2005 ROCK-TOBER CHEMO GIRLS

cathy987

Brenda

I'm sending you a Very Warm Happy Birthday from cold North Dakota. Oh to be in SanDiego.

Anonymous

HAPPY

BIRTHDAY

BRENDA!

Hope your day is

EXTRA

SPECIAL!

Laura

ravdeb

Debbie..that's great that Catherine doesn't have to go there anymore. I had a camp counselor once who could do all kinds of tricks with her fingers because of some weird underdeveloped something or other. Never saw it since. She seemed fine other than that!

I definitely don't have Bilharzia. Don't have any of those symptoms thank goodness. But, I had some wierd parasite once that made me very sick for quite a while. Neighbors were sure we were keeping it a secret and I really had cancer. Well..I have/had THAT now and it aint no secret!

Brenda..where are you?? Celebrating up a storm I bet!!!!

TracyNY

Happy birthday Brenda. Have a drink for me!

TracySeattle

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRENDA!!!!!!!

WE LOVE YOU!

TracySeattle

Wow!

I went to my Kiwanis meeting this morning and they presented me with an award for making a difference.... How very cool. It had this story on a card along with a pin which I will proudly wear on my Kiwanis Jacket:

The Starfish (the pin is a Starfish w/a Kiwanis emblem)
There was a young man walking down
a deserted beach just before dawn.
In the distance he saw a frail old man.

As he approached the old man,
he saw him picking up stranded starfish
and throwing them back into the sea.

The young man gazed in wonder as the old man again and again threw the small starfish from the sand into the water.

He asked, "Ole man, why do you spend so much energy doing
what seems to be a waste of time?"

The old man explained that the stranded starfish would die
if left in the morning sun.

"But there must be thousands of beaches and millions of starfish!" exclaimed the young man. "How can you make any difference?"

The old man looked at the small starfish in his hand and as he threw it to the safety of the sea, he said, "It makes a difference to this one!"

Then, later this morning I got a call from City Hall and they want to give me a copy of the City's Breast Cancer Awarness Month proclamation.

You know, it is so cool that there is so much awarness about Breast Cancer, but in a way, it makes me sad that there are so many other types of cancers out there that are not as publicized. I sure hope that they are benefitting from fundraising to find a cure too....

I have been thinking about Graycie.... Hoping all is well...

TaDah - we love talking to you, you don't have to be funny all of the time. We love you and want to know about you and what you are doing....

Sounds like Laura's place is the hands down winner for our get together. Now we need to talk about dates so that we can all mark our calendars. Sounds like summer is not good - so do we want to do October? I need for it to be over a weekend because I don't have much vacation time....

I love you all, I am off today and busy with lots of non-work things! YAY!!! Wish I didn't have to work (who needs money anyway???) LOL....

marymelodi

Happy Birthday, Brenda. May you have many, many more and a life of love and laughter!
Mary

ravdeb

Tracy..
Congratulations! That is really neat! YOu deserve it! YOu make a difference all the time!!!

Tadah..how are you?

Graycie..hope you get on-line soon!!!

TracyNY

Right now I am paranoid. I am waiting for the results of my one year checkup blood work. Once I get them back and they are ok I will be able to breathe again.

TracySeattle

TaDah - Thinking of you and saying a prayer. It will all be OK, I just know it....

Anonymous

TaDah -
Hey girl...please breathe...hang in there! You rock...
Laura

ake

tadah...i'm thinking of you....you'll be okay. i know it too.

brenda...happy birthday

cathy987

Brenda–looks like some PS are right up there with Ravdeb’s radiology onc and her neighbor’s onc. No heart.

I hardly ever see my oncologist. The worst thing she does is forget what she’s told me about my treatment. Good thing I keep track.

Debbie–Hooray for Catherine. Every time I see her name I do a double take as that’s my real name and I really do like the name but have always gone by Cathy except at the clinic.

Tracy–Kudos to a caring involved woman. You deserve a lot of recognition. As to the sadness about other cancers–read an article in the waiting room today about women and lung cancer–didn’t know more women die every year from it than bc.

TaDah–good thoughts coming your way from this outpost. I worried for three weeks about my echo and today heard the best words, “No change” Also labs were near perfect. (couldn’t get blood from the arm–squeezed it out of my finger)

Amy–scored your NutraNail face at Walgreen’s today. Can’t wait to try it. Unfortunately also scored a bag of York Peppermint Patties (in the same “pink” display)–half of which were consumed on the 100 mile drive home!!

And finally Laura–have you made yourself a Rocktober shirt yet?

debbie444

Cathy - Catherine loves being called Cathy, some of her friends call her that. I stick staunchly to Catherine - now i see why my dad always sticks to Deborah and not Debbie!
Tadah - Breathe ! ( find in AND out usually helps)
Not Bilharzia ? Try Beri Beri. What do you mean you had a parasite? Been on the self diagnosis trail again?
Dont think they do nutra nail here, keep looking tho
Debbie

ravdeb

Tadah... BREATHE! I'm sending positive something-or-others your way!!!

Thinking of you!!

Debbie..I'm a Deborah also. In Hebrew I'm Devorah (with each syllable said..emphasis on the "vo"). That's what they call me at the clinic unless my dh tells them otherwise. I kinda like being called Devorah at the clinic and Debbie (or Deb) elsewhere (ravdeb here to distinguish us, though!). I must be multi-personality!

And yes.. back in 1989 I had some terrible parasite..for REAL! don't know where it was from but after my 3rd kid was born, I went on a diet to lose the weight. Went off the diet and the more I ate, the more I lost! Then I got flu symptoms so I went to the doctor and sure enough, I had this parasite. The meds made me worse, I lost tons of weight, was sick for a few months, got weak..it was the worst thing ever! When I heard I had to have chemo, I was so afraid I was going to feel like that! Chemo was not as bad!

We don't have nutra nails here..haven't found them yet.

It's raining in Israel! Thunder, too! Naturally, this is the second thunderstorm, there was hail and the electricity went out. As much as I enjoy the first rains, I hate the electricity cuts that seem to go with it all.

But now the sun is out. We rarely have an all-day rain. Kinda nice. Will give me a chance to take a walk in between the showers (or the rain drops..depending!).

Be well everybody!

debbie444

HA - I have done battle with the Christmas shoppers and i have the Holy Grail - A Dr Who Cyberman Voice Changing Helmet ! I also have the Cocoa Furby AND the Dalek watch - panic over!!
Debbie

Have a carrot????? A chocolate coated one i presume

ravdeb

What is all that??? I'm really out of it! I guess congratulations are in order!

Have a carrot. I can't have chocolate anymore..high cholesterol. The thing is..I LIKE carrots!

ake

why am i not on the east coast? so funny you found me...if you find any more, will you mail them to me? i only have one and it's all bent from the company sending it to me in the mail

cathy987

Amy

Sharing my stash (of two) with you. It's in the mail

RoseMarie

Amy - can't find you in Fishers yet either! I haven't tried Walgreens, though. In CVS yesterday I found Nutra-nails and the package even said something about BC but no pictures! I may have to make a trip to the "big city."

Actually, was in Indianapolis yesterday for a check up with my PS. It's so amazing to drive up to the IU Cancer center - they have Lance Armstrong posters up everywhere! My nipple surgery will take place sometime in Jan or Feb although now I'm freaking out because our insurance will change in Jan. No more HMO! EEK

We're off for Florida this afternoon. So weird to be packing shorts when we're freezing here! The kids have a week long fall break - never heard of fall break but it works for me!!! I'll probably be away for a while...I'll try to peek in a time or two!

Brenda - happy belated birthday!
Mary - my husband was a Neuroscience drug rep and called exclusively on psychiatrists. He's now on the Cymbalta Brand team here (which is why we moved) Sounds like you have a beautiful facility!

ravdeb

Rosemarie..Have a safe trip to Florida. Enjoy the weather!

marymelodi

I haven't found Amy's Nutra-Nail product either. Got something with one of the other gals. The only place I found it was Walgreen's. A new store is opening soon in a near-by suburb. I'm planning to go there right away to find Amy's package.

Rosemarie: I love drug reps - they give me nice pens and calendars and stuff. I get them access to the psychiatrist and nurse practitioners. We have a symbiotic relationship.

Debbie: I envy your shopping achievements.

Tadah: Good luck to you.

Best wishes to all . . . got to get back to work.
Mary

Mary

TracyNY

Thanks for the positive energy ladies. Much appreciated.

I am absolutely exhausted this past week. I think I'll perk back up once the clock goes back. Strange but true, the older I get, the more I seem to be in tune with nature.

My hair is getting long and unruly. I think its time for weaving again. I'm tired of washing it every day because it is so thick that washing it is the only way I can get the comb through it!!

I need to post pictures. TaDah, the invisible woman with no avatar. Laura sent it for me but I still haven't got around to putting it up.

Later gators!

marymelodi

Ladies:
The radio station that interviewed me a few weeks ago has asked me to come to the live broadcast at one of our malls on Saturday and do a live interview. So, if you want to listen to the internet stream Saturday after 2 pm you'll hear me. The link to the web page is this http://www.ifickle.com/
In order to listen you have to register with a few questions but I have not received a bunch of bogus e-mails so I believe that it is safe. I listened to the "bra-cast" last weekend and it was informative and entertaining.

This time I will not forget to wear my October Girls t-shirt and my pink baseball hat that I just got. I will be telling everyone how vitally important it is to have a strong support group like I had in the fight against BC.

I wish I could find a way to take pictures of all you with me.

You'll be famous if I have anything to do with it!

Mary

ravdeb

You go girl, Mary!!! That is really neat! Oprah..you lose big time!!!

Tadah.. unruly hair! Ahhhhhhhhh..... What is weaving? And just how long is your hair? Have you had it cut? Are you letting it grow?? So many questions! I get excited about hair. I decided I like mine.


I just joined a menopause board..recommended by a woman on the Moving Beyond. It's hard for me to read, though..colors are weird on it and I have an astigmatism so I don't know how long I'll last on that! I'm thinking that my weird emotions I've been having (today was a bad day..I honked at all the drivers as I panicked that I was going to get hit!)is the menopause.

I think I'm hating menopause. I was happy about it at the beginning but now I think I am not so happy.

TracySeattle

I can't find Amy on the West coast either!!! I have been looking high and low for her!!!! Amy - do you feel lost?

Rosemarie - have fun in Florida! Warm weather sounds so good to me. Our rain is back and the trees are beautiful. I used to like fall a lot--I still do but it does bring back some of the difficulties of last year.

My last Aquafest meeting until January is tonight. We don't meet in Nov & Dec due to the Holidays. It will be nice to have a bit of a break, but things will start in full force come January!!

Not a lot new here. Just loving life and enjoying having all of you here with me!

xoxoxox

Anonymous

ravdeb -
I totally relate to the menopause "thing". It's tough. It's a new me...not one that I like though! Hang in there.
Laura

Anonymous

Graycie -
Are you snowed in with no electricity?
Laura

Anonymous

Victoria-
You're so funny about nothing hurting on the non bc side! LOL - Although I have one exception...my right hip (non-bc side) has been "killing" me lately.

Gotta go feed my animalias.LOL

Laura

ravdeb

I have pain on my non-cancer side..sciatica due to a herniated disk. So THERE! LOL.

I heard bad news and it is tearing me apart. My neighbor with the lung cancer and recurrence in the other lung, has mets to bone. I'm so upset about this. I've never had a close relationship with this family. He is older than I am..probably close to 70.. and his son who is younger than I am is a farmer here and my dh has close contact with him. My dh grew up with this family, though.

His wife must be devastated. This is news through the grapevine though but the one who gave out the news is a relative so I'm sure it's accurate. We will go and visit them over the weekend. I'm heartbroken. I know that he will get chemo and all of that to extend his time, but it's lung cancer and lung cancer is actually worse (if that's possible) than bc.

On the one hand, I want to go and visit him and just kinda let him vent or know that others care. On the other hand..will I be able to live with all of these memories later on. Selfish? I suppose. But if I didn't have bc, I'd be in a different place in my life and would not even consider NOT being there for him. Does that make sense?

I hate this disease and it just seems so prevalent.

However, my lung cancer friend from chemo is shrinking her tumors on Taxotere so...maybe there is hope???