A DAY TO NEVER FORGET

[norme]

Hi All My Friends,

As some of you may know from other posts I've answered in the last few days my Buddy started on Iressa Thursday evening. Up to that point he has been sleeping an awful lot these past few weeks. I guess one could say almost around the clock, - - except for today.

Here it is 9:21 pm and we are getting ready for bed. Haven't had much sleep the last two nights but that is okay. Today started out somewhat different then it has been for the the last few weeks. My Buddy was very restless all night last night and after about 4:30 AM this morning, he said he was getting up to stay. I went outside and got him the Sunday paper never dreaming he was going to actually stay up and read it. I was going to give him 10 minutes and thought he would head back to bed with his bed being on the couch for the last year and a half. A few days earlier I had bought myself one of those blow up mattresses and have it in the living room with him for I am a little afraid to leave him at night with all his confusion. Ten minutes went by and he never returned. I tossed and turned and around 5:30 AM, he came in to tell me it was time to go out for coffee. I must say that through all of these good and bad days, we still go out for coffee and tea every morning to McDonalds. Have been doing this for many years. The day he doesn't I will know we are in trouble. We meet with a lovely group of his friends (mine to) but they just all happen to be male. They keep an eye on his each morning and are all ready to do whatever it takes for him. If he goes into the bathroom one of them goes with him or whatever. Beings it is Sunday, McD's doesn't open until 7AM so I kindly told him to read somemore and I would be up shortly. Trust me, I did not fall back to sleep since 4:30 either, just laid there resting.

Upon returning from McD's I fixed breakfast but he could not eat much. He had a table spoon of vege soup and one helping of a grapefruit slice and that was it. He is still somewhat confused today. I was expecting him to lay down most of the day again but low and behold, he never laid down more then 10 minutes off and on all day. Very unusual, then around 5pm he went into his room, came out with his shoes and coat and said he was going for a walk. Now, this man can hardly stand up but he was determined to take a walk. I cannot deny him anything now so I dressed us both for it is cold out and off we went up the street and back. He was so happy he did this, you could just see the smile on his face. It was getting dinner time but he said he could not eat so I put out some cheese and crackers and he did have one of each. How he is surviving with such little food I have no idea.

This has to be the Iressa doing this for only a few days ago, he slept nearly 24 hours a day except for his one visit to McD's each morning.

How he walked up the street and back with me at his side, almost falling three times, I will never know. I just wanted to share this with everyone to show that one can be down and out and still come back. For how long I don't know, but, it was a good day to remember....Love

[Don Wood]

Here's to a good day!

[pritchie]

Norme,

Glad you had a good day. Pray for you to have

many more.

Pamela

[Fay A.]

Norme,

The effects of Iressa can be pretty dramatic. I wanted to let you know that there is a long list of meds and foods that should not be taken with Iressa, and Grapefruit is one of them. So don't let him have it anymore. If I can locate the paperwork from the Iressa Clinical Trial I participated in I'll post the list of drugs that should be avoided and the reasons listed for doing so.

Glad the two of you had such a good day. Hoping Buddy does as well on it as I did, just hope it works for him a whole lot longer.

[MO_Sugar]

(((((Norme)))))),

So glad you both had a wonderul day! Prayers for many, many more headed your way!!

God Bless,

Mo

[DeanCarl]

Outstanding Norme! After all the hard times you guys have had hearing about eve one good day is great.

Here's praying there's MANY more to follow!

Dean

[Tiny]

A RED LETTER day to be marked on the calendar. I'm sure hoping this is the start of something that will continue to be good for you guys. Saying prayers that the Iressa does the trick.

[TheresaKB]

Hi Norme,

Outstanding! Here's praying for many more days like today for you and Buddy.

Theresa

[dadstimeon]

Hi Norme,

That’s wonderful. May many many more days follow. My prayers are with both of you. Peace, take care and God Bless.

Rich

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[kimblanchard]

Norme

Sounds like you and Buddy did more today than I did! That is so exciting for Buddy, hope he keeps up the good work and has many more days like today.

What is it with McDonalds breakfasts for retired folks? Ever since my husband retired he has been going to our local Mc's every morning for breakfast or coffee. He once told me there were a bunch of ROMEO's there, translation Really Old Men Eating Out! Corny but cute.

You Go Buddy!

Bess B

[Laurie]

Norme,

How wonderful! A good day is the best. Hoping for many more..

.

Laurie

[karen335]

Norme,

So happy to hear that you and Buddy had a good day! You both deserved it and I'm sure it made you smile and be happy. That is a good thing. Here's praying that Buddy gets stronger and his appetite comes back and he starts gaing back the weight he has lost. Prayers for you both and continued progress...

Hugs and God Bless

Karen

[J.C.]

Norme,

What a beautiful day for both of you,

Prayers that you get many more with improvement, even small

each day.

Now you have started me on the IF ! IF ! again, Mike was refused

Iressa from June 2003, I was ready to get it illegally for him all

I needed was a prescription.........never got it and now I do not

have Mike anymore......

Norme, I do not have to yell you, but I will anyway, cherish every

minute you are together.

Big prayers going your way.

J.C.

[gerbil runner]

Norme, so glad to hear Buddy is feeling more energetic! Maybe his appetite will pick up with the increased activity.

Jackie - hindsight is always 20/20. You did what you could and what you felt was best at the time. There is no guarantee Iressa would have given Mike more time - maybe the side effects would have hit hard. You have to forgive yourself for "errors", real or perceived. Certainly Mike would forgive you.

[cathy]

Norme,

I am so glad Buddy had a better day. They say when Iressa works it really works. Praying Buddy has more good days.....

[Snowflake]

Norme,

What a PERFECT way to start the week! I can remember when I was in college and working at McDonald's how much I prefered the o-dark-thirty shift (even thought I HATE getting up early) so I could chit-chat with some of my favorite customers.... The "coffee ring" could swell to our whole non-smoking section at times! (The best part of the early morning crown vs. the evening crowd was that the older folks were NICE...)

Funny thing about small towns, I was out shopping with my mother once and ran into one of the couples from the early morning coffee group - and my mother used to babysit for them! Seems EVERYONE knew who I was, I was the one that didn't know family histories, etc.

So glad you had an "up" day with Buddy, here's hoping for many, many more!

Becky

[betplace]

Norme,

I am sooo happy for you to have had such a grat day! I am praying for many more of them for you and your Buddy!

Blessings

Betty

[shirleyb]

Norme,

What a blessing to have a good day! I wish you many more.

Take note what Fay said about the grapefruit. I love the stuff but it does really wacky things with alot of different medications. So I have to leave that one out of the diet.

Your post made me smile.

Take care. Enjoy each waking moment you can.

Much love,

Shirley

[ginnyde]

Dear, dear Norme,

I am soooooooooooo happy for you and Buddy. I sure hope it is the Iressa and that it continues to work this miracle.

Hope Fay posts the forbidden fruit list.

Love,

Ginny

[Ry]

Great news Norme, keep having these days every day.

[kimblanchard]

Norme, that is wonderful. I know you do but I still will add, treasure every day and especialy ones like yesterday. Maybe the Iressa will do the trick. I am praying that it does. My husband goes downtown Mon thru Fri to a coffee group that he has been in about 30 years. They have changed restaurants several times and new members take the place of some no longer able to come. They have a game they play that determines who pays for the coffee and who gets the tip. The waitresses really spoil them. It is so good for them to get out and I certainly pray your Buddy can for a lon long time.

[luvmydog2]

Congragulations Norme. Am so glad that Iressa started off good for Buddy. Praying that you and him have many, many more of these good days.

Bruce

[paddy]

Dear Norme,

So glad to hear about your Good Day. My hope is that you and Buddy will have many, many, ........many more good days to treasure!

Love, Paddy

[Guest Piermarie]

Dear Norme,

I haven't been posting much at all, not that I posted much before either but I really wanted to send a message for you today. I read the posts pretty much every night or at least every other and I was compelled to tell you about my mom's experience so far with Iressa.

My mom has been on the Iressa since Oct. and within three weeks of taking it, turned around 360 degrees....she too, was sleeping almost all day about a week prior to taking it.

It now has been almost 4 months and I just got off the phone with my mom, who has been living with me, but is in Florida vacationing!!! She went down on the 2nd of January and is having a wonderful time and speaking to her on the phone takes me back to the "old" days prior to the big "C" diagnosis.....

She is not planning to be home before the beginning of March and I couldn't be happier. She takes nothing but the Iressa and is feeling great and shopping and going to the beach and pool. So, a big WAY TO GO BUDDY because this might be his 360!!!!!

I am enjoying this time that my mom has feeling so good and I really don't care what the next catscan shows. As long as she is happy right now and I can see her laughing again and having fun, to hell with all the test results!!!!!

Live in the moment!!!!!!!!!

Most Sincerely,

Pier

[norme]

Thanks for the replys everyone. If I could only get him to eat more than a cup of anything a day I would have a better feeling but he says he just can't. That is what is making him so darn weak. Without food, one cannot survive.

Pier, that is wonderful news about your mom. I can just see her now down on the beach. Hope she is real far down in Fla.