what...lung cancer?!

cichlid · 02-26-2006, 11:10 PM

My only living grandma was diagnosed with lung cancer about 2 weeks ago. They do not know what caused it and she never smoked at all. They can't get rid of it completely because it's too far along, but they can get rid of some of it and stop it from spreading (for who knows how long). It came as a shock when I first heard about it. I started having panic attacks at night and just was bad. After awhile things seemed to go back to normal. She was in chemo and my family started to visit her more often. I feel bad because I was never really close to my grandma like the rest of her grandkids...then again she was never really close to my family to begin with. Now I can't really stop what I am doing at the moment and have been unable to visit her but I have talked with her on teh phone. She is just as confused as the rest of us.

On teh outside I have been pretty optimistic and haven't shown that much emotion about it. Inside it is bothering me. She is my only living grandma...I only have one grandpa too. I never knew my mom's father. I was not even thought of. My mom's mother died way back when too...but I was old enough to know what was going on. Watching my mom's mother die of alzheimer's was bad enough when I was maybe 13 years old. I dunno my grandma with cancer has been worrying me. She was on chemo, but she lately has been having a rapid heart beat so she is back in the hospital. It's in both lungs and it is pretty far along. I just...I dunno. I'm in shock again because I just now was told she is back in the hospital...it seems like I am always the last to be told.

So increased stress...panic attacks...life has not been great. My world is spinning around and it sucks. Pray for my grandma.

~Serendipity~ · 02-26-2006, 11:13 PM

Hi Cich

I'm really sorry to hear about your grandmother. It's never easy finding out about things like this.
Quite often people who don't smoke can get lung cancer... and it sounds trivial, but with the amount of people who passive smoke... not completely out of the question..

I will include your grandmother in my thoughts tonight.

tough_girl · 02-26-2006, 11:49 PM

I'm sorry to hear about the situation you are currently going through. Several years ago, I lost my grandmother to cancer and I can say I've been in the same situation you're in right now.

It was a little tormenting to be the last person to be told but I think your parents didn't want to worry you much. It's times like this when humans feel guilty for not spending more of their time with another person but that can't be helped.

Glad that you're talking to her over the phone. Just letting her know that you care and you're there for her too is enough, i hope. ^^ It usually does.

I wish you strength in getting through this. If you need someone to talk to, feel free to pm me. ^^ I can't help much but I can hear you out.

coollady1957 · 03-04-2006, 01:04 AM

HI, I am so very sorry to hear about your grandmother. I will keep her and you and the family in my thoughts and prayers. I have never had a family memeber with cancer, but I have had a dear friend whose husband battled lung cancer that had spread for quite a long time. So I can get a bit of sense of what you are dealing with.

cichlid · 03-05-2006, 10:12 PM

Well, I did get to go see her on Friday night. She is back in the hospital again because one of her intestines collasped and she was not getting any nutrition. She's got a good amount of weight on her to begin with so she's not a small frail lady...but when I saw her she looked so tired, hadn't gotten and real food in a week. When I last talked to her she was normal...now she is just so weak because of the lack of food.

And just to make this clear...she never had a cigarette that I know of.

02-26-2006, 11:10 PM	#1
cichlid Offline Gold Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: the South Gender: Female Age: 24 Posts: 1,173	what...lung cancer?! My only living grandma was diagnosed with lung cancer about 2 weeks ago. They do not know what caused it and she never smoked at all. They can't get rid of it completely because it's too far along, but they can get rid of some of it and stop it from spreading (for who knows how long). It came as a shock when I first heard about it. I started having panic attacks at night and just was bad. After awhile things seemed to go back to normal. She was in chemo and my family started to visit her more often. I feel bad because I was never really close to my grandma like the rest of her grandkids...then again she was never really close to my family to begin with. Now I can't really stop what I am doing at the moment and have been unable to visit her but I have talked with her on teh phone. She is just as confused as the rest of us. On teh outside I have been pretty optimistic and haven't shown that much emotion about it. Inside it is bothering me. She is my only living grandma...I only have one grandpa too. I never knew my mom's father. I was not even thought of. My mom's mother died way back when too...but I was old enough to know what was going on. Watching my mom's mother die of alzheimer's was bad enough when I was maybe 13 years old. I dunno my grandma with cancer has been worrying me. She was on chemo, but she lately has been having a rapid heart beat so she is back in the hospital. It's in both lungs and it is pretty far along. I just...I dunno. I'm in shock again because I just now was told she is back in the hospital...it seems like I am always the last to be told. So increased stress...panic attacks...life has not been great. My world is spinning around and it sucks. Pray for my grandma. __________________ "Monday monkey lives for the weekend, sir" -- Leela (from Futurama)

02-26-2006, 11:13 PM	#2
~Serendipity~ Offline Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Perth, Australia Gender: Female Age: 23 Posts: 767	Hi Cich I'm really sorry to hear about your grandmother. It's never easy finding out about things like this. Quite often people who don't smoke can get lung cancer... and it sounds trivial, but with the amount of people who passive smoke... not completely out of the question.. I will include your grandmother in my thoughts tonight. __________________ Definition of Serendipity: Good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries...

02-26-2006, 11:49 PM	#3
tough_girl Offline Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Somewhere I belong Posts: 155	I'm sorry to hear about the situation you are currently going through. Several years ago, I lost my grandmother to cancer and I can say I've been in the same situation you're in right now. It was a little tormenting to be the last person to be told but I think your parents didn't want to worry you much. It's times like this when humans feel guilty for not spending more of their time with another person but that can't be helped. Glad that you're talking to her over the phone. Just letting her know that you care and you're there for her too is enough, i hope. ^^ It usually does. I wish you strength in getting through this. If you need someone to talk to, feel free to pm me. ^^ I can't help much but I can hear you out. __________________ He who asks, is a fool for 5 minutes and he who is silent is a fool forever - chinese proverb There is no right answer in life. No one is perfect. Life isn't perfect but it's our responsibility to live it to the fullest.- one of my own

03-05-2006, 10:12 PM	#5
cichlid Offline Gold Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: the South Gender: Female Age: 24 Posts: 1,173	Well, I did get to go see her on Friday night. She is back in the hospital again because one of her intestines collasped and she was not getting any nutrition. She's got a good amount of weight on her to begin with so she's not a small frail lady...but when I saw her she looked so tired, hadn't gotten and real food in a week. When I last talked to her she was normal...now she is just so weak because of the lack of food. And just to make this clear...she never had a cigarette that I know of. __________________ "Monday monkey lives for the weekend, sir" -- Leela (from Futurama)

03-04-2006, 01:04 AM	#4
coollady1957 Offline Silver Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Alabama..Near ROLL TIDE COUNTRY ! Gender: Female Age: 52 Posts: 2,196	HI, I am so very sorry to hear about your grandmother. I will keep her and you and the family in my thoughts and prayers. I have never had a family memeber with cancer, but I have had a dear friend whose husband battled lung cancer that had spread for quite a long time. So I can get a bit of sense of what you are dealing with.