Roseymac

Ashstar, I would really seek another Dr. Seems like your Mom responded to Chemo well the first time, and the Dr. should be starting a plan for a second line. Small Cell responds very well to chemo and radiation. Without chemo it also grows very fast !!!! My husband was diagnosed extensive 17 months ago with Mets to the liver, Chemo took care of the liver mets and the lung medistianal masses. We have had a couple bumps in the road with it returning, but so far has responded well again to chemo and radiation. no sooner he had been done with the thyroid, and now we have a small spinal met also, (along with 4 ruptured disks Not C related). Your Dr. should also have given her Cough med, that helps so much especially at night, I don't want to be rude but it sounds like he is not a very caring Dr. what if she were in pain, would eh be willing to give ehr pain meds? I would really think about all this, Please have her speak with someone else. Rosemary

Cathy, Don't get discouraged there are lots of trials going on out there, you are sure to qulify for one of them. Research! Research! Research! Rosemary

Hi all, Well, we finally had our appt at the Rad Onc, and she read the PET report and was not too happy then asked for the PET Scan(So glad I brought it) She does not see anywhere on the scan that shows the Back Spine involved with Mets. There are two lymph nodes (supposedly) lit on either side of the spine, which, I feel maybe he felt was causing Freds Pain, but she said they are not that large to be causing any pain and that may just be inflammation !!! Our Onc never looked at the scans just went by the Report. She has asked us to get the Onc to do a MRI of the back and hopefully that will get to the root of the problem, but she feels as do I that he injured something back there moving the dryers one in and one out! Either way she said if it is a Met she can zap it but does not feel it is. I still remember the story our Onc Nurse had told us about her having CT scans because of bad back pain after falling, they were asked to fax them to our Cancer Center, well she was floored when the reports came in about the cancer this and that, (There was no cancer) I guess because of where they were going the Radiolgist just assumed!!! Another wonderful thing after 10 days of nausea yesterday he finally felt well, hopefully some kind of stomach bug, I was afraid it was the Chemo or the Liver Mets. But he is finally eating and feeling even a little hungry. I am in such a better state than last week even after shoveling all morning I still have a Smile. GO EAGLES Rosemary

Peggy, That is such a nice Picture. My husband feels the same way when he looks at recent pictures of his self, but I think they all look great. Rosemary

I was going to try that myself, my husband had been taking Humibid for over a year, and last time I was at the pharmacy they told me it was the same as his script for Humibid. Rosemary

Cindy, That is GREAT NEWS Rosemary

I also was wondering why the Onc hasn't recomended that, I thought that would be first thing, maybe because of the lymph nodes in the back, or because we haven't had the CT scan only the PET or maybe because he just finished up with 30 rad treatments to the thyroid two weeks ago, dunno. We do have a follow up with her (the radiation onc) the end of Jan. I know he has had no pain releif at all from the chemo. Rosemary

I have been pretty reluctant to write this, because I myself am not really sure what is going on. Just before the LC walk Fred began again having trouble with his voice, then shortly after that you could see the nodules on the thyroid just seem to grow, and grow, out of nowhere they became very large. Well he had low dose cisplatin (makes the tumor radiation sensitive) and 30 rnds of radiation. Worked like a charm everything in the neck are is gone. During the weeks following Thanksgiving he began having some back pain. I attributed it to him moving my dryer out and bringing a new one in, by his self. Well his Onc wanted to further investigate the pain and check everthing so he ordered a PET, now I knew something would probablly show but felt it would be a disk. The Dr feels it has gone to his spine T 12 and paraortic nodes were all highly metabolic, also the liver and midiastinum. I just wonder if he herniated the disk if that would light up and also the other areas are areas he has had it in for 16 months now. The PET was compared to the last PET from last April, and we have had numerous CT scans the latest being Sept that I feel they should have compared it to. So now he is on more aggressive Chemo, Cisplatin and Campostar to see if this takes care of it. This is the 5th time with Chemo I don't think since he has been diagnosed he has had a break for more than 1 month. After 2 Cycles he is going to do a CT scan and I feel it will tell us more what really is going on, I am praying that the PET just picked up where he was injured. I know I have seen it somewher that PETS can pick up other things besides cancer. His back hurts so badly when he stands, even the oxycotin they gave is not cutting all the pain. Rosemary

Bersia, I am so glad you are safe. I know someone was watching over you, and helped you change your plans. Rosemary

Betty, Sorry to hear the Beast may be back, but glad your Dr. already has a plan of action. I have heard good things from our Onc about the Cisplatin after having had the Carbo. I will be praying for you. Rosemary

Cheryl, That is just wonderful news. Hope you and Jack can relax a little and enjoy the holidays. I like that word Signifigantly!!! Rosemary

My father had his surgery at MD Anderson and flew home that same week to Florida. It didn't cause him any problems at all. Rosemary

Great News Karen, Try to relax a little now and have a GreatThanksgiving. Rosemary

Don, These People are in your life now for a reason. As much as you and Lucy will be a help to them, I also have a feeling they will be signifigant in your lives also. Have a Blessed Thanksgiving Rosemary

Have you checked with the radiation onocolgy office, I know my husbands has their own van that will come and pick him up if he needs a ride, and the service is free. We are also in NJ. Rosemary

Glad to hear your Dad is doing better, I have been thinking about you since your last post about the Doc Mentioning Hospice. The Chemo should take care of the liver mets. Rosemary

Hi Dean, Nice to see you post again. You and Gay are always in my thoughts and prayers. Rosemary

Sorry tp hear your Dad is having a hard time, sounds as if there is something going on with the liver. There may be something blocking the bile duct, or he may have some liver mets. My husband also has had mets to the liver for a year now, I don't think the topotecan worked well for him at all (we only had one round) because of low plateletts. He had a lot of growth to the thyroid in one month. (Now having radiation again.) Maybe they can try another lower dosed chemo, there are plenty of them out there. Rosemary

Wow Sandy what a speech !!!!!! Wish I had the opportunity to hear someone like you speak when my husband was first diagnosed, like you all I could find in Books and on the Internet were the not much hope statistics. Thank You for Making a difference Rosemary

The walk was great, and it was so nice to meet you all, just wish I had more time I could have stood around and talked all day. Your all so wonderful. I am glad Fred was able to do the walk and have a nice day, he was a bit tired after (but so was I) I believe they announced that $25,000 was raised, that is phenomenal for a 1st lung cancer walk. Congrats Heather. I think we should all get together again and have a North Eastern Bash Rosemary

My Husband also lost his gray in the Hair on his head, but the beard still came back mixed with gray. Rosemary

Paddy, Sorry to hear David is still in the hospitol, hopefully they will get things under control soon and he will be home with you. Praying for you both Rosemary

Rachel, I am glad your Hubby is joining you tonight, and I am praying all your treatments go well. Hope you can do the chemo in Alaska, but don't forget to hit that Mall before you head home. Rosemary

Thanks Jane, I have been very worried about Cat Rosemary

My husband also lost his voice, this was in Sept. 2003, that was our frist and only symptom, because the turmor was on his left vocal cord nerve in the chest area, we had hoped it would come back from the chemo and radiation and it never did. Then in April, we heard about something called the Montgomery procedure that a Ear Nose and Throat Dr. can do, it is a simple procedure they put in a little piece of plastic to close the vocal cord so it works again, the results are immediate, they also have the teflon shots to the area which only seem to work for a short time. The voice almost sounds the same, not something mechanical or anythng. My husband has just lost his voice again this Friday, because the tumor has spread to the thyroid and windpipe area, he has been having the Mask made and getting aligned and marked, all this week for radiation to start next week, won't come soon enough for me. I would really check it out with a ENT well worth it, my husband was so frustrated not being able to talk, it really changed things for the better for him. there was nothing worse for him than the phone ringing and people could not understand him when he answered it. Good Luck Rosemary