laurie2020

All
I think I had stopped posting before this happened (on advice from a lawyer) but it might be interesting for some of y'all 
I was sitting in my OSU recliner in late 21 and had an epiphany. I could stay in that fine recliner, get fat, and just wait or I could do something different. When I say I...my wife is included.
So we sat down and developed a bucket list. It included a bunch of stuff we both desired. First sell our much to big (with the boys gone) house. Buy my most desired car (CT6-V. Check it out if you like cars) and travel. We decided on starting with a cruise to Alaska to see how well I did. Went with some dear friends (one had LC also and has sense past) and had a fine time. I didn't do all the excursions, but my wife did and had a blast.
After that, we decided on a slow trip across the US starting in Washington. Made plans to meet up with friends along the way. Even had lunch with old friends from Seattle at the Mackinaw bridge in the UP of Michigan. We ended in Brooklyn New York where my wifes sister lives. Had my pup Mac with us for the drive.
Then we caught the QE2 in Brooklyn and sailed to South Hampton UK. 7 day journey which was fantastic. Had the widow of my second dad join us for the trip. It was magical.
Then we spent 3 months taking the train around Europe. From Rotterdam to Barcelona and two stops in France. It was a great trip but I learned that Europe is more divided than even the US. Any desire to retire there quickly dissolved. My two favorite visits were to a WW1 battle site in northern france and Normandy. The cemetery"s were very moving places. Tor du Hoc (sp) was astonishing. My parents generation were an incredible group to have accomplished what they did. Also very special was meeting up with a large group of friends from Longview in Paris for a fun night of food, drink and chat.
We then spent the last 3 weeks in England. Being Scottish we had to visit Edinburgh. I highly recommend it if you get a chance. The castle is the best we saw by far. Also, the war room exhibt in London was incredible and wore me out so much I had to rest for two days. We were joined by a special couple. The wife had just survived a breast cancer scare (when we set it up we didn't know if it was a recurrence yet) that turned out to be begnin. What a great week of celebration.
We had such a grand time on the QE2 coming from the US we decided to take it back home. In November. Across the North Atlantic! It was an exhilarating rough trip and I was very pleased to find I do not get sea sick.
Upon arrival back in Brooklyn I decided to drive straight back to Washington. My wife stayed with her sister for a few days and then flew home. It was the perfect end of the adventure for me. Alone in my bucket list Caddy driving as long and as fast as I wished. I enjoyed it immensely.
I can now claim to have traveled from Alaska to Barcelona and back without ever stepping on an airplane!
We did spend a bunch of my kids inheritance but I wouldn't do it any different. Sorry for the long post.
Tom
PS This post does not do justice to the trip. So many stories. So many memories. I have only one thing left on my bucket list. To watch the Lions in the Superbowl live. Is that possible this year? Yah damn right it is!

This post made my day! Thank you

Thankyou Lou for your response.i with for you a very Happy New Year.

Thank you for your feedback and kind words n my post. I am blessed to have this time to helpy family through this  as well as myself. How you enjoyed your holiday.

Laurie,
Happy Birthday to you.  What a great writing about how to enjoy the life we are given as survivors of this terrible disease.  What a great reminder to all of us to be grateful for what we do have and to make sure we immerse ourselves in the life around us.  Thanks so much for this and I pray that God continues to bless you.
Lou

Happy New Year everyone! With every new year comes another birthday. Today is my birthday and once again I am able to thank God for my turning another year older as a cancer survivor. I am beginning my 3rd as a 4th stage Lung Cancer Survivor still keeping up with the fight. A fight that has been the most difficult battle in my life but one I will continue to fight in hopes of winning over this Monster that has tried to take my life away. Well Christmas and New Years has passed since I last wrote. Once again less struck at Christmas 🌲 my son Chris, his wife and son remained home due to illness. Jen, Jerome and the girls spent their Christmas in Arizona this year. The rest of us shared dinner and the children shared some gifts on Christmas day and thanked God for the ability to share this day together. We decided the main gift giving would be postponed until New Years Eve. New years Eve was perfect. We spent 4 wonderful days at the house we have rented for family gatherings in Coventry for the past few years. 18 of us Gather around the meal table in Coventry and thank God for bringing us all together to meet as a family and celebrate LIFE. Although Jen, Jerome and the girls did not make it back this year, the rest of us carried on the tradition of each couple cooking a dinner for all, games, walks to the stables and the tree house on the river in and most importantly spending time together. It was a wonderful memorable time. Christmas gifts were shared and most important we all brought back to our homes special memories of time spent together yet again at this special location. The kids love these outings and we are all so sad to go home at the end of our stay together. It is now the end of the day of this special birthday. I was able to share a special lunch celebration at one of my favorite restaurants called Relish. I love there food and staff. My daughter Lindsey arranges my special occasion ceebrations here and brings special cakes and cupcakes. Peter was able to attend this one as was Gui my daughter n law. A great meal with them made my day. Full family celebration Will take place Sunday. So fortunate to continue to have these special moments with my family as my fight against cancer continues. Trust in God as he remains in charge.

Happy New Year everyone! With every new year comes another birthday. Today is my birthday and once again I am able to thank God for my turning another year older as a cancer survivor. I am beginning my 3rd as a 4th stage Lung Cancer Survivor still keeping up with the fight. A fight that has been the most difficult battle in my life but one I will continue to fight in hopes of winning over this Monster that has tried to take my life away. Well Christmas and New Years has passed since I last wrote. Once again less struck at Christmas 🌲 my son Chris, his wife and son remained home due to illness. Jen, Jerome and the girls spent their Christmas in Arizona this year. The rest of us shared dinner and the children shared some gifts on Christmas day and thanked God for the ability to share this day together. We decided the main gift giving would be postponed until New Years Eve. New years Eve was perfect. We spent 4 wonderful days at the house we have rented for family gatherings in Coventry for the past few years. 18 of us Gather around the meal table in Coventry and thank God for bringing us all together to meet as a family and celebrate LIFE. Although Jen, Jerome and the girls did not make it back this year, the rest of us carried on the tradition of each couple cooking a dinner for all, games, walks to the stables and the tree house on the river in and most importantly spending time together. It was a wonderful memorable time. Christmas gifts were shared and most important we all brought back to our homes special memories of time spent together yet again at this special location. The kids love these outings and we are all so sad to go home at the end of our stay together. It is now the end of the day of this special birthday. I was able to share a special lunch celebration at one of my favorite restaurants called Relish. I love there food and staff. My daughter Lindsey arranges my special occasion ceebrations here and brings special cakes and cupcakes. Peter was able to attend this one as was Gui my daughter n law. A great meal with them made my day. Full family celebration Will take place Sunday. So fortunate to continue to have these special moments with my family as my fight against cancer continues. Trust in God as he remains in charge.

Happy New Year everyone! With every new year comes another birthday. Today is my birthday and once again I am able to thank God for my turning another year older as a cancer survivor. I am beginning my 3rd as a 4th stage Lung Cancer Survivor still keeping up with the fight. A fight that has been the most difficult battle in my life but one I will continue to fight in hopes of winning over this Monster that has tried to take my life away. Well Christmas and New Years has passed since I last wrote. Once again less struck at Christmas 🌲 my son Chris, his wife and son remained home due to illness. Jen, Jerome and the girls spent their Christmas in Arizona this year. The rest of us shared dinner and the children shared some gifts on Christmas day and thanked God for the ability to share this day together. We decided the main gift giving would be postponed until New Years Eve. New years Eve was perfect. We spent 4 wonderful days at the house we have rented for family gatherings in Coventry for the past few years. 18 of us Gather around the meal table in Coventry and thank God for bringing us all together to meet as a family and celebrate LIFE. Although Jen, Jerome and the girls did not make it back this year, the rest of us carried on the tradition of each couple cooking a dinner for all, games, walks to the stables and the tree house on the river in and most importantly spending time together. It was a wonderful memorable time. Christmas gifts were shared and most important we all brought back to our homes special memories of time spent together yet again at this special location. The kids love these outings and we are all so sad to go home at the end of our stay together. It is now the end of the day of this special birthday. I was able to share a special lunch celebration at one of my favorite restaurants called Relish. I love there food and staff. My daughter Lindsey arranges my special occasion ceebrations here and brings special cakes and cupcakes. Peter was able to attend this one as was Gui my daughter n law. A great meal with them made my day. Full family celebration Will take place Sunday. So fortunate to continue to have these special moments with my family as my fight against cancer continues. Trust in God as he remains in charge.

Happy New Year everyone! With every new year comes another birthday. Today is my birthday and once again I am able to thank God for my turning another year older as a cancer survivor. I am beginning my 3rd as a 4th stage Lung Cancer Survivor still keeping up with the fight. A fight that has been the most difficult battle in my life but one I will continue to fight in hopes of winning over this Monster that has tried to take my life away. Well Christmas and New Years has passed since I last wrote. Once again less struck at Christmas 🌲 my son Chris, his wife and son remained home due to illness. Jen, Jerome and the girls spent their Christmas in Arizona this year. The rest of us shared dinner and the children shared some gifts on Christmas day and thanked God for the ability to share this day together. We decided the main gift giving would be postponed until New Years Eve. New years Eve was perfect. We spent 4 wonderful days at the house we have rented for family gatherings in Coventry for the past few years. 18 of us Gather around the meal table in Coventry and thank God for bringing us all together to meet as a family and celebrate LIFE. Although Jen, Jerome and the girls did not make it back this year, the rest of us carried on the tradition of each couple cooking a dinner for all, games, walks to the stables and the tree house on the river in and most importantly spending time together. It was a wonderful memorable time. Christmas gifts were shared and most important we all brought back to our homes special memories of time spent together yet again at this special location. The kids love these outings and we are all so sad to go home at the end of our stay together. It is now the end of the day of this special birthday. I was able to share a special lunch celebration at one of my favorite restaurants called Relish. I love there food and staff. My daughter Lindsey arranges my special occasion ceebrations here and brings special cakes and cupcakes. Peter was able to attend this one as was Gui my daughter n law. A great meal with them made my day. Full family celebration Will take place Sunday. So fortunate to continue to have these special moments with my family as my fight against cancer continues. Trust in God as he remains in charge.

Sorry I missed this string. I too have been having problems with passing out or nearly passing out and I am not on treatment. I had a theory that since I gained a ton of weight during/after treatment and have lost all of it over the past year (50 lbs) that maybe some of the Chemo drugs were "stored" in all that fat I gained then lost. Engineers think of the darndest things!
After doing a ton of blood work and labs one of the  care givers at KP decided it was a combination of a low sodium level (it was low) and a severe vitamin D2 deficiency. Told me to use more salt and gave me some potent D2 pills ( take one a week for 8 weeks).
I have serious doubts. Two things a Scotsman has is one, never an issue with too little salt and two a heriditary lack of vitamin D2!
My appetite sucks and I have found that if I do not eat regularly I have to "hug the wall" every time I stand up. My primary told me to stand up more slowly. LOL.
I cannot wait for my next scan. Which they will not move up. I am torn between feeling like a paranoid hypochondriac and a building concern of some kind of recurrence. When did I become so hesitant?
Hope this helps a bit
Tom
Edit: I also have low BP and have had it for awhile. Been as low as 95/45. Again my primary thinks increased sodium will help that. So I have increased my intake of potato chips!

Happy New Year everyone! With every new year comes another birthday. Today is my birthday and once again I am able to thank God for my turning another year older as a cancer survivor. I am beginning my 3rd as a 4th stage Lung Cancer Survivor still keeping up with the fight. A fight that has been the most difficult battle in my life but one I will continue to fight in hopes of winning over this Monster that has tried to take my life away. Well Christmas and New Years has passed since I last wrote. Once again less struck at Christmas 🌲 my son Chris, his wife and son remained home due to illness. Jen, Jerome and the girls spent their Christmas in Arizona this year. The rest of us shared dinner and the children shared some gifts on Christmas day and thanked God for the ability to share this day together. We decided the main gift giving would be postponed until New Years Eve. New years Eve was perfect. We spent 4 wonderful days at the house we have rented for family gatherings in Coventry for the past few years. 18 of us Gather around the meal table in Coventry and thank God for bringing us all together to meet as a family and celebrate LIFE. Although Jen, Jerome and the girls did not make it back this year, the rest of us carried on the tradition of each couple cooking a dinner for all, games, walks to the stables and the tree house on the river in and most importantly spending time together. It was a wonderful memorable time. Christmas gifts were shared and most important we all brought back to our homes special memories of time spent together yet again at this special location. The kids love these outings and we are all so sad to go home at the end of our stay together. It is now the end of the day of this special birthday. I was able to share a special lunch celebration at one of my favorite restaurants called Relish. I love there food and staff. My daughter Lindsey arranges my special occasion ceebrations here and brings special cakes and cupcakes. Peter was able to attend this one as was Gui my daughter n law. A great meal with them made my day. Full family celebration Will take place Sunday. So fortunate to continue to have these special moments with my family as my fight against cancer continues. Trust in God as he remains in charge.

Karen volunteering sounds wonderful. I give what I can but my strength is very inconsistent and unreliable. I am 2 years of treatment and was suppose to only survive 3 to 6 months.  I remain so blessed and hope to find a way to pay t forward

I so understand! I have been saying I'm not sure whether I'm tired or tired of. Pretty sure it's the latter. LOL. 
I pulled back from work when I was diagnosed and that was really, really hard for me. But I feel at peace with it now. And, I've started volunteering at a very special site where I can really make a difference, using my professional background. I'm grateful for my life. 
I wish the same for you.
Karen

Wow!!! Another Birthday. I turn 65 years old.                          Time to Retire!!!! Not from work as I love working and it keeps me driven daily.  However there are so many other things I want to retire from. I want to retire from any negative people who have difficulties recognizing the real essentials of life and how too acquire them. I want to retire from the negative people who fail to recognize the good in people and can only see others weakness. I want to retire from the people that like to think that they need material things to feel complete and have the inability to understand you can't take materials with you when you go. I want to retire from the list of things I don't want to do and create a new list of things I really would like to do.

Wow!!! Another Birthday. I turn 65 years old.                          Time to Retire!!!! Not from work as I love working and it keeps me driven daily.  However there are so many other things I want to retire from. I want to retire from any negative people who have difficulties recognizing the real essentials of life and how too acquire them. I want to retire from the negative people who fail to recognize the good in people and can only see others weakness. I want to retire from the people that like to think that they need material things to feel complete and have the inability to understand you can't take materials with you when you go. I want to retire from the list of things I don't want to do and create a new list of things I really would like to do.

Wow!!! Another Birthday. I turn 65 years old.                          Time to Retire!!!! Not from work as I love working and it keeps me driven daily.  However there are so many other things I want to retire from. I want to retire from any negative people who have difficulties recognizing the real essentials of life and how too acquire them. I want to retire from the negative people who fail to recognize the good in people and can only see others weakness. I want to retire from the people that like to think that they need material things to feel complete and have the inability to understand you can't take materials with you when you go. I want to retire from the list of things I don't want to do and create a new list of things I really would like to do.