how about drinking?
Comments
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My hair had started to thin a bit even before the letrozole (my stylist hinted at perhaps temporary extensions if I had a big formal occasion coming up). I am nearly halfway through my 5 years. Not sure if my MO will want me to do 10, or will order the BCI test as I get closer to the 5-yr mark. It'll depend on how bad my side effects are by then, too. I'd be nearly 70.
I spoke too soon--my MRI results just came in. Not horrible but not as benign (in the generic sense) as I'd hoped. Good news: no fracture or dislocation, carpal tunnel syndrome, knuckle arthritis, ulnar tendon tear or tenosynovitis. Not-so-hot news: I didn't just strain the the TFCC (triangular fibro-cartilagenous complex) disc--I tore it, along with part of the "volar distal radial ulnar" ligament. (Hey, I don't do anything halfway). There's edema & synovitis of the wrist joint--and there's a little teeny chunk of either the disc or ligament floating around in the synovial fluid. There is "degenerative disease" (hello, osteoarthritis, my old friend) at the basilar and triscaphal joint, with mild bone-spurring. There is some edema in the "pronator quadratus muscle belly," which explains why it hurts like an m.f. to turn my hand inward. And that clicking I first had when supinating (turning outward) that seems to have healed is not my tendon flopping around, but that little chunk of disk or ligament getting in the way.
At least I know it's not wearing the AppleWatch that is causing this (there is some tinfoil-hat cuckoo-nutso theory going around the Apple message boards that the emissions from the pulse sensors on the back of the watch--and radio waves from the cellular version, which I don't have--are causing people's wrists to hurt)--I actually injured my wrist when I fell (and likely aggravated it trying to open that stupid Tylenol bottle to boot). If anything, my watchband is acting sort of like a wrist support.
Unfortunately, the report in my portal doesn't include the pix. Will ask Dr. Gray if he can e-mail them to me. And it's a good thing I held off on scheduling PT/OT--I need to find out what he wants me to do. If surgery is indicated, I might as well go ahead and try to play my gigs, since the same injury would have to be repaired either way. (June is a $1000 month for us--which also is AFM pension-eligible).
Not gonna tell my singing partner the results yet till I speak with Dr. Gray--no point in worrying him needlessly. We have a couple of Skype rehearsals Wed. & Thurs. afternoon, so I should know before then. Worst comes to absolute worst, I can still sing.
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Just read the NEJM article about the TAILORx trial--reinforces my and my MO's decision to skip chemo. I notice that while Genomic Health (OncotypeDX's developer/mfr) defined "intermediate risk" as 18-25, the study refers to 11-25 as "mid-range," aka "Arm B & Arm C--endocrine-only, and chemo-endocrine, respectively. It further splits the 11-25 group into 11-15, 16-20 and 20-25. (The only cohort among the 11-25'ers for whom chemo is beneficial is those under age 50 scoring 16-25).
Interestingly, there was no difference in disease-free survival, recurrence or all-cause mortality between Grades 1, 2, & 3, tumor size (1.1-5cm), or low vs. high clinical risk (the combo of menopausal status, grade, and tumor size) or even other genomic test risk groups (MammaPrint, Prosigna).
Except for the under-50 crowd scoring 16-20, there is no statistical difference between "Arms B & C" when it comes to local (ipsilateral) recurrence or new primary tumors, contralateral primary tumors, regional (chest wall, clavicle, new axillary nodes) recurrence or even mets. (The difference gives a tiny, tiny edge to "Arm C," but only a few fractions of a percent. When it comes to all-cause mortality, it flips: "Arm B" outlives "Arm C" by one decimal point).
The next arm of the study will be about women with one, two or three positive nodes, of all ages 18-75, and any Oncotype DX scores--which could take several years, perhaps a decade, because until a couple of years ago the test was offered to only node-negative women.
One of the authors of the study was Loyola's Kathy Albain--who was a resident at UIC along with Bob back in the day.
I wonder whether, given these results, Genomic Health will reassign its low, intermediate, and high risk groups...or maybe even ditch "intermediate" in favor of very low, low and high risk.
There will probably be a lot of very, very angry women who scored 18-25 over the years and had to endure chemo, possibly with permanent hair loss, neuropathy, and cardiac disease--just as there were women in the pre-lumpectomy days who were subjected to going under anesthesia for biopsies and waking up without a breast and all the axillary nodes on that side; and doubtless, 20 years from now, women who will find out if they could have safely stopped endocrine therapy after 5 years or skipped it entirely.
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Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Monday Monkey Day! What a beautiful day we had here yesterday. I got the raised bed garden planted AND got 3 out of 4 sections across the fence done. Need to buy some more hostas and plant some sunflower seeds to finish the last section. Didn't think I could get that much done in one day! Got a bit of sun color to show for my work, too. Sadie likes it when I work along the fence, she can sit across from me and supervise from inside. Should be an interesting day at work, got an appointment with a family in the afternoon to discuss the ongoing care of a person with end-stage Parkinson's Disease that has developed the paranoid form of Parkinson's Dementia. Going to be a difficult discussion, but one that has to happen. Prayers would be appreciated.
Goldie--I think females are more detail oriented when it comes to health care stuff. I will certainly give DW a hug for you if I can!
Cammy--I'm not going away until October, but am looking forward to it! I imagine work is pretty busy for you these days, just make sure you take care of yourself. So sorry your BFF passed on, it is sad when someone we know moves on. And at our age it's happening more and more often. Hugs.
Goldie--Glad you've got help with the garage/estate sale. They can be a lot of work. Praying for peace for you and your Mom.
Jazzy--Wow, the jamming sessions sound like they were a lot of fun for you! So good to have something like that in your life. I wonder if the TaylorX results were behind the report I just heard on the news that most women with the most common form of bc (hormone positive, her2 negative, node negative) do not need chemotherapy. The report said surgery and hormone therapy alone was just as good as surgery, hormone therapy and chemotherapy. Just looked at the article, yup, this is based on the TaylorX results. I am really looking forward to the conference and a couple days of vacay in October. Sadie will be fine, and it's actually kind of funny how she tries to ignore me and still get tummy tickles when I get home from a trip.
Dara--Good to hear from you, I've been wondering what's going on with you. Sorry things are not going well. Still praying for you.
Readytorock--Welcome to the HTL! What kind of wine are you drinking?
Chi--the dulcimer fest sounds like a real blast!Love the idea of the Dulcimer Petting Zoo. Do take care of your wrist, though. Ooh, that MRI report sounds painful and complicated. You really do not do things halfway! Well said about the possible future effects of the TaylorX study results.
Countess Bunty Rothschild's DOTD:
Paranoia Cocktail
Ingredients:
- 1 part Malibu
- 1/2 part Peach schnapps
- 2 parts 7-up
- 1 part Assorted fruits
- 1 part Ice (crushed)
Pour the ice into a mixing glass and pour the Peach schnapps glazing them. Add malibu and transfer to a cocktail glass. Fill up with 7-up, and depending on individual taste, mixed fruit can be added to the top.
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Good morning- quick message before I get to my day.
Chi- I agree that the ranges will likely change now with the intermediate range going away and more of the "if you are over this, you should do chemo". When I was given my scores in 2012, the upper range was 31 so things have evolved there as well. Interesting about younger women and the intermediate ranges having a different recommendation, but given some of the challenges for younger women face with more aggressive cancers, chemo does make sense. My score was 23 for the IDC and the docs were really clear they had no data to support the decision. So it was up to me to decide if I want to do chemo or not. I said not. I was 52 at age of dx.
And I know people who were in that range and did do chemo, but it was also posed to them as a choice too. Many women choose more aggressive treatment, especially if there are young children at home (some women here on this thread are int hat situation, as we know). But to me, you make the best decisions at the time with the data available.
Cancer tests and treatment options are evolving all the time. When I did brachytherapy rads in 2012, it was cutting edge and now many places due in situ types of radiation vs. external beam. I just saw an ad today on the local channel for a new type of internal rads done during surgery. I was put in to a Harvard study by my BS for the internal rads study. The guy who did my rads in AZ was the expert in the world on this technique and he, my BS and the imaging center here teach on this all over the world!
Kind of cool one of the authors of the TaylorX trial is a colleague's of Bobs too?
NM- yes, this does relate to what you are hearing on the news. I was only familiar with the TaylorX trial because I fell in that intermediate zone. I had kept tabs on that for awhile but never heard the trial had finished. Until this weekend.
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Still trying to figure out who y'all are individually but I must ask--you have a Disney Whore?? Because my friends know all too well that I'm a little obsessed with that place. Really not majorly, but my endorphins definitely kick in when I even think about it. (Quick back story--hubs wouldn't be caught dead in an amusement park, so when my kids got older and started asking when they could go, I made the executive decision to take them each individually the summer after fifth grade. There just is nothing better than a mom and one 11-year-old boy doing the parks. Those were some of the best days of my life. So yes--I've been back a couple of times on my own. DO NOT TRY TO MAKE ME FEEL BAD ABOUT THAT.)
Other than that, the evening of Taxol #3 I finally got the first handful of hair. :-( The good news is it hung on through the weekend for my 40th college reunion. Besides that, we got a new dog yesterday. So yeah--SEs? Ain't got no time for any of that BS. . . (And after indulging quite a bit starting early May with my son's graduation right through this past weekend, trying to put down the bottle until a big fun Pig Roast on the 16th. ;-) )
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This more accurately explains the differences between GenomicHealth's 0-17 "low risk," 18-25 "intermediate risk," and other reporters' characterization of 11-25 as "intermediate risk."
Genome Web: TAILORx results June 2018
Note that it succinctly states the true gist of the study: that OncotypeDX results, like those of MammaPrint, EndoPredict & Prosigna, can now be classified as "binary"--low vs. high risk, eliminating "intermediate." It states that before the results were announced, the 0-17-ers were already mostly being treated with endocrine rather than chemo-endocrine adjuvant therapy, and concludes that the real group whose concerns were addressed were the 18-25 group that Genomic Health originally classified as "intermediate risk." Therefore, except for women younger than 50 scoring 16 or above, those of us in the 11-17 group were never really "intermediate" by any credible standard. (This also reinforces my long-held opinion that had I been diagnosed at 49 rather than 64, I'd have opted for chemo based on my ODX score of 16).
Again, I feel really awful for those women who were subjected to chemo unnecessarily and whose QOL has been significantly worsened.
(I also include the very small number of men with Luminal A & B bc--though I don't know if the study did).
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Ingerp, a couple of years ago some of the ladies in this thread (including NativeMainer) took a Disney cruise together and had a blast.
I wish I could share that enthusiasm. When I was a little kid in 1950s-60s Brooklyn, SoCal was a magical, mythical place with (to me) Disneyland--not Hollywood--as its capital. I never missed an episode of Mickey Mouse Club, except when I had afterschool obligations like Scouts, or we were on vacations with no access to TV. (I must confess I resented the hell out of L.A. for stealing my beloved Dodgers--until we finally got the Mets, awful as they were those first 7 years). I always wanted to visit Disneyland. Disney World just didn't hold the same appeal to me even though FL was closer than CA. I finally visited Disneyland (and Southern CA) in 1985, when the American College of Cardiology was held at the Anaheim Marriott and Bob was being inducted into it. One of the drug companies bought out the park on a weeknight (when it wasn't open to the public) and we attendees were turned loose and allowed unlimited rides, even on "E ticket" rides, for free--it was just before the park became single-admission, no surcharges for rides. We went back in 1987 when Bob had a cardiology course in San Diego, and by then Gordy was able to fully enjoy it. In March 1993 we went back, for the ACC again.
Didn't visit DisneyWorld or Epcot till autumn 1993 (our first time in FL other than the southeastern coast), when we went with friends and stayed at The Swan hotel. It was fun, especially Epcot. In Feb. 1994, we went by ourselves, stayed offsite at the Grand Hyatt, and on our second day visited Disney-MGM Studios (we'd been to both Universal Studios parks before). We were in the audience at the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, watched the prologue (when Indy runs across a stage through clouds of fog, pursued by snakes and that giant rolling boulder). Then the emcee asked if anyone in the audience could do a really good scream. I gave out a bloodcurdling one, and was invited to participate. I signed the release, figuring they weren't about to require a fortysomething fat lady to do anything dangerous or even remotely physical. Wrong. One of the first things we were instructed to do was pretend to walk on hot coals, which is basically running in place. I figured I'd recovered from the ACL strain I'd suffered in a fall on black ice back in 1990, and I had on a pair of brand-new Nikes, so I gave it a go. Third time my left foot hit the floor, it stuck there and I heard what sounded like ripping paper, followed by searing pain. Tried to get up, even when helped to my feet, but had to stand on my right leg, leaning on the emcee. An attendant brought out a wheelchair, helped me into it, and wheeled me offstage. It was the first standing ovation I ever got.
The park said they were sending a "car" to take me to the ER, but it turned out to be a van. Tried to step up into it. Know how they say that when you're about to die you see your life flash before your eyes? Well, I "saw" an x-ray of my knee--with my tibia passing my femur. They quickly called for an ambulance instead. Got X-rayed, which only showed no bones were broken. Was sent back to the Hyatt in an immobilizer splint and a pair of crutches. The doorman saw me limping in, and ran to the concierge. 10 min. after we got to the room, a free bottle of champagne and cheese plate were delivered. We were comped for not just room service dinner, but for that entire day. Next day we went to Epcot--and nobody there said jack-squat about my knee--and we had to pay to rent a wheelchair. Day after that, we went to Universal--they declined to charge me admission and brought out a wheelchair, gratis. Not just that, but at every attraction I was sent to the head of the line.
Got home--just a "sorry you did not have the Happiest Day of Your Life" form letter in the mail. Not even an offer to refund my admission to MGM. Then got a phone call from the top P.I. law firm in the Orlando area (probably referred by the ambulance driver), who investigated but declined to file suit because I had assumed the risk by signing a release. (Duh). They also said that no other firm in the area was willing to sue Disney (and I did ask a law school classmate to verify that). But they did ask me if I ever have legal business or clients to refer in Orlando, please think of them, and there would be a customary fee-share. And they still send me a lovely Christmas card every year.
Got back to Chicago, had an MRI which revealed complete rupture of the ACL and a meniscus tear. Because I had a nonrefundable trip to China coming up in six weeks, I wouldn't have recovered from reconstruction in time--and I'm neither an athlete nor a dancer. My orthopedic surgeon, a competitive team downhill skier in college, had ruptured both ACLs back before the reconstruction surgery was developed and thus has no ACLs; but he still jumps out of helicopters to deep-powder ski in BC. He assured me that intensive PT would build up my quad to the point where it and a cane would support my knee well enough to make the China trip. I rehabbed like crazy, and sure enough I did walk the Great Wall. Later that summer, Gordy, my very pregnant sis and I went to Paris and visited Disneyland there. We kept getting cut in line by a Corsican family (they were snickering at us in French & Italian--pointing to my sister and making "fatso" gestures). When I called them on their line-cutting, they laughed and the dad actually jokingly punched my sister in the gut. I cursed them out in French and fractured Italian, and security finally removed them.
Went back to Disney World with our friends the next year (they had an onsite timeshare), but it was no fun limping around with my cane--too many bad vibes, and it seemed like every ride ended at an attached gift shop with Disney movie tchotckes. Even Gordy and our friends admitted they were Disneyed-out. Hence my Disney-aversion. But that's just me. Your mileage may vary.
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I live about 2 hours away from Disney World, and we hardly ever go. I like it though I haven't gone in years. It is very costly to take a family, it would be your big vacation of the year. We are older and would rather spend the money on a cruise.
My mini get away was great and I have so much fun with my sisters.
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ChiSandy we have some kind of weird sisterhood going on. The last day my middle and I were at WDW, we were killing time before the shuttle back to the airport and decided to hit the pool at Animal Kingdom Lodge. He swears (and—okay, it's true, although I've never admitted it) that I didn't want to get my hair wet so coming down the water slide feet first, I braced against the bottom of the pool. I felt something in my knee go. Quick ride in an ambulance, but we made our flight home, although I was on crutches. Turned out it was only torn meniscus/partially torn ACL. It took me over a year to complete the tear (yay?) and I ended up with a shiny new ACL (okay not new—somebody else's hand-me-down). I guess the good news is that knee is doing well 15 years later (the other one has more arthritis—go figure). But not exactly a fun knee injury story to tell. ::eyeroll::
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Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Twofer Tuesday!BRRRR is the only way to describe the weather here. Could actually see my breath last night when I let Sadie out for her last potty break. It's freakin' JUNE. I can deal with some cool days and nights, but needing to turn the heat on in the house in JUNE is nuts. Just nuts. Even Sadie thinks so.
Jazzy--It's amazing to me to watch the evolution of the testing. When I was diagnosed Oncotype testing wasn't ever mentioned, probably not available even if I had known about it to ask for it. Now that test has been refined even further. Just amazing.
Ingerp--yes, one of the ladies who used to be a regular here calls herself a Disney Whore. She doesn't post here regularly now, but she and I keep in touch on Fb. She is one of the 7 of us who went on a Disney Cruise to meet each other in person in January 2016.I call myself a Disney Princess. One of my trip souvenirs is a coffee mug that says "I'm 99% sure I'm a Disney Princess." No one hear is going to make you feel bad about liking Disney!
Back Row: Mary, Collett, Juliet, Dara
Front Row: Memaw, NativeMainer, 4Sew
Chi--Great article, thanks for sharing. I wonder how long it will be before insurance companies start requiring Oncotype testing, and not covering chemo for women with a score less than 25? My goodness, you did have a bad time at Disney! Don't blame you for not being very Pro-Disney.
Misty--any get away is a good one in my book! I grew up right outside Acadia National Park, and there are places there I've never been. Somehow it's not as attractive when it's inyour back yard.
Ingerp--Holy Moly, what a way to wreck your knee!Did your hair stay dry?
Countess Bunty Rothchild's DOTD:
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NativeMainer love the pic! And har-de-har (but yes! my hair did stay dry!!).
And great. I did not know there was any such thing as Oreo vodka. Guess I gotta plan a trip to the ABC store. . . (I'm flashing on the summer I discovered whipped cream vodka--aiyiyi!!)
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NM- I remember when you guys went. I think you and Dara are the only two I really know here now, some of the other names less familar to me, but may know them better by the avatars and other names. Is MemaW the same as MemaSue?
Also, you were diagnosed in 2007 and I was five years later. I think OncoType was still relative new then, and was being used only for node negative. There was some use for invasive as well as DCIS. Several women mentioned to me they would have liked to have had it also, but were node positive and since the purpose is to help with chemo, they already had the answer from the node biopsies. A whole lot of progress has been made with the subtypes of breast cancer and their treatment protocols even since I was diagnosed.
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Ingerp, I no longer have ACLs--I eventually had total knee replacement surgeries, and they were "cruciate-sacrificing." On the bright side, I no longer have knee arthritis.
On other threads I'm reading posts from women suspicious of the TAILORx results, still wanting chemo because without it they feel "untreated." They were told the "conventional wisdom" for so long that they don't trust doctors who first challenged conventional wisdom and now discard it as archaic, hence their skepticism about the latest study results. It's a kind of cognitive dissonance/confirmation bias: they were conditioned to believe that which gave them comfort, and now they don't want to consider that "comfort" may have been a crock. I think back to the days when SNB was new and women were wondering if they should have had at least the first layer of nodes dissected; when lumpectomy was new and some surgeons & oncologists actually threatened to "fire" their patients unless they agreed to mastectomy; when simple mastectomy was first suggested instead of the prevailing modified radical, etc. I'm sure that at each of these "watersheds" there were patients afraid to not "throw everything in the book at" their breast cancers--and grew uneasier every time that "book" lost a chapter. There is a difference, IMHO (and I guess also in that of the oncological community) between "doing everything possible" and "doing everything necessary." You don't need to drop an anvil to kill a cockroach (I may be exaggerating, but you get the gist).
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I’ve never been to Disneyland and no drink today. I officially suck!
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No drink for me tonight either--guess we're forming a "suck club."
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Sandy, tomorrow is another day *sigh* I wonder if Nativehas a Scarlett O’Hara drink recipe for us?
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Methinks it might include grenadine and Irish cream...
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Indeed, followed by a chaser of mint julip..if the day is a stressful one
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Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Hump Day! Got home from work last night and had to turn the furnace on. Still wet and raw and cold. Second night in a row of seeing my breath when I let Sadie out for the last potty trip of the day. Just not right. At all.Even Sadie is disgusted. She's not crazy about having her feet wiped off when she comes in all wet, especially right before bedtime. But she's not getting into my bed with wet, cold paws!!!
Ingerp--there is a dazzling array of flavors of vodka out there, it's just crazy!
Jazzy--Yes, Memaw is MemaSue56.Julie was Juliet62.Genny5775, is Mary.I think you are right that the Oncotype wasn't in common use when I was diagnosed. I was node negative, and under 50 at diagnosis, and even then should have been BRCA1 and 2 tested, but Maine hadn't caught up to that then, and I wasn't tested until I went out of state for recon. I keep reminding myself it really doesn't matter, I would not have agreed to chemo anyway.And you are right, things have changed a lot in the last few years.
Chi--You make a really good point. I think some of the issue comes from the fact that it's only been about 1 or 2 generations since a cancer diagnosis of any kind was essentially a death sentence, when chemo, as awful as it can be, was all that was available. Even now "successful" chemo for some cancers extends life only a few months. In the same time frame the doctor has gone from a figure of authority never to be questioned to more of a partner and one of many sources of information when making health care decisions. Now wonder people are left wondering what is best and not even knowing how to measure or define "best"or "successful" treatment. The anvil on the cockroach analogy is prettyapt, to my mind!
Egads--oh, my, we need to work on you!I prefer to think of you as a blank canvas to be drawn upon than as someone who sucks. PS. I didn't have a drink yesterday, either. Fell asleep before I could take the first sip!
Hmmmmm. DOTD:
>TAINTED LOVE SHOT
1 Part Irish Cream
1 Part Tequila Rose
1 Part Grenadine
Garnish: Whipped Cream, Pink Sugar
PREPARATION
1. Layer grenadine, tequila rose and irish cream in shooter glass.
2. Top with whipped cream and garnish with pink sugar.
Take your pick, Ladies!!
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ChiSandy- interesting what you are hearing about skepticism about trusting the TailorX trial. I guess cancer treatment is just a very personal choice in the end. My medical team said because so much cancer is being detected very early with improved imaging, the OncoType testing was to help to provide additional data for those early stage, node negative early cases, like mine. My medical team said they were trying to ensure their patients were not getting over treated, especially with chemo, because of the side effects many live with longer term.
There is another interesting genetics test I heard about via my MO, that helps with the 5 vs. 10 years on the aromatase inhibitors. It is done residual tumor (and learned in the process they keep tumors in a "tumor bank" up to 10 years after your surgery). He suggested I get the test done a year or so before the end of my initial 5 years, but there was not enough remaining tumor (my IDC was 0.4 cm) to get enough sample for the test. Here is some info on this via our friends here on BCO. It is another test designed to get more data to help with treatment decisions. We went with the current research he had available towards the end of my five years for Luminal A cancer to go with the five years.
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types...
I think precision medicine is going to become bigger and bigger as we go forward.
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Just reading to keep up, but don't have time to respond to everyone. NM, you are most def. having some strange weather. We have yet another fire in AZ, about an hour from our house, but north. Caused by a pick up dragging a chain! Visited mom yesterday, was a decent day as far as she is concerned. And still asking to bring different things up. She wanted all of her clothes, she has 3 closets full of stinky clothes, everything in this house smells like urine! Still asking things she already knows the answer to. Have a friend of my sons helping to get things set up for this sale.
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We had a low in the mid-40s overnight--rebounding to (maybe) low 60s today. I have a mani-pedi today, which means I have to wear my Fit-Flops to avoid smudging.
Practicing dulcimer last night hurt like crazy--longer hand stretches on baritone dulcimers hurt the thumb spurs, and contortions on the higher frets were murder on the wrist. Had to ice afterward, because I had pain at rest. Think my solo workshops are gonna be more talking than playing (fortunately, I have lesson plans & handouts, and one of them will be letting the audience try out my different kinds of dulcimers). Haven't heard back from the hand surgeon--he was in meetings Mon. & surgery yesterday so his RN doesn't know if he's read the report or seen the images. The version in my inbox refers to the images but doesn't include them. My FP says I have an injury, not just inflammation; and that while it'd reduce the resulting inflammation, prednisone would just mask the pain and make me overdo practice and exacerbate the injury. He says to splint and to take an opioid 1 hr before playing to help lessen the pain--but I should probably get surgery. Trouble is, to get a 'script for Tylenol 3 or Norco would require me to pick up a paper prescription and fill it in person. And I have to play first thing Sat. morning--so in order to drive safely I'd have to get to the festival grounds earlier than I'd like and then pop the pill.
Have a Skype rehearsal today & tomorrow--hope to get through them okay on just my morning Celebrex and Arthritis Tylenol. The guitar playing--at least the songs in our duo repertoire--is actually less painful.
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Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Thirsty Thursday! Still gray and rainy, still chilly. With all this rain all it's going to take to get the gardens going really well will be some sunshine and warmth, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen anytime soon. Argh.
Jazzy--interesting article, I did not realize how many genomic tests are available.
Goldie--I wonder how many of the clothes your Mom has would even fit her now? Glad she had a good day in her mind, that's what's really important. Glad you have help setting up the sale.
Chi--I wonder if you could do almost as well to take a dose of an anti-inflammatory and hour before performing? Something like Advil or a combo of Advil and Tylenol?May work almost as well and be much less hassle than an opioid.
Countess Bunty Rothschild's DOTD:
The Bright and Rainy Cocktail
This cocktail is an homage to those bright and rainy spring days and a play on the dark and stormy. Peach schnapps add a light fruitiness hinting at the summer harvest to come.
By Malgosia Ip
Spring is creeping into most of the Northern hemisphere. The sun has come out a little more often, the days are longer, some milder weather has whetted our appetites. Even when it rains it's not dark and gloomy, but rather bright, as if the sun is just behind the layer of clouds reminding us that he will be back soon. The rain is not depressing, it's life-giving.
This cocktail is an homage to those bright and rainy days: a play on the dark and stormy, but for spring. Its colours are light and translucent with gin instead of dark rum. Some peach schnapps adds a light fruitiness hinting at the summer harvest to come. Even the ginger ale seems brighter when paired with these flavours.
This drink is refreshing, like the spring rain that washes away the winter melancholy.
Bright and RainyA refreshing take on the dark and stormy for spring
Author: Malgosia PakulskaRecipe Type: Cocktail
Ingredients- 1.5 oz gin
- 0.5 oz peach schnapps
- 0.25 oz lime juice
- 3 oz ginger beer/ginger ale
- Stir all ingredients over ice in a rocks glass. Enjoy!
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My FP's nurse called this a.m. to tell me the Tyl#3 Rx was phoned in to my CVS. Seems the security rigamarole is not for codeine, but for liquid morphine, injectable Demerol, and the synthetic opioids Fentanyl,hydrocodone (Norco, Vicodin), oxycodone (Percocet, Fiorcicet, Percodan, OxyContin), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Opana). Tylenol w. codeine is an opiate, but in doses strong enough for euphoria, it also causes constipation & nausea--so the high isn't worth the hassle whether swallowed or crushed and snorted or injected. It's not popular on the street because it isn't strong enough a painkillier to be effective on post-surgical pain, so not many people even get the chance to inadvertently become addicted to it after having it prescribed after surgery.
Here's the scoop on what it takes to get an opioid Rx in IL: go to your treating physician (or if for a true trauma, the ER). (S)he must log into the state prescribing authority's secure website in Springfield, enter full patient information and that part of the patient's chart justifying the Rx; wait for approval--usually a quick answer via algorithm--and then print out the Rx on triplicate paper. One copy (signed) goes to the patient, who must deliver it to the pharmacy and show I.D.; the second copy goes into the chart, and the third copy gets snail-mailed back to Springfield. The pharmacy must also maintain a photocopy and snail-mail the original it got from the patient back to Springfield instead. If the pharmacy doesn't, it can be disciplined; if the Rx gets filled but the doctor doesn't mail back the third copy w/in a few days, (s)he--and the office staff responsible for the snafu--gets disciplined. Bob hates that so much that he has his patients' other specialists (surgeons, orthopedists, rheumatologists, palliative care docs) write those scripts whenever possible--since they probably are better set up to follow the proper procedure due to prescribing more often.
And here's something weird: a psychiatrist may not prescribe outside his specialty. I found that out at my bimonthly shrink appt. when I was out of Ventolin inhalers before I could reach my FP to ask for a refill (no trips to Europe--where it's cheap & OTC--were in the near future). Ironically, my shrink could write me Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, my antidepressant, and even Ambien or Lunesta if I asked...but no non-psychiatric drugs.
My surgeon's nurse finally messaged me back: splint 24/7 exc. in the shower; use topical gels; try not to practice at all, and limit playing to only when absolutely necessary for the gigs, take "whatever seems to help" 1 hr. before, and then ice & elevate after each session. No weightbearing, twisting, using the L hand on banisters or getting up from chairs or sofas. He says that playing will not exacerbate injury but it will increase the pain. At our followup he will try another cortisone shot, but this time into the TFCC and not the tendon. At that time we will also discuss necessity of surgery & when to start PT/OT.
So I will take an Aleve and one Tyl.#3 an hour before each performance. (Will take only one Arthritis Tylenol--too much acetaminophen is harmful--and avoid Celebrex, so I don't cause GERD, on those days). Will also have to find a concession stand with a cooler (best bet: the Boy Scouts' lemonade stand) where I can store my icepack, because the smaller park where the festival has been relocated lacks a ranger station with a fridge (so no green room for free food, either).
Had late dinner of Pacific salmon, with a 2014 Fleurie (cru Beaujolais). Probably again tonight if I grill steak.
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Good Morning, Loungettes! Happy TGIF day! Got 3 people coming today to look over the place and give me estimates on installing a heat pump. Of course, it's drippy and not outright rainy but drizzly. Just love tromping around the house in the wet. Ah, well, such is life, right? It was so nice yesterday, cloudy but warm enough to park on the deck when I got home, right up until it started raining. I so want to see some sunshine so I can start getting some color onmy legs. It will come, right?Sadie doesn't seem to mind too much either way.
Chi--huh, after all these years I didn't realize that codeine isn't considered Schedule III until the product has more than 90 mg per dosage unit. Learned something new today! I don't blame Bob for not wanting to write those kinds of scripts, the tracking is a nightmare if the office isn't part of the electronic prescription system that automatically submits electronic copies of scripts to the pharmacy, state oversight board, checks the pharmacy history and such all automatically. In Maine some pharmacies won't accept a paper script for opioids at all-- no instant verification, too many script pads stolen, too many printed out scripts copied. Then it becomes a battle because providers who prescribe more than a set amount of opioids over the course of a month get investigated and can have prescribing ability blocked during the investigation. It's a wonder anyone prescribes these anymore. Funny how the Psych can order all those funky meds but not an asthma inhaler. Like, who is going to abuse one of those??
Countess Bunty Rothschild's DOTD:
T Bone's Cough Syrup Ingredients
- 1/4 oz Cinnamon Schnapps
- 2 splashes Cherry Juice
- 3/4 oz Grape Soda
Pour in Hot Damn, then add grape soda and then top off with cherry juice. Garnish with a cherry if you can avoid choking on it.
Best served in a Shot Glass.
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NM, moms clothes range from 3X to XL. She is currently in XL. They moved her to a different room, her previous room mate was starting fights with her and evidently some of the staff heard it the other night.
Sandy, hopefully the the anti inflamatories will work for you.
Having the whole house sale today and thru the weekend. Made a couple hundred so far!
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Goldie- I feel for you sister. We had to do the same when our mom became ill. And when you live far away, it is super hard too. I hope you get a lot of stuff out and a bit of cash made this weekend.
Sorry to hear about the roommate fights too. We had problems with our dad in the first place he was in and had to move him as a result. My mom had a roommate in her first place whom would work anyone in the room visiting to give her things. She had kids in the area, but told my mother she needed to share. Institutional behaviors are tough to deal with with other patients and always threw for a surprise.
Sending you much love
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Kim, in IL the Sched III paper scrip is on special non-photocopiable paper.
Last night, with steak I had the last of the Trinitas Old Vine Zin 2011. This weekend will be "dry," as my singing partner and the friend who's putting us up don't drink--and there's no alcohol on festival grounds. Will likely still have a little Tyl.#3 in me by dinnertime, so even if we go out I'll stick to water.
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ChiSandy I have one kid (about to be two) in the SF area. We’ve done Napa so decided to go to Lodi on my trip out in March. Talk about some tasty old (and ancient) vine zins!!
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Thinking of you guys as I took my shot of courage before doing the initial hair buzz (picture over on the Weekly Taxol thread).Skål.
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