SDianneB

Tina, my best to you, Charlie, and your Rachel. I agree -- better days are ahead. I imagine we are somewhat like those toys that kids knock down and they pop back up! Prayers and lots of good wishes to you all, and congrats on the anniversary! Di

Oh, Elaine, bless your heart. Like we all need such things in our lives anyway, and on top of all the other stuff? Bah humbug. You have my best wishes and prayers for both you and your daughter, and all of you for that matter. I'm sorry you have so many battles right now. Di

That's what I got at first too, Joanie - from the wonderful Pulmonologist who put 2 and 2 together and diagnosed me. He was very positive, and then when I had to face the first Oncologist, Dr. Gloom & Doom, it was a total reverse. So, I got another one. When I first saw the Radiation Oncologist, he was very positive too. So, at first, I had one bad apple out of the three, and even the bad apple is a very intelligent physician whose time might be better spent in the research lab away from other people! It can make a huge difference as we all know. Di

Lisa, you hit that one right out of the park, IMO. My thoughts exactly. Thanks for saying it so succinctly! Di

Barbara Bel Geddes - famous for her role as "Miss Ellie" on the long running Dallas series. From an AP article: "Barbara Bel Geddes, the winsome actress who rose to stage and movie stardom but reached her greatest fame as Miss Ellie Ewing in the long-running TV series "Dallas," has died. She was 82. The San Francisco Chronicle said she died Monday of lung cancer at her home in Northeast Harbor, Maine. Jordan-Fernald Funeral Home in Mount Desert, Maine, confirmed the death Wednesday, but owner Bill Fernald said the family asked that no further information be given out." Di

Only when s/he was on fire.

I just sent one. Good grief. Di

Tina, lots of good thoughts and prayers for you and Charlie. This stuff can really knock you down, huh. I hope that Charlie is back on his feet and going strong soon. This, even though I was somewhat put out with you the other day because your area of Tennessee was getting all the rain that WE needed. Hhhmmpph!!! Di

It can be exhausting keeping up with all such articles, and yesterday I thought I'd try just sending back a very short message with one question: "So, when can we expect to read the rest of your article, since you obviously omitted so much pertinent information from this one?" I guess I should be grateful that this is finally getting some air time, and may result in more funding and more research, and I AM! But some of the lack of information, ommissions, ignorance, etc. Sheesh! At the very least, this gives a good opening and head start to Lung Cancer Awareness Month, no? I already have my local ABC affiliate waiting for me to remind them and I'll be sending them some information just for that. They did a much better job here locally giving good information than did ABC last Monday. Di

I saw that too, Geri. I've seen this same doctor several times, and he's like a broken record. I guess it's easier for him (and the Cleveland Clinic too, maybe?) to chalk it all up to smoking, because they don't have much $$ for research, and don't have to dig any deeper. (sigh) Notice how he knows nothing about Dana Reeve, yet makes this leap? I wrote to ABC this a.m. asking them if they couldn't find a better "expert" -- at least one who is up on the latest research and information. Di

Same here, Leslie. I changed Oncologists because it seemed to me he was more interested in telling me how dire my situation was than in how he was going to help me. Even when I would have good news, he started in on the negativism first thing, so I found another doctor. Dr. Gloom & Doom is still there, and I see him now and then in the hallway. IMO, he should be limited to research and not allowed around patients, because I hear him say the same kinds of things to other patients now and then. Too bad. The Oncologist I see now is very much in tune with me and how I feel about treatments and quality of life issues, etc. She gives lots of hugs, smiles a lot, gives me "A+" for good exams, and tells me what a "tough ol' bird" I am. What she's done over time is to gain credibility with me -- very important. Doctors are also humans. And we don't always get along with every human we meet, so I wouldn't expect anything different from physicians really. Maybe some patients like hearing all that, but I surely didn't. Di

Karma, I agree wholeheartedly. There has been a doctor, some kind of director or officer of the Cleveland Clinic on ABC all week discussing Peter Jennings and now Dana Reeve. This morning, I wanted to throw something at my TV screen -- he figured Dana Reeve got lung cancer because she had to be around smoke most of her life, even though she never smoked. He never even mentioned any of the new research or what is (isn't) being done about non-smokers. IMO, it's like they just stop with the smoking stigma, because it's easy -- it takes the onus off of them to dig deeper. So, too bad/so sad, I guess for the Dana Reeves of the world. As an aside, when I worked with hospitals and part of my responsibilities involved risk management, I learned how we get some of the statistics we now rely on. Hypothetically, if a homeless person came into the ER and died a few minutes later of unknown causes, unless foul play is suspected, there will be no autopsy. If that person has a cigarette or a pack of cigarettes in his/her pocket, the death is recorded as "smoking related." Like they even know. I hope Dana Reeve does well and provides a voice that will help others. But mostly, I hope she has the support she needs to make it through all this. And what a courageous lady she is, for sure. Di

Lisa, you go girl! Well done. I wrote to my local tv station to thank them for the good coverage they did surrounding the death of Peter Jennings. It was far superior to what I heard on ABC's GMA in terms of data and facts. Anyway, I got an answer from the guy who does the early morning show, and they want me to remind them a few weeks before Lung Cancer Awareness month, so I plan to do that and give them a few places to get info. Yes, the iron does seem to be hot right now, so I'm going for all I can do. Di

Well, we can have a nail biting party together. My next scan is Aug. 19th to find out if the Topo is still working. As long as it is, will keep getting it in the same kind of cycles (5 days of pills, 2 weeks off). If I could start over as a kid, I think I'd make it my mission in life to invent something better than that icky barium I have to drink before these scans. Ick. I take an hour before to drink that stuff, then they stick me for more IV contrast, and I'm barely under the scanner long enough to scare up much of a nap! Oh well. Like my Pulmonologist told me long ago -- Scans will be part of my future indefinitely! Hang in there. Di

Well, shucks. Don't like to hear that, but you're right -- it could have been worse. I think you'll do fine -- hang in there, ok? Di

Amie: "Di, I'm sorry you feel like you can't express yourself here. obviously, there's a history there I don't know but I can tell you that part of the way I "get all the information" is by listening to different viewpoints. some of my best friends are republicans." Yep. Been there, done that! (Not that it matters, but I'm not a republican!) Di

I'm with you. I thought the piece with "our" Lisa had been so well done, and touched those bases, and then watching hours of coverage about Peter Jennings, it seemed to have just been thrown out. I was ready to strangle that doctor from the Cleveland Clinic this morning while Diane Sawyer interviewed him -- he was NOT telling the real story. He, like many others, is honed in on one thing - smoking. So, sorry about those of you who never smoked, he apparently has no room for you in his practice. Unbelievable. When they point out that lung cancer kills more people in a year than several other types combined, I always keep waiting for them to finish the sentence with a blurb about the severe underfunding, but I rarely hear it. Too bad. My heart breaks for Mr. Jennings and his family, just like it breaks everytime we lose someone here in this forum. But unless someone gets on the ball and figures out that smoking is NOT the only villain in all this, I guess we should all just be prepared for more and more heartbreak. Sorry to vent, but I related totally to your post, and thank you for writing it. Di

There are other issues and other sides/arguments to this, however, they aren't welcomed in this forum. I just hope people take the time to get all the information. Di

This is so very sad. My condolances to his family and friends. I'd heard a blip on Fox News early Sunday morning that ABC news had notified their affiliates that Mr. Jennings was "gravely ill," and then later found out he didn't make it through the night. I just prayed for comfort and peace for all of them. It will be difficult for his family in the coming days, seeing his face on tv screens everywhere. I just can't imagine. Di

Lisa, that was amazing. Thank you SO very much for doing this. I'm also writing ABC to thank them -- maybe they won't forget. Di

I am so sorry to hear this. You'll make it -- you have incredible strength that you've shown over and over again here. Thanks to that wonderful man for his service to our country, and to you and the rest of your family for sharing part of your lives with us. God bless you all. Di

Just a little levity, if I may ... You've gotta love moms. They get sick, get in trouble, need our love and support, act up, etc., yet at the end of the day, they are still MOM, and we are terrified of them! Ha... Well, not really terrified, but there isn't much that will instill so much fear into a person as thinking their mother will disapprove! I bet you all know exactly what I mean. Di

I surely can't tell anyone what to do, other than to say that my family is going through its usual chaos with our mother right now. She's almost 92, in fairly good health, except for a few things that she will NOT acknowledge, and won't do what the doctors recommend. We have just put her into an assisted living facility, and she's had to stay in a nursing home bed until her Medicaid is approved. Of course, she hates that too! I have stewed and stewed about how to make things better, but I finally realized that I can't "fix" everything. I can't change her. Sometimes, the meds she takes make her a different person when I talk to her. I can't sit here feeling guilty that I'm so far away and can't be there with her, because if I neglect my own health right now, it would be a disaster. I think she understands all this, but at age 92, change just isn't something she wants in her life, and I don't blame her one bit. I try SO hard not to treat her like a child, I call her and keep her updated on the status of the house sale, and things like that. But again, the bottom line is, and maybe this is somewhat true for you as well -- you just aren't going to change people. If it's the steroids, then just know what to expect. You can't fix the relationships people have with other people either -- I think you just have to love them, be there to listen, offer advice if it's what they want, hold their hand, wipe their brow, or whatever. My brother & sister were raised in the 30s -- I came along in the 50s. I have a different relationship with my mother than either of them had. So, I will just enjoy that as long as she and I are still around, and will try to avoid the squabbles around me to the extent I can. I feel for you -- truly. It is SO difficult to care for another person anyway, much less when you pile on the additional factor of medication that alters their behavior. God bless you all. Di

Peggy, may God be with you all during this trying time. I'll be thinking of you all and will keep you in my prayers. Di

Donna - the very happiest of birthdays to you, and many, many more! Yay! Di