MsC1210

Hello Jim and welcome. Although I am sorry you had to find this board, you are in a great place to get advice and answers to your questions, as well as tons of support. I must agree with what Cindi is saying. It sounds as if you certainly need to get all of your test results and paperwork, etc to ONE doctor who can go through it all with you and get you on track for the best and proper line of treatment. I wish you all the best in this and shall keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us posted...

Rich Congratulations and wishes for many many more anniversaries!! Hugs!

I am in Western Massachusetts for anyone who needs a shoulder or an ear.

Hello Ben As you have seen, there are many people here in this group with some excellent advice. Please do get a 2nd or 3rd opinion. Prayers and hugs,

Carleen, Sending you and Keith much love and many prayers.. You will be in my thoughts.. Hugs,

Hi Lisa I am sorry to hear about your dad as well as your mom right now. I am glad you posted, you will find so much love and compassion and support here, as you probably have already seen by the replies here. I agree with the support group for your mom, if she would be willing to go. Or, have her check this site out. Perhaps her pcp can recommend something near by for her. I am glad she has that appointment, she needs to take care of herself as well as your dad. I wish you and your family all the best. Please keep us up to date on things... Hugs,

Hello Megan I am sorry to hear about your mom having to fight this battle. I am glad you found this group though and you will find many great people here to help you understand what is happening and offer you advice and support. Ask any questions you may have and you will get answers here. My prayers and thoughts are with you and your mom, Hugs,

And YESSSS.. I cannot believe I left that out of my reply before.. GET AS MANY OTHER OPINIONS AS YOU NEED TO! And as Kasey told you, you will find help here! Prayers and hugs,

Carleen, You were one of the first to offer me words of kindness and understanding when I joined this site. I want you to know you and Keith are in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs,

wow, I am so sorry about all of this that you and your mom are dealing with. I am very glad you found this board though as you will find some of the most wonderful and helpful people here that can help explain things and also offer you the support that you need. Please keep us posted on things and ask whatever questions you have. Although my knowledge about what you are describing is limited at best, please know that I, like everyone else here am willing to listen whenever you need an ear... Hugs and prayers,

Donna I just wanted to add my thoughts and prayers to the others you have heard from. I am told that time heals all. I hope that is true, for so many of us on this board. Hugs,

Terri, love and prayers to you and your family.

Hello Rosemary I wanted to add my best wishes and prayers to those of the others here for you and your mother. From what I have learned in my own experience in watching someone go through the treatments, etc. the fatigue you are describing is normal. Between the side effects of the treatment itself as well as the mental stress of trying to cope with the emotions, it is to be expected. There are wonderful people on these boards here that can and will provide information and great support. Please don't hesitate to ask. Hugs

Hello Mel and welcome.. I just wanted to add my best wishes and thoughts and prayers to those here. You will find a great deal of support and information here. These are great people! Take care and keep in touch, Hugs

lol.. well I needed a laugh and I certainly got one.. well a few actually, and thanks!! Hugs

Hi Jodi I have to agree with everyone who has replied to you. I am very glad you will be seeking some help to deal with your grief. It has been almost 5 months now since Brad passed and I miss him so much but I know the pain and suffering is over for him and that he is at peace. He had an amazing outlook and attitude right to the end and I am very thankful and fortunate that he shared that with me. I, like Randy go out at night and talk to him. I believe Brad is with me and always will be and that he is listening. I "feel" his presence so often and although I cannot explain that, I take such comfort in it. Time is our best ally in dealing with the overwhelming feelings sometimes. It DOES get easier, I cannot tell you it ever goes away completely, but it becomes bearable. I think the single most helpful thing I did to get past the roughest spots was to keep a journal. Somehow being able to write the feelings down helped to get them semi~out in the open and more manageable. My thoughts are with you... Hugs,

Thanks.. I made the promise to keep doing what I can to find the cure and I just gotta keep it. Hugs,

Hi everyone, I had posted before in the introduce yourself thread and I must say, all of the wonderful and warm responses were and are so much appreciated. I wanted to share this with you all and thought maybe this would be the appropriate thread to do so. I had been looking for a way to do SOMETHING to make some sort of difference in this horrible cancer riddled world we all have been touched by. I had been growing my hair for no reason, other than perhaps it was easier to just put it in a pony~tail and I was good to go each morning. I have been reading everything I can get my hands on regarding Cancer since Brad was diagnosed last September and in so doing came across the organization Locks of Love, based in Florida. (This is the organization that uses donated hair to make wigs for chemo patients) I had filed that page for some reason and came across it recently. I got thinking, so much of my life has changed since Brad's passing, maybe a personal change would be in order? So, off to the salon where I had 11 inches lopped off!!! WOW.. what an experience. I had total strangers stop to thank me, to congratulate me, and to just tell me what a fabulous gesture this was. To me, it is only hair, it will grow back.. but to someone undergoing the hell of chemo, it can be self~esteem and hope. I have never felt better about doing something in my life!!! Now, the irony.... I got back home and picked up the mail. My Breathe Deep bracelets arrived that same day. I just wanted to share this with you all and I hope it brightens someones day. Hugs.....

Debbie, My condolences on the loss of your dad. Hugs

Hi Roger.. I think I sent you a private message back.. If someone can tell me how to access my private messages I will be very grateful. I have looked in my mail and the inbox is empty. I am not sure how all the features of this site work just yet.

Linda, I think a lot of the stats and studies that are readily available to the general public cause more harm than good in so many cases.. When Brad first told me about the diganosis, I began reading every single thing I could find in order to educate myself. I thought some days that my mind was going to implode to be honest and I had days that I walked away feeling as if I knew less than before I had began! My line of thinking right now is that there has to be an accurate answer, a CURE somewhere and it needs to be found YESTERDAY. Smokers or non smokers, nobody deserves to have to go through this, either as a cancer victim or those of us left behind with broken hearts and shattered lives. Hey I think you can get to my email addy via here? I would love to connect with you and compare more notes if you'd like. Please feel free to cpntact me. I am pretty clueless about how all of this site works lol Hugs, Chris

Linda, I know exactly what you are saying about the stats and facts. Brad was in Canada so much of my personal research was done via Canadian sources and if you think what you have uncovered has been confusing, let me assure you, it is not much better north of the border! I actually just read on one independent report that one in two Canadians will have some type of cancer in their lifetime!!! I pray that those stats are grossly incorrect!!!! Please keep in touch.. I so appreciate knowing that I am not alone... Hugs, Chris

Hello Sher, Thank you so much for your reply and please accept my heartfelt condolences on your loss. Please keep in touch and let me know if there is anything at all I can do to help you at this most difficult time. My thoughts and prayers are with you... Hugs, Chris

Hello Don and thank you. I hope you are doing well.. Please keep in touch if you'd like.

Hello Roger Yes Brad was very close to fanatical about his health and body. I have never met anyone quite like him before and most likely never will again. My promise to him is something I feel very strongly about and my goal at this point in time is to make as many people aware of the fact that lung cancer does not discriminate. It is not a smokers disease, it is a disease that can and does strike anyone from any walk of life and/or back ground. I am so impressed with the people I have met here, the strength and determination and the positive attitudes and outlooks are so wonderful.. Again, thank you for taking the time to reply to my post,