Just putting in for a pass for awhile.

Things have been very unstable with my sister-in-law who has Stage IV lung ca (diagnosed in May, 2008) My mother-in-law was diagnosed with advanced lymphoma in April; however, she is doing really well with treatment and feeling good-much to be thankful for. With all the health issues/concerns I don't feel that I have enough in me right now to help others - I know it is selfish, but I just need to back away for a bit.

I am definitely not saying good-bye. I will be back and will check in from time to time during the summer. Thanks for your understanding and know that I carry all of you in my heart each and every day. I have made some very good friends here and I have no intention of leaving - if anyone needs an ear just PM me and I will definitely be there.

Also, Ry, I was just wondering how Jackie is as I haven't seen or heard of anything on her for quite sometime - just been a little concerned and hope she is o.k.

Take care everyone,

Hugs,

Linda

_________________
46 years old at diagnosis
Lucky mom of a 16 year old boy and 15 year old girl

Mar-May 2006-3 CXR's performed; eagle eyed radiologist caught something not quite right-F/U done
May 24, 2006-CT scan-suspicious for lung cancer
June 1, 2006-Went to Vancouver for private PET scan-SUV 1.4; ? bronchioalveolar carcinoma or carcinoid
June 5, 2006-Met with surgeon-thinks 1A-surgery soon
June 20, 2006-Left lower lobectomy via VATS
July 5, 2006-Pathology back-stage 1A, pure non-mucinous bronchioalveolar carcinoma, 1.8 cm, well differentiated
Oct 13, 2006-CXR, good
Jan 16, 2007-CXR, good
April 17, 2007-CXR, good
May 4, 2007-CT scan-good
Sept 18, 2007-CXR, good
Dec 18, 2007-CXR, good
March 18, 2008-CXR, good
May 30, 2008-CT scan-good
Oct 21, 2008-CXR, good-graduated to 6 month visits!
June 5th, 2009-CT scan-good!!!
December 3rd, 2009-CXR-good
May 27, 2010-CT scan-good-moved to once/year CT scan & visit!

4 1/2 years from surgery-so happy to be here!!!

hey Linda. You are not being selfish..even though I think it is perfectly ok to be so sometimes. Need to look after #1. Have a great summer you and I for one will keep in touch.

Sandra

_________________
See my survival story at http://lungevity.org/l_community/viewtopic.php?t=39390

43 years old at diagnosis, wife and mother of 2 wonderful children (1 of each, 12 and 13).

March 2007-cough that wouldn't clear, gets progressively worse, can't sleep on left side by July 2007
August 2007-cloudy x-ray
Aug 27-finally a CT scan, and hospitalized, 3 litres of fluid on lung. Fluid drained, hospital stay, bronchs, mediastinoscopy, thorascopy. Had been told cancer earlier, not in fluid though. Tests done to confirm staging. Staging confirmed as Stage III A, later changed to III B.
Oct 4-PET scan for radiation planning.
Oct 17-Nov 28-30 radiation treatments
Oct 17 to Jan 11-4 rounds of chemo, cisplatin and etoposide
Jan 28-Ct scan/chest x-ray
Feb 12-doc said re CT scan "results are excellent, could possibly be a complete positive response!" Don't think it gets much better than that. I won't say NED yet....
Mar 18/08-NED!!!!! based on updated CT scan. Small pleural effusion left,difficult to tell, but rest is NED. And also cleared for START, liposome vaccine clinical trial.
April 3-1st day of vaccine, every week for 8 weeks, less frequently after that
-May 8-PET scan results, bone mets!!! Lungs still clear. Begin radiation/chemo planning. Off of clinical trial after 5 treatments.
-May 27 and 30, 2 radiation treatments, 14 greys total
-June 10-July 21-first 3 alimta infusion, also receiving zometa infusions separately
-CT scan results July 21-lungs still clear, back a mess, referred to a neurosurgeon for possible surgery
-Aug 13-1st gemzar infusion (stopped alimta, was intolerant and gemzar thought to be more effective)
Aug 16-MRI as reported pain in right leg, results were probable nerve damage from spine mets
-Aug20-end of first cycle of gemzar. Treatments stopped as was intolerant, too many side effects.
Sept 25-bone scan ordered by pain doc
Oct 3-started Tarceva, 150 mg
Oct 23 PET scan results-progression in spine and left lung with lymph node involvement-CRAP!!!!!
Nov 5-Tarceva down to 125 mg
Jan 20-failed bone cement procedure, pain worse
Jan 23-admitted to hospital for 10 days: full kidney failure, later discovered infection in chest which was lanced, identified dropped foot, off of Tarceva since Jan 20
Mar 31-1st of 10 radiation treatments to the spine
May 12-started navalbine

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will". -Mahatma Gandhi

"When the going gets tough, the tough get waterproof mascara" (assuming you have eyelashes left after chemo!)

Just be sure to come back when you feel able to do so. In the meantime, we'll miss you.

Muriel

_________________
Dx NSCLC 5/03. Surgery UR lobe. Staged as 1B. Chemo (taxol & Carbo)9/15/03 - 11/13/03. Wonderful CTs until Nov 04. Surgery 11/27/04, again staged as 1B. Chemo (Cisplatin and Gemzar) 2/05 to 6/05. Good CTs and PET since chemo.

Linda- I hope you get everyone taken care of so you can check back in with us eventually. I was also wondering about Jackie-- she checked in briefly after the site changed and I have not heard anything else. Maybe Katie knows and can fill us in.
Rochelle

_________________
Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.
John Lennon

"Never, never, never give up." Winston Churchill

"I rang for ice, but this is ridiculous." -Madeline Talmadge-Astor, as she was being helped off the Titanic

"Losing love is like a window in your heart, everybody sees you're blown apart, everybody sees the wind blow". Paul Simon

Husband John has NSCLC-Vena Cava Syndrome Stage 3B, Dx 6/02
Carbo/Taxol,Radiation
Taxotere
Gemzar
Iressa started 3/03
10/03 Stable CT scan
1/04 CT Still stable.
3/04 PET Scan, Still stable.
7/04 Still stable
1/05 Still stable
1/30/05 Iressa discontinued Started Tarceva, still stable 7/05
1/06 Slight increase in tumor, stopping Tarceva.
1/27/06 Started Alimta
5/5/06 Avastin added to Alimta
6/14/06 Stable, continue w/ Avastin
1/29/07 Shrinkage! Continue w/ Avasin.
7/07- Something new on the CT scan, doing a bronc 7/25/07 to see what it is. 8/21/07 begins brachytherapy. Next treatment postponed until 9/6/7 due to an infection which is making him too ill for the procedure. 9/13/07 Diagnosed with Aspergillus. Has brachytherapy 9/20/07. Developed a pericardial effusion, 10/30/07 has a pericardial window to drain the fluid. Procedure goes well but he passes away 10/31/07 due to a pulmonary hemorrhage.
Pic is me and daughter Jillian aka The Jillinator.
Visit Walk the Walk:
www.michiganlungcancerwalk.org

Linda, I'm gonna miss you around here, but I certainly understand. I haven't been around much lately, either, and I am only supporting one person! You are not being selfish in the least bit. We will be here when you are ready to come back. I've been lurking more than posting, lately. Maybe that will work for you, too. I need my LCSC fix, even if I don't have the strength to post.

Love you, lady. Take good care.

_________________
07/07: Diagnosed stage 4 SCLC. Carboplatin/VP-16, great scans. NED lung/hip, resolving liver.
11/07: Mixed scans. Repeat in 01/08.
01/08: Had seizures same week as scans. New mets: brain/adrenal glands. Active: lung/liver. In ICU overnight. Transferred to Hospice Wing next day.
01-28-08: Home on Hospice. Very critically ill.
01-31-08: Marked improvement. Sought second opinion. Yes, right diagnosis. Chose to not pursue further treatment.
02-05-08: Decided to fight w/Hycamtin.
04/08: Scans: Lung stable. Liver, adrenal gland, brain mets worse. Trying Gemzar.
05-12-08: CyberKnife for 4 of 6 brain mets. (Not WBR candidate-had radiation for non-hodgkin's lymphoma in 1984.)
05-26-08--06-10-08: Meds adjusted for increasing pain.
06-12-08: Fell down. Not injured.
06-19-08: Very wobbly. Brain MRI reveals innumerable lesions scattered throughout.
06-23-08: Hearing loss in right ear due to brain mets.
06-26-08: Not pursuing additional treatment.
07-24-08: Larry passed away at home at 8:10 pm, just the way he wanted. It was a gentle death. God's mercy is infinite.

Linda-

You are definitely not being selfish - you need to take care of yourself!! We understand but we also want you to be well and we will miss you.

Enjoy your summer and try to relax and regain some strength!!

Hugs - patti B.

_________________
My personal war against cancer:
Stage IV at diagnosis 9/29/06- told 12 months tops.......yeah, right!!!
5 rounds of radiation R hip
15 Whole brain radiation txs 7/20 - 8/7/09
8 weeks on oral Tarceva
To date, 80 IV chemo sessions and still counting
Chemos have consisted of:
Carbo/Taxol/Avastin
Avastin alone
Alimta
weekly Navalbine
weekly Gemzar, now on Gemzar every other week due to blood counts
All my veins have become inaccessible - port installed 12/30/09
Put on Alimta/Avastin as a combo
Currently on Taxotere, on 3 weeks off one

Linda:

Do whatever you need to do to take care of YOU!

And it IS summertime, with your kids out of school, I'm sure you're wanting to spend more time with them, too.

Just don't forget us because we will never forget you and you just HAVE to come back to us (that's an order just like the one I gave Sandra elsewhere a few minutes ago; i.e., consider it as having come from your "online Mama").

Affectionately,
Carole

_________________
01/07 Dx NSCLC IIIB Squamous Cell (5 cm. Grade 3 tumor RLL & right hilar & mediastinal lymph nodes). Underwent concurrent radiation & chemo, which decr. tumor to 2 cm., but by 12/07 tumor growing & lymph nodes growing & spreading. 2nd & 3rd line chemos bombed & by 07/08 tumor back to 5 cm. w/mets to liver, left lung & lymph nodes. No viable treatments left, <b>but</b> I'm still pain-free so me and <b>my tattoo</b> are still <b>Dancing in the Street</b> (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y-x2fWKbmo)--figuratively at least! See <b>My Story: Quality of Life</b> at http://lungevity.org/l_community/viewtopic.php?t=36841.