My husband was diagnosed with lung cancer

CJGirone · New User Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 3

I too am new to this forum and have read nearly every post in the lung cancer forum. For those who are fighting, keep fighting; to those who have lost their battle or have a loved one who has lost their battle to this "cruel thief", my heartfelt condolences. I think I understand.

My husband, 61, was diagnosed by accident last July, 2008 with stage 1 lung cancer. He underwent 5 courses of Cisplatin/Taxol and the tumor shrunk considerably. His treatment ended in January, 2009 and he little side effects. He lost his hair and was fatigued but otherwise sailed through it. In March, 2009 he had a left upper lobectomy. The MD took surrounding lymph node which all turned out negative. He was out of the hospital in 3 days and although painful, I'd say it was uneventful. In June, 2009, another PET scan was done and they identified a 2.4 cm hilar mass as well as left transverse process of the T-8. He is currently entering his 2nd cycle of carbo/gem chemo. He is doing very well with this cocktail as well. Surgery is not an option and the MD has concluded he has Stage 4.

If you looked at him, you couldn't tell that this disease is invading this wonderful soul. I am so afraid for him and thank God for every day I have to spend with him.

My question is this....what can I expect in terms of progression. I feel that the more I am prepared for tomorrow, the better able I will be to help him. I don't know if suddenly one day he'll wake up and our whole world will be turned upside down (not that it hasn't already) or do I have to watch this wonderful man suffer more and more each day. I just have no idea what to expect and any help would be greatly appreciated.

onecoyote · Senior User Joined: 15 Jul 2008 Posts: 150

Hi CJGirone,
Welcome to our nightmare. You are not alone as most of us here have been in your shoes.
To answer you question would be to answer the $64,000 question that I have asked countless doctors. The answer is always the same, "we can't predict how cancer will progress". Everyone takes a different journey on the cancer roller coaster. Even if the sub type and location is the same between two people, the cancer can take a myriad of paths and speeds.
In brief my husband found out last June that he had squamous cell carcinoma very early stage. He had a pneumonectomy and was deemed "surgically cured" and had no adjuvant chemo. Early in 2009 I started seeing weight loss and more fatigue but was told by his doctor that everything was fine. In May he ended up in the ER with hypercalcemia which usually indicates a cancerous tumor is present and subsequently was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic lung cancer.
My husband tried one round of chemo on May 26th but was so debilitated to start with that is made matters worse, so he discontinued all treatments. It is two months later and he is doing ok, eating well and animated but the cancer is moving with lightening speed.
This is just one journey that started out looking good but having a bad ending. There are some people here that were diagnosed stage 4 and they are still going strong. I hope they post their story here so you can compare.
I am sorry that no one can answer that question nor can they predict how long someone has. Cancer has a mind of it's own and when the day comes that someone can read it's mind, cancer will be eradicated.
Prayers sent out to you and your husband,
Charlene
_________________
Husband Danny, age 66,
diagnosed squamous cell June 6, 2008,
Right pneumonectomy performed with no adjuvant chemo or radiation on Sept. 2008
Metastatic lung cancer in the ribs, scapula and right kidney raised it's ugly head May 2009.
Renal cell carcinoma diagnosed May 2009
One round carbo/taxol, too weak to continue
Cancer racing like a freight train
Held my husband's hand when he passed away September 29, 2009

CJGirone · New User Joined: 26 Jul 2009 Posts: 3

Thanks for the information, I was afraid I already knew the answer. It just scares me that I won't be better prepared to help him. I thank you for your prayers and mine are with you as well. Keep us posted.

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2396

Hi and welcome to the forums,

I'm going to ask to have your message moved to start your own thread as you deserve a spot of your own for folks to get to know you.

God bless as you go through this journey of unknowns.

PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

brainman

CJGirone, just an admin note... I spite off your post and the responses you received and started your own topic. I did this in order to keep from hijacking the other person's topic. As you can see, people started to respond to you rather than to continue interacting with the original author. I hope you understand and do not take this personally Smile

.

I am sorry about you husband's cancer. You and he are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2405
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2528
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 3: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Twitter: @JimHawkins54

simplyklb

Hi! Welcome to the forum! Sorry you must post here but glad to have here.

My parents both were diagnosed with lung cancer in May 2008. My dad had small cell lung cancer and my mom has non small cell lung cancer. I lost my dad to cancer in October 2008 just five months after diagnosis. His cancer was already advanced by the time he was diagnosed. My mom is doing well in spite of recent growth of her original tumor and lymph nodes near her aortic arch. She underwent six rounds of chemo (four rounds of Carboplatin/Taxol/Avastin and then two rounds of Cisplatin/Etoposide) and 35 radiation treatments. Right now she is doing a dour to six month run of Alimta... given once every three weeks.

I am not going to lie.. It is a rough road to go... So many twists and turns. Progression depends on many factors.

Kristi
_________________
Dad - Andy, 70, diagnosed with SCLC in May 2008
2/20/38 - 10/15/08 Fly high, Dad!
Mom - Jackie, 67, diagnosed with NSCLC in May 2008

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