Tom K
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Posts posted by Tom K
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Hi Teri,
I got pretty much the same lectures and did the same things Judy did. I also gained 20 lbs drinking those “super shakes” . Even on days when eating seemed impossible, I was still able to force down one of those shakes. Of course, my wife was pretty insistent that I eat every day, so drinking at least one shake was my way of avoiding the arguments KatieB mentioned. As far as supplements go, during treatment, I only took a multi and a vitamin D3 supplement. My doctor didn’t comment one way or the other on the vitamins. Talking to a nutritionist is a pretty good idea.
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Welcome Julie,
I’m sorry your father has to go through the treatments, they are not fun. But I have no doubt he will be walking you down that isle. There are lots and lots of stage III survivors. I jumped from a stage I to a stage III and it just meant a tougher course of treatment to get my health back.
I second what Randy said, your Dad is now one of the leaders in the fight against cancer and his participation in a trial helps all of us.
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If nothing else, a second opinion will give you peace of mind. I have twice sought a second opinion and did not change treament plans as a result. But, I did feel a whole lot more confident in my doctors.
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Nobody here would blame you one bit for getting nervous around test time. I’ll bet it felt like a ton was lifted off your shoulders when he told you the xray looked good. Congratulations!!
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Thanks for a needed laugh.
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I was also treated with concurrent chemo and radiation very similar to Judy’s schedule. In my case, the radiation field was almost dead center on my chest so the esophagus received a full dose every day for 33 days. The damage to my esophagus made eating very difficult (even painful) for about 4 months. Ask your radiation oncologist where the target field will be and how much radiation will the esophagus be exposed to. If Mike’s esophagus is in the target field, he will probably want to eat a lot of soft foods and liquids for a while.
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Ralph,
I’m sorry you have to go through this again.
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This is almost as bad as waiting for scan results.
Cindi,
If I promise not to tell the doctors or to sue anybody, will you just tell me?
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AFTER the Loving
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NED is an acronym for No Evidence of Disease and it's the nicest thing a doctor can say to a patient.
It is important that your mom not loose to much weight during chemo treatments. You may want to keep a wide variety of foods available. Her tastes will probably change from one day to the next.
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MIDNIGHT Confessions
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Glad your Mom is doing so good. It gives hope to all of us.
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Since your Mom is just starting her chemo therapy, you may have questions about the drugs and their side effects. Here is a link that might help answer those questions. When you have specific questions don’t be afraid to ask. There are lots of resources on the WEB and folks like our own Randy are very familiar with them and can point the way. Just remember, the statistics you find on the Internet, refer to populations not individuals. Most of those statistics are old and do not consider the effects of newer therapies (like Avastin). Prayers for you and your Mom.
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Perhaps one of the biggest myths….
Lung Cancer is a death sentence or It always comes back
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It has been 11 months since I was diagnosed, 10 months since I found this site, 5 months since I completed treatments, 3 months since I was introduced to NED and almost 3 weeks since my last scans. It feels like one heck of a long roller coaster, but this is a great group of people to have along for the ride.
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I am not a doctor, but it sounds like your Mom is a bit depressed and may be giving up already. The day I was told I had a stage 3 cancer; My Oncologist wrote a prescription for an anti-anxiety drug. Of course, I told him I wouldn’t need it, but he suggested I keep the medicine on hand; “just in case”. He was right; I have found the anxiety can be almost unbearable when waiting for test results and the drug has helped me get through those days and still function. I gather from the others on this board, that it is very common for the doctors to prescribe anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs to the patients and even some care givers. I think if you took a survey you would find lots of us patients have found value in these drugs. They may help your Mom as well. Talk to her doctor.
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Hi Frank,
I’m joining the chorus of folks glad to see you posting again. Of course, it is football season, so there isn’t a lot of time for posting this time of year.
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Your post was a real pick me up. I am so glad your mom’s energy is up and she is enjoying life. Thank you for taking the time to share her story.
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Glad to hear there are no serious problems with your heart. Did the doctor offer you any options to treat the SOB? Enjoy that original breast meal. I am fond of them myself.
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Debbi,
I too am part of corporate America and I am sure your company selected you to represent them because they have confidence in you. If this 7 day trip turns out to increase your paycheck, the small sacrifice in time will have been worth it, when you consider how much more you will be able to do for your son with that extra income.
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Great News. Congratulations
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Darrell is on my prayer list. Tell him the esophagus does take a long time to heal and he is right it hurts a lot. But this is also a great excuse for him to drink all the milk shakes he wants. If he makes them with Ensure he can get an extra 400 or so calories.
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WOW!!!!! Congratulations.
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Welcome Liz. A lot of us here quit smoking the day we were diagnosed. But of course, prior to getting cancer none of us believed it would actually happen to us. Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions. The group here is really great and they truly care. They have lots of first hand experience and they are willing to share.
FOUR YEARS
in GENERAL
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Congratulations on the 4 year mark and thank you so much for all the encouragement.