MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

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  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited January 2013

    Hooray!  Happy Happy!

    Happy Happy! Hooray!

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  • journey4life
    journey4life Member Posts: 517
    edited January 2013

    Hooray for those with great test results and treatment endings! I'm doing the happy dance with you all.

    For those still in some form of tx or another, hang in there. When I finished chemo in June, I rang the bell. Then after 33 rads, in August, I rang the bell. I thought, whew, now I can find out what everyone calls our "new normal." Along came ovarian cancer in November. I had my 2nd infusion yesterday and have 16 more ahead of me! Because I had chemo before, they tell me the SEs this time will probably be more intense. I'm dreading it...because my infusions are weekly, I will not be getting a neulasta shot so the chances of having low WBCs are greater. My counts had already dropped after just one tx last week. I fear this is going to be a long journey...

    One of my biggest fears right now is that my chemo brain will get worse. It has affected my job and my confidence in myself as a professional. Is having chemo brain a disability? I fear if mine gets worse, I will no longer be able to perform and keep my job. Is this happening to anyone else?

    I HATE CANCER!

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  • Loral
    Loral Member Posts: 932
    edited January 2013

    I'll pray for you....Cancer Sucks....... the life right out of you.

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  • heartnsoul76
    heartnsoul76 Member Posts: 1,648
    edited January 2013

    Lisa - I'm so sorry!  Cancer is such a sneaky bastard, but you can whack it back again! This is most definitely not how the "new normal" is supposed to be, but after this you'll just have to have a "new" new normal.

    I hope the SE's won't be worse - I guess they're giving you a different chemo?  Can they give you Neulasta if not every week, then every few weeks to keep your WBC count up? Good thing about going through all of this before is you know you can handle it.  Yes, it will be a long journey but you know it will eventually be over.  I just hate that you have to go through it twice.

    I don't think I ever got chemo brain so I don't know much about that, but it should count as a disability!  I know of a young girl - 27 or so - that gets $800/mo disability because she has anxiety problems.... oh really?  Walk a mile in our shoes, honey!

    Cancer does suck and I get mad every time I think about the "war on cancer" that began in 1971.  Sure enough all that's happened is a lot of big businesses have been built up around it.  If the scientists had been focused on finding a cure the last 40+ years, it seems to me it should have happened by now.

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  • marlegal
    marlegal Member Posts: 2,264
    edited January 2013

    journey, I guess on the one hand it's good that they warned you the chemo effects may be worse, but personally I'd rather forge my own road when it comes to that. I hope you prove them wrong :) Can I ask why you're not going to get the neulasta shot? As for chemo brain being a disability, I don't know stats, but I really think that certain doctors would go to bat at calling it a disability. Perhaps not enough to totally collect from the government, but for certain work situations, it wouldn't surprise me. Curious to see what others in here more knowledgeable than me in those areas have to say. I know when I was going through treatment I was able to use my AFLAC plan for short term disability, and I had NOT specifically taken the cancer coverage, it was just general short term disability. I worked between 20-28 hours a week. May not sound like much of a cut, but it made a huge difference. Big gentle hugs for you as you go through the next few months. Be good to you.

    Eph, I looooove harmony! I don't have the best lead voice, but I can listen to one verse and then start background harmony on the second on my own. My bff in high school (and still) and I used to love singing together. She would sing "normal" and I'd do harmony, even on songs where there wasn't harmony! Thanks for a good memory.

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited January 2013

    I work for a social security disability attorney.  Chemo brain by & of itsself would probably not get you SSD, but throw in other things & it's possible.  One of the criteria you must remember is that in order to qualify for SSD you must have been unable to work(full-time) or expected to be unable to work (full-time) for at least 12 consecutive months.

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  • heartnsoul76
    heartnsoul76 Member Posts: 1,648
    edited January 2013

    Speaking of harmonies, I love barbershop quartets.  I promise I won't keep posting youtube vids here Sealed, but this one always makes me smile and it's from one of my favorite movies:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbBITrZa6Ok

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited January 2013

    I love Music Man.  My mom had the LP & when I was in 4th grade & my brother was in 1st, I acted out the whole record for my family.  I made Doug pretend to sing Gary IN while I actually sang it along with the record!! Great memory!

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  • AMP47
    AMP47 Member Posts: 200
    edited January 2013

    Elimar love it love it love it.....great video the blond is my favorite not to mention the mythical snow goddess at the top of the page......love this thread

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited January 2013

    Blech, Lisa, I am so sorry you have to chemo agian.

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  • barsco1963
    barsco1963 Member Posts: 2,119
    edited January 2013

    Lisa - sorry that you are having to go through everything again. I hope that they are wrong about the SEs and that you sail right through tx. Just remember we are all here for you! ((hugs))

    I love to sing! Not cut out to be a lead but definitely can be a do-wop girl in the background!

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  • carollynn79
    carollynn79 Member Posts: 654
    edited January 2013

    Lisa, hope you prove them wrong and your SE's are not too bad. I agree Cancer sucks,SE's suck, but we are here for each other and that is priceless!!

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited January 2013

    journey4life, I am very familiar with the disappointment of having to go through treatment a second time.  Sure, we know what to expect a little better this time around and we can be mentally more prepared, but the physical and emotional burden weighs heavier, I think.  The odds sure were not with you to have to deal with ovarian, when not even BRCA positive.  Not fair!

    -----------

    I have been laying low this weekend because, just like we have heard can happen, my treatments seemed to have continued building even tho' I finished up Friday.  My bowel S/Es are raging again.  Not that interested in eating.  And the tiredness!  I am just the most sleepy I have been over the whole last six weeks.  Good thing I know this is normal and I do think I can roll out of this in another couple days.  Yesterday was sunny and warm, so I used the opportunity to take about a mile long walk.  Whew!  Didn't have much wind in my sails after that.

    With the B/C, I lost a whole summer.  I think this timing is better.  If I have to be fatigued and sleepy, may as well be in the "cabin fever" months where I would be inside a lot anyway.  I just hope that my drama is wrapped up by this summer, so I can get back to my normal activities. 

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  • journey4life
    journey4life Member Posts: 517
    edited January 2013

    I truly appreciate the support and well wishes from ladies who get it. The power of sisterhood is amazing.

    Eli - if you don't mind me asking, why did you have to have more tx? I hate that you're having rough SEs but chemo is DONE! Yay! P.S. I am BRCA 1+, thus the ovca. Is it too early to say "I'm looking forward to 2014?" lol

    MO told me Neulasta is given when there are at least 14 days between treatments, which means that, because I'm having chemo weekly, its not an option. I've turned into a bit of a hermit since all this started. Hopefully, I'll slide by without catching anything.

    I don't sing and don't play an instrument of any kind...but...I'll help manage the money! I'm pretty good with numbers and accounting...and I'm trustworthy Money Mouth

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  • heartnsoul76
    heartnsoul76 Member Posts: 1,648
    edited January 2013

    LOVE the victorious snow-woman at the top - I can FEEL the power!

    Elimar, I figured you would be resting but to take a one-mile walk the day after your last chemo???  Good for you!  And how did you do it?  Amazing is all I can say.  I couldn't lift my head off my pillow, much less put on my walking shoes.

    journey - so glad you volunteered to help manage the band's massive influx of cash that will begin in a few months! Soon, fame and fortune will be ours.... well... 

    The Music Man just makes me wanna dance, wanna sing!  Even my college kid was smiling as we watched that clip.  I'm not a big fan of musicals but the classics like Yankee Doodle Dandy, Singing in the Rain and My Fair Lady are foot-tapping fun.

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited January 2013

    OK, I'm gonna try to post some photos. (Sorry they're so big)

    Me Ziplining

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited January 2013

    Me on the left, DD in the middle, DS on the right

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited January 2013

    The 3 of us with Nemo, the photographer & the picture Rachel drew for him.

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited January 2013

    My Hammock!

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited January 2013

    With Rory, the jeweler

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited January 2013

    My chemo angel & I on Ft Lauderdale beach

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  • Valjean
    Valjean Member Posts: 1,898
    edited January 2013

    Love the pictures, Joni!

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  • Valjean
    Valjean Member Posts: 1,898
    edited January 2013

    E~~ Hoping you had a good weekend. And by good I mean recuperatively.

    I hope I'm still "one of you all" as I am now officially an "ish" as in 60'ish.

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  • heartnsoul76
    heartnsoul76 Member Posts: 1,648
    edited January 2013

    Eph - those pictures are fantastic!  You look like a wild woman on the zipline!  You should put it on the refrigerator and get your bonafides from everyone who visits!

    You girls look gorgeous + Rachel is a doll!  She's quite an artist, too - I forgot, is the guy's name really Nemo?  And the hammock, oh gee, I want to be there...  Thanks for posting the pics, they tell a nice story. 

    Val - uh, oh!  Is it that time of year again?

    Hope you had a great birthday!  I suppose you have 9 more years of ish-iness (don't try to say that if you've been drinking!)

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  • mostlymom
    mostlymom Member Posts: 466
    edited January 2013

    Eph - thanks for sharing your beautiful pics!  I love them - especially the hammock.  No, they are not too big - it's nice to be able to see the details. Such a beautiful group of women!

    Martha

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  • Joanne_53
    Joanne_53 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited January 2013

    Eph, wonderful pictures ....mand so brave for zip lining .... Not sure that I would have the courage .... What wonderful memories.

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  • barsco1963
    barsco1963 Member Posts: 2,119
    edited January 2013

    Eph - thanks for sharing the pics. You all radiate beauty and happiness in the photos. What wonderful memories you will have. And the hammock looks soooooooooooo relaxing. Ziplining? not sure I would have the guts to do it - good for you for "taking the leap"

    Happy Birthday Val! Once a Middie - always a Middie!

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited January 2013

    Val, (I was wiped out on the 19th.)  I always figured people would want to move on, but barsco makes a good point, Once a Middie - always a Middie!  You couldn't really leave us behind, now could you?  Since you have a cake already, I went looking for some balloons, but found THIS instead.  Just could not pass up the master artwork and, really, the sentiment is perfect.

                                         

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  • butterfly14
    butterfly14 Member Posts: 253
    edited January 2013

    Eph - Great pictures, you all are beautiful and looks like a lot of fun!!

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited January 2013

    Eph, You look totally ramped up for that zipline.  Yeeeee-haaaaah!  But I still have to go with the consensus and say I am most jealous of how relaxingly wonderful that hammock looks.  There's just something about a hammock set amongst some palm trees with a gentle sea breeze blowing that just melts the stress away.  Xanax..pffft!  Just park me in a hammock somewhere.

    Your cruise looks great, the three of you look beautiful and your smiles are priceless.  Thanks for sharing.

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