Class of 2009 - Sisters in the same time frame
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Hey Ladies!
Hope everyone is doing well....I've been thinking of you all even though I've not been able to check in. We've had quite a rough go of it, my dear, sweet niece has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and my heart is breaking for her. She is so precious to me, she is only 25 and has a 3 yr old daughter. Please pray for her, my friends.
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Psalm121, so sorry to hear about your niece. It is so sad when a young one with a family gets cancer. I hope they caught it early and it is treatable. Please keep up informed. I will keep her in my prayers.
Jen, sorry you are still having trouble with that arm. Man if it is hurting now, what is it going to be like when it is the middle of the summer. I am feeling better and I go back to the chiropractor tomorrow. My arm is feeling better also. They use to scare me, but I decided to give it a try, I am trying to avoid surgery on my arm.
sharkey, glad you had fun dancing. I am not very good at it, but I certainly do like to dance. Am doing better, so I think I am on the mend.
michele, if you ever come to the South of the US, ask about a gardenia. I am sure they do not grow in the North.
pam, so glad you are back. Have you gotten rested up yet.
Renee, thanks, I just decided that I needed to do an update on the avatar.
Juannelle
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Psalm 121, Your niece in in all our prayers. Sure puts my own situation in perspective when i hear about young women, young mothers, with cancer. I think I should stop feeling sorry for myself!
Life is settling back down. So much yard work as last summer was kind of a loss... too busy with surgery and rads. Can it already be a year?! Time flies when you are having fun :-(
I am contemplating rearranging furniture but may have to get some help. I am simply not as strong as used to be, BC (before cancer). But just wanting to move things around is a good sign.
Gardenia corsages! Shades of 60s era formal dances.
pam
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Gardenias do not grow up north, but you have my second favorite flowing bush, Lilacs. I use to have a yard with about 25 bushes in them and would bring them in the house to make it all lovely smelling. Lilacs don't do well down here.
I need suggestions to get DH up off the couch and learn to do a few dance moves. I got the DVD but everytime I suggest it he finds something else to do. I don't want to throw the bucket list.
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Pauldingmom- We have planted about a dozen or so Lilac bushes in our yard this year. We have the Korean dwarf ones, and a couple other varieties. They are so beautiful and fragrant. I was donig a practice walk with one of my friends a couple weeks ago, and along the path was a huge lilac bush. I stopped and took a few second to just take in the smell, like a little kid that was smelling them for the first time! She giggled at me, but I love lilacs so much! As far as your husband goes with motivation for learning to dance, I am at a loss for you. Men don't get motivated for much unless it is something they want to do, then they do it on their own time, not ours. Much luck to you on that. Sorry, not trying to man-bash, but all of us that have DH's in our lives know that is true
Hope you all are doing well today. It is a hot one here again! Oh yeah---GO HAWKS!!!!!
Hugs
Jen
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My lilac tree is in bloom right now. I was so enjoying the lovely fragrance this morning while sitting out on my front porch. Gardenias don't grow outdoors here in Canada but I do have a nice Gardenia shower gel from Bath and Body Works, which I used this morning!
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Wisteria is a good substitute in the south for lilacs. The vines will grow up a tree or over a house. Almost as fast growing as kudzu! Savannah has some great wisteria... does not grow well this near the ocean :-( But it does not have the lilac scent.
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We also have Wisteria. My husband built a Japanese Torrey Gait for them to grow up and around. Did I happen to mention he is obsessed with gardening!
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Lilacs are my all time favorite. I have 2 gigantic bushes (1 purple, 1 white) and a smaller bush that is a rare very dark purple, single petal bush---LOVE LOVE LOVE Lilacs!
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Oh man I love Lilacs too! I planted one that I thought was purple -- it took 5 years to start blooming and turned out to be white. Sigh. I'd love one of those very dark purple ones... perhaps later in the summer (or in the fall?) when I'm up to digging again. Jen -- how lucky to have a husband who gardens!
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Just smelling the flowers sounds like a fabulous additional to a walk. I am just like that with roses. One of my grandfather's brothers had a rose garden and I spent time there when I was young. I just love the smells and shapes and colors of roses.
I am hoping to get out and be social this evening, or to get a bit more work done. Though, I'm feeling somewhat lazy and could easily just stay horizontal. Motivation is not my strong point. But maybe hunger will get me moving just a bit. Ha.
Wish me luck in restarting my PT exercises. I am really hoping to practice a bit before my upcoming appointment.
Sharkey
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Hi Everyone! Hope all of you are doing well. Jen sorry you are having probs with that arm. Sometimes it seems like life just keeps on dealing us lemons, but we have to keep making lemonade out of it.
As far as gardening goes I don't have a green thumb and we have only shrubs or flowering bushes planted in our yard, anything else and I will kill it. HaHa!! I have tried to raise Gardenia's but I actually killed them.
Sharkey good luck with your PT hope that goes well for you. Don't feel bad motivation is not my strong point either when it comes to exercise. The only thing I've been motivated to do is lose wt. I've managed to lose 31 lbs since about the end of Feb. It's been tough, there have been times when I've wanted to quit but I keep on going to reach my goal. I've got 29 lbs more to go, but if I only lose 19-20 more I will be happy. But I will keep going towards my goal. You have to do the same... keep on going and motivate yourself. Good Luck!!
I go see my plastic surgeon tomorrow for a follow up, but I really didn't understand why he actually wanted to see me. He told me when I saw him last month that we had to wait till I was 6 months post radiation to do my recon surgery and that won't be till Aug. 4th. So, I'm a little confused about why I'm going back for follow ups, but whatever... then on Friday I go back to see my breast surgeon and I am suppose to have my first mammo done since my diagnois last Oct. Hope they read it and don't make me wait till next Tues for the results since it's a holiday weekend. Bet I have to wait since it's done in the mammo center at the hospital and the radiologist may have to read it, but I am hoping that they don't make me wait because I will be on pins and needles!!!
Renee
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HI SWEET LADIES
Sorry ive been busy running around for everyone except ME so the next few days are all mine ill give the house a good clean then relax and maybe watch some dvds with the chips and chocolate of course acually ive noticed ive gone of chocolate since ive started tamox i was boarder line a junkie for chocolate lol
JUANNELLE
WOW just love your new pic you look so different from your other one ,was that you ? you suit your hair like that are you thinking of keeping it that short you should you look sooooo hot .
JOJO
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Renee, good for you loosing all the weight...I have stayed the same...which I don't mind...I worked hard to get to this point...have a great day. It is going to get up to 33 degrees today...yahoo. Thank goodness for AC.
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Michelle... wow 33 degrees? That's still a little chilly! We hit a high of 85! I hate this time of the year here we go from low 80's to high 90's and it rains alot. Monday night we had severe storms, high winds and hail! And our grass, well you can't keep it mowed!!
I saw my plastic surgeon today and there will be no surgery in the near future, it will most likely be at least a yr out from my last radiation treatment. He told me today that my breast is still inflamed and contracting from the radiation. He also told me that he wants me to start massaging it every day to help keep the fluid and swelling down in it and I have to wear a bra pretty much 24/7 to give my breast support so that the swelling and contracting doesn't keep pulling the breast downward. I go back to see him in 3 months. He did say that if my breast keeps contracting that the best route to take may be to consider a mastectomy and then do the reconstruction. It will just be a wait and see because everyone's body and skin reacts differently to radiation.
Renee
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Renee - lol....Michele means 33 Celsius, which is 91.4 Fahrenheit. We are metric here in Canada! It's really hot here right now. My air conditioning is going full force this week. It's so hot my newly planted flowers are dropping and thristy, despite frequent waterings. Congrats on the weight loss. I'd like to lose about 30 pounds or so now that I'm done with treatment. You've inspired me!
Juanelle, I love the new picture...you look so good!!
I hope everyone is having a great day.
Sherri
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Sherri... LOL!! 33 degrees Celsius haha!!! that is hot!!!! We don't do metric here for the most part. Sorry... Hope you are enjoying the American Idol Finale! I am loving it!!!
Renee
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Hi Friends! It's nice to read about you - sounds like everyone is doing OK for the most part. Psalm121 - so sorry to hear about your niece. She is in my prayers.
Oh it is fun to read about gardenias and lilacs and maple trees and grandchildren. It sure beats the heck out of reading about SEs and surgery! Can I get an amen???!!!! What a lovely difference a year makes - we have all come so far. And isn't it nice to have this group of ladies to share it with?! Here's to hanging together for the next year, come what may.
My report for the day is there is a wonderful old sycamore tree just down the street from my house, and there is an owl nesting in a hole in the trunk. She has two chicks! Sweet fuzzy little things. It's so much fun to take my 8 yr. old nephew to see them.
Juanelle, you hottie. Great new photo. Your hair is so cute. Perhaps I'll post a new avitar after my next hair cut. The newer hair seems to be a little less curly. I hope to go from a "Kramer" hairdo to a sophisticated and elegant do. Stay tuned.
And Renee - 31 lbs! Good going! You are providing good inspiration for the rest of us.
Jen - I'm a Blackhawks fan, too. I went to the winter classic game in Chicago on New Year's Day 2009. They played the Redwings. It was soooooooo much fun! Never got cold, either. Since the Stars are out, the Hawks are my fave.
Love and smooches to you all.
XO, Mary
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Mary- Good to hear from you! I saw the Hawks play the Redwings once too, but it was a few years ago.
The biggest local buzz in my area is that there is a bald eagle that has built a nest in a local forest preserve area. There are people lining up along a busy road to get a peek and take photos of them. It is rare that they nest themselves in this area. It is pretty exciting. I travel this road quite a bit and have caught a peek of it.
Renee- You are so awesome with the weight you have lost! Congrats to you on that! I sure hope for your sake that you don't have to do the mastectomy. Hopefully your tissue starts to calm down and you can get the reconstruction without the mastectomy.
Hope everyone is doing well today!
Hugs
Jen
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Renee -- way to go on the weight loss! That is AWESOME! How did you do it? What sort of diet did you follow?
Mary -- I agree... SO much nicer to think about gardens and flowers than SEs
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Lilah -- I started to a place called Medical Weight Loss Solutions. I take an all natural appetite suppresant called Therma Max and an Essential Fatty Acid (they call it an EFA). I am also on a diet plan that consist of a permanent change in the way I eat. Like for breakfast I have carb control Dannon yogurt with 1/2 cup of All Bran buds or Kashi Go Lean in it or I have 1/2 cup of egg beaters cooked with a slice of low fat, low cal cheese (or no cheese usually), maybe some onions, tomatoes in it for breakfast with a piece of Sara Lee 40cal toast with 1 tsp low fat cream cheese on it. For lunch a salad with no cheese, it can only have 8 ounces of lettuce and 4 ounces of lean meat to go with it and either 2 tbsp of light salad dressing (there are other variations but too many to list), For dinner I have 4 ounces lean meat, 4 ounces of 2 cooked green vegetable or 8 ounces raw (I have a list), I can have one starch. It's really not bad. My weight loss has slowed down right now. I hope it speeds back up soon. I've got to remotivate myself and get back to my salads. I had kind of burnt myself out on them so I've been doing vegetables. Renee
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Wow Renee! That sounds like a very strict diet, you have more will power than me for sure! Kudos to you for following that regiment. Are you working out at all along with the diet?
I went for a nice long walk with my 10 year old son last night. It was so wonderful. We talked about everything from video games to my cancer. He wanted to know what made me start "liking"
my husband when we met. He also told me that if I had gone thru chemo, he would have taken care of me! I am so lucky to have such a caring little boy. He is going to make a good husband somedayHope you all are having a wonderful day! Hope everyone has a lovely long Memorial Day weekend!
Hugs
Jen
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Renee congratulations. You are being much stricter than I am. I still eat what I want just not a whole lot of eat. Since I started chemo Dec. 4, I have lost 44 pounds. I would love to loose another 40.
Well I got taken off the lyrica for my neuropathy. I am having some double vision. If it hasn't improved by Monday I have to let the Dr. know and then see an eye Dr. In the mean time he gave Dilaudd to take for the pain at night. 9 down 25 more radiations to go. I had some magor burning last night but I still have not had any pinkness.
Hope eveybody had a great long weekend.
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Jen, what a precious moment with your son. You'll always remember it.
Abby, so sorry for the double vision. Horrible! Can you cover one eye and function? Is it a SE of a drug?
Mary, how did you spot the baby owl? That is terrific. Nice that the wildlife can adapt to our neighborhoods. We used to have a great horned owl around but have not seen it in a while. Big guy!
Renee, your weight loss had gone so fast! I just read you are more likely to not regain the faster you loose it. "They" used to say the opposite. DH and I have slowly lost a lot of weight over the past 2 years... his diabetic diet.
Hope everyone enjoys the long weekend. Juanelle.... hope you are off and feeling well.
pam
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Renee, congrats on the weight loss. I gained 20 lbs after chemo and am now in the process of working it off. I have lost 6 lbs in the last three weeks, so I guess it is working. I am not dieting too much, just trying to not eat all the food that is brought to work. That is so hard, because we have some really good food, along with a lot of junk. I have modified my eating habits, so I will just see how much I can lose, then maybe start dieting harder.
Pam, I am feeling much better, thank you. I think I am on the mend. I can't feel any more congestion in my lungs, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that I am over it.
Abby, congrats to you also for losing 44 lbs. That is great. My total weight loss should be about 40 lbs, but I just don't know if I will be able to lose that much. But I am going to try. Good luck to you on your future weight loss.
Jen, kids are so amazing. They are much stronger than we normally give them credit for and have such words of wisdom. Maybe we should listen to them more and let them be our guides through life.
Mary, I would love to see a new avatar of you. We have all changed so much in the last year, it is nice to see an update. My hair is beginning to take on its old characteristics and I am really digging the short do. Everyone is encouraging me to keep it short. Say it makes me look younger, well girl I need all the younger that I can get. lol Love the owl story. Hope nothing gets them and they get to grow up.
Sherri, it is hot here also, up in the 90s, we are getting ready for our many days of 100s. Hot and steamy, Texas weather, you just gotta love it.
Good evening to you Lilah, hope all is going well with you.
Hugs to all you wonderful ladies.
Juannelle
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Juanelle congrats to you on the weight loss. You are so right it is very hard to lose weight no matter how you do it. Boy, it sure is hot in Texas right now! We have been a little on the cool side for Alabama... about 85. All it has done is rain here for the last week and only rain in the foreseeable week. I'm so tired of rain!! I'm ready to go to the beach, but I don't know when we will get to go. The economy has been so bad lately and my husband's place of business has cut out all of their overtime and cut them to 4 days a week. We are just thankful that he still has a job. Believing that God will work it out.
Mary, Lilah, Jen, Pam, and all you other wonderful ladies... Have a wonderful Memorial Day!
Renee
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I have cleaned house ALL day and I am hoping my smart sisters are relaxing and enjoying the holiday and not working like a fool!
pam
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Even though it has been two months since surgery, sneezing still hurts. And....yes I am very thankful that I didn't get a cold or sinus infection before this because it was one of the worst allergy season we have had in a while and I was well through it. I can't wait for it to get dark so I can send my child to bed and take a pain pill and muscle relaxer.
Hoping most are having a better weekend than me.
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Hello,
To all of you who mentioned they have lost weight: is any of you on tamoxifen?
I gained 10 pounds during chemo and have been on Tamoxifen for 5 months now. I'm very strict with what I eat and I exercise a lot, but I still haven't lost anything. I only want to lose the 10 pounds I gained.
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Renee, sorry to hear about your DH....things are tough all over.
Abby, how old are your kids? Some day are like that for me...can't wait for my bed. Tomorrow will get better I am sure.
Pam, I too cleaned like a crazy person...to bad it doesn't show...still a mess.
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