[NO RADIO FREQUENCY ABLATION (RFA) FOR BUDDY]

Hi Norme,

Thanks for giving an update on Buddy. I'm really sorry to hear that RFA is not a possbility for him at this time. But perhaps after he starts his next round of chemo that will take care of his other mets and make him a candidate - there's always hope and we have to keep saying that to ourselves. It's great that Buddy is strong in mind and that's so important when fighting this dreadful disease. Mind over matter is a powerful thing, and if his mind is strong now, hopefully his body will catch up. He's been through so much, I pray that things take a turn for the better.

You're in my thoughts and prayers,

Kelly

[METS TO LIVER, WHAT NOW?]

Norme,

I am so sorry to read the news about Buddy. Please know I am thinking and praying for you both.

I've read really exciting things about the RFA procedure and I sincerely hope it is an option for your Buddy and my Dad.

Please keep us updated and take care of yourself,

Kelly

[Hospitalized Again]

Ada - I'm so glad you're home again. I know that is a terrific feeling...there really is no place like home. You take care of yourself and know that you are in my prayers. -Kelly

[Update On Dad]

Hi Don,

Thanks for writing back. I had originally wanted Daddy to get his treatments every three weeks, but his oncologist said that weekly treatments would be better since he is taking thalidomide. He said that weekly treatments would be better tolerated than getting such a large dose every three weeks. I guess that makes sense, but then again it doesn't. I get so confused and I thought rather than question the dr. too much, we should just go with what he says. I guess they can always alter it.

His fever worried me because it was so high - 101.9 - but it is completely gone. We didn't take him in to the Dr. He wanted to rest and he was sleeping so good and his fever is gone. I hope we did the right thing....the worst part is questioning myself...I want the best for him and I feel like no one else feels as strongly about that as I do. But it's hard, because I know the Drs certainly know more about this dreadful disease than I do.

I'm sorry Lucie is still on morphine. I read in one of your posts today that she was out having lunch with a friend. I think that is great - and I'm also glad you two missed the big storm!

I hope you're doing well, too.

Kelly

[Update On Dad]

Hi All -

Just wanted to give you an update on my Dad. I've been away from the boards lately, as things have really been hectic for us. But I've been catching up and it's good to hear some of the positive news and it has been tough to read some of the sad news as well. Lung cancer is a horrible disease and I wish there was a cure.

Dad finished radiation about two weeks ago and it has eliminated about 30% of his pain. We are disappointed that it didn't help more of the pain - he is still on 160mg of oxycontin each day along with oxycodone when he needs additional pain control.

He started chemo on Friday...Taxol and carboplatin weekly and he also started taking thalidomide. He will take thalidomide every night before bed. It is an angiogenesis inhibitor and I hope it will be his miracle drug. He handled the chemo well until today. This morning he felt terrible...pain all over his body, a nagging cough, and his fever rose to 101.9. We called the dr. and they wanted us to bring him to check his blood counts, but he is too sick to leave the house. We got his fever down to 98.9 with tylenol and now he is resting thank God. It's been a really tough day for us and I just pray that he is going through all of this pain and suffering for a purpose. I really pray that this chemo is working.

We are looking into rfa - tumor ablation - in an effort to get his pain under control. I think 160mg of oxycontin per day is too much and if we can do anything to get him off some of that, it'd be worth it. The Dr. who will do the RFA keeps telling me that the procedure will not be a cure, but something to control pain. I say fine, go ahead with it. Anything positive would be a step in the right direction. And at least that tumor would be dead.

Those of you who have been on carbo/taxol - how did you handle your treatments? Dad is taking the drugs weekly.

Have any of you looked into RFA and if so, what are your thoughts?

Thanks in advance and best wishes to you all,

Kelly

[New to this Board]

Hi Cheryl:

Welcome to the boards. I'm sorry about your husband, but you have found a good resource here. My Dad has Stage IV Lung cancer and his details are below. Dad was diagnosed in early May and that was the hardest part. It really is a stressful time, but it will pass and I hope you get the best news possible. Just try to learn as much as you can...that has helped me.

We are here if you need us.

Take care,

Kelly

[From Disappointment to Good News]

Hi Don:

I've been trying to play catch-up on the boards and I am thrilled to learn about your good news. I'm so thankful that Lucie has been approved for Iressa and that her MRI came back with good results. Even though I haven't been posting, I've been reading and trying to keep up. But I wanted you to know that you and Lucie are in my prayers and I hope the news continues to be positive. It will!

Take care of yourself, too!

Kelly

[Newly Diagnosed Pt.]

Mday- So sorry to hear about your mother. You have found an excellent resource here at the LC message boards. Everyone is full of love and support and it truly helps to make a difference. My Dad has Stage IV Lung Cancer and he was diagnosed back in early May. I can tell you that to me, that was the hardest part by far. The not knowing, going from Dr.'s office to Dr.'s office, the sleepless nights of worrying, dreading what we would find out, all made for a miserable period of time, but it does get better. He still has LC, but he's had radiation and just started his chemo. We have bad days and good days, but nothing bad like the beginning. So, just try to get through it the best you can and I promise things will get better. Just keep the faith and lean on us when you need to. What helped me the most was - and still is - to learn as much as I can about my Dad's disease. Knowledge is power!

Take care,

Kelly

[Shortness of breath]

Hello all-

Dad had a shortness of breath episode yesterday morning. It was very alarming to him and us because this is the thing he has dreaded the most. He completed radiation treatments about 5 days ago - so could this be a side effect of the radiation? I told him that it very well could be an isolated incident due to the fact he had taken a shower and dressed and maybe he just pushed himself too hard. I really hope that is what it was and will not happen again. Since yesterday morning, he has not had another episode. I have read about radiation pneumonitis - could it be that? Any thoughts?

Also-Dad is very lethargic. He is in and out and sleeps a lot in his chair during the day. How hard should I push him to be active? I don't want to overdo it, but at the same time, I want him to be as active as possible. Slow walks outside have worked in the past, but we live in NC and it's been roasting here lately, well above 85 and I don't think he needs to be in the heat either.

I'll end with good news...as of yesterday, Dad has gained 10 pounds since being on the GNC shakes so we are really thankful for that!

Thanks in advance,

Kelly

[smoking during chemo]

Hi Christina,

My Dad smoked a pack a day for over 30 years. He found out he had lung cancer and continued to smoke for 2 weeks despite my pleading against it because he said it was a stress reliever. He quit after two weeks when this happened: One day at the doctor's office I asked his oncologist why is it so important for Dad to quit smoking before his treatment begins? Dr. Atkins said that when Dad smoked it was like dumping fertilizer on his tumor. That's all it took and he hasn't smoked since.

Good luck with your situation. I hope he quits.

Kelly

[FINALLY SOMETHING TO POST]

Dear Peg:

CONGRATULATIONS!!! I am so happy and encouraged by this wonderful news that things have taken a turn for the better.

Tell Bill we will see him on the highways!!!!

Keeping you in my prayers,

Kelly

[Zometa]

Dad had his first course of Zometa yesterday that he will get every 4 weeks from now on. Last night he had slight nausea and pain in his ribs and wrist, but after some pain pills and a hand massage, he felt better and was able to get a good night's sleep. He has felt fine today. What are your thoughts on Zometa and has anyone had good/bad results with this drug?

Oh, and someone asked what particular bones were involved in Dad's metastisis...from what I can remember, two ribs, a place on the upper part of the spine and the sacrum.

Thanks in advance!

Kelly

[Another Dad with NSCLC, Stage IV]

Hi All--Thanks so much for the warm wishes of welcome and encouragement. I really appreciate the responses to my post and I look forward to getting to know all of you better.

I'm 26, an only child, and I don't live at home with my parents but I have been here off and on trying to help make decisions and look after Daddy. I have to go back to work on Monday and since I live 4 hours away, it's tearing my heart out. I want to quit my job and move home with Mom and Dad, but Dad is vehemently opposed to that. I know there can be other jobs, but he's the only Dad I'm ever going to have. I just don't want to wake up one day and wish I'd moved home to be with him. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how everything goes.

Again, thanks to you all for the support. I'm going to get Mom signed in tomorrow...I think this site would be really helpful to her. A friend of ours has throat cancer and he told Dad not too long ago that the patient doesn't just get cancer, the whole family gets cancer. I think that's true.

You're all in my prayers!

Kelly

[Another Dad with NSCLC, Stage IV]

Hello all-

I've been lurking over the last few weeks trying to soak up as much of the information on this site as I can. In the short amount of time I've been reading, I've come to realize how valuable this site really is. And in keeping with the nightmare we've been living since May 9, I think Friday the 13th is an appropriate day to log in and start.

I've explained our case in my signature so I don't want to waste time going through all of that. As is stands now, Dad is handling his radiation well so far. He's had 6 treatments and will have a total of 13 before he's finished. Because he has a pancoast tumor, he has pain in his shoulder, down through his arm along with numbness in two fingers. He originally went to a neurosurgeon for the pain back in Jan, and that doctor wasted 5 months doing two seperate surgeries on Dad before a chest xray was finally done the beginning of May. We're trying not to focus on that, but it's a hard pill to swallow to think if we'd only had the chest xray sooner, we could have caught it earlier. But, back to radiation, I'm concerned that 13 treatments is not aggressive enough...so far Dad has not had much pain relief and I know the goal of radiation is to alleviate the pain. His radiation oncologist is approaching this palliatively and NOT curatively, and that worries me. I know the chance for cure is slim, but miracles and cures happen everyday. I don't want to put Dad through a painful aggressive treatment, but if it will give him a better chance, I want to be as aggressive as we can. What are your thoughts on this?

I don't want to ramble on too much, but I am looking forward to being a member of this "extended family." It's so helpful to have a resource like this and I'm thankful to those who contribute to this site. You've already made a huge difference with Dad's situation. He's 5-11 and got down to 129 pounds. He was steadily losing weight and had no appetite other than to drink Ensure. Getting 1400-1600 calories down him a day was a chore and that was not enough to even sustain his weight much less make him gain. I got on this site and read a post from a woman who put her husband on GNC's weight gainer 2200. She said her husband gained 15 pounds on chemo. I went directly to GNC, bought the mix and made Dad a shake using Breyer's vanilla, one can of ensure, and a scoop of the 2200 mix. In the 12 days he's been on this shake, he's gained 5 pounds! That is a huge victory in our house and has totally lifted his spirits. I don't remember the name of the woman who posted this helpful info, but THANK YOU...you have no idea what a difference it's made.

Again, thanks for this site and I look forward to learning and giving as much as I can. I'm also going to sign my Mom up so she'll be getting to know you all soon as well.

Take care and I promise my posts won't always be this long!,

Kelly