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asmith
New User
Joined: 23 Jul 2009
Posts: 1
Location: Florida
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 Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:29 pm Post subject: Dad Recently diagnosed with cancer |
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| Hello all I am new to the forum and my dad was Recently Diagnosed with cancer I believe Lung cancer. He has been smoking for over 40 years and he is 62 years of age, dad recently told me and my brothers the News. And this was the most devastating news I have ever encountered. In my whole entire life, I have no knowledge what so ever about cancer, but from my understanding what he is explaining to us is that the Doctors feel that he is in his last stages of it. And the longest he has to live would be 3 months, and the doctor told him that his children also need to be tested every year because it is hereditary does anyone if that’s true? Recently one of my dad arms gave out on him do to the cancer, and I don’t know if he had a stroke in it is something that he is not telling us. Because he doesn’t want to get us too worried about him, but that’s already too late because I want to know what to expect. He is saying that the cancer is spreading rapid is what the doctor said 6 months ago they didn’t see anything. Well Dad had a fall and hurt his back and there saying look like somehow that’s what triggered it and now I guess it has spread through his entire body. I guess his liver kidneys and his ribs and they think that it may be going to his brain. They put him on some type of Medication I can’t call the name right now but its 700 Mg. The Doctors have sent my Dad to take many X-rays a CT scan and other test. he is supposed to undergo some type of operation this Thursday; I guess it is the biopsy. He said that they have to get a sample of the tissue in his lungs. And he said that doing the operation that the lungs could collapse at any time. And they would have to bring the lungs back and he would have to stay in Recovery for at least five hours. Does anyone know about this test it just sounds so scary to me I’m Nervous for him. And he also Mention that this is the test that Determine how long he has to live. I am just hoping wishing and praying that is help out there for him, he is saying that the doctor says there isn’t any chemo want help him because how bad that it is. But I really want my Father to get a second opinion because this my father has been going to this doctor for years. And he had been over looking a lot of things, my father said that he just went to the doctor and he sent him home saying that it was just a minor cold. Somehow that doctor went out of town and he had another doctor working in the office for him. My dad went back in do to the fact that he was hurting, so that’s when this other doctor sent him in to get these test and they call him back in right away saying that they saw something on his lungs. And another thing is that my Dad is also a Diabetic and I think that it is type 2 and he only put him on the pills not the insulin. He said the Doctors at the emergency room was asking him why wasn’t he on insulin had he told them that he didn’t know. Well come to find out yesterday that this is the same doctor that my cousin was going to and he even Diagnose my cousin with Diabetes and he went into a diabetic coma. And later died so I just don’t understand why this Doctor is over looking these signs and things with his patients, but I just need help understanding this disease all replies are appreciated. Thank you |
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thinkpink
Experienced user
Joined: 12 May 2009
Posts: 61
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| Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:29 pm Post subject: Re: Dad Recently diagnosed with cancer |
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Hi asmith,
I am so sorry that you had to come here and join all of us that are dealing with this horrible disease. 
You have alot of questions, and rightly so, and we all understand your fear of the unknown - the nature of roller coaster ride ahead is hard to predict.
Find out if your dad is okay with you and/or your brothers speaking at length with his doctors so that you can get more detail on his cancer, his options, etc. and also on his other health issues that concern you.
I pray that you and your family get the answers you need in order to help your Dad through this. It's only through the favor and grace of God that I have not crumbled....
tp
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73 yo mother - 29 year breast cancer survivor, radical mastectomy with no radiation and no chemo and no recurrence.
Presented to the ER on April 14, 2009 with pleural effusion and pericardial effusion. Diagnosed on April 17th with stage IV adenocarcinoma NSCLC with mets to the lumbar spine. Began chemotherapy on May 1st- Carboplatin and Alimta plus Zometa for bone mets.
To read a summary of our journey: http://cancerforums.net/about12486.html |
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dano
Moderator
Joined: 19 Jul 2008
Posts: 506
Location: Oahu, Hawaii
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| Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:19 am Post subject: Re: Dad Recently diagnosed with cancer |
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asmith; It sounds like your dad needs a better advocate to help than himself, Yes I think a second opinion is in order. Thank goodness for the second doctor not following the previous nonsense. I went a couple years with doctors telling me they didn't know what I had but they knew it wasn't cancer....wrong! They finally gave me a Bronchoscopy and that's how I was diagnosed with cancer, they followed that with a whole body Pet scan and a MRI of my brain to determine my staging, this is all pretty common for newly diagnosed cancer patients. Pets scans are one of the most expensive procedures you go through and some doctors wont do it because your insurance is will not cover it. Your in a hard position unless your father lets you get involved, are you able to? Other wise Prayer in the best thing because God can make things happen when we can not.
God Bless
Dan
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55 year old male, Diagnosed Nov. 9,2007 with NSCLC IV with Mets to the lymphs and brain
Had full brain radiation treatment in Jan 08 treatments now every 4 weeks with Alimta, taking Lovenox for blood clots, Now working full time
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=9993 |
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Don
Senior User
Joined: 03 Mar 2009
Posts: 181
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 1:33 pm Post subject: My Prayers are With You |
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I am sorry that you are going through this, my prayers are with you and your family.
My mother was diagnosed with Lung Cancer in April of this year. She is 85 and had been a smoker all her life.
The biopsy is to get a piece of the cancer to determine what kind of lung cancer it is.
The Small Cell Lung Cancer is caused almost entirely by smoking. It is fast growing; and yes, the oncologist told us that Mom's tumor had only been there about 4 or 5 months. It had already spread to her liver.
Non Cell Lung Cancer is slower growing and could be caused be other factors than smoking.
Treatment depends on the type of cancer.
Mom's is Small Cell and responds well to chemo for a time. She has gone through 4 rounds and it shrunk the tumor in her lungs but not in the liver. The chemo has been rough on her; the oncologist says additional chemo could shrink the tumors in her liver, but does not believe that she will get any quality of life and is recommending against it. We are realists and will be thankful if she makes it to Christmas.
It is a nasty disease.
God Bless...DonB
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Don B
Dec 07 Dx Follicular NHL, Grade I (Indolent)
Stage IIIA - No Symptoms
Watch and Wait - 6 Month Checks
Jan 09 Scan shows Progression - no symptoms
May 18, 09 - Started R-CVP
After Third Round, CT scan showed some tumor shrinkage
July 31,09 - Completed 6 Rounds R-CVP |
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