Patti B

Congrats to the both of you - wishing you many, many, many more 5 years!! I think the Pub is still open celebrating Kasey's NED again so come on down - I am buying!!!! Hugs - Patti B.

Nick- What a wonderful story. She is looking down and smiling upon you. Hugs - Patti B.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((MICHELLE))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) We love you and are here for you. Hugs - Patti B.

Great news!!!!! Congrats on the two year milestone and good job on those scans. Don't be a stranger and keep up the good work!!! Hugs - Patti B.

((((((Michelle)))))) Please, please do not feel guilty at all. There was nothing you could have done to prevent this. You were such a self-less caregiver who gave up her sleep every night for the man she loves. You DID do everything you could. I remember you calling 911 when the elevator broke at the chemo center. I KNOW I would have never thought of that. Please be gently on yourself. Once again, my deepest sympathies to you. Many hugs - Patti B

(((((((Michelle))))) I am in shock right now. I am so very, very sorry. I am so glad you were with him and had some good memories right up to the end. Him asking you to marry him made me break down. What a wonderful husband you had!!! You know if you ever need to talk - you PM me. And if theres anything I can do, please let me know. I want you to know how proud of you I am throughtout this journey. You came here originally scared to death and not knowing what to do and you blossomed into a wonderful and courageous caregiver. I know your husband is proud of you, too. Please remember he will always be right there, beside you. Hugs - Patti B.

Liz and Izumi How interesting that they hospitalize you there for chemo treatments - I wonder why they do that. I was on Alimta by itself for about 7 months. It does cause fatigue and SOB but nothing that I could not handle. Some people get severe fatigue but I have to tell you, it was not hard on me at all. I wish the same for you. Please keep us posted on how you are doing. I am sure others will come along here who maybe had the Alimta with the cisplatin. Hugs - Patti B.

Lorin- Welcome to the forum. Sorry you have the need to be here. I just finished 15 treatments of WBR but did NOT have gamma knife. It is very common to be very tired during the WBR treatments. As far as the not being able to sleep goes, that is most likely caused by the decadron. Unfortunately, it keeps you awake no matter how tired you are. I wish I could answer more of your questions but since he had gamma-knife, I don't have the answers for that. Just so you know, many of us here have had successful WBR treatments without long lasting side effects. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us posted. You dad is so lucky to have you by his isde. Hugs - Patti B.

Cindy- HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU AND MANY MANY MANY MANY MORE!!! Hope you go out and enjoy the hell outa your retirement!!!! Hugs - Patti B.

(((((((Tova)))))) I am so sorry. Remember, your mom and I underwent WBR at the same time. I have had no problems at all but I am on a clinical trial of an approved Altzheimers drug to see if that will help with memory loss associated with WBR. I am wondering - your mom and I ended at the same time. I have already had one follow-up MRI of the brain (which was clear) and scheduled for another in November. Has your mom had one since she finished. Just a thought that maybe something else is going on. Will be sending my prayers that this problem ends soon for her. Keep us posted. Hugs - Patti B.

Randy- Yes, she did pass away. Her and I had emailed quite a bit but when she went to live at ther sons house, she was without a computer. I can't remember who let us know that she had passed. She fought to the bitter end. She will be one of the many here missed. Its funny because I just came across some of her email she had sent me last week and I too was thinking of her. Hugs - Patti B.

I'm with ya, Kasey!!!!!! Hugs - Patti B

Hope you all saw my rant about Pink Football in another thread. I AM writing to both the Browns and the NFL - lets spread the wealth people!!!! Even if they don't want to recognize LC (because of course they all think we deserve it) what about all the other cancers??? and heart disease, diabetes, Parkinsons, etc. My mom is a 19 year BC survivor so I have nothing against them finding a cure but there are other diseases out there, too. I am sure that if we complain too much, they will say we are not proactive enough....duh......I googled awareness month listings and under Wikipedia......LUNG CANCER isn't even on the list, altho December is something about peanut butter awareness!!!! OK - its too high on this soap box - I will get off now. Let ya all know what the NFL says. Hugs - Patti B

Bruce- I already sent you a big YIPEE but heres another. Will you be wearing a cap and gown for this graduation? LOL YYYYYYYYYYIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So happy for you Bruce!! Hugs - Patti B.

I forgot to mention that Sandras husband had asked that we all light a candle on this site in her memory. I have, I see another member has and so has her husband. It might be a good way to honor her. Hugs - Patti B.

Thank you so much for posting this. Hugs - Patti B

Today has not been a good day for me what with the news of Sandra, but I decided to try to relax and watch some football. And it was all pink!!!!! Now......let me start out by saying that my own mom is a 19 year breast cancer survivor and I have two very good friends who are BC survivors. I know we have a few BC survivors on this site and in NO WAY am I saying that BC should not get funding or recognition. Its just that......what about all the other life threatening diseases??? Even if we don't talk about LC (because as we all know, most people think we brought it on ourselves) what about the other forms of cancer??? Or what about diabetes, heart disease, Parkinsons, MS and I could go on and on. The Browns/Bengals game was really pink. They said that the individual players could wear as much or as little pink as they wanted to. And they wore A LOT. And bottom line, I am proud of them for that. The Dallas/Denver game wasn't quite as pink. Who knows what the later game will be like. Wouldn't it be great if each month out of the season the NFL would recognize (and maybe raise some money) for a couple of different life-threatening diseases?? And since November is Lung Cancer Awareness month, why no start with them. I think I will have to email the Browns organization and the NFL tomorrow......no, I don't think that......I WILL!!!!! Hugs - Patti B.

I am so sorry - please see my post under Grieving - we lost our dear Sandra yesterday. I am so incredibly sad. Hugs - Patti B.

It is with an incredibly heavy heart that I pass along the information that our dear Sandra passed away on Saturday. Pat contacted me via email and PM to let me know. He was with her at the end and now has the incredible job of trying to tell his children. I am absolutely devastated. She was my friend, we called each other crazy cancer sisters, and I will miss her so much. She was way too young and so are her children. She is now at peace and I pray that God is gentle on her family. I just can't stop crying. Hugs - Patti B.

Hi again- I spoke with Pat again today - unfortunately Sandra was unable to come home as planned as she developed a blood clot in her lung. They are keeping her there to treat it and at this point, Pat does not know when she will be allowed to come home. I guess it was good that she was there in a medical facility when this happened. Pat told me to call again on Monday to see if shes home yet or not. My prayers for her continue. Hugs - Patti B.

"its the worst it can possibly be". My CAT scan showed Lung Cancer. Its been a long journey these last three years - sometimes much worse than the others. I was only given 12 months tops - so much for statistics!!! You all know I WILL not have pity parties for myself because I feel like that gives the cancer more power - but it sure is tough sometimes not to. Yesterday I completed my 61st chemo IV session - would have been more except for the 8 week break on Tarceva and the 8 week break for WBR. Think I am going for a Guiness Record!!! I am stubborn and bullheaded and refuse to EVER give up because I HAVE to see Nick graduate from high school. He has become my biggest supporter and advocate - something that in the beginning I thought I would never see. I love him so much. He remembers the 29th of each month and always says something to me and today he told me that he doesn't mean to make it sound like he is celebrating my having cancer but celebrating my survivorship. I want to thank each and everyone of you who have helped me along the way. Means a lot to me. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with those fighting this awful disease and for those who have lost loved ones. Hugs - Patti B.

Hi Bobby- I, too remember you and remember what a loving sister you were. Thank you for stopping by and I hope the days get easier for you. Your sister is proud of you I am sure!! Hugs - Patti B.

Hi everyone- Here is an update on Sandra. I waited a while to call her husband back because a very smart person suggested to me that maybe this is how they wanted to handle it. I thought about that for a while and then decided that I know Sandra well enough to know that she would not want us worrying about her so I called her husband again today. NOW - don't freak until you read this whole thing. Because when Pat said it to me, I almost dropped over. He told me that she is in hospice BUT ONLY for pain management. The drugs she was on at home were no longer working so they admited her there only to try to adjust her meds and try her on something else. She is supposed to be coming home on Wednesday and he told me to feel free to call him Thursday to see how she is doing. I let him know that her entire family here is worried about her and praying for her. He sounded very thankful for that. This isn't the best news but certainly not the worst, either. You guys have no idea when he so calmly said "shes in hospice now" the terror that went through me. Maybe thats common for the Canadian health system to do that, I don't know but it sure scared me half to death. Lets get the prayer chain going again for her!!! Hugs - Patti B.

Michelle- I am so happy you have found this new friend. She does sound like a gift from heaven for you. Hugs - Patti B.

Happy Birthday Mom and many, many, many more!!! Hugs - Patti B.