Remembering Dave

Peggy, sounds like a good plan, but I am going to pray for the fluid around his heart to just dry up and go away. I don't like that. it was scary; when dave had it, although thank goodness it wasn't malignant. and I hope your hubby's isn't malignant either. Love, Karen

Ry, yes, thank you. Frank: you are truly one heckuva good guy. heal up quick and get here, we need you and that great attitude of yours! God Bless, Karen

well, unfortunately Dave is working on his second recurrence - third bout in two years - started out with limited disease, then right at the one year mark of remission he got one met to his right frontal sinus cavity and surrounding bone. After six months of chemo, I mean, as soon as he finished six months of chemo (and radiation) for that (which went into NED) he was diagnosed with mets to his lower spine, pelvic bone and left hip and liver. now we are trying to figure out if he has brain mets or it's "just" radiation damage since theat part of his brain got accidentially zapped twice, once with PCI and then again for the sinus tumor. I asked the question a few weeks ago, are there any long term survivors out there who had EXTENSIVE disease, so I guess if you start out limited and then it comes back then you're pretty much in the extensive category, so I guess my question included peopole with a recurrence. Karen

Betty, again, I have to say you are one of my favorite people in the whole world, not just this board. You are always so cheerful and positive and you are such a strong woman! I hope the pain goes away soon, and I hope your psychic friend is right, no matter, she sounds like a wonderful friend to have because she is lifting you up with hope and that is important. Stay strong, kiddo, and know we are all thinking and praying for you. Love, Karen

So sorry your FIL passed so quickly. You are such a wise and gentle soul, Kerry. Now focus on your Mom, and hope for some real success for her! God Bless, Karen

MrsManny, you are one awesome gal. I love your spirit. I just saw this post. I don't go to this forum that much since my husband has SCLC. But JustaKid told me about it and I looked it up. WOW! Yes, you are right, we are not stats but people and anything is possible if it's possible. And anything is possible with the power of prayer and God's Will. I'm so glad it's not cancer. now I hope it's something easily dealt with. Please please keep us posted! Karen

Don, I don't know a thing about your situation since my husband has SCLC, but I want to say I admire your spirit and stamina and to hang in there, it sounds like you're on the right track. I'd probably want to try the chemo, too, since you're now a repeat customer. Take care and God Bless, Karen p.s. I hope things with your wife continue to improve or become a richer relationship or whatever. I value my marriage now more than I could have ever imagined. Karen

I'm so sad for all of that with your Mom. I sure hope the WBR gets the brain mets. What about gamma knife? Love and God Bless, Karen

get the opinions. and while you are, use it as a shopping excusion for a different heart doc. I don't know MUCH about this stuff, but my dad did have two stents put in last summer and a dear uncle just had triple bypass when they couldn't do stents - anyway, waiting for a heart attack is just what Ginny said, waiting for Becky's beer truck? no way. Karen

Something does not sound right to me. I would ask them what they were talking about or yes, I would get a 2 or 3rd opinion. Waiting around for me to have a heart attack is not acceptable in my book. David C

Dave had PCI, he was first diagnosed with limited SCLC, did the chemo and radiation, got NED, had the PCI. The PCI was definitely harder on him than the chemo and chest radiation which he had at the same time, but well worth it in our book. Why? Because when he got his first return of the cancer, at just about a year later, it was in his right frontal sinus cavity and surrounding skull. Dave says it could have very well tried his brain but because of the PCI got stopped where it was. No way to ever know. and in fact, he's been followed now for possible brain mets although the neurosurgeon has said all along he doesn't think it's mets but radiation damage since the part of his brain where the suspected mets are, are right at the intersection of where the sinus radiation treatment would have criss crossed with where the PCI hit. does this make sense? we see the neurosurgeon Monday morning and he should make his final determination at that time so we'll see. I'd do it. SCLC is NASTY AGGRESSIVE stuff, and why bypass ANY TREATMENT for it? Karen

wow, I just read your signature line - all of your parents lost to lung cancer? how tragic, how horrifying. how well you seem to be handling it all. God Bless you. Enjoy the fun times with him, I know you are. Karen

Mike - KEEP WALKING. that's one of the best things you can do for yourself, and being in shape for it now, keep doing it! you may have to shorten your walks but keep doing it, please!! that is so impressive and so good for you! and you know what, taking a brief break for a pity party is not such a bad thing - take a deep breath and start the fight anew! You're doing good - hang in there! Karen

Personally, I think the onco doc should sit down with you, your mom and dad, and explain everything to your dad. It may or may not discourage him from fighting, but his attitude now isn't very productive, either. Karen

Yeah, I'd say even with all the mix-ups, sounds like all's well that end's well (hopefully, for sure) and that's the important thing. Karen

Dave just started topotecan, I think this week was his second treatment. He had some nausea yesterday but nothing terrible. His first treatment, he also had zometa, an IV drug for bone growth, and he had awful bone pain for a week after that, and that was a side effect of the zometa we found out. he hasn't had that this time, but he's also taking oxycontin this time. Dave's first chemo was carboplatin and VP-16 and that seemed to work well, he was in remission for just about a year, although it did come back . . . have you tried that? have you had a PET scan or a bone scan? Blessings, Karen

I agree with Don. Don, the voice of reason (along with Fay A.). However, why not just go to the doc and ask for a chest xray, when you find out you're cancer free then you can really put these feelings to rest? Karen

Very very sad. Rosemary and I had pm'd a few times recently. I know how devoted they are to each other. I'm also speechless. Thanks for letting us know, Ginny. I know Fred is in heaven and with God. God Bless, Karen

Bill - good plan, good improvement. Can't say more, I'm swamped at work, but wanted to chime in with my support. Just glad to hear she's progressing in the right direction. Karen

Man, this sodium thing was the ticket for Dave. He's been feeling so much better, has some energy and stuff, he had chemo today and I got home from work and he was even doing laundry! I KNEW this was a big problem, darn onco doc's nurses wouldn't listen to me, kept telling me it wasn't so bad. I know this, but again have learned, you have to listen to your own body and follow your own instincts and do your own research. you probably know more about what's going on than most of the medical folk. Karen p.s. they've got him taking 1 mg sodium chloride tablets, six a day - pure compressed salt - and that's alot of salt! really wild!

what kind of person, even a kid, would egg a cancer patient's house? I just can't believe it. yes, a letter to the editor, maybe if the twerps saw that they damaged the house of a cancer patient they might actually have some guilty feelings and not do it to anyone else. Karen

HAPPY DAY! so nice to log in and see such happy good news, and so glad everything worked out, including her husband staying around! yipee! Karen

well, darn it all, although you have the right attitude, but if SCLC had grown at all it's scary, I guess NSCLC is slower and easier to just watch, so my first reaction is a SCLC reaction, but after thinking about it, it's not so bad. I'd think about getting that percardial effusion drained, you know, Dave had that, and had the window done - and a thoracic surgeon did his, not a cardiologist (although I can't see what difference it would make) but it's not a bad procedure at all and Dave felt so much better after it was done, he didn't realize how bad he felt. I like Ry's idea of switching to the Tarceva. Hang in there, sounds like you are! God Bless, Karen

Dean You rock! You are a hero. You are an inspiration. Karen

this stinks. but my thought is, if the patient wants to continue the fight, there's always SOMETHING you can do. And Fay knew about the chemo regimen for this. Hang in there kiddo. You're not a whiner. You're a fighter and a strong woman. and keep us posted. you and your dad need to talk about what to do next. God Bless, Karen