<p>I don’t think “impossible” cards are like pulling bunnies out of hats. I really don’t think that we each have a finite number. I think that stubborn people have a way of completely disregarding poor odds. You’re one of those people, and true to form, you’re disregarding poor odds. You don’t need more “impossible” cards, you just have to keep being your stubborn old self.</p>
<p>Good luck with your FCPA meeting today!</p>
<p>Though not specific to lung cancer – from today’s newspaper, an article about a project currently under way that could be useful in tailoring treatment regimens for patients in the future. </p>
<p>[Detecting</a> the efficiency of a drug on a body part](<a href=“http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/367745_accium20.html]Detecting”>http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/367745_accium20.html)</p>
<p>LTS, i am NOT a doc (nor do I play one on TV…ugh, sorry, could not resist), but it seems to me that you should just regard the steroids as one more weapon in your daunting arsenal. I get your concern, but it seems from your description of your primary oncologist (and the rest of your outstanding medical team) that they are going to stay on top of things and will get you off of the drugs ASAP. In the meantime, you obviously are benefitting significantly from the effects of the steroids. Your body just needs that added weapon.</p>
<p>Just the way I see it, and as always you are on the top of the prayer list!</p>
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<p>–Patti Smith</p>
<p>Aibarr, thank you, my meeting FCPA did not go as well as I hoped - oh well, that’s what it’s all about, moving the business forward incrementally…</p>
<p>Churchmusicmom, thank you, I am trying really hard to look at it that way. I felt somewhat better when I talked to the five year survivor tonight and he told me about all of the medicine he was on when he went through this - up to and including morphine!!! Scary stuff, that. I do not like drugs…</p>
<p>Zipyourlips and ADad, thank you…</p>
<p>Have a question, maybe someone can help. Colleagues have authorized to pay for a personal assistant for me. The issue is that evidently this fight will continue for a bit longer, and, my physical recovery isn’t going to be fast. I am surrounded by caregivers but they are caring for me because they want to. I never, ever ask for things, but if they say “what can I fix you to eat” or “I am going to the store, what do you need”, I will respond. So far I have not missed a meal and I cannot imagine what I would do without such awesome friends. But it’s an informal system built on friendship and goodwill, and therefore not a guaranteed solution.</p>
<p>I need someone I can direct to do these things, and to do other things such as get me to meetings, events and appointments on time, pick up dry cleaning, prescriptions, keep my clothes and living space organized, keep my offices in shape for when visitors come; and they need to be very, very trustworthy, as a lot of my work is confidential, but also, we are still keeping my illness very confidential. Plus, they will need access to funds, so they can pay for things like food, dry cleaning, etc. </p>
<p>I just went through the process of hiring a marketing executive - a job I understand, and where I can recognize the skill sets and core competencies required. It was an exhausting process and hiring is my least favorite thing to do. </p>
<p>How in the world do I hire then for this position I do not really understand? I am wondering what I am looking for - a retired person perhaps? An intern? Who would want to be the “go to” person for a rather weird cancer patient? What is the reason someone would want to take on work like this? I am not sure how to advertise and screen for it, because I do not understand why someone would want to do it…</p>
<p>Wow, I had to go back to read your earlier post to find out what meeting you were referring to… I am sooo glad it was a business meeting that did not go as well as hoped, and not a meeting with your doctors. 
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<p>(I know – your career is important too… but we CC support group members are pretty much single-mindedly focusing all of our positive energy, good wishes and prayers on the health front. )</p>
<p>Thanks for the catch Calmom - I just went back and edited my post, so that no one else thought the same thing! My apologies!</p>
<p>I was at my eye doctor’s office recently. A professional-looking woman, apparently a representative of a pharmaceutical company, was just leaving. </p>
<p>A middle-aged woman approached her and said something like “You appear to be a very busy professional woman. Could you use a personal assistant?” and handed her a business card. “I run errands, go shopping, pick up presents, all of the things that you are probably too busy to get to when you would like to.”</p>
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<p>I think that someone would want the job because they are good at being helpful, they enjoy being helpful, and with the job they can even get paid to be helpful.</p>
<p>You want a butler, I think, and there are female butlers, if that matters to you. You might contact one of the agencies who do training, hiring, etc., and ask if the duties you need covered would be appropriate to the training and position. Politicians have an assistant called a body man (Reggie Love does this for Barack Obama) who do what you need…you could investigate how they find such talents…certainly discretion is very important in that kind of job, too, not to mention unending energy. Good luck. Lorelei</p>
<p>Regarding the Personal Assistant: I would start with mentioning it to everyone you know and trust who knows about your condition. Perhaps that nurse you love has a neice who hates her current job and would be great at what you need.</p>
<p>At first, do not let the person have access to very much information or money. As time goes on, you can increase it.</p>
<p>You might feel better about it if you declare the number of hours/day and pay well. I’m not familiar with the DC market – would $100/day be reasonable? </p>
<p>Interviewing: I would type up a list of tasks and give it to the candidate a few minutes before the interview begins. During the interview ask them what other ideas they can come up with. If they say, “I don’t know” then you can scratch them. If they pounce on the question and begin listing additional ways they can help, put them on the short list.</p>
<p>There are people who would love the idea of a varied and interesting job that requires them to be proactive in helping someone.</p>
<p>and another</p>
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<p>[Lung</a> Cancer Survivor Story, Personal Stories, Research and Information - Guide4Living](<a href=“Guide4living.com”>Guide4living.com)</p>
<p>Re: Personal Assistant. Two of S#2’s friends, both girls, have worked as a Personal Assistant to an author who lives in the area. Each girl worked in that capacity for 1-2 years and took the job as a new college graduate. I believe these girls are interested in the field of pr/communications – am not sure exactly how they were recruited. Job responsibilities involved scheduling, arranging flights, personal errands. filling in for the author at social events, lots of telephone work. According to my friend – mom of one of the girls – this was a perfect first job. I think annual salary was $40,000 or a bit more.</p>
<p>I wish I lived closer. I’d love that job!</p>
<p>Thanks, Binx, if you were here, I would hire you!!! :)</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for the responses, I really appreciate it. In the past two weeks I have spent over $1,000 on cab fare alone, because I have not been well enough to walk to the Metro to get to my office, and because of the necessity of getting to my health care providers and doctors nearly every single day, and then of course back to my office again, and then home. My caregivers and friends are people my age with professional positions and so they are working during the business day. To a person they have all offered to take time off but I simply cannot imagine this - I have visions that it will be the holidays and they won’t be able to be with their families because they used up all of their leave time trying to take care of me. </p>
<p>I can of course work from home but I prefer going to my office, where I am in a professional environment. </p>
<p>I do need sort of a version of a Reggie Love, but, Reggie at least has a career path - hopefully it’s the WH for him in a few months - but in my situation the person will have no real career path and no future - this is just a matter of taking care of matters for a finite period of time. </p>
<p>So anyway, I had a discussion this morning with the caregiver who made me breakfast, and she is going to put out an inquiry to an athletic club we both belong to. It turns out that there are competitive athletes in town for the summer who can use the extra cash, and, the cool thing about being in the presence of this sort of person is that they have a way of pushing you forward and not tolerating weakness (vs. a caregiver who deals with sick people all of the time and doesn’t really expect them to improve, and so communicates and interacts). </p>
<p>So we will see how this goes; beyond this, I am not sure really what to try.</p>
<p>LTS, if you know anyone (corporate exec, philanthropist?) who has a personal assistant/concierge you might ask how they filled this position. In our area there is a small company that specializes in such services. It was started by former Nordstrom managers who excel in customer service. Unfortunately I can’t remember the name or locate it online, but there might be something similar in the DC area. </p>
<p>OK, just found it – callahanconcierge.com – and the high hourly rates suggest that hiring a PA makes more sense than using this type of “concierge” service! </p>
<p>Starting with the health club contacts sounds like a great idea since you need someone who is energetic and dynamic.</p>
<p>LTS-
Does your organization have employee assistance services? You should check with the HR department and see if they have work-life services. They can set the concierge service/personal assistant services up for you.</p>
<p>Z, thank you; after further thought we are convinced that an athlete may be the best possible solution; it’s really, really, important for me to be surrounded by people who convey the attitude “come on, get up, get moving, get fighting, you can DO this” vs. “oh you poor thing you’re so sick”. So I am hoping this works out and that there is a viable candidate…</p>
<p>My daughter conveys this attitude, as do my other caregivers…</p>
<p>Jym, I, uh, am HR, in a sense…</p>
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<p>Well, it’s never too early to begin seeing, in your mind’s eye, next spring’s cherry blossoms.</p>
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<p>–Basho (1644-1694 [The Essential Haiku, p. 48 (Robert Hass, ed. 1994)])</p>
<p>LTS-
Are there EAP benefits? Do you have relationships with the companies that provide the work/life services?</p>
<p>Here’s an example of a company that provides work/life services. They will have the networks already in place - you don’t have to do the research to find an assistant- they already have these networks in place.</p>
<p>oops-- forgot the link ! [Work-Life</a> Services - Ceridian](<a href=“Dayforce - Global HCM Software | Dayforce”>Dayforce - Global HCM Software | Dayforce)</p>