2005 ROCK-TOBER CHEMO GIRLS

ravdeb

You ladies are my morning sunshine! I woke up sad and angry but after reading all your posts..I'm smiling again!
Thank you so much.

I can't keep up here either and I check several times a day. But after I go to sleep, you ladies all get busy!!! WOW!

Linda.. when I first moved to Israel the best thing was grocery shopping. I didn't have to check every package for kashrut!!!

I have to admit that although there are a lot of kosher restaurants here (and you'd think they would ALL be kosher) the first time I came to Israel in 1982, I was so upset to see that I had to LOOK for a kosher restaurant in Tel Aviv. I know that you, Linda, usually station yourself in Jerusalem and the choice there is much more plentiful. I love Jerusalem. It's a magical city.

I'm sorry you aren't joining your dh for the trip but I can understand you wanting to skip the long flight. It wasn't easy for me last June. I was so fatigued for a long time after that. But I was in the States for 2 months so I had time to recupe! It was hard returning back to Israel and it took me a really long time to get my energy back. So, I can really relate to that.

Maybe another time. I hope you make the trip next year when we have our get-together, which I'm counting on Ladies!!!! Paula, Jill, Debbie...save your pennies..or whatever you save in your countries!!! I'm saving my shekels :-)

Cathy..thanks so much for sending those to my friend!!! I've been teasing her about her two favorite foods put together and she is now trying to guess what that could be!!! She got the chocolate part but can't figure out what goes with the chocolate!!! Wish I could see her face when she opens it!

Cathy..you are just everywhere in the world! That is really neat. I want you to tell us more about what you do...

Kelly..e-mailed a bald pic of me! Will e-mail more...was too tired.

Paula...I'm sad about the curls. I really liked them. My dream when I was young was to have curly hair and if I couldn't have curly hair then I'd marry somebody with curly hair so my kids could have it. I have wavy hair.

And so, I married a guy with tons of black curly hair and all three of my kids have very, very curly hair! When I lost my hair, my daughter's curly hair was down to her waist and she wanted to cut it all off and have our wig specialist (who we know personally)make a wig out of it. I wouldn't let her do it. She really wanted to because she said I'd finally have curly hair. But I couldn't let her. I love her hair and told her I wanted to see HER with the curly hair. So..yes..I miss my new curls..they are really just about gone.

Linda..use photobucket.com. They did change it but it's still easy to use. And yes..get a digital camera when you go to NY!!! It's wonderful. The best! I love my camera so much!!!!

I know I missed somebody but I gotta run.

You ladies make my day so much brighter.
Thank you all!!!
Love you all!

ravdeb

Kelly..you posted while I was writing.
I'm so happy for you. Sounds wonderful. Enjoy the moment. I think I'm enjoying it right along with you!!!

Hope you got my bald pic..but I'm going to post it here...Exactly a year ago today..daughter lint rolling my head!!!

ravdeb

Just got my CT results in the mail. The bottom line..no change from previous CT which was done in July of 2004.

From what I could decipher through the Hebrew..every thing is just fine. Can't be. I've got a totally closed carotid on one side. But I think what they mean is that I've got enough blood flowing so my brain will function. So, if it weren't for the chemo..I'd actually have a functional brain! LOL

They knew I had enough blood flowing everywhere. So, no change on this too. Tis a puzzlement!

At least it's not worse!

linny

Kelly, how nice for you to have had such an enjoyable date with a man who sounds very special.

Ravdeb, why did you wake up "sad and angry"? I have been having bad dreams the last few nights, maybe because I have some appointments coming up at the hospital. They are just follow ups, but I have such an aversion to the place, its incredible. I have also been extremely upset the last few weeks because of the number of people I personally know in Toronto who are very ill with cancer (not only breast). One friend is in the end stages of pancreatic cancer, she is not a close friend, and I have not been in regular contact, but she is a wonderful and giving person who helped a mutual friend (who died of ovarian cancer a few years ago) get through the difficult times. Sorry to be down.

I will try photobucket - I wanted to post a picture of my 5 grandkids. Isaac is now taking out his hearing aids (10 months) to play with, my daughter is very frustrated!

Linda

ravdeb

Sad and angry because of some goings on in my household! But I'm okay now.

I've had those bad dreams before hospital appointments, too! I also have an aversion to the place. When my dh went with me to my follow-up, I told him I was feeling awful about going back there and he said he thought it was nice because the doctors and everybody are so nice.

Well, they ARE nice and they were wonderful through my treatments..but that's just it...I had those treatments that my dh did NOT have. He sees things from such a different perspective even though he was at each of my treatments. Never missed one.

I have friends here with other cancers, too. Made friends with our neighbor recently because he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Feel so badly for him...

I'd love to see your grandkids. I can only imagine what your daughter is going through with Isaac and his hearing aids. Tough..very tough having a child who has special needs. Hard enough when they are without the special needs!
(I have my masters in sp. ed..worked with lots of parents and their little ones...).But FIVE grandkids already??? OMGoodness!!! How very exciting. I think I'll be ready in the next few years for grandkid or two:-) How nice to be a young grandmother. YOu and Graycie :-)

ake

Kelly...here's 2 wedding pics for you:

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Anonymous

Amy, I have the smaller one already, I mean, can you email me a higher resolution picture??

debbie444

They are lovely Amy. I think it would be fun to scan our wedding photos in and see if we actually recognise each other. Like most of you , mine were taken WELL befor digital photography!! LOL

Kelly, do we pm or email them? Dont think i have your email.

Tracy, ITS HERE!! I was so excited to get the post. I even worked out how to use the car multi changer to play it in the car. Dont think that is to good an idea tho, keep wanting to open the case to see who chose what. There are some on ther i have never heard of before. Good to hear old Robbie belting it out in the middle tho.

By all accounts, according to insurers, today is teh most dangerous day to be out in your car. well , i made it! Car safely back on drive until tomorrow.
Debbie

TracySeattle

Hi Everyone!!!

Wow, It takes me forever to catch up with all of your posts and then I forget what I wanted to say to everyone! Glad to hear that Thanksgiving was nice for all of you - I don't remember much of last year either, it is so nice to be over that and enjoying life again!

Kelly!!! I just knew it had to be another Dave! How funny! They are both so romantic and I am SO HAPPY for you!!! I have pretty much decided that I am keeping my Dave - I sure hope yours is a keeper too--sounds like he is!

We had a great, long weekend, it was very busy! It started out on Thanksgiving with dinner at my Mom's with myself, Dave, Mom and my son. Then on Friday Dave and I drove to Wenatchee, WA to see our friends' new house on the River - BEAUTIFUL! It is built in true NW style with the very high ceilings, pine beams and big stone fireplace! We took some pics, so maybe I can post them soon.

We stayed Friday night at Lake Chelan and just happened to catch a great fireworks display on our way to dinner. We got out and watched it from a little park on the lake.

Saturday morning we had breakfast at a little restaurant that grows their own Blueberries and specializes on Blueberry pancakes YUM!!! We also bought a Blueberry pie to take back over to our friends' house. We spent some time sightseeing in Chelan and also did some wine tasting. Then back to our friends' house. After that we drove home over the mountain pass - very snowy and BEAUTIFUL! We had tickets to a Hockey game on Saturday night, so that was also fun.

Yesterday we took my mom out to the garden store that was all decorated for Christmas and then to the 007 Movie (Casino Royale). When we came out of the movie at 5pm it was SNOWING LIKE CRAZY!!! We went out to dinner and then started the trek home thru the snow! We got about 9 inches of snow which is pretty unusual for us here in the NW (at least in the Seattle area). I was hoping that I would be snowed in this morning and not be able to get to work, but no such luck.... They are predicting colder temps and more snow this week, so it could still happen.

Very nice weekend, but now, it is back to reality. I am at work getting ready to start my day. Saturday I head off to Texas (Houston area) for vacation with my two very best friends who live there.

Glad you all like the CD - I need to make one for myself! I have one that only has part of the songs on it. I also need to make one for Linny, Michelle, Paula and Jill....

Well, better get to work. I just love reading all of your posts and I am SO HAPPY that we are all well and enjoying our lives.

I love you all!

ravdeb

Amy..such a beautiful bride...

Tracy...wowie!!! YOu had such a beautiful and romantic weekend! How very exciting! And what a wonderful way to energize yourself for the week.

My dh and I are leaving early Thurs. morning for the south. We will be going to the very southern tip of Israel to the desert resort town of Eilat. It's a great time of year to go because it's not too hot..just pleasant enough to take a dip in the Red Sea if you want and be able to walk outside without feeling like you are in an oven!!

We are driving. It takes about 6 hours from our house, but we will be stopping along the way. I'm excited because I want to take pictures of the desert. I love, love, love the desert. I love the colors of the sand and seeing the camels. We'll be there for the entire weekend returning home on Sunday some time. Can't wait. We'll be celebrating my 52nd birthday. I'm a little upset that we won't be celebrating with the kids, but our soldier will be in the army this weekend. He had warned me that he wouldn't get my birthday weekend off. That's okay..we can celebrate together either before I leave or when we return.

Last year at this time I was hospitalized with an IV in my arm. What a difference!

Well, if the cd got to England then I'm assuming it will get to Israel some time soon!!!

ravdeb

Once we connect our new scanner to the computer upstairs I'll be able to scan a wedding pic of me, too. OMG..that was so long ago!!! I've been married 24 years!!!! I look like a baby in the pictures!!

Anonymous

Debbie, my email is in my profile, you can just click on it.

Btw, we saw the movie Borat. It was terrible. I had to cover my eyes several times and both Dave and I agreed we should have walked out. We didn't because we had heard from many people that it was the 'funniest movie ever' ... well, I shoulda looked closer at the source. It was such a bigoted movie and parts were just gross. You kept thinking it was going to get super funny. Don't get me wrong, there were parts that were funny but I would have been embarrassed if their had been any black people there and I was disgusted at the Jewish "humor" .

I recommend NEVER seeing that movie.

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Forgot to tell you all, I went for my follow up visit with the onc and we talked about a prophy mast and she was shocked I was still considering it. She then explained to me that since the cancer was er+ and I had the ooph, that the chances of getting a new cancer were very, very slim. That finally made sense to me. So, I am ok now about the other breast. Still have to schedule another MUGA so I can continue Herceptin and still have to schedule my bone density test.

debbie444

Kelly , i am surprised that you went to see that movie. The lad who works for us went, and even he said it was too much. It sounds like you have a plain speaking onc there, if only they were all like that!!
I looked at our wedding pics today - i look different but i have really aged Roger!! We were 21 and 22 when we got married, it shows!!

Anonymous

Tracy, so glad that Disaster Dave is so wonderful to you. What did your mom say about him? Had she met him before? I have heard that Lake Chelan is a great place to water ski in the summertime.

Ravdeb, have a great time in the desert. Will you take a pic of the desert with the camels????

Debbie, he just looks like he aged because of all the worry about you and driving, walking, lawn skiing, etc!

ravdeb

I just told another bc survivor about our group. I don't know her personally but my dad does. She just finished chemo and rads and may join us. She was interested, according to my dad.

Yes..I'll take pics of the camels and the desert..I hope. That's my plan!!!!

We were 27 and 28 when we got married.

And I read about that movie..Borat... had never heard of it. It got quite a review...a good one. But I understood that you are either horrified from it or you laugh your pants off.

TracySeattle

Dave & I also saw Borat and I was TOTALLY disgusted - so was he. I can't believe that it is taking the country by storm. What does that say about us? Nothing good, that is for sure!

cathy987

I just landed at my daughters apt. in NYC. No one is home at the moment so thought I would do a quick post. TracyNY are you around?

My cousin Mark and his wife are in the city (from San Francisco) and are joining us for dinner tonight. Will check in later.

marymelodi

Hello to everyone:
Love reading all about your lives andadventures. So happy for the new romances and the happy times.

Saw my onc today for the second follow-up with her. My rad onc and my medical onc see me every six months, but they offset the appointments so that I see one or the other every 3 months.

Today all is well. My labs indicate maybe the ovaries are still producing a little estrogen so I'm going to stay on Tamoxifen for another 6 months. I have not menstruated for 13 months, but the estradiol levels still seem like those ovaries are working just a little. Fine by me. I've had no trouble with the Tamoxifen.

Hope to go home soon. Busy days. Got more packing to do at home. Hope everyone has a good night and happy tomorrow.
Mary

Curlylocks

I like the title of this post....

I put up our Christmas lights yesterday as it was such a nice day. They are electric blue and really pretty. Last year we had string of lights in our front bay window as I couldnt lift my arm to do anything. So happy I am healthy this year.....

Kelly I am happy for you and it sounds like Dave is turning out to be a wonderful guy and a real gentleman. I met my husband when he was 24 and I was 25, seems so long ago now but he also told me early on in our relationship that he was looking to settle down. I thought he was a stud and wasnt so sure about his intentions but he proved me wrong...cause here we are 17 1/2 years later and still very much in love.

Amy - you were a beautiful bride and your happiness glows in your wedding pictures.

Ravdeb - your daughter's hair looks like mine use to prior to bc, now I have a different kind of curl bigger curls not as tight as before. Did you actually use that brush to get the excess stubbles off? I was so emotional about my hairloss that when my hubby shaved it with the shaver, that was all I could handle. Enjoy your trip to the desert. The only desert I have seen is in Arizona in April when we went to visit our friends.

Linda - how are you doing? I'm sorry that you are having a hard time with the aniexty prior to your tests at the hospital. I think that it will now always be a worry for all of us since we have had bc. I go for all my followup tests in February. That is a cute picture of your grandbaby and a nice one of you too!

Debbie444 - Why was today the most dangerous day to drive?
Glad you had no incidents and you were wearing your crash helmet to work,hee hee:)

TracySeattle - Did you enjoy Casino Royale? My hubby and I tried to get in to see that movie when it came out and it was sold out. You have snow where you are? We have nothing and the temps have been unseasonably warm, today it was 14C and it is normally around 5C. Continued best wishes to you and your new friend.

Cathy - how was your Thanksgiving?

Mary - I also get to see my oncologist every three months as I have to get Zoladex injections to remain on Armidex. It also is nice as any questions or concerns I have I see him often. He is also readily available by phone and will return my calls the same day! He is a sweetheart and I am so happy that he is my oncologist, wonderful bedside manner.

Kelly --- here is a bald picture of me taken in April, 1 month prior to end of chemo and then this month.

Have a nice evening everyone.

Michele Wenz

RoseMarie

Cute hubby, Michele! Beautiful pics of the two of you!
Debbie - Mike and I were also 21 & 22 when we got married. (I'm a year older...) Right out of college - we thought we were so grown up...
I have stopped and started reading posts so many times I can't remember who said what!! Ravdeb - I'm going to order the Chicken Soup book right after I'm done here! I can't wait to see your dad's cartoon!
We celebrated my birthday on Saturday - went to a really nice restaurant, the Oceanaire, in Indy (and even took the kids...I sure miss grandmothers!) downtown Indianapolis is so pretty at Christmas!
Thanks for the party!!
Tracy - we may have snow by the end of the week - I'm still a Florida girl...I'm SO excited!! I really want to see snow this year. We moved up here in January and saw a little bit. I'm prepared this year - I didn't realize how wet snow is...ok, ok I'm not a complete moron but I sheepishly admit I was surprised that the kids were completed soaked in no time at all! Now they have snow suits...my first e-bay purchase!
Kelly - So happy for you - Dave sounds great!
Could you please post the birthdays again -
Victoria - you have a huge house!!! I love hearing about it!
Finally seeing the LE therapist on the 30th. I put off calling her and am so happy she was able to fit me in. My arm feels so tight and every time I put on my sleeve my hand swells up!! AGH!!
Mary - hope they are able to do the renovations quickly!!

Lots of love ladies!!

Anonymous

Here's who we need to be ready for this month:
rosemarie's is 11/28
ravdeb is 12/1
amy's is 12/5

Anonymous

Michelle, you look gorgeous and happy!! I wouldn't have been brave enough to go bareheaded in public. So glad that you have a supportive, loving husband. Glad you got your lights up.

Cathy, glad you are safe. I will look to see if I have Tracy's email. I thought she was in Atlanta for the holiday. I will PM you with her real name maybe you can get her number from 411.

Marymelodi, my onc and surgeon do the same thing. I am too paranoid to go longer than 3 months without a visit.

Rosemarie, tomorrow's the day!! Hope you get your White Xmas!

TracySeattle, I am glad I am not the only one who got rooked into seeing this. I felt like such a fool, so did David.
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Daily Dave update ....... It was rainy here in SoCal, Dave didn't go to work and I am off on Mondays, so we did the dating no-no: saw each other 2 days in a row. He came over after Teryn was at school and we started our Christmas shopping! He has an 8 year old and I have Teryn, so he was 'hip' as to what little girls love. Then we picked up Teryn and went to a bbq joint and Teryn asked him to play pool. My little pool shark did a good job. Then she conned him into tons of quarters to play the little arcade games. She was in heaven and asked him to stay at her house. But Teryn and I had homework and he said he would have some tea and then he would go. True to his word ..... and Teryn and I still get enough time to ourselves.

RoseMarie

Kelly - thanks for the warning on the movie...will certainly steer clear. Just sent you some pics. Please let me know if you need anything else.
Thanks for the b-day update!
Here's the latest pic:

ravdeb

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSEMARIE!!!!!



I hope it's a wonderful, wonderful day.

I've got the wine on hand for toasting...Carmel (our grapes!)dry red wine (for your health!).

You look amazing in the pink t-shirt, RoseMarie. You are gorgeous! I love your smile! You look just like how I saw you in the summer only your hair is a bit longer. You look so pretty!! WOW!!!

HAVE A TERRIFIC DAY!

debbie444

Happy Birthday Rosemarie. Hope you have a lovely day - be thankful you cant hear me singing Happy Birthday !!
Debbie

RoseMarie

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! A year older and a year closer to 40!!
Debbie- Thank you so much for the angel!! I plan on carrying it with me everywhere I go!!
You are all so sweet!!!
Victoria - YUMMMMM! Those pieces of cake look amazing!!!!!!
Ravdeb - you are very sweet!!
Well, got to get this morning started... I'll be back later!
Lots of love!!!!!!!!

Graycie

Just a quick Hello to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Rosemarie......
You look wonderful in your picture....absolutely glowing.
Enjoy your day!

Save a piece of cake for me, Victoria the cake's look YUMMY!

Gail

Calico

Happy Birthday Rosemarie!!

Wishing you a ton of fun!!!

God Bless

cathy987

Happy Birthday sweet Rosemarie from the Big Apple! I'm going to see the tree and will send you my favorite champaign truffles from there for your party.

That's the best looking cake I've ever seen online or anywhere else for that matter.

Enjoy your day.

ake

Happy Birthday to you
Happy BIrthday to you
Happy BIrthday dear Rosemarie
Happy Birthday to you

I hope you have a fantastic day!!!!!