gerbil runner

So many good points here... One thing I think is not publicized more is the number of ex-smokers who get cancer 10, 15, 20 or more years after they quit. So even if every smoker in the world quit today, there would still be smoking-related (at least according to current public views) lung cancer 20 years from now ! We treat heart disease aggressively, even though much of it is related to poor lifestyle choices. Drunk drivers who end up in the hospital after car wrecks get the same care as other accident victims. LC should be no different - a cure is far more important than placing the blame.

Hope your mom feels better soon. My mom is also one who gets all the "unusual" side effects from drugs .

I'm sorry to hear your dad has passed. Somehow, you will get through it, even though it seems impossible. Prayers going out for your family, especially your nephew.

Good grief - I ran 3 miles this morning in 31 minutes, and I only got to 112! Maybe I should try it standing up ...

Prayers going out for you. Is there any way you could get a home health aid? Contact social services in your area. You shouldn't have to decide between chemo and caring for your husband. Call your onc's office and see if they know of any programs which could help you out. Hope you can find a way to get care for the BOTH of you.

Ginny, I'm so terribly sorry. Nobody could have been a more wonderful, devoted caregiver. Prayers going out for you and Sandy.

Call the dr. and ask for a different option. If none is given, contact a pain-management center. Hope your dad feels better soon.

This is so tough, Karen. That @itch with the adoption agency is the last thing you need. Don't they understand that the added stress and uncertainty can't possibly help Faith?!?! End of rant - sorry. Do you belong to a church? Most churches have many members who will do anything possible for a member in need. Two of our church members dealt with breast cancer a few years ago - both single with no family in the area. Members came to stay with them after surgery, brought meals, took them to dr. appointments, you name it. Maybe you need an older teen to hire as a "mother's helper". Or a home health aid to go with David to chemo. Ask at the hospital if there are any volunteers who could help out, or if they know of any program which might help.

I'm sorry, Shellie. It's the kind of year I woudn't wish on anyone. Thinking of you often, and I hope the rainbow shows up for you soon.

Thank you all. Lois is still in ICU. She has to be kept heavily sedated and on a respirator to keep her from bleeding. We should hear soon what the surgeon plans to do. It's very hard on my aunt, who came to stay with my mom when she was first diagnosed. My mom has radiation pneumonitis, but after a week on prednisone is feeling better. We hope she will continue to improve. NED is still keeping her company, and she's able to enjoy getting out for things unrelated to doctors - like shopping.

Ginny, I'm sorry to hear the Duke is continuing down this path. It must be so difficult - I can only imagine. You are certainly giving him everything you can, keeping him home. I pray he continues to be free of pain, and that you will keep finding the strength to watch the story unfold.

I'm sorry you're seeing such an alarming change. Hopefully the meds are to blame. Sometimes, anti-depressants can make a person MORE depressed.

One of my cousins was in a serious car accident yesterday. She had a blowout on the way to work, got out to check it out, and another car pinned her between her car and a barrier. She is in ICU with a broken pelvis and has received a lot of blood. She suffered a bad motorcycle accident about 14 years ago, and has one leg that is very weak, with a very unstable knee. We're praying she will recover well, and that she has no further orthopedic damage. Her name is Lois, and she has a husband, 2 sons and a daughter. Thanks.

Prayers for Rob, his family, and you too. Hope the next chemo improves things.

Betty, I'm so sorry you have to deal with ED. Hope the rads fry it to bits in record time.

Also relieved to hear you're ok. I don't suppose anyone's heard from Betty - I doubt she has computer access right now.

Welcome, Cathy. My mom was about as addicted to cigs as anyone can be. She's had 2 heart attacks already. The first time she quit, she made it for 9 months. But the terrible depression made her start again. She quit after each of her 2 heart attacks, only to face panic attacks, weight gain, and more depression. But when she was diagnosed with sclc, she was having problems with coughing up blood. The possibility of coughing and having a fatal bleeding episode (a 50% likelyhood, she was told) was enough to make her quit for good. Paxil is her new best friend - and at a high dosage. Bottom line? It's really, really hard for some people to quit. Make sure you get the support you need - and that means medications. Nicotine is a powerful, highly addictive drug. You CAN do it, but make sure your doctors give you all the help you need.

Hi, Bill. The PICC line is a good compromise. It only requires a local. My mom has hers cleaned and flushed by a health service that comes to her house. My mom has terrible veins, so she has to have something. Her oncology department discourages ports because they have to have a special nurse stay with the patient during chemo. I don't really understand, but she says the PICC line isn't much trouble.

Welcome, mcfc and Mandy. The reality is, nobody has a guarantee on how long their life will be. And even if the odds of survival are 1 in 1,000 - nobody knows who the lucky one will be. We all do the best we can, and hope for the best. This site is a great place for information "from the trenches" and for support.

Dianne - Good for you! Your attitude guarantees a better journey. It's always good to see someone stand up for a dr. who will treat them the way they NEED to be treated. My mom had to take time off from treatment for low platelets, also - and it worried her just like you experienced. But she's NED, and getting stronger. Enjoy! And thanks for sharing.

When the only thing conventional medicine can offer is suffering, I'd say alternative medicine (chosen prudently) is the best option. Good luck. Please let us know how it goes.

Paige, So sorry to read that your mother has passed. I hope you will be comforted by good memories.

It hurts, all right. I miss Missy (MO_Sugar) and her zest for life.

NED is a great guest to take on vacation! Have fun.

Denise - I don't know about iressa side effects, but the warning signs for detached retina almost always include vision disturbances. I'm at increased risk for retina problems because of the severity of myopia I have. My opthamologist has given me standing orders to call right away if I see any weird flashes or an unusual amount of "floaters", which look like amoeba superimposed on everything you look at. Headache is another symptom. Hard coughing can also cause small vessels to break in and around the eyes. If your mom has a regular eye doctor, I'd call to discuss the problem.