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Mother about to be diagnosed with Lung Cancer

jacci48
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Hello,

My mother is 82, gave up smoking 29 years ago and has had a bronchoscopy for suspected lung cancer. She had over 2 l fluid on her lung which has been drained and a ct scan has shown a 5.1cm lesion that has spread to 2 lymph nodes and because of this and the fluid (pleural effusion)  they are classing it as stage 4.

Once results are in there will be another mdt meeting and she is going to see Consultant (with me) on Jan 8th,it would be sooner but obviously Xmas and New Year are slowing things up. Now my mum didnt understand the terminology in her discharge note and she is in denial and tbh Im not prepared to burst her bubble.

I presume her only course of treament will be palliative care...I have had bone cancer mself so unfortunately have a bit of  an idea of his evil disease alhough I was very lucky and am in remission.

I will be her sole carer as my brother died 9 years ago and I want to be as aware of the situation and of things that will happen to her as possible.When we go for her Consultants meeting does anyone know how they will advise her that it is incurable...will they give her a full prognosis and possibly a time scale? I want to be as geared up as possible for her so I can be as helpful to her as I possibly can.I would love to think they are wrong because I adore my mum and although she is 82 Im not ready to lose her and never thought she would get lung cancer because she had stopped smoking so long ago.

The lung cancer nurses are being wonderful and calling her most days, the card they gave her says chest nurses but looking up the hospital I saw that they are lung cancer nurses so that sort of dashed any bit of hope I had.

Sorry to ramble on but thanks so much for reading..consultant thinks its T4N2M1A.

Thanks again,

Jacci

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    Just had my Mother on the phone, very upset. She has had a letter from her Gp asking her to ring as they have received test results from the hospital and her Doctor needs to discuss them with her, now I know this cannot be the bronchoscopy as she only had that done on Weds so this must be the ct scan she had done end Nov which showed the lesion on her lung and lymph node mets.She is going to call gp on Monday.....Im worried as I am frightened he is going to tell her she has lung cancer over the phone.

    She is seeing her Consultant on Jan 8th and I thought we had until then before she realised that she has cancerand that at least she would be told face to face with me with her,so frightened that she is now going to find out just  with a phone cal on her own....has anyone else had experience of this...If they would take any notice I would speak to gp first and explain the Jan appointment but I know they cant divulge anything to me anyway.

    Thanks,

    Jacci

  • Offline in reply to jacci48

    Hi Jacci,

    My mum has been diagnosed with lung cancer and I do not wish to alarm you but the ct scan results were available straight away.

    It would be my understanding that they have got the results from the bronchoscope which she had done on Wednesday I know from when my mum had this done they had the results in a few days . I can see from your first post that they have staged the cancer  . I am sure no doctor would ever give results over the phone and I am sure if you would be able to phone the surgery and make and attend the appointment with her. I have been lucky that my mother who is 65 has not been told but I have her written consent that they are to tell me this is how I knew her results.

    I will be thinking and praying for you on Monday and if there is anyway in which I can help you please let me know.

  • Offline in reply to hope1973

    Thank you so much Hope, Im going to her today and will read the letter the gp has sent her, from what she said to me its asking her to ring the surgery to make a telephone surgery appt with her gp so he can call her regarding test results... , obviously I was hoping she wouldnt get results until Jan 8th at the hospital. she is totally in denial and I was planning on giving her her best Xmas ever whilst she is in this denial and then cope with what will be in the New Year.Well what will be will be suppose but if he tells her over the phone that is totally wrong.

    Im sorry to hear about your  Mum Hope, how is she and also how are you...this isnt easy for anyone is it...

    Take Care.

    Jacci x,

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  • Offline in reply to hope1973

    Thank you so much Hope, Im going to her today and will read the letter the gp has sent her, from what she said to me its asking her to ring the surgery to make a telephone surgery appt with her gp so he can call her regarding test results... , obviously I was hoping she wouldnt get results until Jan 8th at the hospital. she is totally in denial and I was planning on giving her her best Xmas ever whilst she is in this denial and then cope with what will be in the New Year.Well what will be will be suppose but if he tells her over the phone that is totally wrong.

    Im sorry to hear about your  Mum Hope, how is she and also how are you...this isnt easy for anyone is it...

    Take Care.

    Jacci x,

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