Just diagnosed with lung cancer
After a routine x chest x ray in Jan & put on 2 week pathway. My husband as been diagnosed with:
T3 N2 M1c stage IVB lung cancer mets small met to brain & 2 small mets to lower back.
He as no other symptoms, apart from a little back ache comes & goes.
Devastated doesnt cover how we feel. He as literally no interest in anything & refuses to talk to any cancer related organisation, as he says its a death sentence whats the point. I'm crying quite a lot. All our plans ( we love to travel, now cancelled).
He sees his oncologist at the Marsden tomorrow 17th March, to discuss what happens next. All we know its inoperable according to the respiatory doctor he saw on the 5th March.. He had blood taken re CTDNA & some biopsy was left to study & thats it.
Both out lives consist of waking up, he walks to shop for a paper & home. TV which neither of us are taking notice of, readings gone out the window.
We cannot believe hes been walking around travelling etc with this going on in his body. If it hadnt have been for the routine chest x ray in Jan, he'd av been unaware of anything.
I dont know how people face this with positivity & strength, as my experience on my family side ( 18 members) have all died.
I am no help to him & he doesnt seem to want help from anyone, just a miracle to say sorry its a mistake.
Sorry if this sounds like a selfish pity post, but the thought of what this oncologist will say to him tomorrow fills us with sheer terror
Hi
, it doesn't sound like a pity post at all. It sounds like someone who has been blindsided by frightening news, and is still reeling. That is understandable because you don't have any answers yet. I hope you were able to get some today.
Please know that we are always here to share support. Please stay in touch and let us know how things are going. -Warm (((hugs))), Donna (Team Member)
My husbands had his first meeting with oncologist & treatment will be chemothrerapy & immunotherapy every 3 weeks for 2 years & then alter/stop chemo & cont immunertherapy. He is also waiting on the CTDNA blood test to see if targeted therapies can be used.She also mentioned Strike trial treatments & radiotherapy for the small brain/bone mets. He as a small met on brain & one or 2 mets on lower back. She also mentioned bone treatment.
She said the cancer isnt aggresive & is surprised how well my husband is, only a slight back ache, but nothing to warrant a T3N2M1c lung cancer diagnosis.
She sounded very optimistic & said he should be able to go on holiday in June.
The first doctor that has given hope.
Not sure if anyone as had or heard of any of these treatments & been at this stage?
Although I wrote everything down, I cant remember anything else she said.
When I asked my husband if he understood anything about treatment he said no, its me thats taking it all in.
My husbands mental health is worrying me, as he wont talk to anyone as broken down to me a few times, but tonite he said hes scared when he goes to sleep he wont wake up. I dont think he'll cope mentally with treatment & having cancer for life, it'll always be there & I dont know what to do to help him.
I'm struggling to cope & starting counselling. But I know he should really be talking to someone from the Marsden about how hes feeling.
Life at the minute is a real struggle I go from crying to being angry in mins., Be gentle with yourself. It is okay to feel the way you feel at any moment. I am glad that you have someone to speak with about everything and how you feel and are dealing with it. Your husband may come to the place where he is ready to speak with someone, but it may take time.
I'm glad the news was good and that there are some good options for treatment, and also to learn that the cancer is not aggressive. I wanted to share an article on immunotherapy which can hopefully answer some of your questions:
https://lungcancer.net/forums/is-immunotherapy-effective
Please stay in touch. I'm sending (((hugs))), love and light. - Warmly, Donna (Team Member)
