Don M

Most excellent Carol...keep it up. Don M

Hi Ralph: my first thought is that you had a reaction from steroids, but there is nothing in your profle about using them. You could try antidepressants and/or counseling. I have used lexapro in the past and it helped me. I keep a journal. Although I may appear level headed on my posts on line, in my journal I use multi expletives, a lot of upper case letters and exclamation points when I descibe my feelings about my cancer and how it has changed my life. They are just brief entries that pop up every now and then. I write about other stuff too, mostly just my day's routine. I am glad you did not beat the s--t out of those people. don M

I am glad it worked out. Don M

Wecome: I hope your treatment holds the cancer at bay for years to come. Don M

Frannie; I hope the tests show no lc for your sister. I suspect tht your sistr wants to put it of her mind for a while and thus goes to the workshops. I proceedded with my tests and treatments fast as I could arrange them. don M

Pam: I would avoid WBR. The side effects may take a year or longer to show up. It is more of an issue these days because people have been surviving cancer for longer periods of time thus giving the side effects of WBR time to show up. Some don't show serious side efects at all but others eventually do. Go to: http://www.cyberknifesupport.org/forum/default.aspx?c=4 Ask the radiation oncologists there about your husband's situation. I think he may be a candidate for cyberknife surgery. The doctors who amnswer questions there are top notch and all work at major cancer centers. they respond within 24 hours and sometimes sooner. Don M

I hope the tumor really is gone, but you better get a second opinion to make sure. I hope your dad gets his strength back soon. Don M

Carleen, I guess all you can do is just trudge on. you have my best wishes. Don M

Tina, please aceept my condolences and extend them to the rest of your family for your loss. Don M

Kelly, your mom has my prayers. don M

Lori, i hope it is just a temporary, no met thing. don M

Nancy has my prayers. Don M

Heh heh Don M

Well Connie, since you asked, My whinings in no particular order of priority are as follows: 1.SOB 2.Fatigue 3.Retirement years filled with planning around treatments 4.Cost of treatment cutting into my gas budget 5.2 ugly surgeries and one less lung 6.“How are you feeling?” 7.Needles 8.Staring at doctor’s office walls in examining rooms…waiting 9.Incompetent radiologists These things don't consume me ,however. Right now, I rather enjoy my life. Don M

Hi Lilly: I have heard that having radiation concurrent with chemo is harder than either one alone. But, perhaps you are not receiving heavy radiation since the intent is to do surgery later. You might want to check on this. Your surgeon and radiation oncologist have to be on the same page. Some surgeons won't do surgery if there has been too much radiation because of changes to the consistency of the lung. I see you are getting chemo once a week. I think they must lower the dosage there too compared to infusion every 3 weeks. Maybe both the radiation and chemo are not as intense when surgery is intended as a follow-up. You may be able to keep working. As far as working goes, I think I could have done it when I had my last chemo, worked every day that is, but I chose not to. I had a lot of sick leave coming and I used it for 2 or 3 days for each infusion. I hope your husband come around. I suspect he is unhappy that the routine of home life could be changed. Just give him a little time and patience. Don M

NED! NED!NED! Don m

Yes, hang in there. I sometimes have had little jerking spasms as I fell asleep. It has not happened in a while. I am not sure I want to say I "hate" lc, but I want it to shrivel up and die, to go away and never to be on the earth again. Don M

Gail, I think you should talk him in to moving to your place. If it is feasible to have him live with you, that is the best way. Maybe Canadian law would allow you to declare your dad as a dependent and perhaps he would be eligible for Canadian Health care? My wife's dad reached a point where he could no longer live by himself, and he readily agreed to go live with us. It worked out just fine. Don M

Hi Fran; I hope your cousin's treatment goes well and that she soon introduces herself to us. don M

Hi Laurel; please accept my condolences at the loss of your mother. Thankyou for sharing your experience with us. Don M

Hi Kim: I hope your mom backs off on the meds a bit and perhaps relys more on anti anxiety drugs. I have had no problems taking care of myself for both of my chemos, but if your mom is high all the time, that makses living by herself problematic. Keep pushing for her to stay with you. Or, alternatively, tell her she is going to have to back off the meds that make her loopy if she is going to continue to live by herself. Talk to her oncologist about the medication. Ask yor mom to sign a waivier (maybe she already did) so that you can have access to her medical records to keep copies in your organizer. Good luck. Don M

Hi Billy: I guess this summer you will be recuperating. It sounds as if you had a successful surgery and now just have to mend. One word of caution, if your tumor was bigger than 3 cm, you should have chemo. When you get about 4 weeks out from surgery, make an appointment with a oncologist at a cancer center and ask him for his recommendations. Don M

I noticed some blood spots when I blew my nose this morning. I suppose it is from the chemo. My chemo clinic has a 24 hour on call doc available. Maybe yours does too. don M

Jan: Avastin is known to be risky for beeding. Anyway, I think you should get a second opinion too. Also, your mother may be a candidate for cyberknife surgery to kill the mets in her liver. The primary tumor is gone. I think that makes it easier to control the mets. Here is a link where you can ask radiation oncologists about cyberknife. They answer within 24 hours. http://www.cyberknifesupport.org/forum/default.aspx?c=4 Insurance could be an issue. I don't know if HMOs address using cyberknife surgery on soft tissue. Some centers may cover the cost even if the insurance does not. The center I visited at Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle, said that if my insurance balked at paying for cyberknife, they would probably write it off. Don M

Tina, I hope the hospice experience is very good for your mother and family. Don M