Living with lung cancer - Introduce yourself & come say hi

@pc2018 I'm wondering if you might help out a fellow member who just recently started a new discussion about a paralyzed diaphragm here:
- Paralyzed Diaphragm https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/paralyzed-diaphragm/

I'm sure John would appreciate hearing from someone living with a similar condition.

You certainly are not having fun. I'm sorry that you are going through this. Do you know what your treatment plan will be?

@pc2018 hi there, I had a lobectomy for lung cancer on May 30.  I also had a stroke early January.  This has left me with balance issues so I’ve got a walker.  Not allowed to drive yet.
In the 3 weeks before the lung surgery I took 2 major falls at home, managing to crack 4 vertebra, 4 ribs, cartilage fractures in the sternum.  This was pre-walker days before we managed to put the imbalance down to the stroke.  Also, on the first scan follow up I had a noticeable spot on my liver.  So went in for a liver drain to be inserted.  They think this also happened with one of the falls.
Last night my temperature went to 101.5, so I quit eating, again. And went to bed.  This morning the temp had not gone down significantly, so I decided I must have an infection and went to Emergency.  After a few hours there, they couldn’t find signs of a blood or urine infection, so I had another radiation scan and they found I have some fluid in the lungs and also pleurisy, which was extremely painful.  Also my O2 saturation had gone down to the low 80s, so they put me on O2 and a lot of pain killers.
I am back home again having sworn that I would readmit myself if I got worse.  I sleep with a CPAP and Oxygen.  We’re at quite a high altitude in CO.
Such fun I’m having!  @marylou705

Thanks for asking. Mostly it is a problem for breathing. I am on oxygen at night and most of the day. I've always been active and hauling around a backpack with air tanks is very frustrating especially when I want to go to the gym. I have to admit tho', I am glad they got rid of the cancer and that I didn't have to go thru' chemo again. I am still able to drive and take care of myself pretty much. There is a couple of fix-its but it is cost prohibitive (hope that is the right word) but maybe in the future. Pat

Welcome to Connect, @pc2018. I marvel at the positivity that comes through your message despite the hand you have been dealt: loss of your husband, 2 cancer diagnoses, and now caring for your son with pancreatic cancer. Fifty-two is so young and cancer is so unfair. He and his wife must be very grateful to have your help.

Can you tell me a bit more what it feels like to have a frozen diaphragm? I can imagine it limits breathing capacity because your diaphragm is no longer flexible to move with breathing in and out. What else does it cause?

Hi,, I'm shortshot) What a wonderful way to "Choose to be thankful for the past, but choosee to resourceful in the present, and most importantlly choose to be hopeful for the future". My oh My Yes! I will share this with my kid's who will listen. Most people can have kids, love them and raise them to the best of their ability, and hope they have listened to some of the things you try to impart to them. My "kids" are all in their 60's, doesn't mean that they heard anything I had tried to tell them. But mostly hope they listened, heard and put into practice of what you tried to teach them. All this just has to take it's time for each one. Thank you much for the wisdom you shared today.
Nancy.

I'm truly sorry to hear about your loss @shortshot, but I so enjoyed reading about your life experiences. Embracing pain in any form, especially grief, loss is difficult for us. I can only imagine that you are probably experiencing the most intensely emotional period of your life right now. And though, as the saying goes, "Death brings out the best and the worst in families,” it's up to you to decide how this loss will affect your life. A friend shared this when I lost my grandmother, who was very dear to me, and I thought I'd share it with you...
"Choose to be thankful for the past, but choose to be resourceful in the present, and most importantly choose to be hopeful for the future."

Hello everyone (shortshot80)Nancy. It has been a very stressful month since my husband passed away. Service for him was just wonderful. I had immune therapy chemo on June 21. Have had no problems with the chemo. Just trying to get through the days as best as I can. I have four grown children. One of who thinks he should be in charge of everything. The other three do not trust him. So I'm in the middle and am going to see a attorney on Tuesday to have him help me sort all the kinks that have been aroused. Some times I'm at my wits end with .....whatever. Will see how far this goes and put a end to it. I know I'm not the only one with this type of problems, who have to have someone with some smarts to help. Yes, the house is still a little lonely, I know this will take some time to clear the air!. Now on to another subject. I had a phone call from my friend who has brain cancer and is helping me with my book. "I was one of five ladies who fished commercial with my husband in 1971 off the coast of Oregon. I have been on this project perhaps 35-40 years. I want to finish, and let the grand-kids see what we did "back in the day". My husband Bob and I fished every weekend during the summer and vacations from 1971 to 1987. I purchased our property in 1986, and we moved here in 1987. I continued to fish with Bob, till 1990 and then found a job working with "medical & physical disabled adults for a year. That job taught me how and why to help those people. That let me to have Bob's mom to live with us, for about 10 years. After that I went to work in grocery stores (2) in different city's 25 miles each way from my home. I worked for about five or six years, between the two. I finally retired from working and started to volunteer for the chamber of commerce, and various other things. Also I used to write a weekly column in the local newspaper for 11 years. I have let a full and productive life . I also was a offset printer for over 18 years before we moved here. The most fun job I had for four years was a school bus driver in the city. I dressed for all the holidays and kids decorated my "hats" of which I still have two. Now I have about 42 hats that I wear. Don't have much hair since the cancer arrived in 2016. Hey, I needed this, so thanks for listening. Nancy

Nancy, I can't tell you how much my heart goes out to you. My husband died when I was 57 really sudden. 2 years later I had colon cancer ..surgery, chemo and all that. When I went for my 10 year final checkup, I found out the colon cancer was still gone but I had lung cancer. They removed a lobe and hit a nerve and now I have a frozen diaphram and am on oxygen and the pulmonary doctors thinks its permanent.. I had surgery in Jan 2018. In March, my son (52 years old=only child) was diagnosed with stage iV pancreatic cancer. I now take care of him so his wife can work and I take him to chemo etc. Not much hope for recovery unless something new is discovered. I try to enjoy him while I can and accept life as it hits me but some days I am just overwhelmed. I am 70 now.
Its pretty hard to hide from other peoples sickness and often people just don't think. I try to go to the gym or at least walk every few days. I know it builds your immune system. Some days I just can't find the energy.

I have two adult granddaughters that I am very proud of and 5 siblings who try to help me as me as they can. I feel very thankful for those things. I live alone so it is always hardest when I think too much.
Pat

Hello everyone, I am (shortshot80) Nancy. I have been here since (I think) January 2016. I have two kinds of cancer. Left lung is "mesothelioma, right is just plain old lung cancer. One year ago I had radiation on my right lung,, which shattered instead of killing the cancer. Started with a chemo in November/December 2016. Had two or three chemo's and In Feb 2017 I had a severe reaction to the chemo. Was off till last of March. Since then I am doing better with Immune therapy every three weeks. I have to get a blood test tomorrow for the treatment on the 21'st of June. Emotions are sorta off the wall since my husband of 67 years passed away May 4.
Then this past week a friend that used to live in this area, came back to see her granddaughter graduate and stopped by. Then she told me she had been sick. I asked her what was wrong, she thought she had some sort of lung disease. Well, damn, I told her that I can't have any sickness here and she had better leave. I was not really very pleasant either. Not my month for a lot of "kindness", especially with what I have. I do not need anything more in my house.
I will be here more now and be able to talk and visit with everyone.
I am going to a graduation party for my granddaughter who will receive her Master's Degree in "Speech Pathology" on Saturday. She is 28 years old, and I am really proud of her. Total grand kids is 8. Total great grandkids is 6 and one is 24. Hmmmm I must be getting older! More later! Nancy