natural girls

DGHoff

Wow! This thread is so active that it is hard to keep up with everyone! Glad to hear that everyone has come through their surgeries OK.

Julia, so sorry to hear you have to go back in for more surgery and that this week has been a bad one. I sincerely hope that tomorrow will be a better day for you, and I will sing a song of healing for you and all the post-surgical gals tonight when I practice my guitar!  OK. So maybe I really am a hippie.  

DeAnn 

CrunchyPoodleMama

Aww, thank you girls... I feel better already! You're sweet... I actually just poured myself a small glass of sulfite-free organic red wine (for the anti-cancer resveratrol, of course!!) and am finally feeling a little bit of respite from all the stress. (DeAnn, I'd give anything to hear your song of healing!! My puppies would join in if they could hear you; they are quite the vocalists. )

rgiuff

Julia, you deserve that glass of wine after all you've been through!  And Terri, hope they get to the bottom of this and that it's nothing to worry about. 
So glad to hear Merilee, that it was small and no lymph node involvement..

Wow, Spring, New Orleans for surgery!  Did you get to do any sightseeing beforehand?  I'm sure it would be difficult after, congratulations!

dlb823

Lorraine, I can't quite wrap my head around that cholesterol study.  I thought high total cholesterol was due to an unhealthy diet and/or hereditary factors, in which case those people often suffer from and die of heart disease.  It doesn't make sense to me that low cholesterol would be a precursor for or linked to a higher risk of cancer.  I know we've discussed high cholesterol as possibly not being as bad as it's made out to be, but for some reason I am totally missing cholesterol's supposed connection to cancer.   Am I the only one who doesn't get this?  

Julia ~  About the messy house .... check this out:  http://www.cleaningforareason.org/  Could be one of the few perks of bc!  I've heard they're wonderful if you happen to live in an area they service.   Deanna

deni63

Deanna - I don't really understand the connection either. Since I changed my lifestyle and lost over 42 lbs, my cholesterol has slightly elevated, which surprised me to find out, but I recall several of you hear have slightly elevated cholesterol as well. I thought this might be a result of eating better fats (avocados, olive oil, nuts)??  

I checked out that cleaning website, what a great service. Although they say they have received over 2,000 applications in the last 2 weeks and are not accepting any more until after Dec 7!

CrunchyPoodleMama

Deanna, thank you for that site -- I was thinking you had to be undergoing chemotherapy, but maybe not - I will check in with them Dec. 7 to see if I might qualify! Just ONE cleaning would help so so much!!

On top of everything else, I was 80 cents short in my checking account (I had forgotten to record a debit charge)... I was assessed an insufficient funds fee which caused a chain reaction of TWO MORE ins. funds fees. Over $100 in fees at all, because of 80 cents. And two more "anxious client" emails awaiting me when I woke up this morning. I just want to lie down and die, I can't handle all this.....

deni63

Interesting article about using caution when choosing what fish to consume because of contaminants in the ocean...

http://crazysexylife.com/2009/animal-seafood-your-dinner-table/?utm_source=Crazy+Sexy+Life+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=cdd675c9c9-September_Monthly_Muse9_16_2009&utm_medium=email

deni63

Julia - just like you won't let the cancer get a hold of you, don't let the events of the last week take control of you either. You need to be strong and carry on. And, I'll bet if you call the bank and ask them to reverse the fees, they will do it - especially if this doesn't happen often with you. I have been able to reverse many fees for various things just by calling and asking.

Take a deep breath and don't forget that you are bigger than all of this. You can and will get through this. Giving up is not an option!

Suzanne3131

Julia ~  Oh I am sorry to know that you are having such a rough time.   Anybody would be overwhelmed in your position.  When things are going poorly, it is easy to see how the poop just piles up.  Try to remember to breathe deeply as often as you can.  When you are stressed you tend to breathe shallow and quickly, which sends the message to your body that you are in trouble....which perpetuates the adrenaline/fight or flight syndrome and keeps you in a "catastrophizing" state of mind.  Try to take time to breathe deeply as often as you can remember (even set a timer to remind yourself) and know that you are alive and well and taken care of....in the now.  The future is ever changing, shifting and truly most of the things that you fear will happen never will happen.  I am sorry that you are struggling...we've all been there before...and it's a fearsome place.  You will come through this.  Wishing you peace.

CrunchyPoodleMama

Thanks, girls... especially for the reminder to breathe deeply. As I read your posts, I realized I was barely breathing at all! Doing some deep cleansing breaths right now and already feel better!

Merilee

Crunchy

It is time to call up the supports. One thing that I have done is reqested from friends and family that they send me humor daily in my email.  It really helps to lighten my heart when I am freaking out. This is the time to ask for what you need from people. Maybe you have not taken time to think about what you do need. Make a list and hand/send it out.

RunswithScissors

Went for rads mapping yesterday. I have really had to drag myself in to do this -  

and the experience was not nice. I left in tears - some from the pain of holding the arm up, and some just from the indignity of it all. The techs were all too young to have a clue - 

one made me feel like a whale - he was flipping at the flabby skin under my arm, asking the doctor what to do with it. I guess my fat, swollen underarm was hanging into the field. Finally she said, "just tape it back out of the way..." I was so humiliated. 

GEEZ! I'm a size 14 - I've heard that's the most common size for women... surely they've had to deal with a flabby  arm before?

Things just went downhill from there.. 

I left mad at the tech, mad at the doc, and aching. On top of that, I get to pay my hard earned $$$ to be subjected to this. And then add my fears .... (because I'm convinced that in 5 years from now they will come out and say "we've discovered our stats about radiation therapy were all wrong" -)

WTF am I doing???  

Why can't I just have hyperthermia?  That's what I really would feel comfortable with. But noooo... 

RunswithScissors

Went for rads mapping yesterday. I have really had to drag myself in to do this -  

and the experience was not nice. I left in tears - some from the pain of holding the arm up, and some just from the indignity of it all. The techs were all too young to have a clue - 

one made me feel like a whale - he was flipping at the flabby skin under my arm, asking the doctor what to do with it. I guess my fat, swollen underarm was hanging into the field. Finally she said, "just tape it back out of the way..." I was so humiliated. 

GEEZ! I'm a size 14 - I've heard that's the most common size for women... surely they've had to deal with a flabby  arm before?

Things just went downhill from there.. 

I left mad at the tech, mad at the doc, and aching. On top of that, I get to pay my hard earned $$$ to be subjected to this. And then add my fears .... (because I'm convinced that in 5 years from now they will come out and say "we've discovered our stats about radiation therapy were all wrong" -)

WTF am I doing???  

Why can't I just have hyperthermia?  That's what I really would feel comfortable with. But noooo... 

deni63

Crunchy - Merilee makes a great point. Sometimes we just have to ask for help. I am the last person to do this as it kills me to have to ask for people to help me. I am just too independent. But sometimes, you just have to and recognizing when it is time is key. If your loved ones know the effects all of the stress is having on you, I'm certain they will really want to help you out.

Pill - sorry for the horrible experience. How insensitively they treated you! UGH!

CrunchyPoodleMama

Oh Pill, I'm so sorry they treated you like that... big hugs from MY flabby arms!!

seaotter

Atta girl Julia, you are using humor, that will help. I work at a bank and people get refunds all the time when their account goes negative. Call and talk to your branch manager they will probably do it if you have not done it before.

Pill, that does sound awful. All this crap it just humiliating sometimes but just forget them. I would call the head person at that place and complain. I don't hesitate to complain anymore about something like that hoping it won't happen to someone else.

Love to all, Patty

my560sel

Pill, I would complain also. The experience is bad enough to go through without having to deal with Techs like that. You don't want to be treated by people who are "clueless and insensitive" throughout your radiation treatment and maybe if you complain, they'll make sure your  rad treatments are a positive experience.  I feel for you. Don't let them get to you, just try to fix it so that you don't have to deal with them anymore. There are so many wonderful, compassionate Techs/nurses out there to help us through this journey.

Regards from my flapping arms and jiggly thighs,

Terri

Merilee

My son who has Down's loves to wiggle my arms and ask " How are your Jigglers doing today?"

Thighs? If we must go there we must lower our sights. ( down near the knees that is) LOL

my560sel

Just heard that I have the OK to proceed with my exchange surgery! The Hemotologist doesn't think that my clotting issue is bad enough to cause a problem during surgery but he wants to follow up and get to the bottom of the slow clotting time. Thanks for all your prayers

Your jigglers...that's so cute!

Terri

Yazmin

Merilee: Great news! Congratulations. This good vibes thing really works (not that I ever doubted it).

seaotter

Terri - great news, I'm doing the happy dance!!!!

Your jigglers - lmao, soooo cute

Patty

Yazmin

I am too, Terri (doing the happy dance) with seaotter.

rgiuff

Julia, I would also call the bank and ask them to remove the fees, I've done this many a time because I have a decent amt. of savings with them as well, and have mentioned that I could always find another bank if I had to.  These fees they charge are unjust and just outrageous!  Use the cancer card if you have to!

althea

Pill, I am so sorry you had such insensitive people mapping your rads.  Are other providers available in your area?  It's bad enough to battle a life threatening illness, the treatments are grueling, and the last thing any of us needs is some insensitive toad tending us!  I think if I were in your shoes, I might call that office and tell them you're having second thoughts about proceeding with treatments.  Observe how they handle it.  If they don't even ask you why you feel that way and start scaring you half to death, I'd definitely be exploring other options.  We ALWAYS have options. 

Julia, I've bounced plenty of checks also.  Stress definitely affects my ability to balance a checkbook!  Ask them to reverse the charges.  They probably will and they'll probably be nice about it.  

althea

I forgot to post my own update.  lol  Last night I went to my local bc support group.  We had a craft session where we each painted a wooden ornament with acrylic paint for the tree we're decorating this year.  I had to bite my tongue when I saw that tree!  It's pink!  Bright pink, pink all the way down the cord and the plug!  I feel certain it has toxic chemicals sending poisonous gas into the air!  But I kept my mouth shut. 

I wondered briefly if my green ornament would be banned and me along with it, but that was all for naught.  My big shiny bright green crackled glass ornament is hanging from the flaming pink christmas tree in the cancer center where I had my chemo and rads. 

seaotter

OMG, I thought the pink crap was over until next Oct. but noooo not for me either althea. My husband announces basketball games at my daughters high school. He informed me that next Friday's game is for breast cancer awareness. They are going to have pink banners and all sorts of pink stuff . He said he really wants me to come. I said should I flash the crowd and show them my scars and say "don't let this happen to you"

Patty

my560sel

I think I'll do the happy dance too - These TE's are about the only thing that won't jiggle when I do...lol !

I agree, thought we were through all that pink stuff until next year! Seaotter, I'll join you and we can both flash them!

 Terri

seaotter

Terri I was just informed that the school wants me to be a part of this bc awareness thing. So come on down and we will do it together! I think we should say, as we are flashing, "please be "aware" this could happen to you, seek prevention instead"  This is a Christian school so I'm sure we will be a hit! lmao

Patty

my560sel

Count me in, that's too funny. They want BC Awareness, we'll give 'em some awareness....lol

deni63

OMG it is like the "X" rated version of HIgh School Musical - but sicker!!