Lung Cancer - 2nd Brain Mets

I have found this page very helpful even though the doctors, hospitals etc are mainly in America.  I have found that a lot of the info here has not been addressed or considered by the Australian Onc. Numbness to the extremities appears to be a common problem - yet as we speak Graeme is in Hospital being investigated for the reason he feet are numb and feel heavy and weak.  His last lot of chemo was in Feb 2009, and has finished whole Brain radiation treatment for 6 Brain Mets.  It is rather frustrating.

On another topic - Graeme's radiologist told me ( not Graeme) that his life expectancy was around 6 to 9 months- he told me this in April 2009.  Graeme was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung cancer in December 2008.

Has anyone else been given this time frame re SC Lung cancer - or has anyone lived longer than this.

It is such a confusing and frustrating time- with the hardest part being that I and my partner are caring for my ex-husband - he has no one else.

Would really love some support here.

Sheila

I can't speak for Lung Cancer-my husband has grade 4 brain tumor.

However, I can speak for dr's giving you a prognosis.  In December my husband's nurse practitioner told me it would be a miracle if he lived until Easter. So, as you might imagine, I kept checking the calendar to see when Easter was. Well, it's now July and he is still alive and medically about the same as he was in December. I am realistic and I know he won't live more than 6-12 months, but until it clear that he is really at the end of his life, I am not interested in hearing another guess at how much time he has left.

So, try not to focus on the time the dr told you. NO one knows, not even the dr's how long some one has. When my father-in-law was ill with cancer his dr's told him he had maybe a year to live and died exactly a month later. While I know you want some sense of how much longer the person has, it's also hard not to feel like you are waiting for the other show to drop.

On 7/4/2009 gulerina wrote:

I can't speak for Lung Cancer-my husband has grade 4 brain tumor.

However, I can speak for dr's giving you a prognosis.  In December my husband's nurse practitioner told me it would be a miracle if he lived until Easter. So, as you might imagine, I kept checking the calendar to see when Easter was. Well, it's now July and he is still alive and medically about the same as he was in December. I am realistic and I know he won't live more than 6-12 months, but until it clear that he is really at the end of his life, I am not interested in hearing another guess at how much time he has left.

So, try not to focus on the time the dr told you. NO one knows, not even the dr's how long some one has. When my father-in-law was ill with cancer his dr's told him he had maybe a year to live and died exactly a month later. While I know you want some sense of how much longer the person has, it's also hard not to feel like you are waiting for the other show to drop.

Thank you for your response.  In mind head I was thinking the same- but its hard not to take on the opinions of professionals.

But you are certainly right in what you have said.

Thanks again

Sheila

I am a lung cancer patient in remission.  I was given 6-9 months over 4 yrs ago, and wasted a lot of time for a while waiting for the end to come.  Then I decided to live each day and not ruin today worrying about tomorrow.  It has served me well and I have had some great days.  Live each day as best you can, and thank God for each day and each blessing, and pray for his healing.  That is great medicine.

Ed