Life expectancy of Stage IV NSCLC

Mike_G · New User Joined: 24 Jun 2006 Posts: 3

My Dad (age 71) was diagnosed with Stage IV NSC Carcinoma on April 7, 2006. His first appointment with his oncologist was April 13. She admitted him that day. After 3 1/2 weeks in the hospital he died. Remember that statistics on life expectancies are averages. I thought (hoped) that we would have another 8 to 10 months with him. Treat every visit with your're loved one as if it is your last. His oncologist and her staff were great but they tried too hard not to be negative and we were not prepared for how fast he went. Just one month before his diagnosis he was very active. He worked part-time and constantly had projects he worked on like home remodeling etc. He got a cold and started having shortness of breath a few weeks before the diagnosis. By the time he saw his oncologist and was admitted to the hospital he was having alot of difficulty breathing. He had a tumor in his right lung and malignant plural effusion. Later tests revealed that the cancer was in his lymph nodes and bones. Thank God there was no brain metastasis. He was to be in the hospital for 3 days. The doctors drained the fluid from his lung and performed a pluradesis. His breathing remained labored. They then discovered that he had SVCS (superior vena cava syndrome). They did a surgery to implant a stent in the constricted vessel which they declared a success. However, his breathing got worse. The doctors said he also had COPD and found that he had pneumonia in his left lung. All the while the doctors and nurses told us that he could get better and live a year or more. After two weeks in the hospital the doctor decided he was strong enough to start chemo. She explained that the chances of it helping were limited, but my dad wanted to try. A day or two after the treatment his condition deteriorated further. He was admitted to ICU and placed on a Bipap machine. That Friday he asked for all of his children to be gathered. because of the strict visitation rules we could not all be with him at one time. Finally that Sunday they moved him to an intermediate ICU with less restrictive visitation. His wife, all of his children and some of his grandchildren were able to gather around him. He announced to us that he was tired and did not want to fight any longer. He gave my brother instructions on finishing his home renovations and told us all to be good to each other and take care of each other. We each took our turn at his bed side telling him we would be fine and that it was ok for him to let go. He asked to be moved out of ICU. We had him moved to a palliative care unit. There they removed all his IV's and gave him a greater dose of morphine. He slept finally after three weeks of fighting pain and gasping for breath. He slipped away in his sleep at 1am Monday morning. What a bittersweet moment it was. I miss him but I'm glad his suffering is over. I am also grateful that I had the opportunity to say goodbye. I guess the point here is that statistics are just that and doctors often try to give hope in the face of a harsh reality. Spend every precious moment you can with your friend or loved one and don't be afraid to let them go for their sake. Don't selfishly prolong their suffering.

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