Support for LateToSchool

[mominva]

<p>Checking in after a long day at work and finding pages of posts! Glad the in-person encounters were so positive and that the next battle in this war is underway. Keeping you in my prayers.</p>

<p>DC area folks: Sunday is fine for Cherry Blossom viewing on my end. LTS, if you are feeling rested enough, we may not want to postpone. The 10 day forecast shows some rain for during next week.
LTS, you should post a time and meeting place for when you sense you will feel ready; the rest of us will adjust our schedules.</p>

[SBmom]

<p>I really wish I could walk with you DC peeps. </p>

<p>LTS, I think you should wear the red heels!</p>

<p>:)</p>

[NYMomof2]

<p>I think she should wear combat boots! All the better to stomp out those cancer cells.</p>

[yorkyfan]

<p>Cherry blossoms are blooming and now it’s time to plan for fireworks at the Mall on the fourth of July, LTS!</p>

[Faline2]

<p>The same abrasive personality via telephone morphs into charming and humorous in person. He could not have been nicer to me. While still VERY rough and gruff around the edges, he was very gracious, kind and supportive. Could not stop patting me on the back, on the shoulder, etc., both before and even after the procedure. Completely amazing.</p>

<p>“We’re just so, so glad you’re here for treatment” his nurse had said to me… he needed the patient on the table so he could aim some radiation and kill the stuff. He was angry/frustrated that day by day he was losing time. Unfortunately, he expressed his frustration in ways that, if this were not such a fast growing, aggressive cancer, I would have been shopping for a new radiation oncology team. </p>

<p>just in from the college tour with second son…unloaded car, but had to check in…and so happy to hear that Doctor Welby Experienced was merely old and peevish but nevertheless…is golden of heart and gave you his warrior all for your first treatment. (As a graduate of Furman undergrad, I grasp his Bible college swipe …Furman, Wake, Rice etc divested themselves of Baptist money in the 80s in order to gain academic freedom after many demoralizing battles with fundamentalist blowhards in the Southern Baptist state and national Conventions…not at all uncommon to hear this jibe, even alum make these remarks,…just unfair in the context of this decade…as Wake Med is brimming with highly-trained medical people, Wake Forest is very rigorous in premed and med…but when you gotta kick someone, well…sometime…in the not distant past…there was cause for concern/buffoonery/power struggles re who was in charge enlightened hard scientists or perversions of bible literacy…) The good guys won that battle 20 plus years ago…but the culture wars are not forgotten and often joked about, poked at…and left some scars…perhaps not discussed in NOVA, but still fresh down here.</p>

<p>I truly believe that his support staff sounds stellar…and that they wouldn’t work for him if they didn’t believe in his skills and in his leadership even if he came of age in another era. </p>

<p>You are such a wonderful writer! Spellbound by the little character studies and dramas playing out with your keen ability to observe all…you are both fair-minded and passionate…great qualities in a friend…which is no doubt why you find yourself surrounded with supportive and stalwart friends in this juncture.</p>

[epistrophy]

<p>[Amazon.com:</a> The Best News About Radiation Therapy: Everything You Need to Know About Your Treatment: Carol Kornmehl: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/159077051X/qid=1137720421/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-9143329-3058313?s=books&v=glance&n=283155]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/159077051X/qid=1137720421/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-9143329-3058313?s=books&v=glance&n=283155)</p>

<p>

Because this book demystifies a highly specialized, high tech, and complex area of cancer treatment, it should provide comfort and clarity to patients needing or considering radiation therapy.</p>

<p>Clifford Hudis, M.D., Chief, Breast Cancer Medicine Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY</p>

<hr>

<p>For the patient newly being referred for radiation therapy, Dr. Kornmehl offers a supportive, encouraging guide, able to demystify treatment while providing a comprehensive overview of radiotherapy.</p>

<p>Louis Potters, M.D., FACR, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY</p>

<hr>

<p>Dr. Kornmehl’s book plays a key role in delivering up-to-date information to patients about the effects of radiotherapy.</p>

<p>Eliezer Robinson, M.D., Professor of Oncology, Chairman of the National Council for Oncology, Chairman of the Israeli Cancer Association, Haifa, Israel</p>

<hr>

<p>At last patients have an accurate and comprehensive source of information about radiotherapy. In a very readable style, Dr. Kornmehl takes the mystery out of all the equipment and procedures used to treat cancer.</p>

<p>William M. Buchholz, M.D., author of Live Longer, Live Larger A Holistic Approach for Cancer Patients and Families

</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.rtsupportdoc.com/comments.htm[/url]”>http://www.rtsupportdoc.com/comments.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[epistrophy]

<p>two more lung cancer “survivors”</p>

<p>

I commend “The Survivor Monologues” [see posts 1679-82], yet take issue that there were no lung-cancer survivors profiled. Most of us hear “lung cancer” and think “death.” But lung cancer is survivable. Fortunately for me, an early-stage cancer was caught and removed, and I’ve long been back at work, on the ski slopes and tennis courts, and, most important, a mom to my three children.
—Ilene Barth, Manhattan</p>

<p>I picked up “The Survivor Monologues” after having lunch with a lung-cancer patient. He was encouraged to see me doing so well: I’ve had the disease for at least eleven years. Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer. But I’m here to serve as an inspiration for anyone looking for hope.
—Mike Hughes, Richmond, Va.

</p>

<p>[Letters</a> to the Editor – New York Magazine](<a href=“http://nymag.com/nymag/letters/32383/]Letters”>Letters to the Editor -- New York Magazine - Nymag)</p>

[epistrophy]

<p>two more lung cancer “survivors”</p>

<p>

I commend “The Survivor Monologues” [see posts 1679-82], yet take issue that there were no lung-cancer survivors profiled. Most of us hear “lung cancer” and think “death.” But lung cancer is survivable. Fortunately for me, an early-stage cancer was caught and removed, and I’ve long been back at work, on the ski slopes and tennis courts, and, most important, a mom to my three children.</p>

<p>—Ilene Barth, Manhattan</p>

<p>I picked up “The Survivor Monologues” after having lunch with a lung-cancer patient. He was encouraged to see me doing so well: I’ve had the disease for at least eleven years. Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer. But I’m here to serve as an inspiration for anyone looking for hope.</p>

<p>—Mike Hughes, Richmond, Va.

</p>

<p>[Letters</a> to the Editor – New York Magazine](<a href=“http://nymag.com/nymag/letters/32383/]Letters”>Letters to the Editor -- New York Magazine - Nymag)</p>

[epistrophy]

<p>two more lung cancer “survivors”</p>

<p>

I commend “The Survivor Monologues” [see posts 1679-82], yet take issue that there were no lung-cancer survivors profiled. Most of us hear “lung cancer” and think “death.” But lung cancer is survivable. Fortunately for me, an early-stage cancer was caught and removed, and I’ve long been back at work, on the ski slopes and tennis courts, and, most important, a mom to my three children.</p>

<p>—Ilene Barth, Manhattan</p>

<p>I picked up “The Survivor Monologues” after having lunch with a lung-cancer patient. He was encouraged to see me doing so well: I’ve had the disease for at least eleven years. Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer. But I’m here to serve as an inspiration for anyone looking for hope.</p>

<p>—Mike Hughes, Richmond, Va.

</p>

<p>[Letters</a> to the Editor – New York Magazine](<a href=“http://nymag.com/nymag/letters/32383/]Letters”>Letters to the Editor -- New York Magazine - Nymag)</p>

[epistrophy]

<p>two more lung cancer “survivors”</p>

<p>

I commend “The Survivor Monologues” [see posts 1679-82], yet take issue that there were no lung-cancer survivors profiled. Most of us hear “lung cancer” and think “death.” But lung cancer is survivable. Fortunately for me, an early-stage cancer was caught and removed, and I’ve long been back at work, on the ski slopes and tennis courts, and, most important, a mom to my three children.
—Ilene Barth, Manhattan</p>

<p>I picked up “The Survivor Monologues” after having lunch with a lung-cancer patient. He was encouraged to see me doing so well: I’ve had the disease for at least eleven years. Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer. But I’m here to serve as an inspiration for anyone looking for hope.
—Mike Hughes, Richmond, Va.

</p>

<p>[Letters</a> to the Editor – New York Magazine](<a href=“http://nymag.com/nymag/letters/32383/]Letters”>Letters to the Editor -- New York Magazine - Nymag)</p>

[aibarr]

<p>Finalized the computer model of your spandrel beams this morning, sketched out details, called out exceptions on a plan view. Sending the whole packet to the draftsman to CAD them out, so they’re all designed and ready to be drawn for the final submittal in June.</p>

<p>Sending more good wishes!</p>

[epistrophy]

<p>No, I didn’t think that by posting the last message about 2 lung cancer “survivors” 4 times I’d trick LTS or anyone else into believing that there were actually 8 “survivors” here. (The CC crowd is much too savvy for that, right?) </p>

<p>What happened is that this morning, when I first tried to post this, the CC site didn’t seem to be working. So when I just checked back in now, I was surprised to find that this had been posted 4 times - I thought it hadn’t been posted at all. </p>

<p>Oh, well - so it goes, sometimes, with technology.</p>

[mafool]

<p>aibarr,</p>

<p>Over in Sinners Alley, we have drink called a <em>Spandrel</em> (Vodka with a splash of anisette: strong and steely) in honor of you and LTS.</p>

<p>Cheers!</p>

[Faline2]

<p>Mafool…how brilliant your dedicated LTS drink of choice…it was all the rage in Paris and a favorite of Garcia Marquez…and we all know that LTS needs a little magical realism to feed her thoughts and distract her mind during the treatments. And I am always in favor of ladies dancing on tables.</p>

<p>quote…Neighbouring and the most famous Paris caf</p>

[latetoschool]

<p>Faline, thank you very much for the explanation of the bible college comment - I didn’t get that. The venerable (whoever used this word in their post to describe him, it’s perfect) doctor is a graduate of another college in Virginia. So now it all fits. Thank you for letting me know because that was really, really bothering me. </p>

<p>SunnyFlorida, I appreciate and am very glad for your post; yes, I do understand the doctor’s position - it’s all much clearer now, especially now that I have all of the collaboration. </p>

<p>But there is another side of this thing too - today’s cancer patient, in my opinion, especially if they have an aggressive, fast moving disease like small cell, HAS to be very, very involved and deeply understanding of their care if they have any hope at all of survival. I have simply encountered too many doctors who will write off the patient as dead already when it’s small cell - and - I guess it’s hard to blame them, given the numbers. </p>

<p>I have a list of 16 long term survivors of small cell extensive; they are all three+ years out. Three of them somehow magically got a complete response in first line treatment and have had no recurrances. The remaining 13 have had recurrances, some with mets to the brain (they all had gamma knife, except one who had wbr), and, to a person, they were all treated very, very aggressively by “push the envelope” type doctors, and, they all were very intensely involved in decisions about their care, including acting almost as a peer with their doctors. </p>

<p>Two of the three who had complete responses to first line treatment and no recurrances since were a little bit the same way - one, now an eight year survivor, mets to liver, got angry at her first oncologist on her first visit because he told her she was going to die within weeks. She fired him, went on a two week long cruise that was already scheduled, and upon her return hired a new oncologist, and had her complete response, and is cancer free today. </p>

<p>Only one of the 16 refused to read anything or do any research on her illness, and did only what her doctor told her to do. </p>

<p>I have spoken to every one of these persons by telephone, some of them several times, and with those few exceptions, they are all very aggressive and a couple of them are rather iconoclastic - and ALIVE. </p>

<p>I think there has to be some way for doctors to be able to help their patients get to the bottom line information that they need to make informed decisions, or at least more readily, rapidly accept the only decisions available. “I’m the doctor and I know best so just do it” may have cut it in, say circa 1950, but, it shouldn’t be the standard today. I’m a “trust, but verify” sort of a person, and I was that way long before I heard Reagan say it.</p>

<p>To the person inflicted with cancer, and probably especially those of us with grim prognosis, there is a very strong need for fast, accurate, credible information, and there is a need to have that information translated against the broader scope of treatment options. So far, I have found only two people who can or will do that to the level I require in order to feel comfortable with my treatment decisions - my current primary oncologist, and Epistrophy & company. And I am sure you will agree that the patient who is comfortable with and who has a high degree of confidence in their treatment is going to respond better, and live longer. </p>

<p>Of course, I realize this might be a difficult burden for doctors who are already faced with all of the economic realities tied to serving patients, and especially if it’s true that there will be a serious shortage of oncologists by 2011 - word is there will be too much cancer and not enough doctors. So I cannot think how to fix this, but, I do know that it is badly broken, and as events this week have proven, very frustrating for the participants on BOTH sides of the desk.</p>

[epistrophy]

<p>painter, Napa Valley property appraiser, “beautiful blonde” - and lung cancer “survivor”</p>

<p>

Sandi Crist’s Napa garage shows what a double life she leads.</p>

<p>Half of the garage holds the black BMW she drives to her job as a property appraiser for the Napa County Assessor’s Office. The other half is the painter’s studio where she creates artwork that consumes most of her free time.</p>

<p>A kaleidoscope of oil and acrylic paint tubes fill three big racks. Hundreds of paintbrushes are waiting in seven big paint cans.</p>

<p>In the back corner, an easel holds a 4x4 painting of a giant martini glass. More than a dozen other canvases hang on the walls or sit on the floor – some completed, some in progress. And there are always a few blank canvases waiting for Crist’s future inspirations.</p>

<p>Inside is the condo that serves as her art gallery.</p>

<p>“The paintings are everywhere,” Crist said. “I ran out of wall space.”</p>

<p>Painting hasn’t always dominated the 53-year-old’s life. The daughter of a homemaker and carpenter, she first owned her own paints and brushes just six years ago when a friend gave her a set as a present. Before that, Crist had sketched, but only for herself.</p>

<p>Her first painting was an abstract she presented as a house-warming present for a girlfriend.</p>

<p>“Once I picked up the brush, I couldn’t get enough of it. I was painting every night when I got home from work. I’d get home on a Friday and paint until one or two in the morning. I never knew I could do it.”</p>

<p>She started painting wine bottles. The paintings received positive notice. She then painted vineyards, wine bottle labels and even pets, usually on commission.</p>

<p>But her artwork took a sudden turn when she discovered a passion for painting romantic scenes with people – figurative art. She took a leave of absence from her day job to paint full time for three weeks with local artist Mike Fitzpatrick.</p>

<p>One day she found herself crying during a lesson. “I was so happy,” she explained. “This is what my life is supposed to be about. And I’m so lucky that I found it.” Crist, however, is mostly self-taught.</p>

<p>Her painting of a couple flirting in a nightclub (entitled “What”) is the most talked about painting in Napa. Everyone’s trying to figure out who the couple is. She admits she’s a die-hard romantic; she’s still hoping for that one sweet love after her first marriage didn’t work.</p>

<p>Crist is a beautiful blonde living in a toney valley that has produced almost as many beautiful blondes, brunettes and redheads as it has pinot noir grapes. But Crist stands out as the only woman with paint spatters on every pair of Seven jeans she owns.</p>

<p>She’s also a rare lung cancer survivor. A long-time smoker, Crist went in for a physical at age 50, where her doctor found a tiny lump on a chest x-ray, which turned out to be malignant on furthere testing. A surgeon removed the entire upper right lobe of her lung, as well as a portion of rib.</p>

<p>“It’s a huge operation. They almost cut you in half,” she said. “It was scary. You don’t know what you’re really in for.”</p>

<p>It was a long time before she could paint again due to the surgery. She didn’t understand why she went into a huge depression afterward, but found that is common with major surgery.</p>

<p>“I’ve never come home since then on a Friday night and painted until one in the morning. I just don’t have that energy any more,” she said.</p>

<p>Her doctor said she’s cured. But Crist knows lung cancer returns to a lot of people who’ve survived surgery. Twice a year, she goes for checkups that give her hope.</p>

<p>“It’s like this huge relief. It makes you think, okay, I’ve got another six months.”</p>

<p>Crist is trying hard to sell enough paintings so she can retire early and live her dream: painting full time. There are still all those blank canvases.</p>

<p>“People say you have to wait until you’re 55 to retire. If you’re looking from year to year and you don’t know if you’re going to be around….” she said. “It makes you look at your priorities differently. I should be doing what I love to do.”

</p>

<p>[Lives</a> To Paint ~ LUXLIFE ~ Life, Luxury, Leisure](<a href=“http://www.luxlifemedia.com/artist/lives-to-paint.html]Lives”>http://www.luxlifemedia.com/artist/lives-to-paint.html)</p>

[latetoschool]

<p>Drinks? LOLOL. I had my second treatment of whole brain radiation this morning, a doublet of chemotherapy thereafter, and now catching up on work, and, if I even thought of drinking anything stronger than water it might be a chemical train wreck. So, everyone please have a second drink on my behalf, and, we will all sleep well tonight!</p>

<p>Cherry blossoms, I really, really want to do this, but, should we consider next weekend instead? I must have a Neulasta shot tomorrow, and am very far behind on a project for a client, and I just need some time. Have lost entirely too much time to cancer this week. </p>

<p>As far as where to meet, hmmm, Harry’s restaurant, 11 and E? The secret service loves to eat there and it’s a bit of a dive but a lot of fun and easy to find…or I am open to suggestions…</p>

[latetoschool]

<p>Jym626 I am late with everything but am sending to you a PM now…</p>

[aibarr]

<p>LOL @ the Spandrel mixed drink… I have some Grey Goose in the fridge, and some fresh lime, just need to pick up some anisette from Spec’s, and LTS, I’ll toast to your health this evening, and once more to your completing the second round of wbr!</p>

[Faline2]

<p>To the person inflicted with cancer, and probably especially those of us with grim prognosis, there is a very strong need for fast, accurate, credible information, and there is a need to have that information translated against the broader scope of treatment options. </p>

<p>You are so righteous on all of our behalfs…in stating that there should be a segment of each treatment hour of aggressive cancer routinely dedicated to fully and cogently sharing data and debating the next step AS THE NORM in a treatment plan when stakes are after all as high as they get. Obviously, some adults do not have the acumen or temperament to sort through alternatives but a patient should not have to gird themselves over and over to withstand initial medical team resistance or antipathy towards full discussion alternatives and pursuit of survival options. You are clearly as interested in speed as anyone on the medical delivery team (!!) yet you are frequently falsely portrayed as “employing delaying/denying tactics” when in fact you only want them to forthrightly give you a complete picture of all choices rapidly and fully so you can make informed choices. And it would be kosher also for them to be willing to read things you turn up and gladly respond frankly to anything you might hear about that has not been tried locally as of yet.</p>