Feel sick - Cancer: Lung Message Board

wendy 39 · 04-02-2007, 09:34 AM

I feel so sick ..i cant seem to get my head around it...my husband of 44 years has just been diagnosed with stage 3b non small cell lung cancer...they cannt operate due to it being central to the lung and resting on blood vessels which could be fatal ,so they ae starting him on chemotherapy this wednesday..Gamcitabine and cisplatin...he has just had a pet scan and its not spread anywhere ...pheww...i keep wandering how long hes going to be here....he seems to be dealing with it fine ...but my head is messed up...and my 16 year old finding it tough .....why????

Cee10 · 04-03-2007, 11:54 AM

Hi Wendy,

Sorry that you have such bad news, and now to some extent have to learn a new way of living. The time of diagnosis is a huge shock for everyone who has to come face to face with cancer, it will take time to come to terms with living with cancer and adjust to the many possible changes that cancer brings with it.
Your husband is very young, and I am guessing that you are too.

No one can answer the question 'why?' there is no answer, no 'why'. It just 'is' unfortunately.

Your husband has nsclc 3b you say, well there is a small ray of light there, in that it's not as bad as it could be, and it's been discovered relatively early for lung cancer. How was it discovered, did your husband have any symptoms? How is his health aside from the cancer?

I suggest you research as much as possible to learn about the disease and what to expect and the treatments, this way you will be better able to ask the medical team questions and understand if they start talking in jargon. There are lots of good informative sites online, most of them are American and connected with cancer institutes, they go into more depth then the British sites.

The people on this board are very supportive and in similar situations to you, most of them have far more information than I can offer you as far as caring for your husband.
I have stage IV cancer of unknown primary which has metastasised into the lung which is why I am on this board.

Don't panic, you are in shock right now, it will pass, then you will be in a calmer place to move forward with your husband and 16 year old daughter or son?

God bless you and your family

Cee

wendy 39 · 04-05-2007, 02:35 PM

Hi cee10 ....i am 39 to be precise..thankyou for your kind words.. He had chest pains before christmas he went to doctors on Dec 8th from work..he referred him straight to hostpital ....he was diagnosed with Pleuracy and sent home with a course of antibiotics and told he has to breathe deep to get through it...no xray was taken at this time...after christmas i knew he still had this niggling cough so i sent him back to doctors he was slightly getting short of breath...doctor was amazed the hostpital did not do xray therefore referred him back ...he had xray end of Jan saw consultant mid february to be told he had cancer and that it was approx 6-12 months old and about 4 cm...they cannot operate at the moment as it is in left lung and sitting on a blood vessel ...he has just had 1st treatment of chemo...he does not feel ill...he hasa cough and slight breatlessness...his appetite is good in fact he has put 5lbs on he is eating very well he looks so well we cannot understand...he has no more symtoms...im so sorry to hear about your cancer ..i would like to wish you well...my husband is a great believer in positive mental attitude....
take care...wendy..x

EdwardB · 04-06-2007, 05:51 AM

Wendy - thinking of you and your husband this Easter. Stay positive and strong. May i ask more about his symptoms, what kind of specific pain did he have in his chest and did he notice it long ago and just kept dismissing it as something else. May i also ask if he is/was a smoker.

I am the same age and have been struggling to quit the fags for 4 months, Lung cancer scares the hell out of me and i think that i am almost becoming paranoid. I wish governments would throw more money into lung cancer research than weapons research - we would have a cure for most cancers in 10 years if only we spent the same amount on trying to save lives as opposed to trying to kill and mame.

And i wish i was mentally strong enough to just quit and stay quit, i can't believe how i have struggled in giving the smokes away.

Please stay strong for your husband and keep his spirits up and i will pray that he makes a FULL recovery. I think attitude is a very important thing to keep upbeat. I am sure he can beat this illness.

wendy 39 · 04-06-2007, 09:23 AM

Thanks Edward... he had stabbing chest pains more than anything at that particulat time was difficulty getting breath...very painfull...he got through that period ..now he has no chest pain but does get slightly breathless..easy..i dont think it was pluaracy ...im convinced the pain was this damn tumour breaking through...he did smoke for 25 years unfortunatly although i tried to convince him to give up severall times...his father died 3 years ago form lung cancer..he was a weak ill man could not have chemo to weak...he smoked all his life ...this prompted my hubby to give up...hes not smoked for 3 years now..although hes still on nicotene gum..the doctor assures me this is not a problem..at least hes not smoking...it was really the first time he had chest pains ..none previous to this...this has all happened very quickly like i say first chest pains started in December....now hes on chemo...its such a shock to the system ...im sure people who are ging through this understand me.. I dont know how old you are Edward...but if you can quit ..please do...Life is so strange now...it almost does not seem real..feels like we have this bad dream ...when we wake up hope its just a bad dream but its real....its a new routine...its difficult ..but it seems you have to get on with it and deal the best way you can...i must say i am all cried out and seem to be getting stronger now.....i cant believe it ..i sound so selfish ...its my husband that has the cancer not me...but if you saw him you wouldnt believe it...today is 2nd day after chemo and hes been working all day from home ...he has no symtoms....i just hope!!!! And prey!!