anyone starting chemo in Nov 2005
Comments
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Odalys~ Glad you are okay, we have no rain and need it. Send some to VA~
Here is some sun for you....
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I didn't realize that was you on the flyer, Nancy, congratulations on taking over the reins!
We are six hours ahead of you here, Mary-Lou, that means I was writing upon getting up in the morning and you were still up in the wee hours over there.
Odalys, my left breast (the infiltrating side) was Her2+++, but ER and PR negative. The right, DCIS side was ER and PR positive. Once I had finished chemo and Herceptin, my oncologist wanted to put me on Femara. My breast surgeon said there was no benefit for me to take any of those drugs. I got four (!!!) other opinions, and half were in favor of putting me on something, half not. I thought long and hard. I already had some joint issues from the way-too-sudden menopause, and my bone density test showed osteopenia, i.e. borderline osteoporosis. So I decided against the Femara and put the whole thing behind me. Sure, it's a hard decision. Only you can answer your question. I like Margerie's suggestion of seeing a naturopath. I did that before my hip surgery and she put me on some things to boost my immune system and told me to go out in the sun for ten mins a day to improve my sleep of all things. I did it and sure, it might just have worked a little. Anything natural you can do for yourself it worth it.
Love to you all,
Anna
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Anna~ I'm a true night owl anyway. I have been baking a carrot cake (3 tier) for my FIL 75TH BIRTHDAY PARTY TOMORROW.
Sorry about the caps, I wasn't shouting...well maybe a little LOL
The house smells so good! I even made home made cream cheese icing! Everything from scrach. Believe me I know why I don't do this often...the clean up is a job.
Hope everyone is doing well, I will be out of town , so I will catch up when I get back on Sunday.
Send Rain!
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MMM.....I love cream cheee frosting. My favorite!!!!
I had to laugh about the clean-up. My dh has been strongly hinting that he wants me to make my gigantic chocolate chip cookies, and I haven't made those for him since before Daniel was born. It is yummy, but good heavens, it takes longer to clean up than it does to eat.
I made them for my in-laws when I met them the first time (I was just the girlfriend at the time), and spent HOURS (yes, I am shouting...) making the perfect batch of cookies. I spent even more time placing them carefully ito a specially chosen basket (that they were to keep as a gift).
They met me, I proudly presented my cookies, and they were like, "oh. Thanks." Then it was time for them to leave, and I piped up, "Were you going to take your cookies?" Their answer?
"Well, I guess so......"
I spent HOURS on those suckers!!!!! GRRR!
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Deb, I'm laughing out loud at your tale of the ungrateful in-laws. Both the cookies and the carrot cake sound so good. I could actually smell that cake baking as I was reading.
Odalys, did I really hear that you could get 30 inches?? You will really be waterlogged and I wish we could have some of it. Wishing you lots of sun. We have some to spare in California--come and enjoy.
You all know that you have an open invitation to stay with me, right? A day, a week, a month--whatever.
Love you all.
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It's great to see our group active again. We sure have come a long way in the past three years. How are the plans for the get together coming along? Who else beside Nancy will be going to Margerie's?
Today was the first day with no rain. We had some sunshine. Now, the storm is headed North West. Amazing one storm can cause so much rain. Today has been a very lazy day. I've been so tired. It seems I'm always tired now. Work is a constant battle and when I come home all I want to do is crash on the couch. Not good because m weight keeps climbing. Maybe now that the weather will start to cool off I can resume those early morning and evening walks. It's so hot now even the dogs are uncomfortable when we go for a walk.
Deb - chocolate chip cookies....yummy. How is Daniel doing?
Anna- can't wait to see more pics. Love your dogie.
MaryLou - Thanks for the sunshine. Have a great time at the birthday party. I'm sure the cake will be delicious. I keep thinking I should start weight watchers. I really don't like my weight right now. It's odd considering I used to struggle with being underweight.
Nancy- Thanks for offering your home. I'd love to visit you some day. "Mi casa es tu casa."
Margerie- Are the kids back in school? Steven started 5th grade this week and he is happy with all his teachers. Thank God. Next year he goes to middle school...gulp! I've already placed his name on the waiting list for a Matter Academy 1 mile away from our home. Good news is I know the Registrar and she told me not to worry.
This is one time I don't mind taking advantage of who I know. Wishing everyone a good evening.
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Hey ladies, I am still planning on coming to the get-together, I just need to get my butt in gear and order the tickets!
As for the weight, I am not happy with mine either. I asked a neighbor to be my weight buddy, and she has been nowhere to be seen! Ack! I am excited for Daniel to begin school, so I can plan on exercising in the mornings! Let's hope!
Love and prayers, Deb -
Finally a sunny day! I plan to be outdoors. Here is a pic of Sunny Isles Beach.
Have a great Sunday everyone. Love and hugs,
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My mother was just diagnosed with fallopian tube cancer...
and she will probably need chemo. I did a Dr. Google consult and it seems this type of cancer is:
* very rare
* mostly found incidentally (it was found during her hysterectomy)
* treated with carboplatin and taxol
* similar to ovarian cancer in many ways including aggressiveness, staging and survival
* some ties to the BRCA-1 gene (which I was tested negative)
I just can not believe she is going to need chemo. She seems to be handling it pretty well. She is 66 and in good health otherwise. She has had postmenopausal bleeding on and off for years. They told her it was from her fibroids. Over the last few months the symptoms got worse: bloating and cramping, heavy bleeding. They scheduled her hyst for October, but then had an opening in the schedule a couple of weeks ago. Thank goodness she didn't wait.
After some research it seems this is a common presentation and many women are told their symptoms are from fibroids. Not to scare anyone, but I would hate to see this happen to you or anyone you know....
She will probably not be staged until she has another surgery to look at the lymph nodes.....Deb any advice on coping with carbo and taxol??
here we go again, we are most deifintely not there yet.... -
Oh Margerie, I am so sorry. I'm lost for words right now. ((((hugs)))))
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Oh Margerie-I'm so sorry to read that as well. Hugs being sent to your family.
As for the carbo and taxol......
I did the adriamyacin first, so the carbo and taxol were like a walk in the park for me. I did have nausea, but food didn't taste like pennies to me. My pain seemed to worsen once I began the taxol, and that is suspected to be the root of my pain I deal with now (two years later!!!). My hair actually began to grow in once I started that round, so I don't know if it would make your Mom totally bald (?).
I don't know if I have much wisdom to share, because by that time I had been doing chemo for months, so it was like old school to me! I was dilligent in drinking my Boost, I wasn't afraid to take meds for the pain, because it made miserable, and I was definitely fatigued, so I took ritalin.
Daniel is dancing around naked, so I must continue this later, but I'm sending love! Love and prayers, Deb -
Margerie, I am so sorry to hear your news! It is horrible to have to watch a person you love go through cancer treatment. Do you live nearby? Will you be able to see her often?
(((((hugs))))) to you and your family
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I live about 4 hours away. My two sisters live within an hour of her. Both my parents are retired, so my dad will be able to drive/help. I can stop by for the day on the way up to Tahoe in a couple of weeks.
I can go see her, but it won't be easy with our schedule (school, sports) She is also wildly stubborn, like myself, and doesn't want too much attention.
arrgghhhh...... I am mostly in denial right now- can't think about it too much
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Okay, Margerie, sorry about having to cut my note short. We gave Daniel a bath for his first day of school, and he is like our old Lab that used to run around the house wildly after getting a bath. Daniel takes off, naked, and we have to chase him down.
The only thing I have left to say about t and c is that my blood counts seemed to get more out of whack than with the Adriamyacin. Obviously, there is nothing we can do about our blood counts, which is the sucky part.
It's gotta be so surreal to have just gone through this, then watch your mom go through it. Just know that we are here with you, every step of the way.
Okay, I'd better go. Daniel's first day of school was today, and he is waaaay to hyper to take his nap......I'm in for a long afternoon, but I was so excited that I did more in two and a half hours today than I did all summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love and prayers, Deb
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Margerie sending hugs to you today, I thought I had posted but it didn't post for some reason. I have both Sebastian and Hayden today so, I will come back later.
Two children that close in age is a job. Both in diapers.
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If I don't reserve tickets pretty soon, I am driving to your house, Margerie!!!! Ack!!!!!!!!
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Sorry, I have not "talked" to all of you in a few days and I am so sorry about your Mom's need for chemo, Margerie. It is so devastating when someone we love has to go through this, but as survivors, we know she will get through it. I, too, took Taxol and Cytoxin following Adriamyasin. Like Deb, I experienced low blood counts and took Neulasta or Neuprogin and A... shots for low white and red cells. The toughest part of Taxol is the neuropathy WHICH DOES NOT HAPPEN TO EVERYONE. Even when it does, it goes away for many. It seems to affect people differently and different parts of the body. For me, it is my feet, legs, and hands. Used to be intense pain and numbness, now down to a constant low roar. At its worst, I could not manage zippers, buttons, opening bottle and burned myself many times. My feet and toe nails were so tender that a sheet on them was excruciating. I lost several toe nails. I used to take 1200 mg of Neurontin, but it made the chemo brain worse. Today, I take 300 Lyrica, which seems to help with some of the Arimidex join pain and some of the neuropathy. All of these side effects suck, but they are not life threatening and cancer is, so I just took it as a sign that the drugs had cancer on the run. It sounds like you got your strength and independence from your Mom and that will serve her well as she faces this challenge. Margerie, are you still game for house guests?
Odalys, sounds like another wet weekend and early week in the Gulf. Let's hope by the time it hits, it is dramatically reduced. I loved the picture you sent--looks like the Florida we all love.
Deb, assuming is still up for hosting our reunion, take a plane, a bus, train, or car. Walk if you want to--can't wait to see you. Odalys, you could dry out . . . Mary Lou, how are things working out for you. Its so hard to think of a reunion without you and Anna.
Dentist in 35 minutes--will be back later.
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Of course I am ready for a get-away with my November Sisters!!!!!
It will be my first all-girls get-away since ever! Weather is perfect up in Truckee- hurry up and make those reservations Deb!! Hoping a miracle can get the rest of you to come
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Sears Catalog
Two rednecks were looking at a Sears catalog and admiring the models.
One says to the other, 'Have you seen the beautiful girls in this catalog?'
The second one replies, 'Yes, they are very beautiful. And look at the price!'
The first one says, with wide eyes, 'Wow, they aren't very expensive. At this price, I'm buying one.'
The second one smiles and pats him on the back. 'Good idea! Order one and if she's as beautiful as she is in the catalog, I will get one too.'
Three weeks later, the youngest redneck asks his friend, 'Did you ever receive the girl you ordered from the Sears catalog?'
The second redneck replies, 'No, but it shouldn't be long now. I got her clothes yesterday!'
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Margerie - So sorry to hear about your mom's diagnosis. Please know that you, your mom, and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
LAT56
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Lat56 - we miss you around here. How are you?
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Oh LAT, so good to see you here!
Margerie, I just got your message last night. STUPID PHONE! It doesn't know how to beep when I have a message. I mean, I don't know how to set it to tell me that....
I had six messages last night that I didn't know about!
Ok, I will make reservations-there is a flight that arrives sometime mid afternoon. On Sunday, I can just make reservations and I can hang out in the airport and read till my flight takes off!
Yay!! I'm so excited I can't stand it. My inclination is to buy all kinds of girl's weekend stuff for us to play with (like Spa stuff and stupid movies), but I'm going to travel light. I am so excited!
Odalys and ML, ARE YOU COMING?!?!?!!? Please, say you are!
Love and prayers, Deb
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Girls I would love to join you all, but with our lay off status, it's a no this time around. Makes me so mad, but we have to do what we have to do. I will be thinking of you all.
And there better be plenty of pictures
I want to feel like I was there.
Lat, good to see you. You must check in more often, PLEASE
. We really do miss you when you are gone for to loooooooong at a time. I had both the grand children this morning. Sebastian went to his aunt Debbies this afternoon, and Hayden is going to spend the night. She is taking a nap now.
I have to make sure she doesn't sleep to much in the day, or she won't sleep tonight.
But nap time is so nice. The oldest son is in for the week end....they're at the lake today with the jet skies. I hope I get to go tomorrow.
Well back to my chores, sending hugs to you all.
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Good to hear from you, Lat. We have missed you.
Odalys, I am praying for all the people in Gustav's path and I sure hope you aren't going to be affected by this one. Sounds like a very scary storm!
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Thanks Anna. Glad to see you.
Good morning sisters. It's going to be another wet and windy day here thanks to Gustav. Have I mentioned I HATE hurricanes! Glad to see LA folks are evacuating because this is no small storm.
Here is what John Gerard meteorologist from the local news channel had to say:
Gustav has been pounding away on western Cuba for the past 12 hours and from some of the reports we've received via ham radio and telephone, major damage has taken place from the Isle of Youth to Havana. Cars have been reported flying through the air, storm surge has completely submerged some coastal towns, trees and power lines are down, the rice and tobacco crop on that end of the island has been destroyed and it's flooded everywhere. Gustav is maintaining cat. 4 status tonight and the land of western Cuba is too flat and too small to weaken it. Tropical Storm warnings continue for the Lower Keys through the night and rainbands might contain isolated tornadoes across all of the Keys and even into parts of Miami-Dade and Broward through early afternoon on Sunday. Hurricane force winds extend out about 70 miles from the center so the strongest winds will remain off shore of the west coast and the Keys. Next stop, New Orleans? The entire Gulf coast from Galveston all the way to Apalachicola is on high alert. Gustav isn't slowing down any and now looks like it'll come ashore as early as Monday instead of Tuesday like earlier projected. Such a rapid speed doesn't leave it much time to weaken and it's expected to crash into the Gulf coast as a major hurricane, possibly even a cat. 4 or 5, although I believe a cat. 3 or 4 is more likely. Let's not take our eyes of Tropical Storm Hanna either. Spinning in the tropical Atlantic, it's looking like a slow-mover and should be somewhere in the central Bahamas by later in the week. Actually, the high level winds around Gustav should create enough shear over Hanna so that the environment will be somewhat hostile for too much strengthening. We are, however, in the extended 5-day cone so while our thoughts and prayers are with everyone from Cuba to the Gulf coast, remember, a strike closer to home might be in the cards later in the week but fortunately, there is plenty of time to evaluate that situation. Let's take them one at a time!!!
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How much chemo brain can I take....OMG! Michael wanted to know what I was thinking with the Memorial Day greetings.
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