Trialbyfire Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 My Dad has always been there to catch me when I fall. He's there for me through the happy and the sad times, giving of his strength, humour, wisdom and love. He and my mother are ying and yang, bread and honey. The two ground the family, immediate and extended. And now, he goes in for lung cancer surgery next week. It's thank goodness, only stage 1 cancer. The surgeon is positive he can get it all in one shot. We're all staying positive and treating it like any other surgical operation, with a minimal risk of 5%. It's the least we can do for dad, be his strength, be there for him for all the times he's there for everyone else. We're all taking shifts, dropping in at different times. Today was my turn, so I spent a couple of hours with my parents. Mom's holding up really well and so is Dad. Their love for each other is tangible, even moreso now. It makes me want to cry. No matter what happens, he'll always be my hero and I'll always be his little princess. Link to post Share on other sites
Moose Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Please know you're in my prayers, as well as your family! Link to post Share on other sites
Geishawhelk Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 TbF.... Just "here". Link to post Share on other sites
burning 4 revenge Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Im sorry to hear this. I dont pray but I can only wish him well Link to post Share on other sites
Author Trialbyfire Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 Thanks for your well wishes, Moose, Geish and b4r. I'm not sure why I wrote about it, except for cathartic reasons. Being together with the two of them, alone, was difficult. So much unsaid but it's all there, underlying. On the outside, strong, bullet-proof and positive. On the inside, a five-year old curled up in a fetal ball. There's no use crying about it together. This isn't what he needs. He needs to be positive, knowing and accepting that everything's going to be okay. This is one of the few times, my hug was protective and sheltering, and his was a little scared. Link to post Share on other sites
Star Gazer Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 (((HUG))) xoxo Link to post Share on other sites
Lights Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Hope everything works out well. Link to post Share on other sites
IfWishesWereHorses Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Sorry about your dad TFB. I'll keep your family in my prayers. Link to post Share on other sites
underpants Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Good thing this was detected early. Also a good thing that you have a tight family that pitches in so the burden is shared. That is so nice. I wish him a speedy recovery. Link to post Share on other sites
climbergirl Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Oh TBF, i'm sorry you guys are going through this. He'll be ok. They caught it early, but I know you're scared. Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Link to post Share on other sites
jerbear Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 You and your family are in my thoughts. "we're" here. Link to post Share on other sites
curiousnycgirl Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 TBF I am so sorry to hear about this, and as everyone has said, my thoughts and prayers are with your dad, you and your family. Out of curiousity - how did they find it so early. That indeed is a very wonderful and special thing. Link to post Share on other sites
motive2002 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 ((((((((tbf)))))))) Link to post Share on other sites
Author Trialbyfire Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 Thanks Everyone! I feel better after writing it out on LS and talking with a few of my friends, this afternoon. I don't dare talk about it with family because everyone's trying so hard to hold up, believe and be positive. Yes, that's the lucky part, that they caught it so soon. When they go in, they'll take samples from lymph nodes, to ensure there's no spread. This will define whether he needs further treatment, after surgery. Maybe radiation, maybe chemo, maybe nothing. Even if it's nothing, they might still give him radiation treatment, just in case. I know he'll be okay. When I was small, he used to put me on his shoulders since I was the type to cut and run, when in a crowd. Not much has changed! I used to say "My Daddy's so tall, he can touch the sky". Edit - nyc, he had problems breathing when he came home from their trip. This was very unusual for him since he's very, very healthy for a man his age, so they took an x-ray and found the inclusion. He went in post-haste for an ortho-biopsy and they found it. His doctors, especially his GP, were amazing for taking something like this so seriously from the get-go and reacting so quickly. Link to post Share on other sites
johan Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 It's scary, I know. But they caught it early, and he'll be ok. Just be there for him. And don't stress him out by mentioning that guy you've been dating. He's not going to approve, and you know it. Link to post Share on other sites
burning 4 revenge Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 was he a smoker or did this metastisize from somewhere else Link to post Share on other sites
Author Trialbyfire Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 Haha...if anyone's going to stress anyone out, it will be the other way around! My dad can bite through nails when it comes to meeting prospectives. Dad's never smoked a day in his life. Hang on, that's not completely accurate. He's smoked the odd cigar with the guys, here and there. I forget about that, since it was few and far between, from what I recall. Link to post Share on other sites
amaysngrace Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I'm sorry to hear this TBF. Luckily they got it early. Hopefully they can get it all. My thoughts are with you. XO Link to post Share on other sites
burning 4 revenge Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 TBF I dont think that this is the same kind of carcinoma as the aggressive ones smokers get but Id need more information to be sure The carcinoma is different than the stage, meaning its a different class and a different chemical compostion with a different malignancy Do you even know if it was a primary lung tumor or if it came from somewhere else? Link to post Share on other sites
Author Trialbyfire Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 Thanks amaysn. I don't know all the specifics, since I haven't spoken to his surgeon. All I know is that it's stage 1 cancer and it appears to be localized but the samples from the lymph nodes will define the rest. Link to post Share on other sites
burning 4 revenge Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Well its almost impossible thats its small cell carcinoma since that is almost exclusively related to cigarette smoke and thats the worst one to have (people in my moms family who smoke seem to get it) Some non small cell carcinomas arent very aggressive so we can only hope thats the case here Link to post Share on other sites
amaysngrace Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Thanks amaysn. I don't know all the specifics, since I haven't spoken to his surgeon. All I know is that it's stage 1 cancer and it appears to be localized but the samples from the lymph nodes will define the rest. My BFs mom just went through this. She had her first surgery in October. The biggest problem she had from the operation was she was winded for a bit. But the lungs are an amazing thing. When they take out one part the other parts expand to compensate. But it does take some time for that to happen. So he may be winded easily during the recovery. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Trialbyfire Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 b4r, I've avoided researching it too much or finding out more detail. I just want him to get better. I want to believe what I've heard from the surgeon, through Mom. The more I know, the more it will prey on my mind. Consider it conscious denial. That's good news about your b/fs mother. Hopefully things will work out the same way with my Dad. Link to post Share on other sites
burning 4 revenge Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Well everyone copes in their own way I guess. I cant cope in the dark without going insane Link to post Share on other sites
Ariadne Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Sorry about your father TBF, and good luck with the surgery. Link to post Share on other sites
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