Catholics
Comments
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Sheila, Thank you for that site on wound care, I read it.
When to MDs today he didn't think my rash was anything to worry about . I will take antibodies and he she the redness with lighten up. I did have tumor markers drawn yck. Thank you for your prayers.
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KAY..WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME. I have had the annoiting of the sick before 2 o fmy surgeries and I understand your feeling of peace that it brings! Please let us know how things go and know we are praying for you, to have strenght peace and hope always
Sandy. Welcome welcome too!!!!.praying for you and your husband and doctor. May God give you and your husband peace and comfort and guide your surgeons hands for a completly successful surgery.
God bless you!
Maria
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Kay welcome
Sandy you have all of our prayers as well. We will stand watch with you as you go through this. Our Janet has a surgery coming up this month, and Tori is in the middle of Rads. Has anyone heard from Prayers? Who did I miss?Theresa,
You are already in the midst of you new calling, and your knowledge and spirit are very comforting! I don't know, you have a way of making this real, interesting, and topical. Make sense? All the makings of a wonderful teacher, just as our Sheila is a wonderful teacher of Nursing
Betty, let us now how the antibiotics are working K?
and my prayers go out for all of you who are working in your own businesses, waiting to hear about jobs, and the pressures that come with it. May you ALL be bolstered in your businesses, taking care of your homes, and personal financial stability. I pray for the protection of all of our finances and endeavors. Not sure if there is a special prayer to say, or how to go about praying for financial stability (Theresa.....?) I know this greatly impacts our health, and we all need support.
I have a patient who is most likely going to be diagnosed with lymphoma. He works so many hours, so fearful of asking for help, never wanting to be part of "the system." I almost cried listening to him, as he is like so many of us. Working so hard, yet sometimes so hard we may tip the balance of health, even in treatment. I will let you all know, but I may need some special prayers for him in a few weeks after some more tests.
Thank you all for being so darn lovely...
Butterflies, Lady Bugs, Dragon Flies and all....(I have butterflies and dragonflies in places throughout my apartment....)
Traci
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Kay - Welcome!! I'm sorry you have to be here. I had my surgeries and radiation at Hahnemann. (I lived in NJ at the time) Both my surgeon and Rad Onc were Catholic and I felt very at ease with my life in their hands. I had the annointing of the sick too and was so moved. My husband was by my side the whole time, beginning to now. Except now he and my daughter tag-team on teasing me about "chemo brain" and "chemo legs"!! :-) I told them that a bc friend at work told me that she read we can use the chemobrain excuse for 10 years! They thought that was hilarious.
Sandy - prayers for you; peace of the Holy Spirit for you and your husband. And yes, as Janet said, if you have ANY feeling of unease, seek a second opinion.
Sheila and Janet - you are too kind in your words, but thank you! If anything good comes from what I type, it's truly the working of the Holy Spirit. I was poorly catechised also and am really enjoying my re-education at 51! :-)
Betty - great news!
Well, I'm on the road to NJ tomorrow for a few days and will be saying my rosary for all of you - especially for those feeling stressed or worried. We've all been there.
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I almost forgot - Kay - we meet every Friday evening at 10:00 and pray together. Please join us if you can!!
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Thank you everyone for the warm welcome. You have already helped me immensely. I will be here Friday, and I will pray for all of you as well in the meantime.
Theresa, I will be getting my biopsy just west of Hahnemann, at HUP. It is a blessing to have so many wonderful hospitals so nearby. Have a good night all and God Bless.
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Sandy and Kay ~ a warm welcome to you both
Betty ~ glad your rash is taken cared of.
I would have to say :
Sheila ~ thank you for your posts, you have such rich knowledge in the medical area. We are so lucky to have you as our go to sister.
Theresa ~ thank you, you have taught us a lot, you are a wealth of knowledge in Catechism. I don't think I was taught properly at the Catholic schools.
Traci ~ will be praying for your friend.
Vitamins ~ My onc gave me the green light to take multiple vitamins back in Dec 2010. Then when I saw him last Wednesday, he told me to stop the vitamins, including Vit. C. I am only allowed to take D3 (1,000 IU a day). That's it. He said that he doesn't want the vitamins to be feeding the cancer tumor and that it may decrease the effectiveness of the Tamoxifen.
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Sandy and Kay welcome, welcome, welcome to our little family...I"m sorry that it had to be under these circumstances, but you have to come to a wonderful place for love, prayers, and comfort from some incredibly outstanding and faith filled women...Many prayers are being offered up for you...
Sisters...I am sorry that I have been away since Friday night prayers. It seems that there is always something coming up...The military has been going back and forth about deploying my husband. Each time they say he is going it gets pushed back...over and over and again. I had finally resigned myself to believing that he would be hanging around. Well, he got a call today that it looks like he is leaving this Wednesday. It's only for 3 months, but my heart still sank. You would think that I would be used to him being gone, but this time, after all this stuff has been going on...it's just different. Feeling a bit sorry for myself...
THEN...we get an unexpected email from our tenants (also in the military) that rent our house in Colorado. They had just recently signed a 2 year extension on the house that they rent from us, but things changed for them as well. They gave us 30 day notice that they need to terminate their lease. Of course, we understand...but, geez...trying to get through rads here, and getting ready for my husband to deploy and now, having to try and find someone to rent that house being states away is a bit disheartening.
I apologize for the vent...I really do...ugh
Anyways, as I was catching up on posts about dreams of our loved ones that have passed, I can't help but be a little sad that my own mother has never once come to me in my dreams. She will be gone 19 years this May and I can not tell you the countless times I have prayed that she would come to me in my dreams. Even through this most trying time in my life, she still has not come. It is one of those things that I can't quite understand and it pulls at my heart...I'm probably being silly, I know, but I miss her immensely still today...and even her coming to me in my dreams would be so comforting...
I had treatment number 8 of rads today...everything seems to be going pretty well...just doing my best to keep up on all the creaming!
Betty--so happy to hear that the rash is nothing..I'm sure you are relieved too!
Traci, Theresa, Paula, Maria, Janet, Sheila...you ladies are always so wonderful as you welcome our newest friends and reach out to everyone...sharing prayers, knowledge, and comfort! You all truly humble me and help me realize that I have so much to learn. You are all such wonderful examples of what we all should be striving for..thank you for that!
Peace and prayers to you all tonight, and may you all feel blessed!
Tori
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Tori,
You actually are an inspiration to me, so there! I know you have been on this journey by yourself in your house, but I do think you know your other "Home" is filled with Sisters and support. If it helps, my mother has never come to me in a dream either. I too miss her in a deep painful way that I think marks our heart where our parents reside. (I guess what I am saying is I found a new deeper level of grief at her passing, that went straight into my heart, parental grief.) My sister has had dreams of Mom, but I have not even had any recorded voice or video to watch. Imagine that! She was video shy.
What I do Tori, is look at flowers and the natural beauty of this world through her eyes, just as she would always point out nature. I see all of it differently now, with a quizzical enjoyment of all things flowers and garden (she was a master with plants and flowers.) Find those things and commune with her, she will be tickled, no doubt. I do get the occasional "duck on the bed...." and look for those things.They speak to us in ways that best represent their spirit.
Alrighty, off for another day. Have a safe and Blessed Day all!
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Tori and all my sisters, you are ALL inspirations. We lift eachother up even in our darkest moments. We are all here loving, living and believing. Holding on to our faith and eachother. God Bless wach one of you, for each of you brings your own special gift to the table...
Blessing for a wonderful day.. i see... dare I say ...the sun today lol!!!
Love Maria
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Ladies, Praise the LORD, my TM are normal. I saw a cardinal this morning in my tree and thought this is a good sign.
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That is wonderful news! Amen!!!!
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Paula- the doc change on the vitamin thing is huge ---some big research thing must have just splashed. But I don't understand why they didn't highlight it here on BCO. One of the d3 thing is because of the bone problems caused by tamox and AI's.
Betty--please, follow the recommendations on outlining the rash site , daily or every other day pictures in the same light, Skin temperature evaluation, a rash is something until it is nothing, I don't say this to worry you. A bit of zealous observation can catch something early. One thing I used to say to patients and families in the hospital setting or homecare --unless they have the same nurse/doc doing all the dressing changes--the patient or constant family member should be looking at the wound/incision site because they're eyes will catch the subtle changes.
Squid If your Patient is dx'sd with Lymphoma---The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society(National) gives grants up to 5000.00$ and the local chapter will give a grant of 150.00$. Their fiscal year is from july1st to june 31st. They will consider bills retroactively in the fiscal year. We found out in april submitted app in may ---and many bills were covered retro. Wish there was something for BC that was comparable. They even covered bills up until Greg passed away and I didn't submit them until Jan. They can be accessed by internet and all the apps and requirements can be downloaded off the internet. Tell your folks to label a master file with blanks. Then make two folders --one for this fiscal year and the second for submission july 1st. That way its less copy /gather work.Then a file for copies of completed reimbursement forms. This is not taxable income--it is a grant.
To all ---new step forward --went to water aerobics with Greg's girlfriends today. For new folks Greg passed in Aug. We both had CA at the same time dx'd 3 months apart in 09. His GF's are a group that have been doing water aerobics together for many years. I would go to the social activities. But now I will be going regularly to the gym, and hope to get up early to be with them. They are the early risers. Start at 8 am.--Early rising is never been my schtick.-----so why did I pick nursing that got me up in the dark my whole life almost? I didn't think of it when choosing a profession---one of those simple questions. If you don't want to work midnights, weekends , holidays, 13-14 hour shifts---don't be a nurse.
Tori dearest what we say here is NEVER NEVER a rant. It's a conversation amongst friends WE have serious things to say and joyful---the whole range. It isn't a fluff site.
Love everybody sheila
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Hello All My Dear Sisters,
My PS appointment did not go as well as I had hoped. I must now find someone else for both Jerry and I felt uncomfortable with this PS. It wasn't that there was anything wrong. It was just that there was nothing which felt right...
I am so happy for the good news others are having now so I shall concentrate on this and be grateful I have all of you to offer your love and support to me.
I need information about one step precedures with allederm and where and by whom these are done. I shall pray many of you have experience with this...
I hope each of you have a calm and peaceful night.
God Bless Each and Every One of You
Sandy
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Sheila - that's so great to start the water aerobics! God bless all nurses.
Sandy - start a thread under surgery and ask for PS recommendations in your area (and in the type of reconstruction you want). Women do that all the time. It takes a while to find the right person - you'll know him/her when you find them!
Paula - how is your mother doing?
Traci - still loving your new place?
Maria - I was scrolling through phone apps and saw a "coloring book" w/Tinkerbell! She is timeless.
Lord, please don't let cancer researchers become discouraged. Open their understanding to the mysteries of this disease and help them find the cure in Your name. Amen.
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ps - I got good blood work today too! Yay! My Vit D doubled - now 52!! Took D2 mega dose for 12 weeks and then started 2,000 D3. Haven't seen onc yet - but I hear that 80 is a good target.
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sorry - keep forgetting things. Speaking of nurses, had a very young nurse today doing EKG. She just sort of stood there looking intently - and said it was first time she had done EKG with someone having had mastectomy and wasn't quite sure where to put the probes! I had to laugh a little - I told her just pretend & should be easier to count ribs
:) She was really very sweet. Whatever she did - it must have worked - doc OK'd. Never a dull moment in this journey.0 -
Sheila, Dr looked at my rash today and said it is looking better, stay on antibiotics.
Sandy thank you for your prayers, they worked.
Tori, You are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for.. I hope you find peace with your husband deploying, and we will pray for a good renter, that has to be hard.
Traci,Theresa, Michelle,Janet, Maria,Kay,Laura and all I forgot (sorry) Your all in my prayers.
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Sheila,
As always, fabulous info. I will absolutely work with SW to see if he will qualify (still hoping no on dx.) Thanks!
Janet,
Yup still loving it. I threw the ball for the kiddo out on the fenced in patio today. She wants to live out there. That's the husky in her...I actually look forwards to coming home... Congrats on the Vit D! I gotta restart that.
Betty, congrats on the TM! and glad to hear the rash is getting better. Sheila put it so well..a rash is something until it's nothing. I had IV antibiotics after a bout of cellulitis OUCH! and then oral antibiotics for a lesser case of the same. We kicked it to the curb, so stay vigilant.
Sandy,
So hard to choose a PS right? I don't know Sheila, maybe you can weigh in, but Sandy can you find out other people's experiences with that surgeon and any new prospective PS? Some do not have the greatest bedside manner, but can rock it out in the O.R. They may not be too much fun for the Nurses and techs either in the O.R., but their work and reputation can go a long way as far as learning about a plastic surgeon. It is an absolute leap of faith isn't it? and of course, trust your gut feeling. I just want to give you another way of evaluating your surgeon. I don't know where you live, but there is a thread on Nipple sparing mastectomy (was that what you were trying to find, a surgeon experienced in this technique?) I bet there are some good referrals, and I heard about someone in Philadelphia? Anyway the thread may be helpful.
Alright, off to do adult stuff like laundry and cleaning
Have a blessed night, and sweet dreams (of course I will probably pop back later
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SANDY. I am sorry you and Jerry didnot find the comfort level you were hoping for with your PS, that is so important. I dont know where you live I am in the DC are and I love my PS..One of the things he said to me from the very beginning was " You and I are attached at the hip until you are happy", I found him to be honest encouraging, and very very good and experienced at what he did. If you are in the area and would like his name and info pm me. He is in DC.
JANET..Yes Tink is timeless, I am always scoping out Tink stuff, my DH is such a good sport he doesnt even complain about sleeping on Tink Flannel sheets in the winter lol...
I will be keeping all your intentions on my prayers tonight. Ladies I am so grateful to have found this thread. I truly find such peace and inspiration here, like I have known all of you forever!!! Thank you Lord for this wonderful group of ladies..
Sleep well sisters and God Bless
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Welcome new members!
Betty I am so happy and included you in my prayers the whole day and felt you would have good news!
Tori I am sorry your life is so unpredictable right now, would love to hear more about your husband what branch he is in and a little about his history in the military. Will pray for you today as you prepare yourself. It is so hard to go through bc without constant support.
Sheila so good to see you back here more often. Sounds you like are doing some good things for yourself.
Welcome all new members to this thread.
I like the idea brought up in the previous pages about praying for financial support for all here, as going through all of this is enough but then throw in the financial burden and it is even more difficult.
What do you think about gearing our prayers on Friday to new members and in addition the financial support and direction for all here?
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I need a special prayer today...I will have my long waited job interview by phone at 12:00 PST (9:00 EST) today. I pray that I will be answering questions smoothly and be able to impress the interviewer to nail this job. Amen!!
Sheila ~ thanks for the Vitamin heads up. I wish the ladies on other threads will read what you said. Some are still going along with their naturopaths advice to take supplements.
Janet ~ thank you for asking about my mom. As of last week, she can no longer stand up and go to bathroom on her own. She has gotten real weak and I'm planning to fly up to Canada to visit her in 2 weeks.
Michelle ~ such a great suggestion. I second it
Tori ~ I pray you find strength when your husband is deployed and know that we are all here for you.
Tink ~ wonderful idea
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DIAMONGIRL
I am so sorry to hear your mom is not doing well. Please keep us posted and I will also keep her in prayers as well as your interview today.
Michelle..great idea for Friday prayers!
love to you all!
Maria
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Lovely Ladies,
Thank you so very much for your kind thoughts, suggestions of hope in finding a different PS, and most especially for your prayers for me. I appreciate it so very much! You are all in my prayers daily, and will remain there as we travel this often difficult road together.
I couldn't sleep last night and am again completely exhausted today. I feel so absolutely terrible for feeling sorry for myself for what is so simple and such a minor problem when compared to the major difficulties so many of you face daily. I just need to find a PS I like who performs the procedure I want. This is nothing at all when I think of the shoes many of you walk in daily. When I stop for a second and think about how fortunate I am for I do not yet have BC as so many of you do, I am so ashamed to be so vain in wanting a good conmetic result when there are so many of you who merely pray to live. Please forgive me for my selfishness and self-centeredness.
I am going to take some time to pray about this for I need to be more grateful and consider others and their problems more than I have been doing for the last few weeks.
May God Bless Each and Every One of You!
Sandy
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Tori - don't know how I missed the deployment situation!!! Our service men/women AND their families all deserve medals of honor! I'm glad it's not for 2 years or something!! Still, even several months is hard esp. as your finishing up treatment.
Traci - your little patio sounds cute. Will be fun in the spring/summer for you & pooch!
Paula - bet your mom will be so glad to see you.
Good suggestion Michelle.
Tink - I have to smile about the tinkerbell flannel sheets!!
)Sandy - nonsense! Whether procedures are for prevention or treatment - the bottom line is the same - defeating this disease! Your choice of surgeon is probably one of the most important decisions in your life. Do you live anywhere near a NCI center? Generally there are outstanding plastic surgeons on the teams. There is a website to find the closest one - I can post if you like.
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For my sisters who suffer fears... and lack of peace. I sing this for you today. Amen.
"Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me bring your
love.
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord
And where there's doubt, true faith in
you.
Oh, Master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul.
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there's despair in life, let me bring
hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there's sadness, ever joy.
Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we're born to eternal
life. "0 -
Oh, thank you for that song. One of my favorites. I had 3 biopsies yesterday, breast and two lymph nodes. It is not looking good. I am scared to death. Once I know what is going to happen and have a plan for how to deal with this, I dread telling my kids. I have a 13 y.o. daughter and twl sons, 19 and 22. Any suggestions? Is there another thread I should look in for that? I will pray on it. This is no fun at all
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This interim wait time is the worst part, but my only advice is don't let your imagination run away with you. My kids are little older than yours. They knew I was having a biopsy to 'be on the safe side.' And I waited a day or so after I got results to tell them (so I could process it myself first). It is easier once you know exaclty what you're dealing with and can give them facts -- which are reassuring to them -- ie, this is what it is, very small, this is what I'll be doing, very treatable, etc. They will take their cues from you and how you are reacting. They need enough information so that THEY don't go off the deep end, but don't feel like you have to cover everything in the very first discussion. It will take them a while to adjust too. Keep an open dialogue & you & family will be OK. Easier said than done - it's tough being the ''grown up" when that's the last thing you want to be. In the meantime, lean on us. God bless.
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KAY..I am so sorry that this is going on. I sent you a PM...
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Janet that is excellent advice I wish I would of found this thread before
... I learned by trial and error... and your so right it is tough being strong when all you want to do at the time is sit and cry, but God gives us the courage.God Bless you all sisters
Maria
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