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ursol

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Everything posted by ursol

  1. Thanks Kasey for Posting this. Have a very Merry Christmas! Lilly
  2. It's easier to blame poor diet, cigarettes, and lack of exercise on our cancers rather than potentially blame things like estrogen from the pill or the hormones they have been adding to our food for years as well as the pesticides on our fruits and the radon emitting from the ground and the polution we breathe every time we step outside. Because then we can line up and start sueing alot more people. Unfortunately it will never change.
  3. I was diagnosed in June 2006 with tumor on right lung and mets to lymph nodes, staged IIIA. After lung resection, dr's found brain mets and mets to adrenal gland. restaged IV. After lots of treatments and a major surgery that almost killed me, I have no evidence of disease at the moment. 3yrs and 3 mos. survivor so far. It's been a long road but I'm still alive much to my surprise and loving life every day. I have been very lucky and blessed and so thankful for all the prayers I have received. Lilly
  4. ursol

    H1N1 vaccine

    Like connie, I also heard one shot will do it for adults. I called my oncologist and they told me to call my pulmonologist because they don't expect they will get doses of the vaccine early. She thought my pulmonologist may. I haven't called him yet. I believe children are first in line for the vaccinations. I'm not sure if I will vaccinate my kids. My plan is to get the regular flu shot next week and then follow up with the H1N1 as soon as someone will give it to me. The swine flu seems to do the most damage to people with existing respiratory illnesses. With my COPD the way it is, if I get the swine flu I could go into respiratory failure so I'll take my chances with the shot and hope it gives me some protection. Lilly
  5. Congratulations Geri!! Great News Lilly
  6. ursol

    tomorrow

    I'm home from MSKCC. They did a biopsy first before the CryoAblation and they tried 12 times to find cancer and came up with nothing...yipee!!! The dr. thinks that maybe the pet scan picked up some inflammation (SUV was 4.7). Anyhow, he felt that there was no reason to move forward with CryoAblation which has some risk if he couldn't find a specific spot to freeze. So I'm home and feeling great, will get scanned again in a couple months. Lilly
  7. ursol

    tomorrow

    I'm off to Memorial Sloan tomorrow to try this CryoAblation that comes with some risk that I'm very nervous about tonight. I hope I get to talk to you all again Friday and beyond and wanted to wish you all peace. Lilly
  8. I have not been able to cut sugar out completely but I also try and cut what I can do reasonably as I feel it is better to be safe than sorry.
  9. ursol

    Bucky Alexander

    Bucky was so sweet. What a wonderful woman..I am so sorry to hear this. We are losing so many to this disease, it is so unfair. Lilly
  10. I'm with Nick on this issue. What Obama wants to do scares the hell out of me and I pray that it does not move forward. My husband is Portuguese and my family is Sicilian. We have dealt with hospitals oversea's. We actually hijacked my late father in law out of a hospital last year to get him back to the states where they would actually take care of him. In Sicily when you get to the emergency room you are put in the hallway until a bed opens. The doctors are not allowed to treat you until you are in a room. I know several people that died in hallways including my cousin from complications due to Rectal Cancer a few months ago. My mother in law waited 6 months in Portugal for an appointment to see a doctor because she couldn't walk well. My brother in law had a cyst or gash in his head and waited a month to see a doctor. These countries have National Health Care Systems. Yes, noone has to pay anything, everyone gets treated eventually but by the time some people will get treated it will be too late or they will have already been dead awhile. My cousins 9 year old daughter almost died this year drowning here in CT. She was clinically dead for several minutes but they brought her back to life and after incredible amount of work by the doctors at Hartford Hospital she fully recovered. My cousin in Sicily said to me while I was there "Thank God she was in America---they would never work that hard to keep someone alive here". What really gets me about the debate on government deciding when end of life is is that for me when I was in the hospital and went into respiratory failure one middle of the night. A young resident looked at me and said "do you want me to intubate" I said "YES". The nurse next to him started arguing that I was a lung cancer patient and they shouldn't because it was pointless in not those exact words but I got the gist of what she was saying to him. What makes her GOD? If I want to live a long time, I'm going to and noone is going to stop me...I work my *ss off so I can have medical insurance to pay precisely to keep me alive for as long as I want to put up with the treatments. I have not quit working so I don't plan to die so easily. With that said Obama and the rest of the government can go pound sand if they think they are going to choose my end of life. Sorry...my two cents. Lilly
  11. I also started smoking at age 13 and chain smoked for 27 years. I quit smoking about two weeks after the doctors figured out there was something wrong with me and I potentially had cancer. I chewed nicotine gum and wore a patch at the same time for a little while eventually stopping the gum I kept the patch for about 3 months until I read that any nicotine either smoking, gum, patch etc lessens the effect of radiation. Well I wanted my radiation to work so I pulled the patch off and never put another one. For about a year or so after that I would occasionally crave them but then I also went into a coma after a surgery (two weeks). When I woke up I no longer had any cravings. I never ever think about it and cannot stand to smell smoke. That hospital stay also got rid of the bad coffee habit I had. I don't drink American coffee either anymore, just a morning expresso. Lilly
  12. ursol

    Our TracyD

    Kasey, I am so sorry to hear this news! I'm quite stunned and so sorry for you and the rest of Tracy's family. She really helped me alot when I first learned of my disease. She was very special. Lilly
  13. ursol

    Three Years

    It has been three years since my diagnosis and I'm generally doing okay...Imagine that. For those of you that remember my first post here...I was in a complete panic and thought I was going to die in a month. Thanks to everyone who calmed me down with your responses and your continued support over these three years. I'm ready for when this thing comes back to fight on! As much as I respect God, I'm not going easy...I have alot to contribute still. Lilly
  14. Brian, I'm sorry all this has happened to you. You have really been through alot. I am also Stage IV and am 43 years old with a 15 year old, 9 year old and three year old at home. I know it is not easy. I also work full time and am the primary financial resource for my family. My husband has been a great support and I'm at a good place now. In remission since September although I think it is back but won't know for sure until August when I get my Pet Scan. (I've had some familiar pain lately). I tend to live my life in monthly increments with big goals with bigger stretches. Right now, my goal is to make it to October 10th for my 25th High School class reunion. I'm on the committee so it is very important to me to be there. After that it will be something else I'm sure. Fight hard to stay alive and exercise whenever you can even though it is hard to breathe. I have fluid around my heart..it has been there for three years and it does make it difficult. (I hate stairs)...Anyhow...You are in my thoughts and prayers. Lilly
  15. Hi Sue, I'm sorry you had to join our group but there are alot of people here that understand what you are going through. I am also stage IV NSCLC. Currently with no evidence of disease. I'm almost three years from diagnosis. I on the other hand did smoke up until the time I was diagnosed but I believe I would have gotten this even if I never did. I think the food we eat and the air we breath causes cancer as much as the smoking might. Anyhow...you are right, starting off healthy probably makes dealing with the chemo easier. I like you work and kept working all through treatment. It wasn't always easy but for me well worth it. Lilly
  16. ursol

    3 Years Ago Today

    Tracy, I'm so glad you checked in, I have been thinking about you. I'm sorry you are going through rough times besides having to deal with this crappy cancer but as a fellow class of "06, I know you are tough and can continue to beat this thing. Stay strong, stay well and call me if you ever want to talk, I'm not far. Lilly
  17. ursol

    Stable

    great news!!!!
  18. ursol

    Fear

    Mary, Your husband will regain his muscles in his legs, it may not seem like it but little by little with every step he takes it gets easier. I spent two weeks on a respirator with no movement except the nurses turning me, they turned me (repostioned me every hour). When I awoke and was taken off the respirator I could not move anything, my muscles were all gone and I had to almost learn to walk again. A year later, I'm doing great. Stay positive. Lilly P.s..thanks for all for the comments on this string...it really helps to be able to come to this board and state your feelings so honetly.
  19. ursol

    Fear

    I often feel that I have not spent enough time on the site reading posts and catching up but then when I do read posts I feel soo fearful because it reminds me of all the things that are potentially around the corner. I guess I'm asking the folks in remission how they do it every day? I work so hard at staying positive, enjoying life, working, traveling, spending time with the kids and much more but once in awhile this fear grabs at me, the fear about what is around the corner. I feel it is inevitable that it will come back because I'm stage 4 and that is just the way it is but I sooo want it to stay away. Then I think I cannot ask God for that, "what makes me more special then the next person"....Anyhow I just felt like saying this today.. Lilly
  20. ursol

    NED!!

    Just got a PET scan done and I am NED!! There is always hope and I am thankful for every day. Lilly
  21. ursol

    Going to Italy!!

    I wanted to tell everyone that my family and I have decided to spend 9 days in Italy over the New Years break. For the first time in 2 and a half years I feel pretty good and have so missed my trips to Europe. I have a great Aunt that I love so much and her health is not well and I really want to see her and am soo excited to have the opportunity to see her again. This trip was so spur of the moment that we have not yet booked our hotels. All we have done is book the tickets and the rental car, but I feel like I'm embarking on a great adventure. I will also be turning 43 years old while I'm on my trip and I thank god, all of you and my doctors for getting me through so far. You can still sometimes enjoy life with this dreaded disease even after so much bad stuff happens to you. I'm still very happy about my life. I wish all of you a happy holiday and much love to you all. Lilly
  22. ursol

    5 years

    Don, I am so sorry to hear this news. You have been an inspiration to many. You are in my prayers. Lilly
  23. Joe, Congratuations on the five years, wishing you many, many more years to come. You have been an inspiration. Lilly
  24. ursol

    SRS to the Abdomen

    Ned, The stomach pain started before treatment but right sided. The dr.'s are not sure of the cause but said the cancer possibly was causing it. The radiation has added more pain but centered in my abdomen. It is a little different and more painful. Lilly
  25. Connie, Thanks for checking on me. I have not been on the boards much lately because I have had a lot of pain recently and when I get home from work, I cook dinner and then go on up to bed. The doctors continue to try and figure out the cause of my pain and giving me different pain meds which some don't work others make me too sick. It is nuts. Anyhow...again thanks for asking. Lilly
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