My Husband Has Lung Cancer

On 2/21/2008 Flyman35 wrote:

My husband Tom was just diagnosed with stage IIIA or IV squamous cell non small cell lung cancer. Tom developed a bad cough about 4 months ago and was treated for pneumonia. The cough was not going away so they decided to do chest x-ray and found a mass. That was on 1/14/08. The next week was followed by a CT scan, Bronchoscopy and a PET scan. He was diagnosed on 1/29/08. Tom started Chemo on 2/11/08 which is exactly 4 weeks from when they discovered the mass. Tom has a history of cancer in his family so for him it does not look good. His father was 66 when he died from lung cancer, his sister Donna was in her 50’s when breast cancer took her and his sister Marion died just 3 years ago from throat cancer. He is handling it like a trooper and I am trying to stay positive with all the advances in medicine. The last 4 years has been one health issue after the other and he bounces back every time. He has survived quadruple heart bypass surgery and an abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. In April the mass was not there when they did prep for the AAA repair and in that small amount of time the mass has grown to 7cm with a questionable spot on the liver. They cannot biopsy the liver without risk of collapsing his lung so we are in a waiting game. If the liver spot shrinks or grows with the next couple of treatments then they will know it is a metastasis and not a possible cyst. 

The last couple of days have been rough on him as he is coughing so much he cannot catch his breath and is having trouble sleeping. He sees the pulmonologist on Monday for breathing treatments and I hope that helps him. He is just getting worn down. Tom has always been active so it hurts me to see him like this. He is still working through all of this as he will not give up untill he literally can't move which is good and bad because he does need to rest so he can beat this.

To all who are sick or caring for a loved one who is sick please stay strong and remember to take time for yourself so we can be there for those who need us.

Denise

Hi Denise, sorry to hear about your husband. My mom is battling stage IIIa nsclc.  I completely understand the waiting game.  That is the hard part for me.  I like facts and a clearly navigated path and I have been offered none.Your husband sounds like a fighter and you too.  After six months of doctor appointments and four rounds of chemo I have little time for myself.  I have been feeling run down lately as we now enter radiation therapy for six weeks.  This is a very scary journey for the patient and the caregiver. 

My mom has developed a cough that reminds me of her initial cough before the tumor was removed.  This is very unsettling to me.  I worry the cancer is growing again.  Anytime a spot is mentioned I worry.  I hope the breathing treatments help your husband get relief, my mom improved significantly when she had them.

 Best wishes to you,

Mandy

Hi, this is very simular to my husband.

How are things going for you guys now?

My husband was diagnosed 15 months ago with a 10 cm mass and has now started Tarceva.

This has been his only western medicine treatment this far.

Tracy

Hi Tracy,

Tom is doing okay. He has had 4 cycles of Taxol/Carbo and had a CT done on Monday. We will go on 5/5 for results and see where we stand. He is mostly just achy but still manages to go to work everyday. After the first 2 cycles he had a scan it already showed shrinkage so hopefully we will show more shrinkage and they may be able to do radiation we hope.

Denise

Hi,

My husband Joe was diagnosed in August 2006 that he had adenocarcenoma and squamous cell in his lung and in his throat. In October of 2006 he had a partial lobectmy of his left lung. First i guess I should say that he has been a smoker for about 45 yrs when he was diagnosed. He was in the hospital for two weeks after the lobectomy, cigarette free, but as soon as he got back home he started smoking again and still continues today. He has had radiation, several different types of chemo, carboplatin which happens to be the latest he was on. Each time the doctor requested a CT Scan, Chest X-ray or MRI all they seen were worse and worse results and I feel it is all related to smoking. The doctor just recently told him that he feels there is nothing left to do. He said he had possibly one more chemno treatment in mind but with all the weight he has lost, the continued smoking, it is a very agressive chemo and he will be sicker than he has ever been. This doctor has bent over backwards to help him with no avail. I have been to every appointment with him and I know that they have done everything humanly possible to help him. I don't want to give up but I know in my heart that he is nearly done. He sleeps pretty much 24 hrs a day. His family wants him to go on to see other doctors even though none of them have been here for him and he does exactly what they say to do. I just wish he would have done something to try and help hisself, anything, especially the smoking. We have only been married for 5 yrs and I am not ready to let go.