Andrea

I was at the lab waiting for blood to be drawn yest and I was talking to a woman. Her father passed away from lung cancer last year. He was 77 years old and chose to forgo treatment because he wanted to live his life to the fullest. She said he was given 4 months and lasted 9 and that until the end, he was really living his life, laughing, smiling, and she was thrilled he made the choice he did because she really had quality time with him that she will treasure and might not have had if he was sick from treatment. Just a little story from a daugther I spoke to for those who are choosing this path or contemplating it.

Debi, I will send you a bag when it is done My mom is the one who mad the final selection of the phrases I have her. She thought your phrase was very classy and to the point.

Wow! Finally some recognition. Thanks so much for posting!

Excellent news!!!!!

Thanks Kelly! I cannot wait to hear that your dad has been on Iressa for 1 year, then 2, 3, 4, and 5--the jackpot number! I should change my lucky number to 5 Where on Long Island are you? I was born and raised in Holbrook, moved out west in 1998. My parents moved out in 2000.

Fay, Here here! So wise and so eloquently said! I concur! I also would add hoping for a miracle also as a reason to prolong life. You just never know when the cure will arrive. Tomorrow works for me My boss is in a bad situation and has your exact attitude. Her husband suffered an aortic anyerism over a year ago (that is what John Ritter died of) and is still in a coma. So many people tell her to let go and stop keeping him alive. But she FIRMLY believes, and I agree with her wholeheartedly, that when it is his time, it is his time. She REFUSES to let him die of starvation (ie, pull feeding tube) or an untreated infection b/c while she knows the reality is he most likely will pass away, there is always that 1% chance he will wake up; and even if he does not, she does not want his last moments on earth to be ones of pain. Go Fay go!

We have a new office manager. I introduced myself and said "Hi. My name is Andrea. I am the resident neuorotic one of the office. Sorry to bother you since you just started this week, but I understand we are having open enrollment next month and I must switch from a HMO to a PPO. You see my mom has lung cancer and I just need a PPO now because they want me to see a breast specialist for early detection and I just want a PPO now" ( I have to push, the office is being slow, she is new, so I went to the boss myself to speed it along. I can't wait until Oct to have the freedom to visit whatever dr I like I am too insane for that. Duh. Don't they realize? Of course prices went up, so when my husband sees how much the PPO is compared to the HMO, hmmmmm. ) That led to a lung cancer discussion and the first question of "how long did she smoke for". I smoked that question heehee. THEN she proceeded to tell me that her sister died of lung cancer, it went really fast, she was sick for awhile and refused to go to the doctor. However, her brother in law has been battling for two years. She said he is "fine", living normally with the disease, working full time and has been taking a little pill. She said chemo gave him rashes on his face. I said "a little pill? Iressa?". She said yes, that is it. So it is nice to know that there is a man living somewhere on Iressa leading a normal life with lung cancer and doing well

We are living with Mickey and Minnie still. I am sooo squeamish, that is a problem If you feel you need the xanax, by all means take it! Just not 10 pills a day My body actually tells me if it was a good thing to do. I noticed that when I really need it, xanax does not make me tired. But if I take it and it is not essential, it makes me sleepy. Also usually they start you out on the lowest dose. Sometimes for NO reason lately I get panic/anxiety cancer attacks and start thinking irrationally. For instance I am afraid to go away Memorial Day Weekend and July 4 b/c i dont want to make future plans, what if cancer happens to me or anyone, etc. That is illogical, so I take a Xanax and plan the trips

I have tears rolling down my face, I just received the LCSC totebag I ordered and all those beautiful faces.......I then went in to show it to my co-worker and ask how her friend is and the news is not good. Very odd story: Brian's family (they live in Los Angeles) has a close close friend whose son has lymphoma in his 30s and I was asked to pray for him which I do. Myra (co-worker) grew up in Los Angeles and moved to Orange County a few years ago. Her best friend who she grew up with and went to the prom was suddenly diagnosed with lymphoma at the same time as my mom. This 37 year old was active, fine, suddenly started vomitting and diagnosed a week later........I kept asking how he was and I heard he is getting a stem cell transplant. I hear from my inlaws that their friend's son is getting a stem cell transplant. It is the same person!!! And Myra was sitting two tables away from the father at my wedding and they never saw each other. Things were looking up, he was NED for a couple of months now. He donated sperm in case he ever wants kids and was waiting for stem cell........suddenly he could not stand up straight and could not walk.........he has a mass on his spine and is in the hospital now. Just devestating. My heart breaks.

Good luck Billie!!!!!!!! That is great news!!!!!! As for the cost, I now no longer believe in the phrase that "money can't buy happiness or health". In certain circumstances with cancer, if we don't have the money to do the trials........ oy vey. Keep us posted!

I can see her point about the shirt too The thing is my mom is soooo beautiful and does not look sick at all, it is almost a shock value to people when they hear what she has. They don't believe it. She did lose 50% of her hair, but she had a lot to begin with and with the magic of a great haircut, it just is incredible. She will carry the tote I am doing. She won't wear t-shirts, she does not like how she looks in them

These two had decent prices: http://www.halfpricebanners.com/productdetails.php http://www.ezsign.com/customer/index.html

Debi, I just want to thank you b/c I just realized I am using your idea, Lung Cancer may be only a breath away as the theme for my lung cancer booth. I knew I got the idea from somewhere and just searched and found where I would LOVE to say "Cancer Sucks" or "Have you gotten a chest xray? Yes? Well don't relax, you can still have lung cancer" or "Was that a cough? Have you been tested for lung cancer?" but my mom said those would be offensive. I STILL like the idea of a sign around her neck saying "don't i look good? well i have advanced stage lung cancer and i had no symptoms. is it growing in you too?" But she said no!

Thanks! I think I will purchase one, Katie already said I can do "Lung Cancer may be only just a breath away........www.lchelp.com" and then it can be a sign I use over and over and can lend out. I want to keep it generic for future use instead of putting my Relay for Life team on it. I am checking prices on the internet as well. Crazy how expensive they are!

Becky you crack me up I am not sure if Mickey is a mouse or a rat, I never saw him. Brian did. Twice He came back last night. Wewere about to go to sleep, I saw Brian sort of get alarmed, his arm reached across for me and instinctively I screamed and Mickey ran away So we stuffed a towel under the door way so I would be safe for thenight and will get traps today. I am such a baby, afraid of a little rodent I am literally trapped in my bedroom until I go to work and will just run out, making sure I sing on the way in case he is there--he runs when he hears me Brian read thismorning that mouse reproduce 56 times a year and make 8000 mice a year!

Does anyone have any ideas on where to get a banner or how to make one? Since I am the lung cancer booth for the Relay for Life I want to put a sign up by my campsight. I am the biggest klutz and least creative and artistic person on earth, so any ideas would be appreciated Thank yoU!

Margaret, Prozac is an anti-depressant which is daily. Xanax is for anxiety and NOT taken daily, only as needed When my mom was diagnosed, I took 1 a day, rarely two a day. Now I take it here and there, maybe a couple of times a week, maybe not. Problem with Xanax is that it can be addicting, so you gotta be careful and try to stay with baby doses Meanwhile I am now at home looking around, scared. I would not come home from work until my husband did

There is no such thing as normal Glad to hear your spirits are up!

Norme, You just made me chuckle, you are not the first person who said that. My secretary is very religious and into prayer. She prays every night also and when my family did the intervention on me that organizing the walk was too much, she hugged me, kissed me and did another prayer giving thanks b/c apparently she was praying for me every day too You are so great. How about you come out to CA on the next trip with your son!

Uh oh, I had a feeling they travelled in packs! I am VERY squirmish when it comes to animals. I FREAKED out when I saw a little lizard by my parents apt when they moved to CA before they got the house, it was up in the hills where animals were just normal and my dad said it was the only time he ever saw me run.........In college we had a bat living in our laundry room of the house so I simply never did my laundry, I did fluff and fold...................poor Brian, I am going to drive him nuts. My closet is kind of messy and I was thinking they like to hide in shoes. Actually, I think the mouse/rat/rodent is a sign from above. My grandfather Papa Sol died Sat. On Sat I told Brian and my inlaws that I just know my grandfather will die within a year. I told my mom that when I called from my trip and she gave nothign away. Sun I find out Papa Sol died. In college we also had a mouse/rat that we named Gus and hung up a CHristmas stocking for. Well I felt guilty about the name b/c my grandma, Sol's wife was named Gussie. So kind of wierd that Sol died Sat, funeral was Sun, and then on Monday Gus returns.

Welcome back and don't leave again please!

Hi peoples, I received a call from the Relay for Life person. She was like you sound so enthusiastic, I bet you can organize this. I said sure, no problem I think they know I am an easy target, they keep calling me Anyway I am organizing this for the Cancer Society Relay for Life . I was thinking, I hope to do another one in conjunction with people here!!! We have lots of people in different areas of California who live near a Ruby's diner. Apparently Ruby's does something called "Fundraising Night". It is only Mon-Thurs and you pick a day, they make the flyers for you, you pass them out. You get 10% of all proceeds for your nonprofit from whomever comes in during that time for dinner or lunch. Isn't that neato? What an easy way to raise funds! Perhaps we can get

Ah, one of my favorite topics, the lawyer debate. Do we like them, do we not? I have not answered it myself. Personally, me, I don't care for most. Stereotypically most lawyers are mean obnoxious arrogant unsympathetic tushyholes Then there are the few who are good hearted people and actually care. I call those "Atypical lawyer". BUT, as much as I agree with the jokes, I always say unfortunately most need a lawyer at one time or another. How else could we sue for doctor's mistakes? heeheeheeeheeheehee

Angie, What part of Alabama? I have close relatives in Birmingham. Unfortunately I never had a breakdown myself for no reason. So I really cannot relate to you. JUST KIDDING I crack myself up, laughing is good for the soul. Seriously though, I have those breakdowns all the time. No one ever knows when I will randomly start crying. Sometimes it is worse, sometimes it is better. It is almost a bi-polar feeling--one second you really are ok, the next second you need to purchase stock in Kleenex. This is all such a roller coaster. Whether or not it is normal to make sure someone is breathing all the time, I can tell you that I do it too. I don't live with my mom, so I don't do it with her. But ever since cancer came around, if Brian is laying too still I will shake him and wake him. I cannot help myself. I honestly don't know what we can do to get rid of this anxiety except laugh at it and realize we are not alone. It REALLY comforts me to know others worry just like I do.

My mom also had the same platelet problem, it seems to be the norm. Hang in there!