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Posted

Hello All,

Well early today I posted New to you but for some reason Kasey deleted me. HaHa

I am a fighter and will not let her get away with that. I think she owes me big time. What do you think?

Ok so I will try to remember what I wrote earlier but it will be hard with my chemo brain. Maybe I can even come up with something better to tell you about me.

My name is Sherry and I am the 43 year old mother of two daughters age 24 and 19. I also have two wonderful grandsons age 4 and 8 weeks. Gabriel is my angel and knows his maw maw is sick but at 4 doesn't understand why he can't stay with me when ever he wants like he use to. ok so maybe the boy is a little spoiled but I just can't help myself.

The one great thing about having cancer is that people I have not seen in years are popping out of the woodwork looking me up because they heard I was sick. I didn't know I missed some of these people until I have seen and talked to them. My friends I did have now call me way more often just to check on me. It is great to feel all the love from everyone. I just wish they would quit feeding me all the junk food. I have gained way to much in the last few months as it is. I weight more now then I did before I got sick. Like 40 pounds to much. My doctors told me that I needed to gain weight but this is way past my limits.

I am single and doing lung cancer by myself. I have a large family but my mother had a stroke in Nov. and everything is about her now. In a way it is a blessing as all eyes are now on her instead of me. I use to feel like I had to beat this cancer for them just because they had been through so much with me already. Now because I have not been able to return to work as of yet I am the care taker of my mother and am the one that is to take her to all her doctor appointments and anything else she needs done. Some days I just don't feel like doing it but who else is there to do it? Oh well I guess I would not have it any other way. Keeps my mind off my own problems. It is pretty sad when both my mother and myself ended up in the hospital at the same time. It did make it easy for family to visit as our rooms were across from each other. My daughter was in a different hospital because she had just given birth to our new baby.

You guessed it I am sick of being sick. I want my life and my hair back. I am a fighter and will beat this cancer. I have my good days and my bad days just like everyone else but I am determined to win.

Sherry

(Kasey don't touch this one) LOL

Posted

You sound like a fighter! I am new to this board myself, and have found lots of encouragement.

I too am doing the lung cancer thing solo - my marriage fell apart last summer, before I got sick. I had the job, so I kept the kids and the house too.

I just wanted to comment on your job thing. I think you are covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. When I asked about the security of my job, the nice people in my human resources department said that I am now protected by the ADA laws, so it may apply to you too. http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm Also, if you have been disabled for more than 5 months you should qualify for social security and medicare.

Last thing you need to worry about is insurance! I hope I am right about you being protected.

Steph

Posted

Hi Steph,

Just so no one gets it wrong I thought I should post that yes I do get social security but they will not give me medicare until I have been disabled for at least 2 years. How crazy is that? Good thing is that I still keep SSD for a year if I go back to work.

My HR lady is wanting me fired. She has never liked me and would love to find a way to get rid of me. I tried to go back to work with restrictions back in Nov. but she told me there was no work with restrictions but I know if I had been hurt at work there would have been all kinds of work for me just so they will not have to pay workers comp. OH the joys of working for a large company. I went over her head just to pis_ her off and found out what she would not tell me. I only have to work one day a year for me to still get my insurance. I guess because she has a title and office she thinks she can get away with anything.

That is awsome you got the kids and the house. I have been a single mom for almost 3 years before I got sick so I learned how to do that before I got sick. If you need some advice on that I am an expert. My ex had the nerve to show up at the hospital after I got sick. What was he thinking? Yea I need his pain in the neck along with lc. lol He was the one who left and yes there still is resentment.

Sherry

Posted

Now let me officially welcome you, Sherry. What I did was try to move another new person's original post from the end of yours. She didn't want to respond to you.......she was trying to start her own. While attempting to help you both out.......well...............now everyone knows how I messed that up :oops: . I PROMISE I won't touch another thing, Sherry. Just glad you have a sense of humor.

You will find many helpful, supportive folks here who will be able to answer your questions and hold you up when you need it. Even I do tht when I'm not too busy erasing things people have written :? . Glad you are here.

Kasey

Posted

Sherry--I don't think getting your hair and your life back is too much to ask at all. I hope you get an abundanc of both! Welcome and keep up posted on your progress.

Susan

Posted

Hello Sherry,

You sound like one determined woman. You have found a wonderful outlet here with caring friends. I have found that it doesn't take long and we find true friendships where people really understand this cancer journey.

Hang tough and Keep the Faith.

Laurie

Posted

Welcome (again) deja vu here. I am glad you have people helping you and checking on you. We also experienced the same thing when John was first diagnosed but now it's been so long they have all left again. :lol: We did re-connect with a couple we were very close with 19 years ago and now we do dinner at least once a week and wonder why we parted ways.

I am glad you followed up on your job situation and didn't take the HR person's word for it. I think denying you accommodations is not going to hold up legally-- I mean pregnant women get lifting accomodations there I assume? My suggestion is to ask for that in writing or anything else she tells you is policy.

Rochelle

Posted

Welcome Sherry,

Just want to share with you that I am a Stage IIIB too. The real good news on that is, I'm still here 12 years later. I'm going to hope the very same for you.

You'll find a lot of support and information here.

I'm glad we can be here to help.

Posted

Sherry,

I'm sorry you have this dreadful disease, but I'm glad you found this board -- for yourself and for others here. Just by your user name, I can tell you're a fighter! And with that attitude, it's no surprise you have a wealth of friends! :D

Looking forward to reading more...

Posted

Welcome Sherry:

I hope you don't have any insurance problems down the road. It sounds like you have it figured out though...if you can just work a few days a year. I have been doing lc more or less on my own too. My wife and I are legally separated, but we grew closer after my diagnosis. We live in separate houses, but she has been very supportive. I prefer to be my own advocate. Most of the time I attend my appointments and treatments by myself. My wife sometimes attends consultations when I need a second set of ears. My wife is going to be my driver when I have an upcoming bronchoscopy.

I have learned a lot about my disease and its treatment. I keep my wife, children, mother and many siblings updated.

I hope the taxotere does well by you and that you get your life back.

Don M

Posted

Welcome Sherry,

You are a real fighter which is just what you need to be in this cancer battle.

Carol

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