I was supposed to have surgery to have upper left lobe of lung removed on 4/23. but I got SHINGLES instead! I broke out in the rash on Friday before the surgery, started medicine on Sunday and hoping the surgery will go through on Monday! This has been the most aggravating, painful, stressful time in my life. I honestly don't know how the rest of you go through life with cancer, because it sucks and I haven't even been staged yet! Going absolutely nuts right now!

Hope your shingles are gone soon. (I have no idea how long that lasts and don't want to find out.) These are scary times for you, but things will get better soon. The surgery is quite manageable and available pain relief is adequate. Please let us know when you have your surgery and how it goes.

Muriel

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Dx NSCLC 5/03. Surgery UR lobe. Staged as 1B. Chemo (taxol & Carbo)9/15/03 - 11/13/03. Wonderful CTs until Nov 04. Surgery 11/27/04, again staged as 1B. Chemo (Cisplatin and Gemzar) 2/05 to 6/05. Good CTs and PET since chemo.

So sorry to hear you have to deal with the darn shingles while going thru such a hard time already. I'm sure it's been like being kicked when you're down. I'll be praying that Monday will help in moving forward to much better days. Good luck to you.

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Lisa
Lost Mom(41) to LC 7/13/95
Lost Grandgather to LC 6/29/96
Lost Gram (75) to LC 3/13/05[/size]
MIL now fighting this BEAST.
Lost my beautiful Mom in law 12/19/09

Wow. You really are going through a double whammy right now. Having to deal with this diagnosis is hard enough, but from what I have been told shingles are terribly painful. I am so sorry you have to deal with both at once. Please keep us posted about the surgery, The fact that you are eligible for it is a good thing!

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Diagnosed at 47 years old - never smoked
3 amazing children, now 27, 25, and 24
Married 30 years

12/22/06 Diagnosed NSCLC Stage IV - Adnocarcinoma
Tumor in Rt Lung, 3 on Spine, one on the Pons of the brain
Radiation to the spine
Fractionated Linac Stereotactic Radiotherapy to the Pons of the brain

2/15/07 Start Tarceva 150 mg
4 1/2 years of "no progression of disease"

4/11/11 New mets on brain, Gamma Knife Radiation
Probable Leptomeningeal Disease.
Start "pulsing Tarceva" 1500mg 1xweek

7/11 - Brain mets swelling as an after effect of Gamma Knife, put on anti seizure meds, steroids.
New mets on spine and lung - watching.

9/11 - No new growth in Brain - more growth on spine and ribs. Back to Tarceva 100mg daily, adding Avastin every 3 weeks.

12/11 - Scans show no new growth, some mets stable, others have shrunk!

12/22/11 - 5 year survivor!!!!!

7/20/12 - scans show new growth in lungs and spine. Staying on Tarceva and Avastin and adding Alimta and Carboplatin.

10/12 Taken off Alimta and Carboplatin due to extreme side effects, continuing on Tarceva and Avastin - scans stable

Winter/13. Scans show growth again. Bones, lungs, lymph nodes, spleen. Time to look into clinical trials

4/13. Started clinical trial at Yale AP26113 by ARIAD, a "second generation Tarceva", side effects so far, diarrhea and nausea.

My story - http://lungevity.org/l_community/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=46162

Dan, I hope by now the shingles have eased up and you have had your surgery. This too shall pass. My upper left lobe was removed in 2007. I haven't missed it a bit.

Let us know how you are doing when you are able.

Judy MI

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6/07 DX NSCLC, Left Upper Lobe wedge resection: Stage 2.3/4, (2B?) Adenocarcinoma, measures 2.5x1.5x1.1cm. Involving visceral pleura but not through it. 5 rounds chemo, carboplatin and Taxol. Subsequent scans NED.

1/11 3.5 mm node found. 10/11 CT node now 8 mm, and new 6 mm node. 11/11 CT Pet shows slight uptake. 1/4/12 Biopsy - Pneumothorax complication. 1/14/12 Lobectomy of upper rt. lobe. NSCLC Adenocarcinoma in situ, nonmucinous (bronchioloalveolar carcinoma) 1.4cm involves pulmonary parenchyma.
3/14/12 Begin 4 cycles of Cisplatin/Navelbein, with Neulasta shot
4/6/12 Chemo changed to Carboplatin/Navelbine without Neulasta shot. Reduced chemo by 50% due to intolerance.
7/5/12 CT scan is clean, NED for lung cancer! There are issues with liver and stomach that will be investigated but not believed to be because of cancer. Wait and see!

*Avatar was taken 7/3/12 on our way out to see the Fireworks on a friends boat on their lake!

Mom dx SCLC 1/96, passed 10/19/96, age 62
Dad dx Brain cancer 4/87, passed 6/87, age 57
Sister dx Brain cancer 4/83, passed 12/83, age 25