I just got a call from my mother's husband. She's back in the hospital. They have diagnosed her with stage 4 lung cancer. They said without chemo she has about 6 months, with chemo maybe a year or so.

After all she's been through with this cancer stuff, now this. It seems she just can't get a break. I'm over 1,000 miles away and feel powerless to help her. Of course realistically there's actually nothing I could do if I were there.

He's supposed to call me back on Monday after speaking with the specialist. They may or may not decide to operate, that's going to be decided by the specialist. At this stage surgery may be pointless. I just have to wonder, with all of the testing and follow up she's had, how could they have missed this for so long that it's progressed to stage 4 before they caught it?

Needless to say I am kind of torn up about it at the moment.