FULL INTRODUCTION

[ronna]

HELLO EVERYONE!!

I, JUST A FEW DAYS AGO FOUND THE MESSAGE BOARDS AND THIS GREAT WEBSITE, I INTRODUCED MYSELF, BUT GUESS I LEFT OUT MY STORY. SO HERE IT IS.

IM 47 YRS OLD, I HAVE 3 BOYS 29-22-18 AND A GRANDSON THAT WILL BE 2 IN JUNE. I HAVE ONE GREAT BOYFRIEND FOR THE PAST ALMOST 4 YRS, THAT HAS GIVEN ME SUPPORT AND ALL THE LOVE TO KEEP ME GOING...HES THE BEST....I TRY TO SPEND MORE TIME W/ MY BOYS, BUT THEY ALL HAVE VERY BUSY LIVES, LIKE ALOT OF US.

WELL, OCT 12-01 I WAS LAYED OFF MY JOB ID HAD FOR 13 YRS. DEC 13-01, MY DAD DIED OF A MASSAVE HEART ATTACT. WHEN AN AUTOPSY WAS DONE, IT SHOWED HE HAD LC.

MY DAD AND I WERE VERY CLOSE. WE WORKED TOGETHER,ETC. I WAS ALWAYS THE BOY HE DIDNT HAVE.

MY DAD SMOKED SINCE I COULD REMEMBER, I TENDED TO COMPARE MYSELF TO HIM, SINCE HE SEEMED SO HEALTHY AND ACTIVE, I COULD SMOKE AND BE THAT TOO.

I WAS ALWAYS VERY HEALTHY, WENT TO DR. ONE TIME A YEAR FOR A PHYSICAL AND THAT WAS IT.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS CRUSHED WHEN MY DAD PAST AWAY. IN JAN, I SOLD EVERYTHING I OWNED AND MOVED TO OKLAHOMA WHERE MY BEST FRIEND LIVED, IN THE MEAN TIME I WAS HAVING COLD/.ALLERGY SYMPTOMS THAT I COULDNT SEEM TO KICK, I JUST FIGURED IT WAS ALL THE STRESS AND CHANGES THAT WERE CAUSING IT...DEEP DOWN I HAD A FEAR IT WAS MORE WHEN I STARTED FEELING A PAIN IN MY RIGHT LUNG WHEN I INHALED.

IN MARCH, MY BOYFRIEND CAME TO OKLAHOMA AND BROUGHT ME BACK TO LIVE W/ HIM IN lACEY WASH.

I FINALLY WENT TO THE DR. HE TREATED ME FOR ASTHMA, I WAS ON STERIODS AND INHALERS. THIS WENT ON TIL MAY, MY HEAD AND NECK KEPT SWELLING..

COME TO FIND OUT I HAD A SEVERE CASE OF SUPERIOR VENA CAVA. I WAS SENT TO THE HOSPITAL, FINALLY GOT THAT XRAY, AND WAS DIAGNOSISED 5-15-02 W/ SCLC.

EVERYTHING HAPPENED SOOO FAST, I KEPT WAITING FOR SOME ONE TO TELL ME A MISTAKE HAD BEEN MADE AND THAT I WOULD BE JUST FINE.

LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WHAT HURTS THE VERY MOST IS THE LOOK IN MY FRIENDS AND FAMILYS EYES, THAT THEY TRY SO HARD TO HIDE. I LET THEM KNOW IM FINE AND THEY NEED TO BE ALSO....THEY ARE GETTING BETTER, MORE COMFORTABLE AROUND ME, KNOWING ITS OK TO SAY WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE WHOLE THING.

AND LIKE IVE SAID, I THINK IT WAS GODS WAY OF TELLING ME 'STOP' AND SEE WHAT YOU HAVE AND APPRECIETE IT ALL. I KNOW IVE TENDED TO TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTITE. I HAVE SOOOO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR...I SEE IT ALL NOW....IVE ALWAYS GOTTEN WHAT I WANT AND ALL I WANT NOW IS MORE TIME TO ENJOY ALL THE LOVE I HAVE TO GIVE MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND HOPEFULLY HELP THEM SEE THE SAME, WITHOUT HAVING SUCH A DRAMATIC WAKE-UP CALL LIKE I GOT.

OVER THE PAST YR NOW IVE BEEN NOTHING BUT SICK, UP UNTIL MAY...IVE SPENT TIME OUT OF EVERY MONTH,(EXCEPT MAY) FROM 1 WEEK UP TP 3 WEEKS....I KNOW ALL THE NURSES ON THAT 4TH FLOOR AND LOVE THEM ALL!!!! THEY ARE THE BEST.......

IN THE PAST 3 WEEKS, MY COUNT HAS BEEN SO GOOD THAT I HAVENT NEEDED A BOOSTER SHOT AS I CALL THEM,..

NOW TOMMARROW I GO IN FOR A BONE SCAN......SCARY AND ANXIOUS I AM....MY BOYFRIEND, MARK WILL BE THERE W/ ME...HIS FAMILY HAS BEEN ALOT OF SUPPORT TO ME, GIVING ME RIDES TO THE DR. ETC. MARKS STEP DAD WAS DX WITH BRAIN CANCER ALMOST ABOUT THE TIME I WAS DX W/ LC. HES STILL RECEIVING KEMO. HAD SURGERY RIGHT AWAY, BUT COULDNT GET IT ALL. THEY LIVE 2 HRS FROM SPOKANE, SO IT QUITE A WAYS FOR US TO GO SEE THEM....THEY SEEM TO DOING GOOD THO. THE CHEMO IM ON NOW, IVE DONE ONE SERIES, OF 21 DAYS AND DIDNT GET SICK OR ANYTHING...MY DR. TOLD ME IT WAS THE LAST ONE SHE WAS GOING TO TRY..ITS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FIRST ONES I DID VP16. THAT WAS IV, NOW IM ON THE PINK PILL...SEEMS TO BE WORKING....WELL SEE TOMARROW....

SO THAT IS MY STORY, HOPE I DIDNT RAMBLE TOO MUCH....HA HA....

TAKE CARE AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR RESPONSES...

RONNA

[kimblanchard]

Ronna

Welcome!!!! I think you have found the right place to be with your SCLC. The folks here will reach out through their keyboards and offer you all the compassion, friendship, advice, or anything you ask.

It sounds like you are meeting your problem head on and have a great attitude. Most times it seems folks with your attitude do really well.

You give out a magnificent aura of love through your posting. I certainly understand how you feel about wanting to stay alive to give and receive more love. My thoughts will be with you.

Good Luck and God Bless

[Don Wood]

Ronna, welcome to the greatest message board in the world. May you receive lots of support and info here. Sounds like you have a great support system there, too. Keep us posted. Don

[cherry45]

Welcome Ronna, albeit I wish for a different reason. You seem to have a wonderful, positive attitude and that's just what the doctor ordered. I know exactly how you feel about your friends reactions. I had one friend that ended up needing consoling over my condition more than I did!! And you know what? That was fine..it helped me by knowing that she cared so much and that I was helping someone! Your boyfriend and wonderful children will help you get thru this. Stay positive and please keep coming here. It is a relief to hear all of the encouraging stories and informative words of people that really can relate to what we are going thru. I feel much like you did..that it was a wake up call to really know what is important in life. Stay in touch and you are in my prayers. Cherry45

[bobmc]

Hi Ronna;

Thanks for the update and so glad you found us; ; I 100% agree with you about God giving us a wake-up call and being able to appreciate the things that we have. I try to stay grateful each and every day.

Also, glad your feeling better and again welcome!!

God bless and be well

Bobmc - NSCLC- stageIIB - left pneumonectomy - 5/2/01

" absolutely insist on enjoying life today!"