Surgery

Was diagnosed with none small cell cancer on 31st Dec 07 after numerous tests and Broncoscopy & Mediastinoscopy, MRI, PET. CT scan I have been scheduled for surgery on 14th March know will be painful any tips to speed recovery.  I am also a Diabetic on Insulin & Oral Medication and this can delay recovery.  Tips please

On 2/28/2008 toothlessvenus wrote:

Was diagnosed with none small cell cancer on 31st Dec 07 after numerous tests and Broncoscopy & Mediastinoscopy, MRI, PET. CT scan I have been scheduled for surgery on 14th March know will be painful any tips to speed recovery.  I am also a Diabetic on Insulin & Oral Medication and this can delay recovery.  Tips please

 

My mom was diagnosed last August and had a wedge resection of her upper left lung.  Will you be having a lobectomy or a wedge resection?  This may make a slight variance in healing time.  My mom had a bit of a rough time immediately after because her blood pressure was so high.  After this was under control she did very well.  She had breathing treatments and I did her various exercises with her moving her arms over her head etc.  A respiratory therapist and later a physical therapist saw her in the hospital with their own exercise regimens.  She also had to use a spirometer which is a small plastic device with a tube and mouthpiece that she had to suck in air from and try to get the little white ball in the device to rise to a certain level.  This exercise increased healing as well as her pulmonary function.  The more she was willing to do the different exercises the better she felt.  She also went home on oxygen (not everyone does, she has underlying emphysema) and decided to wean herself off the O2 with the assistance of a visiting nurse who oversaw her O2 saturation levels and blood pressure.  She only thing she didn't do was walk around as much as the doc suggested and still I was amazed at how well she was doing at 2 weeks post-op.  She was given pain meds and did great.  I hope this helps.  I wish you a speedy recovery.

Best wishes,
Mandy

Mandy,

I just found out yesterday that my mother has Squamous Lung Cancer. We have not been to the specialists yet so I don't know what stage she is at. The doctor who told her yesterday told us that there are two options, remove the upper left lobe or radiation. He did not mention chemo for which I am happy. She had colon cancer is 1998, rectol cancer in 2006 and bladder cancer last year. She has diabities but is managed with her diet. Can you tell me why the doctors or your mother decided on surgery rather than radiation. Were there other choices? Outside of cancer once a year she is very healthy for a 76 year old.

My daughter told me that a lot of times when a woman around her age has radiation that cancer shows up in other places like the thyroid.

Your message made me feel so much better. I hope they caught hers early.

Sharon