2012 LUNGevity Hope Summit, Blogs

I had a terrific weekend with the kids. With the nice sunny weather, we spent every minute having fun. On Saturday, they got creative with painting, attending an art class at Gymboree, visited Grandmas, played at the park and went to an evening party.  The kids also made new friends at one of our neighbor's party, which we stayed a little later past their bedtime again. On Sunday, they had a blast at the Jungle where they climbed throughout all the play structure and then afterwards, since the weather was so nice and warm, we went to the park where we rode the train and the carousel and then played in the playground.  All in the all, the kids just love it when I'm home hanging out with them. Of course, before the fun day starts, I always try to get them all to do a little bit of academic, reading, writing or math work in the morning, especially trying to get Ethan motivated to finish up his Kumon homework. With a little of push and hard work, Ethan's moving along slowly with his math, reading and writing skills. Our weekends are always full with lots of good, family quality time.

Lungevity 2012 Hope Summit

I read about this 2012 LUNGevity Hope Summit at http://events.lungevity.org/site/TR?fr_id=3420&pg=entry while doing my weekly reading about Lung cancer news. It's a pretty cool event. I won't be attending since I have work and young kids and no sitter to watch them overnight. As it states on its website, this summit "is a survivorship conference for lung cancer survivors of all ages and stages of disease, currently in or out of treatment, that will include inspirational speakers, medical expert forums, advocacy forums, lung cancer survivor-specific sessions and opportunities for lung cancer survivors to connect with other survivors and share their stories with the public and media." I'd like to attend it one day but not his year.

Besides the summit, Lungevity also posts some inspirational stories of real life Lung cancer survivors. Some of these survivors tell an amazing story of their miraculous remission of being cancer free after a stage 3 or near death diagnosis. Check it out at Faces of Hope: Kathy Smith , Faces of Hope: Jamie Young  and much more at http://www.youtube.com/user/LUNGevityFoundation/feed?filter=2. I hope I'll be like one of them someday and be cancer free, but with knowing what I have, I don't want to hold onto false hope but it's still awesome to know that there are others out there who have miraculously been "cured" or cancer free. Watching them tell their individual stories, I'm left at awe and wonder on how they were treated so that I can share it with my own Dr to be on the similar treatment regimen.

Lung Cancer Support Group

Besides belonging to the Stanford Lung Cancer support group, I also belong to an online Lung Cancer support group call http://www.inspire.com/, as well as the "Living Room" at  http://www.lungcancerfoundation.org/living-with-lung-cancer/lung-cancer-livng-room/. I haven't attended any of the meetings from the "Living Room" monthly meeting since it's a pretty far drive to San Carlos and it meets  late in the evening on a every THIRD Tuesday of every month from 5:30-7:30pm. But it's launching a live webcast meeting this month and so I will definitely be sure to log in and attend online via live webcast.  Lung cancer is a terrifying, lonely, depressing and sad illness and it's hard to really cope and deal with it on a daily basis and so talking, discussing, and hearing the latest news and coping it with similar people who have it helps.

Other Lung Cancer Blogs I f follow

As I'm still learning all there is to know about my illness, I also follow a few others who have what I have as a way to see and learn how others deal with their treatment and recovery. Some of these Lung Cancer bloggers have exactly have what I have; stage 4 non small cell lung cancer and they all share a unique, inspirational experience. I've listed their blogs that I follow below to help spread the hope that these blogs bring about and have also separated it by blogs who have sadly lost their battle against this devastating disease. All of these blogs and many more which I have not listed, are all well kept; well written and well documented.. So many endless thank yous to all of them all for sharing their experience.  Here they are:

Current Amazing Blogs I follow: 

1. http://outlivinglungcancer.com/, by  Linnea Duff. As she states on her blog, "My purpose in recounting my experiences is two-fold:  to offer hope and to provide a window into the life of someone living with terminal lung cancer.  And I do mean living. "  She's currently a SEVEN year survivor of stage 4 NSC Lung Cancer.

2. http://jimallen-lungcancerhappens.blogspot.com/, by Jim Allen, who shares his 5 year of living with stage 4 lung cancer. He's had whole brain radiation before and now will be going through it again.

3. http://crushmycancer.blogspot.com/, by Norm Wu, a Doctor himself, who at at the age of 40 years old, otherwise a healthy non-smoker, was diagnosed with stage 4 NSC Lung cancer in 2011. With faith and his chemo treatments, his treatments currently have given him a 90% reduction of his tumor masses..Amazing. 

4. http://sk-livingwithlungcancer.blogspot.com/, by Sk, who was diagnosed with stage 4 NSC Lung Cancer on June, 2008. He writes about his own ups and downs with dealing it, both with Chemo and Chinese Herbal medicine.

5. http://www.mikebakereducation.co.uk/beatingcancer/, by Mike Baker, an award-winning journalist, author, broadcaster, and media specialist in the UK, who keeps an uplifting, unique blog on his NSC adenocarcinoma lung cancer treatments. He was diagnosed, April 2011, and is currently rejecting getting anymore CT scans, chemo treatments and is trying an holistic, natural approach to treat his cancer with supplements, raw diet, cutting out glucose, no grains, no cereal, no red meat and no diary products and follows the Budwig diet. He takes about 130 large doses of expensive supplements per day and also does the twice per day coffee anemas.  Amazing...

RIP bloggers of NSC Lung Cancer, their Gift to other NSC Lung Cancer survivors

1.  http://www.themelissawaller.com/tag/lung-cancer/, by Melissa Waller.  A young, non smoker, otherwise healthy, she kept a well documented journey through all her treatments as a stage 4 NSC Lung cancer survivor. A definite courageous, spirited warrior.  

2.  http://www.godincontrol.bravehost.com/, by Emily Wong. Amazing journal of her faith and strength.

3. http://dorothysauber.com/, by Dorothy Sauber, an incredible, talented writer who wrote and published her essays as she courageously battled her stage 4 NSC Lung cancer. Her work is now published for free.

As for me, I'm still trying to get used to my power port as it's still uncomfortable and naggy underneath my skin. I'm doing alright and will get a CT scan this coming Tuesday to see how my current chemo treatment is doing. Send me good thoughts, prayers and strength my way please.  Lots of thank you to all of you for your support.  Lots of Love.