Outrider1

Good morning in Lungevityville, It is a cool 73 degrees here in in the foot hills, to get warmer as the day goes along, but no triple digits in sight for today. Nothing major planned for to day, just sit in front of my computer for a while, watch tv shows on same computer, play a few games, and maybe fold some towels and clothes. Randy, I am gonna start sending out those decals you sent me. and of course put one in my own car back window. The first two go to my brother and his wife. That's about it for now. I hope you all have a blessed and good day! Same time, same station! Dawn { Outrider}

Hello, all of you in Lungevity Land, It is just 81 here at noon-thirty, but probably going to get hotter. Got some work done yesterday, going to get some done today, after both me sleepy-headed Daughters get up, lol. Will also be making a trip to town to get some small things, then maybe home to take a nap, and then figure out dinner. That's all that's happening in my world today. Hope your day runs as smoothly. Be seeing you. Same time, Same station, have a blessed and wonderful day! Dawn (Outrider)

hello everyone in Lungevity-ville! It is a cool 73 degrees this morning in the foot hills of the Ozarks, but promising to go up to only about94 by this afternoon. With no triple digits in sight for week or two. not doing any thing special this Monday but a little light cleaning in my bedroom and trying to move things around in my limited space to make just a little more room. Also, going to try to find space for stuff still in boxes (that haven't been unpacked since I got here) and get the boxes out of the way, which in turn creates a little more room. Got people here to help move the furniture around. After that who knows. The rest of the Day is filled with endless opportunities. Hope ya'll have a good and blessed Monday. Till we meet again, Dawn (Outrider)

Sally, Sorry I did not get to you when you first posted. Sounds like your mother is getting the same chemo as I got, which has worked wonders for me. I had two rounds of radiation to my head,the first one I cut short, the second one after I got severe vertigo and could not keep anything down, even water. The two rounds came after my chemo and brought to light some other things that might be causing the problems in my head, but that's another story. I don't know anything about the supplement you mentioned,but I will tell you that you might want to add a good natural multivitamin for females in her age bracket. I was getting them through the VA but the ones they gave me made me nauseous so I hunted down some at Walmart. And I also take 2 200mg ibuprophen once in AM and then in PM to help with any inflametion in my body or my head. I take them with the other meds that I have to take at those times. And the other things to look out for is she could get thrush and when you first notice it, if you give her yogurt, (any kind) it is easier to take the any "magic mouthwash" you get from the pharmacy. All the info you got from Randy is good as well. Just remember to check with her Dr. before giving her any supplaments. I hope that helps you. Dawn (Outrider)

Petunia, She should not have even as much damage To her hair as I did, mainly because I had PCI twice. My hair took a while to come back in and is just now getting long enough to brush, but this last time it was from chemo again (only 2 months worth) in August of last year. If her hair is already gone due to chemo, It should not be too bad. If it has already started to grow back in, just let it fall out naturally with combing. Dawn (Outrider)

Good evening Everyone, It is a cool 90 degrees here where I live in Ark. at 8:45 at night. I have not really done anything today as it was over 110 by noon. Just been trying to stay cool. I sure hope it is cooler where you are tonight. Dawn (Outrider)

Hi, Sorry I am a little late with a response. After I got the one and only flu shot in my life, the next Monday(it was the mon. before thanksgiving), my chest started sounding like a percolater, sounded bubbly every time I took a breath. This has happened every year since then along with wheezing. I started taking mucinex and when I started coughing this past winter I took mucinexDM, it helped with the cough and getting the mucus up and out. I also have an albuterol inhaler. I just got a new inhaler Symbicort that I have to use once in the morning and once at night. Hope this helps, Dawn (Outrider)

Hi Petunia, Sorry to be getting back to you a little late. I have had two rounds of PCI. One in March of 2009 which I cut short by about 4 days and then again in july and august of 2009. No immediate side effects but tiredness. a couplle of moths later, I noticed a problem with cognitive functioning, In I would lose my train of thought and also my words. I still have those problems to a much smaller degree. And the biggest problem that I have at this point is that I look like I have male pattern baldness going on but not to the extent of complete baldness, just my hair is much thinner where the radiation was a little stronger because they have to do both sides of the brain and it over laps in the middle. Sometimes I feel like asking my Dr.s if I can use rogaine for women to get it to come in a little thicker . If she is handling all of her chemo and the other radiation she has had, she should be okay. just make sure they do that after her last round of chemo; my last round of chemo was Oct.08 so my Dr.s waited to see how I would be doing for about 5 months before they referred me to the radiooncologist. I hope this helps. Dawn (Outrider)

Good Morning Everyone in Lungevity-ville, It is a cool 73 degrees here in Ark where I live, promising to be hotter by noon, like up to 92 and maybe triple digits this weekend. Lordy, I hate summer! The only saving grace is that we have huge trees around our house to keep it shady most of the day. Today is wash day, dishes and clothes.then it is sit around and maybe brush out the fur baby (if she will let me) and cut the matts out of her hair, (again if she will let me) and trim the hair on her feet(which she sincerely hates) and then maybe a flea bath, she doesn't like those either. she weighs seventy five lb.s so wrangling her is a 2 person job, thank goodness my youngest daughter is here to stay so she can help with the big ole furry baby. After that is will probably be nap time for her and us, lol. Have a blessed and wonderfu; day! Dawn

Good morning, It is 73 degrees here in Central Ark and supposed to get hotter. Here where I live in the country, I awake many mornings to the songs and chirps of the birds. I would go and sit outside with a cup of coffee but we have such a spider problem this time of year, that it ain't happenin'. Many of you know how I feel about spiders, lol. My plans for the day is to get my clean clothes folded and put away, get some towels washed, dried, folded, and put away, and maybe work on the baby blanket for my niece (her baby is about 3 months old now!) So I am making him a blanket to put on on (or in)his crib or toddler bed. I am also colloring some posters for his momma to put on his walls. And of course computer time and FB, lol. All in all not much as my plans don't always work out like I want them to. But that is okay, the day has started well, so I am taking advantage of that. Whats the day starting out to be in your neck of the woods? Hope it is a great and blessed day for all of you. See you in the funny papers. Dawn (Outrider)

I would give anything to have cool weather! Here in Ark. it is approaching 90 degrees, with a forecasted low of high 60's. . Planning on starting to get my things together for leaving Friday for the Summit in Va. I can hardly wait to meet those of you who are going, and that I have been talking to for what seems like forever. I hope you all have a blessed day. Dawn (Outrider) PS. Judy in KW I hope you are comfortable. I have lit a candle every day for you and your family, Please know that my prayers are sent up on wisp of Gardinia scented smoke, for healing, and comfort for you. Love you Girl!

Petunia, I did see him this month, it was the same ole, story, I did not give him hell, cause I got too mad myself and was afraid of what I might say, so when I see him my next visit (in July) I am gonna stay calm and get the jump on him and talk first, and then he can have his turn. Randy, that might be good, advice,but I don't know much about if to offer any insight there. Dawn (Outrider1)

Hello All, A few more links for you for information. http://www.webmd.com This site is especially god for you drug information. It also has good info on many diseases including cancer. (Warning a lot of their articles put smoking as the number one cause of lung cancer, which is ( in my opinion) not nessesarily true of all types of lung cancer. For a list of clinical trails go here: http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials For more info go here: http://www.nih.gov/ and here http://www.navigatingcancer.com I hope these links help in your journey. Dawn (Outrider1)

Good Morning everyone, Today (5:55 in the am) is starting out at 53 and expected to get up to 71 in central Ark today. I sure hate it when we have to use heat at night and A/C after the sun comes up. Have lake wind advisories from 7 am to 7 pm. I have nothing special planned for today, how about you guys? I think I might eat some ice cream, Or maybe just go for a salad instead. Ice cream is the better tasting of the two, but salad is better for me. Such a conundrum! I know! Salad for lunch and ice cream for desert! Problem solved, lol. Hope you all have a good day, with great weather! Have a blessed day. See you in the funny pages! Dawn (Outrider1)

Good Morning! It is a cool 53 here in central Ark, this morning with rain expected by evening. I have nothing special planned for to today, so I might just comb out my fur-baby, or work on that baby blanket for my niece's son. At the rate I'm going on that, I might have it done by the time he is one, lol! Maybe wash, dry and put up towels. Who knows, the day is ripe with possibilities! I hope you all have blessed day despite any bad weather you are having or because of the good weather. Just remember, you decide how your day will be. so put a smile on your face and enjoy the day. See you in the funny pages! Love you all! Dawn

Hello everyone! I thought I might introduce myself for all of the new people visiting these pages and to those who may be lurking here. My Name is Dawn Reed and I am a widowed navy vet with 4 kids, a dog and two cats. I am also a 4 year ( this October) SCLC-ext survivor. You can read my story from the links below my name. As A moderator here, I need to let you know how to contact me for support or help of any kind. 1. You can connect with me here by PM. If I don't happen to be on-line at that particular time, my pm, will connect with my email to let me know you were here. 2. I am also on Face Book, along with many others who come here. 3. You can also contact me via my E-Mail at Outrider323@yahoo.com I am pretty well versed with how SCLC-ext works, as well as how the VA works. Also with Social Security Disability. If you have a question that I can not answer, I will tell you so and will try to find the answer for you. For your medical questions please go here: http://www.cancergrace.org. For material on many other aspects of all kinds of cancer, that will send you free material, (ie. books or pamphlets) try here: http://www.cancercare.org. I hope those two sites along with this one will help you. I also hope that you will post here and let us know you and give the support and help that we can. I look forward to seeing you here, Dawn (Outrider1)

Petunia, My name is Dawn, and I saw your post this afternoon. I too have SCLC-ext. diagnosed in May of 08. And my nasty little secret is that I still smoke. I figured that since I was not a drinker or taking recreational drugs I was gonna use what was legal, to calm my fears. I will admit that Lungevity and Cancergrace were both life savers. When I was diagnosed the bottom of my right lung lob was partially collapsed and the middle of the right lobe was completely collapsed. I had mets everywhere (read my story I go into more detail there) I was also started on carboplatin and etopiside (VP16) infusions as well as two days of 5 pills a day of etopiside pills for day 3 and 4. I was considered to have had a "complete response" by Oct of 08, and had two of PCI. one that I cut short cause I was so tired of being under a microscope and a pin cushion, and another complete round after I started having severe migraines.(which is another long story) Anyway just last August, they found I had some lesions om the outside of my skull and gave me two months of chemo, before I moved away from TX to NW of LittleRock, Ark. The Dr.s here do not believe my initial diagnosis was correct so they are now testing for everything under the sun. Needless to say I am getting a littlle fed up with them. I requested copies of all of my x-rays, ct's, pet scans and all of the paperwork that went with them, as I already had copies of all my records (well over 500 pages) and at my next visit (in April) I and gonna let em' have it (so to speak). As the others said before me, this is THE place to come for answers, venting, and good ole warm fuzzies when you get down and need a warm shoulder or helping hand. If you have more question, ask away. some one will be along to lend an eye and find an answer for you. Dawn (Outrider)

Ella, Wooo Hooo, doin' the happy dance for you!! That is awesome! Dawn (Outrider)

Hey everyone I'm back again with an update to the update. I had an appt the 13th of Dec, just to talk with my oncologist. Got there early and did labs. Got to see him first for a change. They have decided that I may have multiple myeloma, which is a nasty blood cancer that nothing works on. The lytic lesions on my skull can be a symptom of that. It causes your body to make to many platelets in turn that causes the bone lesions and also screw up the red cells so you end up getting too little oxygen so your organs fail. Oh joy of joys. Then I found out they were supposed to take full body x-rays and do additional blood work. I put of the x-rays Until this month and did the blood work before we left. One good thing about making this move was since I have been here, I have had no migraines..knock on wood so they don't kick in again(got my fingers crossed there) as the last one I had ended me up in the hospital again with every one thinking I had a stroke cause I could not talk and had amnesia. I do not remember anything that happened from Early the in the morning on Monday when I took my last chemo pills till Friday when I was getting ready to leave the hospital. Talk about scarey! Anyway. I have an appt. the 13th. to get x-rays, labs, and see the oncologist. Sorry it took me so long to update on the ever changing world that is the soap opera of my life ,but, it was the holiday season and I didn't want to be more bummed out than I already was. I'll check back in after next Friday's appt. Love You All, See you in the funny pages! Dawn (Outrider) P.S. Becky and Randy have kept me smiling and chuckling, on FaceBook,so my mood has been a lot better of late, Keep it up guys as I am sure you have others giggling as well!![ /color]

Hey guys and gals! Just thought I would let you know that I go see my Onc. this Friday (which is 2 months after the last time instead of 3 like they said) . I have not been scheduled for a scan, just blood tests and talk to the Onc. Doc. I have to admit I am still a little nervous about why they scheduled it sooner, than they said, but I decided not to let it worry me, cause there have been no requests or letters giving me a scan date, so it must be just a check on how I am doing. I will let you know whats kickin' after my appt. on Fri. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and a Blessed day today. Love you all! Dawn

Judy, I need to clear up some confusion about the lesions on my skull. These lesions are on the bone beneath the skin and muscle. they have not broken through the skull and reached the fluid or through the Dura (the tough sac surrounding the brain and inclosing all the fluid) I can feel where they are or were if I rub my head. I just hope the Dr.s here are right, and that they were being caused by the MS and not the cancer... So my fingers are crossed until the next scan. Dawn

Hello all, I know you were beginning to wonder " where's Dawn's update?" Well I finally have some news, I finally saw the Oncologists, and they decided my platelets were to low to do chemo. they were 136 when I left Dallas after my second round of chemo. Two weeks later when I see the onc.s here in Little Rock, they say they are only 36 (I firmly believe that that was a mistake made by the lab , and they misplaced the one(1)before the 36.) So they said wait a week and see if it recovers. Okay I wait another week (two weeks after I should have had my chemo) and the platelets are back to, you got it, 136. Isn't amazing how all these numbers seem the same over time? Them they asked how the doctors in Dallas determined the lesions on the outside of my skull were cancerous? I told them that I had had a combined pet/ct scan and that they did a ct of my head. And them they had a radiologist determine that they were probably cancer and they( the Dr.s in LR) just needed to read all the reports and the fact that there had been some discussion on cutting my chemo to only 4 rounds....Then they decided to do a ct scan of my head, abdomen, and pelvic area. So I waited a week for that. On the appointed day, I showed up a little early so I was the second person to have to drink 4 small styrofoam cups (small cups) of this orange contrast stuff, that tasted like diet sunkist orange soda. And mind you they still had not let me go to the powder room, I felt like my eyeballs were floating in a sea of orange soda! So they take the scan of my head and and the other aformentioned areas. and then gave me the injected contrast that makes you feel like you have suddenly spike a fever all over. I hate that stuff! So, then we wait another week to get the results. By this time I was ready to just tell the oncologist to finish the damn chemo, however, he had some different news for me. They decided that the lesions on my skull were possiblely caused by what everyone(except the neuros in Dallas) agrees is my still undiagnosed MS. The lesions are a symptom of Ms and don't usually show up in sclc like they did in my head. The doctor also said that they had not seen many patients with sclc live as long as I have after my chemo. When I said that they got a biopsy from my right lung and that sclc was the diagnosis, he said that he was sure that it was sclc, (especially after I told him if he needed to see everything back to when I was diagnosed, that I would be glad to bring him all of my medical records going back to my gallbladder surgery in 2004). Then he said, that the amount of mets that I had, when first diagnosed, and the suv were charted pretty high at that time in all areas of mets, and were all still slightly lower than they had been for the last 3 years (they were lower because of the two rounds of chemo I had already had.)And that the areas, that showed no more mets still showed no mets, and the affected areas were still my left hip and femur and the two vertabra in my back. So to make a long story short, they decided, no more chemo, and we'd scan again in 3 months to see how it was going and if the lesions were getting any worse(ie. bigger), and that suits me just fine. Then I had to go see my new PCP. who refilled all my meds after I told him the onc. had already done so, and also scheduled me an mri, which I promptly canceled, as I don't believe in unnecessary tests.I told the nurse in the mri scheduling office, if my pcp wanted an mari, to just look at the one from dallas that I had in the middle of August when I was admitted to the hospital to make sure I wasn't having a stroke. I did not tell you about it in an update because I honestly don't think the migraines and resulting symptoms are caused by my cancer. But I will tell you about at a later time if you are interested. And the Dr.s here said since no one has done a biopsy to the lesions. they don't consider it a recurrence of my cancer. And he also said that miracles happen all the time and I must be one as I have survived so long with an sclc-ext. diagnosis. Sorry this was so long but this has been more trying than if they had just stuck with the chemo as scheduled. Iam glad we didn't have to, cause I'd like to get some of my hair grown back in before it really gets cold here. It gets colder earlier here than back around Dallas and I really don't want to bald when it does get cold. There you have it, and it's back scans every 3 months. At Least they are not pet scans, so I won't glow in the dark this halloween, lol. I will be checking in more often now that things have settled down a little bit. Be looking for you in the funny papers!lol Have a blessed day! Dawn

Hey everyone, Just thought I would let you all know that I am back on-line. I will write an up date one my cancer in a day or two, after I get all my e-mails and messages read and answered. Just letting you know that I am back, and yes things are a little better, hoping they will continue to get a little better than this as time goes on, but not looking a gift horse in the mouth , lol. Will catch you all up in a day or two. I have missed you all. Love ya' Dawn (Outrider)

All of my Dear Friends, I just wanted to let you all know that I am moving tomorrow and will be out of touch. I have already transfered my Medical Records to the new VA hospital I will be going to and they have set me up on the same chemo schedule as I have here in Dallas. Hopefully this move will help me and my daughter get our financial situation ironed out and put us in a better situation all the way around. I will be back as soon as I can get internet back on line. I will miss you all till then. Dawn

Thank you all for your kind words. Karen, I have this neat book titled :A Helping Hand, The Resource Guide for People with Cancer ,Financial edition" I got this from Cancer Care.Org for free Believe me when I tell you how disgusted I am with the great state of Texas which has not one financial resource listed in the entire state that is willing to assist financially with rent and utilities for people with lung cancer. The only ones that they have are type cancer or location specific. Makes me just want to pull my hair out (oh.... wait...it will be gone starting 21 one days from yesterday) and scream. Most tell you to contact 211 ( United Way telephone which sent me a list of 53 ( yes, you read it right) organizations here in Texas that might help. I called all of them and they ALL told me to contact 211. What a circle jerk all of this was and is. Sorry, venting from my soapbox again. And Again thanks for your kind thoughts and prayers, you really don't know how appreciated they are Dawn