Onward Testing

So, sorry I have not blogged in awhile. Busy, busy trying to recover from surgery and finding a team of doctors I trust to treat my recurrent lung cancer. Finally Friday, I found a team I trust and testing is moving forward.

My husband went with me to all my appointments at different healthcare systems to see their recommendations for testing and treatment. He was amazed at the major differences in information and recommendations. As a nurse, I have always recommended to my patients they get a second opinion before having any major surgery or treatment for something like cancer. The first time lung cancer was diagnosed in October 2018, I did not heed my own advice and paid for that.

Six months after a surgery that was supposed to be curative and many complications into it, the same cancer is back in the same place in the remaining lobe of my lung on the left side. It is very unusual to have this type of recurrence-especially six months after the original surgery.

So, I basically lost a lobe of my lung and went through a massive infection, nerve damage, and a weird hernia, that I just had surgery to fix, for nothing. Turns out I could have had stereotactic radiation the first time and it would have worked just as well. This type of radiation is not available everywhere. I am now going to a large teaching hospital for treatment and they have the docs and equipment to do this specialized treatment. The radiation is targeted at just the tumor. It is very specific and does not damage tissue around the tumor but destroys the tumor-which is good because the tumor is very near the most important large vessel in one’s body-the aorta. This treatment should not effect this vessel. Standard radiation treatment would effect this vessel.

I go for two MRI tests next Saturday to see if the cancer has spread to my lower spine or brain. If not, I will have this stereotactic radiation to the tumor. If I do have metastases to my brain or spine, I will then have to have chemotherapy.

So, forgive me if my blogging is sporadic at this time. Soon I will be able to blog more often. Thanks everyone for your support!