Jeanne,
I feel more comfortable writing back and forth to you all than the
reasurance from people who haven't gone through this but are trying to
make me feel better about all this. I appreciate my best friend and my
husband and love them dearly for there kind words but I really needed
information from people who have or are there now. Plus, I can pass
the info onto my mom who probably feels like I do and more.
Sonya
---james kissinger <jkissing@uvic.ca> wrote:
>
> Kathy, you sure have been through a lot! I admire your courage and
of many
> others here. Sonya, I hope the ray of hope that Kathy provides will
help
> you and your family on your journey. I will pray for you and your
family.
> God Bless, Jeanne
>
> At 11:10 AM 1/6/99 -0700, you wrote:
> >Dear Sonya: First of all, your mother CAN file bankruptcy and
still keep
> >her house. Some things are exempt from a bankruptcy, the home
being one of
> >them. It's called a Homestead Exemption. Certain other things
necessary
> >for existence are also exempt. A good bankruptcy attorney can
explain this
> >to her. It's not unusual for people with this horrible disease to go
> >through bankruptcy; in fact, it's very common.
> >
> >I was surprised to hear that your father was going through
radiation for 4
> >hours at a time -- five days a week -- but I certainly don't know
everything
> >about the treatments. It's good that he isn't nauseated -- he's going
> >through an awful lot.
> >
> >I'm 56 years old, too, and started smoking when I was 22. Last
December a
> >large mass was found in my right lung. I was diagnosed with
limited small
> >cell lung cancer, because the cancer was only in the one place.
The cancer
> >was inoperable because the tumor was wrapped around a pulmonary
artery. I
> >went through very aggressive chemotherapy -- which included, but
was not
> >limited to, VP 16, Cisplatain, Taxol, Carboplatinum, Prednisone,
etc. It
> >made me very sick, but the doctor gave me Zophran to combat the
nausea,
> >Xanax or Ativan for the anxiety and listlessness; Ambien for sleep;
Morphine
> >or Darvocet for pain, etc. Also, the nicotine patch! LOL I also
took a
> >lot of other stuff that I can't remember, because I was obviously
quite "out
> >of it" much of the time. I went through six months of chemotherapy
every 21
> >days, and 6 weeks of radiation, once a day for 5 days a week. I
had very
> >few symptoms before my diagnosis, except for an irregular heartbeat
and an
> >occasional cough. I was being treated for the heart condition when
they
> >gave me a chest x-ray. They almost didn't!!!! After 5 weeks of
radiation,
> >my esophagus was burned to a crisp, and I couldn't swallow then and
had to
> >be hospitalized and put on an IV for nearly two weeks. It healed,
and it's
> >fine now. I've been cancer free since March of 1998. My last
checkup was
> >three weeks ago. Don't be too upset with the doctors for not
giving you a
> >weekly report. I had labs every week, but x-rays, CT scans, and
MRIs every
> >six weeks or so -- I really can't remember. Who told you that they
do so
> >many x-rays and chemos, and then the rest is up to God? I have a
friend who
> >has been through chemo seven times -- radiation at least that many.
He's
> >still hanging in there! I hope I've helped to alleviate your
anxiety a
> >little bit. If you have any questions you think I can answer, just
ask.
> >When Marty gets back, he'll have many answers for you, and of course,
> >Lillian, Martha, Mam, and many of the others are tremendously
knowledgeable
> >and willing to share. Your friend, Kathy in Boise, Idaho.
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Sonya Walker [SMTP:sonya_86@yahoo.com]
> >> Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 1999 6:52 PM
> >> To: mol-cancer@lists.meds.com
> >> Subject: Re: [MOL] APPRECIATE ALL YOU MOLERS
> >>
> >> Hi to all! My name is Sonya and right before Christmas I found
out my
> >> step father has lung cancer. He is 56 and the cancer has spread
> >> throughout both of his lungs. When I heard about this for some
reason
> >> I wasn't surprised it's almost as if someday with him I knew it
would
> >> happen. He's smoked since he was 14 he's always said. In past
> >> holidays/birthdays mom or my day would ask for cigarettes or
lighters
> >> as presents and I refused to do so. I didn't want this to happen
and
> >> feel like I was a part of what got him there. It's more a personal
> >> feeling than what I believe would be true. The majority of the
cancer
> >> is behind his heart I've been told. He had a heart attack 13
years ago
> >> and he also is a diabetic. I'm curious as to how both of these will
> >> effect his health on top of his cancer? His esophogus is closing
up.
> >> He went in because he felt a lump in his throat and he was coughing
> >> bad and breathing poorly. Nothing has been said to me about throat
> >> cancer. Does it sound like he has cancer in his throat also? The
> >> doctors have started radiation treatments 5 times a week for 4
hours
> >> each day and once a week of chemotherapy. It's been going on for 2
> >> weeks now but he's only had 4 days of raditation because of the
> >> holidays. I've been told that the radiation won't make a difference
> >> until after his third week. Mom said they haven't even x-rayed
him to
> >> see if it's doing a thing. She said he isn't getting nauseated
which
> >> the doctors say is a good thing. I heard they do so many
radiation and
> >> chemotherapy treatments and then that's that his life is up to God
> >> from there. Is this true? He's in Arkansas and I'm in Virginia.
This
> >> is hard for me because I know no other father then him. He's been
in
> >> my life since I was 3. I have 2 daughters who love him very much
also.
> >> The doctors have given him 2 months to 12 months to live. At first
> >> they had thought that cancer was in his stomach also but nothing
has
> >> been mentioned of this. They did tell my mom who has been relaying
> >> everything to me that they will not perform surgery on his lungs
> >> because the cancer is spread throughout them both. I'd really
like to
> >> get any information on what I am about to deal with. My mother is
not
> >> asking very many questions and the doctors don't seem to be giving
> >> very many answers. My mom is on medicare and is a nurse's aid with
> >> little salary. My dad didn't work before all this. I'm an only
child
> >> with no money to give them ourselves. My husband is in the Air
Force
> >> and we are having hard times ourselves and I'm a stay at home
mom. Can
> >> the cancer society or anyone else help them out finacially? Mom is
> >> looking into information of filing bankruptcy. She thinks she can
do
> >> that and keep her house. Is this possible? I hate to hear such
words
> >> from her mouth. I feel as though I have to be the one who finds
out as
> >> much as I can because my mother wants to face this through God and
> >> herbal remedies which is fine for now but I want to be there for
her
> >> and be fully informed. I feel pretty much lost and the separation
of
> >> many miles sucks at a time like this. He keeps telling me on the
phone
> >> he's fine and he sounds fine but I know he's not fine. What can I
do
> >> to make his life happy for both of them for that matter. She didn't
> >> buy him any Christmas presents because she told me "what do I buy
him
> >> with all this going on? Any information would be appreciated.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ---W & M Rose <FEARME@bigpond.com> wrote:
> >> >
> >> > Welcome Tami,
> >> > It is nice to hear from one of the many 'silent' molers out
there, and
> >> > lovely to hear that we have been helping. Please feel free to
jump
> >> right in,
> >> > say whatever you feel, and ask any questions you need.
> >> > :) Much love
> >> > Mam
> >> > -----Original Message-----
> >> > From: Todd Hagerman <sewfun@bright.net>
> >> > To: mol-cancer@lists.meds.com <mol-cancer@lists.meds.com>
> >> > Date: Tuesday, 5 January 1999 13:00
> >> > Subject: [MOL] APPRECIATE ALL YOU MOLERS
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > >I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING EMAIL FROM ALL OF YOU SINCE THE END OF
> >> NOVEMBER.
> >> > >THERE IS SO MUCH LOVE AND CARING. I HAVE ONLY BEEN READING IT
AND
> >> NEVER
> >> > >POSTING MY OWN MESSAGE.
> >> > > MY DAD WAS DIAGNOSED IN JUNE '98 WITH NON-SMALL CELL LUNG
CANCER
> >> > >STAGE III, MY SISTER-IN-LAW WAS DIAGNOSED WITH GRADE 2
ASTROCYTOMA
> >> > >(BRAIN TUMOR) 2 YEARS AGO, IT COVERS THE FRONT QUARTER OF HER
BRAIN
> >> AND IT
> >> > >IS INOPERALBLE.
> >> > > I FEEL SO HELPLESS SOMETIMES, NOT KNOWING WHAT TO SAY OR DO. I
> >> HAVE BEEN
> >> > >FORWARDING ALOT OF EMAILS FROM MOLERS TO MY DAD. HE REALLY
SEEMS TO
> >> BE
> >> > >UPLIFTED AND GAINS ALOT OF INFO.
> >> > > MY NAME IS TAMI AND I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS TIME TO JOIN IN.
> >> > >
> >> >
> >>
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