please help

Hi all,

Cathi - when was your b-day?  So sorry I missed it! UB's was Friday the 19th. Mine was the 7th.  Happy to see another Gemini.  Hope your day ws grand.

(((((((((((((LISA)))))))))))))))) - WTH?????????????? How could he have gone to StageIV so quickly?  Did he have any sypmtoms? That is just unbelieveable.   I'm not familiar with FEC, sorry.

Mel - nana, I'm going to meet Sue and your not!!!  Sorry, I couldn't resist. We will take tons of photos thats for sure.

Any of you ladies thinking of going to Pinkstock?  It's allot of fun - you should try to make it.

 Gotta run,

Hugs to all.

AE

Lisa sorry to hear about Dennis,  that sucks.  Mt Ex's dad (A great man unlike all 3 of his sons) had stomach cancer and was DX @ Stage 4 as well mets to the liver,  for several years he had upset stomach,  indigestion,  etc,  etc,  He was a union leader on a construction team in NY so just would never go and check it out,  would never miss a day of work,  finally just got so bad constant vomiting etc,  he had no choise.  He had major surgery to remove his stomach and they made him a small pouch (gullet) as they called it,  he had treatments don't know now what they were,  eating was quite difficult for him,  as he had to learn to eat several times a day,  very small portions,  he was a meat and potato man,  very hard for him to adjust,  he did live 2 years after DX,  I do hate to say it,  last weeks were not good at all,  he died at home W/hospice care,  but not peaceful at all.  I pray Dennis has many, many good years ahead,  and I hope he has a good support system around.

AE my B'day was Saturday the 20th,  I am a Gemini for sure,  I know there is a twin inside me.

We just had a very- very calm weekend,  I needed to just relax,  the kids were over today for a bit

XOXOXOXOXOX - TO ALL.

I am so sorry I missed your birthdays - Cathi, AE & UB. Hope each of you had a happy day.

(((((Lisa))))), I was shocked and saddened to learn about Dennis - I am so very sorry to hear of his diagnosis. I know how special he was to you and I am sure he still holds a special place in your heart. Praying that you get great results with your scan.

Cathi - you brave and wonderful woman, I'm praying that you will have your test and that all will be clear and you can go on to have the best summer ever. xxx

 Shirlann -I hope you can find some relief for your pain. You are much loved here.

Patoo - I always enjoy your posts and it's great to have you here.

Virginia - another lovely woman from the UK - not glad you find yourself here but it's great to have you!

Sue - I love hearing about you dad - I'm so glad you have him in your life. xxx

 Elaine - my warmest hugs to you. You are such an valuable member of this group.

Cheryl, I'm praying that this new treatment works well for you and that you have strength and peace to cope with all of this.

Nettie, thinking of you and praying that you are coping and healing well. My silly brain can't remember when you were having your mastectomy.xxx

 I am a bit like Wren - I often lurk but don't post. I want to stay around too as I truly care about each one of you. I often feel inadequate to give truly empathetic support as I had DCIS and mastectomy - no chemo or rads. I was very fortunate to get off so lightly. And I haven't had reconstruction and probably won't. I was dx over 2 years ago now and I finally feel as though it's in the past and I am feeling almost normal again - yet I will never take my health for granted again and I think I have lost a lot of confidence in my body.

 Maybe as result of this moving on phase I seem to be going through, I had all my hair cut off about 10 days ago. I thought I might regret it but I love my very short silver tufts - for me, at this stage of my life, it's very liberating! I was just so sick of dying my hair as I started to go grey in my late 20s. Now I don't have to worry about my roots any more.

Barbe, Karen,  Linda, Mel, Debbie, Nancy, Sheila, Meg, Jule and everybody,

Love to you all,

 Jane xoxoxox

Jane, there is a whole thread about going gray! You did the best thing to cut it short. The gray will soften your look as you get older and be more flattering than dark hair. I can't wait! Mine are too scattered around, I don't get that "skunk" look when my colour fades.

I echo Linda's sentiments.....enjoy your time with your sister Ivorymom..how special.

Wren...even if you lurk..same to you Jane...just always know we are here for you. We will be happy with any posts at all from you.

I miss Judie!!! I know she is on Facebook...and has pretty much moved on...but I do miss her humor, wisdom...and friendship!

Thank you ladies for your support regarding Dennis. I am really blown away by all of it. I can't get it out of my mind. He said he is comforted by my support.  So as long as he wants me in his life, at whatever capacity...I will be there. He will always hold a very special place in my heart...and I think he feels the same way.  He gave me back my confidence..just when I didn't think I had any. Cathy..thank you for sharing about your fil. It does sound like a very tough road.  He will not be having surgery, which surprised me.  He really had been feeling good until April. Prior to that just little bouts of some indigestion..that's it!  He will have 20 rounds of chemo 2 wks apart. He will also come home with a small bag/drip attached to his port that will give him 2 more days worth.  This sounds pretty aggressive to me. WOW.....I just don't know what to think or feel right now.

 At work...and wishing all of my lovely sisters a wonderful day!

xoxo

Lisa

Can't remember everything that was posted but here's what I do remember.

Happy late birthday Cathi, UB and AE.

EWB, don't worry, I can't get to facebook. I know that I was dx at stage 0 but I know several great women in stage 4 from the local support group and it was a stage 4 woman who helped me emotionally get ready for the physical aspect of my surgery by showing me her chest. And one of my best friends from church fought for 5 yrs before the beast took her away.

Wren, I don't post as much but do read every day.

Jane, I too was dx with dcis and did the bilat and avoided chemo and rads but like I said, I have helped others deal with the effects of those treatments (mom and aunt) so if I can help support somebody else I will do all that I can with my empathy.

Lisa I am sorry to hear about Dennis. to hear about this dx about someone we love can be the hardest thing. My dear sister told me several times that she wished it was her instead of me since I had so many problems and surgeries growing up. I guess I was always the difficult child.

Next Monday afternoon is my first 1 yr follow-up appointment with my PS. He hasn't seen my updated tattoos since Earleen touched up the color last August. I am going to take one of her brochures to his office and leave it with him.

I do need to get back to work now.

Sheila

Ivory love that 20th anniversary of my 29th B'day. Thats great.

Nancy do have your stomach/hearburn issues checked.  MY FIL was DX in 91, passed in 93,  as with everything so much has changed,  I do recall his DR saying as Lisa did,  it is one of those cancer that are far gone most times when DX,  because of the "general" symptoms it presents with at the onset,  he also mentioned at that time it was more prevelent in ASian countries and  they were also linking the cases to "toxic" waste chemicals introduced into bodies.  Alwasy made us think as my FIL was a construction worker in NY,  always laying in ditches filled with God only knows what. 

As I said Lisa I pray Dennis will have a GENTLE walk throogh this journey,  I hope many advances have been made in the years sense my FIL DX.

I am waiting on the OK from insurance for MRI, Onco will schedule both X-rays and MRI at one time,  thats how I want it anyway,  so we shall see.  After a very restful weekend pain level is very managable this AM-  Yeah.

LOVE TO ALL.

Barbe, I haven't had an onc or radiologist either. My surgeon, who is the greatest on breast issues, was the one who put me on tamox after my 2nd abnormal biopsy and took me off after my bilat mast (6 months later). Unfortunately my beloved surgeon has left the Hickory area and moved his family to Charlotte (about 1.5 hours away) to be closer to the large Greek community last summer. He released me from his care before he left and said that my ps and gp would keep up with my medical needs but if I needed his surgical skills I could still go to Charlotte to see him.

Sheila

Hi Sue!  You need antibiotic drops for your eyes!  Trust me (I've had conjunctivitis more times than I can count--so has Portia), you need antibiotics!  It's a misery, isn't it? 

I forgot to wish Cathi, AE, and UB a belated happy birthday.  Hope you all had great ones!

Sue, you sound so much better! Even with your eye crap going on, your voice is full of joy. You done good!  (How did you do with your meeting on Friday, I was afraid to ask, you were worried about your anti-ds kicking in on time.)

As for the salty taste, could very well be blocked tear ducts leaking down your throat. Where DOES the salt from tears come from?

I AM hoping the onc reviews the scans and can give me peace of mind...

Karen, about bloody time you get your permit! It will be so exciting! Will you post pics on the progress? I LOVE those kind of shows on TV...

Sue - ERECTION?????????????? LMAO!!!!!

Sue, glad to see you are back to your happy self.  You are too funny!  Just think, AE and UB will be there in a few weeks.  That's gotta put you in a great mood!!

Barb, find out what those lumps are.  Hopeing they are nothing, but you need to find out.

Cathy.......you too!  Take care of yourselves, my friends!!