On 2/5/2008
wendy7 wrote:
I have not been on in awhile because so much has happened since Christmas. Rick developed a fever right after Christmas and was put in the hospital. Initially ,they thought it was pneumonia He was having shortness of breath but they thought that it might be due to the 5 weeks of radiation that he finished right around Christmas. After 4 days in a local hospital, we went home. They did drain 1 lung as there was alot of fluid around it. We then got the news that the fluid had cancerous cells in it. They called it malignant pleural effusion. Our oncologist here had all ready called Mass General where Rick had had his esophagael surgery in August. They wanted us to come back there. We did and we were told that Rick is now a Stage 4 since the cancer has mets to the lungs. Obviously, the outcome is not good. They are saying a few months.They do not believe that he had pneumonia. They inserted a chest tube to drain some more fluid from that lung. They then put some talc powder over the lung which is to stop fluid from gathering around the lung. While that was going on, he got Myrsa and was pretty sick from that. What was suppose to be a 3 or 4 day trip, turned out to be 11 days in the hospital. He was very sick. What I am wondering is-1. He is so short of breath. Just walking a couple of steps gets him out of breath. They are saying that he has been out of it for over a month and it is just going to take time. He needs to get up every hour and walk to get his strength back. We do now have oxygen. Has anyone experienced this? Also has a constant cough 2. Thank goodness they put a J tube in after his surgery but his stomach is very firm and extended-Has anyone experienced that? 3. We started pallative chemo on Friday-Has anyone done that? Thanks for all your ideas and help!!!
Hi Wendy,
I am so sorry to hear about Rick and all that you've been through lately. I don't know if I can offer any help but I might can offer some encouragement. My mother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer in Feb. 07 after having a clear mammogram in December. The day before she was scheduled to have a double mastectomy she was admitted for shortness of breath. It was discovered that both of her lungs were filled with cancerous fluid. The cancer had mets to the lung, liver, and bones. She began palliative chemo right away but seem to stay in the hospital because of the fluid. She had the extreme shortness of breath and cough like Rick does. Her oncologist referred her to a larger hospital in our state. It was there that they inserted an indwelling, pleural catheter. My father-in-law would drain the catheter every two days and this alleviated her symptoms. She was on oxygen for several months but no longer needs it now. The cough is gone, too. At first he would drain about 550 ml every two days. He now drains every 5 days and gets less than half the original amount. Having this catheter has been wonderful! I guess as the chemo began to help the fluid build up was less and less. Also, if for some reason they filled up quickly, then he could drain him.
She was given a prognosis of a few weeks. We just celebrated her one year anniversary as a cancer survivor yesterday! Overall she has responded well to chemo. The spots on the bones are the most resistant. She just finished up 18 days of radiation done on a mass in her right lung and has done beautifully. In fact, they live two hours from us and come to visit a few times a month-they are here for a few days now. She has had some bumps in the road but we wouldn't take anything for the last year! She has had a good quality of life and is continuing to do so.
God has blessed doctors and medical professionals with the ability to do alot of things but he has not given them the ability to reign over life and death. To repeat a saying I have heard several times. Rick is a statistic of 1! There is still hope-even for stage IV cancer patients.
I hope that Rick's health will improve quickly and I will keep you in my prayers.