Suzie Q

What is he eating prior to these episodes? If it's all simple carbs, his blood sugar might be bottoming out. Try whole grains and a bit of protein. High caffeine and a carb-heavy meal can prompt a drop in blood sugar, too. ~Suz

Chances are that your cold is a virus and the Z-pak won't help prevent transmission of the virus or eradicate it faster from your body. However, if plugged nasal passages have set up a breeding ground for bacteria and you have a sinus infection (believe me, you KNOW the pain of a sinus infection if you have one!), then the Z-pak will help. I'd hate for you to have a false sense of security for taking an antibiotic that you would be home-free from transmitting the little bug(gers)! Vigorous handwashing for 30 seconds is a great way to insure you don't pass on any viruses or bacteria. Dispose of Kleenex after every wipe - don't carry around any used tissues. Wash your hands after touching your nose or mouth. Wipe off the phone with a cloth sprayed with something like Lysol (do NOT spray it directly onto the phone). Sneeze into your elbow or shoulder instead of your hand. Wear a mask if you might be contagious. It must go over both your nose and mouth. Be forewarned, the thing gets hot and uncomfortable, but I'm sure you don't mind the inconvenience. Go see him, just use due caution. Hope you feel better soon - my last cold took 4 weeks to shake! ~Suz

No, I think the dog looks PO'd, not fearful. That was the dog's donut! I've seen that look before. ~Suz

What chemo is he on? One of my mom's chemos (I think it might have been Avastin) gave her neuropathy and a dry skin-like rash on hands and feet. Her onc nurse recommended Tiger Balm or Bag Balm and then cover hands with cotton gloves and feet with cotton socks. She carried a tube of really good hand cream everywhere. If it's really itchy, maybe a cream with hydrocortizone (maybe prescription strength) can help. ~Suz

When Mom's hair started to fall out from chemo and she was tired of picking off all the strays from her pillow and clothing, she decided to have a "head-shaving party." At her request, my two sisters-in-law and I took turns with the electric clippers, and she agreed to have a post-buzz cut pic taken with my dad, who is nearly bald but for the ring of short hair around the head! It made it much less traumatic, she says. You can get a fringe of bangs or rim of bangs and nape and sides hair that velcro into hats and scarves. They look good. Practice with an eyebrow pencil. Everyone looks better with eyebrows, even when they have no eyelashes. Get really great shade of lipstick. It keeps everyone's eyes off your hairlessness. Schedule a massage. Bubble baths are good for the spirit (if you are a bath person). Chocolate is a must. I hope all goes well for you. ~Suz

Ginny, One question: What do you know about George Clooney IN BED that the rest of us don't know?

Oh, Leslie! I'm sad about your news, but after the way you kicked the lung tumor's butt, I KNOW you will do the same with this! Go get 'em, girl... ~Suz

Please make sure that any herbal preparations your husband is taking will not interfere with the trial medication. I would hate to see him not get the full benefit of the med or to have a serious side effect because of the combination. In fact, using it may or may not be allowed, because it can skew the results. Regardless, best wishes to you both. Hope it works. ~Suz

Ok, ladies!Just how many out there would like to have both boobs made the SAME size? I have always hated that, and I guess if I weren't in the chicken coop with Ry I would have the bigger one reduced and both of them lifted up to where they should be! However, cosmetic surgery ranks low on my on my list of priorities, so it will not likely come to pass... ~Suz PS: Ry, get out of the chicken coop and get the "girls" reduced! This isn't just a cosmetic procedure and is often a medical need insurance will cover if you have back pain, headaches, etc.

Man, I can smell my grandma's cinnamon rolls right now! We would get up on Christmas morning (not allowed to wake up Dad and Mom until 7 am!) and open gifts until the cinnamon rolls were ready. We always had grapefruit and oranges that my grandma's friend sent from Texas every year. We'd go to church with dad (mom always went to midnight Mass on christmas Eve) and the party would last all day long! Friends and relatives would drop in all day, and my poor folks would be exhausted and sleep in the next day. Now we go to my mom & dad's on Christmas day and spend the afternoon and early evening there. Gift exchange takes an hour since each person can only unwrap one gift at a time, one person at a time, in order of birth. That way everyone sees all the gifts and thank yous are said immediately. Suz

We had to put down our beloved golden retriever/yellow lab mix over 2 years ago, and I still miss him, especially the crumb cleanup patrol he would do (and with two little girls, you can imagine the feasts he he could have now) and I miss watching the string of drool grow ever longer when he would stare us down while we ate pizza! I would miss my footwarmer on the bed, and the eternally warm welcome home every day. Can't say I miss the dog hair, though. ~Suz

Stretch Armstrong, so I could remain 5'2" and reach all those upper shelves at the grocery store (at home I just climb on the counters, much to DH's dismay...he wonders what that teaches the kids). Though I always hated the look of Stretch's thick neck... Suz

Missed the chat, but please pass that chocolate cake!!!!! ~Suz

dishes out

Call the doc. I'm wondering about kidney stones being a possibility in addition to muscle spasms, but the doc will be able to tell you if Brian's symptoms are consistent with kidney stones or muscle spasms. In the meantime get out the heating pad and give him a good old back massage. Sprinkle a bit of powder on his back so your hands glide better. Praying for you guys! ~Suz

This procedure sounds pretty good, especially if your dad has risk factors for undergoing anesthesia for either a bronch or open biopsy or mediastinoscopy. Why don't you call Mayo in Jacksonville and inquire as to the wait time for a consult for the procedures? Good luck ~Suz

I'm quite sure that every one has a rightful dedication to research and an indignance for the lack of better fnding for "their" particular disease, and I don't mean just cancer (this is where we all take our collective territorial pee). I am split between two killers - melanoma and LC as my dad has mel and my mom has nscls. I find funding lacking but awareness improving, at least on the melanoma front. Perhaps part of the reason that breast cancer gets all the media attention and the lion's share of the research funding and donations is because it is fairly easy to detect. LC doesn't have that luxury. It is usually detected in the late stages. That makes it difficult to get enough early stagers for following up treatment results. And on the face-to-face confession thing - I experienced on of my life's most amazing peaceful moments at absolution during one a few years ago...I cannot explain it adequately, but I truly felt forgiven and loved by God. ~Suz

Pat, Brian's onc ROCKS! Boy, he is definately in Brian's corner. Be good to yourself, too. Get someone to relieve you so you can catch a break now and then. ~Suz

Are you thinking of Neupogen? I think both my mom (NSCLC)and dad (he has melanoma)had Neupogen. I think they both had "bone flare" pain from it. But it seems it was used for neutropenia, or low neutrophils (one type of white blood cell). Hope your counts come up soon! ~Suz

Darci, Keep in mind that the effects are often cumulative, so in two or three cycles, he may see more side effects. My mom just finished 6 rounds of Taxol/Carbo and had tremendous fatigue and some bone pains. also, the hair she lost with Taxotere did not grow back, so your dad may lose his hair. Blood counts did dip, but none of them bottomed out. It does seem to be a more tolerable chemo regimen, though. ~Suz

You have my deepest sympathies. ~Suz

Oops! That should read, "...yes, I have done that"

Chocolate mousse. Can be eaten as a meal (ues, I have done that)! Suz

Aw, Kerry. Hugs and prayers coming your way!

Aw, Kerry. Hugs and prayers coming your way!