CMF Question
Comments
-
Yeah, Annie! You've just jumped another hurdle...good results on the heart issue! I knew all those prayers I'd been sending up would be answered! :-) Now you can concentrate on getting through the remaining treatments and putting this chapter behind you. Did you get any answers on the lung issue?
Carol...I got your call. Thank you so much! What a sweetie you are! And what a surprise! As you might have guessed, I was on the golf course. I do so terribly today that I'm having the pro at the club give me a lesson tomorrow in hopes that he can see what I'm doing wrong.
Jill, please send me the rest of your info so I can add it to our contact list. Then I'll send you a copy of the addresses that I now have! I'm waiting to send out Ginny's info and a few additions to everyone until I get yours!
Hi Harley.......I'm sitting here giggling about you and those tattoos! I know that itching is not funny, but I could just see myself rubbing them off, too! YIKES!!!!
Well, I've had a busy day and I'm ready to crash in my chair. I hope all of you are doing well today. Such good news, Annie!!!!!!
Rita
0 -
Rita..I sent you an email..hope you get it..
took a walk today and saw this..
0 -
Rita,
Thanks... When I checked them this morning, they look ok, except, they are peeling, some, which I didn't think was supposed to happen, but still, it's not peeling 'as much' as the last time, I guess. I'm hoping that by the weekend, I can stop putting Vasoline on them and those pads are just awful, they keep sliding around!Hugs
Harley
0 -
I got your email, Lisa. Thanks. I hope to get all the info edited and coordinated this afternoon and out to everyone!
What a fantastic group of ladies we are!!!!
Rita
0 -
Hi girls:
Just checking in, sleeping alot today end of chemos are kind of "wipe out" time, aren't they (well, except for Carol, our 'energizer bunny girl!' Can that girl go! I am in awe...)
Rita, thank you so much for those prayers, they mean the world to me, and the support you ladies give is just amazing. I hope you are feeling great and am so happy to have "in person" addresses....I know who to send thank yous to, who to send cheer ups, to, who to send Happy Birthdays to....just a terrific idea. I won't get the cat scan on my lung til chemo is done I guess, but it'll be yet another 'curve ball" thrown my way I know. I dread chemos now bec. I know my onc., sweet man that he is, will charge in, talk a mile a minute, get me all harried and freaked out and then charge out again. I am trying to get a handle on it, as this is the way he is....the bedside manner could be improved upon tho. Some sensitivity and gentleness (which he does have on occasion) could be utilized to good effect with women. REALLY good effect with me.
I might have my hubby come into the office with me next time, just for moral support, if he needs an exam, Chaz can leave then. (it freaks him a bit to be there).
Harley, is it normal for tatts to peel a little? Seems like something that would be natural, and then there would be pigment under the top layer anyway. makes sense to me, I'll be doing that sometime in fall also. I wouldn't have any patience either with that. I hope it works out better for you.
Can you guys even believe Carol is onto rads already!! So proud of her and the way she has coped. Unbelievable.
All of us, warrior goddesses, all.
love to you each
annie
0 -
p.s. Lisa, you have quite a talent for photography! What a beautiful photo!
0 -
Good afternoon!
Annie...You just rest if you're tired. That's what you're suppose to be doing. Are you still trying to drink lots of water (lemonade, etc) to wash these nasty chemicals through? As for the lung issue, put that on the back burner of your mind for now. First of all, the way you describe your onc, he's have you doing all types of scans, tests, etc. RIGHT NOW if he thought there was a serious issue. I really don't think that he'd let it slide until the chemo was all done. I think he'd interrupt the chemo if necessary. Remember that my chemo was interrupted for a month and a half after four treatments to work in the rads, so they do interrupt chemo if necessary.
Jill, you asked about the Reach to Recovery program. You can just call the 1-800 number for the American Cancer Society and they can connect you with a contact person from your area. If you have a cancer center in your area, they will have info on it, too. Harley mentioned that you have to be one year out of treatments to qualify for the program. I do not know about that as I am taking the training this next month and I really didn't finish my treatments until mid-August of last year. The representative from your area could give you that info, I'm sure. I think they just need volunteers and are willing to train anybody who wants to get involved. I will know more after I have the training. It must not be very extensive as it is only a one night training session.
O.K. Carol....did I miss your beginning radiation date somewhere?
Lisa, the picture of the rose is simply gorgeous. Do you take alot of pictures? If not, you should be taking them. You have a real knack!
Well, I need to get some errands run this afternoon and need to shop for a few special gifts. I'll be back later.
Everyone have a good evening!
Rita
0 -
Hi Ladies, ooops been a little mia on the post.
I covered some ground with Annie via a phone call (that is definitely how I prefer to communicate if I can) and thanks to Ms Rita, I am armed and dangerous with phone numbers!
Annie, trust me I'm not always that energized. I have my moments, I probably just try to share the "whats happening" portion of my life, with a few details of GI distress thrown in for fun! If your body says I need a rest, well then your doing right by it. Kick back, and let the world spin. It will still be there when your feeling like diving back into it.
So Rita, did the pro get that golf swing straightened out? If so, maybe you can send him/her my way. I golfed Tuesday, started off pretty good and then had some hiatus mis-hits! I think I was spending too much time chatting with my friends than trying to find my game. So be it!!! This weekend is another couples tournament, unfortunately I had already commited to going to the Race for the Cure in Seattle, and then a training walk with my 3 Day team after that. So, the dh had to recruit a partner so they could compete with our dear friends as a foursome. So much to do ... so little time!
Oh, I am still a rad "virgin". I've done the simulation, tomorrow I'm having V-scans (xrays, I guess), and will be ready to rock on Monday. I'm scheduled for 7 weeks of the "tanning". I'm hoping that things stay pretty close to the schedule as I'm planning on going to CA to meet up with a couple gals I chat with on the Chemo Jan 2008 thread. When the rad office called today to already change some times of my appts, I'm more than ready to accommodate, just as long as I can get er' done!
Ginny, shucks ... we missed your b-day. Hope you had a special day, for a special lady. You always seem to pop in when one of us could use a boost. Thank you for that.
Harley, wish I had some words of wisdom on the tat. The closes I get to tats, (other than my dots for rads), are the ones that used to come in a Cracker Jack box!
I'm just glad that you didn't leave the post cold turkey, seems like you could use a pick me up, as we all have, every now and again. What a better place to ask for support than with a bunch of gals who literally can say "been there, done that". Chin up!!!
Jill, our vegi gardener. My goodness looks like you all have gotten blasted with some scorcher days, our paper said 113 a couple days ago for Phoenix. No wonder you grow such great vegis! Glad that your enjoying the time spent "puttering", and thank you again for the great care package!
Off to a training walk with my golfing buddy ... she has offered to join me which is a real treat. Will be walking along the waterfront near their home, looking forward to a little different scenery than my path near my home. A bonus too, her dh will be cooking us dinner! My dh will join us as well after work.
Life is Good ... Carol
0 -
Hello ladies!
Rita, you have an absolute gift for putting things in the best way....it had not occurred to me that someone as reactive as my onc is, would never ever leave it for six months unless he was really concerned....this is such a relief, he must be truly unconcerned, you are so right. He of course, had to say "no guarantees" but I'm sure you are right.
Yes, I did rest, there wasn't anything else I could do about it! Fell fast asleep in the middle of the day which normally doesn't happen for me. Oh well, it is what it is.
Everyone sounds busy and happy which is so great....Carol, it sounds like things are going well for you so nice to actually hear your voice!
Harley, hope the tatts are hanging on for you!
Jill, Lisa, Ginny, I now have addresses! I am a crazed card lady and also as Carol says, armed and dangerous! Watch that mailbox!
xoxo
annie
0 -
Annie, that is great! Phew!
Harley, hang in there.
Blessings,
Ginny
0 -
Hi ya'll,
I quit that job, at the pricey dress shoppe. Now I will be inspecting condos, for vacation rentals at Sunset Beach, on Saturdays.
I have an update on the tatts... Annie, I think you are right, they will 'peel' off some, to get all that 'extra' stuff off, and then what is left underneath is the 'base' color... I really don't know what I'm talking about, but it DOES look better this time, so maybe this one will last?
Are you almost finished your chemo? If I recall, you were right behind Carol...am I right?
Rita, I called Reach to Recovery today. I had to call the National # and they connected me to a local office, in Myrtle Beach, and I signed up on the phone. The woman who does the actual hiring will be calling me back soon, so I don't want to go anywhere, just in case she calls. The girl I spoke with asked me if I was "a year in remission", and I truthfully told her that I've been in remission since March 2007. Then she asked me what my dx date was, and I tried not to start an interrogation, but said... "March..." So maybe she'll think mine was DCIS... I wonder if I'll have to give all that info. when the supervisor calls back. She is also supposed to send me paperwork. Did they ask you all kinds of questions about your dx and tx?
Carol, Good Luck with the rads! I'm a wimp, with this 'tattooing', so I am thinking it's a good thing I didn't have rads. Thanks for the words of encouragement! You are right; I have been feeling kind of down lately. It doesn't help that after 22 years of marriage to a wonderful man who I 'thought' was my 'soul mate', I am finding it difficult to talk to him about anything these days. He thinks I should just 'get over it', already.
Ginny, I am so glad that you are still posting here, to encourage those ladies who are still in active tx, and others who can't seem to move on, like me....
Hope everyone has a very enjoyable day!
HugsHarley
0 -
Hi all;
Well about to get my sleepy buns off the couch and off to yet another graduation for my nephew Jim...Hubby and daughter had to do another graduation for a niece and a nephew two-fer, so I said I'd do this one. Sooooo many kids! We had another two nieces last weekend. No wonder I am tired! Two parties back to back for both this weekend as well. I am second oldest of four sisters and for years, all we did was have babies, it seems. In laws also. Now they are all flying the coop about the same time. Whew!
Oh Harley, you crack me up with the job stuff....sounds like me. I am glad you quit that dress shop tho, they should have paid you a modelling fee if they wanted you to wear their clothes!
Your tatts sound like they "took"., here's hoping! I have no idea what's up with tatts, my ps's office does it there with an in house person, but being an artist, that sounds like what would happen to me....but I am really clueless and will be picking your brain when i go to do mine. As of now, i am still Barbie boobed, no nip and expander which makes an attractive block-like shape in clothing. Nice.
Oh well, what we ladies go thru for these stupid chunks of fat on our chests, huh. Once we've fed the kids with them, there's not much point to 'em.
Harley, you are awfully tough on yourself....my hubby is the most wonderful, kind, patient, considerate man I've ever met, and yet he is voicing some "aren't we there yet" comments as well. He also gets a glazed-over look in his eyes when I boob talk. Don't forget, the menfolk, be they ever so great are men. They don't process like we do, they are goal oriented, they don't talk it out....
Thank god for this site!!!! It's probably saved both my marriage and my sanity and my sense of humor. And I am a 23 year vet in October of marriage.
And thank god for all you wonderful buddies on here; bc is a lonely journey, one cannot hope to "get" it unless one has been there.
We have to try to have compassion for others who haven't walked with us, as they cannot understand. I personally have some forgiveness issues and anger issues with family, but working on that.
I don't doubt he loves you dearly, but in the end, they can't get it, sweetie. We do, and we are all here for you.
And I for one, do not find you a wimp at anything. No one making this journey is a wimp. As it has been put by someone wiser than me, "courage is feeling the fear and doing it anyway". You are a brave, courageous, strong woman, now quit bashing on Harley, huh?
Ginny, thanks for the heads up and the "whew!". Me too.
I'm off to watch another birdie fly the nest and probably cry thru it.
I'm so glad it's not mine this year and we are on the other side of it already. I'll bring kleenex for the moms tho!
love to all
annie
0 -
p.s. to Carol:
I'm not sure when you said rads begins, but honey, it's a piece of cake. Knowing you, you will make lemonade with it, in Carol fashion.
Worst thing that you can get from it is a sunburn type of thing, but a little Aloe takes care of that.
It's a big nothing, like dentist xray. You'll just pop in and out and it'll become routine, then like a flash, you'll be done.
One aside:
I got nice white smurfette hair from it! It's unusual, but it was funny and well timed for halloween.
but you will do great, and it will go well, I know. And tamoxifen did nothing to me whatsoever, except I felt terrific and lost weight that I needed to. Could have been from taking better care of myself and watching my diet, but really, it was just like a vitamin after a week or so. No big. You'll do fine.
love to you
annie
0 -
Annie,
You are so kind! Thanks for the encouraging words of wisdom, about living with our dh and other family members who are maybe not so supportive.
I have to go for a trans vaginal u/s tomorrow morning, and I am really not looking forward to that (but who WOULD be happy to have one?). YUCK! I have uterine fibroids, and will have to have them checked. I really wanted to have a hysterectomy, but my surgeon said that it wasn't necessary. Maybe I'll ask my onc nurse when I go back next month. As usual, I'll be going alone...Everyone have a wonderful weekend! Maybe if I just throw the covers over my head in the morning, I can just sleep in, and forget about the 9:30 arrival time, at the hospital, and forget that I need to start drinking all that water around 8:15 or so.... UGH!!
Harley
0 -
Whew, time for bed for early get up, but yes, my night is not totally complete without checking on-line before bed, my form of foreplay these days!!! Pretty sad, as the dh is on the floor stretching, getting ready for a morning of golf and I was just getting my stuff together for tomorrows walk. For my son and I its a early get up to catch a ferry to Seattle, the survivor breakfast starts at 7:00, we'll be arriving about 7:45 at Quest Field (where the Seahawks play). Walking in the Race for the Cure at 9:15, a 5K. After all the festivities I'll be pointing my son towards the ferry to head home alone, as he has to get home to go to work (god I love writing that!!!), and I'll be staying in the big city to meet with some of the ladies I have been training with for the 3 day event. We'll be doing a 10 mile training walk to and from downtown Seattle after the Event. Should be fun and tiring ... my priorities are definitely to train for the Sept event, my dh actually had to get another partner for a couples golf tourney (it's a four person tourney and I'll be the missing link with our dear friends) in the eve, but I'll be pooped to say the least.
So, my rad "V-scan" is probably what you all went through during your simulation. It was a series of Xray's taken for alignment, they are used in addition to the CT. I'd have to say that the pain in my neck from holding still in my mold for over an hour was excrutiating. My arms above my head,and hands faired well, and during the first portion I thought, "this is no biggie", then the stiffness in the neck kicked in ... OMG, I did everything I could to hold still, breath, think of anything I could to try to distract myself from my aching neck. When it was finally over I was informed that I made it through the toughest part, had 3 more tats done, one quite low, near my upper stomach area, that sucker was a tender one. While laying with my hands above my head there is not alot of fatty tissue left in the upper stomach area, I swear that tat went to the bone!!!! All in all, I was told that this appt which I had not expected was just a prelude to Monday's appt, and should make my first day of rads go much more quickly.
Rita, enjoyed hearing your voice today, it definitely puts an exclamation point at my appreciation of your continued support and kind words we all receive on a regular basis.
I'm so fortunate to have a kind, patient, loving dh, but I definitely know that he would not want to be included in all of my dialogue that I have with you all. There is just something that we all share that cannot be related to by those that love us, even if they really wanted to "relate". I actually wish that some of our "significant others" would take advantage of some type of support. I'm sure they are having issues themselves that we cannot relate to as well. I know that if this was my dh dealing with a medical issue, I'd be a basket case.
Better sign off tonight, hopefully I can share a pic from the walk tomorrow night ... hope you all have a great Sat ...
Carol
0 -
hi ladies: just checking on everyone;;;
Carol, my how things have changed! Mine was nothing like you describe, I had no simulation, no tattoos, no mold...they just drew xs on with blue pen and I went ahead. I think even with the crick in the neck (which is sooo awful, I hate that!) this way must be much much more precise and I would think much better. After this, the radiation part is indeed, nothing. You've done the hard part it certainly sounds like.
Will be keeping you in my heart and prayers daily for the next 7 weeks and i am going to mark the days off for you too. I know you'll sail on thru.
Good luck on your walk! This is wonderful of you to do for all of us, all women who have to deal with this sh***.
I think you are totally correct about the guys...I so wish they would connect and talk about it with other hubby's. Mine does crazed yard work to deal. I know if it was him, i would be creating a support group for wives. Men and women deal so very very differently.
Harley, I wish I lived closer, I'd go with you in a shot!!! is there a buddie to go with you? Or could you ask you hubby and tell him you really need him there for moral support? Sometimes the men love (well often) to be "needed" in that way. Could help him do something and feel he had helped you.
An u/s of the lower forty is no fun, but it's not painful. I have ovarian cysts and when she stuck a condom on the thing (I wish I was kidding, not) I had to crack up and ask her what on earth.......turns out it's routine. So don't freak when that happens.
Otherwise, good luck getting anything pulled out. I am pulling all the plumbing and no one is getting in my way. I do not want one single stupid piece of equipment I certainly am not using to turn bad on me.
Good luck tomorrow and go be the warrior goddess you are! Try to see the funny side of it, it can be funny if you let it. It's only a test.
Looking forward to that pic, Carol!
Rita, hope you are doing great, Ginny and Jill too.
Love to all of you!
annie
0 -
Lisa,
That flower is beautiful! thanks for sharing it with us!
Annie
Thanks for checking on me, too.
I've had these us tests before, so I know what happens. It is just so ... yicky, and all that gel stuff they put on you, and ... eee...it is too messy for me!! One dr. told me "sex is messy!" ....hmm... right... and I don't DO THAT very much any more, either.
The tech. couldn't find my right ovary, it was hidden behind my "huge bowel", as the tech called it... how EMBARRASSING!!
I don't know WHY we have to drink so much water, when she just made me go to the bathroom TWICE, so she could get a better view, without my huge bladder, which I guess was also in the way of her seeing things!
My dh just gets mad at me, because I won't "move on". I certainly wouldn't think of asking him to go to a routine test with me. He got so mad when the hospital called about the test. I tried to tell him about it, but he didn't want to hear it. He told me later that he was worried, but that didn't sound like someone who was worried.
Carol,
Is your first rad appt. on Monday? If so, Good Luck! I'll be thinking about you, and praying that all goes well. You are tough, so I know you'll plow right through it with no problems! You are amazing!, and all the walking you are doing...wow! I tried to keep active, and I walked during most of my tx, but I kind of let things go after I started chemo, about 1/2 way through, I was just so tired! But you just kept going!
I salute you, you are my hero!
Harley
0 -
Good morning gals! It's drizzling here this morning but is supposed to clear up this afternoon. I sure hope so as we are going to lawn party and cook-out later today and that won't be much fun in the rain.
I hope everybody is doing well today. Carol, I was so surprised to hear your voice and loved talking with you. I could have gone on and on and on and on...... I hope your walk goes well!
Annie...can't blame you for wanting all that extra plumbing gone. I had mine yanked out the year I turned 50. I had bad fibroids and lots of excess bleeding so it was a pure blessing to get everything removed.
Harley, you will move on when you are ready. You've been through so much and everyone reacts differently to the past and the unknown future. Don't be so hard on yourself. It takes time and deep down, almost all of us still fear the tests. I know I do. DH and other friends just can't understand. They just want us back to the way we were before. I don't think we'll ever be that same person but somewhere along the line I think we will learn to live peacefully with our "new normal." Perhaps you could "practice" your new normal with him and come here and vent. We're always here to listen, dear.
Jill...hope you are doing well.
Lisa...I got your other info. I'll add that on when I add on Carol's birthday (probably this next week) and send everyone an update. Is your birthday part of your email address? Care if I add it also to your info. I have an excess of cards that I love to send out!
Hope everyone is having a good day. Check in often!
Rita
0 -
Hello Ladies, I cut and pasted this morning from my other thread I post on last night...
Okay, I can say for sure tonight that I am pooped out. Zach and I left the house this morning at 6:15am, caught a 7:00 ferry to Seattle. Wanderered around the Race for the Cure venue for about an hour, and we then walked the 5K walk with thousands of others. It was quite a site, the walk went along the waterfront of Seattle, on a viaduct freeway. Once we were back at the Seahawk stadium, we gathered for the survivor parade. I met up with Kalen (thank god for cell phones) or I would have had a tough time finding her in the sea of pink. It was an awesome event, as many of you have already participated in and know that rush of emotion when walking out to applause.
After the festivities I dropped my ds back off at the ferry (as he had to work), and I stayed in town to do a 10 mile training walk. Needless to say I will be hitting the tub once I post here. My dogs are barking big time tonight. Yikes, I told the dh yesterday that I would golf with him Sunday morning. Thats not sounding like the best idea at the moment!!!
Okay, here goes my pic attempt ...
My son and I just as we started out. I must say I was thrilled that he would want to get up at 5:30am to go with his mom to the event.
It was pretty cool to see people as far as you could see in both directions on the rised freeway.
Kalen (whom I'm met here at BC.org) and I after the survivor parade. Bottom line, far too many pink shirts, but atleast we we're here to be wearing them. The most touching site for me today was when I saw two very young kids walking with an older woman. On the back of the kids shirts we're the words ... In Memory of my Mom, and the older lady had .. In Memory of my Daughter. The kids were walking hand in hand with Grandma. I know that they we're just one family among so many that had a story to tell.
I'll be back on later to day to shout out ... was gone all day yesterday and I really need to accomplish some things around the house today.
A good Sunday to all, Carol
0 -
Carol....The pictures are fantastic! I was really touched by your grandmother/granddaughter story. We always see things like this at the walk. Hey, we now have matching pink shirts! :-) Thank you for walking for all of us.
Hugs....Rita
0 -
Carol, such wonderful pictures....I agree with Rita, such a sweet and touching thing about the grandmother and the grandaughters...also, Carol, so sweet of your son to do this for his mom as well..
Far too much pink, but it's amazing what all the support will do too help the fight. So wonderful of you to do this. I hope you feel well, try to take it a little bit easy there, kiddo.
Harley, as always, rita's words are so wise...that is great advice and so true. The first time around for us (my hubby and I ) it took a good six months after all was done for us to reconnect at all...this time around, I am a bit more traumatized and a bit more reluctant and wanting him to try to reach out more....when we are ready.
Every person has their own time frame for coping and their own way. What's a hard bit in a marriage is realizing that, even tho you are the one going thru all this, he, since he loves you, is too. He's hurting too , hon. Just give it time. Something I found helpful in this part of the game was to just do for myself what I wanted him to do, or else find somewhere else to vent. We are all here for you.
You take care of you.
Rita, I so am with you on pulling all the plumbing...I guess when we get thru with chemo, it'll be time to chat about that one.
love to all, and Carol, rest up sweetie, you look fabulous, tho!
annie
0 -
*****CAROL: GO GET 'EM RADS QUEEN!***********************
0 -
Hi Ladies,
Well one down and 34 to go. My rad appt went very well today, I was in and out within 20 minutes. I guess my crink in my neck on Friday paid off today. I'll be starting with my Aquaphor tonight for moisturizing.
Ended up hitting Costco on my way home, bought some flank steak and prawns, now I just need my dh to get home from work so we can eat!!! I probably should be getting something done between now and dinner but I hit the recliner a bit ago and the sun is shining in on me and I've decided to just sit and relax ... oh so not me, but feels so good!!!
Thanks for your encouraging words once again, you gals are the best!
Carol
0 -
Thatta girl Carol, you will find this sooo much easier, and it will just become a blip on your radar.
I bet Aquaphor works great, I should use that on my scar on the foob, today I used olive oil, as a friend told me that also works tremendously well.
I think sitting in a recliner once in awhile should be the new you. You deserve it so much, and your body needs to relax to heal.
Rads will go faster and faster once you get your routine down. I used to treat myself to a nice cup of dunkin donuts joe after as a nice pick me up.
Good for you, I just crossed one off the calendar for you.
It strikes me we really ought to make a calendar for us....with stickers for treatments like in nursery school. We could each be a month. Might be fun!
love to all, hope everyone is well, I was a total slug today after this nutty emotional graduation weekend (AND a sister getting married in July AND we leave for the jersey shore on Saturday)
so I am storing up some energy ahead of time
. Hubby rented a beach house for week to restore my sanity and my health, never mind that I then invite the world as I like a full house and people around. I think he was hoping for a little R & R poor guy, instead the house will resonate to the sounds of Rock Band and teenage noise. Fine with me!Sleep well all my warrior goddesses
GO CAROL!!!!!!!!!!!xoxo
annie
0 -
Carol,Congratulations on your first rad tx!!
Oh, thanks for the phone call! you're so sweet! Those pics are really good, and I know it means alot that your son went with you, and it means alot to all of us that you did the walk for ALL of us!! You are really AWESOME!!
Sorry I tend to ramble too much, here and on the phone... I need to learn to shut up sometimes.
I realize that I forgot to tell you what happened with my port. I was supposed to get it before chemo, but I had my first tx of Taxotere and Cytoxan while my surgeon was out of town, at some conference. When I went to see him, a week later, I told him "I had a tx last week..." He was so nice, and we talked about how I was so upset "that I was going to lose my hair...next week!" I bet he was surprised that I was MORE upset about losing my hair than I was about losing my breasts! Anyway, since I already started my txs and I ONLY had THREE more tx to go, he decided that I didn't need a port... But, by my 3rd tx, it was getting harder to find a vein, and that last one was just terrible! The took my blood for the b/w from my foot OUCH that hurt!, and then they took at least 1/2 hour to find a vein for that last tx! Was I ever glad to be finished!
It was SO nice to talk to you!!
Rita, I got a call from the local office of American Cancer Society, and the woman said that they would call me when they can get a class together. They need FIVE people, and I think they only had two or three.
Lisa,
Rita is right! You should be a professional photographer! You are very talented!!
Annie,
Have a great time at your little beach getaway! Your dh seems like a wonderful guy! Sounds like you are someone who NEEDS to be around people, so the party sounds like a great idea for you!
Maybe next month, when I see my onc nurse, I'll bring up the u/s, and maybe she will call my primary care dr, to get my test results, so that we can discuss AGAIN the possibility of a hysterectomy.
Hugs to everyone!
Harley
0 -
Harley, YIKES on the port story. Sounds to me that you have not had a great amount of luck with some of your experiences during this journey. Here's to having some better luck in the future.
Hey, I can be a pretty good rambler myself when I'm on the phone. I really have enjoyed putting some voices with the words, and have found that a phone call can add a bit of a personal touch to this whole process. Heck I never had spent any time at all on the "puter" until I found this site. I maybe would go and check my e-mail every couple days and that was about it. Just another experience to add to the list over the past months.
Annie, hope you enjoy your not so quiet weekend, sanity huh???? whats that??? I think being half crazed helps this whole adventure!!!
We'll be back tonight, Carol
0 -
Congratulations on the walk Carol. What lovely pics with your son! It is sad to see so much pink, but also wonderful, because that means so many are surviving this battle! Inspirational!
You will sail through rads. Just time consuming and fatiguing. Glad you are taking some time to rest!
Harley, I so agree with Annie. Our dh have been through so much and it takes a toll. It is so difficult for a man to see the woman he loves in pain of any kind, and feel he can not "fix" it. With bc it is such a long road for them to experience this and I think it is really painful for them. They express differently than we do too. Coming here for support is helpful to us and to our dh. Many marriages do not survive bc, so I believe we are very blessed here! Hang in there!
Annie, you are in our thoughts and prayers for getting through your chemo. I hope you have a really fantastic time at the cottage!
How are you doing Rita? I hope the weather is clearing up, so you can get some more golfing in. Today, thank God, we have lots of sun. I feel like I am living in Ireland here, with all the rain. On the up side, boy is the grass green and the garden...looks so healthy. Quite the metaphor for this journey.
Blessings,
Ginny
0 -
Carol,
Actually, I feel that I have been very lucky, throughout my bc experience. I didn't have too much trouble with se's from chemo, and I had support from family and friends, and even when my family quit calling and sending cards (they couldn't understand WHY I was getting chemo!), I still had support from friends and especially everyone here!
During our phone conversation the other night, we discussed my bc pathology, and it was indeed a 'good prognosis', as my drs. said.
Congratulations on the walk! Will you be doing the 3 day walk, later, in Sept.? They don't have any walks nearby, but I guess I could always go to Charlotte, which is a few hours away, or even DC, because I think they have a three day walk there.
Ginny,
I don't think my dh really understands the full impact of this bc dx...that we can have a recurrence at any time, even if we had a pretty favorable pathology report, as I did. To him, I am 'finished', and that is the end...
It is so very nice to hear from you! I am so glad that you are posting here, giving support to everyone!
Thanks for including me in this group of wonderful women, even though I never actually had CMF!Hugs,
Harley
0 -
Hi gals, how is everyone tonight!
Harley, so nice to have you back with us, we need you and your unique "take" on stuff...you have not had an easy time of it, that's for damn sure, but you are no quitter, and so not a wimp. It's so true what ginny says about our husbands, how I wish there was support for them...I know there are groups, but for a guy to get up and do that, well, most of them wouldn't. I know there's been a time or two when I thought our marriage might be a casualty of bc...but not so far. I give alot of credit to the fact that we are both extremely stubborn and that both of us insist that glass is half full, no matter what. I still cannot make myself show him a thing, and he is scared to come near me, so we have quite a way to go. I hope the beach will relax us both and the sea air will help heal all the psychic wounds as we all know they do take a toll.
It's funny that you think I am someone who seems to need people....I am actually quite happy to be a loner, my business is a lonely one and I am fiercely independent, so much so that my husband thinks I don't need him. What I do need tho, is to nurture and support, so therefore I find myself here and am so happy to be here to help in any way, and have been so grateful to have received the support back in turn and in such astounding measure! I have not been the recipient of much of that in my life so these shining jewels of happiness that I stumble on (like my husband, my daughter, and you guys!) mean all the more to me. thank you to all of you so much.
It's true that bc is so frightening. But the way I have come to view this journey is that hey, life itself is fatal. no one gets out alive, right? So I've had 50+ years already, a great marriage, good lifelong friends, a good prognosis (twice!!! so that is twice blessed I think) anything I have from now on is a blessing and a gift. I also think we almost have an obligation to learn from this and then pass it on and help other women. So we could choose to see that as a gift as well. Carol, how wonderful that you say it is an adventure. You are a very inspiring woman and a sweetie as well. I love your upbeat spirit and indomitable will.
Ginny, you are so correct, I too feel about the guys and how they just cannot process this well. Mine is a clam (I usually have to have a conversation peppered with" hon, this is the part where you would be well advised to make a kindly comment or compliment" or else I make ridiculous stuff up to see if he's listening. Like "aliens landed in the back yard charlie, and they'd like a burger on the grill as well"....it's kind of fun, but it does show you how much they can tune out.
I love your garden analogy....healthy. Freudian slip, there,my dear, you must be feeling better these days I hope?
Rita, how are you today? I am hoping well and happy!
love to all, warrior goddesses
annie
0 -
Thought I'd chime in on the support of our dh's. I've pretty much gotten to the point that I try real hard to not bring up my bc world (what all I talk about with my lady friends on-line), to my dh. Although he never would mention it in a million years, I think he has probably had his fill of me being so engrossed on the topic. I'm not sure what it would have been like if there we're not the resource of bc.org to really let it all out and share with others that so totally can relate. They say that there is such a common bond with bc survivors, I'm not sure that anyone can feel that intense feeling unless your in the middle of it, such as ourselves. It would be a pretty lonely feeling and I think it would also have been so much harder on our relationship, if he was the one getting bombarded with my feelings 24/7.
Hmmmm, not sure if I really got that out how I wanted ... bottom line, I'm so fortunate to have a great dh, and I'm also fortunate to call you all my friends.
I did have a little chat with the rad office nurse today in regards to possible se's from rads. She also went over skin care. I asked about going in salt water, as we're an avid watersport family. She recommended staying out of the salt water and avoiding chlorinating pools as well. Looks like a rather "dry" summer for me. I'll trading in my swimsuit top for a T-shirt as well while boating. Oh well, there's always next year!!!
Rita, hit the links for nine holes after work with a gf. I was on fire today, hit a 44. It amazes me how "inconsistent" I can be. I'll probably add atleast 10 strokes to that score on my next outing. It was nice to golf in a bit warmer weather here in the Pac NW. Hoping that you have been on the course yourself!
Ginny, thanks again for the encouraging words, my rest was short lived, although nice while it lasted. I figure that as long as I'm feeling decent I want to keep on movin'. If the rad fatigue sets in later on I'll promise myself that I need to take it easy. Easy for me to say right now!!!
0
