Melinda

Great article. Thanks!!! Melinda

Shellie-- Reading your post took me back a year ago when I first saw my mom after her dble. m. It is so hard--and scary--to see your loved ones this way. My heart goes out to you. I am just so thrilled that they were able to remove all the tissue and that there were no complications. Of course you are a mess--something would be wrong with you if you weren't! A person can only take so much. So, don't you dare beat yourself up on that count. Nor do you need to apologize to anyone here for not posting recently. You've been doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing--taking care of your sister and yourself (I still have not offcially returned my Statue of Liberty hallpass to Ry--so, I'm in the same boat.). Hang in there (on ALL fronts); try to give yourself a little TLC (even if it is only for 15 mins. a day--it's the only way I got through last year with my mom and my supervisor from h**l); and know that we are rooting for you and your sister. Melinda

Happy dance!!! Melinda

Elaine-- I just double-checked with Geoff's dad. Geoff's mom had almost constant bouts of violent, productive coughs for months proir to her dx. Thanks. Melinda

Thank you, Dean. Melinda

Dear all, I hope Shellie won't mind my posting this: Her sister's second surgery for breast cancer is tomorrow (10/12/04). Please send them both all the encouragement you can. As you may recall--this cancer came on the heels of losing both of their parents to LC. Shellie--we're thinking of you both. Melinda (and Geoff)

Joanie-- What a lovely post--and wonderful news. Congratulations; I hope you both had a lovely time. Melinda

Joe, Gina, and family- NED! That is simply the best news. I am so truly happy for you all. (((HAPPY HUG))) Melinda

Dear all, In case any one is ever searching for information about hospices in/around New York City--I wanted to post about Calvary Hospital Hospice: the nation's only fully accredited acute care specialty hospital devoted EXCUSIVELY to providing palliative care to advanced cancer patients. Like all of us, I'm sure, I am one picky person when it comes to medical facilities (doctors; quality of care; efficiency; cleanliness; atmosphere; food; you name it). I can almost always find something to gripe about (the nurses have too many patients to see--which prevents them from doing their job vis a vis MY loved one as well as both they and I would like; the food stinks; the facility is depressing, etc.). Not so with Calvary. If you, or any one you know, is searching for a facilty that provides in-patient or out-patient care (or maybe even a referral to a facility in another part of the country)--I would strongly recommend contacting them: Calvary Hospital www.calvaryhospital.org Toll-free phone: (877)-4-CALVARY And, no, I am not affiliated with Calvary in any way, shape, or form. I am simply one impressed individual. Melinda

Congratulations!!!

Connie--Thanks for letting us know. (((DAVID))) My goodness!!! OUCH!!! Please rest up, heal, and take good care of that lovely lung of yours. I think Don might be on to something re: ladders... Sending rejuvinative thoughts your way. Melinda

I KNOW that we have quite a few members on the board who live in NYC/Long Island... Are any of you planning to attend this LC event? I've already told my father and step-mother they are going... Melinda

Hebbie-- I'm sending you a PM regarding the bottled water. I think we have a solution for you--take heart! Melinda

Ry--I love the hamburger analogy. Andrea--6 pounds in NOTHING to sneeze at!!! Geeez! J.C.--Thanks for the list. Margaret, tnmynatt, and kim--7.5, 9, and 10 pounds, respectively, is GREAT progress. My hat is off to all of you! Peggy, WinsorCat, and Ginny--WOW!!! Congratulations I've been too scared/tired/busy (yeah, yeah--I'm with Ry: "That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it") to get on a scale. I FEEL larger--but some of my clothes are looser. My calves must be smaller, because my fall boots (the ones that zip to the knee) are looser. My waist is smaller, but my hips/thights seem to be on a different program (aren't they always? ). I can see my breastbone and upper ribs again when I brush my teeth (which I didn't even know could be SEEN until 2001 ). Strangely enough, I think my bum is shrinking without the cooperation of my hips/thighs (how wierd is that?). I can feel the pelvic bone in my rear-end--and it is uncomfortable to sleep/sit in some positions for long periods of time. I never thought I'd miss THAT padding!!! I think it has relocated to rhe netrenched areas on my hips/thighs... In short--I gained 1.5/2 dress sizes this past year and seem to have lost 1.5 again (except in pants, where my hips/thighs rebel). Lord knows what that means in pounds. It does mean that many of my pants don't fit me (at least the flattering/non-frumpy ones). Grrrr. I was eating really well until about 3 weeks ago (Brown rice, beans, broccoli, carrots for dinner; shredded bran & wheat for breakfast; a lean turkey sandwich with a slice of Provalone on 9 grain or organic lentil soup for lunch; and salads and water galore)... Then I fell apart. (I ate an entire roll of Nestle's chocolate chip batter BY MYSELF in the course of one week; started eating puddings (organic but still full of sugar and fat!); etc. It was REALLY bad. I don't usually even have those things in the house. I was like a zombie in the supermarket. ) So--I'm trying to get myself back on track. I was gaining the weight Geoff was losing (he wasn't eating). Maybe they have a scale at the hospice I can force myself on tomorrow. Eekkk! (I really hate scales--they just make me LOATHE myself.) My only excercise has been needlepointing at the hospice. Bad--I know, I know... (My excuse--my back is still bothering me. I know, I know...) You all have inspired me--I will try to do better. Melinda

Dean, Like Nina, I hope Gay is able to read this thread to you. I think you already know it, but (like the other 1400+ members here) we think the world of you--and root for you daily. I'm sorry you are not feeling as well as you might like. I hope you and Gay can take feel the love that should darn well eminate from your computer screen... Thanks for calling Ry to let us know how you were doing. It means a great deal to us, as do you. Fondly, Melinda and Geoff

My grandfather was (and still is) also a huge role-model in my life. I am so sorry to read of your loss. Please accept my condolences. Melinda

Don and Lucie-- RATS!!! But just glad to hear you are still doing well, Lucie, and that the road is smooth, despite the misunderstanding. You both continue to inspire us every day--and are in our thoughts constantly. Melinda (and Geoff)

Bill-- Geoff's mom had weekly taxol/carboplatin from March-September. When that ceased because of her dx. with meningial carcinoma and she was transfered to a hospital/hospice, Geoff FIRMLY requested that she be put on Iressa (with copies of journal articles in hand). I never thought the oncs. would agree--but they did. Insurance did not seem to be a problem, either (although bills are still being submitted, as I type--a full time job, that). There are a lot of people on the board who had to fight to get Iressa--but they did get it AND get it paid for. So--do a "search" here on the board for their stories--and take heart. Melinda

TAnn, I'm sorry I am late in responding to this--and even sorrier that you discovered that you had brain mets. However, I am so glad that you were proactive and had your "non-symptomatic (?!?!?) headaches" checked out so that you discovered these blasted things while they were still so small. I'm in SJAS' camp--just maybe see if you can get a second opinion about the stereotactic approach. It just gives you more options down the road, should you need them (when they do WBR, they want to wait a good, long time before preforming any other radiation on the brain). And then you'll never second guess yourself. However, if you do require WBR, as terrifying as it does sound, all I can share is Geoff's mom's experience with it. We were PETRIFIED upon first learning about her mets (anything with the words "cancer" and "brain" just SOUNDS so scary!!!). We were stunned to watch Geoff's mom go through the treatment without a single, scary hitch. She was a little tired and eventually lost her hair (THAT was the hard part, for her). Other than that--she was fit as a fiddle--and fully functional. Nor has she exhibited any signs of mental confusion as a result of the WBR. It was a piece of cake physically, for her, compared to the radiation to her chest. She had 12+ mets with NO symptoms (a "look-see" scan discovered them). 8 of them "resolved" after WBR and the remaining 4 were still shrinking months after the WBR (scan taken just a few weeks ago). It seems that mets to the brain are a much easier beast to treat than PRIMARY tumors to the brain. We have all heard of people with primary tumors up there--and frequently they are not pretty stories. Mets SEEM to be different (although, as I am not a doctor, I cannot explain if that is actually the case or why). Nonetheless, any new met is scary news--I'm just glad it was discovered so that it can be treated. As you are in everyone else's thoughts and prayers--you are in ours. Please keep us posted so we know how you are doing. Melinda

Ry, May I please have a hall pass? I love you all--and am sure I will still "lurk" when I can (and post when I am compelled to)--but my I need to focus my energy on Geoff, his family, and our life for the moment. I'm sorry--you are all in my thoughts every day, but I am starting to feel extremely guilty for not being able to respond to the majority of posts/and welcome new members Thank you for everything y'all do everyday for us--and everyone else. And a particular thank you for your kind words, thoughts, and prayers for Geoff, his family, and his mom, Anna (and my mom, too). I really don't know what I would have done without this board (thank you, Katie and Rick for creating it) and will return as a more active participant when I am able. Melinda

MJ-- Prayers on the way (in addition to this ones said with Geoff before he fell asleep tonight). Melinda

(((FAY))) I'm tryin' REAL hard not to take a strong dislike to some of the people in your neighborhood... I have so many thoughts, but am too tired to respond adequately right now. Just didn't want my lack of eloquence (coherance?) prevent me from sending you a HUGE HUG as you struggle through all of this... Melinda

(((KEL))) Melinda

(((AMY))) I, too, feel worn out--and I have no excuse. I'm simply the caregiver of a caregiver. And between my mom and his, we had no break from it--I am sick and tired of this disease in all of its insidious manifistations. I am sick of thinking about cancer all of the time--and I'm not even the one with it!!! A large (HUGE) part of my feeling like I've been hit by a truck is the emotional exhaustion--my own feelings are bad, but watching Geoff suffer is simply awful... Also--can't discount the "feeling helpless" factor. I like to "fix" things--and all I can do right now is sit by Geoff's mom's bed and re-teach myself to needlepoint. I can't protect his mom, I can't protect him (or his family) from what is happening to his mom. What CAN I do? (Finally, feeling guilty about needing to plan a wedding that's not getting planned because neither Geoff nor I feel like thinking about it--and I feel too guilty with everything going on to even mention the topic to him--but yet it needs to get done as everything is already booked... Honestly, I wish I could cancel it.). So, my hat is off to you for simply managing. Hang in there--and vent ANY time. We're here for you. Melinda

Hoping all went well today for everyone! Melinda