10/28/08 08:25 - 39ºF - ID#46395
Cancer questions
A few weeks ago she had a lung drained and they were going to drain the other the following week. After a week's delay due to the stomach flu she went in to have the procedure done. They determined the same lung had filled up again (worse than the lung they hadn't touched yet) and drained it again. As per (patient), they have no intention of draining the untouched lung. They stopped chemo (fluid in lung is side effect of chemo) and don't plan on resuming it until after Thanksgiving. They're keeping an eye on her lungs and she'll have a CAT scan just before Thanksgiving to determine how to proceed with chemo so that her lungs don't continue to fill with fluid (other side effects are tearing eyes, which (patient) says are much less teary since stopping chemo and thick crusty nails which she is grateful it's glove weather so she can hide her hands now, and also total exhaustion which she hopes, with these weeks off, will help her regain some strength).
I am curious as to why they wouldn’t drain the second lung, especially if it’s causing her pain, as is my understanding. Also, is this really a side effect of chemo (I don’t remember this being a problem with my husband)? Does anyone know?
Permalink: Cancer_questions.html
Words: 241
Location: Buffalo, NY
Category: movies
10/27/08 09:48 - 43ºF - ID#46375
Top 10 things I like...
Does it ever seem like the movie industry releases a bunch of movies at a time that you want to go see, or there is nothing out at all that you want to see? Why can’t they spread the good ones out so that there’s always something worth seeing? Anyway, I don’t know exactly why, but I love going to the movies.
So, here are the top 10 (random) things I like about going to the movies:
1. Approximately two hours of escape from your own reality
2. The smell of the popcorn (though I usually don’t eat it)
3. Big screen
4. Laughing out loud and/or having a good cry
5. Comfy seats with cup holders
6. No telephone (if you don’t stupidly mess up turning off the sound - like I did last time I went. I hate that!)
7. Sometimes the movie surprises you, taking unexpected twists
8. Sharing an evening with a friend
9. People watching in the lobby
10. Happy endings
Top 10 (random) movies I want to see that are out right now:
1. Nights In Rodanthe
2. Righteous Kill
3. The Secret Life of Bees
4. Miracle At Saint Anna's
5. Body of Lies
6. Burn After Reading
7. Rachel Getting Married
8. The Dutchess
9. The Women
10. The Dark Knight
(Most of them I probably won’t see till they’re out at Blockbuster-and, yes, almost half of them are "chick flicks.")
Permalink: Top_10_things_I_like_.html
Words: 242
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/26/08 06:26 - 57ºF - ID#46353
Costume shopping
Went to the Battle @ Buffalo last night. We really enjoyed it. Turns out my niece knows the guy whose studio it is, and a couple of the dancers; the guy at the door collecting the $ went to high school with my son and niece; and my old next door neighbor was there with his kids. Briefly got to meet Felly and Lauren, which was also cool. It was a fun night and relatively inexpensive family entertainment. Pretty likely we’ll go again - only earlier next time - to get some seats.
Permalink: Costume_shopping.html
Words: 311
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/25/08 05:12 - 55ºF - ID#46327
Early Halloween and New Car
Anyway, I was driving my daughter's friend home (who lives off Elmwood) and we saw a bunch of families out walking around with kids dressed up in costume. I guess there is some type of early celebration on the strip today.
Also, I had to stop at Wegman's this a.m. to pick something up for my sister and most of the employees were in costume. I guess they're all being encourage to dress up just this weekend. it was kind of funny.
Wanted to take my grandaughter to the Halloween thing at the Zoo last night but she had a party at school, and I have plans for this evening (going to the breakdancing competition Lauren posted about) so we can't go tonight either. Oh well, guess there's always next year.
Oh yeah, the dead dear in the parking lot thing was gross. I hate that I really like chinese food because you hear so much disgusting stuff about what chinese restaurants do (cats, dogs, rats, pigeon, now deer) that it really makes you not want to eat there. It's sad. ;(
Permalink: Early_Halloween_and_New_Car.html
Words: 237
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/24/08 10:20 - 51ºF - ID#46314
Halloween silliness
http://minibytes.mondominishows.com/poo/main.asp?affil=email
is better with sound on
Permalink: Halloween_silliness.html
Words: 20
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/23/08 11:57 - 40ºF - ID#46291
People are messed up
Permalink: People_are_messed_up.html
Words: 125
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/23/08 04:13 - 54ºF - ID#46280
Free Smoke Detectors
The City of Buffalo is giving families free smoke detectors and batteries at various open houses across the Queen City. It is a first come, first served basis. (They recommend folks go early)
October 25th
Engine 2, 376 Virginia (and Elmwood)
10:00 AM â€" 11:30 AM
Engine 28, 1170 Lovejoy (and Gold)
11:00 AM â€" 12:30 PM
Engine 22, 1528 Broadway (and Wick)
12:00 PM â€" 1:30 PM
November 1st
Engine 34, 2837 Main Street (and Mercer)
10:00 AM â€" 11:30 PM
Engine 26, 703 Tonawanda (and Progressive)
11:00 AM â€" 12:30 PM
Engine 4, 939 Abbott (and Hollywood)
12:00 PM â€" 1:30 PM
Permalink: Free_Smoke_Detectors.html
Words: 92
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/22/08 07:01 - 38ºF - ID#46254
Comic Relief
Next year's dancing with the stars duo to watch for:
Also, the chili I made last night - it turned out really good. I used cumin in it, which I've never done before, along with the other spices I usually use. I like it.
Permalink: Comic_Relief.html
Words: 59
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/21/08 10:56 - 34ºF - ID#46240
Work, home, stuff, etc.
Took my daughter to get her braces off today - she’s so excited. Her teeth look strangely large without them. Supposed I’ll get used to it again. And, wow, only four more payments to make. Dropped her off at school, went downtown to work, and, I swear, I actually saw a flake of snow while I was still in the parking lot - say it isn’t so... It sure got a whole heck of a lot colder.
Came home from work (late of course), made a big pot of chili (no beans) that we’ll have for dinner tomorrow. Turned up the heat a couple of degrees (all the way to 67); I just couldn’t seem to get the chill out of the air. It usually doesn’t bother me much but today it seems to be going right through me - bbbbuuuuurrrrr.
My mom stopped over, had a bandage on her pinky finger. Asked her what happened; she said she cut herself with some (garden) clippers and had to get 6 stitches - yikes! She makes me nuts sometimes, but I love her. This “sandwich generation†thing is kind of tough. Trying to keep track of your kids and your parents can be challenging. I sometimes think the parents are harder to handle than the kids. The parents tend to be much more unruly and stubborn.
Well, guess that was mostly my exciting day. I have an idea for a Halloween costume but don’t know if I can pull it off, or even if I’ll be able to attend the party. Guess I’ll just have to wait and see.
Permalink: Work_home_stuff_etc_.html
Words: 393
Location: Buffalo, NY
10/20/08 06:39 - 58ºF - ID#46213
You can pick your friends...
Here is the latest incite-to-riot bullshit that my (must be Fascist) uncle sent me that I’m sure he’s passing around to as many of the fringe idiots as he can. The subject line of his e-mail was: “We are what we read.†Are you effing kidding me? How unbelievably stupid can people actually be? Geez, does that mean if I read about Hitler and Nazi Germany, then I’m a Nazi? The logic somehow completely escapes me. What continues to totally blow my mind is that someone with any brain function can actually hop on this irresponsible, unreasonable, ridiculous notion as having even a modicum of validity. Perhaps it’s just that we’ve spent the last 8 years with a president whose literacy is so questionable, that some people don’t know how to act when they see an intelligent man who actually reads running for president. I keep wondering if maybe my grandmother dropped my uncle on his head when he was little - cause I can find no other reasonable explanation. Sadly, perhaps my new pet name for my uncle should be “uncle cracker†- what a world!
Here's the stupid e-mail message:
WHAT IS OBAMA READING? This should tell us what we need to know about this man's plan for America!!
He is reading 'The Post-American World' -- A Muslim's View. Please send this to those who think he walks on water and should be the next President of this Great Nation.
Permalink: You_can_pick_your_friends_.html
Words: 256
Location: Buffalo, NY
Author Info
Category Cloud
More Entries
My Fav Posts
- This user has zero favorite blogs selected ;(
Good luck to your friend (e:gardenmama). She will be in my prayers.
Won't say it's impossible, but i haven't heard of it.
Unfortunately, esophageal ca is a 'bad actor'.
And stage IV anything is usually inoperable. I'd have to check the guidelines, but even chemo/radiation is usually more palliative than curative at that point.
Even if surgery were an option, an esophagectomy is no joke.
I'm sorry you're having to deal with this... best wishes to everyone.
minor correction tiny- fluid in the lung like that (technically in the pleural space, between the lung and the chest wall) is called pleural effusion. Pulmonary edema is a little different. But nonetheless...
I don't know side effects of all chemo all that well, but effusions (malignant effusions) are unfortunately pretty common in advanced cancers (particularly breast). May well also be due to chemo. Usually they will tap the fluid a few times, but if it keeps reaccumulating, they will try a procedure called pleurodesis, in which they put a chemical irritant (usually talc, or sometime doxycycline or bleomycin) in the pleural space- it makes the lung 'stick' to the chest wall, so the fluid can't accumulate. If that doesn't work (it doesn't alway) they may have to do surgery to accomplish the same thing, or if surgery isn't an option for whatever reason (patient too sick etc) they may just leave a tube in to drain the fluid.
As far as only doing one side... Any time you stick anything into the chest, there's a risk of collapsing the lung. Which is bad enough, but collapsing both is even worse, so usually they'll only do one at a time, just in case. But if they really have "no intention" of EVER tapping the other side... I'm not sure why that would be.
But side effects depend on the specific chemo regimen- which may be why her husband's experience was different. Nausea/vomiting/fatigue are pretty universal, though.
And one last comment, effusions aren't usually PAINFUL per se, but cause (sometimes severe) shortness of breath.
Hope that helps!
Based on what you are saying, it would seem that this patient had large number of shed malignant cells in the saliva. So PCR may not have been necessary.
:/ I need to read up about this!
Hmmmm.... were the cancer cells shedding in her saliva? I need to read up about this.
(e:jenks)?
With regards to your question about why they are not attempting lung drainage again or even in the other lung, I don't really know. Maybe the bonafide surgeon (I am looking at you, (e:jenks)) could give us some insights of postop/post-chemo edema management?