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elkiesmom

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Posts posted by elkiesmom

    Good Scan

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    what great news Sharon. Gary will have his last treatment next Friday and his first scan should be in a few weeks. Reading your post gives us hope for a good result also.

    Lorrie

    Chemo Brain

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Gary has had Chemo Brain since his 4th treatment. We were just talking about that today at the infusion room with his nurse.Don't worry about it infact it can work in your favor. If you buy something that you don't want him to know about and when he sees it all you have to say is I told you about it a few weeks ago.LOL

    Lorrie

    Lung tumour size

    in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!

    Posted

    Hi Jenny

    My husband had a tumor that was 10cm. He had his upper right lungs lobe removed and the surgeon says he got it all. I don't think size is an issue rather where the tumor is located in the lung is and if the cancer has spread out side of the lung. Also if the lymph nodes are involved

    Lorrie

    hubby needs answere

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    I want to thank you all for encouraging Gary regarding his shortness of breath. I read him your posts and he is grateful to all of you. We went to the ONC yesterday and he gave Gary prednizone so that should help untill Chemo starts again. Merry Christmas

    Lorrie

    hubby needs answere

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Gary was on his way to work this am and I called him to let him know that the pool cover that he put on last night so the pool would maintaine a high temp when Grandkids come for Xmas(it is in the 40's this am) I told him that some water was on top of the pool. He got very upset and I told him I should have helped him more last night. He said he just couldn't make it any straighter he ran out of steam. I told him from what I read on this board it is common and I do tell him what I read every day. He is worried that something else is wrong but he has had Asthma all of his life and uses a few inhalers and pill form meds as well as the nebulizer sp. He also has not had Chemo for two weeks and so he hasn't had the steriods that he gets when he is on Chemo. Gary does so much more then most men his age do but he wants to have the same breathing that he had prior to his surgery this July. I told him we have to use our treadmill and he saig (i forget his exact words ) but he doesn't feel the way he feels like he is doing OK. I have told him that on this board I have read everyone has problems breathing for a while and I told him to write on this board he told me no I do a good job but if you all could just post what you have been through I will have him read it. I thank you so much and I will help others when I can. I will have this board forever on my favorite place.

    Lorrie

    up date

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    We went to the ONC this friday and Gary's red and white counts were a bit low. The doctor said no shots and to have his Chemo. I then told him about Gary's rash on his hands and he said no to the Chemo. he wants Gary to wait for his final round until the 6th of Jan meanwhile we will have blood tests every week.The ONC didn't know what is causing the rash on both hands but since it happened right after his injection for the red blood cell that might be the answer or it could be a combination of all the shots and Chemo. We will be seeing our primary Mon and pick his brain also. Meantime Gary's energy level is high and his breathing is good.

    Lorrie

    Help with diarrhea

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Like Geri said baby whips might help but I have to get the ones for Gary with out aleo in it. I have always bought Gary FLEET PAIN- RELIEF PADS even before the cancer. It is hard to find but drugstore.com has them.It is worth a try. He gets worse if aleo is in it and it is not in fleet.. Gary has a Big bottle of Immodium and the ONC said he would only give him a script if the max dose of immodium didn't help. So far it has worked.

    Lorrie

    Blood in nose in am

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Gary has had in the am every day for several weeks blood when he blows his nose. Only first time when he blows his nose the first time in the am. Could it be the Chemo that is causing this? I don't know if I asked this question here before? If i have please excuse me. He was told to use a saline nose spray which he has and it doesn't seem to be helping . He also has been using another spray to clear up the stuffyness. The Onc doesn't seem to be concerned but I would like to hear if anyone else has had the same problem. I wouldn't be concerned but before Chemo Gary has never had this problem.

    Lorrie

    Confusion, Chemo Brain?

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Holly My husband has also finished his third round of Chemo and is getting forgetfull. We just laugh about it and call it Chemo brain. We were told this might happen and I guess they were right.I asked Gary the other day does this happen to him at work also and he said yes it did and he just checks a project two or three times before he subments it.I am his memory at home and I will ask him two or three times what we need done or if he finished something before he had cancer he would have thought I was nagging but he knows why I am doing it now. I did not take what he use to do all the time away from him but i do recheck what he has done (he is not aware of this)this way he feels like he is not so forgetfull as well as needed.

    Love and prayers

    Lorrie

    Sorry another ?

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Gary is on Carboplatian and Taxol. We went again today for a follow up blood test after his injection for his white cell count Friday and good news the count was up but his red cell count is still low. The nurse had given him Biafine creame to put on his hands and today we found cotton gloves to put on his hands after the creame is put on. We also today went into the infusion room and one of our Chemo nurses looked at Gary's hands and said that to her they seemed to look better and if it was her guess she thinks that maybe the injection(Aranesp) that he had for his red blood cell count two weeks ago might have caused this rash.It is not ichey just looks red and a little lumpy. Yes we do have three dogs and we might have to consider that also. We will be seeing the doctor Friday and then if his red blood cell count is ok Gary will start his last round of Chemo though Gary is thinking he might push out this last round of Chemo untill the first of the year since we are having our Daughter and sil and three grand kids fly in for Xmas and Gary wants to be his best when they are here. He will ask the doctor about that also on friday.I feel he should do chemo this frday and then if he wants to skip the next two until the first of the year. I just don't know what he should do but I am sure the ONC will know.I am sorry I am asking all these questions and not giving help to anyone else but I am still learning also.Thank you all for helping me out.

    Lorrie

    Sorry another ?

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Gary has developed a rash which started about a two weeks ago.It looks like a half a glove on each hand. It starts on the wrist and goes up to the first joint of his fingers.The nurses saw it when gary went for his blood work up Friday(this is his week off from Chemo) and they gave him a creame. Any Ideas?

    Thanks in advance Lorrie

    Chemo ?

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Lorrie,

    Just my two cents here, but he's a Stage 1B, just like I was. Chemo is a newer recommendation for stage 1 and 2 people. Until 2003, no chemo was recommended at all for early stage. My surgery came just days after a study was released showing a benefit for chemo in early stage cases. At the time, my surgeon said that as a group, their clinic was 'mildly endorsing' the chemo protocol for early stage people. And this was one of the top cancer treatment hospitals in the country.

    With that advice, and knowing I only had one chance to get rid of this once and for all, I decided to get the chemo. There were a lot of options in terms of drugs because no one knew for sure exactly what worked best, so I opted for cisplatin/gemzar and ended up with three cycles and nine treatments all together.

    Of course, the decision is his, but I just wanted you to know that I only had three cycles too. Since 2003, studies have shown more and more benefit to having chemo after early stage surgery, so I'm glad I did what I did.

    Good luck to both of you,

    Cindy

    Cindy when Gary was first diag with LC we did not know what his stage was. Most of the doctors thought he was at least a stade 3 and our ONC thought maybe a 2b or 3a based on the size of the tumor. It wasn't untill 4 weeks after surgery that we found out it was stage 1b since his results showed that the tumor had not gone into his lymph nodes but took up most of his upper right lobe. We were very lucky.

    Lorrie

    Chemo ?

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Support....don't force. The decision is Gary's.

    Wishing the best

    jim

    Jim I would never force a decision on Gary. In fact I have never told him what my opinion was or if it was me what I would do.These are all of Gary's questions and I am only playing devils advocate. This way I can give him all options.

    lorrie

    Chemo ?

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    John thank you for that link. I just finished reading it but it doesn't talk about adjunctive Chemo which Gary is getting after his surgery in July.My thinking is that he has already had chemo 8 times. Every week with the third week off and after next fridays chemo treatmentit will have been chemo 9 times. We will be seeing the onc next friday also and I want to see why have the last three chemo treatments.After next weeks Chemo Gary will have another week off and then the last three will start. My feeling is that the last three might cause more harm then good.

    Lorrie

    Chemo ?

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    I am not one to refuse treatment, and I put on a face of superwoman while going through the whole thing. But, that last one, I scared me bad. No one could see how bad my body felt and the impact it was having on me.

    I discussed it with an onc. He disclosed to me that there was no scientific evidence that showed any difference between 3 treatments and 4 treatments. He said that the decision was mine, but that if I made the decision, I would have to stand by it and if my cancer were to return then I would have to say that I did the best I could. I appreciated this conversation. For me, it was a relief to hear this. It gave me permission to trust what my body was telling me. No more chemo!

    Good luck.

    Cindi o'h

    That is the same way Gary is feeling. They gave him Aranesp for his red blood cell count but to me it seems that his body has just had enough though he hasn't missed a day at work and he even started traveling again. Though knowing Gary he will most likely do it all. I am just trying to find out 3 vs 4 rounds does it make a difference??????

    Lorrie

    Chemo ?

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Gary will have completed his third round of Chemo next friday. He has started having problems with his white and red blood cell counts. Our question is since after surgery he was told that there was no signs of cancer would it be ok to have only three rounds of Chemo instead of the four. I don't like what the Chemo is doing to his red and white blood cells and that the extra round of chemo might be more harmfull then if we just stopped with the three. Any thoughts?

    Lorrie

    acid relux disease following pneumectomy

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Great topic. Informative. I have had digestive tract problems since surgery. Nausea and reflux. Chemo has added to that now.

    My assumption was the problem was caused by my insides moving around and readjusting to the new space. But whenever I ask any of my doctors (Internist, Surgeon, Oncologist) if the surgery caused my digestive distress I just get a blank stare.

    You guys ought to charge professional fees. :D[/quo\

    I do know what you mean. Ever since Gary has started Chemo (taxol Caroplatim) He has had diarrhea for a few days after treatment. When we told the ONC this he said that combination of drugs should cause costpation. I looked the drugs up and one of the side effects is diarrhea.Needles to say I think we must own by now a part of imodium

    Lorrie

    Lung Cancer and no sympathy

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Yes, take responsibility for having smoked, but PLEASE, think about what you are saying. More smokers have heart disease than lung cancer, yet there isn't the stigma nor the questions when someone has a freakin' heart attack! I think the most common question after someone experiences a "bout" of heart disease is "Do you have a family history of heart disease?" NOT "Did you smoke?" or "Did you upsize your Big Mac Value Meal".

    I want there to be a cure, but as long as it's a "deserved" disease, the research just isn't popular. Don't add to the stigma, and don't be a martyr for me. I'm not looking for sympathy, I'm looking for a CURE.

    Becky

    Thank you Becky for saying what I wanted to say but I am a coward at times. I do so want to get the LC wrist bands but I don't want to draw attention to LC. On the other hand I see breast cancer bands and pins all over and we have to draw attention to LC as well.Our cancer center doesn't even have the LC wrist bands though I know I can order them here on this site. I just don't understand that they blame smoking for LC and are just now blaming Obesity to breast cancer but that is all right I quess.I thought since Dana Reeves got LC people whould get the message that you don't have to smoke to get lC but they are blaming her LC on second hand smoke.

    Lorrie

    Lung Cancer and no sympathy

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    it drives me up a tree. I know tons of people have posted about this, too. I feel the same way you do - no one asks 'how' anyone got any other kind of cancer. as was said by a few of us the last time this subject came up, it smacks of the early days of AIDS and it's monstrous.

    You are right I forgot how some people acted then but you don't find that mind set so much anymore. LC has been around much longer and even the doctors say even if you quit many years ago you should have never started smoking the damage had already been done. I just don't buy that just like I don't buy overweight woman are prone to have brest cancer.

    Lung Cancer and no sympathy

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Gary is so tired of people who find out that he has LC say to him "oh you smoked"That is the first thing they say not I am so sorry or can I help you. People do discriminate with people who have LC rather then those who have a different type of cancer. Why is it that woman with breast cancer are never told "oh you must have eaten to much. I do know that I feel as does Gary that when someone sees his cute bald head and askes what type of Cancer does (did) he have we both say lung cancer and before they can say anything else we say he is a non smoker. Has anyone else had this happen to them?

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