mary colleen

I am so sorry that you all have to be going through this. I will keep you in my prayers and thoughts.

I think it's a good idea to establish a steady day/time, and 1900 GMT works well for me.

My husband has also had some clotting problems. He had never had a clot in the past, but developed on at the site of the IV used during his bronchoscopy. He was not on chemo yet. The oncologist told us that clots are common in lung cancer patients.

Sounds like a good approach - wear a hat anyway!

If you let us know where you are, someone here will be able to recommend a major cancer treatment center where you could get treated more quickly. mc

Many congratulations - celebrate the day! God Bless!

Thanks, Welthy, I know that your husband has been through a LOT of treatment, and that you've probably seen a lot of side effects. We are just going to hang in there and try to focus a month or two out, rather than a day or two out. mc

Aaron, the drug literature for Tarceva recommends a mild soap, a gentle moisturizer, and staying out of the sun. Some people do get an Rx for it, I most commonly hear of Minocycline and /or Clindomycin being used. Take a hat to Mexico!

You, your girls, and Carlton will be in my prayers. I know that the experience tonight had to be very frightening.

Thanks to both of you - I'm sorry for all that you are both going through. At least I don't have young kids at home - I know that you both do. That's got to be so difficult. My husband saw the Onc today. He has improved slightly (mostly, his pain has improved), but his SOB and swelling (of the ankles/feet) is still pretty severe. The Onc has him coming in for a PET and an EKG on Tuesday to try to determine what is going on. This is a little stressful, because I have almost no choice but to be gone on a business trip all of next week, so he'll have to do it all without me. I'm feeling terrible and very torn about that. Hang in there, girls. PM me anytime, I'm always ready to talk or to listen.

10am CT, then? That works for me - we'll be at the oncologist office.

It is 8 degrees in Omaha, with a brisk wind bringing us to sub-zero windchills. I am taking a business trip to San Antonio next week, and I cannot wait!!!! My bones have been cold for weeks.

I can speed right though it - lots of practice doing Jumbles over the years:)

My husband finished his chemo treatments about 10 days ago, and has been very sick ever since that final week. He has severe edema in the arms and legs, weakness, body pain, nausea, fatigue, a rash all over his torso, SOB, and critically low platelet counts. He has had one platelet transfusion, and will be evaluated for another on Tuesday. He has difficulty just moving short distances around the house. He is becoming pretty depressed, and I am just trying to keep him focused on recovery. Since he is now 10 days out from his final treatment, and there are no signs of improvement yet, I'm starting to wonder how long it will take him to recover. I'm sure that others here have had some experience with chemo toxicity and recovery - any thoughts on how long it might take to get back to normal? Thanks!

Becky, I love your posts. Thanks.

Your post didn't strike me as depressing, nor did I see it as something reflecting depression on your part. Instead, it struck me as a sort of progress report, and one that others will probably identify with and find useful. Your posts have never depressed me - they've alternately entertained me, baffled me, made me feel badly that you were struggling, and made me think. I hope that you keep doing what you do.

I think it was us, Ned!

Rochelle, I've not read it. However, I have thought of you lately and hope you (and the brothers) are doing ok. Hope you are sleeping, and that school is going well. Take care, and let us know how you're doing! mc

Geez, No one asks women with breast cancer if they breast fed. No one asks people with melanoma if they sunbathed excessively. I personally believe that when people do this, they are self-protecting mentally - trying to exclude themselves from the risk. mc

Snowflake, you rock. What a wonderful post.

Nick, I greatly admire your effort. Wish that my husband fell into the "early detection" category, but he doesn't - he was ill and seeing doctors for 2 years before diagnosis. I'm sure that plenty of folks will come forward for you here now that you've moved the post. Thanks for doing this.

Bill, My sense of what you are saying is that worked through a great deal of this, and feel you can move forward now, operating under the premise that the hope that is out there can be yours, too. I think that maybe you instinctively followed an inner process that is actually logical and necessary: you dealt with the worst-case aspects of the illness by facing them head on (i.e., doing your reading, etc.), then compartmentalized all of that to a place that allows you to live your life and fight your fight. If so, good for you - that's a big job, and a big accomplishment. mc

...and the human race would have become extinct long ago. They wouldn't do it!

All, Various websites define Limited Stage as "limited to the chest"..."limited to the thoracic cavity, and lacking pleural involvement"....and "limited to the chest, up to and including the supraclaviclar nodes". Hope this helps a bit.

Amanda, I'm so sorry you had such hard news. Do remember that there is ALWAYS hope.