how about drinking?

Ha ha Kathy! Yes, my boob is heading north! I agree, what's "UP" with that?

DorK, you always manage to crack me up. Vaginal armpit, flashing the dentist and TSA. Telling your neighbor you are leaving the plastic up, that you like the way it aluminates at night. Such sweet words to Beans too.

Mitch, test driving in a cemetery? Lets hope he is good! When us kids were little, we had a place we went to in northern Michigan, we had 10 acres up there. My dad would let us drive on the roads up there, or just on the property. Gosh we loved doing that!

Kathy, here is the stained glass my brother did for me.

Kathy, you are such a beautiful person, and what a wonderful thing you have done for Bob. I sure hope he appreciates what you have done, I know I sure do! Did you keep a copy for yourself, whether printed or on your computer? Bittersweet for sure! Love you and HUGS!

Oh Kathy, how very touching. Lori, ditto on what you said. And now I have tears in my eyes and goosebumps all over my body as I read your posts. You are such a wonderful girl to do this for him.  I just know that her DH will truly appreciate reading the candid exchange of love, hope, prayers and sorrow.  The "book" will definately bring a piece of Junie back to him and he will see things from another perspective and perhaps know more about her from another side of her dear life.  Junie was a true gem and will never be forgotten. Thank you for doing that. I wish I could be there at her Memorial but will be there in spirit. 

I may come to the HTL and act silly and make off the wall comments, but I am sincerly grateful for finding all of you beautiful woman and can say that right now, my heart is feeling all of the love.  I have never known a tighter group and gals and feel so very grateful to have found you all. God bless each of you gals and know I love you all too. 

I will be visiting a friend this evening. He is a guy friend and is in need of a shoulder right now. His gf is giving him a lot of heartache with her alcoholism.  They were planning a vacation and he is thinking of telling her to get some help or he will not go anywhere with her. He said she gets very nasty and belligerent when she drinks. He is a fellow cancer survivor whom I went to high school with and got close to him after our 30 year class reunion in 2009 but got even closer once I was diagnosed. DH is at an air show in Atlantic City. He wanted me to go but I am not yet up for a day on the beach and it is near 90 degrees here today.  I did see parts of the show on the news and wish I could be there with him. I will call and tell him my whereabouts as the guy I am visiting is a mutual friend. I have nothing to hide. 

I've got to fly but will be back for the west coast happy hour!  CheerZ! Drink up now!! 

Oh Kathy- that is such a sweet and thoughtful thing to do. Bob will be so touched! Makes me want to run over to Alabama and give you a big hug! Really lovely!

I'm so proud to be in the company of you all! Especially when I think of some of my friends who left me high and dry well talk about a much better class of human beings to be surround by! A few silver linings to this wretched disease but this is one I really love.

 NM- Well, No one discounts your fear and worry as I think those two issues will be with all of us on any odd pain or discomfort.I hope your appointments are soon so you don't have to worry too much. And sending lots and lots of positive thoughts for all good news so we can celebrate your relief!

Hi Beans......Think you will be just in time to enjoy the most glorious weather ever.  That's what we have here in Seattle.

Have been reading everyone's posts, but am focused on snagging the right one.  Just followed up on a lead from the food demonstration lady in the supermarket.  Unfortunately too technical.  (I eat all the samples of things like XXXX river salmon and imported cheese, then buy chicken.)

Am having some wine as I watch the sun set over the Olympics.

Will need to add the "POS" acronym to my writing.  Right up there with "SOL".  I have been there (both places) more than once.

My new mundane goal is to finish off the slightly flat tonic water and restock.  Both with Schwepps (or I may go the upscale route here) and Boodles. - Claire

Stanzie, POS=Piece of $hit, SOL=$hit Out of Luck. Or at least that is what they mean to me! Are we corrupting your nice Southern upbringing? Nice that you didn't know what that stood for. I guess there are slightly different meanings, I just notice Beans said "Pile of....." 

Stanzie-my appointments are next Wed (PCP) and a week from Mon (Onc/Lupron). Lab work tomorrow am. Couldn't get a quicker appointment with either one, I don't think, so I didn't try. I do so hope there is something to celebrate soon!

 

Beanie-travel safe and check in ASAP when you get there! Do you have far to travel? Hopefully it is far enough to blow away the smell of the current POS. . .

 

Claire-I tend to do that too, try something exotic, then buy what's cheapest. Still praying for your perfect job to come along!

Stanzie-to add to your list of acronyms try PIA = Pain in the a$$, or as I often say, pain in the Anatomy. I think it's sweet that you didn't know those, too bad we're corrupting you here in the HTL!

AStorm-I'm sure you DD is a very resilient young woman, and while she is sad to see you go, I bet she got over it quickly enough. Roomies are good for things like that. And soon she'll be too busy to be homesick.

Finally, a sunny, dry day here. Or it will be dry when the sun burns off the fog and the dew. It's been too long since I mowed the lawn and worked in the garden, got to do both today. Then a trip to the swimming hole with Sadie. And maybe a trip to the Farmer's Market in between. Got to stock up on veggies and maybe some more goat milk cheese. Bought plane tickets for my trip to Las Vegas next month and been in touch with my cousin out there, starting to make some plans. My aunt (her Mom) will babysit Sadie for me. Let's see if some serious distraction therapy works on the pain & numbness issue. . . .

Let's see, what would be a good DOTD?   How about the Car Trip?  

1 1/2 oz Midori Melon Liqueur
1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Tequila
1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Rum

Directions
Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass

DorK, I just know you were a comfort to your friend, as I also know what a good friend you must be!

NM, so sorry you have to face that dreaded needle again, I would take it for you if I could. I will have blood work done today to have my cholesterol checked and maybe thyroid. There was a young boy (about 14) in the ER last week when we were there, and of course they wanted to put an IV in, and he was scared to death, hootin,hollaring and crying hysterically. I felt so bad for him. But after they got the IV in he was fine. None the less, it IS always hard waiting for those dreaded results, and we all understand. I also loved your saying "yeah, dufus, that's way more likely than zebras for this set of hoofbeats" never heard that before.

Mitch, as for girlfriends, you guys are pretty much it for me. Here in the real world, it's just DH and I. I have 3 close friends in MI that I see when I visit there. I have coffee with all y'all every morning! Except today, I have to fast for that bloodwork.

Safe travels BeanZ, we will be here when you get there goylie. Hugs. Are you staying indef.?

Awwww Gail, so sorry your DD's feelings were hurt, but glad that her friends came to the rescue. Seems your DH has trouble understanding women! Not saying that in a mean way, (wanted to clarify), as things can so easily be taken wrong when typed. Glad you brought it to his attention, and perhaps he should stay back next time.

Laughing at how we are corrupting our sweet Mitch! Thanks Kathy for explaining. I always use PITA instead of PIA, but both work. At the cancer center I went to, a man I met there would introduce him self as "Pita", of course everyone thought he was saying Peter. The first time I heard him do that, I said to him "I thought your name was Jim", he said to me "it is". "Then why did you tell that person your name was Peter?" He said "I didn't, I said PITA pain in the a$$"

Will sneak in a few DOTD's before heading to the doctor! Hope I don't get too tipsy.

ROFL at you girls! NM, good funny cartoons and great comments, as usual! Beans, Glad you had a better night, and BE SAFE driving today....please check in with us when you arrive safely! Lori, I use PITA sometimes too....sooo funny about that guy telling people it was his name. Gotta have a sense of humor throughout our trials and tribulations. Good luck with your bloodwork today! DorK, we have had so much rain too....nice to see such a lush, green summer! Looks like KC is having bad storms today....and rain predicted for Saturday. Hoping for better weather for traveling, and for Junie's memorial. Donna is driving in, so hoping for good weather for her drive!

OK.....fun and games temporarily suspended....this made me cry buckets! Martina McBride just sang a new song on GMA, and had videos of her with Robin Roberts, and other cancer survivors. Was so moving, then Robin had tears falling in the studio at the end....she said she didn't expect that. Well shoot, I had tears too! Here is the youtube link, but if you watched GMA it was much more moving. Wonder if some of the husbands who are not being super supportive could see this and maybe "get it" a lot more???? Anyway if you hadn't heard the song, here 'tis....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iyU4S7yHFo

I am not allowed to, but I do apologize in advance for any crying this might cause.....

Hugsssssss,

Kathy

Think I'll back-burner that video... it would be nice to have a break from tears.

Thanks for the laughs, NM. A cup-a-jo and NM's funnies are all it takes to get me going in the morning!

So glad Beanie had a better evening. Beans, don't forget we are right there with you! There is something about the coast that always helps me put things into perspective... it induces something like mediatation though I have never been able to do that. I was claustrophobic when I was younger and my mom once said that I'm one of those people who needs to keep my toe on the edge of the world so I can breathe.

 great now I'll have that Zac Brown song stuck in my head all day (oops! sorry!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_e5qvGJk0A&feature=player_detailpage

I got my toes in the water ass in the sand

Not a worry in the world a cold beer in my hand

Life is good today life is good today

DD was tearful when we stopped for lunch yesterday and it didn't get much better. She has been looking forward to this for so long! It didn't help that her boyfriend got emotional the night before - she was not prepared for that (probably because her dad doesn't show much emotion). I always think she is so much more outgoing and confident than i was at her age but then she proves that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Last night DH was saying that when he left home he went to New Zealand and had the time of his life. He bought gifts for his family and sent postcards but he was gone for 3 months and never felt homesick. I realized that I never left home until I left my first husband... I lived at home during college and I moved to my in-laws after the wedding (mistake #1) and then into our house a few blocks between both sets of parents as soon as it was finished. I am very proud of DD that she moved into the dorms but I know that in addition to DH's dna she is also carrying some of my meek dna. On the way home last night DH was pondering whether we need to go back and spend the next 3 days in the city as planned! Pain avoidance seems to be his MO. The only way to keep him from bolting last night was to get him involved with a concrete problem: DD couldn't open the drawers under her bed and we couldn't install the laptop safe because of the way the furniture was arranged. So I pretended that I was perplexed and let him deal with it while I sat in DD's living room with her and talked. Now you can't open the door without hitting her bed but I'm sure she sees the simpler solution and I think she is beginning to understood why we leave men to themselves with little puzzles and some hand tools.  

 they just seem happier that way!

Well I'm gathering more items for DD and then it's off to the city for a few days. Hope I'll have a few minutes to stop by the lounge!

Oh Gail, you have such a fun spin on everything! Smart to act "perplexed" so your DH would (try to) take care of the problem. I think it is nice that your DD has tears....shows how much she loves you and will miss you! Have fun in the city! Yeah, don't listen to that song until you feel like you can stand some tears.

DorK, Sometimes we do need to cry things out, and realize who has stood by us throughout this "journey" ( i really don't like that word for our bc $hit, but sometimes seems appropriate). Glad your DH stood by you, too bad he can't cozy up to your littlest furbaby! Have a good day, and dry those tears!!!

Claire, LOL at your mom having you use the ashes from the stove for Ash Wednesday!!!

Oh, DorK, I hope everything gets sorted out. Most of my friends have been like that. There was one friend I knew I could talk to right from the start and she was a tremendous support. The bummer is she was diagnosed almost a year to the day after my dx. We have similar attitudes about these things and while we don't dwell on the negative we both understand that there is a lot of negative and sometimes it helps to vent. I hope you get rid of the drain soon, that will help you feel more normal. My doc advised me to lay low when I had the drains. I think when you over-exert yourself it gets your fluids moving and you drain more. Is that right, NM? Hope everything gets sorted out so you can have a nice day.

Goldie--that's my take on "When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras."  It may be a medical saying, meaning to look for the common reason for something before looking for something uncommon.  Kind of a reminder not to overlook the common reason for a symptom.  A cough is far more likely to be from a cold than from radiation pnumonitis, swollen nodes in the neck are far more likely to be from a sinus infection than from recurrence of bc,  shoulder ache is far more likely to be a pulled muscle than bone mets.  I'm just having a lot of trouble dealing with the uncertainty factor.  Because I "refused" chemo I never got any of the "baseline" tests (bone scan, tumor markers, etc) so I've always had a question in my mind of what my status/stage really is.  My health coach is going to connect me with one of the nurses at the insurance company that case manage oncology care; I'm hoping to find out what tests I should have had and maybe get them done now.  It's just so hard to manage all my own care and I think I'm getting to a point where I just can't do it anymore. I think my onc plans to drop me when my 5 years of arimidex is up, so I've got to find out somehow what aftercare I need to arrange for myself.  It's hard work being a "bad" patient. 

I'll try the humming during the lab draw.  I've got EMLA cream and have the staff trained to make sure I don't see the needle, so maybe I won't pass out this time.  If they get it the first, second or third try I can usually keep it together, when it gets to the 4th stick I lose it.  It can take up to 6 sticks to get an IV in me. 

Oops, posted then saw there was another page of postings!

Wahine-not going to look at the video that's making everyone cry just now, finally having a day that I'm not crying all day and need to keep the roll going. I will come back to it later, though.

DorK-how can someone not like dogs? I know it happens, my Mom doesn't like dogs or any kind of pet, for that matter, but I do not understand the phenomenon. At least DH is warming up to some of them!

AStorm-good point about the shore. Maybe I should take a drive to the ocean this afternoon . . . . Or maybe I'll just sit here and watch the yummy handyman working!

Claire-Somehow a fertilizer -quality POS always seems to smell better than a PIA POS. or a PITA POS. I'm glad you've been spared the OMG-what's-that-pain-mean syndrome. You don't know how lucky you are!

DorK-don't let the employer get away with shorting you! That just is not right! Hopefully it's just a mistake, but I'm always suspicious of "mistakes" involving my money and my health care. And I've dropped a couple of "friends" who always went on about how they couldn't handle going through what I've been through. Didn't need to hear that, didn't have the energy to support it. And the more you do the more you will drain! Slow down and give the ol' bod time to heal.

Goodness you all have been busy.... OK so on the acronyms not sure whether to be flattered or embarassed LOL! Now I just have to keep remembering what they stand for. And no I don't know about the FN - I could make some guesses but nothing really makes enough sense... Guess with teenagers I better get busy with that....

Nope not watching a tear jerker video today on shaky ground. Took my son into the developmental peditrician well great! Now the poor thing not only has Down syndrome,prematurity issues, extremely low tone (makes co-ordination difficult even holding a pencil) ADHD, obsessive compulsive disorder - but now get to add mild Tourette's Syndrome! ARG! Just so mad! He really doesn't need something else! And what is worse is with all this going on - he is really actually smart! Just think take a way a few of them and Wow! But no we keep adding difficulities. So depressed for him..... He is soo sweet and funny but and he does great one on one with patient adults but no kid wants anything to do with him.... just breaks my heart! Sigh.

Beanie- travel safe - enjoy the views and it WILL all be alright! It may just take a bit of time. But we are all here and with you!!! 

NM- Well OK, I'm for us all making our millions by figuring out some way to get meds in and blood out without needless for NM and DorK! Hey, NM, one thing I was thinking about is when I first got my shots ( supposedly every night - not good about it though) I got a little hand held gadget and you put the shot in and then turned the dial and and put it on your skin and pushed a button so no needle showing.... You would think they would have something like that for patients! Hmmmmm maybe we need to look further into this....

I  NM- I think we all might have thought perhaps dogs wern't your Mom's favorite after the lake experience. I can't imagine anyone not adoring animals! I think I like all except rats - just not fond of them I'm afraid! Ok shoot better run but I'll be back later. Oh washing maching delivery tomorrow... (dance dance twirl - splat)