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Way to go, Janet! Aloha, Ned

Good deal, Ron, hug accepted! Aloha, Ned

Good show, Ken, and have a safe evacuation! Aloha, Ned

Amy, thank you so much for the update. Your dad's oncologist sounds like a wonderful guy, and it was quite uplifting to read your account of the first meeting with him. You deserve a lot of credit for setting it up, and I'm sure your dad realizes that. You should post some photos of your condo renovations, which I guess also deserve some credit for the timely diagnosis. By the way, I know what you mean about pulling muscles painting a ceiling -- I still remember the very unusual pain I got from a similar project close to 30 years ago! Aloha, Ned

Hi, Grimie, welcome to the group! Congratulations on being almost to the 1-year survival point with stage IV adenocarcinoma. When you get to your diagnosis anniversary, be sure to let us know and we'll help you celebrate! We're big on anniversary celebrations around here, and you don't have to be anywhere close to cancer-free to have a party held in your honor. Earlier this month a reached my 2-year point with IIIb adenocarcinoma. I was on Taxol/Carboplatin/Avastin for 4 months, then Avastin alone the next 8 months, and switched to Tarceva 11 months ago. You can read the exciting details via the link below. Please give us some more info on what led to your diagnosis, what sort of met placed you in stage IV last year, what chemo you had, what side effects you experienced, how you're feeling now, and how you're doing with the Tarceva so far. And if you haven't already, may I suggest that you visit cancergrace.org (the previous onctalk.com has been folded into GRACE, Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education). There's a wealth of information there, especially on lung cancer, constantly updated by a Seattle oncologist who is an internationally-recognized expert on lung cancer and who gives high priority to promptly answering questions from people like you and me. A lot of us have "dual citizenship" so to speak, and have the same usernames there as here. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned

This would be a good question for Dr. West at cancergrace.org (the previous onctalk.com has been folded into GRACE, Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education). There's a wealth of information there, especially on lung cancer, constantly updated by a Seattle oncologist who is an internationally-recognized expert on lung cancer and who gives high priority to promptly answering questions from people like you and me. A lot of us have "dual citizenship" so to speak, and have the same usernames there as here. If you post your question at GRACE, be sure to include the background profile information within the body of your post. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned

Hi, Jeanne, welcome to the group! First, congratulations on your nearly 30 years of AA recovery. That says a lot about your strength of character -- it really does. We have many terrific members here, quite a number in or around Iowa, though distance is not a big factor with low long-distance rates and the internet. You should be hearing from the U.S. mainland tomorrow morning. It's still "today" out here in Hawaii. As Sandra (one of my favorite Canadians) suggested, please give us some more info on how your diagnosis came about, your cancer cell type and stage, treatments started or planned, and generally how you're feeling. As a group, we've seen it all, and you should be able to get some very specific help with whatever issues are concerning you the most. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned

Hi, Carol Ann, welcome to the group! Thanks so much for posting your story -- you'll be an inspiration to the new members who join our ranks every day. There are plenty of nodule watchers here, and many times those little artifacts turn out to be nothing. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned

Hi, Lisa, welcome to the LCSC. We have a terrific bunch of patients, caregivers, and others concerned for the welfare of loved ones, and it's safe to say that as a group we've seen it all. Please tell us what you can of your mom's condition -- type of lung cancer, treatments so far, scan results, side effects -- and there are sure to be members with first-hand experience in the same things she (and you) are going through right now. You should be getting some more responses when our mainland friends wake up in the morning. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned

Hi, Jackie, welcome to the group. I agree with the others that the oncologist was being much too definite about what will happen. He should have made more use of qualifiers such as probably or in most cases. I'm also a IIIb (adenocarcinoma), diagnosed just over 2 years ago. I had 4 months of Taxol/Carboplatin/Avastin, then 8 months of Avastin alone, and I've been on Tarceva for the past 11 months. I feel good and am in much better condition than I was this time in 2006. My tumors haven't totally disappeared either, though the main one is starting to look more like scar tissue than active cancer. My approach is to think of the cancer as just another chronic condition which I'll have to manage the rest of my life, just as I've been dealing with a couple of other chronic, incurable conditions for many years. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned

That's great news! I hope you husband does well with the Taxol/Carbo/Avastin. That's the combination I had starting about this time in 2006, and the benefit I received was certainly worth the various side effects. Aloha, Ned

Hi, Teardrop! Everything Sandra said is right on target, and I'd just like to add my welcome. The link she gave worked fine for me. Please post again anytime you have more information or questions. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned

Good to hear from you, Judy. Hope you're feeling a lot better soon! Aloha, Ned

Hi, Amy, welcome to the group! I know it seems like things are happening at a snail's pace, but compared to the majority of people diagnosed with lung cancer, your dad and his medical team are moving quite rapidly. You already have a conclusive biopsy, so the specific type of lung cancer is known, and the PET scan will determine if there are any other suspicious areas in his body. At some point he may also get a brain MRI, since MRI is better than CT and much better than PET for showing brain details. And if lung surgery is contemplated, he will probably get a lung function test, which is generally done by a pulmonologist. If you're told that lung surgery is in the works, you should take that as very good news. The treatment plan will come from the oncologist. And once treatment starts, the oncologist is the guy in charge and will be coordinating with your PCP and any other specialists brought into the case. I didn't see my PCP for at least a year after I started treatment, but when I did see him it was obvious that he had been kept up to date with everything. If you haven't already, may I suggest that you visit cancergrace.org (the previous onctalk.com has been folded into GRACE, Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education). There's a wealth of information there, especially on lung cancer, constantly updated by a Seattle oncologist who is an internationally-recognized expert on lung cancer and who gives high priority to promptly answering questions from people like you and me. A lot of us have "dual citizenship" so to speak, and have the same usernames there as here. Give us an update when you get some more info. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned

Shrimp, your profile is quite readable as is, but I agree that as it gets longer it would be easier to read with each entry on a separate line. You can use a regular message window (like the "Post a reply" window I'm typing in now), apply any bold/italics/color codes you want, and check how it looks with the "Preview" button. But instead of sending the message, copy everything (codes and all) with CTRL-C, then go to your profile and paste in everything with CTRL-V, and hit "Submit." In other words, you can format the profile exactly like you can a message, the only difference being that the codes aren't conveniently displayed next to the very tiny profile input window. Aloha, Ned

Kerri, be sure to check out the list of Tarceva links on Dr. West's website which I put in this recent message to Patti: http://lungevity.org/l_community/viewto ... 581#370581 And for Patti: Now I remember you asking about itching during our recent chat session. If that started a few days after you started Tarceva, I'll double dare betcha that's the rash making its presence known! Keep in mind that the Tarceva "rash" is not really a rash like you've ever seen before, but an unusual (maybe unique) skin toxicity that can result in various strange symptoms. And here's another thing. It seems that you really took to heart those skin care measures in the posts you've been reading, probably more than anyone else I've corresponded with, and maybe that's keeping some of the more visible symptoms at bay. That's exactly what I had in mind when I advocated so strongly for skin preparation, but I guess an unintended consequence could be worry that the Tarceva isn't working because of the rash-response correlation that's been pushed so hard by some. Maybe I should have told you to use Lava soap and sit in the sun all day...(just kidding). Much Aloha, Ned

Hi, Kim, welcome! I second Sandra's suggestion to visit cancergrace.org (the previous onctalk.com has been folded into GRACE, Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education). There's a wealth of information there, especially on lung cancer, constantly updated by a Seattle oncologist who is an internationally-recognized expert on lung cancer and who gives high priority to promptly answering questions from people like you and me. A lot of us have "dual citizenship" so to speak, and have the same usernames there as here. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned

Patti, I don't think the last part of your statement is necessarily true. I'm sure Dr. West has said that some people have good results from Tarceva with few if any side effects. Here's a very useful collection of links to Tarceva articles and posts on his website (I may have sent you this already): http://cancergrace.org/forums/index.php?topic=618 My side effects started after about 5 or 6 days, and after I got the rash under control things have been very tolerable. I had quit smoking 43 years before my diagnosis. The Tarceva has kept me stable so far, and I feel better than I did when I started it, though there has been very little tumor shrinkage -- certainly not enough to be called a "response" (the criteria for that is 50% shrinkage). Aloha, Ned

Hi, Linda: As Janet said, be sure to take detailed notes when you visit the pulmonologist tomorrow. In fact, it would be a good idea to supplement that with a small voice recorder. I've never heard of a doctor objecting -- they realize (or should realize) that the terminology is new to you and easily misunderstood. Also ask for a copy of all written reports, such as the radiologist's review of the CT scan, as well as CDs of the scans. Usually it's just a matter of asking. I have copies of my reports going back 2 years, and every time I look at them I notice something that had passed me by before. We'll be looking for your update. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned

Gloria, one medication that's sometimes presecibed as an appetite stimulant is Megace. I don't have any first-hand experience with it, but others on the board have said it's been helpful. Here's the manufacturer's website: http://www.megacees.com/ It's understandable that the Ensure is getting old. Have you tried some of the Carnation Instant Breakfast flavors mixed in milk? Much tastier than Ensure or Boost. Do you think appetite is really your dad's main problem? Does he also mention pain or irritation when swallowing? I recall in your first message you said he is "stoic," so even if pain is causing him a lot of difficulty he may not choose to say so and may prefer to simply say "not hungry." I won't get into the psychology of why some people (mostly men, I think) are that way, but will say that my father-in-law was one of them. A tough little guy of Japanese ancestry and definitely the samurai type. In extreme cases, especially when radiation treatments have caused the esophagus to be very painful and constricted, a PEG tube can be inserted to allow liquid nourishment to be delivered directly into the stomach, bypassing the mouth and esophagus. When the patient is able to resume eating normally, the tube is removed: http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/den ... eeding.htm I have a couple of friends who received most or all of their nourishment through a PEG tube for several weeks during radiation therapy, and I wouldn't hesitate to get one myself if need be. I don't recall if you mentioned your dad's age or general health, but just wanted to make sure you were aware of that option. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned

Near (but not in) several tornadoes in Texas and Oklahoma. On the fringes of earthquakes in Okinawa and Hawaii. Destructive hurricanes in Okinawa and Hawaii -- some roof damage and broken windows. Aloha, Ned

I've occasionally wondered too, and if I ever get close to needing a good definition I might ask Dr. West. I've seen the term equated to "complete remission," "complete response," or "disease-free period" in some medical publications, but I've never seen a clear description of what constitutes "evidence of disease." I would think that it implies current disease, not evidence of previous disease, because with all of my scar tissue and the reduced right lung volume it should remain obvious to anyone that something was going on there at one time. But if someday none of that stuff lights up on a PET and a CT doesn't show any more little nodules developing, I think I'll be ready to declare Ned is NED, at least for a while, whether my onc uses that term or not. Aloha, Ned

Kelly, moving your mom to be near you and other family was a very good decision. And your mom is to be commended for agreeing to move -- some won't budge, and that makes it even harder on everyone. It's great that she is now responding to treatment. For everyone's info, could you give us the names of the drugs used so far? Well, your city is in the news this week. I hope the demonstrations remain under control. Best wishes and Aloha, Ned

Hi, Sandy. I love your motto, also Ellen's "equal opportunity" comment, and would like to add my own: Life is a series of trade-offs. Aloha, Ned