Starting Chemo in JAN 2007

Lynn12

Oh Skye, I have tears of relief!  Woo Hoo!  {{{{{{Skye}}}}}

Lynn12

Rebecca,

What a wonderful surprise when I got home today, thank you so much!  You express your thoughts and feelings so well.  I know we all feel the same way.  I can't imagine my life now without all my sisters!

love and hugs,

Lynn

Nancyab

Skye!!! Yes, Yes, Congrats! Sooooooooooo relieved. Bless your heart after the stress you deserve to cuddle with sweet puppy and RELAX!

Love ya!

mer1957

Wow Skye this makes up for my crappy day.  What great news!

Crappy weather here, crappy day at work, DH still sick with the virus and can hardly talk which makes sales very hard although he showed mansion today up on a hill (so he's still working).  Took me double the time to get home from work and DH was still trying to figure out dinner. 

Dr said it is probably arthritis in my hip and told me to take Glucosamine.  I really like her.  She has kept up with all my progress this last year through reports.  She is amazed at how well I'm doing and that I haven't gained weight - claims that the Tamoxofin can greatly increase the weight.  I told her no, I exercise 2 hrs a day and now I have arthritis in my hip!  Oh well  - I am 50! 

I really would like to make our trip, still trying to figure it all out.  Winter is bad for sales and we always seem afraid to make any major purchases but hopefully spring will bring good news.  Hugs

Amera

Skye!!!!!  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!!!!  So relieved and thrilled for you.  Wooooohoooooo!

Amera

meliaanne

Oh Skye, I am thrilled!!!!!!!!! 

Anonymous

Skye - I'm so glad the rollercoaster stopped. What a wonderful relief that you have such good news. I'm so happy for you.

DD1 has done the PJs and spoon charms, but I hadn't heard of the ice cubes. The one time she did it this year it worked.

Joni - how are you? 

Lynn12

Ok, so we're having a snowstorm tonight and Ally is hoping for no school tomorrow.  I asked her about the backwards pj, ice in the toilet and spoon under the pillow. DH and Ally both looked at me like I was from Mars.  George then googled 'snow toilet spoon' and sure enough, it's there..OMG!  Hilarious!  Of course Ally is too 'old' for that stuff, but we sure did get a laugh out of it! Thanks for bringing it up Tina, we have never heard of that ritual.

Mary, you exercise 2 hours per day?  Wow.  I really don't get enough exercise at all...can't seem to get myself motivated.  I'm still in recovery from surgery, but my PS says I can't do just about anything except abdominal exercises.  It really frustrates me because George exercises almost every day. 

IowaCindy

Hot damn, Skye!!!!!!!!!! Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm doing a happy dance in my chair reading your news.

Rebecca, the socks sit on my kitchen table. They make me smile everytime I walk through the kitchen, I don't want to wear them. I just want to hug them. I was a child in the 60s, not of the 60s. I would have been a hippy if I'd been old enough. I think it's why I still feel most comfy when I put on bib overalls. I too like tie dye.  Thank you for warming our hearts and our toes with your kindness. 

I haven't much new to report. Isn't that nice?  Just working and being miserable in the flippin' cold when I have to go out.

Tonight I'm watching the Westminster Dog Show with my two canines. The cattle dog, Clementine is fascinated by the dogs on the tv. It's great fun to watch her. I know February in New York is not exactly tourist season but I'd love to go see the Westminster sometime.

Hugs to everyone.  

Cindy 

luckymel

Cindy, I'm watching the Westminster show tonight, too, curled up with Harrison.  He doesn't seem to be particularly impressed, although he has glanced at the dogs a time or two.  I always feel sorry for the poodles who are expected to wear those silly haircuts.  I know they're wonderful dogs, but they look so dumb.  I guess the "poodle cut" is an acquired taste. 

I took Harrison to the vet today for his six-month check.  He checked out just fine, of course, but they did wonder if anything got him excited.  Two strange people walk in and lift him up to a high table...that's ok with him.  One of them sticks a spoon in his butt for a fecal sample, he just stands there and smiles politely.  The vet sticks swabs in his ears, he doesn't bat an eye, just stands there.  Then he gives him an injection, Harrison smiles.  Never made a sound, never wagged his tail, just stood calmly and smiled at everyone and was sooo cooperative.  I'm so proud of my boy.

jonimb

Hello TaTa's,

Glad to hear everything is well Skye.

It was a beautiful day here today, but they are predicting snow again overnite.

I loved that little beagle "Uno" that won the Westminster.

Hugs to all...Joni

TPPJ

It's odd...Snowball goes ballistic, barking, any time a dog walks by.  But he is totally oblivious to dogs on TV.  Doesn't even hear the barking.  Mel, I don't care for the poodle cut either.  Those are always my instructions to the groomer:  make him look like a Bichon, NOT a poodle.

Lynn, OK...I now know why I didn't know about all these snow day tactics either...I'm from Mass.  Must have never made it to the coast.  It is funny to watch them..they get so excited.  Although, I'm finding lots of spoons upstairs and can never find one for the kids cereal in the am.

meliaanne

Westminster is fun to watch ... and Skye, I meant to ask, is Grendel's hair going to be that long?? I saw llhasa (sp?) being shown, and his hair was long and silky. Kinda like I wish mine was.

I can tell I am tired b/c I am mad at my boss, and that rarely happens. He made what I think is a dumb decision yesterday, dumb in that I think it's short sighted, and I nearly always back him. But my husband says at this pt in our careers, our mantra should just be "as long as I don't get fired."  That kinda puts a diff spin on work for me. We only plan on working a couple more years, then want to move north to be by the kids. When Steve really wants to agitate them, he tells them we are going to buy a big rv and park it in each of their driveways a third of the year. Sets them off every time.

Exercise: gosh Mary, that's a lot of time, good for you. I only get to the gym 3-4 times a week for a half hour at a time, and then usually a nice long bike ride on Sunday. This week, with a nasty cold, I am not going to the gym. I hate to hear other people coughing and hacking and then using the machines.

Joni, how are you feeling?  Jan, are you upright yet?  Lynn, are you still sore?

Mel, wish I could meet Harrison. He sounds lovely.

Hugs,

Melia

Rebecca

OK Tina, well I made the mistake of telling Frances about Jac's ritual with the spoons and she not only put a spoon under her pillow, but went around the house and tucked spoons under ALL of our pillows (just to be safe).  It did not work, though...we only have a delayed opening. Wet sticky snow...YECK.  It is raining now, and it is supposed to get up to almost 50 later.  So much for winter.

Melia, that stinks about your boss's short sightedness.  I know that it must be so frustrating for you to watch, but your DH is so right...just ride it out.  An RV in the kids driveway?  LOL!  I was rolling when I read that!

Mel Harrison sounds like he is a real class act...way too sophisticated to do all that silly jumping around and barking at silly stuff.  My dog has the most piercing bark imaginable, and she stands at our front window and WATCHES for something to bark at.  She barks at pedestrians, other dogs, the mailman, her own reflection.  Thankfully she does not bark at cars because we live on a rather busy road. 

Cindy you are to put those socks on your feet IMMEDIATELY!!! The magic does not work unless they are warming your toes. (tee hee)

We went to check out a second gym last night and it went really well.  It is a bit far, but the philosophy of this gym is more compatible with what I beleive about sports like this, which is that more practice hours is not necesarily better and in fact too much practice can burn the girls out by preventing them from doing anything else (at her old gym she was expected to be there 13 hours a week...I did not bring her for all of it though).  It is  different competitive league which has different competition requirements...they are a bit looser and allow for more individual variation than USAG.  They also have a very strong boys team (for owen moving forward) and in fact they have a boy who is trying for the Olympics right now!  Frances is very jazzed up about it.  The coach is going to call me today and make an offer so we will see.  I think that we will wind up going there.  Still  no call from her old coaches...I am just absolutely disgusted, particularly after seeing these two gorgeous gyms this week!

Everyone else, stay warm...I have to go make breakfast for the gym rats now.... 

viddie

Skye,

I am so happy for you!!!! You made my day!!!!

I only get e-mail by the pool and the battery goes dead every 15 minutes- old battery.

Will try to check in later. I love it here.

Love,

Viddie 

skyedivine

Hey thanks everyone for all the affirmation. I feel like a different person today. I had to get up early and go pre-record a radio show which took the whole morning for an hour of air time. It's kind of fun working with the high school kids who run the station however.



Viddie you sound so happy where you are. Continue to enjoy!



Rebecca, Grendel is also the small yapper type, already feeling his guardian of the house genes. He is such a joy to us, though.



Mary I am also in awe of your gym time. If I do 30 min. of cardio to one of my tapes I feel pretty good.

Melia, I only hope I see the day when my kids have their own driveways. At that point I think I really will get a big RV to park at their places, LOL.



Tomorrow I have an appt. with the onc to get the full low-down on that test. If he gives me a final and total all clear on it that will be the best V-day present. - Skye

TPPJ

Melia, good advice from Steve.  Hold your tongues as much as you can.  Had to laugh at your RV comment.  My FIL actually BOUGHT one and tried to "visit" in it.  THANK GOD they are forbidden in my neighborhood.    It was the perfect excuse.

Rebecca, funny about Frances and the spoons.  Regarding overdoing it w/practice, boy do I know about that.  My parents worked their tails off paying for me to skate, but quite honestly, I was never passionate about it.  My mothers friends kid did it so she thought I should too.  So, I began.  And once you get into that world, it's all or nothing.  Either you are a serious skater or you are not.  So, from about age 9 to 13 I spent two hours BEFORE school (from 5:30 to 7:30 am) at the rink, raced back immed. after school from 3-5 and then on Saturdays.  I had two lessons a week and practiced all those other days.  It sucked.  It was cold, dank and back in those days, we had to spend an hour in total silence doing what they called "patch"..which is figure 8's.  Over and over and over again.  I never understood the purpose and it was like torture.  As I became a pre-teen, I hated going into school after skating so hard, as my hair would be all nasty, etc.  There wasn't time to shower.  I felt like such an ugly duckling at a time when you really didn't want to.  Soon after, my teen rebellion began and it wasn't pretty.  I hope to never have my kids go through it like I, or my parents, did.  This is part of where I think it's so important to live in a good town w/a good class of families.  My town, as I've mentioned was blue collar and have nots.  Junior h.s. was a tough crowd.  Anyway, my mother HATES me to tell this story and tries in insinuate that I'm an ingrate after all they did for me, etc.  I told her really, I'd have been much happier to have had a more well rounded childhood.  I wanted to do Brownies, crafts, gymnastics, just other stuff too.  Who wants to do the same stuff every day of the week for years?  I knew I was only mediocre at best and the only ones that mattered in the skating world were the ones w/natural talent and lots of money.  Anyway, that's more than my two cents, I'm sure, on that topic.  I am not comparing Frances's gymnastics schedule to my skating schedule at all.  I think you are wise to take the approach you are.  Everything in moderation.

Caya

Well I'm from the great white north and I have never heard of these shenanigans with spoons and backwards PJs for snow days - hysterical!!

Rebecca - it sounds like the new gym will be great for the girls, and maybe Owen too.  I know about commitment with an activity like that - my Amanda was in competitive dancing (tap and jazz) for five years from ages 9 - 13.  She did love it though- she was dancing 3 days a week after school for a couple of hours and then on Saturdays.  We did 3-4 competitions/ year, usually between February and April, some involving going out of town and staying for a weekend in a hotel.  It was a lot of fun though, the DH and Cassie would go too, we'd go to the competitions, cheer for the medals, go shopping, out for dinner with the other families.  Our dance school was very well known in our area, the director was very particular about who was in competitive, versus recreational dance - but she never lost sight of the fact that the girls were there to have fun, no one was going to Broadway etc.  But when Amanda was going into high school she decided she'd had enough, and did not want to commit so much time to dance - so she dropped it.  We moved to another school district which was further from the dance school anyways at the time, so I really didn't mind.  She ended up going to a new dance school in the new area for recreational dance, and taught there part time during her last 2 years of high school.

I was a singer myself - I had about 8 years of private vocal lessons and entered into our local music festival every Spring from ages 10 - 18 - I won a few medals and trophies, and got leading roles in my high school musicals and once in our town's big production of "Anne of Green Gables" - I played Diana Barry, Anne's best friend.  Boy, that was a lifetime ago.

Going down for Herceptin # 13 tomorrow - it's my Bat Mitzvah infusion.  I'm taking down choc. chip cookies with pink M & Ms decorated on top for the nurses since it's Valentine's Day.  Have a good one gals.

xoxo

Caya

mer1957

Hey didn't mean to brag about my gym workout - just to point out I could be overdoing it and that's why my hip hurts but I love working out.  It really relieves my stress.  Lynn you can do abdominals but nothing else?  Or is that reversed?  Does anyone take Glucosamine?  That's what the dr advised for my hip if it is arthritis?  Any side effects?  She mentioned a certain brand but I'll have to google it. 

The head haunchos are meeting today at work - wonder what else they will take away?  I'm with you Melia, just keep as quiet as you can but it is hard. 

My kids were in karate and it was a good family thing but when the youngest wanted to quit before he got his black belt we let him.  Each child is such an individual.  Hugs

jonimb

Hello all,

Caya, I laughed out loud at your Bat Mitzvah Infusion....that is so cute!!  You must have a beautiful voice, as "Diana" had a big part in the Anne of Green Gables musical.  I went to Cavendish in PEI to see the house where she lived, it was exactly like in the story.

My sister (Janice) was the beautiful singer in our family, next to my Mom.  Mom would sing in English, French & Gaelic, and loved to sing right up until she passed.  My sister Janice was a soloist in the group "Up With People", and traveled all around Canada and even into the USA.  She's went on to become a Registered Nurse.

I got blessed with a "Kermit" the frog voice.  I was even kicked out the Grade 1 choir.

As for lessons when I was a kid, I learned skating, skiing, fishing, football, hockey, curling, swimming, playing pool, pickup sticks, whist, parcheezi, marbles, dancing from my older siblings.  The only thing that I did separate from them is I was really into rodeo.  I did a lot of barrel racing and poles and stakes when I was in my teens, all of which was taught to me by my best friend's Mom, who was a Canadian Champion.  They also owned the horse I rode, "Jay-Q".

Mary, I have heard Glucosamine is good too.  I'm going to ask my rads onc if I can take it. 

Well, tomorrow is my 1^st day of Zaps....10 days altogether.  I wonder how much radiation one body can take?  I'll be glowing on the rear end this time, so if you see a lit up butt...it's only ME!!

Viddie, hope you're having fun, I'm jealous as all get out!!

Happy Valentine's Day .....tomorrow!!!......HUGS  Joni

TPPJ

Allright Caya!  You're doing karaoke AND the kickline!  Oh, and Happy Bat Mitzvah! 

Caya

Okay Tina, but only if you join me.

Mary, I've been taking glucosamine for about 4 months - it really helped with my joint aches from both the Tamoxifen and the Herceptin - I take one pill at breakfast and one at dinner.

Joni - wow you were busy as a kid -and you're a real Western gal - rodeo - nobody in Toronto take rodeo lessons, let me tell ya'-

IowaCindy

Hi!

Just a couple of quick thoughts tonight:

I'm so envious of a trip to Prince Edward Island! It's one of my dream destinations.

Caya, I love your Bat Mistzvah infusion. Yea for a woman with endurance and humor to match.

I nominate "Firefly" or "Lightening Bug" as the nickname for Joni. *snort* Glowing butt indeed. Watch out if you're around a geiger counter.

I'm ready to crash. Happy night, all.

Cindy

PS Would you keep my friend Kate and her family in your thoughts? Her middle daughter, 22 y/o, is hospitalized with acute pancreatitis and a gall bladder the surgeon has described as a 'rock quarry'. The daughter is in some serious trouble right now. They hope to be able to operate on the gall bladder by Friday afternoon. Kate was at every surgery I had with BC, took me to chemo, helped surprise me last year with my 50th surprise party. She's a trooper. But it's hard to be a trooper when it's your baby in that bed. 

sharon56

Hey gals !

I am still here keeping up with all of your posts , my life has started to get back to the ol grind ... back to work ..... commuting in snowstorms and dark mornings .

Skye .... sooo happy for you its great when scans a B9 , my MRI on my head is ok too ... umm imagine that !

Joni ..... hope the rads relieve you and work out well .... had any chinooks out there lately ?

Rebecca . Tina .... your kids sound like too much fun , my teenage girls are kickin back now , only need me once in a while to feed them Ha ha ....

Caya ... yum baking ...

I was skating at the local rink last weekend and some little tyke cut me off , I went straight into the boards , with the gate where the hockey players come out . Right into the corner of my right chest .

Knocked the breath right outa me ...... had to sit for a while . My fear was that I might break myself ! No ..... unbreakable .... but man my right side is sore . I got back up and skated around to shake it off .... Had the little kids asking me if I was OK ...... oh yes kiddies , just a "old" momma here ! Then after that I wiped out again ........ down on the ice ... the falling was not soo bad its trying to get back up ! But i am not stopping skating , i need it , it gets me feeling like a kid again .

All Happy Valentines day All hope you get lotsa hugs and kisses ....

my dog got jealous today cause i gave hubby a smooch this morning !

TPPJ

Sharon, congrats on the good MRI.  Smashing into the boards at the rink does not sound fun.  I put my tooth through my lip one time, that way, doing a jump.

My dog gets jealous too!  It's so funny.  The kids will do a "group hug" w/me each am before they leave for school and the dog will run up and stand on his hind legs and try to get in on it, and sometimes knock the kids away from me.  It's a riot to watch.

Lynn12

Joni, thinking about you today as you get your first rads.  Please let us know how it went.

love and hugs,

Lynn

jonimb

Hi everyone,

Well I got through my 1st set of rads.  I get 3 zaps a day for the next 10 days....1 down, 9 to go.  Also, I drew RT & Acupuncture, so I will also be starting acupuncture next week.   I took in my "before" salivettes (had to put this cotton ball in between my teeth and gums for 5 minutes, morning, noon, supper time and bedtime for 3 days prior to starting rads).  

I met a young girl when I stopped by the Day Care Chemo unit, I was trying to get a change in one of my appts.  Anyways, she was going to get her 3rd chemo today.  We started chatting, and she told me she has BC.  I told her I was in the same boat as her a year ago.  Anyways, she said "And you have that much HAIR".  I laughed, I guess a year ago I felt the same way.  I told her I even had 3 haircuts already.  She started crying and said she was so scared, I gave her a big hug, and told her...it does get better...life does go on.   I sat with her until her name was called to go in for her chemo, we exchanged emails, hopefully we'll meet again.

Hugs to all of you on Valentine's Day.

Joni

TPPJ

Joni, look at you, going in for your first rads dose and you're helping a newbie get through it.  See?  This stuff isn't getting the best of you.

Salivette?  Good God.  I know more new words I'd never heard of before since this illness.

Happy Valentines Day Ladies! 

skyedivine

Hey Girlfriends,

Joni "Firefly" (good nickname call, Cindy) it's good to hear you got through those rads, and comforted someone else to boot. What do the salivettes do? Never heard of them before. And barrel racing? What an adventurer! And hey, Kermit the Frog sang a LOT and made many records!



Tina, that was some discipline you went through! I think a child has to want something like that deep inside for it to truly work. Do you ever skate now just for fun?



Caya, great Bat Mitzvah line, LOL. I also had about 8 years of vocal instruction, including my vocal minor in college which I never finished, and had the roles in HS musicals. My big day was the lead in the musical version of Miracle on 42nd Street my senior year. I also had the lead in the senior class play, I was such a ham. We still have a newspaper clipping from the Milton Courier of me "kissing" the guy who was the male lead. The weird thing is he also got cancer this past year, oral cancer of all things, and also had chemo and rads so we have commiserated by email (he's a good friend of dh so he's in on the emails too). I never considered music as a career though because I always got so many colds and allergies that I considered my voice too unreliable.



Sharon, please don't scare us by having any more crashes. Although I love it that we are all out there living life like that again and taking those chances.



I had my doc appt. today and was a bit apprehensive, wondering if they found something after all, but he said the thing on my kidney was just a very ordinary cyst. He was surprised I had picked that up from my CD of the PET scan. He thinks the thing in my T-9 vertebra is a hemangioma, which is a non-cancerous tumor formed from an enlarged blood vessel. He still proposes to keep an eye on it by having another MRI in 3 months but otherwise says there is nothing to do for it. If I'd had a biopsy of it there could well have been serious bleeding problems so things really turned out for the best. So I was pretty pleased.



I was at the radio station at 7 a.m. this morning to tape another show. We now have 3 under our belt. It is fun but also a lot of work for no pay. How do I get myself into these things? I have a new respect for those who do this for a living. It's not as easy as it sounds. We are hoping to sell it to a syndicate at some point if we get good enough.



Tina, Grendel stands and "hugs" us too but it's usually just our legs, LOL. I am looking forward to his being old enough to neuter.

Happy Valentines Day, Be Mine! - Skye

Lynn12

Joni, glad your rad went as expected. I don't know if I'd have the guts to do acupuncture.  That is so nice you helped out someone in need.  I try as much as I can to help others that were diagnosed after me.

Skye, great news from your Onc appt.! Whew!

Sharon, heal up from that fall.  My husband skates and I would love to, but I am too afraid of falling with my back problems (herniated disk).  I just can't get myself to do it...ah well.  LOL on 'just an old 'momma' here!

George was supposed to be at work today/tonight, so we have plans to go out to a nice dinner this weekend.  Turns out he ended up staying home, so we're going out for a drink after Ally comes home from work.

Happy Valentines Day!