Don M

Jesssica: you and your mom are going through what could very well be the hardest part of your journey now. Once they get treatment started, it will go easier for you. I have been told that concurrent chemo and radiation is the best way to whack back lung cancer if it is not operable....except that I have an inoperable tumor now, and I am going to have targeted radiation on the tumor only. This works good for smaller local tumors where there is no cancer spread. Don M

Luann: I hope your mom goes into remission. Don M

Rich...Most Excellent! Don M

Well, it sounds like there is a plan anyway. Sometimes you just have to jump in. I hope your dad's pain can continue to be managed and that he gets good shrinkage. Don M

Lori probably appealing with the support of a doctor is best for now, but I wold also call the state insurance regulators to see what they say. So far it appears that the insurance company has not recieved a signed letter from a doc, right? You might have to take it up a notch. At the time of my last surgery I was offered assistance my my insurance company's case manager. The idea was that she was supposed to review all my porposed treatments and look out for my interests so that I would not have to and just focus on getting better. I declined. I guess I was being a little paranoid, but who knows? I did not want her to turn into a stumbling block. Don M

Roger; I tried to quit a number of times before I turned 40. when I turned 40, I kind of used that as a pschycological lever to quit. I thought I was getting old at the time (ha ha). I quit cold turkey in 1984. Maybe you can talk yourself into quitting thinking of it as just one more weapon to fight the cancer. Of course, getting on an antidepressant would help. I am using lexapro now myself. Don M

Good luck with youor surgery Tom. vats is much easier thatn a full thoracotomy. I think you should be able to do followup chemo about 6 weeks after surgery. Don M

Sandy, pleases accept my condolences for the loss of your beloved Jim. Don M

Janine,welcome to this group. I think there are ways to deal with your mom's liver problems. treatment these days is more doable than in recent years. If your mom wants to go to hospice, that is her decision, but make sure she is making an informed choice. I would like to extend to you, your mom and the rest of your family my best wishes. Don M

Welcome April It sounds like your dad's oncologist is getting a good jump on the cancer. Keep us posted. Don M

Thanks for sharing your's and Keith's story Melanie. Don M

Welcome home Teri: I had gemzar with carboplatin and it was not bad at all. I hope it works for you. Don M

Hi Beckie, welcome to this board. How wondrful that your mom is in remission now. Your family sounds wonderful and you all should have years of time together now. Enjoy it. Take you mom out to dinner and feed her. I hope she gets her appetite back. Being cancer free is worth a night out. "Eat, eat, eat and be happy" you can tell your mom. Don M

Welcome: I hope your mom responds well to treatment. It looks like you all have the caregiver situation figured out. Is your dad able to get out of bed? Don M

Christy: You all have my prayers. Don M

Henesey: I am glad to hear that your mom is more comfortable now. You all have my continued prayers. Don M

Sandy, you all have my prayers. Don M

I hope your treatment continues to go well Roger. I have been told that doing radiation and chemo at the same time gives you the best chance of whacking the cancer, maybe achieving long term NED. Go get em Roger. Don M

Welcome Melanie: I am sorry for your loss. Don M

Hi again Lisa; you write very eloquently of your experience. I vote for Shirley McClaine too. I hope the home care gig works out for you and that you can feel settled in at Charlotte. Don M

Hi Barbara: Welcome to this board. I guess a lot of surgeons think that the cancer is loose with access to your entire body one it gets in the lymph nodes, but I know of at least one other person who had surgery with IIIa cancer and has been disease free for 10 years. I agree with Connie that a good strategy would be to shrink the cancer then pursue surgery. A PET/CT scan after a treatment course may show no lymph node involvement. I don't know much about your other medical issues. I certainly hope they can be managed. Don M

Lori, that is great news. I sounds like everyone is pulling together now. Don M

Yah Jen, it changes you. It sound like you are on track now and will have a good outcome. Don M

Teri has my prayers. Don M

Andrea your mother in law has my prayers. Don M