New to the site

[DonnaE]

Diagnosed in 3/04 with breast cancer, 4/04 with stage 4 nsclc. Currently undergoing chemo Taxol and Carboplatin every 3 weeks. Three cycle completed. Cat Scan this week will get to see official results on the 9 of June, but Med On. is pleased at this time. Did not state that there is any further growth, but also did not state any shrinkage. Up until dx had no signs or symptoms, was feeling great, working 60 plus hours per week, and then a routine mammogram, that lead to chest xray and orginal Cat Scan. Amazing how fast your life can change in one short month. Currently at home out of work, awaiting disability and trying to keep the fatigue, muscle and joint aches from getting me down. Support of family and friends certainly helps.

Since diagnosis, I have been doing alot of research into Lung Ca, and I am shocked at how little research $$ go to this cause. Since keyboarding is not to fatiguing, I am trying to educate as many powers to be about the needs of more $$ for lung cancer research. Guess it is the Health Care worker/teacher in me.

Thanks for being here for all of us. Looking forwarded to communiacting with you.

DonnaE

[Frank Lamb]

Hi Donna E,Welcome to a group of very good people(caring and knowing folks) who are either going thru same or caring for someone who is.Your help with generating awareness will be much appreciated by all of us.Please keeep us updated and visit often.

[Ry]

Welcome Donna,

You have had a rough time of it for sure with a double diagnosis. Hang in there. It's great you're doing some advocacy for research while you're home. Keep us posted.

[Snowflake]

Hello, Donna!

It's wonderful that you can turn the negative (being cooped up at home) into a positive (activism)! Keeping your mind busy helps to silence the doubts a bit...they can get pretty vicious. I'm sure you know about that little voice in your head - the one that hangs out in the dark corners and comes out when you have a chink in the ol' armour, when you're feeling a little bit down...

That voice got louder for me after my diagnosis - in fact, the first few months I had to medicate to even get the volume to turn down... Now, the voice only visits on bad days, days that nothing seems to go right, then the "What ifs" start up... Can battle 'em better now, I try the coping skills and THEN, if they still won't go, I turn to chemistry..

Sounds like you have a winning combination going and things in hand. Don't spread yourself too thin, remember to take your naps and take care of yourself while you are fighting this monster.

Take care, looking forward to hearing more from you!

Becky

[Fay A.]

Welcome, DonnaE. Sorry you have need to find us, but glad that you are here.

[DeanCarl]

Donna,

Welcome. I'm sorry you had to seek us out, but VERY glad you found us. This is a wonderful place full of folks who've "been there, done that".

Fatigue and muscle pain are the things I fight the most, but I try to find something I CAN do each day, no matter how small. It helps.

Dean

[Margaret]

Donna,

Just wanted to welcome you. I had the same chemo combo to start with after diagnosis and, of course, everyone reacts differently...I did have major fatigue and muscle/joint pain, but got it under control. The development that required change in treatment was neuropathy...I just had it faster and more than would have been expected. Take care of yourself and get the rest you require. I look forward to your future posts.

Margaret

[Nushka]

Donna,

Geesh, what a dx! Sorry you had to find us but so glad you did. This group has been my life saver. It sounds as though you have a good handle on things and the activism is wonderful. Chemo is rough but strength does seem to return after a while and hair does grow back. My life changed in just a few hours as well. I felt wonderful and the next thing I knew it was time for me to face surgery....then chemo...then radiation. I have had good results so far and hope the same for you. It is nice to meet you and look forward to your future posts.

Nina

aka Nushka

[ginnyde]

Donna,

A double whammy, I am so sorry. But you have come to the right place for support and caring.

Keep us up to date on your advocacy efforts. There are many here that would like to be involved, just not sure what to do.

Ginny

[Donna G]

DonnaE, Wow You sure got a double wammy! Diagnosed with 2 different cancers in 1 month! I suppose now you have twice as much "studying" and research to do too! Stage IV means they found mets, you did not mention where they found it or is it in bothe lungs? What is the plan now? Let us know when do you get the results of the CT. I also am a health care worker but never worked in onocology so I had a huge learning curve. Please keep us posted on your progress and Welcome! Donna G

[mhutch1366]

Donna,

I am very glad you found us, but also sorry you had to.

Thank you for your advocacy efforts. They are appreciated.

This place has become almost a home, a family, a place of warmth and support for people at many different places along this journey.

There's loads of common sense wisdom, the kind that's earned through experience as well as the kind in the medical reports and research papers. I hope your treatments continue to go well, and that you keep us informed about yourself. Sharing support is what keeps me at least sane (sane, as you may come to see, here is a relative term...)

XOXOXOX

Prayers, always

MaryAnn

[karen335]

Donna,

Welcome! This is the best website for support and information. The people here are so caring and compassionate. Please keep us posted on how you are doing and stay positive....

Blessings and prayers,

Karen

[dadstimeon]

Welcome Donna and sorry to hear about your situation. This is the best place with the best people. Lots of information, support and caring here for sure. Stay with us. Peace, take care and God bless. Rich

[The Power Of People Helping People / The Power Of Knowledge / The Power Of God / The Power Of Believing / The Power Of Positive Thinking / The Power Of Never Taking No For An Answer / The Power Of Laughter / United We Stand, Divided We Fall / That’s The Key]

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

(NCBI / BookShelf)

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 008,00.asp (Receive the PLWC Bulletin)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 151,00.asp (PLWC Feature: Talking to Someone With Cancer)

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

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

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

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 008,00.asp (PLWC Feature: Financial Support Resources)

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

https://www.alcase.org/advocacy/sign_the_petition.html (Advocacy /Sign the Petition)

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

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 008,00.asp (Questions to Ask the Doctor)

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

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

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

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

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

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.google.com (Great Search Engine)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.nfcr.org/site/PageServer?pag ... ncers_lung (National Foundation For Cancer Research)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://cancernews.healthology.com/focus ... cancernews (Cancer News)

[elnodel]

Dear Donna,

Wanted to add my welcomes to the others. I too am a newcomer; my husband was diagnosed in mid April and had his upper right lobe removed at the end of that month. We're still waiting to find exactly what his treatment will be- he'll have chemo but they're doing a PET scan first (he couldn't stick out the first one they gave him because of his acute claustrophia, so they went ahead and operated on him anyway and found one lymph node affected); he'll have another PET scan on June 10th, this time with lots of sedation, and we meet with the oncologist to discuss what's ahead on the 14th. You're fortunate in that you're already on that course. I do hope you get good news on the 9th.

Please keep us informed of your progress and your research. It's so much better DOING something than just sitting around and worrying, as we've been tending to do...

Ellen