Don M

I say a little prayer for all of us nightly.

Dehydration can cause confusion, but I don't know how long the confusion persists after fluid intake. I hope your mother in law is doing better now. Don M

I don't post as much as I used to do. I would like to quit cancer, but it is not as easy as quiting a job. Not posting as much is a kind of a way to get away from doing cancer I guess. I still check in every day and quickly see what is going on. I also wish we could all be cured so that no one would ever need to post Carleen. Don M

Maryanne, I hope you and Joel get the best of news tomorrow. Don M

Darrel has my continued prayers. Don M

I had a drippy nose while on alimta.

If your dad is in pain and vomiting, he should see a doctor right away. Maybe the morphine is causing the nausea. Don M

My first cancer was 4 by 5 cm in my upper left lobe. I had a lobectomy in Jan 2004. It was 1b and I had no chemo. In Feb 2005, I had the rest of my left lung removed. I had either a new primary or a recurrence of my original cancer. It was about 1.2 cm. I had 4 rounds of carboplatin/gemzar after surgery. In Early March, my third tumor was found on my right lung. It was either a new primary or a recurrence from my original tumor. It is 1.4 cm. I had it zapped with intent to kill using Image Guided Radiation Therapy and then had 4 rounds of alimta. I will find out in mid December if the treatment was successful (dead tumor and no new disease). I really, really, really, really hope I don’t get any more of the nasty little buggers, but if I do, will just get more treatment. Don M

I was able to take care of myself when I left the hospital. My wife and I are legally separated and live in separate houses. However, I stayed at her house for 2 weeks and then went to my own house. I did not really need any attention while I was there. She went to work as usual and checked in on me when she got home. I live in the country and she lives in town. It seemed sensible to be closer to medical help in case something went wrong and I was able to suck up a lot of loving concern. It has been almost 3 years since my original diagnosis. One good thing about it all is that my wife and I are much closer now, but we remain in separate residences. Don M

In just a little over 2 years, I have had 4 rounds of carboplatin/gemzar, 33 treatments of radiation and then 4 rounds of alimta. I finished my treatment 6 weeks ago. I still get tired, but not nearly as much as when in treatment. I take 2 hour naps several days per week. I expect that I will gradually get all my energy back. Don M

Hi Mendy: There is no denying that it is discouraging. I miss my lung very much. I lost it after 2 operations, one lobe at a time. I think I got a little bit of capacity back after my first operation. Then after my second operation, I was at 51%. I recently had my capacity tested again and it is now at 46%. This was after radiation and chemo on my 3rd cancer in my remaining lung. I know I came out pretty good in terms of saving my good lung tissue, but it is still discouraging to lose any. My pulmonologist thought it was no big deal. He says it is possible for capacity to come back if I exercise. He says that some alveoli that never opened up the entire way or worked very hard, can take up the slack for those that have been destroyed. But, I can walk a mile at a fast clip on flat ground and not get out of breath. I can speak complete sentences without having to take a breath. I don’t need oxygen. I can split wood, work in the garden, mow the lawn run the tiller and do most stuff others do, but I have to stop to catch my breath from time to time. I can’t walk uphill on trails without stopping a lot to catch my breath. I expect I will get some back if I stay with it and exercise. I do something aerobic every day. I walk a mile every day. Exercise is the key (and not getting cancer any more). Don M

all right Randy!

Hi: since your nodule is bigger than 1 cm, they are concerned that it may be malignant. I would want it out if it were I. I have had 2 thoracatomies. It is good that you are having the epidural, because it also helps reduce or eliminate any post op pain in the future. Just be sure to cough a lot and blow into the spirometer and get up and walk around as much as you can. When I went home I took pain pills for a week and then used ibuprofen. I could sleep in my bed, but had to stay off the sutures side. I went back to work in the office after 3 weeks. You will heal faster if you walk a lot during your recuperation too. Just don't overdo it. I hope it is benign so that you can just forget about it and get on with your life. If it is malignant, you caught it very early and have an excellent chance for a cure. Don M

Hi Roberta, welcome. I hope you stay cancer free. It is a good thing you did not wait for 6 months. Don M

I hope your dad's pain can be managed. You all have my prayers Don M

I hope the pathology confirms what the surgeon said. I would wonder why the lymph node is malignant if the lung tumor turns out to be benign. Don M

so, there is no ice fishing in Hawaii, right?

Please accept my condolences for your loss. Don M

So sad. thanks for letting us know Kasey. Don M

Reckon so, and congrats to your dad on his one year survivorship. don M

I have had 2 recurrences. I just try to live in the moment as much as I can. It takes practice and does not always work. Another thing that helped me, was that I really believed that it would not come back. I still believe it. Don M

I'm sorry Shellie Don M

Wow! you chased it away. I hope it stays gone every scan. Don M

Good luck on your mom's surgery. don M

Heather, I would just like to extend to you and your family my support and best wishes. It sounds like your stepmom has made up her mind and you have to find a way to deal with that. I do however, think that all cancer is treatable as long as one has the strength to undergo treatment and I would get a second opinion before I decided to let the disease take its course. Don M