Don Wood

Welcome to the message board, Hope. Look forward to seeing your posts. Don

Cheryl, thanks for the super update. May the good news continue to roll. Don

Shelly, so sorry you are having to go through all this. I pray things will get better. Don

Anytime, Cheryl. We are here for you and Jack. I definitely know about Jack's shoes! I've walked more than a mile in them. Take care, you two, and hang in there. We are! Don

Thanks, all, for your support and prayers. Lucie's brain MRI showed clear -- no tumors! She is a member of the empty head club! And it is even better because the tumor (bone met) that was originally in her skull is gone! More evidence the chemo and radiation worked. Lucie is now on Zometa (for the bone mets) and Iressa (for the NSCLC) and doing okay. The diarreah has shown up the last few days, but not bad. Also, she has a small red rash on one arm -- already applying lotion. We went out tonight to celebrate! Lucie has an empty head! Lucie has an empty head! Don

Good to hear from you, Sam, whenever you can. You are on the same regimen that Lucie was on, and she can relate to your side effects. It worked for her, and I hope it will work for you, too. Don

Pama, I think you mean a port. Lucie has one and it really helped her since her veins are so small and hard to get at. You do have to watch for infection, though. Keep in touch. Don

Sharon, so glad to have you back and hear the good news of the wedding. Being an in-law is a good thing, I think! Enjoy. Don

Peg, you and Bill are in my prayers. Hope the trip is a good one. Don

Lisa, sorry about your mom and your job. That's a lot in one space in time. Hoping things turn around for you on both fronts. Keep in touch. Don

Yes, Shelly, we miss them always. My mom died in 1959 and I still miss her, but I have great memories of our times together. She helped mold me into the man I am today with such powerful love, and for that I am very grateful. I think she would be pleased. Blessings. Don

Take care, Renee. Try to come back soon. Blessings. Don

Candy, sorry about the turn, but it sounds like there are options here, so don't give up prematurely. My prayers are with you both. Don

When Lucie was diagnosed with NSCLC last October, I was just about to have an operation to solve my incontinence problem. I put it off because the timing was not right. I had lived with it for over 6 months at that point and figured I could do another 6 or so. I had learned how to manage the problem. As time wore on, I realized: (1) her crisis could go on for a long time, and there may never be a "good" time for me to take care of myself; and (2) by fixing the problem, it would take added stress off me and I could be a better caregiver. So in May, I had the operation, with the help of family and friends to take care of us both. As you may know, I had to wait 5 weeks to heal and during that time, scar tissue bult up and prevented the apparatus from functioning. Last week, I had to go in again and have scar tissue removed. Again, family and friends rallied around to help. I have to wait until next week to see if it works, and I am looking forward to it. But I am happy I went ahead and took care of myself. We caregivers need to do that and not neglect ourselves in the process. We do ourselves and the carereceiver wrong when we don't take care of our physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Take heed! Love you all. Don

Awesome, Ada! You're a heroine to us all. Hope the trip is successful. Don

Cheryl, my thoughts and prayers are with you, that you receive the strength you need from the Lord in whatever comes your way. None of us is strong enough to bear it alone. We need each other and the Lord. I'm glad you could express to us how you are feeling because you need to do that for yourself. Your thoughts and emotions are normal for what you are going through. I see it in Lucie, too. I encourage you to express your feelings to your loved ones, to us, to God. As Katie said, you don't have to be "OK" for anyone, if that is not how you feel. I have a friend that keeps asking me how I am because she wants to hear me say "Great!". She is always disappointed because until Lucie is out of danger, I am not going to be great. Take care. Know you are cared for. Don

Welcome home, Randy! Don

And here comes our own hero, David P.! Yeahhhhhh! Don

Jay, I imagine you are still recovering from your surgery and the shocks in your life. This is enough to be tired. But the chemo definitely saps your strength for a while. Even after you complete the treatments, the chemo will continue to work and make you tired for a while. Hang in there, guy! Don

Hang in there, Annie. So far, so good. Wishing you the best. Don

Cheryl, I would ask the onc about this soon. Lucie has had severe headaches lately (not associated with eating or drinking) and the onc put her on steroids for several days, which seems to have helped. Of course, he ordered an MRI of the brain, which results we should get Monday. Best to you. Don

Excellent point. I think each patient needs a caregiver who will help them keep up with the med list. I have had to run interference for Lucie with some doctors, asking questions like, "Is this really necessary? She's already on so many meds." I have even removed some drugs that were there for a temporary problem, and asked her to tell me if the problem starts to come back. We really need an accountant to keep up! As a chemist, I shudder when doctors add drugs and never take any away. I was really impressed with Lucie's pulmonologist, who went over every drug she was taking at the time, and even suggested she get off a few. We take a computer printout of the drugs whenever we visit a doctor or have tests. Yes, and it is always good to check the pills and be sure you have the right ones. Thanks for the reminder, Ginny. Don

I have a good friend who is a 29-year survivor of colon cancer mets to the liver, who said, "A survivor is one who didn't die on the spot when they heard they had cancer." This lady went on to found a cancer support system here in Houston that is now in its 13th year. Don

Welcome, Margaret. It is always good to see a survivor of one year plus. Gives us all hope. Best to you. Don

Kathy, forgive my lapse of memory. Of course, Tim had the Zometa and the reaction. I was the one who suggested it might be the Zometa. Duh! Lucie is doing well this weekend. She has been on Iressa now for 10 days, with no side effects so far. She had her second Zometa shot on Tuesday, with no after effects this time. I am trying to slowly back her off some of the morphine now that the pain is subsiding. She had an MRI of her brain Friday because of severe headaches that have now subsided, and we hopefully will know Monday if she is still in the "empty head club". Her physical therapy is helping tremendously in getting her shoulders back and her back straight. Right now, things look good. Thanks for asking. Don