Illinois ladies facing bc
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MamaQ Yes I too have it. I finished chemo in August. It does seem to be going away.
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Buddy - Thanks for letting me know. I didn't realize that we had finished so close together. Mine was August 7th. Are you still having lots of aches and pains? Are you taking Tamoxifen? Sorry so many questions, just wondering how "normal" I am.
Thanks
Jo
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Susan. and Budders...Want to see Blind Side next.. that will be a good feel movie. YES..sleep issues are so hard to deal with and had a good night last night as i took a 1/2 Xanax and I truly do not want that in me, but it worked and slept! Trying to meditate.. did that last night for first time for 10 min;'t. Goin to try it again tonight!!!
Starting with the inside for Xmas dec;s since I am off today. Hope ALL is well with everyone.
Salty... how did your pet scan go?? Thinking of you!
Love and Hugs..
Donna
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Thank you for your well wishes. No DonnaDio not yet, they have,nt called to schedule it yet. UGH the waiting! I'll keep you posted. Salty
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Donna Its so good to hear from you. I cant wait to see that movie. I love Sandra B. It should be a good one.
Mama I am sorry ...My last chemo was Julty 21st. I was off a little. Yes I am still having aches and pains. I thought it was from the arimidex. Its my tomixifin equivalent, since I have had a hystorectomy. How about you Do you have any pains. Are you on meds. I also have lots of hand arm and chest pain swelling. lymphedema and some nerve loss. I cant hold a pen to write. open a door hard to hold a fork.
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Jo,
I had the peach fuzz, or as someone called it from my chemo group "blond monkey hair". I had it waxed off. It hurt like a bitch, but did not come back.
Hope everyone is well.
Lisa
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Hello Ladies,
I'm 37 yrs old and live in Granite City, IL which is about 10 minutes from St. Louis, Mo. I found out that I had breast cancer on Oct 29th and had my bilateral mastectomy w/tissue expanders done on Nov 12th. I go to the Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis which is part of Barnes Jewish Hospital and I have what I consider to be the best surgeons there.. (lol) Dr. Aft is my BS and Dr. Lung is my PS. All the cancer has been removed and my nodes where clear, so I'm not sure what my next step is going to be. I went to my BS today and she is going to run a test to see what my chances are of it reoccurring which will give them a better idea on how to treat me.
From everything I've read I'm hoping that I shouldn't need radiation because I'm HER2 neg but I might be mistaken at this point. (mind over load from reading so much). Do any of you ladies have an idea? At this point not knowing what's going to happen next is what is driving me crazy. So any and all advise would be welcomed...
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Welcome Marilyn! Sorry for the reason you are here, but it is the right support for compassion and genuine empathy!!I am 6mo post chemo. I am triple negative and had a bil masectomy as i went aggressive for many reasons. The bottom line is, in my surgery, my margins were clear and had 0/8 lymoh nodes. SO.. was SHOCKED I was recommended that I have CHEMO!But it was a safer route in case any cancer cells went into my system prior to the surgery as some of the cancer got out of my duct!!!Whatever is told, you will do it and everyone of us has a different story. You wlll do the right thing when you get to the next step!!
Sally.. ok...KEEP us posted when in fact it is all scheduled!
Buddy....Just hang in there.. that neuropathy has to be hard and maybe someone here can suggest on that and if there is anything can be improved for you. Tough when all you want is to get better all the way.I still suffter greatly in sleep issues. Affects so muuch of my life!!
Hope all are doin well in preparation for Thanksgiving... and not over doing!!! Hugs to ALL!
Donna
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Welcome MsMarilyn to the Illinois thread. This is one awesome group of ladies. No matter what lies ahead for you, we will be there to help you through, answer questions and offer encouragement. Although nobody likes this journey, it is quite doable.
As for the radiation, you probably won't have to have it since you did the bilateral and your nodes were clear. The wondering "what is going to happen next" is very hard. Once all your results are in and you know what lies ahead, you'll be more at peace. The decision making process at first was the hardest part of all for me. Hugs to you. Visit us often and keep us updated.
Rita
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Morning all...... 2days and counting for you cooks!
Rita......you and Dave will have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Quiet true.....but special just the same! Do a fancy table and use the good china/crystal! Why not!
Saltykm.....Honestly....except for my hair I would rather do chemo again then spend all those hours and days and weeks - waiting! I felt like such a wimpy, crybaby pretty much all the time! Hugs to you as you wait.......hopefully everything will turn out just fine! Like a gal here said once...and this may not be exactly right....but don't buy a ticket for the Worry Train until it's time to board!
MsMarilyn....welcome to one fantastic group of women! There is nothing that we can't help you with, or just give you a shoulder to cry on, should you need it. Come here to scream too! Hmmmm....I can't help you with the mx/radiation debate...but this has really nothing to do with being Her2+. But you did have both breasts remove so my way of thinking is that unless your tumors were close to the chest wall radiation will probably not be needed. And...also count in the fact that your nodes were clear. Your doc is probably going to do the oncotype test which will determine your risk of your particular cancer coming back - and you do not want it to come back! Your tumor was on the large size, and you are a grade 3 which is the most agressive, but you are also hormone+ so you can take something to help guard against it's return. So.....once you have the test results, you will be better able to weigh all the risks for tx vs no tx. It's such a hard decision but if you have to do chemo - remember - hair does grow back and it is doable. Ask us!
Laura...how are you feeling? No se's from the accident I hope!
Jo...oh yeah! I had the fuzz but mine was very dark! Just in the sideburn area tho...I looked ridiculous but my wig was longish so it covered it nicely!
Budders....I had no idea you still had so much edema! Are you going to a therapist to help reduce this? Is the pain from the swelling? Funny thing....part of my upper, under arm was pretty much numb (surgery was 3 years ago) and just the past 4-5 days it has been itching like crazy - I wonder if this means the nerves are coming back? I don't know what else it could be...sure feels funny to scratch an itch - and then not feel the scratching on your skin.
Have to scoot for now....I am watching my favorite little female person from South Elgin today (how was that for being politically correct with all my relatives????) and I also have a hair appt, and then we are going out for a Girl's Lunch and then SHOPPING!!!!!!!
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Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to
another: What! You, too? Thought I was the only one.
- Clive Staples Lewis, 1898 - 19630 -
MORNING GIRLS!
MsMarilyn - Welcome...sorry you had to join us! It's great that your nodes were clear. Most likely you will not need radiation, but sometimes it depends on the "grade". We'll help you along. Please feel free to bombard us with questions. Unfortunately, many of us are so-called "experts".
JO - I have read here at bco that many girls simply lightly shaved it off and it never came back. I have quite a bit of it and I think I will take the ol' razor to it tonight in the bathtub. I won't put a lot of pressure on the razor - just lightly shave it off.
Wendrew - Hair appt, lunch, shopping...you are such a girlie girl! lol Have fun! And thanks for asking...NO se's from the drunko incident. Whew...although Illinois girls are tough! lol
salty - Hang in there!
Budder - I'm sorry you have to deal with lingering effects. I had a little of it post chemo, but it did subside. There's hope for you too!
bj - Have a safe trip to FL! JMO - You should wear a mask on the flights. There is no better place for germs to circulate and infest. Can you get an r/x for Tamaflu (sp?) just in case?
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I am going to have to request the services of the laundry fairy today! Yikes...I have three loads to fold and put away. It's one of the few things I procrastinate with! Arghhhhhh...
Have a great day girls...
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DonnaDio I will keep you posted. WendyK13 I am exactly the same, Its hard because I also had a melanoma 2 months before bc, I also just had 3 moles removed, and so far no call back on biopsy. UGH! I HATE WAITING!!! I'll be fine and I will get thru this.
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Good morning this rainy day. Thank you gals for all of your words of encouragement. I can handle just about anything as long as I know my cacner is gone.....
Welcome MsMarilyn, I am sorry to meet you under these circumstances, But you are at the right place. I do not think you will need radiation either. You can look it up yourself. There are certain guidelines. Tumor size and if its in your nodes. I think its 3 or more positive nodes require rads. Love to you all.
Wendy The joke was so funny.
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Good morning everyone. May rain later here grrr, but I'll try to find my panties and put them on. The yard is mainly done and what a relief that is as we can move on at last. Never again will we do a big auction plus leaf removal from the 60 or so trees right in and at the edge of our yard and who knows how many ( probably at least that many ) close enough to us to contribute leaves. We always say that though -- NEVER AGAIN -- til' next time when many of the agonies will have dulled down enough to allow us to think it is worth it.
Ms. Marilyn, welcome to you. I live about an hour away from you roughly. The Siteman Center is a great place however; for insurance reasons ( that would be I had none ) I went 75 miles south to Carbondale, Illinois ( Marion V.A. Hospital and Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale ) for txs. It sounds like you have made a great start in your tx plan and a little time and pathology/Onco testing should tell you exactly where you are at this point. We are not happy you have to be here, but having a cancer diagnosis turns your world upside down, takes a lot of your confidence,enthusiasm, and bravado for a bit and then sort of spits you back out -- not quite the same as you were before. Pretty much why we are all here and tend to stay. No one quite understands like those going through it all. We are here for you.
Though I am not cooking I am really looking forward to the holiday. Maybe just because it is Thanksgiving and even though some part of me I'm sure feels thankful every day, it is a special time set aside expressely for sharing the thankfulness with others. As Wendy says -- get out the good china and silver, a nice lace tablecloth and live. Don't know but bet many of you are just like me....I heard those dreaded words and couldn't help it....a picture I didn't like at all got into my head for just a while -- so don't put off living because truth is the memory of this Thanksgiving with your family will be more precious than all the china you could save for those who come after you .
Along those lines....I got a book yesterday ( I am so bad about this ) while I waited for Dh to get done at Sears. I wandered over to B. Dalton and just aimlessly looking ( I always think when I make these finds that I am led there for a reason ) I picked up a book entitled " Never Be Sick Again ". Initially, and the thing that made it probably impossible to put down the book is that in thumbing through as you always do, I saw a few words in a chapter about keeping your use of a microwave minimal. I have always felt ?? something a little off-putting ?? in using microwaves to deal with food....and generally only use mine to heat coffee --- start something defrosting etc. Just fairly limited use. So....can't tell you what it said, because I'll have to start reading to really find out....that was provocative enough for me to buy the book.
I can tell you he feels like there is only one real disease which has two causes and 6 pathways. The disease is cellular mal-function -- that is how everything that happens to us starts....and if you do your best to take care of that -- basically before it happens, then you will have a pretty good life. I think it will be quite an interesting book because I think he gets into real specifics about everyday things. Should make an interesting read. Especially since I always tend to think with books like this as well as those dealing with spiritual issues that something ( need to know now ) operates to ( Little C -- you'll be getting this ) lead me to them.
I hope you all have a wondrous day. See you later when I check in.
Hugs, Jackie
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Good morning:
Salty (I love that), I hope you get all the information you want to hear today.I know that waiting is dreadful....just dreadful. When waiting it is so hard to focus on anything else. Wouldn't it help if doctors could give a window of time to be on high alert so that you are only waiting a few hours instead of HOURS and DAYS? My cousin had male breast cancer and melanoma and is now five years out on both. All of his problems surfaced within a six-month period. I think it is five years. I know it was before me and I am three years out.
Marilyn, my college roommate was from Granite City (the Hall family for what that is worth). I am unable to shed any light on radiation or chemo. I had both and they are now just a part of my past. Neither is easy, but as they say.....doable. You sound like you have good doctors who explain things well.
Rita, you will have a sweet day with Dave. I agree with Wendy....hall out the good stuff and prepare a romantic table for two. Your table looks better to me all the time. We are having four babies under 3 1/2! I have two boosters and two high chairs and a BIG bottle of wine for the adults. Laura, we went to Trader Joes for the already brined turkey and they only had obese turkeys left. We like the "young things" so we went to Jewel and we are brining our own fresh 14-pounder. Jackie, I did't know what a brined turkey was either until I read the Trib last Sunday.
Budder, get some help with that swelling. There just has to be a solution for that.
Have a happy day!
PS: "brined" is not in the spellcheck. Mr. Spellcheck doesn't know what it means either.
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Thanks girls, My fingers hnad arm chest feel like it always has a blood pressure cuff on. Thats te best way I can explain it. It gets really bad if I bend it at the elbow. None of you girls have this??
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Budders....no, I never had any swelling. Doesn't mean I couldn't get it. Only had a lumpectomy tho. Funny...what still pulls and sticks is where the port was....never really felt normal and it's been out for almost 2 years. Have you seen a therapist for this? Really should....
Susan....so brined wasn't in the spell-checker? I was using my iphone and sent the word "snell" instead of smell...turns out snell was in the checker!
Just finished baking cookies with my grandniece....house smells soooo yummy! I didn't even have one - how's that for self-control! Anxiously awaiting DH's return...he fell at a construction site outside of his district offices and fell on one shoulder and his head. Broke his glasses too. He says he's fine and the nurse at his school checked him out....but he does say his shoulder is really bothering him. Hopefully we won't be on our way to the hospital later tonight! Good thing he fell right in front of the Director of Plant Operations....hole wasn't barricaded off! Hmmmm.....I hope they at least pay for the glasses and his suit!
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HOW TO BRINE
The following is from About.com:
"I've said it before and I'll say it again, the best way to get flavorful poultry, regardless of how it is prepared, is to start with a brine. Brining adds moisture and flavor to poultry and helps to keep it from drying out. A turkey can be a serious investment in time so you want to make sure it is perfect, especially if you're entertaining. Whether you grill, smoke, fry, or roast your turkey, you should use a brined bird."
Supplies: To properly brine a turkey you need to start the night before you plan to cook. You will need at least 10 to 12 hours (plan on 1 hour per pound of turkey), a container large enough to hold your turkey and enough brine to cover it. You'll also need salt, water, sugar, seasonings, and enough room to refrigerate it. A large stainless steel stock pot or even a 5 gallon clean plastic bucket would make excellent containers. Whatever container you choose the turkey needs to have enough room to be turned so it should be big. Both Reynolds (Oven Roasting Bag for Turkeys) and Ziploc (XL Storage Bag) make very large food safe sealable bags that are great for brining.
Turkey: Now let's get to the turkey. The turkey should be cleaned out, completely thawed, and should not be a self-basting or Kosher turkey. Self-basting and Kosher turkeys have a salty stock added that will make your brined turkey too salty. Make sure you check the ingredients on the turkey before you decide to brine. A fresh, "natural" turkey works best, but a completely thawed, previously frozen turkey will work just as well.
Brine Ingredients: To make the brine, mix 1 cup of table salt in 1 gallon of water. You will need more than 1 gallon of water but that's the ratio to aim for. One way of telling if you have enough salt in your brine is that a raw egg will float in it. Make sure that the salt is completely dissolved before adding the seasonings you like, making sure not to add anything that contains salt. Brines can be spicy hot with peppers and cayenne, savory with herbs and garlic, or sweet with molasses, honey and brown sugar. Whatever your tastes are, you can find a large number of brine recipes on my site.
Sweetening the Brine: Sugar is optional to any brine, but works to counteract the flavor of the salt. While you may choose a brine without sugar, I do recommend that you add sugar (any kind of "sweet" will do) to maintain the flavor of the turkey. Add up to 1 cup of sugar per gallon of brine. Like the salt you need to make sure that the sugar is completely dissolved.
Set-up: Place the turkey in a container and pour in enough brine to completely cover the turkey with an inch or two to spare. You do not want any part of the turkey above the surface of the brine. Now you put the whole thing in the refrigerator. If you are like me, making enough room in the fridge is the hardest part of this project. The turkey should sit in the brine for about 1 hour per pound of turkey. Brining too long is much worse than not brining enough so watch the time.
Keep it Cool!: Don't have room in the refrigerator? Try a cooler. A cooler big enough to hold your turkey makes a good container for your turkey and brine. The cooler will help keep it cool and allow you to brine your turkey without taking up precious refrigerator space. If the weather is cool, but not freezing you can put the whole thing outside until you need the turkey. If the weather is warm fill a a zip top bag with ice. Place this in the cooler with the turkey and brine and it will hold down the temperature during the brining process.
Rinsing: When you are ready to start cooking your turkey, remove it from the brine and rinse it off thoroughly in the sink with cold water until all traces of salt are off the surface inside and out. This is the single, most important step. If you don't get the brine rinsed of thoroughly you could get a very salty bird. Safely discard the brine and cook your turkey as normal. You will notice the second you start to carve your turkey that the brining has helped it retain moisture. The first bite will sell you on brining turkeys forever, and after you've tried this you will want to brine all your poultry.
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My gosh Wendy....poor timing for Dh to take a tumble. I hope he will be ok. Glad too that he had a "good" witness.
I didn't find brined in the spell checker either. Though it sounds good.....I always used either a big covered clay pot ( double yum ) or one of those Reynolds cooking bags and did not really have any trouble with moisture. I think Rometoft ( sp ) pots are out of fashion, but you know you soak those in water, put your food in and start them in a cold oven. The moisture in the clay makes your food as juicy as you could possibly want....and pretty good flavor as well. I broke my big pot so only have the smaller one. Do roasts etc. now and then in the smaller one.
Wendy...the funny pulling sensation happens in my neck where I had the grown removed from my carotid. I have learned to ignore it most of the time but it always feel taut when not expected and like it does not have the give on that side that the other side of my neck has.... Buddy -- one more thing I know, but it wouldn't hurt to get some attention for what you are going through.
Well, I have to go to Maggie's -- in the rain that is coming down. At least it is not really pouring...I'd really dislike that. I'll check back later.
Jackie
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WENDREW - We must have been posting at the same time...OMG - How did dh fall? Yikes...I hope he hasn't injured the Rotator Cuff...years ago I fell on my shoulder. An x-ray showed a hairline crack in the RC. It was sore for quite some time. I hope his is just bruised. Keep us posted.
Budder - It sounds more like LE...not full blown - don't freak out... but PT may prevent further progression. You had quite a few nodes removed. Neuropathy is usually tingly and a needle like feeling...I think? Hopefully more will chime in. Hang in there, Budder! Hey - I just thought of this...Budder Ball - as in turkey...get it? LOL - Just trying to make you laugh!
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Thanks Gals. See what I mean MsMarilyn. They are always here for you.
Wendy...........Oh No .....i am so so sorry. I know you will keep a close eye on him after bumping his head. hope he dosent have a concushion or whiplash.
That would definitely be me Budder Ball..................... Hugs Love Budder
I am definitely
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Thanks Gals. See what I mean MsMarilyn. They are always here for you.
Wendy...........Oh No .....i am so so sorry. I know you will keep a close eye on him after bumping his head. hope he dosent have a concushion or whiplash.
That would definitely be me Budder Ball..................... Hugs Love Budder
I am definitely gonna try to brine. Thanks for the recipe and instructions.
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First, Wendy, hoping all is well!
Second, Laura, that is the best recipe! Paul is doing the brining (I am the one with the DH who loves to cook.
Third, Buddy, I think your doctor can come up with something for that arm. That would be darnn right annoying!
Finally, I am getting old. I am sitting here looking for an OLD movie (like black and white) on the Cable Free Movies and the odlest thing listed was made in the 80s!
Take care!
Susan
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Thanks Zap
You know what I saw the other day. Family Affair. It was my favorite show when I was a little girl. I still have a Mrs.Beasly Doll. Most of you are probably not old enough to remember the show. It had Mr Billl and Mr. French and Buffy and Jody.
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Budder Ball - OMG - Family Affair...I have not thought of that program is sooooooooooooo long...and I too loved it! I always envied Buffy's bedroom. And as a result, I always kept my bedroom neat and tidy. I wish kids had more of that type of TV. I can't wait to ask dh if he ever watched it!
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HI Girls..Just checking in to wish everyone a very (early) Happy Thanksgiving. As I sit here and reflect about the holiday, I am thankful for so many things. I am thankful that I am NED and that life is so good now that txs are all done and in the past. For all the new friends that I have made here new and old and for all the support, hugs and words of encouragement that I have received.
You girls are very special and as we say Illinois Girls are tough. So enjoy your Thanksgiving day with your family and friends. Life is too short so enjoy it everyday, even if it is a bad hair day.lol
Just a reminder that the holiday party is next weekend, so please email me if you are coming. There will be lots of fun and laughter in store plus lots of yummy food too.
Well I am off to the beach for some fun in the sun, Wendy I will save you a beach chair and a cosmo. lol Those ocean waves are calling me lol
Remember to be healthy....be happy...enjoy your turkey day.
Hugs to all
BJ
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Thank you all for the warm welcome! And when I know more about what's going to happen next I'm sure I'll be posting more questions and concerns. But for now I'm doing my best to just relax and getting stronger. I go and see my PS in the morning and I'm praying that he'll remove the drain tubes! (PLEASE keep your fingers crossed for me...lol)
Family Affair... too funny because when I was born my Dad wanted my name to be Buffy but my Mom wouldn't allow it so it's been my nick name since day one. And over half my family refuses to call me by anything else, including my Dad. LOL
And I couldn't agree more with bringing out the good china and crystal for Thanksgiving. Live life out loud and have fun even with the small moments in life.
But sadly, I'm not having a big dinner for Thanksgiving this year. Since I'm not allowed to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk I can't get the turkey in and out of the oven. And my husband just recently had to have his left leg amputated and is in a wheelchair for now and doesn't have good upper body strength due to the strokes. So instead we're going to order in a pizza, bake a pumpkin pie and eat that off the good china. And our daughter who is 9 yrs old daughter is going to make worms in dirt in the crystal glasses. Which is gummy worms in chocolate pudding with crushed cookies and yes it had Samantha explain exactly what is was before I agreed to let her make it or let alone agreeing to eat it. LOL
Again, thank you for the warm welcome!
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Thank you all for the warm welcome! And when I know more about what's going to happen next I'm sure I'll be posting more questions and concerns. But for now I'm doing my best to just relax and getting stronger. I go and see my PS in the morning and I'm praying that he'll remove the drain tubes! (PLEASE keep your fingers crossed for me...lol)
Family Affair... too funny because when I was born my Dad wanted my name to be Buffy but my Mom wouldn't allow it so it's been my nick name since day one. And over half my family refuses to call me by anything else, including my Dad. LOL
And I couldn't agree more with bringing out the good china and crystal for Thanksgiving. Live life out loud and have fun even with the small moments in life.
But sadly, I'm not having a big dinner for Thanksgiving this year. Since I'm not allowed to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk I can't get the turkey in and out of the oven. And my husband just recently had to have his left leg amputated and is in a wheelchair for now and doesn't have good upper body strength due to the strokes. So instead we're going to order in a pizza, bake a pumpkin pie and eat that off the good china. And our daughter who is 9 yrs old daughter is going to make worms in dirt in the crystal glasses. Which is gummy worms in chocolate pudding with crushed cookies and yes it had Samantha explain exactly what is was before I agreed to let her make it or let alone agreeing to eat it. LOL
Again, thank you for the warm welcome!
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Woke up with a semi puffy face and swelling under neck. both nodules.. hmmm.. is this a thyroid issue gone undetected?!Callin DR as i want to see before holiday tomm!!!Could this be why sleep is not goin well!!Looking it up.. this could all be upa and down related to hormones not working etc. My mouth and chin area is swollen as i thought it was a new Loreal Regenerist Creme!!!Not using it and woke up with a increased swelling. Would LOVE to get to the bottom of this. Lack of sleep has caused a depression, fatigue is there.. sigh.. answers have to come now~!!
NOW.. look what the Laundry Fairy has for ALL in TX right now.... A website that will offer ONE free monthly housecleaning for 4 months for ANYONE in need goin thru any kind of chemo!!!tThe website is: http://wwwcleaningforareason.org . Click on maid services and look for your state!! RITA or Laura.. Wonder how we can keep this present for all new people that come here and goin thru treatment? Will try to keep this handy to share!!!
Well.. goin to call DR this morning and get in. Hope all are well and to those having a Thanksgiving Dinner.. best of luck~~~!!Be well and grateful!
Donna
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