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I just joined the lung cancer club


Trudy

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Trudy,

Welcome to the site. The first few weeks are the hardest. As soon as you realize that you can become a long term survivor things begin to smooth out. I am having the same chemo as you. This is after almost two years of remission. I feel the good Lord did it before and he can do it again. Learn all you can and decide what things you want to do to help yourself beat this. Knowing that you can live with cancer helps a lot. I have a close friend that has had 28 cancers in 17 years. He lives a very active life and is assistant pastor of a large church. I just came back from a 10 day cruise. I had a great time and live a very active life style. You can too.

Stay positive, :)

Ernie

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hello again,

I was so overwhelmed with the kindness and support that so many of you gave me. :lol: At first I was crying from despair. Then, your responses warmed my heart and touched me so much that I cried too :cry: . I read some of your responses to my sister on the phone and she cried tears of joy with me too. Her words were, "Finally you have hope." Geeze, when does the river of tears end? I cannot begin to thank each of you enough for helping to lift me up. I am doing much better since my first posting. I started off on 25 mg of zoloft and now I am on 100 mg. It has sure has helped with they crying and the neuropathy in my hands and feet. I think zoloft also makes the hot flashes a bit easier to take too.

Once I lick this cancer, I hope to encourage others like you encouraged me. I guess helping people with a new diagnosis is an unspoken pay it forward thing when you survive cancer. :D

I also have a bit of good news. After my 3rd round of chemo, I got heart palpitations and my oncologist told me to go to the emergency room (that is not the good news). They had to do a mini CAT scan and make sure that I did not have a blood clot. It is not the same as normal CAT scans, but it did show that the tumors are shrinking. The radiologist did not state the percentage of shrinkage, but hey, smaller is smaller. :lol:

I have also learned something that most of you already know; getting chemo is temporary. At first it felt like I would be bald and in chemo land forever. I realized that even if I get chemo for 6 months, that temporary. I suppose I will probably be on an oral chemo for a year after this too.

Today I go for round 5 of chemo. I like getting chemo because the idea of killing the tumor helps me. I usually feel good after chemo. I do not respond too well to the neulasta, but I will not get that until Wednesday.

I hear that people like their hair after chemo when it grows back. I have heard that it comes back curly. Does any one know what happens when you had curly hair to start with? Does it come back more curly? :?: I know that is a bit of a strange question, but I am looking forward to the time when my hair comes back.

One again, I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to encourage me. I have read your responses many times. :P

With much gratitude and affection,

Trudy

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Trudy,

I'm also new to this sight, but not to cancer. I never cried alot, but I lost a lot of sleep. After my surgery and chemo treatments, I drove myself crazy reading things online. Be careful about what you read. The best advice is to remember that you are an individual not a statistic. I kept my spirits up by telling jokes and surrounding myself with family and friends as often as possible. Having a good attitude is one of the best medicines for you during your fight with cancer. By the way, my hair came back curly and slightly thicker (I liked it), but within 6-9 months it went back to the same old hair (bummer). Wishing you the best.

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Hi Trudy,& WELCOME!!!!

i found this site yesterday, & started reading.

Like you, i'm new to all this stuff. cancer,chemo,

side effects,etc.......... but after reading what others have said,& gone thru, it's good to know that so many have beaten "the odds"

Stay with us, keep on keepin on &

Happy trails, :D

Dave C

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Hi Trudy,

I am also somewhat of a newcomer to this site. I haven't really started treatment yet, I go for a slew of tests tomorrow and Wednesday and then back to the surgeon to see if surgery is still an option and God willing it is...then I will be able to have the surgery as soon as they can schedule it.

I also have cried myself a river, it's getting better though. Through this site I have gained so much encouragement and so much hope. You are also an inspiration to me. Stay strong.

Bobbie

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Trudy~

Tears are good medicine some times, the other times I take xanax! great drug, we keep "stashes" for the "crashes" like something will just hit you. I am a fellow IIIB'er who has just completed Tx no one on the site I have seen yet has followed my Tx path. Dr. does not believe in Tarcivea or any other anti-neo's (hummmmmmmmm) my 1st post Tx CT is next Wens.

will start new post about hair~ I need to talk about hair! Glad you found us Trudy, please keep us posted. Mary[/i]

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I'm still smiling over your good news, Trudy!!!!! I hope the shrinking continues to the point that there is nothing left to shrink anymore :P ! Now about the hair :shock: ............I had 'bad' hair to start with ~ very dry, brittle, and just frizzy. I lost it all and when it came back it was curly. BUT as it grew it sort of just went back to the 'bad' hair it was before, only it was drier and frizzier than ever :cry: . My WIG, on the otherhand, was AWESOME. I got so many compliments and I could be ready so must faster in the morning. The way I look at it now is that I have hair, I am here..........it doesn't get any better than that :lol: ! Good luck and may your good news continue.

Kasey

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Okay Trudy... Good news... shrinkage is great!!

Don't know much about the hair, my husbands came back like a white grey but now its back to salt a pepper.

Keep that great attitude going!! I am here like everyone else, pulling for ya!

Maryanne :wink:

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Hi Trudy - I only found this site a week ago (guess thats why I haven't had time to put in a profile yet) but I can't wait every day to see the postings!! They fill me with so much inspiration and hope. You hear all this from friends and relatives how you're gonna make it, you're strong, etc, etc., but until you hear it from another cancer survivor, to me its just not the same.

Keep up the good work with shrinking that tumor and remember - so much of cancer treatment is a good attitude and not being willing to let the cancer win by bringing you down. I try to keep my tears to a minimum as much as possible.

Will be thinking of you and everyone in the "club"

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Welcome Trudy,

Your plan sounds much like the plan that I was on, only I had chemo and radiation concurrently. I was able to have surgery and am going on 2+ years NED. All that after a so called primary doctor told me that I could not have surgery. Needless to say I dumped her. I also found this site to be welcoming and warm and safe and secure for me with all of my concerns, worries,and anxieties. You will too.

Carol

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Trudy,

Welcome from another NED (and Marylander)! It sounds like you are doing so much better. I didn't have chemo, but my cousin did. Her hair was very curly her whole life, and it came back the exact same way. Hang in there...you will beat this!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I really hate to bring such sad news, but someone must. Trudy passed away last night. I don't know any details, but recieved an email from her sister, Midge, today. Midge is a friend of my mothers, and when I heard about Trudy, I invited her here. I know that you all had given her hope, courage and peace. For this I thank you. Midge said she would come later to talk to you herself. Hugs, Liz

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I really hate to bring such sad news, but someone must. Trudy passed away last night. I don't know any details, but recieved an email from her sister, Midge, today. Midge is a friend of my mothers, and when I heard about Trudy, I invited her here. I know that you all had given her hope, courage and peace. For this I thank you. Midge said she would come later to talk to you herself. Hugs, Liz

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Thank you all very much for the comfort you gave to my sweet sister, Trudy. She was so terribly frightened of the treatment and the road ahead if she could not have surgery. You gave her the hope she needed. To see her comforted when I seemed so lacking, gave me tremendous comfort. My family and I are forever grateful to you for this. Liz and all of you have been her angels here on earth. Trudy was frightened, yet looking ahead in her life as evidenced by her thank you here two weeks ago today. I too was comforted with your words. I bought the book, Second Guessing God, by Brian Jones that someone here suggested on a post I read. I sent Trudy a copy, but she already knew it all and passed it on to another sister! I have said before that we may never know this side of heaven how much we were carried by the prayers of others. Have confidence in mine for you. Trudy went to heaven at 5:30 on Saturday, October 28th at her home. She had a pulmonary embolism. There was an obvious struggle to make it even then. She is now free from all anxiety and being held in the loving arms of God. The only problem now is that our hearts are aching to hear her voice and see her smile. You know that everyone is so much more than a diagnosis. Well, that is true of Trudy as well. She is the youngest of 10 children who loved her more than any of their own lives. The fullness she lived cannot be measured in her 43 short years. She packed more love, humor, and generosity in those years than many do in a much longer life. You didn't get a chance to know her quick wit and wonderful sense of irony. There is so much to be grateful. The celebration of her life will take place this Friday in MD. You will be remembered in my prayers especially there. If anyone would like to see the rough draft of my words for that day, I am happy to share a glimpse into Trudy's real life with you. I am sorry this got a bit long. Thank you. Keep up the good work!

Love and prayers,

Midge

Once you choose hope, anything's possible.

~Christopher Reeve

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Midge, I am so very sorry for your loss. Trudy sounds like such a very special person and she obviously has a very loving family. My heart went out to her when I read that first post. She sounded so scared. I'm glad she found hope during her short time here. I know she is at peace now and free from worry and pain. Please accept my condolences for the loss of your very special sister. Shelley

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