Tracy

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. May God give you the strength to get through this trying time.

I am so sorry for you loss....

Thank's everyone....its nice to have some good news to share...hopefully I will be able to post more in the future!

Hi kathy, I, like so many others here, read almost everything there is on this site, but only post to a few. Sometimes its hard to say the right things. I find for me, even if I dont get much response to my topics I feel better just posting them. I also tend to read alot during my lunch hour which isnt the best of time and like Norme said there just isnt enough time in the day! Tracy p.s. you can see too how many people have viewed your posting and sometimes the numbers there are quite high...much higher than the postings!!

Well dad has successfully completed his first week of treatment (chemo and radiation together) and has now started his second week, which is just rad. After the first day he felt totally normal, which I expected, and then slowly grew more fatiqued and icky. Last night he joined us for sunday night dinner ( my sister and I always go home to mom and dads on sundays) but only stayed a short while. He didnt eat as he felt like he wouldnt be able to keep anything down. Today was the first day of being sick...he was at the hospital about to receive radiation and got sick there. Mom gets depressed when dad doesnt feel himself (it is horrible to watch someone you love feel so terrible isnt it?) but I try and remind her that that is the chemo working! Hopefully he feels better tomorrow.

Well one less hurdle in this race against time..... The brain scan came back absolutely perfect...nothing there!! So that put to bed the worries my parents had of dads headaches being mets to the brain! Hopefully I will be able to post here again some day. Tracy

I was searching everywhere online for any info possible after my dad wad diagnosed. I found this through Alcase I believe, and after reading a few posts and seeing how many people cared for each other I was hooked!

I hope to read your "good news" tomorrow...best of luck

Thanks for sharing...I am sure I know a lot of women in my life who would be pleased to read they are appreciated for all they are worth!

happy to hear that the end is in sight....best of luck on the 28th

Thinking of you often and praying for you...I am not sure if I have told you this but when I first started researching about Lung Cancer back in April your story of survival was the first one I had read (cant remember the name of the website it was on) and then I found you here...its kinda strange but I feel connected to you in a deeper way...I wish you much success.

Just a quick update.... Dad had his first day of treatment today. He started off by having chemo early this morning and as soon as he finished that he was off to radiation. Handled it like a trooper, even though he was in discomfort during radiation having to keep his arms lifted. So far he says he feels normal, came home and had a big lunch of soup and crackers and snacked throughout the day, always drinking his water (not too happy about having to drink that much h2o!!), and had a good sized normal dinner of meat and potatoes ( us Irish folk love our potatoes!!!). My sister and I (along with the baby) went over to check on our parents and both of their spirits were way up...I think starting treatment has done wonders for them both. Still no word on the brainscan though, hopefully wont have to wait much longer for that. Tomorrow is day two of a three day/week chemo and five day/week radiation. When I left I told my dad to sit back and relax and visualize the chemo and rad killing those dang cancer cells like an old "Batman" episode...Bam! Boom! Bang! Pow! etc...he laughed!!! Hoping the days continue like this, but if they dont we are well stocked on popsicles, juice, jell-o....you name it we got it!

Hi Amy, Sorry to meet you under these circumstances but I think you will be very happy you found this site....I sure am. This is a fantastic network of people here who are experiencing LC one way or another. I find for me it is a great way to deal with what is going on...somedays I just read all about everyone else, somedays I get really sad when others are grieving, but there are the days where I feel so loved and feel that no matter what is going on there is always someone here to listen. In respect to your questions....no one can ever tell when the end is near and that is why you have to live each day to the fullest....one of those things people always say but until you are in a situation like this you never really do focus on it. Give your dad time...he will open up eventually. I can see what this is doing to my mother seeing my dad this way and its probably the same way reversed for you. I am not sure if you are married or not (I am not married) but I sure cant even imagine what it must be like to watch the person you love the most in life go through this. Dont be scared to know what the terminology is. For me it has made me able to get a firm grasp on what is going on because I feel apart of it by knowing each detail...but at the same time try not to research too much because there can be alot of discouraging things out there. As a daughter I can relate to what you are going through..anytime you need to vent feel free to "pm" me. Tracy

thank you all so very much. dad had the scan yesterday and after that he had his chemo teaching. My mom and dad left directly from the cancer clinic and headed up to Whistler for a nice weekend away.....me and my sister were going to go also but then we thought "how romantic can that be??" dad said that the scan went ok, but unsure when we will get the results. Cathy you are definately right about things being slower up here....my dad was diagnosed back in April and he will finally start treatment next tuesday...3 full months after the diagnosis. During those three months it has been nothing but test test test, which I understand they need to be done, but I am reading in so many of peoples posts or signatures that they start treatment within weeks! It almost makes me agree with my mom that maybe something cant be done....why else would they be postponing everything. With my moms cancer battle she was in surgery three weeks after diagnosis and then started chemo and rad very shortly afterwards. So why is it taking so long. My mother really upset me yesterday...I had called her at work in the morning to see how she was doing and she was beyond worried sick. I tired to remind her of what happened when we heard the liver was enlarged, and how it turned out to be nothing. My intent on this was just to say, hey wait until the doctors say anything before pronouncing him dead, but I didnt ( I dont want to disrespect my mother and her feelings, just address them). She then laid into me on how I am not paying any attention on what is going on and that I need to wake up and realize the truth. I know we deal with things differently, she was the same way with her own battle, but you cant tell her that. I am a positive thinker and she is a fatalist. I was so upset that I had to leave work because I had such a pounding headache after talking with her. thanks again everyone for your kind words....hopefully it wont take too long to find out and hopefully I will be able to post a good news update. tracy

I am so sorry to hear of your loss....you have been separated for the now but will be reunited someday. God bless

Hi Mary, Well I am also trying to quit and so far I have been successful. I just started the process and that is why I tell people that I am trying to quit smoking rather than saying I quit. I, too, have been taking Zyban. I thought that I would be able to quit right away after my dad was diagnosed, and we had buried my auntie, but I was/am addicted. My sister is also on it and unfortunately is still smoking and keeps changing her quit date. I have not had a single puff in 6 days now....I know its such a short time but it really is something you have to do one day at a time. The way I look at it....every time I want to have a cigarette I think "well if I do it would still be ok considering I havent had any, but then all my hard work of going 3,4,5,6 days will be worthless". Why start over?? My sister is smokeing right now as I type this and to be honest, yes I want to join her. But I wont. My doctor said it best when she said that by quitting I can give my dad a really good gift. Everything is different for everyone...but I wish you the best of luck...one day at a time!!! Tracy

Heylo everyone, My dad is scheduled to have a brain scan tomorrow due to the many headaches he has been getting lately. He is absolutely terrified. As you all may he has not been the fighter I thought he would be and if anything feels wrong he believes it has spread. Back in May the doctor wanted to due an ultrasound to check on the liver because it appeared enlarged...both Mom and Dad were convinced it had spread and he was a goner....well guess what, turns out it was nothing. But think I can remind them of that, nope. I also understand though that it is him having to face his own mortality and that it must be truely scarey. I went over to the house last night to take their water jug to the store to get it filled. Mom has lymphodermia (spelling may be wrong) from her battle with breast cancer and so she is unable to lift or vacuum or anything like that since the surgery 5.5 yrs ago. Dad has had to step in and take care of things like that. Well now he is so exhausted all the time and in quite a bit of pain that he is also unable to do these things, so my sister and I have to step in. And thats ok with me, I kinda like taking care of my parents and helping them out...heck they have been doing the same for me for over 25 yrs now! Right as I got there they were going to walk up to the chinese restaurnant and have dinner but my dad started to have a coughing attack. He has been coughing up alot of blood lately. Well when I returned with the water they were still there and it hadnt stopped yet. I talked with my mom today and she said that it continued for most of the night. These attacks scare my dad and make him really upset, and he cried. I only know this cause my mom told me....I have only seen my father cry twice in my life. And so my heart is broken. My daddy, the man I have always looked up to and respected so much, is absolutely terrified and there is nothing I can do. He was supposed to have started the radiation this week but apparently it was decided to start the chemo first and then the radiation on the same day so his appoitment was bumped to next week. Poor guy had himself all stressed out earlier in the week about starting radiation and then they go and change it on him without even telling us. We didnt find out til we had driven to the cancer clinic!!! My sister and I were over there again tonight and we could see the worry on his face about tomorrow. Please anyone out there who reads this, pray for my father tomorrow, I cant handle seeing him break any more. Also if anyone out there can shed some light as to what exactly occurs during a brain scan and how long it takes to get the results back it would be appreciated. Thanks for listening!

Hi Jay, My name is Tracy and although we have not officially met I have been reading your posts for some time now and see how everyone loves ya so much. It breaks my heart that you are going through this....I get angry thinking my dad is so young (he's 50) and that is not even comparible. I hope you are able to get better and start your third chemo. I also wish you much success in Canada, it is my pride and joy to say I am canadian, and hopefully you will be able to see just how beautiful it is (well on the west coast anyways...haha, us west coast people have a long time rivalry with the eastern provinces). Take care. Tracy

Hey David, Remember me...I am not that far away from you, just a hop skip and a jump over to the mainland!!! Let me know where I can send my cheque and when the ride is....if I am able to I will try and make it to whistler to see ya, considering its only a two hour drive for me. Best of luck. Tracy

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I hope your father gets strong enough to get treatment.

WOW!!! Three years!!! Way to go!! Makes me stop and say it can be done...I am so happy for you and your family.

Hey Annie, I am so glad to see your good news!! I wish you nothing but more continued success! Tracy Your neighbour to the north!

Wishing and praying for you both.

Hey All, Today was a very exciting day for all us Vancouverites! It was announced that we won the right to host the 2010 Olympics. It was very thrilling, and an intense feeling of pride in our city/country (especially having Canada Day yesterday!). I screamed with excitement and then immediately started to cry uncontrollably. These last few weeks Dad has been making comments of how he wont be here to see the olympics if we got them. Now we do and he's right....he may not see them. My dad is not the kind of guy who likes to go to games, he'd rather watch a Canucks game than go to one, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. And he may not be around to see it. I havent been giving in...in fact I am the only one left who still sees Dad in the future....so today was a really hard day for me. I know we all have way more important worries than the olympics but I think the reality of it all kinda hit me hard. So I have been bummed out all day. I hope you all had a better day than me....and to everyone currently in Chemo and Radiation....KICK *ss!!! I am praying for you all.

I am so thrilled to see your good news...much continued success.