Maryanne

Patti, I am so sorry about the news of your mom passing. It seems like she had a nice passing. It was wonderful that you and your sister shared such emotional moments with her that week. She is at peace now, and may peace be with you. Remember all the wonderful memories that you all shared. Maryanne

Oh Beth, I just read your post and hope that by now you are sleeping. Iam a natual night owl, that is why I mostly post at night. Damn, I wish I could do something to make you more comfortable, and help your with your fears. I feel so helpless. You know you have many friends here who a sending prayers to you from all over the world. Please just take one day at a time. Get through that and then another, etc. It must be so hard to stay positive when you are feeling like poo, but keep that fight going, as you are in a battle for your life and you have to keep going and give it all you can. Don't give up!! I know things will start to turn around for you, please belive that. Beth, I will send you extra good vibes during my meditation prayers and also will send to you strength to help face each day in these most difficult times you are going through. Maryanne

Irene, Iam so deeply sorry for you and expecially you dad. It must be heart wrenching to see him deteriorate so fast. My heart goes out to you and your family. I pray for him to find peace and soon for him to be pain free, and rid of that sick, deseased body. His soul will live on in you along with a lifetime of memories. You are a wonderful daughter, who was there for him, and he really loves you for that. Irene, I wish I also had a magic wand to wave over everyone who suffers from this terrible desease. Please keep us posted. You will be receiving much support and prayers from all over. Maryanne

A, you just gotta believe and stay positive that they will get you through this. I imagine your mom is the one who you will be with to help her go through this transistion. Breast cancer is very curable at least you have that on your side. You have to also take one day at a time. Be there for your mom, help her as much as you can. In helping her you will also be helping yourself. I know this is all so overwhelming for you but life throws us curves, it is up to us to step up to the plate and try to get a hit, or just stand there and strike out. I don't know about you but I want to be on the winning team. But first you have to swing. Just be strong for your mom and show her all the love you can, as she would do that for you. You are a wonderful daughter and helping and supporing her will make so much difference in her recovery. We are here for you, anytime. You are not alone. I pray for health for your mom and your SIL father, and strength to get through this. Maryanne

So good to hear such good news, Charlie. Keep it comming. Maryanne

Hi Rebecca, I pray everything turns out positive for your dad. I am so glad he is finally able to get an appointment. Prayers his way Rebecca... Maryanne

Iam so sorry for everything you dad is going through. I persoanlly could not help you with the tarceva but there are many people on here who have taken or are still taking the tarceva. I pray this works for him. Just give him all the love and support that you can. Good luck, Maryanne

Hi Tess, You certainly have had your calling. You are a wonderful person to make a difference in so many of your love ones life. Please remain strong, and let your mom know that you will be by her side and how much you love her. That should be a big comfort for her. I pray for a painless calling for your mom and strength for you to carry on. Keep us posted, we are always here for you. Maryanne

Oh Sharon, how nice for you and your family. You are so right, your dad will be bleeming from ear to ear. Enjoy the day, and share those memories with us. Maryanne

Lori, I agree with LilyJohn, your dad is in much better place. He is contented and feeling whole again. You have been a wonderful daughter to take care of him during his most difficult time. What would he have done without you by his side. He was truly blessed!!! You took his grief, now let it go. He would not want to burden you in this way at all. He would want you to remember him and get on with your life. We all have to grieve for a lost love one. But please after a time let it go, as it will keep him earthbound, he has to move on without worrying about you. Take care honey, you have been his guardian angel. Maryanne

My deepest sympathy goes out to Angie. I pray for strength for her to face tomorrow. Maryanne

Hi Joannie, I feel for you, that is a horrible situation to be in. But you have to work with these people. If it was me, I would buy a baby gift. This gift is for the baby not the mom. That way there would be no contravesary period. Then I seriously look for another job. Or at least put your resume out on Monster and see what results you get. You don' t have to work in an environment like that after everything you have been through. To me these people are so heartless. This is another reason, why we need funding for LC besides a cure, the public has to know that people who never smoke also get LC. That LC is the number one killer among men and women. I am at a point when I tell someone about Joel's LC, the first thing they ask is, is he a smoker, now I just say no. His biological father we found out die of LC and never smoked. This has to be somewhere in our genes. Anyway Val, take care of your little sweetie, I hope you are getting some sleep. Maryanne

Hi Val, So glad you posted. Congratulations on baby Carolyn Helen. Helen is my moms name. Like Ry, I envy you with a baby, to see that miracle, and I love the smell of babies. Darn, been so long for me. My kids are 29 and 31, no SO, I feel like I will never be a grandma. Enjoy her and the only advise I can give you is to take videos of her growing up. They did not have that when my kids were little. I would love to have that for all those precious memories. I hope your mom is feeling better. I bet she can't wait to see her granddaughter. If I remember correctly, you name her after your mom? Enjoy, keep us posted and hopefully soon you will change your pic on here from the a belly to Carolyn and mommy. take care Maryanne

Praying everthing came out fine. Please let us know. Maryanne

Wow you certainly have been on a roller coaster ride. You first posted on the 4th, last you posted today. They aught to get on the ball and find out what this is. Your poor guys, this is crazy, Why don't they just take an biospy to find out if it is malignant of not. I have a feeling this is all going to come out fine. Just have faith and believe it will. Good luck, keep us posted. Maryanne

Boy Frank, when reading all these posts. I can't seem to get that Welcom Back Kotter song out of my head. So Frank. Welcome Back, Welcome Back Welcome Back!!! You certainly were missed. We have to keep your male friends on here happy as there a so few of them. We need that masculine touch around here to keep us girls on our toes Be good to yourself. Thank your sister, for keeping us informed. Maryanne

Hi Erica, So sorry about the news about your mom. She must really be scared as so are you. That is always the initial reaction. Uncertainty, if she will survive this. Your mom being so young, it just isn't fair. She has quite a battle ahead of her. but actually being young and strong has its advantages, when it comes to fighting this thing. It actually helps in the long run. LC does not have to be a death sentence. Do not listen to statistics as people beat the odds everyday. You will know that from just reading peoples posts on here. You see Joanie post before mine. She is a survivor for 3 years already of SLSC. Anything is possible, miracles are possible, you have to believe . Belief can move mountains. But she is going to have to fight this beast head on with avengence, it she wants that mountain to move. You are a wonderful, caring daughter. You mom is lucky to have you. Just be there for her, and support any decision she makes. You can, of course, give your opinion, but in the end it has to be hers. Keep us posted, and know that we are here to help you as you are going through all this uncertainty. You are certainly not alone. Will send mediatation healing prayer to your mom and strength for you. Maryanne

Hi Jamie, So sorry you mom is going through this. It is always the scariest times in the beginning. She must be devestated expecially since she was not a smoker and has this horrible desease. She probably thought never in a million years would she come down with LC. But people are going to have to start knowing that anyone can get this. No one is immuned to this. You are a wonderful concerned daughter. Just be there for her and your dad. Do what the advise of others here have said. Show up do chores, things that would take some of the burden off your dad. As you see by so many posts to you, people here have had some incredible profiles, and they are doing fine. Just know that LC is not a death sentence that people beat the odds everyday. Once she starts to really fight this, she will feel better. My heart goes out to you and your family. Poor lady, she has been in and out of the hospital. Let's pray she could stay home now. I am sending meditation healing prayers for your mom. And strength for you, your dad and your sister. Your mom will come around, just give her some time. Maryanne

I ditto everybody, that is the best news!! Good luck this week-end hope you have a bunch of sellers fighting over your house!! Take care, so glad all the prayers worked. Maryanne

Hi Heather, You are a wonderful daughter. You mom is so lucky to have you all. is that your family in the pic? Beautiful You mom certainly has had her ups and downs. Poor lady she has been through so much. My heart goes out to her, and you. Hang in there. Good luck with her tests Fingers crossed her test result will be favortable, and she will go into remission. Prayers sent your way Maryanne

What about splenda. I eat it all the time. They have it in sugarfree pudding, yogurt, ice cream now cakes etc. No artificial taste, tastes like sugar. They are even making candy now with it. There is a choclate candy out there with only 2 carbs and sugar free (has splenda) which is really good. I think it is made by Russel Stover. I also use Splenda in my Green tea, coffee I dont use anything except cream Has anyone looked into this, this is sugar substitute that is not sacrin or sweet n low? Just thought I would throw that out there. Maryanne

Wow, I had no idea, thank you for your responses and especally to you Katie who sent me the Hall Pass link. That is a real shame for everyone. It seemed like he was really helpful. For all the people who really learned from him, it is a pity that he would let one person allow him to make a decision like that. It must have really got to him. I am sorry I did not get to meet this caring man, who seem to do nothing but want to help people. But then again maybe it was time for him to move on anyway. Maryanne

Hi Pattie, Welcome!! Thank you for updating us on Frank. Let him know that he is in all our prayers, and I pray for a speedy recovery for him. He is a wonderful person, and we miss him here. So you tell him to hurry back here soon. Sending out healing meditation vibes to him for healing and strength. Maryanne

Since I have some time on my hands here today I have been reviewing posts that go back a ways. I have been here since Jan. so I thought I would get caught up on some of you to get to know you more personally. I see many posts from the Doctor Joe who is an Oncologist. He seems to have helped so many people and is so concerned and sympathtic towards peoples feelings. I have not seen a post from him since I have been on? Does anyone know what happened to him? Just curious. Maryanne

Hi all, I also posted this in the Early Stage section as it was brought there also. Just wanted to put some more input with the thyroid issue. As you may have read Joel had the left upper lobe removed, was doing nicely during the post op and then became so lethargic that he spoke in a whisper, lost 45 lbs , had a rapid heart rate and could hardly walk. I was so scared that it was the big C. again. I felt like I was losing him. It was an effort for him to just take a fast shower. He had to shave the next day. Could not do two things the same day. After the shaver or shave, he had to lie down. He was so exhausted. His pulmanary doctor did not call for a thyroid blood test because he said it is unusual in a male to have hyperthryoidism. But we were certainly glad when his Oncologist suggested blood work. Most of you know that his thyroid was overactive. They gave him that radioactive iodine pill to kill the thyroid. Well that was only 3 weeks ago and he is doing absolutely wonderful. His energy is back, he gain 20 lbs of his 45 lost so far. He went to the Enco. last week and she said his T levels dropped from 25 to 5. She wants to get him to 3 or 4 so she will give him the synthoid pill because now he is underactive. Right now it is still being staged as overactive as the redioactive pill takes a month to work. So right now he is on Trapozole pill ( which is for overacative). He is to take this for 2 more weeks. Then he will discontinue the Trapzole. There will be a period of 2 weeks where he will be taking nothing. During that time the Doc said he will really gain weight. I just want to say, that we don't know either what caused his thyroid to act like that. Some Docs say stress can bring it on. But for years Joel was the type of person who ate anything and never gained wait. (talk about people being jealous ) So he may have had the thyroid problem all long, but it was kind of dormant. But was brought out by the stress of all the LC stuff. I am just giving some more insight to this thyroid problem that so many of you seem to have. If you are having those symptoms, get your thyroid count checked. It just take a simple blood test. Maryanne