wendyr

I would definitely mention it to the doctor but my husband seems to stay cold, and we live in Florida! Wendy

My husband was an air conditioning contractor for 25 years and had personally built 3 houses plus the building from which he ran his business. Last summer he tried building an extra bathroom in our house. He couldn't get the basin drain right and his light switches were all upside down. It lasted about 3 months and now he's fine. We just tried to keep it light and blamed it on chemo brain Wendy

Patience pays. Breathe deep. Count to ten. Think fast, talk slow. Good Luck Wendy

I am so saddened to hear of your sister. I hope her faith will give all of you the strength you need right now. Never underestimate the power of prayer. wendy

Hi Amy, all I can say is you have received some terrific advice from these wonderful people. If it were me I would just go with my gut and go see your Dad. Better to go than not go and regret it. The prayers are already on their way. Wendy

Thank you all for responding. Sorry I couldn't respond sooner but my modem decided to quit on me yesterday and had to pick up a new one on the way back from Orlando. Anyway we went to Orlando for the CT scan & picked up a rx for oxycontin and another for loratab for breakthrough pain and already he's feeling better. Ry, I had posted a question re joint and bone pain a few weeks ago so that might be the post you were thinking of. The onc didn't seem to think anything of the pain. The primary side effect of Avastin is body pain, so I guess that's what's causing it. The next scan is Wednesday for a bone scan & we get the results on Thurday. Thank you all again. Wendy

Well here it is after midnight and I'm hours away from sleep. My husband gets a ct on Monday and I'm as nervous as a kitten. He has been suffering terrible joint, bone and body pain. 1500mg of vicodin every 6 hours doesn't hold the pain so the onc says we're to pick up a rx for oxycontin on Monday after the scan. She's also scheduled a bone scan for Wednesday and we'll get the results of both when we see her on Thursday. His new chemo regimen of Tarceva and Avastin has been very hard on him and I just don't understand it as most of you who have had these drugs have not had the side effects that he has had. Do any of these side effects sound familiar? Is it possible that chemo enhances existing arthritis pain? Is it possible that it has spread to the bones so quickly? I used to enjoy roller coasters but this is one roller coaster I would gladly get off if it were possible.

My husband uses Metro Gel 1%. It's mostly used for rosacea but it is working for him. Hasta La Vista. Good Luck Wendy

Hi Ann: You don't have anything to apologize for. As someone else on this site once said 'it is what it is'. If I had to go back and do it again I think I would try to be not so pro-active regarding potential treatment for her. I will never know for sure but I think if I had waited a few weeks then my mother might have come around to accepting her situation and have been more ammenable to treatment, once she got over her anger. As it was, we started out on the wrong foot, the anger stayed and sadly we were never able to put it right. Probably wishful thinking but again I will never know. Looking back I think she was very afraid and her fear clouded her judgement, but she was never one to go to doctors, said she didn't trust them, so who really knows. I wanted to move her in with me and my husband but she absolutely refused and insisted on living alone until about a week before she passed. I went to her place daily to do for her what I could. Anyway I do wish you and your mum all the best. As they say in Lancashire, Keep your chin up lass. Wendy

Hello AnnT: So sorry to hear of Mum's diagnosis. I was the only caregiver to my mother - age 74 at diagnosis - who could also be very, very difficult. Must be something about English women. She went into total denial and refused any kind of treatment. Then she sunk into a terrible depression. For me there was never any possiblity of having any kind of meaningful conversation with her and she lashed out at me a lot, probably taking her anger out on me. She was very angry when she found out she had lung cancer and basically withdrew from all friends and family and isolated herself. It was such a shame that we could not have had a closer time together. That was 11 years ago but it still feels like yesterday. If this board had been here then (& had I been computer literate) I know I could have got information and support so I am posting this just to let you know that there are other difficult women in the world. With all of that said, I wish you, your sisters and most of all your Mum the very best wishes and good luck.

Please don't ever think you are rambling and you have absolutely nothing to apologize for.

Count me in Wendy

My mother died at age 74 with nsclc and her father died of lung cancer at age 78. I am 62 and have not yet had a spiral ct but chest xrays so far have been clear.

Hi Suzy: Welcome. There are some pretty amazing people here who will surely be able to answer questions and offer support. We're glad you found us. Good luck to you and your sister Wendy

Hi, and welcome. I agree with Don. Go to a major cancer center asap. A second opinion, and sometimes a third, is very important. Please read my husbands profile. Thank heavens we got to Orlando. The local onc was totally ineffective. Good luck to you and your Dad Wendy

First of all congratulations on the tumor shrinkage. You're darn right we'll take it! My husband had 33 radiation treatments and towards the end of the therapy he had a lot of difficulty swallowing. His onc gave him a rx that the pharmacist compounds. It contains mylanta and lidocaine plus another ingredient (might have been benadryl), but cant remember. Anyway it helped him swallow. The mouth sores are pretty commom. He mixes up salt and baking soda and uses it as a mouthwash. Mix 1 teaspoon salt and l teaspoon baking soda in quart container. Rinse mouth several times a day.

Hi Ann: Glad you found us. Sorry you need us. These folks are a wealth of information and support. Don;t hesitate to ask for help or information when you need it. It's all here..... Wendy

Thank you Treebywater: That was indeed a great post re: Job. Great lesson. I was asked again yesterday (also at bible study) if my husband had been a smoker but I was feeling stronger and not so thin skinned and blew it off. Besides she was such a sweet old dear I didn't have the heart to cut into her. I am, however, working on a snappy answer for the next time I need it. I knew some of you had been handling 'the question' and your response has been very helpful. I guess we can all remember the old adage 'the more things change, the more they stay the same' even going back to biblical times. Even though I am fairly new to this forum I want to let you all know it has become a wonderful resource for me and I thank you all. It has given me perspective, strength and courage. Thank you!

Thanks Randy, but I still resist the urge to pop them in the mouth

Please allow me to vent. For the second time today and God knows how many times in the past 9 months I have been asked ' did your husband smoke ' It is almost as if people think he deserves to have lung cancer. What the h-ll difference does it make??? He was born in 1936, I was born in 1944. We all smoked. That was the way it was for heaven's sake!!! Nobody deserves this disease. We did not bring it on ourselves despite what the sanctimonious jerks out there think. I see them nod knowingly and continue on their way, secure in the knowledge that Maurice deserves what he got. Y'all have had this experience, I know. How have you handled it. How, on a bad day, do you control the rage? How do refrain from popping them in the mouth. How do you explain that non smokers get it also. I've had a bad day and unfortunately ran into some people who were not aware of my husband's situation and the self righteous smuggness about drove me crazy

Hi Nick: my husband's cancer was detected on a routine xray. He was age 69 and a long time smoker with no symptoms. If a screening CT had been available earlier, it probably would have been found at a much earlier stage intead of the stage 111a. Screening CT's should be vital, given the number of lung cancers that are detected annually regardless of whether one is a smoker or not. Screenings for colon cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer have allowed all these cancers to be detected at an early stage when they are most treatable. Since lung cancer mortality is still so high, it is an outrage that there should even be a question as to whether to screen or not.

Hi Mindy: Welcome. I just introduced myself yesterday and the members here have given me a wonderful welcome. This is a terrific site with great resources. Although I cannot give you any input for your Mom, I'm sure there are members here who "have been there, done that, got the T shirt". We will pray for you & Mom. Keep the faith. God Bless.......Wendy

Hi: I can't address the port issue with Avastin but my husband is also on Avastin. He has had some bleeding from superficial wounds (more than normal for him) and is experiencing severe joint & bone pain. Have you had that side effect. Thanks....Wendy

Hi everyone. I'm wendy. What a great site and great resource. I'm wife and caregiver to my husband Maurice. Dx nsclc stage 3a last April. So far it's been quite a ride.

My husband had the same problem and the dr advised he used warm moist heat on the sore areas. It did the trick