Hi - my mom just turned 75 in September 2007 and in October 07 after a month of tests was diagnosed with IIIB lung cancer. She went on oxygen in November, and has has had 3 rounds of Chemo then in early Feb switched to Tarceva. Within a week of starting Tarceva she went in for the needle to drain 1.2 liters off her right lung. WIthin 5 days she again had trouble breathing and they put a 3/4" tube in to drain until we could do a pleurodesis 5 days later. she was breathing at level 5 of oxygen pre surgery and has now been on the ventilator ever since for 12 days now. She was right at the point they could attempt to come off when she got a hold of the tube and pulled it out. and was running a fever from a bladder infection. The fever has come down and it has been a week since she pulled out the tube ( we suspect hospital negligence) but has stayed at 60% oxygen and has never gotten back to the level she was prior. They do not hav eher on TArceva currenlty. Can they? with a tube and feeding tube? We want to do something its like they have given up on her! We would like suggestions from those who may hve been here before.
Thank you so much and God Bless! KT