Debi

Well, I couldn't figure out where to put this fluff piece but since no one has posted in here in about a month, figured I would put it in Early Stage- My computer monitor died what I think was its final death this morning..every now and then I have been having trouble with the on/off button- sometimes it doesn't come on and you have to play around with it. So I decided no more, and went and got a new 20" LCD after work. OMG- my computer desk is now vast without that ancient HUGE monitor sitting on it-the old monitor was so heavy that the desk is actually slightly bowed from it. (Yes, its a put together Sauder desk- Sauder like real furniture. ) Anyway, the reason life is good. Three years ago I would not have bought the LCD and would have bought another old style monitor - because my cancer might come back and I would need my money. Three years ago I wouldn't have had credit cards to BUY the monitor - today I had a choice on which one to use. I don't think that unless you have been in financial ruin, you can ever appreciate the fact that there are credit cards in your wallet. And I don't think unless you have had cancer, or lived with someone that did, that you could possibly appreciate a day where the only thing you really think about is going to the store after work to get a new monitor. There are some days that you go through whining, and some days you just go through. But I love these days that come from nowhere when life seems so good and everything feels right. Just wanted to share..

I'm not sure about the Lung Cancer Alliance but my money is with LUNGevity at the moment .... I think personally, they are closer to following what I want which is more immediate funding for lung cancer research... Also, its easy to meet on this board which is now part of LUNGevity.... If I can just add a suggestion to the excellent ones above, (one I just received recently in an email which I'm plagarizing)- while its more than important to solicit companies for the cause - please don't forget to use those companies who already sponsor lung cancer, and to tell them how important it is that they are doing so. I am going to risk a personal example here. Not too long ago I complained on the board about a company that I am involved with having a product that donates 10% toward breast cancer research. I posted how it was difficult for me to sit still during the meeting presenting the product.. Well, Ry had asked me if they could donate to the Boston Walk and they did- all I had to do was ask, they are really awesome, and they are shipping between 300-400 cookies. While 300-400 cookies isn't a cure, this is a catalog company that is part of a larger corporation. So basically, while everyone is emailing people, it probably wouldn't hurt to email a quick "thank you for recognizing lung cancer" http://www.cherylandco.com/contact.asp , along with any other companies that you know sponsor lung cancer in any way, shape or form. IF companies see a big email response, they will continue to sponsor lung cancer events, and perhaps even increase their sponsorship when they see that there is a large market out there that they haven't tapped into. In turn, other companies will see that there is money to be made. Oh well, that's my 2 cents!!

Tina, I understand your disappointment but you know what? The accomplishment of having Tennessee proclaim November Lung Cancer Awareness Month is what is the most important! Congratulations!!

Val, you hit the nail on the head with this sentence: That's the bottom line, isn't it? We can witch and whine that no one is supporting us, no one is supporting lung cancer, but who is going to do it if we don't?? Nobody is going to fight for our cause if we don't, there are plenty of causes out there. And probably the biggest group of lung cancer survivors/caretakers anywhere, are right here, on this board. I too, envy the pink and joke with my friends about going to Walmart and dropping a match in the 'pink' product display. Personally, I really don't think that lung cancer is going to benefit much from breast cancer research. But that's okay, the pink was started by a group of persistent people, and they worked hard for it to become trendy. We need to get just as persistent and start working as a team, online and off.

Just wanted to let everyone know that Governor Brad Henry of Oklahoma has once again proclaimed November Lung Cancer Awareness Month in 2006!! I received the proclamation yesterday- I put the picture in my avatar, even though you can't read it, I promise it's the real thing!! I had also sent the Governor and the aide that takes care of the proclamations my fundraising link, but apparently they haven't yet had time to visit it! But that's okay really, because we all do what we can, and signing a proclamation isn't too shabby!!

Don, I can only imagine how hard it is for you. I don't have any magic words to take the pain away either, just know that we are always here.

Kim, I hope you don't mind my putting my 2 cents in even though I have never experienced this first hand. I do know from being on this board 3 1/2 years, that for the most part, like what has been said before, most men start dating earlier than women do after they lose their spouse. I also have seen that people grieve very differently, doesn't mean any one person grieves 'right' or 'wrong' - just everyone is different. I don't want this to sound wrong but perhaps your stepfather has a new appreciation of life. Living with your mom, and going through her illness with her may have taught him how fragile life actually is. I know as a cancer survivor, I have different outlooks on things than before I had cancer. He may know that he needs to find happiness when he finds it, and participate in life rather than watch it go by him. You are younger and have time to grieve- he may feel that he needs to move on, being older the days seem to be so much shorter. By him telling you that he is living and loving life - I feel like this may be the case for him. Although his wife is gone, he refuses to be another victim. I applaud him for that, this disease already has enough of them, as you so sadly know. Of course this is all so easy for other people to analyze, I know how painful it must be for you, when it really hasn't been that long ago that you lost your mom. I wish you the best.

Sherry, I understand what you mean, it's been real quiet over here in Oklahoma too- you can't even hear the chickens ... hmmmm maybe they ARE in Michigan...... Seriously, I haven't had a donation in about a week. I have emailed EVERYone- I sent emails out to those annoying people who you have lost contact with other than those annoying spam emails they send you constantly.. they never send a regular email saying hello, what's up, etc - just continuous spam. So I sent my begging for cash email to THEM, and guess what?? NOTHING!! IT stopped the spam for about a week, and now they are full strength again. (This doesn't apply to anyone on lchelp- I LOVE your spam emails, don't stop them!!!) I guess I'll have to start pounding the pavement.

Steven, I don't venture in here often but did tonight, and listened to your story. Like anyone else, I find it completely and totally appalling that this happened. I can't believe that sometimes we trust people who do incomprehensible things and who have a total disregard for our lives. He should lose his medical license for his incompetence. I'm sorry this happened to you.

Sheri, I would love to sponsor you but I just contributed to Team Air-izona - Stacey dragged out the cute kids and they each have their own fundraising pages (good work! ) - I couldn't resist. Plus, I actually lived in Arizona once for a year. I LOVE your email your sending out though!! By the way, be careful about leaving Oklahoma in your dust, we can probably go pound for pound when it comes to dust. I won't send the chickens this time anyway - Hey, I finally finished my flyer that I'm sending around to doctor's offices and such. If anyone might want to use something similiar and wants to see a copy, just pm me wiht your email address if I don't already have!

Don't Walk Away Renee - (not sure who sings it)

Judy in Disguise (with glasses) - no clue who sang it, I barely remember it..

Sheri, I can answer your question- As far as what the Satellite Walk entails- it can be whatever you want it to be. I STILL have no idea where exactly I'm walking in my city, or how far. The important part of the whole idea is that you are doing SOMETHING to increase awareness, and raising money. The fact that we are all walking on the same day in 'virtual unison' to raise funds for lung cancer is the message. Where or how far we are walking is inconsequential- what you are planning sounds perfectly acceptable to me, in fact it sounds pretty special!

Kasey, I'm kinda with Stacy on this one about the retaliation.. My rules of life- Never pis_ off your hairdresser, your waitress or the fast food people.

Frank, I have been worried about you but I always know that you will post when you are ready to post. You have so much on your plate with that damn cathater, and you know how sorry I am that you have to go through this crap. Please keep us posted on the scans.. Oh, and by the way- if you decide to cut it off, please give me a call - I have always wanted to hack one of those off!! Since we're friends I promise I'll use the sharp hatchet.

Okay, ya bunch of whiny walkers... I have to share something with you, I am so excited!! I was set up with an email address on the Boston site under satellite walkers, people are advised to email me with questions. SO I logged onto my Boston lung cancer walk email tonight and there were FOUR, count em FOUR, requests today for information on how to be a Satellite Walker. I have had a couple emails previously about it, but tonight there were FOUR!!! So as we sit stewing about not raising money fast enough, we need to remember the invisible part, the awareness part of our 'mission'. Somehow, 4 people found their way to that website, today alone, and clicked on satellite walkers, through your efforts out there. It was some of your emails that attracted potential walkers who will raise more money and bring even more walkers!!! So I guess the moral is basically, what we are gaining is not always measured on a thermometer... keep your chin up everyone- we ARE gaining momentum!! Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees, ya know?

Deb- Thank you for sharing that with us- your mother sounds amazing. I am sorry for your loss.

I'll just take the beach, thank you. I am so sick of living in land-locked states, I miss my ocean. Anyway, so glad to hear your good news, but not surprised at all. When I met you, I just had a feeling that you were going to be okay for a long long time... SO happy for you!

Kasey, You know I'm walking (although I have no idea where in town I'm walking exactly, I haven't given it much thought)!! I'm part of Team Oklahoma and Christy (Rogfarm) is the other half! Thank you for the donation, it always lifts my spirits to see that email in my inbox from "Walk Administrator". Are we lucky to have each other or what???!!!!

Oh my gosh, am I GLAD this post is here!! This is like pulling freakin teeth for crying out loud!!! I have come to the conclusion that the only people that really care are the ones that are affected by lung cancer. Everyone else couldn't care less!!!!!!!! Most of my donations are from my friends here. I guilted my sister into making a donation and her new boyfriend is trying to make an impression so he gave me $25.00. My daughter sent my email out to 98, count em, 98 friends and family members and I got my first donation of $15 from one of her friends. THe other 97, including my ex in-laws, my son-in-laws family, etc, gave a big fat nothing!! I sent emails out to people at work who asked that I send them the link, and have gotten nothing. But let's not get discouraged- we just have to persevere. My plan b attack is to leave flyers around town (those freakin flyers, I will get them done SOON), and leave some in my oncologist office, etc. I also am going to contact the newspaper toward the middle of October and see if I can get an article written with the info in it. I was thinking too that I may target medical type places in my town, ie oxygen supply places, etc. I'm trying to think outside the box so to speak because the inside of the box is pretty empty. Anyway, glad we are all having the same challenges. I don't feel as friendless anymore.

Kasey, Congratulations on your 2 year mark!! Who woulda thunk, huh? Try not to be too harsh on your friends because their focus is not on cancer like ours is. I have found personally that I don't give people off the board credit sometimes. When they don't mention my cancer, or act like they want to ignore it, I follow THEIR lead and treat it like a secret. It is up to ME to enlighten them and sometimes the uncomfortability of how I expect them to behave causes me to not go there. But friends/co-workers don't know how to act sometimes so avoid it, I think that's just human nature. (I know there are people at work who have lost a son or daughter, and to be perfectly honest, I don't know how to handle it. Do I bring it up, do I not bring it up? So I think I understand how people feel around us.) All that said, I shed some tears the other day at work when I read the board and of course, did not tell anyone there what was going on. I think sometimes its a matter of trying to explain the emotional ties of an online support group, and our online friends, more than even the cancer. People just look at you with an arched eyebrow- they don't understand the bonds that we form and how BIG a role our cancer plays in our lives still and how only people that have been there can truly relate. Anyway, I am sorry that you were out of touch with us during such a painful week. But am very glad your back and again, a big woo hoo to you!!!

Barb, I jsut saw this post and was going to tell you to cut down on your caffeine, but by the time I finished reading, your problem has pretty much been solved! I used to drink about 2 coffee pots of coffee a day until one day, I had a mad fluttering and flip-flopping and thought i was dying. Doctor said that it was from caffeine. So the last 14 years, I can only have one cup of coffee in the morning, one in the late afternoon and NO sodas containing caffeine, and be careful with the chocolates. If I somehow lose the balance, I end up having palpitations and flutterings. Also, stress does bring them on. When I was recuperating from surgery, I was getting the "heart turning over" ones all night long. I kept asking the nurses about them because they still scare me, and they kept saying not to worry, they were monitoring me, and they weren't the 'bad' palpitations.

Eric, My sympathies to you and your family.. I'm so sorry.

I used to love to put potato chips in a bowl and cover them with catsup. Also Geri, when I was younger, we used to have that Eagle Brand Condensed milk on pancakes. Wow, that was good (and I'm sure 450 calories a forkful!). Oh, and I used to eat this stuff called Scrapple with eggs. I loveddddddd Scrapple. God knows what it was made of....

Christy, What great news!!