Wife Just Diagnosed w/ ES SCLC - What Can We Expect?

Good morning Bob.

I love the positive note to start with. That is good news about her pelvic bones.

I'm sure that Liz feels much better after her lung was drained. I hope that what was left in her lower left lung was phlegm. Sometimes a change of chemo needs to take place or something added. This happens more often than you can imagine, especially with lung cancer.

I hope that things go well today. My fingers are crossed.

Merry

Merry, a continued thanks for the encouraging words!

Today did not go as we had hoped. The occlusion in her lower left lung was due to coagulated blood from around her cancer tumor in the upper lobe. The entire left lung is now blocked and they attempted to remove a portion of the blockage to create an air path to her lower lobe, but were not successful in getting a pathway cleared. She will remain incubated this evening and they will try to do more clearing tomorrow morning. Not sure what can be done if they are not successful tomorrow. Her right lung is clear and functioning normally. Keeping my fingers crossed they can get a path open tomorrow!!! Even of they do get a pathway open, she will need to repeat the process over time until they can clear the blood completely from her lung.

I'm very sorry, Bob. Did the doctors say how their approach will be different tomorrow? Did they talk options?

If you can please at least get a couple of cat naps. Right now isn't a good time for you to get ill.

I'm thinking of you both.
Merry

Merry.
They basically said that they could not continue any further today and still ensure that throat/lungs would not become damaged. The plan is to repeat the process tomorrow as long as they believe that it is safe. The second option they gave me today was to have her come off the incubator and for us to try and find another facility to repeat the procedure at a later date. I told them if there was a chance that they could clear a pathway tomorrow to leaver her incubated this evening and try again tomorrow. The second option, to me, was really not an option at this point......

I know. Now get some rest. Are you spending the night at the hospital or did you go home?

I came home. She is heavily sedated and would not know that I was there. We also have animals that would go hungry if I stayed overnight. I will be there in the morning when they wake her up after her procedure.

Mornin' Bob- I hope that your pets are all fed and happy to have you home. My fingers are crossed for you and Liz. If you want to talk you can PM me.

Merry

One obstacle after another. I can’t imagine how difficult this is for both of you. I’ll be thinking of you and Liz this morning. Hoping for a glimmer of good news. Hugs.

How is it going today Bob? If you're tied up just know that you are in my thoughts.

Merry

Today was a mixed day. On the down side, they were unable to get all of the clots/coagulated blood out of her left lung. They were able to clean out the majority of the upper lobe. They got down to the tumor but then could proceed no further to prevent damaging the tumor and cause it to start bleeding again. They will be putting her in a chest wrap that shakes her entire chest in an attempt to get the clots to break up and allow her to cough them up. She will also be using steroid-based inhalers to help break up the remaining clots in her lung. The doctor said that further attempts to get past the tumor would be fruitless unless the tumor shrinks in the future after chemo treatments.

On the positive side, Liz was taken off the breathing assist machine and is breathing fine on her own. She was able to eat a little solid food and felt as well as could be expected considering the past 24 hours of exertion and having tubes down her throat. She should move out of the ICU to a normal bed tomorrow and then be released from the hospital on Friday.