INSOMNIACS place to talk in the wee hours
Comments
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thanks for the lovely comments about the photos ladies. It's true that when you live somewhere you start to take it for granted! I'll be in town again tomorrow, so I'll try and take a few more in daylight, to give you all a better idea of the town.
Camille, I'm sorry you're not sleeping (though it sort of is the point of this thread😜!) I hope you get to rest enough during the day to make up for it?
Chevy, I have to do my face every day too. Otherwise it would be a toss up as to whether they call an ambulance or an undertaker!!!
There'll (hopefully!) be another photo to show you all tomorrow too. First thing in the morning I'm going to the hairdressers for my first proper cut since chemo. Can't wait!!! I need to get rid of these chemo curls. I feel like I've been given an old lady perm!! Crooks your fingers that I come out looking a bit more like - me!!
Nicky
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Nicky thanks for the pictures i once lived in Paris and also Marseille. I loved it, i still have relatives in Lion, and Marseille so i will be visiting this coming 2014.
As soon as I feel better i will take a vacation. 0 -
nicky, love the pics too. Always have dreamed about France, England , and Ireland trip. But won't fly. Looking forward to daylight pics.
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Sass.... don't try driving there....
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Well, I guess you could try..... but you would get wet.
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For the newbies, I started the Just Diagnosed- Get Prepared thread several years ago. I did it after being in the BC pipeline for awhile. I put in stuff I wish I'd known at the beginning. Other members added things too for the same reason. Hope you find something in the thread that helps make your day to day life easier
http://community.breastcancer.org/topic_post?forum_id=5&id=748296&page=1
this is a link to a great thread that has tips about things related to chemo
Topic: More Tips (and a Shopping List) for Getting Through Chemo:
http://community.breastcancer.org/topic_post?forum_id=69&id=706846&page=46
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Nicky, have you seen this? It is the St-Michel-d'Aigulhe Chapel in Puy-en-Velay France! I saw this on Pinterest...
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Enerva- your new boobs look really good. My sister had reconstruction last year on her left breast after an MX and she showed it to me when we saw each other this year. I went the lumpectomy route. We were diagnosed two months apart. I hope you continue to feel better. I had home health care/visiting nurse last year too (what a life saver!)
New Years plans? Jazzygirl is going to a jazz jam on New Years day with her jazzy friends. Something I love to do every year and missed it last year as I had to fly to AZ on New Years Day to prepare for internal radiation that began on 1/2. The friend who hosts this has a blood cancer and is on maintenance chemo. He does not know about my bc, as I have kept it very private (for professional reasons). I am bringing something called a Torte de Miele which is an italian torte dessert for the potluck. I don't go out on New Years Eve because of all the drunk drivers where I live (and quite frankly, too old for the party scene anymore!)
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Oh I'm kind of caught up here nd as usual forgot everything I read. OH OH Nicky I remember u'r haircut--well u look beautiful in u'r pic so if u look better Wow.
Chevy u put mak-up on every day--I give u and Nicky credit I never wear make-up at home I know I look like my cat dragged me around, but I figure that's how I look and they're all used to it now. Do u wear make-up to the Drs.? I never do--they asked me not to and of course I didn't have any on--wait I don't mean I look good without it--I think they thought OMG please don't put us thru this frightmare with u'r makeup, well it's cuz for some strange reason they all have said my skin is very transparent as to what is going on with me--to them--so saves me 5 minutes. My skin goes gray, yellow and what not very easily.Oh nuff about me that's for sure.
Nicky keep those pics coming so we can all enjoy u'r part of the world .
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Nicky, in Chevy's picture, The housing is white and red roofs. it seems this is common to many towns in France. Is it my imagination or is this true? My reaction to it was that it seemed connected, homey, different feelings, but there is something that draws me to it---can't explain well? Is there a history to this type of architecture?
I know many old structures and fences in Ireland were made from the stones so common in the rocky earth. It gives a special feel to Ireland too.
Would it be an invasion of privacy to ask why you chose Bordeaux to move too? Like the origin of screen names that are other than a persons name, it fascinates me as to how people end up / choose the places they move too. Bordeaux seems so Romantic. Still old world simplicity. The comment about air quality?
We ended up in Florida b/c of Dh's job. But the city we drove through after arrival, I literally cried, it was the ugliest city I'd ever seen. All the beautiful cities in all the world, and we end up in an ugly place. My town is south of that city, our community is pleasant, thankfully.
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Chevy in your picture, what are those mountain type structures with towers on top. Are the mountain/mounds man made? They seem too odd in a flat land area to be real?
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Nicky, awesome photos...love your line about the ambulance/undertaker..let us know if your "proper cut" is what you were hoping for...
Chevy, also nice Pinterest photo, could you see how they reached the top of that? Staircase up the center ? Thx for the tips on credit card safety, I have been really lazy about all that, & I shop @ Target a lot...
Sas, fearless leader, energizer controller, why no fly ?....it's a big world out there...
Cami, I'm with you, once I lost those eyelashes, I gave up on the whole makeup fiasco. I took your attitude about smelling good was good enough! Most likely though, when I get back to "normal" if that ever happens, I will go back to my very basic makeup routine...
Golf girl
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H-I-1----fearless leader is fearful of getting LE. My twin developed LE in < 24 hrs flying here to Florida approximately 6-7 months after MX in1996. Her life has been controlled by it since. She's in a medical wasteland. She was able to get the sleeve and gauntlet, and the night time machine. No LE therapy available then or now. Her QOL affected so dramatically, I am very protective of not doing stuff to risk LE. She and I are mirror images of stuff going wrong.
GG- In fact I'm here b/c I was going for a phrophy BMX in 2008--------bingo 7 months into working through the hoops for insurance approval BC was found. NED on mammo in Aug, found on MRI in Dec, Very aggressive on Path report on BX(Jan23rd 2009)---grade 2 (6)>>>BMX (Feb18th2009)--grade 3 (8). What's that 26 days later. I'm feel blessed to be here
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Chevy---asking Holeinone if she's golfgirl and GG. and H-I-1. You are the queen of giving us nicknames, I just beat you too it sweetie XOXO
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Chevy, no, I've never seen that before. It looks amazing!
Jazzygirl, I like the sound of your New Years plans. I like the sound of the torte as well. Is it something you've made before?
Camille, aw, shucks! Thanks for that! My hair was just very lightly trimmed in July to get rid of the whispy bits and has just been let grow since then. Can't wait to get it cut into some sort of a style!
I do wear makeup when I go to the doctors. I wonder why they told you not to? I'm sure you look beautiful with or without anyhow!
Nicky
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I had prepared a long post and I've just lost it all!! Oh well, I'll try again😁
Sas, white houses with red roofs is quite common in France, but there are a lot of very distinctive styles. In Bordeaux, houses are often built in sandstone, the local stone. Further south in the Dordogne is the 'landaise' style - more of a chalet style with lots of wooden beams. Then in the Perigord there's the 'perigordine' which is white painted bricks with a steeply sloping slate roof, and lots, lots more.
As to why we're here; ask away! I don't think this is the thread for secrets!!'😜
When our children were small we used to holiday in France. We really liked the lifestyle and the culture. Then one year we started joking about packing up and moving. When we got home the jokes continued, until it got to the stage where we started to look into it seriously! We chose Bordeaux because:
We needed to be near an airport with direct flights to Dublin.
I wanted to be near a city. I love countryside, but I need civilization!!
I grew up on the coast so I wanted to be not too far from the sea.
Lastly - if we were moving to France, we wanted to be in the sunny south!
So we moved; lock stock and barrel, with 3 kids aged 8,4, &2. I didn't have a word of French, but my dh did. I was going to be at home with the kids and dh had found a job in Bordeaux. And here we are 10 1/2 years later!
Hope that answers your question 😊
Nicky
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By the way, I didn't know you were a twin? And the 2 of you ended up with bc? Sometimes life just isn't fair!
I understand what you mean about LE taking over your life. My LE is arm and hand, trunk, leg and foot, all on my left side. And my left side is my dominant side. I can no longer peel or chop vegetables; my son got into trouble in school because the teacher didn't believe my signature had changed that much (some days I can't hold the pen) and I damaged my right knee and needed an operation a few weeks ago because of limping with my LE leg. I have shoes and clothes that I can no longer fit my left side into.........the list goes on. LE sucks!
Nicky
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NickyJ, sounds like you and DH were adventurous types & had the confidence to leave family, move to a perfect place to raise your family..thanks for describing your locale, terrain, and life in the sunny south of France....why does that sound so magical to us here in the US ? The beautiful French language, excellent wine, or those to die for pastries ??? I did love the pastry when in Paris. Nicky, I am so sorry that your LE is so bad. You sound so positive, happy, caring mother and you have been through too much.
Sas & Chevy, You can call me H-I-1 or golf or whatever is easiest to type..on another thread, this gal thought my Holeinone was dark humor for the analogy of my lumpectomy...Shoot, I'm not smart enough to come up with something so coy....
Golfgirl
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Nicky, Thanks for your answer on the move. It all sounds so exciting, AND well thought out. Very much like the descriptions of all the other communities too. Hope you are happy with the new hairdo
The LE stuff just so sucks. Have you visited the LE threads here? I'll link one on flying. Binney4 and Kira answered some questions for me. It's a short thread. Their responses are very helpful related to flying. When twin got LE, the info relating the two--LE and flying-- didn't officially come out till 6 months later.
I haven't perused any of the other LE threads, but know many that have stated how helpful they are. Just as anything cancer, here we are in time and no answers. Forget who mentioned within the last few pages that it's 45 years after landing someone on the moon and no progress.
The statistic of 1:8 women getting cancer, wish I could remember the article I was reading that broke it down to: A 1:4 chance in USA, 1:_(?) think it was 6 or 8 in France, and then mentioned a couple of other countries which I totally blank on. I was gobsmacked when I read the stats. The point being the stats are epidemic. There are billions being spent in research. Yet, we are no where. They have effectively solved the HIV/AIDS problem for developed countries in such a short time. That's a rather bold simplistic statement, but it's way to involved to talk of here. Yet, we are no where.
Keep the pics coming and the stories, I don't think I'm speaking out of turn in saying most of us (Americans ) are intrigued with France. Be back with the link.
http://community.breastcancer.org/topic_post?forum_id=64&id=811841&page=1
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I forgot! I just want to say ENERVA! Those are beautiful boobs! I mean mine have never looked that good! Even at 16 or 18, or whenever I was supposed to grow nice boobs!
If I had those, I would probably run around naked! Naked as a Jay Bird! And/or wear White V-necked Tshirts, with no bra, that say YES I'M PROUD!
Good for you.... If I had those at my age, I would be dangerous.... shut-up Cammi...
Yes I'm intrigued with France.... and French kissing.... Do they really do that there? Ha, ha! It's GOTTA be an international thing.
I remember when I was little, looking at these awful cartoons that Dad had hidden in his drawer.... I had them in my lap, sitting on the front porch, and our neighbor came over and said "What are you doing with those?" And I said they are my Dad's comics... She took them in the house, and THEY HID THEM IN THE SAME PLACE!
My Brother and I were the hit of all the kids in the neighborhood! But I remember thinking..... "these are just comics.... these are not real life... people don't really do these things...... they are just comics."
So what were you all saying? Oh CAMMI! Yur Durn Tootin' silly face! I wear make-up every day.... To the store, out to empty the trash, and just EVERYwhere! I don't think anyone would recognize me without make-up... So I don't put them through the misery of seeing me make-up-less....Ha!
Teka, Sass, GG and Nicky..... Hope you all are having a great Sunday...
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Hi Nicky- the torte is actually coming from a local restaurant in town that makes the best desserts. Too busy with work (and lazy too) to make anything right now. BTW, I love all things French and have a cousin who lives in Paris. How wonderful you got to move there.
I have heard about a lot of sisters who end up with BC who don't have the BRACA gene. My sister and I are in such a situation. Diagnoses two months apart but with very different breast cancers. There is more to this than anyone really understands.
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Hello Chevy, yes, re: cami's makeup thing. I look at this face and Oh well without makeup it's so washed out. In 4 years wow, I aged, to my age. Before routinely taken for many years younger.
Blessings I think it was you that asked about bone density problems on AI's. I lost 4% density in hips in 2 years. Spine stabile. Wonder what the rest of the bones lost.
Jazzy, Shells, Spookie, Phillyinthehinterland----Hoot-hoot where are you. Who'd I miss? Sorry, We must make up a word for our memory issues.
Maddy, hugs, loved chatting.
YOO_HOOTING to the southlanders
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Hello Jazzy-------you "Hermie Hooting________" Seriously if you join STFU too, you'd be a "Hermie Hooting Hooligan" That would be so cute on a tee shirt----it would befuddle everyone
Jazzy, I have 53-- Dad/aunts/uncles/ first cousins on paternal side. The count on BC is 9 of 21 women. All that were tested are Braca neg. The cancer count of men/women is 24:53, 21:53 are major cancers. Anyhoows, can't get anyone interested in looking at our genes. Can't even get the relatives to take it seriously. It's like I'm crying the "sky is fallin". I've traced it to Paternal GM. A full second cousin traced GF's (his GF and my GF were brothers) geneology back to Ireland and visited family there. Only cardiovascular disease on that side.
I truly think it'd be worth something to look at our genes, b/c there is a very bad break in there some where.
Jazz sorry about your sis too
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Sas, have you gone to Dr. Love's web site where you sign up to partake in surveys and such? Just wondering as there might be a research group that would finally find your family history with cancer of some use in their research. I know her foundation does huge mass mailings for researchers to find volunteers. You can ignore or partake in whatever fancies you. Just a thought as I think someone in their right mind would finally say, hmmm this could lead to something.
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Kathy Thanks, I'll do it right now. It's moved into the next generation. One 1st cousin who has BC and liver mets, her oldest son has Kidney>>colon>>liver>>prostate cancer. He has managed to survive for 7 years. Yoo-hoo-hooting at you, a lead.
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Jazzy, your torte sounds delicious & fantastic you have a jazzy evening planned with jazzy friends. I hosted a New Years Party last year in our home...I think DH & I will be hanging. New Years Day has possibilities of a fun outing..
Sas, I feel like I have aged 5 years in 5 months...that has to be "normal" for bc...you have a lot of relatives, 2 aunts for me, 4 cousins...makes it nice, no houseguests...lol.
Chevy, you must of been trouble........
Golfgirl
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GG.... Well I WASn't, but I've sure made up for it..Ha! I was the quietest, little elf on this planet. I was not a happy little girl.... can't remember any of my schooling, because of a brain concursion, and amnesia, and I just shut out a lot of unhappy memories when I was growing up.
After I met DH, and my folks left, and moved to CA, did I really begin to have my own life... It's like we started out with nothing...just each other.... We married when we were 20... (He was 19) and had our first little girl a year later.... then another one 2 1/2 years later.... Our life was like perfect! No money, nothing, just us 4... And it was all I had dreamed about. . I've really had a wonderful, life... and FUN!
You gals are a pleasure to wake up to, and to read what you say.... YOU make me silly, and I love being with you all....
Being happy takes a lot of work sometimes.... and forgiveness ......
Now I must get busy saving this planet....
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Little Teka! Go wake Cammi up! She has had enough sleep.... I don't even know what a Torte is.... so I am lost......Is that like Tort the Turtle which I played when I was in Camp Fire girls by the pool, with this little box on top of me? Must be the same....
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Tort the turtle by the pool? Yes, maybe Cami can explain....or make up something equally ridiculous....
I was in Woodcraft Rangers, for a short time...sounds like that is imaginary also...
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