@merpreb Hi Merry. Here's some of my story (thanks for asking): I was supposed to have my bone on bone hip replaced in September of 2022. I had been coughing a lot for a month (with some coughing fits) and I was concerned that I had bronchitis and that my hip replacement would be postponed. That's the only reason I went to the doctor. Scans showed a 8 cm. tumor in my lung (NSCLC Adenocarcinoma) that had metastasized to my spine and brain. I had surgery to remove the brain tumor that went well. I've since had 36 rounds of radiation and 6 rounds of chemo with modest improvement. Now I'm undergoing 3 rounds of SBRT radiation on my spine (T6 and T9) and 3 on my brain. I'll do two more rounds of chemo (another type) and then I think that's it. I'm not a good candidate for immunotherapy.
I feel okay. I'm thankful for over 70 years of good health. Some days are better than others, but my pain is managed well with pain meds. I can't drive between pain meds and brain surgery, and I can't walk much due to my hips. That does limit my quality of life, but again I'm thankful for what I've got. As I sit here and type, I have no pain. When I get up to walk it's a different story. There is no cure for what I have, so I have to weigh the cost/benefit of continuing treatment.
Thank you for the work you do to support our discussion group. Kathy