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Maybe Pneumonia/Infection - Info, please...


Octobergrace

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First, I am deeply saddened to have just read of T-Bone's death and send my sympathy and prayers to all members of his family who were so close . . You have been the supreme example of love and caring during his fight with lung cancer and and also have been so supportive to members on this message board waging the same fight. May God be with you.

It has been a busy time so I have not posted about my Dad in a while. In late July, we went to Duke Cancer Ctr. to look at clinical trial possibilities since his onc. said he Iressa results were "disappointing" and there were no other options . Once at Duke, well... Halleleujah! The oncologist pulled her chair right up to my Dad eye to eye(no talking thru him to me) and said, "Mr. Bryant, I have been reviewing your scans and history and I want to tell you that so far you have done remarkably well. You are very strong." My Dad smiled his best smile in months. Finally, he had a dr. recognize and validate his hard work and tremendous will to live at 79 instead of acting like 79 is too old to want treatment options or to have hope. He is being tested for an upcoming clinical trial and the dr. talked about other available treatment options but said that she would not recommend anything as long as the Iressa is working...she says oncs. need to learn that "stable disease is good"...often better than dramatic swings of remission followed by agressive recurrance. Daddy's dr. has made no secret of being very disappointed with no significant regression of his tumors with chemo...but the Duke onc. showed us that his tumor load is approximately the same now as 1 year ago - many spots with no significant growth, the most worrisome tumor being in the center of his chest. So, for all who are looking for significant remissions after chemo, stable tumor may be good news...

That said, I am posting because my Dad went to his thoracic specialist Monday with breathing difficulty, coughing, fatigue, lowgrade temp. and no appetite, all since the weekend. The dr. suspects pneumonia, started antibiotics and ordered a CT scan for tomorrow (Wed.) followed by a dr. appt. for him to read the scan and decide what to do about the symptoms...says maybe a broncoscopy(sp?) to see the windpipe and vocal cords. Can somebody tell me about this test, what my Dad will experience and what we should expect?

Also, interestingly, the Duke onc. and this specialist strongly advocate for a vocal cord procedure to restore his voice and especially to close the windpipe opening so that he will not aspirate. Both said that aspirated food and liquids can set up infection and that one gets very worn from coughing in reaction to the foreign particles. My Dad's onc. had told me that he "wouldn't bother" with the procedure and that nobody in Charlotte did it...the lung specialist says he always recommends it since it is a very simple procedure commonly done by ENTs here and has big benefits. Anyone with more info?

I know it is late to ask, but please think of my Dad tomorrow; he is pretty worn down from the weekend and apprehensive...gets nervous with procedures. Nevertheless, he went this evening to restock the community food pantry he still manages , to prepare for his absence in the next few days....amazing. In the meantime, I am catching up with news from the forum - and feeling very sorry that I have been absent so long.

Octobergrace

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The bronchoscopy is a procedure where they put a tube down his throat with a light on the end....it sends a picture to a camera that transfers that picture to a TV screen (monitor) so that the doctor can see where he is and what everything looks like in there. Some times this procedure is used to biopsy problem areas but most of the time it is used just to "see" what is going on. I can't help you with the other procedure. I wish your dad the best of results tomorrow and think it is great that he has such a "can do" attitude. Tell him we are thinking about him and adding him to our prayers.

Nina

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Tess, I am so sorry for your loss which I just read about this evening while catching up on more past posts. I loved the words at the end of your signature telling how he passed on holding your hands with his way to heaven lit by the moon. He, and you, have been very brave.

Thanks for all your support; it has been a hard day. My Dad's CT scans show that the lung cancer has progressed - more spots and larger and there is a large shadow which could be pneumonia or more cancer. Bronc is scheduled for Friday at 6am. What I would like to know is what can my Dad expect during and after the procedure - is it uncomfortable, will his coughing and breathing problems interfere, etc.? A friend's medically fragile child spiked a high fever each time he had to have this procedure; is that common for adults/lung cancer patients?

My Mom and Dad are worn out after fighting the city traffic to get to all the appts. and riding the roller coaster of good-bad-good-bad news. I left them looking kinda lost, to drive back home, 100 miles away. I am feeling overwhelmed and I know that is keeping the reality of this bad news at bay for the moment; not good. I am tired too and stay torn between wanting as much time with my folks at this time and the two special needs children I have fostered for 11 and 5 years respectively. And it will only get harder, I know. How can I do it? I know that many, many of you face the same challenges and ask the same questions and say the same prayers. Thanks again for being here each time I need to read a kind word. And please hold my Dad in your thoughts and prayers on Friday as he has this test and hears the results.

Octobergrace

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So sorry that there is progression of the disease. :cry: It is so hard to see our Dad's, our ROCK'S, so sick. Believe me, I know. One thing that I vividly remember the nursing staff telling me after Dad had a bronchoscopy was that he might get a bit of a fever. She told me to give him some Tylenol if he did spike a fever. My Dad did really well with the bronch. They sedated him.........he didn't even know when it happened. When I went in after the procedure, he was certainly a happy man. (drugs, ya' know) Best wishes for your Dad!

In my thoughts and prayers~~~

Angie

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Grace,

Sorry, I'm getting to you so late, you probably won't read this before Friday's procedure. Steve had no major problems with the broncoscopy. They put him under and even after he came out and seemed awake, later he had no memory of anything which happened for the next few hours. In fact my neighbor just had one yesterday and said the same thing. His doctor said they call it the amnesia drug. They both did have a bit of a sore throat, but not unbearably so.

I'm sorry that the cancer has spread, but your dad sounds like he is still capable of putting up a good fight.

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