Donna G

Jean--- to get a second opinion is a very good idea. Don't forget to bring a notebook to the appointment with her. Take notes . It will help when she goes over what was said and tries to make a decision after. Keep us posted. Donna G

Welcome Jean. I am glad if she had lymph node involvement that they are discussing chemo. Is she in good health otherwise? I am also so glad that she has you to help support her. We need help going through this journey. Help with emotions. Help with getting to appointments and listening to the doctor, taking notes. Help with housework, groceries. All of that really helps. Please keep us posted on how she and you are doing and what they plan. Donna G

Hello Renee. Welcome. You've been on this journey for almost a year. Glad to hear that med has caused shrinkage. We love that word. We here in Minnesota have come out of the deep freeze--- temps were staying below zero for days. It was pleasant to get to +6 degrees today. That really cold air I find hard to breath in. How are you doing with it? Please keep us posted on how you are doing. Donna G

Hi Laralyn. Glad you found us. Sounds like you have had some good treatments so far. You say they have more schedules in a short time. At least you had a few weeks of rest I hope. Your town has been on the news . They say the Rams are coming back. Looks like you've been getting lots of rain too. Have you got friends and family close by to help you? All that radiation and chemo can take a lot from you. Please keep us posted on how you are doing. Feel free to ask questions. Donna G

Welcome Tess. Glad you found us. I am so glad that you were tested for the mutation and are responding so well. This is a tough disease but many of us can live a good life. Please don't hesitate to tell us what is going on, we have been through this and know it is good to talk to get through it. Hope you get to live as l have been fortunate to. Keep us posted. Donna G

Donna how are you doing? Did the Oncologist start chemo or are you waiting to find a clinical trial? Did you do alright with the holidays? Hope you are able to update us on how things are going. Donna G

Hi Pam, welcome. So sorry to hear that your husband had mets to the liver. Of course the good thing is that that follow up CT found it ! Also it is good that he has started his chemo to kill it all we pray. How is he tolerating it. Many of us have some side effects but in the end when it works it is worth it. Please keep us posted on how you guys are coping and doing. Donna G

Welcome Sio. Boy you really have been through a lot with Cancer. VATS surgery is a lot easier than a Lobectomy so I hope that is all you will need. Even still are you sure they will only keep you 1-2 days? After anesthesia and taking pain pills you should not drive that is for sure. Glad you have been able to quit. It sure will save you a lot of money too. Most important if will make your recovery better and easier. Traffic must be horrible in Toronto. I know in a city that size mileage to a test can't be that far. Wow --3hrs? Is that round trip, even still. Wow. You'll for sure get biopsy results from the surgery. Keep us posted on how things are going. Best wishes. Donna G

Welcome Mollyann. Glad you found us. It is great that they found that tumor and that you will be able to have surgery in a couple of weeks. Surgery is tough but you will get over it. Glad to hear that you have your husband for support. We want to help too Please let us know what questions you have. Please keep us posted on how you are doing. This can be beat. I was a later stage and am still here writing to you Wishing you the best Donna G

Sounds like a good plan. Considuring that it is almost New Year , January is very SOON. I hope we hear that it is all set up for you. Donna G

Welcome Pugs. Glad you found us. I hope you had a Happy Christmas. Sounds like you are responding well to Tarceva. That is great news. Glad your doctor tested for the mutation. Hope you missed all the terrible weather down there that has been on the news ! Please keep us posted on how you are doing. Donna G

Hi TC . Glad you found us. I am glad you have you are home for the holidays. I was diagnosed at 50 yrs old with lung cancer in 1997. I just retired from working as an RN last year. If the Oncologist says you need chemo if I were you I would take it. The journey is hard but worth it. If any cells got free I sure would want them killed rather than show up again somewhere else. Keep us posted. Relax for now and have a Happy Holiday . Donna G

Merry Christmas to you Randy and to all on this site. I pray that you will have the love of friends and family on this day. Donna G

Hello , Glad you found us. You say you have one nodule that has enlarged in your Left Upper Lung. That sounds like it could be an early diagnosis. You did not say that they biopsied anything. Usually this is true test if it is cancer. If you don't qualify for surgery because of your COPD there are other great treatments now a days. Great new radiation treatments and of course Chemo. Even surgeries today are less traumatic that years ago. Please keep us posted on what your plan is and how you are doing. Hope you have family or close friends that can go with you and take notes at the doctor visits. Keep us posted. Donna G

Sorry to hear about your Dad. Does he have a plan of care set up? I hope so. Glad you found us. Is he having symptoms. Back pain? Please keep us posted. This site is full of information. Hope we can help. Donna G

Hi John. I am so glad you found us. In December 1997 I was suppose to start a new job. I am an RN. I was told the pain down my arm and in my chest was not due to moving and unpacking. It was Stage 3B Lung Cancer. I did have to put off starting this new job until I finished chemo, radiation , then RUL Lobectomy followed by more chemo again.. I responded well. I did get to start that new job in 1998 and I retired from that hospital last year. I hope you respond well to your treatment also. Keep us posted. Donna G

Those are great questions ! I am so glad that your step dad has you to help him. Most important to me is to take notes of what he does say and how he answers your questions. I was so overwhelmed with all that I know how easy it is to miss something. It is great to have another set of ears. Hope even if you stay with the same doctors that there is a chemo offfice or radiation unit for day to day treatments so you don't have to be on the road soooooo much ! Keep us posted. Donna G

Hi Susan. Welcome to lungevity. You live pretty close to me. I live just south of the twin cities. Glad you found us. Until a few years ago we had an in person lung cancer support group in St. Paul. I met many people there going through what we have in common ---Lung cancer. Sounds like you do not have a plan of care set up yet. I have a good friend I met in that group who had SCLC , Janet responded to treatment very well and is still my friend. I hope you also respond well. Let us know what the plan will be and how you are doing. I hope you have some other family near by or good friends that can help. Keep us posted. Donna G

Welcome. Glad you posted. Many will read this post and get what most of us need HOPE. Sounds like you have been through quite a bit with all those treatments but thankfully they must be working ----you are here with us. Please keep us posted on how you are doing. Donna G

I don't know exactly what you are asking. I do know the best test to diagnose SCLC is a PET Scan ( Positron Emission Tomography) Rather than just showing Anatomy in a CT the PET shows function also. It is the best tool to diagnose extensive and limited SCLC. Hope someone of us can help you with your question. Donna G

I hope you will have a wonderful day with friends and family. I feel so blessed to have been able to have 45 years with my late husband Jay. I am so thankful for my family. I am so thankful that I met the late Connie Berchem and she introduced me to a lung cancer support group and later to the on line support group. I am so thankful that Katie started the on line support group. I hope you also have many reasons to be thankful. Donna G

You have given us all good reason to be Thankful this holiday. I love to hear NED ! It is such good news to celebrate ! Donna G

Just wanted to say that I opened my internet site to get to my email this morning. It always lists the latest news , stories of interest etc. On the top right guess what !!!!!!!!! There was a link to Lungevity so people could learn about lung cancer and early diagnosis . The TV news always talks about Breast Cancer events etc but mine has not mentions Lung Cancer Awareness month is November so I was really pleased to see this info on my internet site. Donna G

Hi Shanna. Welcome. You are early in your journey. ? 3 different types of Lung Cancer. Wow. Have you started a treatment? Please keep us posted on how things are going. We have been through this , feel free to ask questions or tell us how you are coping. Donna G

Glad you got to be with your Dad. A positive attitude is very therapeutic also, so that's good news. Let us know how that test goes to see if he has the genetic factor. Best wishes. Donna G