Donna G

Sorry to hear about your Dad and his SCLC diagnosis. That was good news that he has no Brain mets. Keep us posted Hope they have his pain under control. Donna G

Glad to hear you are OK. Boy Greensboro has been all over the news. Donna G

Welcome David. It seems we have a few things in common. I was 50 when I was told I had lung cancer in my Right Upper lobe. As you see below, my treatment started with Cisplatin and Etopiside, but also daily radiation. Do you have a central port for this chemo. Ask about one if not. It is better to have one. I hope you also will celebrate your 60th birthday as I did !!! Keep us posted. Donna G

Wishing Rich many many more years with us ! Donna G

Rich , that is wonderful news, 6 years!!!!!! We are so rich that Rich is here with us. Donna G

Best wishes. The surgery is not easy but is doable. I also started my treatment with chemo and daily radiation, then had my right upper lobe out. I had chemo after too, it was the plan from the start. I am over 10 years now! Hope your Dad has such success also. Keep us posted DonnaG

Hi Jackie. Welcome. People with Cancer and their loved ones really need support. We also really need research in lung cancer. Many who get it are young and never ever smoked. We are so glad you are an advocate and found us. Besides being a survivor, I also am an RN. DonnaG

This is interesting. I know that once you have had Chicken Pox you always have the virus. Older people break out in "Shingles" which is the chicken pox virus that was "dormant" for years waking up and is contagious! I had Chicken Pox ( at 5 months of age) and also bothe strains of Measles when I was a small kid. I wonder if the Measles virus stays with you also. It seems unlikely that all those lung cancer patients were suffering from Measles as adults. DonnaG

Welcome Rick. Glad you did well with your first chemo and glad that you got it started soon after diagnosis. Keep us posted. DonnaG

That rare cancer would be Mesothelioma

Welcome Marcia, glad you found us and logged on. I was diagnosed at 50 , now its 10 years later! Those test times are always chalenging! Keep us posted. DonnaG

It was WONDERFUL ! The keynote speaker was Scott Burton who is a Cancer survivor, comedian , and inspirational speaker and also can juggle things! I bought his tape " The Heart of the Matter" - Finding Laughter, Humanity and & Life in the Cancer Battle. They also had a panel discussion about surviving, coping etc, a doctor who talked on what we should know etc One of our lung cancer group is now a movie star! She was is a film they showed on Cancer survivorship. They did a wonderful job planning this event and the food was good too. Donna G Take a look if this link works. http://premierespeakers.com/scott_burton/video/3703

Our St. Paul Lung Cancer Support group has been invited to a canceer survivor lunch today. We will be leaving soon. It starts at 10:30 am. It will be so great to see Connie and all my survivor friends. We will be having a speaker. Let you know more later. DonnaG

Happy, Happy Anniversary Have a fun day. DonnaG

The Truth About Cancer A Carousel Films LLC Production for WGBH Boston ... DEPRESSION: Out of the Shadows, a Twin Cities Public Television and WGBH ... www.pbs.org/takeonestep/cancer - 11k - I had better check our TV guide on thursday. DonnaG

Her last post was 2/15. We have lost a long term member who helped others with 4718 posts! She had been a survivor over 5 years. Now she is with her brothers who preceded her. We will miss her. May she rest in peace. DonnaG

Gracie I am so glad you found our group here. I was fifty when I was diagnosed. I went home sobbing that day and many more. I never thought I would make 51! I am also glad to here that she is spending the week having all those screening tests done. Boston is a great cancer center. In a short period of time I started chemo and daily radiation. When eventurally I did become operable and they removed the tumor they said it was all dead and scar tissue. I wish this for your sister also----dead scar tissue. She is so lucky to have you for support. We all need lots of support! Keep us posted. DonnaG PS I am 60 now!

My brother and brother in law must be very happy. They are avid gardeners. My brother living in city has always, since he was a teen, had a green house to get started early. My brother in law, on a 1/4 acre lot, grows even corn. Nothing , not a bush in his yard does not produce something edible either fruit or vegetable. DonnaG

Welcome. I had a different combo of drugs. With mine the clinic always made sure I had lots of meds for nausea relief etc and pushed Ensure and the like. So glad a plan is in place promptly and the possibilty of surgery is so promising! Keep us posted. DonnaG

Ten years later, I still know I had a thorocotomy done at times. That first year though was different. Finally went to a Dr. that gave me treatment , turned out besides the fall out from having the nerves cut on the ribs when they break them to get into your chest, I had many " Trigger Points " in the muscles. He could feel lumps in the muscle. They had to be massaged or "popped" to get rid of them. Donna G

Hi Lisa, glad they found it early. Sounds like you have a great plan. Keep us posted. DonnaG

Welcome Hidilynn. Welcome to our group. I am sure your "denial" was also related to the fact you have 2 young people to raise. I bet you want to be "strong" for them. So glad you found us. I hope you don't hesitate to share with us, it is good for you to have someone to talk this out with. We all understand, we are or have been through it. Keep us posted. DonnaG

I heard about this yesterday on the news and this morning. The expert witnesses ( doctors) that they questioned to give their opinion whether the studies were "slanted to make the tobacco company happy" said -- they could well be. How can you slant early detection? Don't we have stats saying that if you are Stage I you have a longer survival and greater chance of cure? If tobacco gave some of us lung cancer shouldn't they pay for the research? The government should make them pay! Looks like we really better pray that those "smell out the cancer" machines are on the market and into every clinic soon! DonnaG

Welcome Linda, keep us posted. DonnaG

Welcome Diane. What an inspiration to go from Stage IV to great friends with NED (clear) Keep us posted. DonnaG