October 2010 I had a severe bout with shortness of breath. I went to the ER where I was dx with advanced lung cancer. CT, PET and biopsy confirmed that it was stage 4 adenocarcinoma with mets to rt lung and liver. I had lost 50 lbs but I had been on a diet for a year and that did not seem excessive although I was tired all the time. I wrote that off to fatigue and depression- I had ended a 20 year relationship earlier that year. The aching in my joints were, I believed, side effects of meds I was taking.
By the time I was diagnosed I could no longer stay on my own. I had been living in a small loft apartment that was a 3 flight walk up from where I parked. The treatment plan was very aggressive and we were warned that it would be debilitating. My cousin made room for me so my family and friends closed down my apartment and moved me into her nearby home.
I had concurrent radiation and chemotherapy. My oncologists poison of choice was cisplatin and etoposide. I had 4 rounds of chemo and 30 rads treatments. It was indeed aggressive. And it kicked my patootie. Often,when thirsty, I would pick up my water bottle and fall asleep before it reached my mouth. I was not able to cook, do laundry or any other chores to help with my own care.
2011: Everytime I had my 3 mo CT I would find myself in pain. My bones had become brittle and ribs were breaking every time I laid on the metal table. The steroids used during treatment made my osteoporosis quite brittle. Using egg crate type foam on the table put a halt to breaking bones.
Prior to that on the day of my nieces wedding I laid back in the car and immediately was in excrutiating pain. Went to an orthopedic dr who put me In a back brace and scheduled appt to see surgeon. That week pain became intolerable. We went to the ER and I was admitted on a Friday night and had bone biopsy and kyphoplasty to T6 & T7. T8 was not far enough gone to require surgery yet.
Went home a week later where I stayed about a week when new pain developed. Back to the ER. My pleural effusion required draining again but I had also developed a pericardial effusion. The thoracic surgeon said I would require surgery again but it was not an emergency. We could wait a few hours! The next morning the surgeon performed a pericardial window procedure or cardiac tampanade. The next day they tried to perform a VATS pleurodesis but the pleura was badly loculated and the procedure aborted. My surgeon reported that she found necrotic cancer cell in my pleura. I left the hospital a week later with a pleurX catheter in the largest pocket of my left lung, which remained there for a month.
After I came through that I started thinking about what was to become of me. Most important, I asked myself why did I put myself through all that chemo and radiation. My answer came back, it was so I could live. I chose to get moving and do things- anything. Exercise helped me strengthen my much weakened core and I found I had more energy. Fortunately I required physical therapy and that's where recovery truly began.
Stage 4 adenocarcinom
First time here - pretty scared
Rib/Side pain is back 2 years post op.
My Cancer Story
