INSOMNIACS place to talk in the wee hours

Teka

*some of my crocuses today*

camillegal

OMG Dutch I'm so glad everything is all right, the hell with the bike, Oh what a rough week. Sorry.

Oh Nettie I understand more of why u'r so fearful, cuz u think u didn't suffer enough--Please don't think that way, sometimes there are more SE after than with, remember there are no rules with this beast.

Tang u really have to finish --I remember my first 4 months and I thought I was done when I had surgery and I was so glad then, after and I  had it another like 10 months and then finish Herceptin and I thought they are thinking of ways to kkeep my mouth shut, I took it personally LOL and the after surgery was worse than before, then I had another surgery and got more chemo 1 and 1/2 yrs and I knew I had to finish and u have to finish too and remember it will just seem like a bad dream after and u'll think --How the hell did I do that, but u do and I know u'll be all right, just takes time and coming here is a good outlet--I didn't join here til I was done basically it probably would make me feel better if I did knowing others felt the same way, Now I follow the after shock of it and I don't feel so different anymore, I know what's going on and why for the most part there is so much pain now and I'm still a work in progress--it's just the way this damn disease is.

ziggypop

Dang, it's raining here and there's actually one weather report calling for SNOW. I have seeds and chit, it can't SNOW!!!!

Tangerine - You're more than halfway there, kiddo. And you are strong - knew that about you after just a few posts that you made. When it's over, you will look back and go - "Wow, that was me? I did that?" Sometimes it's a good idea to call the office - I didn't until the 5th round & as soon as my onc saw me he told me he'd be admitting me. But right away they gave me fluids & they really helped a lot. One of the nurses said - You can always call us and we'll give you fluids (wish I had known sooner). I was always hesitant to call, because I felt like a whiner and like there was nothing they could do... but it turns out that there's actually a lot they can do & I know you and you are NOT a whiner. 

Sassypants - I love how your mind works, and that when you figure things out, you take steps to fix them. Chocolate on gal and never let it be said that you were not the hottest of the hot chicks. Here's a little to add to the stash Teka sent you:

So, all you girls became bunnies while I was gone with cute names like snuggle bunny,  sweet sugar and takemyclothes off foradollar. How come you didn't invite Vinnie? I'm sure he would have enjoyed this: 

FBB -  Love you and all the bunnies and owls and chickens are in your pocket (except cami 'cause well we love her but it's better if she is not confined to close quarters). Chevys fluffy tail is making me sneeze, so just ignore that wiggly pocket. It'll help if you stick your hands in your underpants because.. I don't know.  

Chevyboy

Oh Ziggers!  That reminds me of this "man" that wrote about his broken hip surgery!  See, I was trying to find out how long I would limp.... And I googled just that, and this like "journal" came up, about this guy who broke his hip, and his recovery!  So if you would have READ what I said, you would know what I was talking about, but since you probably DIDN'T read,  what I said, he mentioned that when he went into surgery for the SECOND broken hip, the nurses were upset, because he didn't have any underwear on!  He found out, that the 2nd surgeon, would operate differently, and would set them up, and tuck their hands in their underwear.... Ha, ha!  That cracked me up!   So in other words, SOME surgeons operate in a prone position, (which I am mostly used to) but then others do it with them sitting up!  

My underpants were on.... weren't they?  Maybe not....  Probably possibly NOT.... because I had a catheter!  Oh Drats!  Now I'm borderline "embarrassed"!   Bare-assed is the appropriate word here!  Shut UP Cammi! 

So Lilshit, Blondie and Nettie!  I sent your envelopes!  Now I ASKED you guys to give me your address if you would WANT a ruffled scarf!    And I have not heard from anyone else...! 

Okay.... gotta go maybe think about dinner!  Love you guys... xoxoxoxo

ziggypop

Chevy I did READ what you said. I always read everything You're the one that doesn't read you old biddybat. This is what they call 'projection', see? My question has never been about prone or unprone. It's about why they have to tuck yr hand in your underpants. What does tucking your hand in your underpants do (I was taught NOT to do that in public).?

When I get my scarf, I'm going commando. There will be no underwear hand tucking. 

tangandchris

Thanks for the encouragment

I literally cannot imagine having to do more than 2 more of these hellish tx's. To those that have gone thru more chemo than that...you are amazing!

I have thrush now too. Good times!!!!!!

ziggypop

Tangerine and peaches - there's not one of us who is any more amazing (or less so) than you. We all just cope as best we can. 

Chevy - I miss you in the DH. (doghouse not dear husband)

camillegal

Tang whatever we all went thru we all went thru so it's all the same--we're here now, maybe some parts are missing but we're still here. U'll do it, u'll see.

Chevy did u have u'r crotchless panties on---I think that would have worked and why would u be embarrassed u'r not when u aren't in surgery.

You know when we have surgeries of course we act like OMG stuff and yet when we are out do u really think these Drs. are even talking about us except to say hand me this or hand me that and close. To them it's like an office job where u kind of gossip a little and goof around or sing, but then when we wake up they give us their Dr. face again. and I told my Surgeon that, he didn't fool me.

camillegal

I want to apologize about my post earlier---I didn't mean like well look at all the stuff I had, because I'm not happy about it I just kept on rambling and didn't mean I was brave, amazing or tough--I just followed what they told me to do and I didn't mean it as anything else but once u commit and start u really have to finish what the Drs. are doing even when U want to bring a gun in with a mask and start going at it. That's all. But I was very luck cuz with all that they got what they and me wanted, tat's why I'm still here.

Teka

cami, 

Your BC *Road* is the best!

camillegal

Oh Teka

JWoo

Tang- you can do it!  I did not have my last Taxol due to severe hand-foot syndrome, allergic reactions, and pretty bad neuropathy. That being said, I also had an excellent response to the treatments i DID have, so, my ONC decided it was better for me to stop and not risk being permanently disabled from the neuro.  You have to way the long terms risks with the response you've had, and you and your Dr. should discuss it in depth. But, if there is no risk of perm damage that you are seeing, I would say- fight on! We are here for you!

And Cam- don't discount your feelings or experience! No need for an apology! We are all brave, all fighting for a good life. That includes you.

Smaarty

well the right girlie is definitely slipping south. I finally email my doc and waiting for an appointment. Compared to some of you this is minor stuff.  I told him I REALLY liked having boobs. Hope he can fix it. I can't do anything until early June because of the weddings and class I'm teaching or in August when I start  eating real food again.

Tang please hang in there. It will be worth it in the end.  

Cami, you're a sweetie to worry about out feelings. Don't bother, we're numb or deaf or glowing or ????

Well, MIL is moved. She made one last trip to the trailer just to make sure. Had a little tiff with her daughter, I think she was taking her frustrating out on her since she can't get through to her son since he can't hear much. Hard to fight when the other one can't hear you yelling at them. We should be done cleaning out this weekend.

Have a good weekend all.

Blessings2011

Oh, Sistahs - cheering you all on from afar. Seems like I can either read all the past posts, or start anew with a fresh post, but not both.

Right now it's storming outside - woo HOOO! We so desperately need it. But this little spit ain't gonna change our severe drought one bit.

DH and I ran errands yesterday, but today we just stayed inside, out of the rain. We were pooped from all the activity.

Love y'all!!!

Teka

Teka

Teka

Now I'm going to bed.

Anonymous

Teka,  another great one!

Blessings, good to hear that rain is on the way! My chest was so tight and aching last night I needed to sleep with the heating pad. Have been overcast and breezy all day and was hoping the weather folks got it right. They're even talking about snow, and it's almost May! Definitely global warming. 

Wren44

I have an explanation for the hands in the underpants during surgery. If they're going to sit you up they don't want your arms flopping around at them or making you tip sideways. When I had my tubes tied they strapped my hands down to the table. I kept telling them I was supposed to be asleep by now and I wasn't even woozy.

Anonymous

it's raining!

Alyson

Just flying through to tell you that I found my gold earring. It wasn't in the rubbish as I thought and so I presumed it was gone but I have just found it in my make up drawer. I had spilt some blusher and decided to clean out the drawer and there it was covered in blusher. Now I am covered in blusher. Happy little owl I am.

camillegal

YYAAYYY Ally that mystery is solved with blush. I knew u'd find it sooner or later.

Who said snow, it won't snow, it's too late in the season right? I hope.  But rain is needed u a lot of areas, this is all off balance this year again. Like us.

U guys are great to talk to when I go on and on about nothing that u already know.

Blessings good pic.

Teka BTW u have always understood my crazy thinking from the beginning Thank you for that.

Smmarty I'm so glad u'r MIL is all settled now u have to be exhausted mentally too--I hope u get some fun or relaxation over the weekend and of course I forgot how far does u'r MIL live from u now? It's good that she's there for her sake and yours too.

Well I have a load of clothes that are washing now, cuz I'm going to my DD!'s home later today overnight with my Joey of course so I'll be home tomorrow and then my kids here have a party to go to, I'm not going tho. So that's fine with me.

Anonymous

Aly, glad your earring appeared. 

Cami, you're doing laundry already? Too early for me

Have spent the last 5 hours repairing DD's lifeguard swim suit. She never mentioned that almost all the binding was coming off, I'm afraid if she sneezed, there wouldn't be anything left to hold it up! It's pouring and windy outside (so unlike So Cal), nice listening to the wind chimes. Ok, gotta get some sleep, planning to meet some BCO sistahs for lunch.

Chevyboy

Morning all my lovelies! 

Cammi!  First off, we must never apologize for anything on here... unless we wind up in the dog-house, like me and Lil-shit, but we just don't pay no attention...  You didn't ramble!  If anyone rambles, it is, well NO-one here!  We just talk about things that bother us, because who else can we TALK to? 

But no, don't go gettin' one of Joey's squirt guns, and blastin' those Doc's...  Oh wait!  You could DO that!  Ha, ha!  They would look at you and say...  "it's just Cammi" and go on with what they were doing!

Yes,  you are still here... and we have to KEEP you here forever...

I'm just impressed you spelled apologize right! 

TANG!!!  Dang girl!  Thrush???  Is that when you feel like your whole mouth is growing sand?  And your throat?   Ah man!  I did that once... From SOMEthing!  I think it was antibiotics!    Because I KNOW I wasn't at the beach!  Can you eat Yogurt?  And drink Aloe-Vera juice?  That would help you...  Just don't look in your mouth...  It will scare the begeezus out of you!

Lilshit!  I think the hand in the pants thing had to do with keeping your hands in one place?  How the hell do I know?   It isn't any different than any guy sitting on the couch, watching TV, like Al Bundy, and sticking his hands in his pants... I mean ONE hand...!  The other hand has the remote!

I know when they did my back surgery, I went to sleep laying down, but then a nurse said they turned me over, and slid me down the table, and had me kneeling down, on a shelf? And I was across the table?  So he could do the surgery like THAT???    Good Lord, no telling WHAT goes on when we are asleep!!!   And I was asleep, so I missed it!

And who's Peaches?  She must be your Sister Tang?   No tellin' WHAT Ziggy is talking about anymore! 

CAMMI!!!  Again!  NOoooooo... I didn't have the crotchless panties by this time!  I had the edible ones on.  Come to think about it, that would have WORKED, right?  Am I going to get in trouble AGAIN????

Morning Smarty!  Glad you got the deed done...  It's just hard on all of you, especially her...  

I know with me, it's hard to hear stuff... and when your back is turned, forget it!   I mean I can hear things, but if I don't like what I am hearing, I can pretend I don't...  and walk away... Ha!  THEN that really p-ss's them off, and they yell!  

Blessings... great picture!  Ha, ha!  When we went gambling, I took my cane... along with 5 thousand OTHER old people!    But MAN, I am so afraid of escalators now!  I think they sped them up, since we were there last!  I just stood there, staring, and whining, and  crying, until finally someone pushed me ahead!   I held onto that moving railing for dear life!  I will go UP an escalator, but not down...  Maybe I should go down backwards?  And it would seem like UP?... whatever....

Teka, "Morning!"   Can you maybe use a mustard plaster?  I mean whenever I was sick, I used to get one of those things on my chest!  Or even Ben Gay, under a T-shirt?  But the heating pad is good...  Maybe you should go see what that is about?   It's shouldn't hurt... 

I know!  Snow this week-end! 

So Okay WREN!!!  I just KNEW there was an explanation for the hands in the pants thing!  Ha, ha!  Figures!   Yes, makes sense!   They even tie our hands?  See!  I TOLD you guys!  We just don't KNOW what is all going ON! 

2nd!  Wish it would rain here...  I just love the rain!    And Aly, Glad you found that ear-ring!  

Cammi!  Have fun  today with the fam!  Joey will take care of you!  So WHO'S feeding Katy-kat?   Do I have to watch her TOO? 

Chevyboy

Hands in the pants!

Oh hey HI 2nd!  Yes, you are getting the rain, and we are expecting snow tomorrow!  Now I have to move around my 4 huge tomato pots!  I cover them with black plastic pots every night, but snow?   And COLD??? 

Have fun today!

camillegal

O 2mnd I like u'r plans for today, sounds like fun to me. Yea I'm doing laundry but I'm using my spurt of energy now--Later I will go back to being useless. Where BTW I'm most comfortable

sas-schatzi

Cami you were right in your description-- the OR is like M.A.S.H. the old Korea army show with Alan Alda. I learned as a young new OR nurse in the 70's. At first, I was offended by the jokes which weren't about the patients BTW. But I soon learned that when the jokes or talk of ball games stopped, I'd be looking for trouble.  The change in talk meant that something had changed and the doc was getting into something i.e simple as releasing some internal scar tissue or could be a bleed. But rest assured their full concentration was always on what they were doing. 

When I scrubbed my goal was to have the instruments needed in the hands of the doc before he asked. That meant I had to know exactly what he was going to do. Some docs knew this was my goal. When we could go through almost an entire surgery without him asking for an instrument, it was very cool. That was exhilerating. 

Some docs would still say what the instruments were even though they were already in there hands b/c the residents had to know what the doc was using.

I worked at a teaching hospital, so, much of the talk was about anatomy and the doc teaching about the "w's" What , when where why of how they were doing things.

Cami when you say I know stuff, I had the longest "Residency".  Four years in surgery was like taking a 4 year anatomy class. Same with all the other specialties recovery ER, ICU etc. Something as simple as the Peri bottle I learned while working postpartum so much while in nursing school.

Wren your assessment of the pants is likely correct. I can add that it may also allow the arms to fall where the doc wanted them to allow the foobs/ boobs to fall naturally and not out to the sides. i.e. natural way for the shoulders to relax too versus as you say the arms falling down which would pull the shoulder down unnaturally which could affect how the foobs/ boobs looked.

The reason your arms were strapped or tucked before you were asleep IS the arms have to be placed just right to assure they aren't laying on nerves, and fingers aren't crimped. If this isn't done correctly, it can cause injury to them. Body and arm position is the responsibility of the whole team, again to assure the patient isn't injured. 

The circulating nurse has the final responsible for positioning. I /we took it VERY seriously. In some cases, particularly, complicated positioning, i.e.brain, back, neck, hip, the physician does the positioning with help. 

Anesthesia was responsible for the positioning of the arm with the I V

Padding is placed at all points that may be at risk for pressure areas i.e. back of head, elbows, heels.

All were responsible to speak up if they thought that something needed repositioning for saftey. It was teamwork at it's best.

Chevyboy

Morning Sass!  You know so much STUFF!  And it all makes sense!  See, LilShit was commenting on my comment, which I was commenting about that guy and his surgery!  It was just a funny visual!  But glad you talked to us about it! 

camillegal

Sas I love u'r stories and by the silly talk in surgery to me that meant it was going well so I was fine thinking that, when u knw everything is under control they can relax more and the way I understood it my surgeon picked his team for the mot part cuz he would tell me in so many words that he always wanted the ones he could work with the best and since he was  a top surgeon I felt like he meant it. So I wasn't insulting him I always liked to rib the hell out of him.

Chevyboy