Starting Chemo May 2008

Thanks, Robin.  We live in Charleston, IL and they live in Mt. Carmel - just 2 hours south of us.

I envy anyone who isn't afraid of color on their walls.

Our weather has improved a little.  DD went outside without jacket and her arms were very cold when she came back in.  Wonder where I was when that happened?

Kristy - shopping sounds fun except I have to take mine tomorrow to find clothes for this funeral.  Katie has bottoms and shoes that fit.  Riley has tops so ... should be a long day.  Have fun at your pot luck!

I talked to Jen tonight.  She called me.  I was so excited and it was a pleasant surprise on a sucky day.  Thanks!

Jen, I grew up in Toledo - my parents still live just outside there, in Maumee. 

Randie, I applaud your persimmon kitchen.  I've been thinking about painting mine (and thinking, and thinking . . . it was going to be last summer's project, but, well, we all know how last summer was).  Right now the room still has the old-lady wallpaper it had when I bought the place (from an old lady, natch) more than ten years ago.  Wallpaper in a kitchen is kind of weird, but this woman was a serious wallpaper freak.  I stripped layers and layers of it off in the rest of the house, but the stuff in the kitchen was in decent shape, so I left it.  Mistake: much, much better to do your redecorating when there's plenty of new-home adrenaline coursing through your system.  Otherwise, it won't happen.  (That's my experience, anyhow.)

I was envisioning curry.  Or saffron.  Maybe apricot.  But persimmon sounds like it would be a great choice, too.

On the dense breast issue: there's a study on the bc.org main page that casts some light on how this is measured.  Using a percentage, like the radiologist who read my mammo did, is one way -  it sounds as though there's a category that goes up to >75%.  So, Randie, you're right on: I'm not the densest breast on the board!  And here I was, thinking I had a breast so dense, bullets would bounce right off it.  Way to burst my bubble . . .  

Daughter's 16th birthday is Tuesday, so we had a celebratory dinner with my parents yesterday.  Made gumbo (dishing my daughter's bowl up before the evil shrimp went in)* and a spectacular lemon layer cake.

 Julie, I am so very sorry about your uncle, and am sending comforting thoughts to you and your entire family.

Linda

*She didn't object to the okra - how about that?

Love you all and your infinite chattiness.

 Julie, thinking about u and yr family. 

I have 3 days off and am not gonna work unless I have to. 

Had a lovely dinner out with the TV decorator celebs Colin and Justin last night. 

More on that later. Prolly in a blog post that will show up on FB.

Some perspective and good energy came from them. They are so excited and generous.. they would not let us pay for dinner so we split it... and there was a ton of brainstorming about how they could help my store. 

 I am either gardening or shopping today. 

 Should not spend money, but I do not care... 

Should be able to find out today if going to Mich in April will work or not. 

xoN

Karin -- the thing you did with our pictures is just cool, cool, cool.

Julie -- Oh, sweetie. That is hard news.

Noelle -- I do love living vicariously. Okay, so fill me in on who these two guys are! (There's got to be a website, right?)

Nothing newsworthy here. Still grappling with my college housemate's diagnosis.  Went to lunch and a play today with my former student who lives here in Cape Town. Did I mention that she is a model? Yeah, it's a bit difficult to be around her feeling the way I do about my appearance sometimes, especially since she is quite critical of her own.  (She was in a Beyonce video.) I try to just nip it in the bud and say (albeit with a resolve I do not always feel), "Listen, we both look GREAT. In ten years we will both wish we had the bodies that we have now so lets enjoy 'em!"

Everybody... I love reading what's going on with your lives. I really do.  Shopping, painting rooms, greenhouse plans, sewing machines... I love it all.

Good night from beautiful Cape Town!

Thank you all for your kind words and prayers.  The visitation is Tuesday evening and the funeral is Wednesday morning.  My mom said they had been out to dinner with friends Friday evening to celebrate his birthday which is tomorrow, had a great time and just didn't wake up Saturday.  They think he had a massive heart attack.

I got through shopping with my children.  I think I did a fine job of keeping my patience.  They both came home with me LOL.  We started out at Cato and my Katie just stood up by the window and said there wasn't anything in there that she would wear -  all old women stuff.  Riley was determined to get black shoes with about 3" heels.  She is too old enough, she's 10 you know.  And the day didn't get any better.  But they have appropriate clothes to wear and shoes that should fit for this occasion.  Bad behavior is not being rewarded with computer time tonight, except me, I'm the boss!  Tomorrow I go to shop for me, by myself!

Noelle - can't wait to hear more details about your dinner.  And we don't want to hear that you did work on your days off.

Karin - love what you can do with pictures.  You are a wizard!

Linda - is your daughter having a Sweet 16 party?  Gumbo sounds good.

Gardening sounds good - I almost have daffodils - just a few more days.  And I like the sound of a persimmon colored kitchen.  We've been in our house 8 years and the people before us (my daughter's math teacher) had a large, brightly colored paisley print on lots of walls - kind of made you sea sick if you looked at it too much.  We rented a steamer to take it off and it was the best money every spent.

Have a happy Monday, everyone!

Julie

Jean~ you mean to tell me that I'm not important enough to stop skiiing and answer the phone for!?!?! Well, I never! I, KID I, KID! (I'm giggling as I type this) I figured you were probably out and about and that was your home number. There will be many more calls in the future, so no biggie. :O)

Otter~ I was kinda leery about the not washing my hair daily thing as well. But using the conditioner on the no shampoo days does make a difference. I can go a max of 2 days though before I have to use the shampoo.

Called my mom up yesterday and had her and dad meet us at the international grocery store in cincy (Jungle Jim's). We spent 3 hours walking around and still missed 1/2 of it. Yes there is THAT MUCH stuff to see in this store. Literally....... the produce area alone is an acre in size. There is a website if anyone is curious. When we drive down to see it we plan a full day there. Picked up all sorts of foreign foods and of course lots of hotsauce. The hotter the better for my family lol. And OMG I found jolly rancher soda pop! Haven't tried it yet though. It'll have to wait for earlier in the day, I'm betting it's loaded in sugar lol. Had a really nice time with the parents. It's been 3 months since we saw them so I had ton more hair to look at. Both of them kept rubbing their hands thru the curls. Dad kept saying "My curly girl is back". I wish they lived closer. *sigh*

They are changing out my meds this week. I was taking a antidepress for the hotflashes and it wasn't working. Gonna try a new one now. This time it's bipolar meds. Maybe I should just carry around a bucket of icewater to dip my head in instead. This sux royally.

<squishes> Jen :O)

Morning All!

Jen-I am about 3 hours from Cincy.   Would love to get together.  Lived up in Northern KY for a couple of years.  (Youngest DD was born at Fort Thomas)  Have several good friends up there, plus ex son-in-law and granddaughter.   I hadn't heard about Jungle Jim's, but just mentioned it to DH and he started talking about the "port-a-potties" that are actually big luxurious restrooms, complete with TV.  Sounds like fun.

Hot Flashes-I am actually having less since starting Tamoxifen, but then I haven't taken it a full month yet and I have probably just jinxed myself.  The past week has been nice without them though.  Bought a fan for the head of our bed and have only used it once.  

Not much going on here today.   Going grocery shopping later--such fun!

Angels-so glad that you had a great vacation!  Can't wait to see the pics! 

Randie-Hope that you are back home and feeling better.  I think about you a lot!

Okay, here's the update.

Decided not to go and drain the lung...just didn;t feel like it...WTF...didn't feel like a good day.

Had a great visit this weekend....the only cousin that came without a gift or an attitude of somber mourning...lol...we had a gret visit and they will be coming back inj a few weeks...so all in all it worked out okey dokey and I got to keep all my smart ass comments to myself....

Rock:  Loved the card...how cool was that a rock from rock...you so rock....

Jen: Woolsy is sitting here staring at me...lol..its even named after one of my Stargate characters...thanks again

Angels:  where is the obligatory cartoon character photo  the one you posted has no angels there??????

 Gracie: I suggest Ben and Jerry for the hot flashes

Off to watch House.......luv ya, randie

still working on plans for Detroit on the 5thish.. should know tomorrow I hope.

Roberta from April may be passing through tomorrow, have not heard the final plan though. 

Monavie party tonight, learned a lot. 

Kristy, I still owe you an email about it. 

 RanD are you still drinking it? 

Kerry, u mentioned the juice once too. You can get it from my monavie site, but shipped from Australia direct to you. 

Had most of the day off, just worked a few hours. 

Glad everyone seems ok this week. 

I went into a thread byaccident on purpose from the girls just finishing chemo right now... and oh the memories .. I wish we could all take them by the hand and make them read weeks and weeks of what we wrote at the same time. Can we start a BC mentor program? 

You know, like a college dorm buddy kinda deal... 

 Gotta go read my self to sleep now. 

xoN

Whoops!  Watching "Dancing with the Stars" and hit submit too quick - don't ask me why I just didn't edit the first one.

We had an uneventful day off until I decided to not walk around the furniture and instead walk into it.  My middle toe did NOT appreciate that.  A couple of years ago I broke my big toe, same foot - it doesn't hurt quite that bad, but hurts enough.  Girls knew enough to be quiet and still until I stopped talking through my teeth.  Owweeee.

Then, Kelly decided to close the car door by herself (she's a big girl now, you know) and managed to smack her head with the door.  Poor thing.  I felt so bad because I couldn't stop it - happened too fast.  She's got a bump, but she'll live.

Wishing everyone a good week!!

Glad everyone seems to be doing great. ranD hope today feels like a GREAT day for you. Julie I will be thinking and praying for you and your family tonight. Yesterday where I said I was off to play, WRONG. I actually had to work yesterday. They pulled me to substitute for a fourth grade class. I survived and it wasn't all that bad. Anyway, off to play (I hope), have a great day!

Top of the Mornin' Ladies and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Just put on the corned beef & cabbage--supper at my house! 

Hope that you all have your green on so you don't get pinched!!!!