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Mass on lung and lymph nodes
I had a routine Cat Scan about a month ago and found large mass in lung and probability of surrounding lymph nodes. I have consultation this week to discuss best approach to biopsy and also setting up Pet scan. I’m beyond devastated and scared. I heard the needle biopsy is miserable. I feel certain I’m facing death and perhaps worse thing is telling my two adult daughters who already lost their dad when they were kids.
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If yous is 7mm it is not very big. Mine is 5.7 CM which is 2.5", if yours is mm, it is very small. He told me that cancer is usually more dense, or the mass is usually dense and he said this was not very dense, he also said that the lymph nodes around it were normal, no swelling but I aslo have some smaller nodules close by to the bigger mass which could be satellite densities. It's all very terrifying!! The rest of my lung feilds were clear. Sometimes living in cold climates we can get these smaller nodules that are just from brochitis or past lung infections and they mean nothing. If yours is only 7MM that is not big at all!! Let me know how things go with you with your scan too!!! I am very nervous, but who wouldnt' be?!
Do you mind me asking if you were ever a smoker?
Wow, you really went through some stuff with the colon cancer! It must have been terrifying, especially at such a young age and then losing your brother to it. Then your mom going through her cancer…. I feel for you. I’m glad you have a good support system though. How big did you say the mass on your lung is? Mine really big at 7mm. There are some hopeful signs that yours is not cancer - the dr saying it’s not very dense, and the blood loss doesn’t seem like it’s something that would happen with cancer? I do hope you at least look into whether there’s a research hospital in your area. They have access to clinical trials that other hospitals don’t. I try not to look at statistics about lung cancer because it’s bad but I’m trying to be hopeful about new advances in treatment. Let me know how things go with scan Friday. 🙏
All the feelings you have are so understandable!! Of course you wouldn't want the man you love moving on, but where the HELL are you planning on going? There is so much they can do now for all cancers, including lung and that's where we both have to think positive!!! I am not married. My heart is open to it, but I've been so busy the last 5 years with my granddaughter that I don't have time. I am very content with myself, but at this time I wish I had someone so count yourself lucky, at least you have him for support. I have my mom, my son who lives with me as well and close friends, and extended family. You are so lucky he accepted the girls as his own, that right there tells you he is a good man and human being!!
I am also not looking forward to my PET scan! I am not aware of any research hospitals, although I am sure there is some in this large metro area. It is something I will look into after hearing about this from you. I never thought about that!
When I got colon cancer, they caught it right in time. They said that if I waited 6 more months, the outcome wouldn't have been good. I had a complete proctocolectomy (removal of entire large intestine) I had to have a bag for 3 months, then they hook your small intestine to a pouch inside and that acts like a rectum. It's amazing what they did with that. Noone would ever known I don't have a large intestine, etc. They also did a complete hysterectomy at the time bc they said I would have cancer of my uterus by the time I was 50 if I didn't bc of the lynch syndrome. It never broke through colon wall so I never had to have radiation or chemo. Just been watched like a hawk for years with nothing remarkable until this! I just saw my cancer doctor in November and he ran the blood work and it was all normal. Now it doesn't check for cancer, but there are certain things that should change. I'm at a loss! It's so weird! I am thinking of you also! I know how scared you are!!! Out Pet scans are a day apart, but at least you are seeing you doctor right away! Mine is out of the office for a week following the Pet scan. I am going to go through the ceiling! I scheduled a night at the Waterpark with my granddaughter on Sunday bc she doesn't have school Monday! I am hoping the results won't even be posted until Mon or Tues so I can enjoy myself with her!!! I can't look! Thinking of you!!! Stay Strong!!
Good morning 😇.
When you had your colon cancer did you have to do radiation or chemo? Surgery? I know your Pet scan is Friday. Mine is Saturday. Not looking forward to it.
I don’t know the hospital options in Wisconsin but if you have access to a research hospital I hope you would consider it. I started out at a “ regular” hospital in my area with the cat scan and once I knew about the lung mass I switched to a nearby research hospital on the advice of friend that went through cancer a few years ago. I feel sooo much better bring at this research hospital and feel I’m in the best hands, I’ve been thinking about you and your situation with your granddaughter… what a heavy load on your mind. This is where our faith gets tested and we must rely on God to see us through. I too worry more about my family than I do myself. Are you married? My husband died in 2000, I was only 36 at the time and kids were young. I did remarry in 2005 and still married. He’s a good man who readily accepted my girls and now my two grandkids as his own. This is selfish but I hate the thought of him moving on and meeting and being with someone else. He’s only 52. Praying for both you and me to stay strong in our faith.
I am also here for you! And I completely understand why you don't want to tell your girls until you get all the information, it's just that I can't imagine how hard it is not to have that love and support you need from them right now and to know all this in your own head and not be able to just share it all with them. Hang in there. Think positive. And I'll try to do the same! Maybe we can try to give each other some faith!!!
I’m still holding out on telling my girls because of my instinct to protect them. Once I have all the tests done I will somehow find the courage and strength to tell them. It’s going to be one of the hardest days of my life,
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2 ReactionsI’m very sorry that you have had such health problems in your life. I wonder if you have a hiatal hernia. That can cause blood loss. I’m sending positive thoughts and hugs your way. Please keep in touch and reach out anytime. I’m here for you ❤️
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1 ReactionThank you for doing that! I appreciate that. And trust me I hug her all the time. I can't stop hugging her!! Thank You
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1 ReactionI had colon cancer at the age of 38. My brother died at 32 of it. I have a really weird genetic disorder called Lynch syndrome, and it causes certain cancers, colon cancer being the most common but it also causes stomach cancer, uterine cancer and women, brain cancer. Lung cancer isn't one of them. So all this time I've been watched like a hawk for Cancers and getting my blood drawn every year, and having endoscopies and sigmoidoscopy. Another alarming thing with this whole thing is that somewhere in the last 6 weeks I've lost 3 l of blood. My blood levels went from 12 to 9. My cancer doctor is not in but the doctor that's on call from ordered me to get an ferritin and iron binding test done tomorrow. I also have a scheduled ultrasound on my kidney, this is before all this happened and I'm having a mammogram done tomorrow. These are all just things I do every year. But the blood losses alarming because either I'm not making enough or I've lost it somewhere or I'm losing it somewhere I should say. They want to figure out what's going on that's why they're doing this test. On the 18th I have an endoscopy and sigmoidoscopy scheduled. So this is going to be one doctor appointment after the next for the next month!