Patti B

Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate ice cream on it.....do ya think I like chocolate?? Now I need to go to the store and get some.......

Pearl- So sorry for what you have been going through. You certainly have a lot on your plate right now. I do agree, however, with your doctor - one baby step at a time. Maybe going slowly will alleviate whatever fears he has regarding finding out what is wrong. Please keep us updated and I will keep you and your husband in my prayers. Patti B.

Nick- I am SOOO sorry you have to put up with so many STUPID people!! Is there maybe one un-stupid person that you could have to be a moderator and ask them to please stop asking those stupid questions?? Right now, it is all about you and your family and I truly would not worry if those stupid people got their feelings hurt - look how they are making you feel. Of course, noone ever voted me into the nice category SO I would probably post a HUGE sign on my door that says STUPID PEOPLE AND YOUR STUPID COMMENTS ARE TO LEFT AT THE DOOR!!! Or maybe a cattle prod to zap them after each stupid remark would help!! Seriously, I do feel so sorry for you, not only for the loss of your mother but for all this you have to endure afterward. If there is anything anyone of us can do, please let us know!! My prayers are with you! Patti B

Christine - I am also Stage 4 and I simply REFUSE to listen to statistics. According to them, I should not be here now and I am doing everything I did before I got sick, albeit a little slower. Statistics are crap. One doc even told me they are based on patients in their 70s and 80s so the verdict is out as to how well they would have done if they had been younger! DO NOT LISTEN TO STATISTICS Your desire to fight and kick this disease in the butt will help you SOOO much. I told my onc. that I WILL see my son graduate from high school and I will be damned if I don't. ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!! I no longer even ask the question about timelines anymore - I will set my own!! As far as Tarceva - I am on Alimta right now with Tarceva being probably my next line of treatment. All I know about it is that it is a pill and rash and diarrhea are the side effects but the rash usually is a good thing - means it is working. Check around on some of the older posts on this forum - there have been many posting on this subject. Sending you hugs and prayers - keep us posted as to how you are doing! Patti B.

Nick - Sending thoughts and prayers across the ocean to you. Please keep us posted on how you are doing. There are so many wonderful, caring people on this forum that are willing to help or just listen to you. By the way, I agree - Dr. West from www.onctalk.com is a godsend!! You will recognize some of us on those postings! You really should check him out. Hugs- Patti B

Welcome Jackie- Gald you found this site. Everyone here is so caring and you will read of such hope and inspiration. Keep up the good work and let us know how you are doing. Love the pic of you and baby!! How sweet! Hugs - Patti B

Tracy - I personally have never heard of that one but you could ask Dr. West on www.onctalk.com about it. He's the best!! Good luck - Patti B.

Connie - Sorry to hear you need to have this surgery but sounds like you have one heck of a doc on your side. Will be sending positive thoughts and lots of prayers your way!! Let us know the date of your surgery so we can all put our hats on!! Hugs - Patti B

Cheryl- I am soooo sorry. I am not a caregiver, but a survivor so I have not experienced the feelings you have but when I read your post I wanted to cry. I hope that the necklace is sitting in the pipes waiting to be rescued!! If not, I would like to express to you that you need to remember that you will have your mom, and a lifetime of memories with your mom IN YOUR HEART ALWAYS!! Keep us posted and hugs to you Patti B.

OMG - it says I am a "veritable idiot". Too bad I am smart enough to know what that means!! Must have been someone else's score -----right??

With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away I thought I would get the conversation going. Sometimes we forget all the things we have to be thankful for when this awful beast is hanging over us 24/7. But then I got to thinking....... Just made another birthday - last year thought it was my last. Am here for another Thanksgiving - last year didn't know if I would or not. Unless there is some cruel trick waiting for me I will see another Christmas and New Year - remember crying last year that it was my last. AND I have found this website and all of you who have given me so much hope, caring, courage and support. I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!! Eat lots of turkey and enjoy the day!! God Bless You All- Patti B.

Carol- YOU ROCK!! And what an inspiration you are to all of us!! Hugs - Patti B

OMG!! I have heard about this and been worried! Our news station said its coming our way (gee, thanks a lot). Just one more thing to worry about!! Hugs to all Patti B.

Many prayers for Liz! Please keep us posted. Patti B.

Eileen - You rock!!!! Quitting is SOOOOOO hard to do!! You should be so proud of yourself! Patti B.

Eileen - You rock!!!! Quitting is SOOOOOO hard to do!! You should be so proud of yourself! Patti B.

Lorie- Welcome!! Sorry you have to be here but this is truly the best place for lots of support, hope and caring. I only wish I had found this site when I was first diagnosed. I am not familiar with your particular type of cancer but would like you to know that everyone here is willing to give you any support you may need. Keep us posted on your progress. God Bless! Patti B.

I just LOVE good news!! Now you can enjoy Thanksgiving!! Keep up the good work!! Prayers to you - Patti B.

Lori- I was on Avastin alone for about 7 months and developed horrendous headaches. Doc did MRI and CAT scan of my head which were both negative. Come to find out, Avastin can cause high blood pressure - he sent me to my local med center to get a BP check and sure enough, my BP was very high. They have since put me on BP meds and all is well. Hope this helps!! Patti B

Hi Jean- So glad you found an new onc. The way the others docs were nothing but negative, no wonder your husband was giving up!! DO NOT listen to timelines -I was told 1 year, maybe 2 and I have chosen to ignore that. I am over 1 year and the last time I spoke with the onc. he said well, maybe I should add another year or two onto that!! There are many here who have beat odds and are still doing well after a long, long time!! Everyone is different and these docs do not know with any certainty. My doc actually told me that I am "somewhat" young to have this and statistics are all based on much older people who may have had other medical conditions that interefered with their treatments!! So your husband certainly has youth on his side!! Hoping he keeps up the good work!! My prayers will be with you and your entire family! Hugs! Patti B

After reading Jamie's post on my subject last night and now the talk about this book, I DEF will order it this week!! I DID use the cancer card once and I have to tell you, I felt really bad - but only for a short while. Last year for X-mas, my son wanted an I-Pod, but he wanted one of the older style, larger ones. Can't find them in the stores so I ordered it on-line. After it comes, of course, my son decides he does after all want one of the minis!! AAGGH!! So I contact the company on-line for return info and they send me a return voucher. Didn't realize it was only good for 2 weeks so I put the I-Pod in the closet until after X-mas. Thats when I realized the return voucher was no longer valid. I called the company for a new one and this guy was chiding me and treating me like I was a child "why would you wait so long, don't you look at dates, etc, etc". So thats when I did it. I told him "I'm sorry, but I have been undergoing chemo for my Stage IV cancer". He never missed a beat and told me "I would be pleased to give you a new return voucher". At first I felt really guilty until I realized that apparently he was authorized all along to give out a new voucher and was just being a creep!! Haven't used the card since but you never know...... Prayers and Hugs to All- Patti B

We have Christmas decorations up all over the place where I live. Maybe not a bad idea since it snowed today and now they won't be putting up lights and freezing themselves. Of course, there are always those few people that leave their lights up all year!!

God, your mom is AWESOME!!! Kudos to her for having fun!! Hope all continues to go well for the both of you! Hugs - Patti B

Amanda - I am SO happy for you both. Keep up the good work!! Prayers - Patti B.

Amanda - I am SO happy for you both. Keep up the good work!! Prayers - Patti B.