I'm confused!

[Justakid]

I'm not complaining but (OK I am).......................for someone who was just dx with Stage 4 (reoccurant) LC, I feel pretty good!

Am I looking a gift horse in the mouth? I have shortness of breath and am on enough steriods to kill a horse, plus the Altima chemo. But I feel good.....statistically they said 4mths WITHOUT treatment, with treatment who knows.

Am I all of sudden gonna crash one day? And be deathly ill? I'm like waiting for everything to fall apart.

I'm sure after one treatment the chemo could be working but still, with as many nods as I have in all the lobes but one, seems to me...................unless steriods are wonder drugs!

Just mouthing off.................

[Treebywater]

I can't answer your questions except to say that my Mama was Stage IV, I'm assuming for quite a while, with no symptoms. Just kind of a vague 'feeling icky' until the bone pain became severe for her. I don't think it's all that abnormal.

With the treatement it's been different for her... but I'm sure everyone tolerates differently. And maybe you're finally catching a toleration break!

But... here's hoping and praying that you never get to the point that you described. I want to hear that you kept plugging along, having great days until you had completely kicked Stage IV's butt!!!!

[shelliemacs]

Hey,

Maybe its working and you will be able to beat this monster away.

I am hoping thats the case

[janetg]

Maybe you're just tougher than you think!!!! Didn't you have a helluva time with the first chemo? Maybe what you're experiencing now is closer to normal. I don't foresee your sudden exit. You have a great attitude (you're entitled to be p#$%^% off and scream at times) and sounds like you will go the 12 rounds. You're not a quitter - that plays a big part in this journey.

Enjoy feeling good.

Janet

[cindi o'h]

Hey Beth.

I think that what you are feeling is pretty normal for someone who just got the kaka (that's Hawaiian for you know what) kicked out of em.

It is the same thing all over again. Like when you were first diagnosed, I bet.

In Di's profile, she says something about waiting for the other shoe to drop. This is something that we go through, huh?

I hear that you are feeling good today. Try to enjoy that feeling for this day. Try to stay "in the moment" and not get out to tomorrow. Or next week or month. This is the time. This moment is our gift...mine and yours to enjoy. Buddha says it well. So, does the bible.. "this is the day the Lord hath made. Rejoice! And be glad in it." I don't study the bible, but I listen to others who do. That line came to me while I was stabbing fish on the ice when I was going through treatment. It was powerful. Then this huge friggin' Northern came through my hole and scared the he!! outa me and was so fast and furious that I missed him! Ohhh!

Remember to open your heart and soul and spirit to what your God has to say to you. He is there and listening to you...to all of us. I will pray for a miracle for you. I will pray for the holy angels to lay some sweet and loving kisses on every good and healthy cell in your body so that they can overcome the sick ones. We need you here, Beth. Your family needs you and you need them. We all love you and we are rooting for YOU! YOU are one in a million. You are a sweet kid. Enjoy this day! It is YOUR gift.

love you, Beth!

Cindi o'h

[shineladysue]

Beth,

I love hearing you say that you feel pretty good. Sure hope the Alimta continues to agree with you and most of all , I hope it is working for you. I have followed your story and it's about time you found something you can take. Try to enjoy all those good days. I will pray you have millions more.

Sue

[kickincancer]

My mom is stageIV. She feels great. Works everday. She will go to work,go to chemo and drive two hours to get there. She amazes me. I am glad you are feeling well. I hope you continue to do well with your treatments.

[Frank Lamb]

Beth, I too am glad your having a good day.Wishing you many,many more.Mabe it's all those parties we have been having at Cindi's bar has something to do with it.

[CharlieD]

Beth - It's great to see you in such good spirits. I'm hoping it's the Alimta. I feel good too, best I've felt in a long time except for being tired. After the first few days after the initial Alimta Chemo I have felt great. The shortness of breath seems to have gotten better and I've been able to shovel snow and run the snowblower. Appetite is back to about normal and have gained the weight I had lost. I'm just hoping and praying the Alimta is kicking butt. Get another load on Thursday and then a cat scan next week which will really tell the story.

Hang in ther kiddo. Things are looking up. Take care and God Bless.

CharlieD

[Remembering Dave]

Crap, Beth, take it and run with it! You were due a break!

OR, maybe, just maybe, all those nodes aren't cancer at all but the fungal thing?

OR, maybe you are the walking miracle I am praying for!

Karen

[Suzie Q]

Beth,

So they say 4 months without treatment. But you ARE getting treatment! Plus, the "numbers" game is very unpredictable. I toss those numbers out!

My mom has had regression of her disease, but she's still better than she was last April at diagnosis of Stage IV. She's a bit slower, but still does a lot of her normal stuff. She too, has numerous lesions in both lungs.

If you feel great, GO WITH IT! Tomorrow will take care of itself. live for today.

Thanks for the reply about my mom. All this moral support really helps. No one else seems to "get it" that this is serious.

Regards,

Karen

[Anais]

Beth,

I'm glad you're feeling good. As much as your condition allows to keep you functioning, you should maybe start to exercise. Two months following her diagnosis, my mother lifted weights (no heavy...) and taking short walks in the park.

Anaïs

[MelanieLR]

Hi Beth,

Really glad to hear you're feeling well. I know you had the devil of a time with your chemo in the beginning because of bad reactions but I can remember when I first started my chemo after the original stage 4 diagnosis, I was really feeling ok. I kept thinking, I don't feel like someone who is supposedly on deaths door. I certainly didn't expect to feel as good as I did on chemo. I never started feeling crappy till I was done with the 6 months of chemo & went off the steroids (yes - enough to kill a horse). I think you may have something there. While I hated the bloating & weight gain, they did make me feel better. I'm back on them now for the Gamma Knife, which was supposed to have been today but got postponed to Thursday because of a scheduling snafoo & I feel good again.

Remarkable little pills, aren't they?

Well God bless & keep up the good spirits. You have no idea how your spirits lift me up.

Hugs & Prayers,

Melanie

[ellakc2]

Hi Beth,

Who the heck knows with this disease. Everyone is different. When I

was having chemo I kept waiting to be deathly ill like I always heard, and

I never was sick. Thank God for small favors. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth(whoever made up that saying?lol) take today and run or walk w/ it.

Take care and enjoy the good feeling!

Love ya,

Mare

[kimblanchard]

Like I said before...."I ain't going away"

I'm going to be here when you feel bad and I'm sure not going to miss being here when you feel good.....bout darn time!!!!

Enjoy it, I have on several regimens noted rapid improvement and this may very well be the case for you.

You are da man......uh....I mean, yo da woeman......yeah dats it.

luv ya

jim

[carole]

my husband is just starting 3 ed round of chemo--carbo/taxol. so far he feels ok. i think every case is different. my brother was given 3 months to live in 12/02 with reno cell in lungs ,bone and liver. took little chemo as was violently ill. in april/03 cancer was stable and between then and 12/04 began to vanish. since then no evidence of cancer. !!!!!!md can not explain it. says probably won't last but who knows? so i think there is always hope and you just have to enjoy the good times as best you can. i feel so sorry that you have this ugly disease especially since you are so young.

[mayos]

It's good you're looking up Beth...Alimta must have a magic touch. It is working hard for so many right now. Although my lc is presently under control....believe me...I still feel every piece of heartache that goes along with these rotten reoccurances. Cancer takes prisoners...and I believe we're all in this for the long haul. Count me inside your circle of support and love Beth. Use us whenever you feel the need...high or low. I just know you'll keep punching and kicking this stuff untill it gets the "HE**" out of your way. You've got the moxie.

[carrie]

Hey Beth -

I say just go with it. If you feel great take advantage of it. Just as you have been doing you will deal with what comes along - good or bad.

You are a strong person.

Take Care

Carrie

[Maryanne]

Hi Beth,

So happy that you are feeling good. I really have some good vibes about the outcome of all of this. I think you are going to kick butt!!

Heres thinkin of ya girl!!! Good vibes sent to you.

Maryanne

[Wendy]

Good to hear that you are feeling good with this treatment, you deserved a break. You CAN feel good during treatment and still get good results!!

Hang in there,

Wendy

[Haylee_38]

Beth, Good to hear you are feeling better. I think the chemo is working

and kicking the beast butt. Haylee

[J.C.]

Beth,

Glad you are feeling good,

treatment must be working overtime to make up

for those that did not work before.

Enjoy and keep the good feeling.

J.C.

[Fay A.]

Try not to evaluate it, Beth. Just enjoy it.