Linda661

Wow Melinda....this is terrific validation. I am printing this out for myself and my neighbor -- both of us have experienced the loss of our moms 3 1/2 months apart and we have touched on discussions covered in your bill of rights....this is very comforting to have for the both of us right now. Thanks, Linda

Bobby: I have been thinking about you a lot lately and now this post of yours.....you have done SUPER so far; don't let one slip let you believe that you have failed. I've done 2 quit attempts in my past and, well....if you remember my past posts to you.....it can happen. OK, that just makes you one attempt closer to success (me too, by the way). I'm interested in how Chantix works for you if you start it before I get there (if you remember, that was my preferred route, but doctor office policy and expense issues precluded that for me right now....but don't forget my non-smoking event coming up this month with my high hopes of just continuing on!!!!). You just keep your chin up and go for it -- I am too. The more I have been serious about another quit attempt, the more I have noticed my habits changing naturally....there's times that I would have normally enjoyed a smoke and I already don't...this is a good sign to me and my sincere desire to do this permanently too. Somehow, I'm just not interested in another "attempt." I want this next one to "stick." You go girl.......you'll do it (me too). Linda

Heather: Is your husband having ANY constriction/inflammation of the air passages at all, like asthma symptoms, in the midst of this collapsed lung issue? I mention this for the scare factor: I had asthma in my teens and the shortness of breath that comes from it is really frightening and does come on "all of a sudden"; that said, it's really important for the patient to stay calm and take slow deep breaths through the nose (as theresa said and it did work for me personally when I had it)...panic just makes it seem worse (been there, done that) even though the patient is really getting enough O2 (else, they'd pass out among other things...learned that long ago from my allergist). Anti-anxiety meds may help, however....there should be meds to help with the inflammation issue if it's asthma symptom-related....Advair diskus is one I know of (that I didn't have when I had asthma) -- it helps open up the air passages and reduce inflammation to make breathing easier; there are also inhalers that can act on an emergency episode basis. You do need to know the true source of this SOB issue to get a clear direction on it from those docs. Asthma complications aren't unrealistic in this dx....check it out with the docs. Hope this helps. Nothing worse than feeling short of breath! Linda

I'm so sorry to read this news. What a frightening nite for you! You have my prayers for your family. Linda

Here in lovely western WA it's getting into the upper 20's at night and into the mid-40's (sometimes to mid 50's) during the days. We've finally got a reprieve from all the storms we've had so far this winter and are enjoying some sunshine now....just enough nice sunny days happening now to get that gardening "itch" going..... Question is, for how long? Rumour has it that another storm is coming...... If this keeps up, the kids won't even have a summer break from school -- many days need to be made up now! Linda

I agree with Chris to call the doctor and make him/her aware of what's going on. This doesn't sound like it's from the steroids to me (my mom was on decadron too and never had such symptoms) -- sounds more like radiation after-effects or something else....the radiation effects will last for months and they were just completed in early Jan., but you don't say where the radiation was aimed in your profile.....some of it must have been aimed at the esophagus leading to the main bronchus area. A report to the doctor is best. Linda

Barbara: I have to agree and say that it sounds like depression and that somehow you've got to find a way to talk to the doctor about it. The doctor is going to be the one to help address it -- if you can't talk to him/her now, then at the next appointment in person. Can't say for certain (since I'm not male), but men do seem to get hit really hard mentally when things like this happen (although we ALL do in our own way). You could have described what my dad did when he got weakness from being ill (it wasn't LC btw) -- we had farmed for years, made our own hay, raised all kinds of animals; my dad could work a teenager into the ground when he was in his 70's from farming lifestyle, plus he went to the gym 3 times a week! Type A personality, you bet -- he loved to have control and solved all sorts of problems in his career (he and I even had a consulting business together for lots of years). My dad did the hand weights and such too for a bit, then gave up on those and physical therapy help as he got weaker. He held his head a lot too -- he didn't have a way to solve his problem on his own and he didn't have control over everything anymore -- that was really hard for him to deal with. When you've been a strong one and a leader for so many years, it's hard to lean on others for support when you've always been in the role of supporting them and your body never had a day where it ever was weakened. And I would say, men have it more difficult in that too mentally because it's even ingrained as a societal thing that they are supposed to be the main rock of the family. This is how I understood it anyway when dad got tough to deal with at times -- it helped me to empathize about it that way so I didn't take the tough times so personal. The chemo. probably is contributing to the fatigue and the lack of desire to intake enough fluids and such. That's where us caregivers have to do whatever we can to see that things like dehydration don't happen. I really can't say how long it would take to return to "normal" after stopping chemo. It could take months. Hang in there as best you can and do keep us posted. Linda

Glad they found what's causing the problem. Sounds like a good idea to keep close tabs on pain control now too. Holding you guys in my thoughts and prayers. Keep us posted. Linda

Of course, I will add Pam and her husband in my thoughts and prayers. I hope they do come for support as well. Linda

Randy: Thanks so much for the timely alert. Unfortunately, I always assumed that this is exactly why we need to stay informed ourselves and proactively advocate so hard on what goes on with our medical care. Linda

Heather: SOB doesn't necessarily mean that the tumours are growing. How are his blood counts? Low red blood cell counts can contribute to that. The collapse of the lung itself can contribute to that -- has he been evaluated for oxygen saturation to see if he needs supplemental oxygen for a time? Advair was one med. my mom had to help her avoid SOB and the general anxiety that comes with it (they just gave it to her even though she wasn't complaining of SOB) -- someone correct me if I'm remembering the name of this med. wrong, please -- it is used to help relax the air passages and avoid asthma-type episodes. My mom (she had a collapsed lung too) also was given breathing treatments she did several times a day to help break up the gunk that wants to settle in places around/under the collapse. It was an over the face-type mask that delivered a mix of liquid meds. in the mask air which she inhaled during her treatment -- I remember albuterol being one component of it, but I think there was more than one med. in that mix. Hope this helps, Linda

No wonder I am so moved by a star filled sky on a clear night! Thank you for sharing this with us. Linda

Grizzly Adams' dog was Rambler Betty Boop's dog was Bimbo (I think?) Didn't Swiss Family Robinson have two dogs? Duke and Turk?

I'm much better at remembering faces. As hard as I try, I usually end up re-asking several times what the person's name is of anyone new I meet...unless I can immediately link their name to something or some situation I can easily bring up or their name is so very unique.

grouchy

Mindy: You might try looking in the alternative and complementary; the new treatment/clinical trials; and the nutrition forums here for ideas of what other directions might be available to your family. There is information on DCA in the new treatment/clinical trials forum. All the best to you and your mom, Linda

Flowers and chocolates (Valentine's Day)

Frisky!

Sarah: I wish I had magic words to take your pain away: you'll get through this, one day at a time. It's not easy to keep from playing that coulda' woulda' shoulda' game on ourselves but you will realize in time that you did do everything you could along the way exactly as it needed to be done in loving support of your mom. I too have gotten physically ill while thinking or doing certain things since my mom passed. Do take good care of yourself and be mindful of those -- please do consult a doctor if you get any hint of worry or discomfort about your physical symptoms. We're here anytime you need us. Gentle hugs, Linda

I'm so sorry for losing John. Please accept my sincere condolences. Linda

I'm glad you got the "unremarkable" news (and I'm still giggling at Kasey's remarks too ). Linda

Give your mom a big birthday hug from us, okay? And tell her we look forward to celebrating many, many, many more with her. Linda

Jane: The inner ear link to vertigo that others have already mentioned happened in my family too, but noone ever mentioned heart palpitations from it. The only other thing I can think of is......how's her blood pressure (any recent med additions/changes for blood pressure or anything new on the med. front that might affect blood pressure)? If it's dipping low at times that could explain the vertigo plus the heart palpitations feeling too. Keep us posted. Linda

Mary: I personally have experienced swelling in arms and legs as a result of dehydration from hours of physical exertion in heat, not due to chemo. regimes (I am not a cancer patient) -- edema can happen from it. What caused my swelling was that the amount of liquids I took in after I was already dehydrated at any given time were more than my body could rehydrate appropriately with. I haven't seen a chemo. regime mentioned in here yet that doesn't mention dehydration as a constant concern to be watchful of. Now, this is from my personal experience with it and I would hope that others with more directly applicable experience will chime in here shortly. What I did when this occurred was to encourage myself liquid intake in smaller quantities at any given time, but very often (even if I didn't feel thirsty) -- the swelling dissipated itself within a day or two from doing that. Hope this helps somehow, Linda

Aaron and Bill (and Ernie too, actually): You guys are just making my day -- I wish I had folks like you around me when I turn the computer screen off. (that actually goes for a whole host of people here and is probably everyone in reality....you all are terrific in my book). Though Bill, us gals need to teach you about complimenting the fellow without the ensuing compliment to the lady too ....lol....even I figured you could be in trouble with Jen on that one . You were right though, Jen's dad really does have a youthful sparkle about him (so do you Jen, by the way). Linda