Donna G
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Posts posted by Donna G
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Hello scotti. I was diagnosed with Stage 3B NSCLC. Are you asking for yourself or a loved one?
How long ago was the diagnosed? Was treatment started?
You live in the neighboring state, I am here in Minnesota. Were there any symptoms? How did they find it.
I had a lot of treatment but the good news is I am still here, able to talk to you.
Waiting to hear more of where you are on your journey.
Donna
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I welcome you also Caroline. Glad you found this site. You were only diagnosed last month! You are so young. Has your Doctor set up a plan of care?
Where has your cancer spread to ? Did you have any symptoms or problems that sent you to the Doctor ? Is there plans for chemotherapy and/or radiation ?
Please keep us posted on how you are doing and feel free to ask questions. Hopefully you have a supportive family and friends at your side also.
Donna G
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Welcome, Glad you found us. Sounds like you were fortunate to have an early stage diagnosis. It also sounds I am guessing from your sign in name that you are active in hiking and running ? That new type of surgery is less traumatic and is a blessing to be able to have.
You are less than a month post op and are out and about to support groups, great! I am also so glad you are being having genetic testing. Please keep us posted on how you are
and how the tests next month turn out.
Donna G
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Lisa by the way, has your Doctor mentioned putting in a port to take the Cisplatin? First the great thing about a port is they don't have to find a vein
every time your go in. Access is easy. I do have some neuropathy from the chemo but I am still alive so I just keep my feet happy and live on.
The meds they have now to control side effects are really good.
Donna G
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Hello Lisa. I took Cisplatin but the other was Etopiside (VP 16 ). I also had the daily radiation in hopes to make me operable.
I was diagnosed in December 1997 Stage 3B. I was able to have surgery. I did have more chemo. I am still here. I pray that you respond as
well as I did. Please keep us posted.
Donna G
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Welcome Chime. Glad you found this site. Only one Lymph node was positive ? That sounds good.
I think I would go with his Oncologist and take the chemo. Sorry he got the complication of blood clot, that is serious.
Glad they are taking good care of him and glad he has you with him also. Please keep us posted on how you two are doing.
Donna G
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Welcome Glen. Chemo therapy is tough. There are a lot of side affects. Usually there are premeds and others that help make it bearable.
I know nothing about microbes in Cancer cells. That sounds like a germ or something.
To your other question. I have a friend who was diagnosed with SCLC 20 years ago. I met her at a lung cancer support group. She had at least a year of chemo and radiation to the brain as preventative therapy as SCLC frequently spreads there. I just spoke with her on the phone . She is still with us. I don't know if they ever told her that she was cured but if your in remission for that long it has got to be very close !
Please keep us posted.
Donna G
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Happy Birthday to ME. Happy Birthday to ME. Happy Birthday to Donna G.
Happy Birthday to ME.
Donna G
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Thanks for the update Dick. Glad you have another plan in place. Radiation should get that tumor under control. Immunotherapy is a great alternative too. Sure pray that your next follow up Ct gives us much better news. Keep us posted on how you are doing.
Donna G
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Hello Josie. Welcome. You have a lot of good questions. The stage you are diagnosed is only a description of its location . I was Stage 3 B Lung Cancer which meant I had no distant spread but my tumor was pressing on the lining on the lung and on nerves going down my right arm. I was diagnosed in Dec. 1997. I had chemo and radiation because on the late stage. It shrunk the tumor and I then was able to have surgery, the old fashion was on breaking ribs to get into the chest to get the tumor. After I had more chemo.
It is wonderful the advances they have made with laparoscopic surgery, much less traumatic. If your tumor is small, has not spread they will follow up with more CT's to be sure it has not returned. If you really are worried I would get the surgery and follow up with a second opinion regarding the follow up chemo.
Keep us posted on how it goes.
Donna G
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Hello Dick. Glad you found us. Sounds like your Doctor got your treatment started quickly. Chemo is rough.
I have been through lots of chemo, radiation, surgery, and more chemo. I was Stage 3 B. The chemo etc was tough but
it worked and I am still here. Please let us know how you are doing and I pray your results show that that tough chemo is also working for you.
Donna G
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Hello TerriRose, welcome. Sorry to hear about your Lung Cancer but please keep your hope. I am so glad that your Doctor got your treatment going quickly.
I had lots of Cisplatin and Etopiside and daily radiation . It did shrink my tumor . I was Stage 3 B . Then I was able to have my R upper lobe removed. and after
I had more Cisplatin and Etopiside. Back in 1997 and 1998 there were not as many options and there are now. Thankfully I survived and am still here now.
I you want more info I wrote it all , look in Survival Stories posted 7-3-04 "Through the Valley and to the Mountain."
Please keep us posted on how you are doing and any changes in treatment. If you have any questions feel free to ask.
Donna G
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Hello RicKoehn. Welcome. I am sorry you have been diagnosed with the Lung Cancer but am so happy that it was done early Stage I and that your doctor has quickly set a plan of care. I like Tom was Stage 3B . I had to have chemo and radiation before it shrunk enough to do surgery. So I was still in recovery from that when I had surgery on top to also recover from. I had the surgery in the spring of 1998. I had to have chemo after surgery too so with all that it took a while to recover. I hope your recovery goes smoothly . I also agree with Tom though that you should follow the Doctors instructions. Be patient.
Even what I went through was worth it. Here I am over 18 years later talking to you ! What's 4-6 weeks compared to that ? Please keep us posted on how you are doing.
Donna G
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Glad to see the site is back up.
I guess I now have to get use to all the "newness" . Looks good.
Now back to the " air" . I could not believe it when I woke up to thunder this am that it was 82 degrees with a heat index of 86 degrees.
I live in Minnesota ! This is weird. It did cool down to 72 after the rain poured down. I was able to walk my dogs. But they say that this will only make us even more humid
and feel even hotter this afternoon. Predicting 98 degrees with a heat index of up to 110 to 115 degrees. WOW.
II you are in this heat wave please be careful ! This is a real stress for those with lung issues.
Donna G
Please see in My Story " Through the Valley to the Mountain" posted 7-3-04
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Clarinet bob welcome. I was diagnosed Stage 3 in December 1997. I also started with 2 Chemo drugs and daily radiation.
All shrunk so they did a right upper lobectomy . After I had more of the chemos. . It was a tough road
but well worth it. I am still here. I hope you respond well also to the chemo. Please keep us posted on how you are doing.
Donna G
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Great News ! Shall we all dance with joy !
Keep that good news coming.
Donna G
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That is GREAT NEWS !!! Susan thanks for sharing it with us.
I hope the news on your thyroid will be good also.
Donna G
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On my local news channel they had a story this evening about a 5 year old child who was celebrating finishing 12 rounds of chemo.
This little girl has Pleuropulmonary Blastoma. They said that 30-50 infants and children are diagnosed a year in the USA with this type of lung cancer. They said this little girl would have PT and OT this summer to get stronger and hopefully will start kindergarten this fall.
I know several young people that got lung cancer but had no idea that children that young were getting lung cancer.
Donna G
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Hello Marc. Sounds like you were in pretty good condition if you have run a Marathon !
You say you are the father of 2 teenage boys. All this has come up just since Memorial Day?
Wow ! Glad the doctor really investigated what was going on. Hopefully very soon you will
get the results of the type of lung cancer you are dealing with and get a plan of care set in place and
get started.
Please keep us posted on this and how you are doing.
Donna G
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Hello Mandy.
Glad you found us. Sounds like you are just starting this journey. How are you tolerating the Tarceva?
Did you have the CT already? Please let us know how you are doing when you get the results.
Lung cancer can be bothe physically difficult and emotionally difficult. I hope you get good results.
Please keep us posted. Also feel free to ask any questions you might have .
Donna G
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Hi Stevo,
Glad you found us. That is great info that Tom has given you. It is very sad to hear that you also have been diagnosed
with lung cancer. Your children are so very young. They need their Dad. Glad you have decided to fight this and have a plan.
I was diagnosed with lung cancer also and after many months of treatments I have survived. At the time it was very tough.
There are good medicines for the side affects of radiation and chemo but it is still a rough road. After about 6 months of treatment
I began to get so beaten up I went into depression. Glad to say there meds for that also.
In the end it was well worth it. I am an 18 year survivor .
Please let us know if you need any help, have questions or just need to vent. Keep us posted.
Donna G
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Hello friend.
I was diagnosed with a Pancoast tumor in the apex of my right upper lobe . I also went to
the doctor because I was having chest wall pain and pain down my right arm.
It was named after a Doctor Pancoast who was the one that set up the plan to treat it.
I had chemo and radiation . It shrunk then they were able to do surgery.
The plan also includes chemo after surgery.
With modern radiation it is hard for me to believe they would be unable to do radiation.
I would find a Doctor or clinic cable of doing the radiation with the chemo.
It sure worked for me. I am more than 18 years since diagnosis.
Keep us posted.
Donna G
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Hi D and welcome. I was stage 3B diagnosed Dec. 3 , 1997. I had a tumor in the apex of my upper R lung.
It was pressing on nerves going down my arm and pressing on the lining of my lung. No positive lymph nodes,
no metastasis.
I started with lots of chemo and daily radiation. Next they did take my lobe of lung . After I had more chemo.
I am still here. When they took out my lung I asked the Doctor about the tumor and he said it was all dead. I did
have chemo after because that was the plan from the first. If you go to my story you can find my journey in more detail.
It is possible to survive . I pray you also respond well to the chemo. It is tough but I did survive.
Keep us posted.
Donna G
New Member Minneapolis, MN
in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!
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Welcome Mary. I agree with the above, Thank heaven it was diagnosed at an early stage.
Glad they got to the surgery within 5 weeks. How did this all start ? Were you having symtoms or did you happen to have an xray that found it?
How are you doing since the surgery? Keep us posted on how you are doing.
Donna