Starting Chemo in JAN 2007

I heard it on the radio this morning that Christina Applegate was "Cancer Free." I was wondering how that worked, since I didn't even think of asking my doc about it until after I had treatment. Thanks for the link to the article, Skye.

Lynn, your pics from Vegas were great, well worth waiting for. You took a few I wished I'd thought of when I was there.

Cindy, that rain you had in Colorado was supposed to come down my way, but it took a turn at Dallas and didn't quite make it. We ended up getting about a half an inch (at my house) instead of the 6 inches they were predicting at the end of last week. My hubby said at least he got to skip watering the lawn one time. The clouds broke the heat wave that we've had since May. I guess a little relief is better than none at all.

I was watching the Olympics last night. What another mess with the scoring for the Uneven Bars. There are some sports that always seem to have judging and scoring controversies no matter what.

Take care all of you. Until next time.

Tina - yeah, ditto on worrying about our kids. I remember during chemo E asked me if this could happen to her. What a hard question to answer.

Speaking of that poor kid - she had to get two baby teeth pulled today. What an ordeal. She was miserable all afternoon. By the time DH got home around 7:00 I'd gone way past my limit listening to all the whining and crying. Plus I felt horrible for having to take her anyway.

I know I already sent out a quick nipple tattoo update - but thought I'd go into a little more detail for anyone interested. First of all - the entire appointment took 3 hours, which I was not prepared for. Should have gone back to Vince Neil Ink for this one - I'm confident they could have done a better job and a faster one too! Anyway, like I said it was entirely painless. I didn't realize that I had absolutely no feeling in that area - but I guess it's a good thing in this case. We spent a considerable amount of time picking the colors - she used a combination of 3 different colors. Overall I think it turned out OK, but I'm holding my final judgement until it heals. I think it's a little too bold/dark right now, but if it fades some I think it will be OK. Also, the circle is a little too perfect and the outline/edge is too strong - but hopefully that will fade also. She did indicate that it should. She has everyone back after at least 6 weeks to do any needed touch ups. 

I was quite pleased with myself that this wasn't my first tattoo. And - by the way - she liked the one I had done in Vegas.  She was amazed by our story!

The girls had their first day of school today (yes I am an evil mom for scheduling the tooth pulling for the same day). They both love their teachers and were so excited to be there. I am still exhausted from having to get up so early. It's going to take awhile to adjust to the 6:00 wake up time. 

Oh, Cindy, you hit the nail on the head.  It's part naievete and part wishful thinking.  Also, part "she doesn't yet realize that there are no definitive tests unless they go on a fishing expedition".  I think that part takes months to sink in.  Did for me.  If you are BRCA, I wonder if it's more likely that you'd have a recurrence in the other breast or if a distant recurrence is more likely.  I know your ovarian cancer chance is upped.  I'm wondering this because simply lobbing off both doesn't get you an absolute free pass.  Oh well.  She's been through a lot.  Let her live in bliss for awhile.  Getting through that part deserves a bit of celebratory time.  I know I was on a big survivors high once I could stand up straight again after my TRAM.  I like that she admits she has days she screams/cries.  Shows she's real and not just Hollywood.

Jan, LOL'ing about you calling yourself bad mom for RUINING Emily's first day back to school!  How could you????    Poor kid.  That had to be painful.  I'm almost not surprised about your Vince Neil ink comment.  They do a helluva lot more tattoos than these BC dr's do... I bet it wouldn't be such a bad idea to have it "done" at a place like Vince Neil Ink.  OK...need to book our next trip to Vegas!  Even though I am pretty numb there, I am afraid still...  I am a wimp.  Jan, what in the world took three hours?  That's extreme.

Melia, I don't find anything wrong with the way you feel.  I, too, would feel a lot more at peace w/stuff if I had a crystal ball and could see that my kids were doing as well as yours, in their twenties.  That brings huuuuuuuuuge peace of mind.  And Happy big 6-Oh to you!!!  Isn't it funny how getting older is now a great thing?  Have the best birthday ever.  You deserve it 100%.

Melia, I think you're right that CA has to keep things upbeat for her career.  She has a hit show right now.  I wonder if she really did need chemo but is putting it off to have a child first.  Don't most BRCA cases require chemo, like HER2?  Caya, you'll probably know this...you read up a lot on BRCA.  And welcome home from the shoe show!  Sounds like you did well despite the crushed cartons.

Hey ladies, I was glad to see all the posts.

Melia, nothing wrong with your feelings, and you know we'd never flame you! A SUPER blow-out 60th is what you deserve. I think I appreciate every birthday all the more now. I hope you have the bestest time of your life.

Jan, I wonder if the Vegas guys have done whole nipple tattoos? They did seem to know what they were doing...Everyone tells me that the tats do fade so I expect this one will too. It will fade faster if you sunbathe topless, so maybe a trip to the French Riviera is in order. :-)

Tina I do hope you go to Barcelona anyway. I'd go with you if it wasn't Year of the Weddings around here.

Cindy, I felt the same way about hearing her say she was cancer free, but I do think it's because she wants to keep working in Hollywood. I know that I tend to fudge when people ask me if I'm cancer free now...I usually say something like as far as they can tell or according to the scans. It is surprising how often people ask that.

Caya, you sound exhausted! Please take some nice Caya time so you don't get infections back. And your birthday coming up too, same day as my MIL!

DH and I had a nice, low-key anniversary. We went to Lake Geneva and walked around downtown and the marina, then ate at a dockside restaurant. We also went to Best Buy and bought ourselves the 5th season of The Wire, then came home and watched the first 2 episodes plus the women's balance beam competition. Loved seeing Johnson win her gold. Last year at this time we were on our cruise -- seems so far away now.

Have any of you heard about that Georgia Bigfoot hoax? I've had lots of calls and such, it's been taking up a lot of my time. What an idiotic escapade!

Have a good over-the-hump day everyone! - Skye

Happy Bday in advance Caya.  50 is not that bad..it's the new 60.  Or is that the new 40? 

I called to confirm my dr's appt and found out that it is not tom, it is Sept 15 as originally planned.  Now I did not imagine that they called and changed it.  I even knew the girl's name but she denies changing it.  Obviously they have me mixed up with someone else.  At least I called and didn't just show up there on the wrong day after taking time off of work.  Moral of the story:  Always call and check your appointments unless they call you first.  Jan I can't believe your girls started school already.  Here in MI the public schools can't start until after Labor Day.  It's suppose to help tourism - like anyone has any money to travel after buying school clothes and supplies.  I just don't understand when it's hot why the schools start so early?  What's the rationale?  ...  Off for a walk.  It's beautiful here today. 

Well, that's good news regarding tattoo pain, Jan.  Glad Em is flush w/cash after that ordeal.   Jaclyn took to nearly ripping her loose teeth out once she realized money was involved.

Regarding, CA...she commented that she laughed more in the last 3 weeks.  I recall that almost giddy feeling.  I swear, it's a survival mechanism to get you through the horror.  I can remember cracking all these dark jokes at the Nissan dealerhship.  I bought a new Quest minivan w/leather, 5 moonroofts, DVD, all the bells/whistles right before I had surgery.  (My car was ten years old, but this was a good excuse.)  And even after, like I said the other day...once I could stand up straight after surgery, I was back to LMAO'ing...

Skye...the DH was asking what your take on the Bigfoot story.  I said I really didn't know.

Weather has been fabulous here too...all summer, really.  Boston has had a horrible weather pattern.  Various "transplantee" friends across the country who have gone back there this summer have had miserable weather.  Viddie, my mother/aunt had a fabulous time on the Cape the last few days.  They stayed in Falmouth.  My cousin rented a house for a month across from the Woods Hole ferry.

Mary, I do think the after Labor Day school date helps tourism.  Going back in August really cuts the summer short.  (Although, not always a bad thing... .  I'm kind of summered out w/the kids.  I'm not tired of summer...I could use another several months..just by myself.

Cleaned my house today.  I worked by butt off.  I am proud of myself.  I did as good a job as Mary, my old housecleaner.  Paul is staying over in DC tonight..he's running a conference.  Poor soul has to go to Mortons for dinner.  I took the kids to Carraba's...in frugal mode, I used two leftover Amex gift card and only had to kick in ten bucks.  Can't beat that.  From there to Target...b'day present shopping for neighborhood kids.

I have to say that I have not really paid much attention to Christina Applegate...I feel for her as I would for any woman with a Dx.  I bet that her naive announcement that she is now cancer free one months oafter diagnosis is probably half ignorance (we were all there once) and half "good PR".  Of course it does not help our cause if she is so blase about the whole thing...gives the impression that BC is a walk in the park.  That annoys me a bit.

Jan a belated congrats on your new fipple!   I have heard that they do fade so do  not give up.  I am sure that it will look great, it sounds like she really took care.  I wonder what they would have made of a request like that at Vince Neil Ink...maybe if you let them tattoo a "ring" in your fipple they would have been into it.

LOL Skye on the trip to the french riviera!  I heard aboaut the bigfoot thing and thought of you...and then LAUGHED when it turned out to be a rubber suit.  Wonder how much those "scientists" paid for the thing.

Happy birthday Melia.  I know that you say what you say with love in your heart.  But please know that this world would be a lesser place without you in it, no matter your age so please never give up the fight!

Caya keep lugging shoes!  Oh...I think of youevery time I wear my blue sandals, which BTW are very, very comfy.

Mary I hope tha tyou enjoyed your walk!


I am still trying to catch up from camping...not even close to done with posts...I may abandon the task because I am still digging out of piles of laundry and my niece and nephew slept over last night and I am babysitting the whole crew today until the afternoon.  Yayy me!  and I can not even take them anywhere because I will have more kids than I can fit in my car!  I am thinking I will take them to the field near my house so they can play wiffle ball.

Camping was good...we did a whole lot of nothing.  It rained quite a bit, so we were a bit soggy, but we had tarps and a fire so we were ok.  The kids did not care, they tramped around the woods rain or not.  Owen was so filthy that I had to go in and scrub his feet with a scrubber.  Ana was not  much better, my little nature girl decided that she did not even need shoes.  The forest floor was very soft with pine needles, so it was ok.

As you all know, my MIL is a bit eccentric sometimes and she talks to EVERYONE.  So she was in a "cute little bait shop"--to which I HAVE to ask, how is it possible that a shop that sells worms intended to be impaled on a hook could possibly be cute, but anyway-- the guy behind the counter told her that there was a nice trout pond about 2 miles off the road.  She came back to camp with the worms and harrassed us until we all had to get into the car and follow her to this local fishin' hole.  So we find the turn off, and we are driving, and driving and DRIVING.  Longer than 2 miles.   We see lots of no tresspassing and no hunting signs and they were RIDDLED WITH BULLETHOLES no less.  So now we are a bit unhappy....no cellphone service, and the friggin road is not on the GPS, but we are brave, and Owen was in the car with my MIL so we forged on. So we see this house with some guys hanging out on the front porch (along with some burned out husks of cars and old dirtbikes that have been gutted for parts).  She decides to ask these gentlemen for DIRECTIONS.  We are horrified, but they pointed, and on she went with us reluctantly behind.  The next guy that she decided to ask for directions was opening carrying a pistol in a holster...he was probably walking back from taking potshots at the roadsigns......  Shortly after that, we RAN OUT OF ROAD and are traveling along on a dirt trail that is so narrow that we could not turn around if we wanted to...which of course we wanted to do!.  The good news is that after all of that, it did turn out that there was a trout pond, and it was indeed incredibly beautiful although we did not catch anything

I will try to post some pictures, but with 5 kids in the house, 4 of which are under the age of 10, and two of which are trying to out-testosterone each other I am lucky I was able to finish this loooong post that I started last night before they arrived.

Love you all!

Hi Ta Ta's,

Rebecca, what a camping adventure! Are you sure the bullet-riddled place by the fishing hole didn't have a freezer with a bigfoot body out back? And you should definitely feel good about giving the world Yummus. In fact, just reading about it I had to go to the frig and have some with a few blue corn tortilla chips. Talk about a suggestible personality!



As for Bigfoot, I smelled hoax all along. I was just mad at the idiot hoaxers for bringing more ridicule to the field. Last night I interviewed one of those thawing the "body" and it's posted already on my show site.



Melia glad you had such a lovely day with DD. I agree it's nice to have them one-on-one.



Mary our schools don't start until after Labor Day in my town. I used to so dread this time of year when I was teaching. I'm very glad you found out the doc office was mixed up and not you.



Jan you have such a generous tooth fairy. Tina I was LOL'ing at Jac ripping her baby teeth out for cash. I remember as a kid being upset because the tooth fairy forgot me once, and that night after I was in bed my mother came trotting into the room flapping a pair of black pedal-pushers over her arms like wings, dropped a quarter on my bed and flapped back out. Then people wonder why I turned out like I did! :-)



Speaking of my mom, the nonsense continues. The greedy ones are saying they will have her declared incompetent and in a home by next week. It won't happen because she isn't, but it shows what lovely, gratefuly children they have grown up to be. I'm planning to go see her tomorrow if she's up to it.



I'm still feeling bad about LeRoy, too. It counterbalances the lightness of CA 's remarks. Also a film maker I knew died Sunday in a one-car accident at age 41 so I'm rather bummed about that.



It's getting ready to rain here. I should be writing about the Minotaur and centaurs right now but I'm having a groggy day and it's much more pleasant to write to my Ta Ta sisters. Hope you all are gearing up for a lovely weekend. - Skye

Tina you're really good to take the neighbor's kids. I bet Jaclyn will love the company. The wall color does sound fun. You'll have to take pix when it's all done.



We have FINALLY gotten the window replacement contract going, it's only taken since April. So they should be starting...just about the time of the wedding. I just hope it can all be done by the end of September. It's costing us more than the roof did last year, too, but it's two huge picture windows with crankouts, an upgraded patio door, three skylights in my art studio, and fixing the exteriors of the kitchen and dining room bow windows. The present ones are all either broken, rotted or in the case of the patio door, worn out and plug-ugly.



Tomorrow dh wants to go to a big sports show in Oshkosh and I have a friend I'd like to visit there (Rebecca she's a recently retired college English prof) so we are making a day trip. Even if it's raining I'm excited to get out of Dodge for a bit. Back to the writing grind in the meantime - Skye

Jeez, Caya, I wish someone would have encoured me to massage, etc. my scar area.  It's so far gone now, it wouldn't help.

Nothing too new to here, again.  I babysat the neighbors and they were angels.  They are actually a great influence on my kids because they treat each other so nice.  Kiana is a little mommy to Devin...I've never seen anything like it.  She actually got Jaclyn to come up and apoligize to Paul this past Fri. night when the kids slept over!  Big Paul and I nearly fell over.  Kiana needs to keep coming over....

Anyway, Jac had Kiana overnight, Paul had Zion (other side neighbor) and Devin came at 7:20 am.  I made quesadillas for lunch, took them to McD for dinner at 5 in the midst of getting more paint for tomorrow.  The painters arrive at 7:30 am.  Managed to pick up Jaclyn' soccer uniform in the midst, so that was good.  It was funny, having a 3 year old boy out w/me.  He fell asleep in the car, just like Paul always did and I had to carry him through the paint/soccer stores.  Little shrimp that he is, he was HEAVY!  Anyway, it was fun to have a "baby" again for the day.

Mel, you are not unattractive!  You are beautiful inside and out.  Put on some confidence and try not to worry about what others think.  There's a trainer at the gym and I swear he was talking about me the other day.  Not sure what he could have been saying, probably "Boy that lady sweats a lot."  I'm sure he doesn't know my whole story so I just forgive him for being so dumb and unprofessional. 

I'm still down and out after having paid all that money for my son's car repair.  He is spending his money on his new girlfriend and they are in love.  He got good grades this summer, has a 3.5 grade point going into his last three semesters so I should just not worry about the money but we also got hit on the tenants moving out of our old house and not paying the water bill for a year.  Live and learn.  DH is over there cleaning up the place.  I am still emotionally attached to that house having raised my kids there and I can't go there or even by it without feeling sad since the kids are gone. 

 Well I'm off for a bike ride, hopefully that will cheer me up.  I did have a good telephone conversation with DS#1 last night.  It's nice to hear from them when they grow up and start making some sense.  Hugs.

Yay caya another shoe shoe!!!!  lol.  Definately take it easy when you get your port out.  I hope they do not have to pull too much  Yeck.

Tina, it is never too late to deal with your scar.  There are lots of products out there...some are even over the counter!  Try Mederma...it can soften old scar tissue and reduces pigmentation.  Those neighbors sound so wonderful, you are truly blessed.  Oh, and that is the best kind of three year old boy...sleeping, and going home at night.

OMG Mel you crack me up!  Hummus saved your boob?!?!?  LOL!  Although you are probably right on target with the protein.  Just another reason for me to smile when I eat hummus.

Mary that is very unprofessional of that trainer indeed...as if you sweating is unusual in a gym anyway...jeez!

Well, it is dinnertime, so I better sign off.  We are going out to LI tomorrow to pick up my new (purple!) couches.  I am so excited!  happy saturday...

xoxo

Hi Ladies,

Mel, I second that you are one attractive lady, and I bet the beautician will be able to help you with the hair dilemma. How long have you been a vegetarian?



Rebecca, purple furniture sounds great! I love purple, I have a purple wing chair in my living room that I had custom-upholstered and it's my favorite thing. You must send pix.And I bet your hummus (I still call it yummus) heals all manner of ills.



Melia, there are just too many things to worry about, aren't there? I find I'm more anxious about health-related stuff, and less about everything else. Except my mother's situation, and the crazy sister who is still intent on getting her declared incompetent so she can have access to the treasury again. I find I have to force myself into a visualization-meditation routine to get my mind off of it, and even that doesn't always work. My mom's geriatric assessment is tomorrow and I'll be there.



Robbin, good to hear from you and I sure hope the sinus surgery is successful. I personally doubt that chemo would cause polyps but you never know what individual effects that stuff can have.



Viddie, you had quite the social time! You know, these days it isn't considered bad form to declare all visits potluck when people are just coming and staying and taking your hospitality for granted. And they should at least be taking you out for a meal, I would never expect to be hosted like that without returning something.



Mary, ouch, I hear you on the kid car expense. I expect that will happen soon with DS2's car. He is like the Crisis Kid. Exercise really is good for burning off money worries. We are presently saving up to handle the beer, wine and champagne tab for DS1's wedding reception, plus we are giving them cash toward the honeymoon in Jamaica. Hence the low-key anniversary celebration this year. Well, the windows are costing us an arm and two legs as well but they have to be replaced. THEN comes the remodeling, which probably now won't happen until next year as the windows are so much more than we planned. However I will have terrible fits if my screen porch at least is not totally redone before winter.



Hope everyone has a marvelous week, heading in to get my port flushed this morning and Caya I'm thinking of you getting yours out! Call me anytime - Skye

I'm being a bad poster again.  Not that I really have anything of substance to report, but... 

Viddie, I do know Lynn, Lynn, the city of Sin.  Very well.  I lived in Salem for four years while attending Salem State College.  What restaurant did he work at?  And where is he going in East Boston?  My brother owns a boat slip at Admirals Hill in Chelsea (actually, a very nice part of Chelsea...did you know there was one?  LOL!) and he is very close to East Boston.  He goes to a great Chinese place there a lot.

Paul is in Chicago for two days.  I was so damn bored today that I did something I never do.  I read fiction.  Lifeguard by James Patterson.  I got sucked in by the Palm Beach setting.  Read the entire book.  It was the first overcast day of the summer and the kids were happily playing w/friends so I was kind of stuck here.  Tonight Jaclyn is having Kiana sleep over and Paul is having Milan.  I had nearly 3" boneless pork chops defrosted so I'm glad to have the extra mouths to feed.  I hate wasting meat.  Devin will come in the morning at 7:30 (the 3 yr. old).  Tomorrow night is Paul's middle school open house.  Should be interesting.  He gets his "schedule".  Wed. night is Jaclyn's first soccer practice, Thursday I've got the cleaners coming so I'll probably take the kids to the pool and Friday, I'll drag them all w/me to the elem. school open house.  I volunteered to help for an hour, signing people up so there grocery store purchase are linked to the school...fundraiser. 

We were going to go away this weekend but almost everything is booked.  We did discover that there is a nice, luxury bus service that goes to NYC for $25 each way in four hours.  Not bad at all.  We considered doing that.  Who knows...maybe we still will.

Robbin, glad you made it through the polyp surgery OK.  That couldn't have been pleasant.

Rebecca, I lovvvvve purple too.  My last house was done in eggplant...  Purple Earth, to be exact.  It was very rich looking....looked like chocolate brown on the paint chip.  Speaking of paint, I had the bedrooms, baths, laundry room and office painted on Saturday.  I'm happy with the results.  I did Jaclyn's room in a very unusual color...a minty/spa green.  It's very different.  I'm considering picking up a tiny chandelier w/crystals on it and having my father hook it up when he's here in two weeks.  Rebecca, better to use that space for something you need...you'll get way more use out of it this way.

Melia, I am less anxious post BC.  I have more of a "you live once" attitude.  Of course, I have new, different anxieties I never had.  Speaking of which, I need to get to the main screen.  They are now claiming that if you have a "sunny disposition" you are less prone to BC.  What's my problem then, I wonder?

Skye, found a Bigfoot article in a magazine down here called Blue Ridge something or other.  Saying they spotted him on the Rappahonick River, which is an hour from DC.