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TJM

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Everything posted by TJM

  1. All I think I had stopped posting before this happened (on advice from a lawyer) but it might be interesting for some of y'all I was sitting in my OSU recliner in late 21 and had an epiphany. I could stay in that fine recliner, get fat, and just wait or I could do something different. When I say I...my wife is included. So we sat down and developed a bucket list. It included a bunch of stuff we both desired. First sell our much to big (with the boys gone) house. Buy my most desired car (CT6-V. Check it out if you like cars) and travel. We decided on starting with a cruise to Alaska to see how well I did. Went with some dear friends (one had LC also and has sense past) and had a fine time. I didn't do all the excursions, but my wife did and had a blast. After that, we decided on a slow trip across the US starting in Washington. Made plans to meet up with friends along the way. Even had lunch with old friends from Seattle at the Mackinaw bridge in the UP of Michigan. We ended in Brooklyn New York where my wifes sister lives. Had my pup Mac with us for the drive. Then we caught the QE2 in Brooklyn and sailed to South Hampton UK. 7 day journey which was fantastic. Had the widow of my second dad join us for the trip. It was magical. Then we spent 3 months taking the train around Europe. From Rotterdam to Barcelona and two stops in France. It was a great trip but I learned that Europe is more divided than even the US. Any desire to retire there quickly dissolved. My two favorite visits were to a WW1 battle site in northern france and Normandy. The cemetery"s were very moving places. Tor du Hoc (sp) was astonishing. My parents generation were an incredible group to have accomplished what they did. Also very special was meeting up with a large group of friends from Longview in Paris for a fun night of food, drink and chat. We then spent the last 3 weeks in England. Being Scottish we had to visit Edinburgh. I highly recommend it if you get a chance. The castle is the best we saw by far. Also, the war room exhibt in London was incredible and wore me out so much I had to rest for two days. We were joined by a special couple. The wife had just survived a breast cancer scare (when we set it up we didn't know if it was a recurrence yet) that turned out to be begnin. What a great week of celebration. We had such a grand time on the QE2 coming from the US we decided to take it back home. In November. Across the North Atlantic! It was an exhilarating rough trip and I was very pleased to find I do not get sea sick. Upon arrival back in Brooklyn I decided to drive straight back to Washington. My wife stayed with her sister for a few days and then flew home. It was the perfect end of the adventure for me. Alone in my bucket list Caddy driving as long and as fast as I wished. I enjoyed it immensely. I can now claim to have traveled from Alaska to Barcelona and back without ever stepping on an airplane! We did spend a bunch of my kids inheritance but I wouldn't do it any different. Sorry for the long post. Tom PS This post does not do justice to the trip. So many stories. So many memories. I have only one thing left on my bucket list. To watch the Lions in the Superbowl live. Is that possible this year? Yah damn right it is!
  2. I am posting this because it is newer than what I found when I was first diagnosed. It may be helpful to anyone who has this diagnosis. Not sure if I should post somewhere else? https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.650293/full Best to all. Hopefully I get into a dermatologist next week. Should know by Monday. The dang thing appears to be growing. 😶 Edit: What is the easiest way to find my old posts? Appreciate any help. I was very on top of things then so it might help me now. Thx
  3. I feel extremely lucky not to have lost power as well. This "thaw" sure is taking it's time. I remember many a silver thaw in the past, but not one that took this long! Stay warm everybody!
  4. TJM

    Metastasis to skin

    I have a spot on my abdomen that is new and it has me concerned. I had an appointment with my primary that was canceled due to a massive ice storm! I have not been able to reschedule yet. I do have a scan scheduled for Feb 14th but I don't know if a CT scan is much good detecting skin metastasis. I am begining to get a tad ansey. My question is has any one had any experience with this type of metastasis or could direct me to some decent information. What I have found on Dr Google is not very informative (is it me, or has Google lost some of it's mojo?) Unfortunately I am getting the feeling that since I am 4 years NED I am back to ground zero, i.e. basically I have been cured and and urgency has been lost with my "team". I will get this done but I thought it might be worth a shot to see if anyone else has traveled a similar path Tom PS. I did have a cancerous spot on my arm that was basil cell and deemed not connected to my Large Cell NSCLC.
  5. It is super cold. Especially for the NW. Hasn't been this cold in over 30 years. Supposed to get a pretty good shot of snow today as well! Luckily have plenty of fire wood and hot cocoa. I will enjoy watching from my warm den! Stay safe everyone Tom
  6. TJM

    So quiet

    Merry Christmas!
  7. TJM

    So quiet

    The forum is very quiet. I hope this is because fewer people are "catching" lung cancer. Enjoy the holidays eveyone! Peace Tom
  8. Hey Blossom. You probably do not remember me but I remember you. So sorry you have to go thru this. Your posts bring back so many memories of how I felt at the beginning. Hope for the best. If I remember correctly you advocated for your mother. Remember that in the end you are your own best advocate. Having done caretaking for my brother and then going thru it myself, I can attest that the patient side is a totally different experience. Good luck. I shall be watching and thinking of you. Tom
  9. Kris Thanks for the update. Please think hard before doing adjunctive radiation. My oncologist was 50/50 on the benefit. I choose to go ahead because Large Cell is more prone to metastasis than most LC's and I wanted to do as much as possible to clear the body of any cancer cells. I now wish I had skipped that treatment. Radiation was much tougher on me than Chemo was (the fatigue was really bad). But the main reason is it messed up my esophagus. This is really not surprising and is a rather common result. I am starting to think it may never be "right" again. On the other hand I have been NED now for 18 months. Wishing you the best regardless of which path you choose. Peace Tom
  10. Agree with both Lexie and Judy. The bronchoschocopy wasn't at all uncomfortable for me. I'm guessing I will have another in the next few months and am not stressing at all. FWIW. Peace Tom
  11. I second Lexi cat. Boring is good. Peace Tom
  12. Absolutely awesome. You got this. Peace Tom
  13. Excellent response to a statistician! He understands, I'm guessing, and will follow the path. Wishing you the best Peace Tom
  14. Welcome. First off...love your tag name. Follow your own advice and be hopeful. SCLC (if that is what he has) is a tough one. But treatment options are growing almost daily (it seems). We have a member who is currently involved with a pretty radical trial. Best part is the trials focus is a curative outcome...i.e. killing the cancer for good. She is a rock star and I'm sure you will hear from her. As for surviving precision radiation..you have heard from another one of our rock stars....Tom G. Tho he didnt mention it specifically on his post, he has many times given credit to his success to precision radiation. To the point that I would almost rather get a brain met as a recurrence versus other likely places. Keep the hope. Peace Tom
  15. Welcome....with your feet running! So you've got 5 days to get prepped. Nothing to it (truely). You must have questions so ask. If too shy for that maybe Lue or Lexie or Tom or Rower..or....could attach a few links. (I havent figured out how from my phone. Someone will get you the pre surgery checklist as well as some tips to make it all go smoothly. Here's to a one and done surgery! Peace Tom
  16. Please repost in new members. The post you replied to is 20 years old! Regardless....welcome to your new home away from home!
  17. Frank Welcome. I suggest you post a new comment so for sure get responses. The wedge is great! Lexie Speak of the devil. Gotta believe this was one of your first posts? And look who was there right off the bat to help, Bridget and Tom G. Not at all surprised. Now you are very much like them and graciously offer your help as soon as you read a new post. You rock! Peace Tom
  18. Listen to your body. If I hadnt I would have died twice! First from the original cancer and second when I had a PE. In both cases it required me to keep pushing until we found the cause. It is how it is....which means YOU have to listen to your body. Surprised they didnt see elevated WBC in a blood test? Peace Tom
  19. Kathy Could you repost this as a new topic in the Introduce yourself section? I think you will get more reads and you will also start a string of your own that will build a chronology. Agree with the other comments. Please keep us posted...and welcome Peace Tom
  20. I'll be contrary to the consensus of the group here. I LOVE that they must post the results in the patient portals immediately now. If the mumbo jumbo is to hard to understand just read the impression, it's like the summary. I just had a scan on Monday, the results were posted by the time I got back home. Good results which saved me a lot of anxiety waiting for my appointment with my Onc. Even if it had been a bad result I, personally, want to know ASAP I always ask if they saw anything when the scan is done and they always tell me they cant discuss. Peace Tom
  21. Welcome. 3 cm is a pretty good sized little bugger. With the lymph nodes I would be pretty suspicious. So. Cancer or not, you are learning the first lesson of the cancer struggle, hurry up and wait. Keep us informed. Peace Tom
  22. FWIW...get a second opinion but if it was me I would want the surgery. If my docs had known I had Large cell they may not have approved my surgery. I am so glad they didn't and that that vile tumor is gone. Again. Just one man's opinion. Regardless I am rooting for you both. Peace Tom
  23. Rower is such a stud. A gender neutral stud of course
  24. I have Large Cell Neoecrodin Non small cell lung cancer. It supposedly acts much more like SCLC than NSCLC and has the same first line treatment. So I tend to follow this forum the most. Had lower right lobe removed, Chemo (cis/etp) and adjunctive radiation. I should be NED.....will find out soon enough. As for depression, I just finished treatment last week and almost immediately went to a dark place for a solid three days. By far the most depressed since all this started in January. Yesterday was the first day I felt mentally better since last week. No idea why, just glad the cloud has passed. Wishing you all the best Peace Tom.
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