[I have babies!!!! (updated with link to pics)]

Congrats. Always love baby pictures and those two are beautiful.

Ralph

[What Side Effects Can I Expect from Radiation?]

I had the same treatments but to a larger area of my chest wall. I had trouble swallowing after the third or fourth week. Got a solution they call magic mouthwash and it helped me eat a little more than I would have without it. I had more trouble with the burn from the radiation.

Hope this helps.

Ralph

[onco visit]

Way to go Mike. Keep it up. Enjoy the summer.

Ralph

[Hi]

Welcome to the site. One of the few no one wants to look for but many of us are here. Everyone here is a gold mine of information, support, and just plain friendly.

Ralph

[New Survivor Here]

Glad you found us. I was diagnosed around the same time. The only difference is that my wife and I stayed married. Good thing too, she would have killed me if I left. May you continue to be free of cancer.

Ralph

[New to this site]

Welcome and may NED stay with you.

Ralph

[Wanna Play A Game? UNO with Songs]

What's Love got to do with it -- Tina Turner

[I'm Getting Admitted!]

Congrats Aaron.

Ralph

[My port . . .]

Good News.

Ralph

[WBR]

Enjoy the trip. I just finished my WBR regimine and I have started having some problems with my eyes also. They seem to produce a lot more tears than normal and then get really dry. I know they blocked the eyes when they did the treatments but I still believe that some gets by.

Ralph

[For My Chat Friends THought Ya May want a laugh]

Thanks Randy,

Needed the laugh. This weather here has been beating me up. SOB is worse the higher the temps go.

Ralph

[Hanging in here......]

Glad your back. Get better.

Ralph

[Hi Has anyone had good and lasting results]

I've done 3 rounds of radiation. One to the area where my original tumor was removed along with the right lung. One to a spot on my left lung which seems to be dead. Will know more on the next CAT scan in July. Just finished 15 doses of radiation to the head. Won't know the results of that one until July also. I believe that it is better than just chemo alone. You get a little more tired and beat up but it is doable and I believe very effective. Let me know if there is anything else you would like to know.

Ralph

[Newly diagnosed in Hampden, Maine]

Rod;

Sorry you had to find this site, but I can tell you the people here are a godsend. My hardest part in all of this has been to tell my children. All are grown and out of the house so it was really difficult. Keep up the attitude it will work wonders for you in the long run. Quitting was the hardest part for me, and I had to do it before surgery to remove the right lung. Stress was my biggest problem. Keep us informed of what is going on. Good Luck and God Bless.

Ralph

[Getting to Know You - June 14]

I can't remember now. Seems like the WBR has made it difficult for me to remember what I want to do next.

Ralph

[Mom's PET results :)]

Great news. Keep the spirit up and the body will follow. Here's praying for NED.

Ralph

[Joel's results are in]

I am so envious of you both with all this good news . May you continue to be as free as the wind and NED be the copilot of your journey.

Ralph

[need to know]

I would try option 3 or 4. Pain management should be part of the program anyway. And if you don't like what you ONC is saying get a second opinion. The more informed you are the less you fear.

Ralph

[I just want to vomit because........]

Heidi;

Sorry to hear the news. You both have been through this fight before and you can do it again. Just keep your chin up and positive thoughts and you and your mom will get through it. You and your mom will be in my prayers.

Ralph

[One more day]

Well only one more shot to the brain and then it's wait and see if it all worked. I can't drive right now, I forget what I'm supposed to do if I don't do it right away. And the Rad Onc jinxed me last week by saying that my hair was going to fall out and sure enough last weekend it did. Ended up getting it all cut off so I guess I'll stay this way for a while. Other than all that I feel good but a little lost most of the time. My brain doesn't seem to be working as fast as it used to. May just be me though.

Ralph

[finished ck treatment]

Sorry that the news wasn't better Don. I believe that the ck along with what you had earlier will do the trick. As a fellow one lunger I know just how they see us. They tell me that I can only get so much radiation and then they will just wait and see what happens. Hang in there. You're a fighter and a survivor.

Ralph

[Chant for Don M. . .Now Thursday's chant. . .]

DIE DIE DIE DIE TUMOR.

Ralph

[Weekly Update]

Well I finished my second round of WBR. Head is a little sunburn now but other than that there are fewer side effects than I thought. I had my 3 month CAT on Wednesday and the Onc looked it over. There is a 4 MM spot on the lower portion of the lung but the Radiologist hadn't read the film yet so the ONC was hesitant to proclaim a new cancer. He'll probably keep an eye on this one until the WBR is complete. I have 7 sessions left then another wait and see period. All in all I seem to be feeling better but still a little off when I try to concentrate.

Ralph

[My 5/25/07 PET scan]

You go girl.

Ralph

[First Week Done]

Finished the first 4 days of WBR. Doesn't seem to be as bad as the lung radiation but then I also know that it takes time to build up. Doc's say that they are using WBR because they feel that it has progressed enough that they want to zap all the cancer in the brain that they can. This coming week I get my CAT of the lung and abdomen to see if we are dealing with anything else. Wish me luck. Since I have to stay up in Durham during the week I don't get on the computer until I get home on the weekends.

Ralph