New to board need friends

[PamsaRN]

Hi, My name is Pam and my Dad has nsclc. He was dx last oct 2001. He has been reciving chem up until the last 2 months in which he develped pneumonia and had to be hosp for 13 days over Christmas (this is his first hospitalization). The night we brought him in they said he might not make it threw the night.....well, we were shocked .....we had no idea his disease has spread so much, the last we heard his tumor was a 5.2 /2/3.5.....now its 7.0/3.5/6.o the dr said the size of a grapefruit.....it went from an egg to a grapefruit in a few weeks and the dr never said a word..he took a xray a few days before we took him to the ER and he said he had nothing to compare it to and could see no change.....geeze..anyways now they are going to try Iressa 500 mg a day. Has anyone tried this? Pain is always a problem and of coarse breathing is very difficult.......does anyone have pain in their legs for no apparent reason? my dad does and it baffles us..........now I've been dealing with Multiple Sclerosis for the last 3 years and I am stressed out......my mom is beside herself...she just took her 5 month leave of absense from work to be with day.......its just not knowing whats going to happen next and the helpless ness that I hate......being a nurse I want to fix everything.....I appreciate all the prayer I can get for my family and thanks for listening........Pam

[LeisaH]

PamsaRN I think your dad is doing great if he was diagnosed Oct/01!!! Mom had pain in her legs the last few weeks and the docs could do nothing but offer an anti-anxiety drug to help relax the muscles. They said that it could be a variety of things from the masses pressing on the brain to a tumour wrapping around the spine. Mom did get to go on Iressa and what I think it helped with was the breathing..... technically, I think that the Iressa does not stop the spread of the cancer but that it helps prevent the further growing of the tumours in the lungs. Mom never went on oxygen but for one night, and she did not have trouble breathing until the very end. I will place you and your family in my prayers.

[PamsaRN]

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. The drs have told mom that dad has about 5 to 6 months to live..of coarse they aren't God so I don't pay alot of attention to them. Its just so hard to watch someone confront death and they don't want to die.......who does I suppose but, its almost a complete denial from my dad and moms not much better..........everyone deals differently I just worry about them alot...thanks again Pam

[plc]

Sorry to hear about your dad, It can be so frustrating at times. What ever you do don't blame yourself for missing a sign,or a problem. You may be a nurse,but when it comes to family, objectivity comes into play.Right now your mom needs you more then ever,just to answer questions and to explain. My prayers are with you,and if you ever want to talk send a message, Also thank you for replying to my message, I'm the one who is questioning the CAT scan, and got the awful news. Right now we are waiting for the results of the biospy. Our surgeon comment on the procedure," I have deep concerns" That leaves you alittle stressed.She is calling us on Monday...I hope it is not another call of doom...I would like to meet a hopeful doctor,hopefully I will find one. Thanks for the tip on writing things down....plc

[hope1220]

My mom was dx with nsclc on 2-8-02. After many different types of chemo - mom developed sever pain in her extremties (arms and legs) once or twice there was even swelling in her feet. her oncologists says it is a side effect of the chemo. that some of the chemo has damaged her nerves in the extremeties. We were all over the place got better, stayed the same, spread, shrank but recently 12/11/02 the dr. told use it had grown about 25% and she too is trying the IRESSA drug. We of course won't know if it helps for a few weeks, but my mom is having good days and bad days but fortunately it seems that she is having more good days lately. You and your family are in our prayers too and remember everyday is a blessing and the dr's really don't know how long someone has none of us do. Good luck.