Just had 35th wedding anniversary
Which was so nice, but how do you not think will we make 40?
My daughter planned a small party which also included watching our football team win on Sunday. Monday I took a vacation day. I had an MO appt. Husband's GP office called and is referring him to a pulmonary Dr. as his latest CT scan is showing abnormalities (as they put it). So my day was consumed with making appts, scheduling my own stuff after going to an appt., and then going to retrieve a copy of his report and reading it and trying to understand it. I don't think it's too good except for the fact they are talking about one section of one lung. No mention of the other one. That's good, right? However, seeing the words neoplasm, post obstructive pneumonia, they are usually associated with the C word. Specialist was scheduled a month out. I have a regular GP check up this month and I will ask GP what he thinks of reading this report. Maybe that will help me cope/prepare for whatever comes next. My husband is a wreck, I am trying to remain calm and say we don't know what it is until we go to the Dr. first part of Nov.
Coping? Yeah sure. I just ate a piece of cake for lunch!
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Neoplasm typically means a tumor but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s malignant. Post obstructive pneumonia is a concern too but not always the C word either. The odds are not in his favor but you never know. I have to admit I wouldn’t like to wait a month either. Maybe that could put him on the list for a possible cancellation? I think I would feel a bit better knowing it’s only a small section in one lung.
Several years ago I went to a local clinic because my shoulder hurt. I’d been lifting my twin grandsons who were 2 at the time so I attributed my pain to that. The PA disagreed and ordered an X-ray and did a pneumonia test. One lung was completely clear. The other one wasn’t but she did say it could be scar tissue or an infection. The pneumatic test was negative.She then freaked out when she saw lung nodules on my X-ray and told me I needed to go immediately to the clinic where I had my BC treatments. I said I would wait until the Radiologist’s report came back. She said he would agree with her. He didn’t. Lungs were okay, etc. The point of all of this is sometimes it’s not as dire as it first appears to be. I hope the same for your husband.
Keep the faith and keep us posted.
Diane
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Hi Diane. First I want to say how sorry I am to hear about your sister. I saw you post about it a while ago and I just never posted in that particular thread (or threads) so please forgive me and accept my condolences. I hope you and your family are coping as well as can be.
I only have 2 CT scans to go by and everything I am reading says the pulmonologist is the correct Dr. to make a diagnosis. His 1st screening was the low dose scan which his LUNG Rad score was a 2 but they noted multiple other findings, the most damning being pneumonia. This was early August. GP gave him short course of antibiotic which I think helped him based on his coughing. It went from wet & productive back to the regular hacking and spitting I've grown accustomed to over all these years. This report also recommended a reevaluation in 6-8 weeks with contrast. This newest report does not have a Lung Rad score on it? I don't know why or did they copy it off? It seems he may have jumped into the 4 category? Different Radiologist reading it (if that matters?). Big difference in just a little over a month. It's about all the insight I wish to possess right now. I will call back and ask to be on a cancel list as well. Thanks! I will keep you posted.
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Thank you for your kind words. We are all still in the state of shock even though we knew it would eventually happen. No way to prepare for the pain that comes with losing someone you love esp one who suffered so. We are coping but just barely.
I hope your husband gets good news. Do keep us posted.
Diane
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Hang in there. It takes time.
Today, I called the one Dr. and all they advised to just keep calling to see if any change in their schedule. So, I called Penn Medicine's main # to see if could get anyone sooner than 11/5 even if that meant going into Philadelphia. Got a closer appt. Oct-22 @ Valley Forge campus. Whew. Not bad for a couple of phone calls. Hopefully when I get home tonight and tell him, he will rest a little easier not having to wait so long.
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Update: Never made Tuesdays appt. I took my husband to the er on Monday morning with abdominal pain. They admitted him after CT of his abdomen. He also had MRI and a lung biopsy during his 3 1/2 day stay. No biopsy results yet, we have the follow appt. on the 30th. Meanwhile, I activated his patient portal and was reading the scans. He may very well have primary lung cancer (right) with mets to his liver, pancreas, adrenal glands (one side more than the other), and there's a nodule on his kidney. I can post an update later next week once it's official with pathology. Our kids are 26 and 33. Still too young. This will be devastating to them.
In short, to answer my question it does not appear we will make our 40th anniversary.
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I am so sorry about your husband’s condition. The C word is beyond epidemic at this point. I think we are losing the battle. Prayers for you and your family.
Dian
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Thank you Diane. Going to the pulmonologist tomorrow. Guess I said that already, I'm a nervous wreck. I assume if cancer we will then be referred to oncology. I hope it's not another months wait!
My husband is doing pretty good. It's encouraging that his pain isn't as bad as it was. I made him some juice (a pancreas cleanse one) and I canned some applesauce over the weekend. We had people over for football on Sunday which was another distraction. He worked all day yesterday, so it's good we are all keeping busy until we get the dreaded news.
We don't have good loving relationships with his siblings, we only deal with them when we have to. His mother is in a skilled nursing facility. His brother already heard something was up and called this morning. He told me he wants no visits from them and he wants to be left alone. They can come see him when he can't see or hear what's going on. I couldn't believe he said that, yet I will honor his wishes, whatever he wants. I'm reaching deep for coping skills!
There was some good news last week. My sister came over to visit while in the hospital and she said her latest pet scan results showed NED!!!!!!!!! She was diagnosed Nov. 2014 ILC w/mets to spine. The arimidex and xgeva shots I pray will keep working for her.
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Hey. Hope the moderators don't mind me updating here regarding my hubby and another type cancer. I did join (yet) another forum!
It is small cell carcinoma of the lung. Extensive stage, we know he has mets to liver and adrenal glands. Once he has the PET I feel they may have been correct in diagnosing him with also having pancreatitis at the hospital. He is feeling much better pain wise since he's no longer drinking his beer everyday. Hope the nodule on his kidney doesn't lite up AND also scheduled for MRI of brain. Hope there's nothing there yet. We're going back to oncologist tomorrow where he will get a chemo class and a start date. Insurance authorization pending-Of course!
We had a radiation consult this morning. Same Dr. that treated me. That treatment won't start until after chemo and another set of scans, then he'll go in for planning. I am encouraged by how hubby is feeling which is better. This cancer has a pretty good response to first line chemo they use today. So, no use to be all doom and gloom now. I will support and help him through treatment and just PRAY he can have some longevity before it returns--and who knows maybe it won't for a good long while! That's my hope anyway.
Thanks for listening.
EDIT: My head hurts!
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Today would have been our 38th anniversary.
On days like this I go back and read things that I wrote down. I post on the lung cancer forum on his death anniversary and still visit there occasionally to see how some of the folks there are doing.
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Loss is always hard. I see the 38 years and that long partnership that is to be celebrated.
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