Nancy O.

Still alive in Downers Grove, IL. 5 years next month. one day at a time.

Cathy, I tried to eat cold things when the pain medication made me sick, even cold chicken and beef. Ensure helped a lot. Most of all I'm here to pray for good luck with the vaccine. My love to you.

Hi all and a very happy new year to everyone. I don't post often, but I pretty much check in every day to read whats going on. I usually will check the general and lc in news and any posts about new help for all of us. I'm kind of sad to see so much controversy going on once again on the board, but it is really important for us to stick around for others. Usually I don't feel as if I have anything to add to the posts because everyone here does such a good job, but I am around if I'm ever really needed. God Bless everyone of us this year and I hope and pray that this is the year for a cure or at the very least better and easier medicine to help us and those who come after us to survive this crappy disease. Love, Nancy O.

Hi Francine, so good to see your smiling face again. I'm adding my prayers for you to the list and hope for all great news for you. Hugs to you. Nancy O.

Hi Sandy, sorry I missed it. I registered to go and on Friday my boss needed me to work on Saturday. When I accepted the job it was with the stipulation that I would be available on Saturday when needed, so thats that. I'm happy to hear that it was so successful and hopefully I can attend next year. My best to you and Renee. Nancy O.

Good article. Thanks Dave.

My prayers for you, your dad and your friends family also. God bless all of you and help you through this difficult time. God bless us all. Nancy

Loving thoughts going your way David. My prayers for all of you to help you over this hump. God Bless and keep all of you. Nancy O.

Signed, sealed and delivered. Thanks for the information. Nancy

I only had one ct scan since my surgery. I am a 3+ year survivor. I did have chest xrays every 3 months for 2 years and now I have one every 6 months. I also have blood work done at my oncologist's office. So far so good for me. I think that there is a lot of controversy between doctors on this issue because the ct scan for one uses somewhat more powerful radiation, which maybe harmful in itself. I don't know anything about the pet scan or what the level of radiation if any is used it that scan. Just my thoughts on it. My best to you. Nancy O.

Hi Wendy, three + years after surgery and still numb and have some pain and discomfort in the surgical area and around it. I can wear a bra, but hate to anyway. I work in an office, soooo I try to find the most comfortable ones and take it off right after work. I work part time so its not so bad. Good luck. Love Nancy O.

Count me in on the prayers. I'm saying them as soon as this is finished. God Bless and all my love to you. Nancy O.

Mine is really boring also. Nancy O. Nancy is my real first name and the O is my initial from my last married name.

Illinois checking in and prayers going out to you from this way. Love Nancy O.

I certainly can understand the struggle that you are going through. I also started smoking again after my surgery and beat myself terribly because of it. Yes it is that much of an addiction. I finally, after many, many quits was able to stop. I used every method except accupuncture to try and put the cigarettes down. I was successful for periods of time and then the cravings seemed to win out. The last quit (so far) has been over a year. I used the patch and used it according to the directions as far as dose and time to step down and I prayed my butt off also. I finally realized that by myself I could not stop, so I asked the Big Guy for help each and every day. I also went on the quitnet website and pledged not to smoke one day at a time. Some days I really, really want to light up and have to fight for my quit. Somedays I don't even think about it too much. Is it hard to stay quit? For me I'd have to say yes. Just keep trying over and over again and eventually you'll be able to put some time together without a smoke. Good luck to you and you are not alone with your smoking issue. Love Nancy O.

Ginny, my prayers are going out to you and Earl. Love Nancy O.

Sharon I PM'ed you. Hope it went thru allright.

Gail I think you are right on this one. I feel it is so important to let the crap out and hopefully in a positive way. Journaling has always helped me. It's when I keep things inside me that I get sick and crazy feeling too. So spill your guts and your soul until you are free from the poison. My best to you. Nancy O.

Francine. You can add my all out prayers. I know about scary too and the only way I can find peace at times is with prayer and asking the good old guy for help. So here goes. God please help Francine through her next jouney and hold her tight until the fear passes. Love to you. Nancy O.

Dang it, dang it and dang it again. Want to swear so bad, but trying to be a good girl. Hope the treatment is very short term and virtually painless for you. My love to you and your family. Nancy O.

Hi. I'm not sure about the second opinion, but I certainly would consider the surgery if you are eligable. I had surgery over 3 years ago and still here alive and kicking. Most believe that if you can have surgery to remove the tumor it's a very good thing. The recovery was difficult for about 6 weeks for me but others have an easier time of it. Hope I could help somewhat. Love Nancy O.

Thanks Becky. I will be looking forward to your post about the test. It is very, very interesting to say the least. Maybe it will be a topic for discussion with my oncologist. Thanks for the info. Love and hugs. Nancy O.

Thank you all for the replys. Yep that was the article that I was looking for. Good investigative work there, I appreciate it sooo much. I think the memory thing may have to do with mental pause (menopause) in addition to the cancer experience. Oh well and yes certainly one day at a time is definately the way to go. Thanks a bunch to you all. Love Nancy O.

Hi all. Just a quick update from me. Actually I have been looking to go back to work for awhile and finally landed a part-time job. I'm scared! It seems since the diagnosis and leaving my job at the time because I didn't feel ready to return mentally or emotionally, I've been having a hard time returning to a somewhat normal life. I feel okay physically, but worry about my ability to retain things on a short term basis. I read a post here about chemo brain (can't find it now) and how it's not about the chemo, but the cancer that can affect our brains, since I did not have chemo or radiation. Anyway I think that's what the post was about. I'm not sure if it's that or if the problem is just the lack of using it on a daily basis in the same capacity, such as problem solving and working with numbers, forms and the such. I do general bookkeeping and misc. computer and office work, so I need to be on the ball in that aspect. Oh well if anyone can direct me to that post, I would be grateful. Chest xray and oncologist visit coming up this month also. Always a worry. My love to you all. Nancy O.

My first concern that something was wrong was when I started coughing every time I lit a cigarette. At first I did'nt think too much about it and started smoking an even lighter tar and nicotine cigarette. After about a matter of time the cough became worse and more frequent and pain started in my back and would move to under the arm and chest area. I have had bouts of bronchitis over the years and I started to feel like that was the problem. I started taking over the counter cough medicine that did very little to help control the cough. After a couple weeks of fatigue, I finally decided to go to the doctor. My GP examined me and said my lungs and chest sounded pretty clear to him, but we should take a chest xray since I was a life long smoker. Just 51 years young at that time and only married a year to my hubby. The chest xray come back with a mass in my right upper lung. The follow-up was ct scan, bone and head scan, visit to a thorasic surgeon and stress test, blood test and decision to do surgery. I had the two upper lobes of the right lung removed and a bunch of lymph nodes, one of which was positive. No follow-up chemo or radiation. I now have chest xrays and blood work every six months when I see the Oncologist. My main problem was the pain medication after the surgery, it made me sick to my stomach and because of other issues the doctor was not inclined to offer me other pain medication. I am three years past the surgery and today is my 3 year anniversary of that tramatic, but life saving event. I still have pain under my right breast and in the rib area that is managable, but still uncomfortable. My Oncologist said that may be the norm for the rest of my days. Better than the alternative. I still have about the same diet, except that I try to eat more fruit and veggies. After a few false starts; I am finally smoke free also. I have gained about 10 pounds that I really needed anyway. I am very grateful for life today and try to savor every day. But life does go on with its trials and tribulations and joys also. I was staged nsclc llla by the pathologist. My first Oncologist disputed that finding initially, but after some debate finally agreed with the pathologist. I posted my story with the intention of giving others hope that this disease can be contolled for periods of time if not cured. My best to you all. Love Nancy O.