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WAY TO GO HEATHER!!!! You've really done an impressive job! Kelly

Jane, Thank you for the update. Cat-I am thinking of you and keeping you in my prayers. Kelly

Hoping for a quick recovery for you David. Kelly

I only smoked for 5 years when I quit last April on Easter, but I STILL had dreams long after I quit about smoking and in my dreams I would know that I shouldnt be smoking and then be sad about ruining all the time I went without one and then try to hide it. It's really wierd, because in my conscious mind I never really think about cigarettes at all, it almost feels like I never smoked at all. The things that help keep me smoke free are smelling fresh laundry or other things that smell clean and fresh and I just think in my mind how nice and fresh my clothes and hair will smell if I'm not smoking and how nice my mouth will taste without the stale taste of cigarettes in it. Not to mention the cost of cigs, Geez Here, they are close to $5 a pack. Thats also a good deterrent. Kelly

Prayers being said for you and your sister. I pray that something will finally go right for you guys. Youve been through way too much. Kelly

I want to add my thoughts and prayers as well Dean Carl... Sure do miss seing your posts. Kelly

Congrats to Lucie for blowing away their predictions and Congrats to you for being such an awesome supporting husband. Kelly

Prayers that the Iressa will do its job and do it well Kelly

My mom had thyroid problems for as long as I can remember. This was definetely way before the LC diagnosis. I have all her medical documents that I am sorting through now, I dont know what exact condition she had with the thyroid, I do know that she took a medication daily to control it.. She was exposed to microwave radiation at a job she held when she was my age. (and pregnant with me). Not sure if that has any relevance to either one but I think so. I do see an alarming coincidence in the amount of people who have thyroid problems and LC. Wonder if anyone in the medical community has checked it out. Kelly

I'm very sorry about your loss. I will keep your family in my prayers. kelly

Im very sorry about your loss. I hate this disease. I'll keep you and your family in my prayers. Kelly

I'm very sorry about your loss. Please accept my sincere condolences. I pray that god will grant you the strength to get through the road ahead. Kelly

This is similar to the way I felt after my mom kept recieving letters from her credit card companies offering MONEY BACK CANCER INSURANCE. One of the terms is that you have to have not ever been diagnosed with internal cancer. I could see them sending out one just by fluke, but she recieved numerous offers like that. Never seen anything like it before she was diagnosed, only until about a month ago like 8 months after DX. This is on top of all the cigarette coupons she and I were recieving. Talk about pouring salt on the wound.

VENTRONE DEBORAH (SCHMIDT) Age 47, of Brentwood Boro, on Friday, September 3, 2004; beloved wife of Mark Ventrone; dear mother of Kelly (Michael) Wassell and Lori Ventrone; beloved daughter of William and Lillian (Koszakovszky) Schmidt; dear sister of Bill Schmidt, Linda Gross, Sandra Schnupp and Mary Jo Schmidt. Friends received at the CIESLAK & TATKO FUNERAL HOME, INC. 2935 Brownsville Road, Brentwood, on TUES. ONLY 5-9 pm, where a Blessing Service will be held on Wed. at 10 am. www.cieslakandtatkofhinc.com Please sign the guest book at post-gazette.com

At around 4:55 pm today, my mother passed away . She was surrounded by me, my husband, my sister, her husband, her parents, one of her sisters and husband. She took her last breath only a few minutes after her parents came. I had been living at the hospital with my sister and husband since Tuesday. She was taken into the emergency room in the afternoon because she was coughing up a lot of blood. They kept her in icu that night then put her back up on the oncology floor where they started the morphine drip. It really took a lot for me to sit there and watch while my mom suffered, but now I know that she is no longer in pain and I wanted to be there with her when she passed so she would not be afraid. I am going to miss her more than words can express but I know she is in a better place and I will be reunited with her some day. Please say a prayer for our family to get through this tough time and pray that the lord will keep her safe. Kelly

There is a nice story on a survivor of stage IV lung cancer in the September 2004 issue of Alternative Medecine. The story is about the use of a macrobiotic diet and lifestyle. I have purchased a few books online that have recipes I would like to try out with my mom. If anyone has ever tried macrobiotics please let me know what your thoughts are on it. Kelly

Hi all. First, my apologies for not posting earlier about my mom but I was just overwhelmed with things for a few days I barely had time to do anything. My mom is in the hospital still as of right now. She started iressa about 3 weeks ago and then she started to feel nauseated about 2 weeks in and she was also vomiting and not really eating much so we took her to the ER because they thought she was getting dehydrated. They kept her from Monday until Wednesday of last week. She came home wednesday feeling like the stomach irritation was going away but her back was starting to hurt. It was hurting her so much that she didnt know what to do. She is on the duragesic patch and I couldnt imagine what her pain would be like without the patch. On friday, the nurse that visits weekly told her she should go back to the hospital, so she did. She has been there since. They are trying to get her breathing a little bit better before they will send her home as she has been coughing and a bit wheezy. I am just praying that everything will be ok no matter what happens and that she will be able to come home soon. They were giving her demerol for pain and had some wierd water thing connected to her oxygen today. I am not sure what that was for, but i hope it helps. They are giving her breathing treatments as well. She believes that this is caused by the iressa. I think I agree with her. I showed her all the prayers that everyone said for her and all the nice things everyone posted. Thank you to everyone who is thinking of her and praying for her too. Kelly

Ginny, I am so sorry Please accept my deepest sympathy to you and your family Kelly

I'm very sorry to hear this. I wish you strength in the days ahead. Kelly

I am so very sorry for this great loss. This is such a devastating and terrible disease. May God comfort David's family in the upcoming days ahead. Kelly

I wrote to my pennsylvania leaders and also to the President. Kelly

Im very sorry. Please accept my sincerest condolences. Kelly

Rick, Thanks for sharing the pics. They are both SOOOoooo cute!!!! Kelly

I want to extend my deepest sympathy to you and your family. I am so sorry to hear this. Kelly

Im so sorry about your moms passing Please accept my sincere condolences. Kelly