topic Re: Last Month Diagnosed St 4b small cell lung cancer in I've just been diagnosed

Last Month Diagnosed St 4b small cell lung cancer

Roddy60 — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 10:22:58 GMT

Found out 1-3-2020 I had Stage 4b cancer. Finished 3 Mon-Wed sessions, with ONE 3day session left and I have no clue what I'm doing. Should I finish my bucket list asap, or just start praying and hope for the best? Otherwise I'm just counting down to some point.

Re: Last Month Diagnosed St 4b small cell lung cancer

sch — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 12:35:33 GMT

Hi Roddy60,

I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis.

Have you spoken to your medical team and have they given you any idea of what is next?

Any expectations of how long you have?

I wouldn't be giving up everything to complete some bucket list. What happens if you finish the list? What happens next?

Maybe you'll live another 10 years? Maybe you have 1 month?

I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about how I would like to die.

How would you like to be remembered?

Nothing in this life is certain.

Are there people you would like to spend time with?

Are there people you would like to talk to or things you would like them to know?

Maybe there are places you would like to go and things to see (a bucket list if you want).

-s

Re: Last Month Diagnosed St 4b small cell lung cancer

Roddy60 — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 07:03:45 GMT

Just finished 3 of 4 chemo sessions with TECENTRIQ, Carboplatin and Etoposide. Having CT done 3-19-2020 to check progression. White blood cell count is at vulnerable level so I'm sort of quarantined at my house with this Coronavirus floating around out there. Some officials seem really worried about it. None of my care team will discuss life expectancy. Too early they say. I am just overwhelmed at the whole mess. I do feel that I should probably begin traveling while I can, to see some things in this world that I've missed until now. Long train trips on Amtrak come to mind. Or a few weeks in a Colorado cabin smoking premo legal weed. Yeah, I may do that for sure.

Re: Last Month Diagnosed St 4b small cell lung cancer

wwroam — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 03:16:29 GMT

If your WBC is low after only 3 rounds of chemo, I'd be asking for Neulasta to boost it. That is hardly any chemo at all.

In my life I have had the following

12 cycles of Folfox4 for St. 3 Colon Cancer

For NSCLC I have had 4 cycles of Gemzar and Carboplatin,6 cycles of Taxol + Carboplatin ( with 30 shots of radiation).

For recurent NSCLC 4 rounds of Alimta + Carboplatin and 3 rounds of Opdivo.

That's real chemo and I know of others who put that in the shade.

I am still working at 69 but will quit before I'm 70.

Just live your life. Nothing is certain.

Re: Last Month Diagnosed St 4b small cell lung cancer

Roddy60 — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 16:32:50 GMT

OK Thanks ww. 69 huh. Yeah I'll just live my life and when it ends it ends. later

Re: Last Month Diagnosed St 4b small cell lung cancer

Roddy60 — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 20:14:05 GMT

Its all real chemo. Haven't seen any fake chemo out there. wrf

Re: Last Month Diagnosed St 4b small cell lung cancer

Budgie — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 23:51:22 GMT

It's all relative. Everyone handles chemo differently, suffering differently. I agree with sch, don't put any faith in a prognosis because, depending on your attitude, you may live a very long time.

All the best
Budgie