Donna G

Thanks for sharing such wonderful news with us! I am so happy for you and your Mom. Donna G

Welcome Jodi, hope we can be of help. Donna G

There's no place like home! Wonderful news. I know this will help Fay so much. Donna G

Pam I am so sorry for your loss. I pray for you and your family for peace during this most difficult time. Donna G

O no! I just sent my family an email regarding that storm coming. They live south of Boston and northern Rhode Island. I had heard it forecasted on the weather channel. I hope it holds off for you. Donna G

Happy News! 5 Years! Waiting to hear how the test goes, want to hear even more Happy News. Donna G

Wonderful news, hope you have planned a big celebration for this weekend. Donna G

Heart Transplant Pioneer Shumway Dies By PAUL ELIAS Associated Press Writer 1:14 AM PST, February 11, 2006 SAN FRANCISCO — Twenty-eight years ago, Dr. Norman Shumway performed the first successful heart transplant in the United States on a 56-year-old man. Although that patient died a short time later, in the years to come, the operation became the reason that thousands more were able to live. Shumway, 83, died at his home in Palo Alto Friday of lung cancer, Stanford University spokeswoman Ruthann Richter said. "He was a miracle worker," said Susan Craze, who lost three children to heart disease before Shumway's team was able to save her other two in the mid-1980s. "We wouldn't have any children if it weren't for Dr. Shumway." Shumway may be best known for continuing with transplant research as many others gave up. During the 1970s, when most recipients died soon after their operations because of rejection or infection, many surgeons became discouraged. But Shumway stuck with it and built a large transplant research team at Stanford that found ways to overcome rejection problems. The operation other surgeons once doubted is performed frequently today. In 2004, there were 2,016 heart transplants performed in the United States, according to the American Heart Association. Shumway developed tests that enabled the use of smaller doses of dangerous rejection drugs and was one of the first transplant surgeons to begin using the safer rejection drug cyclosporine. Ultimately, he dramatically improved survival rates for transplant recipients. Elizabeth Craze is one of them. She was 2 in 1984 when she became the youngest patient to survive the procedure. Now 24, she has led a normal life and played high school volleyball. "I never felt held back," she said. Shumway's first heart transplant patient, Mike Kasperak, 56, died 14 days after the 1968 operation and never left the hospital. Now, it's common for patients to live for decades. During the early 1960s, Shumway developed a heart transplant technique on dogs that was used by Dr. Christiaan Barnard, who transplanted the first human heart in December 1967. In 1981, Shumway and Dr. Bruce Reitz completed the first successful heart and lung transplant in the same patient at the same time. Born in Kalamazoo, Mich., Shumway served in the Army from 1943 to 1946. He also served in the Air Force from 1951 to 1953. He earned his medical degree from Vanderbilt University in 1949 and doctorate from the University of Minnesota in 1956. He arrived at Stanford in 1958 as a surgery instructor and remained at the university for the rest of his career. His daughter, Dr. Sara Shumway, followed him into the field of transplant surgery and teamed up with him to edit a textbook on transplantation. During his career, Shumway was awarded numerous honorary degrees and research honors, including the American Medical Association Scientific Achievement Award in 1987. Sen. Bill Frist, the Senate majority leader and a heart transplant surgeon, studied under Shumway at Stanford and remembered his mentor as an "inspirational leader and guiding spirit who made heart transplants a reality. "When all those around him said it could never happen, his vision, his determination, his unrelenting commitment and pioneer spirit saved thousands of lives," Frist said in a statement. "He was not only a great surgeon, but a great teacher as well, and I was fortunate to study under him." * __ On the Net: http://www.shumwayfoundation.org/home.htm http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... &cset=true

Welcome, glad you found us. Many loose weight even before they start treatment. Hope he like to sip on Boost or Ensure. Also, this is very stressful, do you think he is depressed? He may need an antidepressent. Some of your other points it is hard to say for sure. I don't know how old your Dad is, how he did with his lung capacity tests, does he have Emphesema or COPD? Does he have other chronic health problems? I am glad you found us, and hope we can help. Donna G

Welcome Jeff. I started with chemo and radiation, then surgery ( then more chemo) It is possible that her tumor will shrink and put her in the surgical category. Please keep us posted. Donna G

THat is really good news! Donna G

I also want to welcome you. I love your attitude. Please keep us posted. Donna G

Near the end of the show I saw a guy with a pink shirt, dark hair, glasses sitting in the front of the back(?) behind a divider? Was that your brother? It was just a second as they pand. Donna G

Marie, first all that shrinkage, GREAT NEWS! Having surgery is challenging but very doable. I vote get it all out, as long as the doctors are willing. Go for the cure. Second, you are young. Evidently you are 2 months older than I but I want to be young, therefore you are still young! Keep us posted. Donna G

I sometimes listen to Relevent Radio in the car on the way to work. http://www.relevantradio.com/docs/index.asp I know I heard on one of their talk shows an interview with a therapist. They were saying it is particularly good at helping to get over addictions. They were pointing out that there is a big difference between using hypnotism for "entertainment" and using it for therapy. The therapist was Catholic and says that many feel that you can not be Catholic and a Hypnotist. They were pointing out the churches is against people just using mind altering techniques for "fun" but it is not against professionals helping people overcome addictions. They also pointed out how successful it is. I thought I could find the show, but not this am. Donna G PS They also said it is very good for those with food addictions, and weight problems.

Connie is at home recouperating from open heart surgery. She is doing well and has been coming on the site. She had told me she was not staying long, however. Donna G

I had chemo and daily radiation for weeks to shrink the tumor and make it operable. When they went in and did they surgery I asked about it and they said it was just scar tissue, all dead! Donna G

Stable, yes this is GOOD NEWS. Donna G

There are other meds besides prozac. Check with your doctor and see if he'll give you something else. I took Wellbutrin. I think that and someone to talk to is so important. This is a very stressful disease and most of us need help. Best wishes, Donna G

Chuck, with your positive attitude ( since you are only going on 55) I would go for a wedge resection and chemo. It that tumor is handy they could do laproscopic thoracotomy so you wouldn't even have a big incision to heal! Go for the CURE! Did you know that for a while they were TREATING Emphysema and COPD with lung reduction! so that what was left would expand more! Please keep us posted what you and your doctors decide. Best wishes. Donna G

Prayers going up for Sue and Mike. Donna G

Welcome Trish. Glad you found us. You may be new to us but you are already a veteran of this fight. Prayers going up for a wonderful response to this next round. Keep us posted. Donna G

Congratulations to your Mom! Happy news, 5 years. Thanks so much for sharing. Donna G

Welcome. I don't know your whole circumstance but I just wanted to say I had chemo and radiation together to shrink a tumor before I had surgery. You said "after they operated", was that an open biopsy or did they just quit surgery when they found more than they expected? Again great you showed yourself, now keep us posted. Donna G

I just did a google search and found that signet cell can be a primary lung cancer tumor. Boy there is no end to what is to be learned about this disease we call "lung cancer" http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... t=Citation http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... t=Abstract Waiting to hear how you are doing and hoping and praying for good news. Donna G