We found out a week ago that my mom has Stage IIB LC. Our doctors do not communicate well. Everything seems to be moving so slowly. Appointments scheduled for weeks from now. We want to get this going. I am scared and sad. ANYTHING I can get as far as info is appreciated. Everyone tells me to stay off of the internet, but that seems to be the only place I can get answers.
Don't stay off the Internet but do consider which sources you use, and do know that survival statistics are out of date. Don't let them scare you. I think that the more you know when you finally get those appointments, the more you will learn from the doctors. I looked at it as having a framework on which to hang what they told me. A good site is Mayo Clinic.
Communication is so important when dealing with cancer. If you are not getting that, perhaps you should go elsewhere right away. Are you going to a cancer center? Can your primary doctor speed things along?
It IS scary and sad, and I wish all of you well as you embark on this journey that none of us wanted to make.
Gretchen
You shouldn't have to wait weeks to start treatment. Maybe you need a new team of doctors. You have to be able to communicate with them and get speedy treatment. My advice is to get a second opinion ASAP.
I am assuming you have already had PET and CT scans and perhaps a bronchoscopy to even get the stage? Are they going to do surgery or chemo first or what is the plan?
I know for me they just sent me to a surgeon and it did take 3 weeks after that to actually get into surgery. So I was diagnosed about 5 weeks before the actual surgery.
Are you going to the doctors with your mother or getting the info second hand from her or someone else?
I had my husband go and write down everything that was discussed as I was in another world with this.
I was 58 when this happened to me and am doing well so far with only surgery, but every case is different. Get doctors you literally would trust with your life!
Prayers going your way!
Boy do I know where you are at. So many of us have been there. It's like "hey guys this is cancer" So scary. You will find the help you need here. Its hard not to search the internet and a lot of it is not pretty. I think back and it was like I was in the tunnel from hell. Keeping you in my prayers! Judy
Wow, thank you all so much, I appreciate the prayers more than you know! She has had Pet Scan and CT scan. We were expecting to find out alot from the Pet Scan, but the doctor told us we had misguided notions about that and the only thing she was looking at was lymph node activity. Lung capacity test is scheduled for a week from now and MRI is scheduled for a week after that. We are looking at almost a month now from our first Xray. My brother is going to all these testing appts with her and I am waiting to go for surgery and chemo or whatever else. We have no idea about treatment at this point, they have told us nothing. We were thinking second opinion but they have something called a "tumor board" that ALL the docs in the hospital will look at her case, so we thought that would be like a second opinion. Her insurance is actually through the hospital (Scott and White in Temple) and so she hasn't much of a choice on another group of doctors. Once again, thank you so much!
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