In shock can anyone offer some hope or advice

Hello 2 weeks ago My Dad found out he has stage !V lung cancer /  chest wall cancer.  I am still in shock, as he has been going to the doctors regularly since April when he was diagnosed with Pneumonia .  He was hospitalized for 1 week and sent home.  A month later he had a recheck chest Xray which came back clear.  He felt ok for about 1 week and then developed burning pain down his left arm which he described as being on fire and back ache.  ( for years he has had a bad back and has recently had scans which have all been diagnosed with just back wear and tear ).  He had bladder cancer years ago and has his regular check ups which have all been fine. He went to the doctors and was told he had shingles !!! I did question this as he had no sign of rash and there were no bloods taken however dad believed in the doctors diagnoses and put up with the pain for two months. ( the doctor said the shingles would take at least 6 months to subside and no pain killers would help ).  After the two months the pain was getting worst and he went to another doctor who said it was definately not shingles but most probably a nerve in his shoulder and he was referred to a rheumatologist who agreed and injected quartazone and sent him on his way stating it would resolve in a few days and she would review him in a month after she returned from holidays.  The pain didnt go so dad went to another doctor who was obviously more switched on and informed dad he was concerned so sent him for ct scan, mri and chest xray.  The scans showed a growth on his left lung suspicious of tumor. This doctor got him in immediately to a thoracic surgeon who ordered bloods.  That night the surgeon came to dad shook his hand and said with a smile " Great news looks like it is all an infection secondary to the pneumonia ".  Thank God I Dad and the family were relieved.  But then the next day he returned and said sorry not all the results were back when I told you that  the other results show something sinicster.  He orderd a PET scan.  Within one day he was in theatre and was told by his surgeon very bluntly that he had 99 % chance of have incurable cancer  and if so they would put powder in between his lung and chest and that is all they could do.  When he came out of theatre we asked to see the doctor who had gone home but wanted to call us on our mobile.  To which he told me he had stage 1V cancer related to asbestos called myo something and he could not help and no one could.  He told that to dad the next day and even said he could get legal action regarding the asbestos.  Dad was too upset and not worried about the money as none of us were amd never will be.  He told dad no one could help him so to ride his bike and smoke his smokes.  When I asked him for a second opinion  2 days later for a referral he was not happy but said Ok as we had no hope anyway.  He went in to dad the next day and told him Who I wanted dad to see was like sending a broken care to a beutician instead of a mechanic.  He said goodbye to dad offered no councelling, no hope and not even pain killers.  As a nurse myself I am disgusted that he was treated like a statistic not a person.  At present dad has asked to be referred to Peter Mac in Melbourne Australia, His onlcologist who said he would refer him is obviously not happy that he opted for someone else and has not sent the referral to Peter Mac.  Dad has had to spend the last week going to GP to get referral for himself.  Peter Mac will call him this week to let him know if they will accept him.  In the mean time he has stage !V cancer of lung / chest wall which apparently is squamous cell. No treatment no pain regime and no councelling. I guess I just need to chat to someone who has gone through a simalar thing and who can offer some hope and positive advice.

thanks for listening.

5

thanks

After many calls and faxes etc We should find out tomorrow if he is in with Peter Mac which is the best cancer hospital in Victoria.  I am in Australia. It specializes in only cancer care and comes highly recommended.  You are right We do need to get strong for dad to help him beat this thing.  Dad has already started having juices and green tea etc, trying to build his immune system.  Its just heart breaking at the lack of care he has recieved so far.

On 10/2/2008 charsarlotte wrote:

Hello 2 weeks ago My Dad found out he has stage !V lung cancer /  chest wall cancer.  I am still in shock, as he has been going to the doctors regularly since April when he was diagnosed with Pneumonia .  He was hospitalized for 1 week and sent home.  A month later he had a recheck chest Xray which came back clear.  He felt ok for about 1 week and then developed burning pain down his left arm which he described as being on fire and back ache.  ( for years he has had a bad back and has recently had scans which have all been diagnosed with just back wear and tear ).  He had bladder cancer years ago and has his regular check ups which have all been fine. He went to the doctors and was told he had shingles !!! I did question this as he had no sign of rash and there were no bloods taken however dad believed in the doctors diagnoses and put up with the pain for two months. ( the doctor said the shingles would take at least 6 months to subside and no pain killers would help ).  After the two months the pain was getting worst and he went to another doctor who said it was definately not shingles but most probably a nerve in his shoulder and he was referred to a rheumatologist who agreed and injected quartazone and sent him on his way stating it would resolve in a few days and she would review him in a month after she returned from holidays.  The pain didnt go so dad went to another doctor who was obviously more switched on and informed dad he was concerned so sent him for ct scan, mri and chest xray.  The scans showed a growth on his left lung suspicious of tumor. This doctor got him in immediately to a thoracic surgeon who ordered bloods.  That night the surgeon came to dad shook his hand and said with a smile " Great news looks like it is all an infection secondary to the pneumonia ".  Thank God I Dad and the family were relieved.  But then the next day he returned and said sorry not all the results were back when I told you that  the other results show something sinicster.  He orderd a PET scan.  Within one day he was in theatre and was told by his surgeon very bluntly that he had 99 % chance of have incurable cancer  and if so they would put powder in between his lung and chest and that is all they could do.  When he came out of theatre we asked to see the doctor who had gone home but wanted to call us on our mobile.  To which he told me he had stage 1V cancer related to asbestos called myo something and he could not help and no one could.  He told that to dad the next day and even said he could get legal action regarding the asbestos.  Dad was too upset and not worried about the money as none of us were amd never will be.  He told dad no one could help him so to ride his bike and smoke his smokes.  When I asked him for a second opinion  2 days later for a referral he was not happy but said Ok as we had no hope anyway.  He went in to dad the next day and told him Who I wanted dad to see was like sending a broken care to a beutician instead of a mechanic.  He said goodbye to dad offered no councelling, no hope and not even pain killers.  As a nurse myself I am disgusted that he was treated like a statistic not a person.  At present dad has asked to be referred to Peter Mac in Melbourne Australia, His onlcologist who said he would refer him is obviously not happy that he opted for someone else and has not sent the referral to Peter Mac.  Dad has had to spend the last week going to GP to get referral for himself.  Peter Mac will call him this week to let him know if they will accept him.  In the mean time he has stage !V cancer of lung / chest wall which apparently is squamous cell. No treatment no pain regime and no councelling. I guess I just need to chat to someone who has gone through a simalar thing and who can offer some hope and positive advice.

thanks for listening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

My mother had similar symptoms with pain in her arm and back was given morphine in the hospital.  She had been hospitalized several times for possible pneumonia or COPD.  This time she was also seen by a rheumatologist and they thought that it might be rheumatoid arthritis.  A year later while in the hospital for something else she was given a CT scan and told that she had a 98% chance of Stage IV lung cancer.  I have read that the tumors can press on nerves and cause this arm pain.  She also had a blood clot in her arm and that I have been told is related to cancer.  Like your dad they said her previous xrays were negative.  But... in gathering medical records I discovered that they were NOT negative, that for over a year the results were suspicious and CT scans were recommended but my mother was NOT told.  You might want to ask for the xray reports prior to your dad's diagnosis.  Today is Saturday and on Monday my mother will be having a relatively new procedure for inoperable lung cancer.  It is called RFA or radiofrequency ablation.  The doctor inserts a needle while my mother is asleep and literally "cooks" the tumor.  My mother has two areas and they will be treated separately.  The results for early stage have been incredible.  We hope that it will help as well for her.  This treatment has been used previously for other soft tissue cancers, such as liver mets.  The doctor is hopeful that mom will still be here in a year and he even said that he hopes to see her back in two years.  Look on the internet and google "lung cancer" and RFA.  It might be worth a try for your dad too.  My mom will stay overnight but many go home the same day.  Complications are minimal, as is pain.  Good Luck.  I will let you know how my mom makes out.