Don Wood

Starz, beautiful tribute to your mom, and I am so sorry for your loss. Don

Shelly, so sorry you lost your mom. My heart is heavy for you. You have made your mom so real to us. I grieve at your loss. Please keep connected so we can help you through the grief and beyond in any way we can. Don

For those of you following our saga, Lucie is back in ICU, but that is a good thing. She is off the Iressa, on steroids and oxygen, and slowly improving. It will take many days, maybe even two weeks to get clear. But the prognosis is shinier today and earlier. She is resting well, eating some (really likes Smoothies!) and breathing oh so much better. Thanks for your continued support, caring, concern and prayers. Me, I'm doing okay. Don

I also vote for a new doctor.

Hi, Janice, and welcome. I also am the primary caregiver of a lung cancer patient. There is much info and support here. Hang in there. Blessings. Don

Welcome, Linda (the beautiful one)! That is my niece's name. Much info and support here. Keep us posted. Blessings. Don

Allison, weocme to the board. Lots of support and info here, as you know. Sounds like things are going in the right direction for your dad. And it is good you are being an advocate for him -- all cancer patients needs an advocate. Blessings. Don

Lord, hear our prayers!

SUPER!!!

Connie, I am so sorry that you lost that wonderful mom. My prayers are with you through this time and beyond. Keep connected for support. Don

Cindy, you got it. Don

Hi, folks! Well, Lucie is a bit better tonight. We now believe the Iressa she was taking caused or contributed to her pneumonia. There is some doculmentation on the FDA website that this can be a side effect in small percentages of cases. It is supposed to be reversible. She has been taken off the Iressa and given steroids. Hopefully, in the next several days, she should show some improvement. Keep the prayers coming. My three kids and a list of church people we know are manning the room so Lucie is not alone. She is out of ICU and into a regular room and was scared she wouldn't get the attention she needed at any time. So we are manning her room with "gofers". Things WILL get better. Don

Kick butt, Fay!

Great, Barb!

We much appreciate all your support and prayers. Lucie has been stable since Saturday but only marginally better. Both lungs are full of fluid and she has a hard time breathing at times. It is really touch and go right now. All three of our kids are here and we have a schedule at church for people to sign up and come stay with her for a period. She is very scared right now to be alone. With my kids and the friends, I have been able to go home and get a night's rest every night. Also, I take breaks to mind the dogs and do other errands. It is a real tough time right now, even though the cancer is at bay. Don

Jodi, congrats! Great news! Inspirational! Don

Get yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again. Hang in there. Don

Hang in there, Connie. Don

Teri, welcome to the board. Hope you find much support and info here. Don

Great, Cheryl! Don

Today they moved Lucie to ICU since she is not getting any better. They are trying to determine what strand of pneumonia she has and also to keep close watch on her. They may do a bronchioscope tomorrow. Her blood pressure has returned to normal, but her blood oxygen can only be maintained with assistance. Don

I like the phrase and I live it every day. Take care. Don

Thanks, Ginny. She is steady today -- no worse, no better. She is eating pretty well, and breathing easily on oxygen. Pneumonia is very dangerous when one has lung cancer, as you know. Please keep her in your prayers. I will post when there is a change under "Late Stage". Don

I did not read the whole thing because I got the gist of it pretty quickly. I knew what was coming. I can truthfully say that I understand that so clearly now. When I retired over ten years ago, I took over many of the household chores, such as grocery shopping, laundry, dry cleaning, dish stacking and put away, etc. I gained a much better appreciation of Lucie's role in the past. BUT, with my caregiving of Lucie, plus doing my chores and her chores, I appreciate it even more. I never doubted the work Lucie did, but now I have walked in her shoes and understand. Don

Ray, I have a heavy heart at your loss. My sincere condolensces. Please stay with us and let us help where we can with the grief and beyond. I am so glad you had quality time with your dad. Blessings. Don