Starting Chemo May 2008

KristyAnn

Noelle,

You gotta tell us more than that- hubby and I are struggling to find any position that doesnt hurt something- between the one boob and now the rads skin that itches almost constantly........

Sable

Happy MSDCW month!!!!!!!!!

Gracie~ if you are willing to share I'd love to have your choc cherry recipe..... pweasssseeeee :O)

Roxi65229

Hear Hear! Let's toast Jackie, last chemo, last rads for Cris, and Noelle's birthday! And all of us for moving on and preparing for the best 09 ever! Kerry, I had my youngest attend a class that she hated at first. It was through the Girls Scouts. I'm assuming you have the girls scouts organization there. They use the newmoon.com website as a model. She just told me yesterday (three years later) that it made her see herself in a whole new light. I agree, you are doing an amazing thing with those girls. I need to start baking....all the baked goods sound delightful!  Noelle, too bad my daughter isn't closer for you. She's looking for a job for 6 weeks when she'll return back to college.  New position? Hmmm? Had my blood draw for the genetic test. Should know by the holidays! Got a new doctor, an internist. I'll see her next Thursday.  

Roxi65229

Oh yeah, officially ditched the wig on Thanksgiving. Everyone at work today complimented my hair. I'm packing all my cancer crap up in a box and moving it to the basement. 

sueper13

I love the idea of celebrating our wonderfulness for a whole month!!!  I just got home from work and boy, are my arms tired.  We have headquarters muckety-mucks coming tomorrow to tell us what we are doing wrong and I have to be there at 7 a.m. and wear a power suit, because my job is to ARGUE with muckety-mucks in a very respectful, albe-to-back-myself-up-with-rules-in-black-and-white, PERSISTENT manner.  It's a fine line I have to walk, in other words.  Kerry, could you have CHIC for us?  Eddie, I love your moment, I have had some of those too.  When we chose our land a couple of weeks ago, I could see us sitting in rocking chairs on the front porch with white hair and wrinkles. Mary, glad you ditched the wig.  I don't know when (if) I'll ditch the fedoras--I love the look!!!  Kristy, great proclamation! and rock, great idea....

Hope everyone has a great night!

Love,

Sue

ellenoire

Happy MsD-COW Month! ok, on the eve of my birthday I will share my position with you. Lest I turn this into the MOJO thread I'll only share as much as you guys can handle, so let me know when you want more positions.

I don't have rads burns, so I can lie on my Mast side now without too much trouble. 

This position is not that complicated, it might test your hip flexibilty but it can work. Lying on your sides face to face( keep in mind foreplay was quick on this one as we had not seen each other in a week) Chest to chest. The reason this worked well with no boob on the bed side was that he could get his bent arm up closer to my flat chest and up to my face and neck. The lower half part was that I had my upper leg bent and up high enough to allow for penetration( I warned you on the hip flexibility thing but if you lean back a little you can make it work) Also, because of the no boob side he could be really close to that side and lean up on his arm and kiss my other breast while still keeping hip to hip contact. Make sense?? Try it anyway! You' have fun trying.

Most of our other positions are spoon-like with him behind or the X position. These are both how we did it when the mast side was too sore for me to lie on it.

The other day a female friend (who is under 30, and not too experienced) who has bruised ribs was complaining that sex was too difficult. We told her that if we could find positions 5 days after my surgery that did not hurt me then we are sure she can work through sex with bruised ribs.

In an hour I turn 42. I got My best Birthday gift already! I got to talk to Rock!!!!! I realized, like with talking to Kristy a few weeks ago... that through all of this none of this has made the step to make plans to talk on the phone with each other!  I think we could have talked for about 3 days! Ladies, I am looking soooo forward to getting to know each and every one of you... in person, on the phone, on FaceBook or wherever we meet.... it is one more step to normal, but as we have said... WE are awesome... and I wouldn't trade cancer if it meant losing all y'all! 

MsD-COW! month here we come!

xoN 

 

otter

OMG, I've been sitting here scratching my head, wondering why anyone would be giving monosodium glutamate (MSD) to cows, and why Noelle was all excited about it.  Really.

But then, Noelle has some really interesting ways to get excited.  <blush>

Or was that a hot flash?

otter 

familyroks

If I didn't hate talking on the phone I'd call you for your birthday...we'd last 30 seconds....maybe!  I'm so boring.  I'm shooting to be the first to wish you HB on FB!

Thanks for the "tips"!

Ms D Cow...lol...reminds me of my 911 call this a.m. because the local cows broke out of jail and were tempting the highway.  Everyone was safe. "911 ..What emergency are you reporting?"  OY!  MsDCow to all my beautiful May friends.

Extra special hugs to Rock.  Love you.

familyroks

Happy Birthday Noelle!

rock

MWAH! MWAH! MWAH! MWAH!  (Those are supposed to be big "no more rads" "no more chemo" "happy birthday to you" and "you guys are the best" kisses.)

And I LOVE the resolution!

December 2nd! GOOOOOOOO, US!

P.S. Thank you, women. I've cried myself into dehydration.  It was lovely to talk to you, Noelle. It really was.  (I especially loved the sound of your son.)

rock

KristyAnn,

This resolution is so most excellent that I wanted to make sure it didn't get overlooked so I copied it here.  (Do you write these things for a living? It is MARVELOUS! And wonderfully captures the spirit of us.)

=========================================================

During May 2008 Sisters Day of Celebrating our Wonderfulness Month, we underscore our commitment to raising our spirits, hopes and dreams for our futures post breast cancer.

All of the wonderful women in this group had travelled a very long and often difficult road in their battle against breast cancer. All of the wonderful women in this group have chosen to overcome this adversity and chosen to allow their experience to make them more wonderful than ever before.

All of the wonderful women of May 2008 are committed to themselves, their friends, families and women everywhere.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, as representative of all the women of May 2008 , by virtue of the complete lack of authority other than the will to have this month, do hereby proclaim December 2008 as May 2008 Sisters Day of Celebrating our Wonderfulness Month.

=================================================================

drcrisc

Kristy - That is the best proclomation ever!  And twice as fitting since you started this thread.  I remember when I was "floating" around looking for a May thang, and you pointed me here from some other thread.  Thanks. 

Noelle - Well, Happy Birthday, girl. 

Jen - OMG.  Those sound sooooo gooooood!!! 

Rock - I don't know if you know anything about Spongebob (I am blessed with a 5 year old that does), but your original request made me think of a song called "The Best Day Ever", so tomorrow is going to be "The beeeest daaaaaay everrrrrrrrr!"

Gracie/Jackie - Chemooooooooo!!!!!!!

Apparently, my gift from Thanksgiving day was a pulled muscle in my shoulder which has been getting steadily worse.  The good news is I did get the PA in the rad onc's office to give me a muscle relaxant for it (because I just didn't want to have another doctor's appointment today); the bad news is I didn't get to take one until after 7 PM.  So while I'm really in the mood to write a whole bunch more, my neck, shoulder and arm are killing me in this position.  HAPPY MsDCOW DAY!!!!!!

lewing

Happy MSDCOW month!  And Ms D Cow month!  And mSdCoW and whatever month!

Happy happy happy birthday to Noelle!  Happy last chemooo to Jackie!  Happy last rads to Cris!

Happy baking (and even happier eating) in Jen's household!

And a long, long, happy basement sojurn to Mary's cancer crap!

My goodness, I think the exclamation point on this keyboard is wearing out!

(Had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Chicago.  There's a new baby in Eric's family - young Henry, 6 weeks old - so everyone descended on his brother and SIL's house to eat and hold Henry and play with his 2-year-old big sister.  Even with a stuffy nose and cough - poor guy - Henry was delightful.  The whole weekend was delightful, in fact . . . except for the long drive home through rain and snow and sleet.)

Linda

Gracie713

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOELLE! May it be a great one!

HAPPY LAST RADS CRIS!  

HAPPY MSDCOW  MONTH!

 HAPPY LAST CHEMO TO ME!  (DH has camera ready!)

Jen-will PM you later!

KristyAnn

Happy Birthday Noelle!

Yeah for Cris and the end of RADS!

Great last day of chemo Gracie!

Happy Day 2 of OUR MONTH to everyone else!

Kristy

familyroks

YAY!! Cris and Gracie!!  Congrats on finishing today!  WOOHOO!

angelsaboveus

Congrats Gracie on your last chemo, hope it is uneventfull other than some sexy moves around the pole at the end !

Cris...last rads YAHOO"

Happy Birthday Noelle, spoil yourself , indulge in your favourite things and make it an "All About You Day "  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love the MSDCOW proclomation....here , here 

Hope everyone has a great day....have to go in a get a port flush today..looking forward to seeing the great nurses that were there .

Happy Tuesday !

ellenoire

Gracie! I am standing in the water with all these ladies wearing my stupid birthday tiara wating to get you out of that damned Chemo river!!!

Get her done girl! 

Thanks for the wishes everyone, I am eating my birthday lunch that the BF sends over to the store every year for me! 

Gracie713

Are you all tired of being in the water?  Let's get out!  I am officially done with chemo (well, after the SE's) PET  & CT scan next Mon, labs on Tues.  Let's see if I posted this right!

Nope--will try again.

Gracie713

Okay--pictures are posted on Facebook.  It was just a lot easier. 

Roxi65229

Ditto!!!!  Happy birthday Noelle!  Happy last chemo Jackie!  Happy last rads to Cris! 

Linda, I wish I would of known you were going to be in Chicago. I'm 45 minutes from the loop. Please anyone ever come to Milwaukee or Chicago, give me a call. I would love to meet you all, one day I'm sure.

Noelle, I'll have to try your position but it sounds very similar to one of my favs (TMI). 

sueper13

CHEMOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Gracie!!!!!!!!!!!!!  YEAY!!!!!

Cris, last rads---don't stop whatever you are doing for burns for at least two weeks!!!! Congrats!!

NOELLE--Happy Birthday, birthday girl...hope you get great presents.

Rock, kisses back and love you too.....

Gosh, we're all wonderful, aren't we? Kristy, your proclamation was indeed great.

Angels, hope your port flush was uneventful.  Getting it out anytime soon?

Dog. Ass. Tired. tonight, worked from 6:45 a.m. to 5 :00 p.m., argued, cussed (privately), retrieved data at short notice (Sue, do you remember a pilot deviation from last year when such-and-such happened ((We only wrote 207 pilot deviations last year)) but the funny thing was --I remembered!) Just feeling better and better every day.   When I was driving home tonight (in traffic) the sun was just starting to go down and the sky was this beautiful teal color with pinky gold clouds, with the bare winter trees in front, it was so beautiful and I thought about all of you...just about appreciating life and beauty and friendship and BEING WELL and finished with treatment...

Life IS good.

Love,

Sue

otter

This is definitely the place to be, today.  A BIG Happy Birthday greeting to Noelle.  (That sounds like a Christmas greeting, for some reason.  Bet you've heard that one before.)

Happy last rads to Cristine, and happy last chemo to Gracie.  Did you see me doing those back-flips in the water next to you?

And there's Sue, watching over all those deviant pilots....  Wait 'til you get to see the sunsets in the N. Georgia mountains.

I love the proclamation.  We needed something like that.  Thanks, Kristy!

Very special hugs to Rock today, and a big "Hi" to everybody else.

otter 

KristyAnn

I celebrated May 2008 Sisters Day of Celebrating our Wonderfulness Month today by getting a foob!

And two bras!

Kristy

Sable

Happy happy birthday to noelle!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy last rads day to cris!!!!

and happy no more chemo to gracie again woooohoooo!!!!!!!!!!!

Yay for the new foob!!! took me months to get used to the foam one.... maybe I'll dig out the other one tomorrow.

Came home and made 2 batches of fudge tonight. I'm waiting on each of you to come and claim yours and take it out of my sight lol. One batch.. the regular chocolate but the other I wanted vanilla and didn't have enough van-chips to go in it.... so I dumped in a handful of those new caramel pieces ..... OH MAN! talking about curl your toes good!

Speaking of curling toes... noelle I do think you made me blush LOL *and writes it down for later use* <wink>

familyroks

Kristy...please let me know how the foob goes.  I bought one, had it fitted got the special bras and such.  Didn't really wear it because I didn't like the bras and I was constantly "adjusting" the foob.  Then I followed Eddie and had some very nice bras converted at Nordstroms.  I did the fitting with my foob, figured the right bra's and they did a wonderful job of installing the pockets.  To this day, no matter what bra I wear, I can only last a few hours and that is because I make myself do it.  Most days I just wear the sports bra, which I always seem to yank on..this way and that.  I had always said I didn't care about reconstruction so didn't go that route but really hate having to foob it because it just doesn't feel right for me.  Its harder than my real one, it moves around (at least it seems to in my mind).  I'm being a whiner but I'm frustrated that, now that I've healed, I"m not happy wearing the foob...therefore not allowing me to wear shirts that don't have to disguise my booblessness.  I hate that I'm beginning to wonder if I should go for reconstruction.  This is SO not me but I hate the foob and this limits my attire, etc. How vain is this?

When I wear my sports bra, with a shirt or sweater that doesn't make it obvious, I forget about it all.   But that really limits my clothing.  Oh I'm whining..........

Gracie - I'll gladly have pruned fingers and toes if it means its because we've been waiting for you to cross.  Happy days my dear friend!

Noelle...less than an hour left for your birthday....I hope you spend it totally enjoying yourself.

 Jen...Talk to the hand my friend..you are TICKING me off with all this cooking/baking stuff.

rock

15 minutes left of Noelle's birthday!!  Happy birthday to youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu. Happy no more rads! Happy chemo being done!!! Happy memory coming back! Happy holiday baking! Happy new bras! Happy having sex! Happy all of that!

Will check Facebook soon to see the wonderful wonderful photos from Gracie/Jackie.

(And ummm, Cris? Pulled muscle? I'm not sure that is in the spirit of the month. Lets you and I try again tomorrow....)

* * * * *

much love.

kerry_lamb

Noelle, I don't know WHAT fecking day it is here compared to there b-u-u-u-u-t HAPPY BIRTHDAY XXX and Gracie, GET OUT OF THAT WATER IMMEDIATELY. The chemo-free world is s-w-e-e-e-e-t. What a happy mob we all are..I was feeling EXACTLY the same yesterday..full of lurv, but today I am dog.ass.tired and I've got those femara-bones in my feet. Early to bed tonight (and none of those Noelle-moves..I blush!) because tomorrow I move AND I haven't organised a switch in internet connections yet so my line will be dead for a few days. Love you all every day! XX

Roxi65229

The proclamation was the bomb! Adrienne, don't ever feel that your whining. You know you can talk to us and we really do know what your talking about. I wish I could give you some advice but I still have my rock hard expander which I'll have till spring at the earliest. 

Kerry, good luck with the move. Hope you get reconnected soon.

Sue, so glad your still as sharp as a tack. My chemo brain is still lingering, but just a bit.

Happy day to all, off to herceptin! 

rock

I posted this on "I bitch" but thought I'd let you guys know, too. 

As it turns out, it is not my ovaries that are acting up. Instead, I have a yet-to-be-identified "abdominal mass" and an appointment with a surgeon tomorrow (apparently, the non-MSKCC docs are a little freaked about this) to do the ultrasound, sonagram, etc. and possibly (probably?) a biopsy and then... well, then maybe surgery at some point.  If I have surgery, I'm having it done at MSKCC. I'm seeing this doc tomorrow just because it seemed the most straightforward thing to do at the time.  

lovely. lovely, lovely, lovely.

I'm okay. To be honest, I ceased to really register feelings about 6 pm on Tuesday.