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Hi, Russ: Welcome aboard. I am 56 years old -- a small cell lung cancer survivor -- one year -- also inoperable. I was on morphine several times during my treatment, as I was hospitalized for various problems. The morphine not only made me tired, after while it made my muscles twitch, which frightened me. I called my doctor, and she replaced it with Darvocet, which is not habit forming. It made me tired, too, but not as concerned about addiction. Some memory loss is to be expected, I believe, during chemo. Mine is gradually coming back. I have a client. I'll finish this up later. Stay with us, Russ. Kathy in Boise, Idaho
-----Original Message-----
From: Russ Davey [SMTP:davey@ses.curtin.edu.au]
Sent: Thursday, December 31, 1998 1:00 AM
To: mol-cancer@lists.meds.com
Subject: [MOL] Introducing Russ
Dear MOL-ers,
I'm a 46 year old guy from Western Australia who was diagnosed with
inoperable non-small cell cancer (upper right lung).
Since June 1998, i've had 6 weeks of radiotherapy, taken vitamin and
mineral supplements, 'got into' fresh vegetable juices in the morning,
received frequent sessions of psychic/spiritual healing (including Reiki,
Spiritual Healing, Didgeridoo Healing, 'Shamanic' Healing), and meditated
on nearly every day.
In late December i was told the tumour had shrunk from 6cm to 3.5cm. Though
the cancer is still classified 'in-operable', i'm scheduled for an MRI on
26 Jan 1999.
According to research i've read on this 'condition', survival rates are not
high.
What i would like to know, is:
1. is this rate of shrinkage good?
2. do any of you other MOL-ers have a similar condition?
3. is extreme tiredness normal? (at the moment the only drugs i'm taking
are MSCONTIN (morphine) 10mg per day and PANADOL (paracetamol) 1000mg -
3000mg per day)
i noticed in one piece of e-mail, a MOL-er (half-joking?) said s/he was
suffering from memory loss. Me too. i'm in the middle of a PhD study, but
have been unable to work on this research for 6 months (no energy, little
concentration, memory lapses). Surprisingly, the only work i've been able
to do has been 'messing about' with computers (re-building and up-dating
the hardware/software). Does this mean computer technology requires less
brain power than study, or does it use a different part of the brain (i'm
only half-joking!)?
most of the time i feel OK (i can laugh and joke - especially about my
condition), but sometimes i feel sad, scared, angry. sometimes i just don't
know what to do, and at other times i'm completly un-motivated.
i've just realised that one of the benifits of a chat line like this is
simply the opportunity to write down what i'm feeling/thinking. though i'd
like a response, some part of me already feels lighter, happier.
To all of you MOL-ers, and your friends and families, i wish you a very
happy New Year - may you each find the answers you seek.
Regards,
Russ Davey.
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