Jana_W

Bill What wonderful news to read. I just woke up and thought I'd log on and check in before I head off to work. Thank you for making my day start so beautifully. I am so happy for you. And yes, miracles obviously can and do happen. I am doubly thrilled because we are hoping that Mum may be starting Iressa next week (depending on scan results). I truly hope that your wife continues to have success with Tarceva and that this has given hope and inspiration to all the others who are using this sort of treatment. Have a happy, happy day. Jana xxx

I can't offer any more information than what the others have already posted. Just wanted to let you know I am keeping my fingers crossed for the scan. Cheers Jana x

Hi everyone It's that time where again where I need to ask everyone if they could please say some prayers, send out some positive thoughts for Mum. She is having an abdomen/chest CT scan and head CT scan on Tuesday next week and we get the results on Wednesday. She has been doing OK, but is quite fatigued and in this last week has lost her appetite somewhat and has some nausea. Of course you all know how anxious this time is for us, and I know how busy you all are looking after yourselves and your own loved ones, so any thoughts would be much appreciated. Love to you all Jana xxxx

Hi I haven't read the full article but I did have a thought when reading this section of the conclusion: "Frequent screening with chest x-rays was associated with an 11% relative increase in mortality from lung cancer compared with less frequent screening" (RR 1.11, CI: 1.00-1.23 Is it a possiblity that the increase in mortality seen with frequent x-rays is a reflection that patients with more advanced disease have more frequent x-rays. And as patients with more advanced disease have an increased mortality, perhaps this statistics are a reflection of this. I wonder if the study controlled for stage of disease as a confounding factor???? Cheers Jana x

Lori I am so sorry things are so rough at the moment. I really hope they can get your Mum's symptoms under control. If she is receiving the best medical care for her, the only advice I can offer to you is to just love her and love her as much as you can. And remember, while there is breath, there is always always hope. Jana xx

Lori I am sorry to read about your Mum. I so hope things are starting to improve. Jana xx

Peggy, I am so sorry about the latest news. Many positive thoughts being sent your way. Jana xx

Hi Corwin I am sorry to read about your recent diagnosis. Sounds like you've certainly been dealt alot to deal with over the last few years, but that you've handled it really well. I really like your fighting spirit. Yep, you are right in that the prognosis we all read for lung cancer isn't fantastic, but there are so many people here who are turning that prognosis on it's head. Welcome and I look forward to getting to know you better. with best wishes Jana x

Hi everyone It's been ages since I posted so I thought I would drop a quick update before Easter and take the opportunity to wish everyone a nice little holiday. I haven't been posting much of late as I've been finding it all a bit hard over the last few months. Mum was diagnosed with brain mets in January and has had two weeks of WBR and in a couple of weeks will be having chest and brain scans to see where things are at. She seems to be doing pretty well, although very tired, but I seem to have gone through a bit of a stage of feeling helpless and hopeless again. I know this phase doesn't last forever but it's just hard when it's happening. I do have exciting news in that I have recently fallen pregnant (am now into Week 15). It is our first baby so my husband and I are pretty excited about it all. Mum and Dad have moved to the same city as all their children so it is wonderful to have them so much closer by. So anyway, I just wanted to say hello and let you all know I have been checking in most day but haven't been very helpful at providing much support, so my apologies for that. I do think of you all so often though, and am still praying for that cure for everyone here affected by lung cancer. Love to all of you Jana xxx

Oopps. Posted twice, sorry, so deleted this one. Jana x

Thanks everyone for the information on this post. Mum is due to start Tarceva in a few weeks hopefully so reading all this success storied really lifted my spirits. It seems that she is only able to get it if she has stable brain mets., so she will have to have a scan first to hopefully confirm that is the case. I would be interested to know if this is the same for the USA? Cheers Jana xx

I am so sorry to read that things are not going well for your Mum. Sending you much love and strength. Jana xx

My Mum is a 20 month survivor of stage IV NSCLC. It can be done! Thinking of you and those dreaded test. Keeping all moving body parts crossed for good results! with best wishes Jana xx

1. My co-worker Emma who picks me up every day 2. The little baby growing inside of me (am just 11 weeks pregnant!!) 3. That my Mum and Dad have moved to the same city as me. 4. The sweet email my husband sent to me today. 5. Mum's clever oncologist, who she has an appointment with today. Jana xx

Hi Thanks for the replies and encouragement! Well, it seems I am getting nowhere with our local Cancer Council. After several emails it seems that they are simply not going to commit to International Lung Cancer month in any way, shape or form. They won't even place it on their calender of dates as a special day, which at least would recognise it. Lung cancer kills more people in the state I live in than any other cancer and they are happy to sit by and not acknowledge this. I have been soooooooooooooo angry. Also, they continually point out to me all the money they spend on tobacco control and smoking cessation programs. This is all great, and I am not suggesting this should change. However, don't they realise that there is a big difference between prevention programs and support for people currently affected by and living with lung cancer!!!!!! Hence the reason for the "clear ribbon". They are so stupid and blind to all of this. So now I am liasing with the Australian Lung Foundation who seem to be more interested in possibly pursuing this, but nothing is certain at this stage. It seems to me that you guys have similar experience in the USA with your local cancer groups. I did look up the ALCASE web-site. We don't even have anything like that in Australia, we just have nothing. I really appreciate your replies and encouragement, so please let me know if you can think of anything else. Karen and I have decided we should maybe write some letters to the paper and stuff like that. And I like the idea of some awareness raising at GP surgeries etc. Wishing you all well Jana xxx

1. My husband Matthew 2. My family 3. Living in Australia 4. My health 5. Having lots of love to give. Jana xxxx

Sooooooo happy for you and Lucie. Wonderful, wonderful news. Jana xx

Hi all I need some help and advice. You might be familiar with the difficulties Karen and I have had with our local Cancer Council and it's very unopen approach to anything not conventional. Well, we now have a new fight on our hands. I emailed and spoke with the lady in charge of events at the cancer council to alert her to the fact that November 17th is International Lung Cancer Awareness Day and to ask if the Cancer Council was going to recognise it or do any fundraising activities. The answer is NO! As there are no early screening programs for lung cancer they don't feel that they are in a position to run any campaign as they don't have information to disseminate. Naturally, my sister and I are appalled at this. More people are killed in our state by lung cancer than any other form of cancer, yet they are not even going to acknowledge this day!!! What can we do???????? I would appreciate any advice that can be offerred, as I really don't know where to start. Thanks so much Jana xxxx

Prayers being said for you and Lucie. Jana xx

Hi Patti Sorry to read about your Mum but glad you found us here. I ditto what everyone else has said about getting another opinion. I find it strange from what you said that the only treatment they were offerring is Navelbine. I did wonder if there has been any confusion at to exactly what your Mum's situation is (with regard to the spread of the cancer). My Mum was diagnosed in July 2003 and the first doctor she saw was pretty uninspiring about her likelihood of a positive outcome and just suggested she come back when she exhibits symptoms and they could provide palliative chemotherapy. However, Mum wanted to fight the disease so she has undergone both conventional and alternative treatments. She handled chemotherapy pretty well, and just recently had whole brain radiation for some new brain mets., which she handled brilliantly. For instance, they told her she would definitely lose all of her hair. Well, it's all still there so it just goes to show you that what happens on average doesn't mean it will happen to your Mum! There is definitely hope out there, so hold on to it. Please let us know how things go Jana xxx

Hi Patti Sorry to read about your Mum but glad you found us here. I ditto what everyone else has said about getting another opinion. I find it strange from what you said that the only treatment they were offerring is Navelbine. I did wonder if there has been any confusion at to exactly what your Mum's situation is (with regard to the spread of the cancer). My Mum was diagnosed in July 2003 and the first doctor she saw was pretty uninspiring about her likelihood of a positive outcome and just suggested she come back when she exhibits symptoms and they could provide palliative chemotherapy. However, Mum wanted to fight the disease so she has undergone both conventional and alternative treatments. She handled chemotherapy pretty well, and just recently had whole brain radiation for some new brain mets., which she handled brilliantly. For instance, they told her she would definitely lose all of her hair. Well, it's all still there so it just goes to show you that what happens on average doesn't mean it will happen to your Mum! There is definitely hope out there, so hold on to it. Please let us know how things go Jana xxx

Hi Little Mo I agree very strongly with you. I always get quite distressed when I read that lung cancer screening via imaging has not been recommended as a screening tool. I suspect this is an economic reason, in that it costs the government more to implement a mass screening program than what they forecast they will save by these earlier detections. Is that really the issue?????? Saving lives should be an important issue too. Early detection is always going to be better surely. with best wishes Jana xx

Beth, I am so sorry to read your news. I can't really add much information to all the good suggestions everyone was written. Just wanted you to know I was thinking of you. Take care Jana xx

Don Sorry to read about the liver mets, however, so pleased to read about your holiday. Have a wonderful and relaxing time together. Prayers being said for Lucie. Jana xx

Hi Val I completely understand all that you wrote. Sometimes it is so overwhelming when you realise how much the cancer affects everything in your lives. I don't have much more to add, but every word of what you wrote could have been written by me! Sending you love Jana xxx