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Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Jul 2, 2024 9:54:09 GMT -5
Well now! I had a totally enjoyable time yesterday at hospital. The place is beautiful. The employees are professional, enjoyable, friendly, ready to help and very caring. I felt in good hands the moment I entered the reception area. I liked the fact that I was escorted to ambulatory surgery floor #2 and the large very well appointed and clean waiting room.. Waiting time for my procedure was minimal. Actually it was right on target. I had to be there at 7 AM and they get ya all ready so by 9 AM the procedure starts. I was finished like the Doctor said in about 8 minutes. Which went very well. Had two x rays after biopsy to make sure partial collapsed lung inflated and it did. I left hospital around 3:00 PM. No difficulty or pain at all.
Now I wait 3 to 5 days for results.
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Post by Clipper on Jul 2, 2024 10:18:09 GMT -5
Glad to hear that you had a good visit. Here is hoping the biopsy comes back as benign.
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Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Jul 2, 2024 16:10:14 GMT -5
Well it didn't. Apparently I have squamous cell carcinoma right lung. I had a dog who had that in his nose and died within 3 months!!!! Anyone have a Chinese friend that can get me some herbs to use to get rid of this pest. I hate the thought of chemo or radiation. Surgery is another thing. My sister is checking with her cancer team in Albany. I hope my insurance covers that I know Medicaid part will I guess. Cancer runs in family. Sister had breast and recently liver but is now in remission for both.
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Post by clarencebunsen on Jul 2, 2024 20:32:47 GMT -5
The National Cancer InstituteTrusted Source estimates that squamous cell lung carcinoma makes up 25 percent of all lung cancers. Of all non-small cell cancers, squamous cell lung carcinomas have the strongest connection to smoking.
Treatment depends on many different factors.
This has to be a tough result to hear. Your family here at Clipper's will offer all the support we can.
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Post by Clipper on Jul 2, 2024 21:41:10 GMT -5
We all will be supporting you and keeping you in our prayers PB. Sorry to hear the bad news.
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Post by BHU on Jul 3, 2024 9:13:42 GMT -5
Keep the faith, PB. We're all pulling for you.
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Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Jul 3, 2024 16:14:23 GMT -5
Thanks. This is not good. I smoked for 30 years and have been clean since 2004.
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Post by kit on Jul 4, 2024 10:41:19 GMT -5
I'm also a smoker. Two years ago my doctor found a lesion also in my right lung. After a PET scan it proved to be cancerous. He did surgery and removed it (just the tumor, not the whole lung) which wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. At my follow-up appointment, after an x-ray, he said he had gotten it all. Three times during the appointment he used the word 'cure' which made me feel very relieved. That was 2 years ago and my next two annual CT scans were clean. So have faith in your doctor. They know much more than they did in the past and have quite a good track record with lung cancer surgery. As with many things, it's never as bad as you think it will be.
Please keep us posted on your progress.
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Post by BHU on Jul 4, 2024 13:32:13 GMT -5
I too was a pack & half smoker for 30-35 years. I quit 10 yrs ago, then took up vaping which is just as bad or worse then cigs. I quit that also. Two yrs ago my Dr enrolled me in the lung csncer screeening program thru MVHS. Went for a PET scan & they found a couple nodules in my lung. The Dr wanted to do a biopsy but I turned him down. I've had three scans & the nodule hasn't changed & is calcified which points to it being benign. I've read the report online thru MyChart. I'm just lucky but the advancements made in lung cancer treatment like Kit said just in the past few years are remarkable.
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Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Jul 4, 2024 13:49:49 GMT -5
I am doing reading of minimally invasive thoracic oncological surgery and low and behold we have a highly qualified Doctor right in our own backyard. I am going to see if my Pulmonary or Primary Doc ( not sure who does that insurance wise) for a referral to Dr. Mark Crye, MD at Wynn Hospital. He is head of the program and has 14 years experience with Davinci Machine and other equipment. I feel at my age a less traumatic surgical approach is best. I have read a lot about that approach and there is a seriously reduced hospital stay and much faster recovery after surgery. So I will see.
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Post by kit on Jul 5, 2024 7:48:05 GMT -5
PB, The doctor who did my lung surgery is the predecessor of Dr. Crye (who is my current doctor). I'm confident that we're both in good hands with Dr. Crye.
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Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Jul 5, 2024 9:32:24 GMT -5
PB, The doctor who did my lung surgery is the predecessor of Dr. Crye (who is my current doctor). I'm confident that we're both in good hands with Dr. Crye. Thank you so much. I was just about to ask you. Makes me feel more confident. |
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Post by Clipper on Jul 6, 2024 9:15:45 GMT -5
Keeping your in my daily prayers PB. I have a lot of faith in the power of prayer for healing. I fully believe that the Lord answered my prayer for sobriety when I was at a dead end in my life. Hang in there my friend. Lung cancer treatment has come a long way and you may well come out the other end cancer free.
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Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Jul 6, 2024 9:46:40 GMT -5
I thought I was to have a follow up with Pulmonary Doc but no one called or emails. So Monday I will call and ask for a referral to the Doc at Wynn Hospital whom I am getting great reviews on from Neighborhood.
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Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Jul 17, 2024 20:35:01 GMT -5
Wow did I have enough appointment today with various medical departments. Pulmonary then Pulmonary function test then back to Pulmonary and then to Cardiology because of some issues with palpitations which have stopped in past month. Now I have to see surgical Doctor at Marion Hall on St E's Campus and then the oncologist at Slocum. Pulmonary Dr. yelled at me for not answering my cell phone and I said I am sorry but if I have nothing to do before 10 AM then I do not wake up till 10 0r 11 AM. Then I said I refuse to talk on phone in bathroom. I find that vulgar. Neighbor at other places I lived did that and once I overheard his conversation with someone but he said well I am pooping!!!! So now I guess I get going on this surgery. I am hoping for minimal invasive approach with DaVinci machine since I have squamous cell carcinoma which is now very small and slow growing and Doctor Crye fits the bill on that procedure.
When I got to Slocum today I went up to 2nd floor to sign in and low and behold I had the wrong date. The appointment was to Tuesday not Wednesday. I was so confused as to how on earth I even did that. They saw me that but threw everything off so my Bus ride back home ment I had to walk up either heartbreak hill ( Elm Street ) or downhill from end of Business Park to Floyd Ave to Pulaski St then Country Club Courts. I did it with sore feet and my arthritic right hip which decided to act up making me stop and rest for 15 minutes but the house I stopped at had a dog that didn't like me standing in front of his home so he barked like mad. I kept on saying Lord do not let it rain. It didn't.
Everything I seem to do somehow gets complicated.
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