gerbil runner

Yee-ha! Sooo glad to hear your good news. Wishing you a long relationship with NED .

Peg, there aren't words enough. I'm so very sorry. You and your daughter are in my prayers.

This is kind of a scary story, but I think it should be told here. When my mom was first hospitalized, the onc. at the small hospital thought she had pancreatic cancer due to the met there. With spread to the lungs, it would have been Stage IV...if you think lc stats are grim, take a look at pancreatic cancer. Moves fast and has very little respect for chemo. My mother's oldest sister died of PC about 10 years ago, and it does seem to have a hereditary tendency. The onc. explained that with the lung tumor, my mom could hemorrage, and there was a 50% chance of it being fatal. He told us that if she were intubated for a fatal hemorrage, it could not be removed. Mom signed a DNR. Then the pulmonologist told mom he thought it might be lung cancer. Mom had to have a stent placed to open her bile duct (jaundice is what sent her to the hospital), and brushings were taken to try to get a dx. No luck. She was scheduled for a needle biopsy of the pancreas, but the tech backed out at the last minute, saying he was not comfortable reaching the tumor location. So the pulmonologist suggested a bronchoscopy. During the procedure, Mom bled from the tumor and had to be intubated. Mom and Dad had revoked the DNR for the procedure. The hospital staff was not very encouraging about Mom's prognosis that awful night in ICU. One dr. was trying to prepare my dad for the possibility of her not making it. But she proved to be quite a fighter - and really tough to keep sedated . A few days later, she was stabilized and taken off the ventilator. And now, 5 months later, she's NED and ready to undergo testing for stem cell supported therapy. If Mom had not resisted keeping the DNR...I don't even want to think about it. So if someone doesn't want to sign a DNR, let it be the patient's choice. Sometimes crisis points happen which can be overcome, even when the disease is progressing. I'd think long and hard about a DNR for anyone in my family, because I've seen first-hand how even when something goes wrong, it may not be as bad as you think.

Pain is not fun (I know, what a news flash ). Glad to see it hasn't scared off your sense of humor. Hope it goes away soon, but it sounds like your onc. is well on top of things.

Katie and Rick, this site is such a blessing...at the very least, there is camraderie and care...and I think it's not too far out to say you save some lives, even if it's only by some people being encouraged to seek a second opinion, or to get to the dr. NOW when symptoms get weird. And the personal cost, emotionally, is plain to see. It takes a lot of strength to put so much of yourself into a family who will lose members . Yet you stay to make sure all who come here will have love, comfort, knowledge and power. Thank you seems so inadequate. But thank you, anyway.

Amen! In my nastier moments, I say anyone more than 5 lbs. overweight who thinks smokers "deserve" lung cancer ought to sew their mouths shut. Solve 2 problems at once. For the record, I'm a never-smoker currently 35 lbs. overweight .

Best one I've heard in ages!

Sorry to hear your mom is having a hard time. Prayers going out for you.

Welcome, Glenda. I like to think of it as a waiting game - survive long enough to get the next great treatment/cure. Hang in there.

Snowflake, did you spill paint on your 'puter? Hope to hear from you soon.

Steroids, commonly given with chemo, can really wind a person up. My mother detests the steroids. Sleep problems and short temper can be caused by these meds. Not sure if that's what your brother is experiencing. If not, then I'd call the dr.

Bob, prayers going out for great results from the chemo, with no bad side effects. Even when you can't "be" here, you are in my thoughts and prayers. I look forward to reading your posts again.

Welcome! I hope surgery is in your future. Sounds like you've had a long road to get here...

Yikes! You'd think you're dad had enough without the gall bladder problems. Prayers for fast healing going out.

Peg and Bill, you are in my daily prayers . This is heartbreaking.

Welcome, Jim! Hope to hear about your adventures, and that you will enjoy our "company".

Berisa, I'm so sorry things look pretty much the same. You and your dad are always in my prayers. Without knowing the future, it is impossible to know whether any decision is the "right" one. But any decision made with love and concern will be a good one.

Welcome, wish we could help more. Is it possible to try another dr/hospital? Sometimes a different viewpoint helps. It took several tries to get a dx for my mom, even though the pulmonologist had the correct suspicions. Sometimes the biopsies just don't come back with enough information. Hope you get answers soon.

Glad your unwanted guests have a limited range! Hope the rest are soon evicted by NED. Hang in there.

I'm worried about Bob, too. I exchanged pm's with DBerry a few days ago. He's doing ok- not great, but ok for now.

That's fantastic news! May you enjoy many more fun days of good health.

David, I'm so glad to hear you're feeling better. And here's to stable! May it remain so for a very long time.

Welcome, Barbara. Your dad's onc sounds good - their attitude counts for a lot. And listen to what you're hearing here: there are a lot of long-term survivors. Your dad could be one of them.

Kelly, glad to hear your dad is improving. Hang in there - sounds like your dad and his onc are prepared to fight hard. My dad's mother died when he was 13, and his father died when I was a toddler. So I had only my mother's parents as grandparents, and my grandpa died when I was 8. But we have always been close to my mother's aunt and uncle, and they were always like grandparents for me. If anything had happened to my parents when I was young, they would have raised me. Close family is wonderful, even if you can't have grandparents. Just do the best you can, and love your children.

Welcome! I second the idea of a second opinion, if only for peace of mind. It helps to know exactly what you're facing, and NSCLC has a few different types. Please visit often, and good luck in your battle.