Kristi

Every day we have is truly a gift from God. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your Mom!

I'm so happy for you. What wonderful news!

Very scary. I'll be praying for her!

Thank you for all the sweet replies. It's been 7 weeks since Dad passed away and it's still so painful. We're walking in Dallas tomorrow for the Lungevity Walk. I'm really looking forward to it. I hope you're all doing well.

What a wonderful idea! I love reading all of your precious memories! I wanted to post a few of the lighter excerpts from the tributes my two sisters and I read at Dad's funeral. "Even though I was a little girl, you taught me things most men only teach their sons. At a young age, I could bait a hook, field dress a deer, shoot a rifle, swim, gig a bullfrog, tie a lure, catch a baseball, scale a fish. You later taught (or tried to teach) me to drive the old blue truck and you didn't cuss at me too much when I broke off the turn signal knob our first time out." "You were a strict dad--I used to think too strict as a teenager and sometimes downright harsh. Later on, as a parent myself, I could see you were only trying to protect me from making wrong choices and to respect myself. You could be so intimidating to those who didn't know you (and to us as well!)--I remember several of my boyfriends pacing on the front porch dreading coming inside the house to ask if they could take me out (another of your rules that I thought was so unfair!) I never thought I would ever say this, but thanks for nailing my bedroom window shut when you caught me sneaking out--I am sure it saved me from lots of trouble. When I became a parent myself I realize what a hard job you had raising us. I can only hope my children think I am half the parent that you were to me." "All the hours watching Wide World of Sports with you...you're the reason I love football and boxing.... I just knew that if you ever met up with Muhammad Ali in a street fight that you would whip him for sure. In my eyes you were invincible....almost immortal...tougher than anything....afraid of nothing." "I remember you taking me fishing a Uncle Blue's pond and I untied your big fish to walk it around the pond and the stringer came out of my hand--you knew what happened but you didn't make a big deal about it." "You were a fun Dad. I remember sitting on your shoulders on the couch playing hairdresser. You would let us girls comb your hair and dress you up with pony tails and barrettes. There you sat, a 30 something tough guy, a beer between your legs and bows in your hair." "You taught me things. Not the typical father/daughter things but the things important to you. How to fish, hunt and change the oil in my car. When I moved away at 21 you didn't send me off with a can of mace, you sent me off with a pistol." Some of these make me giggle. Gosh, I miss him so much.

I'm praying for you! Please let us know when you get some answers. {{{hugs}}} The statement "if it's not one thing it's another" is so true. A few days after we buried Dad my brother was diagnosed with Stage II kidney cancer and had his kidney removed on 10/29. He got lucky though and it was contained and is expected to make full recovery. We are really tested at times. Hang in there!!

I got a call from Mom last Wednesday night around 8:30 pm saying that Dad's lung had hemorrhaged and was on his way to the hospital. She sounded so calm so but when I asked her how serious that way she said "serious" and her voice cracked a tiny bit. I knew in my gut right then he wouldn't make it. She asked me to call my sisters and tell them to get to the hospital ASAP. Of course I was here in Texas and couldn't make it. Around 10:30 I got the call from my sister that he was gone. He had been on the front porch getting ready to smoke his pipe (had it loaded and everything) when Mom said he yelled at her to bring him a paper towel so she grabbed one but when she saw how much blood was coming out of his mouth she grabbed the whole roll. He headed into the house and collasped just a few steps in. Mom called 911 and my brother who was just a few minutes away. They live in the country so it took an eternity to get there but my brother did CPR on him until they got there. Bless my brother's heart to have to go through that. Mom said it was just terrible but I truly believe that he passed from their arms right into heaven and didn't suffer. Mom said the loss of blood made him unconscious almost immediately. My brother rode to the hospital with him. They were all there and able to see him after everything and said he was just so peaceful and looked so relieved. My sisters stayed with Dad until around 2:00 am when the funeral home picked him up. Me, my husband and the kids drove up the next morning to make funeral arrangements. How awful to bury a parent. There is truly nothing like it. I am just heartbroken over this. He was doing so well. His hair had started to grow back after the chemo and he was so proud of that. I think I'm still in shock. The funeral was just amazing. We put together a slideshow of pictures of him throughout his life. It was beautiful!! My sisters and I each wrote a tribute to Dad and read it at the funeral. We were just all bawling our heads off but we got through it by the grace of God. Hardest thing I've ever had to do! We buried him in the old cemetary down by the river where he used to fish and took my boys fishing. He always told us he wanted to be buried so that's where he is. We drove back home Tuesday and it was just so hard to leave. Mom is doing okay, so sad but will make it. They would have been married 50 years in January. Bless her heart!! Please pray for my family to get through this. It's just so hard. Finally, thank you to those of you here that replied to me so many times when I was worried about Dad. I'll never forget your honesty and compassion. I'll try to check in from time to time to see how you and your loved ones are doing. Take care!

No advice from me either, sorry. Just wanted to say I'm sorry that your Mom is feeling bad and won't be in the research study. My Dad just lost his hair too. Hang in there! I'll be praying for the both of you.

Scanxiety - haven't heard that yet but is oh so true! Every scan they do on my Dad we all wait on pins and needles and it's definitely stressful!! I'm sorry you're having to go through this but hang in there! The folks here have talked me through alot of worrisome days, that's for sure. Your Mom is in my thoughts and prayers.

Oh no! I'm sending my prayers as well. I still have my "Nanny" too and don't know what I'd do without her. {{{hugs}}}

How fun! Thanks for sharing your weekend. My family and I will be walking in the Lungevity Walk in Dallas this November and I can't wait. I hope it's just as great as your experience in SF.

Bless your heart! I agree that you are an amazing woman and my goodness is he lucky to have you!! My Dad is a bear with my Mom too and she caters to him probably more than she should. She's exhausted and in your same shoes, although I don't think he's ever made an issue over his utensils! That's pretty funny even though you probably didn't find it funny at the time! I think too, that he's got all of his emotions and feelings bottled up and along with the medications, he just isn't himself. My Dad won't talk to anyone either! It's frustrating but just his way. He's always been that way and now he's struggling with how to release those emotions and it turns into grouchiness towards the ones he loves. Hang in there!! I'm thinking about you!

Hi everyone! We drove up to see Dad for Father's Day and stayed the week at my parents house. We had a great visit! He sleeps alot, can barely get around and says he feels bad but he's making it. I went to a doctor's appt. with him on Thursday. He was anemic so they gave him a tranfusion the next day in prep for his chemo yesterday. He can barely walk 4 steps without having to catch his breath. He's so stubborn....he's got a wheelchair and oxygen but doesn't want to be seen using either! Crazy, huh? He drives my Mother batty with his pride sometimes. He goes for a PET scan 7/10 and then a followup on 7/16 to review the results. We're all staying positive for good results. Here's a picture we took. He looks like he's aged alot in the last 3 months. He still has his hair though, as crazy as it might look! Hope everyone is doing good!

I'm so sorry about your Mom, she's in my prayers.

So glad he's doing well! It's good to get home and back in your own environment. I hope he continues to improve!

Thank you everyone! I don't want to take any chances either. I'll be going over the list of do's and don't's with my hubby and kids prior to arriving. I was really hesitant about going, so much that I was in tears but all of your advice has really educated me. I'm really excited about the trip now. My Mom is completely onboard with everything too and will definitely be more prepared once his chemo begins on Monday. It's funny how little the doctors tell you. Everything I know about lung cancer I've learned here! Bless you! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. You're all in my daily prayers.

Awesome link Rich, thank you! That's full of great info and I've passed on to everyone in my family that will be in close contact with my Dad. I really appreciate all of the replies, VERY helpful!

Awesome news! My Dad has had a horrible time with his swallowing - just horrible. His doc finally prescribed him some pain meds after all the remedies and magic mouthwashes didn't help. I hope your good news keeps coming in!!

Hi everyone! I need some opionions. My Dad went in for a scan last week and the results were good, tumor is shrinking and his airway is getting much better. He will start chemo again next week but will be heavy duty, doc says 3 times as strong as his last treatments. Said he'll certainly lose his hair and be sicker than before. The doctor didn't really mention anything to my Mom about the risk of infection but my sister did mention it to me (she's a nurse) and suggested anyone who visits Dad during these chemo rounds wear a surgical mask. Here's my question. For those of you that have been through this stronger chemo or had loved ones go through it, were you/they susceptible to infection, did you or any of your visitors have to wear masks? We're planning on a visit to see my Mom & Dad in 2 weeks for Father's Day and stay the following week (me, my husband and two boys) but I don't want to be a risk to my Dad's health and it doesn't seem possible for all of us to wear masks our entire visit. I'm wondering if we should stay in a hotel rather than staying with them? My Mom suggested that my Dad wear the mask but we're not sure if he would - he's stubborn that way! I just don't know what to do. Thanks in advance!

I'm so glad it's not cancer. (((hugs)))

He's going to try the "Magic Mouthwash". Mom is headed to the pharmacy right now to pick it up! He had a horrible weekend not being able to each much of anything. This board and you wonderful folks are truly a God send. Dawn, I'll ask if he's eating yogurt as well. Thank you for the replies!

Sandra, yes - he was put on seizure meds due to this. The docs say it could be a couple of things, either the tumor causing pressure and blocking blow flow to his brain/lack of oxygen or in fact seizures. Mom characterizes them as seizures because he tenses up and doesn't really remember anything. So many mysteries where this is concerned. Thanks for the advice everyone! Keep it comin'.

Hi everyone! I hope you're all doing good, got another question about my Dad. He's been on a break from radiation and chemo for two weeks now but has developed a severe sore throat. I'm assuming it's from the radiation and his doc told him today that it would go away but didn't recommend anything. He also has had an upset stomach but was given pills for that which seems to help. The sore throat though is a killer he says. He can't hardly stand to eat because of it. Can anyone recommend anything? I know of a few OTC things he can try for sore throats but wanted to check here because you guys are just so good at giving great advice. Just to give a quick update on him. He got a prescription for the oxygen which he's using and seems to really help but aside from that though he says he just feels bad all the time. He goes back in two weeks for a new scan to see what progress the treatments have made. Mom says he's passed out (not sure if a true seizure or just losing consciousness) several times and stops breathing. Has a bunch of cuts and bruises because of this. Thank God my Mom is right there with him at all times to bring him around. Please say a prayer for him if you would be so kind. He's a tough cookie though, still mowing the lawn once a week! Thank you, as always!!

Thanks Marci!

Denise/Rich - Thank you VERY much for the excellent info! I really think he would benefit from oxygen and your good experience with it just reaffirms that.