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Berta

Hi!
I am a 67 yr old female. Last week I was diagnosed with a tumor in my right upper lobe. Since then, I am getting scanned from top to bottom and had a bronch (oh I can't spell it) biopsy. My oncologist thinks it is stage 1 of a slow growing cancer. We are waiting for all the other tests to come in. I am being referred to a surgeon, who I will see on March 1. At this point, I am considered a good surgery risk.
We discovered this after fighting a cold and sinus infection for a few months. I finally coughed some blood which was a red flag. I had (Thank God) switched doctors. My new Internist is extremely agressive and when he heard about the blood, ordered first sinus xrays and then lung xrays.
I have had no friends with cancer and the only family member was my mom with skin cancers. I know virtually nothing about the desease or treatment.
I would appreciate any information I can get concerning what I might be facing down the road.
I also want to return to work as soon after surgery as possible.
Any opinions or suggestions?

Phyl34

Hello Berta, You and I are pretty close in age, Like you I was coughing and fighting what I thought was a bad cold, finally ended up in the emergency room thinking I was having a heart attack because of my racing heart. I've never been sick but that frightened me. After getting a chest xray and finding a spot on my lung I was sent to a pulmonary specialist that quickly discovered I had lung cancer. I saw two oncoligest "excuse my spelling" They both said I was not operable so I covered many treatment options and finally chose a study treatment. I've been through 12 weeks of chemo 38 treatments of radiation another 10 days of chemo and never had a sick day other then being extremly tired for quite a long time. I am back to work and feeling almost normal now. I still tire a bit easier but it's getting better day by day.My treatments ended in August of 2003,I am taking 1200 mg of celebrex a day which I started in January of 2003, Seems to be working well for me. So keep a positive attitude and surround yourself with loving people. God has been my strength. God Bless, Hope this helps...Phyl

don575

Hello Berta,my name is don,i'am 60 years old and onjuly 11 0f 2003 i had a lung removed on my right side.The way i discovered it was i had a yearly x-ray for melonoma i had taken out a year earlier,they saw a dark spot on my lung. I went to a Pulmonary Spec. and he ended up trying to do an biopsy but he could not reach it so he sent me to a Surgeon and inbetween Dr. dates it had grown bigger ( started seeing DR's in Feb. )The sur. told me that if he saw any other suspious things in my body ( after a cat-scan ) that he wouldn't operate.Luckily he didn't,They took out the whole lung and it was in my 7 nodes in the lung,so i am glad the first Dr. did not disturb anything in there. I went home after 3 days in the hosp. and laid in my easy chair for 3 weeks until i was able to sleep in my own bed.My wife helped me alot ( she's an angel ) Ineeded help taking a shower the 1st week but after i managed to do it myself.I went back to work in Sept.I got a blood clot in Nov. ( nobody told me i could easily get one ) but i went to the Emerg. Rm. and they dissovled it and put a filter in me so it wouldn't happen again. That hosp. stay was 4 days. I am on blood thinners now and all seems to be o.k.. I pray your is not that bad and they can dissolve it,I went for 33 treatments of Radiation and 4 months of Chemo. I got finished on Dec 31,We are headed to Fla. next month for a vacation with some other couples and i will see how my golf swing is goin to work.I also took my wife and Daughter along on my Dr. vists and they keep a record of all they said from the very 1st visit. I hope and pray a speedy recovery,keep a good outlook on things and God Bless You

Berta

Hi again
I just saw my oncologist again. I see the surgeon Monday. It would appear from all the tests that we are dealing with a single tumor in the right lung that is slow growing. Dr calls it stage 1. He thinks surgery alone will take care of it.
He is recommending excercise, excercise, excercise prior to surgery. Also recommends prayer, meditation, laughter, and attitude.
Any comments?

ConquerCancer

Berta said:

Hi again
I just saw my oncologist again. I see the surgeon Monday. It would appear from all the tests that we are dealing with a single tumor in the right lung that is slow growing. Dr calls it stage 1. He thinks surgery alone will take care of it.
He is recommending excercise, excercise, excercise prior to surgery. Also recommends prayer, meditation, laughter, and attitude.
Any comments?

Hello, Berta. In April 2003 I was diagnosed with Stage I lung cancer. I had surgery on May 5, 2003 to remove the lower lobe of my right lung. I was in intensive care for three days, then a regular room in the hospital for three days. When I first came home from the hospital, I found it easier to sleep in a recliner rather than a bed because once I would lay down in the bed, it was very painful to get myself back up to a sitting position. I would tell you to just do what you can, and ask for help when you need it. I went back to work part-time after about six weeks. The exercise your doctor is recommending will probably help you to heal more quickly. I agree with his other recommendations also, although I think it's important for people to know that it is OK to feel down sometimes. I think sometimes it can be more stressful to try to maintain that "positive attitude" all the time that to just let yourself go and have a good cry now and then! :-)

autumn64

ConquerCancer said:

Hello, Berta. In April 2003 I was diagnosed with Stage I lung cancer. I had surgery on May 5, 2003 to remove the lower lobe of my right lung. I was in intensive care for three days, then a regular room in the hospital for three days. When I first came home from the hospital, I found it easier to sleep in a recliner rather than a bed because once I would lay down in the bed, it was very painful to get myself back up to a sitting position. I would tell you to just do what you can, and ask for help when you need it. I went back to work part-time after about six weeks. The exercise your doctor is recommending will probably help you to heal more quickly. I agree with his other recommendations also, although I think it's important for people to know that it is OK to feel down sometimes. I think sometimes it can be more stressful to try to maintain that "positive attitude" all the time that to just let yourself go and have a good cry now and then! :-)

I had Stage 1 non small cell lung cancer, my surgery was Nov. 2002, they removed the top lobe of my right lung and I did not have any other treatments.

Having been a smoker however I have found the start of emphysema and have shortness of breath that I either wasn't aware of or ignored prior to surgery.

My tumor was found because I happened to ask for a routine chest exray. so I feel truly blessed by God.

Good luck to you and never be afraid to ask questions. Hugs Lana1103

lapittrice

Phyl34 said:

Hello Berta, You and I are pretty close in age, Like you I was coughing and fighting what I thought was a bad cold, finally ended up in the emergency room thinking I was having a heart attack because of my racing heart. I've never been sick but that frightened me. After getting a chest xray and finding a spot on my lung I was sent to a pulmonary specialist that quickly discovered I had lung cancer. I saw two oncoligest "excuse my spelling" They both said I was not operable so I covered many treatment options and finally chose a study treatment. I've been through 12 weeks of chemo 38 treatments of radiation another 10 days of chemo and never had a sick day other then being extremly tired for quite a long time. I am back to work and feeling almost normal now. I still tire a bit easier but it's getting better day by day.My treatments ended in August of 2003,I am taking 1200 mg of celebrex a day which I started in January of 2003, Seems to be working well for me. So keep a positive attitude and surround yourself with loving people. God has been my strength. God Bless, Hope this helps...Phyl

I was diagnosed with stage III non small cell carcinoma in Jan. and I finished 25 radiation treatments (not bad). But I feel like the only person in the world who won't even consider chemo!!! No way that I could ever go through anything so horrible. I will know Monday if surgery is possible. At my age (74) I don't know if it's worth the pain.
lapittrice