We went for my husband's second chemo yesterday but they discovered that his sugar was over 900 He has never been a diabetic....but has had such a thrist the last few days and stupid me, because he has lost thirty pounds in the last six weeks and now weights 136 pounds at six feet tall, was letting him drink tons of orange and apple juice and making him milkshakes. Anyway, they feel the steriods for the chemo are the culprit....So we are now in Yale where he will possibly have his second chemo today. They have to give him the steroids because he needs them for chemo. Looks like I will be injecting him with insulin and also the lovenox for the pulmonary embolisms. It just gets worse and worse. So hard to hold on to any hope....and wonder how we will get the calories in to maintain his weight with the diabetes. They woke us up every hour afor blood work last night....I am sleeping on a cot in his room. To think, in late August our doctor told him his back pain was sciatica. He did get to walk our beautiful daughter down the aisle two weeks ago. We are thankful for that.....
Yale has WIFI so I can stay "connected" to pass the time......Thanks for listening .

(((Linda))) I'm sorry things are not going well for you two right now. Hopefully, they will get that blood sugar under control and things will start looking up.

Can you consult with a dietician in the hospital? Maybe you can get some more ideas on nutrition.

Lynn

_________________
07/07: Diagnosed stage 4 SCLC. Carboplatin/VP-16, great scans. NED lung/hip, resolving liver.
11/07: Mixed scans. Repeat in 01/08.
01/08: Had seizures same week as scans. New mets: brain/adrenal glands. Active: lung/liver. In ICU overnight. Transferred to Hospice Wing next day.
01-28-08: Home on Hospice. Very critically ill.
01-31-08: Marked improvement. Sought second opinion. Yes, right diagnosis. Chose to not pursue further treatment.
02-05-08: Decided to fight w/Hycamtin.
04/08: Scans: Lung stable. Liver, adrenal gland, brain mets worse. Trying Gemzar.
05-12-08: CyberKnife for 4 of 6 brain mets. (Not WBR candidate-had radiation for non-hodgkin's lymphoma in 1984.)
05-26-08--06-10-08: Meds adjusted for increasing pain.
06-12-08: Fell down. Not injured.
06-19-08: Very wobbly. Brain MRI reveals innumerable lesions scattered throughout.
06-23-08: Hearing loss in right ear due to brain mets.
06-26-08: Not pursuing additional treatment.
07-24-08: Larry passed away at home at 8:10 pm, just the way he wanted. It was a gentle death. God's mercy is infinite.

((((Linda))))

So sorry for this latest set back. Please know you are both in my thoughts and prayers.

I can say, Jerry's blood sugar got quite high when he was on the steroids as well. He was on a pill for the sugar rather than an injection. I don't know if the pill form would be strong enough for your hubby given his high numbers or not. The med we had for him was glipizide which I believe is the generic equivalent of Glucotrol.

I don't know if that is helpful or not but I felt it was worth passing on...

Many hugs and prayers

Christine

I am sorry to hear this latest update. I think its time things took a turn in a postive direction for you and your husband!! Please know you are in my prayers and may tomorrow bring with it better news and healing. Love, Sharon

_________________
Sharon R.
Lost my Daddy go NSCLC he fought a vailant battle for 4 years... HE IS MY HERO
Picture is my grandson Gavin
PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE FOR CUSTOM SUPPORT/MEMORY BRACELET. A PORTION OF EACH SALE GOES DIRECTLY TO LUNGEVITY
www.ilovinglyremember.com

(((HUGS)))

_________________
Caren x

____________________________
Dad (Dave) Ex smoker (quit 18 years ago)
Diagnosed 11th Ausgust '08 with Adenocarcinoma-Some Lymph Node involvement - Right lung Stage 3b.

12/09/08 Restaged to stage 4.

22nd May 2009.
The Angels came and took you from me, at 7am, while I held your hand. I love you Dad and I will never stop loving you or ever forget you.
Sleep well now, Dad (((HUG)))

Avatar is the last photo taken of dad. Taken on the 19th May 2009.


3rd September 2009,Caren has been smoke-free for 11months!!!!

Linda, my thoughts are with you and your husband. This cancer journey can get so hard. I'm hoping things ease up for you guys real soon.

Judy in Key West

I'm sorry for all you guys are going thru. It is a hard journey. Don't lose your hope. Let us be here for you.

Asking the hospital nutritionist for a consult might be a good thing as well to get a handle on things and how to maintain his weight.

I'm sending positive thoughts and saying prayers. Keep us posted.
(((hugs)))

I just want you to know that you and your husband will be in my thoughts and prayers. Keep up updated. Hope things are much better soon.

Hugs,
Sue

_________________
[size=84]husband, Mike, 59 years old
**2-01 dx'd Stage 1 nsclc-9cm tumor to right lung-no lymph node involvement...
**4-30-01 pneumonectomy right lung removed. No followup chemo or radiation , but scans and xrays were done
**1-28-04 dx w/recurrent stage IV nsclc tumor on stump of where right lung had been removed , lymph node involvement, tumor adrenal gland -lft side, **02-04-04- taxol & carboplatin 3 treatments-didn't work
**02-12-04- radiation 10 to lung for bleeding
**04-2--04-taxotere had 4 treatments. shrinkage had occured in all after 3.. continuing taxotere. making him very tired ... upper body swelling ..
** 08-01-04-in hospital
latest..
**08-02-04 had stent put in .. superior vena cava.. the vein was being blocked by pressure tumor.
**08-05-04-started 10 radiation treatments,
**08-30-04- started Navelbine on 3 weeks and off 1 Scan after 5 treatments show chemo Navelbine not working -slight decrease to lung mass, but slight increase to adrenal ....
**11-01-04-starting Gemzar ... had 3 treatments... too many side effects... Ct of chest and upper abdomen done on Dec. 2nd -results some shrinkage
**12-06-04-started Alimta Dec. 6th- first treatment went well Had 2nd treatment Dec. 27th ... developed a rash and is tired, but otherwise ok Scan Feb 7th, 2005 STABLE doing good continuing Alimta April 18th scans showed stable disease (after 6 Alimta treatments), but he now has pneumonitis... no more treatments until much better.. on prednisone and oxygen..
**05-31-05 Ct scan of chest showed pneumonitis resolved and stable cancer
**06-06-05-our 35th wedding anniversary... onc confirms everything resolving and stable -reccommends break continued til August
**6-15-05 to 6-18-05 in hospital due to mental confusion ..
had MRI-member empty head club

8-3-2005-Ct scans chest , abdomen and pelvic....Waiting and praying...
**8-8-2005-Ct results were that the chest area looked improved, but the adrenal area had increased and involved some lymph nodes.
Started Tarceva 150mg 8-16-2005-8-20-2005 stopped 2 weeks due to severe rash on 9-8-2005 started back on Tarceva at 100 mg now.. stopped again on 9-19-2005
9-30-2005 scans slight progression to nodes behind adrenal..
10-10-2005-Camptosar- CPT-11 started
10-31-2005- CPT-11
refused more CPT-11 made him extremely fatigued and nauseated
Dec. 6th -CTscans chest, abdomen & pelvic. shows stable but tumor compressing the esophagus..
Dec. 19th- had stent to trachea put in
Dec. 21st- he had stent to esophagus and feeding tube put in
Dec. 22nd.. he will ill put in hospital... vomiting and also coughing and congestion in for 4 days... home for Christmas Dec. 25th... still recouperating with antibiotics etc.
Continuing cough and numerous doctor visits.
*Jan 30th-Feb 4th- hospitalized again with cough ..
Still has cough , but controlled most of the time Hasn't been able to resume chemo

**My "prince charming", best friend, husband and soul mate,, Mike passed away March 2, 2006 after being a 5 year survivor and fighting a very courageous battle**
______________________
Mom- 78 yrs old..
nsclc diag May 2nd, 2007-surgery 2sm tumors removed in wedge section... lymph nodes clear
Tarceva as adjuvant started on June 23rd..quit July2nd.. side effects numerous... am waiting now til next appt. July 13th
July 20th... Mom NED.PET clear and normal .. will go back on half 75mg Tarceva... see how that works..
Stop Tarceva 8-25 too many side effects
Oct. 22nd- Mom surgeon visit, chest xray and results .. all clear, no sign of cancer...
Feb. 18th Mom's PET Scan
March 7th Mom's PET Scan results.. NED
Sept. 22, 08 Mom PET Scan
Sept. 29, 08 Mom PET results new nodule 3/4 "...here we go again.... :-(
*Updated*- Mom surgery- Oct. 30th.. surgeon removed top part of upper right lobe. Nothing showed malignant. She had pneumonia after surgery and a 3 week hospital stay, but she is slowly regaining her strength and is currently NED..

March 3, 2009 CT scan.... results showed some little things along suture line that the doctor believed was healing.. will wait til next scan and compare.

June 2, 2009- CT Scan.. results there is an area along suture line that has increased in size and thickening.. doctor thinks could be cancer... a needle biopsy will be done..

A quick update.. the results of the needle biopsy did confirm that it was cancer...

Cyberknife was done the first week in November..

Pet scan .. Dec. 8th...
Dec. 11th -results .. cyberknife worked and the rest of the scan is clean... YAY!!! Happy Birthday (Dec. 19th.. 81st) and Merry Xmas Mom!
Dec. 2010 NED!!!
June 2, 2011.. Pet Scan results .. NED!!!
Nov 3, 2011.. CT scan results.. NED!!!
Sept. 18, 2012 .. our loving mom has passed on ..Heaven received a most precious angel.


graphic by
http://www.maryslittlelamb.com[/size]

Apologies for my delay in responding to your post Linda. I am so sorry for what you are going through right now. Hopefully things got turned around in the hospital. My most positive thoughts are with you. This is so hard. Take good care of yourself and hubby.

Sandra

_________________
See my survival story at http://lungevity.org/l_community/viewtopic.php?t=39390

43 years old at diagnosis, wife and mother of 2 wonderful children (1 of each, 12 and 13).

March 2007-cough that wouldn't clear, gets progressively worse, can't sleep on left side by July 2007
August 2007-cloudy x-ray
Aug 27-finally a CT scan, and hospitalized, 3 litres of fluid on lung. Fluid drained, hospital stay, bronchs, mediastinoscopy, thorascopy. Had been told cancer earlier, not in fluid though. Tests done to confirm staging. Staging confirmed as Stage III A, later changed to III B.
Oct 4-PET scan for radiation planning.
Oct 17-Nov 28-30 radiation treatments
Oct 17 to Jan 11-4 rounds of chemo, cisplatin and etoposide
Jan 28-Ct scan/chest x-ray
Feb 12-doc said re CT scan "results are excellent, could possibly be a complete positive response!" Don't think it gets much better than that. I won't say NED yet....
Mar 18/08-NED!!!!! based on updated CT scan. Small pleural effusion left,difficult to tell, but rest is NED. And also cleared for START, liposome vaccine clinical trial.
April 3-1st day of vaccine, every week for 8 weeks, less frequently after that
-May 8-PET scan results, bone mets!!! Lungs still clear. Begin radiation/chemo planning. Off of clinical trial after 5 treatments.
-May 27 and 30, 2 radiation treatments, 14 greys total
-June 10-July 21-first 3 alimta infusion, also receiving zometa infusions separately
-CT scan results July 21-lungs still clear, back a mess, referred to a neurosurgeon for possible surgery
-Aug 13-1st gemzar infusion (stopped alimta, was intolerant and gemzar thought to be more effective)
Aug 16-MRI as reported pain in right leg, results were probable nerve damage from spine mets
-Aug20-end of first cycle of gemzar. Treatments stopped as was intolerant, too many side effects.
Sept 25-bone scan ordered by pain doc
Oct 3-started Tarceva, 150 mg
Oct 23 PET scan results-progression in spine and left lung with lymph node involvement-CRAP!!!!!
Nov 5-Tarceva down to 125 mg
Jan 20-failed bone cement procedure, pain worse
Jan 23-admitted to hospital for 10 days: full kidney failure, later discovered infection in chest which was lanced, identified dropped foot, off of Tarceva since Jan 20
Mar 31-1st of 10 radiation treatments to the spine
May 12-started navalbine

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will". -Mahatma Gandhi

"When the going gets tough, the tough get waterproof mascara" (assuming you have eyelashes left after chemo!)