Starting Chemo May 2008

Hey Roberta....Vancouver? We're neighbors. Who is that adorable child stealing some of your beauty (but only a bit)? Guess what, women? We are all going through normal post-chemo shee-yit as Kerry would say. We spent so much time just dealing with the overwhelm of chemo that now that it is gone (for most of us) and now that rads are gone (for some of us) and now that we have herceptin (only a few of us), that survival mode got easier, but everything else gets harder. My fifteen-year-old was joking around about BC the other day and I almost shot him. He was just being fifteen, but he is convinced that now that I am done with chemo, all is well. I haven't the heart to tell him how worried I am about my fluttering heart but I get an echocardiogram on Wednesday so maybe I'll know more then. But there are days when I am flying high and days when it feels like a real drag. It's all about finding that new normal. You all know the one I am talking about...the one where I am waiting for a toenail to fall off or that (tmi alert) I get excited when I blow my nose and a booger comes out and I know it's because I have nostril hair again. But we are on our way. We are all on our way. This has been quite a year for al of us. May we never have to face anything like this again. Talk to you soon.

HAHAHAHAHA here I thought I was the only one excited about boogers! Ah it's the small things!

I'm now up to 4 fingernails waiting to jump ship. If I had a choice it would be my toenails to jump ship instead. But noooooooooooo nobody wants to do what I want to do. dang it!

Eddie~ I'll be with you in spirit on wednesday. When you get that cold chill from being in a cool room, that will be me sending you good vibes and prayers for a good result :O)

edit: dang it I think I broke the forum..... tried to post a new av and it won't let me. bad technology!

Oh, and I am thinking about Barack and losing his grandmother the day before the election. No matter who you plan to vote for, you have to feel for him.

God Bless America tomorrow.... you're gonna need it. No matter what the outcome, it will be one hell of a day. I voted with my Absentee Ballot, I hope you all exercise your rights too! 

Morning Ladies!

Now I have coffee on my computer from laughing--boogers!  I usually have to blow my nose a half dozen times in the morning and then just off & on during the day.  Take Claritin to kind of help with the flow.

Nails are still sore and discolored.  Finally broke down and painted them, so maybe I wouldn't obsess over them so much.  Toenails are bright red--a big stretch for me!  

DH still whining, hates the packing in his nose.  Goes Thurs. to have it removed.  He is already freaking about that, worried that the doc will repack it.  I have decided that I was too good of a patient over the past few months-I should have whined a lot more!  

Ellenoire- I despised having to design labels for our soaps and lotions!  I am not a very creative person.  I would see other labels, and think "Why didn't I think of that?"  Usually this time of year, I am planning gift baskets, sold a lot of them through work.  No energy for that this year, but thinking about maybe making some holiday candles for a few family and friends. 

I actually got out my crocheting and started working on an afgan I had started a few years ago.  I have decided that it will be finished by the holidays.  I had been working on some pillowcases that I had been embroidering, but fingertips just aren't up to the tiny needle, so they will be put back in the craft box for awhile.  

Going out later to vote!  Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Hi, all-- 

Sue, the porches on old, southern farmhouses aren't supposed to be screened, and I doubt they had overstuffed chairs.  We can manage without.  How about BYOC (bring your own chair)?

You're retiring on April Fool's Day? Heh heh.  Gotta say, I'm loving retirement...except for the BC part, of course.   That was unexpected.

We (dh and I) just got back from a week on the boat, cruising up the Tennessee River to Chattanooga.  The leaves were starting to turn, so the colors on the mountainsides were beginning to look great.  A couple of the nights were really cool (below freezing), so by the time we were headed home, the trees were nearing peak color.

Tonight we're watching re-runs of Law & Order on TNT instead of the election returns.  There will be enough news about the election tomorrow.

otter 

I was at a rally last night for my oldest sister who was up against a republican who sat in office for 16 years twiddling his thumbs. She beat the pants off the guy. The democratic rally was rocking! I couldn't stay too late, still tired from rads. And yes Kristy, I have a shoulder burn but not as bad as the one on my superclavicle.

Sue, I can smell the pie's baking in your kitchen. I'll bring my own chair. And the wind from Otter's boat blowing through my very short but stylish hair (which I got a compliment on yesterday by the way). Oh and the Occupational Therapist is the one that told me no more than 5 lb weights. I'm gonna work back up to my 8's and 10's though.

Yesterday was my final appointment with my general surgeon. I won't see him now until the port comes out. Who knows, could be summer 09 or summer '10. Let's see how herceptin does for me. One doc down, three to go....

Good luck to all your muga scores. Mines next week. 

I wish I could retire....jealous 

ya farmhouse porch... me too.

 I am wiped from working too much and staying up watching the election. I am on TV again in the morning at 6 am . Gotta sleep.  Love to all. Chemoooo to Gracie! 

Jen, I love your avatar. But how did you steal my hair????

rockadoodledoooooo! Yes..I read that article and peed my pants. Can you imagine having the wherewithal (whatever the hell that is) to shake a fox off your arm and into the boot of your car??? rofl, rofl!! What a gal!

Well girls, the news for me tonight is that the onc gave me a script for Femara today. Are any of y'all taking it? I don't FEEL post-menopausal, but my hormone levels say otherwise. I would love to lose the remaining 6kg of chemo-gain before I launch into the next (SE:ass-growing) thing. Oh well, we shall see how it goes. He continues to be incredulous at the fact that I worked through chemo..apparently it was a pretty rough program he put me on, and he is impressed at how well I have done. That made me feel good. As did going and ordering prescription sunglasses this afternoon and discovering how great so many styles look with my Pauline Hanson wig. NOTHING looked any good when I was choosing spectacles, wearing my OWN hair!   I'm feeling pretty lucky tonight..as I type I've got a fat cat under my left arm, purring and then soundlessly miaowing when I bump her; to my right: a thin little whippety dog snoring in a basket beside my seat, a couple of Asian takeaway dishes, and a bottle of great champagne made by the tall, dark handsome man I married (who is five years younger than me).   I raise my glass to BC and say "Feck Off!! And so say all of us!!"

XX 

Miss K -I am down 8lbs and 10 inches since chemo.

 I just wish my damn hands would stop aching! I had an ok sleep last night after being up at 4:30 am to do TV yesterday morning.. what a long day! 

I have a ton to do, but dream of tea on Sue's porch with you all! Or maybe Mint Julips! 

 Cheers!

 N

Kerry~ I stole your hair and I ain't giving it back either! LOL I love my baby hair right now. It's still so soft but still grey and clear hairs. If I am in the right light, stand on my head and whistle dixie while drinking a mountain dew.... I can see color coming in in spots.

I've almost got all the ladies for the cmas card list (or holiday cards for a few :O) ) I will send it out in a few days to each of you who signed up. Thank you ladies!!!! I'm going to keep posting in in bold in my posts so the others see it as well.

I didn't really gain any weight during my chemo.. I lost... but now with the tamox I go up and down VERY easily. Gained 7 pounds in water overnite this past week. However my middle section belongs on slimer from the ghost busters. And I wish he would take it back. :OP

I'm still collecting for the cmas card list for a few more days. pm me with your addy's or emails! I will send them out to each afterwards

Whoa, Kristy...7 tries!  If that had been me, I would not have been the only person who was licking wounds when she left the room.

I have two bits of news, neither of which is good.  About a week ago, I started getting a tingly feeling in the first 2 fingers and thumb of my right hand.  It would come and go, mostly coming during the night while I was asleep.  I thought, hmmm.... this is just like carpal tunnel syndrome.  Sure enough, that's what my PCP said when I asked him about it 2 days ago.  He did a couple of simple tests and voila!:  CTS.  So, now I'm wearing an ugly-looking, velcro-strapped brace on my right hand and forearm.  But, it does make my hand feel a lot better; and I only really need to wear the brace at night.

The second news is that I got one of those awful phone calls today.  You know, the ones we get as we grow older and our parents are in their 70's and 80's.  My mom found my dad slumped over in the bathroom with his eyes closed.  She thought he'd had a stroke.  She called 911, and the ambulance took him to the hospital.  Fortunately, it does not appear to have been a stroke.  The doc couldn't find any neurological deficits, and my dad is responsive (well, as much as could be expected for someone with mid-stage Alzheimer's).  His heart rate was really slow at the hospital, so they're thinking maybe he just blacked out.  He has a bunch of coronary artery blockages that can't be fixed surgically, so it wouldn't have been a total surprise to hear he'd had a heart attack or stroke.  Not this time, though.

My dh and I are going to head up that way tomorrow, even if everything turns out to be okay.  It's a 2-day trip (by car), with a blizzard at that end.  My sister is already there, and she's a nurse; so my mom has good company and competent guidance.

I'll let y'all know how it goes.

otter 

Oh, Otter, I am so very sorry to hear about your dad, and the CTS.  My heart goes out to you. (I'm almost afraid to ask but: how is your mom handling things?) I wish I could offer something more, but I'm just fried tonight. 

And Kristy? I PM-ed you.  I wish I could wrap you in a quilt and bring you tea.  (You poor baby.)

Ditto to everything Linda said!