She is back home now, and her oncologist wants to do at least 2 more months of chemo, just to make sure we get rid of all the micrometastases. Then she will have a surgery to try and re-expand her trapped lung, so that no more fluid will build. Keep your head up, and research all you can. There are quite a few people with advanced disease on here. But everyone on here is very helpful and caring. People can and do beat this thing. One immediate thing I think you should look at is chemosensitivity testing, where they take a sample of your tumor, and try all the chemo drugs on it, to see what regimen will work best for your dad. I was skeptical about it at first, but found several survivor stories and my mom's new oncologist works with them routinely. Here is the link. www.rational-t.com Take care. Marlon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karma1976 Posted February 12, 2003 Author Share Posted February 12, 2003 Marlon thanks a bunch! I will do that. I feel bad for my dad just cause his life was finally starting to work out. (they had to file for bankruptcy after the last cancer due to being out of work, medical and credit cards bills piling up) again 10 years ago that was so he just leased his dream car a Lexus 300 and things were finally working out for them after years of struggling and then this! I can tell his spirit is down, I feel mentally he might be just giving up. I bought my mom my big fat Greek wedding for her since she has been through a lot in the past month. so I asked if they watched it last night. she said I did he refused (now mind you he did want to see this once it came out to dvd) he refused cause he was afraid he would laugh and he didn't want to since it would hurt. isn't that so sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 I know it's hard...but try to keep positive. My dad was also just diagnosed with Stage IV squamous cell about 3 weeks ago. He started chemo 2 weeks ago. It's not easy to watch someone go through all this. As your father is already a survivor from before...you probably already know some of what to expect. I watched my mother go through chemo 12 years ago, and she's alive and well today, and is an inspiration to my dad. Statistics are just numbers, not absolutes. Doctors will give you odds based on statistics, but everyone is different. People beat the odds all the time. In the short time that I have been visiting this board, I have seen a lot of inspiration and hope. I believe you will too. God bless... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 Karma, I'm so sorry you have reason to be here, but this is a great bunch of people with a lot of good information and big, caring hearts to help support you through what is ahead. Wishing the best for your dad and your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlon Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 Karma, I just tried to see if anyone responded to my post last month on the other board, and they erased all my posts about THIS board. lol. Oops. I did not mean for that to happen, but this board has a lot of caring people with potentially life-saving information. I registered with the other board like October 2002, and have maybe gotten 8 responses total. Tsk, tsk. Laterz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karma1976 Posted February 13, 2003 Author Share Posted February 13, 2003 Thank you all I will keep everyone posted. I know yesterday he had radiation again and they want him to get a cane in fear his left leg is about to break. so crazy how you can go from one month everything being fine to possibility of bones breaking all over the place. I printed out the lung cancer manual yesterday and made them a binder of all resources from the ALCASE. Junior the last time my dad cancer. it was localized (Thank god) so they only did radiation (originally they wanted to do both) but he had to have a surgery that was originally going to be really complex but once they went in they tried another approach and it worked. Chemo is going to be REALLY new for all of us. Plus I am older now (26) I was 16 for the last cancer and kind of oblivious to all that went on. Also my dad has a great head of hair for a 58 year old Italian. haha, I think that is going to be weird. oh also I forgot, his moustache! I have never in my life seen him without one? (well i am assuming he will lose it) just certain things I know I am going to be really internally freaked by. I am VERY good about a lot of things that would make other feel uncomfy, they do not bother me in the least but this is my dad whom I think is going to be upset himself. I love the man to death but he is not exactly a carefree man. he is a complete hot blooded Italian man that has made an art form out of swearing. When I went to their last appointment with them and he slipped and said so what does that shi_...I mean stuff mean? I almost laughed out loud in his face cause it was so cute. haha if anyone can tell me what chemo and stuff will be like. I am not sure yet what he will be on. again Friday he starts once every 3 weeks. Marlon you are right though this board is VERY helpful!!!!! Thank you so much for referring me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 Although I am sure you will find people with much more knowledge...here's what I can tell you: My dad's doctors are giving him Caroboplatin and Gemzar along with Celebrex. He goes once a week for two weeks and then is "off" for two weeks. During those "off" weeks he still has to go for a blood test to check his count. His doctor gave him a whole rundown on likely side effects. (not everyone has all or the same side effects, and some might be different with each round of treatment.) Doctors can also counter most side effects with other drugs. The most common side effect is nausea, but they can give him something for that. Hair loss is also common, but it does grow back. My dad also has a nagging "metallic" taste in his mouth, so food doesn't taste all that great. The "metallic" taste is from the Carboplatin, which is a platinum based chemical. Some tiredness and weakness is also common. This is due to a possible low red blood cell count...for this they can give Procrit. Just make sure that his oncologist explains everything...don't be afraid to ask. They should outline the course of treatment and tell you of all the possible risks and side-effects. If he experiences any side effects, he should tell the doctor ASAP. My mother, who has been through chemo herself likes to say that "Chemotherapy is a b*%#!. But it beats the alternative." Hope this helps.... God Bless!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiny Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 Karma, How did you DO that??? Your gyrating Spiderman is such a HOOT. It makes me smile every time I see it, and we can use all the smiles we can get on this board, so you are providing a real service I am a little old lady without many computer skills, so I REALLY am interested in how you imported Spidey and where he came from. So humorous Cheers, Tiny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted February 13, 2003 Share Posted February 13, 2003 Hi Karma, That SpiderMan's doing Aerobics? LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! Laurie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karma1976 Posted February 14, 2003 Author Share Posted February 14, 2003 I have super heros who do a dance too. If you start an account at boompeed.com you can add images to their site and they give you a url for that particular image. I am/was a dancer so spiderman dancing makes me laugh too me and my friend kenny have actually somehow remember how spiderman does this so sometimes we joke and do this dance oursleves. I know this dance too. haha glad everyone likes them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DaveG Posted February 14, 2003 Share Posted February 14, 2003 It's the little things that makes one realize there is more to life than cancer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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