jaminkw
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Posts posted by jaminkw
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coni, I think many people will come in here and say an emphatic YES it's normal. I breezed through the early chemos. I think it was the fourth one that went bad I've always thought because it was given faster than the earlier ones. But I do remember the 5th and 6th really kicked my butt. There will be variation but it's common for the big chemo guns to get tougher as you go.
Hang in. Sleeping is probably the best thing for him, and some people routinely sleep their way through difficult physical ordeals. They're lucky.
Judy in Key West
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Great Denise!
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If I didn't miss you already Carole, bon voyage! We'll look forwards to your posts next weeks. Have fun Sandra and we'll look forward to you coming back too.
Judy in Key West
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I guess we need to trust your Nanny to know what's happening, but even to an outsider this all feels so fast. It must be so difficult for your family to absorb all of this so suddenly. You and your family are in my thoughts.
Judy in Key West
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"Many of the highly expensive targeted cancer drugs may be just as effective and produce fewer side effects if taken over shorter periods and in lower doses. The search for minimum effective doses of treatments should be one of the key goals of cancer research."
gpawelski, Much of your post is over my head but I really zeroed in on the above paragraph. As someone on a maintenance chemo that is causing side effects I would rather avoid, I would certainly appreciate this kind of research. Problem is, drug companies want to sell more not less so how do we get this kind of research?
Judy in Key West
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Judy, Congratulations on that MRI result. Glad things are moving forward in a positve direction. Gotta love those insurance companies.
Judy in Key West
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Amber (we're all assuming that's your name because someone addressed you that way in a post?), I'm with Ned, there was nothing you could have done to help Nanny to not take a bad turn. But go see her now if it will make you feel better. I'm sure she'd appreciate seeing you.
Please call your doctor and have that passing out thing checked. First, though, are you eating properly. Lots of people don't when they are stressed and that's the first thing I think of with passing out. Also, are you getting plenty of fluids as it can be a symptom of dehydration as well.
Take care, Judy in Key West
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zuchinni (sp?)
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That's good. You rest and let someone else take over tonight. I'm sure they'll fill you in on all the details.
Judy in Key West
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Muriel, I can accept that but think maybe you've been a little "driven" whacko hanging around with those other crazy ladies whose names I will not mention.
Don't we all have better things to do? Nah!!!
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O.k. Sandra, you could be sitting in an airconditioned motel room eating bon bons or in the hospital with a clot! You were fooling around on the 5th talking about this new pass and on the 6th in much pain. I always assume no news is good news but know that's not always true for you. In this case, I'm going with the you're o.k. and having fun route, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to put you in the same boat (not THE ark, I promise) with a couple of guys who hold back on reporting scan results. You fellows know who you are!
Judy in Key West
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Your welcome Muriel, but wait, who said you "drive" a plane. I thought I saw that and thought, WHAT!!!!!!!
Judy in Key West
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Mary, Thanks for triggering my faulty recall. Now I do remember your earlier post. Sorry about how you had to find CTCA but glad to did. I remember their website when I first started looking. I wound up at MDACC because of my PCP's familiarity with it. Three hours is certainly doable; I've made eight each way doable. I'm watching everyone I can because you never know when you're going to wind up where they are.
Judy in Key West
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I'm sure someone with more expertise than I will come in and give more but off the top of my head, what kind of NSCLC does she have (for example it could be adenocarcinoma or squamous or???)? How many radiation treatments do they have planned supposing a good tolerance? Do they think it's likely they can shrink the lung tumors enough to do chemo? If so, what chemo drug or combination of chemo drugs would they use?
You are really in the information gathering timeframe right now. They probably don't have definitive answers. But if you know what kind of cancer and the possibility of shrinkage, you can ask Dr West his opinion of any treatment plan. Also, people here can give you information about side effects with radiation and specific chemos.
I you've check the relevant box at the end of your post, you'll get emails when someone responds. If you feel the need to do more. Copy the part of your earlier post here (Ctrl C) about her medical issues and what the doctors have told you so far and go to cancergrace.org and get signed in. Then you can paste it (Ctrl V) in a post there and ask Dr West for his opinion.
We're here for you, Judy in Key West
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Amber, I have three grandsons, one with whom I am very close. I'm eight years younger than your grandmother and I pray every day that I can live until he's old enough to handle it. He's only nine but your post reminds me we are never old enough to "handle" the threatened loss of someone we love. The best you can do is try to be there with her and for her in whatever time she has. You'll find on this site many who have survived long past expectations and with a host of other medical issues.
And Amber, let me give you one piece of advice based on recent experience. If you need information about your grandmother's cancer, rely heavily on this site and cancergrace.org where Dr West and colleagues will answer your questions quickly and without charge. Most of the searching I did on the internet just misinformed or scared the jeebies out of me.
Gstood luck to you and your family, Judy in Key West
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Patti, I love you but have to admit when I read the locked ward thing I did think that explains a lot!
I'm exhausted just thinking about my job and education list--I'll get to it just like I'll get to My Story and editing my signature.
Judy in Key West
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Have fun Muriel but don't listen to Randy's advice. We heard that months ago and sent our grandson out on the dock night fishing with a scented dryer cloth in his pocket. Must have been the wrong scent cause he came back in BIT UP!
Judy in Key West
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Lilly, Sorry I missed this yesterday. Bummer! Lucky we have this place to come to and say we're scared and other people who get it. Here's much positive energy aimed a a good result.
Judy in Key West
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O.k. Mary, I love the underwear part but where is CTCA Cancer Camp? Where are your treatments? I missed your earlier posts.
Congratulations on the numbers. We're all waiting to hear from others about tracking these numbers.
Judy in Key West
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I agree with Carole on the matter of trying a number of things until you find things that work for you when you suffer from mood disturbances. I have a firm belief that most times when we are suffering psychologically, there is seldom one single reason for the problem or one majic bullet to fix it. Even cancer can have multiple underlying reasons for depression; i.e. fear of dying, worry about those we will leave behind, will I suffer etc etc.
I certainly agree it can be a great time to connect with or reconnect with a therapist. I said earlier I used Ativan regularly early on and periodically now. I believe in sun or light therapy (not a problem in Key West) and exercise (I do it regularly). Although like Carole, my depression is usually sporadic and short-lived, it's not always light. When something big like cancer really gets me, I might do all of the above and try to add doing stuff that's fun. For me that might be working with my orchids, shopping and or having lunch with a friend, and the big gun is planning and looking forward to a trip. Doesn't have to be a long trip, just to the mainland is fine. It also doesn't have to be any closer than a few months away. The fun is going on the net and checking out place to go/stay and, bottom line,looking forward.
Hope we all can benefit from the things others share here because it's really a shared problem.
Judy in Key West
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I wonder if they are sometimes referred to as "markers?" My daughter the nurse was a little bummed initially when I was diagnosed because I used to get an extensive annual physical with an expensive blood work-up and she wondered why they didn't pick up on markers. I asked Dr West about my cousin getting a blood test after seven years NED to check for ovarian cancer recurrence. He said yes there were such tests for certain cancers but not lung.
Judy in Key West
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Mary, I saw that mentioned on chat last night, CEA numbers. Can't believe I was dx'd over nine months ago and don't know what they are????
Judy in Key West
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Sandra, Hope the clinic helped already this morning. Know nothing about your drugs but Patti's post is encouraging of it not being a clot.
I saw you mention in another post about getting a Zometa treatment and again last night in chat. Don't remember you talking about that. Last I heard you were looking at Gemzar. Did I miss a post? How did Zometa come about? I know nothing about it.
Judy in Key West
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very funny honey!
Introducing myself
in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!
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Amber, I've been away from the boards for a few days and was so glad to hear Nanny is coming home. Hope you get your truck fixed quickly so you can continue spending time with her. I know this isn't easy for you but it warms my heart to hear a more positive tone in your posts. But of course it's o.k. either way. I am happy to hear from you.
Judy in Key West