Barb73
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Posts posted by Barb73
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Hello and a very warm welcome to a great site.
Peebygeeby, you will find help here - definitely. This will give you some confidence and much-needed support.
I have just returned here myself, and just following the "history" tags following the posts is VERY helpful.
If you write yours it will help others and you (it can become a "journal of sorts" for yourself.
I took Bill (my husband's) over the years, and it was easy to see certain places where a treatment was given and the results. The dates do become crucial when formulating a "mental picture" of the journey.
Sending you my very best,
Barbara
"peebygeeby"]Hi all, brand new to this site. My significant other has just been recently diagnosed, and we are freaking out! So desperate for support and hope.Had his first visit to the oncologist this week. Has a large tumor in his right lung with metastizes to the spine. He is going to begin chemo next week. Apparently at this point the doctor feels surgery and radiation are not immediate options.
Please! Please! write to me with your success stories and give me something to hang on to!
Thanx.
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Dear Katie,
There is much appreciation at having received the warmth here. At this juncture in the journey this means so very much.
Thank you for your lovely welcome, Katie.
Barbara (I hope I didn't miss replying to someone.)
"KatieB"]Welcome back. I'm glad you decided to give us another try and I'm even happier to read how well Bill is doing. We are here for you. -
Hello Dear Bette,
This is really great, Bette, to see you once again. Now, I feel even more at home.
Welcome to this very warm site. You will meet many wonderful people.
This site has a personal touch which is relaxing, and just being able to find a "history" following each posting is very helpful.
As always, your friend,
Barbara
"Bette64"]I just found this site today. I don't know how I missed it when I've done so much research online about lung cancer.I found out I had a spot on my lungs in April 2006 through a routine chest xray.
On May 18, 2006, I had surgery for lower left lobectomy. Several lymph nodes were removed as well as lymph nodes in the bronchial area. All lymph nodes were benign but pathology report on lung nodule showed it to be attached to the viseral pleura lining of my lung and was staged as 1B Non-small cell lung cancer (adenocarcinoma).
I then had 4 Chemo treatments of taxotere and carboplatin spaced every 3 weeks. The last CTscan done in Jan. 08 was good. I am scheduled for a chest xray in April.
Hope to make some new friends here.
Bette
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CTscan 9/25/06 -NED
Chest Xray 12-1-06 - NED
CTscan 1-4-07 - NED
CTscan 4-12-07 NED
Chest Xray 7-18-07 NED
CTscan Chest & Abdomen 9/14/07 NED
CTscan 1/14/08 NED
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Hello Connie,
Thank you for the uplifting reply. I love the story about the 12-year survivor.
Thank you, Connie.
The only reason I didn't post here much back then was having become engrossed in posting news items, first at SLCA, and then at the former site.
After reading your interest in lung cancer, you would appreciate the compulsion in searching out new, innovative, and effective treatments. It can become an obsession.
Literally hours were spent searching, posting, and then trying to reply to those who either had lost someone to this disease, had good scans, and those who had wonderful celebrations of good news.
The good news is that there are some very promising treatments out there and in the pipeline. Of course, we could do with a major breakthrough.
Another hope is that this will truly become a more easily-detected cancer, and at a much earlier stage.
Right now, Bill is doing well (thank God). May he continue to be so. May all of us who are survivors, and those of us who are their loved ones be encouraged.
Glad to be back.
Barbara
"Connie B"]What a wonderful story Barb. You know, we lung cancer survivors want so bad to hear LONG TERM lung cancer survivor stories, I can't even begin to tell you. I know when I was dx.d 12+ years ago I didn't know ANYONE who survivied more then a year with it. (hence my family history). And then I met someone who was a lc survivor, I latched onto him like stink on pooh! 
He's a 13+ years lc survivor and he is STILL cancer free and doing well today. He too was a stage IIIB Squamous Cell he had.I truely HOPE there will be NEW ways of treating Lung cancer and other cancers very soon in the future. I know these treatments WILL change, but just not soon enough. And I know they are coming.
It's nice to have you back here at LCSC. I hope you'll stick around.
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Hi There, Connie,
Bill is beating the odds (our mantra). I keep telling him that. Today, over at the Cancer Center at HUMC, we saw a man (who both of us had known over sixty years ago). I was hesitant about approaching him, and had to put on my eyeglasses to make doubly sure he was who I thought he was. (I had heard them call out his name.)
It was he. He had been diagnosed with lung cancer w/mets to liver.
They must have thought it was "old-home week" in the waiting area. He and his wife were so happy to see a survivor (Bill). They remembered him when he was young, blonde and full of vim and vigor.
He and his wife were almost kids when we had seen them last. Thankfully, they (the hospital staff)call out names very loudly, or we never would have connected.
My hope is that we will all see more effective treatments coming down the pipeline and giving us even better, non-toxic chemos in which to place our hope.
Barbara
"Connie B"]Welcome home Barb, so very good to see you again and to hear your hubby is still beating the odds! -
Patti,
Forgive me if this is a repeat of a reply to you. It is a wee bit "new again" to me.
I can tell you that this board has always been great for responding, and for people posting their "histories."
Without all that, we cannot tell the diagnosis, the stage, and anything that gives a clue to where a person is.
That is why, for good or ill, I will always tell you how Bill is doing. We cannot help him or anyone else without that info.
We want to learn how to beat this, as one wonderful person has called it, "this demon." I know, it sounds as though it is giving it personification, but it is a demon that needs kicking down - every chance we can.
Barbara
"Patti B"]Barb-Re-welcome to you!!! I was not around here back then - hoping and praying for lots and lots of good news on your hubbie!!!
Hugs - Patti
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Hello Gail,
How nice that you remember.
Yes, I am in New Jersey, and up here in Bergen County.
Actually, the town in which I live is very small - one-mile square and was once called "Our Town," after the play.
Good to "see" you again. I will try to get a photo. We changed our computer and I cannot figure out the camera thing-a-majig. But, I WILL.
Barbara
"gail"]I remember you too!! Both of us from NJ and all. glad to see you again!gail
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Hello again, Kasey,
Yes,I DO remember you. You wrote to me a long time ago. It was a really nice message. I think it was when the other site was still SLCA when Dave Grant was still alive. What a wonderful person he was!
I am so very glad that you gave me this present reply. You have given me a lovely gift.
May you be continually blessed,
Barbara (aka BarbaraEllen)
"Kasey"]I remember you, Barbara. I read on LCA for all your research! I do believe I even PM'd you. Do you remember? But I can't remember your screen name here either. I know it wasn't the same as the other site though. It took me a bit to figure out you were one and the same. I, too, am totally boggled by what has been done over there. I never posted a thing, but would read and I 'know' lots of the folks. Maybe with time things will become better????At any rate, WELCOME back here. Hopefully in no time at all others will get to know you and Bill and you will find support. You and Bill are an awesome team. Glad you are with us.
Kasey
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Hey there, Jamie my dear,
I am so glad to be back. To be honest, right now, I am glad to be back anywhere that I can read and post without having to figure out too much in the format.
As things march on, I am seeing good things down the road as far as research goes.
That is my favorite subject. Wouldn't you know it? My eyes are going just as I have become compulsive about reading?
Thank you for all of your encouragement over the years, Jamie.
Love you,
Barbara
"Jyoung20"]Hey Sweet Barbara!!I'm sooo glad you are here!!!
xoxo
Jamie
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Hey there, Judy,
I'm glad you got the info on both counts.
Knowledge is power - even for the "little" things like responding individually.
I see that you are in Florida.
Our youngest son lives in Orange Park. They are due to come up here for a visit soon. That will be a treat. We haven't seen them in a while.
Holding onto hope,
Barbara
"jaminkw"]Barbara: Thanks to you--for the other site info but especially for the tech info I'm usually bugging Ned for. I didn't even know you could respond to each person individually let alone how to do it! Thanks again.Judy in Key West
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Janette,
I can truly say that we have been there.
Three plus years ago, Bill was diagnosed at Stage IIIB.
Jumpy doesn't even come close to what my stomach was doing with sinking sensations, and negative thoughts were in the majority.
I cried often (mostly in the shower) - didn't want to upset him too much.
Our niece, who is an oncology nurse, came with us for the initial oncologist visit. She knew that people tend to "miss" what is being said when under stress. She was the extra set of ears.
Bill was to receive concurrent chemo/radiation. Our hope was for surgery following any shrinkage.
Later, it was determined to be "inoperable" due to location. The oncologist told us that he would be treating it as a chronic illness. That didn't mean much to me at the time. I wanted more assurance. Well, there was none to come, but I did know that there were treatments available, and more in the pipeline. Forget the statistics - they are old and rusty.
Here we are a little over three years later, and Bill is once again in chemo after having had a chemo break, albeit had some radiation over a time. Bill has been leading mostly what we call "new normal" life. He has been actively involved in gardening, socializing, and (in winter) shoveling snow from sidewalks.
This current regimen is Avastin/taxol/carboplatin.
There are treatments, Janet, and there is hope. We do not know from day to day how it all will go, but we try to keep positive (easier said than done, I know). The immune system works for the better when we are not under too much stress.
We keep an eye on nutrition, keep Bill hydrated (especially when receiving treatments - either or both radiation and chemotherapy).
Blessings wished for you and your honey, and holding onto hope,
Barbara
"Janette"]My honey was diagnosed on January 23, 2008 with Stage 3 Lung Cancer. They were to do 7 weeks of radiation along with chemo for 4 weeks, every 4 weeks. Februray 25th was the big day for Chemo to start and also the radiation. He sat in the chemo chair, for 2 hours, all set up and ready to go when they pulled him out of it to tell us that from the CT scan done the Thursday before things had gotten worse and they could not do the treatment plan original given to us. So no chemo. Radiation doc advised that he was now treatable but not curable. they did start radiation that day and did it for 12 straight days. I must say, it has worked wonders. He can breath again that nasty coughing has almost become disappeared, I thank God every day. We meet with the chemo again on Monday morning and pray that they can start it that same day. My heart has ached for him since this has all started, I have never felt so helpless in my life. I'm a woman - a mother -a grandmother - I have nutured since I can remember now and cannot fix the man I love with all my heart. -
Dear Kathy,
So good to see you.
You are so right, Kathy, I read your "history tag," and you said it was a struggle. It is. It takes energy, strength, and anything else we can throw at this.
Sometimes, we lose a bit of that, and at other times we gain some hope and some "chutzpah."
We need that so very much. Many of you who have lived with this know that hope and uplifting information can give us the needed bolstering.
You and your husband are wished good scans in April.
I will be keeping you in my thoughts for April.
Love,
Barbara
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Hello Ned,
I thank you for the really nice reply.
I always read the "history" of each person. That is where the information is of vital importance in our journey with this disease.
Without a tag following the person, to be found somewhere on a site, there is a huge void. You might be surprised to know how, to some, that is a big dark secret. No one benefits from lack of knowledge - no one.
How do we know how that person's story began, and what they did to receive helpful treatment?
Thank you for the warm welcome, Ned.
Holding onto Hope,
Barbara
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Sandra,
Thank you for your patience in my response. I am a dodo. I couldn't find the reply button for each individual reply.
Thank you for the reply. It was a very nice welcome.
Holding onto hope,
Barbara
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Hello Judy,
Thank you for the upbeat reply.
Yes, being a Stage IV not long after being a IIIB can be dealt with, but we know, too, that it can be a challenge, as well.
The thing we've come out of this with is the idea that observation re mets is very crucial.
(Our oncologist had said from the start that he would be treating it as a chronic. That is how it has been since 2004 - actually, the treatment began in January of 2005.)
The site that I left was "Inspire" which is attached to Lung Cancer Awareness. I originally joined it when it was "Survivors for Lung Cancer Awareness," and was encouraged there by its cofounder, David Grant. He, along with Estrea Johannasen, gave us the spark to get through.
The SLCA site changed once, but was relatively the same warm and comfortable effort.
Later it became a whole new site, and this last change was too much for me. I am sure lots of people like it, but I'm getting too old to have my head spinning with new formats. It spins enough as it is.
Thank you for the welcome. When dealing with lung cancer, it is soooo good to be able to relax a bit when posting.
Hope and all good thoughts,
Barbara
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Hi Patti,
Actually Bill was dx in December of 2004 and not too long after (in 2005) jumped into bone mets, bringing him into stage IIIB/IV.
He is OK, though, and takes it all pretty well in his stride.
At the beginning of all this, he told me that it was going to be a "job." Was he ever right about THAT.
Thank you for the hug. Needed that.
Love and Hope,
Barbara
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Jamie,
Sorry to be so long in responding. I couldn't find the reply button. Had forgotten (long term memory loss)
It was the "Quote" button at the top, but you already knew that.
Thank you for the warm welcome Jamie. I needed something like that since jumping ship at LCA.
I told Bill, and he sends his love, too.
Barbara
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Good Morning, Everyone,
This morning I introduced myself and am a bit at sea here at the moment. Forgive my absence, (had joined here three years ago, but all I could deal with in my dotage...
was one site at a time.The board I belonged to since then has changed for the third time, and expanded greatly.
I have perused this site, and know some of the people here from the other site. I needed to return to what was more comfortable. I would appreciate your kindness in my being accepted back "home."
Bill, my husband now 77, diagnosed Dec. 2004 at age 74, has been through more than a few regimens and types of treatment. When I get my files in order, I will post them.
First, I need to trim them down to something sane for human reading. Right now, they are more than a mile long.
What is important, right now, is that two weeks ago, and following second round of Avastin/taxol/carbo, the ct scans w/contrast, show shrinkage.
Forgive me if I seem all over the place, but it's been quite a journey. We have been "hanging in there." I do need support through this, and maybe I could contribute something along the way?
Thank you for your patience.
Barbara
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Hello Everyone,
I had joined this group over three years ago, but got attached to another site over the interim. That board changed once, but now a second time, and I am not comfortable with its much larger venue.
I lost my password and username from first joining here at LCSC, so I re-registered. Forgive me, I'm a bit older than I was back then, and not as comfortable with the unfamiliar.
My husband may be remembered by some of you. His name is Bill and presently, on a new regime of Avastin/Taxol/carboplatin (every three weeks).
His last scans, taken two weeks ago, and after two rounds, showed shrinkage.
This has been an over three-year journey for us. Glad to be back and to "meet you all."
Barbara
He's a 13+ years lc survivor and he is STILL cancer free and doing well today. He too was a stage IIIB Squamous Cell he had.
new here and I want to know how to change the stigma
in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!
Posted
Dear Lori,
May I offer you a warm welcome.
You have expressed the same frustration as I at the questioning of those with lung cancer on their smoking status.
As Randy has related, it's a matter of education. The public needs to be educated on the fact that other cancers are being connected to smoking.
In more recent news, there are: colon, pancreatic, head and neck. There most likely will be more forthcoming in future.
Here is what I say when they ask about Bill, I say, "Why do you ask?" It stumps them. Then, if they say, "Well, it is supposed to cause lung cancer," my answer to that is the number and percentage of nonsmokers, and the litany of other causes of lung cancer - radon, second-hand smoke, chemicals at one's job, asbestos, and more - not to forget the least known - genetics.
If I feel particularly energetic, the soapbox follows up with other diseases related to smoking: pancreatic, breast, colon, and heart disease(including atherosclerosis).
It may be one individual at a time, but hey, it's a start.
Thank you for bringing the subject up. Stigmas have no place in a medical situation. Actually, no one diserves lung cancer.
Barbara