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Suzie Q

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Posts posted by Suzie Q

    The crib

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    Nick, you handled it in just the right way.

    And I just ache for you that your dear mother is not here to witness these tender acts. However, as so many others have stated, you were not alone in the silence.

    She was there. She knows.

    ~Karen

    Even doctors make it about being a smokers disease

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    Well, I may be in the minority, but I think that much as we would like less of the focus to be on smoking, the simple fact is that the majority of LC is indeed asociated with smoking! Depending on the source, the rate is anywhere from 75 to 90%.

    Think of the decrease in LC cases if that one risk factor was eliminated! That is HUGE, folks. And the truth is, there may be quite a few former smokers with a very, very remote history of smoking, who carried that risk even though their oncs told them that the smoking did not cause the LC since it had been such a long time between their quitting and the diagnosis of LC. We can't be sure that there are not changes in the lung tissue that occur from smoking that lie dormant for YEARS, waiting for the right "trigger" to activate the cancer.

    So, while I agree that the focus needs to be on early detection and effective treatment, we cannot deny that smoking does have a strong correlation with LC. I wish there were not such a stigma associated with it, as NOBODY deserves this horrific disease. And I agree that women are in especially great need to be educated on the risks of LC, even if they never smoked. Most women are very aware of breast cancer but are completely unaware of the fact that LC kills more women than all three "female" cancers combined.

    I am so heartened by your passion, Nick. Continue your advocacy. It's a tribute to your mom's memory.

    ~Karen

    Chemo Sensations?

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    My mom described similar sensations during or shortly after receiving chemo. Interestingly, she did not get these sensations with chemos that did not work, like Iressa and Tarceva, although these chemos were pill form.

    Anyway, she said it felt like an effervescent type of sensation...who knows, maybe there's something to it?

    ~Karen

    2007 Wacky Warning Label Winners

    in JUST FOR FUN

    Posted

    11th Annual Wacky Warning Label Contest Winners

    Grand Prize: A label on a small tractor that warns: "Danger! Avoid Death."

    Second place: An iron-on T-shirt transfer that warns: "Do not iron while wearing shirt."

    Third place: A baby stroller featuring a small pouch for storage that warns: "Do not put child in bag."

    Honorable Mention: A letter opener that says,"Caution: Safety goggles recommended."

    Honorable Mention: A Vanishing Fabric Marker that warns: "The Vanishing Fabric Marker should not be used as a writing instrument for signing checks or any legal documents."

    Awkward Card

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    Kelly, I also got a Christmas card forwarded to me the year mom passed. Though she had passed in April, and most everyone should have known about it, this was one of those long-time, out of state friends that you only hear from once or twice a year.

    I did send a memorial card and "Life Story" folder which the funeral home had done up.

    They responded with a lovely letter, which shared a nice history of their friendship and a memory or two. I am so glad I did respond. I even got an unexpected gift - learning something about my parents that i had not previously known!

    Hope your DH is home soon!

    ~Karen

    Free to a good home

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    Pat, yes! That's it...Midway Village! What a lovely place. I saw many people walking the path.

    And Troy is a little over 2 hours away. What a small world!

    I hope that you are feeling a bit better, knowing how much you are loved here.

    ~Karen

    I'm Around Some

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    Ok, Missy, I admit it. I've fallen in love with your son!

    Just a thought...think about only having him receive two shots at a time. That way, if he does have a reaction, it will be easier to figure out which one may be the culprit. A dose of tylenol or Motrin 30 minutes before heading for the dr office for shots always seemed to help my girls tolerate it better.

    Hoping for peace for you,

    Karen

    Free to a good home

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    Kasey, I up the ante! You will have to see my bid and raise to get Pat!

    Sorry, Pat. We have snow here in MI, too, but we have a plowing service and DH does the shoveling. Does dishes too. AND we are minutes away from Rockford, MI! How do you like that?

    As a side note, DH and I weere in Rockford for the WWII Days at the park with the historic village (I have forgotten the name) in September. Rockford is a very nice city.

    Sorry you are feeling blue. Sounds like you need a plumber and electrician. Better to get it done now and not have it be a detraction from selling the house.

    Thinking of you!

    Hugs,

    karen

    I'm so unbearably sad

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    It IS hard to reconcile all of the misery of treatment, especially when your loved one passes on so soon after diagnosis. And if we could only peek into the future long enough to see if it would all be worth it in the end, well, I guess that would really be something.

    But that isn't reality. The decision to fight the cancer was the best decision you both could make at the time. And seeing that Rod's cancer was apparently very aggressive, I personally believe that the chemo did give you both some extra time. So I would not say that it was a waste, but I do understand where you are coming from.

    I can't give you any advice on how to survive losing a spouse, but there are a lot of people on this board who are in the same boat as you, and they would be in a better position to offer some advice. I cannot imagine the depth of your pain, and I can only tell you to be gentle with yourself and do not expect to recover from this too soon. It takes time, sometimes a lot of time.

    Warm regards,

    Karen

    Update on my Mom

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    Oh, Leslie, I am so sorry for your loss. Please accept my most heartfelt sympathies.

    I, too, am an adult orphan. Feel free to PM me any time. The loss can be overwhelming at times.

    Karen

    Christmas Time

    in GRIEF

    Posted

    It takes some time to get it all figured out. That first year was so rough, and every holiday felt wrong. There was nothing to be done to make it right (short of raising the dead), and as we approach the second Christmas, new traditions are emerging.

    What I'm saying is that it is a work in progress, and there are no pat answers to the question. Just take it one day at a time, and do NOT overextend yourself. Somehow, I think you will know how much of the usual holiday routine you can deal with. It's ok to tune out the rest of it!

    ~Karen

    I Think It's Time For a Roll Call....

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    I am Karen.

    I live in Michigan just outside of Grand Rapids. I have been married to DH for 19 years, and we have 2 amazing daughters (4 and 6). I am a SAHM, but am looking for some work as a sonographer on a per diem basis; just enough to keep the skills up, but not enough to take any time away from my kids. Can you say "dream job?"

    I lost my dad to melanoma in Jan 2006.

    I lost my mom to NSCLC in Apr 2006.

    Still doesn't feel right, but i am learning to live with it. I am lucky to have 3 dear brothers who "get it."

    Sorry, no avatar, but I rarely have pictures of myself, as I am always behind the camera!

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