Debaroo

Actually, it does happen. Many people are treated for bronchitis or pnemonia before the cancer is found-or should I say-looked for. My dad had no symptoms, not even a cough, when he was Dx in January 2002. The cancer was found when he had an x-ray of his abdomen to see if he had an intestinal blockage (he had food poisioning), the doctors reported-to our relief, that he had no blockage....but....he has a tumor on his spine. Now Daddy did have back pain, but he ALWAYS had back pain (he had severe scoliosis; his spine was curved like a quesiton mark). Now, here is the good news for your dad-if he feels good now, than advise him to RUN WITH IT. The fact that he does NOT FEEL SICK, is a great advantage to him...he will probably withstand treatment better, and he should also have a better attitude and outlook because of his not feeling sick. I know that this was the case with my dad, and it was a great way to kick off the battle! So, try not to jump too far ahead, and I hope that your dad can keep his spirits up, FEELING GOOD is definatly a GOOD THING!!!! take care, and keep us posted, Deb

Francine, just wanted to let you know that I am sending positive thoughts and vibes your way. Let us know how things go, we'll be a'watin'. Take care, deb

Sally, I was glad to see your update. I hope that the Gemzar is the answer-if not, there are many other forms of chemo and clinical trials out there. You are both in my thoughts and prayers. Try to keep us posted, if you can. Even a little blurb to let us know how you and your brother are doing. Take care, Deb

Ginny and Earl, just wanted to send you my love...I, also, don't know WHAT to say, its all pretty much been said. I really like Deans advice, to take pride in the things that you can do. Man, I know that the ice here on long Island is trecherous, so I can't IMAGINE how it is down in PA. I can barely walk up the driveway (just do the attractive 'duck waddle'- very cool looking), let alone to walk up a hill! Godda admire the Dukes spunk, though. Ginny, take care of you, and tell Earl that you will sinch him up like Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda did to their boss in the movie Nine-to-Five if you have to in order to keep him from taking another spill! Keep us posted on how the two of you are doing. Take care, Deb

I hope David continues to feel better, and is able to report in with us ASAP. Oh, and David, if you pulled this stunt in order to get more replies to your post for your little competition with bobmc, than you're gonna get it -POW! right in the kisser!!!! We love you, and I'm sure you've heard the term size dosn't matter (not that I would know ) well the same goes for the 'number of replies'. Take care, and we look forward to your posting for yourself and giving Ry a break. Deb

David, I am so glad that you found out what you were dealing with, and now you can take care of business and get back home and back to us! Take care, and we look forward to hearing more from you or about you (thank you Ry!). Deb

I must echo Cindy in this, as you all have said what I was thinking when I read Sandys post, man Sandy-your reaction was right on target-and to you all I say "AMEN!!!!!!!!" Deb

Dean, we LOVE YOU, and remember, depression is NOT A CHARACTER FLAW, IT IS A CHEMICAL one=get the medication you need to get help get you through this thing...we are here. Deb

Next on Queer Eye, the FAB FIVE set off to VA and surprise this guy (cut to picture of David in his sylin' hat) Carson (the fashion expert): "We're sorry to interrupt, were you on your way to the Easter parade?" And what WILL Cyan (the hair guy) DO with THAT doo? Can they turn this CLOWN into the STUD his wife Karen knows he is??? See Carsons reaction to the other "clothes" that lurk in Davids "wardrobe"...."UUGGGHHHH" ...Perhaps David has been surpressing his childhood dream of traveling in Ringling Brothers..."I just want to make people happy." David says... Can we find a balance between the clown and the coture that lurk inside of David? Tune in, and find out. Deb

Well, Gay, welcome to the family. As you can see, your Dean has quite a fan club here. Include me in that group, thank you very much. And it sounds to me as if you are an inspiration as well. I, also, spent many years working with the Developmentally Disabled-mostly adults. I also worked with people living with mental illness, although I havn't 'worked' since the birth of my first daughter, so its been five years. I do miss it, though, especially when I worked for AHRC, I was a job coach, I just loved looking for and FINDING employment for people that wanted to work. Anyway, just wanted to say "Aloha", and I am looking forward to your future posts. Take care, deb

Oh, Kim, no apologies necessary...We are all just so happy for you and your Dad. Please, you did NOT waste our time, in fact you gave us all a reason to be happy, AND you gave Dean the opportunity to say "I told you so!" No time waste here. Whenever you get the opportunity to "meet" a great person, how is that EVER a waste of time. And I am sure that we wouldn't mind an update every now and again...I'm sort of curious about the iron deposits, how does THAT happen? And what do they do about it? Well, just know that we are all celebrating with you and your family. Take care, and ENJOY the news!!! Deb

Is that a real dog? I thought it was one of those toys that you used to see back in the day, in the rear window of a chevy-you know-and his head nods up and down. Like a bouble head. I figured Dave was into the retro-thing, you know, lava lamps, bean bag chairs and all. FUNKY deb

Laurie, GREAT WORK!! OH, and you have GOT to use DavidC's new pic with the darling hat!!! Let us know how it goes! Deb

Close to the edge-you GOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am telling you, never underestimate the power of a great attitude! And, when you have a bad day, don't beat yourself up over it, but the good days-ENJOY!!!! Let us know how you are doing! Take care, Deb

Cheri, welcome to the board-we hate statistics (statistics describe a group, not the individual). That being said, my Dads case sounds just like yours. My dad went into the hospital Jan. 2002 with what was either food poisioning or a nasty stomach virus. Anyway, in the x-ray to check for a blockage (none was found-good news) they found INCIDENTALLY a tumor on his spine. Now, Dad had been having back pain for a while, a long while, he was sleeping alot, and I kept asking my mom if he'd been to the doctor, but they blew the back pain off because he had ALWAYS had a bad back, he had a severe case of scoliosis. Anyway, a biopsy of the spine tumor proved that he had lung cancer (they thought sclc, but it ended up being NSCLC). After his first chemo session the back pain was GONE-he "never felt better" and faired so well through the chemo (taxol/carpboplatin -sp?) that you would never guess that this man had cancer. He survived almost exactly 2 years after diagnosis-so much for statistics. He survived brain mets-which cropped up almost 1 year after dx (treated with gamma knife-thanks to Kerry of this message board and the information she shared about her father). My point, and I do have one, is that the first line of combat is provided by your dad himself-and you and your family and the DOCTORS can/must help with this-it is ATTITUDE!!! THE RIGHT ONE! My dad from day one believed that he would do alright-and he did, through chemo and all. that first year and a half were pretty spectacular! Dad knew that he was considered 'incurable', but didn't mind, he just wanted to be around as long as he could, he had faith that when he would die, he would be alright and with God, and he still had hope that the longer he did live, the more medical breakthoughs that will come up and maybe he'd get more time. Dad said that he'd try anything, hed be a guniea pig, and he had alot of faith in his oncologists, as well. You see, they NEVER GAVE HIM A TIMELINE. I called Daddys onc. the night before Daddys first appt. for treatment and requested that he not give a timeline, as I felt it would more than likely put a dent in Daddys wonderful outlook and attitude. Do you know what that wonderful Dr. Gold said to me? He said "I don't believe in timelines, I'm not God...your dad is a good guy, and we're going to do all that we can to get him the most time we can." That is a crutial weapon, I believe. The other crutial weapon, is what you have already done, research-research-research, my Dads onc. is a great guy, but he didn't even know that gamma knife was available on Long Island (it had become availible in October-and Daddy had the procedure in January-talk about great timing!! So, Cheri, DavidC said it-miracles happen everyday-and the good news is: you and your father are NOT powerless in this fight!!!!! Also, to repeat the wise and frightening (yes, it IS the hat) DavidC, we are here for you. Take care, feel free to Private message or e-mail me. Your dads case sounds so much like my dads, I just really needed to let you know. Take care, and once again: Statistics describe a group NOT THE INDIVIDUAL!!!!! Deb

Consider yourself counted!!! Fear and Hope-we must walk with them hand in hand. Welcome, and lets not just consider it a reprieve, but rather consider it to be the 'first three months of the rest of your life'!!! Wishing you continued good health and we would love to know your story, when you are up to sharing it. In the meantime, welcome to the boards.

MO!!! GOOD NEWS, and GOOD KARMA !!! Don't you just love it when not only you receive good news, but when you feel as if 'someone' is looking out for you ?! You must be walking on air! No, on SUNSHINE!!! Take care, my friend, and I am so happy for your news about the fluid-C-E-L-E-B-R-A-T-E!!!!! Take care, Deb

David, MY BAD- Deb

I was just reading Soul Stories by Gary Zukav and one segmant really hit me. It is about how we must not try so hard to control life, as it just makes you weary and distressed...here is a bit of an exerpt: "Hawks are masters at flying. They can glide. They can climb and dive. They can land in trees. They are masters of their wing feathers and their tail feathers, but the are NOT masters of the wind. The wind goes where it wants. Sometimes the wind blows from the north and sometimes from the south. Sometimes it comes from the east and sometimes from the west. Sometimes it flies straight up and sometimes it roars straight down. It can disappear and reappear from nowhere. No matter how it blows, hawks love to fly. They move with the wind, but not like leaves in the autumn breeze. Leaves in the wind go where the wind goes, and sometimes that happens to hawks, too. Sometimes it doesn't . The journey of the leaf depends only on the wind. Hawks have wills of their own. The journey of a hawk depends on both the hawk and the wind. Sometimes the wind takes the hawk where it wants to go, and sometimes it dosesn't. When it doesn't, the hawk doesn't mind. Either way, hawks are masters at flying, always in control of their wing feathers and tail feathers. Elegent spirits do this, too. Their wing feathers and tail feathers are what they think, say and do. They always think, say and do things to create harmony, cooperation , sharing, and reverence for life. No matter what comes up, that is what they do. They are in control of what they think, say and do, even thought they are not in control of what comes up in their lives. Sometimes unpleasant things come up. Other times happy things comeup. Either way, they ride the wind. They do the best they can, and then they let the wind take them where they need to go. The wind is your life. It is all the things that happen between the time you are born and the time that you go home. Elegant spirits don't know what will come up next, the same way that hawks don't know which way the wind will blow next. This doesn't bother them because they don't try to control their lives any more than hawks try to control the wind." It really hit me, as I have such a tendancy to worry, to try to see the future, since I was a young child, I was always trying to anticipate what life would hand me. I remember being 5 years old and my parents were out and the sitter was watching my sister and I, I remember laying on my mothers bed, hugging her nightgown and crying, because I was SO AFRAID that she would never come home; that she would die. If I had a dime for every night I have spent worring about what might happen in 2 days or 2 decades, I'd be filthy rich, I wouldn't be happy, but I'd be rich. So, I find this thought so comforting- You can only control yourself and how you handle your life. I just loved this idea, and it does make sense to me. Life hands us alot, good things-like our family, friends, fun days-health...then it hands us things that we don't want-namely illness...we control how we handle it, by coming here and seeking information and support, and by offering inspiration and support-it is a positive way to deal with a negative force in your life. We control how we use our time, how we live our lives. It isn't easy, but ulitimitely we know that, although we can't control what we have been dealt, we do have choices as to how we get through it...and we must get through it... I just want to thank you guys for being my wing feathers and my tail feathers. You have made what could have been a very bumpy journey, a smoother and even pleasant one. Take care, Deb

Andrea and Jen, I just wanted you to know that it is normal to be uptight and tense during check up times...just try to take a breather, and I hope that it helps knowing that we're all here praying for your moms, and for you guys, too. Take care, and breathe.....deb

David, It might be fluid on the lungs-but I would imagine it could be something else, too. I just wouldn't sit on it, check with the doctors. My dad had fluid buildup in his lungs in June-went to a surgeon, was sent to the ER for x-rays (quicker than going to the lab and having to wait, etc.) and the fluid showed up. His breathing problem started as a slight one and got, very gradually, worse. One lung was full of fluid and the fluid was going into the other lung. The drainage and talc procedure worked and the problem didn't come back. He felt SOO much better after that. Oh, and when he would go the onc. and have his blood oxygen level checked, it was always well within the normal range, so that did not help in diagnosing the fluid on the lungs, but an x-ray is a quick and uninvasive way to tell. Let us know how things go, I agree it could be something or nothing, try not to jump to conclusions-just go to the dr. and get this thing settled. (I know, I know, easier said than done-sorry.) Take care, Deb

Give me an R ! Give me an E ! Give me an M ! Give me an I ! Give me an S ! Give me an S again ! Give me an I ! Give me an O ! Give me an N ! "What does it spell?!", it spells what I hope you hear the good Doctors say upon your next visit!!! Deb

DEANS Got his motor runnin'-headed on the highway-lookin' for adventure-and whatever comes his way- GREAT NEWS!! ENJOY and get out and about as much as you can, it does the body and mind good!!! Take care, Deb (ps. Thank God you can't hear me sing-you have been spared!) Ok, edit here, I got so excited about Deans news that I FAILED TO READ THE POSTS THAT PRECEEDED MINE- so, -miss snowflake, it is proof that GREAT MINDS DO THINK ALIKE!!!!

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS, I am pleased to be the first to congratulate you on your shrinkage!!! I am doing the wave for you!!! take care, and keep on shrinking!!! DEB

Linda, prayers are being sent as I type...keep us posted about your father. Deb