Life does not end with a stage IV diagnosis (really!)
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That camper is adorable! Looks like you had a great time
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I have a question for the lung mets ladies or gentleman out there. I am now on Xeloda because Ibrance/Falsodex failed after 8 months. I will not know this is working for about a month with scans. I have a small plueral effusion that does not cause me any discomfort. I was doing some research and I was stunned to learn that with plueral effusion survival times are 3-12 months??? When I read that on a PUB med study which was done in 2018 I was so shocked because I am sure I have read on these posts that people have lived years. I just hope the Xeloda works and gets rid of the effusion. Thank you in advance, and because I do not see many people on these boards with lung mets I will post this question or reassurance plea on several different topic areas.
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Hi imagine,
I think you may have posted on the wrong thread. I'm the op and happy tales of our travels, and ordinary everyday moments of happiness will probably not yield what you're looking for regarding lung mets. Give this thread a try:
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/8/topics/772113
There are many threads and members with lung mets on bco since that is a very common metastatic site for bc. Please check out the entire stage IV forum.0 -
Bliss, that’s a spectacular photo of trees and mountains! Just looking at it makes me feel good. Definitely frame-worthy!
Sandi, your get-away looks like it was wonderfu. Dh and I used to camp a lot; it can be quite restorative!
Autumn in the Ohio Valley this year seems exceptionally pretty. Dh and I have gone on several leaf rides with more planned.
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Here's what I've been up to:
Six weeks ago I decided it was time for some cosmetic updates to the kitchen like new paint, curtains and light fixtures.
I'm just now wrapping things up. It took forever. The kitchen seemed to fight me every step of the way.
I bought and rejected 8 different beige paint samples: too light, too dark, too grey, green, pink. Lucky #9 winner-Sherwin Williams "Natural Linen", a soft neutral beige.
My choice for the doors and trim was a warm white which looks great but painting the ceiling with it darkened the room! I couldn't live with it. Dh was NOT happy having to repaint it a brighter white.
The brown kitchen table got several coats of the same warm white but the clear sealer I applied yellowed the paint and I had to start over with more primer and paint. Used the right sealer the second time; love the results!
My attempt to swap out a dark bronze light fixture over the kitchen table for one with a brushed nickel finish went bust; it didn't look right. So instead I found a pretty down light in dark bronze to replace the uplight. And I bought 4 different lights for over the sink before deciding the one I already had looked best.
I tried swapping out the tie-back curtains for sheer panels with grommets hung on a decorative rod but again, it didn't look right. I ended up cutting the old curtains down to simple valances and love the clean, uncluttered look.
During all this buying, trying, returning and reordering, the 12 year old dishwasher died and it took weeks for the new one to arrive, so it was back to hand washing for awhile.
A few other issues were dealt with, then came the final and most arduous task: stripping the old wax from the vinyl floor. I called 4 cleaning companies hoping to hire it out; they all said it wasn't something they do. So with the help of a stiff brush on the cordless drill and a spray bottle of wax remover, dh and I each tackled small sections of floor at a time over several days. After mopping it and applying a new coat of wax, it literally looks brand new! And feels delicious on bare feet!
I never expected the make-over would be so time-consuming and take so. much. work. but it was well worth effort!
A before and after shot:
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Divine-It looks great! Very nice-impressed that you and DH stripped the old wax-what a project!
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Divine, nice job! I have been thinking of painting my dark kitchen cabinets a lighter pewter shade. Scared.
Just moved and have so many projects..excited.
If anyone has advice..please jump in.
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I don’t have a lot to contribute to talk of travel, but if we are talking about interior decorating, I’m pulling up a chair! Preferably an antique one. It’s amazing how some fairly subtle changes with paint and lighting changed he look of your dining room, Divine. It feels lighter and more relaxed to me. Sandi, I don’t have advice, but I’m so happy you are excited about your new place.
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You are so right! I just got a new refrigerator. The old one was black, the new onestainless steel. It really changed the look of my small kitchen. With so many of us mostly at home sprucing up and remodeling have become a big past time. It took 5 weeks to get the model I wanted
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Divine, thanks for the photo compliment.
I agree, what a difference just a few changes can make. Looks lovely and inviting. A job well done by you & DH.
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Thanks for the compliments. Twelve years ago, I had a complete kitchen remodel, a somewhat overwhelming process but much needed in this old house. Two years later came the mbc diagnosis. My life spun in many different directions at that point and this is the first time since then that I've circled back around to do some tweaking of the original upgrade.
The table area does have a cozy feel to it now, just what I was going for. My son's rental house has the prettiest light fixture over the dining table and it inspired me. Dh thought I was painting the chairs, too. I said, “no, only the table; that will bring out the warmth of the wood on the chairs." Judging by the blank look he gave me, I'm pretty sure he had no clue what I was talking about! Haha!
Shetland, there are a few different trains of thought about painting cabinets. I would definitely use primer first, Zinsser 123 is a good one. Some people swear by oil based paint for cabinets but there is a strong odor with it. Others use enamel and there is a newer paint called alkyd thats supposed to be very similar to oil but I've never tried it. I did a lot of internet reading before painting my table, so you might start just by looking at articles on cabinet painting, there are many.
Paint is transformative. You get the biggest bang for your buck, more than any other home improvement. I hate, hate to paint! But I've done tons of it in my life (ever since I was a teenager) because the results are so....well, transformative!
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Divine! Thank you for cabinet advice. You have inspired me.
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Sandi, glad I could inspire you. Another tip, I don't know f you plan to get new door knobs or door pulls for your cabinets after they're painted, but so, check prices on Amazon. I used to buy them at Lowes but Amazon has far better prices when you buy them in packs of 5, 10, 15, ect.
Dh and I took a late afternoon drive the other day and went past a lake where he likes to fish. You can see the water was beautifully calm and mirror-like.
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DivineMrsM, That photo is gorgeous! I want to be sitting on that pier right now! I miss seeing the beautiful expanses of changing leaves and I love "lake life".
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Caryn, I'm sure it was worth the wait to get the fridge you wanted! Did you have to keep your food in a cooler or something while you waited, or did you manage to replace the refrigerator before a complete melt down?
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Hi. I love that lake and dock view. Can envision myself casting a fishing line..
We have two more camping trips..one to a lake hopefully still showing the leaf color changes and the last one in December at a beach.
Want to grasp and hold on to so much life while I feel good...plus it gives my DH and I a nice break from unpacking moving boxes.
I still like to plan goals up to 3 months. Anyone else in that same mindset?
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Hi Everyone ..love the refurbishment chat ..so love wood furniture with history... attached is my grandmas door which I had in storage 30 years in mothers garage shed... then relocated to new addition 10 years ago with coloured glass. It was looking sad in need of new stain varnish so I bit the bullet and now have glam front door so making me happier
Lots of garden projects to keep me busy as we go into summer
Good vibes to all
Bright in hope
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Bright55, the door is gorgeous and wow, what a wonderful piece of your family history! I can just imagine how it feels to glide your fingertips over it. Not only does the wood tone emanate warmth, the fact that it belonged to your grandma adds the type of warmth that cannot be store-bought. What a joy to look at. Well done!
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My older dd, oldest granddaughter and I went to a big pumpkin patch today. Lots of activities for everyone, corn maze, hayrides, pumpkin blaster (yup, shooting pumpkinsinto a fieldand watching them splatter!) food, etc. It was the first time any of us had been to a large public event since mid-March. Masks were required and they took everyone's temperature before entering. Social distancing was a bit tricky but we were outdoors. It felt almost normal!0 -
Camping and biking. Do what you love while feeling well.
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Caryn, what a heart-warming photo of you and your granddaughter! How wonderful you got to enjoy some much-needed time together enjoying fall festivities. So good for the soul. How comfortable the two of you look together in that hay/straw chair!
Sandi, you deleted your photo? I popped onto this thread a few days ago and saw it but didn't have time to respond, but I do remember it and loved seeing, you, too!
Dh and I continue to take a weekend day for a country drive. Last weekend the leaves were slightly past peak and incredibly gorgeous. We briefly popped into an apple orchard market and got apples and the best tasting cider, then drove about an hour to another apple orchard and bought oatmeal cookies. I have one more apple orchard in a completely different direction on my list for this Saturday. More trees no longer have leaves, but it's still good to get out.
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I deleted because I got scared I was too public and people would recognise me.. maybe I will repost..hmmm. What do you think?
I am having fun right now while I feel okay, even with Xeloda side effects. I will never be who I was pre 2016, so just created a new personna and living with it.
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Sandi and Exbrnxgrl -loved both of your photos! Both were perfect for life does not end and we need to have fun right now while we feel ok (to quote Sandi).
Divine, love your beautiful lake photo and your kitchen update! My husband and I are looking for a trailer, something like Sandi's so we can pick up and go when time permits. I still work a lot but am hoping I can ease in to a more part time schedule.
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Sandi, it's a personal choice to add photos of one’s self to this forum and altho I don't do it often, every once in awhile I will for a personal touch and because I think it's nice for others to attach a face to a screen name.
Here's a pic from last week's leaf ride. The overcast skies seemed to deepen the autumn colors.
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Another fun camping trip with biking!
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Love all of the fall foliage! Northern CA is not quite like the east for fall color but we do have some lovely deciduous trees.
I seem to be quite behind here. ..
Divine, I lost all my food in the summer when the old fridge just quit. My SIL got it going again, somehow, but it sounded like someone moaning in pain 😂. I felt like I was playing refrigerator roulette during the weeks I had to wait for the new one. I tried to keep the least amount of perishables in it as possible knowing that it might not make it until the new one arrived, but luckily it did. Poor groaning, wheezing old fridge. It served me well and now it’s at rest. Beside the fact that stainless steel looks better in my kitchen than black, I love the new one’s French door configuration.
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California can’t compete with the east coast fall, but here’s a pic of the aspen trees from my Tahoe trip two weeks ago.
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Sorry,couldn’t resist. 😂😂😂0 -
LOL Spookies - that's hilarious
Lehrski - I went to school up in that neck of the woods. I forgot how beautiful the fall season could be. Or really any time - except when trying to get over the pass in the winter!
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