CindyA

Hi LCSC-ers, I was very close to my grandmother. I mean so close that I literally called her my best friend. She was 86. She had a hard life, and then it got better when she met my Grandfather T.P., short for Thomas Payne. When he was getting treated for his cancer she had to have open heart surgery and I temporarily took on role as caregiver since I was the only grown grandchild in 1998 besides my brother (who was 8yrs old). I stayed with him in a hospital suite while she had her surgery and then took care of both of them until he changed his residence to Heaven. I feel our bond grew stronger then and got stronger with time. Well, she suddenly fell down November 6th and then she moved her residence to Heaven, a short 36 hours later. Grief and I aren't strangers but it is different this time, it is a stronger pull, a dense fog that isn't dissipating. I am trying to be my usual happy/optimistic self as I usually am, but it feels like things are going slower. Most days I'm just faking it so well, so no one will ask me what's wrong. I'm really okay though. Some days are harder than others. I was feeling pretty sad over the weekend so I figured she would have probably told me how I need to quit moping around and clean something, or go do something. I almost called her yesterday to tell her I cleaned out 3 closets, but then that's where the pause, then sigh, then fog came back. That's one thing I will miss the most. All of our conversations. They would always start with me asking if she was out at the bars, and then she'd say YES OF COURSE, HOW ABOUT YOU? JUST GETTING IN FROM THE GYM? Then we would both laugh hysterically because she never drank and I never exercised. Taking it day by day, Cindy

This is great news! I will be there too, so please look for me.

Hi pollyallison, Welcome to the LCSC message boards. This link talks more about Targeted Therapy. We can also send you a booklet. http://www.lungevity.org/about-lung-cancer/lung-cancer-101/treatment-options/targeted-therapy How are you feeling?

Hi Starkey, Welcome to the Lung Cancer Support Community! I am glad you have some friends that come by and that your faith is strong. I wanted to let you know that Savor Health is a great resource that sends you healthy meals. http://www.savorhealth.com Also we can conenct you to a 1 on 1 personal LifeLine mentor that can talk to you. Here is the link to get started if you are interested http://www.LUNGevity.org/LifeLine Cindy

Hi kaarenmarie, How are you feeling? Thinking of you, Cindy

http://www.lungevity.org/sites/default/files/file-uploads/04-asking-family-and-friends-for-help.pdf http://ow.ly/WOd0I

LUNGevity advocate, Melissa Crouse, receives an Emmy for her lung cancer survivorship story! http://www.news-press.com/story/news/2016/01/06/10-year-lung-cancer-survivor-wins-emmy/78256422/

I found this link on Savor Health's Facebook page. I just had to share it! Link to view: http://whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/zucchini-noodle-pad-thai-recipe/ YouTube video link to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_dw_d0_X3o Zucchini Pad Thai Noodles "Zoodles" Yield: Serves 2 Total Time: 30 Minutes The best part about this Zucchini Pad Thai is that you can add what ever protein you want. We like to have our zucchini noodles a little on the crunchy side, so we like to cook the zucchini first, then let the water drain from the noodles before serving. The water that's reserved from the noodles won't water down any sauce or flavor in the zoodle recipe. Ingredients: for the zucchini noodle pad thai:about 2 medium zucchini 2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil, divided 1/2 pound (225g) peeled and de-veined shrimp or what ever protein you prefer 3 large cloves garlic, minced or crushed 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin 3 green onions, sliced 1 large egg about 2 cups (480ml) bean sprouts 1/3 cup (80ml) roasted peanuts 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional) Few lime wedges for serving (optional) for the sauce:2 Tablespoons (30ml) rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar 2 Tablespoons (30ml) fish sauce or to taste 3 Tablespoons (45ml) ketchup 1 teaspoon (5ml) packed brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 small red chili, sliced 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, or to taste Directions:Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients (vinegar, fish sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, chili garlic sauce), then set aside. Cut the zucchini into noodles or long pasta by using a vegetable spiralizer tool or tools mentioned in our post write up. Heat a large pan on medium high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil (reserve the other half for later). Then add zucchini noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the zucchini noodles are tender. Don't overcook the noodles. The zucchini noodles should be slightly crunchy with a tender bite. Let the noodles rest for about 3 minutes to allow as much moisture as possible to release. Remove the noodles from the pan and drain the excess water. Carefully wipe the same pan to remove the excess water, and then re-heat the pan on medium high heat. Add the remaining olive oil and garlic. Cook the garlic until soft and translucent, about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and cook until shrimp is tender and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and green onions. Cook for about 1-2 minutes or until tender. Add the egg and stir in with the vegetable until the egg is cooked. Add the zucchini noodles back into the same pan, then add the sauce. Cook for about 1 more minutes or until the zucchini noodles are heated through. Then stir in the bean sprouts. Serve the warm zucchini pad thai noodles with roasted peanuts, cilantro, and lime wedges. Recipe Source: WhiteOnRiceCouple.com. Hello! All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use our images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you. Recipe Note for Salt: All recipes containing salt are based on kosher or sea salt amounts, not table salt. If using table salt, reduce the amount used to taste.Read more at http://whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/zucchini-noodle-pad-thai-recipe/#e1KM2h3FAEdQe0sm.99

Tess, Welcome to the Lung Cancer Support Community. We will never get tired of hearing about what you are going through. I look forward to meeting you at the DC HOPE Summit as well! Have you registered? There are limited travel grants for new attendees. Here is the link http://lungevity.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=583

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! Does anyone have any new year resolutions? I'd like to be more organized this year.

Hi Katie, Welcome to the Lung Cancer Support Community Message Board. I am happy to read that Jeff is responding well to Tarceva. Thank you for sharing your story with us. You mentioned that you would like to collaborate with other in your area. LUNGevity has a wonderful National HOPE Summit every May in Washington, D.C. I know that is a couple of hours away from you, however its the perfect opportunity to meet other who know exactly what you are going through, learn about the latest in treatment options and most of all be filled with hope! LUNGevity offers a limited amount of travel grants to new attendees. I hope you will apply and I look forward to meeting you! http://lungevity.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=583 Cindy

Hi everyone! Join us February 27th in Dallas. Registration is now open for Dallas HOPE Summit! This event is free but registration is required to reserve your seat! www.LUNGevity.org/DallasHOPE

Here is what one person told us their experience was like: I had a bi-lobectomy with VATS. In the hospital for five days. Recovery was not as bad as a c-section! The biggest objective is to get moving- walk around in circles in your house if you can't get outside. My scars (I have three- very small) are now flesh color and hardly noticeable. I'm still experiencing shortness of breath, (which was the only symptom that sent me to the md to begin with), but I chalk that up to losing 2/3 of a lung!

Hi tc, Welcome to the Lung Cancer Support Community message boards. I hope you were able to visit your family and have a good time. We are here for you. I look forward to getting to know you, Cindy

Let's talk about caregiving! Join us tomorrow on our monthly ‪#‎lungcancer‬ caregiver Twitter Chat.‪#‎YourJourneyTogether‬ ‪#‎SeekingHelp‬ Read more and share! Lets talk about Caregiving! Topic: Seeking Help One of the biggest challenges in asking for help is taking that first step. Given everything else a caregiver is focused on while caring for their loved one, seeking help can relieve stress and some of the pressures of caregiving. Join LUNGevity for our monthly 1 hr Lung Cancer Caregiver Twitter Chat Date: Wednesday January 6 Time: 5pm Pacific/7pm Central/8pm Eastern This chat is open to lung cancer caregivers, patients, survivors, and professionals. We will discuss seeking help from family members, friends, and professionals. Ask questions, share ideas and tips that worked for you and challenges to watch out for. Are you a patient seeking help for your caregiver? This chat is for you too. We will talk about ways to get organized and practical resources and tips you can use in your caregiving. Twitter Chat tips: A great online tool for Twitter chat participation is http://www.tchat.io/ Just log into your Twitter account from this site and then enter our chat hashtag #LCCaregiver You'll be able to follow right along and read everyones tweets, retweets, likes and replies!

Hi amaken, Welcome to the Lung Cancer Support Community message boards, I'm glad you found us. This is a great place to get advice from people who know what you are going through or helped care for someone in a similar situation. I'm not sure if you have had the chance to do some research, here is a great link to familiarize yourself with staging and what it means. http://www.lungevity.org/about-lung-cancer/lung-cancer-101/lung-cancer-staging If you would like 1 on 1 support please let me know. The LifeLine program connects you with a personal mentor who can talk to you about what you are going through or can email you. I look forward to getting to know you, Cindy

meme 13, I love that you and your daughter are making her recipes. I framed one of my Grandmothers hand written recipes and it is hanging on a wall in my kitchen. An ornament is a great idea. What a nice gift for your Dad and siblings. Shutterfly has really neat ideas that you can do with photos too. I can only imagine the pain you are feeling. I hope you will take comfort in the many years and good memories you were able to have with her.

Hi pchefmichele, I hope you found some good resources. I'm sure your mom feels overwhelmed about all that she has to do as a caregiver. Here is our Caregiver Resource link, maybe you could share some information with her? http://www.lungevity.org/support-survivorship/caregiver-resource-center Cindy

Hi Pugs, Welcome to the LCSC message boards. Thank you for sharing that you are a 2 year survivor! That is so inspiring! As far as getting to know people, have you heard about LUNGevity's National HOPE Summit? It is an amazing event. Last year we had over 100 Survivors! As a new member you may be eligible to receive a full travel grant. Please feel free to message me if you have more questions. I look forward to getting to know you and introducing you to all of the survivors we know! http://www.lungevity.org/support-survivorship/hope-summits Cindy

Hi Maral, How is your dad feeling this week?

Hi Eliz, You may have many more doctor appointments ahead of you. Here is a great place to start, this is a list of questions to ask to help get the answers you and your father need. http://www.lungevity.org/support-survivorship/asking-right-questions As far as medications and their cost, please talk with your doctors Nurse Navigator about payment plans for treatment or you can always contact the maker of the medication. Sometimes they offer coupons or may even provide the medication to you at no cost. Cindy

Hi Donna, You may want to start with this link so you will be ready with some questions to ask your doctor(s) that others found useful. http://www.lungevity.org/support-survivorship/asking-right-questions Please ask any questions you may have here in the LCSC message boards as well. We are here for you. I look forward to getting to know you. Cindy

Read this GREAT review from GreatNonProfits http://gr8np.org/go/8Dd "My first Hope Summit was in 2014. I left with such hope and inspiration and couldn't believe the amount of survivors I got to meet in person. Lungevity not only helps to connect other survivors to give hope and inspire us to keep fighting but they also are the number one non-profit that donates towards lung cancer research. Research is so critically needed for such an insatiable, deadly disease like this. I thank Lungevity staff for their deep dedication and all they do to raise awareness about lung cancer and help survivors live in the process."

Hi Pam M, Welcome to the LCSC message boards. I am sorry that you and your husband are going through this. We are here for you. Here is a link to our Caregiver Resource Center to start. http://www.lungevity.org/support-survivorship/caregiver-resource-center If you would like to speak to someone one, 1 on 1 who has been in a similar situation, the LifeLine Program would be a great way to go: http://www.LUNGevity.org/LifeLine LCSC is a great place to ask questions, seek advice, and to share what you are going through. Hope to hear from you soon. Cindy