Australian Sisters
Comments
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Yeaay, found you !!!
It was minus 3 degress where I live (in the Southern Tablelands). But atleast the sun is warming up !!!
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Yay Kelpie - glad you found us :-)
Where on the Southern Tablelands are you? We are having a get together in Berrima on 18 August (Southern Highlands), is that something you'd be interested in?
Trishxox
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Welcome Kelpie :-) Nice you found us!
We aren't that different in age I'm guessing... I'm 47, was 46 when diagnosed last year...
Jenn0 -
Welcome Kelpie
. I'm Kate and I take it your partial to Kelpie's? Great dogs indeed! I have 3 Border Collies who I just adore so you've found an avid dog lover here...... Wouldn't be without them for quids.So excited about our Brissy reunion and even more so that Chrissy might be able to come too. Alyson, it would be terrific if you could make it. Gosh can you imagine the chatter around the table? don't think we need to worry too much about what sort of food we'll be ordering - Can't talk and eat at the same time LOL. xxx
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Hope you girls are all ok over there. i unfortuanately was in bed all day yesterday, had an attack of the inner ear thing i get, yesterday i felt like i was on the high seas, today just feel like i am on boat rolling over the little waves, heavy foggy head, it is not nice, it comes on without warning too. going to loo, i had hold on to walls so would not fall over. am going to do dishes and feed some animals and then have a rest. any sudden moves, i just about throw up. so i will say hi and hope you all ok and everybody happy. take care warm hugs.
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Oh Midnight Hugs to you. Reading your post bought back very unpleasant memories of the reaction to my first chemo, I was just like that and it was just awful!. I do hope you get better soon. xxxx
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Kate I did your trick. Although I had promised myself I would go to the hairdressers for first colour, I just dyed my hair and it went pink! It started to change so I quickly washed it out so it only has a pinkish tinge, but the worst bit was the white hairs are still there. So instead of being grey and white, I am now pink and white. My DD said "well you can just put your hat back on".
Welcome Kelpie, I sent you a PM.
Midnight I am sorry you feel awful. That sounds like the pits. I hope you feel better soon.
The trip to Brissy sounds great. We were going to go on a holiday to celebrate the end of treatment but it has been delayed until the finances improve. Oh well, I am just dancing to have it over. Thinking of you girls on herceptin. Hugs.
The date sounds fine to me Jenn, if that suits everyone. There are heaps of coffee shops and restaurants in Berrima; the historic pub is also very nice but maybe crowded on the weekend.
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I was at my sister's till 2am last night then had an hour's drive home, but it was well worth it. We worked flat out on the family tree. She has taken the free trial at ancestry.com.au and will join up for 6 months which works out a lot cheaper than monthly, so I joined Genes Reunited so we can both tap into different member's family trees. Ancestry.com works out to about $109 for 6 months and is good for all records, Genes Reunited cost me about $77 for 6 months including parish records in addition to census and BDM information but I didn't pay for war records, immigration etc. Later I'll revert to the limited membership which is only £2 or £3 a month and I'd have access to the other member's trees. That way any new information would be available to extend the tree and I can get the relevant documents from Ancestry.com at the library for free. It's over an hour round trip away otherwise I'd just go there all the time to save the membership fees.
Gerri, If you can get as much as possible on PAF first, then pay for one month it should be well worth the money. Other people have often done all the hard work for one or more branches that makes things a lot easier.
Six years ago most of my information came from the British Genes Reunited members, I still have my correspondence that I copied for my mother's tree. Last night we managed to break past a huge hurdle in my father's tree when sis emailed another Ancestry.com member and she got straight back from England with the relevant details. We are pleased with our results so far.
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18th August is fine with me. I'm glad it's a smallish group or I'll get mixed up who is who due to my face blindness. I tend to recognise people by a combination of their hairstyle and any other notable features. If someone has a change of style then I don't recognise them. People get really offended but it's a brain defect and I can't help it. I can pass someone on the street that I've worked with for years and not realise who they are. If they start chatting then I have to wait for clues. It's so embarrassing.
So yes, I'm the weird one, LOL.
ETA. Kylie, I hope your pink hair is on display, it'll be so much easier for me. Colours are the new fashion anyway! 0 -
Hi Kelpie and welcome to our growing Aussie group.
Well girls I'm in! Yup I spoke to DH last night and I'm about to start looking for flights. Sue, I'll try to get a flight for late Friday afternoon or early evening and leave Monday morning if that's okay. Gosh I'm already getting excited.....lol.....sort of like a kid waiting for Christmas.
Got to dash as I need to get to the shops but I just wanted to let you all know that I will be in Brizzy......Yahoooo!!!!
Love n hugs all. Chrissy
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Sounds like the 18th is set then! Can't wait to see everyone :-)
Joy, don't get shy on us before then, I am looking forward to meeting you. Can't promise not to change my hairstyle after the meet up though, or maybe even during it since I am still wearing the wig but sort of using it like a hat with people I know - so it might come off at lunch!
Jenn0 -
Kelpie - I have no idea where the southern tablelands are (imported kiwi girl...). Is that in VIC or NSW or SA?
We are having two meet ups being organised. One on the 18th of August for lunch in Berrima in the southern highlands south of Sydney and one in December in Brisbane. It's pretty exciting.
Trish and I have met once before when she was in Sydney when I was still doing chemo - she is a great person :-)
Jenn0 -
Chrissy - I can have Friday off - come Friday morning or Thursday night and go back Sunday night.
Hey, I got a nice gift today. We have a consultant from the US at work at the moment and she brought me 2 bottles of Melatonin 3mg 120 tabs. They only cost her $3 each - boy do we get ripped off.
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Jenn - The Southern Tablelands is right next to the Southern Highlands. It is based around Goulburn and its outlying areas, it covers a large area.
Chrissy - I am so glad you will be able to get to Brissy.
Well hubby's reaction to my pink hair... he said "why are you worried, you were bald two months ago!"
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Sue that will suit me just fine so I'll book for Thursday night and Sunday night.......Woohooo!!!
Love n hugs all! Chrissy
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Great!!!
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katopet - you really need to wait at least 9 months after chemo to dye your hair and get it done professionally - sorry about the pink
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Hi gals. Chrissy that is bloody fantastic that you are coming too. It will be so good to meet you all for real! in person!
I had my Herceptin today (I think Jenn and I are in sync with this) anyway the results of my LVEF were 60% which is what they were on my first one. Is 60% good? I keep thinking if this was a uni score it would only be a pass - heck I want my heart to be a distinction at least! but seriously, I don't know what the scores mean so if someone knows can they enlighten me please? xx
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PS. My hair has now faded to a lovely (not really) shade of lilac
but it's now only on the tips with lots of white/silver mixed in. I actually feel I have enough to try to straighten it a little bit. I only burnt my fingers and scalp 4 times and I have a funky spikey look going. For the very first time tonight I feel that I look like I have choosen to have a short spikey 'do' and not just growing out a bald head. I'm off now to have dinner and a de-brief for the week ahead with all the other Camp Quality officials and head honchos. Better go put the lippy on.... talk tomorrow. xx 0 -
LVEF lower limit of normal is about 50 so 60 is GOOD :-) The upper limit of normal is about 70...
Jenn0 -
Thanks Jenn, that's really good to know.
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Hi all and welcome Kelpie, glad you found us
Congratz Kate, I remember how good it felt when the hair reached that length.
Really excited to know your going to make it up here too Chrissy, it should be a real blast.
Hope you feel better soon Midnight.
Catch you all tomorrow
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Hi everyone - I just jumped in for my weekly armchair travel to Australia. Miss it so much! All this talk of Tim Tams, lippy, Brissy and winter weather, made me feel "homesick" again, I still consider Australia to be my second home.
For those of you losing your hair, I know it's hard, but please don't worry - it does come back even better than it was before. Mine used to be stick-straight and now it has a nice wave and a little body to it (can't see that from my photo, I know). Think of all the $$$ you'll save on shampoo, conditioner, hair colour, and hair spray!
Wishing I was coming to meet you all at your meet-up. Maybe one day... my husband keeps threatening to get the heck out of Colorado and go back to Perth, he misses it too. He'd be on the next plane if it were up to him.
Anyway - have a great day everyone (although I realize it's 4:45 am in WA right now...)
xoxox
Marnie
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Chrissy - I'm so excited too!! Yay, we are all going to have a fabulous time in December, I can't wait.
Midnight - hope you are feeling better today (((hugs)))
I dyed my hair, but I can't remember how long after chemo it was. I think it was around the four month mark, there was enough to dye although it was pretty short. I got an "organic" dye from the health food shop and picked a nice boring brown. It was fine, turned the colour that was on the box, and I think I used it either two or three times. Now I'm back to my normal off the shelf Wollies dye - one of the well known brands that i can never remember but recognise when I see it. I now dye my hair an ash blonde colour - not coz I want to be blonde lol but my eyebrows are a lighter colour now and I think my days of mahogany red are over lol. The ash blonde turns my hair a lighter more golden brown that I'm happy with. Kylie - I love your DH's comment - they can come up with some gems sometimes can't they.
Joy - don't worry about not recognising us - so long as you remember who we are while we are at lunch is all that matters lol. I have always had a terrible memory for faces, and now it's worse.
So - if we are all set for the 18th, we'll have to try to find a place in Berrima that's nice for lunch. I haven't been to Berrima for years, so am not too familiar with the lunch places - Kylie or Joy do either of you know it well enough to suggest somewhere? Otherwise I'll see what's on the web.
Marnie - good to see you come here to get your "fix" lol.
Well girls - tonight I take my first Aromasin tablet and I'm just a bit nervous about it. I'm keeping everything crossed that there'll be no se's from it - Sue - you tolerate it well don't you?
Have a great day everyone.
Trishxoxo
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Trish - I sleep better on Aromasin and have more energy but I can't tell you about aches seeing my arthritis was bad anyway.
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Do you take it at night or in the morning?
I'm thinking my aches and pains will be the same too - since I have arthritis in all my joints now. And what about the brain fogginess? That was bad for me on Arimidex, and it's one thing I really don't want on Aromasin.
Trish
xoxo
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Morning all
Had a really odd day yesterday. Saw Doc on Wednesday about fibro and RA and she decided that it was time I tried nortriptyline, low dose, for the pain. So that night took one tablet as instructed. Woke in night needing drink and feeling really sweaty and then didn't get back to sleep. Got up with DH, was feeling odd but didn't say anything. Then soon after he left for work everything went crazy, I was sweating, heart racing, shaking violently, dizzy and severe nausea. Was sick, passed out, luckily by then I was sitting in chair in my room. Goodness knows how long I was there. Rang doc but decided not to go up as I wasn't dressed and didn't have the energy to do so and thought I was over the worst. Spent most of the day just sitting, I was so drowsy it was dreadful. Have seen the GP this morning and sure enough it was a classic allergic reaction. I am still feeling very washed out and have little energy. Now GP wants me to try gabapentin but I am too scared to do so. Think I would rather put up with the pain than have more reactions. Drugs really affect me, I managed chemo but it took a huge toll on me and as well I can't have vaccinations and the big one for me was that as a child I got polio for the vaccine.
So that's me today, rather slow on it but it is a beautifl day here thank goodness and finally the Kiwi's have a gold.
Big hugs to all
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Hi girls, i am feeling better, still abit whoozy if i stand abit quick my head feels quite yukky, but much better, just got to remember. slow movments. also when i turn over in bed, it gets whoozy. not how it was though.
you girls sound like you are going to have a wonderful time at your gathering, good you can all meet up. it will be very special, you should not have a too big food bill, you will all be busy chatting to eat anything and the excitment dulls the appitite too. good on ya's.
HAVE A SUPER DAY AND WEEKEND:
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Alyson, that is terrible, i hope you feeling alot better, flaming pills, hope they find something that wont affect you so much. take care. hugs:
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Marnie, whats the time difference with Colorado? I always assume when we are awake you are snoozing - is that right? Everything about down-under is back to front from the northern hemisphere.
Boy this road trip (we can't use the word rally, because that might imply being reckless and speeding) is put together with military precision. My official task is to reconcile all the cars in and out from the lunch stop and take photos and write the daily blog with my SIL. Safety is their top priority so we even have an amubulance come with us. I met a really wonderful couple last night who live in Perth and have access to a holiday house in Bali, and she's asked me to go over for a week with them soon. I haven't been to Bali before. It's only a 4 hour flight from Perth so it's not uncommon for people to go there a few times a year (and airfares are always cheap). We would also do some volunteer work at the local eye clinic which is run by Aussie volunteers (doctors, nurses etc) so that would be really wonderful. Brian, my SIL's husband is the coordinator for the event and is a bit worried about her and me, as we are supposed to be all serious officials, whereas she and I the polar opposite to that, so our car (which has been lent to us by a local business with $20,000 donation thrown in) is going to be decked out with frightful hot-pink tulle, disco ball, barbie dolls and Liz and I both have tacky tiaras and wands and refer to ourselves as the Precious Princesses PR team. I'm sure we will be serious when needed, but we just won't look it (apart from the non princessy lanyards we have to wear).
Midnight. Glad you're feeling better today and sorry Alyson that you're now not the best. Trisha, best of luck with the first tablet tonight. I hope it works really really well for you with very min. side effects.
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