Patti B

Sparky - Welcome to the site. This place is the best!! Wishing your aunt the best of luck with her treatments. Patti B.

Will- I have only recently found this forum and wish I had found it when I was first dx'd. I cannot believe the outpouring of love and caring from everyone here. This is such a scary disease and it is definitely worse in the beginning because you do not know what to expect. But with the help of everyone here, at least you can find some reassurance and answers to some questions. Most of all, I think I can speak for everyone that you will have our thoughts and prayers coming your way. You and your wife will now be on the prayer line and I truly do believe that helps. Cyber hug to you and your wife - please keep us posted on her progress!! Patti B

Ned - guess you're right - running is what got her into trouble in the first place!!! And One flew over is a GREAT movie - I worked on a psychiatric ward of a VA hospital at the time and laughed my butt off!! Patti B.

Prayers being sent your way - please let us know how he does!!

You are in my thoughts and prayers.

So glad you are back up and running and that your CAT scan was good!!! Way to go!! Broke my clavicle when I was a kid - ouch - all they could do was tape my arm to my chest and left me like that for 6 weeks - I was in elementary school and had to write with my left hand!!! So I know what a pain that is!!

So glad you are back up and running and that your CAT scan was good!!! Way to go!! Broke my clavicle when I was a kid - ouch - all they could do was tape my arm to my chest and left me like that for 6 weeks - I was in elementary school and had to write with my left hand!!! So I know what a pain that is!!

At least with me, the first dose of Taxol was given over a longer time frame then in subsequent chemos, they shortened up the infusion time. This is to see if you are going to have any reactions to it (which I did). So hopefully, next time you go, at least that part will be shorter. I agree - you should tell your doctor about anyone who is being rude to you. We all have enough on our plates that we do not need or deserve someone being insensitive. Patti B.

Robin - Did you have a Neulasta shot the day after chemo?? I know they say it could be problems if the pain is in your shoulder blade area - but......just a thought. Patti B

Hi Trish - Sorry your Tarceva is no longing working - I know the feeling - I was spoiled on just Avastin and it just stopped working and I will have my second Alimta treatment tomorrow. So far, so good with the Alimta and from I have heard, it has shown a lot of promise in people. Hope whichever chemo you choose knocks the *&^@# out of your cancer!! I know what you mean about grapefruit - I eat it every single night. When I first came off of Carbo/Taxol the first thing I asked the doctor was - can I eat grapefruit again??? I will be thinking of you tonight as I eat my nightly bowl of pink grapefruit!! Patti B.

Hi Trish - Sorry your Tarceva is no longing working - I know the feeling - I was spoiled on just Avastin and it just stopped working and I will have my second Alimta treatment tomorrow. So far, so good with the Alimta and from I have heard, it has shown a lot of promise in people. Hope whichever chemo you choose knocks the *&^@# out of your cancer!! I know what you mean about grapefruit - I eat it every single night. When I first came off of Carbo/Taxol the first thing I asked the doctor was - can I eat grapefruit again??? I will be thinking of you tonight as I eat my nightly bowl of pink grapefruit!! Patti B.

Barb - Hope you are continuing to feel more "up". I wrote earlier that I, too, have been feeling down but all of a sudden, I am back on track!! So much more energy both mentally and physically!! Don't know why this happens sometimes but I guess we are allowed to feel that way from time to time!! And it is good to know that it will pass! I am feeling so good I have decided to paint my bathroom!! Myabe having something to do is what helped!! Hugs to you all!! Patti

Barb - Funny you posted this - I have been thinking of starting a post about this. I am the one who usually is upbeat, positive and fighting like a champ. But then I got a bad CAT scan and they had to take me off Avastin and put me on Alimta. Knew this day was coming but had it put to the back of my head. Guess its the realization that things MAY start to go downhill!! Then my teenage son is giving me a hard time - seems to care more about his football then helping me out!! So for the last couple of days, I have been hanging out in my room crying. Can't get the doom and gloom out of my mind. I know its probably normal to feel this way once in a while but it still feels bad. Hope you start to feel better and I will, too.....we can all have a "cyber" cocktail together - I would like some White Zinfendal please!! Stay Positive ----- Patti

Frank - Seems like this has been going on for a while. I was dx'd by CAT the end of last Sept, had pulmon appt the next week, tests the following week and started chemo about a month after dx. I always say that the patient MUST be his/her own best advocate so push on - and if you think they are not paying you enough attention - get a second opinion and find a doc who will. There are many fine doctors out there. Godd luck - Patti

Joe - You rock!!! Gives us all inspiration and hope!! I have just reached my one year - and my goal is 4 years to see my son graduate from high school!! Send me all your tips, please!! God Bless - Patti

Joe - You rock!!! Gives us all inspiration and hope!! I have just reached my one year - and my goal is 4 years to see my son graduate from high school!! Send me all your tips, please!! God Bless - Patti

Bucky - Unfortunately we all run into ignorant people. Don't really know if they are just that stupid or if they don't know what else to say!! Surround yourself with the people who will bring you up and not with those who will bring you down. I once had someone say that they thought I was in denial because I wasn't laying in my bed vegetating. I told them they were the ones in denial because, hey, you ARE going to die, too!! I think sometimes people forget that!! Sending you out a big cyber hug!!

Welcome to this forum!! This is the place to be! I only wish I had known about this site a year ago when I was diagnosed -it would have been so much easier. Your mom sounds like an awesome woman and hopefully you can gather strength from her. She obviously doesn't want you to be sad. You must stay positive with her - thats a big part of the battle with this disease and you must also stay healthy yourself for your baby. Let us know as you know more information - you will find that the more you know from your doctor the easier it gets. I will add you, your mom and your baby to my prayer line! Patti B

I, too, looked at this post like "what could be the positive side of having cancer?" But then as I read all the other posts, I realized that there have been so many things I have realized in this past year that I would never have known if it were not for my cancer. 1. Your true friends ARE your true friends and they will do ANYTHING to help you out. Mine cooked for me for two months, and my sons swim team collected money and frequent flyer miles behind my back to send me, my husband and my son to Arizona this past summer. They call, offering all kinds of help and I have learned to be able to say "thank you" and allow people to do for me. 2. I learned that my husband and I are MUCH closer than what I had thought. Before I had cancer, we were both off doing our own thing and not spending quality time together like we should have been doing. 3. More than anything, I am trying to instill in my teenage son that life is worth living, and you have to stand up and fight!! Never, ever, give up - not on life or anything in your life!! And I hope so much that when my days are over, that I will have taught him to live up to the last moment with dignity, caring for other people and grace. Isn't it sad that it took me being diagnosed with cancer to open all this up in my life. So I guess there is a positive side of cancer because there are so many others out there who may never realize the things I have. God bless you all. Patti

Dear MM So sorry about both your sister and your husband - you truly do have a lot on your plate. Just remember that its OK to be scared - we all have been. Will be sending prayers your way. This forum will be such a positive place for you - I only wish that I had known about it when I was first diagnosed. Patti

Dear Liz - I am so sorry to hear about Trudy. She had just been recently diagnosed and was so scared. I am crying so hard for her and her family. Please relay to her family my deepest sympathies.

Ahh!! That wonderful wait to hear your CAT scan results. My old onc would call me at home from his cell phone the evening of my scan but he is now gone to another hospital so don't know what the new one will do. I swear if I am in the exam room too long waiting I will have to march down the hallway yelling his name!! BUT - congrats Debbi - its such wonderful news for you!! Keep up the good work!!

Ahh!! That wonderful wait to hear your CAT scan results. My old onc would call me at home from his cell phone the evening of my scan but he is now gone to another hospital so don't know what the new one will do. I swear if I am in the exam room too long waiting I will have to march down the hallway yelling his name!! BUT - congrats Debbi - its such wonderful news for you!! Keep up the good work!!

Betts - I have personally nvere heard of this but I wonder if Dr. West from www.onctalk.com could help you out?? He's great!! Good luck to you!!

Susan - So glad to hear that your mom is going well and that her onc is being so proactive in total health care. That is so important!! So far, so good with my extraction site - just hope it stays that way!! Patti