[Update of kitkathi's pops]

Sending prayers for you and your pops.

[labored breathing post-surgery]

I didn't have surgery to remove any of my lung but I did have a thoracotomy to get a biopsy, etc. I still do have the SOB and gurgles - they kinda come and go. I also still do the incentive spirometry even though it's been close to a year now. No one told me to do this - but I figure it can't hurt. I also use an albuterol inhaler 2-3 times per day although it doesn't seem to do much.

You'll be sooo glad you have a port for blood draws and for the chemo.

[Checking In....]

TAnn,

Do you get the radiation every day?

I've heard that the fatigue with radiation is even worse than with chemo.

Have you seen the T-shirts that say something like, "Back off - I'm out of estrogen and I have a gun"?

Maybe we should have one for LC - "Back off - I'm tired, my brain is being nuked and I'm on steroids!"

Hang there - sending prayers your way.

[Mental Being]

What a great post! Thanks for sharing!

[Lance Armstrong AND motorcycles?]

Thanks for giving us a "heads up"

Does it get any better than Sr., Paulie, Lance & motorcycles? - I don't think so!

[Got me a new boyfriend, and his name is....]

Great News! Definitely time to celebrate!

[Alimta Improves Life of Lung Cancer Patients]

Thanks for the link. I have a friend who just started Alimta so I printed it out to give to him.

[desiderata - by max ehrmann]

Thanks for sharing this - I had never seen it before.

[Self Magazine -- August Issue]

That is waaaay cool!!

[Herbs and natural products: peer-reviewed info]

Teresa,

Great information! Thanks for sharing!

[Dean Carl~]

Dean,

You are a very, very special man. I am sending love and prayers to you and Gay.

[Two Whole Years]

Congratulations Don & Lucie! Sounds like a reason to celebrate to me!

[It wasn't just a headache]

TAnn,

Sorry for my late response - sending prayers for you.

[3am! Saturday Oct 2nd.]

Welcome to our group.

Chemo does affect everyone a little differently. The list of side effects includes all of the side-effects that anyone has ever experienced with the drugs - so don't let that worry you too much. You will NOT experience all of those side effects. Increased fatigue is the one side effects that it seems like everyone has. I'd get groceries in and have the laundry caught up before going in to get the chemo. I agree - drink lots and lots of fluids.

I was not on your particular drugs but with mine, they said my hair would come out in 2 weeks. Almost 2 weeks to the day, my hair started to come out. That's when I went ahead a shaved it. I bought a wig but hated how it felt on my head so the only times I wore it was to my son's school and sports events. I mostly wore hats.

I also began seeing a counselor which helped as I was dealing with all of this.

[I am in the 98%]

I thought red hammer, too

[Revisiting Moss Reports]

Elaine,

I get his free emailed newslettters but I've never sprung for one of his actual reports. I'd also be interested is anyone has gotten one of his individualized reports.

[09/28/04 is a big day for some folks!]

Thanks for the heads-up. Extra prayers are being sent

[Hurricane survival check-in]

Thanks for checking in and glad you only had "minor" damage.

[callin' all you darlin's for some experience with VATS]

Cindi,

I had a VATS. They drained the fluid, took tissue samples, looked ALL around in there and then put talc in between the lung and its lining (the pleural space) to help keep the lung reinflated and to keep the fluid from re-accumulating (called plueredesis sp?). Afterwards I had a chest tube in for almost a week, was in the ICU for a couple of days and then on a regular nursing floor. I had 2 rather small incisions - 1 - 2 inches each.

Hope this helps-

[HUSBAND RICH IS GONE]

Charlotte,

I am so very sorry.

[Anger and Aggression]

Becky,

Thanks for a very helpful post.

I think it would be great if this post and LisaRN's post could be "stickied" because all of us are dealing with these issues in one way or another.

[Bring back BoBennett]

I would support BoBennet coming back to the board - as I would anyone dealing with LC.

[Safer Household Cleansers?]

There was a steam cleaner (that I think is similar to the one in the infomercial) on sale in the Target ad this weekend. I think I'll check it out.

[ANGER]

Lisa,

Very well said!

[A Query from Major Publication Came Back Wanting More!]

Elaine,

That is GREAT news. Thnks for working on this.

Looking back, I had not felt well for at least a year but my primary complaint was fatigue and increased sweating. (does anyone know if increased sweating -like hot flashes especially with stress - is a symptom?)

When my fatigue and SOB got so bad, they did a chest X-ray mainly to look at my heart. The possibility of lung cancer was NEVER on the radar screen.