New to Cancer and site

[beat it]

Anyone care to teach?

Need help searching for second opinions. How do you locate good open minded doctors in your area?

Lung and lymphs to be diagnosised/comfrimed in days.

Lost.

[karen335]

Hi beat,

Sorry you have to be here. ..You have found the best support community for LC. Hope you like to read, lot's of info. here.

Let's start with the city and state that you live and we can help you and suggest facility for second opinion. Also any other info you can provide would help...Just stay in touch and ask away. We are here for you.. Sending prayers.

Karen

[Ry]

Like Karen said it would help to know where you are. For us, we knew the University of Michigan hospital had a lung cancer clinic and that is where we went for our second opinion. Our primary doctor set up the referral.

[beat it]

Hope this finds you not sure yet I'm doing this right.

It's Ok we're here, knowing there are people like you to support!!! Obviously Christian and you have the same name as my Mother in law whom I am here for!!! I have immediate comfort!!

Will have complete diagnosis on 10-11-6. So far I know both lungs and some lymphs in the lung area. Pulmany doc said 90% sure cancer, not operatble. Mankato Mn. Is there a site that is good for learning about oncologist or a board that gives opinoins? What did you all do to begin?

I appreciate your help and being a christian too, I will begin to pray for you. Looks to me like your a fighter!!!

Thanks for the response!!!

Beat it!! (Cancer of course)

[beat it]

Wow!! Thanks for replying. I obviously didnt log on right as you all have more info than I have but i'll learn.

At the bottom of the post everyone has a history, how'd you get it, do you write it each time? Should I ?

See the last post for me. Hope it starts, we're still in a fog. Only 1 week in to this. But I want to shine thru it towards hope regardless for everyones sake, looking for knowledge and insight.

I supose any thought sonly posting correctly could help 'ey? : )

Beat it!!

[RandyW]

Look onthe top of the page where it says Goodsearch and Get the Cancer Wrist bands and you will see a Line that says Mail box etc and second to the end is My profile. Click on My profile and you will go to a profile page to fill in info. Prayers and Let us know where you are by posting in General Forum and we can help from there with other Drs.

[karen335]

Randy/Connie B/Donna G,

Beat it is in Minnesota. Can you guys help with doctors and hospital/clinics. He wants to get a second opinion. Thanks for your help...

Karen

[Muriel]

Hi Beat it. Welcome to the site, but sorry you need to be here.

I'm sure Connie B or DonnaG will give you some suggestions. Mankato is a ways from Mpls/StP, but for a second opinion, try the University of Minnesota or the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. I think it's easier to get to UofM than Rochester from Mankato. Let us know what you decide to do and what advice you get.

Muriel

[dadstimeon]

Find out all your facts first and discuss them with the doctor. What are the options/game plan etc. Be very pro-active the patient has the final say. Research, research and more research. Knowledge is the key. Second opinion is a great idea, never hurts. Ask your doctor to refer you to another oncologists. Below are some links to get you started. Hope this helps. Prayers for the beat. Rich

http://www.aacr.org/page4743.aspx (American Association for Cancer Research)

http://www.acor.org (Association of Cancer Online Resources / Free Online Lifeline For Everyone Affected By Cancer & Related Disorders)

http://www.acscsn.org/books (The ACS and NCI Offer Free Cancer Survivorship Books)

http://www.agingcarefl.org/aging/tollfree (Toll-Free Information Lines)

http://www.aicr.org (American Institute for Cancer Research; Nutrition Hotline / AICR)

http://www.cancer.com/linksforCategory.jsp?Category=26 (Financial and Legal Resources)

http://www.cancerhopenetwork.org (Cancer Hope Network)

http://www.alcase.org (ALCASE / Alliance For Lung Cancer Advocacy, Support, Education)

http://www.alcase.org/education/publica ... reath.html (With Every Breath A Lung Cancer Guidebook / From ALCASE / A Wealth Of Information / Free) )

http://www.cancersurvivaltoolbox.org (The Cancer Survival Toolbox / Free / From NCCS)

http://www.ama-assn.org (American Medical Association)

http://www.blochcancer.org (R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation, Inc. / Please read: A Letter to all newly diagnosed cancer patients)

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com (British Medical Journal's)

http://cancer.com/cancertype?ID=LUNGCANC (Strength In Knowledge)

http://www.cancer.gov (Cancer Information Service / NCI)

http://www.cancer.gov/cancercenters/centerslist.html (NCI-designated Cancer Centers / Cancer Centers Listed by State)

http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/tr ... ng/patient (SCLC)

http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary (NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms)

http://www.cancer.org (American Cancer Society)

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MON/MON_1.asp (Track Side Effects)

http://www.cancercare.org (Financial Needs: Internet Links for Financial Assistance)

http://www.cancer-free.com (Cancer Free Connections)

http://www.cancerindex.org/clinks2l.htm (Cancer Index / Lung Cancer Resources Directory)

http://www.cancerindex.org/clinks8h.htm (Resources for Caregivers)

http://www.cancerlifecenter.com/engine. ... =dictionar (Cancer Life Center/ Cancer Dictionary)

http://www.cancerlinks.org/lung.html (Lung Cancer Links)

http://www.cancermonthly.com/ (Cancer Monthly (The Source For Cancer Treatment Results)

http://www.cancernews.healthology.com/f ... cancernews (Cancer News)

http://www.cancerresearchcenter.org (Cancer Research Center)

http://www.cancersymptoms.org (Oncology Nursing Society)

http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cancernet/600081.html (National Organizations That Offer Services to People With Cancer)

http://canceryellowpages.com/Resources/ ... G%20CANCER (Cancer yellow Pages)

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/qa.htm (Cancer Prevention and Control)

http://www.centerwatch.com (Clinical Trails Listing Service / Center Watch)

http://www.chemocare.com (ChemoCare)

http://cis.nci.nih.gov/fact/7_48.htm (Follow-up Care: Questions and Answers)

http://www.cochrane.org/index0.htm (The Cochrane Collaboration / The reliable source of evidence in healthcare)

http://www.curetoday.com/currentissue/d ... index.html (Toolbox: Resources You Can Use)

http://www.docguide.com/news/content.ns ... g%20Cancer (Doctor’s Guide / Lung Cancer)

http://www.drugs.com (Drug Information Online)

http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Interactio ... 9,,00.html (Check potential interactions* between two or more drugs)

http://www.findcancerexperts.com (Find Cancer Experts)

http://www.google.com (Great Search Engine)

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=U ... sa&spell=1 (Medicaid)

http://health.allrefer.com/health/prima ... -info.html (Diseases And Conditions / SCLC)

http://www.healthfinder.gov/Scripts/Sea ... ?topic=506 (Healthfinder)

http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/C ... ung_cancer (Health Insite)

http://www.healthology.com/focus_articl ... cancernews (How To Eat Well During Cancer Treatment)

http://www.hospicefoundation.org (Hospice Foundation Of America)

http://www.hospiceweb.com (Hospice Web)

http://www.hospice-america.org/consumer.html (Hospice Association Of America)

http://www.hospicenet.org (Hospice Net)

http://www.icare.org (ICARE / The International Cancer Alliance)

http://www.iressa-us.com/patient.asp (Iressa/Patient)

http://www.iressa-us.com/prof.asp (Iressa/Prof)

http://www.lcam.org (Lung Cancer Awareness Month / November)

http://www.lifeclinic.com/focus/nutrition/nutrition.asp (Nutrition Facts and Information Center)

http://www.lungcancer.org/patients/fs_p ... givers.htm (Lung Cancer Toll-Free Information Line)

http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/facin ... tline.html (Lung Cancer Alliance/Toll Free)

http://www.lungcancerclaims.com (Lung Cancer / Lung Cancer Information Page)

http://www.lungcancercoalition.org (Global Lung Cancer Coalition)

http://www.lungcancerfyi.com/lung_cancer_faq.html (Lung Cancer - Frequently Asked Questions)

http://www.lungcancerfyi.com/lung_cancer_glossary.html (Lung Cancer Glossary)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/effects ... fects.html (Lung Cancer Online / Hematologic (Blood) Effects)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/index.htm (Lung Cancer Online / HomePage)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/support/financial.html (Lung Cancer Online / Financial, Legal & Insurance Issues)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/tests/index.html (Lung Cancer Online / Test And Procedures)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/treatme ... osurg.html (Surgery - General Information & What to Expect)

http://www.lungusa.org (American Lung Association)

http://www.medicinenet.com/Lung_Cancer/article.htm (Medicine Net)

http://www.meds.com/lung/lunginfo.html (Lung Cancer Information Library)

http://www.meds.com/pdq/smallcell_pat.html (Medicine OnLine / SCLG)

http://www.merck.com/mmhe/index.html (Merck Manuals / Medical informations)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... h&DB=books (NCBI / BookShelf)

http://www.nccn.org/patients/patient_gl ... tents.asp# (Lung Cancer Treatment Guidelines for Patients – Version II/May 2004)

http://www.nexcura.com/Newsletter/eNews ... C0FF744F17 (NexProfiler eNews for Lung Cancer)

http://www.news.google.com/news?hl=en&e ... ung+cancer (Lung Cancer In The News)

http://nfcr.org/ (National Foundation For Cancer Research)

http://www.nih.gov/health/infoline.htm (NIH Information Lines/Toll Free)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov (Unites States / National Library Of Medicine)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/encyclopedia.html (Health Information / Medical Encyclopedia)

http://www.paralleljourneys-cancer.com/poc/drugs.html (A List of Chemotherapy Drugs)

http://www.patientadvocate.org (Patient Advocate Foundation)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... _id=&state (Caregiving)

http://www.plwc.org/portal/site/PLWC/me ... 730ad1RCRD (Making Decisions About Cancer Treatment)

http://www.plwc.org/portal/site/PLWC/me ... 730ad1RCRD (PLWC Feature: Financial Support Resources-Updated)

http://www.plwc.org/portal/site/PLWC/me ... mt=default (Questions to Ask the Doctor)

http://www.plwc.org/portal/site/PLWC/me ... 730ad1RCRD (PLWC Feature: Talking to Someone With Cancer)

http://www.rfalung.com (Radio Frequency Ablation Of Lung Cancer)

http://www.roycastle.org (Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation)

http://www.tarceva.com/tarceva/patient/contact.jsp (Tarceva Hotline)

http://www.thebeehive.org/health/contests/medicaid.asp (Medicaid)

http://www.thehealthinsurance.com/medicaid.htm (Medicaid)

http://www.thewellnesscommunity.org/pro ... /guide.asp (The Wellness Community / National Cancer Support, Education And Support / Free)

http://www.thecancer.net (The Cancer Information Network)

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/hos ... p_home.htm (Directory Of American Hospitals)

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/nycu/healt ... hqcanc.htm (Best Hospitals)

http://www.vh.org/adult/patient/cancerc ... index.html (Understanding Blood Tests / A Guide for Patients with Cancer)

http://www.vh.org/index.html (Virtual Hospital)

http://www.yourcancersource.com/useful.html (Your Cancer Source)

http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/ ... 87526.html (3-year-old keeps her smile in battle with rare cancer)

http://www.amarillomed.com/howto.htm#Enzymes (How to interpret your blood test results)

http://www.bloodbook.com/ranges.html (BLOOD TEST RESULTS - NORMAL RANGES)

http://www.medicare.org (A Resource for Medicare Information)

http://www.ssa.gov/mediinfo.htm (How to Find Medicare Information)

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10043.html (Medicare)

http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/medi ... index.html (Understanding Blood Tests A Guide for Patients with Cancer)

[RandyW]

Holistic Medicine Link first of all;

http://cmbm.org/mind_body_medicine_RESE ... 0Cancer%22

This looks interesting. This is information not Doctors or Locations of facilities.. Some testimonies here also. Great info though if you are thinking about Alternative treatments.

Oncology Listings For Mankato; Clinics and Facilities;

http://www.switchboard.com/Physicians_& ... tewide.htm

List Of Oncologists at Mayo Clinic:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/oncology-rst/doctors.html

If you are near Mayo Clinic, I would say go there For treatment and help. I can think of no finer facility for staff, research, treatment, clinical trials, etc. than Mayo clinic. IF you decide on alternative treatment, Check through Alt treatment Forum and let us know what you decide. Sending prayers for everyone and let us know.

[beat it]

What a family there is here at LCSC! My first instinct (and many will disagree) is that there is a blessing in cancer. (Glad I'm not in arms length of any of you) The blessing in this I see right of the bat is this family of complete strangers reaching out to other strangers with the sole intent to help, support and love others in a time of need. Incredible!!

Here's the facts, now I feel comfortable posting seeing the compasion.

I am a female who's mother in law is quite possibly the best friend I've ever had. We are near Mankato Mn. 4 weeks ago my husband and I where alerted to my mother in laws chiro appts due to a hurting back. Ibuphropin and streching where the outcome. My initial concern was her complaint of pain in deeper breaths. Having been a smoker for 3/4 of her life, I worried. After several chiro and a MD visit for the back she went back to the clinic for another reason (now I wonder if she knew in her heart already) seems a girl at work had quit smoking on the patch and my mother in law wanted to quit now too. So she went in to get the patch. On the way in to the clinic she coughed up some blood. Just alittle. But thank god she mentioned it and they did a chest Xray. Follwed by the immediate CT, scheduled for the PET scan (this sounding familiar to all of you? I bet) We have had the Pulmanary visit who said we need a biopsy (needle), no surgery, 90% cancer, spots on both lungs, lymphs on air way and spine enlarged (or lit up as I see some write about). Tomorrow is the biopsy, 3 days is the reading of that.

I am trying with every breath to promote positive attitudes in the family. I realize if God calls he calls but want this to be the best possible situation it can be, and believe that can only come from HOPE, not false hope because I dont believe hope can be that, but give this the most effort of anything we've ever done for the least return of better days remaining. Make sense?

I have started a notebook where I put information about everything I can get my hands on for the family. I take notes at the appts and print them off after to put in there. The first section has only survivor stories. I encourage every one to read these at the first sign of depression. I am NOT living in a fantasy world, I know the odds. But this can be 2 different experiences depending on how we procede, I am pushing for the better. Hope I make sense.

I will be getting on these site provided by my new friends right away. We want to use medical, natural, nutrition, spiritual and pain relief methods together to try. Sorta like I see at Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Anyone have opinions on them?

Again, Thanks fpr caring, Thanks for sharing, Thanks for teaching. You are all BLESSINGS thru your pain!

Beat it!!

[Donna G]

Hi. Does your mother in law live in Minnesota?

I was treated by Dr. Duane. He works at Park Nicolet but he also teaches at the University of Minnesota. If she lives in the twin cities area, and she does get a positive biopsy, we have a face to face support group in St. Paul. She could come and see who is being treated where etc.

Donna G

[beat it]

Yes she's here too. Biopsy in Mankato tomorrow then the diagnosis wed. trying to be pro active in learning of all places to go. You obviously have been blessed, guess its hard to go forward with out knowing small or non cell ect huh?

I went to grade school in Worschter Mass.

Thanks for helping!!!

[RandyW]

One thing that I have found after getting the Diagnosis was this philosophy. Some may agree and some may not but this is my thought. After you leave the office, if you have not already done so and I may be wrong about this is to get all thetears and fears out of your system. DO some crying and screaming and yelling and everything that you want to do to get it out of everyones system.

The next step is to get ready to fight and I think you are already at that point by the sound of things. This becomes a new normal of keeping up with appointments and meds and treatments and schedules. This is round one. lets Kill some cancer and get to NED (No evidence of disease) This thing can be beat and you have to look at it like that of course. It sounds like you are at that fight stage now which is good.

There are quite a few approaches to treatments. In addition to Chemo you can try things like Message, Acccupuncture, Medititation etc. in addition to Chemo or radiation. If your mom takes ANYTHING besides her chemo regiment, make sure you tell onc about it. every single pill or vitamin you have to tell them about. Let us know wednesday or when you find out what Chemo she is getting and we can help with side effects etc.

I think we have had a member who went to Cancer Treatment Center of America. I have heard nothing but high praise from the one or two who have used that Facility.

This is a testimonial of sorts from Darrell who spent a week at Cancer treatmente center;

I spent a week at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Zion Illinois. It's the same regiment you could expect in OK City. They offer not only the traditional radiation/chemo, but a more advanced radiation called tomotherapy. Additionally, they introduce you to homopathic medicine, religious intervention and physical therapy. All of this, combined with a diet designed for your mom will make her feel tons better when she leaves there. I did! And I met alot of new friends who are going through the same there. There are also group sessions for caregivers.

Prayers for everyone

[Nick C]

Advice...wow, too much and yet not enough.

What we found valuable in the evaluation phase was making sure there were two sets of ears with every conversation we had with the Dr. Because we pieced things together later and found we missed stuff.

Write a ton of questions and ensure you don't cut yourself short. Yes the Dr is busy, but you have to take the time from him.her that you need to make an informed decision.

God bless.

[Chanwit]

Randy,

That was a great link to the Holistic Medicine Oct 2001 seminar. It confirms my beliefs on cancer treatments that I have built on these past 8 months with Lisa's theripies. I picked a small excerpt that I strongly believe in: Dr. Fair M.D. said in Oct. 2001

"I think that we need a mindset that cancer is a chronic disease; it should be treated as a chronic disease. And it may well be, at some point in the future as we look at cancer as a chronic disease, that we're willing to accept the level of treatment that would keep cancer at a certain level, even though it doesn't cure the patient. So that's one of the first things I've learned.

The second thing is if you accept cancer as a chronic disease, you have to accept that, like any chronic disease, you need to consider chronic treatment. And I think this is one of the most misunderstood areas. And the idea that, oh, it's great to do stress reduction and nutrition and exercise and so forth and so on when you have cancer, but after it's over, you can forget that business -- that's about as rational as

saying, well, we're treat diabetes and we'll get the blood sugar normal, and then we'll stop getting the

treatment, because we're back to normal."

I think you can only get these advanced integrative treatments from places like the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Lisa was on O2 early on and couldn't make the 4 hour trip. At least to my experience with our oncologist they haven't learn much in the past 5 years. I developed my own complementary therapy for Lisa and the oncologist said he didn't know (too busy doing chemo) about such things but go ahead and do it. Thanks again Randy.

Chuck

[prairiecrow]

Hello beatit:

Welcome to the community, you'll find a lot of good advice and support here. Best of luck to you and yours.

Laurie