gerbil runner

Berisa, my prayers go out for you and your dad. I hope he is comfortable.

I have 2 cats - a 15-lb. lap cat named Oliver and a 12-lb. yowling mouser named Kelley. Ollie was hand-reared, so believes people are all things good and wonderful. He's got enough persian in him to make his coat really full and soft, although it's short. When he was a little smaller, he used to drape himself over my shoulders like a living fur. He'd lay anywhere you put him, so he'd be a great therapy cat. Our 60-lb. dog, Mikey, is too angular and squirmy to be terribly comforting on our laps - although he's usually there anyway. And Kelley always kneads . Any diseases which are prevented by exposure to pet hair will never arise in this family!

TAnn, you have my heartfelt sympathy for the drain-pain. Kind of a pricey way to breathe . It's a good thing your husband is tough enough to help. Prayers going out that you'll recover from this situation soon.

Andrea, I don't know how I missed this post yesterday. I'm so sorry your mom had to leave. Please be kind to yourself, and know that you are in my prayers.

Hi, Jane! Yes, this site is an awesome place. It's good to have family around you, too. Hope the treatments aren't too hard on you. Let us know how you're doing!

It can be difficult to radiate multiple sites. But again, the wisest thing to do when you have doubts is to get a second - and even a third - opinion. Not all radiation equipment is the same, so you may get a different answer from a different facility.

It's always with a bit of sorrow when we welcome a newcomer. Nobody should have to go through this. Yet there is hope, and wonderful support here. I'm sorry to hear about your mom, but sclc can respond well to chemo. Please visit often - and I hope things will look brighter soon.

Hang in there, Andrea. Prayers going out for your dad. Sometimes I just think God has an odd sense of humor...

Tears are just water to wash the soul. Run the shower, and your whole self will be washed clean. Be kind to yourself. Hope you feel better soon.

Oh, Ray, I'm sorry this isn't a Good News post. There are more tricks to throw at the beast. You aren't done yet, so take a deep breath and move forward. Prayers that the taxotere is your magic bullet...

How wonderful to have good news for Easter!

Andrea, glad you had a good trip. Sorry to hear about your grandfather...even at such an age, loss is not easy.

Ray, hope you are doing well. Haven't seen an update yet...

Glad the pain didn't spoil your Easter. You're smart to head right in when trouble comes. I bet that plays a big part with you staying one step ahead of the beast. Prayers that the pain is history by now.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Andrea and Snowflake are drugged out on Easter candy. Am I right, ladies?

Kleenex here, too, please. Curtis, I'm sure Becky would approve of your plans. I pray you and Katie will continue to support each other.

Bean_si, please remember that there is no diagnosis that somebody somewhere has not outlived. And nobody except God knows who will be the one-in-a-million. If some crazed lunatic broke into your house, stole all your money, and left you a bunch of lottery tickets, would you throw out the lottery tickets before the drawing? I bet not, because as lousy as the situation is, someone will win. Maybe you. LC is kind of the same idea. Anger, fury, and depression are all common with cancer. Eventually, you learn how to get back some of your life and go on from there. I hope we can help you feel a little less alone.

Karen, it's great to hear how well you're doing. Hope your recovery continues to be smooth.

I'm so sorry to read of your dad's passing. It was good the family was able to be with him. I hope you will all find peace in the days ahead.

Wow, Francine, glad you're getting results along with the torture! I remember your post mentioning you were feeling better, and it's such a shame that didn't last very long. I hope you will have more good results and a LOT more relief from your side effects.

Y'know, Snowflake, since I became a mom I've never been without diaper wipes in my purse. Sometimes they're a lifesaver in the restroom .

It's beautiful...and yes, we're praying you through, MO. And many others as well.

I am so sorry you and your husband are dealing with sub-standard care. Dean is right - the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Start taking names when you call people. Do you have insurance coverage? If so, call your company and complain. I'd even go so far as to threaten a lawsuit for YOUR health being injured. Threaten to call the local news station. This disease is bad enough without the problems you're having now.

Andrea, I'm so sorry your mom is not doing well. May God give you strength in the days ahead.

Hi, Jane! PCI is a tough decision because there just isn't enough long-term information. We'd all like to know how people fare 5-10 years out from it but...well, nobody seems to have those stats available. The summary of what I've read is, 60% of lc patients will get brain mets (can't remember if that's all lc or just sclc). PCI reduces brain mets by about 50%. So, even with PCI, about 30% will still get brain mets. And PCI may make brain mets harder to treat. My mom will probably opt against PCI for a couple of reasons. She is most likely going to have stem-cell replacement (which means super-doses of chemo, and one of the drugs used will cross the blood-brain barrier). Also, the hospital where she is being treated has a state-of-the-art radiology center, so if she needed treatment for brain mets, she could get the best available quickly. With those factors, Mom is leaning away from PCI. There are long-term survivors in both the PCI and non-PCI groups. All you can do is make the decision your dad feels most comfortable with.