Nancy O.

Hey Bob, sorry to hear about the brain mets. From what I've read on this board, you can survive this one okay. My thoughts are with you. Go get the beast.

Dear Cathy, I will say prayers for you also. You are not alone and I too felt like it was a nightmare at one point. I feel confident that you will come through this and that there will be a clean bone scan and ct scan. Again my prayers are with you. Nancy

Okay Rich, I see where all the addresses came from. Thanks for the information.

I emailed the letter to the addresses that were part of Cary's message of Dec 12th. About 8 or so went out. Are there anymore email addresses that I could send the letter out to? I looks like Katie's went to a bunch more. Don't know where to get the addresses. Example American morning, Crossfire, Larry King Live. Any suggestions.

Great letter Dean. You do a much better job of letter writting than I do.

Please ask him nicely to go to the doctor and have a chest xray. If that does'nt work force him to do it. If it is not serious thats good, if it is, the sooner it's diagnosed the better.

Letters were email yesterday and today. Just finishing up. Good luck to us all.

My letter writting skills are not the greatest, but I will fill out personal infor and mail it, email or whatever wherever it needs to go to along with the rest of the posters here. Lets do it.

Signed it. It's on it's way.

Hi Barbara, just wanted to let you know that I'm in your corner. I had a really hard time quitting smoking after diagnosis and surgery also. Quit for a while but went back about 2 months after surgery. I refused to stop trying to quit and finally have a successful quit going this time. I know about depression and it was one of the factors that led me back to picking up a cigarette the last time. I take antidepressants too and they help me. One of the biggest problems with smoking was that I was beating myself up all the time, and the depression got worse for awhile. The cravings are pretty much everyday, but not all day long. When they hit I chew on a piece of sugarless gum and it helps. I also joined the quitnet forum on the internet. I pledge not to smoke on a daily basis with others and so far that has helped me not to pick one up. But no matter what, keep enjoying your life. My best to you and thanks for the post. Nancy O.

Hi. I started coughing every time I lit a cigarette. I switched to very light cigarettes and it helped at first. About maybe 4-6 months later I felt like I had a chest cold and was very fatigued also started to have pain in my back which would move to under the arm and also the chest area. Not sharp pain, just constant, dull pain, and also the coughing was getting worse. I went to my doctor and explained everything and he suggested a chest Xray. Thats when we found it.

I am so very sorry for your loss. You and the children are in my prayers. Nancy.

My prayers going your way also. Good luck and let us know how the visit turns out. a ct scan can ease your mind.

Christy my thoughts are with both of you. Good luck and hang in there.

I actually have started to dig for more information about grants and other avenues of getting help with the testing. Avon helps women with breast and cervical cancer. Well I had cervical cancer in 1979 and had a hysterecomy, no financial help back them. Checking out cancercare. I am about to call the American cancer society and talk to a real person to see if I can connect to a facility that is less expensive. Thanks once again for the info. Nancy O.

Glad to hear that your out of the hospital . I look forward to reading more posts from you. Nancy O.

Thanks Heather. Yes it helps a whole lot. I just want to be informed before my next Oncologist visit. Thanks again. Nancy O.

If I have a pet scan will it detect cancer/mets to the bones as well? Thanks. Nancy O.

Add me to the list of well wishers Cathy. Good luck tomorrow. Good thoughts going your way. Nancy

Wanted to thank all of you that replied. Rich, the follow-up tree was very good. Judy B. I hope that they get it right this time. Thank you Heather and Bob, we are very simular in our diagnosis. And Sam, your imput is alway valuable. I really need to make some decisions before I see the Oncologist. I'm of the mind right now that if it ain't broke don't fix it. But I will really need to look at all the facts. God bless you all. Nancy

I'm just wondering what the normal course of action is after surgery such as mine for nsclc staged IIIa? I have seen two different Oncologist since surgery and pulmonary doctor and a radiologist and they all concurred that no chemo or radiation for me. I have since thought that this was the right course of action since I'm 2 1/2 years cancer free since surgery. It just seems to me that pretty much everyone on this board has a lot more in depth testing than I do. I have a chest xray now every six months and my last ct scan was over a year ago. My doctor ordered it after I suggested it. Is this because I don't have health insurance? Would they be pushing for more testing if I did? Not complaining just wondering if my follow-up is normal for my stage. Thanks all. Any other IIIa's out there?

Thanks everyone for the information on the pet scan. It sounds as if the combination scan is the way to go. I have an oncologist appt in Jan 2004, and wanted to discuss where I'm at with my testing at that time. I've been getting chest xrays regularly, now six months apart, but not much else for the last year or so. I feel good and count my blessings, but always concerned about recurrance of course.

Thanks Heather. It is a ray of hope and we can never have too many of those. Nancy

My thoughts and prayers are with you. Get out of there soon.

Thanks for the article. I found it very interesting.