Australian Sisters
Comments
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Hello lovely Girls, First of all Kate, so glad to see you, am sorry you went thru that, just glad to see you, hope you will start to feel better even more and so we can see more of you, hugs
Karen, you can call me annette, midnight, or what ever you like. i don't mind at all.
Mandy, it was kind of a mission trying to save that baby kitty, oh well at least he had his last four days in warmth and feed. Hubby is the one, he is so gentle and if he is having a hard day, he will work with them and it will always make him feel better, he should of been a zoologist, i don't know if that spelt right, but you know what i am saying and he would of been in his element instead of stinken trucks,its not too bad at present, but it gets his moments.
Better go and feed the ones here, Holly is barking and that means she wants her dinner, the parrot is making a dinn and they won't shut up til they fed.
I will catch up with you other ladies later or tomorrow, Phew its hot, wish it woud rai
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Good to see you are feeling well enough to visit us here again Kate :-) I'm jealous of the sleep thing...
Well, my port came out. Just used local anaesthetic only and so it was pretty stressful hearing and feeling all the procedure stuff :-( My blood pressure was really high afterwards - no wonder! They sent me home with NO pain relief so it's lucky I have some left over from my surgeries last year...
Stayed home today and was feeling really crap this afternoon. Luckily I already had a GP appt so he was able to check my bp and it was really high today as well. My GP also gave me a script for antibiotics - he was not happy that the hospital had not done that automatically.
My appt today was actually to go and talk to my GP about my changing oncologists. I explained to him that I don't feel that my onc is a good personality match for me and I want to try and move to a centre near our home. He has given me a referral to an onc that he thinks will be a better match for me. Now I just have to tell my current centre and get them to send my history to the new centre.
Jenn0 -
Jenn, i hope you feeling better. i wish i could choose my onc, but in the public health system unless you pay for yr care,, i don't know if you can request another one, tho BIl said, if they don't hurry up and get on to it, he will seeing about me getting a private one, he reckons there is no system, nobody is really managing my care, just get who you get if your lucky. the only one who does anything is my GP and he reckons they talk in riddles at the hospital and are like Lawyers, only handle what they have in front of them at the time, don't like to multi task and think this could come from something we have done or the treatment, let the GP handle it. esp the registras.
Glad you had some pain relief, from B4 Geez. I don't know.just hope you feel better tomorrow,
well Good night lovelies i am off to have some dinner and relax for rest of night.
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Hey Jenn, so pleased for you that your Herceptin days are over. I've only got two to go whoot whoot! but I was told port had to stay in for a year!! I want it out as soon as possible!
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Kate, your port has to stay in only as long as you want it to! My onc was fine with it coming out quick. I only had my last Herceptin last Friday! The longer you leave it in the higher the likelihood of complications!
If by some chance this breastcancer comes back one day they can always pop another port in and that was the onc's opinion as well.
Jenn0 -
Hi Kate, it is great to hear from you. Depression is very common nowadays, and especially after suffering from Cancer. I think it is wonderful that there is medication for it now which gets you out of that horrible deep dark hole. Wow, you have such good willpower with your determination of losing your weight as well. Congratulations, and I hope that you continue to lose weight until you feel comforable with yourself. ((((hugs))))
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Hi all.
Thought things were a bit quiet until I realized my "fav" topics gone AWOL....so annoying.
Kate, so glad to hear from you and that you are feeling well enough to write, depression is an awful condition so hope the medication works.
Kazzie, what an amazing transformation - you are meant to be blonde girl, the cut and style of the wig is amazing on you, it looks soooooo natural, youthful looking too.
I have a friend with mets for 11 years and has been on Xeloda and herceptin and doing well. Apparently she sees an onc in Bunbury, he used to be at Sir Charles Gardiner and transferred to Bunbury some time ago. Excellent onc according to medico sources in Perth.
Jenn hope you find an onc worth raving about.
Aussie, unbelievably bad luck with your Dad and FIL, hope they are making good recovery.
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Hi girls!
Yay!! Kate has returned!!! Sooo sorry that you have been going through such a rough time Kate but so glad you have gotten some meds that are making you feel good again........we missed you!
Jenn I'm surprised that the docs didn't give you a sedative before removing your port. Not good patient treatment at all! So glad your GP has given you some anti B's just in case......it's so much better to be sure than sorry. Hopefully the new onc is a better match for you and please dont sweat telling the other guy, just tell him you want to be close to home......you're over all the travelling.
Trish so glad your back is feeling better as there is nothing worse than not being able to move properly.
Yup. home again!....lol......and already back into the same ol' routine. Did my hydro yesterday and had my massage and nails done today......oh it's such a hard life!.....hahahahaha! well yes.....now back to reality, house work has got to be done tomorrow......well there goes my dream bubble!....lol
Aussie, wow! Sure hope both you FiL and your dad are recovering well. What are the odds of that sort of event happening to two males in the family at the same time?
Hope you are all having a lovely evening!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Goodness everyone has been busy.
Aussie, sorry to hear about your family. Sending good thoughts.
Kate - so glad to hear you are on the upward slope. Depression is debilitating and you often don't realise how low you were until you start to feel better. I am going to see a psychiatrist who specialises in cancer patients next month, to get all my meds sorted.
Trish - glad to hear your back is getting better.
Jenn - great news that the port is out, hopefully it wont hurt for long. Changing oncs was the best thing I did.
I started on Arimidex. My bones ache (which can also be from the zoladex) and I cant sleep but so far its ok. I am not sure whether to take it at night or morning.
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Kylie, I always had to take the Arimidex around tea time and then 2 Caltrate plus tablets just before going to bed. And yes, I used to get pain in my joints, but keep taking it if you can because it is a good trade off if it keeps the Cancer at bay.
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Someone asked about my Tamoxifen metabolism genetic test?
I got my results last week. The showed that one side of my DNA at position CYP2D6 has an allele called *1 which can metabolise Tamoxifen just fine. It's partner though is an allele called *4 which does not process/metabolise Tamoxifen at all.
This makes me what they call an Intermediate Metaboliser which means I will get some benefit from Tamoxifen but not full benefit like others get. Noone knows if the benefit I will still get from Tamoxifen would be more or less than any benefit I would get from changing to ovarian suppression and an AI.
After researching as much as I can I have decided to stay with the Tamoxifen for the recommended 2-3 years and then move to an AI. The side-effects from Tamoxifen are bad enough for me right now. I just want to start feeling well :-/
Jenn0 -
Hi ladies
Just a quick note to let you know I am still here and read these pages each day. I laugh at the joyous stories and I am wishing the best for all of you dealing with tough stuff.
I have had a rough couple of weeks myself, but nothing serious really. I came off steroids too quickly and didn't know about the side effects, so was completely exhausted, dizzy and nauseous for a week before I Dr Googled 'steroid withdrawal' and saw all my symptoms. Put myself back on a lower dose and will withdraw very slowly. Am feeling better, but still tired.
I have scans booked for next week and am hoping news continues to be good. But as we all know, you can never rely in this rotten disease to do as its told. I will probably lie low for the next week, but promise to let you know the results as soon as I am able.
You are all fantastic women, and a great source of strength for me.
Cheers
Angela0 -
Hi all
Thanks for all your replies, yes it is weird that both heart attacks have happened on the same day. Brother's FIL is in a Brisbane hospital and had a stent put in and will probably be out of hospital in a few days. Dad was prepped for test at 5.30am but didn't get it until 3.30pm (Nurses strike here in Perth), he has a minor blockage and should be out of hospital tomorrow.
Kate like the others I had wondered where you were. I get depressed about work as I hate it, not about my cancer. I'm on holidays starting Monday so hopefully will be nice and relaxing.
I also have surgical appointment in March so hopefully will have recon surgery soon. Once surgery is over will be looking for a new job as after my cancer scare I want to enjoy my work and not wake up every morning and want each day to be over before it even starts.
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Aussie, glad yr father in law and yr brothers Fil are on the mend. hey you got that problem over there with nurses strike too, we have not at present, mind you its normally the teachers over here and they are closing down heaps of schools in Christchurch, so some are taking on students and some are just closing for good, like schools that are staying open i should say are shouldering students from schools that are closing, some of the kids live miles away from the schools too and will have to be up early to get to school and late home, so they all up in arms about that and was supposed to a two year preparation period, well its the end of this one, it is two years since The feb 22 quake so i think they maybe having a gathering and this school thing is all to do with the quake as well. The ground still rocks beneath them, probably 2 to three times a week.
jenn, hope you are better today and don't feel quite as grotty.
Trish, hope yr back feeling better.
Racy, if you still reading, how are you, have not seen you much, hope you ok.
Ariom, how'd you be, hope you ok.
Hope you gurls all ok, yesterday we were like roasting, today i feel like i am in a chiller, man it changes from day to day. i like today, nice and cool. yesterday too hot. catch you later.
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Kate, so glad to see you on here, and that you are on the up. As Jenn said - your port can come out as soon as you are ready for it to come out. Mine would have been out the week after my last Herceptin if the surgeon could fit it in, as it was it was about 4 weeks later. There can be complications with leaving it in, and you have to have it flushed regularly and that can be a pain. I didn't want to go back into the chemo ward every 6 weeks to have it flushed. If the cancer returns, and you need a port again, another one can be put in. I decided my cancer wasn't coming back lol and so I didn't need it any more.
But - yay! last Herceptin coming up for you soon - that's going to be a big relief for you :-)
Jenn - your port removal sounds barbaric. I had mine removed under a full anaesthetic, didn't take very long, and I didn't have any problems after. They gave me some pain killers, but I don't think I used them, and I didn't get any antibiotics, and didn't need them.
Aussie - keeping everything crossed that both men are ok. Good news so far though.
Angela - you poor thing, coming off steroids is awful. I always had a crash, and had to be weaned off them slowly. ((((hugs))))
Annette - it's cool here today too - we are expecting rain over the next few days, which may cause havoc with the 10 portrait sessions booked for the weekend lol.
My back is now almost back to normal. Catches me occasionally, but all in all pretty good.
Have a great day girls
Trishxoxox
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Glad your back is feeling better Trish!
Was at work for a very full day today. Thankfully I was feeling better but my diastolic blood pressure is definitely raised which is a big concern. Will be seeing my GP again next Wednesday about it.
Jenn0 -
Hi ladies. Midnight, yes I am still here and reading every day but it's hard to get a word into the conversation lol.
Kate, it's nice to see you posting again. BC is very depressing in my experience. It mustn't be long now till your daughter's wedding. I hope your job is going ok as I know you enjoyed it.
Jenn, I hope you soon feel back to 'normal' or at least a good new normal.
Trish, Kylie, Chrissy, Lynda, Alyson, Sue, Angela, Aussie and everyone else: wishing you the best with your treatments and with the things you enjoy doing.0 -
Jenn, it was me that asked about the Tamoxifen Predict result. Nothing seems to be a simple result but I'm sure you feel better for checking it out and making a more informed decision.
Everyone, take care....0 -
`Hello girls, how are you all, nice to see you Racy, glad you ok..Got a letter from the thyroid clinic, acknowledging`the referral from my gp, but no appointment has been made for me, the Hospital Doctor has pioritised it as routine, but my gp did not think it that way when he felt my throat,but typical of the Hospital system, you wait for them, until it becomes a big issue, then its oh sorry, its worse than we thought, sorry for the wait. thats the whole attitude.
08/31/2011 Lumpectomy (Left); Lymph Node Removal: Sentinel Lymph Node Dissection (Left)Radiation Therapy 10/10/2011 ExternalHormonal Therapy 11/23/2011 Tamoxifen
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Hi all, sorry I too am not checking in as regularly as I should be. Work and stress take its toll, but am hoping things improve in March (February is always shocking for retail).
Trish, miss talking to you, hope we can catch up soon. Wish we both werent so busy
Kate, glad to know your getting help, your pretty wonderful , perky, pretty and probably a few other P's I cant think of at the moment
and I only wish you could see yourself as we see you, you'd never think badly of yourself again. I know the weightloss is important to you, so I hope you lose all that you wish to and feel healthier and happier soon.Suzie, glad your back safe and sound, next time we have a get together I want to hear all about your trip.
Racy, hope your skylarking all over Brisbane in your new car and having a wonderful time.
Jenn, congratz on losing the port. Go see a naturopath and see if they can offer up some remedies to help with the side effects. Dont be like me and struggle with them for 3 years before doing anything about them PLEASE. Im still feeling a thousand percent better than I did and cant tell you how good it feels to get out of the lounge without groaning and to come home from work and not feel like I was 99 years old.Honestly for that first 3 years I felt like i was still poisoning my body with meds, now though Im still on the same al, I just feel normal, cancer and its continual presence in my life has faded away substantially cause Im not in continual pain and life is as good as it can be for me at present.
Everyone else, hope all is well and treatment is being gentle on you.
Gentle hugs to all
xxx000xxx
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Hi girls
Nice to see you back Racy - even though you forgot my name at the end of your post - lol!!
Also good to see Kate back & doing well....oh & I'm meeting her for the first time on Monday
Very much looking forward to it.....:)
Not much else to tell, hope everyone is enjoying the weekend.
Karen xx0 -
Hi ladies - lots of reading to catch up on! Glad to see some names appearing that had been missing lately, like Kate.
Midnight- a few days ago you mentioned waking up gasping for breath, I think that's sleep apnea. My DH has that too and he scares the bejeebers out of me sometimes when he does that. Also the restless legs you mentioned? There's a marvelous natural supplement that really helps with that - it is Blackmore's PPMP (stands for potassium phosphate and magnesium phosphate). I believe it's available in NZ - I love the stuff and have to have friends in Perth send it to me! It's remarkable how quickly it works and settles your nervous system right down so you can relax and sleep.
Jenn- Yay on getting the port out. That's wonderful. I found your Tamoxifen Metabolism Genetic test interesting info - I hadn't heard of that before. Wish it had been available when I was going through all of this. I chose not to take it anyway and it's proven to be the right decision for me. Listen to Linda's advice about a naturopath, would you please dear? I truly believe she's right on that score.
Kazzie- Looking great! Glad the psych support is helping you. That's wonderful.
Aussie - How is your dad doing now? Sending hugs.
Trish - So glad your back is feeling better - sounds like you have a great chiropractor!
Mandymoo- Congrats on tumour markers declining - wonderful news. Don't get too engrossed in "research" and such - you have lots of healing power just within your own brain. I recommend two things - read a book called "The Biology of Belief" by Dr Bruce Lipton (it's life changing - really!) and watch this beautiful YouTube video about a woman named Anita Moorjani who had end stage lymphoma. She wrote a book called "Dying To Be Me". One of my blog subscribers sent me this link this week and though the video is 51 minutes long, it is SO worth watching and I hope you will take time to view it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jFN9XQeEn4Kate! So glad to see you popping up again but what you're going through distresses me. I'm so sorry, my dear. I had no idea that you were down that deep dark hole. My DH sometimes suffers from depression, so I know how badly it can affect you. I wish doctors knew other things to prescribe rather than drugs, but if it's helping you, that's the important thing. I've been doing lots of research lately about how meditation can assist depression and it really is remarkable. If you'd like to give it a try, I have a guided meditation on my site that you can download. I used this daily when I was going through BC and it really helped me a lot. Here's the link: http://marnieclark.com/guided-meditation/ I so hope it helps you, Kate. Sending lots of hugs your way. (PS I agree with Jenn. If you want that port out, get the darned thing out when the time comes. It's your body, not your oncologist's)
AngelaR - good luck for your scans!
Linda - loved your advice to Jenn about seeing a naturopath for her side effects. You are so right.
Well, I'll love you and leave you - I can see a big full moon coming in my office window this evening so it must be time to go do something fun.
xoxox to all.
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Thanks marnie, i will go and see to that, i am having heaps of tests soon, to find why my iron, ferritin and heamoglobin are so low, i also have a swelling in the throat, and going to the thyroid clinic, my GP was concerned about this and wanted this addressed, but they have classed it as routine, meanwhile i am walking around like a dam zombie, my blood chemistry, but they want to do these tests and find the cause of it all, meanwhile if i have to wait for ever, i need to live and they said, taking natual sources could interfere with finding out the causes and not give them a true DX, i having a colonoscopy and gastroscopy or endoscopy.
I am pissed that they have priortised me as routine, when its actually crucial they get this sorted out, esp that there could be growth there, i don't know, so i am on the blower tomorrow, monday to get my gp to get there A's in to gear. i am getting sick on getting put on the back burner, we may be in the public system, but we have our rights as well. excuse me, i am having a rant. sorry. Hubby not too happy either, i make the bed and have to have a lie down afterwards with total exhaustion. Grrrrr, very fustrating, i am going to do laundry soon down at the washerett. i can relax and read. have not got much, BIL wants his work stuff done and hubby needs his done too and i changed the sheets, so will get that out of the way. sorry for my out burst ladies. I have spent most of my married life being of service to taking care of animals, rounding up bally sheep for shearing etc, now i can hardly make my bed with out having to have a rest after it made 5 mins later, everything is an effort and i am having to go to laundry, at the moment, the last thng i feel like doing, used to be my fav job. things have to change. finished now, sorry for ranting. gets it out of me. hugs
Dx 8/12/2011, IDC, 1cm, Stage Ia, Grade 3, ER+/PR+, HER2-Surgery 08/31/2011 Lumpectomy (Left); Lymph Node Removal: Sentinel Lymph Node Dissection (Left)Radiation Therapy 10/10/2011 ExternalHormonal Therapy 11/23/2011 Tamoxifen
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Annette, I'm glad you're acting on getting the treatment you need. Sometimes I read your posts and get worried for you....
Take care everyone....0 -
Hi all
Dad's out of hospital and looks well, Brother's FIL is out as well, hopefully things will be good from now on. I am on 2 weeks holidays from tomorrow, am going to have a big house and garden cleanup. I'm just glad not to have to get up and go to work.
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Annette, I'd be on the phone too. It's not right that they expect you to just sit and wait. You are doing the right thing to hurry them up. Once you've had your test though, I can recommend what Marnie did. I take magnesium for restless legs, it's wonderful stuff, helps settle them down really well.
Linda I miss talking to you too honey. I hope things aren't too stressful for you, sending you ((((hugs))))
Racy - how's that new car going? Are you loving it?
Aussie - good news about your Dad and brother's FIL. Enjoy your holiday - don't work to hard though lol.
Karen, how are you going at the moment? I've been thinking of you.
I'm going great. Photography is still keeping me away from pretty much everything, but still loving it. We had 10 portrait sessions booked for this weekend, but it rained so much we ended up only doing 4 of them. So now have to reschedule everything, which means that next weekend will be totally full I think.
Oh! We have another wedding booked yay! So that will be 5 weddings this year so far, which is more than we thought we'd be doing this time last year.
Have a great day everyone
Trish
xoxo
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I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. The rain has been horrific, I had to cancel going to Darling Harbour to watch my 78yo Mum race in the Dragons Abreast dragon boat racing which was a shame.
Tammy the tamox test was good to have but is all still so personal. I really wanted ovarian suppression even before my results and it just confirmed my decision. I was having terrible bleeding and side effects from tamoxifen. I couldn't think or function properly (remembering basic words was a problem), I was continually nauseous with compromised balance - just to name a few. As is usual it wasn't till I came off it that I realised how bad things were.
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Hi girls. Yep off to Perth in a while to get Paul from the airport, lucky me I'm getting to meet Karen there
. Pauls then got an interview in the city with a company that would have him working in Darwin!!! I told him I'm not moving there (no offence to Darwin people - but the heat would kill me). So if he gets it, it would be Fly in fly out. seems whichever way it goes, I'm on my own for a good stretch of time - currently 4 weeks, then he's home for a week.I'm really not liking my job these days. My boss never ever gives any positive feedback but of course very quick to critizise. She has even put me down in front of the other staff members. I'd had a gutful one day and asked to speak to her in her office and told her that I felt she had a very aggressive manner and that I didn't like it. She didn't apologise, just said she'd 'take it on board' had the hide to say to me a few weeks later, never to speak to her like that again. Honestly, I was very calm when I spoke with her and a lot more respectful than she had been to me and I did it away from the other staff - a courtesy she didn't afford me. So in a nutshell, work has turned into a pretty horrible experience with the anticipation every day that she is going to come out with some sort of smart arse comment.
Hey I had to give a 2 hour training presentation to about 15 people. The evaluation forms were all extremely positive, not only in my delivery but the content, which I had created. My boss of course, didn't say well done or anything, quickly told me what I should have done and then booked me on a one day presentation and public speaking course. The course was terrific, and I did learn lots from it, but the best bit was that everyone had to speak for 5 minutes and the trainer said I had great stage presence and really engaged the audience. I felt so chuffed, deep down I knew that I do OK with public speaking, but my boss just wanted to keep me in my place and reaffirm that I'm no good. Gee sounds all a bit paranoid on my part I know, but really that's just my situation.
I still haven't had time to read through the pages here, but good to see everyone here. OK must go and get the floors done and some other tidying up before I hit the road. Much love xxxx
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Kate, am sorry you going thru this at yr work, i wonder what she would to if you told her to shove her job and walk out. then you would not have an income, not a good move for that reason, i do hope you can work it out, she has obviously got no people skills and needs to take a course in communication, its not all about talking to people,its the art of being able to commuicate and LISTEN, people do not know how to listen.
My BIL is classic example, he talks over top of you and you can never finish, i got fed up one day as i was trying to tell him something of importance, to his benefit as well and in the end i raised my voice until i got his attention and said, do me a favour, SHUT THE HOLE THAT THE WORDS COME OUT OF, he got such a shock, it stunned him into silence, and i got to tell him what i needed to, then i got, oh yea, i never thought of that, thats a good idea. he was forced to listen instead of over riding the conversation. that is the biggest problem tho, they do not know the art of listening, to filled with self importance and many bosses are tied into this category and discipline of a staff member in front of others is a no go, bad practice and people handling. I do hope you can sort it out.
Hope every body is ok and having a good day.
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Hi all!
Yes I know, I've been a bit slack about posting this last week but I was trying to get back into my routine after my week away. Did I succeed?........nope!.......but I'll keep trying....lol. It's been soooo hot here ......again!......so other than doing my hydro, shopping and massage sessions I haven't ventured outside. Today is a little better but the temp is supposed to start rising again tomorrow......sigh.......I really hate summer, it just makes me feel so sluggish!
Wow Kate! It's awful that your boss is such a B..... And she definitely needs some people skills reinforced. Just a thought though, maybe she is feeling threatened by your skill at what you do and so can only try to bring you down to build herself up. Not nice I know, but it's a good possibility. I just think its a crying shame that this has happened as you really loved the work. Being depressed would have made the whole thing harder to get through as well so hopefully now you are getting some help in that area things won't be so hard for you and her comments will not affect you so much.
Enjoy your meeting with Karen and give her a hug from all of us!
Annette, you get on the phone to your GP and tell him what the hospital has done and see if he can't get your priority changed there. Worth a try but in any case, keep pushing as you need to get it seen to ASAP.
Trish it sounds like your photography business has really taken off! Now that's a good thing........the only problem, is there enough hours in a day for you? Don't forget, you still need time to rest and relax......lol. Hope your back is back up to scratch. Any nibbles on the sale front yet? I hate having to wait and sometimes wait and wait for that right person to come along and fall in love with your house. Hopefully your sale will go quickly.
Linda there is always a real quiet month when you are in retail of any sort and Feb is usually it. Hopefully things will pick up soon and you can relax a little instead of working your butt off. Take care of yourself.
Sue? Where are you girl? How was the holiday? Yeah, I know, too many questions......lol.....but, I want to hear all about the trip.......lol. Don't you know we all travelled with you but you kept us in the suitcase so we didn't see anything.......sigh!
Racy what's happened with the pic of your new hairdo to go with the new car? Hope you are enjoying both.
Well, I better go and take advantage of the cooler day and get some cleaning done......although I'd prefer to sit on the computer and keep chatting to y'all......but the spiders have decided to move in so its time to move them on out again.....lol.
Have a great day all!
Love n hugs. Chrissy0
