Don Wood

Debi, my prayers are with you. Good luck on your surgery. Let us know how things went when you feel up to it. We're here to support. Don

Nancy, my heart breaks for you to lose your dad, and lose him so quickly. We have learned on this journey that the cancer itself is just one of many monsters that play this scene -- staff infection, pneumonia, etc. lurk as well. Sometimes, I feel like we need to circle the wagons and fight off this multiheaded beast. Please know that you have much support here through your grief. Blessings. Don

Laurie, it has been said again and again, and I also vote for more frequent scanning in the first year after remission, even if it means finding another onc. Don

Ronna, great news! May it just continue to flow that way. Don

Thanks, everyone of you. Your words help a great deal to us both. Today IS a better day. Lucie started her radiation today to zap that sucker, and I went for a checkup to my urologist. I think the switch will be turned in about 16 days and I am looking forward to that. Will certainly help my disposition. And before either of us made our appointments today, we went out to lunch together and visited. I love her so much, it hurts to see her struggle so. We are both looking forward to better days. Thanks again for your tremendous support of us. It really does help us get through each day. Blessings! Don

Christina, doctors are not perfect. They have to go with their experience and resources just like the rest of us. Unfortuantely, many cancers go a long way before symptoms show up. Your boyfriend is typically male in the wait and see department. We think we can outwait it. I have since gotten over that. As has been said, don't second guess now -- look forward to what you can do and will do. Plan ahead. Good luck, and keep in touch here. Lots of support. Don

I say a little prayer for you. Don

I pray that it is clear and clean! Don

I'd take "no change" any day as positive. I hope you do, too. Don

Cheryl, so good to hear from you again. Sorry that you have to seek alternate treatments, but you have a plan and I hope and pray that will be a successful route for you. Please keep in touch with us and let us help you through all this. Blessings. Don

Carol, my prayers are with you and your dad. May this surgery be successful and his recovery swift. Don

Annie, I am praying that your husband comes through the surgery fine and that it takes care of the cancer. Blessings to you both. Don

Becky, I can understand your anger. Unfortunately, not smoking doesn't completely save you from lung cancer. There are other irritations in the air as well. Yes, most lung cancer patients were smokers, but there is a smaller percentage that never touched a cigarette. My wife was never a smoker, not raised with smoking, there was no smoking in our house -- yet here she is with NSCLC. It is a hard pill to swallow, but that is the way it is and that is what we have to work with. How we work with it is the name of the game. Don

Thanks, everyone. I had to take Lucie to the regular doctor this morning because she is swelling up like a balloon, and it has been almost 4 weeks since the last chemo treatment. He put her in a strong diuretic,with potassium pills, of course. Time will tell. It has made it difficult to get on clothes and to bend the knees and arms. I keep wondering when all this extraneous stuff is going to stop. We also went to the radiation onc and got her marked. She starts radiation tomorrow, for about 14 sessions on her sacrum near the lower right hip. We could see the lesion on the scans. Lucie has made up a schedule for friends at church to sign up on to take her, so I don't have to go every day. We already have this week covered. After the radiation is complete, she will start physical therapy on her neck and lower back. That should help her stiffness. We see the main onc Thursday for what to do next on maintenance. When we got home from the radiologist, one of the two dogs had messed all over her pen. I just lost it then, because it was like the last straw. Unfortunatley, I upset Lucie and she felt responsible putting so much on me. A neighbor came over and talked with her and visited, which helped a lot. We did get to go out to dinner and she did fine. I feel bad about spounting off in front of her and I have tried to keep that to a minimum, because I know she feels guilty enough already. I have tried to reassure her that I have to spount off now and then to keep my sanity. I told her that I loved her very very much and what hurts me is her hurting and not able to do what she wants. It is like a prison for us both. I know we will get through this, and I know we have a lot of love and support. It just hurts so damn bad. Thanks for listening, folks. Don

Lenr8, my prayers are with you tomorrow, that this will be an effective treatment for you. Don

Terrie, that's awsome! Glad you got to do that. Don

I am the caregiver and the only way I can survive is to take breaks from the cancer scene from time to time. If I didn't, I would soon be a fasket case and no good to anyone. I say, take the weekend off. You deserve it and so does your husband. Don

Great news, Rocco! May you have many more like it. Don

Sophia, I do pray for that light. Don

My prayers are with you two. Don

The General category has gotten so huge, that I am now posting updates on Lucie in the Late Stage NSCLC category. Don

Rayroy, so glad to hear you went to a soccer game and enjoyed it. Y0u need to take those kind of breaks for yourself. Don

Welcome, Becky. Sounds like your dad is doing well from the treatment, and I hope this will continue. Don

Shelly, the treatments are enouhg to make your mom tired. Don't leap to a conclusion. Keep up your hope. Don

Kathleen, I'm so sorry that you had to face so much about your parents in so short a time. It often happens with a couple that the caregiver dies before the patient. Frankly, I believe they are just worn out. I know the feeling now, and it is one reason I'm on a cruisade to take care of myself by exercising, taking breaks, etc. It sounds as though your dad is not aware of your mum's passing, so in a way he is spared. Sorry you have to grieve for both of them at once. Keep connected here and you will get support. Don