Starting Chemo February 2009?

Gramof3

Doin' the Happy Dance for Jaimieh, living4today and Michele (and anyone else I missed) for finishing chemo.  Onward and upward!  Take care.  Helen

MicheleS

Artemis and Kerry~ I feel the same way about pictures... I found my lump Christmas day.  After a long couple of days entertaining out of town guests, making 3 (count em' 3!!!!) huge elaborate meals (Christmas eve, Christmas brunch, Christmas night) and pulling off another successful Santa visit, I took a bubble bath for the 1st time in ages... found the lump then.  And... well, my whole world changed.  To think, days before I was worried about menus and presents and having a clean house for my guests.  I look at the pictures from Christmas morning and just *wish* I could do it over. I just *wish* I could somehow revert to worring bout small stuff for a day.  (Ya know, to not be thinking of cancer, mets, and um... death.) <sigh> Not so lucky yet.  I will tell ya 'tho, this Christmas will be all about the kids and having fun with them... no stressful menu planning, no worrying about the house, no worring about what the in-laws think...

apple

very cute you are Artemis - so very pretty.. and btw. you and your son look like you are the same age! 

it's odd - just about an hour ago I came across a before pic.. made me cry, to think of being so unfettered by worries and to have hair..

now i have to post it... hoping more of you will post before pics.

Jaimieh

Artemis~ I thought the guy next to you was your husband.  You honestly look too young for that to be your son. 

Helen~ Thanks for the Happy Dance.

I haven't had the BRCA test done yet but my sister did.  I have to go thru genetic testing to get mine done   I do not want to go up to the woods another day.  Good news I haven't puked any more today but I did feel gross after dinner.  It couldn't be the onion rings I ate...loll........  I think I am going to buy hair dye on Monday to dye my little fuzz.  I am going to do Non-permanent all natural stuff I am tired of having the no hair look.  I will even take what little I have having some color. 

I am excited we are going away for the weekend so I need to put my behind in high gear tomorrow. 

Now that I know how to post pictures (I will forget next week I am sure)  2 weeks before my diagnosis with my itty bitty girls   Now I am sad I forgot how much I loved my hair  

Artemis

(((Michele)))  That's so sad that you found your lump on Christmas.  

apple and Jamieh ~ my goodness, you guys sure know how to make a sister feel good!  I think I'll go find some more pics to post, LOL!!


Jamieh ~ Have a wonderful weekend!!

apple ~ That's a great picture.  You're a doll, and you look so happy and joyful.  I'm sorry that it made you cry to see it, but I completely understand.  I'm getting all teary now to think of the "innocence" we've all lost due to this hateful disease.

Ok,  I'm getting a headache now.  I think I'm going to go play some games and try to forget about cancer for awhile.  Love to all of you!

Artemis

ETA:  Jamie ~ of course you loved your hair; it's gorgeous!!

MicheleS

Here's a "before" from last summer. 

xpectmiracles

OK, here is my "before" picture. It was in the summer, a couple months before my diagnosis. The handsome man next to me is my husband Mike. We were at my cousin's wedding.

living4today

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for the good wishes today!!  All done....never thought it would come and I had really doubted I could make it....but I did!  We had a nice little party at the infusion center...my nurse even sang as I was leaving and everyone else clapped and cheered--what a great moment! 

I love seeing all of your pics--you are all so beautiful! 

KerryMac

Oh, I am loving all these photos. I have to add one of my own. It actually makes me sad to look at this too. It was taken at Thanksgiving (Canadian Thanksgiving is in October) and it was driving back from this trip that my husband told me to go and get my lump checked again. I had first found my lump when breastfeeding, had immediately gone and had it checked, they did an ultrasound, told me it was just milk, nothing to worry about, no follow-up needed, nothing. So I had known it was there for ages, but I didn't think it was a concern. Anyhow, we were listening to the radio and they were reporting on the Run For the Cure in Toronto, which made my husband tell me to get it checked again, as I had stopped breastfeeding and it hadn't gone. I remember saying to him "Oh, but there is no way it is Cancer, they don't get something like that wrong" Oh, innocence.....

 

KerryMac

Oh, I just had to include this one of me tossing my mane!!

 So, how about that Michael Jackson, eh. That was a suprise to wake up to this morning!

xpectmiracles

We are a bunch of darn good-looking women!! I am loving the "before" pictures.

I want to post an "after" picture of my hair now. It has really gotten more noticeable, I even have a distinct hairline! It's funny, at work I go bareheaded. Yesterday I had 2 new patients say they liked my haircut. I hesitated both times, feeling bewildered, then said something like, "Well, it's not a style I chose. But, thanks." I need to think of a more graceful thing to say. Any ideas?

KerryMac

Cheryl - can't wait to see you hair photos! I am thinking of going out today bareheaded too, I would love some ideas on how to respond to all the comments. I was just looking at the photo of your husband, he reminds me of mine! Mine has all sorts of funny facial hair now too!

xpectmiracles

Mike is a professor at James Madison University. I think he looks like a stereotypical professor with his goatee! He is so sweet!

KerryMac

Yep, he looks like a Professor! What does he teach? My husband is a Math Geek.

MicheleS

the few times I have gone out topless, I've gotten complements.  My hair is super thick but very, very short... just a couple of mm long.  I always answer that "my oncologist is responsible for my hip style" with a big smile. 

KerryMac

Thats a great response. I am going to be super self-conscious, but i cannot spend all summer wearing a wig!

apple

stupid husband remark of the day....

"am i going to get any birthday butt today?"

ha ha.. he is such a great husband but i swear my conjugal duties (freely offered) wear me out. you'd think at age 54 that he's start to get tired or something.

i love this round of photos.. i can just see the innoncence.. the happiness unfettered with worry.   I notice my teeth were visibally whiter.. it hurts so much to brush.. *much less even think of routine bleaching maintenance.."

it's hotter than hades in KS today - i mowed 3 lawns yesterday (got caught up) 

have a great day everyone. 

Jaimieh

Love, Love, Love the before pictures.  I just sorry that they make us sad  

So what's everyones plans for the weekend ??

xpectmiracles

OK, here it is, girls. My new boobs and my new hair.

Kerry, My husband teaches Computer Information Systems for the College of Business.

apple

the only time i was more than an A cup was when I was nursing and needed to.

webwriter

I dunno if this will work, but I'll try. It's old, but it's one of the few left after I lost my storage drive...

Jaimieh

Okay today in a bathing suit (my new boobies).  I need to start doing sit ups my belly is outta control. 

xpectmiracles

Jaimeih, your belly is out of control? Get out, girl! You look great!!!

Artemis

For real!  I wish my belly was as "out of control" as Jamie's!

I'm loving all the pictures.  Everyone is so lovely!

KerryMac ~ That is really something about Michael Jackson.  It's very hard to believe he's gone.  He and Farrah Fawcett were both such iconic people; strange that they should die on the same day.

Hugs to all,
Artemis

KerryMac

Cheryl - LOVE, love the photo! My husband is a Software Developer. He and your husband would probably have plenty to geek out about!

Jaimie - love the photo! You look fab - great suit and great boobs! Oh, now I miss my boob. 

Apple - you have just reminded me of just after I had my daughter and my milk came in, OMG, I was HUGE. I have a photo somewhere but better not post it! 

I wussed out on going topless to Rads today, maybe next week I will be braver. My kids are having a knock down fight at the moment....fighting over cushions. My son wants all three to himself, my daughter is just trying to watch TV. It has seriously been going on for over 1/2 an hour. He's yelling, and screaming, i have already locked him in the den and I am now trying the ignoring trick. It isn't working! Think I deserve a glass of wine tonight.  In the interests of being "healthy", I have just put a Carrot and Mushroom loaf into the oven for dinner. Think it looks very carroty. Oh, well, i am sure it will be very nutritious...!

Gramof3

KerryMac--How do you make Carrot and Mushroom loaf? 

 Furies--I love the pics.  Thanks for posting them.

Artemis

Yes, yes, please post the recipe, KerryMac!

I hope everyone's having a good weekend.

Artemis

Bethie1

Ya, nothing like adding fuel to the fire huh??? Got one more pill of antibiotic to take then done with that!! I actually sound worse than I feel, very hoarse, but menopause I think is kicking in cause I do hardly anything some days and sweat like a hog!!! You'd think I'd been sleeping with the pigs!! LOL

Jamieh---Belly out of control?????  Where???? You look excellent girl!!! I wish I had that shape!!! I want to do recon also--that stinken prosthesis is so sticky and hot next to me!!! How soon after BC diagnosis did you do recon????

gcpommom

Hello girls!  I've been awol for a few days, wow, the pics are all so great!  What a beautiful group of women, honestly.  If I can find a recent pic, I will post it tomorrow.  I hate getting my pic taken, so there aren't many.

So we got hit by a bad storm on....Thursday (forgot for a minute), and had straight line winds, knocked down trees, electrical wires, we had a fire in our neighborhood...anyway, our electricity was out for 36 hours, but it felt like forever!  Have been busy trying to get everything cleaned up.

All of our fish died in our pond, since we couldn't run the waterfall....not enough oxygen to last them 36 hours....they were quite large, 3-4 yr old Koi, so sad

Our 25th anniversary is Monday, so DH and I went out to dinner tonight, but I really didn't feel much like celebrating.....made sure I didn't mention anything to do with BC, but then found that I wasn't talking much at all.....made me realize how much I talk about my SE's, etc.

Anyway, I will be back tomorrow to re-read all the posts I missed, and maybe post my own before pic.

Hugs

Judy

KerryMac

Oh, Judy, I am so sorry to hear about your fish! I never thought about something like them being affected by a blackout, you must have felt so helpless....will you buy new ones? Congrats on your 25th anniversary! That is a real milestone. I often think my husband must get tired of all my BC talk, I try not to talk about it too, and then can't think of much else to say! We are picking out stuff for our new bathrooms which has given us that to talk about!

Beautiful day here yesterday, we spent most of the afternoon in the garden, I got loads weeded, and I mowed the grass too. Think it is going to rain a lot this week. My Husband has taken the week off - we normally go camping, but obviously can't this year. Ah, well, can't be helped, I guess. Hoping to get stuff done around the house, and also take the kids to a couple of fun things, maybe Marineland.

So, here is the recipie for the Carrot Loaf - it actually was really yummy, not dry at all like a lot of vege loaves are. 

 Cook 1 chopped onion and 2 crushed cloves of garlic in a little oil until onion is soft.

Add 200g chopped Mushrooms, cook until soft.

Transfer cooked mixture to a bowl. Stir in 1 tsp each dried basil and thyme, and black pepper (salt if you want, I don't salt stuff) Mix in 3 cups grated carrots (I think I used about 9 average sized ones) one slice of crumbled bread, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup grated cheese. Pour into greased loaf tin, cover with foil and bake 180 degrees C (350 F)for 30 min, uncover and cook a further 30min until centre is firm.

Enjoy!!