Well Sonya, we are happy you are with us and you know you can ask any
question you would like. Your friend, lillian
-----Original Message-----
From: Sonya Walker <sonya_86@yahoo.com>
To: mol-cancer@lists.meds.com <mol-cancer@lists.meds.com>
Date: Sunday, January 10, 1999 10:13 AM
Subject: Re: [MOL] Kathy/Sonya
>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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