gerbil runner

Good luck on your first day! Get plenty to drink, take a deep breath, and relax while all those c-cell shrivel .

Hi, berisa, Don't know about the inflammation, but radiation will make it more difficult for tissue to heal.

My mom had her last radiation treatment yesterday. Talked to her last night - and she's really glad to be done . So now she has a week off before her next onc. appointment. She did very well - slight reddening of the skin, mild to moderate pain at the last week or so (controllable with medication). She's tired, of course, but that's improving. It feels like a milestone completed. She had 28 treatments to the chest, 25 to the pancreas.

Yes!! Good News! I'm really, truly happy for you. Thanks for sharing the great news. Wishing you lots more reports of good news.

Welcome, Margaret and Jim. An agressive onc. is a wonderful thing. Please keep us updated. Here's wishing you wonderful results from all the treatment.

Bob, big time prayers going out your way.

Can you imagine being pregnant for 19.5 years?!?!?!

Wow, sounds like great news! I'm sure you'll spoil your mom over the next few weeks.

Hi, berisa! I haven't heard from anyone else on the board doing stem-cell for lung cancer. Stem-cell transplant is actually a way to give a patient a HUGE dose of chemo. Chemo drugs destroy all rapidly-growing cells, as you know. This means bone marrow, gastro-intestinal cells, and mucus membranes all suffer duing chemo. The preferred method is autologous (self-donated) stem cells. After chemo, the patient is given drugs to make the body produce stem cells which are then harvested. This takes several days. Then the chemo hits. Some patients also get large doses of radiation, depending on the type of cancer. The patient typically gets lots of side effects, like mouth sores. Then, after the chemo has done its job, the stem cells are replaced into the body by transfusion. Mom will probably be hospitalized for several weeks. In a good center, up to 5% of patients will die from treatment-related problems. Since it's a HUGE dose of chemo, it seems like it should be a sure-fire cure, but it isn't. My mom's onc. said he only recommends 1-2% of his patients for stem cell. Other cancers can occur after stem-cell transplant, also. A big factor for my mom is that she has had a VERY dramatic, complete response to chemo. So since her cancer seems particularly susceptable to chemo, a mega-dose makes sense. It will give her a chance for an actual cure. On the other hand, cancers which tend not to respond well to chemo are a poor choice for stem-cell transplant. Hope this answers some questions for you.

Hoo, boy, that's tough. There have been several posts on chemo-sensitivity testing. Seems like that's what you need. And some chicken soup . Let us know how your biopsy turns out. Dan, take care of yourself. Hmm, we send cyber-hugs...maybe I can send a cyber kick-in-the-pants to your onc. Some of these guys need to remember they are treating a patient, not just a disease. I would think insurance co.'s and Medicare would be jumping on the chemo-sensitivity test bandwagon. After all, why waste a round of chemo that won't work? It should be more cost-effective to get the right treatment the first time, or to let a patient know that treatment is unlikely to work. It's the crystal ball we all want.

Aww, MO, sounds icky. If you have sores outside your mouth, Lansinoh will work better than any kind of chapstick. Lansinoh is meant for breastfeeding mothers (it's purified lanolin), and if it's safe for newborns to consume, it must be pretty harmless. The stuff is thick, and will stain, but it's the best for any skin irritations.

Fay, you said it all. It's just overwhelming to see the losses. Judy B was a sad surprise, and Becky G a total shock. It reminds me to make the most of the time we're given. Nobody knows when God intends to bring someone home.

You never feed me. Perhaps I'll sleep on your face. That will sure show you. I need a new toy. Tail of black dog keeps good time. Pounce! Good dog! Good dog! The rule for today: Touch my tail, I shred your hand. New rule tomorrow. In deep sleep hear sound; Cat vomit hairball somewhere. Will find in morning. Grace personified, I leap into the window. I meant to do that. Blur of motion. then-- Silence, me, a paper bag. What is so funny? The mighty hunter Returns with gifts of plump mice-- Your foot just squashed one. You're always typing. Well, let's see you ignore my sitting on your hands. My small cardboard box. You cannot see me if I can just hide my head. Kitty like plastic. Confuses for litter box. Don't leave tarp around. Small brave carnivores Kill pine cones and mosquitoes Fear vacuum cleaner Want to trim my claws? Don't even think about it! My yowls will wake dead. I want to be close To you. Can I fit my head Inside your armpit? Wanna go outside. Oh, no! Help! I got outside! Let me back inside! Humans are so strange. Mine lies still in bed, then screams! My claws aren't that sharp. . . Cats meow out of angst "Thumbs! If only we had thumbs! We could break so much!" Litter box not here. You must have moved it again. I'll poop in the sink.

I love my master; Thus I perfume myself with This long-rotten squirrel. I lie belly-up In the sun, happier than You will ever be. Today I sniffed ten Dog bottoms - and celebrate By kissing your face. I sound the alarm! Paperboy - come to kill us - Look! Look! Look! Look! Look! My human is home! I am so ecstatic I Have made a puddle. Behold my choke chain - Look, world, they will strangle me! Ack! Ack! Ack! Ack! AACCK!! Dig under fence-why? Because it's there. Because it's There. Because it's there. My owners' mood is Romantic - I lie near their Feet, expelling much gas. How do I love thee? The ways are numberless as My hairs on the rug. I am your best friend, Now, always, and certainly When you are eating. Look in my eyes and Deny it. No human could Love you quite as much. The cat's not all bad She fills the litter box with Tender Tootsie-rolls.

Thanks, John, for your quotes. It always amazes me, the way you find this stuff! My mother's case is somewhat unique. She has extensive SCLC, but only 2 sites - lung and pancreas. She also has a complete response to chemo. So her oncologist, after consulting with a collegue in Colorado, sent her on to radiation, treating both original tumor sites. If she does have the PCI, it will be after the stem-cell (assuming she has that). I'm really interested in finding out the possible long-term consequences of PCI, and how severe they might be. Mom's worried about compromising quality of life, but she certainly doesn't want to be left vulnerable. One thing that worries me is the thought of having the PCI and then getting the brain mets anyway. If 60% of patients suffer brain mets, and PCI reduces the risk by 50%, that leaves 30% of patients who are still going to get brain mets. Is it more difficult to treat the brain mets if PCI has been done?

My mom is trying to decide whether or not to have PCI. One onc. is in favor, the other is strongly opposed, saying he has seen several cases of serious mental impairment. To make matters more complicated, if my mom does the stem-cell treatment, one of the drugs they plan to use is supposed to cross the blood-brain barrier. I've done a couple of google searches, but none of the info seems terribly recent, nor do the studies have much to say about long-term results beyond 2-3 years. Anybody heard anything recent? Maybe a poll is a good place to start. If you're a family member or caretaker, your input is welcome, too.

Has anyone heard from Dan? I pm'd him a few days ago but didn't hear back. Dan, if you're lurking out there - hope all is well.

Welcome back! Glad it was a good trip.

Have a great time and a safe trip!

KC, so sorry to read about your loss.

Oh, Curtis I'm so sorry. This is too sudden, too unfair. (((HUGS))) for you and your daughter, and the rest of your family.

Oh steph, I'm so sorry.

I can hear your pain in your post. You've found a good place to help you cope. I'll add my attempt to explain the decision against surgery for lung cancer. Lung cancer is more like buckshot than a single bullet. The cancer cells spread out from the original site, sometimes (like in small cell) very very fast. Because there are loose cancer cells beyond the original site, the chances of surgery making a difference go way down if there is more than a couple of sites. Think of dropping a glass on a tile floor - it shatters, and tiny shards go everywhere. Cancer kind of does the same tink. Problem is, any tiny shard can become a huge problem. Surgery is a big deal - it's risky, and the recovery is tough. Why do it if it doesn't help? Chemo, on the other hand, goes pretty much everywhere. While nobody seems to enjoy chemo (there's an understatement), it's safer than surgery and more effective for cancer that has started to spread. Stem cell transplant is really a procedure which allows a super-dose of chemo. The patient is given drugs to force the body to produce stem cells in the blood (this is safer and easier than bone-marrow transplant, but does the same thing). Then the patient is given chemo (and sometimes radiation) in really high doses. The patient typically gets pretty sick - and in a good center, up to 5% actually die from the procedure. After the chemo, the stem cells are transfused back into the patient. Self-donated stem cell doesn't require an outside donor, and does not risk the host versus graft problem. Sounds like it should be a sure-fire cure, but it isn't. Cancer can still come back. And for some reason, DIFFERENT cancers are a big risk after stem cell. My mother's onc. said he only recommends stem cell for about 2% of his patients. My mother is one of them because she has had an excellent response to chemo. That being said, I would encourage your grandmother to get a second opinion. If she's 70 and in good health, I would think chemo would be an option. Radiation may also be used. This is assuming she wants aggressive treatment - nsclc is not as responsive to chemo as sclc, and treatment can be tough, so your grandmother gets the final say. But if SHE is upset that her dr. says there isn't anything else to try, then she should run, not walk, to another onc. Please let us know how you and your grandmother are doing.

A champion jockey is about to enter an important race on a new horse. The horse's trainer meets him before the race and says, ''All you have to remember with this horse is that every time you approach a jump, you have to shout, 'ALLLLEEE OOOP!' really loudly in the horse's ear. Providing you do that, you'll be fine.'' The jockey thinks the trainer is mad but promises to shout the command. The race begins and they approach the first hurdle. The jockey ignores the trainer's ridiculous advice and the horse crashes straight through the center of the jump. They carry on and approach the second hurdle. The jockey, somewhat embarrassed, whispers 'Aleeee ooop' in the horse's ear. The same thing happens--the horse crashes straight through the center of the jump. At the third hurdle, the jockey thinks, ''It's no good, I'll have to do it,'' and yells, ''ALLLEEE OOOP!'' really loudly. Sure enough, the horse sails over the jump with no problems. This continues for the rest of the race, but due to the earlier problems the horse only finishes third. The trainer is fuming and asks the jockey what went wrong. The jockey replies, ''Nothing is wrong with me--it's this bloody horse. What is he--deaf or something?'' The trainer replies, ''Deaf?? DEAF?? He's not deaf--he's BLIND!'' Here's the footnote - true, I swear. In college, I rode horses (english style, including jumping up to 3 foot fences). One of my best friends, Kerry, was legally blind. She had partial vision in one eye, and the other eye was a prosthesis. Now, you have to understand, horses eyes are so far apart on their heads that their depth perception leaves a LOT to be desired. The rider makes most of the decision on when the horse takes off for a jump for that very reason. Kerry, having only one functional eye, had very little depth perception. Riding in college competition means getting on unfamiliar horses for competition, and jumping with very little warm-up time, so it wasn't like the horse was trained to "help". Kerry was an excellent rider. So I asked her; "Kerry, since you have almost no depth perception, and the horse doesn't either, how do you do it?" "Beats me. I usually close my eyes when I'm going over the fence".

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson go on a camping trip, set up their tent, and fall asleep. Some hours later, Holmes wakes his faithful friend. "Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see." Watson replies, "I see millions of stars." "What does that tell you?" Watson ponders for a minute. "Astronomically speaking, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Timewise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, it's evident the Lord is all-powerful and we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you?" Holmes is silent for a moment, then speaks. "Watson, you idiot, someone has stolen our tent."