TAnn
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Posts posted by TAnn
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That is good news on your mom. Praying that the next chemo treatment is easy for her so she can see that new baby! Come on baby........
TAnn
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Jim,
What FANTASTIC news! You have always had the most positive attitude and it has done a good job for you. Congratulations and thank you for posting your results. It gives us all HOPE.
Celebrate!
TAnn
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Ry and John,
I am so sorry to hear of the news of John's mother. I know how difficult this must be for you both. It will be very difficult helping her long distance, but your wealth of knowledge will be a real help in the coming months.
You have my prayers.
TAnn
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Cindi,
I'm sorry to hear that your have been feeling so bad and glad to hear that you went to the ER. When in doubt, check it out!
Will be watching to see how your tests come out.
TAnn
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You have my best wishes for everything to be "clean'!
TAnn
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Melanie,
I know exactly how you feel about the "pac-man" syndrome. It's creepy to think that something is in your brain doing whatever it wants.
I was told that you could only have wbr once, but you could have wbr followed by Gamma Knife or Stereotactic Radiation if needed in the future.
I could not have Stereotactic because my tumors were too small to pinpoint and too numerous.
Good luck next Tuesday. Sorry you have to go on those darn steroids again. I just hate them!
TAnn
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Maureen,
Well I am so glad to hear you are "empty headed" again! That is wonderful news.....I am hoping and praying for the Taxol to stop those lung tumors from growing any more! I'll be thinking of you.
TAnn
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Addie,
You have my best thoughts and wishes coming your way. Thank you for being such a positive influence on me. Reading your posts always makes me want to pull myself up by my bootstraps and kick butt!!!
Good luck with your port tomorrow and don't stay away too long!
TAnn
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Patti,
You have heard alot of good advice and I agree that your mom should seek a second opinion. If she decides not to seek further treatment, you may want to call in hospice to help you and your family care for your mom. I've also heard some people have gotten their loved ones a "potty chair" that they put next to the bed and this has been very helpful.
I don't know how old your mom is, but I also have nsclc in both lungs, a malignant pleural effusion, and mets to the brain. The good news is that after radiation the brain mets have shrunk or are gone (I had 6), the pleural effusion has been drained and has not come back and the tumors in the lungs are remaining stable since May 2004. In April of this year I will be 2 years from diagnosis. I definately plan on seeing that anniversary!
I wish your mom and your family the best in this journey. Hoping they can find something that will work for her.
TAnn
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My prayers have been sent.
TAnn
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Beth,
The fact that you said "The Alitma is not too bad" is GREAT. I was hoping that it wouldn't give you a hard time. So glad to hear that you are tolerating it well.
Now quit all the worrying, take lots of naps and here's to eating a nice hamburger sometime this week!
TAnn
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My deepest sympathy for the loss of your dear friend Bob.
TAnn
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Melanie,
You keep on fighting girl! I know you are not looking forward to more "torture" (oh, I mean treatments
) but since you have seen some shrinkage it sounds like your body is responding! Keep us posted on your Gamma Knife procedure. Knock those out!
Thoughts and prayers,
TAnn
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Karen,
Because chemo has such a harsh effect on our bodies, they usually give you a break in between chemo's. For example I had 5 out of 6 treatments of Taxol/Carboplatin. My body could not handle any more due to low blood counts. I was put on a "chemo break" until further progression, which only took 2 months. Then I was put on Taxotere and again did not make the recommended 6 rounds because of low blood counts , however I was immediately started on Iressa with no break.
Good luck.
TAnn
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Val,
I can say that when you are feeling really rotten, you really don't have the energy to be "up" all the time. Don't take this wrong, but I know that I'd be really annoyed when I'd get a phone call from someone and I felt like they were just searching my voice and tone for a positive vibe. I felt like I had to say, I'm doing fine just so they could feel better. It's depressing to feel weak, fatigued, sick day after day and hard to make someone else "feel better" by trying to act you are feeling fine.
What I'm trying to say is that maybe your mom is trying to protect you from her mood. Maybe she doesn't want to be reminded every day that she is sick. Maybe somedays she doesn't want to talk to anyone at all. This will all change once that new baby comes. Then the focus will be off her and on you and the baby.
I say keep calling, maybe not everyday, and send the cards. I love to get well wishes in the mail. Don't think I've ever opened one that didn't make me smile.
Best of luck to you with the baby. I'll be thinking of you in the next 8 days!!!!
TAnn
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Hi Linda,
I also completed WBR in October for NSCLC. The treatments were really easy. Only 30 seconds on one side of my head and 30 seconds on the other. I didn't start feeling bad until after I had completed all the treatments. The day after my last treatment my hair started falling out, so I had my husband shave my head. I also have experienced extreme fatigue, vision changes, ringing in the ears and short term memory difficulty.
It is not as bad as I made it sound, believe me. I'm sure your sister will do wonderful.
TAnn
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Taxotere is usually given as a second line chemo and usually follows Taxol. It is a sister drug to Taxol and has fewer harsh side effects. I had Taxol/Carbo followed by Taxotere. Taxol did nothing, Taxotere gave me 31% shrinkage. I then went on Iressa, which kept me stable for 7 months and now I'm taking Tarceva, which after 1 month I'm still stable.
Check out the thread mentioned above. I think most of us have been put on Tarceva only recently and may be too soon to judge exactly how we are all responding.
Let us know your decision.
TAnn
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Best wishes and prayers sent for you and Lucie!
TAnn
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I wouldn't have come this far without my husband by my side. Cancer is horrible for me, but I can only imagine how hard it must be for the caregivers.
I see the worry on his face. But through it all, he always finds a way to make me laugh. We have found this balance of not taking things too seriously. Last year, while on chemo, I had to go to the emergency room alot, due to neutropenic fever. I even had to go during the Super Bowl. I know he really wanted to watch the game, but insisted we get to the hospital before my fever went up.
I know ALOT of men who would not be able to deal with all this pressure. Not only of caring for me, but bearing the HUGE financial burden that comes along with a serious disease. Due to problems with healthcare insurance, we have been "hit" with $10,000 worth of deductibles and out of pocket expenses in a 1 year span. I worry about it every day as I know he does. I wish he didn't have to bear this burden alone. It would be great for someone to say, you shouldn't have to worry about this along with everything else, take this money, I don't need it and hope that will be one less thing to worry about. I don't want to leave medical bills as my legacy. Fortunately, we have been able to keep up with it so far, but now the new deductible/out of pocket expenses are in effect, so it's like there is no break.
So thank you to my husband, for all that you do for me, please try not to worry so much. It is because of all your support (and teasing
) that I'm doing as well as I am. And to all the caregivers out there, please know how much you are appreciated. We could never do it without you.
TAnn
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Could it be that you are running a low grade fever that "breaks" during the night? I also agree w/Addie that it may be the "female" thing. I went into early menopause when I started chemo and it was a regular nightly thing to wake up soaking wet.
Hope you feel better soon.
TAnn
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Thank you all for your enthusiastic well wishes!
CharlieD - Yes, we are continuing on Tarceva. In fact my doctor made the comment that it was very interesting that my mets shrank AFTER starting Tarceva. He said we will never know if it helped or not, but that it was interesting....
Carrie - It's been 4 months since my WBR and I still have only the whiskers that were left after I shaved my head. I told my doctor how happy I was about the results and asked him, "Now if I could only have hair!" He said there was a possibility that it may not grow back. I am willing it to grow everyday....grow, grow, grow!
TAnn
) but since you have seen some shrinkage it sounds like your body is responding! 
) that I'm doing as well as I am.
Tarceva Club...Can We Talk?
in NSCLC GROUP
Posted
So glad to hear John is feeling better. I was worried about the blood. How is the Tarceva treating him? Rash or tummy problems more than Iressa? My really dry skin seems to be alot better, so I think it settles down after you've been on it for a while. Tell John to "hang in there!"
TAnn