Patti B

Bud - I am so very happy for you both!!! Hugs - Patti B.

Sorry you have the need to be here but I am so glad you found us. This is a very supportive and informational site. Please read around the different forums on this site. Maybe once you see how many survivors there are here, you can show her and she will change her mind. Stage 2 is really a stage at which she can be "cured" or at least have surgery and be a long term survivor. In the meantime, please feel free to come here for any question you may have, or if you feel the need to vent or cry, we will be here for you. Hugs - Patti B.

Happy Birthday to Bruce. I am thinking hes about 29 today - LOL!!!! Hope you have a great day!!! Hugs - Patti B.

Nonni- You rock, girl!!!! Heres to 5 more and 5 more and 5 more and 5 more and.....well...you get the idea!!!!! Hugs - Patti B.

OMG!!!! I am totally shocked to hear this. She seemed to be doing so well. Thank you Connie for letting us know. My thoughts and prayers are with her family. Hugs - Patti B.

((((Michelle)))) Hoping and praying for the same!!! Hugs - Patti B.

Michelle- A little diarhea but absolutely no rash at all. I waited and waited and prayed for that darn rash but it never happened. And 8 weeks into it, they did a scan that showed progression. Hugs - Patti B.

Michelle- Unfortunately, Tarceva did not work for me so I had real side effects. I would, however, not take a chance and give the doc a call first thing in the morning. Better to be safe than sorry!!! Hugs - Patti B.

(((((Janette)))) I am just so sorry. Hugs - Patti B.

Dana- Glad the appointment went well and you are somfortable with your decision!!!! YEAH for Dana!!!! Hugs - Patti B.

Thank you so much, Michelle. Hugs - Patti B.

(((((Eileen)))) Prayers for your sister and you coming from me. Plese, please keep us posted. Hugs - Patti B.

Connie- Sounds pretty much like what I was told. Its a shame because we have so many cases of it here in Ohio and its getting real close to where I live - the next community over and unfortunately, we had an eight month pregnant woman die from it over the weekend - from the next community over the other direction!!! It seems like a lot of our cases of in colleges and high schools and so Nick will probably be exposed and he has asthma. With the holiday season approaching, I think of all those people at the mall touching stuff - guess its going to be an on-line shopping Christmas for me. I carry a little bottle of hand sanitizer in my purse but that won't help in the mall!!! All this controversy over it makes me wonder even more if its the thing to do but I hate to put my son or myself in jeopardy. I guess we all just wait and see. Hugs - Patti B.

(((((Barb)))))) I am so glad for both of you getting good reports. Keep on rocking!!! I do need to tell you, if they have not already, that certain foods will interefere with his INR (coumadin) level. I try very hard not to eat those things, like grapefruit, spinach, brocolli, liver, etc. but as my doc says "everything you eat interefers with your coumadin level. So if its a little high periodically, don't get too excited. They change my dosage about every two - three weeks. Its just something that comes with being on coumadin. Oh, and if he gets decadron with chemo, its going to be a tad bit high probably, too. Thats why they always take mine PRIOR to chemo. Good luck and congrats on being off the Lovenox. I dreaded giving myself those shots and the expense of it is totally ridiculous. Hugs - Patti B.

Kukla- I was on Alimta alone for about 7 - 8 months and I did get SOB altho it was cumulative in nature and did not really present itself until farther in to treatment. It was doable, I still did my gardening and such, I just need more rest. SOB and fatigue are the two biggest side effects on Alimta. As far as the rapid heart rate, I have always had a rapid one no matter what chemo I was on. Don't know why. If it gets too bad, Kukla, don't take any chances. I wouldn't wait for the cardiologist if hes having lots of problems. Take him to the ER if need be. Its always better to be safe than sorry. PLEASE let us know how things go. Hugs - Patti B.

Right back at ya, Michelle Hugs - Patti B.

OK - I did not get to see Dr. P but saw Tara my PA instead. I asked her what her and Dr. P. are doing about the vaccine. Bottom line - nothing much to say because 1) it hasn't even been released yet, and 2) they have had no information from the powers to be at the Clinic or the CDC or anyone about who for sure to give it to. Some news stories are saying it will NOT be available to senior citizens and some say it will be. She did say that its a dead virus vaccine which is safer to take. Michelle - to answer your question - its the same answer you always get about the regular flu shot - it doesn't cause you to get the flu. Of course, if they have no info how do they know???? I get the regular flu shot every year, along with my hubby and son and we have never gotten sick afterward but I do know a lot of people who do. I guess you will have to wait until they start giving it out to see what happens to other people. Sorry I don't have more information - we will all just have to get as much info as we can to make an informed decision. I do trust my doc and his opinion will mean a lot to me. Hugs - Patti B.

Happy anniversary, Muriel. Geez, long time to be married!!!!! Hugs - Patti B

I don't hear any complaining!!!! You need rest, too and I am so glad you got some. 5 hours of straight sleep sounds good to me (I am not sleeping well, either). I agree that he may be hurting because maybe hes a little groggy still from the Xanaz. PLEASE, never feel like you are complaining here. We all get it. Hugs - Patti B.

Barb, my friend I hope today is better. Hugs - Patti B.

(((Michlle)))) I agree with Dana. Or ask your doc if hes allowed any sleeping pills and get some for yourself, too. You have to do something to take care of yourself, too, because hubby probably won't change. I just read a thing today that said " You can't change a man unless hes in diapers" LOL!!! Lack of sleep is terrible - I know this because I am having problems myself. Tried Ambien but that gave me some bad side effects. So I am back to Tylenol PM until I see doc tomorrow and ask for something stronger. We should all start a middle of the night chat session, huh??? Hugs - Patti B.

((((((Barb)))) I am sorry you feel sad. I hope the book club does perk you up. I guess we all have those days. Hugs - Patti B.

Dana- You hit the nail on the head. Michelles post talks about defeating cancer, not necessarily curing cancer and yes, there are more ways than one to defeat it. My attitude may not cure me of cancer but noone will ever be able to say that I didn't win in the fact that I fought it to the bitter end and loved life to the end. I LOVE your attitude, too. Hugs - Patti B.

Eileen- I certainly did not mean to say that I thought my attitude was better than others. I just meant that it seems to be working for me. I am Stage IV and I certainly understand what that means. But I want to live every minute I have left to the fullest. There are many here on this board who apparently are doing the same because they have well outlasted the expiration dates they were given. In my personal life outside of this board, I have known people with various cancers who have just said oh, well, and laid down and let the beast take them. Had they had a more postive attitude and fought they may still well be with us now. We have lost many here who had a wonderful, positive attitude. Sometimes I even have survivors guilt that I have been so lucky. Many of them were staged less than me. But altho I grieve when one of our family here dies, I cannot let it consume me. I need to stay focused on me so that I am here for my son, and I realize those friends would not want me to do that. And yes, many of them were so postive. I have no idea why some of us do better than others, could it be prayer, faith or could it be staying positive? I know that none of those can hurt us, and maybe they are just helping us. Hugs - Patti B.

I quit when I was pregnant with Nick 18 years ago. Of course, I grew up in a smokers household, too. Hugs - Patti B.