New here. Guess i have lung cancer looking at my PET

Hi Julie- I was in the hospital-start to finish- March 24th, day of surgery to The evening of March 26th. It should have been afternoon but paper work and shift changes made it last until evening. It will all depend on your health and how you are doing. I knew I had to get up and start walking as soon as I could. I had a catheter, and a chest tube, IV pole, etc., but with a nurse by my side, was walking the hall by the next afternoon. The chest tube is to inflate your lung until it can stay inflated on its own. It sounds worse than what it is. They will take all of that iut the following day if all is well. You’re in a liquid diet for the first day and then you can move to softer foods if all is going well. I had things prepared before I went in. I had meals prepped so they just needed reheated, I had everything at a reachable height. I had a bed table that had my drinks, tissues, book, remote, etc. so I didn't have to reach. Put your cat’s dishes on the counter and dishes so you can just feed it without reaching down or up. (I had 2 cats and a Husky at my surgery time). Preparing before hand is the beat thing you can do! If you don’t have an adjustable bed gather lots if pillows or a wedge pillow. You won’t want to be laying flat. Getting out of bed is ine if the hardest chores because it pulls on your incisions. You should be able to talk with your Doctors and the Hospital. They may have programs to help you. Medical transport, and home health services maybe? Talk with them before so they can work with you and have it set up for a smooth transition to your home. They should also be able to talk with your insurance company to help you get the things you’ll need. I hope this helps? I’m sure there are others on this connect that can also give you advice on what they know of. God Bless You! I wish I were close as I would come and help you myself, but I am in AZ.

Hi Julie- I was in the hospital-start to finish- March 24th, day of surgery to The evening of March 26th. It should have been afternoon but paper work and shift changes made it last until evening. It will all depend on your health and how you are doing. I knew I had to get up and start walking as soon as I could. I had a catheter, and a chest tube, IV pole, etc., but with a nurse by my side, was walking the hall by the next afternoon. The chest tube is to inflate your lung until it can stay inflated on its own. It sounds worse than what it is. They will take all of that iut the following day if all is well. You’re in a liquid diet for the first day and then you can move to softer foods if all is going well. I had things prepared before I went in. I had meals prepped so they just needed reheated, I had everything at a reachable height. I had a bed table that had my drinks, tissues, book, remote, etc. so I didn't have to reach. Put your cat’s dishes on the counter and dishes so you can just feed it without reaching down or up. (I had 2 cats and a Husky at my surgery time). Preparing before hand is the beat thing you can do! If you don’t have an adjustable bed gather lots if pillows or a wedge pillow. You won’t want to be laying flat. Getting out of bed is ine if the hardest chores because it pulls on your incisions. You should be able to talk with your Doctors and the Hospital. They may have programs to help you. Medical transport, and home health services maybe? Talk with them before so they can work with you and have it set up for a smooth transition to your home. They should also be able to talk with your insurance company to help you get the things you’ll need. I hope this helps? I’m sure there are others on this connect that can also give you advice on what they know of. God Bless You! I wish I were close as I would come and help you myself, but I am in AZ.

Hi Julie- Hey, it is normal to be freaked out! I think every one of us who hear the word Cancer, has freaked out. I had it in my upper left lung. Adenocarcinoma, stage 1a. They caught it earlier (9 years) at another hospital but “dropped the ball” and never told me or my primary! I had a full body CT due to a car accident. Anyway, in March of 2023 I had a “trisegmentectomy”. I am doing fine. (They took pieces of the left lobe instead of the entire lobe). Surgery to get the cancer out is the Best option, usually. Every one wonders if they’ll be able to breathe afterwards and if they’ll be able to do the things they could before. It’s all normal thinking. I wish you well! By the way I walk about 20+ miles a week and do yard work and have a job. I go for weekend getaways with my husband, dance, etc. You must stay confident and positive!
Cindy

Thanks so much! I was wondering how long all of you spent in the hospital. Guess each is different. Which surgery did you have? I read this horrible article today about me being on a vent for a day o4 2 in ICU and all kinds of horrible things! I think it was this one: https://www.healthgrades.com/right-care/lung-removal-surgery/lung-resection I don't know which they are planning yet but I also just bought my life-long dream house 4 hours away. Supposed to close the 30th and that will have me in the hospital most likely. Man, this is some kind of punishmet for whatever i did in life to lose mom, become a probate lawyer basically, go through all that, then buy my lake house and get cancer the same week. Just hoping i can GET to my lakehouse soon after surgery but not soundlng like it. And if I had an emergency, well, i'm 4 hours away. I'm rambling. Been spending all week just trying to clean my house before surgery. Just well, just want what we all want. So how long did it take for you to fully recover and can you do things you did before? I do intense work around here. Like chaiinsawing trees, etc. Today I was ripping up a subfloor. No money so I have become resourceful. Thanks for all the support and advice. Just not knowing if i will be ok/same kinnda makes me want to just live a few months at the new house and able-bodied than live for years and miserable if it goes wrong. Not be tired for yrs but energetic for months or however long until it does whatever it does...cuts off my air? spreads and? i haven't gotten answers except remove it first if my lung capacity is good enough.ok, i am truly rambling. Exhausted from pushing myself to fix/clean this house. thankyou so much and hugs!! such a sweetie to say you'd help!!! I do have one cousin here but he left me at the hospital with no ride. oh, yes, i did have a lung tube for 2 days...july 2-4 after my lung collapsed during biopsy. Not sure i can take that again.....They had to take me down in the basmeent because of my screaming and profanity....lol...the pain! lol julie

Hey there! I am doing good! I think I’m back to normal…I feel like it. The only thing now though is that you’re always hoping it doesn't come back. I have had 2 CT’s so far. Still clear, Thank God! I have only had the VATS surgery. No chemo or radiation. The first week after was okay. Then just better and stronger little by little. Got tired if I pushed too hard, and you will surely feel it if you lift too much, reach too far, etc. They gave me Lyrica after surgery, as well as Hydromorphone, 800 mg Ibuprofen, Robaxin and Gabapentin and Tylenol. I stopped everything but the Lyrica and Ibuprofen after a few days of being home. Lyrica was about 3 weeks because you have to wean off not just stop it. Walking is your best friend before and definitely after surgery. You have to start out little by little afterward, but I walked around the house, then around the drive way and then a block and back and then Few more blocks, etc. I worked right back to where I was and now I walk about 5 miles a day. I can breathe, ride a bike, dig holes lift cases of water, 5 gallon water jugs… you get my point. I also used a lung exerciser before my surgery to strengthen my lungs. The one swimmers use. Amazon has them for a few dollars. Very simple and easy to use. Keep in touch!

Oh @julie67, you have a lot going on! Cancer doesn't let us schedule when it needs our attention, it doesn't wait for a good time to fit it into our lives. That certainly adds to the stress. At some point you are going to need to take a breath, pause, and take time for your health. It sounds like that won't be easy, but pushing too much to fast won't be good for you either.
We all question our treatment choices at some point, quality of life vs quantity. You sound very physically fit and motivated, and there's no reason that you can't continue with that after taking time to heal. Speak with your surgeon's or oncologist's office, they likely have social workers with recommendations for help with rides and post-surgical support.
Are you working with a realtor? You may be able to sign all of the closing paperwork early.

Thanks Cindy! I was wondering how long the average stay was, drugs used for pain etc. I can't take Lyrica or Ibupropen. Don't know the other drugs. I am afraid of becoming dependent on opiods and do not want that! When you say you had to learn to get out of bed earilier, I guess that is because of the pain or are we not supposed to move a certain way after--and you mentioned no lying flat. Again, is that because of pain or a certain way to avoid something. I don't feel like my oncologist or pulmonolgist are very good at telling me things. And now all I have left is the surgeon before surgery and want to make sure I ask good questions. You guys help so much! How soon after surgery do they have you up and walking? Is there any respiratory, PT you went through? thanks and so glad your scans are coming back clear!!! Julie

Hey there! I am doing good! I think I’m back to normal…I feel like it. The only thing now though is that you’re always hoping it doesn't come back. I have had 2 CT’s so far. Still clear, Thank God! I have only had the VATS surgery. No chemo or radiation. The first week after was okay. Then just better and stronger little by little. Got tired if I pushed too hard, and you will surely feel it if you lift too much, reach too far, etc. They gave me Lyrica after surgery, as well as Hydromorphone, 800 mg Ibuprofen, Robaxin and Gabapentin and Tylenol. I stopped everything but the Lyrica and Ibuprofen after a few days of being home. Lyrica was about 3 weeks because you have to wean off not just stop it. Walking is your best friend before and definitely after surgery. You have to start out little by little afterward, but I walked around the house, then around the drive way and then a block and back and then Few more blocks, etc. I worked right back to where I was and now I walk about 5 miles a day. I can breathe, ride a bike, dig holes lift cases of water, 5 gallon water jugs… you get my point. I also used a lung exerciser before my surgery to strengthen my lungs. The one swimmers use. Amazon has them for a few dollars. Very simple and easy to use. Keep in touch!

I have been telling all my doctors for months I live alone, I have animals, I have nobody to help me after surgery and nobody has suggested anything or sent me to any resources!! I guess they just plan on throwing me out when I'm ready. Stunned about this. I guess I will just plan on runn9ing up my insurance by calling ambulances when I need something until they get me a home health aide or something..lol. getting mad! My surgery should be scheduled NEXT WEEIK according to all the doctors I've seen so far---they tell me this surgeon will schedule for the next week. So,, theoretically, could be having surgery a week from today. And I actually think that's too late for me. The PET was done in MAY and this thing was growing fast. So just going crazy still with no plans, no help...

As for the realtor , they had tried to move closing up to this Friday the 26th but then they didn't call back so...here I am again...not knowing what my plans should be. they also said they could send a notary to wherever I am--home, hospital, here in Evansville --on the 3th for a couple hundred dollars i think. Great.

Thanks for the suggestions! Just have tried everything I know to do. I guess I just plan on telling them I have no ride or anybody to help when they release me from the hospital and THEN they will have to figure out what to do with me then. HA! Send me to rehab, I don't ..know. I've already seen the oncologist as I said. So now it's the surgeon Thursday and then most likely surgery next week. Everyone just ignored that i am alone. hmph.

thanks again! julie