Starting Chemo May 2008

Hi guys i am from Australia and I have one more chemo treatment left I cannot wait it has been rough, I  have been lurking here a while but have decided to post as it does get lonely sometimes even when you have all the support in the world. Only people in the same position understand and I am glad I found this site

Morning Gals,

Welcome Karen...1 more to go you are almost done! There are alot of smart caring people here who can help make the road a little less bumpy ! 

Otter love the hair, great curls......i'm hopin for some, i always had to pay for mine !

Gracie you are going to sail thru rads...i know it wasn't a bad experience for me..in and out in about 15 mins and you carry on with your day, Just give yourself time for some rest as it can suck the energy out of you.

Kristy good luck with Hercepton today ! 

Roxi glad to hear your gene testing came back negative, ...sigh of relief !

Rock how did all your tests go yesterday...all clear right ?

Eddie what a day you had ....so happy to hear that it all happened that day and you didn't have to postpone. Are you feeling ok? 

Noelle I wish for you less stressfull times at work...and you can find those moments that make it all worthwhile ! 

Kerry congrats to your niece what an honour...maybe you will be wearing her desingner clothes one day. Loved the alien thing...these aliens are going to be really down on their abduction quotas next year as we are all going to have a year unrelated to cancer ! 

My daughter turns 13 on Dec. 27 so decided to do her friend party tomorrow. Got 12 girls coming over for a Spa themed party. Face masks, nailpolish , bonbons, tear jerker movie...ect. Should be fun...other times i would think myself crazy to have that many but just happy now to be here to be part of her life and enjoy these moments !

Anyone i forgot  have a great day.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend, stay safe and warm !

HI !! tons o snow here!!

Angels! Let me know if you need anything for your spa party. 

 Love to all. It is quiet, so we are getting the new kits for kids to make their own bath products made. 

 I got fudge from Kristy!!!! and cards from lots of y'all.

 RanD... hope you is ok.. 

 Eddie, I will read your blog later

 Rock, did you get my message? or am a loser who cannot copy a phone number down? 

 xoN

Hi there May ladies. I sort of feel like I'm eavesdropping over here but it's nice to read the updates and feel the love (sounds corny but it's true!).

Today is my 1 year anniversary of the day the alien abduction began.  I was diagnosed on December 20th of 2007. I'm not sure what I should do to mark the day -- maybe go out an play in the snow? We have about a foot and still no sign of stopping....

I had a tough week. When I was on a site visit for work in October, I met a woman on the staff of the project I work with who was in chemo treatment for a bc recurrence.   On Tuesday I learned that she had passed away -- in her late 30s with three teenage daughters. Then about an hour later I found out about the death of a former coworker -- not cancer, she had some bad respiratory problems, but she was also quite young (probably under 50) and it was a big shock.

I should post a pic of my hair.  I'm 7 months out and seriously look like Harpo Marx, or maybe Richard Simmons. This growing-out stage is going to get reaaaallly crazy, but I am trying hard not to complain because it is so wonderful to have hair.  Noelle, I loved the video and I want to buy some of your products -- but I'm not sure what shipping costs would be to the States?

Mommy, I started tamox about two weeks after I finished rads -- I didn't know anything about the interaction but I just wanted to do one treatment at a time.  I've been on tamoxifen for 3 months now and side effects are minimal. I hope this doesn't mean that it isn't working for me!  Isn't there some research about this?

 Oh, I have a date for my DIEP surgery -- March 25th. Yay! That gives me 3 months to try to build up some abdominal muscle so I can get myself out of bed after surgery....

I wish you all easy medical tests, uneventful results and a permanent farewell to the aliens who abducted us.  2009 is going to be awesome!  Happy holidays to all!

xxxooo

Lauren

Ladies, please.

Keep that &#$!! snow up there where it belongs.  We don't want any of that stuff down here, below the Mason-Dixon Line.  No thanks.  Snow makes people crazy.  I've seen evidence of that while watching the news footage lately.

Hi, Lauren.  Yeah, Richard Simmons.  I thought my 'do looked familiar.  This whole thing is so weird, I guess we have to laugh.  I looked through magazines and websites for months, looking for a wig I might like.  As someone who's had straight hair all her life, the last hairstyle I would have chosen for a wig is the one I'm sporting on my head right now.  But, I'm trying to look on the bright side--at least it's hair, and at least it has normal (or near-normal) color.

Eddie, when I first read your post I thought you said you were snowed in and had nothing to eat but bark (like tree bark), and I thought, oh, poor Eddie!  We need to FAX her some snickers bars or something.  But it sounds like you're okay.  Have a safe trip to Victoria.  I've been there (twice), but only in the late summer when there wasn't any snow.

Hey, Noelle, angels, Gracie, Kristy, everyone else!  Has anyone heard from rock lately?  I'm worried about her, what with the packing for her trip, and trying to sublet her apt, plus she's waiting to hear about that funky bone stuff.

We're spending a night on the boat, which is kind of on the way to our next stop at my in-laws, 3 states west of here.

Hugs...

otter 

Wow, catching up and lots of reasons to celebrate!

Eddie - Glad that surgery (eventually) went well!!  We are also getting a bunch of snow and it is beautiful!

Gracie - That was awesome news to hear that the scans were clear!  Give your body the rest it needs in rads and you will do great.  I followed Kristy's advice and applied lotion from day 1 to 2 weeks past completion - skin did pretty well.

Roxi - Congrats that the test were BCRA negative.  Mine too, and also a relieved sister. 

Noelle - congrats on your home ownership.  I am hoping you have record sales this season and get some much needed rest soon!

Sue - Congrats on the DS getting married!

Otter - LOVE the hair -I have hair envy! 

Sable - have to ask . . . after you waxed your face, did it come back furry?

Rock - Thinking about you and the million things you have going on in your life . . . hope you are doing well.

I think I had a bacterial infection after all, been fighting it for a week and it is still not gone.  I basically spent the last week working,eating dinner, then to bed.  Last Thursday I tried to run on my treadmill and couldn't - had a major melt down.  Frustrated that I feel like crap and am not getting better - tired of going to the doctor.  Sound familiar, because we have all been there. 

Reading all the good news made me smile.  You all are the best!!

Jean

Noelle -- CONGRATULATIONS.  Home ownership. WOW.

Jean -- Cliche-ed as it sounds, I really am sorry that you are feeling punk.

Holiday smooches to the rest of you!

I appreciate all the good wishes and Adrienne nailed it: I am just too d**ned busy.  Trying to stay upbeat.  But my to-do list continues to beget other to-do lists.  For some reason, too, I find the harder I try to clean and get rid of stuff, the more dirty and cluttered my apartment appears.

On Tuesday,  I get the results of the radiologist's re-read of my CT + PET scans and my MRI results. I also have the "up periscope."  My wonderful neighbor Pam and I enjoyed a good laugh. There was some confusion about the date of my colonoscopy and the "good-bye" party she was hosting.  I teased her that it didn't bode well for a party if it could be confused with a colonoscopy.

I am going to miss Pam.  And when I think about even the remotest possibility that she will not be here when I get back . . . well, lets just say that it hits me right HERE.

Okay, I'm gonna clean for 20 minutes, read the paper for an hour, and then resume cleaning.

Jean~ nope haven't seen a hair come back at all. WOOOHOOO!

My feel good story of the week.......

Got a big envelope from my lymphodema therapist the other day in the mail. First thing thru my head was "oh great another bill". I open it up and they bought me and my family a overnite stay at a hotel and 3 tickets to get into an aquarium in cincy! I was so floored to stood there and cried. Everything is totally paid for including breakfast! They put in a note saying they hope that with this year being so hard on me this made it a bit better. This is such a small office and you NEVER hear of a doc office doing this for a patient. The ladies were always so sweet, and the receptionist would always watch my son when I had to take him along with me. We have been trying to get to this place for 8 years now and have never been able to afford it. I think we are going to save it and go this summer for my son's birthday.

Think I am going to atempt to get my house cleaned up today and maybe bake (yes adrienne... I said bake again lol) some santa cookies. Maybe deliver some gifties if I can brave the cold. High of 16 today!!!!! My ears are cold just thinking about it lol.

Still getting cards in the mail. Hubby made the comment that you ladies have filled up most of our collection this year. These will be the ones that go into my scrapbook. I think I will make a wreath out of the rest next year. :O)

Well, I take a few days off and you guys all havve snow and colonoscopies and oophorectomies and scans and boat trips...........and my son got married!!!!!!  We're in Austin still, going home today.  My youngest and his gf came from Pittsburgh and we had our family Christmas last night, it was really great.  My dh got me a mini computer called a netbook or Eee PC--no dvd or cd drive, mostly for surfing the net (read: talking to the May 2008 Women) it's really great but the keyboard is different so I'm having a little trouble.  The upshot of all the festivities here is that my cards to you are just now going out, so they won't be there for Christmas.  I'm sorry, I addressed them all on the 13th and then proceeded to forget them 6 times because I was so busy.  Anyway, it doesn't change the sentiment.  I am sooo looking forward to May 2010 and our  reunion on my front porch!!!!

Love alll of you. more later..

Sue

Jen, how cool is that? I had a little cry on your behalf. There is goodness in the worldMy card thang is mighty slow but never fear! Rock, maybe you should fear because you might be moved by the time I get mine sent...is there an alternative address which might be better? And I'm with you on the moving/cleaning thing. We still haven't finished at our old place..and it looks like 17 squatters have been living there all year. I just can't believe how grimy and scary it looks!  We had our Tasmanian Christmas thing yesterday (as we head off to Melbourne on Wednesday and the boys head off to Sydney with their mother) and it was really nice. Too much food and too much drink..y'all know the thing. I feel ok today, and so cancer-free!! Maybe it's because I'm on holidays. I still have to go out to work today to collect my plants and my fish..thank goodness our housesitters are au fait with a menagerie! As it's cooling down over there, it's warming up over here and the wind was stopped blowing. Feels like summer....the unbearably hot nights in my home town will confirm that by Friday.........add a WATCH OUT!! flash or two for good measure..........XXXX

I am so happy for everyone's good news, sons marrying, coming home,unexpected wonderful gestures.  IT's wonderful to hear.

Gracie/Jacki:  I was told not to apply lotion right before radiation. However, I applied Aquaphor right after each radiation and again at night and got along fine.  (It made a mess out of my clothes, though.) I also was told not to wear underwire bras.  The tattoos did not hurt -- just a tiny tiny sting, like a pinprick. How are you feeling about the prospect of radiation?  How can we be helpful?  For me, radiation wasn't bad, just tedious.  It consumed a lot of time and I did feel tired.

Over here, I'm trying to fight off feelings of being blue and overwhelmed. A girlfriend offered to accompany me to my colonoscopy. It was so damned nice of her to offer, and I was embarrassed  to say "yes."  I'm not worried about the procedure. I'm not even expecting negative test results. I'm just worried about there being "one more thing" I didn't see coming at a time when I might be sliding toward the end of a frayed rope w/o the wherewithall to tie a knot.

I THINK what's happening is that Christmas is making me feel like a loser. I did ZERO shopping and the only cards I sent were the ones to you all (and I still need to send out cards to three of you tomorrow!).  I half-decorated my tree and then I gave up. I made no plans for Christmas.  And now, here it is. 

I think I will buy a honey-baked ham and eat the whole damn thing. Yeah, that's my plan.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo 

Rock, you are so sad, it made me laugh... WTF! How does THAT work??? A kind of ironic, why ROCK?  bitter pffft kind of laugh. The 'one more thing' factor is uppermost in all our minds and for my money, the hardest thing to deal with..so NEVER be embarrassed to say 'yes' to help or 'no' to Christmas shopping. I love the idea of you sitting there eating a full ham and glowering at a half-decorated tree..but this is real life and I am, in fact, worried and saddened that you might spend the day alone and not really want to. I wish I was there with you..we could sleep on unmade beds and cut the ham with a fork because we couldn't find a knife. We would watch trashy tv and get pissed and laugh till we cried (for real crying) and then we would be glad that we put Christmas out of it misery. My tree is red plastic, 1.5 ft high and remains in its plastic packaging in the cupboard under the stairs. (There is a loser competition going on here) And I discovered today (AFTER we had our Christmas yesterday) the unopened packet of Christmas crackers...I'm planning on getting my sanity back on January 1st. My hub and I were just chatting and he said, "It's been a hard few weeks". I pointed out that things got hard on November 30 last year, when he lost his job. That was the harbinger.   Is there someone entertaining you can ring up and stay with for a couple of days..It makes a funny visual (eating the whole ham yourself) but no...not this year. Lovelovelovelovelove, Rock.

Haven't been able to get on for three days - sheesh, all kinds of stuff has happened!!

Eddie - Thanks for that link, woman!  Made me cry, then I had to share it!  Glad to hear your surgery went well.  Enjoy your trip and Happy Hannukah! 

Sue - Congrats to your ds and glad you had a nice family time together.

Otter - You gots hair, girlfriend!! 

Jen - How sweet of the office to do that for you!!  There is still good in the world...

Noelle - I think I'm busy until I read your posts - they even sound busy!!

Jean - Hope you're feeling better. 

Kerry - We had hot weather until November, so I'm glad it's been cool.  However, we can't claim temps in the negative, Roxi!!  Wow.

Gracie - I agree with Rock about the rads experience.  I was told to put nothing on right before treatment (although my rad onc did not care about wearing deodorant).  I put on regular lotion until I started to get pink and then I only used Aquaphor and, eventually, the steriod cream for the swelling.  I used Aquaphor twice a day and I think the only reason I got the burns I did was because my 2 treatment fields overlapped by about 1/2 inch (right under my armpit, over the SNB scar - grrrrrr).  The scans were fine and the tattoos were no worse than a blood draw poke. 

Lauren - Good to see you but so sorry for the losses.  And what a time of year to get your diagnosis!!  Crap.  Glad you're past it and that you have a surgery date!!  Keep us posted...

Sorry for the extra-long post, I really wanted to catch up with everyone!

Rock - My friend, my dear, dear friend.  Not sure how I missed your last post, but I wish I could say something, send something, do something.  If I were there, we would hire someone to clean and go shopping for cheap and frivolous gifts!  I'm sending hugs!!!