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keo4

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Everything posted by keo4

  1. Hi Everyone, I typically don't hang out in the general forum but I did today and wandered upon all your FAT Club posts. I haven't laughed so hard in ages! I myself have gained about 30 lbs since my dads diagnosis this past summer. Last week I joined Weight Watcher's and have been doing well. I think I will join your club if you will have me I ordered a bunch of Girl Scout cookies last month. I have been avoiding picking them up for 2 weeks so the little girl finally brought them to me....ugh! I might have to donate them or better yet bring them to school. Broke college students never pass up free junk food! Best of luck to everyone. kathi
  2. Hi Jay, Don't worry about it! We will send your dad also (or a suitable chaperone)!! He can help you carry your bags if you go shopping at the Mall of America!! Why don't you PM me (if you want) and let me know what airport you would most likely be flying out of. My brother works for MLT (a sub. of Northwest Airlines), I'm going to ask my brother to bug the execs to maybe get some deals on some airline tickets (or maybe some comps) since Minneapolis is Northwest Airlines hub and you would almost have to fly them to get to Minnesota. Kathi
  3. Hi, I don't know why the forum logged me in as a guest! Kathi
  4. I am so sorry for your families loss. I can hardly believe Greg is gone! He had the greatest sense of humor and has given me some great advice. I'm so sad I just hate cancer. Kathi (keo4)
  5. Hi Everyone, Good News: My dad ate his first real bit of food in 2months. He had 2 slices of turkey and a smidge of pie. I'm so happy that he can finally eat something besides Ensure. Dad is feeling stronger everyday. Sad News: My husband and I are in Southern California for Thanksgiving (with his sister and family) and recieved a phone call from his dad saying that the doctors are pretty sure that he has lung cancer, his x-rays showed a mass in his lower right lobe. He has also lost a tremendous amount of weight and doesn't have a lot of energy. He has an appointment on Monday to get a broncoscopy in Iowa City (which is clear across the other side of Iowa from where he lives). He has to go there because he has no health insurance. Can people w/out insurance still get treatment for cancer? I don't know anything about treatment for uninsured people because my dad has great insurance that covers everything. If anyone has any info please let me know. We are all sad because it is bad enough having one person in your family w/ lung cancer, and now (most likely) two....both of our dads. Well, I suppose we will have to wait and see............. Happy Thanksgiving to All..... Kathi
  6. Hi, My dad started acting weird like your dad, and it turned out to be from the oxycotin he was taken. I'm not sure if your dad is taking that medication, but if he is you might want to talk to the doctor about that. Kathi
  7. keo4

    all clear (again)

    Hi Cindy, I was waiting for you to post with your latest results. I am sooooooooooo excited and happy for you!! What a wonderful Thanksgiving it will be!! I'm sure your family is happy and relieved. Kathi
  8. Hi Cheryl, I'm so glad you found this site. These people have been a blessing and have provided so much knowledge, comfort and support. When my father was initially diagnosed, everyone stepped up to the plate and always answered my questions. I'm sure many people ask the same questions over and over, but these wonderful people here reply regardless of how many times someone asks the same thing. I went to the link that you provided and saw the picture of you and your husband. What a beautiful couple! By just looking at you I can tell that you are a fighter and have a fiesty spirit which are both important for your upcoming battle. We will al be here with you every step of the way. Keep us updated. Kathi
  9. keo4

    Good News

    Hi all, As many of you know, my dad hasn't been feeling so well lately. He finished his 35 radiation treatments about a month ago and was 1/3 done with his chemo before he was hospitalized with extremely low WBC, heart problems, fevers, and a bad reaction to oxycotin. Well my dad has been home from the hospital for over a week ( or 2...I lose track of time) now and he sounds sooooo much better. He finished his 4th round of chemo and hasn't had any negative effects. He had an MRI yesterday and was called and told to come in today by his oncologist and chemotherapist. His cancer mass (tumor) is completely gone with NED anywhere else!! My brother (who went with him....and also my mom) said that my dad broke down and started crying in unison with his oncologist and chemotherapist! Of course we all realize that his is not in the clear but we are so hopeful because he only had the one tumor and still has 2 more rounds of chemo to go and then his PCI treatments after the chemo. My dad said that the good news (regardless of the future) was worth all the trouble. I just thought I would pass that along to everyone. We shall see what the future holds but in the meantime I will take any bit of good news I can get. Kathi
  10. Hi Greg, You know I was wondering about a PET scan. I am going to talk to my dad about it and then call my dad's oncologist and talk to him about a PET scan. I'm so nervous about recurrence, I was wondering how often they would do scans? Thanks for bring it up Greg. Kathi
  11. Hi all, As many of you know, my dad hasn't been feeling so well lately. He finished his 35 radiation treatments about a month ago and was 1/3 done with his chemo before he was hospitalized with extremely low WBC, heart problems, fevers, and a bad reaction to oxycotin. Well my dad has been home from the hospital for over a week ( or 2...I lose track of time) now and he sounds sooooo much better. He finished his 4th round of chemo and hasn't had any negative effects. He had an MRI yesterday and was called and told to come in today by his oncologist and chemotherapist. His cancer mass (tumor) is completely gone with NED anywhere else!! My brother (who went with him....and also my mom) said that my dad broke down and started crying in unison with his oncologist and chemotherapist! Of course we all realize that his is not in the clear but we are so hopeful because he only had the one tumor and still has 2 more rounds of chemo to go and then his PCI treatments after the chemo. My dad said that the good news (regardless of the future) was worth all the trouble. I just thought I would pass that along to everyone. We shall see what the future holds but in the meantime I will take any bit of good news I can get. Kathi
  12. Hi Everyone, Dad FINALLY came home from the hospital this past friday (after being in for 2 weeks). He is still very weak but is extremely happy to be home. Thank goodness that my mom was at the hospital a lot. The nursing staff was/is so overworked and sparse that my dad was having his basic hygiene needs unmet. My mom had to do everything (which she was happy to do). I'm still really worried about my dad. He will start another round of chemo this coming Wed. I'm worried because it was the chemo that lowered his WBC so low that he almost died. I'm so proud of my dad and happy that he is being brave. He has lost his pep in his voice and I am concerned he is depressed. I don't know how or if I should intervene. My dad hasn't been able to eat for weeks (he gets nutrition through his stomache tube). My dad says he can only muster a pancake. It isn't for a lack of appetite. He said that when he eats anything else, it feels like terrible heartburn and feels like it is burning going down. Heartburn meds don't help. Does anyone know if this is normal? Any suggestions? He is dying to eat a big fat piece of chocolate cake. Thanks, Kathi
  13. Hi, My dads chemotherapist anticipated problems eating so before they even began the radiation and chemotherapy they inserted a stomach tube. He didn't need it until the last week of radiation, but was very thankful when he couldn't eat due to the burning pain in when he tried to eat or drink. He is getting better and can tolerate water and soup now. Kathi
  14. Hi Shelly, My dad was on Oxycotin and because his WBC was low, he had a really bad reaction (life threatening) because his body couldn't take the Oxycotin. He told his doctor he would not take it again and I agree. I suppose everybody has different reactions to different meds but my dad said that the oxycotin never really helped anyway! I hope your dad feels better. My dad is still in the hospital from his bout with the oxycotin side effects. It has been a week already! Kathi
  15. Hi Everyone, Just wanted to let everyone know how my Dad is doing. The day after my dad was admitted into the hospital (low wbc, hallucinations, fever) his heart started to act up on him (he had a heart attack a couple of years ago) they moved him to ICU because of a very high heart rate. Since I don't live by my parents (N. Dakota.....me California) I was really really concerned. It didn't seem like my dad was getting any better. But a few days ago he really made a turn around. He is out of ICU and everything is back to normal. His doctor wants to keep him until Monday to make sure he is well before releasing him. I was concerned that maybe he wasn't going to continue his chemo but he assures me that he is going to. After his radiation ended (a week ago) his throat was still so sore he had to be solely feed by his stomach tube. He is now able to start eating real food and is quite happy. His chemotherapist has replied to every e-mail I've sent to keep me updated. For awhile, I was worried that the darn treatment was going to kill him not the cancer! Anyway, I'm just so thankful that he is doing well. Thanks to everyone who replied to my previous e-mails with advice and encouragement. I think if I didn't have this site I would be really lost. You all are the best Kathi
  16. Hi Everyone, My dad's fever started to go up again this morning. They are pumping him full of steroids, antibiotics, and growth factor injections for his really low wbc. He is still out of it and they are desperately trying to increase his white blood cell count. They are going to give him 3 pints of blood tonight to try and help him. They expect him to be in the hospital for another 3 or 4 days. He still has 2 more rounds of chemo to go. Is it going to be this bad every time? Kathi
  17. Hi, The doctors told my mom and brother that my dad's WBC count was .1 ! They said that because his WBC count was so low, his body could not handle the Oxycotin. So my dad is being isolated right now and everyone has to wear masks and gowns when they come into the room. My brother told me that my dad's fever has gone down and is normal. He also said that my father's level of consciousness was back to normal. His oncologists' are going to see him in the hospital tomorrow. I'm worried and all I keep thinking about is "what if my mom didn't call my brother who then called me who then told my brother to take dad to the hospital immediately." I'm just so thankful that my mom was home when my dad passed out in the bathroom. My brother lives in the same town as my parents and is thinking about moving back home temporarily to keep a closer eye out for my dad. Do any of you think it is a bad idea? We are afraid that my dad might get even more depressed because he would probably feel like he was being "babysat". My dad has always been the one that took care of everyone and we feel that we want to do the same for him. My dad will insist that he is "okay" and "don't worry". It just kills me to know that he is suffering so bad. Anyways, sorry for going on about all this, I couldn't sleep and needed to express my feelings. Kathi
  18. Hi All, My brother took my dad to the ER and they said he had a fever of 102. My brother thinks that my dad might have accidently OD'd on Oxycotin because he has been out of it. Kathi
  19. Hi All, I haven't posted in awhile. My dad was doing pretty well with his treatments until the last few weeks. The radiation pretty much killed (temporarily) his throat so his was taking nutrients through his stomache tube. His finished his radiation about a week ago (yippie) but still really can't eat. He just finished up his 4th round of chemo. He is now starting to feel pretty lousy. His white blood cell count dropped really low so he has had about 3 or 4 shots to raise his wbc count. My dad has been taking oxycoden for his pain. He decided to stop taking it for three days and resumed taking it again a few days ago. My brother called me an hour ago and told me that dad was hallucinating and was really out of it. He also fell in the bathroom. I told my brother to take him to the ER right away. I was wondering if anyone of you has had any similar experience with symptoms like I mentioned? If anyone has any thoughts I would appreciate any. Kathi
  20. Hi All, I just read a very interesting article in the October 2003 of Popular Science. Researchers at Rice University just got a 3 million dollar grant to develop nanoshells as a treatment for soft-tissue cancers (so far). I'm not sure if Popular Science is available on-line for free, but I think the article is amazing. The researchers hope to start tests on patients next year. I hope this type of technology might also help people with lung cancer. The article is called: Engineers Light Up Cancer Research. Check it out! Kathi
  21. Hi Janet, Good luck with everything! I really hope that everything works out for you and your children. I will pray for you and commend you for your stong belief and faith in the Lord Kathi
  22. keo4

    Judy B

    Hi, What is Judy B's last name? I want to send a card Kathi If you don't want to put it on the web, maybe someone can e-mail it to me.
  23. Hi Everyone, I'm visiting my pops in N. Dakota from sunny (and warm) California. When I stepped off the plane I felt like it was still 1988 (the year I left). I came across this funny bumper sticker in the local dollar store: "My mom went to a monster truck rally and all I got was this stupid mullet." Yes folks, the mullet is still going strong in ****, N. Dakota (I'm protecting the town's name for fear of future retaliation on my family). If I have offended monster truck lovers and mullet wearers, accept my apologies and sympathy! Kathi
  24. Janet, What your children need more than a life insurance payout is a mother with a fighting spirit. You have the power to instill in them that you don't just lay down and give up when adversity stares you in the face. That is the biggest thing that you can give them! PLEASE Janet, get a second opinion. If I (or my parents) accepted every diagnosis/prognosis a doctor has ever given me/my/parents or my siblings, I should have never lived passed 5 years old, my sister should be dead by now (should have been dead 15 years ago, serious blood disorder), my brother should have never grown past 5'4 (he is 5'11). Doctors even told my sister that if she didn't abort her pregnancies, she would die during childbirth (she is still alive and has two healthy kids) and so many other things. Everyone responds differently to treatments, but I can ASSURE you that a positive attitude makes a difference in survival. I would be more than happy to provide you with many scientific studies that looks at the differences in people who survive and beat serious illnesses......the major factor that seperates people who survive and those who don't is a fighting spirit and a will to survive and also those who believe that they have some control in their lives. Yes, I understand that good people die and suffer and it isn't right or fair. But if people never stood up and fought for things, then we would still be stuck in caveman times. I am urging you to reconsider your plan of action. I know that you have in you a fighting spirit! Channel some of that negativity into some positive energy! I don't mean to sound harse but I don't want you to give up! I know you don't want to suffer and are afraid, but if you are feeling healthy (as you say you are) than maybe you can tolerate treatment. Again, seek another oncologist! I know it is hard to trust doctors when you have seen loved ones suffer in their care. They should be on your side and be willing to go into battle for you! PLease drop me an e-mail or give me your phone number. I don't know you, but I believe that everyone has value and I know your family values you! Everyone's life is precious!! I'm sorry that this post is so long, but I believe that your life is worth fighting for!! Be strong!! It is okay to be scared, but lets turn the tables and make the cancer scared of you!! Kathi
  25. Hi, Typically anti-depressant medications take about 2 weeks to start kicking in. Go back to your doctor and talk to him/her about other types of treatments in the interm (there are some faster acting things they can do for you). Currenty clincial research shows that depression (especially in women) causes an increase in a hormone called "cortisol" which seriously affects your immune system. Try to find an outside support group (like this forum), family members are great but sometimes it makes you feel guilty to constantly dump on them. Heck, dump on us, we will listen and encourage you!! Most importantly, you should not have to suffer from depression, please seek additional support immediately.... Good Luck! If you want any articles on depression and immunity or physiological psychology studies on the effects of a fighting spirit, please e-mail me. Kathi
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