Suzie Q

My mom had Gemzar and Carbo as first line, and it worked well for her with few side effects. She did have some diarrhea and a little nausea, but primarily she had alteration in taste from the Carbo and an acidic feeling in her mouth(not the esophagus, just the mouth) with the Gemzar. Drink water, eat several meals, even if you don't feel like it to maintain your weight. The first day of chemo is usually a long one, so be prepared with reading materials or whatever may keep you occupied during that time. You may even doze off while the infusion is going. Take a positive attitude with you. You'll do fine! ~Karen

My profile shown my mom lived 2 years after diagnosis of stage IV NSCLC, and with good quality of life. And reading the profiles of people like Don's Lucy and Jimben gave me so much hope! And let's face it, in this life we're ALL terminal. It's just a question of when. But it's MY profile, and if and when I am ready to either consolidate it or simplify it, or simply not include it in any given post, I will do so. But right now it honors the fight my mom gave against LC, and no one will convince me to change my thinking on this one. ~Karen

Oh, Val. I'm so moved by your post. I am saddened that you will be without two of the most important people at such a time in your life. Please don't hold your friend's ignorance against her. People who have not experienced the depth of loss that you have do not understand the ongoing grief process. They figure that it's been long enough that you have moved on and fail to realize it's just not that simple. Sadly, at some point, they will most likely be enlightened, and will finally "get it." Revel in your homemade birthday cake, anyway! And remember, we here DO get it. ~Karen

Dancing on the stars of Heaven...reminds me of a qoute from Wm Shakespear: "And, when he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of Heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with the night and pay no worship to the garish sun." Deepest condolences to you and your family. ~Karen

You must be exhausted. Get some rest and hunker down with the family. Thinking of you. Karen

Keep emphasizing the oncologists belief that your DH has been doing well and that he does not see things the same way the naturopath sees them. Good for you for letting that doctor have it with both barrels! What utter nonsense to have to deal with baloney like this! Karen

I would ask about an MR angiogram(MRA) to check for aneurism and/or clots. Saying an extra prayer for your nephew tonight. ~Karen

I'm so glad that you have found peace. Imagine how at peace your father must be! Your story is just incredibly amazing. Wishing you strength and comfort in the times ahead. ~Karen

So sorry for your loss.

Underwear. For my potty-training toddler. Really.

So sorry for your loss. deepest sympathies to you and your family. ~Karen

Kim, You have already lost your day, and now your mom. Losing your last parent often really slams people to the ground, and you do feel lost. Which is to be expected, because in reality you are now an adult orphan. It takes time to work through all of this, trite as it sounds. But I'm certainly no authority on this as I'm just 8 months out...Mom passed away in April and we hit the one year mark for my Dad's death on Monday. Big hugs to you. ~Karen

Bless your heart!

Oh, Nick! It is just so WRONG that you and your future kids have been cheated out of that generational link. I was so angry, too, when my mom was diagnosed, because within days, we were leaving to visit our daughter, whom we would later adopt, for the first time. We debated just cancelling the whole thing for about a millisecond...well ok, not at all. And our dear little girl lit up my mom's eyes! But I grieved for her loss and my mom's loss. My youngest daughter is 3 1/2, and will probably retain no real memories of her grandmother, and my oldest is 5 1/2, and her ability to remember Grandma Barb (and Grandpa Jim, as he predeceased my mom by 3 months) is questionable at this age. But it is what it is. Don't berate yourself for delaying childbearing. Just live with the decisions you have made and go on from there. You had valid reasons for making that decision, and they were made based on what you knew at that time. Too much time is wasted looking back wondering, "what if.."could be spent in fond remembrance of "what was." I so hope this pregnancy continues in good health. Congratulations on the positive preg test! Redards, Karen

Thanks for the posting, Randy. Kudos to Bobby Hamilton for promoting cancer awareness! I guess if Connie feels it necessary, she could move this post to the JUST FOR FUN/OFF TOPIC FORUM, since this is not a Lung ca death or lung ca issue. Just food for thought. ~Karen

We're all here to uphold you. Heartfelt sympathies to you and your family. ~Karen

Ask your doctor about oral lidocaine. It is supposed to numb the esophagus when you swallow. My friend's son needed this for post-surgery throat irritation from being intubated. Magic mouthwash helps a lot of folks, too. It contains other ingredients to help with mouth/throat soreness. You have to ask your doctor for a prescription...they usually know what you're referring to. It's mixed by the pharmacist and I don't know the proper name for it. Hope you get to have that burger soon! Karen

Rochelle, It is very normal to feel numb. I felt like I was going through the motions for much of the first few months. I lacked the motivation to get mom's condo cleaned out & repaired to prep it for sale...and here we are, 8.5 months later, and it still is not listed, though we have had a few interested parties go through it. It's so hard. I felt guilty that I didn't break down more, but I came to realize that grief is a slow process for some people, and an ongoing process for everyone. I'm now getting closer to anniversary dates, and I'm having some really low times. If you feel the need, most hospice organizations offer support groups, usually free of charge. Do take advantage of that, and always know you are welcome here! We're with you on this hourney. hugs to you, Karen

WOW! Great news! Keep kickin' cancer's bum!

Any reason why he can't ave a CT scan or ultrasound of the abdomen? I would be concerned about being put off until February. Surely they can investigate this further! As an aside, is he by chance constipated? That can cause a lot of belly pain, too. My MIL was hospitalized with that recently. ~Karen

Please accept my heartfelt condolences. ~Karen

Oh, Rochelle, I am so saddened by your loss. Please accept my deepest sympathies. ~Karen

My mom was thinking about investigating this, but then my dad's melanoma returned with a vengence and she ended up being his caregiver, so she dropped the idea entirely. I know it is done in Germany. It's called whole body hyperthermia, and it is done in conjunction with herbal therapy. I do not know of any place here in the US that it may be done, but then, this was 2 years ago. As I recall, it would involve a stay of several weeks. ~Karen

I think you already know in your heart the answer to this dilemma. Do consult with his oncologist about this. Perhaps the two of you can give him the full scope of his disease together. I agree, he has a right to know that a cure is truly unlikely, and at this point, he may be on chemo for the remaining days. Therefore, he has to decide how he wishes to spend those days. Of course, if he has previously stated that he does NOT want to know, then you respect his wishes. Keeping you in my prayers, Flowergirlie. Karen

Oh, I am so saddened to read this news. Sending you hugs and prayers. ~Karen