Illinois ladies facing bc
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Good morning ladies!
Whew! This has been a very busy, but rewarding, week. I moderated the junior high Regional Scholastic Bowl on Wednesday and it was so good to get back around the junior high kids. It makes me think twice about doing some substitute teaching next year, but then again, that would mess with my golf and bowling, wouldn't it???? LOL
Buddy, wow! Your hand looks quite painful and I'd say that it is indeed infected. Be pushy with the medical profession on this one. You need some help before you have major infection in your body. I'm with Susan. If you can't get any satisfaction from your regular doctors, get to the emergency room or to a walk-in clinic where they can push you through the channels to get assistance. Ouch! You poor thing!
Marina.........hey, shrinkage sounds pretty good to me!
I'm so glad that you got some good news and now you know that the treatments are indeed helping, they will be easier to take!Elfsong, I'm with you when it comes to moving! It's not one of my favorite things to do! I must say that your weather would be better, though, and there's alot to say for having family near you. Things always seem to work out for the best, I think so just hang in there and see what happens. Hugs!
Well, I'm off and moving for the day. I'd like to golf this afternoon so I have a full morning ahead of me!
Everyone have a great Friday!
Rita
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"Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed."
* Corita Kent (1918 - 1986)0 -
Well, Elf, there is always something going on in your life. You do sound "in between" regarding California. Family and warm weather would be tempting. We will be watching. Even if you move to California, you can still be with us. That is the cool thing about cyberspace......you are only a keyboard away.Buddy, I am hoping that all is fixed soon. It seems cruel in a wonderful country like ours that you cannot get medical help faster. I have an HMO but have never experienced anything like you and I hope I never do. Mother's Day is coming up and you deserve medical treatment so you can rejoice painfree with family.Rita, you may truly want to consider subbing if you miss the interaction with junior high kids. I love that age group. I only take jobs I want (English and Social Studies - 6th-7th and 8th grades) and I get plenty of work. I only work in one district (my old one) and the kids know me and I know their families as I taught there nearly 20 years. I personally find it very rewarding and haven't had a "nightmare" class yet. The money is not great but I use it for stuff I would never use my pension money on (zoo memberships, concerts, etc.). Here we get $105/day.As a matter of fact, I am treating my DH to a Chopin concert at Northwestern University tonight after ribs! He loves Chopin and he most certainly loves ribs! This was his birthday gift. When I was working fulltime, he was lucky if I took the time to get him a tie and a store-bought cake, I was so busy.Carolyn, how is the fever? I think people get unexpected fevers when their bodies are jarred....kinda like a stress signal that the body needs a rest.Hey Wendy, how are you doing? You must be going nuts with that eye. I know you love the old books and movies. I just read a really old one.....The Awakening of Helen Richie. It was published in l920 and is most certainly old-fashioned but I loved the story. I found it in an antique store but I see Amazon has it with a modern cover!Okay, I am going out to enjoy the day!Susan0
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Thanks Zap. I'm still hear. Checking in several times a day. I kept calling and being persistaqnt and was able to get the Dermatologist appt moved to May 4th and the RA appt to May 6. My ssiter thinks because the Onc said ..before this breakout I had mentioned not having any flare ups during chemo he said because its an autoimmune problem and the chemo kept it in check. So when I was at the Primary Doc I told him what teh Onc said and he said he thought it looked like RA that why he is sending me to the RA doc. My sister said RA docs treat autoimue problems I didnt know that what else could it possibly be. I already have one auto immune the Hashimoto. Are excema and psorits and that type also autoimmune. So hard to type one handed. Hand looks teh same more of the bumps on the back of the hand looks like acme. Laura I hope you are coping with therapy well.
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Buddy 1, sorry for your problems with arm/hands.
I saw you mentioned hashimoto...is your hair falling out more? I noticed after I dry my hair with dryer the sink has lots of hair, well maybe 8 strands?)...and then i was dx'd with hashimoto. I am not sure if that is related, the endocrinologist (from chicago magazine, carol stream) did not seem too concerned. I went there also to see if I was diabetic and for my osteopenia...I don't have another apptmt till December.
I have the thyroid nodules that showed up on ct scan, then a biopsy but the nodules were small, and my antibiodies are high BUT my tsh levels are okay and have been checked for years and always were in range (my sister and mother need to take synthroid). BlackJack had the biopsy as well I think.
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Okay, Buddy, I understand better. I thought this was LE alone and so I wondered why the onc or the someone connected to the BC wasn't stepping up. Thanks for keeping me posted.Kater, good to hear from you. I do get your messages on yahoo, but I have trouble keeping up with all the ways to communicate.Well my daughter (two babies) and her DH sold their place and are moving to Glen Ellyn which is about 45 minutes away. I should just be grateful that are that close, but I have loved stopping into Evanston (only 15 minutes away) to see them. They can get so much more house for the money, so they have our blessings. Glen Ellyn reminds my son-in-law of New England (where he is from) as it is hilly. He has always been so amazed at how flat Illinois is and how you can always see the sky when driving. I wonder why Glen Ellyn is hilly when the rest of the state is not. He is right. It is...lots of ravines and cliffs.Getting ready for Chopin. We switched from ribs to Polish food in keeping with Chopin's heritage!Have a good weekend and feel well!0
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Hi girls! I'm back. We didn't win big but we had fun. DH is not a huge gambler so he didn't spend the whole time in the casinos. We went out to Hoover Dam and an awesome state park called Valley of Fire - gorgeous! Had some nice dinners and went to see O. Nice time away for us.
Buddy - so sorry to see your hand. I hope you get it sorted out soon!
Glad to hear your good news on your tests Carolyn. I always get a fever when anything traumatic happens with my body. Always had to stay a day longer after having the kids and during chemo I got a small fever with every tx. Hang in there.
I just skimmed quickly so I am not sure what is up with everyone. I hope everyone is getting along ok.
Rita - I saw your chat on Facebook but too late. I have a nasty habit of just leaving it on all the time and I always return to find people trying to chat with me. They probably think I am so rude!
Have a busy weekend. My son is in his middle school's production of Grease next week. This weekend I will be at the school helping set the stage. I'm looking forward to the show! Sunday night I fly out to Baltimore for a business meeting on Monday. Back on Tuesday. Crazy.
Thinking of everyone and wondering about Wendy!
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Hi All - I have been resting and keeping up with the drains and the medication.
Fever is gone but has been replaced with a cough and sinus problems. Nothing I can do but keep taking the medication and resting, etc. I see the doctor on Monday so I'll discuss it with him then. Not much I can do about the situation so I'm making do.
Take Care!
Carolyn
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Buddy - your hand looks painful. You and some of the other ladies remind me that I could be going thru worse things and appreciate where I am at right now. I finished herceptin a few weeks ago and got port out. Had a small abcess around one of the stitches, but that has cleared up. The onc started me on aromasin after I was done with herceptin and I had a reaction to it after about 2 week.s A constant headache that never goes away. This has happened with 4 other medicines. We think it may be a binder used to make these medicines and it takes that long to accumulate in my system enough to have the reaction and it takes that long for the reaction to go away. I finally had to go to pcp and get a shot to break the headache cycle. They finally stopped and doctor put me on tamoxifin instead. Guess what!! after 10 days I was having head aches again.
I have stopped taking the tamoxifin for about 10 days now and headaches are finally almost gone. Just enough of one to know it is there but not enough to stop me from doing anything. As soon a headaches are completely gone I am going to try femara again. I tried it last year while I was on herceptin and joint paint got so bad i had to quit. I took it for 7 weeks and no headaches so now that I am off the herceptin I am going to give it a try again. If I can't do it then I am out of options because armidex has the same binders as aromasin and I am not ready to go down the headache road again. I even went to an aopthacary shop and had tyelnol made up without any binders but lactose, so I can take that for pain if I need to without worrying about a reaction to that too. I am not supposed to take ibuprofen or asprin since I have had a bleeding ulcer before caused by aleve. In the last few weeks with the headaches I have taken some ibuprofen but they were liquid gels and only allowed myself one a day to protect my stomach. I am not sure which would be worse another ulcer or constant headaches, Trying to find a balance. If I can get rid of the headaches for now so they are not constant I can get by. I have been having to work overtime at work, so that has not helped about 47 hrs a week the last 3 weeks. One of the other ladies is out on medical leave until May 17th. I am looking forward to the overtime ending in 2 weeks. I am usually only part time 20 -25 hours a week. The good thing is that since I have been working the extra hours I got a $1.40 an hour raise. That makes working overtime a little easier to do.. I has been difficult with working so much and having the headaches so often. But like I said, we will get thru this and appreciate our blessings instead of focusing on the negatives.
Hugs to everyone. I hope I can start getting to the bloomington dinners now that the weather is better and it stays light so much later, since I have almost an hour drive home from there. I will be nice to see everyone there again. My knees and energy still not back to normal, but it will come eventually I hope. Annette
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Connie,nice to see you back - glad you enjoyed LV. I for one think Hoover Dam is incredible and though I have never been to the state park...sounds like something I'd enjoy very much too. Glad you had such a great time.
Annette, great perspective on your headaches. It would be so difficult for me to "wait" several days to know if I was going to 'tolerate' or not 'tolerate' something. Hope you can get back on the Femara.
Quite the storm out last night, but no tornado around here. We have always been fairly fortunate that wind currents etc. just seem to allow the truly bad storms to pass overhead.
I'll be checking back later. See you then.
Hugs, Jackie
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Good morning!! I'm in my 'off chemo' week so hopefully get to take a breather from some SE's. I got my Insurance to pay for another wig.. so off to Jerome Krause today!! Otherwise hoping to enjoy a nice walk with all the kids later this afternoon.. I love having the older ones home with me on weekends.. As strange as it is, this has really helped us bond even more.. despite their teenage 'tudes' they hang out with me and TALK on our walks.. which is so important with a thirteen year old son who normally can stay in his room all day otherwise!!
Hope everyone can enjoy a painfree beautiful day!!
Marina
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Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness.
Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Continue to learn.
Appreciate your friends. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.
- Mary Anne Hershey0 -
Marina: Sounds so great about your relationship with your older kids. Thirteen year old boys are not used to dealing with breast cancer in their mom, bur I am sure your guys watched you as you courageously hit the track running and so they feel proud of you. . In my years of teaching I have encountered a number of boys and girls that age with parents with medical issues. What works best is just honesty about what is going on and your inability to predict how you will feel on a given day. It is hard for kids that age as they are, generally speaking, so caught up in themselves and THEY DON'T WANT TO BE DIFFERENT. It sounds like all is well now and it may help that they have space with visits with their dad, Enjoy your relationship. The cancer was unlucky; but the relationship with them is very good. Do their teachers know what is going on?I am a busy girl this weekend. Chopin last night was wonderful....a storm was overhead while the pianist was punching out a great piece inside. Very dramatic! Tonight we see the play One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest....remember that Jack Nicholson movie? The weather is warm and then cool and I feel icky so I hope I pick up by going out. I hate that sleepy, sluggish feeling that the sun could cure. It may be that everything is in bloom.Ohhhh, I must nort forget! Connie, how fun to be helping with the play. That is so cool Take lots of pictures.0
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Wow ~ there sure are a lot of us! I'm new to the site, having been "out of the woods" since completing 5 years on Tamoxifen in 2004. Last winter had shortness of breath which turned out to be due to a large pleural effusion caused by mets to lung and pleura. Back into the deep dark woods. Has anyone else survived the torture of a thoracotomy? Yikes ~ I'd rather have cancer! Now on Femara and feeling good; hope to keep it that way. I'm in Woodstock, McHenry County, far northwest suburbs of Chicago. Anybody close by? Please reply or PM!
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Hi to PatinWoodstockIl. There are a lot of us here. I think I am a good four hours --- maybe 5 away from you, but there would I think be someone much closer and they will chime in here soon hopefully. I'm sorry to hear you are dealing with this again --- an almost constant back of the mind ( especially at test time ) fear we all share. I do not have mets so can't be much help with you on that ( there is a mets thread, but I imagine you have see that already ), but do want to say welcome and come here as much as you like. We are basically all from Illinois on this thread which I find comforting --- it's a little more like talking to your next door neighbor --- just a bit more personal feeling I guess.
I think you will like the people here -- but I am going to say they are the greatest. They gave me a place to come when I was lost in 2007 with no idea where to go or how to get there. See you later. I'll be leaving a quote again tomorrow --- like the one in dark black up above. I do it every day.
Hugs, Jackie
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Morning! Skies are clearing rapidly, rain is gone for now. Should be a nice day...
I have been reading every day but can't post from the iPhone....I am glad that most of you seem to be doing quite well. Carolyn, glad about your Path! Marina, glad about your tumor shrinkage! Budders, glad you are getting in to see someone sooner ...that hand looked pretty nasty. Laura, sounds like the PT is working! Jackie, your quote from yesterday was a keeper.
Between my R thumb and my R eye, typing and computer screens have not been my friends. BUT...I finally did break down and see my PCP about the thumb and it is indeed deQuervains so he told me to take therapeutic doses (three/four times the normal dose) of advil and ice it 3x daily and keep on the thumb immobilizer 24/7. Well, that much advil my tummy didn't like and keeping my thumb and wrist from moving all the time made the joints very stiff so...I cut down on the advil and stopped wearing the splint unless I am actually doing something with my hand like mowing or driving. It's better but a long way from normal. The eye is clearing slowly so I guess that will be OK but I continue to see the flashing in both eyes and eye doc told me that means it is still tugging which means that I could bleed again. Jeesh. But it could always be so much worse and that's one thing that we all know about.
Welcome Pat from Woodstock! I'm a bit away from you in S. Elgin. I am so sorry that you are dealing with this, so long out of treatment. Just not fair.....
I just wanted to check in....hopefully I will be able to post more in a few days. Just know that I think about you guys all the time, even if I am not on here.
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Welcome back Wendy...Oh we do miss ya. Hope all is going well with your eye and hand. Hang in there. We do need our weather girl back!!!
Carolyn...yeah for you on your good path report. Now that the healing is in place you can move forward which is good. Rest and be well.
Marina..glad to see that your tumor is looking better. Chemo is working for you. How is the baby feeling.
Jackie....hopefully no bad weather for you. We had rain last noc here. I opened up my pond yesterday and I have only 10 fish now. They are huge and very frisky. So good to have the water fall going again. It is so peaceful to listen to the waterfall last noc.
Rita...are you thinking of subbing again. I am counting down the days now and still can't believe I did a full year. Oh I do need a rest though, the kids are getting wild. It must be the weather, right.
Laura...how is your arm feeling. Better I hope. How is your work going.
Welcome Pat from Woodstock. Sorry to hear about your recurrence. Tell us about yourself.
Connie...welcome back from LV. Did you have fun. Now when do you put your boat in the water. Oh boating season is here. Let the fun begin.!!
Just wanted to stop by and say hi to all. I have a busy Sunday so take care and enjoy the day.
Remember to be healthy....be happy and enjoy life.
BJ
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A little something in honor of having our own weather girl back:
"The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day.
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You're one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
a cloud come over the sunlit arch,
And wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you're two months back in the middle of March."
- Robert Frost, Two Tramps in Mud Time, 19260 -
gardening Community, Friendship, Society
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Friends are like the pillars on a porch. Sometimes they
hold you up, sometimes they lean on you, and sometimes
it's just enough to know that they are standing by.
- Author Unknown0 -
Good morning everyone,
Another great day to be alive and try to make the world a better place for someone. Some Excedrin has made my life a good deal better overnight. I did not want to say that I did some really stupid things the other day --- moving lots of heavy stuff away from the garage before I washed it ( only two sides done just now ) and gave myself quite the backache. I also gave it a few days ( pipe dream ) to resolve but it didn't. Since I take Plavix I was reluctant to take anything with aspirin....but this was just not getting better. I had a wonderful night and feel fairly good today.... a little more is in order I think....but hopefully soon I'll be as good as new. Just hated to 'complain' since I brought it on myself and it certainly is quite manageable I find. Not near the problem others are having.
We will have sun today after a bit of another wild night of thunderstorms which I slept through. I opened email up this morning to find a warning from the Nixie team ( our local warning system ) that we could have a tornado overnight. Yawn -- I obviously had sleeping to get done. Usually, I think more than tornadoes -- we get some straight-line winds. I don't think they come to the forest here much though. I am not complacent completely --- just didn't read my email late enough,but more than likely would have slept thru just as I did.
Dh will work all day today. It's a friends and family but he says the sale just through was actually better than you could do on F & F night. Hmm, well nothing is broken ( silent prayers going up ) around here so guess it's ok.
Hope you are all going to have a wonderful Sunday -- doing something you love and being with those you love. I'll be checking in later. See you then. Good to see you Wendy and Bj too.
Big hugs, Jackie
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Good morning!! Just wanted to report that I finally had a great wig experience. Maybe the good news of last week put me and my DH in a better mood, but we had a blast.. Turns out my DH now gets to have 3 wives!! I have my brunette wig from before, and bought a red one yesterday then went home and ordered the blond one I tried on!! Hey, may as well make this fun!! Everyone loved the red one.. and I will be testing it out today as my "GIRLS" are taking me out for by B-Day.. a tradition that I just didn't want to break as based on my blood counts.. may be the last time out like this for a while.. So I am so excited to go out..
The baby STILL won't sleep through the night.. up every few hrs.. I feel so terrible for my DH.. and I've been trying the lavender lotion on her tummy.. she stopped eating at night.. but he still has to get up go upstairs and re-swaddle her.. YES, still swaddling as her arms and legs flaying make it even worse.. and according to my DH it will stay this way until she's 23!! LOL..
Pat, welcome to this thread.. Although I'm a Stage IV like you, this has become my home as the women here hold my hand and let me vent or talk and are incredibly supportive and funny I must say!!
Enjoy the great day everyone,
Marina
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HI Pat in Woodstock. I am sorry that you have this thing again. I am glad you are in the hopeful time of treatment with the Femara. I live in Northbrook which is not that far from Woodstock. I love Woodstock. When my husband has work up there at the courthouse, I traipse along sometimes as I like the town.
Wendy, yahoo! I have so missed you. Are you still on the arimidex? Is there a connection, or do they not know.
Glad you are feeling better, Jackie. I think that allergies can aggravate thing.
Blackjack, yes the weather makes the kids crazy! I am working only a very few days as I do not want to deal with their spring fever. Guess what? My school district is looking for a school nurse for next year. It is the elementary grades (kdg-fifth) and not in the junior high. The nurse is retiring! When I sub there though, the kids go to the nurse for just everything, so it may not be what you would like. The school is in Glenview. I get the feeling you are not looking.
Hope all are well!
Susan
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Good afternoon ladies!
I've spent the afternoon weeding my iris which are now starting to bloom and digging in the dirt. For some reason, digging in the dirt has a calming affect on me and I love seeing the results. The wind knocked down a few of my blooming iris so I cut them and brought them inside. They are now brightening up the kitchen along with some little white shoots of lily of the valleys, that smell so wonderful!
Wendy, so glad to see a post from you. I can only imagine how hard it is to deal with the eye and the thumb issues. Hang in there! We've missed you.
Welcome Pat from Woodstock! We always have room on this thread for another "sister." I am so sorry that you're doing this journey again. I keep walking in all the walks, doing fundraisers, and donating what I can in hopes that the cure comes SOON. In fact, Dave and I and my son and his family will be walking in the Susan G. Komen Walk in Peoria on Saturday. Keep your fingers crossed for good weather! We're walking on the same team as Mary Jane and her family and it usually turns into a very emotional morning.
Susan, you are doing such neat things! How was the play last night?
Buddy, I like your avatar! It's so good to be able to put a face with a name! Very cute, gal! Hope the hand improves quickly. It sounds simply miserable!
Kater, I like your avatar also. You look so good! WOW!
Connie, so glad you had a good time in Vegas. We did the Hoover Dam tour when we were out there, too and it was absolutely amazing. As for the chat, I didn't think a thing about it. I often log into facebook myself and then leave it up and running and walk away from the computer.
Marina.....the wigs sound wonderful! You'll have choices! We'll need pictures, you know!
Well, I need to get a ham in the oven for tonight so I'd better get moving. Hugs to all of you!
Hang in the BJ..............the year is about over and you'll be boating and relaxing in a lounge chair before you know it!
Rita
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"Goodness is the only investment that never fails."
-- Henry David Thoreau0 -
Hello~ Hello~ What a beautiful day~!!
Wendy- Hi~~ good to see your post and I've missed you so much...
Buddy- Very nice avatar~!! love your curly hair, so cute.. I am glad you can see the doctors sooner..
Susan- I just LOVE your life style.. you love kids and teach them, always doing something with your dh and enjoy your life in every ways, I must say.. You are such an explorer.. Where did you get the energy to do all of that?? I wish I can do that with my dh in the future..
Connie- glad you had good time in Vegas.. It is always fun place to be..
Jackie- glad you are feeling better..
Pat- Welcome and sorry for the reason you are here.. this ladies are fantastic.. You can come anytime you want for questions or just need vent and we will help you any ways we can..
Here is the I wore on lunch bunch.. so call, 'Shoes to die for'
I love name of the shoes too 'Wild Diva' 
Oh, well there you have it~! I got is on one of the website and I love it~!
Have a good afternoon everyone~!
Smile~!!
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Thanks, Elf! Your post energized me! I actually feel like I am tired a lot! The real reason I do so much is because I have a husband who is non-stop. Even he will admit he had attention deficit disorder as a little guy, but of course that was before they diagnosed you and put you on meds. Once it drove me crazy, but now I am okay with his need to be doing all the time. When my daughters were young, Disneyworld turned into a near nightmare. He would have done all-nighters if the park was open all night. Your shoes are soooooo cool!
I feel sad about Lynn Redgrave...so sad that I went out and rented her Georgie Girl film and the Jane Austin Book Club DVD. We just never know, do we?
So have a happy evening....all of you.
Susan
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Feel very sad on Lynn Redgrave...so sad!!!Idoes anyone know her BC history..stage etc? she had doen a film with her daughter,ears back depicting her BC journey and was very couragous of her to do and how she did it. SHE was a true Warrior!
ELF.. the shoes are too too awesome... what size are they,..lolo.. you are a HOT DIVA alright!!!!
Worked today..ist graders.. ohmy were they nuts today!tomm 4rth graders and Wed.. KDG. Friday i have another bio meridan test to retest all of my endocrine system and be certain all is goin in the right direction. busy!
Goin to NY in two weeks to see my DAD. He will be 91 this year andlives in the same house I grew up in!!!will not move and that is that!!!lol...
Hope ALL are well and anyone in TX.. good and healthy wishes goin.
Donna
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OK OK First let me say yes Laura and Binney u were right I am admitted to hospitol for Le infected hand cellulitis. surgeon was afraid i would loose my hand sent me a hand urgeon, he says i wont. so now they cant get a vein 4 IV 6 trys on one arm so far.
EJ I love those shoes
Love ya all
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I was quite fond of Lynn Redgrave. Loved the movie Georgy Girl which I saw as a young married gal. In fact, she was my inspiration for getting over some of my self consciousness about being skinny and somewhat shapeless, and feeling that I did not have much style. She made it a little easier for me to be me. She sounds like she lived her journey of her last seven years with grace and determination and didn't ever quit living until it was time. Peace to her and as well to her family.
Jackie
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