Fuzzy's Romp Room

ptdreamers

FireKracker

Just wanna wish all my sistas a very happy and healthy new year.healt first and the rest comes after.

Im running out soon sooo i gotta go to the rest of the 25 threads im on.lol.

xoxoxo Grannydukes

duckyb1

Alyson....thanks for the PM, and so happy for your friend. Wonderful news. I hope and pray all of you have the best New Year ever.....I see many of my wonderful ladies are here too. Lets say group hug for us all. Love you gals.....

thefuzzylemon

Im headed straight for 2013 with all of you and that is a wonderful feeling. This has been quite a year...ups and Downs...but I feel closer to this group of sisters than I ever imagined possible. As a group, we've Been through more than most people could fathom..we understand us and there is great power in that...in us...individually and collectively. Another year coming and we will grow our friendships, our sisterhood and Keep on Keepin ON!!

HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEARS!! MUCH LOVE!!!

SpecialK

Happy New Year rompettes! 

sas-schatzi

Whew> way to go NEWYoRK CITY, the music was fine... The dinner before was hmmm, Did the cornbread 2nd batch in caphlon muffin pan, not going back to the skillet. Whole loads of laughin'. Four couples, seemingly worlds apart-------what a blend, way cool. Blending DBF and my friends. Now the blues is going. Bless us all, may we have a great year. Startin' good.sassy

dunesleeper

My bird, Peaches, wishes you all a happy and healthy new year.

thefuzzylemon

Well Happy New Year to Peaches!!

Sassy....Sounds like you had a really amazing time! WHOOT WHOOT!!

DD is still fevered...pretty sure Its those dang tonsils. Not enough to get them removed but they have certainly caused her a ton of misery in her 20 years.

So, Tomorrow im to start group therapy. I have mixed emotions about this. But, I'll do it and hope for the best...

Its suppose to be 10 below zero here today with wind chills...that's a bunch of yuck...but the sun is shining and its beautiful on the snow!

Its 2013!!!! WE MADE IT!!

duckyb1

Yes we did Fuzzster, yes we did. Love you all. Have a wonderful day, and a better year. We're gonna make it.................

ptdreamers

Having  a six month mammo tomorrow because of inconclusive results on last, MRI on Friday. Hoping both are clear and I can look forward to a better year.

Chevyboy

Thinking of you dreamers...... best of luck kiddo! xoxoxoxo

MamaV

Rider - chemo brain is most definitely real!  And for those of us on Arimidex- it doesn't end!

Happy New Year to all! Here's to good health, negative scans, and lots of love!

Vicky

Anonymous

I'm bald. Everythime I try to wear my wig and its a nice wig, my boys laugh at me. Yjey like me better in my sock monkey hat, dreadlocks bandanna, my scarves, my blue fuzzy hat that looks like Marge Simpson (with a haircut) or just bald.

Today I was at my friend's house (who died) and brought home a carload of stuff again. Wasn't planning  on it. It is such an unatural feeling going through her personal belongings. I tired myself out.

Tomorrow is chemo. I get the dreaded zometa. I get Dr. Chaz again. You remember im... the doctor who can't talk about sex. Its the only thing that makes this appointment fun. Hmmm... what question can I ask?

Chevyboy

Oh wow!  Normally I could think of something "fun" to say to him.... Ask him if he thinks it's better to........ Oh never mind.   Ask him why the chemo turns you into  a wild nympho with thoughts of  uncontrollable visions of taking advantage of everything in sight!

FireKracker

Chevy----shame on you putting those thoughts in Veggys head.You who cant even say STFU....lol.Veggy stay as sweet as you are,,,dont listen to chevy,say what ever comes to your head and if they dont like it then you can always say STFU.....

Good luck tomorrow Veggy...Ill be prayin it gets easier and easier on you....and this year 2013 will bring you all good things.Im sure you are glad 2013 is finally here....IM IN YOUR POCKET!!!!!!!

ridergirl

In your pocket tomorrow Veggy...mine's friday. Know what u mean about not knowing how many treatments...I started with four, then it was maybe 8, now I think it's 6 but who the hell knows...

thefuzzylemon

Oh Veggy...im going to live through you honey!!! WAHAHAAAHAAA!! Recommended toys? Frequency?? To cover or not to cover??? Oh dear, I could Really make you a nice list of questions!! I seriously needed that laugh. Thanks sweetie!

Rider & Veggy....in your pockets!

Anonymous

I was thinking of asking him to check my scar on what was my breast. You know, make sure it isn't opening up and getting infected. That should turn him into a few shades of purple. I didn't think of toys. I'll see him again next week too so keep your thinking caps on.

                                       

dunesleeper

Good luck ptdreamers! I get my ultrasound next week.

Hope you tolerate the chemo well veggy and rider.

Gotta read on to see what else is happening.

Oh, my mother finally talked me into calling my doctor about the, you know, butt problem and also the uh, fungus in my left armpit. I know. Don't I sound so appealing? I guess I have to get this stuff checked out. I do need to know what options I have for this butt thing. It got smaller, but it is bleeding now. Ugh!

dogeyed

Yesterday I kept notes of the people I wanted to respond to, since I can't remember hardly anything now, and then I could not get a photo to post to save my sorry soul, and I gave up with my post.  So, DUNES, I skipped the last couple pages because I was so upset about all that the other day.  However, to perhaps ease your mind, you can look up (if you don't already know) what hemorrhoids are, and they DO bleed, that's proably it or something like that for your butt.  As for your underarm fungus, if you are wearing new undergarments because of the surgery, I'll make a couple suggestions:  Do not wear deoderant, put lotion you like a lot and then regular baby powder over it, and when you get home, take the damn thing off.  You can also take what's left of an extremely soft T-shirt that has holes all in it, and cut out the right amt and stitch it in that general area on both sides.

If my memory fails me, Alyson I was very sad to hear of your concern with the collar bone possible problem, but if it's any help, another friend I ran into on another forum, I called her a diff name Rockin Robin, beause we both play guitar, she had the exact same thing turn up after all her treatments, and it turned out to be nothing (I forgot exactly what, but not cancer).  It was right on her collarbone.

FUZZY, I cannot hardly post without reconnecting in a big way with you. I did what you asked, turned on my fav tunes, closed my eyes, and went into our pasture next door, and I did put my head down on my desk and cried a hundred tears.  I tried to pull your heartbeat in, but could not... on the same end, tho, you wanted to dream with me, but I haven't dreamed in about 15 years, I think it's my tranquilizer, I really don't know.  I changed them recently, and I've been waking up in the middle of the night screaming, not remembering anything I dreamed other than a very bad feeling.  Only thing I can figure is the old tranqs perhaps blocked REM to some degree, and new ones let it in some deep sleeps.  I am such a scrambled mind this past month or two, it's REALLY frightening. 

Husband has been trying to help me, until I am not so anxious.  I simply cannot go see my psychiatrist right now who would hook me up with one of the psychologists in the big two-story bldg near the university, to sort of bring me out of my madness.  And it's VERY hard to get back in with my regular general doc, Plus I'm supposed to go to a dermatologist since one of my three cancers in one boob was a melanoma.  I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.   Pneumonia can take about three months to get over.  I had a temp of 103.7 and they said if Richard hadn't talked to me before about calling 9-1-1, I would have died that very day.

This is why I am not able to help anyone here for now. This is why I cannot post must of anything but sad stuff,because I am overwhelmed and almost drowning.  I am FINALLY going to see my brother and his family, they're coming here to see my folks, we'll go over there at 1:00 p.m. Thursday.  Thank the Good Lord for giving one more full day to rest, rest, rest.  And yet I do not rest well, because I am so afraid.  I am frozen with fear.  I cry every day.  Husband asks me how I am feeling every day, and he strokes my hair and holds my hand, and last night he made me the most divine rice (my stomach is still all screwed up too), but I'm trying to stay ahead of the digestion game.

I don't know why my left mid-upper arm hurts so much.  I fell on the front porch slam out and straight down with no stopping point, when I tripped on the last step, and all I cold do was lay there, could't get up,the dog was terrified, and until husband stepped over me and gave me his hand, I was a little upset.  It's hurt ever since, and yet I get it mixed up with all the 50 zillion shots I got at the hospital when I had pneumonia. 

Oh, they had these four-legged trolly toys where you hold onto the top rung,and you can justpractically run thru the hallways, I was going and going.  I'm going to get one very oon for my house and when I go places, becaue I have a tendency to fall, and a lot of it is backwards.  Maybe I can get a backwards seatbelt?  Smile.  If I went back, then the whole rigging would go smoking backwards.

I have become an unfortunate.  I have been saying that a long, long time, but it's really true now.  My only hope is that I was treated for pneumonia for about four days in a great big hospital up here in the mtns, people come from a dozen counties here, so I SHOULD make it through.  One nurse was SO upset about something, on about my third day, and the other nurses were trying to say a few words to her, to help her get thru the problem. I think she left early. 

Those girls were working like animals, EVERYTHING was a hurry.  This whole economy money thing is VERY hard on the hospitals and physicians, plus these extra work these nurses have to do. To me, te easiest thing to do is go at it the other way; instead of paying high costs, which keeping insurance going at a fair rate is a perfectly fine stopgap, we should eventually be figuring out the soure of the high costs.... there's a racket going on, perhaps, with the insurance companies and the return they may be willing to pay, which is far more than what it actually costs.  But that's jus tmy rumor and reasoning about something I know NOTHING about.  But I wanted SO MUCH to get up and help that poor nurse, and hug her, and find out what the matter was, and straighten the whole thing out (TAKE OVER THE HOSPITAL, YOU KNOW).  That's always been me, to take over.  But sometimes, you know folks, I just want to lay down and give up for a time.

After I see my brother et al, and then mother's birthday we eat out SOMEwhere in another week's tme, THAT'S IT!!!  I really WILL get a good solid rest. Richard will do the groceries in the middle of the month so I'll get a whole mnth off to where I don't have to do anthing except those wretched bills.  I've got to set up that automatic thing.  I'll ask my brother about how it works for him. 

Well, everyone, sadly I need to go. I will read here some, but may be awhile before I can join in the conversation with my romperettes.  But for now, might be a good very early morning TV movie on right now that Imight like, takes my mind of my sickness, my anxiety, my anger at all of it.  I love you all so much.  Gail  

Linda-n3

((((((((((Gail))))))))))

Gail, I wish I could just reach out and hug you like you wanted to hug the nurse. You are so kind and loving and giving, even when you feel so badly. I don't live in your body, but I sure have had the same feelings that you have expressed so well. I am praying for REAL REST for you. I have had about 2 weeks with less stress, only a couple medical appointments, and it is amazing what that can do for you. And some days all you can do is cry cry cry. It's OK to cry. I have learned to accept this as an option as well. I see a marvelous counselor who reminds me that it is OK to BE and to have WHATEVER emotion is arising at the moment, that if thoughts take a turn into the dark areas we can try to bring them back by breathing through them and focusing on the moment rather than fearing the future, but sometimes that is not possible, so if we can just accept that is how we are feeling right now, we can also know that things ALWAYS CHANGE. I also live too much of my life in fear, and when I realize this, I try to come back to the present moment - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.



Dreams and medications. Interesting what the interaction is. I had not really dreamed for many many years, but after different meds found I was having very vivid dreams on some, nightmares on others, did a lot of sleep-talking on a couple according to DH. Fewer meds now, fewer dreams and nightmares. But my favorite time is that time just when I am consciously waking up, sometimes I see beautiful colors and patterns, and I try to remember them for my painting.



I also have trouble remembering everyone's name and post from several pages back, but am so glad that Fuzzy is doing better, hoping for the best for Veggy, thankful to SAS for all her research (I have background in health professionals education and clinical pharmacology, so can vouch for her accuracy!), hugs to everyone else and wishing you much lovingkindness and peace in 2013. And lots of belly laughs!

dunesleeper

Gail, I wish I could give you a real, live hug too. You really are a sweetheart. I think your posts are lovely. I definitely hear the depression/anxiety part in there, and geez I totally get that. You handle it so much more gracefully than what I did. My meltdowns look more like a drowning person flailing and dragging down those who try to help. Then I feel disgusted with myself and ashamed afterwards. But you get as much rest as you can and have sweet dreams. (I know about those waking up screaming or panicky and not even knowing what the dream was that sparked it.) So sweet dream wishes go out to you Gail. And have fun whenever the opportunity presents itself.

sas-schatzi

Linda-n --hello and thanks, Come often your words are so comforting. Many have come lately, expanding what we have here Hugs sassy

Anonymous

Sas I have question for you, if you don't mind...

I was told yesterday that my sodium levels are high. hat causes it and what can I do, if anything, To get them down before next week? I have been eating a lot of ham. Could that be doing it?

sas-schatzi

Veggy,Ham is very high in sodium, but should not cause a shift in blood levels unless it was a significant amount and the blood draw was done at the same time or very close to ingestion. I actually changed my menu on Christmas from Ham and chessy potatoes b/c they were both salt loaded. Several heart patients at table that need to watch salt/sodium intake. An old nursing thing was to say we needed to upstaff on Monday after Easter b/c so many served ham. We could predict an increase in patients that would come in with a problem.

This is not your problem(HEART), but finding outwhat is causing it is very important b/c it can lead to problems. Surprised your team not being more proactive on finding a clue as to source.

None of what is written below is meant to scare you. I know you will be concerned. But a source needs to be found.(duh redundant). The following will help track things and make you aware of what to look for, and when to seek help.

The kidney is responsible for maintaing salt and potassium balance. So determing if it's a kidney thing is a first look approach. Drugs may affect it (but none come to mind --will reseach). Dehydration is the most common cause of elevated sodium. So, let me go to the net and see what I can find. PM me your drug list, labs--BUN/creatinine/ sodium/potassium--edit add serum osmolarity. If you have a CBC- Hematocrit and hemaglobin. HCT and HGB

First until you have an answer I'm going to ask you to do several things.

1. limit salt/sodium intake until source of problem identified. The definitive treatment in hospital scenarios for high sodium is a severely limited sodium diet.

2. monitor weight daily in AM after waking, keep written record-date and time. This action is to monitor for rapid weight gain for those that have a heart problem. Congestive Heart Failure-CHF.

3. Monitor fluid intake-your situation is unique b/c with the chemo you are encouraged to drink to flush fluids. Yet if the kidney isn't keeping things in balance you could get into trouble. Normal intake should be in the vicinty of 2000cc or 2 liters per day. BUT is very individual to each persons situation.

4. Monitor blood pressure if you have a cuff. If it's something you think you'd like to buy--walmart's RELI-ON has been Consumer Reports BEST BUY since 2008.  Record date and time, link to doing  weight in am.

5. Check ankles and lower extremities for swelling(edema). Press finger on ankle bone, if it stays depressed like a crater this is referred to as "pitting edema". Associated with fluid retention that is commonly found in CHF'er's.

6. If shortness of breath, feeling like something is "very wrong", chest pain don't hesitate to call EMS.

continuing to write-shoot just wiped something out erghh--off to search.

My usual search site of Mayoclinic wasn't much help this time --bugger, wiki was way to technical, except for last paragraph.

"a greater than normal concentration of sodium in the blood, caused by excessive
loss of water and electrolytes that results from polyuria(excessive urination-sassy), diarrhea(pulls water from vascular space--concentrating the blood--labs would be off-sassy), excessive
sweating, or inadequate water intake. It may also be a result of a large intake
of salt, either orally or intravenously. When water loss is caused by kidney
dysfunction, urine is profuse and dilute. If water loss is not through the
kidneys, (or-sassy)such as in diarrhea and excessive sweating, the urine is scanty and
highly concentrated. People with hypernatremia may become mentally confused,
have seizures, and lapse into coma. The treatment is restoration of fluid and
electrolyte balance by mouth or by IV infusion. Care must be taken to restore
water balance slowly because further electrolyte imbalances may occur and
complications from correcting sodium concentration may arise." 

Parenthesis used to correct or define, For example the lack of an "or" in wiki's paragraph changes how the statement should read completely.

Found a source that identifies 7 chemo drugs that can cause high sodium, but it is protected by copyright and won't show so will need to do further digging.

Several disease conditions can cause elevated sodium. Each have treatments, so that's good.

Veggy, your doc saying that it would be checked next week, rationale- to see if it is a trend versus a one time abnormality. The fact that you are drinking adequate volume--actually more than average intake-- and the sodium is elevated should be brought to his attention. You can either make the call now or wait till next week. Keeping the daily record of the items above will help b/c the doc will see trends if they are there. Line up across the top of a page then put date and time to left.

                 weight     bp   p    fluid for 24 hrs

date/time

See example written for Wren. use the example and add "fluids in 24 hour"

Linda-n3

Veggy, are you drinking enough water???? That is one of the most common causes of hypernatremia (high sodium) in an outpatient. Yes, the kidney is involved in recovering sodium, so when you don't drink enough, the kidney tries to hold onto sodium because that will help the body hold onto water. Where sodium goes, so goes water. You may simply be dehydrated. I agree with Sassy that you should limit your sodium intake and weigh yourself daily. Daily weight changes reflect changes in body water, not true weight gain or loss (as in fat!).



Here is a link to an overview of sodium:

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/241094-overview#showall



I recently had an elevated calcium, so rather than get all worried and worked up, we just had it repeated in a couple of weeks and it is back to normal. The body's chemistry changes over time, depending on what else is going on, such as diet, activity, stress, infection, other environmental factors. So if you look at your numbers over time, and you repeat enough labs, there will most likely be a few "abnormals" that are actually "normal" for you, but just a temporary fluctuation in those numbers. If you are symptomatic with those lab values, that is another story and should be evaluated promptly!



And eating ham... if you enjoy it, just do so in moderation, LOL! And drink lots of water to flush out the extra sodium!

Anonymous

I drank 3/4 of a gallon of water, just water the day before the blood test. By the time I got to chemo I had 8 glasses of water in me. By the time I left chemo I had 4 more cups in me. I stopped counting when I got home. It must have been over a gallon. I usually drink 3/4 to a gallon of water a day. I did have a cheese ham omelet for breakfast and a ham sandwich for lunch before I left.The doc said not to worry. Next week when I go for chemo they will do another blood test and check for the sodium levels. BTW my blood pressure was 110/70 at the office.

I try to keep a low sodium diet except when there is a baked ham in the house. I am going to boil it before I eat it to get more of the sodium out of it.

I should be taking my pressure more often anyway. I'm on medication for that. Last nigt around 2 the chemo and/or zometa gave me the runs. I know the Zometa affects my eyesight for a day or two. I had them give the Zometa to me in 30 minutes instead of 15 minutes. 15 minutes made every bone in my body hurt to the point that I could barely get out of bed even to go to the bathroom.

Thanks for the advice.  am going to check the link in a little while. I need to rest my eyes before I get a headache.

sas-schatzi

Hey Linda yoo-hoo

Veggy  Linda hit points that I didn't, what a team . Off to search. i will add findings to the above post when it's complete. I'll let you know.i.e will add a sentence to the BP monitoring of what to watch.

Anonymous

You ladies are wonderful!

sas-schatzi

Veggy we are sisters sweetie

Linda yoo hoo---can you use your sources to access chemo drugs. The source I found had a list of seven, but it was from a chemo textbook on google sales site, ergo, it wouldn't show the list. Individual chemo drugs came up, but would be simpler to have one complete list. Any go to --source? sassy