recce101

No way! This hodgepodge of atoms and attributes I think of as "me" has developed about as far as I'm likely to take it, and I think it would be better for all concerned if whoever/whatever is running the show just hit the reset button. Of course then it wouldn't be "me" anymore, but that's okay as long as I can be part of the raw materials. Ned

Michelle, I think maybe you're being too "nice," too accommodating. My wife is a sweetheart, but anytime she gets the idea that I'm not pulling my share of the load with whatever capabilities I have at the moment, I hear about it, and fast. Those flashing eyes can bore right through my skull in no time flat, and that's not a pretty sight! You might need to be a little creative to get the point over to him that you're not a tireless machine. Know what I mean? Ned

I quit 43 years before I was diagnosed. Ned

Yes. VATS = Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery. Ned

That's the procedure the surgeon started with for my exploratory surgery 3 years ago (thoracoscopy). But he found my pleural effusion had shoved the lung against the chest wall and essentially glued it in place, so he had to transition to a full thoracotomy to get access. The 2 little holes became part of a much longer incision which did involve some rib spreading, but it wasn't as painful as I'd been led to believe. I think many or most surgeons today will attempt the scope procedure first, though I imagine some are better at it than others. Ned

I agree with Anne. Also, if your husband's skin is in pretty good shape (not too dry, fairly well moisturized through use of a nondrying soap/body wash supplemented with a moisturizing lotion after each bath/shower and the TLC of a devoted spouse ) then his skin problems might remain rather mild even if the Tarceva is working well. Ned

I've had an elevated heart rate for the better part of 3 years, ever since I started treatment. Alimta hasn't made it any worse — it's still 100-105 per minute without exertion. But Alimta does have some odd effects which seem to defy logical explanation. One is swelling, which started in one leg. It was very touchy and had all the hallmarks of a blood clot (deep vein thrombosis or DVT), so I was sent immediately for a Doppler ultrasound, which was negative. It was then decided that the soreness was cellulitis, and several days of antibiotics cleared it up. The edema (minus the soreness) then occurred in the other leg, and a second ultrasound was negative. I was also referred to a cardiologist for an echocardiogram, but that was normal. The legs have been fine since then, and now the swelling alternates between one arm and the other, in one case with more cellulitis which also responded to antibiotics. Funny thing is, the swelling seems to be most prominent in the days just before an infusion, then after the infusion and after coming off the 3-day Decadron routine the excess water is eliminated over the next few days. Like today is Saturday and I had my last infusion Tuesday and the last Decadron tablets Wednesday, and now finally my arms are back to normal. It's been that way the last 3-4 cycles. Go figure. Then there's the SOB. The first few months on Alimta it wasn't really shortness of breath, but rather the feeling of a restriction or soreness in my ribcage that I had to push past to get a deep breath. Once I did that, there was plenty of oxygen and I had no particular problem with walking or other exertion. But the last couple of months I really have developed shortness of breath, and the cause of that is primarily anemia. My red blood cell, hemoglobin, and hemocrit numbers have been trending down and are now all below normal, probably for the first time in my life, but the iron levels are good, so the problem is most likely with the bone marrow that has been damaged with so much chemo. So far it hasn't gotten bad enough to require transfusions, but that's a future possibility. This Alimta is a strange one. In some ways it's been very easy for me — no problem with appetite or taste, no skin issues, no nausea, minimal aches and pains, just fatigue for a fews days, random edema, and the SOB/anemia. Aloha, Ned

Excellent report, Annette! I know what you mean, but I think it's important for us to celebrate whenever we can. It's good for body and soul! Ned

Have you tried the Carnation Instant Breakfast powdered mixes? They can be stirred into milk, nondairy soy "milk" or rice "milk" beverages, and probably other liquids. You can get a variety pack of several different flavors, which I find much more tasty than Boost or Ensure or the Wal-Mart clones. I didn't believe in snacking between meals either, since keeping my weight down had been a lifelong effort — until I got cancer! One of the first things I noticed after starting chemo was that I simply couldn't eat as much at one sitting as before. It was sort of neat to be able to break my previous "no snacks" rule without feeling guilty. Ned

Most of my dreams are of something that happened many years ago, and sometimes a long-ago event is combined with my current capabilities (or lack thereof), but I rarely if ever dream about a recent situation. Here's a typical example: I'm taxiing out to takeoff in an airplane that I've flown hundreds of times before, like in the 1970s or 80s, and suddenly it's time for a procedure or radio frequency change that I've forgotten how to do. After some fumbling and embarrassment I start to realize, hey, there's no way I can have a medical certification to fly since I've had Meniere's Disease since 1995 and now I've got lung cancer, so I must not be really taxiing this airplane, and there's no reason that I need to remember all those details. How lucky! It's just a dream, and now I can go back to sleep. Back when I was healthy and I really WAS flying, I'd dream about some college course that I'd signed up for and forgotten to ever attend, and it was final exam time, and what do I do now? What a relief when I realized I was no longer in college and it was just a dream. Weird, huh? Ned

That's the best news possible, Lilly — so happy for you! Lots of Aloha, Ned

Cecil wrote: Thanks, Cecil! I knew about Agent Orange, but never dreamed I'd be eligible since my forward operating location was in Thailand and I was flying over North Vietnam. My only time in or over South Vietnam was a week I spent in Saigon when I delivered an airplane to our "sister squadron." But I went to the VA website and see the eligibility is quite liberal, and even a brief visit to Vietnam during those years is qualifying. I'm on it, and thanks again. Ned

In addition to the high-calorie beverages and shakes already mentioned, I enjoyed the individual cups/cans of apple sauce, peaches, pears, etc. They were a nice treat for an irritated throat. Some of the fruits are packed in rather heavy syrup, so if that's too sweet, look for the "lite" versions. If your wife has finished the radiation and chemo regimen, her eating problems should start diminishing before long. But as that happens, you can expect that what "tastes good" may change from day to day. Just be patient, as I know you will be. Aloha, Ned

Too bad the PCP can't make the pizza party — he's really going to be missing out. Though I guess he's already missed out, hasn't he? I agree with you at least 150% about the docs who are so eager to provide a grim prognosis in such definite terms, even before treatment has started. But don't get me started on that! Anyway, I'm absolutely delighted that hubby is feeling better and stronger, and if I lived closer, I'd be there to help you celebrate. Make mine pepperoni and mushrooms with extra cheese. Aloha, Ned

OUTSTANDING!! That's what we all want to hear. Aloha, Ned

Hi, welcome to the group! I'm also a Vietnam vet, with 21 years Air Force active duty 1957-1978. I've never looked into VA disability — I always assumed that the maladies I picked up in recent years (Meniere's Disease in 1995, lung cancer in 2006) had no chance of being declared service related since for the first 10 years after retirement from the Air Force I flew for local airlines and had to pass an FAA Class I medical exam every 6 months. I wonder if I'm missing something... You've done really great with your treatment, and from what I've read it was very smart of you to get the PCI. Keep us posted, and please help us greet the other new members who join our ranks every week. Most of them could certainly use a positive story like yours. Aloha, Ned

The sound you hear is my empty mug sliding down the bar for a refill! Ned

That's great, Donny. You're "up" mentally now for very good reason, and you'll be feeling better and better physically as time goes on. Keep us updated, and help us welcome those new arrivals we get every week! Aloha, Ned

Hi, Casey, welcome to the group! Let us know which chemo drugs your husband is getting so we can give you some tips on handling side effects. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned

Interesting. But what the article didn't explain to my satisfaction is how glucose can be blocked from the cancer cells without depriving the normal cells of their glucose too. That's the basic problem with any cancer treatment — how to damage/kill the cancer cells without causing unacceptable collateral damage! Ned

YES!!! Have a virtual Mai Tai and a plate full of Aloha along with your real-world dinner. Ned

Randy, I went to a party very much like that about 20-25 years ago. The guy whose life was being celebrated was an Air Force retiree like me, and we were both pilots for a local airline in Hawaii. As I recall he had cancer throughout most of his body which had started with a skin melanoma. Anyway, the event was promoted as a "going away party" and was very well attended. When asked the inevitable "how are you doing" question, his standard response was "I can't complain." I'll never forget that event. Ned

Good show, Jim! Aloha, Ned

Absolutely I do, and I've had a few, but not as many as my wife. Actually I wouldn't call Debbie's experience a "premonition" (in the sense of a future event) but a real-time connection with what her sister was going through at the moment. I believe we're all connected to everything else that exists, though as humans the bulk of this information is blocked from our conscious mind, and probably for good reason. But occasionally some of it does slip through. Now here's what I think about Ann's experience. I'm not convinced we can see future events, though some people believe we can (they perceive the dimension of time in a way that I can't conprehend). Instead, I think we have the occasional ability to detect current thoughts and actions regardless of location, as well as detect the ripples caused by previous thoughts and actions, and our mind subconsciously computes the likely consequence of these events as they converge somewhere in the future. BUT the likely future event that our mind extrapolated for us may or may not come to pass, depending on what happens between the time the premonition was formed and the time it is supposed to be realized. So regarding Ann's sniper, I think she and her friend both detected the definite intent of some guy to get on the roof with an assault rifle, and either the time has not yet rolled around, or something has happened to dissuade the guy from following through with his plan. Ned

Congratulations to techie Judy! You also wrote: I wonder if you have a bunch of "temporary" (TMP) files clogging up the works? Computers often get sluggish when that happens, so I always set them to delete TMP files on every restart. There's a neat (and free) little program called CCleaner that does this and other stuff well. The original name was CrapCleaner, but some sensitive soul must have objected, and the name was changed. Anyway, check it out: www.ccleaner.com Ned