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Hi Tonya, I'm sorry to hear your Dad's diagnosis and the toll it is putting on you and your family. He's very lucky to have you all. The financial costs of cancer treatment can be enormous. As difficult as it is to think about that aspect at this time, it is worth having someone in the family be the point person on this. There are oncology social workers at most cancer care centers (frequently associated with a hospital) that can assist, as well as on-line resources that can talk to you about the options. You can arrange for your own 2nd opinion - and it is actually better to get one before any treatment begins because once treatment starts, you kind of want to see it through and see if it works before discarding it. If the first treatment isn't the right one, sometimes it is difficult to make up for that lost time, or to get the best option. For instance, if surgery is an option, having radiation first can make it much more difficult. Each patient is different and needs to be evaluated based on their performance status, cancer type and stage, and wishes. But there are some pretty standardized approaches based on these criteria. A second opinion may do nothing more than confirm the treatment plan the original team has recommended, but even that gives you much peace of mind. Treating close to home has its benefits as well - commuting isn't fun, nor is not being home when you don't feel well. But I don't know what quality of treatment is available close to home. Some people have had wonderful experiences with CTCA - they tend to really like private pay clients as some of their treatment choices may be less easy to convince insurance to pay for (or that is my understanding, I may be wrong.) OSU? Sorry, I'm not figuring out where that is close to your Dad. Any chance it is associated with a research/teaching hospital / cancer center? That would be great. Take care - once a plan is in place, things will feel calmer. It will give everyone something to do and focus upon.

Welcome to LCSC. I don't know anything about Proton Therapy except that I would suspect it is promoted primarily by institutions that have bought the technology and need to pay for it. But maybe it has enough additional value to be worth checking out. I looked at the Grace site to find some posts for you - not much there but here are a couple of links.: http://cancergrace.org/forums/index.php ... 788.0;wap2 http://cancergrace.org/forums/index.php?topic=6800.0 Hope this helps! And thanks for helping out your friend/family member/acquaintance. Caregivers are a huge part of the wellness equation.

I don't think she will mind - I did chat with Sara this week - she is doing well and getting ready to go back to work (and maintenance chemo)! Has been out enjoying the cooler days of the end of summer. Said she will come back on line to say hello soon. I told her being away because she was busy and having fun was completely acceptable! Yay! Another blue sky day - yesterday was gray but warm. A very nice second summer, especially since we didn't get much of a first. Plums in the freezer, most of the tomatoes have ripened. All the talk of exercise - maybe I'll push off and go take a swim. It's been awhile.

Meg - I'll keep you and your Mom in my thoughts - but I have to tell you, you are very lucky to have brought Barbara back onto the board - what a treat and how fortunate for you! Hello dear one. Hope you are well and everything else.

Judy in KW - back in my cisplat days, those long days, all the rooms were private (and kind of pretty/fancy) but chairs, not beds. My current facility has two rooms that each sit 4 patients. If they are full, or if you are going to be there all day, they have rooms with two beds each. I got to use one as a private room on a busy day, even though I was there for just a few hours - and I got a full hot lunch! Judy in MI - perhaps pick up some cookies for group? I brought early halloween treats last week to relieve some of the stress. Worked for me at least. And congrats to your friend - funny how that happens.

Not sure what happened today - went to my QiGong class and just couldn't stay standing, so I sat down - and kept falling asleep! Thought about leaving, but decided I might as well take a nap with all that good Qi flowing around the room before I hit the road. Home now, and awake (the latte may have helped as well as the nap.) Here I thought I was doing so well this round. Figure my blood counts must have hit bottom or something. I'm assuming Bud merged all the airs. Thanks.

Kasey, Now that's a story! Thank you for sharing.

May 7 be 70. (Okay, that's probably a bit much, but never hurts to aim high!)

Ann, I just inhaled a slice of coffee cake - made from a vanilla cupcake base with fresh huckleberries mixed in and a crumb topping. One of our local cupcake chops decided to try this out - and it was very good. I am a big fan of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies too. Judy in KW-welcome home. Another blue sky, early fall day here. Might have to take a run to my Dad's - his watch battery needs replacement and "a week is a long time" to wait for it. He has two clocks in his room - and nowhere to go. What's he looking at the time for do you suppose?

Kind of funny - M picked up a copy of the Dr. Oz book the other day (at the infusion center), not because he is interested in the content (the man is already running 5K 5 days a week plus working out at the gym, and does not eat sweets!) but because the illustrator is an old friend of his. I did not remember this from his visit with us a few years ago. Beautiful morning - blue sky, but did wake to the sound of the heater running. Woke yesterday feeling really crummy - missed a friend's singing performance and the bi-monthly meeting of the clan - pizza, ice cream, and pinball this time. Feel much better today - hope it lasts!

Another gray day, but decided to get out of the house for a bit. We ran some errands, including buying more spring bulbs, and some good running shoes for M. Stopped at a fish and chips shop but I have little appetite right now, so I have dinner too. Just a little counter, a few options, and they serve the food in a paper boat lined with old newspaper - like a proper chip joint. But the funny thing is the paper they use is an alternative weekly, so sometimes the print is a bit strange. I'm reading The Emperor of all Maladies, a Biography of Cancer. It's really well written - lots of historical detail, but a page turner anyway. Just getting into the last 50 years when things started changing. Seems like a short time, but then again, not so short when you consider what else has happened in that amount of time, or less. I hadn't heard about the miners - but then, the historic airplane crash in Reno kind of took over the headline yesterday. Hoping my stepfamily wasn't at the show. 9 dead, 50+ injured?

Age 51. Cause of death, heart attack, but she was a lung cancer survivor, dx 2002. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/us/po ... -dies.html

Another member from our group passed away this last Sunday. We did not get to share his life very long, but he had a very sweet way about him. I can only hope that his wife will find plenty of comfort and peace in the days ahead.

Hi wahleena, I'm afraid you've wandered onto a lung cancer support community, so we might not be very helpful in answering your medical question. I think you are doing a smart thing to get a second opinion, whether or not an additional biopsy is needed. Sometimes a biopsy just doesn't happen to get cancer cells - they might not be everywhere, just in a limited area. This happens and a false negative report ensues. I don't know much about cervical cancer, but I imagine this could be the case here as well. However, if the pap smear showed precancerous cells - isn't it also possible there is no actual cancer developed? I've had precancerous skin biopsies and nothing more was required at those sites. I think asking the doctor for clarification is appropriate. Best of luck to you. I hope it is nothing!

We had about a month with only a day of light rain - still no rain, but the temperature dropped about 15 degrees and the blue sky has disappeared. 68 today, maybe, and headed down the rest of the week. QiGong class restarted today so now I have to get up and out on Wednesday mornings. Not much sleep last night - steroids before infusion. Cousins in town, so dinner out tonight - hope I can stay awake!

I love this: http://community.thisiscentralstation.c ... 26249.html and it's in Scotland too.

I have a book "September 11: West Coast Writers approach Ground Zero" that has a really well written story by Barbara Earl Thomas called "A crack in the earth" about her experience of the day - completely out of touch for 5 days. There was also a film made of one of her other rafting trips that was wonderful to watch - a tale of a strange mix of women rafting in the Grand Canyon. "Writing Down the River". She is also an accomplished painter.

Ron, It's looks a bit spartan there, but not too bad. The following photos with a pool and a dining hall - some people pay plenty for all-inclusive holidays! Hope you aren't working too long of hours and that you double enjoy your time off at home (and see the family!)

Hi Judy, Late start for me as well, but no good reason. I hear I missed a beautiful sunrise. Getting some stuff together to take to my Dad, had a catch up chat with my step-sister. Realized she has asked me to stay mum on another thing she doesn't want Dad to know and I fell for it. Could have been a good moment to discuss transparency with her - so much easier all around.

Hi k- I saw you posted on Grace as well, but welcome to LCSC as well. I think the faculty there has given you the most knowledgeable answer you will get to this question. It sounds like inflammation, but not necessarily related to cancer. I am sorry to hear that he is in pain - is he able to take anti-inflammatory medicines and/or narcotics to be comfortable? Breaking the pain cycle can really help. I say this as someone who hates to take anything, but have learned better if I want to feel better in the long run. Toughing it out isn't always the right thing to do.

Dawn, I hope this helps you financially and for your best health options. Thanks for letting us know.

It's been three years since I first went to the ER! So there, you nasty statistics. Judy (not in KW) - thanks - That's me at the painting easel, wearing a smock, just before I turned 5. I finally was able to get a small enough photo to be accepted on this site!

I'm thirding (fourthing?) the reminder. The past two weeks were pretty awful and I am not really good about taking ibu or anything else. Sunday afternoon was awful, but after all the stuff I did to prepare myself for going out, it worked - no doubt largely to the ibuprofen. Didn't take any yesterday and woke this morning not at 100% pain, but a mighty thud in the side. First thing I did was take a couple of ibus. Hope that works because I was not happy with the pain. M says he almost has to force-feed me my prescribed ibus or (heaven forbid) narcotics. I'm still not taking those regularly! There is a lot of misinformation out there regarding Alimta and ibuprofen - I went to the study and read it. NSAID's can slow the removal of Alimta from the kidneys, but it was not shown to be a problem unless you already had significant kidney disease. Even my multiple kidney stones last year don't establish a reason to avoid ibuprofen. My ibu's are by prescription and on all my paperwork the last three years and not a single doctor or pharmacist has questioned the continued use of it except in surgery prep and recovery time (and I got them to say okay during recovery anyway!)

Up early (8 am) today to see M's sister off (she spent the night). We had raspberry coffee cake I made yesterday, and fruit and coffee. I'm ready for a nap, except for the coffee! Earlier this week, we watched "The Debt" - a foreign film (Hebrew and German, with subtitles) that was made in 2007 - it was on cable. Good story, well made. I'm not sure if that makes watching the Helen Mirren version less likely. It has been a rough couple of weeks - but yesterday, since I knew we had company and a party to go to last night, I did my best to rally and it worked pretty well! I took a short nap, took some ibuprofen, drank lots of water, used a heating pad on the troubled spots, ate a snack, and had a late latte. I did pretty well for almost an hour last night, then found a quiet spot to sit and stare into the room until they were also ready to go. Not much planned this week - hopefully no more episodes! I guess this week is my 3yr discoversity? That's something to celebrate!

Jill, I can't imagine all that you have been through lately. May the new year be peaceful and without incident. New year - either based on the educational system, or the Jewish New Year comes soon - either way - sounds like your family could use a fresh start! Take care.