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Tami

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Posts posted by Tami

    chemo veins?

    in LC SURVIVORS

    Posted

    My veins are also terrible from the chemo. i used to donate plasma and they were never great but people could get them. Now after all the chemo treatments my veins are terrible.

    I think the repeated sticking along with the chemo that may help to burn or wear them out. When I go in to have any type of blood drawn I also tell them about my past chemo and MAKE sure that I have someone who is very good. I also ask for a small or pediatric needle and like the above posters say drink lots and lots of water days before.. it really does make a differnce.

    good luck.

    That time of year

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    (((Pat)))

    How lucky you are to know such a wonderful love. I cannot imagine your pain right now. It is just so unfair that you lost such a loving wonderful man.

    One day at a time... and may the Lord wrap you in his loving arms and give you comfort.

    Tami

    more prayers

    in HOPE

    Posted

    I hate asking for this all the time.. I know that everyone has their own issues to deal with.

    I could use some prayers, good thoughts etc. right now. Things are extemely difficult and I'm at the end of my rope.

    My parents are both gone now and not much other close family except for my kids.. and I don't want my kids to know what's going on!! So I need a shoulder to cry on :cry::cry: and just knowing someone is saying a prayer for me gives me comfort.

    thanks, Tami

    Getting to Know You - October 16

    in JUST FOR FUN

    Posted

    I love halloween..

    Some of my most memorable for my kids.. an outhouse. Big box cut the front out so you could open it like a door. My daughter was inside with fake legs coming out. that was fun but we couldn't get the dang thing in the car. My son (and daughter) wore a headless waiter costume. We built the thing up above their head andthen where their real head was cut out and I put a platter under it.. looked like a headles guy was holding their head on a platter.. it was cool but what a pain trying to build the top half of a "guy" out of something they could carry on their shoulders.. one of my favorites was my youngest.. He as about 7.. I took a square piece of card board and cut a hole for his head to pop out then made a plate out of tin foil and put that around his head.. then set the table with paper plates and plastic ware glue on. I put gummy worms and bugs on the plastic plate. Painted his face white and put fake blood all over the table. It was great until my son wore it to about 4-5 houses and then vomited all over it because the site of the fake blood and the smell made him sick... lolllll

    as a child my favorite costume was a little blue bird. I remember my mom putting it on me when I was real young. It had one of those fake masks with it.. I remember her telling me to peek in the window at my dad. He loved it and always talked about it and called me his little blue bird.. even after I grew up. funny how you remember stuff like that. I sure do miss him.. halloween was such fun at my house growing up..

    thanks for helping me remember that..

    Second opinions with in the same medical facility

    in CAREGIVER RESOURCE CENTER

    Posted

    here's my humble opinion..

    I had a HMO and was permitted a 2nd opinion.. but it had to be with the same hospital/group. They were part of a tumor board so I felt that it would be an authentic "2nd opinion" but it wasn't.. they really tend to just agree with each other.

    In my case this was diasterous and I was given the wrong treatment for my case. It wasn't until I moved to a cancer center that I was given accurate information and treatment.

    I had to fight and fight for a 2nd opinion out of my "area" but in my case it may have saved me. If you can get one I would highly recommend it.. you have nothing to lose by looking for an objective opinion and everything to gain.

    good luck.. Tami

    Have to have bronchoscopy,thoracoscopy, and thoracotomy

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    Hi..

    Many of us have been through the same thing.. I think it's actually a good thing to have it out (if malignant, of course). I always welcomed any surgeryt hey would give me. I guess I just felt better knowing it was uot of there!

    My surgeries were a bit complicated but I also had the bronch and a couple of thoracotomys.. and then a pnemonectomy. They will give you the epidual which will help with your pain. Yes, it still hurts but you will be able to move around a little and cough. which is what they want you to do so you don't get pneumonia. you will also no doubt have a drainage tube the first day. That will help so fluid doesn't accumulate in your lung. With every thoracotomy they left the drainage tube in for the first day and took it out the next day. After my first one I had terrible back pain etc. and I thought OMG I can't live like this for a few weeks till I'm healed I can barely take a breath! Well, no one told me that it was the drainage tube causing me the pain.. and once it was out I felt much, much better. So just be prepared.. I was in the hospital 2 nights each time and when I had my pneumonectomy I was in about 4 I think?? After the second one I was a little more prepared and was walking up and down the hall a little that evening after surgery. Just take it slow and do what you think you can do.. I used a pillow to hold on my incision when I moved around.

    You'll have some good pain meds when you come home but I didn't need them after the first day or so. It is a miserable incision and surgery but you'll be fine with someone to help you around the house.

    I (all of us) will be praying that there is no malignacy but if there is it is great that they are right there and can remove it.

    Good luck and keep us posted.

    Tami

    Costume ideas? revised

    in JUST FOR FUN

    Posted

    My youngest son has decided to do something a little different this year.. we are really big on halloween costumes at my house! we've been a "dead head" on a table, an outhouse, a head on a platter (that was a tough one) just be anything you can think of!

    We are going to use cardboard and make it look like a cereal box.. then he's going to carry a big plastic knife..

    He's a Cereal Killer..... :lol:

    My other son wants to go as a glow stick.. You know cover his clothes with those little plastic glow sticks.. not sure what that would be but at least I'll be able to see where he is all the time.. :D

    I have to wonder...what is the point?

    in SCLC GROUP

    Posted

    sometimes I wonder this myself.. especially when i'm depressed and life seems to really be getting in the way. You mean I went through ALL THAT, FOR THIS?! Sometimes it really doesn't seem worth it.

    Yes, I have several chemo protocols, radiation, 3 thorocotomys and finally a pneumonectomy.. yes, that was hard and yes, it takes its toll. But.. i have had 4 years of NED. I have watched my kids grow, helped my daughter learn to drive, helped my son get his first job, watched my 2 youngest sons now be able to grow taller than me (which I'm only 5'0" so that's not really a HUGE accomplishment but to them it is) I've experienced 4 more holiday seasons with the time to teach them how to bake cookies, where all my decorations go, I got to be with my father until his passing last November, spend time with my brothers and sister, watch my niece get married on the beach this summer... it is definately worth it.. a 100 times over.

    the treatment is rough but not everyone goes through everything and sometimes we actually beat this monster. It's really her decision.. she knows how much fight she has and when she has had enough..

    so just love and support her... I was told I was inoperable with not long to live 4 yrs ago!! I wanted to fight for every second of life and it has been well worth it.

    Good luck to both of you. Keep us posted and vent when you need to.

    Tami

    IQ test??

    in JUST FOR FUN

    Posted

    Okay... Many of you will get this. But I'll bet a few of you may not.

    Here's a one question IQ Test to help you decide how you

    should spend the rest of your day......

    There is a mute who wants to buy a toothbrush. By imitating

    the action of brushing one's teeth, he successfully expresses himself to

    the shopkeeper and the purchase is done.

    Now if there is a blind man who wishes to buy a Hammer, how

    should he express himself?

    Think about it first before scrolling down for the answer...

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    > He opens his mouth and says. "I would like to buy a hammer"

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    > If you got this wrong - please turn off your computer and call it a day.

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    > I've got mine shutting down right now...

    Thanks for Being Here

    in HOPE

    Posted

    :D:D:D:D Hooray for Kasey!! 2 years is a VERY BIG DEAL!!

    I am looking forward to April of 2007 when I will officially be at my 5 year mark...!! I don't think anyone can understand except for those of us who have been or still are "there." I agree with you about the board the losses are very hard to take but it's impossible to leave when you have so many friends that remain.

    you have good friends who I'm sure love and care for you but they live in that wonderful, blissful ignorant world of life without cancer. I miss that world sometimes more than you can ever imagine. Everytime I'm sick, or have an unexplained pain or fever.. and I worry about "it" coming back. When I go to the pharmacy just to pick up my kids antibotics.. I remember buying groceries there because I was too sick to go to the grocery store. The wave of smells hit me and I remember coming in there so full of chemo and barely being able to walk to the back of the store to get my antinausea meds. I long for the days when I could just check "NO" in all the categories on those long health history forms instead of trying to relay an entire novel of health information everytime I see a doctor. A lot of days I just miss taking things for granted and knowing I'll always be there to watch my kids grow.

    But then I realize that had it not been for cancer I wouldn't tell them I love them as often.. I would tend to appreciate just the big moments in their lives not all the moments in their lives. I wouldn't be able to offer advice to new survivors.. I would be missing out on a lot of life. Those of us that have "walked the walk" know what it means to be a 2 year survivor.

    Here's to many, many more!!!

    tami

    Stage 4 LC questions.

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    here's my take for what it's worth..

    I was also diagnosed as a stage IV. Also tumor on my left side chemo, surgery, radiation the whole works. Radiation was bad and I had it with chemo for 12 weeks. Mine was an attept at curative so I think that's the reason it was for so long. Your mother's will no doubt be a shorter time as it is mainly for pain relief.

    the radiation is tough however you are closely monitored. BURNS- I did not have any burns to my skin at all. I was given cream before they started and used it faithfully. That is just something that CAN happen not will happen for sure. HEART-My tumor was actually sorta under my heart. so yes my heart received some of the radiation. Now I do not have heart problems so I can't really speculate on that but my heart is fine, never had a problem with it. However when they did finally remove my tumor my heart sac, my lung and tumor were all kind of concreted together and I ended up losing my heart sac (they made a new one for me out of nylon :wink: ) but I never felt a problem with my heart and I never had any heart issues. I still don't. LUNGS- this is a tough one.. the radiation destroyed my lung completely. However, I didn't notice that, I had the issues from the tumor that affected my breathing. The radiation did not make it worse. I would THINK that if she is having pain and SOB now that if the radiation shrinks the tumor and provides pain relief that may make her breathe easier? ESOPHAGUS-yes, I had problems with this. Mine swelled and narrowed and it was sore and hard to swallow. I still have problems swallowing and I have to really chew my food so I don't choke. But again.. I ate soft foods, but still pretty much ate everything I felt like. They gave me the magic mouthwash and it helped. She may not FEEL like eating much... everything tasted like metal to me. But I drank boost, ensure and I did eat stuff.

    I think your onco gave you the worst case senario in my opinion. Not everyone has all of this or even much of any of this. Especially if you are looking at a short period of time. To put it honestly yes, the treatment sucked... but it wasn't torture. Having said that I was younger than your mother when I had my treatment but I had also been thorough 2 chemo protocols and 3 thorocotomys as well so I was pretty run down when I started. I also worked through most of the treatment as well.

    This is tough.. my opinion would be to try it. Especially if she wants to try. then see how it goes if it's too much for her let her stop. I will say that no matter how bad the treatment was, how sick to my stomach, how tired, how yucky my throat felt, how difficult is was nothing compared to pain. Pain is just the worst to me.. Just for pain relief it would have been worth it and if it possibly shrinks the tumor and helps her to breathe I would think that would also be a relief to her.

    Good luck with whichever you decide to do. You will find a wealth of information and experiences here. Please keep us posted on your mothers treatment.

    tami

    My mama is with our Lord

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    :cry::cry::cry:

    I'm so sorry... I know how difficult it is to hang on. You were a wonderful, caring loving daughter. You were lucky to have each other. Take comfort in the memories of your wonderful times together.. she has peace now.

    Continued prayers for the tough days ahead.

    (((((hugs)))))

    Tami

    Getting to Know You - September 13

    in JUST FOR FUN

    Posted

    Where I am in PA it is raining and cold. It has been doing this off and on for days. it's probably about 60.. feels like 50.

    We haven't seen the sun in forever and it might as well get used to it.. PA never sees the sun. Although I hear we may get one last glimpse friday and saturday.

    I hate Pennsylvania..... :cry::cry::cry:

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