Don M

Hi Brenda: I have nothing to offer regarding pain and zometa, but others have and will. Welcome to this board. Don M

Kim: I bought a Honeywell air purifier and I thnk it helps. I hope you mom feels better and NED is great. Don M

I watched both playoff games yesterday instead of my usual firewood gathering tasks. They were both great games. I have been following the Seahawks since the Zorn-Largent days in the 70s. I rather hope the Seahawks go to the Superbowl and win. I expect the Seahawks will beat the Panthers next Sunday. As for the Superbowl....? I think it will be Seahawks vs Broncos at the Superbowl. Don M

Ah, the much lesser of two evils. I am glad you don't have mets. Break out the ibuprofen. Don M

Hi Holly: I am glad you are staying with the group. How is that little baby of yours? Maybe you could have 2 pictures on your profile as others do. One of you and your mom, and one of you and your little girl. You and your family have my continued prayers in your time of grief. Don M

Lori: Talking to your stepfather aftr your sil leaves seems to be a good next step. I hope your mom surprises evryone and walks in days, not months. From what you have said, her cognitive abilities seem intact. You and your mom have my prayers. Don M

Hi: I had a stage IB tumor cut out with an upper left lobectomy in January of 2004. I had no chemo follow up. at the time, the studys indicated that there would be no survival benefit to do chemo followup for stage IB. Then, in February of 2005, a new primary or possbily a recurrent nodule was detected. I had it removed in late February along with the rest of my left lung. It was staged IA. By this time, the studys said that there was a 15% increase in five year survival rate for doing adjuvant chemo in stage IB cancer patients. At this point, I did not care if my cancer was IA or IB. I signed up for chemo immediately. I did 4 cycles of carboplatin and gemzar. I tolerated it very well and have no lasting side effects that I know of except for possibly some short term memory loss. I avoided taxol, because it can cause neuropathy. Your tumor is rather large. My advice to you is to not hesitate about doing chemo. I had a very rare second chance at being cured. I guess that makes me a lucky guy too. Here is a link that I found on line to a clinic in Jacskonville: http://www.google.com/url?sa=U&start=2& ... tml&e=9797 Don M

Hi Debi: just a 2 weeks ago I had a swollen finger joint. I would have ignored it if I had not already had lung cancer 2 times. I went to my gp to talk to her about it. As it happens, I first noticed the swollen joint after a rather intense period of splitting firewood. My gp told me that I could get an xray if I wanted, and that I probably should if if it did not go away in 2 weeks. She said it was probably a repetive stress injury on my tendon. It has been 2 weeks now, and my finger is no longer sore or swollen. I am no longer worried about it, but at the time I first noticed it, I was rehearsing bone mets scenarios in my mind. Don M

Martha: I am sorry for your loss. I am glad you could be with your mom at the end. Don M

Trish: Congrtulations to the both of you. I hope there will be many more. don M

Beth: I hope your dad has a speedy recovery form the pneumonia and can resume treatment. Don M

Martha: I would trust the hospice people, but you could always run it by your mom's doctor if you want to set your mind at ease. You and your mom have my prayers. Don M

Cheryl: you and Jake are in my prayers. Don M

Lori: If I recall correctly, you stepfather was being rather attentive earlier on in your mother's care. It seems like he is burned out. Perhaps a social worker could help. Anyway, you , your mom and the rest of your family have my prayers. Don M

Hi Kimberly: Welcome to this site. I don't know much about small cell lung cancer (sclc). My cancer was non small cell. There is a forum here for sclc where you can visit and ask questions. Just reading people's profiles will give you a lot of information. I have read that sclc is more receptive to chemo but it can come back more easily too I think. There also is an "ask the experts board" where you can ask specific questions. I would venture to say that no one can guess how much longer your father has to live. Cancer and the treatment of it is an individual thing. It really cannot be generalized accurately. I hope your father finds a treatment plan that knocks the disease back for a very long time. Don M

Nina: I am glad that evrything went well for Chuck. Don M

Connie: I am glad to see you ae nearing the end of your hospitl stay. I hope you have speedy recovery and get good pain mamagement. Don M

welcome Jen Don M

Carol: it is probably nothing to worry about, but if it were me, I would ask for the next ct scan in 3 months instead of 6. Don M

Heidi: your mom and you have my prayers. Don M

Martha; I hope your husband can talk to you and things get sorted out. Leaving the web page open for you to see sounds a little bit like passive resistance, not a flattering trait. Just talk to him. Don M

Jorja: your dad has my prayers for good news this time and every time. don M

Congratulations Karen. 3 years and going strong. May you have many more anniversaries. Don M

Congratulations Terrie Don M

Hi Ginnie and welcome. Don M