please help

Anonymous

Dear ones,

Last night I wrote a note. I was almost, but not quite, finished. I closed another window I had opened to get it out of the way. Or so I thought. It was my browser. All was lost. Hope you all enjoyed my words through telepathy 'cause I'm not doing it again. They were all positive and loving.

Tonight I am exhausted to the point of deep depression...trying to hang shelves and pictures, get out boxes of books...nothing is going right. These are the things one should not do alone...especially one whose body is falling apart, at least. I'm in pain. I"m missing my family. I hate this new life of mine.  I'm going to quit now and pretend I'm Lisa or Fumi for a while. Keep up the stories, you guys!

Judie 

honeygirl

Judie , big , big BIG hugs to you sister! Now , no hanging shelves , no unpacking of boxes. Don't do another thing. You need to rest. If you're anything like I am when I move , my mind keeps racing on to the next thing I have to "unpack" or put up or organize. But your body just can't keep up! And then you end up frustrated , depressed , and I usually end up in a teary heap! So please Judie , stop for a while. Believe me , it will be there tomorrow , and you will be rested and all will go as planned. I know you miss you family. But they are not that far away. And we are always here for you.xxxx Go ahead and be Fumi , I'm gonna be Lisa , and tell Dennis ," why fiddle-lee-dee , you may hire me a cleaning team starting tomorrow! Theres always tomorrow at Tara!lol

Love you Judie , xxxxx Melody

Wren

Fumi,

Thank you for the funny missing panties story. I can just imagine you looking everywhere and then the relief you felt when you found them.

Anne, a BEAR was in your KITCHEN? I would have been so freaked out! I guess it's a good thing you weren't home. Sure hope that ammonia works. Wow!

Judie, I hope you feel better soon. Moving, settling in, changing is tiring and takes time. Soon you will get a new routine. I'm thinking of you.

I've been doing "spring cleaning" a season late and it's making me sore and tired. We moved into our house about two weeks after my diagnosis last year--the same day I met my breast surgeon--and six days later I had my first surgery... Then I had three more surgeries, which brings me up to now. (I haven't even lived in this house a year yet).

I am finally deep cleaning my house (as much as I can) one chore at a time, and doing it just the way I like it. Thankfully, I've had help this past year, but I never felt like I had a chance to settle in and really clean things...  On the one hand it feels great to be able to do it, but on the other hand it sure hurts my pecs and muscles that haven't been doing much. I have fibromyalgia too so sometimes I can overdo it... and then I just have to stop for a bit. Oh well, I am loving my little house all on one floor. It is so much easier to take care of.

Hugs to you all.

geebung

(((((Judie))))) - Did you know that moving house is right up there with life's major stresses? I think death of a loved one is the highest, then divorce and serious illness and I'm sure moving is close behind the top three. No wonder you feel tired and depressed! You've aready experienced the top  three, haven't you? And now this! You must rest. Take Agnes to bed with you and listen to her purr, play yourself some soothing music and light some candles. I am sending you soothing energies and prayers that you will let everything go until you have rested.

Wren, you will get there. It sounds as though you are being sensible and doing it slowly. The last time I moved house I was working night shift at a factory. I just bundled everything into garbage bags, threw them into the rent-a-truck and my kids loaded the heavier stuff. I was in a daze of tiredness. Then I left my factory job and went back to full-time study - I don't think I every had time to get organised! So you are doing really well. It's so good to hear that you are happy in your dear little house.

Karen - where are you? Are you ok? Haven't heard from you for a while, sweet sister. Please check in and let us know how you are.

And our lovely Sue - I know you are flat out. Do you have any time off this weekend? Hope you have a little time to relax. 

It's off to bed for me. I'm sooo tired tonight. Wishing you all great moments this weekend. 

Love to everyone,

Jane xxx 

NancyD

Judie, is there a common bulletin board somewhere in the senior complex? If so, why not tack up a notice looking for a handyman for light chores like hanging shelves?  I'll bet there's a resident that would be able to do those kinds of things...and you'd meet a neighbor, perhaps make a friend. If money is a concern, you might offer to barter.

I'm still sore, but improving. My surgeon says I'm coming along very well.

I have my next chemo a week from today. (Did anyone else have theirs split up like this? I seem to be the only one that's had their surgery in the midst of it.) My oncologists are moving to/opening their new offices that day. I'm hoping things aren't all disorganized, but they really could use more space. Sometimes there was a wait for one of the recliner chairs. They'd start you while you sat in a regular chair and then as someone finished and left, you'd move over. It really was a socio lesson...some of the chairs were more padded (and therefore more comfortable) than others. They were always the first to go. So when one became available, there was a kind of "musical chairs" as people shuttled around trying to get it.

They finally had a TV in the treatment room last time I was there, but I'm not sure it was a great idea. I have no idea who controlled the channel selection. There were about ten people getting treatment, and I'm sure we would not have picked the same show to watch.  I'll just bring my little personal DVD player and a few shows to watch on my own.

After a few really big storms that blew through here in the last couple of days, we seem to be settled back into beautiful summer weather. I hope everyone can relax and have a nice weekend.

lvtwoqlt

Anne, there has been a bear spotted in the Lake Hickory area this summer. And someone told me this morning that there was another sighting here in the Hudson area. I knew ammonia sprayed on garbage cans is supposed to keep dogs out of them. At least he didn't do any major damage to the house, just snacking.

Your ABBA CD's would be great if I had a cd player in my car. I have a 2002 focus and it has a cassette player not a cd player. I have an XM radio but when we traded cars, I have not gotten it installed in my new car yet.

Sheila

Shirlann

Oh Anne, that is something else.  We were in Yosemite, in a tent, and a bear picked up our ice chest and threw it against the trees until it popped open, we sat in the tent, heard him/her rummaging around, he ate a pound of butter, two packages of lunch meat,  and everything else we had in there.  I am glad, though, that we didn't put the chest in the car.  They are so good, now, they can open car doors if they are not locked.

They love peanut butter, probably was full, if that is possible, or you did scare him away.  My favorite story, and this video was on You-Tube, a huge black bear came every night and swam for about 1/2 hour in these people's pool, then he sat in the hot tub, I swear, just like we do, before he lumbered off into the forest.  The people loved it, but finally had to call animal control.  It is a riot.

I feel sorry for the bears.  They have not enemies (that they know of) so they lumber around, taking what they want, and humans don't like that one bit.

Hugs, Shirlann 

livesstrong

OMG Ann!!!  What a fantastic story!!!  I would have love to seen the bear in action!! LOL.  A long time ago I was camping in western Virginia along the Appalachian Trail and the park ranger had a class on what to do to avoid bears coming into your campsite.  I learned so much that trip.  The campground had to bury the garbage cans in th ground because the bears would just knock them over.  We did see a bear. He was lumbering thru one morning and some of the stupid campers were running after him to get a picture!!

Another time UB & I rented a log home in the Adirondack Mountains in NY. They were having an  usually hot  spell there and the house wasn't air conditioned.  The first night we decided to sleep on the floor in the living room  keeping the sliding glsss door open because it was cooler.  The next morning the owner of the house told use to be on guard because there was a bear in the area.  Sure enough, when we were driving out to go to town a bear crossed the road right in front of us.  All I could think of is what if that bear came in the house in the middle of the night?!!! 

Anyway, great story!!

Hugs to all,

AE 

honeygirl

Hey everyone , its Christmas in July!

I hope you all had a great "Christmas in July" today! I drove everyone crazy at work singing Christmas songs! Only 6 more months till Christmas! I love Christmas. Can't wait...

Wow , what stories. Undies that "almost" got sent to New Zealand , sooooo funny Fumi. And a bear in Anne's house!?! Oh my. I would have been scared to death. In the summer here , they are always spotting bears coming here from Pennslyvania. And it always makes me nervous when I am out in my yard.Because we have woods behind our house. And two years ago , a lady who lives about 10 miles south of us , had a bear come into her house and attack her! Her daughter was home and thought to get some lunchmeat out of the fridg and threw it at the bear so it would get off her mom. And it worked! They were on Oprah. I don't know if any of you seen it. But it was really scary and her daughter really saved her mom's life. Just be careful Anne , I don't want you to be on Oprah that way!

Karen! Where are you honey!?! We are concerned and wondering where you are. Hope all is OK with you and your family. I know you were having some computer problems , maybe thats why you aren't here. Hope you're OK. Love you.xxxx

Hey Sue! Come on now girl , you have to check in and say Boo! We miss you and hope all is well.xxxxx

Judie , hope you are in better spirits and things are going alittle smoother for you. Please let us know how you are. You know how we all worry about each other. Give Agnes a big hug for me.xxxx Oh , I LOVED the pics you shared. I love what you all made for the winery to hand out to their guests. You are so thoughtful and creative. I want to come go to the winery with you too! And then we can go to the "city" and get a cup of caffe' and head to the library... xxxx

Hi Lisa! Where are you girlfriend? Are you on a date with Mr. wonderful? I hope so! Hope you are feeling better and having a great time. Hey , I am free in August , except for the 9th. Which is a Saturday anyway. Let me know if you are free to get together. I know you have quite the social life now!lol Good for you!xxxx

Hey Jane! Aren't you moving soon? I can't remember jack , but I thought it should be soon for your big move. Hope you are doing well. You must post a pic sometime of you and your hubby. Would love to see him. How are all your darling sons doing? Are they still traveling? Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.xxxx

Nancy , sounds like you are healing very well. I am so glad. I didn't have chemo before my surgery. I have read of other women here having it before to shrink a large tumor down , and then doing the surgery. How long is your post-surgery chemo for? You seemed to have done well with the first chemo , I hope you do the same with the next.xxxx

Sheila , count me in as a Abba fan! Love all their music. My son has a CD player he can plug into his cigarette lighter and it plays in his car. Maybe you can get one of those.xxxx

Ulla , hope you are having a good moment sweetie. I miss you. Hope your test all come out b9. You are in my prayers always.Love you sister.xxxx

AE and UB , hope you are having a good weekend. I say , go out on that great patio , pop open a couple of bevos and relax! Love you both. xxxx

Shirlann , I feel so sorry for the bears too. Especially with all the fires , they have nowhere to go. Except to where we all are. I'm just so glad when they can tranquilize them and take them somewhere they are safe. Oh , congrats on the many years of marriage. I'm sure there were ups and downs , but you stayed and made a wonderful life long memories. You really are my hero Shirlann. Love you.xxxx

Wren , so good to hear from you. My niece was just diagnosed with fibromyalgia. It can be soooo painful. Remember to do alittle at a time with the "spring" cleaning. But it does feel so good to have a deep cleaned house. Enjoy your home!xxxx

All my other sisters , Have a great weekend. Oh , and thanks for your replies on the colonoscopy. I will probably call my pc and see if I can get something sooner. Just want to get it over with! Love you all. Hugs and prayers , Melody

AnneW

Part two of the Bear Adventure:

I left this morning to go work out. Locked the patio door to the deck, figured that would suffice. I came home in the afternoon to a mess in the kitchen, the slider door off its track, the trim around the door jamb and lock shattered, and my freezer drawer wide open.

Damn bear! He definitely has a sweet tooth. He ate a new jar of peanut butter, a stuck of butter, a loaf of bread, and bag full of frozen pine nuts, and two boxes of ice cream sandwiches!

Dirt was everywhere, and the kitties were freaked out.

I called the Dept of Wildlife again, and a man came out tonight to set up a pepper spray device, with a rag soaked in honey and bacon grease for bait. We also got some rubber buckshot for our 12 gauge shotgun, in case we get a close look. The DOW guy kind of chastised us for having any doors open at all (crap, it's summer, and hot, and we don't have A/C in the mountains!) But this bear broke down a locked door! I hope this scare tactic works. I'd hate for them to have to trap it and kill it. But it's getting aggressive.

This happened to our neighbor two years ago. DOW set a trap. The bear recognized it (we think) and that was the last of the trouble.

I'm thinking about borrowing a friend's dog for a while. Maybe that would be enough threat. He's a good sized black bear--I'd guess about 250 pounds. I couldn't tell if he's been tagged as a "relocated offender" or not. DOW had to put down a bear in town yesterday, and they got all kinds of bad press and stuff. Boulder is unique in wanting to protect wildlife over people, unless it's in their back yard. That's why town is overrun with plague-infested pririe dogs."They're so cute!" Hmph. Just plain rodents, to me.

Anyway, I hope this does the trick. And we'll have to leave deck doors completely shut for a while, not just propped open even a little. Crap.

Well, now that all the snacks are out of the house, I should have no excuse for healthier living and losing a pound or two!

To be continued...

Anne

Anonymous

Mel, thanks for the hugs and concern. I gave Agnes lots of hugs for you. I know my body is telling me it can't keep up, but I just don't know what else to do but keep going. I have had to go more slowly today. I gave in and started taking pain meds. That should help.

Wren, trying to do spring cleaning with fibromyalgia...I fully understand. Diagnosis in the middle of crisis...that, too. You are clearly a tough, determined lady. I'm glad you are enjoying your new home.

Anne, I love bears. We had them raiding compost much of the spring when I lived in Holden Village. We had to absolutely ignore them so that they didn't get comfortable with humans. Some years they had done so and started raiding the food inside the community kitchen and had to be relocated, possibly euthanized, so we were careful. But in your own private kitchen!!! Wow! As a little kid, I was one of those tourists driving through Yellowstone with a bag of marshmallows to feed every bear we met on the road. We'd toss them, and if we could entice one to come close, roll down the window and feed them by hand. I'm amazed that I still have a hand!!! One year when I was about 8, I was wading in a creek there and came face to face with a huge moose. It was fun.

OMG!!! I just read your update. This is getting scary. Please be careful. I agree about rodents. Yes, they are cute...where they belong.

Fumi, you brought sunshine in an otherwise bleak day. The vision of Pooh baby opening a package from his very new girlfriend and finding panties....hysterical to say the least! He would either have run away in terror or caught the first flight to Osaka.

Nancy, I have followed you with interest...Your treatment has been intense, yet you seem to just go with the flow. Much, much admiration and support from here. It seems you are doing it all at once. Doing it through an office move with the situation you describe is remarkable.

There is a bulletin board here, but money is impossible and barter would take more energy than I have at the moment. I haven't gotten to know anyone but I do know that of over 80 tenants I am one of only three who still drive, so I probably have more energy than most here. I just have to slow down a bit, I think.

Jane, you're almost right...I've not only experienced the top three, but the top four...death(s) of loved ones, diagnosis, divorce, three moves. I suppose I've earned the stress level I feel. I have to giggle, though, at your advice. Agnes is, shall we say, a rather unique feline. She does not cuddle...that is a posture of submission and she is at all times the dominant resident in our home. She would enjoy the music, I suppose, but much prefers that I do the singing, which would negate the relaxation for me. I did, however, take a couple of pain pills and turn on music for myself. For the first time in a very long time, I slept last night. Agnes slept in her usual place...perched atop my hip, carefully balanced.

All the love, hugs, and concern after I posted my "poor me" whine meant more than you can know. As usual, the cure arrived from the cosmos, unexpected. My son called at about 7 and asked if he and Connor could drop by for a visit. He wanted to get out of the house. He brought a couple of slices of the Pagliacci Pizza seasonal special...smoked salmon. Connor brightened up the chaotic room. I got out the marble game...a toy my mother had kept around for visits from her grandchildren. I had purchased one for my youngest son and he had recently brought it to me for Connor. It was the first time it had been out. I tried to capture the joy, passion, fascination, excitement on his face, but my camera died after one shot. It would not have captured the squeals, jumps, giggles, and exhuberance, anyway. It was utterly joyful. They reluctantly dragged themselves out the door at 11pm. Cai had as much fun building as Connor did dropping the marbles in and watching them go. Enough happy energy was stored in the air and walls to make today bearable.

Hope this brings a bit of the uplift to all of you that I experienced!

Judie

geebung

Oh Judie - he's the sweetest little guy! Sooo cute! I'm so glad they called in and brought you some joy - you sure needed it. I know that chaotic feeling when you move - so hard to know where to begin unpacking. Just whittle it away and pace yourself - it will get done eventually! Agnes sounds like the cat Ihad before Possum. He hated cuddles. The temperature would have to be down near freezing point before he would submit to such behaviour. Yet he loved sleeping on my bed on cold winter nights. He was such a character!

Anne - how scary! I can't begin to imagine what it must feel like to have had your house invaded by a bear. I do hope the deterrents work and they can relocate your hairy intruder. When I was in the US in the mid 1980s there were chipmunks everywhere which we fed with peanuts. After a couple of weeks of cooing over them and feeding them by hand, we saw a notice telling people not to feed them - that they might carry rabies!They were such cute little things.

Where I walk in the mornings there are lots of kangaroos. There is a pretty female with a joey in her pouch and she always stands still, watching me until I get quite close to her (the joey has a good look at me too!) before she laboriously hops away. The joey is almost too big for her pouch but it must be cosy for him/her. I was thinking the other day that it is a good thing they only eat grass - imagine if they were carnivors! I don't think I would be walking anywhere if they were!

Melody - I don't think I will be moving for a while. My dh is doing the repairs to my house with occasional help from mates but...it's taking a long time as he only has the weekends to do the renovations. He's rather slow - even though he does a good job! I think it will be a while before we move. I will try to get a photo - I'm out of practice with photobucket - I'll have to relearn what to do.

Sheila, when I met my first husband in 1976 he was a big ABBA fan. I wasn't all that keen in those days - I liked heavier stuff! But they were a great group and their music has stood the test of time. I wanted to see Mamma Mia last week but was too busy. It sounds like a wonderful hour or so of joyful escapism.

Nancy -  I echo what Judie said about how well you cope with your treatments. Are you extremely brave or have they not been too bad? I'm so glad you are healing well although I'm sure you must be still sore. How are you managing with housework, shopping etc? I hope the change of premises doesn't prove to be too disruptive and that you get a comfy chair.

Jane xxx 

honeygirl

Oh Anne!!! Lions and tigers and bears in the kitchen , OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would run like the wind and not look back. I would have a for sale sign up so fast. As you can tell , I am a big scareied cat! Snakes , spiders , that doesn't bother me. But anything that can run faster than me , and enjoys eating me , I'm done! Please , be careful. I know you are , but this is so scary. And he sure has a big appetite. I hope they can capture and remove him to another area for his and your safety. Good luck!xxxx

Hi Judie! What a sweet doll baby he is! Awww , so cute! He would definetely brighter up anyone day. Wow , I love that marble game. I don't think I have ever seen that. I could see how a child could have hours of fun with that. Your mom was a thoughtful grandma , just like you! I'm so glad your son called , and came to visit. I'm sure he misses you as you miss him. I know when I get alone time with my son , its always relaxing and appreciated. Glad you took some meds and was able to sleep. Agnes sounds like she is probably saying " tell that woman not to send me hugs! Just admire me from afar!" Cats are so cool. I love'em. Have a good weekend.xxxx

Hi Jane , sorry the move will take longer. But at least you know it will. Its good your hubby is doing a slower , but good job than rushing through it. It will be for the best in the long run. Hope you are having a great weekend.xxxx

Shirlann

Hi sisters, Anne that is soooo hilarious (as long as the bear is in your kitchen)  I presume it is a black bear, they are pretty nice, as bears go, not as grouchy as grizzlies.  I can't wait to tell Walt about this latest encounter.

Oh, kangaroos, how wonderful, all the zoos in the world cannot come close to seeing the creatures where they live.  I feel so sorry, especially for the elephants, they walk, in the wild around 50 miles a day, live in close family units (all females) and are together for life.  How horrible that they are in a tiny enclosure with a chain around their leg.  A few zoos are closing their exhibits.  In Tanzania, in the Ngorogoro Crater, there is plenty of safe, sheltered room for them, they should all be sent back.  The Crater is a UN Heritage protected area and you go down into it in 4 wheel drive, so no one is poaching there.   A man who worked at a zoo had just flown back from Africa, and he put on the same boots to go to the zoo this day, and an elephant, who had been taken away as an infant, smelled his boots and went nuts.  She trumpeted, and shook her trunk, went berzerk.  Imagine, remembering the smell from all those years ago.  And then a zoo took it's one remaining elephant to a refuge here in the South.  She had not had over 25 feet of room all her life.  She just froze when she saw the trees and the pond and stream.  Then, another elephant ran to her, and believe it or not, they had been in the same circus at some point in their lives.  They entwined trunks, trumpeted and are now inseparable.  The black man who had cared for the first elephant for many years, just stood at the gate and cried.  He said, "She is my family, I will miss her, but on one will ever put a chain on her foot again".

Judie, what a precious doll!  I miss my grandchildren, they all grew up when I wasn't looking, faster than my own kids.  So hug and kiss all you can, it is a short time!

Hugs and kisses, to Jane, Fumi, Melody, Sheila, Ulla, Sue Bug, AE & UB, Nancy and Karen, and anyone I missed, Shirlann

PS:  This is Cleo, our new kitty, she is my new avatar, I got sick of looking at my face and the pix is 5 years old and I don't look the same! 

sueps

HI Sisters xxx

Havent read up the psts yet...just got in after a bad 12 hour shift

PLEASE HELP

I think bootface is back. My other breast has been sore all week ...and lumpy ...and the pain goes all the way under my arm,.... I am shivery with it like I was last July .... it is on fire...

I am just gonna get a drink. I am crying inside ....xxx

I really miss you all ...its been a bad week workwise havent been off for any days ...and had to network around Manchester ... HELP HELP HELP.... how come after all that chemo xxx

honeygirl

Hi Sue , I am so sorry you are feeling bad and so upset. Since we have had bootface , every ache and pain or weirdness we immediately think bootface! Just think of all the times just on this thread , that we had something hurting , not right etc... And I don't think anyone had a reocurrance of any kind. I remember when I found the lump in my arm pit. Warning , warning , danger , danger its bootface , thats what I thought. But it wasn't. It turned out to be a sweaty , sebaceous cyst. Then there was the pain in back , neck area. I knew it was mets. Wrong! It was a herniated disk that lead to a pinched nerve. There is no reason for you not to have fibrocystic "breast". Please hang in there Sue. See your doc to ease your mind. Have a stiff one , or a cup of coffee , which ever helps. Love you girl , xxxx Mel

honeygirl

Sue honey , please try to calm down. You have been working soooo hard and long hours. You have got to be tired. And that always magnifies everything. I know its hard not to worry. But try to relax a little. I know how fear can physically make you feel pain. I was on xanax for a couple of years along time ago. I thought I was having a heart attack everyday. It was horrible. Remember , worry is for shit! Take care sweet Sue.xxxx Mel

Ka-Loni

Hi Sue, Oh Sweetie, First, Just take a deep breath in and out. No Panicking here lady! OK, I know your very, very busy. Sometimes, things happen with our bodies, whether it is a headache, or pain elsewhere like the breast. And, we automatically jump and hit the ceiling! Thinking it is Bootface again. Not neccessarily sweetie. We will always have this fear inside us. And, sometimes when were tired, our minds go wild on us. And we start imagining things happening to us. Your fine. I really feel your fine. For now, if you do take xanax, or an anti-anxiety medicine. Take it. And, lay down and rest your mind. I will check back later my sweetie. Bye.

God Bless,  

Love,Kaloni

sueps

It could be costocondritis xxx heavy lifting ...trauma...my head is spinning..xx I am goin to read xxx

Shirlann

Sue, honey, it is not the cancer, if it was you would be a record for recurrences.  And cancer doesn't act like that anyway.  You are just tired, need a month off, and you are doing a fairly strenuous physical job.  And that is just making everything flair up.  But go to the clinic, you will feel much better when they tell you that you are fine.  And it no doubt is Costochondritis, it comes on about now.  But it is usually from rads.  Still, pinch the skin and see if it hurts, this is not a legitimate test, of course, but it it hurts, it is not cancer, as a rule.

But go in, honey, you need to talk to them.  Tell them all the things that are hurting you.  Then you will rest better.

Oh, check the calendar and see if you are near a period, this could explain the whole lot of symptoms. 

Love you little one, Shirlann 

geebung

(((((((Sue))))))) Please know that I am thinking of you and praying that you will feel peace. I think it's a good idea to go to your doctor so that they can give you the all clear. You work so incredibly hard and this takes its toll - mentally and physically. Please listen to Shirlann and the others. These symptoms are almost certainly not sinister.

Hugs and love to you, sweet girl.

Jane xoxoxxo 

geebung

Shirlann - Cleo is such a beautiful cat! But your face was always a joy to see - no way did I get sick of looking at it.

I love elephants. Thank you for that moving story. They are so intelligent and have such close family and social networks.  

xxx 

portiasproudmom

Geez!  I finally get my internet access back, and the first post I write is lost before I can submit it!  Grrrrrrr! 

I'm sorry to have worried you, my dear Jane and Mel.  You are so sweet to worry about me.  I love you both (and all my other dear sisters here).

Sue, I refuse to even consider the possibility that bootface has returned in your other breast.  No way!  Not with the chemo regimen you where on.  Nothing could have survived that.  ((((Sue)))) 

Jane, I was so sad to hear the news of sweet Possum.  It breaks my heart to hear stories of lost furbabies.  She was so lucky to have you for even a short amount of time.  I'm sure she adored you.  You are just so kind, sweet, and good-hearted.  Love you Jane!!

Anne, I had goosebumps reading your bear stories.  I would have peed my pants!  Please be careful.  I hope the ammonia does the trick.

Fumi and Lisa--I loved reading about the new men in your lives.  They both sound wonderful!  Please keep us all posted!  I'm thrilled for you both.

Wren, I saw Momma Mia with Portia on her birthday last Tuesday.  It was so much fun!  I've been a closet ABBA fan since I was a little girl.  Portia and I sang along with the songs and had a great time.

Well, we've had an addition to our family since I last posted.  Ladies, I'd like you to meet Rusty.

He's ten weeks old, and the most adorable little guy!  Everyone (with the exception of Tinker) adores him. 

Love to Mel, Shirlann, Judie, Nancy, Sheila, Jule, Kaloni, Ulla, Suebee, AE and UB, and anyone I may be forgetting. 

Hugs,

Karen

portiasproudmom

Oh!  Forgot to update you all on the most recent news about my dad.  He's been in the hospital since yesterday morning.  His heart failure has caused him to retain so much fluid, that they had to admit him and give him hard-core diuretics.  He's very weak now because this process of the body ridding itself of excess water, is very hard on the heart.  He may not be able to go home right away.  God help us if he has to go to rehab to regain his strength.  He's going absolutely stir-crazy at the hospital.  He is NOT a good patient.  At least my mom is getting some rest.  He's been having horrible anxiety attacks every night, and he keeps her up.  It's been really ugly.  I feel sorry for them both.

Hugs,

Karen

geebung

Oh Karen!!! He's so beautiful! I love Golden Retrievers! I also love your new photo of yourself and Chase. You look so pretty with your hair like that. Thank you for your kind words about Possum. Love you too sweet girl.

I'm so sorry your father is not doing well. He sounds like a man who is used to being active and it must be so hard for him to be confined to hospital, the poor guy. I'm glad your mother is getting a rest though. These things are so complicated - I do feel for you all.

Hugs,

Jane xxx 

Shirlann

Oh Karen, I am so sorry about your folks.  This is so hard, on both of them.

The puppy is ADORABLE!  I just love Goldens, I can see he is one lucky dog!

Gotta run, today, hugs, Shirlann 

livesstrong

Hello Ladies,

WOW!!  I'm not here in 2 days and things have been crazy.  Bears, puppys, marbles, ABBA, joeys,  how's a girl to keep up??

Anne - what a terrible problem you have.  Believe it or not bears are starting to rebound here in NJ and are causing havoc in peoples homes. There has been an on going war over a bear hunt here for the past 3years. Its just a terrible situation.  

Karen - YOUR BACK!!  Whoopie!!  Love, Love, Love the puppy. He is a beauty.  Chase must be thrilled.  So sorry to hear about your Dad. I will keep him in my prayers.

Judie - slow down girl!!  It will be there in the moring.  No need to rush.  Love the marble game - I never saw it before.  And your grandson................. I just want to hug him he is so cute. 

Lisa - where are you???

Jane - sorry to hear the house is taking longer then expected.  I know how much you want to get in there.

Mel - I just love reading your posts.  You have such a way with words.

Nancy - glad you are on the mend.

Now Sue - THERE IS NO WAY POSSIBLE BOOTFACE IS BACK - YOU HEAR ME?  My guess is it's your hormones.  Didn't you always have problems when you got your period?  My darn boobs are so lumpy they feel like pebbles on a beach.  I'm sure it is nothing - BUT - get it checked for your peace of mind - you hear me missy???

 Gotta run,

I'll check back later,

Hugs,

AE 

Oh, by the way, was never a big fan of ABBA!! lol 

portiasproudmom

Hi everyone!  Hope you're all having a lovely Sunday. 

It's been partly cloudy and a little bit chilly here today.  The dogs are happy about it.  Goldens look gorgeous with their long, fluffy hair, but they get so HOT!  Poor little Rusty is panting nearly as much as Buddy.  Rhuel is on his way over to my parent's house to get our little kiddy wading pool out of storage.  Rusty loves water--I'm sure you noticed that he's wet in all of the pictures I posted.  He runs out to the sprinkler and bites at the water coming out.  It's hysterical!  I'm sure he'll have loads of fun in the pool. 

Things are the same with my dad.  They probably won't release him from the hospital until Tuesday.  We still don't know if he'll be able to return home right away or not. 

Take care, all!

Love and hugs,

Karen

portiasproudmom

OMG.  If you guys haven't seen this yet, it's sure to make you tear up at the very least.  I cried like a baby when I saw it on The View last week.  So very cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U&eurl=http://mfrost.typepad.co

Hugs,

Karen

nowheregirl

Hi all,

Sorry I have been a bit quiet. Looks like my life has taken a wrong turn at the moment. Although the groin pain has just slightly subsided, I've got these nasty skin rashes in my right arm that itch like hell and look pretty gross. Decided to see the dermatologist today (I'm off today) and just about when I was to leave, I figured out that my car wouldn't start. Gave it up quickly and decided to go by bike although the heat was really bad. Then found my bike being pulled down by somebody. Of course something went wrong and it needs to be fixed. Managed to get to the dermatologist, turned out I've got an allergic reaction to the UV rays. Now I have groin pain that still hurts badly, an allergic reaction and skin rashes, a bike that needs to be fixed and a car that wouldn't start at all. My life at the moment seems pretty miserable especially when I have no one neaby that I could lean on. I don't even know when I could say enough is enough.

Big sigh,

Fumi