how about drinking?

ChiSandy

They're not kidding, Cami, when they say "scattered" storms. Friends down in Beverly on the S. Side got no rain at all. Sometimes Bob will come home from Advocate Christ in Oak Lawn or Holy Cross in Marquette Park with tales of flooded viaducts and having to pull over because it was raining too hard, even with wipers on high speed, to safely see at night--while I'd be greeting him on a bone-dry deck sipping a seltzer and watching the planes approach O'Hare.

In retrospect, I should've paid closer attention. I was sitting with my laptop when the rain hit--at the first thunderclap I unplugged and went to battery power. I heard the hail and wind too--then a loud "crack" and sharp "bang" (not like a gunshot or firework) as if something big (duh) had been slammed against something else. Had no idea it was a chunk of tree hitting my house! It must have hit between the side of the window frame and the porch, caromed off it and came to rest on our little patch of front lawn. Amazing how it missed the windows and my ferns, daylilies and hostas between the house & lawn. Callled 311 to come and get it, but my landscaper hauled it away yesterday a.m. (Gotta call the city to cancel the removal call--but it's gonna take 56 days to come out and evaluate the rest of the tree, which by then could be starting to lose its leaves and maybe even have had a snow flurry).

I feel ashamed that I didn't go to the little boy's memorial service this noon up in Evanston, but I wouldn't have known anyone but Gordy's friend. (That precious little boy was the image of Gordy's friend). Won't say much more here, but suffice it to say it's good to know I'm not the only one here who isn't merely sad but also angry.

Bob's coming home for dinner--so if I can get some more scallops from WF today, I guess we'll be cracking open that "three-buck-Chuck" sauv. blanc my orthodontist gave me. (More likely, I'll chill a good un-oaked Chardonnay or a sparkler). Otherwise, I have a ribeye defrosting, so with the "turf" part of the surf & turf we'll kill off the rest of that 2015 Fess Parker Pinot Noir--which (I Coravin-ed a little last night) is very big & "hot" and would have beaten up on the grilled salmon, hence the 2013 Morgon (a "cru" Beaujolais, made from Gamay, which while lighter and fruitier is still a bit tannic--there may be a duck breast or roast chicken in its future).

For my morning DOTD, gonna make me a normal cappuccino! (Got some Metropolis Red Line Espresso blend beans which are still just inside the "usable" window for espresso brewing, so no need to resort to the Nespresso capsules). Gotta finish my eye-opener cup of Colombia first, though.

Lori, when I go out to water my plants this afternoon (got 4 red and 1 yellow 'maters "finishing" on my windowsill, 1 yellow almost ready to pick, 5 still green and one Cherokee Purple beginning to get some color still on the vine, and 5 new blossoms) I will take a pic of the herb garden--some of the new plants are still in their pots waiting for placement.

JCSLibrarian

Oh, Sandy, that is awful about the little boy. I hate all guns, but also have major issues with irresponsible gun owners. ‘Nuf said! Your dinners are so well planned out. I am mainly happy to get an edible meal on the table. I do try new things, but cannot taste so well anymore since chemo. Things can get wonky.

No rain here and we need it. The sprinkler heads in my courtyard are in need of replacement. Some plants are getting no water and it shows. DH is not handy enough to fix them so will wait on the sprinkler guy. He is supposed to come on Monday.

Bridge went well. My plan is now to do nothing until I know how radiation effects me. Got my final markup and simulation yesterday. Will not be able to have the Neulasta patch next week as somehow radiation negates it’s effectiveness. There will be no chemo if the WBC count is too low. Do not want to risk infection without the patch so may have to skip a week. Fingers crossed all goes well. The steroids hit me hard last night. I was up until about 4:00am and still pretty wired today.

Have a great weekend!

ChiSandy

JCS, can you get a Neulasta shot instead of the time-release patch to keep your WBC from tanking? I don't know the science behind the On-Pro being inhibited by rads, unless perhaps they're afraid of "scatter" radiation hitting the patch. I can't imagine Neulasta in your bloodstream being negated by rads.

Jazzygirl

Sandy - I am so sorry about the gun tragedy. I won't get started either but just tragic for all involved 💔

ChiSandy

Thanks, Jazzy.

Tonight's DOTD (with seared scalllops) was a Tramin 2017 Trentino-Alto Adige non-oaked Chardonnay.

camillegal

NativeMainer

Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Sunday Funday!Yesterday's sunny ayem start turned into off and on thundershowers all day, so no swimming for us.Maybe today, if the sun holds out. Went to a bean suppah with Mom and Dick last evening, gonna put that one on my "pass" list. People were, literally, wedged in. As in the folding chairs were touching on the sides. Instead of lining up and getting food, or family style service, each table of 30 or more people had one server, who went to each person one at a time, and got one item for that person, then moved on to the next.Given that there were beans, two casseroles, mac and cheese, pulled pork, scalloped potatoes, and three salads, it took a long time to get a bit of everything, and most of it was cold by the time you got a plateful. The food was good, but the pulled pork would have been a lot better if it was at least warm. What amazed me was that the place was full and people were actually waiting for seats to open up! This one was at a Community Hall rather than a church. Nice place, but very echoey and loud. I wished I had ear plugs!Sadie was not pleased, I never got close enough to a dish of hot dogs to snag her one like I usually do. Why they would put a dish of 4 or 5 hot dogs on a table with 30 people baffles me. Unless they were working on making sure there were left overs for the crew to have!

Chi--YIKES! Having a chunk of tree hit the house must be scary. I'm so lucky that hasn't happened to me, despite all the trees nearby. Your city handles tree removal? That's amazing to me. 311 must be a city services number, like 411 for info or 911 like emergency services? The surf and turf sounds pretty yummy.Don't blame you for not going to the funeral.

Librarian--Good luck with the new treatment plan!

Beach Sunday

Ingredients

• 1 oz Raspberry Liqueur
• 2 oz Peach Vodka
• 1/2 (Juice of) Lime
• 3 oz Cranberry Juice

Pour vodka and raspberry liqueur over ice. Add cranberry juice, and the freshly squeezed lime juice. Stir and serve.

Best served in a Highball Glass.

From <http://www.haveacocktail.com/beach-sunday.htm>

camillegal

Mornin' ladies,

Lori I'm sorry I got that all screwed up. But wait it was cancer and that's it. No treatment, no meds and it shouldn't come back. That's over now. Did she get a clean bill of health.How is she about this, is she all right.I might get things screwed up but u know how I feel.

Kim I loved ur explanation for seating, it sounded like a prison sit down rather than what should be enjoyable talk and food. LOL Good planning for not going.

JC ur getting ready for rads now .I hope Good for u.

it all goes well and mostly ur just kind of extra tired. But ur attitude is carrying u thru this very well. It's nice to be around friends.

Sandy u talk about fish so much I actually had it last week and want more. U make it sound so good and actually I did like it. Of course now my family really thinks I'm mashugana <I know spelling is not right>

Well I actually got to the party yesterday having fun with my sister and cousin, but other than that oy vey. A bunch of people came early, went swimming ate like animals and left. There was no food left. Unusual for sure.I mean the running out of food.But I loved seeing my sister. And when we got home Joey and I watched a scary movie but I was falling asleep, he held my hand anyway.

Happy Sunday ladies

LUBS U ALL

Jazzygirl

Having a blast up in northern NM. My friend and I met yesterday mid morning for breakfast and then we shopped til we dropped.

Here was my DOTD, dry vodka martini made with potato vodka from NM

goldie0827

Oh dear Sandy, the tree DID fall on the house. Glad it missed the windows and such and there was no damage.

NM, what an ordeal at those 2 bean suppahs. If I'm going out to eat with my mom, I want to sit with her, not a stranger, gheesh.

Cami, back in March Jennifer had an ectopic pregnancy, fibroids on her uterus that were huge and internal bleeding. Scans showed a spot on her kidney. The only thing they did then was take care of the pregnancy, and removed a falopian tube. The incistion was so big because the fibroids were in the way. She then went to Michigan in June to get everything else taken care of. Removal the fibroids and taking the tumor off her kidney. The kidney is what had cancer and supposedly they got it all. Health care in the islands is not all that great, that is why she went to Michigan. She could have died tho from the internal bleeding had she not gone to the hopital over on St. Thomas. Glad you made it to the party, but what a shame that all of the food was devoured.

JCS, I only got very tired from rads, and more so towards the end of the week, as I had them daily for 6 weeks. If you do get tired, rest/nap as it's accumulative and will only get worse if you fight it. So you are doing chemo and rads at the same time?

More rain here this morning. My roads are going to become impossibe to drive on! What makes it worse is when people go out and drive in the puddles, make the holes in the road even worse, and same with the ruts. It's really aggravating to spend so much money to try and fix just little portions of the road to have people drive on it and make it worse.

janky

Here it is Sunday night and om goodness, rainy, damp and cold here in Alberta! I had a really fun and reasonably lucrative Antique sale this weekend, and am now totally tired and relaxing!

Sandy - I can only imagine your anger and what is going through your mind (and ours too) horrible, terrible and tragic for sure - sincere sympathy to all.

cami - you and your kitties are never boring So I think I missed something - are you going on holidays on Monday? or?

NM - one has to love soggy Sadie.

goldie - I hope healing is going better, quick and painless?!

Ladies - who among us is stage iv? I hope this is an okay question? I am. Stay dry everyone - cheers!

illimae

I’m stage IV Janky, diagnosed de novo about a week after you 🙂

Jazzygirl

Goldie - drove home in really heavy rain today from northern New Mexico.

NativeMainer

Good Morning, Loungettes!Another day of clouds and thunder rumbles seems to be in store here. Temps down in the 50's overnight. Summer seems to have disappeared as quickly as it showed up. I got ambitiousyesterday and cleaned out one of the kitchen cupboards. I'm pretty proud of myself, I got rid of a lot of stuff I never use, and now have lots of room in there! Got all the cooking stuff I use regularly where I can reach it without fussing with a lot of stuff. Also found a way to store the collection of silicone covers I use instead of plastic wrap now, and found home space for lunch box containers that have been living on the kitchen table. Sadie wasn't impressed I wasn't dropping any food on the floor for her to clean up. But she forgave me when I gave her extra tummy tickles later in the afternoon.

Cammy Cat--Yeah, that suppah was a different one. We've been there before and I don't remember it being like that.Still going to pass in the future, though. Sounds like the family get together was a lot of fun!Glad you got to go.

Jazzy--Good times were had by all, eh? Nothing like local food and drink!

Goldie--Bean suppahs can be great, but there is a bit of risk of running into strange people running the show and strange practices.Your Jennifer has been through so much, things have got to turn and go her way now. Are your roads private roads? There are lots of those in Maine, and some people will block them off during the spring run off season to prevent just the damage you are talking about. Not unusual to seen private roads chained off with a padlock or combination lock so only the people who live on the road can get through. One old farmer used to sit at the end of his road and charge a toll to any non-family member going on the road (it was a well-known shortcut between a couple of small towns).Word was he collected enough money to pay for the road repairs many years running.

Jnky--Hooray for the lucrative Antique sale! Enjoy the well earned rest! I do love soggy Sadie, but I don't love the smell so much. But that's what Febreze is for, right? I'm Stage 2.

Morning, Illi!

Glad you got home safe, Jazzy!

Absinthe Minded Martini

Ingredients

• 1/2 oz Grand Marnier
• 3 oz Gin
• Dry Vermouth
• Orange Peel
• 1/2 oz Absinthe

Properly chill 1 cocktail glass. In mixing glass with ice, pour gin and absinthe, and stir. In your cocktail glass, roll 1/2 oz of dry vermouth and throw away the excess. Strain other ingredients into cocktail glass and float 1/2 oz of grand marnier over top. Garnish with orange peel.

Best served in a Cocktail Glass.

From <http://www.haveacocktail.com/absinthe-minded-martini.htm>

goldie0827

Hi Janky, glad to hear your antique sale went well. Many of us have our stage in the tag lines. I am stage IV, Illimae, JCSlibrarian, Camillegal, MemaSue.

Jazzy, didn't know you were going away for the weekend. Sounds like you had fun tho. Do folks in your area freak out driving in the rain? My gosh, here in Phoenix, you would think there was a foot of snow on the roads.

NM, what are these silicone lids you use? I use so much plastic wrap over bowls and such to store extra food in the fridge. The road is not private, it's just "non maintained", meaning the county or state won't grade it. It is no shortcut, that's for sure. It takes about a half hour to go 6 miles, as it is just so rough. We had a small section done, maybe 1/10 of a mile, cost was $4000.00. So pretty much just the people that live here drive on it. But there are people that live here that don't pitch in for the repairs, and that really pisses me off. As for the bean suppahs, is this something that someone faciilitates, and letters/emails sent out or posted about where the next one will be? I would think it would be alot of the same people that show up to each one? My DD HAS indeed been through alot. Especially since she has to travel stateside to get things done.

Cami, I saw the picture of you and Lu, loved it! Was hoping to see more tho!

JCSLibrarian

Janky — I am Stage IV de novo diagnosed in Nov 2018. I have been irritated by the diagnosis and the treatment plan of systemic chemo for the rest of my life. I was able to research treatment plans and convince my MO to change things up. That is why I had a lumpectomy and will start SBRT today. I want to be treated with curative intent. There is another thread on BCO talking about MBC becoming a maintenance disease similar to diabetes. I feel that is a plateau and people should still work toward a cure.

Gonna be a HOT week here is South Carolina. Over 100 degrees until the end of the week when a cold front goes through. No rain either. Fall cannot get here soon enough! DH has started watching football so Fall must not be far off. LOL!

camillegal

camillegal

Mornin ladies,

Lori I can't imagine how u feel with Jennifer not with u and all she's gone thru and jeez she's so young. It's horrible. U mean the people who live where u do have to pay themselves for a road??? I never heard of that. Well Lori u know I had Leslie take that pic. out of me. OMG if I look like that I should stay in my room. My sister always takes great pics. I never really have, just a couple along the way.

Jazzy another good weekend good for u. those olives oh yummy.

U know any question can be asked here, never feel like u can't. All of us are open.

Jee Sandy I didn't realize the tree actually hit ur house. good thing it didn't do more damage.

Kim u got the wrong idea, I had a super time with my sister and cousin but hardly knew anyone else. FF invited them and believe me all they did was drink to the point of slurring and falling. Jodie's used to it with him, but knowing ur DD is married to him is awful. He really can't hold a job and now Jodie drinks a lot. It's a bad situation. Jodie is a diabetic 1 And the few decent couples there are the men don't even go cuz of him. She's not the same at all. But it's all her choice and there is nothing I can do. I know efuff. LOL

I've only had a few calls so far and the guy who works in the office is supoosed to be back today, he's better be.

Have a good day everyone.

LUBS U ALL

janky

Happy Monday, no 'sun' day here again - sheesh just wet, rainy and cool, and it is only August!

NM - yes I guess they make febreeze and similar to help in soggy critter weather. Tummy tickles work for my kitty too, purrs and snuggles...

cami - your Monday kitty looks like I am feeling today Weekend shows are exhausting and I feel like topping over too...If only we could 'fix' things in our kids lives, but mostly they don't/won't listen and we, as parents, have to let them be arghhh!

goldie - I was forgetting to look in the tags, so thank you for your help. Some of the rural roads here are non maintained either, or it takes so much time for crews to get there, that the locals take care of them.

JCS - I wish SBRT would be considered for MBC treatment, but it is not yet available. I am nearing the end of a trial for ogliometastatic sbrt treatment, but am in the Standard Arm so my treatment did not change, no radiation for me

Ladies, I am looking for opinions here: In my last MO appointment I asked him about alcohol consumption and stage 4 and he said his first priority is for quantity of life then quality of life and said to do whatever I wanted. I had asked as I knew the next couple of months were going to be filled with almost daily alcohol consumption - their rationale - alcohol is not recommended after early stage treatment in the case of causing recurrence, with stage 4 recurrence has happened, therefore carry on, eat properly, exercise and do all the right thing, and imbibe if you wish - thoughts? Cheers!

JCSLibrarian

Janky — Early on, prior to the MBC diagnosis, my MO asked me about my alcohol consumption. I told him I drank a glass or two of wine at night. He suggested I stop that. A month later I mentioned that I had really cut back on my drinking. His reply, “That is only important for survivors.” I was shocked and have not brought the subject up again. I am still convincing him that I AM a survivor! I do think he is coming slowlyaround to my view. I agree with your statement that alcohol consumption does not matter if you are stage IV. It is still better to limit for lots of other reasons.

janky

JCS - I too feel like I am surviving, and plan to be for a long while yet! I mostly limit my consumption, just this summer has been more 'liberal'.

In reading in other forums, I see that Ibrance can cause cardiovascular issues too, if it is not one thing it is another! Cheers!

illimae

For me MBC means balancing eating right, exercising and limiting drinks to two glasses of wine, usually on Sunday nights, however, when opportunity knocks, I party 🎉

Jazzygirl

Hi ladies- well crap, just when you think you are going to get a clean bill of health from the breast surgeon, something totally unexpected comes up. I saw my BS today on all my breast imaging stuff in July and that was all fine. I had received the letter on that too, but in her office, she made a comment after the exam that we would meet in her office and come up with "a plan." I thought, ut oh, my letter said everything was okay, but clearly something is going on here if we need "a plan."

Well, it turns out the MRI that was done caught the bottom part of my thyroid and they saw some "activity" in that area so they want to run further tests. Ugh. I am having an ultrasound on Thursday afternoon and should know the results by Friday. Along with that, I have my eye surgeon apt on Thursday am and am planning to schedule my eye surgeries for the cataracts. Breast surgeon, eye surgeon and thyroid US all in one week, man this week is a sucky one. But hopefully all of this will turn out okay?

Thanks for listening. No one knows better how this crap feels than my fellow bc sisters.

illimae

Jazzy, I have a thyroid nodule and thyroiditis, I think caused by rads. Hopefully, yours is an easy to deal with non-cancery issue. 💖

ChiSandy

I have a couple of friends who had thyroid cancer. Though the radiation treatment can be a PITA (special diet, mostly), it's very short and the disease-free survival rate is better than that of breast cancer.

Kim, Bob's paternal grandfather lived on an unpaved gravel private road in the Riverdale section of the far north Bronx, a block from the Hudson River. The immediate neighborhood (2 blocks like that) was almost rural--deeply-forested, but the private road fronted on a typical middle-class urban residential street complete with apt. bldgs. and multi-family houses. There were five houses on that private road, and Bob's grandpa's house was the one closest to the regular street. He was a notorious cheapskate, who once put up a tollgate and tried to charge both visitors and his neighbors a fee to enter. The city quickly demolished the tollgate.

10 years ago, after my FIL moved in with us, we visited NYC for the unveiling of the family headstone (under which lay my MIL at the time) in Queens. My FIL wanted to visit his boyhood neighborhood, and both Bob & Gordy enthusiastically agreed. So we drove up to Riverdale. There, in place of my FIL's home, was another house. We knocked on the door and my FIL explained who he was. The homeowner said the old place was in extremely poor condition and not worth saving...except for an exquisite central staircase, which he showed us. Apparently, the original oak had never been painted over and needed only some light cleaning & polishing. It was gorgeous.

As we were leaving, the homeowner remarked that there was a neighborhood urban legend that someone had actually once put up a tollgate at the entrance to the bucolic private lane, but nobody living on the lane by 2009 could confirm it. My FIL smiled and said, "It's urban and legendary, all right--but it's not an 'urban legend'."

Last night's DOTD was an ounce of Jean Paul rosé and a "faux-jito"--mint from my garden muddled together with fresh lime juice and a tsp. of monkfruit (erythritol) sweetener, topped with ice cubes & seltzer. Could actually have added white rum if we had it, but I'd rather spend my alcohol allowance (and calories) on good wine.

goldie0827

Cami yes we have to pay to fix our roads. Plus we have to find the person to do it. Lots of times we have had someone out here, and they don't want to come back, because the road is so horrible. And you look just fine in that picture and should go out more often. I can't imagine just staying in your room is good for anyone. So so glad you have Joey. The picture is gone?

Jazzy, praying everything will turn out ok with your thyroid. And yes, we know how it feels. I did a little reading on it, and like Illimae says, can be caused by radiation. Didn't you have radiation but no chemo?

Sandy, how funny that the person who lived where your FIL lived had heard about the "toll gate".

Def. noticing the days getting shorter. Waaaaaaa! Leaving tomorrow for Kanab Ut. but I should still be able to check in. Be home Sunday.

NativeMainer

Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Twofer Tuesday! Having a leisurely ayem, going in to work later since this is CPR night and I will be working until 7:30-8:00.Nice to have a leisurely ayem during the week. Of course, I'll pay for it with an early start Thursday for an earlystarting Safety Fair! But that's ok. Still in a weather rut of sunny ayems, thundery peeyems. Gotta love weather in Maine! Sadie just hangs out and does whatever, basks in the sun, cuddles with me in the rain.

Goldie--the silicone stretch lids I use are like these:

They are very stretchy and will fit over a variety of sizes and shapes of containers. They can be put in the dishwasher, but they are so flexible that I found they didn't really get clean and collected pockets of (often dirty) water, so I hand wash (they usually only need a rinse) and hang them on the line or pop them over a bottle to dry. The big catch is that if the lid or the lip of the container is wet they will NOT stay in place. Once I figured that out I found them very useful. They can go in the microwave (suggestion:unseal the lid and just lay it over the top of the container to prevent very loud BANGS that will stop your heart as they pop off unless you are monitoring), and the freezer (not recommended for long term storage, but great for short term). They can go in the oven, too. Be sure to check what the max temp is for the ones you have, there is some variation. Mine are good to 500 degrees, others not quite so high. You can get vented ones for pressure cooking, oven and microwave use. I don't have those, but I don't see the need, either. My biggest complaint about them is storage. They are so floppy it's hard to pick out the size you want from a pile without more of them coming out of the drawer or basket or whatever. I've got a couple of small baskets up under the cupboards, one for the smaller, often-used ones, the other for the larger, less often-used ones.I can see where the road maintenance would be a pain in the anatomy. And expensive, too! The bean suppahs are usually held by local churches or by local organizations/groups as fund raisers. Many are pretty regular, the churches often have one a month through the summer, some go year 'round, some only in the winter. Organizations/groups tend to be less frequent generally, more like once every few months or so. Many advertise in the local papers, most put signs up on the roadside the week before.There are a core group of people that we see time and again, most are elderly and enjoy not cooking a meal and socializing.Suppahs usually ask for $7 to $12 for adults, about half that for kids, and often donot charge more than $10 to $15 or so for a family with children.Some don't ask for a specific amount but ask for a donation.

Librarian--I am proud of you for pushing for curative treatment.It's about time someone got cured of this monster, may it beyou!

Cammy Cat--I love the kitteh pics!Even though I don't dread Mondays anymore. Woops, I misunderstood about the get-together. Having people like that at a party is NOT fun. At least, not for me. Sorry to hear that Jodie is changing. I hope and pray she sees the light and ditches him soon.

Janky--Amazing what a few sprays of nice-smelling stuff can do to improve life!

RANT WARNING-- feel free to skip my soap box rant of the ayem:

My opinion of your MO is to ditch him.He sounds like a do everything to keep the patient alive even if it just means living in ICU on machines for breathing and heartbeat and feeding and all else. To him "successful" treatment means the patient lives 3 months longer than they would without the treatment, even if that 3 months is in a coma on machines and bankrupting the family. This attitude pushes any and all treatments no matter how bad the side effects and expects the patient to be grateful to be suffering through a few more months or weeks of having a heartbeat, even if they are in pain, unable to move, or unable to enjoy anything. I'm surprised he didn't tell you that alcohol was totally off limits. The answer he should have given was that his first priority is to find out what the patient wants and thinks is important, and then work toward the patient's goal(s), not his.

Jazzy--hmmm, needing "a plan" certainly does make one think something is going on. So now it's thyroid issues.Hmm. Wonder if that's related to the prior rad treatment? Always seems to be something.

Chi--What a great family urban legend!That staircase must be beautiful.

Good Morning, Illi, Janky!

End of the Road

Ingredients

• 4 cl Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur
• 4 cl Pisang Ambon
• 4 cl Whipping Cream
• 3 dash Nuts

Put all the ingredients in a shaker (except the nuts), add ice, and shake well. Pour in the glass, and add the nuts on top.

Best served in a Cocktail Glass.

From <http://www.haveacocktail.com/end-of-the-road.htm>

Jazzygirl

Hi friends- off to work but wanted to share that I was able to get in to the patient portal today and found my MRI report (note to self as a reminder to never assume anything in a letter is the whole story from what you get in the mail from said provider). The top of the MRI report says there are multiple small lesions seen in the thyroid as an incidental finding that is a change from last year, and further evaluation is recommended.

And yes, I had internal radiation for both breasts in 2012-2013 through brachytherapy, where they put in tubes and treat you twice a day with little radiation seeds. It was cutting edge at the time (now a standard protocol), and by doing the targeted therapy, there was less risk to issues with too much rads to the chest wall (bigger concern was heart and lungs and my BS I would never recover with that much beam to the chest wall). I was a complicated case for many reasons.

I was curious to see if bc mets to the thyroid too and it can, but rarely, few clinical cases out there on line. But then I found this to be very interesting.

https://www.healthline.com/health/thyroid-and-breast-cancer

Well now at least I feel a bit more informed about things and will go do my test Thursday and should know the results quickly (my guess is biopsy or watch).

ChiSandy

In your pocket, Jazzy, for benign thyroid results--and very early-stage with easy treatment if not benign.

I know I said I wouldn't drink tonight, but I did end up allowing myself 2 oz. of prosecco--I really needed it after the day I had.

Awoke with one of those agonizing shin cramps over the hardware I've had in my R tib-fib for 23 years. Took massaging with Thera-Worx, then Bio-Freeze and lidocaine roll-on to get it to stop after 20 min. (Yes, I take magnesium at bedtime). Then I felt a twinge in my back. I realized it was because I didn't take my arthritis Tylenol last night. So with my a.m. pills I took those Tylenol, plus a Celebrex and potassium (which I take with every 3rd Lasix--which latter I take every other day). Set out to make myself a lo-carb avocado BLT (with my homegrown tomatoes). Already had half an avocado in the fridge, pit still in it to retard browning. (I think you can see where this is going).

So I got the toast, washed lettuce, bacon and tomato slices at the ready. Time to put the avocado on the toast (I like that instead of mayo). So, taking my lead from the cooking teachers on TV (ATK, etc.), I held the avocado in my L hand, took the knife (still wet from slicing the tomatoes) in my R hand, and carefully aimed it at the pit and gave it a whack. Unfortunately, the blade was wet and the pit was greasy (it's an avocado, duh)--the blade glanced off the pit and landed on my thumb. After 15 min. of direct pressure on the wound--hand overhead against the wall--it hadn't stopped bleeding. While I was doing that, my housekeeper managed to find some paper tape and a sterile gauze pad and together we wrapped my thumb nice & tight. Took off my nightie, threw on a sun-dress (the girls were bouncing free--no time to dig up a bra) and we headed around the block to the Immediate Care clinic.

Walked in, hand held high and throbbing, and announced I had sliced my thumb open. There was a woman barely a minute ahead of me...with a COLD. The treatment room was occupied (only one doc and one PA on duty), so we had to wait 10 min. (with my hand high above my head). The woman with the cold got called first. I normally am polite & meek in the face of authority, but I was seething (still, didn't yell or cuss). I said through clenched teeth I was in a lot of pain and the blood was beginning to seep through the bandage--how come the other woman got called ahead of me? The receptionist answered "she was here first." It was all I could do to keep from shouting--instead, I asked, "don't you folks believe in triage?" The receptionist--a layperson--went in the back, and almost immediately a patient care tech ushered me in, took my vitals and prepped the wound (that saline & Betadine soap hurt worse than the knife)--which was still bleeding. (Damn Celebrex).

Anyway, the doctor came in, asked what happened, and when I told her said that I was the third avocado-pit-mayhem incident she'd seen this week. Three lidocaine injections (excruciating--my Lamaze breathing came in handy) later, I got two stitches, a new bandage, a bunch of gauze pads and rubber gloves for showering & dishwashing, and was on my way. Only now am I getting feeling back in the tip of my thumb--I am not to change the dressing till tomorrow, and keep the wound dry till Thurs. aft. If all goes well, Bob can remove my stitches in 10 days. And I have a folk festival gig Labor Day weekend--so no practicing anything but vocals yet.

Interestingly, the doctor asked what I take for pain--can I take ibuprofen? I said I preferred not to because of GERD, but I do have Tylenol and CBD oil & capsules. She replied, "Take the CBD instead of Tylenol--when the lidocaine wears off, the pain will be inflammatory and CBD will work better." I ruefully added "and buy pre-made guacamole?" She said no way--just use a spoon next time.

NativeMainer

Good Morning, Loungettes!Happy Hump Day!Get together with the Wednesday, Women and Wine group after work, then an early start to work tomorrow ayem.So I won't be on line tomorrow ayem.Maybe in the peeyem, if I get off work early. Sadie is not very happy with me. I got to stay home yesterday ayem, but didn't get home until 9 peyem, and will be gone all day and into the peeyem today, then leaving early tomorrow.Gonna have to figure out some way to make it up to her after that!

Jazzy--I did not know about the suspected association of bc and thyroid cancer. The article is very interesting and informative, thanks for sharing! Are you leaning toward biopsy or watchful waiting?

Chi--oh my goodness, what an experience!Forgive me for chuckling at the end, "just use a spoon" just struck me as funny!

Spicy Mint Avocado Margarita Cocktail

Ingredients

1 slice Avocado (approximately 2 tbsp)

3 slices Jalapeño pepper (seeds removed)

4 Fresh mint leaves

1 oz Fresh lime juice

2 oz Blanco tequilaTry it with Cazadores Blanco

1 oz Orange liqueur

1⁄2 oz Simple syrup

1 pinch Salt

How to make The Spicy Mint Avocado Margarita Cocktail

Rim a double rocks glass with salt and set aside.

Add the avocado, jalapeño, mint and lime juice into a mixing glass and muddle until the avocado is mashed.

Add the tequila, liqueur, syrup and salt.

Fill the glass with ice, and shake until well-chilled.

Strain into the prepared glass over fresh ice.

Garnish with a mint sprig.

From <https://www.liquor.com/recipes/spicy-mint-avocado-margarita/#gs.vpxcfg>