For those starting chemo in June

Mary, how awful for that poor woman. Maybe they're wrong on the outlook. But, boy, it'd be hard to function with an outlook like that.

My eye is, well, OK, I guess. I don't really notice anything. And I'm not going to have to have anything done to it anytime soon. Just starting a little young. I'm glad you're getting your eyes checked, Mary.

The doc was thinking of taking me off Tamox and putting me on Arimidex or something if I was menopausal, but blood tests show I'm nowhere close (even tho I've been in chemopause since July). Tamox is a known cause of cataracts. So I suppose it'll get worse. But at least I do have options. I hear cataract surgery's not too bad.

Hi to Janie and Renee.

Counting down to a week from Friday when we go on our trip. It's going to be cold, cold, cold out there. Can't have everything, I suppose.

Hey hey hey everybody. Mary, a colonoscopy is not all that bad. I stayed awake during mine although they said I would not. I watched the screen and thought "so that's what the inside of my colon looks like." Very interesting.

Wonder if someone with lymphedema can get a regular massage. The therapist massages your arm and neck etc. to get the fluid to going a certain way.

My sleeve felt fine except in one spot so she ordered another one for me to pick up tomorrow. SO I am still bandaged. I told her to go ahead and order me a night sleeve -- it takes 15 seconds instead of 15 minutes to put on at night. I think it will be worth the bucks since I have to do this until I meet St. Peter and shake hands with my sleeved hand.

Paula,Even though it will be cold, you will have fun on your trip. You may even be there for a 'warming trend' We are due to get in the 40's after the snow this weekend.
I have joined several groups lately. Team Survivor is about 'fun, fitness and friendship' We will be training for the Danskin Triathalon in Chicago and Dragon Boat Racing. Need to lose the chocolate after chemo pounds. Also, I'm forming a team for the Relay for Life event. I've been asked to be the Honorary Chairperson to kick off the Relay with a speech and lead the walk.
Can't wait for the warm, sunny weather to get here.Renee

Mary, boy, you really have your hands full. You're a strong, strong woman!

Renee, my mom was just complaining today about the weather up in madison. Of course, she just got back from two weeks in Arizona, so I imagine it's quite a shock to the system....


Have to go in Monday for an endometrial biopsy. I called today to ask how I'd know the difference between just a regular old period and bleeding due to tamoxifen. Guess what? The only way to find out is another stupid test.

Of course, no one really thinks it's anything bad. But they've got to cover the bases. Between my 2 hours at the eye doc getting added visual tests because of the tamox and this stupid thing monday, boy, this tamoxifen is turning out to be just lovely. And I can just hear the money adding up at the insurance company (less, of course, my rather sizable copayment....


See you guys later,
Paula

Hi girls, feeling better since its warming up. Springfield is 28 miles but to get to my dads Dr. its about 45 mins. I have to leave work to take him though. He lives 20 mins. in the other direction from me. I can take care of it for him when I am off work and if I irrigate it we may not have to change it so often. Its not a big deal.Sorry to hear you are haveing trouble P.J. Gosh is there no end? You are so going to enjoy your trip. You will be able to just have fun and maybe get a few minutes of no worring.When things are out of my mind for a while I will think hey I haven't been worring about anything; then I go back to worrying. You will have a great trip.I lost most of one ovary due to endometriosis back when I was 24. I had a very large cyst and it ruptured so they had to get one ovary out and took most of the other one too. I have a piece of one ovary left but it has worked fine all these years. Hope everythings good for you. Hope Renee is getting some of our nice temps. up there. Janie, hey girl.Everyone have a wonderful week end.

Good morning Ladies, Hows everyone? I went to see a plastics gal and she was as dumb as crap. She wants to either cut my back muscle and pull it around and I said no or put in an implant in one side. I have gained 18 pounds what happens to the good boob when I lose the wt.? I will need another operation. Am I nuts here or what???? Why not do it all at once and I pay the difference???? Well if I get them done at once it will cost about 4700 but If I get it done one at a time its 3700 each. I may not have a Dr. but I am not stupid. Why would I want two surgeries 6 months or a year apart??? I go to my Onky Thurs. and I am going to see if he knows somone. My knee is still messed up and I hope my onky doesn't want to do a M.R.I. cause that would scare me. I spent 4 hours at the hosp. Sun. and they said I need to see my onky with it, Not that its bad but they don't know and everything needs checked out by him. I think I tore something. It had a big lunp on it Sunday and it was really swollen. Do you ever see people you went to school with that you haven't seen for a long time and they look sooo much older than you? Or do I see myself differently than others and I look really old to them? Ever see the ones that were really popular in school that thought they were better than you and they look all old and unattractive? Don't you just feel so much better about yourself? It just gives you that little strut. Yea, I saw the most popular girl in our school yesterday and she looks so different. I spoke to her cause even with my 2 inches of hair and extra 18 pounds I look better. Moments like that pricless....Hugs, Mary

Paula, Have a fabulous trip!
Sunday was 57 warm! We went to the zoo, the arboretum and then to Culvers for a Sundae which we ate outside. Now its back to reality and 28, so yes, Paula, your mother can complain about this yucky weather. Tomorrow is snow!
Hang in there Mary! You're the energizer bunny... sometimes I wonder how you do it but then I remember - we do what we have to do to make it thru each day.
Janie- Hope your arm has been behaving.
Off to the gym before I eat cookies for snack.
Renee

Hi Girls, Its freeking snowing!!!!Gee whiz will it ever warm up and stay? Have a good trip Paula. I hope you really enjoy it. Saw my onky and my knee has fluid but not cancer. I have to see a knee guy the 1st. Its probably a miniscus tear. Have to go bosses dog is by me and he is passing gas and God Lord!!!!!!!!!! Later. Hugs, Mary

Well girls our cohart in crime is having a good time and well deserved. Its cold and colder. I think we are in for a warm up. We have a grandson all wk. end and we went to a birthday party for my neice today. Hope Renee is staying warm. If its cold here its colder there. Janie I am glad your arm is o.k. Its so bad you have to put up with this after all the crap the past year. I am glad your hanging in there. Well gotta hit the heat pad. Good night ladies, Mary

Hi girls, the party was good and I ate too much. My husband is finally getting into maybe moving through the winter to Scottsdale. He is thinking of all the woodwork he could sell. He may have a good job here for 6 months but no ins. We will get by. We are going to start looking and see how much we have to come up with to get a place down there. We are keeping our house here. He said something about selling but I don't want to. We own it so its costing nothing to keep. I don't know about renting cause I don't want it tore up and we have a place to come to when we come home to visit. Well have to go so hang in there Janie and hope Renee is staying warm. Hugs, Mary

Wow Mary. There will be no snow in Arizona! Renee, I just had to give in and turn on my air.

Hugs Ladies,

Janie

Not kidding! The air is already kicking on this morning. This is infusion day. Maybe I will get some much needed sleep. I went to sleep the last two times. Later Gators. Janie

Well hey girls, My hubby has had an on again off again headache for a wk. He looks bad but God forbid he see a dr, I am getting him in tomorrow. Penny pincher screwed me on taxes. She as I said before over paid me 3,000 bucks and I can't claim self employed and deduct my gas and car because I take him to see his wife and to the Dr. apts. etc because they gave me a w2. They need to give me some 1099. I asked penny pincher about it and she said whats in it for us if we do that? They claim me as domestic. I am just so sick of her. This is what I get for 10 years of loyal work. My tax guy said I could get my night wages if I wanted. I am too nice because I thought I had worked 2 years nights but its been almost 3. Thats a lot of money!!!!! Well this morning my bosses son-in-law was walking behind me up some steps and I told him to watch out because my big fat ass might bounce back and knock his head off and roll it down the steps. Its a dangerous thing!!!! Well glad you enjoy me. Heck I make fun of me cause its too easy. I am gonna miss the good side cleavage when I get rid of this weight though. Man the first time in my life I have cleavage and its all on one side, I am not only big assed I am half assed. Did yous ever hear of "big nose Kate"?, she was Doc Holliday's woman? I am big ass Mary. Hugs, B.A. Mary

I'm back! Janie, glad to hear you got a good report. Mary, I'm glad you're thinking about someplace warmer. Just think how great you'll look in a thong bikini!

Had a great time, but I'm worn out. I've been to DC, Philly, Baltimore plus two days of flying in the last 7 days. Nathan had a good time, but really had no interest in the historical stuff. He liked the bones (Natural HIstory Museum), space ships (Air and Space Museum) and nasty looking fish (Baltimore Aquarium). Of course, spent more than we should have, but we deserved it. Got to see some friends I haven't seen in a long while during our stay in DC.

Feeling fine. Really didn't think about this awful medical crap much at all, which was another bonus. And nobody brought it up. Whew.

You guys all take care!

Welcome back PJ! Sounds like a wonderful trip.

That is great about the HER2 survivor Mary! The 21st of March? I feel like it will hurt worse this time after all the surgery etc. I had a reduction on both along with the lumpectomy. I have so many incisions. The tumor site took forever to heal (from May to November!).