I read postings everyday and lately it seems that only caretakers or family members have been adding posts. I have always found it motivating to read stories from people that have already gone through all of the ordeals of SCLC.
I was dx March 10, 2008. Six rounds of Gemzar and Carbo later and I had clear PET and CT scans. I'm undergoing radiation treatments currently.
I've always wondered when you become a "survivor" instead of "in treatment"?
Well, I'm a caretaker, wife of a SCLC fighter. Mike. He won't be posting because he is computer illiterate! But I can tell you he is a survivor! He was dx on Jan 2, 08. One doc gave him 9 months. Well, he has beaten that! He feels good, eats well, has great spirits. Today he is filling out an application to be a volunteer at the hospital. Mike is 51 and has taken disabilty.
He has had carboplatnim/VP16 (6 cycles of 3 treatments per cycle), chest radiation (15 treatments), topotecan (3 cycles), whole brain radiation (10 treatments), and is now on Taxol, has had 4 cycles.
He is in treatment, but since he has beaten one doc's prognosis, I call him a survivor. The next prognosis is 18 months, so he is over half way there.
Don't get hooked on lables. They don't mean anything.
Good luck and God's blessings.
you know, it goes in cycles here - you are right, the caregiver survivors are pretty chatty this week - sometimes the patient survivors are chattier.
I can tell you the exact moment when you and your loved ones become survivors - the moment you hear those nasty words - "you have cancer". there is also a second transition - when you move from barely surviving to breathing and living again. there is also a third transition - when you can laugh again.
hugs - I'm glad you're here
Pat
I am a 3 year survivor of NSCLC. I had an upper right lobectomy, no chemo, no radiation and was type 1A when diagnosed. I trust they got it all! At any rate, the most difficult thing for me seems to be to deal with stress at work without getting stressed...I feel guilty and afraid that getting stressed will make the cancer come back. I balance my fears of recurrence with much gratitude and recognition of what a miracle my life is. On November 8, 2008 I am climbing 510 steps to help raise money for lung cancer research and awareness. I am so blessed to be able to participate.
Glad to hear there are other survivors out there!
Hello I am a surviving NSCLC patient .I had my lung removed in August and im now going through chemo .If you ever wanna chat just email me on this sight.-kandy
I'm a survivor!!! From stage 3B (told to contact hospice) to being a 3 year (totally clean) survivor. (Read my profile for the full scoop.)
I like Pat's definition of what a survivor is. You are a survivior the second the doctor says you have cancer and you manage to scoop yourself up off of his floor and walk out of his office. That's when you are a physical survivor. You are a mental survivor the second you can say the word cancer without totally falling apart and make the decision to fight this thing with all you've got.
Even though a person is still on their journey of fighting the cancer, he/she deserves to be called survivors. Heck - SURVIVING each new day is what we do. That makes us all survivors.
God bless you!!
Dana
My husband, Michael, is also a small cell survivor, he was diagnosed in June 2005. If you want to read his perspective have a look at www.johnnytherazor.co.uk.
He has now had six clear scans and is doing well.
regards
Lynn
There are survivors here. My dad was the one with LC, so I am a family/caregiver member..God Bless!
Look under members for Ann. She is from Georgia, is an awesome person. She is a five-year survivor of small cell. Read her old posts - she is so funny and such a breath of fresh air!
I know what you mean about WHERE ARE THE LUNG CANCER SURVIVORS!! Sometimes we LC survivors just need to have some time with one another and hash things over with each other, or compare notes. I've been on the LC Boards for over 7 years now and this board started out pretty much lung cancer survivors and then it became both, WHICH IS WONDERFUL, but it would be nice if maybe we lc survivors could have a little spot of our own to call home and just bounce things off one an other or vent or cry to another person who is walking in our shoes.
GOD LOVE OUR CAREGIVERS, I know I do, and I too was a caregiver to my mom, dad, sister, etc., who all died from lung cancer, and NOW I am a 13 years NSCLC SURVIVOR and to be honest with you, being a caregiver and being a survivor is apples and oranges.
BUT, I can share you that I do have 2 LONG TERM SCLC Survivor members in my In Person Lung Cancer Support Gorup. One is a 9 year survivor and one is an 8 year survivor and they are doing VERY WELL and CANCER FREE to this day!
I think it's kind of sad that we do lose so many of our lung cancer survivors members either by passing on, or they just don't post as much. We NEED to hear from LC Survivors, they offer hope to so many people that need it. I hope MORE LC SURVIVORS will take the time and post a message now and then. I see several of them are missing here and I hope they are all doing well and that we will hear from them soon!
God Bless us all.
Today is my one year anniversary of DX - NED since June 07.....I'm surviving!!!!
Well Hello there this is from a cancer survior ,
My name is leslie and I was told in 2005 that i had lung cancer 3cm in the rt upper lobe In april of the same yr it was removed and i spent 48 hrs in the Hospital. Two wks after my surgery I had chemo
Gemzar and cisplation of what a joy that was .I had no port thank god. But they told me i had good veins (until they got a hold of them ) I did not do well with the chemo .I had this for my routine 2 wk on 1 wk off
When I had the 2 chemos together Was the worse days it hurt so bad for me they had to numb my viens first and almost knock me out .And to people that have long hair Like I do (I SAVE MOST OF MINE )
if you would like to know more about my journey Pleas e feel free to email me or get in touch with me here I am not here often but i do check in
So May God Bless us all
I am nscls survivor - two years, 5 months and counting :). I was diagnosed with Stage 1B but the tumor had protruded through the visceral lining of my left lung. My surgeon and oncologist could not say they 'got it all'. I had surgery to remove the lower left lobe, followed six weeks later with four treatments of taxotere and carboplatin.
Like someone else posted here, we are a survivor the first time we hear the word 'lung cancer'. We are never, ever the same person after we hear that word. A lung cancer survivor has courage, perserverance, faith, and determination that is beyond limits.
Best wishes,
Bette
I had nslc 12 years ago and had one left lobe removed; the following year the other left lobe was removed. No chemo or radiation recommended. I was diagnosed the year before last (in June) with nslc, metastasized. They don't know if it is from the earlier cancers or new, but it doesn't much matter. I do consider myself a survivor as I have had all those good years. Don't give up!
I had SCLC, dx in Sept 06 - did chemo & radiation. When I had a f-up bronch in Jan 07, there was still a very small tumor, so I had a complete right pneumonectomy end of Feb 07. Was home from the hospital after 4 days and back to work full time in May 07. I did PCI while I was recovering from surgery - it's always fun to have ones head locked down to an exam table...lol. Oh, well, at least it wasn't a series of MRIs.
I have just had the second to the last of my quarterly follow up CTs - and happy to report that it was clean.
I will see the doc in Jan 09 and then will be able to go every 6 months instead of quarterly. Doc is pleased with my progress - I am ecstatic...and VERY grateful.
I had outstanding caregivers - both professional (shout out to York Hosptial Cancer Center - York PA - you guys rock!) and personal. My husband Mark and teenage daughter Katie were absolutely phenomenal. My extended family and friends never let me feel like I was dealing with anything alone.
Lung Cancer is NOT a death sentence. We need more focus on early detection.
Blessings to all,
Lisa
I am a four year NSCLC survivor - diagnosed as Stage 3B, have been Stage 4 for a long time. Not able to have surgery, had chemo and radiation together, then more radiation, then Tarceva and just now finished chemo - Alimta - have remained stable with 9 x 6 cm tumour in right lung since April. Have never been in remission - still staying positive and feeling normal. You can read profiles for great success stories. Good luck with your radiation treatments!
Sylvia
It is inspring that you have been stage 4 for a long time. My father is taking Tarceva now after a recurrence. He had surgery at stage I but it never recurred in the margins - so they "got it all" but I guess it was after it already started its march through the body. I will have to read up on Alimta too for our trip to the doctor on the 30th. He starts tarceva soon - it was carboplatin/taxol - and avastin, but it recurred on avastin after the chemo
I am a caregiver. My husband Don was dx in Feb. 2007. He just started his 3rd round of chemo and will begin radiation in two weeks. He was given 6-9 months without treatment so here we are surviving 18+ months.
He is just not a computer person. He never learned to type too well (and has his own method of spelling) so he is a silent observer on this site who just reads and lets me do the writing.
You hang in there. There are lots of survivors who are rooting for you!
Hi. I am a sclc survivor - now 10 months after treatment. I was diagnosed in May 2007. I received 6 carboplatin/VP-16, concurrent 33 chest radiation, and 13 PCI brain treatments. These treatments ended in December 2007. I did have some scarring from the radiation which I took a round of Prednisone for in January 2008, but other than that, all scans have been clear. I have had some fatigue, but even it is now getting better.
So, have faith, there are survivors out there. I am one. I work on trying to stay positive (which, I admit isn't always easy!) - but I do keep trying.
My next CT scans and check ups are next week, so I feel that "uneasiness" and will be glad when they are over. Isn't it crazy what the mind does right before the next scan???
God Bless you all.
nkb (Karen)
Hi, I began having the first symptoms of SCLC in the July of 2006 when I was 58 years. I was initially told my intense pain was arthritis so the cancer was not actually diagnosed by in January of 2007 an urgent care physican. Of course by this time, the cancer was Stage 4 and I was no longer able to go to work at a job I loved. I have had 3 different chemos, some work better on me than others which is probably true for most people. I have an oncologist who is terrific and keeps on trying which is all I can ask for. On the 3 of Jan. 2009, I will be 2 years from my SCLC diagnosis and am confident that I will still be here. My last C-scan showed a great deal of improvement in my lungs, bones, and liver. I had radiology to the brain last year after Christmas. I haven't had a new MRI since last summer so don't know if the cancer continues there. I have 7 wonderful grandchildren (2 girls and 5 boys; (ages 1 yr 9 months - 5 years). I look forward to enjoying them for a lot longer.
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