Prayers and good thoughts headed out to your dad, Kim...and much love and hugs to you.

of course, i've got your dad in my thoughts kim, and sending BV's down your way!

Vibes headding you dads way Kim,
Bev & Alan

Thanks, everyone. I'll post again when we know more. Right now, it's still more tests....

Kim, You and your father are in my thoughts.
Love, REG

Kim- Healing vibes coming your way for your dad!! Hope your next post is full of good news!

we're still keeping good thoughts and blundervibes heading your way....and still wishing there was more we could do.....but we all know what the power of a bunch of blunderites can accomplish!?

hugs,
us

Thanks again, all. And me, I'm feeling the same way - wishing there was more I could do. Especially with my dad and the rest of the family back in Indiana, and me here in Maryland.

So far, the tests on his lung functions and such are looking good - not great, but some of the techs have evidently said they've seen a lot worse going through this surgery.

Right now, they have the surgery scheduled for sometime around the end of April, assuming the rest of the tests that he has to do still hold up. But the fact that they are scheduling him is good.

Thanks again for all the well wishes and prayers and such. Please keep them up - we know they can help!!!

Ok, thought I would give everyone an update on my dad - and so far, it's all good news!

His surgery was last Wednesday, April 20th. The surgeon said that not only were they able to get all of the cancer, but that they only had to take one lobe of his lung. Originally they thought they would have to take all of one lobe and at least part, and probably all, of the second lobe, so this is really good. Add to it that the cancer was on the upper lobe on his right side, which is also very good. (For anyone who doesn't know, this is good because you have 3 lobes on the right side, and only 2 on the left. I didn't remember that myself until we started getting all the information from the doctors about dad's cancer.)

The preliminary pathology reports came back from the sections they took around the tumor and from the lymph nodes. All were completely negative. The doctor told him he will not need to have chemotherapy or radiation therapy. <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/bounce.gif" width=31 height=31>

He has still been having a lot of pain, but that's to be expected. Still, every day he has seemed better and better, and the doctors say he is doing great. I had to leave on Sunday, but the rest of my family is still there with him of course. My mom told me that they had him walking a little yesterday. The doctors have been talking about sending him home today or tomorrow - I don't know where that stands yet, though I should find out from my mom tonight if they know any more. The chest tubes and all the other various wires and connections they had stuck in him are out, with the exception of a regular IV. He was VERY happy to lose the chest tubes!

So, all in all, we've had basically the best possible outcome for his situation. They give him a 60% chance of no recurrance of the cancer - assuming he does not start smoking again! That's the big one now. The whole family is going to be watching him, and he says he has no urge to smoke ever again, but.... he had stopped for several months after his heart bypass surgery, but eventually started up again. And we all figured finding out about the cancer would be enough to get him to quit, but he smoked right up until the day of the surgery. I know it can be a very tough habit to kick, but we really need him to. His doctor made it clear to all of us, including him, that if he starts up again, the cancer WILL come back. He said he's been doing this a while, and with the state dad's lungs are in, if he starts smoking again, it won't be a question of if it comes back, it will be a question of when. So he's still going to need thoughts and prayers for strength on that one. And he still has a ways to go on healing up, getting back some lung capacity, etc.

Thank you all so much for the prayers and blundervibes. They have helped - he's doing very well so far. Thanks again everyone!!!

Glad things are going better. More prayers just said... <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/peace.gif" width=16 height=16>

Hi, Kim. I'm glad things have turned out so well for your father. I hope that this time he'll stay away from cigarettes.

Continued blundervibes ... especially the "no urge to smoke" vibes.

Hi, Kim! So glad your Dad's surgery went so well, and that he will need no further treatment! Yippee! Now Dad, stay away from those cigarettes!

Yippee for your Dad! Best wishes for a fast recovery!

It's the toughest addiction there is; worse than crack, according to the scientists, and according to me. I say that, not to be discouraging, but to say that I, as a smoker, am sending him all the vibes I can. He'll make it, then someday those vibes will come back to me and I'll make it, too. In the meantime, don't judge him, just love him. That's got to be the best cure there is.

Hugs to you, Kim, and to your dad.

Shelley

Shelley and everyone else who wants to quit smoking: I'm sending my bestest wishes and strongest vibes to all of you. You'll feel so much better after you quit, I promise! Money back guarantee.