Connie B

February 3, 2003

Dear Junior,

I too am very sorry you have the need to join this wonderful group of people. However, you are in caring, supportive, understanding arms here!

I don't have much to add to what Tiny, May, and Terrie had to share with you, only that you will find much comfort here on the Lung Cancer Message Board.

We will do our best to walk the walk with you in hopes to make this journey a little softer for you and your dear dad.

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

February 1, 2003

Hey Donna.

What a WONDERFUL point you make, and thank you sooo much for sharing this website. It's NOT just a smokers disease, as we ALL know!!

Ya know, I almost wish it was just a SMOKERS disease. Then we wouldn't ever have to second guess where it came from!!! food for thought!

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

February 1, 2003

Hi Fay,

As for the night sweats, be it day or night, it is NOT uncommon for chemo to cause this. Chemo causes havoc on our hormones and some times it takes several weeks before night sweats or hotflashes start up. Of course this will depend on our mothers age as well. I was 43 when I completed my treatments, and holy cow about 8 weeks after chemo I had such intense hotflashes I couldn't stand them. Never had them in my life before chemo. So Chemo can and DOES cause these things to happen as well. As for the Esophaghitis, that one I don't know what it could be. Although they say the Radiation does continue to work in our bodies for up to 6 months after treatments. So, it could be radiation related. None the less, I am glad to hear your dad is taking her in. Keep us posted!

Best of luck to you All,

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 31, 2003

Hi ALL,

Just thought this Article was very interesting regarding the Minnesota Law suit and how much money the Lawers made during this suit. Just think of all the wonderful things that could have been done with this money in the fight against Lung Cancer!

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpr ... 068965/htm

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 30, 2003

Hi Janet,

Well, I had my left lung removed along with two cancerous lymph nodes and a few extra to be on the safe side as well. I was a stage IIIA when I went into surgery but was restaged a IIIB when I came out. Well, to make a VERY long story short, I came through my surgery in flying colors. I had some pain, (yes) but nothing I couldn't live with thanks to the pain meds. I had 2 ribs removed as well. I never really had any rib pain. I was up and walking around the second day after surgery, pushing a wheelchair and my oxygen down the hall. I was on oxygen for 3 or 4 weeks after my surgery, then I went off of it. I ate the next day after surgery as well, I remember I had chicken. I WAS HUNGRY!! I know this is NOT an easy surgery by no means, and if you have to have it done, I can only HOPE you have as good of luck with it as I did. My doctors all said I was "remarkable"! Bless there hearts! But I do know of many others that have had the SAME type of surgery and they too didn't have a lot of problems like myself. I have a man in my Support Group that was 75 when they removed his left lung (2 years ago). Well, after he left the hospital (6 days after surgery) he went home (BY HIMSELF)! He had no one to help him. But, he is doing very well today too! Oh and just so you know, I was in the hospital for a total of 5 days and home I went.

Well, I hope your Onc is right when he says they are changing there ways and thoughts about doing surgery on late stage patients. I guess I feel I am a good example of that!!

Holler if you need anything. Take care and I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers that all this works out for you!

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 29, 2003

Dear Brenda,

I have to tell you about several people that were told they had months or a year or so to live and low and behold YEARS later they are still here! We will just KEEP THE HOPE and hope that treatments will shrink his tumors. (IT CAN HAPPEN)! I had a gentleman come to my Lung Cancer Support Group (he had SCLC) and they told him he had 6 months to live.

Well, he said he quit his job and traveled around the world. When he came to our Support Group, he had been around the world twice and he was a 2 year lung cancer survivor. He was looking to go back to work and get back to the (NORM) so to speak of living life a new! I'm sorry to say, he never came back to our group, and I don't know the outcome, but he was doing very well when we saw him.

Keep the Faith my dear!

You and your step-dad are in my thoughts and prayers.

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 29, 2003

Hi Ada,

Welcome back!! WOW my friend, you have been through a LOT!!! THANK GOD your a fighter!!! Your surgery really sounded for a lack of a better word, (interesting) I am soooo very glad all went as well as it did, and that you came through it in somewhat (flying colors)?!

Very VERY GLAD to have you back!!! Take it easy and get lots and lots of rest!!! We'll be waiting to hear all your updated news on how well your doing!!

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 28, 2003

Dear Sharon,

If you don't mind my saying, I am sorta of glad to hear the doctor offered Radiation treatments. The radiation may zap those tumors in the hip, and that would be great!! The time to be really bummed is when they offer nothing! As I know you are aware of that! But, I like the fact that the doctor is watching him closely. It's never easy to deal with anyone in the late stages of any kind of cancer, let along lung cancer. Some treatments work for some, and not for others. It's the mistery of this disease, that's for sure! And as long as they are still offering him treatment options, I think that still gives us HOPE!! And like I said before, until we have a cure for this monster that lurks within so many of us, we STILL have HOPE!!! I'm sending you a hug (((((((((((Sharon)))))))))))))

Hope this makes you feel better. Share that hug with your dad!

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 28, 2003

Dear Elliko,

Comsumer BEWARE!!! There are many scams out there that pray upon the sick. (oh sooo sad, and oh so true) I am NOT 100% on Alternative Meds, but I'm not going to say they don't help either! In the 7+ years I have dealt with being a lung cancer survivor and dealing with many lung cancer survivors I don't know of to many that can say they have had outstanding results from Alternative Meds. I have heard many of them say they are very expensive. But, I never say never!! I have heard of those that DON'T have lung cancer get good results from different Alternative Meds, but not a good % that are dx.d with lung cancer. Please be careful when looking into this. We did have one man that had his wife on Alternative Meds say she was doing wonderful on them, but I haven't seen him write into the group for a long time. And I have to add that his wife also had Chemo and radiation treatments as well. sooooo!

It's a hard call to make.

Best wishes to you and your mom.

Warm and gentle Hugs,

January 27, 2003

Dear Tami,

I am So Very SORRY to hear that you lost your wonderful mother. Please know your in my thoughts and prayers.

Warm and Very Gentle Hugs,

January 26, 2003

Dear Janet,

We were just talking about this the other day regarding smoking in doctors offices. And they didn't band smoking from Hospitals until 1986 or 1987. My mother was in the hospital in 1987 and they still would allow us to smoke in a smoking room in the hospital that same year. The year before we could smoke in our hospital rooms and throughout the hospitals. Plus when my sister passed away in 1988 we were allow and so was she to smoke in the HOSPISE part of the hospital. YES, they honestly let people (patients/ family members/friends) smoke in the Hospise area. Even the nurses smoked. And I have to tell you that 90% of the nurses in that area smoked!!

Hugs,

January 26, 2003

Sorry Janet, I meant your Uncle. Sorry about that. And I don't mean any disrespect in how he may have felt. I just wanted to share my thoughts about it. And like I said, WE THE PEOPLE are NOT INFORMED of a LOT OF THINGS just as what is in the food we eat and drink. and air we breathe! Think of all the chemicals they put on the fruits and veggies, etc???? The list is unreal! Then I think about the YOUNG gal in my support group at the age of 26 and was dx.d with Mesotheliamo Lung Cancer. Where did she get that from??? Our older schools are full of Asbestos!! So much to think about! And I'm even going to guess that lead paint added to lung cancers.

From my understanding, many of the very HARMFUL chemicals that they added in to cigarettes were added in after 1970 (something)? I have to find that article again! Not to say that straight tobacco isn't harmful! :roll:

Sorry, Janet, I mean NO disrespect to your loved ones!! I too lost my Father, Mother and Sister all to Lung Cancer and my doctor's all told me it's also a GENE thing!! I had a lot of different types of cancers in my family history as well, breast, ovarian, stomach and of course, lung cancers.

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 26, 2003

Hi Janet,

No she did NOT lose her eye, or her eyesight!! Honest to God! She did Chemo and right off the top of my head, I can't remember if she did radiation treatments, but I don't think she did. She has NSCLC Large Cell, stage IV.

She was having eyesite problems and went to an eye doctor who sent her to her family doctor and so goes the story as we all know so well!!! She is doing very well today with NED. I am going to try and encourage her to join this group. She does have a computer.

Warm and Gentle hugs,

January 26, 2003

Here is a Newspaper article I thought I would share with you all.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincitie ... 031607.htm

This article is called: Questions arise over doctor's profit from cancer drugs.

Wmarn and Gentle Hugs.

January 26, 2003

Hi All,

I have been reading all the wonderful posts regarding the Stigma and the issue on Quit Smoking. I have also noticed I think it was Janet who mentioned her father being angey at he Tobacco Companies for being betrayed. Boy, I just don't see it that way for me. I smoked, and the reason I smoked is I HONESTLY enjoyed doing it! I had a wonderful love affair with those darn cigarettes, and I have to say, IF I wouldn't have GOTTEN Lung Cancer, chances are I would Still be smoking today!! But, I can't blame the tobacco companies or anyone else for what I choose to do. Even after I started smoking when the NEWS came out that cigarette smoking was BAD for you, I still continued to smoke. As MANY of US DID!

And if I were to be ANGEY at the Tobacco Companies for Betrail, OY VEY I would have to be man and angry at a LOT of Government situations for being BETRAYED! The list would never end, if I had to count all the Betrail we have ALL had to live with in our lives! We are lied to MOST of the time about food, health issues, taxes, what have you!!!

So I guess I don't do the BLAME GAME. I did it and I am NOT ASHAMED of what I did! It's LEGAL and it USE TO BE very Socialbly Acceptable. So, I have NO SHAME nor GUILT. God know's we have ALL done something in our lives we aren't totally proud of!! I may have gotten lung cancer even if I DIDN'T smoke then who would I blame????

Food for thought!

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 22, 2003

Hey Deb,

Just wanted to mention that I just heard a couple of weeks ago that the Celebrex med's are really causing some major problems with lung cancer patients. Now, your going to say what are the problem? Well, I'm having a DAH Moment and for love nor money I can't remember what it was. But, they had it on the world news. Maybe someone else here on the board heard about it and can refresh MY memory as well. I use to say I was having CHEMO BRAIN when my brain didn't work right, but I've been off the chemo for 7 year and 2 months, so I guess I can't use that one anymore. And I'll be damned if I'll say I'm having a Senior Moment just yet, being I'm only 50?! :lol: No Offense to anyone who is a PROUD SENIOR, I'm hoping to become one some day soon myself!

Well, I hope someone else can put some light on this Celebrex issue!!

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 21, 2003

Dear Fay,

I disagree. Lung Cancer DOES have a ribbon and in MOST states we do have Lung Cancer Awareness Month. I know we do in Minnesota and many other states as well. I know this because I wrote to our Gov. two years ago asking him to PROCLAIM November Lung Cancer Awareness Month and he did so! IF you want more information about this, please check out www.alcase.org website. However, not ALL states have Lung Cancer Awareness Month, but you sure can put in for it in your state.

The ribbon for lung cancer is (clear) in color due to the fact this is a silent disease. Again, you can get this ribbon from ALCASE.

Just my two cents worth.

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 21, 2003

Dear Rosanne and All,

Rosanne, I have had doctor's say the same thing regarding the gene issue. And I also have read that 85% of ex-smokers are dx.d with lung cancer and 15% of non smokers are dx.d with lc. I read that in the 2001 NCI Lung Cancer Report. But I also have to say that this report is very contridicting in many ways. So, who do we believe on this statistic issue?

Out of all honesty, I continued to smoke until the day they took my left lung out (which was July 25, 1995) After surgery, that was the LAST thing on my mind was wanting a cigarette. But, like many, I tried repeatedly to quit, time and time again. And of course I have the factor of my father, mother and sister all being diagnosed with lung cancer and they too were all smokers. But all my Doc's have told me it's more of a GENE thing. Now I don't know if they were telling me that to make me feel good, or if they really meant what they were saying. They said the Cigarettes may be what trigered the cancer. Like Dave Grant, I too don't feel guilt or shame because I smoked. I'm sure everyone has something in there lives they did they aren't totally proud of or pleased with . But, non the less, NO ONE deserves lung cancer or any other type of cancer for that matter.

I had a lady come up to me at Regions Hospital here in Minnesota one day when I was eating lunch in the lunch room just before my Lung Cancer Support Group meeting. At that time, I was wearing one of my Lung Cancer Shirts. Printed on the front of the shrit it says, "Lung Cancer Survivor" This lady, (who worked at the hospital) looked over at me and read my shirt and said, "Boy, am I glad I never took up that nasty habit"! I looked at her and said, "what habit is that?" and she very comfidently said, "SMOKING"! I just looked back at her and said, "I know a LOT of people that never took up that nasty habit and have lung cancer" But, she didn't seem to see it that way. So, I just dropped it and ate my lunch.

I have also run into a LOT of people that honestly didn't know you can get lung cancer from NOT SMOKING!!! Now, that one really drives me nuts when I hear that one. And most of those people are pretty set in there thinking pattern.

And our Battle Continues, in the every day life of being a grateful lung cancer survivor!

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 20, 2003

Dear Estrea and Janet K.

Oh how true your words are. And I want to thank you for sharing them with us. In todays paper St. Paul Pioneer Press (Minnesota) One of my lung cancer support group memeber has an article on lung cancer. She too never smoked, and she is sick to death of the stigma that is attached to this monster of a disease. If you get a chance, go look up her story.

It's in the Express section of our Newspaper. I'm not sure of the web address right off the top of my head.

We HAVE to change this disgusting stigma that is attached to this disease.

It's shameful, painful, hurtful, and down right mean!!! NO ONE DESERVES Lung Cancer or any kind of cancer for that matter. I know several of my support group members that come into group, and they are down right pissed because they QUIT smoking 15, 20 some even 30 years ago and they are now lung cancer patitents. What I don't understand about all this is, if a person QUITS smoking, shouldn't they be COMMENDED for there efforts to better there lives, rather then belittled for smoking??? What am I missing here?? In the news and in the medical profession they all say, QUIT smoking! Okay, fine and ducky, but then what about the fact that they are STILL at RISK for getting lung cancer? What then??? Or another health issue with smoking is HEART DISEASE. You never hear people say to someone with heart disease, "Oh did you smoke?" And why not? Wouldn't smoking add to heart disease? But, I have never heard that statement made. Rather they talk about what a person should or shouldn't eat and get plenty of excersize. Boy, we have our work cut out for us. And while I'm on a roll here, is the reason that Lung cancer research doesn't get as much $$$$$ toward reserach due to smoking? If so, then IF I were a person who NEVER SMOKED, I would really be pissed knowing that I can't get the BEST of treatments due to the smoking issues associated with lung cancer. Well, there you have MY HUMBLE OPINION!!

Warm and Gentle Hugs To all,

January 19, 2003

Dear Ellen,

Well, your words are music to MY ears, but some doc's don't feel the same way as you and I do. However, I to had my left lung removed 7+ years ago, then I underwent my chemo and radiation treatments. I seen my Onc Doc every three months for the first (three years) and in that time we did CT scan, then chest X-rays then CT scan and Chest X-ray every THREE MONTHS. So out of all honesty I had CT scans done twice a year and X-rays twice a year and we did that like I said for the first three months. Then when I went to every 6 months we stayed with the CT Scans. I did every 6 months for another 3 years. Then I was advanced to Once a year and NOW I get Chest X-Rays, Once a Year. However, I also still see my Pulmonologist once a year as well, and he toooooo does a Chest X-ray if I want one, and he never says NO! So in all honesty I still see my doc's every 6 months, I just stager them now so I see my Onc Dr. then 6 months later I see my Pulm Doc. It works well for me, and it gives me peace of mind. Now I also was a stage IIIA-B at time of my diagnosis. So....... But, like you, I would want to be right ON TOP OF IT! So, it sounds like an insurance issue more then a Doc one!! And most Doctor's do try and stay within the guidelines, and in Most cases I do understand that. It's a tough call to make. But, keep in mind, your Onc Doc has a BOSS too!!!

Good luck and continued GOOD HEALTH!!

Warm and Gentle Hugs.

January 17, 2003

Hi Deb,

We are making a LOT of noise here in Minnesota about the stigma that goes with lung cancer. Many of my Support Group Members and myself have done (2) Lung Cancer Awareness Rallies (2 years in a row now) and that is one of our goals.

I will also be doing a Newspaper Article tomorrow with one of our major Newspapers here in the Twin Cities, and that will Diffenatly be one of the things I talk about. Smokers, Non-smokers, Ex-smokers should NOT have to live with any type of stigma because they were diagnosed with lung cancer. NO ONE DESERVES Lung Cancer! (my two cents worth)! :wink:

I will keep you all posted to how this article come out.

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 17, 2003

Dear May,

I am sorry to hear your dear mother has lung cancer. I know how hard this is for all to have to deal with. There are no simple answers to this

disease that lurks within so many of us.

As for being a non smoker, I also have to say, this isn't just a smokers disease. So many many things can and do contribute to lung cancer.

Does your mother have a family history of cancers? This to can be part of the cause over and above the fact that she may not have been around chemicals. Yet, Adenocarcinoma is considered a NON smoking lung cancer,

but then again, I was a smoker and I had Adeno as well, and know of many that do. I also know of many people that are non smokers that have been diagnosed with lung cancer. I have two very young gals in my support group that are lung cancer survivors and they never smoked. They are 29 and 36.

As for your mother eating, you may wish to ask the Doctor for a perscription for Megace. That does seem to help many patients to build up there appetite. It works for most, but keep in mind, not for all.

As for survivors being stage IV, I have a couple in my support group that are stage IV and one lady is a 3 year survivor and has no evidence of disease. She is doing very well. Her cancer had spread to her eye, and right now she is clean and clear. The other lady has it in both of her lungs and she is under going chemo. Her tumors are shinking and she too is doing well. She was a one year survivor and her's came back one year later in both lungs, she too never smoked or never was around second hand smoke. A part of me says it would be so nice to be able to blame all lung cancers on smoking, but sadly that is not the turth. But if we could blame it all on smoking, at least we would know why people get lung cancer. (sigh)

I wish you and your family all the best in this battle. It's not an easy one, but it is beatable and do-able.

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 16, 2003

He Estrea,

What mumble jumble that is! Here in Minnesota the U of M and Mayo Clinic just received an 8 million dollar grant to see if CT scans are the best detection we have for early detection of lung cancer. DAH!! I also know several other states are doing the same testing and study, so my question would be, what the heck is JAMA talking about? I do know SOME doctor's feel CT scans are not a good tool for early lung cancer diagnosis and more doctor's feel it IS!! AS WE WELL KNOW!!! I wish these News article and so called statistics would get there (you know what) together! :lol:

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

January 16, 2003

Hi Cel,

Boy, how good to hear from you on the board! I have tried calling you but have been unable to reach you, yet I understand why!! (grin)

I am SOOOO happy you found a positive, aggresive Onc Dr. God know's doom and gloom is NOT what we need when we are fighting to LIVE!! GOOD FOR YOU!!! You go GUY!!

Please know you WILL be in my thoughts and prayers as you go to the Doctor tomorrow. I am sending you good wishes and hoping you hear good news. Please keep us posted on your checkup.

Warm and Gentle Hugs,

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