Help!!! I Was Just Diagnosed!

Hello everyone, I was just diagnozed with Lung cancer yesterday, after experiencing difficulty breathing. 

 I have not seen an oncologist, or received a biopsy yet. This is brand new to me. I'm a 51 year old female, in relative good health and fitness. I was a light smoker for about 20 years.

I am SCARED TO DEATH!! can anyone help me?? The size of the tumor is about 3x2. What do I have to look forward to?? THANK YOU!!

Mine is not lung cancer (mine is laryngial) but the first thing I would tell you is that everyone responds differently, and  everyone has different regimines of treatment.

I don't know who gave you the diagnosis, but unless they have done a biopsy they are not sure what dind of tumor you have or how agressive it may be.  See an oncologist.  When you do see one, make sure it one that you can work with, talk to, and understand the explainations.  I  have been lucky with good ones-- I don't know of any bad, so I can't help too much in the choice area. 

 Make a journal.  List what questions you have, what dr.s tell you, what you feel, etc.  This has been extrememly helpful when I needed to look back on what meds etc.  Yes, some of the stuff is on the chart, but it is nice to have it in your hand.  I got really good at recording blood counts, days, times, notes about dr. discussions, and even how I felt about it.

Find a good friend that can go with you sometimes just so you have a different set of ears and a different person asking questions.  This was very hard for me because I believe in 'taking care of my own business'.  My parents are wonderful people but they are too emotionally involved and they still think of me as their little boy (I'm 47).

It may not be fun, but you will learn a lot.  You will meet some wonderful people and you cna beat this thing. 

 Good luck.

Please make sure you seek out treatments at a top cancer facility. That can make all the difference. If you seek out US News and World Reports, you can find the top ten cancer facilities in the country. The number one was M.D. Anderson in Houston, TX.

That's where I went and it was great.

Good luck and God Bless.

Rick

I agree with Rick, MD Anderson is great.  I am in Houston, and it is convenient for me.  I started all of this 4 years ago in Tampa and I liked my hospital and dr. there as well. 

Keep us posted on how well you are doing. 

Sorry to hear of the new reality of your life. I'm just echoing the others in saying that you need to be in a top facility at least for the diagnosis part of your "cancer journey". You don't indicate where you live, but there are top places in NY, Sloan Kettering for one, Johns Hopkins if you're near Boston, the Mayo Clinic in the Midwest and places in LA and San Francisco too and of course MD Anderson in Houston. After you get the initial diagnosis and treatment plan, it can be done more locally. But a really experience team diagnosis is the first step. Good Luck and hope to hear good things only.