Shelley (MLC)

Tammy, I am so sorry to hear about your Dad. I can tell that he was a very special person and there are no words that can possibly help. Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. Shelley

Great news Lilly! Congratulations!!!! Shelley

Congratulations Lilly! I am so happy to hear this wonderful news! Shelley

Hi Dar, I am so sorry that your Mom isn't doing well and hope that she can be more comfortable with hospice involved. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Shelley

Nova, I am so very sorry to read this very sad news. Harry fought so hard. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. Shelley

Thanks for sharing your story Penni. We all like to read success stories like yours! Shelley

Diane, I am so sorry to hear about your Dad, but very happy that you found your way here. This site will be a tremendous source of help, info and support. Please start reading the profiles. You will find much hope in many of those. My mom was diagnosed about 1 1/2 years ago (stage 4 squamous cell) and she is doing very well. I wish you, your Dad and family the very best. Shelley

Great news Ann! Good luck with the new job! Shelley

I am sending prayers and good wishes for your friend. Shelley

Hi Arnie and welcome. Thanks for the uplifting success story! We love to hear good news around here. Shelley

Hi, I noticed in your profile that on April 21, your sister didn't take any of the antinausea meds. Is she taking them now? My mom takes them on chemo days weather she feels sick or not...Once you get the symptoms, it's too late. Also, if your sister used to work out, she is probably a bit more nutricious minded than my mom. During chemo, I think calories and fluids are more important than what you are actually eating....If a milkshake and fries sound good, tell her to go for it! My mom tries to eat a little better, but sometimes ice cream ends up being dinner! Good luck! Shelley

Hi Ernie...sending out prayers and positive thoughts. Shelley

Hi Johnny and welcome. I am so sorry to hear about your mom, but please don't give give up hope (or let her) There are quite a few people here with stage 4 disease and they are doing MUCH BETTER than their Docs said they would. Please read the profiles here and you will find hope and strength to get you through this. I definitely agree with Don Ms advice. Have your mom see an oncologist in the Chicago area that you are all comfortable with. All the initial tests can be done there, but treatment can be administered wherever she is more comfortable. This may be in her home town. That was the case with my mom. She wanted to be near her friends and most of the family. I am a nurse and my husband a physician and believe me, I would have her here with me if at all possible. She has done very well with treatment and loves the Dr and staff in the center she receives chemo (they actually come in each week from a University Cancer Center about an hour away) I wish you all the best. Your mom has a wonderful son! Shelley

Has anyone out there had any experience with this and more importantly, anything that helped. My mom has been having problems with her eyes for the past few months (chemo/steroid related) They are sore, dry, itchy and air movement bothers her. The eye Dr. has given her drops, but that doesn't help with the problem with air movement. The best relief she gets is with a cloth over her eyes at home, but it's a little difficult to function in the real world walking around with a cloth over your eyes! I have done some reading and a tighter wrap around glasses may be of some help....does anyone else have any ideas? Thanks so much! Shelley

Hi Susan, I am praying that the "pop" turns out to be nothing of consequence. Your mom has done so well this year and I hope she continues to do so. The waiting is always so hard. Shelley

Welcome Rick. I am so sorry you need to be here. Please keep us posted on your treatments and let us know how we can help. Shelley

I'm so very sorry Christine. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Shelley

Hoping to hear great news today....Shelley

I am so very sorry to read your sad news. Raney was a very special person and she touched so many people here. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. Shelley

Hi Denise and welcome! My Mom was diagnosed with Stage lV over a year ago. There may be no cure (yet) but you can certainly LIVE with LC! Please read the profiles here...You will definitely find people here that are doing well, despite having to deal with this horrible disease. I wish you and your husband the very best. Believe and fight! Shelley

Hi Bonnie, it's great that you are gathering info for your FIL....This diagnosis is so scary and overwhelming. Unfortunately, so many people think of chemo as the chemo from years ago....that WAS miserable. I am a pediatric nurse and I had to administer it. These days, chemo is much easier on the system. My mom has been on 3 different "lines" of treatment and other than some low blood counts (easily corrected with meds) and perhaps a day or 2 of fatigue every 3 weeks, she has done great! She feels better today than she did the entire year before she was diagnosed. Everyone's body is different and your FIL will have to make his decision. Just make sure it's an INFORMED decision, not one based on infor from 30 years ago. Good luck! Shelley

Welcome Michele! (I'm actually a Michelle as well, but everyone calls me Shelley) Anyway, sorry you need to be here, but I'm glad you found us. I wish the best to your mom during her treatment. Shelley

My Mom did very well on Gemzar. She actually had that and Carbo combined. The only side effect was a decrease in her blood counts...She received Aranesp and Neulasta as needed. Good luck... Shelley

My Mom had everything done in the beginning (CT, MRIs and PET) Since your mom is having symptoms, I would ask the Dr. about doing the MRI....It doesn't hurt to be a little pushy...By the way, my mom has been having some trouble with her eyes and after doing a second MRI (negative) they feel that the eye problem is a side effect of the chemo. Her eye Dr. has her on glaucome drops and also feels that the increased eye pressure is due to the chemo. Good luck! Shelley

I am so sorry. It seems like more and more young people are getting diagnosed everyday. This is such a horrible disease. I wish your friends the very best with treatment. Shelley