Lung Cancer or ALS?

[anne]

Troy..not sure why you ask such a question but I will tell you that my father had lung cancer in 1972, he had 5% chance of pulling through. He had his lung removed and three ribs. Life was tough for my mother especially since she has lost her oldest son, my brother, 6 months prior to cancer. My dad was then diagnosed in 1984 with alzheimer's and then passed away 9 years later at the age of 67. It was a very difficult time both with the lung cancer and with the alzheimer's. After going through all of this my mom was diagnosed with motorneuron disease with bulbar symptoms (June 2006). She has not been officially given the diagnosis of ALS as of yet but it very much looks like it is. I have to say the ALS is the worst of the three diseases that my family has gone through. The alzheimers was difficult for us to deal with but not for my dad. He was unfortunately clueless. The lung cancer was difficult but he managed to pull through and recovered well. My mom's condition is robbing her of everything in life and her mind is so very sharp. She is a woman that had to become independent because of my dad's cancer and then the alzheimers but now she is confronted with not being able to speak, not being able to swallow so she finds herself with a peg feeding tube and eventhough her fine motor skills and mobility is excellent she is unable to do anything because she is completely winded on exertion. She relies on her Bipap machine at night and now during the day. She is tormented constantly with the build up of phelgm and not being able to cough it up. Not being able to even open her mouth. So after reading this lengthy post make your on judgement on which is worse. I unfortunately have and am experiencing both of these illnesses.
God Bless. Anne

AL: I am sorry that you have been faced with the possibility of cancer. Thankfully you are out of the woods. Maybe, see you at clinic on the 11th.

 

[pmbenb83]

Al ~ So glad to hear your result was negative. I'm going to have a glass of wine and say a little toast to you. Cheers! Pam B in Va

Troy ~ I hope you do not have either disease. My husband lost both his father and mother to lung cancer and is now facing the possiblity of having ALS. Like I said, I hope you have either. Pam B in Va

 

[Jamiet]

Great news AL.....

Woooo Hoooo! Have a glass for me

 

[TomR1972]

Glad you are ok Al

Al,

I will toast to you with a little red as well, Cherry Coke!

Glad you got good news!

Tom

 

[hboyajian]

Al, I'm sure glad you don't have lung cancer, and that they called you right away, not making you wait for an appointment to find out the biopsy results.

About the question posed about lung cancer and ALS. I lost a friend 2 years ago to lung cancer. It took him down in 6 months. He went from being a vibrant, active person to struggling weakly along with an oxygen tank in tow. He lost weight and strength rapidly. He struggled for every breath and this gave him anxiety at near the end of his life. He was gone so much faster than any of his friends or family were thinking might happen. It was a roller coaster of shock upon diagnosis, hope that the surgery might cure him or at least give a respite, despair when they found more, and inoperable cancer during the surgery, hope that chemotherapy might work to eradicate or slow it down, and then when it was clearly not doing much, we helplessly saw him continue to weaken. It was much like ALS in that way. A difference is that he continued to hold onto hope that he might be cured until just a week before his death. However, the treatments were difficult and made him suffer and feel very ill. A difference is that there was no option to go on a trach and ventilator as his lungs were toast, not the muscles operating them.
Another friend of my family has been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer this summer. She was told she has 6 months to 2 years, even if the chemotherapy slows it down. Her husband is disabled and cannot easily care for her. He is in anguish. She does not feel very ill right now and is just trying to live while she can. The first round of chemo did not affect her too adversely. Her fear is that she will be in pain, nauseated, and weak until she dies.
All of this is terrible. ALS is terrible. I watched my father live with it as well as he could and die from it not too long ago. Lung cancer is also terrible. May any person who has either be surrounded by people who love them. That is what really matters.

 

[Peg B]

Hi,

Al so glad to hear it was benign. Thanks so much for pointing out what a stupid question. It was my first thought.

My mom had parkinson with most of it affecting her mind - active auditory and visual hallucinations etc. She came home from Fla so we could take care of her. Three days later she was DX with lung cancer. Two years later she got a new cancer - cancer of the neck. Her sister first had breast cancer then died of cancer of the esophages. Their other sister died first of breast cancer (41). Her daughter, my cousin died of colon cancer. My sister lasted 12 years with breast cancer which went on to bone cancer. My other two sisters both are survivors of breast cancer. (10 years and almost 2 years). The youngest sister died in a car accident at the age of 22.

Troy - Really - take it one day at a time and do not worry about what may or may not happen. We have so little control. But life is so good too. God Blessings and Peace. Peg