SherA

Will be thinking of you tomorrow, Ken, and anxiously awaiting your news. Good luck!

Welthy, I'm so very sorry to hear about Tony. My thoughts are with you

Hi Ken, Hang in there and know that we're here for you. You'll be in good hands at MD Anderson. Please keep us posted on how you're doing.

I love hearing all the stories of signs from our loved ones! I have signs like those from Rick, too. And I dream about him all the time, and in my dreams he's not sick or dying. Here's the first of many signs I have experienced: One of the last times Rick and I were together before he got sick, we were having a thunderstorm with lots of rain and lightning. Where I live we don't get them very often so I'm fascinated by them. Rick and I went out on the back porch to watch the lightning and it started pouring like crazy. We ran out into the back yard to see how wet we could get, and it started hailing! We were soaking wet and having so much fun, I'll never forget that day. He died not long after that, and for two weeks straight it poured down rain and we had thunder and lightning everyday. I think it was Rick telling me he was still with me.

Randy, I always think about you on the 23rd and hope that you are doing ok. This isn't something we can ever get used to, but it does get a little easier to live with over time.

Hi Laurel, I understand what you're saying. Two weeks before Rick died, I wrote a very rambling, emotional letter to a friend. In the letter, I described that period of time as "this terrible and strangely beautiful, ever-changing stage in our lives", and said that it had "forever bonded us in a new and different way that I could have never understood before now and still can't explain". Toward the end of the letter I said, "I don't want to miss a minute of it, so I'll just be there". I suppose it probably sounds odd to people who haven't experienced it, and maybe not everyone has the same experience. I'd give anything to have Rick back again, but I'm grateful that I was able to spend his last days with him. As difficult and painful as it was, I couldn't have been anywhere else.

Dear Carleen, I'm so very sorry for your loss. Please know that we are here for you any time you need us. Love, Sher

Carleen, I'm so sorry you and Keith are going through this. We are here for you any time you need. Love, Sher

Carleen, You two have been through so much, it's just not fair! You have my prayers, and I will also ask my friend to put you and Keith on her church's prayer list. Hugs, Sherry

Hi Joyce, It almost souds to me like the cigarette tax money will be going into the TSF. Is that right? Or is the TSF gone?

I am so sorry to hear you lost your husband. I pray you will find comfort during this most difficult time.

I'm so happy to hear that wonderful news! I can imagine how relieved you both must be. Thank you for keeping us posted and letting us know the good news. And best of luck to your dad, so that he may win his battle with smoking. He's off to a great start!

You're so right, Donna, and I know just what you mean. Minnesota settled their lawsuit with the tobacco industry previously, and wasn't a part of the same settlement as California. California is supposed to get $25 billion over 25 years, with half the money going to the state and the other half being divided between the cities of San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose, and all 58 counties. The Master Settlement Agreement does't specify how the settlement funds are to be appropriated, whether at the state or local level. Decision makers in the 58 counties and four cities determine how these millions of MSA dollars are spent. So far, 64% of the counties don't spend any of the funds they received on tobacco programs. And up until 2001, the money received by the state was put into the General Fund. Then the state established a new special fund--the Tobacco Settlement Fund (TSF)--to support a variety of health care programs and some tobacco cessation programs and studies. You would think that now some of this money would go to lung cancer, wouldn't you? Nope! The TSF goes to breast, cervical and prostate cancer treatment, more healthcare access for the needy, Medi-Cal, women, infants and children health programs, etc. The only thing even comes close to lung cancer funding is the youth anti-tobacco program. Don't get me wrong, these are all good programs. But it just doesn't make any sense that absolutely none of the money goes to funding lung cancer research and treatment! Sorry about the rant, but I think that's just unbelievably absurd. And that's why I said "hopefully" some of the cigarette tax money would go to fund lung cancer. If the MSA is any indication of what will be, chances are slim.

Janice, I'm so sorry for your loss. But I'm glad you were able to tell him of your feelings. You gave your dad a wonderful gift. May you find comfort and peace in that knowledge.

I'll be voting YES! Hopefully some of the tax money will go to fund lung cancer research.