Don M

Go for it Ralph: I had the same sense of determination when I had my surgery. I remember being grateful that I could have the surgery. I hope you have a speedy recovery. Don M

Welcome back Kasey. Don M

Hey Beth, I pray for you! Don M

Thanks Andrea: Fay: get well soon. Don M

Darci: I was reluctant to do chemo after my first cancer, and did not do it. After my second cancer, I eagerly awaited my chemo treatment. I had 4 rounds of gemzar/carboplatin. It was adjuvant chemo for early stage nslc. It was not bad at all. I was glad when it was done though. Don M

TAnn: I am gald you are home . I wish the alimta would be nice to you. Don M

Don and Lucy: you all have my prayers. Don M

Welcome Jamie. I like babies too. I hope to retire soon and spend a lot more time woith my grandson. Don M

Sue: I hope the weekend saw an improvement. Hang in there. Monday is almost here. don M

Elaine: you and your daughter have my prayers. Don M

Thanks Cindi. Beth; I hope you hae been having a nice weekeend. Hopefully when your regualar pulmonolgist comes back there can be more focus and a meeting of the medical minds. You have my prayers. don M

Pat: you an dBrian have my prayers. I hope Brian gets enough strength back to try chemo again soon. That is pretty coold of your sistr to find a way to cheer you all on. Don M

Good vibes for your mom. Don M

Thanks for the links Lisa. I will reply to MSNBC too. Don M

Cindi: I missed your bad news, but am glad I joined in for the feel good part. I hope the Tuesday meeting brings good news. Don M

Amie: I will pray for Suki so that she can get her lung cleared up and get outa there. Don M

Peggy: I am glad you are doing ok. you have my thoughts and prayers. don M

Becky: I hope you have a speedy recovery and lots of good naps. Don M

Addie: I am sorry you got the brain met news. I see your starting to sort through you options. Good. You have my prayers. Don M

Dean: Just keep watching your birds and rest easy. You have my prayers. don M

Star: you and your bvorther have my prayers. I am glad he is feeling a little better. Don M

You and Ronnie have my prayers Darlene. Don M

Wow, Surveyor, what a well written and thoughtful post. I can see you are your own best advocate. If I had a troublesome lymph node, I would ask to try avastin in combination with carboplatin and gemzar. I think avastin is mainly used to inhibit larger tumors by cutting off the blood supply, but I would want to try it anyway. I also take supplements, even though I am(hopefully) cancer free now. I take cq 10 which is supposed to be a good antioxidant, and some of the others you have been taking. You definitely drink a lot more fluids than I. I walk a brisk mile every day, and walk up and down a flight of stairs at work. I have just one lung now, and have been trying to maximize its use you might say. I work for the Forest Service and my job calls for going in the field about 40% of the time. I have gotten to the point where I can walk up 40 to 50% slopes and get by, but I don't think I am going to be productive on ground steeper than 60% anymore. My agency is offering a buyout, and I have applied for it. I could be retired by the end of September. I am 60 yers old. I wish you the best in your fight against lung cancer. Don M.. a fellow survivor.

Welcome Sandy; I hope your husband's cancer remains stable or diminishes. I have heard that carboplatin with taxol and avastin is a very promising chemo combo. Some insurance companys will pay it or the company that makes avastin will pay for it if the insurance does not. You have to fill out a form at he ocologist's office to get it free from the drug company. I guess I pretty much got my diagnosis in December 2003 too, after a PET scan. I have had cancer twice now, but am fortunate in that it was early stage both times. Your husband and you have my best wishes to beat the cancer. don M

Hi Melody: Did the pet scan show the nodule lighting up? If it did then it is probably malignant. I would not want to wait for months to take care of something that may be malignant. I don't understand why the surgeon would want to take your entire lung for a 3 cm tumor. He should be able to remove the tumor with a lobectomy as long as it is contained by the lobe. Also, I would ask the surgeon to explain why a wedge resection could not be done first to see if the tumor is really malignant. A wedge resection removes a small amount of healthy lung tissue around the tumor and the tumor itself. They can determine if it is malignant or not while you are on the operating table and then remove the rest of the lobe if necessary. Also, it is not very likely that the structure is benign if it is 3 cm. If it has been 3 months since your ct scan, I would ask for another ct scan to see if there is any change. I think that surgical removal is the teatment most likely to produce a cure. I would not trust any other method to be as effective. However, in my case, if I were to get a small cancer in my remaining lung, I would look at other methods besides surgery. I don't want to cut out any more lung. I think you need to move quickly on this. Good luck. Don M