Thursday update
This morning Danny had radiation. While there, the dr. did a chest X-ray. Don't know what it showed yet. Then we went to the SS office and got all that started. The lady there said she can't promise anything, but from our application she thinks we will get SSI, then full disability. SSI may start in 6 weeks to 2 months and will have fed'l medicaid with it. Disability won't start until probably Feb. or March even after approval, and will have medicare with it.
Then we went to LR to ACRC and had a consultation with 2 oncologists there. It's not good news.
They said, as we knew, the cancer is inoperable. They also said it's pushing against Danny's heart and causing one chamber to be compressed, which is causing his heart rate to be up and irregular. They said that right now, he's not a candidate for chemo because of the extent of the tumor. Not even a candidate for surgery for the spot at the back of his neck. And that it may be that radiation will slow it down but probably won't get rid of it. If, after the 6 weeks of radiation is finished the tumor is smaller, maybe then chemo would be called for.
They said chemo at this point would only make matters worse for him because it would make him sicker and cause him more heart problems. That the radiation may burn his esophagus to the point where he'll need a feeding tube. That this cancer is stage 4 and among the most deadly of any lung cancers.
The doctors also said that 4 to 6 months ago, this tumor wasn't even there and wouldn't have shown up on an X-ray or anything else.
The radiation doctor is going to start treatments on a small spot that's at the back of Danny's neck, near his brain. He feels he can get rid of all of that at least.
We are both trying to deal with this news now. We knew it could be bad, but this is the first time any of the doctors have laid it out so plainly. They told us that at any time we wanted to call or make an appointment just to talk, to feel free. They'd be glad to talk to us.
At this news, Danny broke down and cried. I did, too. It's so hard to think about what the next few weeks or months may hold. And it's hard to watch my husband - 6 feet tall and 215 pounds - break down like this. Even the doctors cried.
Both our hearts are breaking, but I'm not sure right now how much of this Danny has absorbed. He's calling his sisters and brothers and telling them what transpired today. I know their hearts are breaking, too.
Then we went to LR to ACRC and had a consultation with 2 oncologists there. It's not good news.
They said, as we knew, the cancer is inoperable. They also said it's pushing against Danny's heart and causing one chamber to be compressed, which is causing his heart rate to be up and irregular. They said that right now, he's not a candidate for chemo because of the extent of the tumor. Not even a candidate for surgery for the spot at the back of his neck. And that it may be that radiation will slow it down but probably won't get rid of it. If, after the 6 weeks of radiation is finished the tumor is smaller, maybe then chemo would be called for.
They said chemo at this point would only make matters worse for him because it would make him sicker and cause him more heart problems. That the radiation may burn his esophagus to the point where he'll need a feeding tube. That this cancer is stage 4 and among the most deadly of any lung cancers.
The doctors also said that 4 to 6 months ago, this tumor wasn't even there and wouldn't have shown up on an X-ray or anything else.
The radiation doctor is going to start treatments on a small spot that's at the back of Danny's neck, near his brain. He feels he can get rid of all of that at least.
We are both trying to deal with this news now. We knew it could be bad, but this is the first time any of the doctors have laid it out so plainly. They told us that at any time we wanted to call or make an appointment just to talk, to feel free. They'd be glad to talk to us.
At this news, Danny broke down and cried. I did, too. It's so hard to think about what the next few weeks or months may hold. And it's hard to watch my husband - 6 feet tall and 215 pounds - break down like this. Even the doctors cried.
Both our hearts are breaking, but I'm not sure right now how much of this Danny has absorbed. He's calling his sisters and brothers and telling them what transpired today. I know their hearts are breaking, too.
Labels: Danny journal
posted by Ann crum @ 7:56 PM
1 Comments:
At 9/02/2005 7:59 AM,
Anonymous said…
Ann, my heart goes out to you. I also cried at your devastating news. I am sure that if tears could heal, Danny would be on his way to work this morning. My dad and 1 brother were taken away by cancer. I can't imagine the anguish you are going thru.
My mom lives with me and I can only go to church occassionally, however, I did tell my SS class the last time I was there and will make a call to one of the members so that they can tell the class to continue to remember U and Danny in their prayers.
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