Andrea

Hi Everyone, Just a quick note so you won't worry, I will be gone until sometime in June. My heart, thoughts and prayers are truly with you all. Even though my posts may not express the compassion I feel for you all, I want you to all know that I consider you family members. I think of everyone all the time and wish you the best. As for my mom, everything is status quo. She is my true hero and inspiration. My goal in life is to touch people like she apparently has. She finishes radiation on Tues and further treatment will be determined thereafter depending on the scans. If there are any major updates before I return, I will try to make sure it gets posted. To all those doing Relay for Life--have fun! I heard it is just an amazing experience, I look forward to my first one. Katie--do something nice foryourself for your b-day! Hugs, kisses, and cancer cure wishes, Andrea

Has anyone had their Relay yet? I know a few went on this weekend. I was asked to post this by the Chairperson to get feedback. This is only the third year that we are doing relay in Newport Beach (and this is my 1st year). Are there a ny suggestions for things you did or did not like about Relay, or how it could have been done better? Comments on food in particular would benefit me since I am in charge of that. I might have serious issues in picking up the Krispy Cremes and not eating any. I may need to use the trunk and give my husband a secret code so I won't eat them all Thanks in advance.

I am not going to get into any argument, or any debate. I am who I am and I say what I say and if my posts offend anyone, I can stop posting. No big deal. I just can't deal with egg shells. This is like what, my fourth go around now on the egg shells issue. To set the record for the zillionth and last time, what I thought I have been doing is creating awareness about lung cancer, volunteering and trying to be an activist because as has been discussed, more needs to be done for this disease because of the low survival. I do cheer people on and root for everyone and hope for the best. But lung cancer in general needs to be changed around. I have never once discouraged anyone. My philopsopohy has been from day 1 that each person in reality has a 50/50 chance. Either the treatment works for them or it doesn't, no matter what the stage. I don't think anyone can deny that more has to be done for this particular disease or that I am in the only one to have expressed thoughts and dismay at the numbers. I am truly sorry if my posts have effected your health.

I am realistic and I did say many many many people die of all cancers, including breast and prostate, etc. But no matter how many people I offend, I truly would rather my mom be fighting a different battle right now with another kind of cancer only because the Las Vegas odds of her being alive to see grandchildren will be greater..............people die all the time at any age of heart attacks, allergic reactions to medicine, influenza, strokes, all cancers, and car accidents. In my little mind, which may seem little to many, ALS is the worst disease I could ever manage based upon what I know. I consider my mom luckier to be battling lung cancer than ALS. But out of all the cancers, the statistics for lung are way lower than the rest, so if she had to have cancer, sorry, I would have preferred a different one. NO cancer is good, but I have real issues with the low survival rates for lung compared to others. http://www.lungcancer.org/champions/edu ... 0Facts.pdf

Thanks Jamie But I am not upbeat and positive. I am a fatalist. My life was too good in August, I was engaged, Brian is like Mr. Wonderful it is disgusting, we had no major problems like a lot of poeple do financially, etc. I said something bad is going to happen, and then lung cancer did Now I see the breast surgeon on Tues and am worried. I was in a crowded elevator yeswt and I looked around and I said what am I worried about, my boobies have the same risk as theirs do. I just am nuts My mom just called me and cracked me up. Every Sunday I get bad headaches, so she jsut called and said I want you to do something for me. It sounded serious. It was "Please repeat I will not get a headache" over and over tonight. heehee

Life is just so fragile. I have no words except to say that I wish you a safe trip and I am praying for you.

What else can we relate to lung cancer? We can write a book or take our comedy show on the road!!! We lost our case, there was so much drama with a deadlocked jury, it is too long of a story to bore you with. But end result was Boeing was found to have retaliated and Plainitff was awarded $500,000. However, there were no punitive damages awarded. So $500k is a ton of money, but if was the top amount that we would be "ok" with (better than millions). So it was crappy for us, but could have been worse. My response immediately after: it is like breast or prostate cancer--it completely sucks, but not as bad as lung cancer. Meaning many many people die from breast and prostate cancer, but statistically, the chances of survival are higher than lung, so if you gotta pick one, I'd rather my mom be fighting breast than lung right now. That is how I related to the verdict---not good,but could be worse.

John, I concur and ditto what was said here. I just want to add one thing seeing that you are in Orange County. We have the absolutely best most amazing wonderful oncologist at Hoag Hospital-- Dr. Neil Barth. When my mom got diagnosed and I was throwing names around at my office, which does med mal defense, I heard comments that "Dr Barth walks on water" and has saved many lives. The stories I heard from patients at his office are inspiring. Second, I am 31, around the age of your friend. Since my mom got diagnosed 6 months ago I have become very active doing what I can for cancer. If your friend or your friend's wife want to talk to someone, tell them that you know a 31 year old attorney who lives and works in Irvine, whose mom is battling cancer and whose mission in life is to find a cure and do what she can for cancer. My e0mail is andreascheff@cox.net

Prayers are coming your way. Please post as soon as you can!

I am posting this under good news b/c Katie is going to allow me to sell my totes on this website so that funds can be rasied for this website. Thank you Katie More info to follow once I speak with Katie. The totes are black and have a white logo which says "Lung cancer may be only a breath away........(RIBBON)Even if you've never smoked" and then "www.lchelp.com" under it. THey came out nice. The font on it is not as large as I would have liked it, but then I keep looking at it and thought maybe it was more elegant and understaed this way anyway. I will see what the critic, ie my mom, says tomorrow

Mo, I was wondering how I got to Missouri so fast to be on your shoulders, then I read your post heehee. Seriously though, just FYI, I know my mom experienced the same thing when she was going through chemo and even on and off now. I heard my dad tell the doctor things like s uddenly a tea cup would be too heavy for her and he had to lift it.

Hurry hurry hurry hurry back. I will miss you. Well I will still bug you on e-mail, but I will miss your posts!

How are you feeling? Are you fully recovered from the hospital? I hope so!

My heart is breaking for you

Thanks! Those are all great. I have to go with Katie though since she is letting me use www.lchelp.com on my tote bags Katie--is that estimated # somewhere on this website?>

Hi. I apologize if I didn't respond to any posts the past co uple of days, my jury is still out and the commute is driving me insane and I have been busy with Relay for Life meetings, etc. I promise I will read the posts tonight BUt in the interim, here I am being obnoxious and asking people to respond to my post Ok, for Relay, we are doing Mission Delievery where each team takes on a cancer or a cause. I thought long and hard and was like, lung cancer for my team. It was a tough decision To attract people to our tables, we need to be creative. A few people are doing drawings and I want to do that. Here is what I need help with. I am going to have a drawing for e ither a Mikasa vase or a blender (I am going through duplicate wedding gifts ) There will be a sign up and people will give their na m e and phone n umber and whomever answeres closest to a q uestion will win. So here is what I need: A QUESTION and answer if someone has it. I want something with "shock value". Like how many non smokers get diagnosed a year? or a statistical n umer or something like that so when I have the answer on the board it sends a message. I hop ethis makes sense. I am writing fast and it is early Off to court. THANKS and LOVE and HUGS to all

Hi all, I have not posted m uch in the past few days b/c things have been hectic. I will catch up on reading this weekend. Tues is my first breast appointment ever. My dr is sending me to a breast surgeon w ho will then either send me for an ultrasound or mamogram. Please think good thoughts, I am so afraid for bad news these days. Although I know early detection is crucial, so even if g-d forbid anything is there, odds are I will still be ok. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

a zillion prayers coming your way. please post ASAP

I concur, Dean, how are you? You haven't posted how you are in awhile that I can remember. We all look to you. Please post a message about yurself when you can

I would feel bad too about the clerk, but I would also say don't mind me, cancer is on my mind. Which it always is

Hahaahha. That is funny. Isn;'t; it amazing how we can relate everything to cancer? Next time you go to the store, you could comment to the clerk how Round up is like chemo. it is funny to watch people's reactions Did you hear about the truckers here in LA? I am not sure if it made national news, 6 truckers stopped in MAJOR rush hour on a MAJOR freeway, jumped out, sped away in cars and closed down the freeway for an hour to protest diesel gas and make a point. I was l ike hmmmmmmm...........if they don't get arrested, I can do that to make a point about lung cancer Just kidding, I think disruspting people's lives with closing a freeway should be subject to arrest. What if someone had to get to chemo????

My mom was on gemzar and sooooooooooooooooooooo tired. It scared me, she got on her knees to pick something up and could not get up. Gemzar makes all blood count slow and it is all out of whack. She needed a couple of transfusions and that perked her up. Unfortunately the fatigue is normal

becky, i heard yoga works too. i just wish i could bend down and touch my toes:) but it would help w ith flexibility issues

So what's the verdict? To sell or not to sell, that is the question?

I shall draft it for your editing and review sometime later this week. Once approved, I will snail mail and e-mail to different places. I bet I can get my uncle for the $150 spot, he sells books on ebay. Let me work on that.