Treebywater

Have a positively marvelous anniversary Don and Lucie... I hope your love for one another makes you feel like giddy kids again today, and that your deep abiding love will continue to sustain you tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that and the day after that and...

I Don't know of many people or posts I have been moved by more. What a gift you are, and will continue to be.

My mom has gone through that two or three times too. Hopefully, this will give her a chance to get her strength back so she's got even more oomph to fight.

I am so sorry for all that your sister is going thorugh. What an agonizing journey for you both. The quality of life question haunts me too. Your sister is so lucky to have you standing by her and advocating so well for her. You didn't ramble at all. We're here to support you.

I'm so sorry that you lost your Mom. I dont' think there is a right way to feel. Just be Minnie and be in the place you are when they come. It's so obvious that you loved your Mama so much. I'm sure your love was such a comfort to her.

Oh guys... I so will be praying. I echo the others. Let's wait and see what you find out from this CT scan. Praying, praying, praying. (((((((((Brat))))))))

Oh Missy... That just sucks. I'm sorry. Praying for you both. ((((Missy and Missy's Mom))))

Absolutely.

Awesome, Awesome!

I think Peggy said things so well. I also want to add that I think it is easy for prickles to come up with this topic because when people here, "Smoking causes cancer," it really sounds overly simplistic. Surely we all know that smoking can contribute to people having cancer, but so can genetics, environmental hazards, diet (we don't hear people harping on that one much do we? and that could go across the board with lots of different types of cancer). So when I read a statement like, "Smoking causes cancer" in the context of my Mom or others that I care about dealing with what they are, my knee jerk reaction is to be stung by what I perceive to be a blanket statement which implies blame. Did my Mom's smoking contribute to her having cancer? Maybe. So did her genes (her family seems to have a predisposition to cancers and lung problems in general). Who knows? Maybe the estrogen she was prescribed to take by doctors and on for years and years made her risk level greater as well. When people get sick we want to look for something to blame. When it's us, it is crippling to think that we are to blame. For outsiders (and I don't mean you las, I mean outside outsiders) it is easy to say, "They smoked so they have cancer." I think it makes it less scary. It's a way to compartmentalize and to keep things at a distance so they don't have to think of it happening to them. Anyway... just some thoughts I had rattling around. I hope you'll stick around Las. This is a great place for support. And we're all angry at something or other.

No input, but these all sound like great suggestions. ((((Elaine))))

Could you manage a real vanilla coke? (((((hugs))))) all around!

Great to hear from you! Keep plugging away. I hope you're healed up in no time!

Oh that is so much to deal with. Praying, praying, praying.

Praying for you guys... I'm so sorry you had to go through such a scary night.... Many, many ((((hugs)))) to you both. i also wanted to add that my Mom is ALWAYS going through chills. The doc hasn't indicated why... and it's not always when she takes vicodin (which is when she gets awful sweats). Good luck wiht your appointment today and let us know what they say. Sending love, and prayers, and hope to you guys!

Cindi-- Feeling better is good. I like that. Keep that up. Thank you for the update and know that you are thought of often.

Beth, Praying that this is gonna do it! (((Beth)))

It's a pill which Mom was all for. I guess we'll be pioneers then. Keep you all posted on how it goes!

I'm so sorry, Nancy. Words are never enough. I ache for you, and I'm praying for you and your family.

Well, we got our CT scan results back today. Not so good. The original tumors in the lungs have grown, and there are more there now. There's growth in the lymph nodes, the bones looked mostly the same--some growth particularly on one rib and maybe some on one of her vertebrae, and now there are mets in the liver... So... Not so good at all. BUT... The doctor wants to try a new drug called Perifosine. Has anybody heard of that one? I sure hadn't. I guess it was JUST approved for use with LC and is still in the trials phase. They don't have any placebos in the trial, they're just fooling around with dosage issues. The doc. thought it was worth a shot. After that he said we'd look at Tarceva. The scans aren't the greatest news, BUT... Mom didn't even bat an eye at the idea of continuing with a new course of action. The things she had been saying about not wanting to do anymore, I guess were more a smokescreen of sorts than anything. So THAT encourages me. I was impressed with the doc today (only my second time meeting him). Here we are in a podunk little town, and he's wanting to try something that sounds pretty new and cutting edge. I think he's agressive and up on his game. So that's where we stand now. Please pray that she'll be approved to get the Perifosine and that it's just the ticket. That's what we're hoping.

Kathi-- That sounds a little better. I will be praying for you and your Daddy and your whole family. ((((Kathi)))) --Val

Karen, that was really beautiful. Obits are usually so dry and capture none of the person that they are meant to honor... While I know there was so much more to David than you could ever get on paper, you captured something really beautiful there. Still thinking of you and praying for you often.

I needed that tonight.

(((((Many, many hugs)))))

((((Nancy and Mike)))) Praying for you to have strength.