Explaining Medicine
  • News
  • Health & Lifestyle
    • Diet & Weight Management
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Nutrition, Food & Recipes
    • Prevention & Wellness
  • Conditions
    • Custom1
      • Conditions A-Z
      • Procedures A-Z
      • Allergies
      • Alzheimer’s
      • Arthritis
      • Asthma
      • Blood Pressure
      • Cholesterol
      • Cancer
    • Custom2
      • Chronic Pain
      • Cold Flu
      • Depression
      • Diabetes
      • Digestion
      • Eyesight
      • Health Living
      • Healthy Kids
      • Hearing Ear
    • Custom3
      • Heart
      • HIV/AIDS
      • Infectious Disease
      • Lung Conditions
      • Menopause
      • Men’s Health
      • Mental Health
      • Migraine
      • Neurology
    • Custom4
      • Oral Health
      • Pregnancy
      • Senior Health
      • Sexual Health
      • Skin Problems
      • Sleep
      • Thyroid
      • Travel Health
      • Women’s Health
  • Medications
    • Medications
    • Supplements and Vitamins
  • Medical Dictionary
  • Health Alerts
At new mental health courts in California, judges...
These habits can cut the risk of depression...
Obesity: A Holistic Approach
Just two doctors serve this small Alabama town....
Poison ivy is poised to be one of...
‘Dr. Google’ meets its match in Dr. ChatGPT
Rural nursing home operators say new staff rules...
Fentanyl mixed with cocaine or meth is driving...
Diet Tips for Advanced Prostate Cancer
How to Self-Advocate for Advanced Prostate Cancer
Top Posts

Explaining Medicine

  • News
  • Health & Lifestyle
    • Diet & Weight Management
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Nutrition, Food & Recipes
    • Prevention & Wellness
  • Conditions
    • Custom1
      • Conditions A-Z
      • Procedures A-Z
      • Allergies
      • Alzheimer’s
      • Arthritis
      • Asthma
      • Blood Pressure
      • Cholesterol
      • Cancer
    • Custom2
      • Chronic Pain
      • Cold Flu
      • Depression
      • Diabetes
      • Digestion
      • Eyesight
      • Health Living
      • Healthy Kids
      • Hearing Ear
    • Custom3
      • Heart
      • HIV/AIDS
      • Infectious Disease
      • Lung Conditions
      • Menopause
      • Men’s Health
      • Mental Health
      • Migraine
      • Neurology
    • Custom4
      • Oral Health
      • Pregnancy
      • Senior Health
      • Sexual Health
      • Skin Problems
      • Sleep
      • Thyroid
      • Travel Health
      • Women’s Health
  • Medications
    • Medications
    • Supplements and Vitamins
  • Medical Dictionary
  • Health Alerts
  • News

    A Day in My Life With Inoperable Lung Cancer

    by Penci November 22, 2022

    By Amy McMillin, as told to Kendall Morgan

    When I found out I had lung cancer, I was working full time. That hasn’t changed. I am still working full time, and my family tries to stick with the same routine we had prior to my diagnosis, with some exceptions and adjustments, of course. 

    I have two kids. My oldest is away at college and my youngest can drive now, so I don’t have to do the morning school routine.  This is a huge help since fatigue is one of the biggest side effects of my treatment. Thankfully, also, my mother-in-law lives close by. She is such a huge help to our family.  She comes and deep cleans our home once a month and helps in any other way we may need.

    It’s important to have a support system, both at home and at work. I am so fortunate to work from home and have a great work support system.  When I was diagnosed, I went to my supervisor, and we discussed options that allow me some flexibility in my work schedule. I can rest at times when I am in pain or not feeling well. I find that a quick power nap at lunch can help me to get through the day.

    I have set up my home office so that I can stay on top of deadlines and priorities.  My memory is a bit of a struggle at times, and things take me longer than they used to. To stay on track, I use a large desktop calendar, to-do lists, and other organizational tools. These help me know where I left off the day before and what I need to do next. I’ve adapted.

    One of the things that was brand new to me with the cancer diagnosis was medication management.  The targeted medicine I take for my lung cancer type is very specific about when I need to take it. I have to take two pills twice a day. They also must be taken 12 hours apart.  On top of that, you can’t eat for 2 hours before and 1 hour after taking the pills.  It took some trial and error to land on a schedule that would work with our family’s schedule.

    I find that taking it at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. allows me to have dinner with my family in the evenings at a time that works for everyone.  Along with the targeted medication, I take another medicine now to help with digestive issues from radiation, and that has to be taken at specific times also. 

    Prior to my diagnosis, I went to see my primary care doctor once a year or on the rare occasion I had a bad cold. These days, it feels as though I am at a doctor all the time. I see my local doctor once a month at least for checkups related to the medications I take. They help me to manage my side effects and any other issues I might be having.

    I also travel to [a specialty hospital] once every 3 months for scans. I get checkups with my oncology team and my cardiology team. I’ve had to learn to live with a long list of side effects, including fatigue, stomach issues, skin issues, sun sensitivity, bloating, and weight gain.  Each of these side effects requires a different doctor to manage them. Managing all the medicines and all the doctor appointments on top of my usual work schedule and home life is probably one of the biggest challenges in terms of day-to-day life.

    But even with all the side effects, medications, and doctor visits, I think it’s important for me mentally to maintain as much of a normal lifestyle as I possibly can. It’s good for me as well as my family.  I’m still young and have so much to contribute to my family and friends. I want to keep moving and grooving as long as I can. 

    Some days it’s wonderful and some days it’s very hard, but I find that having a solid support system in all aspects is what’s most important. Trust your team of doctors. Lean on your friends and family to help you because they want to and you need it. Beyond that, just keep putting one foot in front of another. Keep fighting.

    Read the article here

    Share this Post

    Share Explaining Medicine Share Explaining Medicine

    A Day in My Life With Inoperable Lung Cancer was last modified: November 28th, 2022 by Penci

    Related

    0 comment
    0
    Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
    Penci

    previous post
    Inoperable Lung Cancer: The Emotional Side of Treatment I Wasn’t Prepared For
    next post
    Doctors who want to defy abortion laws say it’s too risky

    Related Articles

    Are you fed up of being treated as a number in your IVF clinic?

    March 5, 2019

    21 years later, a physician reflects on the changes in medicine

    April 29, 2018

    How this doctor eliminated $500,000 in debt

    January 26, 2018

    Red and blue states look to Medicaid to improve the health of people leaving prison

    February 23, 2023

    Arthritis Drug May Help With Type of Hair Loss

    September 29, 2016

    An Experiment Helps Heroin Users Test Their Street Drugs For Fentanyl

    May 16, 2017

    A medical student’s reflection on burnout

    April 13, 2019

    Doctor Shortage In Rural Arizona Sparks Another Crisis In ‘Forgotten America’

    July 14, 2017

    Intimacy and Crohn’s Disease

    December 22, 2022

    Heading North: American Doctors Report Back From Canada

    December 14, 2017

    Recent Posts

    • At new mental health courts in California, judges will be able to mandate treatment

      September 20, 2023
    • These habits can cut the risk of depression in half, a new study finds

      September 19, 2023
    • Just two doctors serve this small Alabama town. What’s next when they want to retire?

      September 18, 2023
    • Poison ivy is poised to be one of the big winners of a warming world

      September 17, 2023
    • ‘Dr. Google’ meets its match in Dr. ChatGPT

      September 16, 2023

    Keep in touch

    Facebook Twitter Google + RSS

    Recent Posts

    • At new mental health courts in California, judges will be able to mandate treatment

      September 20, 2023
    • These habits can cut the risk of depression in half, a new study finds

      September 19, 2023
    • Just two doctors serve this small Alabama town. What’s next when they want to retire?

      September 18, 2023
    • Poison ivy is poised to be one of the big winners of a warming world

      September 17, 2023
    • ‘Dr. Google’ meets its match in Dr. ChatGPT

      September 16, 2023
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy

    @2023 - Explaining Medicine. All Right Reserved.


    Back To Top
    Explaining Medicine
    Proudly powered by WordPress Theme: soledad child.