JocelynM

Well, I won't say welcome back. I am sorry to hear that you have to interrupt your life to battle cancer, once again. It sounds like if anyone can beat it it is you. I have been through the surgery and it's not so bad. Let's hope that's all you will need! Best wishes and good thoughts, Jackie

Dear Judy, I know how afraid and bewildered you must be feeling. Like you, I poured thru personal stories looking for hope. I found it here. I will say that, for me, knowledge was a path to acceptance and understanding. Sift carefully on the internet- there is much outdated info out there. Survival has increased logarithmically and there are new treatments almost every day! Best wishes and hugs to you. You sound strong and positive and that is what you really need! Jackie

Thank ypu, Sue and Janet! We should compare Tarceva stories. My biggest struggle is dry skin. I use mostly Cetaphil products but it isn't 100% satisfactory. Also have lots of digestive issues.

Thank you so much, Mary. It means a great deal to me that my post can make someone happy. Hope is a wonderful thing! Jackie

I appreciate the info but I was one of the lucky ones. I had some rash at the beginning but took someone's advice here and took a 2 day Tarceva vaca. Rash went away. I just have super super dry skin and the only thing that seems to help is soaking in moisture and then sealing it in - every day.

I'm hoping some curried chicken will lnock my cold on it's butt. Tnx, Randy - perhaps I'll have that for lumch tomorrow! Jackie

I have lots of dry skin and hair issues. I had the rash in the beginning. Someone here posted that a day or 2 without the pill seemed to help. Indeed, 2 days off and now I seldom see any rash. Jackie

After trying uncounted multitudes of things to treat those nasty little ulcers at the corners of my fingertips I developed the following recipe/procedure. You can get these ingredients at most pharmacies and grocery stores. If I do this several times/week the ulcers never come. 1 c. distilled water or aloe vera juice (not gel) 1/4 c. glycerin 1/8 c. good oil (e.g. evening primrose, jojoba, sweet almond, olive) a few drops essential oil, if desired. Calendula extract is good, too, but basic recipe works fine. unpowdered disposable gloves. I like the blue nitrile ones the best and can get large boxes of them at BJs Combine all ingredients in spray bottle. Shake well for each use and spray 5-7 times into the gloves. (put on gloves) I wear them overnight but even a few hours/day is good. If you have problems with your toes, the way I did (several infections) daily soaks in Epsom salts at the first sign of pain always works. Hope it works for you the way it does for me! Jackie

Rick, I, too, felt that my life was all but over. But, in truth, none of us knows how long we have and I have already outlived 4 of my healthier friends. It is so important to maintain your strength by eating well and also exercise. I would recommend a juicer but don't use lots of fruit. One day at a time is always a great way to live! Best wishes, Jackie

Thank you! I haven't been here for sometime. I'm home sick with a bad cold and thought I would look in.

How are you and your husband doing? I pray all is well.

I'm so glad you found this site. It was a god send to me in my early days and one of the few places to come for up to date info I could trust. I so look forward to hearing how you are doing. Hugs and best wishes! Jackie

My 5th year after my stage 3b lung cancer diagnosis. I had my annual pet scan yesterday and there is no evidence of disease. (The good news.) But I still have to take the Tarceva. (The bad news) Well, it DID save my life. I remember receiving the diagnosis and wondering if I would see another winter. I was numb. 5 years ago the statistics said only 1% made it 5 years. I learned not to believe everything I saw on the internet nor everything I read in books. Medical postings and literature become outdated very quickly and all one really does is scare the bejesus out of ones self! My doctor and I hoped I was cured after radiation/chemo and then surgery but, alas, 2 years later it was back in the lymph nodes in my neck. Radiation and Tarceva. 3 years and one dead thyroid later I'm still standing. (Well - sitting. Bad head cold) My cancer diagnosis made my days seem more valuable and the colors around me brighter and deeper. The world took on new dimensions. I learned to accept my friends for who they were and make allowances for how they individually reacted to my disease - even when they ran and hid. My connections to family & friends are so much closer. I have wonderful friends who are also walking the cancer path who I never would have known. 5 years out. Cancer is the new normal but it took years to accept it. I'm still dealing with Tarceva side effects & a new diagnosis of Crohn's Disease (which I think is from the Tarceva). I go to my job every day. I try to help others. I do my yoga and my meditating. I try to eat right and above all practice gratitude in my daily life. I live a simple life. I LIVE!!!!!!!!!!

It's truly beautiful to see how much you love your Mom. Thank you for the update. I love to read others' stories of survival and courage. Please know that it is possible for your Mom to live a good life. I have been living with this disease for 4 1/2 years. This site is full of similar people! Having this disease has taught me to grab onto every single moment in a way I never had before because, truly, no one knows how much time they have. It's a long process of acceptance when one learns that they or someone they love has cancer. Best wishes to you and your family. JackieM

In September I will have taken Tarceva for 2 years. Initially I had all the usual side effects - rash, diarrhea, splitting fingertips and toes, dry skin. Most things abated or I adapted. I gradually began to be able to eat most things, including popcorn - which once gave me diarrhea for a week. Last month I had to be hospitalized with a gastrointestinal problem which the hospital has diagnosed as Crohn"s Disease. I keep wondering if this can be Tarceva related. Cursory searches haven't turned anything up but I was wondering if others had had a similar experience. Any input on this would be greatly appreciated because I have never been that sick in my life...even after 6 weeks of chemo and radiation! Thank you. Jackie M.

Would it help to have a real, actual school bus driver for your bus trip?

Like Donna, I received the simultaneous treatment of radiation w/2 chemo drugs. It was difficult but I became operable and appear very healthy today. I had a very aggressive radiologist who felt that delivery of the maximum doses possible was the best way to go. I am very grateful and it seems miraculous. I hope others experience similar results. Jackie M

It's hard to know what to say. I will pray for you and your family. Our family went through something similar a some years ago - both my parents were diagnosed with cancer at the same time. All I know is we all felt kind of numb and we dealt. Sometimes it was just one minute at a time. (((Denise))) Love Jackie

Thanks, you guys for the great tips and prayers and good wishes. (((Everyone))) It's been scheduled for May 9th. (Yikes ) A little sooner than I was told but that's OK. Got a lot of things to do now! Love to all, Jackie PS - Patti, sure wish I could divide em up and parcel em out... I'd say they're a big pain in the butt but that wouldn't be anatomically accurate.

Welcome, Arnie. I love to hear from people who have beaten this disease. Keep coming back. Jackie

All of you rock. These suggestions are all excellent. I know what you mean about the not "going" but I thought it was from lousy hospital food and just laying in bed - I didn't know it was also from pain killers. Guess I better pack my psyllium husk, huh? I wonder if this should be a Sticky Note. So many folks have gone through it. I just keep thinking of more questions. Did it hurt to eat? Do I just have liquids for a while? Some of the lymph nodes near my esophagus are being removed. We don't have an easy chair - perhaps we'll have to get one - maybe with a vibrator. Hmmmmm And a cup holder I am very, very blessed and fortunate because my friend, Debbie is coming to stay with me for 3 weeks. She was an LPN and nursed her husband through his ordeal with throat cancer. I don't know how I will ever repay her. Thank you all so much for all the great tips. Jackie

I really didn't mean to make it sound like I've had a tough time. I've bad it easier than most here. I wish I knew my body as well as you know yours. When I was in chemo I felt that I didn't know it at all! But you're right - there's nothing like intuition. I've been getting a rest and feeling stronger every day. So, to me, that sounds like a great idea. Get a running start. The most important thing in our encounter with cancer is ourselves. Jackie

I am being scheduled for a thoracotomy (sp?) soon. I will have my upper right lobe removed and several lymph nodes. In trying to plan for this. I was wondering what advice others who have had the same surgery can give me. Things they wished they had in the hospital, things they wished they had done ahead of time, things at home that could have been different. Whatever. Also- how long in the hospital? I was told 7 or 8 days if all goes well. And then 4-8 weeks recovery at home. Ladies - what kind of undergarments. I'm told I won't be able to wear old faithful for a loooong time. How doo I keep the girls in check? Any advice/tips will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Jackie

OMG I'm somewhere between Catholic and Salvation Army. (TMI) J

So true, so true. One of my favorite quotes, and I have no idea who said it originally, is "I would like to become half the person my dog thinks I am." We had a golden retriever and we were worshiped, however, our cat kept us in our place. She treated us like servants. Jackie