Liz13

Hi Trudy, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome. I am so glad you decieded to join our family here. It is a great place. I am also IIIB. I finished up treatment in the beginning of December and have been stable ever since. Tuesday will be my 1 year anniversary!! I'm doing everything I did before without any real changes. I can't run a 5K, but then I couldn't before cancer either. But Ernie can!! I have some numbness at my insicion sight, a slight cough. That's about it. I hope you stay with us. We've all been there, done that. You will get more suggestion's and answers quicker here than at the doctors. And Dr. West is a godsend. Ask him anything. He usually answers within 24 hours, if he's not globe trotting for our cause. Any chance for radiation? Hugs, Liz

Witness protection progam. And you can't talk about it.

Hi Peachy, I just wanted to clarify something. We are just blessed to be diagnoised. It is so much better than walking around oblivious. I am also stage 4. I choose treatment and yes, it was the roughest 3 months of my life. But I came out the other side. I am probably at 95% of my fomer "life", but mentally and emotionally, I'm at 150%. I have learned so much about myself, and about others, too. I don't regrete a thing. I live so much more peaceful now. It takes time to get to this point, and I know this is all new to you. Do not under estimate your own strength. This is not a death sentence. You look like a beautiful woman and sound tough as nails. Give the fighting a chance and see how it goes. You can always quit later. And this is the place to fight. We can tell you what will happen and how to get through it the best. There is lots of experince here. Let us help you. Hugs from a former Jersey Girl, Liz

Dear Teri, It breaks my heart to read this news today. I've always felt a special connection with Bill. The first thing I did was pray to God and ask him to hold Bill tightly in his arms and tell him I said hi. And to reach down and hold you while you grieve. There is nothing I can say to ease your pain, but know that though I can't walk this path with you, I will be here to grab your hand if you need it. All my love and prayers. Liz

I work for a very large firm. I have been with them for 5 years. I am very good at my job. I have short term, long term disability and 200,000 in life insurance that I opted for when I started working. When I was DX, I went on short term during treatments. I could have at that point stayed disabled, but went back to work because they needed me. I also needed them. Work as added greatly to my recovery. I sold my house ( at a 50,000) loss and moved for my job in Dec. Today I was fired, for incompatance. No problems at work, no complants, just fired. I have lost all my insurance and my reputation, not to mention my income. And truck, and phone!! I will never be able to get life insurance again. That was my childrens inheritence. They got a new insurance company in June and the enrollment period is the month of July. I think this is what is happening. I will be consulting a lawyer, but wanted to know if anyone else has had this happen? And what did you do? Hugs to all, Liz

Our God is an awsome God. Praise the Lord.

I'm still here Richard. And still stable. Hugs, Liz

Buy a Father's Day gift.

We sure have missed you. I hope you are feeling much better. Hugs, Liz

I have BCBS. If the doctor or hospital is a prefered provider, then they agreed to a price with BCBS before hand. Some try to get the patient to pay the difference, but you only owe what BCBS says you owe, not the doctor. I can't tell you how many time they have tried this on me. Let the bills go for a month or two, then make a call. Keep your papers in order. I have a big folder and just match up bills to payments, etc. BCBS also has a web site that you can check status of you bills. I'm lucky. My out of pocket is 1,250. Last years they billed my insurance over 200,000. My part was 1,250. I don't know nor do I care what the insurance paid. But it's some where around 20%. The mark up is terrible. So, wait and don't sweat it. It's harder to get your money back, if you pay too soon. Hugs, Liz

Hi Missy, Personally, as a cancer "surviver", I would like everyone to stay and keep their profiles up. You have so much to offer and the history you share is invalueble. We know what the outcome may be. But knowing different meds, different dx., different treatment, different side effects. As they say to us, "fill out the prifile, it's easier for us to help you." I say, "Keep the profile, it does help us." And post, sweetie. There's no such thing as too many friends or too many prayers. Hugs to all, Liz

Nova, What pain meds is he on? My vomiting stopped when I took the fenyle?? patch off. Almost immediately. Hugs, Liz PS Feeling good. Scanning Wednesday.

Hi Richard, I am so glad that things went relatively smooth. Glad to hear you are out of the hospital. Now just concentrate on getting well. Start walking a little every day and watch the constipation from pain meds. Keep us updated. I hope you have some help at home. Hugs, Liz

Hi Nova, That so sucks. I was hoping he would do better on this. What does the doctor say? I'll be up at Moffitt on the 13th and 19th. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you. Hugs and prayers for Harry and you, Liz

Can we vote if we don't have an American Express card?

Yes, I had terrible esophagitis from radiation and vomited a long time. I had ulcers up and down the whole esophaguas, fungus growing, and terrible pain swallowing. They put me on a feyndale pain patch, which made it worse. I end up taking the patch off and taking an anti fungus med for 14 days. The vomiting stopped almost immediately. Sorry to say that I still have pain swallowing. I've had the "Big Strech" Went 6mm to 14mm diameter, but probably need to have it done again. My biggest problem is swallowing medicene. Hope things get better. Hugs, Liz

The sound of sweet success!!! I love it! You are almost there, Heather. Keep up the fight. Hugs, Liz

I think he is just living with what we all know. That we are mortal. And don't leave words unspoken. He dosen't "know", anymore than you do. I don't pray for God to prolong my life. I just ask for courage, strength, healing and peace. The rest is already written. Hugs, Liz

Thinking of you today, Richard and hoping for success in your surgury. Please update us when you can. I am a mom, I worry. Hugs, Liz

My office manager's brother has brain tumors. They operated on Friday and removed a portion. They're talking about chemo and radiation. They have told her that it will kill him. They have given him 8 months. He is 38 years old. Does anyone know of a web site simular to this one where they can go for support? Any help will be appreiciated. For prayer purposes, his name is William. Hugs, Liz

Flowergirlie, You are a strong, beautiful woman. I have no doubt that you will grieve in a way that's perfect for you. Everywhere you look, there are different people, that respond different ways. Be it break ups, divorce or death. Some people are not meant to be alone. They instintly grasp the next available person. Some people are fine alone. They are more perticular about who they share their lives with. This is you .. and me. When you meet the right person that you want to let into your life, you will know it. It will be on your schedule, not anyone elses. Going back to school!! I am so proud of you. Hugs, Liz

Hi Sunny, Like your MIL, for the first few weeks, I didn't want to know anything. I was lucky, because my mom was with me and I could stick my head in the sand for a while. It was just too much overload at first and I knew any news wouldn't be good. And I wasn't ready for that yet. But as you get use to your Dx., you start looking around more. It's also helpful to have someone else do the internet research and weed out the grim statistics. I hope things get better soon. Hug, Liz

Hello Richard, I'm sorry you are going through this. It's not a nice ride at all. Scared, angry, scared, worried, scared, afraid, scared, mad, scared,... At least I was. It does get easier as time goes on, for a while. Then something else will knock you off your feet. Once you have all the information and have a plan in place, the panic eases off a little. Treatment will be what it is. We are all different and all react differently. While we can help as things come up, we can't predict how you will react. If you don't have anyone to stay with you after surgury, have them send you a home health worker. Check with the social worker at your hospital. I'm sure you are not the only one. I was lucky, I had my mom with me. And while you may be alone in theory, we are with you in spirit. There are many of us who have walked this road before and we can help you find your way. I hope all goes well on Thursday, next week. Get as prepared as you can before. You will not want to go to the store for a while. Get a soft pillow to hold on your stomiac when you cough and it's best to have a hard back chair to sit against when it happens. That will be the most painful for about a week. Also get some stool softeners. Constipation will be a pain from the pain meds. I slept on the bottom bunk bed and used the upper rails to pull myself up in the morning. Maybe you should get any prescription filled before surgury. Your surgon will be the man for that. I can't really remember to much else, but I'm sure others could add suggestions to get ready for surgury. Then after we get you through that, we'll deal with the next step. I'm adding you to my pray list. Praying for courage, peace and healing for you. And wisdom for your doctors. Hugs, Liz

Me too!!! But then, I ache all over now. My hips are bad and both my shoulders. I think it's a combination of a lot of things. Surgery - Chances are they removed, or moved a rib or two, which would effect both the back and front of chest. Cutting through muscle and nerves can't be good. And then over componsating causes the other side to try to pick up the slack, so to speak. Radiation - Who knows what that has done to our muscles, nerves, bones, ligamentes, etc. in there. Less active - I know even though I'm back to work and doing everything I use to, my activeity level has definitely dropped. I can still do, I just don't do as much. I'm sure that's the problem with my hips. I don't walk nearly as much as I use to. I asked Dr. West about this and he said that bone mets "probably" would be located on a bone as opposed to in a joint. That the pain would be constant and get worst over time. That the pain would not go away with asprin like pain releivers. I know mine comes and goes. It feels better after rubbing or streching. And I'm getting old.(er) Hope everyone's muscles are felling better today. Hugs, Liz

Hey Nova, I have not had any shrinkage at all, yet they call me stable. My theory is that dead tissue can't shrink, and after cooking my tumor with the radiation and chemo, the sucker's dead. Harry probably had his 60 % during chemo and then the radiation killed the rest. Keeping my fingers crossed. Hugs, Liz