Hi everyone,
I am sorry I haven't been back for awhile but between trying to get back on the road with learning to live with Lung Cancer and RA, together. I have gotten a bit behind on some important things.
The last time I was here I told you of my impending operation to have a tumor removed in my right lower lobe. I did and it came back as Squamous Cell Carcinoma, in other words lung cancer. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed with this news.
They have staged my LC tumor as T1a but can not formally call it that as no lymph nodes where removed. I have no idea why but now they want me to have another operation to have the remainder of my lower right lobe removed. Not sure I will be doing that. No Chemotherapy is being offered at this time. So I guess I am in a wait and see mode with my LC. Not happy about how all this turned out.
All I want now is to go back on some meds for my RA. Hopefully when I see my oncologist next week he will OK me to go back on them. The RA has tore me slam up and I certainly need something in oder to keep up and moving. If they offer me Remicade this time, I am taking it. No more being afraid to try something that just might work for me anymore. I may have more to gain than loose.
I won't keep boring you all about my health issues but I did want to come back and let you all know I am still alive and did well with the operation. I wish the outcome would have been different though.
Thanks again for all your kind well wishes and prayers as they really did help me get through a very emotional time for me.
I did post a Thank You Note to you all at Sore Joint Cafe in our September 2007 Newsletter. You can read it in our "Community News Board" http://sorejointcafe.smfforfree2.com
Here is the Thank You note to you.
Update on my LC operation out come and Thank You's:
When I had to go in for my lung cancer operation I was very frighten and felt very alone. Not a nice place to be when facing such a horrific situation in ones life. As the time approached for me to have the operation done, I was greeted with an out pouring of kindness, caring and prayers for a successful operation and recovery from many of our board friends at 'Let's Talk Arthritis', 'Sore Joint Cafe' as well as 'Arthritis Insight". Just as I was about to be put under the anesthesia, I thought of all of you and your kind thoughts and prayers which helped me to face being put to sleep without fear and with faith that the surgeon would be able to remove all the cancer tumor. I am happy to say that they did get all the tumor with good clear margins and with no large or small vessel invasion. They classified my tumor as a T1a and requires no chemo at this time but since no lymph nodes where removed, they are not sure I am a true T1a stage. Both my surgeon and oncologist believe that another operation to remove the remainder of my right lower lobe is in my best health interest to have it done. I will update you all as to my next possible operation date, If I decide to have it done, that is.. Thank you all for being there for me. You made a frightening situation more tolerable.
I also would like to take this time and let you all know that Sore Joint Cafe now has an open posting board for all who come there and wish to be part of our board but do not want to register right away. You will have to give a name to use on the board and your e-mail address but that is all you will need to do to post messages on our board. We hope that some of you will come by and try us out. We are all about enjoying life and all it offers us, even when we may not be well or happy with the direction our lives are going.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week.
(((Gentle Hugs)))
Waddles
Hi there Waddles. You probably have heard this a thousand times but I am so sorry to hear your diagnosis of Lung Cancer. The good news is that your margins look good. It must have been very frightning.My thoughts and prayers are with you in your recovery. Deciding whether to have more surgery must be hard but if its for the best then you must do it.We are all behind you 100%. Did the Lung cancer occur due to RA ? My aunt has battled this and this was due to her RA. I also wish you well in your RA treatment .
Take care
Gentle hugs to you
Hi Pincushion
Thank you for caring and your good wishes. It 's hard to accept but I am trying. No one really knows why or how it happen. I was a past smoker. They where keeping an eye on some other nodules that where on my lungs and this one just popped up from nowhere and then it grew very quickly. Having clear margins and no small or large vascular invasion does help me feel a little better. Not having my nodes removed to see if any cancer was in them, does not sit well with me at all. Have another operation is scary but losing a lobe is more scary as I do have COPD too, now that's from smoking. I will be seeing my Oncologist next week. Maybe he will give me more information about what else they may be able to offer with out an operation.
Anyway, This is where I stand for now. I Just hope I get on something SOON for the RA. I feel like I want to tear my hair out from all this joint pain that I am now having everyday.
Thanks again for posting back to my message
Monk
Waddles- sorry to hear about all your challenges. I can only imagine how scared you have been. I have spent all summer with my son going through another bout of Hodgkins with him. He had tumors in his stomach and he had a 50/50 chance- and God provided a miracle- he made it again- this our fourth time in the past 5 years. So as a mother I know how i felt- and I also know that a positive attitude is so very important with cancer of any type. It is 90% of the cure.
I wish you love hope and care- hang in there and know that there a lot of us that cherish you and are there for you when you are having bad times as well as good.
Hey Waddles!
Was not too worried about ya, as Liz kept us informed on how you were doing after your operation. Glad it went well and being such a trooper thru it all.
I hope that you can get back on your RA meds soon.
Much love and hugs. And feel free to "bore" us with your health problems we do not mind. We are just happy you will and feel up to "boring" us.
I'm so sorry about your diagnosis. But it sounds hopeful that you have clear margins and no vascular invasion. Did they say why they did not check any nodes? I wonder if there has been a change in protocol, or if, because of the margins they can be sure the nodes are clear. I hope you go ahead with the other surgery, if they feel it is best to keep the cancer under control.
You are in my thoughts and prayers. Please let us know what the Oncologist says.
Hugs and Blessings,
Nini