Any 40-ish survivors?
Comments
-
Lana, we are right here with you....take the days gently. Close your eyes if you have too for a spell.
0 -
Glad your feeling better Lana. Enjoy every day!! Stay strong.
Gina, hope the afternoon is not dragging on too bad for you. I am exhausted myself but a good cup of ice coffee and a cookie will hopefully keep me going! lol!
Jane, glad you got to get out and enjoy yourself. Sounds like a wonderful cause! My cousin's son has Duschane's MD and has a dog that helps him. It is unbelievable what those animals can do! Look forward to June! I love having something on the calendar like that, it keeps me going sometimes.
Made Cinnamon Apple bread yesterday and no walk today yet. I have got to get motivated. It's so hard between going back to work and trying to take back all the household duties my poor hubby has been doing since last summer. Hopefully with the warmer weather I'll get back some more energy.
Have to run and get the kids from school! tracy
0 -
Hi Everyone,
Gina...how nice is that your husband making breakfast!! Hope you kept your little eyes open...I can fall asleep sitting up! I do think coffee sounds good Tracy.
Glad all you had a good time out and about this weekend...each adventure sounds fun.
Lana ..hope work went ok...I do remember the few days following chemo to be kinda queasy..not full on sick..just not quite right either...then I would bounce back. Hope you get to rest some.
Jane ..how nice is that..We love dogs at our house 3 out of four have been "found" dogs. Some one just dumped them...the two we have now are English Mastiffs and so sweet so....dogs for sure are special ( sometimes I like dogs more than people).
Well...I think I am ready for Gildas. I counted my dinner rolls today...( I am not right) ..I wanted to be sure that I made enough. I made 80 for 60 people? Good Lord, I hope it is enough. Tracy, I also love to make bread..love how it feels and smells. I have a really good cinnamon roll recipe you make in an iron skillet and also a good french bread...makes two giant loaves. I must be hungry cause I'm going on about food.
Have a good evening/morning everyone
0 -
Making it through the day...lunch made me a little queasy but other than that, just tired. But, for some reason, Kim, I'm seriously considering a trip to wherever you are...those cinnamon rolls sound wonderful lol.
0 -
I am so jazzed. I just discovered a non-diary frozen dessert made with Hemp Milk. And no you can't get a buzz from it, but apparently hemp milk is really healthy.
It is called Tempt from Living Harvest. The chocolate fudge is sooooo good.
Just thought I would pass it along.
0 -
Hey proudmom..how are you?? ANd Oh ...chocolate...did you find them at the health food store?? I will google,but wanted to jump on to say hey..and how is your son?? I had been thinking of him.
Lana...you come on to Louisville anytime...I would love to have someone eat a doggone cinnamon roll with me. LOL..I have been staying away from carbs.....I really LOVE carbs....
I am trying to lose a few pounds I have put on eating fritters and the like!! LOL0 -
Hi Kim,
I am doing good. I haven't posted for awhile, but I've been lurking to see how everyone is doing every couple of days. I had my revision on the other side (cancer side) 3 weeks ago. Definitely more balanced now, and even though it is not perfect I am happy with the results and the fact that I don't have to wear a bra unless I want to, yippy! I actually found Tempt at my local grocery store, but in the health food isle. My son is doing better, thanks for asking. We are all communicating well and the trust is starting to come back, but that will still take some time. My older son is home from college for spring break this week and my boys are acting like brothers again and having fun and good talks. It warms my heart and I can't help but smile.
0 -
OK, I am strange, I admit it. I have had a nagging cough for 3 months. The last two months it has not been productive, just very annoying. Anyway for a birthday present to myself I went to the doctors to get a chest x-ray. When I got the results I celebrated the fact that they discovered slight lung damage due to radiation and NOT lung mets. Some folks thought I was a little off being so happy about a little lung damage.
0 -
Proudmom...your post made me smile..first ...thinking of your boys being brothers and your son doing so much better-- and for celebrating being braless ( me too) isn't it great?? Then to read about calling yourself strange for celebrating lung damage...OH Gosh...that IS what we do right?? I had that nagging back pain going on to the point of not being able to fill the dog water bowl ( although it is like a large ..really large bowl LOL) I waited 10 days for it to fix itself..but it did not..so MRI then found I have a torn something or other and I did the same thing YAY...bad back!!! I love to celebrate non cancer pain!! LOL...--
0 -
Hey ladies! Kim - yeah about the bad back! LOL. How sad is that?!
Proud mom - yeah for lung damage! LMAO. Sad also.
I have had a horrible time with coughing since this time last year. I had several bad colds that took months for the cough to go away. It will disappear for a while then come back. It never gets bad, just annoying. I wonder if it is radiation damage? It has really been acting up for the last week, which I think is related to pollen and allergies. I have mentioned it to my onco before and she listens to my lungs but hears nothing and seems unconcerned. Also, I know one of my medicines that I take causes a cough, so maybe that is it.
Lana - Welcome! I don't think I have posted since you joined us. I laughed at your cinnamon roll comment. I had severe cinnamon roll cravings on chemo. And very specific ones - QT cinnamon rolls. I ate them nearly every day for the last three treatments. The first tx my craving was cheeseburgers. I swear, I could have eaten a cheeseburger for every meal.
Hi to everyone else. I am off to bed. I have had a crazy few weeks at work and am worn out.
0 -
Hi everyone! Yeah for the radiation damage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yep, that is sad! My MO warned me about the possibility - says it hardly ever happens during treatment. I found this article on the Mayo clinic website...explains that it's the improper healing due to an injury in the lung that caused the damage...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/interstitial-lung-disease/DS00592/DSECTION=causes
At least we aren't nuts! I wonder if that's why I feel "bruised" all the time....
0 -
Gina - I have had a very slowly diminishing bruised feeling since rads. When it first appeared my rad onco said it was trauma from where the radiation beam was hitting my body (left side ribs). I now believe the bruised feeling is truncal lymphendema. It comes and goes and is worse whenever I am dehydrated (which seems to trigger the LE flares). I have been trying to get into the habit of a nightly coconut oil massage over the left side of my midsection (including my lumpectomy site that still has some significant scar tissue) and that seems to help a lot. It is also good for checking for lumps.
0 -
Gina thanks for that link.
My RO told me a section of my left lung was going to be hit with rads, it would probably cause damage and that it really would not effect my QOL unless I was a competitive athlete. So there really wasn't a big surprise there, just thankful that it wasn't something more. Something I will deal with and I won't let it interfer with enjoying life.
Lisa - I love using coconut oil. I use it to moisture my skin and on my scars and it seems to help. I have even used it a few times to help with controlling my hair. I am grateful for having hair again, but it really starting to drive me nuts. Tempted to cut it really short. It was so much easier to take care of, and felt almost liberating not having to deal with drying it, styling it, etc...
0 -
Good morning ladies! Starting out to be a much better day for me today. I feel like me again. LOL about the chemo cravings, Lisa. Wasn't really craving the cinnamon rolls until I read Kim's post, but now I am. I have been craving orange sherbet of all things, and Coke - I never drink soft drinks and now, its the only thing that tastes good. Hope everyone is having a good day!
0 -
Proud Mom - we can all understand that! I would feel the same way, excited for any damage except more cancer, plus it's always nice to actually find a reason for why you are feeling that way instead of finding nothing.
0 -
Hi Lana. I'm glad you are feeling better today. Before you know it we will be cheering you across the finish line. Drink whatever tastes good! I drank lots of cranberry juice.
I hope everyone is good today. I'm off to Sydney, Australia for a couple of nights for work. I hope to have time to grab a sneaky shop! I'd really like a new jacket. If I get no time I'll have to shop later next week. The children finish in 9 days for school holidays. We fly out to Perth, Austrlia on Good Friday to visit my mom and sister for a week.
My sister has been sick since we were children. She is blind, caused by an inoperable brain tumour. She spent many years having chemo, rads and attempted surgery when we were children. She's turning 40 next year. The brain tumour seems to be growing again so I'm looking forward to seeing her again and helping her in any way we can. She's an amazing battler!0 -
Hi Everyone,
Lisa..if Atlanta is having weather like we are..everything is in full bloom/pollen mode..the pines are yellow with pine pollen so allergies for many around us have been bad...so I hope your cough is that. I hope that is nice to hope for something like that??? You know what I mean though.
I have that bruised thing too..it is a weird feeling..when I do wear a bra..it kind of feels as though it is poking me and is not comfy..I also thought LE in the trunk area?? No swelling though?? Thanks for that link Gina, I will check it out..so much I still do not know.
Lana..I craved odd things too...chili...is that not weird?? I also would think I wanted something,but then not so then something else ..I think that is how I gained!! LOL...not really ..think it was the whole thing...glad you are doing better as the others have said...we will do a happy dance when you are done.
Kiwimum, I hope your work trip goes well and enjoy the visit with your mom and sister..how amazing is she to fight all these years...I bet she is an awesome person.
I am off to Gildas in a few minutes. I have my rolls!! LOL..not sure what to expect,so I will let you know here soon.
Have a good night Girls
0 -
Kim - it could be truncal LE. I have the same problem with bras. They absolutely kill me sometimes - like they are cutting into me. On at least 2 occassions I have taken it off at work . . .lol. I don't have swelling that is visibly noticeable, but there obviously is some degree of swelling judging by the WTF episodes with my bra. I understand that the bruised feeling is from fluid retention and related swelling too. I get these weird red spots on my cancer boob when the LE flares up and the bruised feeling coincides witih that, so I feel certain that is what it is.
0 -
Hi All,
Lisa...me too very irritating with the bra..I wanted to wear one of the victoria secret bras but it is just not comfy...I also have the spots but they are under my BC side breast??? So weird. I do have the LE in the arm too...it bugs me sometimes...just want to move on but it reminds me!! I tell myself if this is the worst of it ..that will be ok....I hope work is better!! Oh ...that is funny you ditched the bra at work...mine end up throughout the house!!
I was doing really well with my protein diet ..until today....I had a crash landing into " The Comfy Cow" ice cream parlor where they have the most delicious ice cream called "Chatty Cathy" it is coffee ice cream with chocolate covered espresso beans and chocolate chips...man when I crash ,I crash !! SO....back in the saddle tomorrow!!
Went to Gildas last night and served dinner to 60 or 70 people...Gildas Club is really amazing. For me , I am no longer in need of council ( I guess you say ) but they do more than this..they offer yoga-art and many other things and not just for cancer patients but those impacted by cancer ..even friends of cancer patients...really impressive..so worth it if any of you have this available.
Seeing The Hunger Games movie tomorrow with my sons class...anyone see this ??? I don't know if it is my type of movie??
Hope everyone is doing ok it is quiet today
Love to all
0 -
Hi, Proud Mom's story also reminded me of one. I went to the dentist a few weeks back, and I said to the hygenist, I'm going to say something I'm sure you don't hear alot, "I am SO GLAD to be here!". She laughed and said she does not get that alot. But I have not had a consistent dentist my whole adult life, sadly, and it was so exciting to go to a non-cancer doctor!
Kim - I read The Hunger Games, as did my 11 dd. I real all three actually as I found them quite engrossing, despite the premise. I very much want to go to the movie, have plans in 3 weeks as we girls usually go Friday, but this Friday is regular book club and next is Good Friday. My dd ended up seeing it this past weekend (despite out initial decision of making her wait for the DVD) and she said it is much less violence than the book. Not sure if you will get all the undercurrents if you have not read the book, but that is always the case. (and are you a Kentucky or Louisville fan?)
Went to the Y today - yeah! Was happy to see 3 other people from my class there and 1 lady from the class before ours. I'm not so worried about going on my work from home day, it's trying to fit in that second workout that will be tough. This week I am aiming for Saturday.
KiwiMum - have fun in Australia! Is this the Open already? Haven't been paying attention to tennis.
0 -
Hi Meegan,
Yay for the Y ..I will go tomorrow...I am almost finished with my group too. We all worked together last night and had our picture taken. Great group of people!!
I usually like to read the book before seeing the movie..I'm glad you thought the books were good..I am looking forward to seeing it with my" sons- friends- moms" LOL...the boys do not want to sit near us!!
The basketball situation is funny. You should see all the little UK flags and all the little Uof L flags....Louisville is a very divided town and this has never happened before...I will say ...( I may get hurt if I share around here) I would love to see Louisville take UK..then I would love to see OSU take Louisville as I am originally from Ohio!!
Kiwimum...I wish you could talk work into sending you to cover the Kentucky Derby...boy,we could have fun!!
Lisa...I saw your cupcakes and thought...maybe you have a second career in there somewhere..I know you are busy with work...but often people find the "thing" they were really meant to do by accident???
Enough from me...Good night Everyone/Good Afternoon kiwimum
0 -
Lol Kim. Yes, I'm going to have to figure out how to get to the Kentucky Derby!
I'm sitting in the hotel bar in Sydney taking advantage of the free wifi. Back home to NZ tomorrow night.
I'm quite keen to see Hunger Games. I might try and read the book first though. On the plane over yesterday I watched My Week with Marilyn, I quite enjoyed it. The flight to Perth next week is 8 hours. My girls are already moaning and asking what they are going to do for 8 hours? I've told them its approx 3 movies, 2 meals and a fair bit of fighting! When my girls get bored they always start fighting!
Enjoy the movie Kim. Remember, don't embarrass the boys and sit too close!! Too funny!0 -
Finished my year end for our business. Stuff off to accountant before tax deadline. Cheated and just dumped sales tax in too (they will just tell me how muh I owe), but other than that I feel like an accomplished business woman again. Yeah!
Exercised twice this week. Only for about 25 mins (pain starts), but at least it sems like a beginning. Yes to the bruised feeling. Also still really tight after rads, RO said inflamation in ribs that should start to get better in about 6 months.
Wish I could find a bra that doesn't hurt. Sport bras squeeze too tight and regular bras always feel like they are digging in. Miss my Calvin Klein bras - they used to be comfy and made my boobs look good. Sigh!
Not a big fan of store bought cookies etc., but give me home baked bread, goodies, etc. I am in trouble. Cinnamon rolls only rank second to brownies in my book. (perfect combo of choc, sugar, & fat) Still don't have much appetite so maybe what I need to do is bake.
Ice cream, going to try some soon. Looks like I have missed a lot of interesting flavours. Had severe milk allergy for last 10 years until 2 weeks after surgery. Gone - weird coincidence?? not sure, but happy to eat without worry again.
0 -
Hey all! Just checking in, so busy this week. Sometimes I miss the days when everyone was doing everything for me instead of the other way around. lol! Glad to be healthy and back on track, laundry and all! lol!
Lana, thinking of you and glad to hear your feeling better!
Kiwi, how fun to travel with work! A trip to Australia and New Zealand are my dream vacation! I'll get there one day! Had to laugh, my 2 fight sometimes. I swear I need a stripped shirt and whistle!
Jane, glad you get your stuff in order and done! It's such a relief when taxes are taken care of for the year. Strange about the milk allergy disappearing, but how awesome! I love cheesecake and that's loaded with dairy. I like ice cream too, but I like it best over a warm brown or warm pie
Meegan and Kim, so glad you guys are still working hard at working out!! How did you find out about the Cancer groups at the Y? And Gilda's Club?
So true about finding a different passion. I'm a paralegal, but hadn't been working in that field since I had my children. I had been debating going back to the grind, but after BC I decided I was going to do what I love, cook! I'm working as a Personal Chef now and I love it! Doesn't pay quite as much, but who knows what'll lead too.
So true about the bras. I haven't put one back on since my PS told me I could lose the surgical bra! They hurt. I still have a lot of pain around my ribs and in the middle of my chest. I didn't have to do rad or have chemo, so all just surgical pain, I'm guessing. I wonder if it'll ever go away. I worry its mets sometimes, but I know its paranoia. It's just been a little over a month since my last surgery, so I guess it's normal, but can't wait to be pain free again one day.
0 -
Hi Everyone,
Kiwimum...I was thinking I would take a picture of those teenage boys!! LOL...my son would DIE!! I have found that Middle School is all about "please just let me blend in" Lol If you come for Derby someday...we can get all decked out in our big hats and people watch..and have a Julip...after one or two everyone at the Derby is your new best friend!! Lol
Jane..YAY for end of taxes ( yuck) That is awesome with the exercise.
Tracy, That is just so awesome you get to cook for people and get paid too....I have thought this is what I am to do but I am not smart enough to put the plan in motion...My dream "job" would be to have an Inn like a B&B. We stayed in Beaufort South Carolina in an Inn built prior to the Civil war..it is actually mentioned in this months Southern Living Magazine and I thought wow...that would be the life!! Then I found out the homes in this area were selling in the 2.5 million range....my husband said..." You would have to do a lot of cooking and we would have to be full all the time"...kind of out of our price range!! But the couple running the B&B were marketing people and retired to follow their dreams...sounds good to me!!
Lisa...so you do not think I am crazy...the last picture I saw were the cookies...I thought they were cupcakes at first...man you are making some mighty good looking treats!! And you ARE an awesome aunt!!
I am off to spin...Lord help me I hate/love spin all at the same time!!
Love to you all
0 -
Kim, would that be awesome! I'd love to own a B&B too. It sounds so romantic your Inn. I can picture myself on the porch sipping lemonade! After BC, I say follow your dreams, life is too short! Start mentioning to people what'd you'd like to do and you'd be surprised at the number of people who would love to have someone cook for them. I took on one couple as clients earlier this year, they are so sweet about working around my surgeries, After this last surgery, I started telling friends family what I was doing and I've got 2 other clients in the works. Too soon to tell if it'll all work out but I love what I do! I'd really like to start volunteer cooking somehow, but haven't quite figured in where I'll work that in! lol! Hey if Kiwi makes if for Derby, I will definitely be there too! I can catch a flight from Boston and have an adventure!
Jane, I say baking is always a good idea! Especially if your appetite is not what it usually is, maybe just the smell will make you hungry?
Hope everyone has a great day! tracy
0 -
Kim, it is unusual to have two teams from the same state in the final four, and esp. unusual to have such rivals. Have to say I'm rooting for Kentucky, for bball pool reasons. We can't win any money, but (and this will not sound nice at all) this guys who plays like 10 sheets every year will not win if Kentucky wins and we are sadly rooting against him...
Tracy, not sure how I found out about the Y, I think there was a brochure in my MO office, although I could not have done it right after chemo. I saw the new class on Wed., there were 6 of them and I think 2 were men. Never thought about it as we had no men in our class.
So cool that you are a personal chef. We had hired one a number of years back and used her twice and then she stopped doing it. A few years later, I started going to those make your own dinner places, they were great! There were several around here, Delicious Dinners, Meal Makers and Dinners by Design. They all closed down though and I was very bummed about that.
0 -
Tracy, can you give tips please? I've tried going vegan, no sugar, no preservatives, no fake meat products (only cause the textures gross me out...I dunno why), low carb, low fat (good or bad triple neg...), all at the same time - and I drove myself nuts. I almost ended up with a raw vegan diet....I've put fish back in no carbs, good protein....I usually do talapia, pan cooked in olive oil with turmeric or celery, or fresh dill and a big mix of veggies.
How can I keep the love affair new with fish????
Kim, don't even say Kentucky Derby, my DH is huge racing fan....even I can read a racing form now....lol.
0 -
Meegan, the couple I'm working for now says the same thing happened to them before. It's definitely a commitment and has to be treated like a real job, but loving what you do helps make it easier. I've heard of those cook your own meal places. Good concept but after awhile I would think your regulars would learn what to do and then itd def be hard to stay in business. Thanks, I'll have to check around to see if my local Y has something.
Gina, I've tried going meatless 3 nights a week, that's about as vegan as I can get! I've cut down on a lot of sugar but I find it so hard to give up comletely! Don't try to take on too many changes at once. I remember right after bc diagnosis going crazy making changes in my life. I say try to do whatever you think will stick. I added green tea, as much organic food as I can afford. I also use only organic lotions and try to avoid deodarant, although summers coming and I don't know if I'll be able to keep it up then! lol! I also completely stopped using my microwave oven. Now I've turned it into an extra cabinet for storage! I do use gardenia (vegan fake meat) and it definitely is different. I feed the "chicken nugggets" to my kids and they have no idea! Funny I just grilled salmon last night. Just lightly marinated it in soy sauce, garlic and a little honey. Tasty! Not a huge fish eater myself but def trying to incorporate it as healthier option than red meat. I I joined a local organic farm co-op that starts in a couple more weeks. You get a box of local organic fresh fruit and veg (whatever is ready on the farm) and I can't wait to see what I get. I'll def do some research and find a few good fish recipes for you! (R u you on FB? I am, Tracy NewBorn Stoughton, MA - it might be easier to message recipes to you there) I find the Mediterranean Diet (South Beach is one of them) to probably be the most reasonable and easiest diet to follow. I love cheese and some diary occassionally and it allows for that.
lol! Kim, when is the Derby this year???
Hope everyone has a great Friday!! I've got to get my daughter to her Ortho appt. this morning then back to school and some errands to run. Busy, busy!
Love to you all!!! tracy
0 -
Hey Girls,
Meegan took a picture at Kroger yesterday..big sign with Uk/UL cakes on the table ..The Sign said " We are Grilling Ribs this weekend for The Battle of the Bluegrass" LOL...The movie was good ...I think I am old now as all the movie previews are so dark about death and killing etc...I find real life can be ..well ..dark if you let it so I am a happy movie girl!! It was well done though.
Tracy..I forgot to say..I found Gilda's through my Y coordinator..she is so funny ..obsessed with cooking like me..so I have shared recipes with her etc. She is very involved with the community and nutrition and boot camps. She got us hooked up with Gilda's to cook. You can google Gilda's to see if you have one close by...and Derby is always the first Sat. in May...it is a party that goes all week for kids and adults.
Gina...wanted to say..not sure if you like blackened talapia...I have a recipe that is not spicy but "seasoned" I guess. I buy whole wheat couscous and cook it in vegetable broth then when it is ready to sit for the 5 min. or so to steam I toss in a spinach and arugula mix and some Parmesan cheese put the lid on the pot and let the steam "cook" the spinach. Add a bit of pine nuts- Then serve the blackened talapia over the couscous..it adds some more flavor....don't know if this helps or sounds good at all. My son likes it. You can do this on the stove too ( the fish)
This weekend we are going to Ohio to celebrate my MIL/FIL 60th wedding anniversary. I have made a huge error in making chocolate chip cookies to take "for the kids" LOL They are in the kitchen right now actually uncooked . This recipe chills in the fridge then you use an ice cream scoop to make them the same then you put them in the freezer and can bag them up and get them out as you want them....This may sound so gross....but I love chocolate chip cookie dough and well chocolate chip cookies too...LOL I will try to be good
Can you believe this is the third Friday we may have severe weather again??? We keep dodging the bullit so to speak!!
Have a good Friday/Sat. Everyone
0
