Illinois ladies facing bc
Comments
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Jackie - OMG - I was LMBO at your post... help me! I'm crying laughing! A hot air balloon... possibly landing on your house... and you wanted to finish the post and hit the submit button! I would have done the exact same thing! lol lol lol OMG
Carol's DD - (Dear Daughter) - OH NO! I'm so sorry you have to deal with this! But we'll help you as much as we can. I miss Carol B here! In fact... she and I haven't talked on the phone in a while. But when we did... all we did was laugh! lol It's great to hear that she's doing so well! Say hi to Mom for me! Okay - down to business... The good news...MOST tumors of this nature are benign. You said "rapid growth" - what size are they? I did a bit of research... and from what I read, based on the fact that they are somewhat large, they are growing rapidly and that your mom had bc... I would suggest a Mastectomy. BUT - this is a very personal decision. Also, I read that breast MRI is the best diagnostic tool for this type of tumor even better than ultra sound, although I'm sure each Dr has their own opinion about this. Obviously... if you opt for a Mast... an MRI is not necessary. But if you opt for a partial or lumpectomy, the MRI can show the Dr exactly where the tumors are - thus giving you a better chance of squeaky clean margins. In rare cases, if just a lumpectomy or partial is done, some cells can remain and then metastasize, sometimes even 2 years later. I don't want to scare you... but if you're going to make a decision, make sure you know EVERYTHING about your diagnosis. I will be very interested in knowing what the Dartmouth Dr's opinion is.
http://breastcancer.about.com/od/types/p/phyllodes_sa.htm
MAMAQ - You have a date set! That's great... you can then begin the next chapter and look forward to moving beyond it. And I really think there will be a happy ending! We'll help you through it... no doubt!
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I'm exhausted... Paulie was neutered... now he's licking DOWN THERE! It's quite raw... I am so tired of saying "NO LICKY THE DICKY". Help me! lol dh went out to and bought some cream... we hope it works long term... so far he hasn't LICKIED the DICKIE! lol Help me. lol
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WelcomeTaynar!! You will great info and support here. I HAD a bil mx/recon surgergy,in January. All clean margings and nodes were clear..triple negative!I am goin toward my last round of treatment as the tumor got outside the duct and have to be certain no cells got within the body!!Any questions, ever, email privately or just come here!!!
Julie ...Glad that all the procedures are done for you!!Rest this weekend., you deserve it!
Budders...Hope you got decent rest after the IV'S and all you went thru.
Susan...Great thoughts and have no clue.. my mammo were calcifications and was told, it was proably growing for a good 7 years??? Maybe we can get some good info somewhere on this area of reoccurence.
Berrypatch.. thanks for the update from the daughter!!!! Now you have to get thru what you need to and know you can still get info here ]as a transplant from Vermont !!!lololol... Seriously, getting a second opinion many do as it gives you a piece of mind and possbily added info that was not pointed out from the original Dr. You have to be well informed so YOU can be proactive and know what is best for you. Keep us posted. You willl GREAT advice here!! Best to your Mom too.
Running late here.. hope all are well and will enjoy weekend, ]Thanks ALL for getting thru a low spot this week, i printed out all the advice for it was the kind of wisdom i consider a true gift!!!
Hugs,
Donna]
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Morning! Cloudy and cool on my deck this am, temp 50. Looks like up N you might be getting some sprinkles today.Tanyar....welcome! Come here often and I know that there are some of us in your backyard!
Carol's Daughter/Vermontgirl/1979....pick a name! I will NEVER remember your LogIn name! I too would be thinking masctectomy like Laura mentioned....with too much breast tissue removed I don't think it would be a good cosmetic result. But that's me and I am 56. You are very young and that surgery may just be too radical for you. A 2nd opinion is good...heck, get 3 or 4! Say "hi" to Mon for me!
Jacks....OMG! A hot air balloon on your house?????? Good grief!
Laura....LMBO about Paulie!
Susan.....you, know....I've always wondered about that too! I was told it was there about 8-10 years before I found it. Well then....exactly WHY do you find these other things so quickly????? In my very humble opinion...in my case at least...I think going thru peri- and then menopause with the wild fluctuations in estrogen triggered the cancer to start growing. I am one that suscribes to the thinking that we all have cancer in our bodies and that something triggers those cancer cells to wake up and grow. My hormone levels went crazy starting at about 48 so I truly think this is what happend to me.
Blackjack.....Hugs going out to you today. And thank you for your words. No one ever promises us a tomorrow. Right now, today.....that we have.
Donna.....you sound so much better! Only one more!!!! Yay!!!!!! Heck...I am feeling generous today....what time would you like me to stop by and do some laundry????
Jo.....good idea about wanting to keep up with Tanyar. I wasn't posting here as I went thru chemo and I really think knowing someone else to compare notes with would have been wonderful.
Connie....good thoughts from you re: chemo/hair/wigs. Yep...it was a bad time for us all, wasn't it! I was luckier than most as I never lost all my brows/lashes at one time so I had at least something to work with. And your hair now is GORGEOUS! So shiny and curly and healthy!
Karin....why did I not know you worked/managed a restaurant??? For some reason I thought you were a CPA! Strange......Funny about your shoes tho!
Time to shower up....not much going on this weekend for us. I am watching Ellie Krieger's cooking show (I think that is her name) and she is grilling lettuce. Nah. Don't think so!
Have a great Saturday!
(Budders....how are the pits? Ate they OK? They doing anything fun this weekend?)
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Beauty is but the sensible image of the Infinite. Like truth and
justice it lives within us; like virtue and the moral law it is a
companion of the soul.
- Bancroft, George0 -
Well, I just lost a whole post...my luck it will tun up after I get this one re-posted. First let me just say how moved I am by Bj's words. We just do not know what each day of our lives will bring. I feel nothing is truly a random event and that life and death as well ( although I don't consider it a death as in a finality --- just a transition to our eternal life ) teach us many, many things. When we feel pain it is difficult in grief to recognize the lesson but it is there and it will show up. It is as well my belief that those who go before us that were very close to us intercede on our behalf and help us while we remain here.
Jo and Tanya - how fantastic is that....you could go through together like Donna and Budders although we have to admit Budders tried her darnedest and actually did get to skip several of her chemo's and Donna got the dubious honor of having to just hang in there. To be fair, Budders went through an awful time and still may have to do some things to make up for the chemo loss. Budders it sort of makes you feel like you are back in school having to make up a test or complete some of your assignments, huh !!!!
Ok, this is not my day on the computer for sure. But having said that....guess it was funny that my house nearly got creamed by a hot air balloon.....and then poor Paulie. One or my dogs, Poncho did that licking thing. Don't know if the stitches were too tight or what. We finally had to get something at the Vet's office....we felt so bad...almost cruel for being the instigators of Poncho's **dick** distress. Not a one of the animals here is un-neutered or un-spayed. We would not even consider this. When we took Baby Boss, Gloria was going to send in papers to re-register him into our name and I told her absolutely not. He was going for an operation and that was one of the major points to being registered --- someone could barter for stud service. No thanks.
I hope you all have a wonderful day....our rain may be over...the sun came out a bit ago...oh my. I thought we were in for a day of rain, but I think orf so it seems....it may be a fast moving storm and be headed farther east and south. Won't bother me if we have had all we are going too though it will be hot and muggy later.
I will be counting my blessings today ( thank you BJ ) because I am only one, but since the day I came here ---- December 3, 2007 ---- I have been given from each of you....hope, courage, kindness, sound advice, inspiration, care, love, strength, perseverance, and most of all a winner's attitude. There is definitely strength in numbers and I always hope to give to you ( those who have been here a long time and those who are newcomers ) the very things I call gifts from you. I will always see myself as better for being here......and for being touched so deeply by each one of you devoted to making me a whole unique individual. If I can even come close to returning that back I will be happy.
Hugs,
smarmy IllilnoisLady - Jackie
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Dear Daughter:
Yikes is right! Such a big decision. I personally have no knowledge on this topic burt wanted to step in and say hi and wish you, and your mom well! I am hoping that the Illinois Women will step in shortly with their ideas, or to lead you to a thread that would better meet your needs. Anway, it is nice to meet you and I wish you well.
Susan
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Jackie.. Does this mean I have to do Budders laundry??hehehe...
Wendy.. Oh did i not tell you..the washer and dryer are out of service.. must of been OVERUSED!!!LOL... You are very demanding and it wore everything down!!!ok!hehe,,
Carol...DD.for Berrypatch... Hope you have good info here now and it helps!!!Feel for all that you are goin thru. We alre here for you in helping you work it out.
MamaQ....Feel better that a date is set?!! IT is all goin to be step by step and then you somehow get thru it and can actually look back and say I did it!!!
Laundry Fairy Signing OUT.,
Donna
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Hi
Add me to the wondering about how long/how fast a tumor can grow. Discovered my first one at age 33 and it was on the large side-- 3.5cm. I had had a mammogram 3 years earlier- at age 30 (Mom had history of bc) and there was nothing seen. (But am told I have very dense tissue- so it likely hid...). I had a lumpectomy and radiation. Fast forward 8 years and find the second-- this one 1cm. A brand new primary on the opposite side of the breast. So to get to 1 cm 8 years later-- it means the the damn thing started growing right after the radiation? Which was supposed to eradicate that possibility? I supposed the 8-10 years in an average and perhaps some grow faster than others...?
Off topic--- my 6 yr old son just asked me how the first person in the world came to be as he/she couldn't have come out of a mommy's tummy.....I have no idea how to answer this one.... How is the world is he thinking these things at 6! (And also wanted to know if it hurt when he came out of my bellybutton. hee hee--- just letting him think that one for a whole while longer!)
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Yes --- guess somewhere on the Internet there will be some answers for that question. I do remember Dr. Ryan indicating I could go home and (think) on my options as the tumor had been there for a long time....I think she said around 8 years......and you bet I think about all the things we do for eradication -- and yet something must be there and avoids all the poison somehow and the burning radiation. I'm sure some grow faster than others....in fact, I know they do since I had two different kinds going.....but I am still a bit perplexed and don't know if any info could be simpled down enough for me to understand.
Julie --- why not just say what most of us learned early on --- that God started the world with Adam and Eve and the rest is history as they say. Of course....for some, one question begets another one and another one. And here we go with the story of the world....Part 111 (three).
Hugs,
Jackie
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The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I.
When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or
sorrows that lay ahead.Nor did we know how much we would need each other.
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Laura.... Nice!!! Words that hit the soul!!! Funny, being here i feel real freindship as we are truly not just all connencted by a disease but we all understand, more than any friend outside of this forum!!! I was never one to depend on anyone. well that has changed!!!! We do need each other.and that is a beautiflu thing how it all connects.
Enjoy this wonderful day !' Day 11 of treatment three and feeling more myself and the joy a good sunny morning can bring.!Finally feeling relief!!! I re read all of last weeks posts and it is so comforting to have.
See WENDY all laundry requests...
Budders....Resting i hope and taking it easy as it is these beginning of three-four days after treatment where we need it the most. Hope arm is ok too.
Hugs and Wags ( dog term)..
Donna
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Good Morning Friends.I am still being lazy. I have the bedroom window open getting a nice soft breeze.listening to the birds sing. I think I will just stay here for a few more days. Its day 5 for me. Love Budders
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Morning all! 45 on my deck this morning...brrrrrr! Seems like we will be getting an inch of rain tomorrow.Budders.....enjoy that breeze and the birds. You sound like you are feeling better!
Donna.....so sorry your machines are out of order. Too, too bad. I am desolate that I cannot come and wash your duds today. (ha! I KNEW that screw driver shoved in the motor would do the trick!)
Laura....good words!
Rita....pics please! Are you having fun?
Blackjack.....did you go up N this weekend? Must be hard for you right now to go up there and find your peace. Hope your day today is a good one.
JulieChicago....hmmmmm...he's 6...shouldn't take him too much longer to figure out that the belly button thing is somehow off! I like Jackie's answer that God did it all. Much easier!
Not too much going on today so I am making it a "deck day"...have one more library book to read. But I see that my downstairs windows all have that icky film on them - and where does that come from anyway!!!!! AND NO ..... I DO NOT DO WINDOWS!!!!!!!
Heard a quote the other day...it's from Yogi Berra...
"When you come to a fork in the road.....take it."
Now there is some food for thought for your Sunday!
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wendy you crack me up with the screw driver thing.
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A bright sunny day....good morning. Yes I am up north this weekend. This has been a very long hard week for me. Last night we all we together remembering our dear friend and it was so healing for all of us. We all needed to be on the boat. The water was so calming and healing. We all needed to be together and remember, laugh and cry. Life is too short so enjoy every day.
Jackie and Laura your words were very healing to me and I thank you. I should heal in time as time heals all heart aches. I wanted to thank all of you for listen to me. You are the best.
I am off to go boating now as it is sooo beatiful outside. To everyone enjoy your day. It looks like a tops down fist up day. Have a great weekend.
Hugs to all....
BJ
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Girls...has to come back on once I went out and picked up the Daily Herald from the driveway....
Big article on the front page that taking Paxil, Prozac or Zoloft with tamoxifen, according to a study just completed...can wipe out the effects of the tamoxifen. Other antidepressants are OK. Of course this is just ONE study...but I thought you guys might want to check it out anyway.
Glad to see, Blackjack, that the water is working it's magic for all of you this weekend!
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Good beautiful, happy, fantastic Sunday morning. I am here to vent for a change....can you believe it. I am so agitated with my neighbors. Well, the people to the right of us that I adored, split up and so moved. The new people coming in ( moving out -- moving in vehicles seemed to be passing each other ) have turned out to be real stinkers....in more ways than one. I did not feel good about the fact that they seemed to have a look-out waiting for the last car-load from the other people..........seems to me when you have to get in THAT fast, what is going on. Still I was determined to make the best of it. Well, always loads of cars there, hmmm. I didn't care for that but none of my business.
Then...... there was a big party, and more drinking than was good. They mowed down a couple of trees the neighbor had planted with their car.....he was able to get them re-planted quickly but was not happy. Then one night about a week ago----just before Dh got home from work I heard a dog yelping/screaming -- something going on. Dh was all for ignoring it. I said ok.....knowing like me he would not be able to hold on long. I finally said...ok now we are going other there and find out what is wrong with that dog.
It's pitch black dark as it gets out here in the country, and we are both out of the car with flash lights. A young man ( at our age, that would be 20's ) appears from around the side off the house. I demanded to know what was wrong with the dog. He said the dog was upset. He had made it come outside as the female dog inside the house was pregnant. The dog was quite un-happy. I asked him if he were sure as it sounded like the dog was truly hurt and in pain. For all of you who don't live in the woods.....sounds carry different and sometimes sound worse. We left but knew he was on his guard to keep the dog a little quieter.
I called the owner of the house and told her ( Jeannie and I were very friendly and in tune with each other ) that she has a back-yard breeder on her hands and that it would cause much upset. She let me know that the people had permission for one outside only dog......not the three we had seen outside --- don't know if the dog inside was a 4th. one or not. Upshot of all of this is that they are out of here in two weeks. My current gripe is that they are burning something over there.....started sometime shortly before Dh came home from work last night and it's still smoldering this a.m. Noxious odor....we are keeping our doors and windows closed. My only consolation is that the fire is right in front of their front door.....how's that for smarts. I will be so glad to see them gone.
My company will take over managing this house as Jeannie and husband ( Garrett found a job near Branson, Mo ) will be moving about the same time these current people are gone. I figure might as well tell the next tenants who will be living next door to them and maybe they will be circumspect from the get-go. As you all know.....I am a dyed in the wool animal lover and would probably have put up with sooooooo much --- but let me hear an animal scream and you just may have sealed your fate with me.,
Wendy - loved the graphic. I'm not that bad, but it was hilarious and did strike a chord.
Bj - we will always listen to you. You are so NOT a complainer and I'm sure many would chime in with me when I say that you are almost always up, cheerful and giving constantly. Now and then we have the honor of trying our best to give a little something back.....and it is an HONOR.
Rita - I'm ready for a pic or two myself. Oops.....or will we only see some of that machinery in Las Vegas right now....hmm.
Well, thanks for listening to my rather long rant. It's appreciated. Hope you have a marvelous day. See you all later when I check in again.
Hugs,
Jackie
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Hi:
Stepping in and saw Wendy's mention of antidepressants and tomoxifan and wanted to send my daughter's link she sent on the same:
It is all very discouraging that we know as little as we do. I was on zoloft (quit about 6 months ago) but I am on arimidex. I suppose soon enough there will be a study linking arimidex to antidepressants as negating the good effects of arimidex.j
Anyway, just wanted t pass it on. Blackjack, I know that going through this with a group of friends is helping you.
We went out to dinner with firends last night. My girlfriend made decaffeinated coffee last night and I think she made a mistake. I was awake almost the entire night. Yuck!
Graduation is on Tuesday and so ready to be away from it all. I am spending so much time cleaning up my room for the last time and it is wearing. I sounds kinda cranky this morning.
Have a good day!
Susan
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Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution. If you
don't have any problems, you don't get any seeds. Norman Vincent Peale0 -
Buddy....Keep resting and know it is all goin down to the count!!!
Wendy...Fine.. the screwdriver deal is ok...i just hope you know my DH fixed it.. darn it!!! Laundry is just my best friend. Now Wendy.. put the screw driver away.. and get to some ironing all the clothes i am doin.
Jackie.... Just hope the dogs are ok..my inlaws had the same smoke issue with some wierd burnings when they had a summer place and had the same kind of neighbors!!Sounds terrible!!!! Just wonder how the dogs are living there..hope they are not burning them!!!!!Feel for you and your DH!!!
Sweet dreams and will check in tomorrow.. be well Buddy.. i just had a look at my notes and this last tx was a good 8 days and then started to be less icky. Cannot imagine that TX 4 will not be as accumulative.Regardless...we are doin it and gettin it done!!!!!
Love,
Donna
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Thanks Donna. It was a long day. I am going to bed. Good night everyone
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Greetings from Arizona! Wow! I've been without Internet connections for four days and I can't seem to get caught up with all of you!
Tanyar...welcome to the Illiois thread! Wendy the Younger and I are both from Bloomington, too. Ginny is from Normal and Annette is just a short distance away! We have started a night out for breast cancer survivors in our area and are meeting again on the third Thursday night in June for dinner about 6:00. We'd love to have you join us if you're interested. Just let me know and I'll send you a PM with all the details. Come often and post! We'll help you get through this.
Donna....your emotions are so normal. Remember? I'm the one who cried as I walked through the doors of the chemo room after my last treatment....and it wasn't because I was sorry to have chemo finished. I just had this empty feeling and felt like I was being sent out on my own. While I was doing the chemo, I at least felt like I was in control because I was doing something to combat this beast. Once it was over, there I was......all by myself trying to put together the pieces of my life and to confront my fears. It seemed so overwhelming. Today I'm in Arizona, ready to see the Grand Canyon tomorrow. Hey, I wouldn't even plan anything at first once I finished chemo. Your life returns gradually, hon. No, it's not quite the same. You've been through lots of trauma and there's no magic switch to remove the after-effects, but it will eventually get to the point where bc is not the first thing on your mind when you awaken each day. It just takes time, I guess.
Well, we're having a great time on our trip. The pictures will have to wait until I get home though as most of them are on Dave's camera and he didn't bring the cable to connect it to the computer. We have certainly seen some beautiful scenery!
Blackjack...........I LOVE VEGAS! The first night I won $1,000 dollars by playing live Keno while we were eating dinner at Harrah's. I had never played the game before and decided I would play 20 Spot where you pick 20 numbers. From where I was sitting in the cafe, only the top part of the Keno board was visible, so I thought that the bottom half was for the next game. I picked all my 20 numbers from the top, just because I didn't know any better. Only 4 numbers appeared on the top and the rest were on the bottom (which I couldn't see). I ended up winning because I picked all 20 numbers that were not selected! Once I actually learned how to play the game, I wasn't quite so lucky! LOL
Wendy and Laura, I traded in my monovision contacts right after Christmas for bifocal contacts and I love them. I still have a little trouble reading in dimly lit areas but I can see so much better with them than with the monovision ones. I've had no trouble reading the little print on the maps.
Well, I need to get off of here! Hi to all of you that I didn't mention! I'm thinking about you buddy and hope that things will calm down for you very soon. You are one tough Illinois lady! HUGS!
Rita
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Morning! This will be a quickie as we got up late...so unusual for us! The rain woke us up at 4 and we fell back asleep about 5 and slept right thru the alarm...which I had forgotten to set as we never need it! 57 and cloudy...slight drizzle.Jackie....don't you just hate bad neighbors? Home is the place you go to relax and kick back, not get agitated by obnoxious people (and smells). Well...only 2 more weeks.
Laura....I have no idea what I am going to tell the doc tomorrow re: which contacts I want! None of the combos give me perfect vision so I am trying to figure out which combo is best. Right now tho I am leaning toward the bifocals...or maybe one bifocal and one purely distance, or???? See...I just dont know!
Buddy.....hopefully today will be a good day for you!
Donna....I am so sorry but due to my contact lens problems I couldn't read your post. I think You said something about IRON - and no, I don't take any. (HaHaHa)
Time to scoot for me.....stay dry!
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Rita... LOVE Arizona..went to college at U of A in Tucson and lived in Phoenix for two years. IMy DH wants us to retire there in the next few years. My only brother and his wife live outside of Tucson in a town called Marena. Enjoy!ALso.. you said it all right in the words of what to expect after all of this and I see that this is all normal. The word is TRAUMA.. and that is exactly what i feel has caught up to me. How could it not be?!!! I am starting to look forward to after BC by making future dates and plans past June. You all here helped me see it and that LIFE will be lived!The after effects is exactly what was my concern and I am now realizing it is NORMAL!!
Buddy...How do you sleep after your treatments? First i need help sleeping, i take a Melatonin and Lorazapam. Probably will be in a recovery program for i am not able to sleep without that now!!! Anyway, not until after about 10 days do i sleep more restfully. I dream wierd and sleep fitfully afterwards. Naps are helpful and do help the lack of what i did not get. Curioous
WENDY.... CAN YOU SEE THIS... PUT ON THE GLASSES.....LAUNDRY FAIRY IS OVERSTRESSED... BECAUSE MY IRONING PILE IS PILING UP.. CHOP CHOP.. GET R DONE..K?!
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Morning girls.....Rain, rain go away. Oh what a dreary day today is. A good day for the laundry fairy as I have so much to do. lol This week is my last week of school yeah for me. The kids are just nutty at school..just want out. So Friday can't come fast enough. How about you Zap counting down the hrs.
Rita....Vegas virgin lol. Soo happy that you won big. It is always so nice to win when you don't know what you are doing. I will be there on the 20th. Did you leave me any winnings!! lol Have a safe rest of your trip.
Donna...life after bc will get better. The txs we go through are hard on our bodies. Take each day rest and make little plans each day. Then in no time you will be off and running retuning to what you love to do. Remember that there is life after bc.
Wendy...sleeping in today. Is dh counting the hrs for no school. then guess he will be spending all his free time with you. lol
Laura....how is that poor baby of yours. Is Paulie feeling better post surgery.
Buddy..hope you are resting and feeling better soon.
Jackie....sorry to hear about your obnioux neighbors. Hope that they are moving soon. Our homes provide rest and peace, not to hear noises and howling. Hugs.
Juliec...glad to see that you came really clean with your colon thingy. Glad to see that every thing was ok. Oh and by the way I too had a big fight with my anastelogist. I told him that I wanted less meds as I had a hard time waking up from sleep land.
Juliet....starting new job soon. good luck.
Well I am off to do laundry.. I think that laundry fairy went on vacation lol. I hope everyone has a wonderful day despite the rain.
Remember to be healthy...be happy
BJ
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Good Morning Gang.Its a wet yucky day. But thats ok. I think I will just enjoy looking out at it. I have a follow up with my surgeon today. I requested a copy of my last surgery report. There was some mention of stapeling me inside. Remeber the unexplained bleeding I had. I am going to ask him about it. I would hate to think they left a staple. But the way my luck is going, who knows.
I also think about when treatment is done and I am on my own. I take strength in all of your encouraging words. It will be a day by day experience. I also had another encounter with a pretend to be worried aquaintance. She was just being nosy. She really wanted to tell me about her family history and chances of her getting BC. After she asked how I was, that was it. She talked of herself the rest of the conversation. But thats ok..... I guess people are different. I will try to learn not to make the same mistakes.
Why are'nt clowns cannibals?????? Cuz they taste funny.......... Ha Ha kinda sick sorry.
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Hey everyone- I had a super busy weekend with the kids. I read everyones posts and I am in awe of the words of wisdom you all seem to have. And the humor!
Laura- Yes, I feel a better now that I have a date, but a little scared too. Just trying to figure out why it didn't bother me that much to have the mastectomy but I'm scared to lose my hair. I don't think I'm afraid to look different, just don't like to be noticed. It's not my personality, I usually try to blend in with the crowd.
I read the getting ready for chemo posts, but I was wondering if my Illinois Girls had any words of wisdom? I am so welcome to any helpful hints.
Jo
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Good morning everyone....dare I say !!!!!! we are having such pretty weather. I washed my car again yesterday. Last wash it rained a little while after I was done and though we had rain several more times.....I had mud on lower fenders and door panels. My thought is partly this --- most cars just are not all that *good* looking ( less you want to talk about all the convertibles or GTO's ) so at least if I keep mine clean.
I am very much looking forward to my neighbors moving. Hopefully, the next people will be much better.......and if they know my company is managing their property.....well, things could go very well.
Donna - sadly the chemo's are cumulative, but it always gave me so something to look forward too. I thought of myself as reaching a crest ( usually about the time I thought I couldn't stand it another day ) and then feeling better and better afterward. Here's the really GOOD news. It is a little difficult for me to remember how it was. I finished my last chemo on April 30th. 2008 ---- so a little over a year later....it is getting harder and harder to describe. It did feel for a bit like it would never end.....and in truth -- the last set of se's seemed endless to me. I was so thrilled that they were the last ones for me though that it did not really dampen my spirit --- just brought up a huge sense of impatience.
I did not have weird or lost feelings after all my txs were done. Guess I am the odd man out. Partly I think.....since my chemo ( and I seldom let on then ) went down so hard and helped me lose 40 #'s the hard way......and probably also due to having to go stay 70 miles away from home in a motel while having rads for 7 weeks, I felt being done was my idea of what it might be liked to be released from prison. It was a little off-putting to have nothing left to do........and no one **MEDICALLY**concerned with me, but I knew that the Arimidex would soon be prescribed and I would have a tx protocol in that.....lasting for five years so I did not feel totally cut off from tx or some sort of help.
Buddy - I want to be kind to your friend and hope she was truly nervous about how high her chances seemed to actually get bc herself. I do hope she REALLY did want some assurances from you that you are doing ok and possibly even she did not realize that she would head off into the *just me* territory. Still, I don't care for those who talk to me --- just to get a stage to vent about themselves and their fears. Rather, I'd just as soon talk about what we would talk about if no one had cancer.....and we just ran into one another. All of us due to genetics or lifestyles have a lot of opportunities to have any number of things happen --- I'd just rather hear about your last vacation or a fun shopping trip.
Better go.....I have lots to do....and I need to see if I can inspire some energy big time. I'm loving sitting here.
Hugs,
Jackie
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Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better. Sydney J. Harris0
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Jo - I had a wonderful post done....I'll try to recreate, but it never feels the same. Just can't get the knack of making the same feelings come out of my heart on the second attempt after losing what I know to have been the best post I ever wrote....gone to outer space and never to return.
Basically.....what I said was the American Cancer Society puts on a **Look Good - Feel Better** seminar. Wherever your going to get your txs should have a schedule for when they are held and it is IMHO one of the best things you can do. They bring donated wigs, scarves, hats and lots of make-up kits. It's brand name make-up too. They will show you how to keep yourself looking great thru this time period in your life. When you look good, to tend to feel better. I had not worn make-up in years as w/o my glasses I was pretty bad......but knowing how I was going to probably look w/o hair...I knew I had to do something. My looks have never been my strong point....a little poem about that shortened down:
my face I don't mind it
because I'm behind it
it's the folks out in front
that I jar.
The seminars are such fun....all these ladies in a room and no one is self conscious.....because you are all in the same shape. Laughing, joking, talking and having fun trying on wigs and hats and whatever is there. If you like something....you take it home. It's yours.
Just do remember this.....as devastating as it is to lose your hair.........
it's temporary.
Losing your life is
permanent.
It will hurt for awhile and be un-comfortable but it is a temporary part of this part of our lives.
Love & hugs,
Jackie
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