**NEW** Starting Chemo March 2009

Hmm -not sure why that post is in italics! Sorry - it does make it harder to read.

Gina - I love the pink wigs!!!

Sessna1 - keep your head up as I know you will.  Everyone has their own beliefs and this is the place for us all to share them.  We are all different.

I like that we are all different.  Is it sometimes hard for me to read about everyone's children and grandchildren knowing that I may never have any? Of course it it. But, I read everyone's expereinces because I am truly interested in everyones lives that has to go through this terrible thing. Please ladies keep the peace and let us all be who we are. That's why we are Warrior Princesses!!!!

Hi all,

I have decided not to post on this board any more because I did not sign up to be inundated with religious ideology.

 Sessna1

You have made my point so eloquently there is nothing more to say.

Linda

BTW- I agree with Sakura- I don't consider myself sick. I think the language we use to describe our situtation influences the situation- I talked with a friend about this when i was first diagnosed- she said a lot of people take "ownership" of the disease - talk about "my cancer". I know it seems like semantics- but I try to never say "I have cancer" - I'll say I was diagnosed- and if talking about the pathology-I try to say "the tumor I had" PAST TENSE. I no longer have cancer- this chemo crap is insurance to make sure it doesn't come back. Anyone who asks how I'm doing- I try to always make it known I feel pretty decent unless I'm recovering from a treatment. I think a lot of people might see me as sick cause I'm bald and I want to make it known I'm not sick.

My horribly cute cat Julio just curled in my lap between me and the laptop- making it hard to type!  

Alyad -  Your wisdom is heard and appreciated.  Your furry friends are adorable.

Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
 

Luv2sing,

I said Luv2sing, everyone else, please skip the remainder of this post. ... or not.

See, I was accused of doing something that I didn't do.  That was very rude.  I never spoke about converting, recruiting, bringing around, or convincing people that the God I serve exists.  Advertise Christianity?  God doesn't need me to do anything for Him, certainly not some Madison Avenue campaign.  Advertise... sell ... advertise ... profit ... advertise ... product placement.  No, no.  I really don't care for that phrase, even in jest.

We start wars over things that we do not understand, and then claim the other tribe was at fault when it was what we inferred about their words that started the animosity.  It's really sad; however, it is what we human beings do.

Then, I was told to stop doing what I wasn't doing - and that was really weird.  Then, the Bible verses came forth, and at least one member chose to leave.  I can't make anyone do anything.  I can't make anyone feel anything.  I thought we were adults on these boards, but, ... well.

If I was of the Mormon faith, and I continued to say on the boards that I believe all alcohol imbibing is "bad," I could see your point.  Our "inside joke" is a chemotherapy cocktail.  Pictures of alcohol all over the place.  If I felt that way about alcohol, I think it would be my place to find a different Board, or be prepared for many subjects outside of chemotherapy.

Closing my posts with "Love in Christ" serves as a reminder that some people do believe in God.  Why does it bother some to anger and umbrage to know that some people do believe in God?  Believers don't lose a lot of sleep over non-believers because it's counterproductive.  If it bothers anyone that they can't "control" me - it's a sad thing for them to wake up every morning thinking they can possibly control God. 

'nuff 'said  - except ...

(King James Version)

Matthew 10:33
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Luke 6:43-49 

 ⁴³For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

 ⁴⁴For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

 ⁴⁵A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

 ⁴⁶And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

 ⁴⁷Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

 ⁴⁸He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

 ⁴⁹But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

That is all.

I have been reading the latest posts from yesterday and today.

Here is what I believe:  this board should represent acceptance, tolerance, caring and concern for and of each other.  One should not be hesitant to express oneself.  Everyone does not agree with everyone else concerning certain matters.  That is where tolerance comes in.

We are all in this together with the common bond of breast cancer. Christian, Catholic, Jew, agnostic, animist, athiest . . . . let us all respect each other's beliefs.  Let us not be afraid to express them with respect for others who may not agree.  And if one does not agree, do so respectfully.   Or say nothing at all.  Or just ignore that particular individual and focus on issues that are far more important - dealing with The Ailment, as I now refer to it.

To quote Abraham Lincoln, "A divided house cannot stand." (okay, that's a paraphrase or a partial quote - have to hunt for my Bartlett's!)

Let's be mature women . . . there is no need for such major dissension among The Warrior Princesses . . . patience, tolerance, understanding, caring, and concern. That is The Mantra.

Stick together, Princesses.

With the greatest respect and love to all on this Easter Weekend,

Maria

Sessna1 - I have avoided jumping into this, but I'll state my opinion here, just once. All I noticed at first was that you signed your posts Love in Christ and on occasion made a few religious references. Not my cup of tea, but that's okay - I don't have to read or align with everything posted here. I know you felt compelled to defend yourself and clarify the distinction between proselytizing and testifying, and I understand why, but please know that you have made your point, and quite eloquently. For me, I can scroll past the Bible references, but I'd much prefer to see you return to writing poems about Neulasta or other witty things that I can relate to directly and that will make me laugh.

Am I sick? - I don't remember who first mentioned this, but no, I don't think of myself as being sick or even as having cancer anymore, because my tumor was removed. I'm doing chemo to make sure it never comes back, and yes, of course, perhaps there are little invisible cancer cells still floating around in my body, because if there weren't any, there'd be no point to doing the chemo, but still, I think of the cancer as already gone and these treatments as the insurance against return. When I was first diagnosed, I would say "I have breast cancer" but now I say "I was diagnosed with breast cancer in January, my tumor was removed, and now I'm doing chemo to make sure it never comes back."

Tattoos - I have collected email addresses from about a dozen women so far and will send out an email as soon as I get Michele's, since she's a key participant in the tattoo group. Anyone that has not already PM-ed me your email address, please do. We'll periodically update the board so we don't inadvertantly exclude anyone.

Chemo brain - I'm on day 3 after AC #2 and I can only say that procrastinating on doing my taxes until this weekend was a really bad idea. I could barely figure out the proper sequence of steps to make a cup of coffee this morning.

Love to all.

Hi All,

Okay ladies this is Easter weekend and I think we can now all agree to end the dissension amidst the group. Quite a few have agreed that this board is not the place to post religious comments etc. We are here because we all have or had BC. WE share a common bond, not one we chose but one we will overcome. Many of us have comforted each other in many ways at many times.I do not believe that I would have been able to face the chemo without the help and guidance of this group. I know that many of you feel the same. It was great to be toasted by Gina and then Britt at the start of my chemo. As I have said in past notes I do have a very large support system thru my family and friends. But just knowing ladies going thru the same thing at the same time is invaluable. I have told so many about the GREAT women on this board.

Now am I supposed to tell them about someone who is disturbing me on this board. Someone who is not speaking about BC and who is bringing religion into the board.  Please let's put an end to this nonsense and all agree not to post biblical quotes etc on this board.I am afraid to say more as someone will probably accuse me of more bad things. I am a very kind agreeable person who just does not think these comments are appropriate here.

Lets just support each other in our battle. Let's use the one thing WE ALL have in common to keep the conversation going.

WE have all comforted each other on their bad days. We have laughed together and cried together..Please let's continue.

It would be a shame to have more members like Vangoghpro drop out.

Ladies please show your support as many have already done.

hugs,

Francine

Thanks Bunny..

I agree with your comment and definitely with your religious views.

Happy Easter,

Francine

Donna I am glad you are doing well.  I am sorry you had pain with the shot.  It seems to me that days 3,4 and 5 I get really tired too.  You got one down.  Yeah for you.

Francine, Murphy and Julio would have some really cute kittens! Too bad they are both fixed! He showed up on our front porch 2 years ago as a 3 month old kitten from who knows where! he cried at the door and I went over to see- looked down at his little mustache and goatee and thought- oh GREAT, we have another cat! No way we could turn that face away!  He brought balance to the house- we had two cats already- a 10 year old and a very frisky 1 year old that was pestering the heck out of the 10 year old. So  now the two young ones wrestle and play and "mostly" leave the old lady alone (Sage- the grey fluffy one in the other pic). 

Julio is also our official greeter- he's a very friendly cat and loves to lick people on the nose. He demands attention from anyone that comes over.  " " alt="" border="" hspace="" vspace="" width="" height="" align="" />

Luvs2sing . . . .  hmmmmm - every five years - you would look gorgeous in either a wig or a wrap - I think it depends upon whether you want to "commemorate"  this particular year by what you are going through.  If it were me, I would wear the wig.  But that's only my opinion and I know how much you love your hair!

Hi All,

I've missed you, but as the days have rolled on I've gotten more and more overwhelmed with the idea of the number of posts awaiting me on this board.  Not that I don't have time to read, it's just the responding is so difficult.  Every time I want to respond to an individual post I lose my place, and so I either don't post responses or I bounce all over the place.  So this time I'm writing first, and I have about 8 or 9 pages to read. 

Quick update from here.  I feel good, except I itch like crazy.  My entire head is covered with acne, I'm on an antibiotic for it but I still itch, and now I'm having an itchy allergic reaction on my palms and the bottoms of my feet, and my fingers.  I also have phantom itching around my breasts.  It's making me crazy.

I cooked for Passover, and the food came out delicious.  Thank goodness, I could taste most of it!  How disappointing would it be to cook for two days, have the food come out the best it ever has, and then not be able to taste it.  With Passover, Jews have a special meal including a service, and the whole thing is called a seder.  Our seder this year included some of my friends who have helped me so much this year, and I think that's why I wanted to put in so much more effort with the cooking.

Now the kids are on spring break ... good timing, as this is my third week!  I have another treatment on Friday. 

Okay, now I'll go read.

Michelle

pickle! You look great, I have one of those 1/2 wigs too. and I love it, more comfortable than the full wig! I know about the grey those of us who have been coloring our hair for years, forget how much there is!  Have a great day! This to shall pass!  Dawn

Alyad,  Murphy already has a guy friend named Karl. He is very aloof but a good looking guy cat. Your cats look adorable too. My son moved to Minn. and left us his two cats. We were not happy at the time but now are cat lovers.

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Pickle. I do love your joke of the day. very funny. We need laughs on this board.I have one of those half wigs but can't get used to it. Maybe I should try again as you look so good. I have been to Calgary  before my trip to the Canada Rockies. Beautiful Country..

Luv2sing- Your posts have always been so sweet and caring. I am upset by the comments Sessna made about you. Maybe she will leave us soon..

Michelle- Glad you are back on the board. My Passover was great. But I just go to friends and family. I did post back a few days myself and my husband at the seder. My new avatar is me and my granddaughter at the seder. I too feel good now. My chemo is this Monday. Here we go again..

Hugs to all,

Francine