cjolaw

I am so sorry for your loss.

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Please know that others are thinking about and praying for you during this difficult time. Carrie

I love to hear these stories!!!! It just makes my heart soar! I am so happy for your family. Carrie

My heart reaches out to you. May you always remember her in love and peace. Carrie

I am so sorry for your pain. Carrie

Just an update. Platlets are moving into the 50,000's. But her hemoglobin and white blood cell counts were low... so another blood transfusion. She getting very tired and is having alot of breakthrough pain, which needs to get under control... we'll go see the dr. again tomorrow. Thanks Jen for the support. I have a great family, and my sisters are really pitching in too. My dad is distraught, very depressed, but doing everything he can to keep mom comfortable. I can't believe how quickly things start to move downhill. It was just a few months ago she was working 50 hours a week... I salute those of you have battled this beast and who are currently battling it. I also salute the caregivers who walk beside them. Carrie mom dx age 55 November 2006, adenocarcinoma NSCLC, malignant pleural effusion. pleurex catheter inserted-mayo clinic cisplatin/taxotere/avastin...major shrinkage of main tumor! Avastin only progression...alimta progression...tarceva progression...carbo/gemzar only has had one infusion...very weak and blood levels not good.

Thank you all very much for your thoughts and prayers. I was just feeling overwhelmed yesterday. I have three sisters and we are all taking one day a week with mom, because she can't be at home alone anymore. I had yesterday, my older sister had today and said she was a little more talkative, which is good. Unfortunately her platlets keep dropping. They are down to 24,000. She'll be checked tomorrow to see where the platelet count is. One day at a time. Breathe in, breathe out. Carrie

It's just too much to watch her struggle. To see her stare at me as though she wants to say something, but can't. It's just too much to have a conversation with only a reply of a few yes's or no's. It's just too much to watch my dad help her to her feet, rub her back as she throws up the few bites of food she managed to choke down. It's just too much to have to watch her slowly wither away. It's just too much to see her hair a mess, her makeup non-existant, her color flat. It's just too much to witness her in pain. It's just too much to realize that this beast we call lung cancer is taking my mother from me. It's just too much. Carrie

I am so sorry... I have followed your mom's battle on LCSC. Your mother was beautiful and you have been a brave and wonderful caregiver. Carrie

Yes... my mother had terribly high blood pressure while she was on cisplatin/taxotere/avastin... presumably from avastin? They put her on three different blood pressure meds to control it. Now she's off all of them as her blood pressure has dropped significantly (she's no longer on that chemo regimine) Carrie

Has anyone had experience with temporary blindness, where it comes on suddenly and leaves suddenly, leaving you with a feeling of dizziness and disorientation? My mom had this happen to her today. She's stage IV NSCLC adenocarcinoma, mets to bones, just had an mri a week or two ago for brain mets... came up clean. She just finished radiation to her arm and is currently on Tarceva. This is her 3rd line treatment, has previously been on cisplatin/taxotere/avastin; avastin alone; and alimta. Thanks for your help. Carrie

Mom is facing a new challenge. She has had shoulder pain for the last few weeks, finally had it xrayed. The radiologist concluded that it looked like cancer. She'll need a bone scan to confirm. I am wondering if any of you have had experience with lc spreading to the bones. I need to know how to help her, what to expect, etc. If any of you can offer some help and advice I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you, Carrie mom-dx November 2006 Age 55, Stage IV NSCLC Adenocarcinoma Previous Treatments: Cisplatin/Taxotere plus Avastin Avstin alone Alimta Currently on Tarceva

Jen I will pray for your dad and your family! Carrie

My mom is on alimta and we will see in a few days how it's working...she did a CT scan last week. She still seems to coughing alot and is very tired on this chemo, but has been working full time through it. We're praying! Carrie

My mother (stage IV NSCLC), whose lung cancer journey began nearly a year ago, will be having another CT scan this week to see how the Alimta is working. Previously she was on Taxotere/Cisplatin/Avastin and then Avastin alone. She unfortunately showed progression after just a few months of Avastin as a single agent. I know most of you can relate to the ups and downs of lung cancer but I feel my chest tightening and my emotions seem to be much more raw the week of her CT scans... waiting, watching, wondering...praying. I don't post much, but I read alot and it helps... it helps to know that my frustrations and joys are similar to others. I want her to get good news from this CT scan... I want to see a genuine smile, a feeling of freedom (at least for a moment), and a sense of peace. Thank you for letting me be a silent part of this community. Carrie

Does anyone have any experience with alimta? My mother stage IV NSCLC, malignant pleural effusion, had the first round of chemo--cisplatin and taxotere plus avastin, then moved to avastin as a single agent therapy for three months--it shrunk the tumors and helped with the pleural effusion. Now 3 months later new and more aggressive tumors are back. The onc wants to use alimta as a single agent therapy... Any experiences you will share with me while on this drug?