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Wenna, Ask the rad onc. about Carafat. Really helped my husband and he did not have any side effects from it. Good luck.

Dear Friends, I haven't posted for awhile because I had no news - good or bad. Ain't boring grand. I just emailed President Bush. Earl has his last chemo tomorrow morning. He is so ready. He is sick and tired of being sick and tired. We have discussed that he will feel crappy again for awhile but once he starts to feel better again it should just continue. After the chemo tomorrow, we don't go back to Fox Chase until the middle of October. That is the longest by far between doctor appointments since this whole thing started 9/21/02. It has been a long 10 months and in some ways a very short 10 months. Our life is returned to somewhat normal. I got a part time job around the end of Feb and Earl is fine while I am at work (In some ways glad to get rid of me. How do you feel? Are you alright? - the nagging wife). We have been going out to dinner, visiting family and friends and Earl has begun to do some work and some puttering (his favorite hobby). There has been way too much sad news on this site recently. I pray daily for the families of those that have passed away and I pray extra hard daily for those of us that are continuing the battle. By the way, Earl's hair fell out from the brain rad and it took a long time to come back. Well it is mostly back and it came back really wavy. Also it seems to grow very slowly. I just want him to get his energy back. Also, while his dizziness has seemed to be decreasing, his balance is really bad. He shuffles like a little old man. We were in a store recently and he was pushing the cart - wow - I could bearly keep up with him. When I suggested a can, I got a big fat NO. - Men and their vanity. I care deeply for you all.

Deb, Your post was better than a novel. I just love reading good news.

Margo, Never heard of him but just wanted to say 'You GO Girl'

Welcome Larry and Jan, As we say to all new members, we wish you did not have to be here but it certainly sounds like Jan's news is positive. My husband had 28 radiation treatments and basically breezed through it (easy for me to say). Fatigue was the biggest down side. KEEP HYDRATED!!! Have you read that here before. Ask about Carafat - I really believe that helped my husband have no esophagial problems. He has his last chemo treatment on Mon and he is really feeling crappy today - real tired. But we are counting down to when all the side effects of the treatments will go away. Keep us posted and welcome again.

Dear Stacie, How very sad, please accept my sympathy. But how lucky you are to get those hugs and kisses from Rod. Stay in touch with us.

Mary, 50 ways to leave your lover: 1. Cost of cigs 2. Smell on clothes, in hair 3. Yellow scum on walls, lampshades etc. 4. Socially ostracized 5. Fewer places to eat 6. Miss parts of movies to run out for a butt 7. etc And oh by the way, YOU WANT TO LIVE - LC IS NOT NICE I quit 6/15/02 at 8:20 am after smoking for 45 years. My husband and I both stopped the same week. He was dx on 9/21/02. While it was not the LC that stopped us from smoking - it was the total fear of lung cancer that made me stop. I always thought I could never do it, and found, while tough, it was not a difficult as I thought. I took 3 wellbutrin and used the patch for a week. Good luck with quitting. Try it - you'll like it.

Dear Christina, So young, so fast, so tragic. But how lucky he was to have had such a love in his life. May you and your family have peace and calm in the coming months.

Dear Don and Lucie, Sorry to be so late in wishing CONGRATULATIONS. A 4 HALLELUIAH day. Who could ask for more.

Dear Roseanne, Gianna and family, Please accept my sincerest sympathy. How happy you must be that Gianni enjoyed the wedding. My prayers will hope for comfort and peace in the weeks and months ahead.

Carlene, First, you need someone that you can talk and cry with in person. You can't do this alone. Second, Earl took Carafat right before and right after each radiaiton treatment and then in the morning and at night on the weekends. He had no esphagus problems at all and no side effects from the Carafat. Can't imagine your doctor wouldn't write a script for it. Hang tough Carlene, with all our prayers this will get better.

Bess, Everything crossed and prayers heading up for a clean scan.

Wowsa, wowsa Dave. It is my husband with part of his lung missing and I can't ride my bike to the mail box. You go guy.

Dear Don and Lucie, As with all above I am saddened by your not so great news. There is no topic here called Bad News. While I add you two to my prayers each day, I will add a special one tonight for both of you.

My husband had 10 whole brain treatments that ended 11/6/02. He has some side effects some of which seem to get better with time. He definitely had a prob with short term memory, but that slowly is improving. He would get dizzy (vertigo) often but that too is subsiding. Balance is interesting. He sometimes looks like a drunk. Because of this problem with balance, he walks like a little old man. If he is steadied, like pushing a shopping cart, he walks fine and as fast as anyone. I have suggested a cane - not a chance. Also, my husband is a computer consultant and prided himself on remembering, in detail, all of his customers programs and systems. He now struggles to do this work (only works a couple of hours a week) and is extremely frustrated. But, in the long run, if this helps him survive, this is definitely worth it.

Dear Ray, Happy Anniversary and may it be the first of many, many, many.

Kathy, Hope you already have gotten good news. Prayers being said anyway.

Christina, I agree with David. I am sure your husband is devasted, scared to death, but that is absolutely no reason to treat you like crap. Tell him quickly that you love him like crazy but his treatment of you is ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE. Granted, with this disease and the fear, he may lash out occasionally but not constantly. Stick to your guns, don't let him run over you because he is older.

Peg, One of the things I like most about Fox Chase Cancer Center is they seem willing and almost able to try anything to help the patient. They are kind, thoughtful, creative and 'better safe than sorry' doctors and staff. It sounds as if you have a similar situation. You read so often on this site of doctors unable or unwilling to keep trying. Doctors with pessimistic attitudes or doctors that have totally forgotten that the patient is a human being. With your doctors it seems that you guys are very lucky. I will pray that this clinical trial and the weird angle radiation will do the trick for Bill.

Cheryl, Happy 4th to you and Jack. How the HE-- can two agencies merge and insurance goes away? Do you have this in writing? Does Jack have insurance and can he add you? I will keep you in my thoughts as you start your treatment journey. Earl had 28 radiation treatments and then had his chemo. He only has one more chemo - 7/14. He has been tired, to say the least, but from some on the posts here, he has been very lucky. You are young and I believe otherwise healthy. This will definitely be in your favor. Earl started Carafat before and after each radiation treatment, given to him at the hospital, although we did have to bring the medicine in. Then he took it once in the am and once at night on the weekends. I think because of this he had NO problems with his esophagus at all. Check with your radiation onc. Have a great holiday weekend.

Dear Peggy, Way to young, way to important to her children at home and her children at school. May she rest in peace. Please accept my deepest sympathy for you and your sister's family. I will keep you all in my prayers.

Fox Chase and Dr. Cohen ROCK.

Dear Cindy, This is wonderful, wonderful news. Enjoy it.

Laura, My husband's veins are full of scar tissue and it is VERY difficult to find one. The IV nurse at Fox Chase told me to only let a tech look for his veins 2 times and then demand that they get an IV nurse. Just a suggestion. I will say a prayer that your mother's scan results are positive.

Dave, A couple of things: Make sure your wife is doing the pinch test for dehydration. Earl swears I am just being mean. HeHe Remember, as crappy as this chemo is, it KILLING all those LC cells. Unfortunately, it also kills some good cells so all of your body's soldiers are out there rebuilding new good cells. That's the fatigue, those soldiers never stop. (Yeah) We call these bad days as having the 'Chemo Crud' and it is cruddy. But I like that mantra "This is only temporary". Stay strong and upbeat.