Hi I am new.....

jessicahsmom · Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 9:49 pm Post subject: Hi I am new.....

Hi my name is Jessica and I am new here. I know you all know where I am coming from and I pray that someone out there can give me a little help. We found out 2 weeks ago my mom, who is 56 today has a mass in her right lung. She wasn't feeling well at work and went to the doctor and he ordered some xrays. She has a very large mass and he ordered her to have a CT scan. Which confirmed a golf ball size mass that is in the lower right hand corner (attatched to the lymph nodes in the middle of her lungs). The next day we met with an oncologist and he told us he is pretty sure it is malignant and plans on treating it like a full body cancer.

We were just devastated by this and started thinking the worst. He ordered more blood work and a bone scan. Blood work came back ok and when I took her in for her bone scan, the guys doing the scan said some things they shouldn't have. She was done with the scan and was getting up and one of the guys says they needed to redo her hip again. Seems something was pulling away from the bone and it shouldn't be and they needed to see if it is in the bone. They also mentioned urine being some where, it wasn't supposed to be. She came back into the waiting room with this look on her face that I know I will never forget. She told me what they said, I could not believe they would have done that. So we got to spend the whole weekend thinking she probably has it in her bones. We went and filled out the medical release form to get the copy as soon as we could.

So come Monday morning we get her registered for a CT guided needle biopsy for the next the day. I went and picked up a copy of the bone scan report and there were 2 spots they were concerned with. One on her left hip and the other on her spine. I didn't have the heart to tell her so of course I lied to her. The next morning we head off to the hospital for her biopsy. We get there and check her in and get her paper work. So guess what they have down for her diagnosis for the biopsy, lung and neck mass. So for the next 40 minutes she is feeling her neck and just imagining the worse. The nurse did clear it up and said it was a typo. Finally it is time for the biopsy and they bring us down to the CT room. They get the IV in her and get her on the table and told us to go wait in the waiting room and they will be done in about 45 minutes. Well, they couldn't do the biopsy. The Radiologist looked at the new images on the CT and said there were to many blood vessels surrounding the mass he was scared he would hit one and she would bleed to death. The only spot he might have had a chance would have been going in on her side and going all the way accross her lung. He thought this would collapse her lung, so he refused to do it. We couldn't get her in anywhere else to see if someone would do the bronchoscope, so we went home.

My poor mom is ready to give up at this point and I can't blame her at all. So Wednesday I brought her in for new xrays on her hip and spine, I though I was going to knock her in the head and drag her there.....Thursday we met with a Pulmonary doctor referred by the oncologist. She seems to think she can do the bronchoscope. So next Thursday we are going to try it again. She was sure that it is small cell at the limited stage due to the location of the mass. She said if she is wrong then it's in stage 3B. She said her only shot of getting a sample of tissue is if it is small cell and if it has spread to her air ways. If she can't then they will have to go in for the CT guided needle biopsy and take our chances. I have to bring my mom in Tuesday for a breathing test, she didn't think she would be able to have any of her lung removed but, want's to know before the biopsy. We did meet with the oncologist and he said the xrays came back ok and he said there was a spot on her pelvic bone that looks like it is deformed or is missing calcium.

Anyone have a feed back of our situation? Does it seem normal to have all of these problems? Has anyone else had a mass that they couldn't get to and what ended up happening with a diagnosis and treatment?

We do know they plan on radiation and chemo at the same time...
Thanks for any help any of you can offer...Jessica
_________________
Jessica
Daughter to Linda
who is newly
diagnosed with
lung cancer

deba · Regular Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Posts: 28

Hi Jessica,
I am so sorry to hear about your mom! My Dad was diagnosed with extensive small cell lung cancer in January, along with advanced congestive heart failure - all in the same week. You cannot be very old if your mom is only 56. My heart goes out to you.

I'm also sorry to hear about all of the problems that you have had. Unfortunately sometimes in the medical field it seems that all we do is wait and wait. (And I work in the medical field Smile

Although we are at the mercy of the doctors, don't be afraid to be very pro-active in your mom's care and treatment. Ask questions and make phone calls as much as you need to. Do not just sit back and wait on the medical community. Do your own research and go into everything very prepared. Take pen and paper and write as many notes as you need to - you WILL be glad that you did.

Keep your mom's spirits up and keep praying for the best. Hopefully if the biopsy confirms cancer it will be in the limited stage. Please keep us informed. There are many on here with much more experience with cancer than myself. I have experience caring for family members with other devastating illnesses, but this is my first experience with cancer. I have found that the more informed you are, and the more that you can ask intelligent/informed questions of the doctors and nurses, the more they seem to "respect" your trying to help your loved one.

Hang in there and I'll be praying for your mom.

Deb

jessicahsmom · Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:18 am Post subject: Re: Hi I am new.....

[quote="deba"]Hi Jessica,
I am so sorry to hear about your mom! My Dad was diagnosed with extensive small cell lung cancer in January, along with advanced congestive heart failure - all in the same week. You cannot be very old if your mom is only 56. My heart goes out to you.

I'm also sorry to hear about all of the problems that you have had. Unfortunately sometimes in the medical field it seems that all we do is wait and wait. (And I work in the medical field Smile

Although we are at the mercy of the doctors, don't be afraid to be very pro-active in your mom's care and treatment. Ask questions and make phone calls as much as you need to. Do not just sit back and wait on the medical community. Do your own research and go into everything very prepared. Take pen and paper and write as many notes as you need to - you WILL be glad that you did.

Keep your mom's spirits up and keep praying for the best. Hopefully if the biopsy confirms cancer it will be in the limited stage. Please keep us informed. There are many on here with much more experience with cancer than myself. I have experience caring for family members with other devastating illnesses, but this is my first experience with cancer. I have found that the more informed you are, and the more that you can ask intelligent/informed questions of the doctors and nurses, the more they seem to "respect" your trying to help your loved one.

Hang in there and I'll be praying for your mom.

Deb[/quote]

Hi Deb thanks so much for the response, I am sorry to hear about your dad that really has to be tough....We have seen cancer all around us but, never within our own immediate family, and it's tough.

I am only 31, I lost my dad about 4 years ago from Lupus...I am very informed and have done nothing but research the last 2 weeks. I am ready to go with what ever the diagnosis is. I do have all of her medical, insurance, info on the cancers, treatment options and drugs, nutrition. A date book for appointments and so on. I will be able to leave everything at her house so if I can't be there, someone will do what needs to be done. I am concerned with the radiation and chemo at the same time. I am thinking if they just hospitalize her and do the CHART-radiation, 3 times a day for 12 days, that would work out...we will have to see. Thanks again...Jess
_________________
Jessica
Daughter to Linda
who is newly
diagnosed with
lung cancer

deba · Regular Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Posts: 28

Jessica,
You go girl! Sounds like you are prepared for battle and have your info all ready to go. My Dad did chemo and radiation at the same time, but his radiation was to the brain. He tolerated the radiation just wonderfully! The chemo has been a different story, though. Keep us posted.
Deb

	Cancer Forums Forum Index -> Lung Cancer Forum	All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

A website for discussions about any type of cancer, including lung cancer, breast cancer, mesothelioma, prostate cancer, laryngeal cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and others