Starting Chemo April 2009

inthemoment

Linda, good to hear from you - another way that Lena has worked...bringing people together again, and inspiring us all to be just a little better.  You are so right Helen, I do think she would see that this is authentic.

Geri

AmyIsStrong

Judy - your creativity and giving a part of YOURSELF abslutely counts as a good deed. I hope your friend is ok - that is a very scary story.

I want to think more about how to do this - pay forward caring for others & goodwill - and in non-financial ways. It is that extra step that we take to give of ourselves that really matters. AND I think it shows SO MUCH how far we have come (as individuals and as a group) that we don't have to spend every moment and bit of energy taking care of ourselves, but can reach outward. Don't you think this shows so much progress?

I am so touched (and surprised) that so many others read along our thread without posting. I guess I thought it was just our little group, but apparently we are a larger circle than we knew.  The cancer 'journey' has been horrible for all of us, without a doubt. But having one another is one good thing that came out of it.

With love - Amy

ps. I am doing final holiday prep - cookies and giftwrap - and am happy. I hope all of you who celebrate are enjoying it as well. 

Titan

Ok..I still need to do my good deed..hang in there..it will happen soon...maybe tomorrow..I've been a little grinchy..I need to do something..

JudyNaomi

Thank you for your good wishes for my friend, I really appreciate it. He seems to be stable now, which is a relief.

It warms me that we have all come together and I think it is great that we are sharing ideas of how we can help others. Our deeds have been practical and directly helpful to others and I think that Lena would think so too.

Enjoy the final Holiday preparations and have a wonderful weekend; a Happy Christmas, Happy Chanuka, Happy Holiday! No matter what the Holiday, let's just celebrate and enjoy the company of friends and family.

Sending extra love and hugs to you all, Judy x

hrf

Judy, glad your friend is doing well.

Titan

Merry Christmas and Hanukkah everyone!

inthemoment

The same wishes here , Titan - Happy Holidays to everyone!

Titan

We need to start planning our 3 year anniversary coming up in April...shout out to all the ladies that were here in the beginning..would love to hear from all of you...tulipbebe..you started this thread..would love to hear from you.

JudyNaomi

Happy Holidays to you all!

Judy x

inthemoment

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend - whether you were celebrating Christmas, Hanukah, or just a great couple of days.   I must confess that when I signed on over the past two days, I checked Lena's profile just to see if maybe she had been here.  I know better in my head, but my heart misses her.

 Geri

hrf

Geri, I know what you mean. It's hard to say goodbye when there is no official closure. Had Christmukkah dinner with a friend last evening ..... Hope everyone had a good weekend. 

JudyNaomi

Geri, I know how you feel, I miss her too. Helen, it is hard when there is no proper closure.

Hope everyone had a good Holiday. Sending you all hugs, Judy x

AmyIsStrong

Well, parents left this morning. Kids back in Philly. House sort of returning to normal.   Everything went fine - but I could definitely tell that I got tired more easily than previously.

We had a big family dinner last night - my older daughter volunteered to do the cooking. I did all the shopping and a lot of the prep (and the dishes) but having her handle the actual cooking was SUCH a treat. Curried cauliflower soup. roasted beets with feta and toasted walnuts, and a big salad and crusty bread. It was delicious.  
I am glad I am learning to let others do more so I can do less. A good lesson. And I think it was good for her, too.

Onward to January and a happy healthy 2012 for us all!

(I, too, still think of Lena often.  When I take the dog out for her last time each night and it is very dark and quiet and the stars are bright, I look up at them and send some love out to her. I hope she knows how much she is loved by us all.)

Titan

Betsy...my son picked Wisconsin over the Ducks in the Rose Bowl..I told him he was WRONG

JudyNaomi

Amy, really pleased the Holiday went well. Your family dinner sounds delicious! I totally get the tired thing; On Sunday evening, we had people for dinner, it was such a lovely evening, but by the time everyone left, I could barely move. I spent most of Monday resting. I find it very frustrating. You are right, we do need to let others do more and try and do less ourselves.

You really touched me when you wrote about looking up at the stars, such a lovely thought.

Betsy, how are you feeling these days?

Hope everyone is gearing up to bring in the New Year! Let's hope it is a good one for us all!

Hugs to you all, Judy x

JudyNaomi

Happy New Year to you all!

hrf

My sister and I are going to Florida tomorrow for a week. Winter has finally really arrived here - snow and ice over the past 3 days - so am looking forward to a nice change. Just going to relax there. Happy New Year to everyone -- especially good health

Titan

Happy New Year everyone! 

inthemoment

Happy New Year everyone - and Helen....enjoy your Florida trip...soak up that warm sun!

Geri

JudyNaomi

Helen, sounds perfect! Enjoy the sunshine.

Hope everyone enjoyed bringing in the New Year! Let's hope it's a good one!

Hugs to all, Judy x

BetsyBuzz

Happy New Year ALL!

We had a retirement party yesterday at our house. My fil retired after 60 years of law practice. It went well but I'm exhausted. I went back to work full time this past week and work was very busy. The party on top of everything was a little much. I'm just happy it's over and I can relax for a couple of days. We have lots of left over food, so I don't have to cook for several days. I had lots of help from my dh, sil & bil.

I'm waiting for my sleepy head dh to wake up from a nap to go for a hike. I want to start the year off exercising. This year is the year of HEALTH! That is what I am wishing for all of us.

Hugs to all and GO DUCKS!

Titan...I love it that you've become a Duck fan!

Betsy

JudyNaomi

Happy New Year Betsy! The year of Health sounds good to me!

Judy x

inthemoment

Wow Betsy - sounds like fun, but a lot of work.

Judy - hope your New Year's Eve celebration was fun - compared to US time zone, when did was midnight your time?

Colonoscopy tomorrow - whoopee    Clear fluids as of now...boo.  At least it will "kick-start" my diet!

Geri

AmyIsStrong

Betsy - did you say a SIXTY YEAR PRACTICE? How old was he when he started/ended it? That is a LONG SPAN!

Doing ok here.  A little too much time off and just hanging around. And eating too much. I threw away the rest of our Christmas cookies yesterday. I just couldn't look at them any more. I did eat the rest of my favorites before I threw the rest out, so I'm no hero! 

Have read a little too much sad stuff on this board recently, plus the sadness about Lena. I think I am ready to get back to my regular life, which I love.

But before that, one more piece of business today...... GO DUCKS!
Amy 

JudyNaomi

Geri, midnight here was 5pm on Sat on the East Coast. I have my colonoscopy next Tues and I am so anxious about it, I don't know why. I am really nervous that it is going to make me sick, although everyone tells me it is not pleasant beforehand, but is basically ok. Geri, I hope yours is ok, please let us know when you are done .

Amy, always good to hear from you. Hope you enjoy getting back into routine after the Holidays.

Helen, hope you are soaking up the sunshine in Florida.

Hugs to you all, Judy x

inthemoment

Judy - colonoscopy all done - this is my third in five years because I have a history of polyps - found them again today, so have to wait for the pathology, but they have always been benign, so that is what I am expecting (however, you all know what it's like until you actually have that path report in your hand!).  The colonoscopy is absolutely nothing - I got propofol (yes, the Michael Jackson drug), and was fast asleep for the procedure.  Woke right up and I have been fine since.  The prep is not as bad as it was years ago, and I consider it a kick-start to my diet .  You should be fine Judy.

I hope everyone else had a nice holiday weekend - mine was nice and quiet, which is fine by me.

Blessings for us all this New Year! 

JudyNaomi

Geri, thanks so much for letting me know. I have been so anxious about it. In the end, I had to move mine, because my family will be visiting next week and my husband is home with pneumonia and I didn't want him to take any more time off next week to come with me. The first appt they had was May! But I am seeing the Onc in Feb and if she wants me to do it before that, then she will help me find an appt sooner. I was actually more worried about the stuff I have to drink the night before, does it make you feel unwell? I am really pleased that you are feeling ok, pleast let us know when you have the results.

Hope everyone is enjoying the first week of 2012!

Hugs to you all, Judy x

AmyIsStrong

Judy - I had my only colonoscopy about six months before bc diagnosis. i was nervous about it and had procrastinated, but my insurance was changing so I just hurried and scheduled it and didn't give myself much time to worry. I did it one day, my husband did it the next.

I too, was worried about the prep. Without being too graphic, I will say this. You drink the stuff and it makes you have to 'go'.  But you don't feel UNWELL like you would if you were sick - cramping, pain, upset stomach. None of that. Just 'gotta go' and then again (and again).  I just stayed home, used the bathroom as needed, went to bed, slept fine, and went for the procedure the next morning.

It was the first gen'l anesthesia I had had since I was 18 and got my wisdom teeth out and I was NERVOUS! They put a small needle in the back of my hand and taped it down. I sat in a chair witha gown on and waited. Then i walked into the procedure room, lay on the table. The doc introduced himself. They could see I was very nervous - the nurse said "Hurry up and give her something, she is really scared."  (Thinking back, it makes me laugh after all we have been through by this point!)  They hooked the tube in my hand to the IV drip and put the Michael Jackson drug in it and BAM, I was instantly out.  I opened my eyes (about 1/2 hour later) in a bed in a recovery area. Felt clear headed and great. Not at all like the heavier surgery drugs that can upset your stomach, etc.  Doc came in and discussed results (all was fine).  Sat a few more minutes till i was totally awake. Put my clothes on and left.  Had a little bit of gas pains afterwards but nothing significant.  Went home and rested a while.  

I will tell you something funny - I was in the midst of changing jobs (hence the insurance switch).  I had read on the paperwork for the anesthesia that it said not to make any major decisions for 24 hours after.  So that afternoon, I was on the phone with my new company execs discussing the transition and I said "I had a colonoscopy this morning and anesthesia and I can't make any big decisions today so I will have to finalize this tomorrow." They BURST OUT LAUGHING. It is several years later now and they STILL tease me about it.  It is pretty funny. 

I hope my description gives you a bit of peace of mind.  It was very anxiety-producing at the time, but in retrospect it was nothing.  OH - it was the same anesthesia they gave me when they put in the port. Did you have that done? I can't remember.  But it is a great drug - and that is said by someone who HATES drugs.  

Please let us know when you are all done!

BETSY - watched the whole Oregon game and cheered for the DUCKS the whole time. What a fun game.  When things got close, I would yell at the TV "Come on, do it for Betsy!" My husband was laughing at me.  Glad they won.

Love to all and Happy New Year!

Amy

inthemoment

Judy - Amy gave a great description (much better than mine yesterday, as I was still a little "goofy" from the anesthesia - but in a good way).  Amy is absolutely right - the prep just makes you go, it was not at all uncomfortable as you might think.  I kind of hope your oncologist helps you schedule sooner rather than later - believe me, the anxiety beforehand is so much worse than the procedure.

 Amy, I think you should be a spokesman for "you can do it - colonoscopy for dummies" - great description!

Geri

BetsyBuzz

Judy,

I think both Geri and Amy said it all regarding your colonoscopy, the worry before hand is the worst part of it. Don't stress over it, you've been through much worse, ie, chemo, heartburn, surgery!!!

Go Ducks, Quack, Quack! For those of you that don't follow football, the Oregon Ducks won the Rose Bowl. It was a fun game to watch. Amy, glad you enjoyed the game, your post made me laugh. I was probably yelling at the TV at the same time you were. 

Titan my favorite Buck...I was rooting for Ohio, sorry they didn't win.