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Joppette

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Posts posted by Joppette

    6 months today

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    Dear Michelle,

    I believe he is with you in spirit. Pray for a sign, and he may come to you in a dream to assure you of this.

    I have not lost a spouse to cancer, but I did lose both parents, and a sister to it. It just takes time, and the amount of time for grief varies with every individual. And the grief will ebb and flow at times, sometimes rushing over you, other times life's distractions will allow it to ebb. Probably getting this job will help you.

    When my little sis died, I grieved for a long time. I'm not going to say how long because like I said it is different for everyone. I want to assure you that you will be okay. When my Mom died, I didn't re-join the world for about a year. I was devastated, and she was my best friend.

    It's been 14 years since she's been gone, and I don't actively grieve her anymore, time does heal. But that time frame is yours and yours alone.

    ((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))

    Judy

    Question about rib pain

    in LC SURVIVORS

    Posted

    Thank you all. It seems there is a pattern here. I am taking your input to my doctor. I remember my Mom had the same rib pain, but hers was only on the right side. Mine is the whole rib cage, and moves back and forth, front and back. But I so appreciate your feedback and support. I hope to find answers because of this.

    Hugs and thank you.

    Judy

    Question about rib pain

    in LC SURVIVORS

    Posted

    Hi! I have a question about rib pain....it's been years now for me, but I have debilitating pain in my ribs. The first time it happened was in 1999. I'll never forget it because I also got shingles, after an extreme version of flu. The "flu" I got was so bad that I would grab onto the coffee table, while coughing and cough so hard I held onto the table with all my might. I've been an asthmatic my whole life, but this was so much more. As a result of this, I had horrible spasms in my rib cage, and my doctor sent me to pulmonary rehabilitation in the hopes that I'd quit smoking.

    I did quit smoking. The Pulmonary Rehab opened my eyes in a big way. Here I was, in a room of people on oxygen, and I was shocked at how their lives were changed due to their diminished lung capacity!

    But ever since then, I've struggled with pain in my ribs. it feels like I'm getting a charley horse between my ribs. It hurts horribly, and my doctors can not find a reason for it.

    My Oncologist told me that this could be kidney damage due to the chemo, and if my magnesium was low to let him know. I told this to my regular doctor, and he said my magnesium was low, but that my kidney function was fine according to the blood tests. So what?

    If I stand for more than 30 minutes, I get these horrific cramps in my ribs. If I sit for more than 30 minutes, I get the same. If I walk for more than 30 minutes, the same.....I am so upset about this. My body wants to sleep until noon because of the pain that I have to face if I'm up for long periods of time.

    I have an active lifestyle, and this is having a big impact on that. My doctor suggested an anti-depressant, and I totally do not want to go there. I am not depressed. I do feel sad that my body is not happy, but don't think an anti-depressant is the solution. There must be a reason for my muscle spasms....there has to be.....

    So I ask here, has anybody experienced this? My Mom also had horrible rib pain after her surgery...could this be a result of the lung removal???? I'd love some feedback on this. It is totally ruining my quality of life.

    Judy

    My dad has passed

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    Hi Lynnie, I am new here, but came upon your story about your Dad. Thank you. I lost my Father when I was 37 years old, and it was horrible to go through. I miss him to this day, but have to accept what happened. He died of cancer too.

    Hugs to you.

    Judy

    Thursday's Air

    in JUST FOR FUN

    Posted

    Good afternoon!

    Supposed to snow here today! Wishing you a good day.

    Eric, I get short of breath too. I did find that some regular exercise did help improve my breathing. It will probably never be like it was before, but it's better. I climb stairs and it has helped!

    Judy

    Husband with NSCLC - squamous

    in INTRODUCE YOURSELF!

    Posted

    Hi there. Welcome here. I see you've been here for a little while, and am glad you decided to post. I don't have my own experience with radiation therapy, but I have loved ones that did have it to the chest area. It definitely can impact appetite and even change the taste of foods. Fatigue is also a very common side effect of radiation therapy.

    As for doctors saying there's no reason for concern, of course you are concerned! I understand that totally. I don't have any medical opinions to offer, just my personal experience. I guess if you are worried, perhaps consult one of the experts here?

    Judy

    Mom's cancer is growing, now what?

    in CAREGIVER RESOURCE CENTER

    Posted

    I was wondering aqt what stage your Mom was diagnosed? That may determine whether she can tolerate any more chemo. Carboplatin and Taxol are very common chemo's used for lung cancer, but I will share with you that the side effects of these two can be pretty rough. It caused severe pain in my muscles, and I was very sick from it. Everyone reacts to chemo in different ways, but it was rough going for me.

    I'm praying for your Mom for good quality of life and more time to be here with her family.

    Judy

    Three dayer

    in MEMBER UPDATES

    Posted

    Have fun Judy from KW. LOL! I hope you have an absolute blast. Though I can't imagine another place more beautiful than Key West. That is one of my FAVORITE places to visit. Don't even want to tell you about my last trip there. Suffice to say.....had so much fun and not sure my liver can survive another trip there. What an awesome place it is.

    Have fun!

    Guilt???

    in LC SURVIVORS

    Posted

    Yesterday I filled out the lung cancer survey on line about the ONLY cancer that comes with a stigma. It brought back a lot of old feelings that I've since resolved (I thought).

    I went to a seminar at a local hospital for women with lung cancer, and the good doctor talked about smoking. He said that if you have lung cancer, you either smoked, breathed in second hand smoke, or were exposed to some other carcinogen that you breathed in (War Vets, people in construction, factories, and many other places where you could have been exposed). One woman was very offended by this, which made me feel guilty and stupid for smoking as long as I did.

    I smoked for a long time, over 30 years. I finally was able to quit, but it was only 3 years before my diagnosis. The damage was done. I felt horribly guilty when I told my husband, because I knew what was ahead of me, having Mom, Uncle, Aunt, Mom-In-Law and Brother-In-Law all die from this, or complications from this disease. He knew what was ahead.

    After getting a second opinion at Mayo Clinic, we were sent to a Pulmonary Doctor. He looked at the CT Scan, and then looked at me and asked me "Why did you smoke?" I saw RED. Here I was dealing with an illness, one I understood all too well, why ask that question? I looked him in the eye and said "because I was addicted to them!" Enough said. And I fired him as my doctor.

    I mean, come on! I had so many emotions happening anyway, why make me feel worse than I already did. I just wanted to yell "YES, YES, YES, I WAS A SMOKER, SO I DESERVE THIS DISEASE????"

    And when people asked about my obvious cancer when my hair fell out, and they found out what kind it was, they would kind of back away, or change the subject, because I had a disease that I caused. I can't imagine how this makes someone that never smoked feel. It must be awful, because it makes some who did smoke feel horrid, rejected, and an outcast.

    Cancer is caused by so many different things. What we eat, where we live, life styles, things we're exposed to, thousands of reasons why, reasons not yet discovered. (Which by the way is why I am thrilled to be here, as I believe in "the cause" of this site).

    OK, reading this over I can tell I have not resolved my guilt issues, because I can feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins as I re-feel these feelings. Ack!

    I am so happy to find this place, and I am really exploring and checking things out. I like what I see, a lot!

    And Judy from Key West? You are too sweet to change your name back to your old one. I didn't even think about two Judy's here, but one Judy is awesome, two is even better!

    Thanks for letting me vent.

    Judy

    Tuesday's Air

    in JUST FOR FUN

    Posted

    Hi!

    Here in Michigan, we have abnormally warms temps, which is not necessarily a good thing, because we will still get freezing nights, and the fruit trees are blooming and it's too early! But I'm not complaining one tiny bit. I love mid 70's in April.

    But I'm with you on the allergies. They are already kicking on.

    Have a great day no matter what.

    Judy

    Checking in...

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    Hi Barb,

    I'm a newbie here, but am learning my way around here. I am a lung cancer survivor, but also lost my Mom, Aunt and Uncle to LC. Just wanted to introduce myself. Trying to learn the folks around here and make some friends.

    Judy

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