kzander

My mom passed away today at 1:00pm -- we couldn't stop the cancer from spreading. I'd just like to take the time to thank everyone on this message board. I've spent the last 3 months straight hanging onto your words of encouragement. Thank you all. I'm mad that we didn't get a chance to fight the battle -- but I hope you all have the best of luck in fighting your battles....much hope and love to everyone. Kristy

Well, I am now back in North Dakota with my mom. And she is not doing so well at all......They feel, unless her appetite comes back and she gets stronger this could be her final week. This is all just going so fast. So very fast. Last week at this time she was out shopping and now she's laying in the hospital in SO much pain and suffering. I've never before seen her in pain like this. Tomorrow she meets with the oncologist to find out if Iressa is an option, or just a waste of time. I feel we really should at least try the Iressa --- but she's so malnurished due to lack of appetite and being able to eat, they are not sure if it's worth it. Please help everyone -- tonight I am asking for prayers that she gets to see tomorrow and maybe gets to take the Iressa, just to say we tried at least. Please, I don't want this to be our last week with mom. Help.

Well, I really never thought I would have to post this but .... I do. And to think, we never even got to post in the good news section. My mom had a CT scan today revealing that the cancer has spread into her other lung and into her rib - bone area. Needless to say, it is a major shock -- they were just checking for possible pnemonia, not expecting to find major spreading. By posting this, I am hoping to hear some stories of encouragement -- my whole family is very shocked and extremely upset. Please help. Kristy

Thank you to John and Shirleyb for that interesting post. My mom is currently a nsclc with a stage IIIa-b. She has metatasized cancer in her lymph nodes in the mediastinum area. She is also on blood thinners because she has had numerous problems with blood clots. Heparin has been used during her many hospital stays. Thank you so much for that story - I read it to her over the phone and I know it brought her hope. Thank you! She is currently taking Lovenex and Coumadine daily - Is Lovenex a form of heperin? hmmm.... Kristy

Thank you everyone for the prayers --- And as if it was magic she started feeling like her old self again yesterday....Tonight she is even having a dinner party - and she's doing all the cooking herself! Just when I feel that God has forgotten about us, he comes through. Thank you everyone for your prayers -- may we all continue to battle and win! We are still waiting to get the doctor's go-ahead with the Iressa, it has been one month since she has taken any form of treatment. That has gotten me a bit worried, but lets hope as soon as we start this Iressa, we make some major progress. I will be flying home this Friday for my 16 year old sisters confirmation and the week of Thanksgiving -- hopefully Iressa will be started and we will have a NORMAL holiday week. Thank you everyone -

I have a very important question and wondering if any of you have information on the topic. My mom is scheduled to be starting Iressa very soon - she has been hospitalized with blood clots and is having major problems with her veins, so at this point they want to start Iressa to give her body a break. She also has developed pnemonia in her left lung and is recovering from that as well. After reading few of the posts on the board, I am wondering if Iressa is the right step for her. Have any of you heard about Iressa causing blood clots, or adding to the clotting problem? If so, this is something we really do not need right now. She is scheduled to have an appointment with her oncologist on Monday to begin Iressa. Any helpful/hopeful/hurtful stories on Iressa would be much appreciated at this time. I currently have no search engine on my computer due to a virus, so I can't do my own research this weekend. PLEASE!! If anyone has anything to share, it would be ever so helpful. Thank you - Kristy

My mom is really going through a rough time right now - November HAS NOT been a good month. She has been in and out of the hospital with blood clots, pnemonia, and other problems. Much of this has gotten her spirit down as well, she can't seem to get through a phone call without tears.....I feel as if she thinks she is losing the battle. I was wondering if I could get some of you to pray for my mom tonight and in the upcoming times. She really needs it right now - she really needs some of that strength and courage she was showing just a couple months ago after the diagnosis. All the prayers are so much appreciated - Thank you everyone. Kristy

Don - My prayers are with you and Lucie tonight .... I will be praying for the best. Kristy

I hope this message does not get to long, but it has been a very long month for my family and my mom. After we got the original ct scan results in mid-october it was decided to put my mom on a clinical trial of Iressa and a Z6747. I have seen that others on the board are on this trial as well. She took Iressa for three days and then was diagnosed with 4 blood clots in her kidney and taken off the trial due to the addition of cumadin. She was then in the hospital for over a week for recovery. Now, her veins are causing her major problems. They are all sore, swollen, and she can't have an IV. Her arm was swollen for over a week and now her feet are swollen as well with what they call "FLEBITIS" (sp) She remained in bad for over two weeks with this and was not able to have treatment due to bad veins. They can't do a port either because she is on Lovenex and Cumadin -- her blood is too thin for a surgical procedure. She has been batteling blood clots all along -- those have been her major problem, that cancer so far is pretty quiet. Now, after looking at a radiologist report done on her last CT scan in October, it looks as though her three tumors DID shrink from the chemo combination. We are all very confused and feel helpless. My mom is in a lot of pain with these bad veins and is scared to do chemo again because of the IV. She also had a bone scan that came back negative, thankfully. That is the only thing that has gone our way so far. She is really hurting and doen'st have much of a quality of life. SO, now the onc. has left the treatment decision up to her -- she can take Iressa and let her veins/body heal, or she can do the Carbo/Taxotere combo again, but have to be put under for the treatment due to the pain in her veins. WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? HAS ANYONE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THIS? I am very frusterated because I know there are survivors out there, but we can't even get through treatment!!! Thank you all for listening -- it is so much appreciated!

I'm am truly sorry -- I have been rooting for the two of you since you have been at MD Anderson. Please know that prayers are with you.

GREAT NEWS!!! It made me so happy to hear that your mom's scan came back stable! That's great! I guess all the praying paid off and maybe you all can go back to enjoying life a little ...

Sorry for the 2nd post, but I just got off the phone with my mom and I shared your story with her. She was so excited that she wanted to know what type of treatment your father had and where he doctored? My mom is a stage IIIA, but is inoperable due to blood clotting problems. If you could let me know what treatment your father was on that would be great! Thanks! Again, congrats on the news!

Wow - That is great news! It gives us all a sense of hope and direction. Thank you for sharing your news! Kristy

Denise - Hope all goes well for you this week. Don't give up. You and your mom are in my thoughts and prayers. Kristy

This may be a silly question ... but how do you get onto the chat board?

Peg and Family -- You all have literally brightened my day! I will now go to bed on a positive note! Here's to the great news and wishing only the best to come!! Kristy

Well, since I'm not posting on the Good News board --- then you alll must already know......... My mom's CT scan came back showing that there are three "masses" of cancer in her body. The first mass is in the lung, and the two other masses are in her lymph nodes directly behind her sternum area. The tumor in her lung has shrunken drastically, but the tumors in her lymph node area have grown. After this discovery the onc. decided to stop the current carbo-taxotere cocktail she was on, and wants to start her on Iressa tomorrow. I'm very confused by this prescription --- thought maybe they would try a different chemo cocktail or something. I am waiting to hear more from my mom this evening --- she is currently in the hospital having a blood transfusion to boost her very low hemoglobin count. Does this sound right? I just don't know -- I wish, I was with my family right now and could speak to the oncologist myself. Next CT Scan is scheduled in a month ..... Here we go again

Well, tomorrow is my moms first real CT Scan since she began her chemotherapy in September. The onc. wants to see first of all, if her lymph nodes are enlarged, if the tumor in her lung has shrunken, if the chemotherapy is having an effect on her, and if the blood clots in her sysytem are under control. So all in all, it is a VERY BIG day. I am asking tonight for prayers and positive thoughts. I knew this day would be coming, and now that it is here, I'm not sure if I want to go forward or not, but I know I have to. Would you please say a prayer tonight for my mom, for hopes that her CT Scan turns out the best possible?? You all have been such a strength for me. Thank you all --- I will report as soon as we find anything out. Love - Kristy

This may be question may be geared more for the medical professionals on the board, but if anyone has been diagnosed with this or knows anything about it -- it would all be ever so helpful. My mom has been having a shooting pain in her rib area, just below her right breast. The pain has been also knowen to shoot into her arm area. Having been to the doctor and oncologist, they are treating her for a condition called costochondritis. They took numerous chest x-rays and both feel this is what the symptoms are. After looking the word up on the internet, I found that it is an infection in the ribcage area with symptoms much like my mom described. The doc felt it may be a direct result of her chemotherapy treatments. I am just wondering if any of you have experienced this pain or were ever diagnosed with this costochondritis infection?? The reason I am so worried is due to possible bone mets that they are missing. If I didn't know how common this metastisis was, I wouldn't be so worried. Any insight would be helpful! Thanks again! Kristy

Linda - I to, am also sending many prayers your way. We are all rooting for you and the hope of surgery! Best Wishes, Kristy

Hi Everyone - I just had a quick question regarding the term neucrosis. My mom had a biopsy done on the lymph node area in her chest and what came back was titled neucrosis, which - according to the doctor, means a dead cancer cell. I was wondering if anyone had any insight/experience with neucrosis or any additional information on what it exactly means. Is it a positive term in regards to cancer? Has anybody ever had a biopsy done and neucrosis came back in the diagnosis? Just curious. My mom is on her 2nd round of chemotherapy and is waiting for a CT scan in three weeks. The BIG DAY.... She is handeling the chemo very very well, and has been continuing her "normal" routine. Just a quick update

I'm so glad things are going well for you two!!! It's such a relief to do normal things ... hope you both have an enjoyable weekend. Here's to the best - my prayers and thoughts are with you both! Somedays, I depend on this good news board to lift my spirits

Hi Everyone -- Just wanted to let you see the picture I finally figured out how to add to the profile. It was taken just a couple months ago at my college graduation. BEFORE we new cancer was lurking..... Anyways, my mom is gearing up for her 2nd round of chemotherapy next Wed. She still hasn't lost her hair yet and has felt pretty good through this first round. She took lost of anti-nauseuas meds and steroids in the beginning. The only things she complains about is that food doesn't taste good -- sort of metallic. The big news, besides her white blood cell count actually INCREASING after chemo, is that they took an x-ray of her chest this week, and can't see the original tumor in her left lung. It appears to have either dissappeared ..... hopefully not moved or something weird. And lymph nodes, which they've not yet confirmed that there is cancer in, appear to be shrunken down to their normal size. All in all, we're not sure what this all means. It would be a miracle to have the cancer GONE, but things are looking a little more positive. She goes in for a CAT scan about a week after her 2nd round of chemotherapy.... I guess we'll know more then. But does anybody have any experience or stories with tumors no longer appearing??? Everyday its something different. God bless, Kristy

Hi Barbara - For some reason, your post today really reminded me of my mom, so I had to reply. My 47 year old mom was recently diagnosed with NSCLC in August. According to her last PET scan, the areas in lymph nodes lit up as well. She has had her first treatment of Carboplatin/Taxotere and so far, is doing very well ..... she hasn't even lost her hair yet! The doctors haven't staged my mom yet, but feel she is between IIIA and IIIB. They are waiting until her 2nd - 3rd chemo to go in and do a complete biospsy. We are praying that it is a positive scan. My mom also had a chest x-ray done last week, and they could no longer see any of the cancer. At this time, I feel like we are getting so many different opinions/diagnosis/prognosis that we are pulled in many directions. I was wondering if you had children and how they are dealing with all of this? Also wondering more about plueral effusion and what a malignancy there means? Any advice on combating your cancer would be much appreciated!! Best of luck in all you do!

Thanks for the link ..... It helped a lot!!