Jeanne,
My main reason for being on here is I'm here in Virginia and my dad's
in Arkansas. All I can get from the situation is what I hear over the
phone. He sounds okay and it's reasuring what I hear on here about
stats being stats but mom keeps saying remember he has cancer in both
lungs. I just want to get enough of information from books, websites
and you all to know what it's going to be like for him physically and
emotionally. Books can give me the technical aspect but I want to know
more from human beings that experienced this stuff and that's where
you all fall in. Between the two I feel I will be ready for months or
years. Without feeling clueless. I hate being clueless.
Sonya
---james kissinger <jkissing@uvic.ca> wrote:
>
> Hi, Sonya, I have not had chemo, radiation or surgery except for an
> exploratory. Kathy is the one who went through all the treatments. The
> Doctors here in Canada considered me incurable and have been waiting
for a
> year for me to develop more symptoms. They say that once I develop a
> symptom, they can "treat" it. They wanted me to understand that the
> treatment would only be "palliative". So we said "Like heck! changed
> doctors and now we are researching alternative therapies. I take
umpteen
> vitamins and supplements, changed my diet, walk and go for saunas.
So I am
> doing something. You have to learn to handle the fear that is always
in the
> back of your mind and there are various techniques to try. Keep
fighting
> for your dad. Mine says that just because you are considered "old"
doesn't
> mean that life is not precious to you. Nanc husband Don takes Essaic
and
> Pam's Dad and I take Floressence. I don't expect it to cure me but I
have
> heard a lot of people say it makes them feel better. No one really
knows
> when we will die anyway, stats are just stats. They do not predict
what a
> specific individual will do. A lot depends on a positive attitude.
Love,
> Jeanne
>
>
> At 07:12 AM 1/8/99 -0800, you wrote:
> >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
>
=== message truncated ===
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