SJAS

Sounds like he's on the best medicine of all - HOME! Glad he's back there

Ven, I posted to you when you first asked this and think the computer ate it I'll try again. Certainly this is a decision you will have to make yourself, but don't let age be the big determiner. There have been recent studies showing that older patients can and do benefit from serious treatment. Consider all the other factors and go from there. Good luck!

Cheryl, This just so stinks and unfortunately is so typical. In our area we have an agency which works with all types of disabilites and is also an ILC (independent living center). There are several throughout the state and maybe your state has them also. They have a lawyer on staff to deal with ADA issues free of charge. You might check some of the agencies in your area which specialize in general services for people with disabilities. Go get 'em.

Cycles not treatments - Sufferin' Succotash that's an ole pin prick in the balloon! Well, Lucie, just keep up the good work and we'll all send balloons your way!

Mo, Congrats on this landmark anniversary. I just saw in another post that you are 8 treaments into WBR and still working part-time. Wow - told Steve and he said he had been so fatigued during WBR he couldn't even THINK of working. You are one awesome gal!

TAnn, So glad you checked in - been thinking about you. Steve also had the overwhelming fatigue. You just get lots of rest and keep marking the countdown till this thing is over.

Just wanted to welcome you to the family and let you know that between the new and old posts, I bet you'll have lots of good advice.

Hi Diane, Glad you found your way to us, but sorry you have to go down the cancer path again. I usually just have enough time to get to NSCLC and General, so maybe I'll catch up with you again there. Looking forward to getting to know more about you.

Really pleased to meet you Don and I'm still laughing. You might be interested to know that some side effects appear to be contagious. Chemo brain seems to be rampant in our family

Melinda, Know exactly what you mean. Having a hard time getting on myself and also struggling with some hand/arm issues due to my career (of course, it couldn't possibly be age related ) I will miss your posts, but wish you all the best. Hope to be here when you get back.

Dean Carl, Missing you and hoping that you're getting good hands (can you still call them "hands" when you're playing on the computer ) and feeling much better.

Apple pie, applesauce, apple cobbler, baked apples - You two beat 'em all with those apples! (and we live in an apple orchard!!) Congratulations Don & Lucie!

Sorry things are going so rough Randi. Steve was pretty uncommunicative for a long time during and after his WBR. He pretty much just slept. Who knows if some of that might have been depression, or if it was the only way his body could cope with the massive repair job it was trying to do. The good news is that he did eventually turn things around. She may just need a great deal more time. Hang in there.

Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday dear Becky... Your gift is that this is NOT a real singing telegram from me

Yee Haw - way to go Sandy!

Nice to have you back Cindy. At least the word "boring" could never be applied to your life Good luck on your teaching post.

(((Don and Lucie))) - As my teenagers might say, "You Rock!!" (Or maybe, that is already passe and I'm just having flashbacks ) However you say it, you two are awesome!

Yep, Steve has the rash too. His got off to a slow start, but is spreading more now on his chest and back, and a few spots have recently showed up on his arm. Not a huge problem, just starting to look like a teenager again

Lisa. Glad I signed on late and caught the better news on your second post. Tickled to hear that Ahmed was able to get back on the Iressa and will be home soon. Prayers for you both.

TAnn, I'm so sorry you had to join the little brain mets group (talk about a club no one wants to join ), but want to give you some hope too. I have posted a lot about Steve's brain mets (you can check some of my old posts). I would try to get a second opinion from a neurosurgeon at a Specialized Gamma Knife surgery center before making your decision. We definitely did not want WBR. The chief G.K. surgeon at USF did feel that WBR had to be done first, but Karen seems to be doing fine without it. Our neurosurgeon in Sacramento felt that you could do G.K. first and then only do WBR if necessary later, but should not do WBR prophylactically. Ultimately we were forced to do the WBR and, while it wasn't a "piece of cake" for Steve, he did get through it and seems to be doing well now. I also know someone who is 4 years out after WBR who is back to work and sees no major problems other than some short-term memory stuff. I'll be thinking of you and praying that all goes well with whatever path you follow.

Lisa, We too have had the dashed hopes with some of Steve's previous tx, when things looked good briefly and then didn't last. He is also on Iressa and is doing so much better now, but I still feel like I'm holding my breath. Then I remind myself of the woman we met at Relay for Life - also Stage IV who failed to have any success with all previous tx. Two and a half years after being started on Iressa (under "Compassionate Use"), she looks like someone who has never been ill. Every day brings us closer to more answers - every day counts!

Fireworks, darn it - we need fireworks! That is the best news I've heard all day

Will be sending all good thoughts for Len. Like I told Steve, "After all these years you finally get a tatoo and it's not even my name!" Of course, he was quick to respond that you just had to connect the dots One hint - Steve's eating took a big hit with the chest radiation and it ended up being acid reflux even though the symptoms were not at all what we would have expected for that. So keep it in mind if eating takes a big downhill swing.

I don't know how often a brain MRI is repeated after getting a clear one, but I do know that you do not have to have symptoms to get an MRI. My husband has not had any symptoms. Even after he had a clear one, the next one was repeated in a couple of months, but that may have been because he had originally had brain mets.

Thanks for catching us up TeeTaa. Angie - glad things are going better and stable is GOOD! We like stable