ken naehring wrote:
>
> The past two months for me have been a whirl wind. I thought I had a sinus
> infection, then the flu and after 21 days on antibiotics, I had chest
> x-rays and they found the mass. I have smoked most of my life and am 45,
> so they were pretty sure what to expect. After 2 bronchoscopy's, they
> could not get a good biopsy because of the location of the mass. It was on
> the bronchius and against the primary pulmonary artery and they knew from
> the CT scan that it was approximately 3.7 cm. So surgery was the next
> move.
>
> I saw 3 surgeons. The first surgeon didn't commit to the type of cancer
> but explained that the only way to get a biopsy to know what they were
> dealing with was surgery and he explained the extent of surgery, which
> scared me to death. As a female I wasn't very happy about the massive
> incision for a biopsy, I felt like a cow being taken to the slaughter
> house. So I sought a second opinion, which he felt sure it was large cell
> and the type of surgery would be the same. Atleast a 14" incision, cutting
> through my ribs and then using a rib spreader to go in for the biopsy. I
> expressed the same concern about the surgery and was told that was it.
>
> So I went on to a third surgeon. This surgeon felt it was probably small
> cell cancer, or not cancer. He is a pioneer of a new type of surgery which
> involved a 3-4" incision under my arm and one or two 1" incisions to go in
> for the biopsy with a scope. He spent alot of time with me and made me feel
> a part of my health and not so hopeless, so we scheduled surgery. November
> 3rd, I had the surgery and also had to have my entire lung removed
> (pneumonectomy), but it was all done from the small incisions and I was out
> of the hospital in 5 days. I praise God for sending me to the surgeon I
> found, he has been the one to keep me on track through all of this.
>
> Now I am faced with the oncologist decision. I have seen one so far and I
> know that she is caring and well educated and she spent an hour explaining
> it all to me. The cancer was in one of the lymph nodes in the first layer
> right next to the tumor and the other nine were fine. The oncologist says
> that her field is split on treatment for me, but it is my decision.
> One-half say no further treatment after surgery and the other half say to
> go for the chemo regardless. Her feelings coincided with the first half
> not to go through the chemo due to the side effects and the lack of
> evidence that it is effective to a great extent with this type of cancer.
> She said they would monitor me again in 3 months. The statistics were
> 30-50% chance of recurrance in 1-2 years given to me with all my facts
> considered. She said that I would be the best monitor watching for
> headaches that don't go away, coughs etc...
>
> I am extremely concerned that they would find it if it did. You see I had
> 4 sets of chest x-rays in the past two years, including a set in May and no
> one found this tumor which turned out to be 4.7cm and atleast 2 years old.
> I also had full blood work ups done in July and nothing showed up and I
> understand that this is how they monitor this, so I have no faith in the
> monitoring.
>
> I went back to my surgeon who advised that I get additional opinions
> because I am not comfortable at this point, but he also said that there is
> a relatively new type of scan called a Pet scan and he felt sure that this
> would show another tumor if it developed. When I talked to the oncologist
> Tuesday, she said that those scans are controversial and don't always show
> tumors. She said she has had people with tumors that had PET scans and
> they didn't show up, but they did on CTscans. Then when I asked her, she
> also admitted that she had had patients that had had CT scans where they
> didn't show up, but did on PET scans.
>
> I have searched the internet for information on this type of cancer and
> feel that it is a death warrant, but know that I can't feel that way. I
> have to make peace with this and do an attitude adjustment to put my faith
> in beating this 100%. To get there I need help in a couple of areas:
>
> 1) does anyone have any sites on the internet where it is not all doomsday
> information on this type of cancer and its recurrance
>
> 2) does anyone have any good information on to chemo or not to chemo with
> this type of cancer
>
> 3) does anyone have any good information on detecting tumors/cancer early
> in the case of recurrance
>
> 4) does anyone have any information on alternative healing sites
>
> I know this is very long and I apologize, but I felt the only way to start
> communication was to lay out all of the details to date. I appreciate any
> assistance that anyone has.
>
> Sincerely, Carla
> -
Dear Carla,
I'll try and keep this short as I am a big bag of wind sometimes, :)
Pet-scans are better in a sense than cat-scans as pet scans are able to
detect tumor less than .5cm whereas cat scans cannot. Many medical
facilities will dissuade you from this as they do not have the
capability or means to support, as it is expensive, you with this type
of scan and the protocal of excuse is "its in the experimental stage".
Nonsense. Pet scans are good and better than cat scans.
I hope you have stopped smoking, :)
Lymph node involvement can be treated with either conventional or
alternative treatments. At this stage as long as there are doctors who
are not certain and there are few lymph nodes involved you may wish to
seek out a good naturalpathic or alternative method of choice such as
the Gerson Clinic in Mexico, the Livingston Foundation in San Diego, or
the Health Quarters in Colorado Springs, colorado. Pls read Anne Frahms
book, The Cancer Battle Plan.
Pls do not believe statistics about recurrances. The human mind set is
such that if someone tells you something about statistics, the chances
are it will happen to you rather than had you not been told it all. Its,
in my opinion, false psychological support. If you believe in statistics
and thats what you chose to believe in then believe this, that
statistics have two sides, believe in the one that is positive and not
negative.
HOpe these little tidbits help.
God Bless YOu
marty and Barb Auslander
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