MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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leisaparis, you can make any day Christmas, as long as you have your family together and the meaning of Christmas is held in your hearts. I hope you have safe travel today. I will be thinking good thoughts for you on Friday for your last treatment. You can really celebrate! Are you taking the chemo that they give you Benedryl with? That one zapped me because I am super-sensative to the Benedryl. Each one I asked for them to ut the dose by half, 100 to 50 to 25 which worked well for me. Then onthe last one the nurse hokked up the Benedryl, and within seconds I asked her if she had given me the corrected dose from my chart. Oops she gave me the whole 100 again! I was out for the count within minutes. It kept me down for hours, I would not have been staying up til midnight after that. I rambled sorry. I just hope you have a great New Year.0
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NativeMainer writes, "No question or topic is off limits..."
I'm all for First Amendment rights, but about thirty or so pages back I tried (not so successfully, I see) to steer this thread away from Weather Reports. Why? Is it hurting anyone? No. My reason is this...I happen to think that this thread can be congenial, accessible, informative, and way more interesting WITHOUT it.
If it sound like I'm jumping in with personal admonishment, or got my claws out for anyone in particular, I'm not and I don't. I was just virtual hot-tubbing with NativeMainer last week, and sharing a giant bag o' Cheetos online with Meece. I felt like I could come in now to once again make my anti-weather APPEAL without it being taken the wrong way.
That said, and maybe I'm showing some hypocrisy here, I thought it was pretty cool that the Texans on this thread actually had a White Christmas. So please don't get the idea that I'm bitter and hardened and jealous because I live in a land that doesn't even have weather. Bottom line, every now and then it might merit a mention. So technically, I'm not anti-weather. Maybe MINIMALIST is what I'm going for.
[Last time the subject came up, there was a humorous "backlash" of weather report posting. Yeah, I know who the militant weather rebels on this thread are. I like ya anyway.]
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I am sorry, Elimar. I got off track. It just seems weather has a big influence on what I do during a day. I have created a thread for anyone who want to talk weather so we can keep this one "report"-free. You have done such a good job with this thread, you have a right to set the parameters. ((hugs)) for your good work.
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Meece!!!! I didn't even recognize you on the Wacky Definition Word thread!!! Great new pic! I was used to seeing your tree...not you!
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Well, people are certainly united by weather...they all have some. (Even me, but only when I leave my climate controlled bubble.) Given the choice af all of us being united by having B/C or having weather, I know which one I'd choose. Only I got the other one as well.
Meece, you are one hilarious lady. I give your thread my unsolicited endorsement, and might even peek in now and again. (Not like I never watch the weather channel at home.) Will I post a report, oh no, I'll have to take a "rain check" on that! Ah-ha-ha-ha. I agree with Barbe about the new pic, but OMG you look way to young to have all those grown sons!
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Oh, thank you both for the compliments. I am 46 years young with a birthday coming up this Spring. DSs are 25, nearly 23 and nearly 21.
I am always tickled when the weather-guesser on the news tells me we have weather coming. Isn't heat, or sun or 70s considered weather??? But I will try to refrain from using those terms on this thread anymore. Key word: try.
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Some of you have celebrated this at least once already, so which date do you use for the "cancerversary?" Is it the diagnosis date (which most people have listed under their posts) or is it the surgery date (when we like to think we are cancer-free again?)
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Thank You Meece, Yes I'm on the kind with benedryl (taking Taxatere & Herceptin). It hasn't really effected me any. Once in a while if I've only had @ 4 hours sleep will I get tired. I work the night shift...4:30p.m. - 3:30 a.m....I get home @ 4a.m., bed by 4:30a.m., Up @ 8a.m. to get to treatment by 10a.m. I live a little over an hour away from cancer center. Made it to see the kids, had a good x-mas (3 days late). Having my last treatment New Years Eve...then when I get home we are going to a new years eve party....gonna have a few marguerita's (at least 1, depending on if I can handle it). Haven't had but 1 drink since this whole thing started. I LOVE Marguerita's!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!
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Elimar, I think it depends on if you are celebrating being cancer-free or being a survivor. I choose to celebrate being a cancer survivor which is what my onc says they date it by, so I go by diagnosis. If I were to go by surgery for removal, it would be two additional months.
Leisaparis, sounds like you are used to being up late, so have as many margaritas that you can handle and celebrate!
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I use the date of my surgery as my cancerversary date, as my DIL said it was the first day of the rest of my life. Next July 3rd I will marry my SO of ten years, It will be my 2nd cancerversary,
Happy New Year my Middles ! Blessings all around...........
This is the front door of our business
We knew we were due for a nasty winter, it's been awhile.0 -
My first cancerversary is April 29th, 2010 - I cannot really get my head around this date yet - the last 8 months just have been a nightmare and am still pretty angry that this all had to happen to me. I don't want to sound selfish but as we all know CANCER SUCKS and the people that have never experienced this have absolutely no idea! Looking on the bright side my hair is growing back in and am now wigless - I was really happy to get those things off. I work in a medical office and the patients just look at me, some of them have commented kindly and some who just look at me as though I have sixteen heads! I just giggle. I certainly have my ups and downs, working through my tears, wanting to wake up and feel well, justing working through all of the emotions is hard enough and can be absolutely exhausting. Chemo Brain was the worst and I still suffer with it, and it very tough when you are working with someone who is in their early 20's and has not even experienced life yet, that for me was very threatening but I have just taken a step back and do my work thoroughly and correctly. I take ridalin to help with the concentration, let me tell you that does help. Thanks for letting me vent ladies!!! Tomorrow is a brand new day :-)
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Vent away, it is great therapy! Good morning, everyone.
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I use March 2007 for survivor and cancerversary. I got the actual diagnosis 3/9/07, lumpectomy 3/29/07. I found the lump in Jan '07, got the results of the mammogram Feb '07. So my records say I was diagnosed in Jan AND in Feb AND in March, depending on which doc's records you read. I figure March '07 will work--it had the needle biopsy, 2 surgeries and was the beginning of the true horror of treatment.
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Good morning,
I took a computer vacation the last few days so have been enjoying catching up with the latest posts this morning. A belated congratulations to Juannelle for finishing chemo! Leisa, enjoy your Margaritas - great way to celebrate the last treatment! I'll toast you on New Year's Eve! Eastender, I'm a couple of weeks ahead of you and began going wigless the day after Thanksgiving when my lovely DD#1 and DIL convinced me to shed the wig in the middle of the mall during a horrid hot flash! I've been "topless" ever since then and do get weird looks but I am past the point of caring! Everyone at home and work is so supportive and complimentary of my new hair so I only get the weird looks in public (especially at church of all places).
I wasn't sure when I'd celebrate my cancerversary, I'm leaning toward the day I received the diagnosis on April 3rd but my symptoms began on March 23rd, I saw the doctor that day and thus began my journey. I guess I'll choose between those two dates. Never thought I'd be debating this issue.
Warm regards,
Suzette
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Good Morning Everyone, I was confused with this date thing. When I asked my oncology nurse.
She said to me " The day you are diagnosed you become a survivor" so for me April 1 is the day.
Sheila
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Seyla888, I noticed the irony of your diagnosis date before. April Fool's indeed!
I was leaning toward my 7/9/09 surgery date, to count the years that I am disease free and use as my cancerversary date.. The date I got the actual diagnosis was about 8 mos. after I was aware that I had a lump, although I just did not think it was cancer all that time. Denial works in strange ways.
Welcome eastender! Although I never had to go through the chemo treatments myself, I went through it second hand with my mom, who did a year of Carboplatin and Taxotere for her lung cancer. She never shaved all her hair off, but it got very, very thin so that she wanted the hats and wigs for some warmth. Her hair is grown back now, the same as before but finer. I've seen so many posts where the women say it comes back curly. At least the straight haired women write that. I'm not sure what happens if you start out with curls in the first place???
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I consider my annniversary date the day that the word "cancer" and my "breast" was in the same sentence. I had surgery, but how do I know I'm cancer free? For all I know, it's building up somewhere else.....sigh.
I think it's kind of like the first day of the rest of your life.
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Good morning middies and happy Monday! I'm supposed to be taking down our Christmas tree today and I still haven't started. We have a small living room so getting back that precious space is a huge incentive. Plus, we're having an "Eat Before You Drink," party on New Year's Eve so I really need to get this place cleaned up.
My hubby and I spent the entire weekend outside doing yard work and having two huge burn piles going. We have an acre that is in desperate need of major pruning and cleaning. We had a tree come down a couple of weeks ago so it had to be cut up, then we had to cut down a dead tree in the corral. No horses, just a corral! We decided to burn the tree where it fell so we wouldn't have to drag it across the yard. When we checked back by our seasonal creek, we found several limbs that one of the neighbors cut down and left on our property. So....being the gracious neighbors that we are, we drove the truck over, lugged the limbs into the truck and threw them on the burn pile. This time we were nice....next time they get their trash back!
Yes, I am one of those weird people who like yard work and burn piles. I grew up in the city and moved up here a year ago today, to join my hubby. I guess I ought to get to work on the undecorating.
As for our weather...high fog and COLD!
Linda
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I have Arimidex induced dementia so bad that I can no longer recall the date that all my tx. was over LOL but I know the date they told me I had cancer, Friday May 30, 2008. Don't you just hate bad news from the Doctor on Friday? Any day is bad but those Friday phone calls should include a bottle of valium! My BS wanted me to have my 6 month MRI on Dec 22, I said " hell no!" and scheduled it for January.
Stay warm and cozy,
Linda
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Meece - I'm also 46, with a birthday coming up in the spring! You got started making people about ten years before I did - my oldest is 14 1/2 and the youngest will be 13 on Saturday!
Linda - I can almost touch my back fence from my back door. You'd HATE my itty-bitty yardlet. Frankly, I kind of hate it myself, but this part of Texas is not really an "outdoors" part of the world. Perhaps if you're on a golf course that's chemically treated so that it's bug-free...
Elimar - cover your eyes, as I'm about to comment on the weather! Looks like we might be having MORE snow tomorrow! There are still some little bits on my roof from Christmas. Weird, weird, weird! I hope it's enough to whip up a tiny little snowman this time!
Nebraskagrandma - I miss my snowy Lincoln, NE!!!! But I hope you don't have that super-heavy wet stuff to remove...
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OmahaGirl....April 1 2005 was also on Friday. But I was so sure about the results that I started calling my Doctors to schedule appts right after I hang up the phone. I also remember it was 11:00 AM.
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I very vivdly remember getting the surgeon's call with the pathology report at 5:35 pm. I remember she said "The report says adenocarcinoma. It's breast cancer." I know she said some more, but the only thing I processed was the date and time of the next appointment with her. I remember spending more than an hour on the phone with a freind of mine (my pastor's wife) after that. I don't think I slept at all that night and probably sleep walked through work the next day. I don't think I've had an undrugged full night's sleep since then.
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Barbe, in the same vein as whether the glass is half empty or half full, I have decided to see my cancer as GONE until someone tells me otherwise; and should that time actually come, it'll be time to start drinkin' from the bottle!
While we are contemplating our cancerversaries, smithlme is having a land-a-versary today! I want her as my neighbor. (Mine throws black walnuts into my yard when he thinks I'm not looking.)
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Kleenex, I was 21 when I popped my first one out. I wanted to have them young so I could have fun once they were out, while I was still young enough to do so!
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I had my first one @ 17 & second one @ 19. Thought by the time I hit 40 I would be able to travel and do anything I wanted....so what do I get for that....lovely BC....lucky me.....my life sucks.
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elimar, I think I am with you. Last PET scan I had, I did not have any cancer in my body, so I am cancer free, since my surgery. I am a glass half full kind of person.
I will always remember the call to tell me I had bc. The words "It was not what we were expecting, it is cancer." will always be there in my mind. I don't remember what else she had to say, but I got that. I got off the phone and ran as fast as I could to the bathroom, where I cried for about an hour. Thank goodness, I work with my best friend and she saved me. It was very hard for her to control her emotions while I was having a meltdown, but she did and I will always be grateful to her. I do teach some computer classes at work and I had to teach that day. There is no one else that could do it. I was on the schedule, so that was that. I did tell the class that I was expecting a call and if I got it during the class that I would take it. I was waiting on the call from my doctor, but the call didn't come until after the class was finished. One of the guys in the class is married to the lady that was my assistant and he was appalled that I would even think about taking a phone call in the middle of a class, she informed him that I had been diagnosed with BC earlier in the day and that I wanted to talk to my doctor. He was impressed and decided that I had some big cohonnes and most of the guys in the class wouldn't be able to live up to mine. I thought that was pretty funny.
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I got the news in person, at a "Breast Center." Although they have a small private room, the nurse took me into a tiny room off to the side of the interior waiting room (when the women wait in the gowns for their procedures.) That room was glass-sided, not as private. I think the words I got were, "Your biopsy did have some cancerous cells..." (Then some words I could not hear due to the shock wave going thru' my brain.) "...will be wanting to schedule a surgery..." And so on, we all know the drill.
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It's funny, in some parts of the country everyone is weather obsessed, say like Wisconsin, when I moved to Maine I caught flack for putting too much emphasis on the weather in the news.
I am back from Florida, we had a great time, I ate way way way way too much! I feel like we had a weeks vacation, even thought it was just three nights. It was so nice to feel normal, though my mind does wander to the cancer quite a bit.
Has this changed your retirement plans, or your desire to save? Sometimes I feel like saying to heck with it, why worry about a retirement I may not be here for.
In other news,we even got to be smack in the middle of the whole air security brouhaha.It was funny we took the bus from Little Havana back to Miami beach, and transferred at the airport, right at the very moment all of the reporters were doing their 11 oclock live shots.
Any how tomorrow I start rads so it is a big dose of reality, and I had my phone off so I actually missed a call from my oncologists nurse.
But it was so nice enjoying warm weather and romantic surroundings!!!!!
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Juanelle those are some big cohonnes! I just sat on the couch saying I have BC over and over then picked up the phone and called my Dr. friend in Omaha and he arranged for me to get two opinions and the rest is history.
I had my daughter at 22 and it was great being a young Mom.The year she turned 18, I turned 40 she went off to college, and I found a younger lover and never had so much fun in my life!
Thank god I have wonderful memories because life is currently very boring! Gosh when will that virtual man be ready?
I am going to go now and wash my thoughts out with soap.
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Omahagirl, what a great story. I am glad you found the young lover, I am sure it was a life changing experience. I had my first child at 24, then one at 27. It was still young enough, that everyone was gone from home before I was 50. My DH and I have had a good 10 years. It will be interesting to see what the next 10 years hold for us. Our lives are definitely different, some things better and some things not so.
How did the mind cleaning come out? If I washed my mind, there wouldn't be anything left, it would just be an empty space.
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