Best Of
Re: So...whats for dinner?
Illimae - your French onion soup looks great.
This weather definitely calls for soup. I made an onion vegetable soup, with toasted garlic bread and bruschetta. Hit the spot.
Re: So...whats for dinner?
We went to Sequim today. Had mexican lunch at our fav place. Just a gut-punch watching DH walk/hobble/ugh….I try not to cry in front of him. The trip takes longer, the shopping takes longer…pity party. And as much as everyone hates their cold/winter, I was disgusted with the 55 degrees. Wish I could trade someone.
Still having the tri-tip leftovers. Maybe one more day….delicious.
Minus, glad you are feeling better.
Illimae, your soup pic is food-porn. Looks (and I am sure, tasted) amazing.
wallycat
Re: CT and Lung Nodules
Hi @cmre00, I'm sorry that you have a lung nodule which is a concerning size. It could be a granuloma which is a benign clump of cells caused by inflammation of some sort (possibly from Verzenio.) Mets usually appear in groups but a singleton is possible. The other possibility would be a new lung cancer primary.
Lung biopsies can be very difficult which is why they are suggesting short term follow-up (usually 3 months) to look for growth first. I don't know how useful a PET scan would be since any kind of inflammation would light up with FDG contrast. Even FES which looks for E+ lights up my pulmonary fibrosis which is not cancer but has estrogen receptors. Also, it wouldn't identify lung cancer.
If you need a biopsy it might be worth getting a pulmonologist involved. Occasionally an IR can do a needle biopsy but more often bronchoscopy is needed to reach the tumor. Sometimes the nodule is impossible to get to that way and VATS (open surgical biopsy requiring hospitalization) is required. A specialist pulmonary radiologist or lung cancer pulmonologist might have useful input about whether it appears the nodule should be biopsied immediately or followed short term. In the grand scheme of things three months doesn't make a huge difference.
Most of the time a lone nodule under 3 cm is benign but any nodule over 1 cm should be closely monitored. Keep us posted. You are wise not to worry unless you have to.
maggie15
Re: CT and Lung Nodules
Bookworm, It’s good to hear from you. Yesterday I signed up for the least bad Medicare prescription drug plan. At least my medigap plan is being continued next year. I hope you can find an Advantage plan that will work for you.
I’m glad you had a good Thanksgiving and have plans for Christmas with your family. We went to NYC to visit my son, daughter and their families at the end of September. They are all planning to come visit in January. I cooked a turkey for two of us on Thanksgiving and will do the same for Christmas since I like the leftovers.
Thank you for your well wishes. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season.
maggie15
The power of prayer...
When I was at the surgeon's office yesterday....there was a lady sitting across from me. She glanced at me and asked if I was ok.....I was in pain and it must have showed. I told her that I was ok.....just sore.....and hurting even with pain meds.
She proceeded to tell me her story....about how she had survived colon cancer....and had just had her gall bladder removed the week before. Here I was wallowing in self pity, because my mediport was really hurting and I thought it might be infected. She was showing me all the places she had one.....they had to move it so many times because she would get a blood clot....or it would become infected. Suddenly....I didn't feel so bad! Here this lady sat......with the biggest smile on her face.......and such a POSITIVE attitude.....while I sat there and fought off my pain.
When I was leaving.....she was leaving at the same time. I stopped her in the hallway and told her to take care and thanked her for being there and helping me deal with all of this.
She hugged me......and as she was hugging me.....she said a prayer for me for God's healing. She told me that she felt in her heart I would beat this......with God's helping hand guiding my Dr.'s every step of the way.
I can't even explain to you how I felt when she let go of me.......it was like all her warmth and attitude had been passed over to me. I knew in my heart at that moment.......I was gonna be just fine.
I truly believe God sends angels to watch over us........and he places them where they need to be on a particular day and time!!!
I'm so thankful he placed her there yesterday........
Genia
Genia
Cryoablation Therapy
I read this interesting article about the effectiveness of cryoablation therapy combined with immunotherapy. I might consider trying the Williams Cancer Institute if I have progression. Anyone else familiar with cryoablation?
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
I'm with you. I try to set things up for the best possible effect on my family. It will be my parting gift.
@sf-cakes Thanks for the grin - I needed it. Fourth day post snow storm and none of the walks are passable and roads have only been plowed to a one car width and are icy, so walking there is a hazard. We live in a housing community and the contractor responsible for clearing ice and snow has been awful.
Agree wholeheartedly about medical staff being oblivious to the needs and concerns of the patients. Have experienced that many times since my initial diagnosis. Had outstanding compassion and kindness from my radiologist during my cyberknife treatment. In looking for a saying to include in a thank you note to him, I found the following: "A good doctor fits the patient to the procedure. A great doctor fits the procedure to the patient."
Keep thinking I should make copies and hand one to every doctor I encounter.
eleanora
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
I did do a Walmart order for groceries. Got plenty of yogurt, sour cream, queso, both crema queso and jalepeno. Got a few beef and macaroni frozen meal, I love those. When it all arrives, I will eat some of the beef macaroni at lunch time, have. It is already on its way to me, I placed order around 1015 am.
All my stuff arrived, got 4 of the beef macaroni, will add some of the beefless ground there may be left and some leftover soup I did not like, I rinsed the liquid off the soup and only have a few veggies left. Will put those into the frozen pasta and beef, heat it up and bind with queso and sour cream cremas. I have cheddar and sour cream chips that were on sale as well. I am sure it will be quite good.
🌟Starting radiation in January 2026? You don’t have to walk this road alone.🌟
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To help you prepare, be sure to check out our List of What to Do/Get/Pack to Prep for Radiation Therapy. You’ll also find a wealth of helpful information in our Radiation Therapy section, including types of radiation, what to expect, questions to ask your care team, and ways to manage—or even prevent—side effects.
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Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
@sf-cakes I ask myself those kinds of questions all the time. What will it matter ten years from now? Will it make a difference or will I even be around to notice? My family will and those decisions are easy. I make decisions based on how they affect my family.
