Scared

[906-9269]

Lung diagnosed March 2014.... lower left lobotomy ......later radiation of nodes and chemo.....mri was clear.......in remission.........great! Now I'm experiencing dizziness, balance problems, fatigue....feeling generally awful. Checked into hospital and am being scheduled for brain surgery to remove a 3 centimeter growth to be followed by more radition. I suspect it's mostly life extending rather than cure. The alternative is a call to hospice. Anyone with a similar experience, or useful information? Many thanks from California.

[Ruthie1950]

I pray for complete healing and full recovery. God bless you.

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer]

The brain mets does put this into the stage 4 category. At this point all treatment is palliative rather than curative BUT that doesn't mean you can't become a complete responder.

Early on in the 6.5+ years with my stage 4 lung cancer I became acquainted with a man whose lung cancer was diagnosed because of his 3 brain mets. At that time I met him he had been thriving for 12 years. He'd a reoccurrence of the brain mets 2 years later but has been progression free since. He's still kicking 18 years out from diagnosis.

[FtB_Peggy]

906-9269, I am so sorry you got such hard news, but as Denzie says, there is hope! If you haven't already, please have an honest talk with your doctor or the nurse navigator. You need all the information you can get to make a decision, so take your time and then trust yourself. Please keep in touch!

[gibdonnalee Community Superhero]

Hi, so sorry to hear prognosis , I think I would do whatever I could do to give me at least a chance for more years. I am in stage 4 lung cancer, so far I've had 3 good years and planning on many more! Like Peg said, have a honest conversation with your doctors. Prayers being said for you and for your peace of mind through this. Donna

[GMC1]

What about Steriotactic radiation? My husband started out with lung cancer, still being treated for that but when it went to his head twice he had Steriotactic radiation and the same thing for his adrenal (SBRT). Just scar tissue left in the brain and adrenal. I believe they also do Proton therapy for the brain as well. When we were at the Proton center in Jacksonville there was a man there with a tumor behind his eye that was to be treated.

I will be happy if the medical oncologist and the radio Oncologist marry so as to recommend what would be best at a particular point on the road to recovery. There is room for both but at this point a person has to be lucky enough to find an educated group of patients like you find on here who are willing to share experiences and information. I personally do not like surgery, but that is just my feelings. Sometimes it is necessary.

[scottlg]

Hi scared, I'm on round 2 adrenal-carcinoma in my lungs following a nephrectomy from renal cell cancer which started in 2011. I have been in 'dying mode' a few times..,accepting, preparing, and often welcoming passing. Anyway, I recently finished a series of STRT (radiation). It's six yrs later and it appears today often it's more about 'living with it'...like any other life-threatening illness...than dying from it!

It's a new normal absolutely, but I am discovering that smiling, enjoying things and believing that maybe the best of my life is yet to come...is more up to me than I thought (a blessing and a burden!) what do I got to lose?...feeling depressed? hahaha!

Best regards, scott

[FtB_Peggy in reply to scottlg]

Nicely said, Scott!

[JeanE41 in reply to scottlg]

Good to hear from you. You have a great sense of what living with a life threatening and life altering illness means. Keep the faith and keep well.

Jean

[Keneki123]

Dear Scared ....Im sorry to hear of this new news . ALl I can thin of is to try yur best to keep strong and positive .