Donna G

Happy survivor anniversary! Happy News! Donna G

http://www.happynews.com/index.htm Thanks for being here. Donna G

I met an 8 year stage 4 lung cancer survivor just a couple of days ago. When he was first diagnosed he was stage 4 and he had aggressive chemotherapy. He became NED! He did have a reoccurance after a few years but since it was just one place with no other signs of lung cancer that did a thorocotomy followed by more chemo and now cancer free since 00' Donna G

Happy good news! http://www.happynews.com/index.htm http://www.DarynKagan.com Enjoy, I just knew there had to be good news in this world, glad these people recognize this. This has to be less stressful to hear on our bodies than what we usually hear so much of on the boob tube. Donna G

Happy , Happy , Happy News! Congradulations, I know what hard work it is to get this far, wishing you many more anniversaries to celebrate. Donna G

who is an eight year , Stage IV survivor --who is cancer free now! Boy it was great to hear his story. I gave him our address and really hope he comes and tells his story to all of us. Donna G

Kasey, lots of prayers going up! I am anxious to hear what the doctor says today. I hope you have a winter type congestion that will clear up very soon. Also hope you quit scratching! and have no need to scratch! Donna G

What a gift that you've been on my train. Have a wonderful holiday. Think you will be very glad that you take the time to make this trip. http://www.InspiringThots.net/movie/life-on-train.php

Hi Trish , welcome. I also am a nurse. I was also just 50 when I was told I had lung cancer. I now know I am so fortunate that I am a survivor. I have met so many over the past 9 years that we have lost. Donna G

Hi Heather, welcome. Keep us posted on how you are doing. Donna G

I had a "Pancoast Tumor" which is a tumor up in the apex of my right lung, larger than a golf ball. I went to the doctor with shoulder and chest pain expecting I had slipped a disc in my neck but on CXR there it was , lung cancer! The pain went away as the tumor got smaller with chemo and radiation. I also got neuropathy from Cisplatin (chemo) but that is different from the pain I had from the tumor. Donna G

Hi Karla, welcome. I did not have stage IV (that I know of) but I was an upper stage. My treatment started the same as your husband. After, a CT said, all had shrunk and they planned surgery. After surgery I asked about the tumor and they said it was dead, all scar tissue! I hope the Cisplatin, VP 16 and daily radiation do the same for your husband most especially as he was diagnosed on my birthday! Can you say what made his diagnosis Stage IV? Did he have distant metastasis? If so, are they doing anything else for it? Keep us posted. Donna

Remission, YIPPEE Donna G

I just got and looked through my local Diocesan Newspaper. There was an article about a man who is inventing an "electronic nose" to sniff out cancer! boy you would think that at least lung cancer would work, considering dogs can sniff it out. Just wanted to share with you. http://www.ehealthnews.eu/content/view/312/27/ Donna G

Wow. Thanks everyone. Next year I will also hit the big 6 0, with the grace of our Lord. I better start planning now! Wow, we will party. Donna

Today 9 years ago I was told I had lung cancer and I am here today , healthy telling you about it!!!!! Yippee. Donna G

Hi Mitchell. Welcome. Wishing your Mom the best results! The surgery is tough, I know. It takes a while for those ribs etc to calm down. Glad to hear her Doc is planning chemo. That is tough too but it will really increase her chances of not getting it back again. You see microscopic cells could be there which the chemo could kill before they find a new nesting place and begin to multiply. Keep us posted. Donna G

Hi Becky. Welcome. In just 2 days I will be celebrating 9 years of survival since I was diagnosed! Yes, I agree , there are things we need to talk about that are easier understood by someone who has walked the walk. Donna G

Wow! You did such a great job! Donna G

Today in the St. Paul Pioneer Press they talked about Cancer support and gave this new web site to find support near you in Minnesota. http://www.MNCancerResources.org/ The support group we go to in St. Paul was listed. It is a new site and I think they need "Rick's" help to make it easier. ( Rick you have done such a great job here) I also noted they have a page that says "November is Lung Cancer Awareness month" and mention that 2,610 people in Minnesota will be diagnosed with lung cancer and 2,430 will die. http://www.cancerplanmn.org/ Glad to see that a site with this info is up and running. Donna G

No, not after completing therapy. The only "plan" was when I should have a CT or lab work for a couple of years. I do believe you really could use a plan. Going through months of chemo, radiation, surgery really deconditions you. Some of us don't eat as well as we would or could ordinarily. Donna G

I worked in Montreal in 91' and 92'. The socialized medicine in Canana runs a lot differently than in the system in the states. They made a law when I was there that you had to be either admitted to the hospital or sent home if you had been in the ER for 2 weeks! They didn't want anyone to be in the ER for more than 2 weeks. These people ate, washed up, etc living lined up on guernies for weeks. I can not imagine anyone in the US tolerating that kind of emergency care. The care was great for all the Canadians that were very healthy and had no acute or chronic problems. Other than that I saw a lot wanting. I also was so upset with the Clintons talking how we needed this system here in the US, "care" available to all by us having --socialized medicine. Donna G

I knew that having never been blessed with children and never (of course) had the opportunity of breast feeding put me at greater risk for breast cancer. I did not know it had also put me at greater risk for lung cancer! I guess it does go along with being a women putting us at greater risk of lung cancer than men. So it does make sense. Donna G

At that web site was Dietary Factors Phytochemicals. Some data suggests that diets rich in fresh fruits and vegetables may be protective against lung cancer in both smokers and non-smokers. Some studies have reported protection from specific food chemicals (phytochemicals), such as the following: Isothiocyanates. These chemicals are found in the cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts). These may help block the effects of carcinogens in smoke, suppress tumor growth, and inhibit growth-promoting steroid hormones. Flavonoids. Major sources are apples, grapefruit, onions, red wine, and tea. In one study on flavonoids, apple eaters had the lowest cancer risk, 68% less than those who ate fruit infrequently. In another, those who ate relatively more onions, apples, and white grapefruit had less than half the lung cancer risk as people who ate relatively small amounts of these foods. Flavonoids are also found in soybeans, berries, broccoli, carrots, citrus fruits, eggplant, peppers, squash, and tomatoes. Specific flavonoids in dark chocolate may be protective against lung cancer (but not other cancers). Lycopene. Lycopene is found in tomatoes, which have been associated with a lower risk for lung cancer. Cooking the tomatoes appears to increase the potency of lycopene. Cryptoxanthin. Some studies suggest that eating foods rich in cryptoxanthin, a yellow-orange pigment, reduces the risk for lung cancer. Foods with high amounts of cryptoxanthin include pumpkin, corn, papaya, red bell peppers, tangerines, oranges, and peaches. More research is needed in this area, however. Isoflavones. Isoflavones, found in soy beans and flax seed, behave like estrogen in some ways and not in others. Some evidence suggests the genistein in soy may have properties that are protective against lung cancer. Donna G

In our local lung cancer support group we have people who are 6 yr plus survivors of SCLC and their CT scans are still negative for disease! Wishing the same to you (and for the sake of your wife). Keep us posted how you are doing. Donna G