SherryNeedsToLaugh

Shelley, Yes her head will be tender to the touch as her hair is falling out. I found that after it is all gone then my head felt better. I found that my eye lashes and brows were harder for me to lose. I just look plain funny in the mirror. I found that it does grow back sooner than I thought it would so tell her she might not be bald for long. That should make her feel a little better. I tell people it is good luck to rub my bald head and it really gets people to laugh with me instead of at me. Sherry

Larry Who could not like you. Give this gal a try and see what happens. I have not lost a mate but was single when dx. I just decided a few weeks ago that why the heck should I stop looking for someone to be in my life just because I have cancer. I use to think that know one would want me or it would not be fair to find someone and have them fall in love with me. I went on a date tonight for the first time since my dx and it felt great. Even if the guy never calls me again I had a great time and that is what it is all about. Give yourself a break and find someone to fill your life and heart. You do deserve it.

I had a stranger come up to me the other day and ask me why I didn't wear a wig or hat. I was so shocked I could not answer her. I guess I offended her with my bald head. Sherry

Oh Missy I just love to talk baby talk. My Xavier is almost 5 months old so I love the name you picked. I got to pick both of my grandsons names and because boys can be so bad, I went to the bible for names. We also have a Gabriel. Lot of good it did as Gabe is so bad he just got his birthday taken away. He will be 5 Aug. 22. Ok so I did already start buying him presents but we had to tell him he lost his birthday trying to keep him good till at least then. lol I am sure you can't wait for your little saint to arrive but with all the heat you are putting up with maybe he will cook at least a little faster. Please share pics asap. Sherry

Robin, Hi I am also on Taxotere. I do it for 2 weeks with a week off. My doctor told me I would do it forever also. I told him I will do it until my cancer is gone. I have been doing chemo for a year now. My last ct scan showed shrinkage so that means to me there is still cancer cells and not just scar tissue. I was asked if I wanted a chemo break and told him NO way if it is still shrinking, then lets keep killing them bad cells. Attitude is everything. I can be having a bad day and sometimes it is an attitude adjustment I need more then a pain pill. I do take pain pills every day for leg pain from the side effects of the chemo but oh well you do what you have to do to beat this thing. I will win over cancer, even at stage 3b, no matter what I have to do to beat it. Sherry

Hello Twinmom, I am so glad you have supportive friends and family. You will find that you need there help more now then anytime in your life. I have had to learn to ask for help as I have always be very independent, that was hard for me at first but it does get easier. My first piece of advice for you is to make sure you take someone with you to each of your doctor visits. You are still in shock and will forget some of the stuff he may say. Write stuff down and ask questions over and over if you have to. ATTITUDE is everything. Keep strong and learn to ask for help. Sherry

I am glad I am part of this club. OH I will forget in a few minutes I am part of it but someone will remind me right? Short term memory is my worst. The strange thing is my long term memory is better. I will live in yesterday then. I did have fun in my younger years. Post it notes must have been invented by someone doing chemo. They are my friends now. I forget to look at my date book lol Good thing the doctors office calls the day before each oppointment. I said as soon as my hair grows back a little longer I am going to go blonde. Was hoping it would grow back that color but dang if the red didn't come back. I will be getting one of them shirts that tells people I have chemo brain and to ignore anything I say as I wont remember anyways. There is a spell check here? Sherry

Will, Options 1 I would say no to. I am a fighter that will never give up. So that is why I would say no. I am waiting on the cure....hehe. I have been doing chemo for a year now. It along with radiation has shrunk the junk. I do have bad days don't get me wrong but it is my opinion that my life is worth saving. What does your wife want to do? Is she afraid of the chemo? Is her health good enough to do chemo? Is she in alot of pain? You don't have to rush into anything right this minute so take some time to figure out what is best for her. You may need a second opinion from another onc. Ask her what concerns she has and maybe we can answer any questions she has. It is hard to make decisions so soon after hearing the news as you are still in shock. Let us know how to help. I am sure you have lots of questions, just know that we wont think any of them stupid so ask away. Sherry

Welcome Joann, I also have a teenager who is bipolar to deal with and now she is my caregiver... Life goes on. You seem to have the right attitude and take life as it is. I have stage 3b with mets to my spine and have had radiation. It did do some good as it shrunk alot of the junk. Maybe you should talk to your onc about it or get a second op as it never hurts to know more and get the best treatment as you can. Remember we are fighters and will never give up. My attitude is that I am just waiting on the cure so they can give me the shot and I will live my life like it use to be one day. Ok so I can never go back but it will be better one day soon. Keep us posted on how you are doing. Sherry

Welcome this is a great place for support and hugs. So here is your first one ((((salt)))) ok if you need another one with a real name let me know. Sherry

Hi Rod and Aubree, I know I am a little late in the welcome but wanted to say hi. That is my new normal...........late as always. I hope you hear some good news today on all the tests being done. I always like to hear the good news last as it wipes out the bad. ok so later I have to remember the bad stuff but if I put if off a few hours or days then it isn't as bad. My mom calls me a wishful thinker but I just call it positive attitude, my friends just call it ATTITUDE. I am thinking the friends might be forgetting I am sick. lol I will have to talk to them. Please keep us informed on the test results and we all will keep our fingers crossed. Don't keep us waiting to long as my fingers get sore pretty quick. Sherry

Will, Welcome to your new home. You have found a great place for love and support. Your wife is very lucky to have you and the love and support you will be giving her is the best in the world, I am sure but as her caregiver I am sure you will need this place for the love and support you will be needing. So post often about any of the elephants you find. Maybe we can put a team together to go around scooping up elephant poop if that is what you need. Sherry

Trina, You are not in the wrong place. You might be thinking wrong. I think you took it wrong when told you were in the wrong place. The people here are full of love and support. Yes I am sure you are scared and confused by what the doctors are telling you but you will have to do the normal hurry up and wait thing until the tests are all done and the doctors know for sure what is going on. Even if everything turns out great for you and you don't have lc you are still welcome here because I think learning about lc and helping someone else that does have it is not a bad thing. Heck who knows maybe you will become our biggest advocate because you was so scared of what the doctors told you and you found the love and support from all of us so awsome that you had to do something to help our fight. If the news you hear from your doctors really makes you a member of lc then you will need the support we have to offer so please don't leave. Sherry

Barb, I am glad you found this site, you are correct when you said you thought it was full of information, support and friendship. There is also alot of love here as well. People here really do care what happens to each other and I think that really helps in our fight with lc. This is a rollercoaster ride with many ups and downs and when you find yourself on the down side yell, scream, shout and someone will be here for you. When you are on the upside yell, scream and shout and someone will be here to celebrate with you. Sherry

Happy Birthday Katie! I would sing for you but everyone would just complain how I hurt there ears or something lol How old am I? When I turned 29 my dad said he would then be 39. When I turned 39 he then turned 49. So it if is the case and my daughter is 24 how old am I? Have a great day. Did someone say cake? Oh I will go have to search for some now. Sherry

Nova, I use to do the carbo/taxol combo and it only took about 15 mins. to run the carbo. I had 2 other IV's with premeds but not sure if they were for the taxol or carbo or both. Ask the doctor as I know there are different doses so some may take longer then others. My doctor always told me it would take longer then it really did. I know that the first time I get a new chemo they always run it slower to make sure I am not going to have a reaction to it. Sherry

Heather, I am so glad that things have worked out for you and that you will get the surgery. I believe it is a good thing as you really don't need the left lung if your right lung is doing all the work. Even if they did only remove part of it wouldn't you always wonder if they got all of the lc? I don't have any advice for you because I never had a lung removed but I have had surgery. Just remember to not push yourself to hard, that it takes time to heal. You are a fighter and so strong so I am sure you will do great. Please let us know how you are doing as I will be thinking about you as I am sure many others here also will be. If we could be there holding your hand we sure would be and boy would your room be crowded. Just think what the nurses would say. Best of luck Sherry

Hi Wendykay, Dealing with alot is probably an understatment as I know how it is to deal with a sick parent. Maybe you could get your mom to look at this site or even just tell her about what you learn. I am sure she is as scared as you are. Maybe once she learns that there is hope and others that are going through the same thing she will have a little comfort. You and your family will be going through alot in the upcoming weeks and months in your fight. I wish you the best of luck. Sherry

Hi Jessica, I am glad you found this site and really do hope you wont need it. Sending lots of prayers that you will be ok. Sherry

Hi Cheryl, I know you must be very scared right now and finding this place is the best thing you could have done. There is so much love and support here that it will start to feel like your second home. If you have a question just ask no matter what it is, as each person that has lc is different and I am sure someone here has had some experince with what ever you need to know. Sherry

Hi Richard, I know how scared you are but be sure that it will become easier. It seems when you are first dx that you hear all the bad stuff and you think there is no hope. Please know that there is hope and the sun will shine again for you. Sometimes in my fight I still get scared and feel like I am losing it but always something happens to make me feel like I don't want to waste my life feeling down and worrying about stuff I can't change. I feel other people would not like to be around me if I was gloomy and feeling sorry for myself, so I put on my happy face and live one day at a time. We all have to make a new normal after our dx and you will find yours soon enough. This board is a great place to make new friends and some will even feel like family after a short time. We are all in this together no matter how good or bad your day is going. Come here as often as you like and you will always find love and support. Sherry

Hi scman As always Ned is right. You are lucky, you have found this place to learn and vent if needed. The support here is wonderful. Sherry

Heather, I don't know about surgeons but I do know about needing to vent. Sometimes we all need to do that but more so when you are told something as confusing as what your surgeon told you. Maybe he himself was confused. Doctors are not perfect and when you have one that tells you something you don't like then it is time to find another one. I know how you are feeling right now. I get that way myself when I am scared. I think you need to remember... 1. you are not alone 2. you are a fighter 3. you will beat this 4. that you are loved I sure hope this helps. Try to put it out of your mind for a moment and get some rest. You know it will work out. Just take it one day at a time. Get mad at that surgeon that didn't have a clue what he was talking about. Sherry

I also have fingernail problems and was told by someone to use Tea Tree Oil on them and it really has helped. I asked my doctor first and he told me to try it but didn't have much hope that it would help. I do my best to prove him wrong every chance I can. I now do my chemo with my fingers in ice water. I think it was his way of paying me back for him being wrong. I would ask the your mom's doctor before trying anything.

Yirol, Glad you found support here from all these wonderful people. It is great to know that you are not alone in what is a very different world then before lc. I know what you mean about it being scary to post your dad's history because I felt the same way. It makes it very real when you see it in writing. Sherry