gerbil runner

35 for me - I do like to curl up! I don't mind being seen as the "quiet" type.

It is possible to have biopsies that are inconclusive - my mother had 2 of them. Here's a short list of what was done to diagnose: 1. x-ray showed mass 2. stent placed in bile duct - brushings from procedure were "inconclusive" 3. sputum sent for tests - "inconclusive" 4. bronchoscopy - "atypical cells" (but not conclusive for type) 5. second bronchoscopy - biopsies from 3 sites - "inconclusive" 6. CT - guided needle biopsy of pancreas met - finally, dx of sclc. This took a total of 19 days of hospitalization in 2 different hospitals. The pulmonologist explained that it's common with biopsies, especially ones not done with invasive surgery, to not get enough information for a firm dx. And my mother's history of heart disease made her a poor candidate for open-chest surgery to get at that tumor. I'd go for a second opinion at this point, too. My mom was worked on by 2 different pulmonologists and her x-rays and ct scans were sent to at least 3 different oncologists. So we kind of got the 2nd opinion by default. I hope you will get accurate answers very soon.

Grumpy - those dr.'s should hang their heads in shame. There isn't a human being alive who doesn't take risks from time to time. That's apart from the issues of addiction! Chemo and radiation are so tough...your family probably doesn't really understand how horrid it can be for the person doing it. All they know is they aren't ready to let you go. I hope that, in time, your family will accept your decision.

YOUR TAX DOLLARS When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat this problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion developing a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 300° C. The Russians use a pencil.

The "Stella" awards rank up there with the Darwin awards. Stella Liebeck is the 81 year old lady who spilled coffee on herself and sued McDonalds. This case inspired an annual award: The "Stella" Award - for the most frivolous lawsuits in the U. S. The following are this year's candidates: 1. January 2000: Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas was awarded $780,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The owners of the store were understandably surprised at the verdict, considering the misbehaving little brat was Ms. Robertson's son. 2. June 1998: A 19 year old Carl Truman of Los Angeles won $74,000 and medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Mr. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car, when he was trying to steal his neighbor's hubcaps. 3. October 1998: A Terrence Dickson of Bristol, Pennsylvania was leaving a house he had just finished robbing by way of the garage. He was not able to get the garage door to go up since the automatic door opener was malfunctioning. He couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the house and garage locked when he pulled it shut. The family was on vacation. Mr. Dickson found himself locked in the garage for eight days. He subsisted on a case of Pepsi he found, and a large bag of dry dog food. He sued the homeowner's insurance claiming the situation caused him undue mental anguish. The jury agreed to the tune of half a million dollars. 4. October 1999: Jerry Williams of Little Rock, Arkansas was awarded $14,500 and medical expenses after being bitten on the buttocks by his next door neighbor's beagle. The beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced-in yard. The award was less than sought because the jury felt the dog might have been just a little provoked at the time by Mr. Williams who was shooting it repeatedly with a pellet gun. 5. May 2000: A Philadelphia restaurant was ordered to pay Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania $113,500 after she slipped on a soft drink and broke her coccyx. The beverage was on the floor because Ms. Carson threw it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument. 6. December 1997: Kara Alton of Claymont, Delaware successfully sued the owner of a night club in a neighboring city when she fell from the bathroom window to the floor and knocked out her two front teeth. This occurred while Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the window in the ladies room to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge. She was awarded $12,000 and dental expenses. And the winner is: Mr. Merv Grazinski of Oklahoma City. In November 2000 Mr. Grazinski purchased a brand new 32 foot Winnebago motor home. On his first trip home, having joined the freeway, he set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the drivers seat to go into the back and make himself a cup of coffee. Not surprisingly, the Winnie left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Mr. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not advising him in the handbook that he couldn't actually do this. He was awarded $1,750,000 plus a new Winnie. (Winnebago actually changed their handbooks on the back of their court case, just in case there are any other complete morons buying their vehicles).

Stephanie, I'm so sorry to hear your mom is not doing well. Hospice may be needed if she can't have surgery and needs more pain management. Pain can sap strength.

Fay, they're beautiful!

Great news! Glad Lucie is enjoying life to the fullest.

Don't automaticaly rule out chemo if your dad wants to try it - keep in mind that doses can be reduced. Or iressa might be recommended, and some people do very well on it. Best of luck. Glad your dad is recovering well.

Better to be safe than sorry. Get all the paperwork you can find on you husband's plan. Check "pre-existing condition" clauses carefully. Some plans will exclude unless you join during an "open enrollment" period. Another thing - some small employers can really be blasted out of the water by insurance premiums should an employee/spouse have a catastrophic illness. It is not unheard of for the employee/spouse in question to be released if that happens, because the employer can't find/afford insurance with the sick person in the risk pool. It's totally unfair. The only party which doesn't suffer in such a case is the d@mn insurance company. In short, I'd be careful if your husband works for a small company. I'm not knocking small companies - I own one, with my husband. We get our insurance through the local Chamber of Commerce to avoid that very problem - we only have 7 employees.

Sorry Rochelle's sick. Glad the dr. listened! Hope you feel better soon, Ry!

Well, Mom has 3 more radiation sessions for her lung and pancreas, and then 3 more just to the lung. So she should be all done with the "zapper" on Tuesday. She's quite ready to be done - very tired and getting some pain now. I think she's lucky to have gone through most of it without any real problems. The radiologist decided only about a week ago (I think) to do the 3 extra doses on the lung. Mom will have 1 or 2 more chemo sessions, depending on whether her main onc. or the onc. who is involved with stem cell gets the final say . Her counts have been a bit too low for the chemo since she started radiation, but have been increasing steadily. She'll get a pet scan after to see where she stands. In early April, she will go back to the stem-cell onc. She needs to pass heart, lung, kidney and liver function tests, but wants to do the stem cell if she gets cleared. And she's remained smoke-free since Nov. 15. Way to go, Mom! So we're kind of in a holding pattern for now. Can't wait to have better weather - Mom and Dad live in a beautiful house right on a good-size pond, and Mom would love to sit outside and fish off the dock.

Tough way to get out of housework! Seriously, though, hope the cardiologist can get you your energy back.

Stephanie, I'll be praying for you both. Hope the surgery does the trick without any problems.

Oh, Gay...(((((HUGS))))) Keep looking for a therapist. Maybe a local cancer support group could suggest a better one, one who does well with these issues. Don't be a stranger here. At least here you know that people have first-hand experience with the issues of LC.

Elisabeth - so sorry you had to find us, but welcome. And you will find that everybody here strives for the attitude your dad has.

Mo, you continue to amaze me. Have a blast - and remember, don't bet on horses that limp .

Cathy, I'm sorry the news isn't so good. Hopefully another round of chemo will work. Are you possibly eligible for GVAX?

Lynn - I'm sorry your FIL is struggling right now. Prayers for you and your family. It amazes me how many "former" smokers with LC are showing up who haven't smoked in many, many years.

I'm so sorry you have lost your father. I hope you will find comfort.

Wow, Bess, what a week! My mom got really dehydrated at Christmas following a bad chemo reaction - it's AMAZING how severe the reaction can be! Hope you and your husband get top-notch care to get back to "normal".

Been there, done that, can't find the t-shirt...

Glad your mom is feeling better. Prayers going out for good results from the chemo.

Prayers going out for all of you. Take care of yourself while you care for the "Mom's" in your family.

Oh no, I'm so sorry. I hope your family can find comfort and blessing in the days ahead. Thank you for letting us know.