newbie...mom has stage 4

2mmama
2mmama Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
Hi I am new to the group.my 66 year old mom was diagnosed oct 29 with non small cell metastized to brain and maybe liver.she has been having seizures bc of the brain tumors. She is doing radiation for the brain now. They will do radiation on lung next and then chemo. How is the quality of life? What is the avg lifespan? I'm just sick! She is my best friend!!any advice is appreciated.
Christi

Comments

  • Lizzytish
    Lizzytish Member Posts: 7
    Hi Christi,

    I am new to this too and was diagnosed with Non-small cell lung cancer in September and had the lower portion of my right lung removed. I am 71 years old.

    Has your dictor set some gaols for the outcome of these treatments? Has "cure" been mentioned or the possibility of "cure"? Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions and write them down before going in to see the doctor.

    You are a wnderful daughter and your mom is very lucky to have you. I have my daughter and she has been with me to my appointments and is a second ear to make sure I hear things correctly.

    You and your mom are in my prayers.

    Lizzy
  • 2mmama
    2mmama Member Posts: 2
    Lizzytish said:

    Hi Christi,

    I am new to this too and was diagnosed with Non-small cell lung cancer in September and had the lower portion of my right lung removed. I am 71 years old.

    Has your dictor set some gaols for the outcome of these treatments? Has "cure" been mentioned or the possibility of "cure"? Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions and write them down before going in to see the doctor.

    You are a wnderful daughter and your mom is very lucky to have you. I have my daughter and she has been with me to my appointments and is a second ear to make sure I hear things correctly.

    You and your mom are in my prayers.

    Lizzy

    Hi Lizzy,
    Thank you for the reply! I feel so helpless!!
    They are not mentioning cure AT ALL. Just pallative treatment. It is stage 4. I have a 3 year old and 5 year old that just LOVE their "Grammy" and are already upset she doesnt feel well. Im trying to take it one day at a time. She lives over an hour away which makes it alittle more difficult to see her regularly, although I do see her 3-4 times a week.
    I too will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
    Christi
  • LoriK
    LoriK Member Posts: 1
    2mmama said:

    Hi Lizzy,
    Thank you for the reply! I feel so helpless!!
    They are not mentioning cure AT ALL. Just pallative treatment. It is stage 4. I have a 3 year old and 5 year old that just LOVE their "Grammy" and are already upset she doesnt feel well. Im trying to take it one day at a time. She lives over an hour away which makes it alittle more difficult to see her regularly, although I do see her 3-4 times a week.
    I too will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
    Christi

    Hi,
    I know what you are going through. This is my first visit to this site and I just joined and made my web page. My mom was also diagnosed with lung cancer in Oct. I have a 3 kids who also love and adore their grammy. They don't even grasp that she is sick yet. She has done 3 rounds of chemo so far and has lost all of her hair--the kids haven't even hardly noticed. My moms cancer is also terminal, god that is hard to type! I don't know what to do either and I am soooooo MAD. Aren't you? My mom is 55 years old. You are not alone in your struggle with this ugly disease and neither is your mom.
  • sheila3023
    sheila3023 Member Posts: 1
    my husband is 63 next Thursday. he started chemo in 2006 (July) and it shrunk the tumor 60% then stopped. he then went on another one that didn't work at all. then another one with which he decided to take a break for about a month and then took the same again and had a CT scan. there was a small spot on his liver they were watching and now it has doubled in size. will start a different chemo on his birthday and hopefully it will shrink or make it go away.

    with the 1st chemo he developed pain and numbness in his feet and his fingers are also numb. it has continued a year and 3 months later.
    It hurts to see someone go thru this but the chemo seems to work. he is a smoker and continues as what else does he have to do?

    I used to get real angry with him about it but realize I don't want to be mad at him
    Life Is Too Short.
    I pray that he will get better or feel better.
    my thoughts are with you and your Mom. I know what it is like to lose your parents.
    we have been married since I was 17 (41 yr.)
    there is always HOPE.
    sheila
  • dianna63
    dianna63 Member Posts: 2
    Hi, I lost my Mom at 60 years of age almost four years ago to cancer. Now my Dad was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer that had mestastized to his liver. One doctor told us that the progressive type of cancers responded really well to chemo. She said the cancer could completely melt away. My dad was also full of blood clots because his doctor kept telling him he had pnemonia and let him go way to long. The doctor that told us the cancer could be treated boss came in and told us that it would not go away. That he would probably never get off oxygen and might live 6 months with treatment. This was in may of 2007. Well after that devistating blow, Dad decided not to have the chemo. My persistant brother talked him into trying the chemo. We did not go back to the same hospital, but the first Doctor he had seen in our area. The Doctor started chemo, the first one almost did him in because he was so week. He ended up getting anemic and needed blood transfusions. After that he was not going to have any more treatments, but a few weeks later he was doing betther. He had also been put on a stronger blood clott medicine since the other hospital had sent him home to die. Well, he continued treatment and after 2 treatments his cat scan showed no sign of cancer. He was having his treatments in three consecutive treatments every 4 weeks. He did this for 5 months. The doctor retested him and ordered two more treatments becuase his lymp nodes were still swollen. He did get off oxygen, stopped needed around the clock care, drives himself to the doctor for his treatments, and has done wonderful. Please do not give up. If you could have seen the shape my dad was in you would not beleive he could still be here. The Doctors office says he is a miracle. He made it through Fathers Day, Thanksgiving, his Birthday and Christmas. He just saw his Doc today and does not have to go back to him for three months. I thank God every day that he has had this much time and hope for him to see many more birthdays. Only God knows our fate. If he would have listened to the Doctor that said there was not hope he would have been gone many months ago. Keep your faith and God Bless!