CRAZY TOWN WAITING ROOM - TESTS coming up? All Stages Welcome.
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Well, we did the math, and flights to Toronto for this weekend are insanely expensive for the two of us. So we're going to Boston instead—SW was less than half the price and we were able to use HHonors points to cut the hotel price in half as well. We could have driven up to Traverse City or Mackinac Island, but that would have meant leaving for home at dawn Monday or late Sun. night (and dealing with ferries for Mackinac)—and the hotels in the area were really costly (like $1000/night for the Grand Hotel Mackinac—I’ve never paid that much anywhere; when we went in 1997, it was on Merck’s dime). Everyone wants to go to picturesque seashore towns in summer, but not to a big Northeastern city. It's been over 20 years since we last visited Boston, so we can do all the stuff we did back then, only as grownups. I haven't checked the weather, but it's basically the same as Chicago only one day later. I’m still trying to wrap my head around a plane trip and a Hilton in Boston being no costlier than a driving trip up to northern MI—and basically giving us extra time to enjoy ourselves.
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Holding you all close.
Poppy, I completely get what you are saying. My confusion can bring me to tears some days.
Still praying gor all who need it, and ready to jump in and out of pockets.
Back to square one on the house hunt again. So frustrating. We will get what we are looking for, I just wish it was yesterday already.
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well my 2 chemo visits are now my excuse for real chemo brain, went to supermarket for just a few things, thought i lost my cane, had the guys searching for it, finally figured it was lost and i would need to buy a new one.....Came home and found it proped against the wall in downstairs powder room, gads, gee house hunting does not sound like fun, guess i am out of practice on that thing
Chemo, tomorrow then a week off yeah, hair thin but still covering head!
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Yesterday my Echo got scheduled. The next two weeks are going to be insanely busy with appointments.
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Popping in for a quick hello to all. Hugs and healing thoughts to those in need. Solo road trip to Cleveland area over the past weekend to meet up with friends, family. 1st time staying in an Airbnb and it was great! $91 for two nights - lovely log home in a wooded area with pond view, lots of plants & flowers, private room and bath.
Sandy - Boston sounds wonderful for a weekend getaway. Wonderful museums, especially the Isabella Stewart Gardner - building will remind you of Italy.
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Hi Ladies....I have been in the "DARK" basement....finding my way out....I still am very hurt by my 2 sisters getting the entire estate of my mother & after reading the will I also found out FOUR day after my crazy sister choked me until unconscious (I woke up on the floor of my mom's kitchen between my crazy sister and my mother) , my Mom signed the NEW will (that excluded me) that my other sister paid for, and drove her there and probably sat in with the lawyer to helped mom understand what she was doing, as mom only had an 8th grade education, ( just like crazy sister). Mom also had dementia when she signed this will at 89, I know crazy sister was instrumental in having her changed the original will, because when she found the old will (I was at the house, helping mom with the bills, as after Dad died she had NEVER paid a bill, Dad took care of that stuff, then ME) She was screaming at my mom what will I DO WHEN YOU ARE ARE GONE? Every time I called Mom, crazy one would monitor my call, and always say the same thing...Di has a House & EVERYTHING....crazy one is on SSI and Medicaid and but was always dependent on Mom and Dad paying her rent and bills...so she had spending money! NOW my sister gets to pay her bills, she is still a FRAUD!....my attorney said there are lots of holes in the MOM's will and written very poorly and she & other sister could lose in the long run....
My enlarged internal mammary lymph node behind the upper bone with the notch, of my sternum has not grown in the last six months....still the same size a scant smaller than a CM....cannot be biopsied....will have a MRI again in Nov......I met this lady on a 6 day cruise in May from LA to Vancouver, the cruise director took this pic for me....she had BC & then secondary BC when she had two nodes/tumors removed from behind her sternum, crack open her chest to get to it! She is Judy Garland's youngest daughter, Lorna.
The was my 70 year old birthday cruise.
I still have my anemia...rbc lower than the normal range....since 2013 or '14 when my Hemotologist/oncologist said he THOUGHT I had MDS or smoldering MDS....had the bone marrow taken..okay at the time. Last August I had iron infusion and felt really good for about 4 months...we talked about another infusion, but not scheduled yet.....at the time he was more concerned with my three CM axillary lymph nodes since I see him every 3 months. I HATE ANEMIA!
I saw my gastroenterologist and she ordered a CT scan. I picked up my CD and report before she every got back to me, it took her a full week! (guess her head is up many butts) as she is very busy....she message me I have a thickening from the top of my cecum down to my appendix, colonoscopy to be scheduled on our 49th anniversary, Aug 16....what a PIA! I HATE ANEMIA!!!
A week after our anniversary, and my colonoscopy we are flying to Anchorage, transferred to the ship (1 to1 1/2 hrs away depending on the one way tunnel through a mountain) taking a cruise southbound to Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay (my favorite place on earth) and the usual other ports, Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan and Vancouver BC, then a bus transfer to SeaTac....arrive pretty close to our home. Alaska calls me back every year.....
Hugs to all!
Di
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Di, you look great! (For any age). And I had no idea Lorna Luft was a bc survivor. As to the will, that sucks. But as someone who used to practice estate law, I can tell you that will contests are protracted, expensive and emotionally draining. And if you win and your sis has already gotten her hands on the assets, good luck trying to collect—that’s another long-drawn-out headache—especially if she’s the spendthrift you suggest she is. Were you & your mom joint tenants with right of survivorship on anything? That trumps any will provisions regarding that asset.
Have my EGD in a couple of weeks. We’ll find out if anything is oozing in my esophagus, stomach or duodenum. (I often feel “on the edge of heartburn,” so I wouldn’t be surprised). RBC, WBC, iron-binding capacity normal but ferritin is pretty low, reticulocytes normal but not being replenished fast enough, and H&H is slipping further over the wrong side of the line. Hope you don’t have MDS. (My fear too)
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thanks ChiSandy....I don' t know it I have any thing in joint tenency with my mom. After my crazy sister tried to kill me I steered clear of crazy sister who resided with my mother.I am NOT going to try pursue any assets, as my sister that is executor on " this will", changed the house into her name only 21 days after she she filed the will in probate.....the house and land worth about $800,000....Normandy Park....fantastic views., Puget Sound, Mt. Rainier, SeaTac Airport without the noise, and Vashon & Maury Island & Pt Robinson lighthouse, we could see from the house & lawn when Mt. Saint Helens erupted and the ash cloud...,Dad & moms street was very busy during the eruption.
ChiSandy I hope your anemia resolves or the EGD gives some clues as to what's up with your labs.....are you really tired? I drag my butt around!!!! Soooo tired!
I had a EDG 3 years ago and my thumb size pouch was the same size as when I had my gastric bypass in 2001.
I feel really fortunate that my Hematologist is also my Oncologist, 2 for 1 !!!! He the best!
At one time I begged for a blood transfusion, and he told me a transfusion could do more harm than good. That is probably why he ordered an iron infusion....it is a very tiny bag, however it took ALL DAY for the infusion....I was also anemic as a kid and took something called zima drops (?)
( I was given two blood transfusion after the birth of my son 43 years ago)
Di
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Oh, yeah—Zima drops! That and Poly-Vi-Sol is what my mom used to sneak into our Pepsi. I’ve been transfused only once: took three pints back in 1994 when my laparascopic cholecystectomy turned into a common-duct stone playing “keep-away” from my surgeon. I actually had to stay over two nights, when most people with lap-cholys were already getting them done as drive-thrus.
Am I tired? I don’t know. I can’t remember what energy is supposed to feel like.
Yeah, now that sis has completed the transfer of the house the train has left the station or (insert futility cliche of choice here). I remember when I lived in the U. Dist. and practiced law in Bellevue, even Bellevue was less expensive than Chicago. We got sticker shock when we moved here. Now it’s the reverse. But Normandy Park was always a “someday when I win the lottery” kind of fantasy for me. (I went to law school in Tacoma even though we lived across the street from UW Health Sciences, where Bob got his PhD and then went to med school).
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Di, you are beautiful! Great picture.
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An Alaska Inside Passage cruise is at the top of our joint bucket list—still kicking ourselves over never having gone during the 7 years we lived in Seattle.
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hello Crazies....please say a prayer for the historic gold rush town of Mariposa: 45 miles from me and threatened by wildfire. I have a lot of friends and former coworkers up there who had to evacuate: had three evacuated families over for dinner last night and one of them are sleeping in my guest rooms (and may be here a bit); a mom and her two pre-teen boys, who were sort of freaked out. Her husband, who was a co-worker of mine before I retired, is back east at a conference which of course makes it all scarier for her and the boys to not be all together. I put the boys to work helping me cook dinner and setting the tables and that seemed to get their mind off of the fire. and of course, my house is a mess but I am sure it is better than sleeping on cots at the high school (and every hotel for miles around is full of evacuees...). It is pretty likely that some will lose their homes. Lucy: one of the families who came to dinner (and are staying at another friend's house) are transplanted Aussies from southern Queensland, so very familiar with bush fires, but say this is as bad as they've seen....they are very afraid that they will lose their house.
Jan, are you reading along? I am fairly sure you are safe and well out of the evacuation zone where you are, but stay safe.
Smoke is traveling mostly in the other direction, fortunately for my eyes. The fire crew staging area is in our town. Very scary to hear the planes and see the trucks....They closed part of one of the major through streets in my town to make it easier for the trucks to get in and out.
Meanwhile, the only good side to this is that it has been a distraction and I almost forgot I have a mammogram (and a bone density scan, though that doesn't make me nervous) this morning! I had a lot of pre-mammo anxiety, until the fire got bad.
So, off soon to get poked and prodded and squished. Good thoughts please.
Octogirl
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Octo, I have been watching the news about the wildfires and it's scary. I pray all in the path of the wildfires are safe. I have a friend in Bishop, CA.
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The Alaska cruise has always been on my list, .wish my walking was better as i am so weak in the legs that i would bea drag on any of my pals. I keep sayingm i f i can just get this health cruisis behind me
So today is chemo 3 then i get aweek off. Hair is thin and i got a haircut last night, it hasn't fallen out yet but it was really in need of shaping. Will see how it all comes out!
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My great grandfather was an Alaskan pioneer and gold miner. My mom was born in Alaska. I feel the pull of Alaska and want to visit. Inside passage cruise sounds wonderful.
ChiSandy, I knew you would understand. My DH finally made time to sit with me and go over the plans at 10:30 last night. Too late for me since I had a busy day on 3 hours of sleep. But we worked on it a bit.
Octo, As soon as I heard about the fire, I was concerned about the people in the area and the beautiful place where I spent so many summers as a kid. What a blessing to your coworkers family that you took them in. Way better than staying at a shelter. I'm so glad to have you have you as a friend.
Iris, Chemo is so rough. I'm thinking about you and praying for you every day. Maybe once it's over you can go on your cruise.
Di, Beautiful picture. I'm so sorry about your family situation. I can only imagine how you are feeling.
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Oh dear the fires! My niece's grandparents used to live there. Such beautiful countryside. I am glad you are able to take in the family. I am in CT right now. Probably nothing but am at urgent care. I have had pressure in my ears and vertigo for about a month. Yesterday it got worse and I feel exhausted. Took myself to urgent care this morning. The PA wants me to get an urgent authorization to an ENT. Said my ears look congested. She also said that I look dehydrated which is odd because I drink water all the time. They did ekg, blood and urine plus taking my BP laying down, sitting and standing. I will tell you all that I am terrified. Cancer? Alzheimers? Heart disease? Hopefully just a nothing thing or even a SE for exemestane?
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Oh and what I haven't told anyone is I have tailbone pain. I don't want to deal with this!
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Prayers to you Molly, and for Mariposa. So many fires, scary. Hoping for the best results for you, onto. How great you are able to help in that way.
Di, totally understand the effed up family crap. After my mom passed, I got texts from my brother and sister that would scald your eyeballs. Because I stopped taking phone calls from them, after having to hear it! I don't care to ever see them again,ever. They started cleaning out what ever they wanted from the senior trailer park she had down sized to, before she even died. And told me if I told her, it would just make things 'harder'. Yeah! Harder for them to steal! Funny, tho, she still had me as POD beneficiary to her bank account. I found out when the bank called me, when they tried to close out and withdraw from it. Not a lot, but then my niece called me asking if I was the one, cause they needed to pay space rent on her trailer. I said no.
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well, went to chemo, was in the chair and nurse asked me how i wss doing, asaid i thought the nueropathy in my feet had gotten worse since starting chemo so nurse spoke to my onco and they decided to skip it this week
Dang it all
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(((iris)))
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Hi friends, Yes, my part of California is burning up. We live about 30 miles from Mariposa and we are breathing the smoke from their fire. Mariposa is a charming historic town and it is also the county seat. The downtown and court house looks much like they did when built a hundred or more years ago. We go to Mariposa often and it is almost impossible to imagine evacuating the entire town. There are also many small communities throughout the area. The terrain is similar to my town. We bought another fire safe today to hold more irreplaceable items. The Red Cross has several evac centers near here and some of them are full. More being opened, according to the news. Octo, so glad you were able to help your friends. DH and I are going to UCLA tomorrow, but when we get back, I'll bake up some cookies and cut up some fruit to take to the nearest evac center. My friend with a B and B opens it up to "refugees" every time we have disasters.
Did I read recently that we are all heading to Italy with Poppy? Count me in. Or Alaska.
Proud, Tomboy, hope you are heading for better days. Octo, thinking of you. I one time I was able to meet Beppy was over the 4th July weekend last year. I have such a warm memory of that day meeting with both Poppy and Beppy. Molly, in your pocket. JAN
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Well I am fine as I suspected. Waiting for the ent referral but all ekg, blood and urine came back normal. The PA said they were being vigilant because of my history of cancer. Still dizzy, still plugged ears. Ugh
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(((Molly))) but glad you are ok!! could it be allergies? the plugged up ears can cause the vertigo in and of itself. I once had a friend who was tested for everything and anything based on vertigo; it turned out to be an ear infection. don't know why they didn't look for that first...You should definitely see that ENT.
and (((Iris))). that sucks!
Jan, thirty miles is a little closer than I thought! Stay safe! I am still praying for Mariposa, that it remains intact, and Jan, I hope we can meet up there someday soon to celebrate its survival. A friend ran into some firefighters in town who told him it is looking pretty good for Mariposa as the fire has shifted. I hope so, and I hope all goes well at UCLA.
Mammo was all clear, yay! I've been doing them (3D Version) on bc side every six months; and they did that side and the other this time, said I can go back to yearly for both. We will see what MO says about that. Will get bone density scan results at MOs office next week.
Hugs to all.
Octogirl
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Molly, did they try to get any ear wax out? My ear got plugged one time and everything was muffled and my primary care doctor irrigated with this little water can and got out a ton of wax and my ear went back to normal.
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The PA did look for infection first. That's why I went in. She doesn't think it's wax either. Hopefully the ENT will come up with something simple. I don't think it's allergies because I have been on Claritin and I am going to try my Nasonex for a few days to see if it helps. I tried using Debrox for three days. Didn't help and yesterday the vertigo got worse than ever. We'll see. I just want relief!
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Hi Theresa! She didn't try to irrigate it. Hi Jan, nice to see you.
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Had a yearly Mammo today.....it was good......said 'see you next year", I thought, at 82...sure unless something else gets me first...LOL.....or did I already tell you ladies that............didn't look back to see.....ok if I did, Senior Moment............
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Molly, wax would not cause vertigo or dizziness—because balance is governed by the inner ear (and the eardrum is a barrier so no wax would make it past there). The inner ear has the cochlea and semicircular canals. The cochlea is the coil-like structure that is lined with tiny hairs called cilia and has fluid in it. When the eardrum transmits the vibrations of the tiny middle ear bones, it makes the fluid in the cochlea move, which moves the cilia (they actually undulate like sea grass), and the cochlea transmits that to the auditory nerve, which converts it to electrical impulses sent to the brain. The semicircular canals also have fluid, and are what controls balance—they act sort of like gyroscopes, only they don't spin. When you have an infection or inflammation in your inner ear, you build up too much fluid. That interferes with the cilia's ability to move, so your ears feel plugged and sound is muffled or even distorted. And the movement of fluid in the semicircular canals is likewise impeded, resulting in dizziness, vertigo, and even nausea. When this happens chronically it's called Meniere's Syndrome. But with an infection, it's (thankfully) temporary so long as you can treat it in time.
How do I know this? Been through it twice. Each time, sound was horribly distorted and off-key. My ears felt stuffed despite there being no wax in them. First time, I also had balance problems, like the ground was shifting under my feet. Second time, I didn't get the dizziness or vertigo (and no nausea either time). And I was hearing pitches nearly 1/4 tone lower in one ear than the other, instruments sounded out of tune relative to vocals, and stringed instruments sounded thin, tinny and watery. Listening to music was torture—and I had to play & sing it the whole time because I had gigs! (Fortunately, the slight warmth distortion from amplifiers & mics helped cancel out the tinniness). I had to take prednisone for a week, along with Vit. E, vinpocetine and manganese. The neurotologist said my hearing acuity was “fine" (he tests adults only up to 8kHz) and that being a singer I was just “too picky about pitch." (!) I had to fight him for the prednisone after the brain MRI turned up normal, and if I'd waited too long I might have had permanent hearing damage (“sudden sensorineural hearing loss," as the musician-specific audiologist I finally saw and the Cleveland Clinic psychoacoustician who worked with me via phone put it). The neuro called it “atypical Meniere's" because he couldn't find any tumors or physical signs, and put me on an ultra-low-sodium, no sugar, no caffeine, no alcohol, and no fun diet. But it was the prednisone & supplements that worked. (You can't take vinpocetine if you're on ginkgo, a blood-thinner or aspirin, though—it could cause a brain bleed).
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And my prayers for all who are in the vicinity of the wildfires. Plus another prayer for Sen. McCain, who has been diagnosed with glioblastoma.
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My heart sank for Sen. McCain when I heard the news this morning. Neighbor of ours lost a relative to brain cancer last year.
Still praying for those in areas affected by wildfires
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