Just when I thoughts things were starting to go smoothly, my world gets turned upside down. Last night I started to feel like I was having a hard time breathing. I felt like I was wheezing and decided to wait until the next morning to see if it was getting better or worse. Unfortunatly, this morning the wheezing continued and to be safe I decided to have it checked out at CTCA. I thought perhaps I had fluid build up in my lungs. I had a history of plurel effusion, so it was possible that it would come back.
After an E KG, blood work, and xrays the doctor found that my lung had collapsed. The air sack surrounding the lung had filled with air and causing my lung to push into my heart. The doc said it was a good thing I came into the Cancer Treatment Centers today….otherwise I could be laying on my deathbed.
In order to fix the lung collapse and help with breathing I would have to get a chest tube input. The surgery was horrible. They couldn’t put me under with anethesia because of my slow breathing so they used just a local anesthetic to numb the area. As they input the chest tube, I could feel a horrible pressure on my lung. It was such a strange feeling, but horrible it almost made me want to throw up. Essentially, the doctor was inputting a tube in between my ribs to help inflate the lung. The sensation of the lung inflating is a strange one and very uncomfortable. I will have to keep this tube in until my lung is back to normal (probably tomorrow) which means I have to sleep with this thing! I am NOT looking forward to tonight’s sleep.
Tags: chest tube, CTCA, lung cancer
Hang in there Melissa. Looking forward to seeing you after work!
Melissa,please read this…………
Woman Fights Cancer With Fruit JuiceAOL News
posted: 19 HOURS 5 MINUTES AGOcomments: 164filed under: Health NewsPRINT|E-MAILMOREText SizeAAA(Aug. 5) — Albina Duggan was told she had three years to live after she was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer in 2004. Five years later, she has defied the odds and her tumors have shrunk with the help of a common drink: grapefruit juice.
Duggan, 41, turned to clinical drug trials after several unsuccessful attempts to treat the tumors that had spread from her liver to her spine and lymph nodes. University of Chicago cancer researchers started Duggan on a weekly dose of the drug rapamycin, accompanied by a daily glass of grapefruit juice, the Chicago Tribune reported.
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Did You Know …Michael Tercha, Chicago Tribune/MCT53 photos Grapefruit juice can help fight cancer? A University of Chicago clinical trial showed a chemical in grapefruit juice boosted the effectiveness of the cancer-fighting drug rapamycin. A daily glass of freshly frozen juice paired with a weekly dose of the drug helped stop tumor growth, according to the study leader who reported his preliminary results in the spring.(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker)
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Did You Know …
Grapefruit juice can help fight cancer? A University of Chicago clinical trial showed a chemical in grapefruit juice boosted the effectiveness of the cancer-fighting drug rapamycin. A daily glass of freshly frozen juice paired with a weekly dose of the drug helped stop tumor growth, according to the study leader who reported his preliminary results in the spring.
Michael Tercha, Chicago Tribune/MCT
Michael Tercha, Chicago Tribune/MCT
A chemical in grapefruit juice heightens the potency of many drugs. While this could lead to a dangerously high dosage if the juice is paired with some medicines, the increased effectiveness is beneficial when working with cancer-fighting drugs.
Not just any grapefruit juice will work. In fact, Duggan’s tumors did not initially respond to her daily glass of grocery-store juice.
However, her doctors were soon advised that key chemicals in the juice break down when it is processed. Duggan then switched to freshly frozen grapefruit juice, which effectively raised the levels of rapamycin in her blood.
Of the 25 patients involved in the study, a third showed positive results, according to a preliminary report presented at the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting this spring. However, study leader Ezra Cohen says no results were as dramatic as Duggan’s.
Duggan told the Tribune the low weekly dose of rapamycin minimized her side effects and drug costs. Her life expectancy, once pegged at three years, is now indefinite. “There is nothing in my charts that will point to any number,” the mother of four said. “I might outlive everybody.”
Read more on the story from the Chicago Tribune.
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2009-08-05 11:59:17
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Wow Melissa. That sounds really challenging. I am just not sure I could ever be as tough and strong as you are. Many set backs but you sure seem to keep overcoming them! I’ll talk to you soon. I’m back at work and trying to get my bearings at this new school and with two new preps. But, I’m wearing my necklace and thinking about you often.
Wow and you looked so amazing, you can trick us all.
Thinking of you.
Melissa – I am going to come and see you Saturday night after my training with my students.
Sorry to hear about the latest issue. Sounds pretty awful. I PROMISE I will look at flights/dates this weekend. Sorry I’ve been such a slacker. xoxo
Melissa,
We are so sorry to hear about your lung colapse, but glad that you are doing better. You are always in our thoughts and prayers.
Your NV cousins,
Heather & Emily
Hi Stuart!
Good to hear from you. Unfortunately, I can’t drink grapefruit juice because it interferes with one of the medications I am taking. It would make me REALLY sick. Thanks for the info.