Hi all. The past few weeks I have been coming here reading everyone's posts and it has really helped me deal with my mom’s cancer. 2 weeks prior to my mother being admitted to the hospital (09-03-04) with a collapsed lung she was being treated for pneumonia. Of course my mother being 63, and a life long smoker there was a voice in the back of my mind telling me it was cancer. On Sept 02, 2004 I spoke with my mother and my sister was taking her the following day for a CAT scan. A large mass was found in her right lung and the CAT scan was to determine what it was. When my sister went to pick her up at lunch my mother’s front door was open. My sister found her lying on the couch, face and arms swollen beyond belief, and barely breathing. My sister called an ambulance and got her to the hospital. We all met in the waiting room, anxiously waiting to hear something. When they called us to go back and I went in the room I about fainted. She was swelled beyond belief. My mother has always been a small woman. I didn’t recognize her. She was on the respirator. We were told that her right lung was totally collapsed and that the fluid was the cause. From the ER we went to intensive care and over the course of a few days all was confirmed. Non-Small Cell, inoperable. The major hurdle was getting her to a point she could even take radiation. The doctor suggested a tracheotomy and feeding tube, he thought that might help in her recovery. After several thorocentesis procedures, and 3 weeks of weaning her off the respirator she was ready. She was to have 10 treatments of radiation. The first week we saw a vast improvement, her breathing, everything. The last 5 was what washed her out. She was now ready to transfer out of ICU. We decided a Long Term Acute Care Hospital would be the best choice. She wasn’t strong enough to make it in a "rehab" setting. After a week of being there the tumor and the fluid got the best of her again. She was back on the respirator. This time a chest tube was inserted and over a liter of fluid was drained. The talc procedure was done (2 weeks ago) and it has pretty much been down hill from there. Friday (10-29-04) we learned the cancer had spread to her liver and right breast. She is too weak to do chemo or any treatment for that matter. So, we are waiting. The Dr. says if she gets stronger and can get off the ventilator he would consider the chemo, but still thinks regardless it wouldn’t be a good choice. He talked to us and said quality, not quantity of life is what’s important. Right now they can keep her comfortable with minimal pain medicines that don’t keep her knocked out. He has given us a 2-4 month time frame.

I am still in total shock. Knowing that others are going through the same situation(s) and reading all of your stories/experiences has helped more than anything.