Hello I am new here - Cancer: Lung Message Board

Cee10 · 11-22-2006, 01:58 AM

Hi
I am new and hope it's ok to post on this board. I have adenocarcinoma which I am told is a cancer that targets the epithelial cells.
In June of this year 2006 I went to the Dr. with leg pains and fatigue, he gave me a check up, x-ray and blood tests. The next day I went for a scan I have a 7.5cm mass on my left lung.
I then went for a bronchoscopy, one of the worst experiences of my life and the histology came back with the adeno cells, however it's been decided that the mass on the lung is a metastasis, as it's not the primary site, surgery is not an option. The primary is unknown. Chemo was discussed but as my physical condition is not good, I have severe muscle wastage and weigh about 95lb it's thought that chemo would destroy my quality of life very fast and/or probably kill me.

My Father had liver cancer and refused treatment he was given a max of 6 months to live - he lived happily for 5.5 years.

I am not too disturbed about not having any treatment at the moment. Being alone here it's most important that I am able to function and care for myself. I am living in a foreign country and don't know many people here or speak the language, other than that I am very happy here. It's the not being able to communicate about cancer which is the cause of my isolation.

When I first went to see my doctor here a 'friend' came with me to translate, she helped a few times then in the middle of the all the tests she disappeared, just calling occasionally or showing up when she was in the mood, this hurt, it hurt a lot, less than two weeks after being diagnosed. Just writing this helps me to understand why her behaviour hurt so much.

This has given me a major problem in that it's really hard to communicate with my Doctor, he speaks little English. I really want to try and understand what is going to happen to me so I can make arrangements, if I will need someone to come in and care for me, how will I know if/when that time arrives. I am afraid. Not afraid of death exactly, but afraid of the unknown, how this disease will progress.

My Doctor here is surprised as at the last couple of x-rays the mass in my lung has not grown. However I now get intense pain behind my shoulder blades. The mass is in the lower part of my left lung, not sure what that area is called.

I am having steroid injections into my knees as all the cartilidge there is gone, that was the reason for the leg pain.

Can I come and talk with you guys please?
God Bless

Cee

bt8425 · 11-22-2006, 04:55 AM

Hi Cee, You are in a unique communication situation and understand your concerns over all you have mentioned. I've thought of a few alternarives that may help you if return is out of the question.

Contact a corresponding Doctor or cancer center back home to translate, records can be faxed back and forth and plans and treatments can be discussed.

Contact the Red Cross where you are staying, they nust have bilingual healthcare reps. who can assist you now and ongoing.

Contact your Consulate and explain all, they could help or direct you to those who can.

Keep fighting like us all, may your pain be gone, come back and update us. Praying for you in the U.S.A Bt

conan1017 · 11-22-2006, 05:04 AM

Cee-

Allow me to be the first to say "Welcome aboard!". I know I speak for the many of the outstanding people who post here. I hope you will take the time to get to know everyone. I think you will find alot of comfort and benefit from dialogue with people who have been battling with cancer in different ways and with different levels of expereince. If you have come to get better informed, I think this is a great place to start.

My wife basically has the same cancer as you have. She has a regular amount of pain in he back and so your condition is all too famaliar. She has also lost a considerable amount of weight and at one point was down to 102 lbs, but has since come back up to about 112 lbs. However, she just had chemo and is probably dropping a few.

I can tell you are a courageous lady. I look forward to seeing you around and hope your sojourn here is a pleasant one.

God Bless,

conan

easyrun262 · 11-22-2006, 07:16 AM

Hi Cee10- You have friends here. I often come to this site to find peace in knowing that there are many individuals out there sharing similiar adventures.

I'm also new to this site. I'm also diagnosed with a terminal illness and not afraid to die. Similiar to you, my fear is the unknown. The 'not knowing' and 'waiting for the other shoe to drop'. To help ease this, I have made a committment to live life fully every day. It helps to do this by knowing that none of us can fortell what is on the horizon.

Peace, health, and abundance... Tom

Cee10 · 11-22-2006, 11:14 AM

Thank you Thank you Thank you so very much for your kind words, tears came into my eyes with your acknowledgement and understanding of the situation in which I find myself. I was diagnosed on July 19th, so a lot of pent up emotions.

Hi Bt, thanks for your suggestions, I did contact the UK embassy I am English, but no help is available from them.
I also tried with the help of an American friend to send my slides, records and scans to a cancer centre over there but they could not guarantee the return of things so decided not to follow up on that.

The Red Cross is a great idea I would not have thought of that one, thanks I will check it out.

Hi Conan, thanks for talking of your wife's cancer it does sound similar to mine. I do pray that her chemo is successful and that she gains weight. It can be so hard to eat, little and often is the only way for me I think of it as putting in essential fuel, the way a car needs petrol,
it does not make the process enjoyable but does give me the determination to eat something. Maybe it will help your wife if she thinks in that way about food. I am finding rice pudding easy, it's easy to make, easy to digest, just slides down and when I've had enough just
put in the refrigerator until later.

Sorry I made a mistake converting kilo to pound with my weight in the post above I'm 105lb = 48kilo

Hi Tom, you are so right none of us know what will happen tomorrow, and thanks for the reminder to live life each day to the full, sometimes thats easy to forget, when the clouds gather.

Tomorrow I have another adventure at the doctors, leg pain has returned in a big way, so hope to have some more injections in the knees. Boy how life changes never ever thought I would hope for needles to be stuck into my knees

Thank you all once again, you will never know how important your response is to me.

God Bless

Cee