For those starting chemo in June

mary1220

Janie, I am thinking they will put in an installment loan station at the gas pumps soon or even a portable pawn shop. Mary

NancyLee13

I Rule!!! On the way home from work tonight I stopped at the automotive shop and told the guy that I needed a new battery for my pickup. He said he'd make an appointment to put it in for me and I told him--NO--I wanted the battery and I'll take it out to the ranch and put it in the vehicle myself. How hard could that be?? Right?? Well, he put the battery in the back seat of my jeep and gave me this look like--you'll be back so when I got home I changed clothes and went out and the first wrench I found in my toolbox was the RIGHT one and I took the old battery out (kinda heavy) and put the new one in and started the pickup and everything is hunky dory, YAY!! Mechanic??? We don't need no stinkin' mechanic!! That's from an old western movie except it was Badges and not mechanic!! Anyway, I felt so good about myself that I went for a ride on my bike and got bitten by a deerfly. I hate those stupid things. They hurt!! So I hired back one of my old employees who had quit me for a better job that didn't work out. She's happy to be back and I'm happy to have her because she's an opener and I can sleep in some mornings from now on and I have someone to work when I have to go up to Mom's. The hospice people called me today about how I'd like her room to be made more family friendly. I'm going back up there on Thursday to meet with them. Speaking of gas--I cringe every time I have to stop. It HAS to get better sometime--doesn't it?? Well, I think I'm gonna go to bed. I didn't exactly sleep last night because I went to bed late and it started this huge thunder storm with the lightning striking right in my yard so it lit up the whole place and shook the pictures on the walls when it thundered. It wasn't very good for sleeping needless to say. So nite all--Hope you all have a super Independence Day!! Life is Good Smiles NancyLee

mary1220

Good for you N.L. I have learned to do a little mechanic work myself years ago but the cars have changed so much I don't even try anymore. My Mom always said hunky dory and of course it got passed down and I know the phrase "I don't need any stinking", hubby and I use it all the time. I never remembered where we heard it from though. It is storming this morn. I have to get some coffee so I will be back later. Have a great day little fire crackers, Mary

NancyLee13

Mary, my pickup is a 1990 Chevy so I couldn't screw it up too badly!! I think the old western is "Treasure of the Sierra Madre", but I could be wrong. I took the junk out with the newly fixed pickup and then drove it to town to get the paper and some ice & garbage bags..I'm cleaning house on this beautiful holiday. I got invited to a barbecue when I was in town this morning, but I'm not going because it's too hot, too buggy and my house would still be waiting to be cleaned when I got home. So back to watching old movies and cleaning--Happy & Safe 4th of July to you all Life is Good Smiles NancyLee

janie44

Happy 4th of July to everybody!

NancyLee13

I keep getting a "The form you submitted is no longer valid" and I sent a message to the contact place and they said that it was a glitch that they are working on. Hope they got it fixed and this posts.

janie44

It did Nancy Lee. How are you?

NancyLee13

Yay!!! It worked. Hope you are all doing well--I'm feeding the "bum" lambs, 11 of them, for my lease guy because his son was in a horrific automobile accident on July 4th. He is over in the med center in Bismarck, ND and may not survive. I think that he is 21 or 22 years old--It's tragic. The lambs are down in my barn and corrals. Last night they were running back and forth playing "King of the Hill" when I got down there to give them their night milk. It was 102 here today. NOTHING including me moved very fast in that heat. I put the air conditioner in my living room window--I already had the one in the bedroom installed. HOT!!! I got a call today that I have to go up Monday morning to have an MRI/MRA of my pelvic region to see what's up down there. That should be better than the other kind of MRI's because I would think that I don't have to have my head way down at the end of that little (and I mean little) tunnel--Right?? Well, I'm glad that my messages work again. Hope you all survived the 4th unscathed Life is Good Smiles NancyLee

janie44

NL, good luck with your MRI results. I despise closed MRI's. The lst time I had one several years ago when I had a frozen shoulder, I said "You mean you are going to put this body in that little hole?" That was the first time I realized I have a touch of claustrophobia. After that I requested open MRI's but when BC showed up Mayo told me they got a better picture with closed, but the ones there were a little bigger and not as confining. I do not like having the ceiling an inch above my nose and not able to move my arms, as was the case in the first one which was a mobile unit they took from place to place. Maybe they have all improved by now.

So your temps go on the way from below zero to above 100 degrees? Wow!

Hey Mary and PJ and anyone else out there.

Good luck today on 7-7-7.

Janie

mary1220

Hey ya all. We are hot and sticky here. I hate the humidity! I had my sono yesterday and the thyroid is a little bigger I guess. She left to talk to the rad. Dr. and of course that brought back memories. I hate that. They said my Dr. will have to call me because they didn't have the last sono since it was done in another town. I guess I will find out Wed. or Thurs. whats up. I can't get into the ortho guy until Aug. 11th. I was in bed most of yesterday(except to go to sono) because of the shoulder and neck pain and head ache it caused. I didn't even get on the puter. I don't think. Gosh N.L. the wreck is awful. Even though we have 11000 population we loose at least a teenager or 2 a year in traffic accidents. We lost a 16 yr. old a few wks. ago. Most of the accidents are alcohol related. Nothing else in this town. There are more taverns than just about anything else. There is a show, YMCA, park pool, and 3 parks. Thats it. You have to go to Springfield to really eat out at a good restaurant or go to the water park etc. Thats 28 miles Norh. My MRI's are all mobile because here in town thats all we get. They are very small and I hear not very good. When you pay $1,400 and the Dr. can't really read it I don't think you should have to pay for it. Thats happened to us but we had to pay anyway. I have to go, phone call. Later, Mary

janie44

Mary, I hope you feel better soon. You and Nancy do not seem to get any breaks.

Yes, that is very tragic about the teen in the accident. We lost two to wrecks in my high school alone last year. I agree with those who think young drivers should be held to higher standards until they learn how to drive better and mature somewhat. We lose far too many young people this way, not to mention the ones they kill in other vehicles.

NancyLee13

Sad, sad day. They harvested my young friend's organs this morning and took him off life support. Life is sometimes SO random.

PJB

NL, how sad and tragic. It is amazing how random life is. I find myself counting my blessings several times a day.

Sorry to hear you guys are all hot and bothered. We're having a record cool summer, I think. It's been absolutely bearable, if you don't mind rain. Amazing. Another thing to count my blessings about.

Nathan's been sick for about 3 days now. High fever, headaches. Controllable with Motrin. Took him to the doc today and they don't know if it's just arandom virus or what. So gave him some antibiotics. (which he vomited up the first time because it tasted so gross and i had to go back and get them to add bubble gum flavor. now THAT would make ME throw up) we were supposed to go to Austin today (my sister's in from Penn.). We'll see if he has a miraculous recovery overnight. He really wants to go down and see his cousins.

You guys are among my blessings. Have a good one,
PJ

mary1220

Gosh, sure hope Nathan is better today and you get to go P.J. It is so hard to see your kids sick. My grnadson had something a couple wks. ago like that. He ran a fever a couple days and then got better. We have this heat and humidity every year like this. It is awful, you can hardly breath. Well, I need some coffee. Later girls, just wanted to say good morning. Mary

janie44

Nancy, So sorry to hear about your friend. It is really difficult to lose one so young.

PJ, Hope Nathan recovers quickly and you get to go to Austin. Never been to Texas, but always wanted to go there.

Mary, hope your aches and pains have subsided. Our weather is mild at the moment. Very pleasant actually.

Later Ladies,

J

litig8or

One of the June boards (I post from time to time on both) we were talking about Tylenol. It seemed I was in the minority in that my onc told me not to take anything that would mask pain since that's the first sign of infection. So, I don't. Now I know why.
I was 9 days out of my 3rd tx of A/C when I woke up last Monday with a fever. 100.9. I slept most of the day and my parents came by that evening and it had dropped to 100.2. About an hour after everyone left it was 103.4. By the time my mom got back here to watch my kids and my boyfriend here to take me to the ER it was 104. At check-in in the ER it was 105.3!! Come to find out I was neutropenic and ended up being in the hopsital getting antibiotics and such until Friday afternoon!
Who knows what would have happened to me if I had taken Tylenol.....I guess my WBC would have kept dropping b/c I wouldn't think there was a problem. Other than being tired and the fever, I didn't feel that bad.

So, fever alone can be a symtom of something very dire. I urge you all to watch your intake of Tylenol--especially if it's only for fever.

However, my spirits are up and it seems as if you are getting along fabulously! Have a great week Ladies!

janie44

Glad you are doing better Kathy.

Hey Mary, PJ, and Nancy.

mary1220

Sorry you were so sick Kathy, I have been there and done that and it ain't fun. Hey Janie, Got to get some coffee. Had to pay my cell phone bill and do some banking this a.m. I will check in later. Mary

janie44

Hey All,

Getting ready to go to a retreat in Stone Mountain tonight. Come back tomorrow night. I will be doing a presentation, so I am making copies of the handouts etc. today. Just wanted to say good morning and that I probably will be off of here a couple of days. Hope all is well with all of you.

shrink

My first AC in mid-June left me with relatively few side effects. However, the second dose (last Thursday) left me feeling very tired and a little nauseous even until today (Day 6). I do feel like I did when I was pregnant. Crackers helped me then. I'm trying peanut butter crackers and ginger ale for lunch. Even writing a check feels like a hasstle. My handwriting has also changed - shakey. I've been going to the gym (at our condo) 4 times a week for about a half hour. I've had to lower the weights I use. I did sit ups on an incline board (head below feet) - big mistake, almost threw up. Sexually, moving around too much churns everything up. Sorry for the whine, ladies, but I knew you could relate.

On a positive note, my 2 yo grand daughter came to visit on Saturday and Sunday. I can see the impressions of her little feet on my rugs. Needless to say, I'm not vacuuming any time soon. I also bought B & J's Chubby Hubby ice cream today, hoping I might enjoy it later.

Let's keep swimming, girls.

litig8or

Oh Janie----I LOVE Stone Mountain!!!!! Have fun!

mary1220

Shrink, hang tight and don't worry about anything but you. You will have good days and bad and you will be able to tell if you will be sick the first three days or the 4th. day after. You can plan activities around that. It kinda builds up on ya so relax and take it easy, you'll be glad you did and you'll find out everything can "wait". I find I don't worry much about how "kept" my house looks anymore. Hubby just finds something to fix if he sees it so clutter isn't a "bad" thing here besides I can't get him motivated to clean so it depresses me to the point I can't clean either. I worry more about just living and making good memories(and not letting hubby know somethings broken). Have a great time Janie. P.J., hows mom's house going? N.L. must be busy. I hear it is hot up there N.L. We went from 104 with heat index yesterday to 72 today, yea, burrrr. It stormed lastnight. We need the rain. I made (home grown) stuffed peppers (in the crock of course) yesterday. I finally got an apt. to get a shot in my shoulder the 26th. Gee why so soon? It's only been mind splitting painful for Oh; since Feb. My Dr. yesterday said she thinks the thyroid infection/desease is from rads. and that the front of my neck and chin spasms are from the shrinkage of chest muscles from rads. and that happens quite often. She gave me neurontin. Like that won't knock me out for days? I haven't picked it up yet. I still think my teeth have a lot to do with it. I hope, because I can't live like this. My last 9 teeth are so crumbled they are just shells sorta. They are a hurting. I hope to get in soon for that. Wow, I may be all cured soon, what a thought. Later little Junie bugs, Mary

PJB

Mary, my gosh, you're just falling apart! Why can't they get you a 10-second shot until the 26th? They must be really, really busy....

Summer is finally arriving down here. I guess the rain is over and the heat is going to kick in. All in all, tho, it's still pretty nice for Texas.

Shrink, Mary knows what's she's talking about. You'll get in a groove as the rounds of chemo pass so you'll know what days will be your good and bad. Hope the good WAY outnumber the bad.

NancyLee, how are you? Janie, have fun on the retreat. I'd like to retreat sometimes.

Still planning to go up to SoDak next month. Hope the Black HIlls don't burn up or I'll be a sad little camper....

Later girls
Paula

mary1220

Are you going camping next month P.J.? Wow, you are brave. They say S.Da is much prettier than N. and I went through N. in thr big rig. and it was pretty. That sounds really fun. Driving or flying? We keep thinking of some place to go but we both have our apts. and neither can drive very far right now with our shoulders. My son has his surgery again the 23rd. so I will have his 2 kids for 3 or 4 days. He has to go to Chicago for surgery. He had it done a year ago but right after the nurse pulled him up from the bed by the wrapped and splinted arm and ripped the new tendon in his shoulder they replaced so now a year later they have to do it all over. The hosp. investagated and the nurse told them she remembered doing it because my son screamed so loud people came running in the room, my son has been off work for over a year and he is getting very little pay. He is going to be off for at least 9 months again and his left arm will be very weak and he will only have about 20% of use. His nerve pain in his neck and arm is not fixable now and that has him kinda depressed. Well I better get. I hear they have a big water park where Janie is at and I bet she is slidding down the water slide as we speak, arms in the air and screaming. Hi N.L. Mary

NancyLee13

Hi, I thought I was going to T.J.'s funeral tomorrow morning, but instead I'm checking into the hospital where I will have a little exploratory surgery to see what's up with that dumb ovary of mine. My "answer man" surgeon, the doc who diagnosed my BC is going to assist the OB/GYN surgeon. I gotta go pack and get my junk in order so I can be away for a couple of days. My friend from the chemo days is driving me up there and will "hold my fingernail" again for support! Talk to you later--Life is Good--Smiles--NancyLee

PJB

Oh, Nancy Lee, I hate to hear that you have yet another hurdle to cross. Hoping the answer the the question is benign.

Paula

mary1220

Good luck, I know it's scary and we are with you. Let us know when you can and we will be thinking of you and pulling for good results. I will also say a few prayers. Hi to everyone today. Mary

janie44

Hey Ladies,

I am back! Went better than anticipated. Good grief, so much happened to you guys while I was away for just a day or two!

Nancy Lee, sorry you are going through this and will be sending thoughts and prayers your way.

Mary, I said it before and will again, I DO hope you find relief soon, and your son too. What a time your family has had.

PJ, have fun

Shrink, are you a shrink like me, or is your user name from something else? Like everyone says, you will adjust and it will be over quickly.

Later Ladies,

shrink

Hi Janie:

It just so happens that I've used the word "shrink" for as long as I've had a computer having been a psychotherpist for 20 years. I would have never predicted how well it fit with "shrink"ing a tumor until now, unfortunately.

Guess what? My surgion's first name is NED. How cool is that?

janie44

Cool. I am a psychologist.