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Way to go Janine!! Lynda

Dear Karen, I'm praying for you, Ken and your family. Please take care of yourself as best you can. (((Karen))) God Bless. Lynda

I'm so sorry to hear that your sister has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Welcome to this forum, it is a wonderful resource for information, support, love and encouragement. I can understand that your sister is not wanting to hear all the details of the disease at this time and I really don't think it's as necessary right now for her to know all the in's and out's as it is to get started with a treatment plan. Once that's in place, she might be a little less overwhelmed and ready for more information. In the meantime you can get the information that you need by continuing to come here. God Bless, Lynda

(to learn why this post to Anderson Cooper of CNN's AC360 is posted here see the thread, "Fighting the Stigma") Hi Anderson, I think you are fabulous and I watch you every night. This is in reference to the post on your blog by Sanja Gupta (Reeve's Resilience) and the subsequent comments made. The replies to Sanja's post seem to have come to a grinding halt at a most unfortunate place, a comment which was made by, Michael N of Redding, CA. His words, in my opinion, perpetuate a notion that has attached a stigma to lung cancer wherein the victim of the disease is seen to have *got* what they deserved for smoking the evil weed. This attitude, which I believe is prevalent and insidious, is, in my opinion, the reason funding into lung cancer research is lacking and lagging in the face of it killing more people each year than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined. The catch line to your blog states, "...get out of the way and let the story reveal itself." Anderson, the *WHAT* which is in the way of the facts here is smoke, cigarette smoke and unless and until society at large stops blaming the victims of this disease (after all, the thought goes, even if a person with lung cancer NEVER smoked, the culprit is still likely smoke, secondhand) the truth will never be revealed. Anderson, I implore you NOT to allow the blog comments to end with this man's twisted words. They perpetuate a myth and do you, a man with such personal integrity, a great disservice. It could also imply your endorsment of the comment and I really don't believe that you do or would. I made a comment after Michael's and I know that several others from a wonderful forum that I participate in, “the Lung Cancer Support Community” located at: http://lchelp.org/community/index.php did as well. Anderson, would you please publish these additional comments? Also, if you care to check it out, the above site is inhabited by some of the very best people in the world; lung cancer patients, their loved ones and caregivers. I can’t think of a better place to start a search for the truth. Thanks Anderson.

Welcome Merrilee!! Lynda

Welcome Darrell, you have a positive attitude and a loving spirit, that's going to help you as much as the cancer treatments!! Wishing you love and peace. Lynda

Welcome Gracie. Please let us know how you make out on Friday. God Bless, Lynda

Hi Fran and welcome!! I'm sorry that you are having to go through this. I'm not to far from you...I live an hour north of Toronto. Where is your Mother having her treatments? Kingston? My Father was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in December. Anytime the cancer has spread from the primary site it is staged at 4. I think the term *palliative* treatment is used, as it was with my Father, because *they* consider it not to be a *cure* for stage 4 and intended instead to prolong life (or relieve symptoms, as with radiation). As you will find from reading the profiles of many here with stage 4 lung cancer, it's working None of us know how long our time here on earth will be and neither can any Doctor predict how long our loved ones will live with this disease. Always look forward and keep hope close by. Best thoughts, wishes and prayers, Lynda

Sue, I am so very, very sorry for your loss. Wishing you comfort and peace. God bless and keep you strong. Lynda

Rich, I'm so glad to hear that you are on the mend and as always, I'm inspired that your, SPIRITS ARE GOOD! Good on you!! Lynda

Geez Lori, I feel so bad for you. I wish I could offer some useful information that might help you but I don't have any. Being from Canada, our health care systems are so different...I can't imagine the stress of having to deal with insurance companies and the like when you already have so much on your plate. May God Bless you and keep you strong. Best thoughts, wishes and prayers to you and your Mom. p.s. Holly mentioned becoming your Mom's legal representative...here we call that a *Power of Attorney* and it gives you sole and exclusive rights to make decisions as required for the person who has executed the document on your behalf. Is that something that might be possible for you to obtain? I just fear that your SF may become more unreasonable if your Mom's condition doesn't improve quickly enough for him. (((Hugs))) Lynda

I am so very sorry for your loss. My deepest condelences to you and your family. Lynda

best thoughts, wishes and prayers...God Bless Lynda

Trish, I am soooo happy for you!!!! ((((HUGS)))) Lynda

Hi Rich, you have a wonderful spirit and attitude. Your post made me smile. You said that, "Lung Cancer Is Not The End Of Life Or Living," and this is certainly something that I've come to learn over the last few months since my Dad was diagnosed. After finding my hope, here on this board, I look forward and always try to help my Dad to do the same....I must say that he makes it pretty easy for me because his attitude through all this so far as been nothing short of amazing. His willingness to go along with the *new normal* with a smile on his face and a positive attitude is such a comfort to me and I'm sure, a gift that he his giving to me. My Dad was a man who could just about cut his arm off, be bleeding all over the place and insist there was no reason to go to the hospital. He is a very good patient now and I thank him for that. I will travel this road with my Dad for as far as I can go and I look forward to the road being long and relatively uneventful but whatever the course, I will put one foot in front of the other, take a big breath and fill my lungs (no pun intended) with hope because that's what's driving this train. As I said, I found my hope on this board, through the gentle and loving hearts that I encountered on my very first visit here. I will be forever grateful and humbled by the kindness shown to me by you all. My Dad will have completed 2 cycles of his chemo this Wednesday. For the last several days we've had a construction crew at his house because Dad decided he wanted to install new kitchen cupboards. Of course, one thing always leads to another when you start any type of renovation so the kitchen project has become considerably larger and we are now having some living room walls re-drywalled and repainted. There's also a new workshop just waiting to be built come spring. You are so right Rich, "Lung Cancer Is Not The End Of Life Or Living". One thing I am really looking forward to this year is sending a Christmas card from my Dad to the doom and gloom thoracic surgeon who initially tried to take all hope away from us. With the grace of God, good Doctors, medicine and research, I hope to have him on Dad's card list for many more years to come. Thank you kind people for being here for me. Much Love, Lynda

Karen, words are just so inadequate when someone is feeling such heartache. You never have to keep up hope. Stay strong, be well and know that so many others are praying and hoping right along with you. (((Hugs))) Karen. Lynda

Dear Lisa, please accept my deepest condolences. I am so sorry that you have lost your Dad. God Bless Lynda

Dear Fay, I am so new to the board that I haven't had the pleasure to *meet* you through the words you have posted here but I will search them out. I am overwhelmed by the love felt and expressed for you here. I wish comfort and peace for you and your family. Hold tight to the love and let it forever sparkle in your eyes because that's surely what I see radiating from you when I look at your beautiful picture. God will bless you always. Lynda

Welcome Darlene. Your husband has been through so much. May God bless him and keep him strong. Please take care. Lynda

Hi Jazz, I'm so sorry for what you and your husband are going through. Please take care of yourself and know that you have found a place to come for support, love and whatever else you might require. God Bless. Lynda

Welcome Jan. I'm sorry for what you are dealing with right now. You've found a wonderful place though for support, love and information. God Bless you and keep you strong. Lynda

Hi Bonnie, I'm so sorry that you have lost your Mom. I wish you peace and that you find some comfort for your heart. God Bless and keep you strong. Lynda

....snowboarding when they first heard it, police sirens, and lots of them, coming right their way...

Karen, I am so sorry for what you and your husband are going through. May God keep you both strong and comfort your hearts. ((((HUGS to you BOTH))) Lynda

geez, Frank thought, here's Casey on her way to save him and Becky and she gets caught in a traffic jam!!....