Any Northern Virginia ladies on this discussion board?

Anonymous

Hi Nancy,

Looks like 7/20 will be a good day for both of us - it's also my birthday, so I'll be extra ecstatic to be done with chemo.  I know what you mean about exhausting.  I'm not done yet but still am wiped out with all of this.  Good luck to the end and then good riddance to all of this!  HUGS, Dawn 

didle20Diane

We should pick a date to get together!  Glad to see that most are almost done with treatments!  I start Tamox this coming week.

Hair is growing!!!! I will post a new avatar this week.  Getting ready to head out to the beach for the weekend.

Becky, as for wigs......I got one ($60 version) but never wore it.  Summer/Spring too hot.  I wore buffs and baseball hats.  Just couldn't do the wig thing. 

Happy 4th! 

Hugs,

Diane

GramE

IF you get a prescription for a "cranial prosthesis" from your Dr. -- your insurance may cover the cost or part of the cost.    You may need to pay for it first, then send the bill and a form to them for reimbursement.   Mine allowed for half the cost of one per year.   

I did not do the wig thing all last summer either.   Target and walmart have what I call newsboy caps, smaller visor and more coverage than a baseball cap.   Silk scarves are HOT and slippery. At your wig store, they may have terry cloth turbans.    

Anonymous

I would love a get together!  I bought a wig too (my insurance covered $350) but never wore it.  Just made me mad when I put it on, would rather have no hair than fake hair (that's just me).  I wear scarves and turbans with scarves tied around them too.  Just bought one of those type hats from Target the other day as now I'm getting too hot in the other head covers (Headcovers. com is a great website for turbans, I got a lot from there).  HUGS and Happy 4th, Dawn

GramE

There is a gathering in up state New York the end of this month - called Pinkstock.   I will look for the thread on this site with details.   And another Ta Ta Sisters reunion in Vegas the end of September.    

GramE

This should get you to the Pinkstock thread:

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/34/topic/726628?page=8#idx_218 

Anonymous

Nancy,  Thanks for the info.  Those sound great but I don't think I can do something out of the area this year with chemo not over and then another surgery.  I'd be interested in something in NoVa if you guys plan something around here.  If you're going to those I bet you'll have a great time meeting everyone!  HUGS, Dawn

GramE

I understand sticking around your home territory while doing chemo and surgery.  Last summer I made it to and from treatments and a couple of meals out.   There was no way I had the energy to do much more than rest and recooperate then on to the next treatment.   

I am open to suggestions:   a lunch, dinner, casual meeting.   Where?  Someplace Metro friendly for those near the metro?   If driving, parking nearby.   Mexican food, italian?   A folk festival, farmers market?  

Just a bit of background on me:  I moved from Pittsburgh 3 yrs ago.  63 years old, retired, widow over 6 years ago.  Sold our house, moved into an apartment in Alexandria.   Young at heart, but some days feel older than dirt...   

Anonymous

Nancy,

I'm pretty much open to any kind of food, I can drive where ever we decide on.  Lunch or dinner would be fine for me as I don't work, my kids are almost 13 and 14 so they can be left alone fine in the daytime.  You know more people on this board than I do, maybe survey who wants to come and then decide on a place based on everyone's particular location.  Looking forward to meeting you.  Do you like it here more than Pitt.?  I'm with ya on the some years I feel old part.

GramE

I do like it more here than Pitts mainly because my one and one son and his wife are in Arlington.   And I am glad to be rid of the job of shoveling snow on a very long unpaved driveway...   

Any input from other NOVA gals?  

AnnaM

I live in Leesburg but won't be back there till mid-September. I'd love to be part of a get together if it happens. Background on me: bilateral with DIEP reconstruction in Sept. 2005; A/C, then Taxol/Herceptin; finished Herceptin in April 2007. Some of you are so near.....!

Anonymous

I'm still up for a get together when everyone can fit it in.  Just post it here and I'll be there. 

HUGS, Dawn

GramE

What kind of event would you like?  A meal, a craft fair, or just meet and get to know each other like at a Panera or mall food court?   Someplace Metro friendly or where you have to drive and park the car?   Throw out ideas and we can pick a date and see who shows up.

Couple of suggestions -- Pentagon City mall food court, Panera on Rt 1,  Old Town Alexandria waterfront food court, a Pizza Hut, 5 guys hamburger place....  

Anonymous

Hi Nanacy,

My preference would be some place where we could talk and not too noisy, Panera would be fine or any other restaurant would be OK too.  Definitely need parking as I will be driving, I'll be coming from Prince William County.  I have my last chemo on July 20, my exchange surgery Aug. 10 and I'm at the beach for a week beginning Aug. 29.  I'm doing OK with chemo so I might be able to fit it in the end of July / beginning of Aug. I'm open to anytime if I can make it work.  We could meet over the summer and then again in the fall for anyone who can't make it now.  Looking forward to it!. 

HUGS, Dawn

GramE

I am pretty busy until the first week of August.  Let's see what others say.  HELLOOOOOOO ladies...   want to have a meet up?  Where, when?    Throw out those ideas or maybe Dawn and I will have to have a one to one face on meeting !!!    HUGS,   Nancy

Anonymous

I'm good for anything if I can make it.  I'd love to meet with you Nancy in August, if others can't and then try again in September maybe.  Keep in touch.  HUGS, Dawn

EngTchr

I live in Herndon and would like to join in in a get together, too.  I'm just getting started with treatment, though (second TCH was yesterday) so I will have my good weeks and not so good weeks.  Why don't you all decide when and where and I'll come if I can. 

 Becky

Anonymous

Becky,

That sounds great, I'll be finishing up so I can be flexible with when we meet.  Maybe we can try to work with your schedule as I think the more the merrier.  Glad to hear from you.  How have you been doing with your treatments?  HUGS, Dawn

GramE

I am pretty flexible after the first of August.   Is a Saturday or Sunday good?   Maybe around 1:30 p.m.   I am kind of new to the area and know Alexandria and Arlington, but not much else.   But I have a car and am willing to drive a bit except for the beltway...   Any major roadway and I can figure it out.  Do you want to pencil in August 15 or 16?    Then we can have something to look forward to and get others notified.    

Anonymous

Let's pencil in Sunday Aug. 16.  I have my exchange surgery on the Monday before, so hopefully I'll be fine to drive but would like to give it as much time as possible.  If I can't I'll see if hubby will drop me off.  Sounds great.  Looking forward to it.  Let's see if anyone else wants to join in and then we can pick an area to look at restaurants????  HUGS, Dawn

EngTchr

I think I can do Sunday, August 16th.  That should be in a third week so I hope to be feeing okay.

I had tx #2 on Wednesday and am doing okay so far.  Fatigue seemed to be my biggest SE last time and it hit me hardest on day 4.  Probably a low energy day tomorrow.

Looking forward to getting together!

Becky

Anonymous

Becky,

That's great that it works out on an off week for you.  Glad you're doing OK, listen to your body and get rest when you feel you need it.  That was key for me.  Keep hanging in there, I'm thinking of you.  I'm looking forward to meeting you.  When it gets closer we'll decide on a place.

Nancy, 

That's 3 of us now - YIPEE! Hopefully I'll have new foobs by then - can't wait for that, these tissue expanders are like "boobs of steel".

Looking forward to meetin you both.  HUGS, Dawn

GramE

Ok, pencilling in Sunday, Aug 16.   I have a group of  4 chemo buddies I meet once a month or so.  I will see if they want to join us also.  Only one of them comes to this website.   We do FOOD !!!! Last time was Mexican and only 3 of us, but keeping in touch and supporting each other thru this.   

Give me ideas of where to do this.  Is Route 1 good - Panera and a large parking lot?  Old Town (parking is limited),   some other mall that I don't know about...  Keeping in mind all the construction going on till at least September.     Hugs,  Nancy

EngTchr

Hi Nancy,

 I could do somewhere on Route 1.  I'd rather avoid Old Town, though.  Too hard to park.

What do you think, Dawn?

Becky

Anonymous

Parking is definitely a must, as long as there's that I'm good for anywhere.  I'm excited to meet everyone.  HUGS, Dawn

EngTchr

It's 10:15 am in northern Virginia.  Anybody else interested in getting together Aug 16th?  Please read the previous few posts for more info.  Three so far!

Becky

Anonymous

Hi Becky,

I'm still here.  How are your treatments going and where do you stand with them?  Hope you're making it OK.  I'll be done in 4 days!  YIPEE, never thought this day would get here but it has and it will for you too.  Looking back it has gone fairly fast but sometimes during it I thought time was standing still.

Looking forward to meeting in August!

HUGS, Dawn

GramE

Congrats Dawn.  Today was my LAST herceptin.   I was exhausted with the 94 degrees out there and the emotions of saying good bye to the chemo nurses.  I just got up from a nap in the recliner and the bone aches have begun.   

Let's hear from others who can meet on August 16.   Route 1 area.  

Hugs,   Nancy 

EngTchr

Nancy and Dawn, you are so far ahead of me!  I had tx 2 July 8th and four more to go, then Herceptin until June of next year.  I'll bet you even have hair!

Becky

Anonymous

Becky,

I'm not sure you can call mine hair.  I'll finish my treatments this Monday 7/20, also oddly enough my 45th bday.  I have what looks like duck fuzz all over my head, but at this point I'll take it.  No eyebrows and eyelashes are about 3/4 of the way gone.  Maybe by the time we meet I'll have a buzz job, I should have new boobs though.  Keep hanging in there, you'll make it.  Can't wait to meet you. Good to see your picture.   HUGS, Dawn