Don M

Nick, please accept my condolences for your loss. Don M

Hi Shirley: I hope your dad gets some strength back and bounces right out of hospice. I don't know of any specific instances, but I have heard that some people go to hospice for a while and then check out when they feel better. I have had 2 chemo regimes and one radiation treatment in the last 2 years. I am about a month out of my treatment now, and I still feel tired, but I am feeling better. I think the tiredness persists for a while after you complete treatment. Don M

Jodi, please accept my condolences for your loss. Don M

Hi Giulietta: I hope your dad gets ome strength back and does well on the avastin. He had aggressive treatment this past summer, and that can take its toll. Don M

Hi Mike; I hope the biopsy brings you all good news. don M

Welcome Tracey Don M

Hi Ralph: I did not go in such a tailspin when I found out about my 3rd cancer. I just did about what you said. I found out what had to be done and did it. For me, I try to enjoy my life in between scans. But last week I had a headache about 4 days in a row. The last day I took 4 aspirin and 2 ibuprofen over the course of the day and it did not go away. Then I started to descend into a what if mode thinking about brain mets. Then I noticed that my nose had been runny all day. I considered that I had a sinus headache. So, I took an antihistamine and the headache went away. I had a more cheerful day after that. I hope the nodule turns out be nothing. Don M

Hi Alexan: I talked to you on the other board. I am glad to see your mom decided to go to Duke. I hope the biopsy brins you good news. Don M

Hi Jill, welcome. I am sorry for your loss. I hate for anyone to have to deal with this disease, but I especially hate to see the young taken down by it. I hope you and Joe's son find a way to get through this. I hope you can let the guilt go and just grieve. Don M

It is to smile...what a cute kid!

Hi Bill, welcome. You have got some good tips regarding managing chemo I see. It looks like you caught it early and it is nipped in the bud. Good luck with your chemo. Don M

Hi Donna, welcome to the boards. I am sure that being on chemo can be a downer plus not being able to breathe like you once did is also a downer. I have just one lung now, and every time I exert myself, I can't get enough breath. I kind of get mad when I think about what I used to be able to do. I still push myself though. I take lexapro to help fight depression and I think it helps me. Maybe your dad should try an antidepressant. I think the chemo itself can cause shortness of breath sometimes, depending on the chemo. I hope your dad gets some breath back soon and the chemo is effective. Don M

Hi GUY: I don't know much about sclc drug response either. I suppose like all things in cancer, the reponse depends on the individual. I hope you find somthing at Dana Farber. Welcome to the boards, don M

Hi Joe, welcome to the boards. Don M

Congratulations Golden and keep it going. Don M

Wow Frank, I am rally sorry you have to deal with the catheter thing. I shuddered when I once told I may have to learn to install my catheter myself. Fortunately, my problem cleared up and I did not have to do it. I really, really hope you get your bladder working soon. I guess you have to take it off several times during the day to see if you can get your bladder to go. I never prayed as hard as when I tried to get my bladder working after the catheter came off. I hope your prostate treatment shows good results soon and that your scans at least are stable. Don M

Hi Laverne, welcome. I am sorry to hear about your dad's diagnosis. I had leg cramps at night when I had carboplatin/gemzar, but I think your dad's situation is different. Gamma knife and cyberknife are very similar in outcome and accuracy, but cyberknife does not require a head frame while gamma knife does. I have heard of up to 11 small brain lesions being treated with cyberknife, but that is probably unusual. Here is a link to a message board that is staffed by radiation oncologists who practice cyberknife. They answer within 24 hours and will answer questions about cyberknife or treatment in general. http://www.cyberknifesupport.org/forum/default.aspx?c=4 I hope your dad gets good shrinkage on this round of treatment. Don M

I see you have got some good advice here. Your family has my best wishes to get through the treatment successfully. I hope your dad's wife can find some balance. I like Karen's idea of talking to your dad about death and dying if he wants to. I have always hoped that I would be conscious and aware when I die. Don M

Joanie: I hope you get some energy back soon. I think having some small goals and then achieving them is a good idea. Maybe you are still recuperating and your body is telling you to rest. When I was in the midst of my chemo, I would get at lest some exercise, walking or gardening, and then I would go take a nice long nap a little later in the day. That way I got both exercise and rest. Don M

Welcome Jill. I am sorry your mom got cancer. I have read that most people get bone met pain relief very soon after radiation begins. Don M

Eric: I was saddened to read your news of Antoinette's passing. Please accept my condolences for your loss. Don M

Hi My pulmonologist told me that surgery was not an option for me when I had my 3rd cancer. My left lung was gone. My cancer was in my right lung. I had Image Guided Radiation Therapy with the intent to kill the tumor. It was small and deep inside the upper part of my right lung. I just recently had a PET/CT scan 3 months after radiation to monitor the tumor. It is the same size, there is no new disease, but there is a lot of uptake coming from the tumor. The radiologist considered this to be an indication of a viable tumor, but the radiation oncologist and other experts that I have talked to, say it is more likely that the uptake is from radiation inflammation. I will do another scan in 3 months to check on the tumor. I feel confident that they killed the tumor but don't really know for sure yet. I have about the same pulmomonary capacity after treatment that I did before treatment. I am at or near 50% right now. I think your mother better run surgery by a pulmonologist. I am sure the surgeon would have her see a pulmonologist anyway. She might have to be permanently on oxygen after surgery. She might want to consider doing what I did. Don M

Welcome Aholler: I hope you find a good oncologist who is willing to dig in and fight just like you are. You have my best wishes that you attain cancer free. Don M

Welcome to the boards. I hope your mother can start teatment soon and that it shrinks the tumor way back. Don M

I am sorry that you and your family have to deal with this. I hope you get to be with your dad at the end. I lost a brother and a friend to lc. They both had large brain tumors. They both had a seizure and died at the seizure. They were both lucid and comfortable until the end. Don M