Darci

Good luck with the radiation!

Terrific news!! Hoping for more of it with your lung CT. Enjoy your break from chemo!

Sorry I am reading this so late - but I am sending lots of prayers your way. Don't give up hope!!

Hugs to you and your mom Shari. Please keep us posted!

Lori, I don't think that I have any wisdom to share, as I have never been in your shoes. I think that everyone else has given you great advice - just wanted to let you know that I have been thinking of you and your family, and I hope that things begin to improve for you. Hang in there...you are such a strong and loving person, you can get through this, but you have to be sure to take care of yourself too!

Mary, I know it will be hard, but I am hoping that you will be able to enjoy your family and friends this holiday season, without worrying too much about the results. Will be praying that you receive good news on the 27th!

Phooey is right! I am hoping that your new treatment plan kicks the socks of those tumors!! Hoping that the magic of Christmas finds its way to your door..

Glad to hear that he is feeling a little better-I hope that means that you can really enjoy yourselves this holiday season!

Holly, I think I am jumping in a bit late here, but I am hoping that everything goes well for you, your baby and your sweet mom!

Good luck, and please keep us posted!

I am glad that you were able to take a few minutes and get your thoughts out!! It is good that Bill shared with you, so that you can discuss with the dr. sending lots of prayers that they can help with the pain!

I don't have any advice - just wanted to send you some prayers and hope that your doctors come up with a good plan for your treatment!

Till you started feeling "like your old self" again? My FIL has his final chemo tomorrow, and is wondering how soon he will feel like himself again. I am not sure how to answer him, because at 81 years of age, with 1/2 of his lung gone, and having gone through major surgery and chemo, he may not ever feel like his old self again. At 81 years old, he physically was more like 65. Even now, going through chemo, he is able to bowl, he is snowblowing not only his own driveway and sidewalks, but his neighbors too! He is able to get out and about and do shopping, he is a bit short of breath at times, but definitely seems to be doing very well. It worries me that he has it in his mind that once he has done the recommended course of treatment that life will be what it was pre-cancer. Maybe that is OK for him to think right now?

Cheryl, I don't have any words that can adequately comfort you and your family. Just know that we all care and will be praying for you.

Thanks for all the input! I know that they had talked about trying to sit in back in folding chairs, so as to not be so close to other people due to germs and stuff. Not sure if they are doing that or not. I am betting that he is not eating prior to service, due to communion, so maybe it is a blood sugar thing. Sitting throughout the service is a great idea, I will mention it to them!! Kasey, I like your idea best though!!

My FIL has been through 3 chemo treatments - Taxol and Carboplaten. He is anemic, plus with the chemo and being run down he is always cold. The weekend before last, he went to church, and while he was there he got really really hot - broke out into a sweat and thought he was going to pass out. He went out into the hall, and sat with his head between his legs, some people came out and helped him. After a while he felt good enough to go back in. It kind of happened again this weekend - not as bad, and the sweat wasn't running off his face like the weekend before. My MIL said that it hasn't happened anywhere but at church. Any thoughts? The weekend that he was real bad my MIL said that it was very warm in there, but still odd that it was so overwhelming for him.

Leslie...you are so upbeat and inspirational!! I am so happy to read your post and to hear that you have a treatment plan in place, lots of support and help from your friends, and the same support from your workplace. I am hoping that your treatments go well. Pleas keep us posted ,and know that you are in our prayers.

Do check into the disability angle...you should not have to worry about money right now, you need to focus all your energy on beating the cancer. My FIL is 81...his mediatinscopy showed one lymph node affected, so off he went to surgery. They ran into some complications - had to take more than they had planned, parts of his lung were stuck to his chest cavity, etc. But, he came through it very well. I would say that the first couple weeks were the hardest, but then after that he rebounded remarkably well. They did find when they were in there that more of his LN's were affected than what they thought...but now, at least the main tumor is gone, so all the chemo needs to do is to stop what is going on in his LN's. I am hopeful that this is to his benefit. Good luck in your decision...I was amazed at how well my FIL recovered from the surgery..but it is major surgery and it is a big decision!

Some of the best advice I have gotten on this board is to ASK for help when you need it. Some people tend to be the ones who run forward to everything that needs to be done without even being asked...others will help out if we specifically ask them to do something. Ask your sister if she could handle the move, she may surprise you!

What wonderful news to roll in the holiday season!! Hope your parents have a terrific winter down south!

Will hope and pray that you continue to get only positive news!

Oh you poor thing...having to get this news is shocking on its own, but having to hear it while your husband is out of town. Thank goodness you have such wonderful friends, and everyone here. And I am sure that all your furbabies are there for you to hold and to hug as well...pets are so good for just being there for us, even if they don't understand why we are sad. Hang in there, we will be praying for you.

You have been through so much...and still are such a wonderful source of support for everyone here. I am hoping that things turn around for you, and that you get only good news in 2006!

That is awesome news!! I am hoping that everything works out that Ron can get started on Tarceva...and that it works its magic for him!

Hi Ralph...my goodness, what else can go wrong!! Keep up the positive attitude though, it will certainly help you through. My FIL just had his third round of Taxol/Carbo this week, and so far so good. He is tired, has some leg pain 3-5 days after treatment, but very little nausea, only reduce appetite. Hope you do well with your higher dose!