my dad survived lung cancer (17 years now) and just now got over

non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. The treatments -chemo and radiation- weren't the hard part. Getting over a sore mouth was. What a hard eight months this has been. 79 and still swinging. :)

Just yesterday morning we got the call that my mom (she's 78) has cancer of the urethra. We're scared as hell since she has had a problem in that region for 2-3 years. Egads. Why did they wait so long to finally do a biopsy? She lives in a small town and they finally referred her a couple weeks ago to a specialist. I'm heading up to see my folks today for the weekend.

It was good timing that my brother happened to be on vacation visiting my folks when they got the news. He's a radiation physicist in Milwaukee. He is the team member that looks at the tumor and determines where to aim the laser and how much radiation a patient receives. (Obviously, he's the brighter sibling!) Since we are in the dark right now as to the size of the cancer, how much it has spread, etc. it will be good to have him asking the right questions.

One thing I learned from my brother is that radiation treatments are becoming ever more precise so they do much less damage to surrounding cells and tissue.

Thanks for the upbeat message, roguevalley.:)

I know we will hear stories later that won't have such good outcomes and that's to be expected with this struggle. But, it's a good beginning for this group to have such positive posts upfront. We all need hope and you have just provided it.

early on is don't take worst case scenario as the be all and end all. listen and then DO! DO! DO! DO! I can tell you, if you believe you are half way home. Hug your mom for me. Tell her that there is nothing like stepping up to the plate. Make sure they drink ensure if their tummy is upset and if chemo is online for her, make sure they give nausea medicine first. my dad had zero nausea through his chemo. The brain is your best and most powerful weapon for getting well. believe.

Your Dad sounds like a real fighter...no wonder he won the "War on Cancer". That's what Bush should do...make war on disease...not people!

and I will tell her about your Dad.

What treatment did he use for his lung cancer?

that he has lung cancer, and just started chemo last week. He's 71. I'm going up again to see him tomorrow and help sort out some of his feelings. He's quite despondant, ready to pack it in rather than continue treatments. This is not like him and we are thinking that his steriod treatments (for keeping swelling down around brain lesions), radiotherapy, and lack of significant progress (even though early) are contributing to his negative outlook.

Did your Dad ever desire to stop treatments? If so, how did he get past it?

I'm for letting people make their own decisions late in life -- they deserve that respect -- but his thinking right now is impaired and I'm going to be asking him to give it a couple more weeks, when things might look a bit better.

Again, good job to your Dad -- usual prognosis for lung cancer (small cell carcinoma) is 6-24 months.

Thanks

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