Anyone starting Chemo in Feb?
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Morning, all!
What a mixed bag of stuff to share with you...
Had my 6 month after RFA scan... suspicious, again. Meeting with the head of liver surgery tomorrow. Don't know what we are going to do since I really don't want a biopsy or a nuking every six months. My onc is freaked cuz he said if you keep assuming it is a false-positive, then when do you know it is real? I am not happy about this whole situation. Maybe my liver will always be inflamed. Maybe that is just my body. I don't know. I know I do not want liver surgery, which is over a week in the hospital and 9 weeks recovery. ESPECIALLY if there is no cancer! A real conundrum that someone is going to have to figure out!
This past weekend, which happened to be extraordinarily lovely, I attended the Weekend of Hope in Stowe VT. What a fabulous event. I almost backed out of going, but I had promised to drive someone from MA, so I was "stuck". Well, was I glad I went!
First of all, this part of VT is like a healing place. It is in the air. The Trapp Family lodge, and I swear you feel like breaking into "the hills are alive" type singing!
I went to all the exercise and stress related courses. I did yoga every morning, and now have sort of kick started my exercise program. I also went to nutrition classes, and I am pretty much giving up meat. Not worth it.
The best take away from one of the classes was this: when I feel stressed, I now say:
I have enough. I do enough. I AM enough.
It's working for me!
Back after MD appt tomorrow.... Love.
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((((((((((((Leah)))))))))))))
So... you're the one who got us on a new page... Wishing for just the same inflammed/scaring spot on your liver...
The wagon circle will be around you in Denver... and it looks like the weather is going to be very decent, too...
stress is not in the picture, and we'll all say your mantra together...
Till soon!
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I am still not convinced the high's in the 50's and low's in the 40's is decent...lol. I had put away my winter clothes and I have been wearing sandals. It is 86 here today! Storms were close to us, but we were lucky to not be hit this time. I really hate tornadic weather systems.
Leah; Von Trapp...I would have sung...that would have been the end of the peace. Do we need to find a yoga class while in Denver? I need start back to my exercising. I love the Zumba classes. We will talk about the meat..convince me. Can we still have dessert...never enough!
Alyson; Sounds like you are keeping busy busy! Chipmunks are rather rare around my part of the world, so I still get excited when I see one...skunks...not so much
. I am looking forward to seeing you and Catherine and Leah! I guess I will leave the sandals home...pull out the coat and the cowboy boots 
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Hi all
Had a great day with wonderful temperatures. Went to Wal-Mart and wasn't impressed. We don't have them at home and think they can stay away.
Leah it will be group hug time on the weekend.
Catherine, what is the coffee like in your part of the world?
Alyson
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Hi Alyson,
Won't be long now. As you know, Wal-Mart is quite contentious here in the US, but I think they are a necessary evil. We can discuss!
Coffee is a funny thing here in the US... regionally there are quite distinctive tastes, but there are chains that are consistent across. What type of coffee do you like? Believe it or not, McDonald's sells one of my faves, Newman's Own (Paul Newman's company), for $1 any size. Starbucks is much stronger coffee- more European style. In New England we have our own chain Dunkin' Donuts where the coffee is very mild compared to Starbucks. So what is your pleasure? I am sure we can find something you like! Since Catherine and Mel and I can brew our own in the house, you can pick whatever you like at Whole Foods and we will get it right up for you!
Looking forward to the hugs...
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Hi everybody... here we are, Leah, Alyson and DH and Melanie... ready to go walk off the French breakfast... but thinking of you all and sending big hugs...
Catherine and the gang
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Was that really nine hours ago. What fun we have had.
Alyson
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Alyson....I avoid Walmart like the plague. Only go there is really necessary! Be glad you don't have them.
Hope you all continue to have fun!
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By the way....baseball season is in full swing. Busy every evening. My garden is going to town!
The tulips and daffodils and azaleas are beautiful this year.
Love you,
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Have made it to London, another long day travelling. Pleasantly surprised to find our son in the London so have been out to dinner.
Melanie I am plum tuckered out. Hope you and Leah got home safely. Catherine have you found room for all that food.
Alyson
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Alyson, sorry... I had not come here before skyping you... You guys are seasoned travelers... It's terrific that you could see your son on the first day there... think of us when indulging in those fantastic high teas...
Expecting snow by mid-week!!! We've been lucky!!! Breaks my heart to think of all those blooming lilacs under wet heavy snow... will cut it for bouquets... before then.
Wishing you all a good week...
Waving at the rest of the FCC's...
Take care, all... Catherine
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Hi all...just a quick update. I had my mammo. Suspicious lesions. Doc thinks probably scar tissue. It is right around my tumor bed/scar. Waiting for biopsy dept to call me and schedule a stereotactic biopsy.
Will let you all know when they schedule. Once again, waiting is the worst!
Alyson...hope you are enjoying your vacation.
Leah...how are YOU?
Love you all...
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((((((((((((((Terry))))))))))))))), will the anxiety ever end? Keeping you in my thoughts and sending positive vibes for good news... Hope you are feeling good otherwise and enjoying your garden... it is so lovely right now... Take care, dear Terry...
Alyson... the volcano is at it again... still in Ireland or already in Scotland... no flying zones in both, I hear... is that true? We want a quick update...
Hugs to all,
Catherine
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Hi all!. Haven't been to BCO in a long long time. Keeping busy, have 2 grandaughters now and a grandson on the way due in August all by my DD. I'm sorry to see we lost another sister. I'm getting fitted for digital hearing aides this week. First time to go digital as years ago they had just come out with them when i got new aides back then. Too expensive back then, now I am getting two for what it cost for one digital years ago! Was surprised by what I can't hear anymore when tested last week. But then I kept saying since chemo I knew I had lost lot more hearing. Anybody on facebook? You can find me as Jan Brown. Am in touch with several bc sisters there these days.
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wow, Jan!!! so happy to get some news... the hearing issue has probably shaped your life, but hopefully on the bc front you are ok... I am not a big fan of Facebook, but will go read more about you all... Boy, you must be a busy grand-ma... Good luck with your digital aids... hard to imagine life not hearing what you want when you want... do you still travel on your bike with DH? Hope his leg issues have been resolved and he is not too much in pain...
Stay well (away from tornadoes!!)... Catherine
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Hi Jan...you can find me on Facebook as "Teresa Albright". I don't get on much...signed on to keep in touch with the kids and nieces and nephews!
Catherine...as always, thanks for the good vibes. My garden is just getting started. The lettuce is about an inch high. Haven't put tomatoes in yet. Too cold yet. My mini roses have lots of buds, so should have some in about a week, I think.
Haven't heard from the biopsy scheduler yet....sigh.
Love you all,
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Oh dear. Waiting again. I am waiting to hear from a BC sister in Houston. She found a lump on her reconstructed breast on Sat. night. She and I were talking about how this is our way of life. Rocking along and then " up jumps the devil" and here comes all the thoughts of more chemo? what will we face? and on and on. My heart is with you Terry. I hope and pray it is scar tissue. As I pray for Teresa, my friend in Houston. She is about 6 months ahead of us on diagnosis.
Leah, do you have any news about the liver issues? You have been on my mind. How was your daughter's trip to Austin?
Jan so good to hear from you. We have missed you around here. I am on FB as Kay Taylor Beeson, Kay is my middle name and Taylor is my maiden name. I use it mostly to keep up with my children and grandchildren.
I need to go to bed, as I am working tomorrow.
Hugs all around and love to all, Sammie Kay
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BTW, my brother, who is 18mo younger than I, has just been diagnosed with Prostate CA. He is a stage 3. Will have a bone scan next week and surgery on June 10. He has been divorced for 20 years. He lives alone and is very independent and self actualizing. I will be going to Corpus Christi and driving him to San Antonio to the VA Hospital for his surgery and staying there until he is discharged. Then I will drive him to CC and stay as long as he needs me. I have 3 living brothers and one sister. My sister is out of state, so I am the designated family girl. LOL I love him, he is somewhat the "grumpy old man". I will have to keep him in line. He is very philosophical about the diagnosis. He told the docs, who said he had a good attitude, that if he thought throwing himself on the floor and kicking and screaming would do any good, he would do it. But it is of no benefit. Just have to put one foot in front of the other and fight. How well we all know this. Love all of you my friends, Sammie Kay Taylor Beeson0
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SammieKay, prayers for your brother!
Catherine, I quit riding the bike, its not fun anymore. I had too much fear when we did the trip to my Mom's then to CO in 07! DH is still having issues with his pressure sore wound in his heel of that bad leg. It opened back up all the way to the bone so is seeing a wound doc again about it. His leg gives him a bad time when the fronts come in, leg swells.
Teresa, I couldn't figure out which one was you on fb, there's a bunch with the same name.I did find SammieKay as only one popped up LOL!
Leah, I'm sorry to hear you are still having issues with the liver.
How's Marsha doing? I last heard about the leg breaking and the new diagnosis that followed
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Jan....so sorry...I am under Teresa A Albright....We have not had any news from Marsha lately. We all keep her close in our hearts.
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Hi girls...my biopsy will be Wednesday the 26th 7am.
Will keep you posted
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Thanks Terry for letting us know. You will be in my thoughts and prayers. {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Terry}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
My friend in Houston (she is 6 months ahead of us with her DX and Chemo and Rads) had her biopsy and it was nothing. No cancer!!!! I hope and pray that is what we hear from you.
Be sure and let us know as soon as you know something. Hugs, Sammie Kay
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((((((((((((((((Terry)))))))))))))... will keep you in my thoughts even more than usual... enjoy the week-end and try not to worry too much.
Hi, SammieKay... wishing you lived closer... My heart bleeds when I see the oil spill in the Gulf... infuriating... Hopefully it won't go your way.
Leah, Melanie... seems to me you left 6 months ago!!! 85 degrees tomorrow!!!
Alyson made it to Scotland... waiting for more details...
Thinking of you all and sending warm hugs,
Catherine
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Thanks, girls...will let you know as soon as I hear something!
Getting ready for DS's graduation party...to be held at our house on June 12th...big picnic!
Love you all,
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Good evening, all!
I have had a whirlwind couple of weeks. I met with liver dude, who got the information that I was the subject of a clinical conference of the whole Interventional Radiology department at Mass General. They have all concluded I am the .00001% for whom that particular light pattern is NOT a recurrence of cancer (he said Someone had to be!) So another PET/CT on July 16.
I have been working hard, interviewing. I decided ot pursue another line of work, this one turned out to not be for me. I honestly have to tell you that if I had not been Stage IV, I would not have tried it. But I am glad I did, cuz I will always wonder. I actually was very good at it, but I did not love it. I will be going back to being more of an "internal" consultant, as opposed to taking calls to fix somebody's system, who has outsourced that to the company I worked for. It made me take a try, and that is a good thing! I will let you know where these interviews lead.
For Terry with a biopsy... my heart is with you.
Sammie, my daughter had an ok time in Texas. I don't think she loved it. She is looking for jobs here, the market is picking up somewhat. Thanks for asking considering all the people in your life who are waiting for results or have them. I am so sorry.
I have a friend (not from this board) who is going on a year with stage IV mets to bones big time. She was discovered that way, and they have been treating her with all sorts of hormonal stuff ( Tamox, Femara, and now Faslodex). Each fails after about 4 months, so I am so sad for her. I may lose her, and that sickens me. I don't understand the ER+ cancers, so I am kind of at a loss, but I just know that each one helps for a shorter time, so that is not good. She goes to Dana Farber, and they don't think it is worth taking our her primary tumor, which just shocks me. I remember how my onc went on and on about Tumor burden when I first met him...
So I am kind of depressed about all that. I hope all of you are a-OK. I need you to be....
Love you all. In upstate NY at my client this coming week, so I will be crazed...
Love.
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How great to log on and see so many posts. Love it!!!!
Catherine, one of these days I am going to buy a ticket to Denver and surprise you. I will let you know of course. Will check with my sister and see when she will be visiting her sons there and maybe plan a trip while she is there. Will let you know.
Of course my next few weeks are tied up with my brother's illness.
We will do our last childcare for DD as she subs at the High School. Actually we love having Jackson. He is a doll. And gives us that unconditional love in bushels!
Terry, still waiting and praying for NEGATIVE.
Leah, was wondering if your daughter had cultural shock in Austin. As Mike said, Austin is not as bad as Houston. LOL. Wow you are that .00001%. That is a good kind of rare, yes? Hope you get the job that you want. It is so important to love what you are doing. I am glad you gave it a go..now you know. Keep us posted.
DH here is having problems with his ankle. We are being referred to a Rheumatologist. They think it is a form of gout. It swells and hurts. He was on crutches a few days last week.
I have been really watching my carbs in my diet because my doc was calling me a Type 2 Diabetic. So far I have lost 14 lbs. and my blood sugars are normal. I also quit taking the Metformin she put me on. I read up on the side effects of that drug and opted to try diet. The less medication I take the better I like it. All of these meds they are giving for Diabetes are obviously not working. Seems to cause weight gain and make the Diabetes worse. You know they used to have parameters from 80 to 120 and now they want your fasting sugar to be less than 100. I swear the med she put me on made me worse. Keep your fingers crossed that I continue to lose weight and have normal blood sugars.
Jan, I have been looking at your photography on FB. My goodness, you are an awesome photographer. Anyone on FB should look at Jan Brown's albums. Amazing work.
Well, better go to bed and rest up for my little man tomorrow. He keeps me busy.
Where are Caryn and Diann? Melanie? Hugs to all and anyone I missed. Love all of you. I do treasure these friendships. Such a special group of friends. Sammie Kay
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hi there everyone
Got a surprise to see so many posts. ((((((Terry))))))) wil be thinking of you tomorrow. Will look for you on facebook and you too Jan.
Have some pictires of Denver which I will try to post. soon. We are having a rest at the hotel at present before going out with BiL who lives here in MAdrid. Yes we have made it another step on our journey. Melanie, your little gift was worn to a reception in Parliament hall in Ediburgh. Dh has almost got rid of his cough..
must get ready to go out.
Alyson
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Had biopsy yesterday. Will hear from rad dr tomorrow. Don't know what to think at this point. So here's to the waiting game!
Alyson...so glad you are enjoying your world tour!
Will let you know what I find out.
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GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!! Why must we always be waiting?
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Terry}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} Will be anxiously awaiting news.
Love to all, Sammie Kay
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Okay, I don't usually swear but WTF! The hospital called me late today and told me my results weren't in and I have to wait until Tuesday! She alluded to something about doing extra stains....so now I AM worried. I think they are rechecking. I know, I am paranoid!
I can't stand it....GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!
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