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melindasue37

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Posts posted by melindasue37

    My Loss Isn't Big Enough to Count?

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    Oh Val...my heart just aches for you.

    I'm so sorry that on top of losing your mother you had to feel that way at the group you were going to because you needed help/support.

    Don't ever think your loss wasn't huge. I haven't been through losing my Mom. But, we're on the roller coaster and occasionally I think about what it will be like when I do. I hate to even say that, but I'm being very honest with my feelings. I can't even imagine the pain. I'm just so sorry.

    I hope you find a place that will offer the support you need and you will begin the road to recovering from such a huge loss. We are here for you....please keep us updated on how you are doing.

    Hugs,

    Melinda

    How do you guys do it?

    in SCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Hi Rochelle,

    I think we all have been through the emotions that you are experiencing now. (I know I have.) It is extremely difficult to adjust to life after you learn that someone you love has lung cancer.

    But, they need us to be there for them. To stay strong and adjust to life as it is now. Things will calm down for you....it just takes a little time. However, Cindi had great advice for you. You have so much going on, sometimes we just need a little help. If you need it, ask for it.

    Lean on us here too.......we'll try to help you as much as we can.

    Sending prayers for you and your family.

    Hugs,

    Melinda

    Dreading Friday

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    It sounds like it's time for your scan results to come back with some good news!

    I'm hoping and praying that this week will go quickly and the results will be the words that we all love to hear. S-T-A-B-L-E.

    Hang in there......praying for you both.

    Hugs,

    Melinda

    Message to newcomers...Ten commandments to FIGHT Cancer

    in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!

    Posted

    Ten Commandments to Fight Cancer

    by Richard Bloch

    #1. Recognize you have a life threatening disease.

    Facing the truth is a necessary ingredient to starting on the road to successfully fighting it. The fact that it is not as bad as you imagined it would be, that you feel too good, or whatever, do not deny it. That would get in your way. Never look back. Apply all your energies to conquering it.

    #2. Make a commitment to do everything in your power to fight.

    The most difficult single decision you will have to make is to make the commitment to fight. Once this is done, everything is simple. If it could possibly help, you do it. If it could possibly hurt, you don't. It makes no difference how pleasant, how convenient or how comfortable.

    #3. Get a qualified independent second opinion.

    Cancer is an extremely complex disease. Often there is only one chance to successfully simply you doubt or have less faith in your physician. It is your life and you are entitled to be certain.

    #4. Realize that knowledge is your greatest asset.

    The more you know about your disease, the better you are able to be a team with your physicians and help yourself fight the cancer. In old days people were not told they had cancer. Today it is said that doctors don't beat cancer. Patients beat cancer with the help of their doctors.

    #5. Have complete confidence in your doctors.

    Once you find a qualified doctor in whom you have faith who believes he can successfully treat you, trust this doctor and follow his advice to the letter. Do not doubt and do not continue searching. Use all your energy in fighting cancer and do exactly as this doctor recommends.

    #6. Understand and believe in the treatments you receive.

    Forget everything you have heard about cancer treatments. You are an individual and a unique person. Your cancer is not like any one else's. Understand what each part of your treatment is supposed to do and how it works. Help that treatment by visualizing it doing its job.

    #7. Seek and accept support.

    This is a time in your life to be selfish. Let others who want to help you do it. When you have recovered, you can repay them. Join or create a support group. It has been clinically demonstrated that cancer patients who join in a support group do better than those who don't.

    #8. Plan for the times you will be depressed.

    Everything about cancer is very depressing including the diagnosis, the treatments and the disease itself. Expect down days and plan things that cheer you up to do at the times you will be depressed.

    #9. Maintain a strong desire to live.

    Life can be beautiful. Have a reason for living. Whether it is children to play with, work yet to be accomplished, trips to be taken or just to read tomorrow's newspaper and see what happens, a strong desire to live will help in the successful outcome of cancer treatments.

    #10. Enjoy each day. Live one day at a time.

    Do not look back at yesterday or worry about tomorrow. Today is all that counts. Enjoy it and be grateful you have it. If you are taking unpleasant treatments, remember, you are doing this voluntarily because you want a chance to continue living. Savor the flavor of today and each night be grateful you had the wonderful experience of that day.

    PATKID and personal message posting

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    Hi Pat,

    My "view since last post" hasn't been working, so forgive me if I've missed an update post.

    I was just wondering.......

    I know the wedding is coming up soon. How is Brian doing? Also, how is your mother in law doing??

    Hugs,

    Melinda

    PS. Could someone please help me on how to send a personal message to someone?

    ENJOY Life!

    in HOPE

    Posted

    I am in one of those moods that I need some uplifting thoughts. I turned to the internet and found these which helped change my mood.

    I hope that everyone else can benefit and be inspired from them also.

    Continued prayers for all of you.

    Melinda

    A Message To Cancer Patients: Enjoy Life

    by

    Richard & Annette Bloch

    It is a terrible shock to anyone to be diagnosed with cancer. Most people cannot comprehend what the physician is saying, but the underlying tone is that this may mean the end of your life. Or at the very least, it will mean the end of your life as you had known it. We’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to!

    When the initial shock wears off, you have choices. You can cease living. You can curl up in your shell, feel sorry for yourself and those around you and vegetate until you die. OR you can go on living. You can be grateful for your life today. You can be thankful for those around you. You can enjoy life today and make it count. You can be optimistic and hopeful and make the most of every minute.

    After all, over 50% of all serious cancers are cured and many more go into remission. If you try, why can’t you be one of those lucky ones. It is for sure that if you don’t try, you won’t be. But if you try, you might. And the positive feedback from trying can improve your mental attitude which can do nothing but help your physical being and possibly extend the length of your life.

    Two facts are known for certain: there is no type of cancer for which there are no treatments and there is no type of cancer from which some have not been cured. If a physician tells you nothing can be done or you will die from it in a certain amount of time, get a second opinion. As long as doctors are human beings, cancer patients need a second opinion.

    Dr. George D. Lundberg, editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association for nearly 20 years, stated in a recent interview, “Business has taken over medicine, that professional standards have eroded and that once trusting relationship between doctor and patient has collapsed.” He goes on to state, “The way people live with their cancer can greatly affect their quality of life and, in some instances, the length of their life. And the relationship of caring goes a long way toward influencing people to live with their disease well. There’s no doubt that how a person thinks and behaves has a lot to do with physical illness in one way or another.”

    In a wonderful article written by Tad Szulc, a free lance writer, some months after he was diagnosed with a terminal, incurable cancer (and still feeling great), he suggests looking on the bright side of such a diagnosis. He lives every day doing what he normally does and not focusing on the cancer other than what must be done. He spent quite a bit of time putting family things in order, a fact he is grateful for because stroke or accident victims do not have this luxury. His advice is to develop a good disposition, don’t feel sorry for yourself, lead as normal life as possible, keep in touch with your oncologist, if religious, put your faith in prayer, and above all, be positive and optimistic.

    Three quotes in closing: When something bad happens, you decide whether to be better or bitter.

    The past does not matter. This is then and now is now.

    Live in the past and your life will be tearful. Live in the future and your life will be fearful. Live in the moment.

    Ten Cammandments to Fight Cancer

    in HOPE

    Posted

    I hope this is the right place to post this......

    Ten Commandments to Fight Cancer

    by Richard Bloch

    #1. Recognize you have a life threatening disease.

    Facing the truth is a necessary ingredient to starting on the road to successfully fighting it. The fact that it is not as bad as you imagined it would be, that you feel too good, or whatever, do not deny it. That would get in your way. Never look back. Apply all your energies to conquering it.

    #2. Make a commitment to do everything in your power to fight.

    The most difficult single decision you will have to make is to make the commitment to fight. Once this is done, everything is simple. If it could possibly help, you do it. If it could possibly hurt, you don't. It makes no difference how pleasant, how convenient or how comfortable. 

    #3. Get a qualified independent second opinion.

    Cancer is an extremely complex disease. Often there is only one chance to successfully simply you doubt or have less faith in your physician. It is your life and you are entitled to be certain.

    #4. Realize that knowledge is your greatest asset.

    The more you know about your disease, the better you are able to be a team with your physicians and help yourself fight the cancer. In old days people were not told they had cancer. Today it is said that doctors don't beat cancer. Patients beat cancer with the help of their doctors. 

    #5. Have complete confidence in your doctors.

    Once you find a qualified doctor in whom you have faith who believes he can successfully treat you, trust this doctor and follow his advice to the letter. Do not doubt and do not continue searching. Use all your energy in fighting cancer and do exactly as this doctor recommends. 

    #6. Understand and believe in the treatments you receive.

    Forget everything you have heard about cancer treatments. You are an individual and a unique person. Your cancer is not like any one else's. Understand what each part of your treatment is supposed to do and how it works. Help that treatment by visualizing it doing its job. 

    #7. Seek and accept support.

    This is a time in your life to be selfish. Let others who want to help you do it. When you have recovered, you can repay them. Join or create a support group. It has been clinically demonstrated that cancer patients who join in a support group do better than those who don't.

    #8. Plan for the times you will be depressed.

    Everything about cancer is very depressing including the diagnosis, the treatments and the disease itself. Expect down days and plan things that cheer you up to do at the times you will be depressed. 

    #9. Maintain a strong desire to live.

    Life can be beautiful. Have a reason for living. Whether it is children to play with, work yet to be accomplished, trips to be taken or just to read tomorrow's newspaper and see what happens, a strong desire to live will help in the successful outcome of cancer treatments. 

    #10. Enjoy each day. Live one day at a time.

    Do not look back at yesterday or worry about tomorrow. Today is all that counts. Enjoy it and be grateful you have it. If you are taking unpleasant treatments, remember, you are doing this voluntarily because you want a chance to continue living. Savor the flavor of today and each night be grateful you had the wonderful experience of that day.

    Need your prayers!

    in HOPE

    Posted

    Jamie,

    You have definately had more than your share of bad news and heartache. I will pray that things will begin to get better for you and your family.

    Stay Strong,

    Melinda

    Can You Stand It???

    in HOPE

    Posted

    Kasey,

    The news is awesome. Congratulations!!!!!

    Wow, trying to imagine the feeling that must bring.

    Keep up the good work.

    I hope your back is feeling better soon.

    Melinda

    Another straw drifts by

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Hey Jim,

    I think it is great that you are so excited

    Ya know what they say. When one door closes, another opens. Well, here it is!!!

    I'll pray that you will get good results from your PET and that the doctors will recommend radiation to zap the new one.

    Wishing you only the BEST!

    Melinda

    I'm a newby

    in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!

    Posted

    Hello!!!

    You said you're not sure why you are here.

    You are here because you are scared.

    You are here because you are looking for answers and you are here because you love your Dad.

    Sounds like the perfect reason to me! :D

    Glad you found us.

    I hope you stay in touch.

    Melinda

    New To This Board

    in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!

    Posted

    Hi Nikki,

    I'm so glad you found this site. It is full of information and a great place to come for support and questions.

    I know exactly how you feel about the initial shock of this disease. I'll never forget the devastation when finding out my mother had lung cancer.

    My Moms doctor told us she had 3-6 months. She just passed her one year anniversary. So, stay optimistic...the doctors don't know how much time each of us has left.

    I hope your Dad will consider what other options are available. This website would be a great place to start researching and learning.

    Good luck to you both and please keep us posted as to how you and your family are doing.

    Melinda

    tarceva dosage and side effects

    in SCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Hello everyone,

    My Mom has been on tarceva since June. When she first started taking it she felt better than she had in months. Her energy level was way up, and had very little side effects. I just got back from spending a weekend with her and we talked about the tarceva. She was thinking about talking to her doctor about lowering her dosage because she just hasn't been feeling as good anymore. Her eyes were all red on the outside and she has been using drops all the time because they are so dryed out. I could tell she was just so tired. I'm hoping that some of you who have had tarceva treatments can tell me about your experience. Did your energy level drop after months of use? Did you find that the drying got worse? For those of you who had to drop the dosage, what caused you to do this? Did the lower dosage seem to help? What treatment were you put on after the tarceva wasn't working anymore?

    Her next scan is October 14, please keep her in your prayers that it will come back with good results.

    Thanks so much for all your help.

    Melinda

    Pat, hope Brian's appt went well

    in CAREGIVER RESOURCE CENTER

    Posted

    Pat,

    I was beginning to worry about you yesterday. I know how overwhelmed you have been and knew that Brian had his appt yesterday.

    When I got to work, I immediately looked for your post.

    I'm so glad to hear that Brian was able to receive the CPT-11.

    Sounds like Grandma is doing much better too. How lucky they both are to have someone like you to take care of them.

    Let us know how Grandma's appointment goes today.

    Hugs,

    Melinda

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