Starting Chemo in JAN 2007
Comments
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Hi Everyone,
This discussion about the S-M-T-W-T-F-S pill boxes would be so funny if it wasn't so true. I now have 3 of the little buggers. I use the one with the larger bins for my vitamins and supplements, you know how big some of the pills are. There's the one for my regular AM & PM meds like my pain meds, antihistamine, blood pressure, etc., and finally the one for my "supper" meds aromasin, cholesterol, and diabetes. I started using the first daily pill box back when I was taking a 12 hour antihistamine and couldn't remember if I had taken my morning meds some days. After dumping out the pill bottle and counting the pills several times, I decided to get the daily pill box. I did fine with just the one of them until my trip last month. I needed to have the reminders for each type of pill for everyday I was there, I ended up getting 2 more with the smaller bins.
About what to call our group here, I usually say my on-line friends. I have this BC group and my Sue Grafton fans group, too. It may not be the best description, but it is the reason we got together here.
I am really pooped out today. Yesterday my hubby and I went to the Christmas Affair put on by the Junior League. It is a real shop until you drop event. The entry fee goes towards the JL's charities. My hubby found lots of things for me, but he won't say what they are. Me, I bought some dip mix and a can of Lobster Bisque soup. I was able to resist all the candy this time so I felt virtuous.
I hope you all have a good weekend and on through next week.
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Congrats, Lisa, on finishing chemo. Sorry you're feeling foggy. Hope it lifts.
Mary, I am glad to hear you aren't doing the entire x-mas party shebang at your place. Seems like too much to take on. (Speak for myself.... I wasn't able to say no to my annual x-mas even open house, again. Every year I say I'm done, that's it and I do it again. This year's excuse is we prob. won't live here next year. Last year it was I needed to keep the holidays as normal as possible for my kids, despite having just began chemo.)
Caya, sending good thoughts your MIL's way.
Lynn, I have my pre-opp appt. on Tues. and I'm going to ask about getting Emend. That stuff is just miraculous.
I ended up hosting an impromptu OSU/Michigan party here today for the kids. Jaclyn has three girls over and Paul has four boys. I made boneless buffalo wings, mini pizzas and roastbeef sandwiches. Glad I had some food in stock. I really need to get out raking but it's a chore I really detest.
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OK, Debbie.... double decker pill boxes. I have something to aspire to!
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Regarding raking: We have 1.5 acres of grass. It's all we can do to keep the lawn mowed. We have a huge hickory tree in the middle of our backyard, several trees (maples, hickory, birch) in the front, and many others surrounding our property line all around the backyard. We've live here for 7 years and we've never raked once. The wind is a wonderful thing. We seem to be in a wind zone because one day (yesterday) my lawn is full of leaves, can't see the grass and the next, by some miracle, they are all gone. Not sure where they go, probably to a leaf heaven somewhere...they are not in any of the neighbors lawns either...none of us rake. Pretty cool! However every spring we have major hickory nut pickup detail
Tina, you midwesterners just love your college football! (I assume that's the party)...what fun for the kids! Us New Englanders are mostly only into Pro sports. It's interesting how things are different around the country like that.
Lisa, I think most of us are saying we still have chemo brain effects. We finished our chemo in the March - June 2007 range. So who knows...
ok, now I need to go get some things done.
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Well, Tina, they make those pill boxes with 4 bins for each day, but my night stand doesn't have the room for one of them. Also my meds are mostly in the morning when I get up and before I go to bed so the time labels wouldn't fit for me. For the time being I'll make do with the twins, one for AM/PM and one for supper, and Big Bertha, for the supplements.
Even with the daily rationing of meds I'll hop up in the middle of something to go check the box and make sure I took my pills. The supper ones are the hardest to remember. The things you have to do to keep going. I used to use the "senior moment" excuse, but now "chemo brain" works for me.
Hello, Lisa, to answer your question. I hope it gets better as we go along, but I'm glad I don't have to run a business, raise children, teach, draw, or write books the way some of these other ladies do. I do fairly well in my exercise classes and reading a few books. There are some books that I can't get into yet, but I'll give it time.
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Oh boy, Debbie....let's just hope we can contain it to one nightstand for all our meds, right? We're doing good if we maintain that.
Lynn, I am like the antichrist out here...not into college football at all. I grew up in a Pats/Miami Dolphins house. It's funny, though, lots of people in my neighborhood are from Boston and they all have Red Sox and Patriots flags on their houses.
On the leaves, I have a Felix Unger family two doors down that I am sure would like to kill me for not raking as I'm sure it all blows down into their yard. I just can't seem to get myself to do it yet. I was going to do it today but I was busy with the kids and their friends. Now, I feel run down, like I'm coming down with that cold my kids had last week. I hope not. I don't need this just before surgery. Or, at least if I do, I have two weeks to recover. I have managed to not have a single cold since my dx. I guess chemo killed all the germs.
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Hi all,
Tina,
That is quite impressive. B College is an excellent college and is very prestigious and extremely respected. They are #1 in the country for their entrepreneur program and their MBA program is tops. Quite a few CEO’s of major companies are graduates. Becoming president of there is quite an honor. He will be a great reference.
Caya,
I am glad your MIL is doing better.
Lynn,
I took a bathrobe but never wore it. I just put a second hospital gown on backwards and it covered me just fine. For slippers, they give you those socks with a slip proof bottom. They also give you a baggie of toiletries- toothbrush, toothpaste, Keri lotion, comb (didn’t need that)), and shampoo. You might want to bring some magazines- I found my concentration was not up to reading a book. You really do not need anything else. If I think of anything else, I will let you know. They will take very good of you. When you order a meal, order several bottles of water. They give you small bottles, and a few extra are helpful. A nurse told me that.
I loved having my own room and my own bathroom. Dr. Bar Meir, Dr. Lee’s fellow, is a sweetheart. You will have a parade of fellows checking you out after the surgery- I hope you are not shy. I didn’t mind it a bit- I was rather amused.
You will be in the recovery room for 24 hours after surgery, and will go upstairs to your own room sometime on Tuesday. A nurse is assigned to you in the recovery room and does not leave your side while you are there. Very comforting.
Once you are in your own room, the nurses are great, but not as hovering.
Do you have someone to stay with you on Wednesday and Thursday? It is very nice to have an advocate there- not that you need one. It is just nice. If you like, weather permitting, I can you visit you one of those days. You do not have to decide now- I will totally understand if you have enough company planned. You are in excellent hands.
Viddie -
Hello ladies!!
Well I'm all packed. We are heading down to Spokane tomorrow morning. It's a 8 hour drive, and we'll be going thru the Crow's Nest Pass, but there is no snow yet, so should be okay.
Got my tree all up today & yesterday...and all my decorating done. My oldest sister & her hubby are coming from Vancouver Island for Christmas. I'm having Christmas at my house. We normally have 25 to 30 people, but I have lots of room, so it's fun. I already ordered my fresh free range turkey. I love Christmas. We also have a unisex gift exchange. Everyone buys a gift valued at $50.00 and we each get 3 raffle tickets. The first time one of your numbers is drawn, you have to take from under the tree, but your other 2 tickets you can steal from someone else if you like their gift. It's a riot and usually takes us about 3 hours to get it all done. Talk about laughing, and gifts passing back and forth.
Lynn, I sure hope you are feeling better. My friend here in Calgary just had her reconstruction surgery last Wednesday. She was about 4 months ahead of me on her diagnosis. She is only 36 and found her lump when she was 5 1/2 months pregnant with her 3rd baby. She had to have a caesarian, lumpectomy, and then a mastectomy because of the pathology all within 5 weeks, but she's a real trooper.
Caya, prayers for your MIL. Have you heard anything about Cassie getting that internship?
Viddie, nice to hear from you again.
Cindy, sounds like your girls are looking after you. That is so nice. Hope you are doing well.
Debbie, I laughed about the pill boxes.
Rebecca, can you send me your sister's wedding link again, I seem to have lost it. It was so nice.
Sharon, how are you doing?
Amera, I think I have days when nothing stops my anxiety. I still take an ativan when I need one.
Jan hope you are enjoying San Antonio.
Well, I'll be back on Thursday, so everyone, take care.
Big hugs...Joni
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Viddie, I knew you Boston girls would be familiar w/"B" College. I just listened to a WBZ podcast of him being interviewed. He will be a great reference and should surely be able to counteract/deflect some of the nastiness they leveled against the DH. What is funny is the DH doesn't have a college degree (not funny, really) and this guy was the one who hired him as he totally respected his work experience.
Joni, you are a one woman wonder! Tree up, turkey ordered and yet another trip on the agenda! Good for you!
Went to bed super early last night and feel totally fine today. Happy about that. Lynn, what day is your DIEP? I'm thinking the 12th? I'll be getting out just about when you get in. I am not bringing a thing w/me. I, too, found I couldn't read, concentrate. I just slept. And the student dr's were constantly in my room.
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ahh cross border shopping joni you most likely will a good time going through the mountains , we here in Ontario line up for hrs trying to go shopping in Buffalo . I myself am not one to go through all that .... but for a girls shopping trip why not hope you have fun .
Caya hope your MIL is doing better
Viddie i did my genetic tests on Wed . took 5 vials of blood and it will take at least 6 months to get my results back soo for now i have put that in the back of my mind , no sense in worrying about that right now. The options I have if i do test + can wait .
I went to Toronto and saw the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators play hockey last nite with my son , I luv taking him out to games , got the tickets from a supplier at work as a gift . Its a great time as both teams are from the same province and have quite the rivalry . We won and shut them out !
I played hockey myself in a womens league the summer before my dx and love to iceskate ..... next weekend I am planning on getting my skates back on .... not playing hockey but just at the local arena for recreational skating . I have not had my skates on for over a year so we will see how my legs make out !
Yep my leaves need raking ..... like you Lynne leave it to the wind !
My dogs also poop in the backyard so its a treat for me to "find" the bombs ! yeck what a job ...... one left for the DH !
I get my port out on Wed hoping it goes smooth and it does not get sticky . They do not put you under its called "surgical daycare " yep me in daycare :;)
Hey and you american gals getting ready for thanksgiving enjoy as much as you can and do not eat toooo much .....
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Good Sunday my sisters…
On leaves….I can attest to the fact that there IS indeed a house that collects all of the leaves….I used to live in that house AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!! We spent the entire fall season raking and bagging, and even after all the leaves were down, and the lawn cleaned, within a day or two our lawn would be covered again courtesy of our less diligent neighbors. We used to get about 175 bags per year (this is NOT an exaggeration). The only thing that made it do-able was the gas powered lawn vacuum that we purchased. I am happy to report that in our current home that is not much of a problem….which is good because our lawn vacuum died fairly shortly after arriving in Edison.
Lynn -isn’t it so funny that we fret over what to bring to the hospital, spend hours packing and repacking bags and then never use any of it? I packed a big bag when I went for my Mastectomy last year, and my DH brought it home with him by accident….I did not even notice until it was almost time for ME to go home! The one thing I did use was the socks I brought. I purchased VERY colorful, funny socks to wear in the hospital. I enjoyed wearing them and they helped keep my spirits up. I like Viddie’s suggestion of magazines….that is a great idea….the more mindless the better!
Joni you are a powerhouse! Here is the link to my sister’s wedding page; http://rayandsarahsayido.com/
Tina I am glad you shook off that impending cold!
Sharon yipeeee on getting the skates on! One more slide towards normal. Hope the port slides out easily for you.
As for me, that city experience really put me into a tailspin. I can not shake the gloomy, sad feeling. The sadness had been there before, but this Thursday really put it into full flower. I am starting to wonder if my concentration problems are due to some depression going on behind the scenes. I have also noticed that my appetite is up, and I have gained a few pounds….nothing dramatic, but I weigh more now than I did before Dx. I have an appt tomorrow morning with a new GP…I think I would like to try the Effexor…it seems to have worked wonders for you guys. I just wonder how to convince the Dr to give it to me. I have never had any luck getting Drs to give me meds….the last time I tried I was basically told no….and all I was asking for was the low dose prozac for my PMS. The Dr refused to give it to me and just put me into therapy….which lasted for three years. The therapy helped me reorganize my life and relationships in a positive way, so I do not regret it, but having that little helper at the same time would have made it a lot easier for me.....particularly during the middle of the month when my PMS put my emotions into turmoil. It was a pretty miserable few years. The PMS was resolved in the end by my menopause. In any case, I do not think I need therapy this time because I think my mood swings etc may be hormonal in large part. I am now to the point that I do not even want to be in the same room with myself….I am short with my children, can not get out of bed in the AM, and can not stay awake in the PM. I do not have overpowering fears of recurrence or anything like that, just a pervasive feeling of sorrow and I feel like I am moving through a sea of molasses.
BoyOhBoy I am a real downer today. Any hints on how to get the GP to give me Effexor?
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Rebecca,
Lots of hugs going your way. My son had a really hard time with a statistics class in college because he told us he could not understand the professor. English was his second language and he was very difficult to understand. He told me all the students felt the same way. I think you might be too hard on yourself- I bet most of the people there could not keep up with Umberto and just pretending to get his humor.
Some docs prescribe easily and some you have to nudge a lot. If he knows your BC history and other meds (tam) you are taking, he should understand that your mood swings are hormonal and hopefully he will be willing to accommodate you. If not, find another one. Would your onc give you Effexor?
Whoever is taking it-who prescribes Effexor-GP or Oncologist?
We all have those dark days- bc sucks...My therapist told me that when I get angst and down, try to realize that it is not me- it is the hormones. Easier said than done, I know. When that happens to me, I call my bf who has beaten ovarian cancer twice and she calms me down. She is such a positive mentor. Do you have any close friends you can speak to. I hope your spirits pick up today. Many more hugs going your way. Remember we will always be here to listen and you are not alone.
Viddie -
Rebecca - Are you getting hot flashes with the Tamoxifen? Effexor XR is prescribed for anxiety/depression, and in the lowest dose (37.5 gm) helps with the hot flashes. I would explain the hot flash excuse + describe what you have written above about your lack of concentration, depression etc. My onc. recommended Effexor XR to me, as well as the BC shrink they sent me to, as well as my GP. I started taking the pills on Tuesday, and have had mild side effects - some slight nauseau, and my appetite is suppressed - which for me is a good thing, as I gained about 10 lbs. during chemo. I stepped on the scale today and I'm down 4 lbs. since starting the Effexor XR - coincidence? I dunno... anyways Rebecca sweetie you should not suffer about this - I'm sure the GP will give it to you, if not, call your onc.'s office - This is all very frustrating, and you have so much to deal with - between your 3 adorable kids, running your house and working ( and dealing with that MIL) - and the BC crap - it's no wonder you are out of sorts.
Sharon - lucky you - the Leafs played a great game for once. My DH and Cassie are going to the game this Tuesday, I hope they play well again.
Joni - that XMAS gift exchange sounds like a lot of fun. I love to hear everyone's decorating and plans for XMAS as being Jewish I can only live vicariously through you. Chanukkah is a nice holiday with the menorah, latkes (potato pancakes), dreidls (spinning tops), but it is not the big deal XMAS is. We won't hear anything about Cassie and the internship probably for about a week or so, but I'll let everyone know the outcome.
My MIL is still in the ICU. She was pretty good all day when the DH and I were there, and then we left for about an hour to grab a bite to eat. When we got back the nurse told us she's been bleeding again. So they had to give her another transfusion, and she was so upset. We stayed until 9:00 p.m. and Allan (DH) did not sleep well last night worrying. She's a bit better today, they'll monitor her today and then I think tomorrow if she hasn't improved they're going to do some test where you swallow a capsule that has a camera in it. They really want to avoid surgery to find the source of the bleeding. So hopefully the bleeding will stop.
Thanks for all your good wishes.
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Rebecca, I wish I could hug you and take care of your kids for a day so you could have some time to just think. I understand the fogginess. But sometimes I think it's a matter of powering thru the crisis, and now here we are just trying to figure out what the heck happened to us. It was a whirlwind of decisions, meds, surgeries, etc. I never really came up for air til it was over, and now I find myself just struggling to process / believe it all. Last night I woke up on the hour all night long with chest pains, trouble breathing. Once the sun came up, I felt fine. I think in my case, I keep so busy that I often don't think it through during the day, and then at night I am tormented by all the dark thoughts and memories. Do try to get the meds if you think it will help, which I fervently hope it will. But I think our biggest friend will turn out to be time. Remember how with each baby, the first year was a blur of sleep deprivation, feeling overweight, feeling WET all the time? Well, we have all that without the sweet infant to offset the bad stuff. Try your best to be kind to yourself. We are all with you in spirit.
Caya, I am praying for your mil. How hard this must be for all of you.
Viddie, I love hearing from you. You are so gracious. Lynn and Cindy, glad your spirits are good. Tina, we will be thinking of you too, of course. Sharon, have fun skating!
Melia
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Thanks guys...I think part of the reason that I feel SOOOOO blue today is that I had that epiphany that I think I need meds, and I am not only scared that I will not be able to get them, but also a little sad that I need them. The GP that I am seeing tomorrow is a new one (remember that my last one made me wait 8 weeks for an appt regarding my breast lump) so I have no idea how he will react to my request, and he does not know me at all.
The good news on hot flashes is that mine have tapered off a great deal in the last few weeks. I attribute this to the change in the weather...my biggest trigger was warmth. I am sure they will be back in the summer, but for now it has not been too bad. The bad news about that is that I can not use that as an excuse for the Effexor!
Caya good advice about my onc....I bet he would give it to me if I called and said that I was in distress and freaking out. Many hugs to you, your family, and to your MIL. I am keeping her in my heart as she faces these difficult times.
Viddie, I agree that some of the laughter might have been false, but my DH was with me, and I could tell he was genuinely amused. My inability to get the jokes stemmed from my inability to understand him....the words ran together, and by the time I sorted it out, he was on to the next thing so I lost continuity. This is such a change from the way I used to be that I found it alarming. I know I am probably being hard on myself....I have not been reduced to an absolute blithering idiot....and quite honestly I am the only one who can notice the change (DH very firmly does not beleive me....or at least did not until the train ride home from the talk during which I almost cried when he wanted to talk about the ideas that Umberto Eco shared and I could not do it). The bright side of it I think is that it may be the catalyst for getting me on some meds that might help me in many areas of my life.
Thank you all....I love you all more than I could ever say.
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Rebecca,
I am sorry for not acknowledging your frustration of chemo-brain or fogginess. While was trying to make you feel better, I didn't listen. Sometimes the best thing we can do is to understand- after all- we have all been there. You have every right to be frustrated and upset. Bc and it's after effects suck. I felt bad and wanted to share with you that I do understand those frustrating feelings. Everyone keeps saying that it will get better- I hope they are right.
Viddie -
Awwww Viddie...no apologies are needed....I took your comments in the spirit in which they were offered. In fact....I am sorry I am being such a puss today! (so there)
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Rebecca,
You are not a puss. There I go again telling you how to feel. lol. You are great. You have a right to have an off day. We all do. We are all also here for each other. I believe we are therapeutic for each other.
I am off to a sleep-over at my sister's and tomorrow I am going for my genetic counseling. Speak to you all tomorrow night.
Have a great night.
Viddie -
Rebecca, I'll tell ya if any Dr. would deny us BC gals from an anti-depressant then he needs his head examined! My GP prescribed to me, the first issue was prescribed by my rads Dr. We are all into our 1st anniversaries and it put me into a tailspin. While everyone expected me to be myself again, I was dealing with the reality of what happened and the anniversary added to the fact that internally I had not come to grips with losing my breasts, having that cancer in me. For months I went through the motions, going to that Dr., tests, chemo. It was like I was a robot, now it's over and I'm thinking Holy Crap what happened??!! And it made me very very sad. But I feel so much better on the right effexor. Even my hot flashes arent so severe. So what I am trying to say is that if your Dr. can in anyway relate to what you have been through, what you lost in the process, and the exhaustion you deal with everyday from the fight, how can he not offer you a little help? Man, I'm sorry I know I rambled on, but don't be afraid to ask the Dr. for it. Love ya
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Rebecca, hearing your other symptoms...not being able to get up in the am, short with kids, sleepier in evenings, fog-head, makes me agree I think you do need some type of meds but here is another thought...have your thyroid checked! It could be "just" the hormone/chemo-related depression, but when I read that litany of se's, it immediately took me back about ten years when I had my hypothyroid dx. I was not able to get out of bed in the morning, was short with my kids, and totally beat in the evening, and could barely think. The thyroid reading was not even very elevated, just over the "normal" -- which is probably set too high most places -- but getting the levothyroxin made a miraculous turnaround. And I know I have read somewhere that chemo makes us more susceptible to thyroid problems because it messes with our endocrine system and touches every organ, including the thyroid glad. Again, it's just a thought but please do check it out. - Skye
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Sharon you are such a sportswoman. I am in deep admiration!
Tina the football party sounds like fun, you make life a ball for your kids, I can tell. And an open house too! Oh, and on my good MUGA numbers, I do credit the COQ10. I would recommend it to anyone if your doc oks it for you.
Joni, you are a whirlwind. Done decorating already? I was just contemplating today whether I want to drag out the village miniatures...and where to put them that will be puppy-proof. I may have to put a fence around the tree, too. I wanted to have lights outside already but that isn't done either. Oh well, what gets done gets done.
Viddie it's true Christmas is a lot of fun but it's also a lot of work! :-)
Caya, I'm hoping your MIL improves again so she doesn't need the tiny camera, but at least that is better than surgery. Keep us posted.
Lisa big congrats on finishing the chemo...my onc says finishing the whole thing is the most important thing you can do for yourself and we all know that is no small accomplishment. Things really do improve from here on in.
Leaf-raking...I can't do it with the torn rotator cuff but that is what strong, returned-home sons are for.
I had my nice brunch with girlfriends today, and the hostess made us ham and asparagus crepes, apple-cherry cobbler, fruit melange, and cornbread. She is the one who wrote a B&B cookbook and writes a food column. She never lets us bring anything foodwise so I brought her a bag of candles...she burns through them like crazy. She's the one who drove me to my first chemo too. What can you say about people like that except thank God for them?
DH will be at his swanky deer "camp" for another couple of days although he already got his buck. Looks like I'll be making lots of venison stew this winter. - Skye -
Oops I just noticed I wrote "thyroid glad" when it's supposed to be "gland." Well, the thyroid helps enable us to be glad when it's working so maybe it was a Freudian slip.
Weight gain is another symptom of hypothyroidism, along with dry rough skin (although that may not occur til later) and feeling chilled (when you're not flashing). - Skye -
Thanks Skye...it is definately a thought, particularly since my sister has Hashimoto's disease, which is genetic. My last round of bloodwork included a TSH measure, and it was smack in the middle of the reference range, so maybe this new doc will repeat it. I am sure that all of this is a result of a combo of factors. I just hope that this Doc takes pity on me and does not give me a hard time.
Lunch sounds like it was totally yummy.....I spent time making a tasty dinner for my family, and of course each child went "yuck" at one of the things on their plate. Put them all together, and they ate a balanced meal
. Not sure why they didnt like it....nothing gross....grilled some chicken breasts on my Foreman grill, after crusting them in some salt and a herb blend. Had some cubed red potatoes cooked with onions, garlic and olive oil until crispy, and steamed broccoli. Grrrr it is enought to make a mom haul the kids to the local McD's!!!! Ungrateful wretches...... -
Rebecca - any leftovers? sounds yummy to me...
xoxo caya
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Rebecca, I used to seat my son with lots of pitchers, etc between him and me so I couldn't see him during dinner. He was soooo dramatic about the nasty dishes I served. Now, of course, after living in China for a year, then two years in the Peace Corps in Africa, he eats everything with gusto and is very appreciative. But he used to drive me nuts. If it wasn't scrambled eggs or mac and cheese, he wouldn't eat. Then the middle child became a vegetarian and I was really sunk. Now everyone loves my cooking and requests the dishes they gagged over when they were little. So there is hope. And Skye's insight re the thyroid merits consideration.
I just realized that my colonoscopy is on my one year anniv of diagnosis. That's a little disconcerting. I had to postpone it because of the fire; couldn't see all the prep in a hotel. But it's not til the Wed after TG.
I worked so hard this weekend cooking, polishing silver, just getting ready for the holidays. Part of me wants to call in sick tomorrow. I guess I will see how I sleep tonight.
Nancy, you are sounding stronger. I hope you are feeling that way.
Hugs to all,
Melia
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Well, Rebecca, you're a better mom than me. I DID get the kids McD last night! However, I redeemed myself in that I raked the yard. The front, at least. I'm sure my neighbors are pleased.
I think you will be very surprised at how easily your dr. will give you Effexor. I don't think any dr's would even remotely consider denying a cancer patient an antidep. script. You're on tamox. so mention that all your tamox. friends use Effexor w/great success. I think it may be the only one we can take, not sure, but for selfish reasons I'd try to get it as it really does suppress appetite and Caya's weight loss is no coincidence...I had the same thing happen... very quickly. That part is great and we deserve a silver lining. Aside from that, though, it reallllllly works. I don't use the XR as it doesn't come in generic.
As far as Umberto, I can only envision some of the phony's cackling along as if they got it... nauseating.
You, however, WOULD get it if it weren't for the heavy accent. That, and the fact that your mind wasn't totally on it. Cut yourself a break. Rebecca, you are def. a very educated and intellectual person, so it wasn't you. I laugh about a very contrasting situation...one of my BFF's from childhood is the total opp. of an intellectual. She is educated, but just so NOT an intellectual type. She has the total Boston accent (no offense anyone), pahk the cah, the whole deal. She married this total MIT intellectual who is 15 years older than her. They don't get along all that well... he likes her because she's hot.... tiny, in shape, blond. But the fact that she never reads a newspaper, doesn't have a CLUE about politics or current events just kills him. He would invite people for dinner and her eyes would just glaze over with some of the deep discussions they'd have. YOU, however, would fare just fine. (Happily, he has more respect for her nowadays as she went back to school to finish her B.S. and to get her nursing degree and she is acing her classes....she is a smart girl, just kind of lacks common sense sometimes.)And as far as foreign accents go, it takes a while to be able to get past a persons accent and actually hear what they are saying. Believe me, lady, people used to look at me like I needed my head examined when I had a super (supa) thick Boston accent. Nobody knew what I was saying. I learned to modify that, particularly when I lived in Calif. as they all thought I was from NY....they have a tough time telling the difference. Anyway, my next door neighbor in FL, Angelica, was from Sao Paulo, Brazil and her english is so hard to understand. Now, I understand her perfectly but I still laugh sometimes at her emails because she'll say something totally wrong (wrong word and everything) but I totally know what she means. She is one of my favorite people I've met in my travels... we are still in touch.
So hang in there, girl! You'll get back on track.Caya, hope that unexplained bleeding stuff your MIL is dealing with resolves itself soon. That's worrisome, esp. at her age.
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I ran across this quote at work and want to share it with y'all because it is so perfectly fitting to this group:
Oh the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are - chaff and grain together - certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.....
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Isn't this the kind of comfort our groups here provide? I was a little spellbound when I first read this. I thought immediately of this place and how open and loving and accepting the people here are.
So here's to the next chaff that I throw out for someone to blow away for me!
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Cindy that is a beautiful quote, thanks for sharing. The power of words...
I had my last mega-dose of ibuprofen last night and am sitting here this morning with the chest pain back as bad as ever, which is rather disheartening. But I had sort of a revelation last night when it finally occurred to me to google for sternum cartilage pain and found out there is a name for what I have, costochondritis. It's an inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to the sternum, just what Dr. Clapper explained to me (although why didn't he tell me the name?). After researching a dozen sites and going through a bunch of forum messages, I am totally convinced this is it. I also found that it is a common thing with fibromyalgia, which I've been diagnosed with for years, and is aggravated by sitting over a computer or keyboard all day, which is what I do for a living! It is also aggravated by exercise that involves moving the ribcage, which I do almost every day. No wonder it won't go away! (I'm sure the radiation didn't help it either)
The good news is I'm more convinced than ever it isn't bone necrosis or mets. The bad news is there isn't much that can be done for it. You can only take those high doses of NSAID's for so many days at a time. Warm heating pads and baths are recommended, and mild exercise like walking, and some places recommend lying down whenever you have the pain but I live in the real world. I'd love to lie on the sofa, read and eat bon bons all day but they would soon be repossessing my car, etc.
Anyway, I thought I should write about it just in case it should happen to anyone else, and to prove that it really isn't always about the cancer and we should be diligent about digging for the causes of symptoms we get. And now I want to know, how come my regular onc never thought of this, and made me suffer untold mental agony thinking I had bone mets or necrosis for two months, when the fibromyalgia was there in my profile for him to see all along? It is true that the same site is a common place for bc recurrence, but in that case, I would think oncologists should be extremely familiar with all other possible diagnoses for pain in that region. Is that asking too much?
Anyway, I guess I'll go take one of those hot baths and see if it does the trick! - Skye -
Ok, back from the new GP...and he DID give me the Effexor. I am going to take my first pill after lunch. I also asked him to test my thyroid function, and he agreed that given my symptoms, and the fact that I have family history of Hashimoto's disease it was warranted. I also looked in my handy-dandy binder, and found that my TSH level has doubled since this time last year. I pointed it out to him....not sure if it is clinically significant or not, but the test will tell I guess.....
Cindy, that is a wonderful quote!
Skye, what do you MEAN you can't lie on the couch and eat bon-bons? I thought that is what all of us ladies who work at home do all day......
Picked Owen up early from school today because he started my morning by puking on the bathroom floor. YECK. He was singing and dancing by 9AM, so I took him to school anyway but I figured why tempt fate, and picked him up on my way home from the Dr. I have round 2 with the medical community later today when I take all three kids to the pediatrician for checkups and flu shots. Gonna be a lovely afternoon....
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Cindy - That is a lovely quote. Really describes our great online support group.
Skye - yes I find that sometimes the drs. don't give us the whole truth, or sometimes they just make their assumption in the first 2 minutes, diagnose, and don't think of other possibilities. I read in an article that you should always ask the doc - "What else it could be?". I can tell you I wish I had known that when the DH was misdiagnosed for nearly a month when he had his brain aneurysm. Because he did not have the most common symptom - the worst headache of your life - every dr. missed the aneurysm diagnosis. So now I always ask that question. My cousin who is a dr. told me that the quick diagnosis is often very true - so ask that question ladies.
Rebecca - glad you got the Effexor and are starting on it immediately. We'll have to compare notes. Oh I remember the days when my girls were younger - just remember, little kids, little problems.
Melia good luck with your colonoscopy. I'm due for one next year.
My MIL is being moved out of the ICU - I don't know how great that is, but she's stopped bleeding so hopefully she'll improve. The DH and I will be going over to the hospital shortly - his sister is there now.
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