Justakid

Still waiting to hear how you did Cindi!

She needs to see a doctor asap. What you described is not something to ignore. Good luck

Seems to me Tarceva is worth a shot! Anything is honestly! I've told my doctor to load me up with whatever he can find so we can get this to stop. Tarceva did not work for me, I am currently on Alimta (treatment #6 tomorrow), last CT showed shrinkage. Although know I am coughing a lot and starting to get scared that is has progressed. You never stop to think it could be illness or allergy....you immediatly think of cancer! Good luck, try everything you can....you owe it to yourself!

www.tarceva.com may help also. If nothing else you could email them your question!

She could have a yeast infection. I use to get them all the time. Talk to the Oncologist again, she might need Diflucan!

Frank Gorshin who was most famous for his role as the Riddler (Green guy with the question mark) on Batman and Robin back in the 60's dies of lung cancer and other respiratory ailments. He was 72yrs old. Didn't say how long he fought the disease.

Hey Dave! Glad the house is coming together and let us know what the PET Scan shows! Crossing my fingers for you!

Charlie- Glad all is well, I get #6 on the 1st. Crossing my fingers that Alimta is what we needed to Git R Done!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE!!!!!!!

welcome aboard! Sorry you had to find us but this is a good place for support, friendship and laughs!

Kel, I am so sorry for your loss, you are in my thoughts.

I made it to 38yrs old! Wondered if I would here a year ago when all this started! I'm still here. Very depressed today, I should be in a good mood cause I'm still here BUT depressed because I can't do anything. Everyone keeps telling me it's better to be here and not be able to do anything then to not be here. I feel like a burdeon to my family cause I can't do anything but talk. Just feeling blue lately, need to pull myself out of this (I know it). I made it to 38! Yeah!

I ditto Fay and Dave. I worry about you! Hang in there!

Hang in there Dave!!!!!!!

Peggy- This sucks! Try to be positive.

Sue/Missy We have all been there! In addition to my chemo, I am facing thyriod iodine treatment and gallbladder surgery in the next week. I'm down to taking it one hour at a time instead of one day since it's gotten so bad. Your not a whimp! I can understand not looking forward to starting this nightmare! Hang in there, we do this to survive! We do this to be there for our families!

Sent Karen an email - got the following response.................. "thanks for asking about my mom. she had her gallbladder and half her liver removed last Wednesday. so I guess you will be joining her in the empty gallbladder club soon. everything went well, she spent six days in ICU and we could only see her for a half hour at 10 am, 2 pm and 6 pm. so instead of just staying at the hospital with her, I did alot of running back and forth, which was complicated over the weekend with Dave's parents gone to visit his sister, they took Faith which was a great help, I could not take care of her, Dave and see my Mom because Faith isn't allowed in ICU - but Dave has not been doing very well at all so I didn't want to leave him alone for very long at a time so I would drive the hour to Mom's hospital, see her for a half hour at 10 am, drive home to spend five hours with Dave,then drive the hour (one way) back to the hospital for the 6 pm session with Mom. But she went into a regular room on Tuesday and came home last night, for a 72 year old woman who's had her fourth major surgery in less than a year, she did great. I am so very proud of her! Dave's not doing so well. His pain is uncontrollable, despite heavy use of oxycontin, oxycodone and gabapentin (nerve pain pills). He got a brain MRI and we saw the neurosurgeon again on Wednesday and got the news - three confirmed brain tumors. He gets a head PET on Monday, the doc puts it before a clincial review board, and then we see him again next Friday to discuss the gamma knife, which he will more than likely be having. Can't find a source of his trigeminal nerve pain in his face, so will probably inject an alcohol block into the facial nerves to numb them, will try to do it along with the gamma knife but he has to see, he says doing that procedure in the gamma knife OR will probably drive the staff crazy with set up (smile). anyway, he hasn't had chemo since early April - the topotecan was killing his blood counts and, according to Dr. S., killing HIM, so he pulled Dave off the topo and was going to start him on something else yesterday, CHOPS is the cocktail - less effective, but less killing also. He used the term "qualify of life" which made me think "not much time left". anyway, now Dave's not getting ANY chemo until after the gamma knife. so that worries me, giving that nasty SCLC time to grow even more. Fired the real estate agent for gross nonperformance and got a new guy, long story, but I KNOW he will sell the house fast. So am busy busy busy trying to get the house ready as he requests, our old agent really dropped the ball on having us prep the house and especially showcasing the riverbank properly. new guy is bringing out some high school football players that work on his farm for him to do yard work and stuff to get the riverbank looking sharp, Monday after school. after that I imagine we'll hit the ground running, we're running short of prime selling season for riverfront property. well, gotta run, just got to work, I woke up with a terrible sinus headache which reminded me that in the midst of all the chaos, I have forgotten to get my allergy shot this week, so I did that this morning before coming to work. I won't be on the board anytime soon. I'm falling apart emotionally and I can't come on and vent so I can't come on. I'm up to my ears in keeping everything afloat in my life so I don't have any time or emotional energy to support others like I want to. I'm trying to keep Dave alive, us out of bankruptcy (selling the house will be a good move in that direction), and all the while not ignoring my poor mother and keep my job - so ain't much left for anyone else right now! well, except for you, my dear friend - thanks to email. Take care, and let's try to see each other before your surgery and Dave's. God Bless, love you guys."

Where are David C and Karen? Haven't seen them here in a long time! I know Dave is putting up a good fight in his head, but I haven't seen any posts in awhile. I think Karen asked for a hall pass but shouldn;t she be back by now?!

Thinking about getting a port-a-cath.....what are the cons? Can you go swimming? Makes sense to me cause it's under the skin. Is there a particular side that they are installed in? Are they just used for drawing blood and IV's ? Seems you may not be able to use them for a CT Scan............ Thanks for the information!

I have to have surgery......I have gallstones! The trip to the ER for nausea.....gallstones. Being sick for 2weeks....gallstones! Have an appt with the surgeon next week, I'm going to ask him about a port-a-cath. I think I'm finally tired (after a year) of looking like a junkie who doesn't know how to shoot up. When I was in the hospital (over night) I was stuck 6 times. The IV blew my vein out and my entire forearm is black, the veins were so bad they were going for the wrists. I guess a port-a-cath makes sence at this point. I'll keep ya'll updated, see the thyroid doctor tomorrow.

Anyone familiar with Avastin? My doctor is in FL at a conference all week, one of the topics is Avastin (which is currently used for colon cancer) being combined with LC chemos and used on LC patients. Anyone else know about this? I told them to shoot me up with it....I'll try anything once!

Wow Frank you have a great attitude! Keep up the positive thinking and thanks for the update!

WOW, I read my post and it's not legible! Several days before chemo I had nausea and mentioned to my doc that I had it....he thought it was from the changes the other docs did to my beta blockers. Had chemo on Wednesday and the nausea was worse, called in Friday and the meds thay gave me didn't work. Called the on-call doc Sat morning, he said to go to ER for fluids and nausea meds. After 3 shots of Zofran and another of Fenagrin (sp?) they couldn't get the nausea straight, I was admitted. After tons of tests they think it's my thyroid. Tried to get an appt with the thyroid doc again and he has no openings till July.....I told them I couldn't be in and out of the hospital till then, I'm now waiting for them to call. I was stuck with needles so many time, the vein my IV was in collapsed after 8 hours, both arms are black and blue. My husband says I look like a junkie who doesn't know how to shoot up. Thinking about getting a port. Why can't I catch a break? So tired of all this mess. That's all I know!

Been out a few days, need a few more. Been in the Hosiptal, couldn't get the nausea under control and they admitted me. Give a day or two to get me bearings and I'll post!

I don't have an answer for you. I feel like I am going crazy, I watch the clock, can't get interested in anything. I have sever nausea and it's killing me! I try to watch TV and take my pain meds. I get about 2hrs worth of releif with pain meds. I hang on till the next time it's time for pills and get some relief. Sorry I can't be more helpful, I know what she is going through!