2005 ROCK-TOBER CHEMO GIRLS

ake

i can never do labor day weekend or late august because my family gets together for the us open in nyc. for me, personally, a non-holiday weekend is the best.

RoseMarie

I'm getting excited - this will be a lot of fun! Most weekends will work for me...
Ravdeb - I don't sew either. The iPod is made from foam board and card board and is nearly done.
Debbie - beautiful mermaid costume, by the way! You stitched it by hand?!!! I am very impressed!! I can barely sew a button!
I go to my first Young Survival Coalition meeting Monday night. I've avoided "live" support groups because I'm too emotional...and extremely shy...Monday night is their "Courage Night." There will be a free dinner buffet sponsored by St. Vincent's hospital and they will be showing the movie "Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy."
I'm a bit nervous but know it will be fun - don't think I'll wear mascara, though
Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

ravdeb

Oh good, Rosemarie..glad to hear that I'm not the only one who stapled and glued costumes together!!!

Well, I love making things like this and LOVED making the costumes for my kids and I think our costumes looked much better than the store bought ones! We don't celebrate Halloween here but we have a holiday around March where we dress up in costumes and parade around and we give out bags of food to friends and family and to the needy.

So, when we first moved here, I would dress up and disguise myself really well and go to these parties this couples group used to do. Nobody would know me there. And I was very shy so it was great fun and almost every year I'd win a prize for the best costume!!!!

Good luck at the Coalition meeting! I'm sure you will enjoy it and meet new people. You are brave to go!!! You can do it!

Off to the doctor to get a form so that tomorrow I can get a full blood test work up. I'm so excited!

TracySeattle

I can work with any dates that you all pick except the last two weekends in July which is Aquafest. I guess since I am the President, I should be around for the festival--LOL!

Ravdeb, we really want you to be here with us, so what works for you?

I went to the Komen Survivor's brunch yesterday--there were 400 women there and about 12 of my friends. It was very nice! There was a woman there who had breast cancer back in 1943!!! She was the oldest survivor. Very cool lady.

Today I am off to volunteer at the Making Strides walk--you are all with me on the back of my shirt! It is supposed to rain, but I sure hope it doesn't!

Rosemarie - Good for you going to the coalition meeting. I think you will find that you will make friends very quickly there. BC seems to be a bond that just automatically draws us all together.

I actually went out on a real date last night. It was quite fun--we went to a Cajun restaurant. I wasn't crazy about the food, but the entertainment was very fun. I stayed out too late and had to get up too early this morning.

Catch you all later, have a good Sunday!

TracySeattle

Great - It is pouring rain....

ravdeb

It's raining here, too! Yahooooooooooooo! First rain of the year! I got caught in it since I walked to the clinic and on the way home there was thunder and then a downpour! Love it!!!

I guess that wasn't so great for you, though, Tracy!

Sounds like you had a nice date

Okay..the more I think about it... July may not be so great for me since my youngest son starts the army this coming summer and his date, for now, is July. Must be at home for all of this. The date will change most likely but I won't know that for a long time.

Sept and Oct are difficult for me but after that, doesn't much matter 'cept for the bad winter weather in Illinois! Oh..next Oct...after Oct 4th I can come but that's not good for Kelly.

Nov through June are good for me.

I'm sure this is all very confusing!

Anonymous

Teryn is off school in July, November and March.

I still have 10 more treatments (so that's 30 more weeks) every 3 weeks on Mondays. And I still will have to use time off for my next surgery whenever that is.

You guys will probably have to just pick what is best for you since I work full time and have to work weekends. I am only off on Sundays and Mondays....That's why if it was local I could go but I understand that most of you are East Coasters.

TracySeattle

Well, maybe we should all go to where Kelly & Teryn are. California is not bad any time of the year....

It's hard coordinating everyone's schedules but isn't is nice that we are so busy and have schedules that require coordination!

It POURED RAIN for the entire walk. All of those women walking were troopers and I bet there were 2000+ of them! The Survivor's tent where we were volunteering was very cool. I put our name on the Survivors Banner (Roctober Chemo Girls!). I have pics and will post them when I get them back! Even tho I was volunteering in the tent, I still got SOAKED and COLD, so I am glad to be home. I plan to get my blankie and head to the couch to watch TIVO.

Hope you are all drier and warmer than I am!

Anonymous

I'll go anywhere. I have no plans for October of next year yet.

Last year today I was recuperating from my first infusion. I had well meaning family over, and I remember just wanting to stay under the sheets. Someone brought homemade chicken soup. To date I can't bear the sight of chicken soup!

I have been quickly scanning through your posts. You are still my favorite group.

Does my new avatar look like I'm missing my front teeth? I honestly do have front teeth (lol)!!

maryannecb

I also vote for October and Illinois. The summer is tricky with my family holidays. I would do this on my own likely. Ravdeb I will lend you some winter clothes...Kelly altho Teryn is in school you would probably want to spend her school holidays with her. This trip would be something you could do for you. Perhaps your Mom could give a hand...

Just had a relaxing WE at the cottage. Two older kids stayed home alone-the house is still standing. Patrick came along. We had two beautiful Fall days. This time last year I was about to start my chemo and recovering from my mastectomy. I remember driving myself to the cottage with my arm aching and wonderiong if life would ever be normal again. To my surpise it pretty much is and as Ravdeb says maybe even better. It was graet to walk along the beach feeling healthy and renewed. I slept well both nights, had bacon and eggs for breakfast and ..does life get much better?

Nice to see the Haloween costumes taking shape. I usually buy ours, not very crafty muself. I have to go to a party for adults . My husband is not keen on dressing up but loves Country music. I think I might convince him to dress as a cowboy. Halowwen is big here. Kids still wander from house to house. Usually lots of fireworks. I love it.

I will only have mammo once a year and blood work every six months once I am finished treatment. Kelly 4 more for me, they are going fast! I am down to one good vein left. They can hardly get my elbow vein for bloods now.

Tracey-a real date...hmm,now I am interested. My first experience after my divorce was, well a disaster. Hope you get along better.LOL.

Brenda, your Avatar looks the same! I acn see teeth.

Must feed the monkeys.

Fists up!

Anonymous

Brenda, you have such beautiful thick hair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

debbie444

hey - i refreshed the page - there are loads of new atvars!

maryannecb

Now I see your new Avatar Brenda, your hair is long! Wow.

2000 pounds, Debbie. I can usually fly to Europe for about 1000 dollars-still a fair amount but less than what you found. I often find good tickets on Expedia. Pinch those pennies. Maybe cancel your balloon ride...LOL. Hey maybe take a balloon. I can see it now"Cancer survivor saves money and rides Balloon acrosss the Atlantic to meet her sisters"-oh yeah we'd make Oprah.

My housecleaner gave up last week.OMG had to clean the house this evening. Was kind of fun, maybe I have found a new strength...

Fists up!

TracySeattle

Yeah, it was a real date, but Dave and I have known each other for several years. He is a very nice man and fun to go do things with. We've been "hanging out" quite a bit lately.

Brenda - good to see you here and your Avitar is beautiful. YOU ARE OUR BIRTHDAY GIRL THIS WEEK!!! Happy early birthday!

Well, I am very very tired. Not a good way to start the week--I think I am off to bed early tonight!

Love you all!

Anonymous

Tracy, thanks for the early greetings. Hey, "hanging out" is good. Glad to hear you have someone to do that with. Happy for you.

Mary-Anne and Kelly, my hair is so thick it looks like an "Afro" towards the evening. I need to wet it to keep it down (not that there's anything wrong with Afro...). But I have to keep the scissors away to get my old hairstyle back.

Guys, don't you just feel a little weird seeing the same commercials, smelling the same scents, feeling the same weather? I guess it really strikes us Rock-tobers differently as October IS breast cancer awareness month and there's pink everywhere. We really are a special group as we went through this at a time when we were being "celebrated". I just find this all to be so strange. If and when I get to see you all I will surely freak out. In a nice way, I mean.

Paula15089

Girls i am seeing PINK everywhere!
Even saw a few pink digital cameras the other day..

Uhm, i know its BC awareness month, but its getting a bit too commercial now i think. Pink is no longer about being BC aware, but a fashion accessory these days.
My girlfiend's daughter (she is 14) wears one of these pink rubber BC bracelets, and i am sure its not because she supports BC case. Well, not to say she doesnt, but you know what i mean. A 14-year old can hardly understand this issue.

Ok, it doesnt bother me that much, i am just not sure i like seeing this whole BC month turning into a fashion thing!

ravdeb

Come to Israel. Not a lot of pink BUT we have these towers in Tel Aviv and for Oct they have lit it up in pink. I haven't been there at night to see it. Maybe I'll have my dh take me there before the month is over.

Flying to California would be okay but terribly expensive for me (and probably for the others outside of N. America). It costs a ton to get overseas to begin with from Israel and then almost half that to get to California. Prices were high this past summer. Maybe they will have gone down by next Oct but it cost me over $1000 to get to the States this past June. However..sometimes there are good deals in October.

But I love the idea of taking the balloon ride!!!! LOL!

Brenda..you look great and not toothless! YOu've got great hair!

I often think about how I was a year ago. According to the Jewish calendar, I had my first chemo infusion this past Friday. I remember it according to this calendar because it was a holiday. It's a happy holiday with a lot of dancing and I went to the synagogue that evening after my first chemo and danced! Everybody was so surprised but I felt fine! I think I felt better then than I do this year with all my aches and my back ache, etc! I could NOT dance as much as I did after my first chemo!

Tracy..enjoy the new dating with your friend. You know...it's best if you are friends first and then start dating. I love that idea :-)

Maryanne..I will find warm clothes if we do this in Oct. I'll manage :-) Just keep me out of the snow in January!!!! YIKES! Actually, except for bad weather when trying to fly from place to place, I miss the snow and would love to get to Chicago one year to play in the snow.

debbie444

Ravdeb - HURRAY _ its not raining here today!!
I can just see the guys face if i got on the balloon with enough clothes for a trip to the states, i think it would give the game away!
The price for the flight was for all 4 of us, £569 each. I really couldnt treat myself to a holiday and leave everyone else at home. I think the best i will be able to do is meet some of you when we next manage a trip to family ( Roger is already planning a trip to Marymelodis house as that isnt too far from there!)
Brenda - Happy Birthday , or Bonne Anniversaire ! ( I think)
Take care
Debbie

ake

Brenda...I like your new picture...you have teeth...I never thought otherwise Happy early birthday!

I like the idea of October in Illinois I've never been to Chicago!

Last night, my husband and I hung out with the young couples in our cul-de-sac and drank wine. I was wondering when they would find out that I'm a breast cancer survivor. It's so weird to have this huge thing in your life, meet new people, and they have no idea. They were looking at pics in my house and commented that they like my hair short. So, I "came out" to them and announced I was a breast cancer survivor. Everyone took it like anything else, which meant a lot to me. It was a weird experience, but empowering all the same. Made me feel different and tough at the same time.

I'll be doing the Komen walk in Virginia Beach this weekend, so I'll post pics

Love,
Amy

I started chemo a year ago this week. So freakin' strange that it's been a year. We're amazing

ravdeb

That's great, Amy, that you told them. Now they know and you can get on with getting to know THEM!

Debbie..so Roger is planning on going to marymelodie's..interesting!!! LOL!

Where is Graycie???

So, I had a whole blood work up mainly because I was afraid that my cholesterol was high (it was last year but the onc said to eat well and not worry about it cuz of the chemo) but it is much higher now. Way too high! I have no idea why.

But, the rest of the blood tests are a mess! My neutophils are way too high and I'm so panicked about that! I'm going to see my family doctor tomorrow or the next day and get this cleared up. WHY, WHY, WHY??? Does anyone know? Lymphocytes are a touch low but in the normal range and I think that's normal when neutrophils go up.

I'm panicked. It could be my rheumatoid...or something worse. I must make sure it is not the latter! I already know about the rheumatoid!

I will again get no sleep....

ravdeb

I meant neutrophil...not neutophils though the latter sounds cuter!

TracySeattle

Hi All,

You can help me with an idea for a project! Yesterday at the walk, I noticed an organization that puts together baskets to give to cancer patients who are ready to start chemo. This was only done thru one hospital. We have a new cancer center opening in my local hospital and I am considering working thu the American Cancer Society to provide a basket for each woman diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Most of the items in the basket I would try to get donated.

Give me some ideas of things that you think would be helpful to be in these baskets. I am thinking a knitted hat, samples of Biotene Toothpaste/mouth wash, Literature about diet during chemo,

What else?

applebar

Hi -- a "survivor " sister of a friend did a basket for me -- it had a set of plastic cutlery, a book on hope, a book of bc facts, warm socks, a peaceful CD, travel tissues, a bag of bland white rice, lemon ginger tea bags, hand sanitizer, lip balm, a deck of cards, and a pack of ginger gum - all in a tupperware box. It was very thoughtful. Mary Ann

applebar

A friend sent me a tupperware box filled with a bag of bland rice, hand sanitizer, lemon ginger tea bags, a deck of cards, lip balm, tissues, a peaceful cd, warm socks, a bc fact book, a book on hope, and plastic cutlery. It was very thoughtful. Mary Ann

ravdeb

Thanks Victoria.I worry about that because I suffered from a terrible bacterial infection while on chemo and was very sick and hospitalized. I don't think I have THAT anymore since I had a fever that wouldn't quit! But, the rheumatoid came out at that time. Maybe it's just that.

I'm an emotional mess tonight. My surgery side is bothering me, too. It has been bothering me and I told the surgeon but he said it looks okay to him.

Onc said it looked okay too. Do others who had lumpectomy get occasional pangs of pain on the lumpectomy side? Is that from the rads? Still??? I finished rads in June.

I feel like a wreck!

Tracy..what a wonderful idea! How about packets of instant soup mix and a little cup to make it in? I thought of that because in our chemo room there were volunteers who came by most days with hot soup for us. Oh..and chocolate, too We had volunteers who brought us chocolate!

TracySeattle

Wow! Great Ideas!!! Thanks!

Ravdeb - I was just thinking yesterday that my surgery site still hurts quite a bit and sometimes my breast gets red. I wonder if it has anything to do with lifting heavy things or over using our arms? Not sure, but yes, it does bother me a lot....

debbie444

I still get odd tweaks around my scar, i just think its to do with all of the trauma its been through. Mt node 'hole' and breast holes nearly met ar one point when things were going wrong. Thats one heck of a lot scar tissue. I still have a rectangle of 'tanned skin' too. Are you all still putting cream on there?
Tracey, how about some fruity boiled sweets and something frivolous to read ? some nice bright cheerful nail varnish too?
I got a lovely box of chocs today from the litle boy i work with, and a card that said (sic) ' thankyou for making me not drown much at swimming'. I felt quite teary!
I started my Christmas shopping in earnest today, i remember the panic i had when the PS2s were in short supply ( freight ship stuck on a sea canal somewhere!) I wasnt going there again!
Debbie
Did - i dream it or did someone say they had a house full of snowmen?

ravdeb

A house full of snowmen???

Debbie..no, I don't have any tan marks anymore 'cept the nipple is a few shades lighter than the other one. Weird.

Tracy..I don't get red or anything. Just that pang of pain. I think now, that I am thinking, that that is because of nerves that had been cut during surgery. That's what they had said!

And is that why the shoulder hurts, too????

and the calcium serum in my blood test is slightly elevated as it was last spring and they said they didn't know why???

So, I started looking all this stuff up on the internet in my obsessed manner and you do NOT want to know what diseases I came up with!!!

Why is it that I can't believe my doctors? maryanne..I hear you saying that I should just believe it, but....

linny

My surgery, lumpectomy and node dissection was July 6, 2005. My side hurt for an entire year, and still aches a bit. I was unable to lay on that side at all during sleep, and only started the last month. I can't imagine that another type of surgery would continue aching so long, but maybe with breast cancer it just does.

At least the terrible numbness from my elbow to shoulder is better, it is basically only the armpit and surrounding area.

Linda

ake

ravdeb...i get huge random pains through my reconstructed breasts about once a month...random times. sometimes my arm is tight and sometimes it's not. sometimes my scars itch like mad and sometimes they're fine. it's frustrating, but i guess it's part of the whole deal now that we even have scars! hang in there and try not to be scared, although I know it's hard. I see my onc. tomorrow for my follow-up and I'm already sweating bullets. Try not to let your sleep get interfered with because then you'll be scared and exhausted!

just follow your signature...life is good, eat chocolate.