Donna G

Saw last half of Oprah when I got home from work. Dr Oz was on. They were talking about helping people leave the cigarettes, they said not to call it "quiting". http://www.Oprah.com/

Hello, welocome. Is that you and your little boy? in the picture. He is cute. Please keep us posted on how you are doing. DonnaG

I saw the first half hour and that was enough. The only interesting part was when the doctor told him he had inoperable lung cancer then asked him if he ever smoked and his reply was no. He was introduced as an intelligent man but he seemed to have no common sense and certainly did not take any actions any of us should emmulate. DonnaG

60 BEERS is much too much-Especially for a women !!!!!!!!!!!! We absorb twice as much as men and get twice as drunk. Several young women around here lately have "binged" and have been found dead from alcohol poisoning. DonnaG

I am on the edge of my chair! We want good news! Donna G

Well you can take the girl out of Boston but you can't take the Boston accent out of the girl! Donna G PS to Geri. They say that we from Boston speak like somewhere in England. ( They setttled the colony)

Welcome Linda. Thank you so much for your prayers for out good friend Connie. You can only imagine how many people she has reached out to and helped through their lung cancer treatment, she started the first face to face Lung Cancer Support group here in Minnesota about 8 years ago! Glad to hear you are doing so well. Donna G

Too cute! I think it is the dog that is singing about the little boy. Donna G

Hi Phil. Welcome. We , and our families need to get the word out about the leading cancer killer-Lung Cancer. Many of us here are trying to do just that. Hope you have looked at the different ribbon subjects and looked over the events we have had. Keep us posted on how you are doing and what you are doing. Again , welcome. DonnaG

Talked to Maurie and he was just sending us this e-mail. He also said he filled out her menu to eat tomorrow!!!!!! -----Original Message----- From: MAURIE CONNIE BERCHEM Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2007 3:39 PM well here goes folks she's off the ventilator as of 6:30am . I left the hospital at 12:30 as they were removing the arterial line in her neck and when they were done connie was going to be sitting up for at least one half hour . I hope this goes out ok , its my first attempted E- mail. I want to thank every one for their prayers and my special friends who were with me yesterday Maurie

I just talked with Maurie on the phone. Katie is with him. He said as Katie below and also that they gave Connie a pacemaker and 2 Arteries in her heart. My prayers are going up that she recovers smoothly from this 11+ hour surgery. DonnaG Below from Katie Surgery is over . Connie is off the bypass machine and is now on ventalator. It was a very difficult case with the scar tissue, getting into the chest and then doing the bypass (they used two veins from her legs, and then put iin a mechanical valve. They also discovered that a bone in her chest had never healed from the last surgery which might have contributed to some of her pain, They've closed her up and she is expected to Be on a ventilator and in coma for at least 48 hours,. it's watch and wait at this point but the procedures themselves were successful, They had her for 12 long hours today. Maurie and I will get to see her in about 30 minutes. The next 24 hours are critical but so far so good! Thank goodness. Katie

Today is the day. They have all been at the hospital since 5:30 am ( 1 and a 1/2 hrs). I wonder if Connie is in the OR now. They told her it would take about 6 hours, then to ICU for several days. Prayers going up. DonnaG

All of the above is great info . Exposure to asbestos can even happen at home. We have a young member here, jodi page, who I also know from our local face to face lung cancer support group who was diagnosed with mesothelioma at 26 years of age. She joined this group Jan 29 2003. She is not here too often , she has gotten on with her life. She is a survivor! She must have been exposed crawling around the house or something. DonnaG

Welcome. Glad you found us. 12/6, boy you guys are just starting this journey. I know several long term survivors of SCLC. Besides chemo they also have had brain radiation because that is the first place it spreads. They made it through all the treatment and have been fine for years. Keep us posted DonnaG

Welcome to our group. I started with chemo and radiation also, then surgery. I am just celebrating 10 years of survival. Prayers going up for a smooth surgery for you. Keep us posted. DonnaG

Surviving lung cancer for 10 years! The blessings it has brought me, feeling the love of friends, church and family, the many wonderful people I have met the past 10 years. DonnaG

It is official! Thanks for all the fun in the pub over the weekend! Today, December 3 , 2007 it has been 10 years of survival since I was told I had lung cancer. Staying friends with NED and all of you. DonnaG

I did those drugs for weeks before I was able to have surgery and another course after I had surgery. I remember the doctor gave me Rx for several antinausea drugs. I don't ever remember using them. At the end of the second round I did start falling down and discovered I was developing neuropathy from the Cisplatin. I don't fall down any more and best of all it is 10 years since I was diagnosed and am cancer free. Best wishes to you, keep us posted on how you are tolerating chemo. DonnaG

Happy, happy ,happy post. Congratulation, on your successful "flight". DonnaG

Sweetiegirl please feel welcome here. We have walked this journey and understand. I am so happy your Mom's doctor gave her chemo. Is she still on it? Getting that just in case some little nasty cell was on the loose really decreases the chance of it showing up again. Please keep us posted. Donna G

Thanks again to all you wonderful people. Meeting and talking to all of you is one of the blessings I recieved as a result of this journey. Being an Irishman from Boston, I'd like a Baileys on the rocks please. Donna G

Thanks All! Boy I am glad I have this weekend off if I'm going to be in the pub all weekend! Looks like we will have a snow storm here this weekend so where else would I want to be! DonnaG

Prayers going up for my dear friend Connie. DonnaG

Welcome Nick. I hope you have family or good friends there in Amsterdam. This is a tough road and most all of us need support but it is doable. Very soon I will be a 10 year survivor with no evidence of disease. This site has a lot of info. esp under know the facts and glossary. We have a wonder lung cancer specialist Dr. West and he also has a web site with lots of facts. Knowledge is power. Keep us posted. DonnaG

I am so sorry for your loss. Donna G