JB

F..K Cancer!

Sorry to hear this Ned. I should have your story memorized, but I don't. Is this your first run at WBR? Col had a bunch of rounds after her tumor removal. She handled it very well, and we haven't had any issues in the brain since then. Which tells me it worked very well for her. I'm praying you get the same results.

I've forwarded all the emails and post here concerning the lunch to the Vice President of Social Affairs. She should be getting back to someone sometime about something. My work here is done. Hope to see everyone soon.

We'd love to...Let's try to throw sme dates around.

Deep breaths Ginny, deep breaths. Like Katie B said, I usually take the opportunity to explain to them that many people with lung cancer never smoked or had any risk factors whatsoever. Of course, and this is why you love me, somedays my irish temper is running a little hot and BANG, I lay into them with a what kind of insensitive A...hole asks that kind of a question. It's frustrating as heck. As for the number of friends and family who are affected by any cancer, I too am stunned. It seems as if every couple of months, someone I know gets diagnosed with some form of cancer or another. It's disheartening, and as unfortunate as this may sound, I'm no longer even shocked by it because it happens (as it seems to me) entirely too often to too many good people for no good reason. I guess what I'm saying is I'm with ya, and I understand. I hope that it all goes well for all of them...And if the newly diagnosed friend needs any encouragement, just show them Col's statistics. She had esstianlly the same dx.

We'll be praying Randy. Keep us posted on her progress. Early detection is the a huge plus for any cancer.

Sharon was a wonderful lady for sure. I had a terrible feeling that this is the news we would get, when I phoned her relative last week. I was saddened to hear that my fear was confirmed. I didn't have time to get the details on Saturday, but hopefully I can catch up with my contact and perhaps get more details into how everyone in Sharon's family has been doing.

As always, our thanks to Ginny for her organization. It was great to see her, Maryanne, Joel and Ellen.

I am very sorry to read this today...Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Emailed him last week...He was going to check with the family down here and let me know. As yet, I haven't heard anything. I'll check in with him again soon...he's got a lot going on himself so I don't want to bug him.

We'll be there

Good to hear from you Ellen. Keep pluggin along and keep that great attitude you have. Maybe we'll see you at the luncheon.

I too have been worried about her. I will see if her cousin knows anything, he was close with her brother Tommy, I don't know how much he kept in touch with Sharon.

I had the chance to watch it, since my Hockey days are switched now. I forgot how much I liked it...I keep thinking I should give it a try. That poor woman's story is about the saddest i have ever heard. It was just horrific that something like that could happen...I give her all the credit in the world for being so strong. Many people wouldn't be able to even come close to dealing with that. Heck when I heard it I even said, there's no way I bother sticking around here on earth if that happened to my family...I'll be rooting for her as well. She epitmizes strength and courage!

Sorry to read this Debbie. It would seem that if it weren't for bad luck you and your family would have no luck at all. Saying a prayer for all involved.

Unfortunately, yes, there are others out here just like you guys...See my wife's chronology below. I'm sorry that this happened to you and your family. Where are you at in the process? Has the cancer been staged? Has a treatment plan been put in place? The more we know about where you are in the journey, the easier it is for us to help you. If you would feel more comfortable, feel free to PM me with any questions, concerns or fears that you may have.

Col's got Chemo on the 8th...so I don't know..I'll ask her what she thinks and get back to you.

Remember the good times today Ginny...I hope it is a peaceful day for you. You do so much for all of us here, and you do it well and you do it in his memory.

Very sorry for your loss...Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Col's first round of Chemo was taxol and carbo...She ended up needing, and getting, a transfusion after every round...I didn't think it was odd. Of course, I was still completely floored while that was going on, so I'm not certain that I would have noticed a freight train driving through a nitroglycerine plant in my back yard...But anyway, She got through it, and the chemo worked for all but the last round.

Col's side effects were the rash, really really bad, dry cracked skind, rediculousy bad, like had to wear rubber gloves if she wanted to clean something or do dishes, and the occasional diahrea...Like Ned, we had heard that the side effects of Tarceva correlate to the fact that it's working, but that's not always the case. As with Col, she still had the side effects but the Tarceva quit working, so it's not a definite.

Congrats Joe...Nothing more special than children.

Look at the one about the guy standing across from the learning center that is a cutout of Arnold. Read what you can of the next entry of that clipping....Wonder how that one finishes ??????

Hi, I'm John...That's not as obvious in my login:) I'm 33, which makes me WAY older than I act or feel. I joined here I don't know when...sometime in 2007 i'm sure, after lurking for a very long time. My wife was dx with stageIV nsclc in October of 2006, and has been fighting the fight ever since. We have one son, Jack, who will be 5 in October. He is the light of our lives, and he is my mini me...that's him in the Guiness barrel, not me...Although, I did drink the barrel before I put him in it. I am a degenerate golfer, which means that I don't leave the course in the summer time, and am there 2 days a week playing in the winter as long as there isn't snow. For example, with Col and Jack leaving for the shore, I will play 36 holes Saturday and 36 holes on Sunday. I am better than Ginny D at golf. I took up ice hockey a year and a half ago, and I love it. Jack came to see me play one time, so guess what he's doing now...You guessed it, he's playing as well. You want to see the funniest cutest thing ever, come watch a bunch of 4 year olds play hockey. I also try to get Jack to the golf course with me once a week...see he really is a mini me. Col has been through so much througout her battle, and I admire her strength, courage and dignity. She has handled this with more strength and grace than I could even come close to. To date, the only mistake she has ever made in her life was marrying me. But heah we've all made at least one mistake in our lives...well everyone but me:) Right now as most of you know, our little cruise through Tarceva which lasted about two years has come to a halt, and we're gearing up for more chemo again. A dare we kinda knew would come, feared would come, and yet we're still not really ready to deal with.

It never ends does it? The hits just keep coming for all of us on this board. We'll keep you both in our prayers.