Dad diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer that has spread to brain and other places

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  • MichaelLouis
    MichaelLouis Member Posts: 2
    #22
    Lori37191 said:

    HI, I read your story
    Hi, I read your story, and it was like I was reading a copy of my life. My dad is 68 and on November 15, this year is was told he had multiple tumors in the brain. and a few days later a spot on his right top lung.
    We took him to the ER on the 15th with the same symptons as your dad, dizzy, staggering, knocking stuff over. They did test and come back with the new of the brain tumors. Since then he has already had 7 radiation treatments and is doing good. He also has had 2 catscans of upper and lower body, a bone scan today and a biopsy of the spot on his lung. He has 3 radiation treatments left. The doctor has not given us any results to any test yet, we get that on December 2. We have met with two onconlogist, one that is treating the brain with radiation, and another for the spot on his lung. Dr. Patel, the one treating his lung, did say it was uncuralbe but prolongable. My dad has good spirits, but has been making final arrangements with banks, wills, ect. just in case. It seems like everything we get done, gives him a since of peace. He is optimistic. I have spoked to many people in the past 2 weeks, that had a parent or knew someone who had the same or simular to the same and has survived it and living life to its fullest. One thing I keep telling myself is that the Doctor is not God, therefore does not know the outcome of any situtation. Only God himself knows that, and he is in control. I went through this with my mom in 2006, She had ovarian cancer. carcenoma and sarcoma in the same tumor. The tumor was the size of a football and had a limb going down her leg. She chose not to do anything, no test, no radiation, no kemo. She lived 2 months. It was hard. but she did not suffer at all, except for depression. I will put your dad in my prayers, please keep us posted as to how he is doing. thanks for your story, Lori

    My Mom
    Hello Lori,

    When I read your letter, it was like reading a letter I had yet to write. My mother was diagnosed 1 week ago, and the shock of fear has completely taken over our lives. My mother is 72 years and and full of life. I was talking to my mother while driving home from work and noticed a serious problem with her speech and memory, which is very odd for my mother, because she has a great memory. I live in Washington, DC and she resides in Minnesota. I ask my younger brother to stop by the house, just to make sure that things were ok. My mother was unable to speak and didn't recognize who he was for a few moments. He rushed her to the ER where they did a scan and found 2 small tumors in her brain. They followed up with additional scans which showed cancer in her upper right lung. She had her first radiation treatment today, which has really sapped her energy. We are praying and believe that she is going to fight this and win. I want to thank you and all the others for your stories and well wishes. Please add my family and I to those prayers.

    Michael
  • Rose20006
    Rose20006 Member Posts: 1
    #23
    JonL said:

    My dad was recently diagnosed with stage 4 NSCLC
    I read Lauren's post and it was almost a carbon copy of my dad's experience. He's 75, non-smoker for the last 20 years, daily walker and healthy by all accounts. He experienced the same symptoms of memory loss, loss of stability, unable to get up out of chair. It seemingly came out of nowhere. On Good Friday in April, we took him to the E.R and got the results of cancer that had spread to his brain.

    He did 3 weeks of radiation for the brain leasions, no chemo. My mother and him decided against it. Our family is making plans for a memorable summer with him and arranging for the things that he wants to do.

    Although he's not in denial of his condition, he doesn't care to talk about it much. He said its always on his mind and doesn't see the benefit of talking about it and would rather spend the time talking about something else. We all are very respectful of that, but sometimes its very hard to try to maintain a cheerful demeanor when every moment you wonder "will this be the last time we.... (fill in the blank)

    I can't imagine how it must feel for him. He keeps such a positive attitude, so I want to be positive for him.

    I miss him already and just hate the thought of the things to come for him.

    I'm personally torn between acceptance of his condition and the desire to seek out non-traditional treatments. There is so much information on the web about miracle cures, homopathic regiments and all of the "What Your Doctor Doesn't Want You To Know About Cancer" type information. I can now appreciate the desperation people feel and the desire to dare to hope in any of these. Can anyone share some truth and reality about any of this?

    Jon

    My Mom

    Hi My mom has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes and now the brain as well. She is constantly confused, has memory loss, vision loss, and her motor skills are just not there anymore. She has not fallen which is great and up to now, she has not had much pain. She has had 2 strokes and it's during her stay in the hospital during her last stroke that we all found out about her cancer. That was 2 months ago. We also found out that she has a stomach aneurysm that can rupture anytime and if it does, she will have 5 or 10 minutes of dire pain and then she'll be gone. The doctors will not perform surgery on her cancer nor her aneurysm saying chances are that she will die on the table. She is refusing any kind of chemo or radiation and just wants to live out the rest of her life with family and enjoy as much as she can. We just want to do what she wants and are trying our best to support her and each other. Oh I forgot to say that she is 80 years old. She smoked for over 50 years but quit over 10 years ago.

    I feel for everyone going through this and I just stumbled on this site and I think it's great.

  • Griggs
    Griggs Member Posts: 1
    #24
    My Brother was Just diagnosed with Lung-Brain Cancer

    He 57 years old and hasn't smoked in years.  He is extremely agitated/angry at others and has significant memory problems - He was just dianosed last week and has yet to see an oncologist.  The doctor he did see said he had several masses on his brain.  Can cancer progress to to a late stge before you know you have it?

     

     

  • SBolin
    SBolin Member Posts: 2
    #25
    Griggs said:

    My Brother was Just diagnosed with Lung-Brain Cancer

    He 57 years old and hasn't smoked in years.  He is extremely agitated/angry at others and has significant memory problems - He was just dianosed last week and has yet to see an oncologist.  The doctor he did see said he had several masses on his brain.  Can cancer progress to to a late stge before you know you have it?

     

     

    Griggs

    Unfortunately yes cancer can progress to a late stage before diagnosis. My mother in law was diagnosed a month ago with Stage 4 lung cancer. The only reason we found out she had cancer was because it had metastasized to her brain. She was having symptoms very similar to a mini-stroke if you will...we took her to the ER and found out she had a brain tumor that developed due to the lung cancer. They removed the brain tumor successfully. They did this within a few days of finding the tumor. During this time they discovered the the lung tumor and determined she has stage 4 lung cancer. Prior to having symptoms that appeared to be a stroke she was perfectly fine. She even had a chest scan done within the year that did not pick up on anything abnormal. We have also learned it has spread to her lymphnodes. I am not sure why, but they will not do surgery to remove the tumor from her right lung bottom lobe. They have told us the lymphnodes that now have cancer present are inoperable. We have been given a lot of trying news, but we are very hopeful and feel positive we will get her in remission. Today was her first day of chemo and radiation. I will pray for your brother and family.

  • SBolin
    SBolin Member Posts: 2
    #26
    Griggs said:

    My Brother was Just diagnosed with Lung-Brain Cancer

    He 57 years old and hasn't smoked in years.  He is extremely agitated/angry at others and has significant memory problems - He was just dianosed last week and has yet to see an oncologist.  The doctor he did see said he had several masses on his brain.  Can cancer progress to to a late stge before you know you have it?

     

     

    Griggs

    Unfortunately yes cancer can progress to a late stage before diagnosis. My mother in law was diagnosed a month ago with Stage 4 lung cancer. The only reason we found out she had cancer was because it had metastasized to her brain. She was having symptoms very similar to a mini-stroke if you will...we took her to the ER and found out she had a brain tumor that developed due to the lung cancer. They removed the brain tumor successfully. They did this within a few days of finding the tumor. During this time they discovered the lung tumor and determined she has stage 4 lung cancer. Prior to having symptoms that appeared to be a stroke she was perfectly fine. She even had a chest scan within the year that did not pick up on anything abnormal. We have also learned it has spread to her lymphnodes. I am not sure why, but they will not do surgery to remove the tumor from her right lung bottom lobe. They have told us the lymphnodes are inoperable. We have been given a lot of trying news, but we are very hopeful and feel positive we will get her in remission. Today was her first day of chemo and radiation. I will pray for your brother and family.

  • dennycee
    dennycee Member Posts: 857 Member
    #27
    Griggs said:

    My Brother was Just diagnosed with Lung-Brain Cancer

    He 57 years old and hasn't smoked in years.  He is extremely agitated/angry at others and has significant memory problems - He was just dianosed last week and has yet to see an oncologist.  The doctor he did see said he had several masses on his brain.  Can cancer progress to to a late stge before you know you have it?

     

     

    As the others said, it is possible that no symptoms may show up until stage four.  My moms nsclc was diagnosed because of brain mets.  There is a gentleman at the inspire.com website who was also diagnosed because of brain mets- her is in his 14rh year of survivorship.  

    ask the dr about gamma knife for the brain mets. How many mutations did they test for?  Which onEs?  

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