It gets lonely and chemo curls suck!

[AtoyotA]

People don't want to hear that you have lung cancer or about your lung cancer.

My biggest beef, though, is still these darn chemo curls. I used to have beautiful hair and the darn cancer pills took my hair and turned it into a mess.

I'm still alive and do 2 hours of exercises each and every day. I'm not a quitter...and yes, I still don't like my oncologist whom I call "Dr. Death". He only cares about the money he makes and not the patients he's supposed to be treating.

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer]

If your oncologist is unresponsive and doesn’t seem to be working in your interest fire him and get a new one. This is your body and your life.

You might consider having a phone buddy. Someone who has a cancer similar to yours or similar in age or treatment type. You can find one through the Lung Cancer Alliance.

Also check with your hospitals oncology social worker about life with cancer support groups.

[anrean]

I agree 100% with Denzie - if you do not like your oncologist, it is time to find another one that is more caring and responsive to your needs. You won't be the first person to do that, and your focus needs to be on you instead of trying to deal with "Dr Death."

If you are at a cancer hospital, there are often groups so that people can get together and talk about what is going on with them. Also, you might want to find an oncology social worker or psychologist. All of this is more difficult when you feel like you are going through it alone, and there isn't a need to do that. The American Cancer Society can help, too.

Usually chemo changes our hair, but it will eventually go back to its normal state after chemo. For now, accept the changes as part of the living process.

[Feelingblessed2013]

I agree with Denzie, find a new oncologist. There are caring doctors out there, you should not have to deal with "Dr. Death", you are the patient, you are the one who matters.

I originally went to a large cancer hospital for my after surgery chemo, but I was just a number, one of many many patients, so I left there and started seeing a new oncologist from a smaller cancer center. I am very happy I made the move. I changed pulmonologist because he was only there for the paycheck, too busy talking to staff members to waste his time actually answering a patients questions.

My advice, keep looking until you find someone worthy of your time. You are the one who matters.

[ThePurplePlace]

Yes, sadly Cancer can be a very lonely illness and that has been one of the hardest adjustments for me. When I was originally diagnosed (Stage IV) in March of 2015 - I had so much support and people offering to help us and I was thrilled and so thankful for everyone who called or offered help. --- NOW, I rarely even hear from anyone except for my immediate family and one or two friends and even those two friend rarely ever call? It's almost as if they have forgotten how sick I still am? Granted my cancer is stable and I'm currently "off treatment", but I still do not feel well and have a lot of long term side effects from the cancer treatments. It really broke my heart in a way when my friends stopped calling (or caring, so it seems)? I still need them, maybe even MORE and ever now. If I did not have support groups, I would be totally lost and alone.

As for my hair, I always had very naturally curly (hard to manage hair) so this is no change for me, and at one point, when mine thinned out, it was actually a bit easier to manage. I do like my wigs, but not in the hot summer months.

I sure HOPE you will consider finding a new Oncologist, having a team you truly admire and are happy with, is so important in this battle.

Hugs,

Lisa

[Pandora8205 in reply to ThePurplePlace]

I find that when my friends and family first knew about the cancer they were always calling and visiting now 3 years later I'm still here and stable and you find that people have moved on with their lives which is human nature when you're not able to visit or feel weak you don't get included with some of the stuff that your friends are doing. I finally spoke to one of my friends and just told her that I felt like I lost a friend and she said she didn't mean to it's just you never knew how I was feeling and if I was up for company so it's now become Our obligation then when we need help or want to visit we have to speak up and let them know