CMF Question
Comments
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Great to hear your news Ritajean. Now you really can enjoy the holiday season!
Mandy
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Rita - So happy to hear the great news! Enjoy the weekend!
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Hi everyone
Colleen- so sorry to hear about your mother-my mom had lung cancer too and I know how hard it can be. This on top of everything you are going through.
Rita-- YAY!! And hey everyone-- I get to actually meet Rita in person Monday!! (Praying for no snow for you though!)
Cute thing tonight--- My 4yr old, Beth asked her Dave what a lawyer does (Dave is a lawyer). He struggled to explain and told her "Well..a lawyer tries to help people with their problems." Beth brightened: "Then I'm a lawyer too! I help Mom with the laundry!"
I howled...
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Julie, okay ... I just cracked up out loud with your daughter's comment ... thanks for sharing !!! This would be one of those that the dh says "what's so funny with the ladies" ???!!!!!
Rita ... hope you received my voice mail ... I'll be in touch !!!
I'll be checking in throughout the weekend ... hanging at home ... still need to spend some time in the yard ... and time to try and make this place look holiday like.
A pleasant eve to all, Carol
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Rita: A big WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO to you!!!!
Now you can enjoy your weekend! Have fun meeting Julie and give her huge and gentle hug from me! (One for you too!)
Everyone enjoy the weekend...Julie, your daughter is precious! Kids are so much fun.
love to all
annie
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Rita: I am so happy that you made out well at the drs. And hopefully you can rest easy.
I spent another day in bed. I feel like such a wimp but I am feeling much better today. So hopefully the worst has passed. My son got us up early to get Christmas started around hear he is trying to be so good with all that is going on. They know that things are not that good wiith my mom. She went to onc and he has to run more tests but he told her right now she has about 3 options. Do nothing, take some kind of chemo pill or a lite dose of chemo. She is funny, she said to me I am not sure if I am ready to do nothing. But the Dr. also told my brother that any of the treatments may only get her a few months. But for 87 my mom is tough ladie. So we will know more sometime next week. Some of my nieces an nephews who live out of state are taking turns coming home. They went to see her before she gets really sick. It is just not fair you would think at 87 you could just close your eyes and not have to suffer.
Want to thank everyone for their prayers and advice. I will try anything and to think my next treatment is right around the corner... Hopefully I will be more prepared.
Have a good day,
Colleen
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Hi Colleen
Don't think you are a wimp for staying in bed when you need it. I had a bad day with exhaustion and achiness yesterday too....so I went to sleep at 8 pm...a little on the early side.
Let your mom do whatever she wants. Sometimes older people respond very well to cancer treaments and do much better than younger people. You never know how well she might do. You and your mom are both in my heart and prayers.
Take care.
Mandy
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Hi everyone! Just had to pop on and see how everyone is doing today. It's COLD in Illnois this morning. I'm attempting to wrap a few more Christmas packages and then give my house a quick "pick me up" before starting on some Christmas cards.
Colleen and Mandy...you should both be about ready for a chemo holiday. That's what we call the good weeks between one treatment and the next treatment. Just rest when your body tells you to rest. Your poor body has been hit with some pretty tough ammunition and rest is the body's way to heal. It has nothing to do with being wimpy! It has everything to do with being "wise!" So hang in there gals.
Carol, I did get your phone message but it was late when we got home on Friday night. I did have one drink to celebrate! Keep me informed please.
Well, I think I've procrastinated enough. If the snow holds off, a few of the gals from this area are going into the Chicago area tomorrow to meet several of the ladies on the Illinois thread (our own Julie, included) for a Christmas luncheon. I'm really looking forward to that!
Hugs to all of you!
Rita
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Rita: I am feeling really good today. I had some aches & pains last night when going to bed, but the tylenol seemed to help. I am looking forward to the next 4 days to feeling well before I go back for my 2nd tx on Friday. We even put the tree up and decorated a little bit. My emotions are really crazy though. One minute I am really calm and the next I am yelling at everyone around, unfortunately it is always either my husband or my kids since they are always here. I have been trying real hard today to keep my emotions in check and it seems to be working pretty well. Well I really should get back to helping out. Enjoy the rest of your day.
Colleen
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Wow that Chicago lunch sounds wonderful. Are any of you from the Philadelpia area? If so maybe we could get together some time....if not before Christmas, maybe early in the New Year.
Mandy
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Hi ladies!
Colleen and Mandy, I second everything Rita has to say. It's your job during chemo to find out what works to get you thru it. No one having chemo is any kind of wimp and no one should expect to "feel normal" during it. If you do, wonderful, but you are having chemicals put into you to do an important job for you and those chemicals come with side effects. Listen to your body, it knows best.
Mandy, occasionally, I get to Philly to see my niece and my kid is in college down that way also. My niece is one medical scholarship to St. Joes in Philly and loves it. I'm up east about 3 hrs. from Philly, and unfortunately most of our ladies are far flung, Washington, Arizona, S. Caroline, Illinois, Chicago........
But isn't is great we can all run this little on line support station here?
Rita, so good to e hear you and hear how good you sound! You remind me of christmas cards, have to get going on that one!
Mandy and Colleen, you'll do just fine, just do as Rita advised me, take a big old calendar, and mark off those weeks in red. It's very empowering! Then, when you get close to the end, we'll all cheer you on!!!!!!!! And throwing out that calendar is truly uplifting.
Rita, I forgot! I have a Reach to Recovery meeting on Wednesday, they may let me do a "show and Tell" to women that want someone after mastectomy and recon. The girl looks pretty good, altho Barbie nippleless, but I don't mind if they don't. Pay it forward, right? I am hoping they will let me mentor, even tho I am not really done. Isn't there some type of time frame, like a year or so? I had surgery 12/10 last year and with this second go round am not exactly a novice at all this crapola, so I hope I can help someone like you gals have helped me.
love you all, beautiful ladies
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Hi all,
I just got in from my visit with my siblings, and I just HAD to check in, to see how your check up went, Rita. YAY!! Great news!!
Well, I gotta go unpack now.
Hugs to all,
Harley
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Mandy: I am from NY on Long Island. I do have family in S. Jersey approx. 15 minutes from Philly. That is where my mom is staying w/my sister and her family. Maybe after the holidays when I am down for a visit we could meet.
Well my daughter needs the computer to finish homework. Thas should of been done already!!!!
Colleen
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Hi Colleen
That's be great.
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Hi Colleen
That'd be great!
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Hi ladies, aka beautiful warrior goddesses that we all are:
Mandy and Colleen, how goes it today? Beginning that chemo holiday? Colleen, how is your mom doing? And Mandy, thank you so much for the sweet PM, I appreciate your kind words. You are an amazing woman to thank someone when you are going thru all this crap yourself.
Colleen, honey, if with what you are dealing with wasn't enough to stick us all in a rubber room, having your mom ill at the same time (AND the holidays, most stressful time of the year), well, you sound like you are being an absolute angel considering. This time last year I was limping out after surgery and beginning recon to stick the red bows on our split rail fence, barely walking but so determined to have christmas, there was nothing going to stop me. Somehow it was symbolic. I usually wanted to blow up the entire neighborhood, so there's some hormones for ya.
But, cursing under my breath, I got the bows up, all 25 of them
. And the cancer is gone, and I have a new boob (which is a barbie boob w/out nip, but perhaps Santa will bring my hubby a nipp for after christmas). In the meantime we have sharpie markers, stick on holiday decals, and my husband still finds me beautiful no matter what. Which is a good thing as I kind of thought I'd have to cauterize his eyeballs or something equally dramatic after this past year. But no. And I am willing to bet your hubby finds you utterly beautiful no matter what stage of the game you are in. Men are sweeter and more loving than we often give them credit for I find, they are just too scared to voice it all.A tip: When I felt that angry feeling come on (and we all do) I would go into the shower and blast the water and just let 'er rip. Cried my eyeballs out. It is so catharctic...really gets all those bad emotions out of you, and you feel so much better afterwards. I called it "mom's meltdown time" and I told my 19 year old (who was frightened by it all) that it is healthy and normal to have a good cry, that 's why they call it just that. She has since told me it helped her to know that it's OK not to be OK. And that when she has stress at college, she does just that and doesn't feel at all bad about it. That's a clumsy sentence, but you get the gist.
Hey, anyone ever get to the Jersey shore? I was practically raised on the shore of LBI....I get off exit for 78W but would happily detour to visit some ladies from our "lucky thread"....girls, there are angels on this thread (and you know who you are Rita,Julie,Carol,Harley,Ginny,SocalLisa,Jill) and they will see you thru.
Harley, hon did you have a wonderful visit? I sure hope so! sometimes those holiday visits can go either way, esp. in my family. We like to say we put the fun in dysfuntional. LOL.
Rita, Carol, Ginny (whose absence I take to mean great job things I hope!), Julie, SoCal Lisa, Jill, everyone..............I hope you are all looking forward to the holidays.
love to all: I sure hope they can fix my PMs!
annie
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Annie
Thanks for asking.
I had a nice visit with my siblings. I am the youngest of SIX! I have one brother and 4 sisters! There is usually always ONE sister who gets in a snit over something. Two of my sisters were VERY UPSET with me when I moved to NC, and one of my sisters is STILL mad at me for moving!
We also are a very dysfunctional family!!
Hugs
Harley
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Hey Harley,
I am the second oldest of six as well. Four girls and two boys. And yup, there is always one who is in a snit.
We're a mess, but a fun mess; but at least you had a nice visit. Don't you find the holidays just bring all of the old issues out in people? I would like to go to Bermuda for christmas and just not do it, but my hubby and daughter are VERY traditional and we have to do it all.
glad you had fun, ignore the snit one.
xo
a
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Bermuda for Christmas. That sounds just about perfect. Where do you stay?
Well I am not doing it this year. I have booked a reservation for us at a wonderful restaurant in Philadelphia. Actually my family is quite happy with that idea because they all love the restaurant too.
My sides effects were different this time. In same ways they were better; in some ways they were worse. I am not quite over them and still pretty "achy" and tired. And the nausea just does not let up. I have extended my pills and take one every morning. Any suggestions?
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Mandy - Sorry to hear you still have nausea. I have a few bags of the ginger candy and would be happy to send you some. Send me your address and I'll get them out on Wed. I only take them during treatment. Does tea or ginger ale work?
I go again tomorrow for #3. I'm praying that I continue to feel good.
Bermuda sounds so good right now. It is about 27 outside and it is bitter. I wish it would just snow.
Annie - I spend my summers in LBI and have been going there since I was in high school. I live off of Rt. 24 which is right by 78. Are you from NJ
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Hi ladies, Oh Mandy, we don't go to Bermuda, I'm just saying I wish.................
For the nausea, I did not ever really get it, but someone who did will be along to give you some tips soon....I heard small, frequent meals, and I swore by ginger snaps when I was pregnant. I kind of felt oddly pregnant cravings on the chemo, so ginger snaps, and candied ginger did it for me. I know Rita used lemon drops. Good luck, someone will chime in in a sec. You know, I did have a lite yoghurt in the car on the way to chemo. Perhaps that is why I never felt sick. My onc had said something lite in the stomach just before. It worked really well for me. You could give it a shot and see?
Scarp, I've been told and in my own experience found it to be true that the first one is sort of a mirror for the rest. I pray you continue to do well also! Good luck tomorrow.
I can't believe you spend your summers in LBI!!!! A sister islander! We go to Surf City every single year, except when my parents got all uptown on us when I was in high school and did Harvey Cedars. For me, since I've been married and before, it's still Surf City (despite the non existent bombs ha ha) I'm not from NJ originally, no. My mom was from Springfield and my dad from Holden in MA. After they married and children, we moved to Madison but went to CT from there when I was little. We still did LBI tho, every summer without fail!
You're right, it's FREEZING. I'm dreaming of LBI right now! Just put your mind in the surf sounds tomorrow and pay no attention to the chemo room whatsoever.
Good luck! You are 3 down almost!!! How many txts did they give you? (or as we used to ruefully remark to each other in the chemo room "what are you in for"? Bad jail joke.) I had 8, so you are almost 1/2 way there!!!
xo
annie
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And speaking of angels, Annie, I met one today....our Julie! What a doll! I made her pose for three different pictures with me because the first two were taken from the side and they made me look fat! LOL I'll try to get it posted later this week.
Harley...so glad you enjoyed your trip and that you're safely back. I will post more tomorrow. I'm beat tonight! It's been a long but wonderful day.
Rita
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Ritajean: I was wondering how th e Chicago lunch was. I can't wait to see your photos.
Annie: I realized that you probably weren't actually going to Bermuda. I was just hoping. I have been there 3 times. One of my kids was involved with a program there and the parents got a discount rate of $120 per night for a room with balcony and water view at the Fairmont Princess in high season. So obviously I had to take advantage. We were guests of some wonderful Bermuda families in their homes and I now have a life long love affair with Bermuda and its people.
I think my nausea is beyond the yoghurt level although I did try a mango lasssi earlier today (a kind of probiotic yoghurt from India). I actually eat a full breakfast before my chemo. I figure I will see if a stronger versin of ginger ale works (you know one of the caribbean ginger "beers"). And then I may give in and call my onc. Wouldn't it be funny if this was actually a case of the virus that everyone in Philly has and I am blaming it on my chemo.
Thanks to all for your thoughtful suggestions. I am off to freeze and walk my dog. Last night she wanted to come home before I did because she was cold. She is 17 so her circulation is probably a little on the geriatric side.
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Sometimes I used Compazine suppositories for the nausea...they did help and they do not go thru the stomach...
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For you new gals.........
Because this is an insecure site, we do not post private information. However, I have an address list that can be shared. If you wish to receive an email with everybody's personal info, send me a PM. Include your first and last name, your address, phone numbers (home, cell, etc.,), email address, date of birth, date of diagnosis, and any other facts you want to share about your diagnosis (stage, grade, tumor size, etc.) I will add your info to the info I already have and send everyone a revised copy. Sometimes it's nice to just have that phone number when somebody needs an "uplift" or an "ear."
If any of you others have any changes that you want made to your info, please let me know. Carol, you did give me your birthday and I didn't come right up to the computer and put it in and so of course, I have lost it. Please email or PM it to me again when you get the chance and I will add it to the directory.
It's raining here today and is supposed to turn to snow later this afternoon or evening. YUCK!
Mandy...hope the nausea is winding down for you.
Annie, I'm anxious to hear how your Reach to Recovery session goes. I'm so glad that your area has such an active chapter of this, as I firmly believe in the program.
Well, today is bowling day so I'm going to have to dodge the raindrops to get to the bowling alley. I'll check in later to see how everyone is doing.
Rita
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Rita- you beat me to it! I was about to log on and tell everyone you are every bit the angel in person that you are on line. And NOT fat, no matter what angle the picture! It really was fun walking into the run- and there you were-- REAL!!
Lousy weather here today. I'm working from home as I'm going to a funeral at 1:00- the mother of a friend who was very supportive to me while I went through everything, so want to be there to support her.
One quick note to those who are dealing with such nausea-- I had great luck with acupuncture. I'm not really certain just how it works and acknowledge that it could be just "in my head," but hey- what the heck- the result was good. I would go the day before and the day after my treatments. Figured I had nothing to lose-- there are really no side effects to it. Many insurances are covering these treatments as well. Something maybe to look into? I called around a bit and asked specifically if the doctor (and I did only speak to those with legit degrees) had any experience in treating cancer patients.
better scoot back to work!
-julie
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Hi Everyone: Today is day 7 after tx #1 and I am feeling really good. The past two days I was able to get some stuff done that I have really neglected. Here in good old NY the weather is really gloomy. It is warmer out today, but it is suppose to rain. I think we are suppose to get the same up and down temps. we had last yr. One day it is 10 degrees and two days later it is back in the 50's. Crazy!!! I just spoke to my mom and she seems a little more upbeat this week. She has a few more tests and we should have the full picture by the 18th. I have my last neupogen shot today (that is until Sat) which is great. I get two full days where I don't have to take anything!! YEA!!!! I hope the 2nd tx (Fri) will not bring anymore SE. I believe this time I will get ahead of the nausea and take the pills earlier. My mood swings even seem better. Well I hope everyone is having a great day and wk.
Colleen
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Thanks for all of the nausea suggestions. Julie the accupuncture sounds great...how di d you find your accupuncture practitioner?
I bought some ginger beer (Jamaican ginger ale--it is not alcoholic). It is more gingery than our ginger ale and it seems to be helping
Mandy
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Hey Gals ... I've been reading along as you have been supporting each other with some good advice. Remember that you should probably not have to cope with nausea with all of the meds available today. Make sure your onc's know you may be having troubles and possibly something else can be prescribed, along with the other great ideas. I took my anti-nausea pills each and everyday of my treatments (I was on oral cytoxan), never did know if I needed it but I wasn't about to find out!!!
I'm at work typing on my Blackberry so no real time for shoutouts ... Other than ...
Julie, I'm jealous of your getting to meet Rita. That was too cool, I look forward to seeing the pics. In my lifetime I too look forward to meeting her and others for a "real life" hug !!!
Virtual hugs for now, Carol0 -
Hi ladies!
Glad to see everybody is up and running. Rita, waiting for those photos from your lunch, I am sure you do not look fat at all, from the photos I've seen of you, you are perfectly lovely.
I sure wish we could all find a way to meet up somewhere, but it is really nice that everyone is so farflung and yet good buddies. Makes the world a little warmer.
Rita, I had to reschedule my Reach meeting, just brought a new tiny kitten home yesterday and the little thing has worms, so had to deal with that today. I am rescheduling with her in the New Year, as she says she will be away. I'm looking forward to helping in whatever way I can.
Yesterday was my one year canciversary.....I had forgotten to mark the date (or meant to let it slip) until a friend called me to congratulate me. I think my new kitten is a positive, happy way to mark it. It's not a date I care to remember, but it does warrant a notice I guess, if only to think of how far I have come. I think I'd rather think of it as flowing away from me with the rest of this past year. I want to move forward, don't like to remember these types of things, other than to say "well, thank goodness, that's over."
And in the spirit of that..........what are everyone's plans for the holidays? My kid is so easy at this stage, she tells us what she wants, we go and get it, done. My husband, now he's tougher.
love to all
annie
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