Fay

Hi Shamrock, I work in an operating room where ports are put in. Our general surgeons put them in. It doesn't seem to be painful for the patient. Usually they get sedation thru an IV, and the surgeon freezes the skin area where the port will be inserted. It is great for people with lousy veins. Faylene

Well, after spending 4 weeks in the hospital, we brought Mom home today. She is still on oxygen, but down to 3 L from 5L. The radiation pneumonitis hasn't cleared yet, but hopefully in time it will be better. Now we wait to see if she can have more chemo starting next week. Please pray for continued healing. Thanks, Faylene

Hi Jenny, I am glad to see they are using amifostine. I did a lot of research on it, but it was not being used in Canada yet for Lung radiation, and only had been used in Head and Neck radiation a couple of times. I spoke with an Onc. in the US that was doing a trial with it, and results looked positive. If we really wanted we could have imported it from the US at a cost of about $30,000 with a lot of paper work. We didn't and Mom did suffer esophagitis, but she did all right. Taking aloe vera juice helped. I just wish there was something to eliminate the risk of radiation pneumonitis, as that is our major problem now. Best of luck with your treatments. Faylene

Hi, Decadron is an anti-inflammatory, so that may be why it is being used for the tumor. Yes it can be given orally. My Mom takes it along with Kytril (anti-nausea med). It also helps with the nausea. Hope that helps, Faylene

Excellent news! Keep up the good work you two! Faylene

Happy belated birthday and wishes for many, many more! Faylene

Well, even after recieving the news that the cancer had spread, we are all trying to stay positive. My Mom looks good and feels good. Today they went down on her oxygen from 5L to 1L, but then had to go up again to four, but she had a busy day with showering and walks, so this is still progress (baby steps!). She started back on her vitamins and mineral supplements to prepare for the next chemo regime if that's what is offerred to her. All in all we are doing well. Thanks for all your support, and keep the encouragement, words of wisdom and prayers coming! Faylene

Renee, "There's no place like home", Best wishes for ongoing recovery for your mom. Faylene

Thanks for the info Tammi. Has anyone found the email to contact Revlon directly? I will fire off another boycott letter once it is posted. Faylene

Hey Shordy, That's great news. Keep up the positive updates!! We thrive on them! Faylene

Welcome Chris, I'm a fellow canuck, from Manitoba. Wishing your step dad much success with treatments. Faylene

Great news Tiny Celebrate, celebrate, celebrat!!! Faylene

Sandy, Thanks for the correct E-mail. I just fired off a letter. Faylene

Marlon, I agree, it sounds good. I love that your mom's surgeon takes the time to respond to e-mails. That's great! Faylene

Belated wishes for a great scan! Faylene

Connie and Katie, Thank you for your warm responses. I sure need the support right now. Praying that the fluid cytology will come back Non-malignant. Thanks, Faylene

Estelle, You are right......That was GREAT NEWS! Here's hoping you have a lot more in the coming months! Faylene

Judy, That's great news. Hope you have many more good reports like that in the YEARS to come Faylene

Great news Shannon! I'll be praying for great results. Faylene

Judy, Go celebrate, that's great! Faylene

My sympathies to you and your husband. You will be in my prayers. Faylene

We took my mom for the tap this morning and it went well. She did say she was short of breath this morning though so I talked her into swinging by my hospital for an oxygen test. I had one of my co-workers draw a blood gas, and her oxygen was very low, so oxygen went on, and we took a trip to ER. Her CXR showed imflammation near her tumor, which may be blocking a bronchial tube, so she was admitted to hospital for oxygen therapy. Glad we caught it when we did, but it is just one more thing added to her fluid problem. My dad is much more happy and secure though, he has been having a tough time this last little while. Hopefully, they'll both get rest and get stronger. Thanks for being there guys, Faylene

Hi guys, well tomorrow my mom is going to have the fluid in her abdomen tapped, so that they can send it off for cytology to find out what the fluid is and what is causing it. Her chest Ct was good, there was even more shrinkage in the tumor and only one lymph node still appears, but is small. Her upper abdomen was clear of malignancies. They don't know what this fluid means. She still is really tired and needs to take her anti-nausea drugs. Hasn't really been up and about much in the last few weeks. Please send your thoughts and prayers our way tomorrow as she undergoes this procedure, and we await the results. (May take up to two weeks) Hopefully, it will be something that can be resolved with drugs or something. Thanks, Faylene

Simply said, pulmonary fibrosis is a scarring of the lung tissue. It makes the lung stiff, and therefore doesn't function as well. There are many causes: environmental, drug induced and radiation induced. Most patients will need oxygen. Hope that helps Faylene

Deanna, Congrats. What wonderful news for you and your mom. Our oncologist said the same thing to us (rarely goes away completely), but we have seen different here on this board! Best wishes for continued success! Faylene