stand4hope

Hi Cindi, Well, I'm not going to say good news, because it's not good if you still can't breathe. I am glad you didn't have any pleural effusions, but I sure do wish they could have kept you and come up with a solution while you were already geared up to get fixed up. I know you're feeling miserable and your cheerful posts are more than likely a subterfuge to keep us from worrying. It won't work with me. I'm worried and want you to get some relief. I had only a very, short, minor episode with having difficulty breathing about a year and a half ago with severe bronchitis, and it really scared me, so I know you have got to be upset that you can't get any answers until next week. Wish there was something I could do to help. Sending hugs and prayers, but am frustrated because I wish I could DO something for you! Love, Peggy

Today I am thankful for: 1. Frank is back. 2. Cindi O'h is back. 3. Addie is back. 4. Bill's wife is better. 5. Dean Carl posted again. Love to all, Peggy

Thank you, God!!! Frank, you scared the wits out of us! SO GLAD YOU'RE BACK! How are you feeling? Did the laser surgery help your breathing. Love, Peggy

Welcome, Carls! It's a good thing to stay positive. It really helps. Lots of long-term survivors here with lots of hope to help you out. Stay close. We can help. Love, Peggy

Well, John, it only took me 2 times, but when I got it, I really did giggle! Love, Peggy

Hi Pattie, Is there an update on Frank today? I've been watching for something. Thanks, Peggy

Dear ??, I sure do wish that doctors would quit telling patients how long they have to live. Doggone it! It's really upsetting to me because they should just say they don't know - BECAUSE THEY DON'T!! We always hear that same thing 6 to 12 mos., and it just ain't so!!!!! I suppose it can be, but there are so many new treatments these days, those statistics are so old, and so many people right here on this web site have INCREDIBLY beat those odds! I suppose this is tacky, but there is another new person that joined today who sounds as scared as you, so I'm just going copy my post to her for you to read. Hope this helps, and WELCOME to LCSC! We are here to help you in any way we can. Here's my post to Jaime: Love, Peggy P.S. My husband is 18 months post-diagnosis and he started this whole thing with a big headache, that turned out to be lc with 8 brain mets. They gave him 6 mos., too. Thank God they didn't tell him that!

Today I am thankful for: 1. Snowflake's new fulltime job. 2. David C has no brain mets. 3. New, very scared people are finding our web site and finding hope. 4. Enough money to pay our bills tomorrow. 5. Getting a refund from the IRS. (Did I already do that one?) Lots to be thankful for. This is very therapeutic. Love, Peggy

WOOHOO!! I can see it's going to be a hot time on the outer banks of NC this weekend! Lots of reasons to celebrate. Congratulations Dave, Karen, Faith, BeckyCW and to your entire family!!! Love, Peggy

Ok, Sharon. You have just got to stop doing this to yourself. Providing your dad with morphine to make him comfortable was the most humane and loving thing you could have done for your dad. It did not hurt him - it helped him. It helped him to leave this world in peace and without pain or discomfort. Have you read some of the other posts on here lately about some who have died in extreme pain because they didn't have the right drugs? Now, those stories have just ripped out my heart and torn it to pieces. It just doesn't have to be that way. I don't think you would have wanted that for your dad, and I'm confident he wouldn't have wanted that either. Sending you the biggest hugs ever. (((((((((((((SHARON)))))))))) If you can't accept the fact that you did the right thing, then I would beg you to get professional help. You will drive yourself crazy and hurt others in your family if you continue to carry around this guilt. I'm hurting for you - please get some help. Love, hugs and prayers! Peggy

Hi Jaime and WELCOME to LCSC, although I know you would much rather not be here. Try to take some deep breaths, honey. The first few weeks of dealing with this disease are the worst, but trust me, things will settle down in a while. Your mom has had an extra double whammy with the blood clot problems, and I'm sure this has been really hard on you. My husband is a Stage IV lc survivor and quite advanced at that. He has brain mets, bone mets, one liver met, and, like your mom, a large pericardial effusion (fluid around the heart), in addition to the lung cancer. But, guess what? He's doing great. Working full time and starting to plan a motorcycle trip for later this spring. The first 4-6 mos. were really, really tough. He was so sick and so knocked on his butt, that I thought the treatments were going to kill him instead of the cancer. That's the way it usually goes. They have to get worse to get better. I'll be praying that this is the way it will go for your mom. You are probably about the age of our son and I know how this has knocked you for a loop. Take deep breaths, and just take it one day at a time. Our son was a basket case for several months, but his dad told him he was going to be around to kick his butt for a long time, so stop the gloom and doom. My best to you Jaime, and please, please stay close to us. You will learn so much that will give you encouragement. Love, Peggy

Hi Pat, I think we all "live on the edge of our seats" and it doesn't matter if we are Stage I or Stage IV, limited or extensive. It's just part of the deal. With time, it does get a little easier, but it still creeps up on us far too often - the fears and uncertainties, etc. Some of the things that have helped me are (1) being grateful that if today is good, tomorrow probably will be, too, (2) trying not to think about the "what ifs", (3) keeping busy, (4) trusting God no matter what, and (5) sticking close to this website where there is always lots of hope. Do I always do those things? Nope! But, I sure do try. Keep reading and re-reading the profiles of people like my husband and others here have been at this for a while. Even when it looks bad, it isn't always bad. There's ALWAYS hope. Love, Peggy

Today I am thankful for: 1. Weekends. 2. Healthy hands and fingers so I can type. 3. IRS refund instead of paying more. 4. Intuit's Turbo Tax. 5. Smiley Faces. Peggy

Done - in honor of Andrea's healthy bazookas. Love, Peggy

Hi, Jen! I'm sorry I'm so late in responding, and sorry to hear that your mom has brain mets to deal with. No SCLC experience from us, but my husband, with NSCLC, has done well since his WBR and stereotactic. I wish the same for your mom. Love, Peggy

Oh, Lisa, I am so, so sorry. I know this has been a hard thing for you to go through, and I am so glad you were with her and holding her hand when she passed. Thank God she has no more pain. My sympathies to you and your family. Love, Peggy

Here's to 2,000 more wonderful, helpful posts from our dear, Ginny! Thank you, Ginny. Love, Peggy

Kathi, I am so sorry to hear about this loss. My sympathies to you and your family. Love, Peggy

Thank you, Pattie, thank you!!!! Love, Peggy

Today I am thankful for: 1. A plan. 2. Making up after a disagreement. 3. Online bill pay. 4. Online dictionary. 5. So many beautiful colors* *Just look on this page and count all the many different wonderful colors. Peggy

We met with the primary onc this afternoon. He is not anxious for hubby to get the pericardial effusion drained or windowed since he is asymptomatic. Since even just the needle draining is an invasive procedure and the window procedure is "surgery", he just doesn't want him to have it done if it isn't necessary. He agrees with the radiation onc that the effusion probably is malignant, but it isn't causing problems or causing any spread of the disease. He did order an echocardiogram (or echo doplar?) which will be done in 2 weeks to see if the effusion is causing any constriction to the heart and will make a final decision at that time. He agrees with the radiation oncologist that nothing additional should be done to his brain unless symptoms develop or the next MRI shows more significant growth or new mets. He still just has the four mets. He said there is just a limit to what can be done to the brain without causing really big problems. He did agree that Novalis (stereotactic) can be done to the same mets again, but it would for sure be the last time, so it's better to wait. He sees absolutely no new growth in the chest, adrenal glands, liver, etc. What was there is still there, but it's stable, other than the pericardial effusion. He did order a PET scan, also in two weeks to see what's going on with the bone mets. The CT keeps saying extensive, and hubby has had a little discomfort here and there. He said a CT just doesn't give a clear enough picture of the bones, so he ordered the PET. We will not switch to Tarceva at this time, but stick with the Iressa since there is no new growth. We are happy, and hubby is very happy. As soon as we get past this crappy winter weather (2" of snow tonight - yuck), he will have the wind in his face on that 750 lb. motorcycle which has new parts, is clean, polished and shiny. Yahoo!! Love to all and thank you for your prayers and your friendship! Peggy

I just don't understand this when I hear that pain can't be controlled. It really, really upsets me - a lot!! Even though your sweet Gram doesn't have much time left, isn't there anyone else that can be called in to do something to get rid of the pain? It shouldn't have to be this way. When my dad was dying, they gave him shots of morphine every 15 minutes. Somebody needs to be raising their voice louder and get your Gram some relief. Lisa, I know that sounded angry, and I certainly hope I didn't make it harder for you. My heart aches for you. I've been through this several times, and I know how hard it is and I know how much it hurts you, too. Hang in there, honey. I will pray for you and your Gram. Love, Peggy

Thank you, Ry, for your persistence. I've been terribly worried about Frank, and will be so glad to hear from him next week when he gets home. Love, Peggy

Hi Betty, I just hate hearing about this awful pain you're been having. Has any thought been given to you having radiation to that area? I may have missed it in your profile or in one of your posts, but I don't recall seeing that you have had radiation to your spine. We're not ready for you to go, either, so you stick around, sweetie, and keep fightin'. I will send my turbo-powered prayers to God for you tonight. Love, Peggy

Dear Linus, Since you don't have a profile, we can't tell what treatments your mom has had. I will assume that she has had chemo ??? Anyway, as far as the bones, etc., if she has had chemo, they probably won't do a PET or bone scan unless there are problems (i.e., pain). The reason is because they won't radiate bone mets anyway until they have to, and the reason for that is that they can only radiate any particular area one time (see side note below). Another reason is that the treatment for bone mets (the ones not causing problems) is the same as the treatment for the rest of the cancer - chemo. So, if she had chemo, the bones have been treated, and since they won't do anything else to the bones unless there is a problem, they probably won't scan them. I'm sure this sounds very confusing, but right now I can't think of a better way to explain it. Maybe someone else can. My husband has lots and lots of bones mets, and has had for a long time, but they aren't causing any problems at all at this point. He did have a PET scan last spring because he developed severe shoulder pain, which was from a bone met, and the shoulder was radiated and the pain is gone. Now, as far as CT scans, if they are certain that she has lung cancer, even though a primary was not found, I would think they should still do a chest CT scan every 3 mos. - but that's just my opinion. Glad to hear that the WBR wiped out the brain met! That's great! Love, Peggy