Stage 4 Lung Cancer

[wanda1974]

Hi everyone.

My mom was rushed to the hospital last week for a 3 day migrane, and vomiting for 3 days. She has since been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer that has spread to her brain and lyphnodes. She is 55 and otherwise healthy. 8 years ago, I watched my dad die from Leukemia. It;s a horrible way to go. The doctors want to try chemo and radiation. They have not given us a prognosis. I have researched a little on the internet, as from what I've read, it doesn't look good. Have any of you ever been through this with one of your family members or friends? I would like to here your experiences....good or bad. I can handle it. What I can't handle is not knowing what to expect. Thank you in advance.

[CaliGuy]

No, I have not but I have friends who have and it's a tough battle. It's up tp your mom to decide if she wants to go through the treatment.

 

My mom passed away suddenly at the age of 59. She had a ulcer that hemmoraged. The doctor said "She never knew what hit her and she did not feel any pain." In a way, I am glad.

 

I can't imagine what your mom is going through but I can tell you that it's harder to fight than to give up.

[blind_otter]

My Dad passed away from lung cancer this past October 18, 2006. It was horrible to see him die. He wasted away and lost his voice. They operated to remove his entire left lung and the cancer came back, grew even more rapidly than the previous tumor had, and he was dead about 5 months after they removed his lung.

 

He became delirious and suffered from pain med-induced dementia during the last few weeks. It was hard to go through and harder to lose him. He was 2 days shy of his 77th birthday when he passed away.

 

I'm sorry I couldn't be more cheery. Lung cancer is an ugly thing. I had another aunt who died this past year. She was dead within a few weeks after they diagnosed her. She went to the doctor with trouble breathing and was dead before the test results came back saying that it was cancer.

[amaysngrace]

My brother was diagnosed stage 4. Not lung cancer but another type due to smoking. I read up on it too. The odds were not good.

 

But he recovered completely after a summer of hell. Chemo and radiation.

 

I think the odds are really 100% or zero. Either you get better from it or you don't. Anything in between is BS IMO.

 

Try to stay positive and encourage your mom to explore whatever options her doctors recommend.

 

My heart goes out to you both. It's tough to be where you're at.

[whichwayisup]

My father died in 1993 from Lung Cancer. In 1991 he had the 1/3 of his lung taken out, chemo and radiation. Was in remission for almost a year, then it came back, had spread into his liver and back into his lungs.

 

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom, my heart goes out to you. It's not easy to go through, so I hope you have alot of other family and friends close by to help you cope through this.

[wanda1974]

Thank you all for your replies. I just found out from my mom's friend that they'll be starting radiation tomorrow, and doing a full 2 weeks of it. What are the side effects of radiation? I know chemo is the one that makes you really sick. The doctors also said that the tumors she has are inoperable. She is also going to the eye doctor today, because the dr said the tumor in her brain is pressing behind her eyes, and that should diminish after a few treatments. I work 6 days a week and have a 10 year old daughter to raise. The guillt of not being with her everyday through this is KILLING me. I'm having such a hard time concentrating at work.

[amaysngrace]

Radiation is like burning. It leaves marks where they treat it. It makes patients very tired. And it also has some internal side effects on the surrounding areas.

 

But on a bright note, it can be highly effective.

 

I know it's hard but you just need to stay positive as you can right now. Think she's going to beat it and she very well may. XO

[quankanne]

MiL died a couple of summers back from lung cancer, and the only blessing about the whole thing was that she had an incredibly high tolerance for pain. She started exhibiting flu-like symptoms in the summer, and by september, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She never felt any pain from the cancer, and at first the chemo didn't mess with her system too badly. However (and I think it was because she was anorexic), it proved to be too much because she was sicker from the chemo than from the cancer.

 

by that time, treatments had ended the following spring, and her lungs looked good. About a month to 6 weeks later, the cancer was back with a vengence. We drove to Alabama the week of Memorial Day, left out early that Friday morning and got the call right after midnight on June 5. That last week, they took her out of the hospital, where she was being fed and hydrated, she couldn't keep food down, and provided hospice care at home.

 

talk to your mom and ask her what she wants to do as far as treatment. She may decide that chemo or radiation is the way to go, or she may decide that being heavily medicated is a better option. As hard as this is for you to see her dying, it might be of some relief knowing that you're helping her through seeing her wish for treatment through.

 

my heart and prayers go out to you.

[wanda1974]

MiL died a couple of summers back from lung cancer, and the only blessing about the whole thing was that she had an incredibly high tolerance for pain. She started exhibiting flu-like symptoms in the summer, and by september, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She never felt any pain from the cancer, and at first the chemo didn't mess with her system too badly. However (and I think it was because she was anorexic), it proved to be too much because she was sicker from the chemo than from the cancer.

 

by that time, treatments had ended the following spring, and her lungs looked good. About a month to 6 weeks later, the cancer was back with a vengence. We drove to Alabama the week of Memorial Day, left out early that Friday morning and got the call right after midnight on June 5. That last week, they took her out of the hospital, where she was being fed and hydrated, she couldn't keep food down, and provided hospice care at home.

 

talk to your mom and ask her what she wants to do as far as treatment. She may decide that chemo or radiation is the way to go, or she may decide that being heavily medicated is a better option. As hard as this is for you to see her dying, it might be of some relief knowing that you're helping her through seeing her wish for treatment through.

 

my heart and prayers go out to you.

 

 

Thank you. My mom has already stressed to the doctors that she does not want to go through what my dad did. He was soooooo sick fromthe chemo and radiation. SO, she made a deal with the doctors that she would try a few treatments, and if she didn't like it, she wants to quit. So, i'm hoping she takes well to the treatments, for my own selfish reasons for keeping her around awhile longer. I'm just so overloaded with all this. But, my 10 year old keeps me sane.

[quankanne]

how is your little one handling the idea of your mom being sick?

 

she made a deal with the doctors that she would try a few treatments, and if she didn't like it, she wants to quit.

 

it's good that she's making sure she gets the final say, because it means she's still in control. In the meantime, be sure you've got a safety valve to help you through the hurt and pain you feel about her illness – having something that's a constant is very reassuring when things feel like they're out of control.