Anyone starting chemo in Aug. 08?

Happy 4th of July Everyone!

I went to Neverland Ranch w/DM yesterday. I just had to be nosey.  It was a great ride on the Santa Barbara coast.  It was funny. The Google address led me to someone's ranch w/cows &cattle! The lady said I had been the 2nd person up to her house. She quickly steered us to the hoopla circus down the road. So many MJ fans from all over the world It really is beautiful there. I'm posting some pix on my Facebook.

Corrine:  I am so sorry to hear about your daughter's loss. I hope she's doing okay. You're in my prayers.  Re: the DIEP surgery. I was surprised I wasn't a candidate because many girls are too small.  What is a concern is it's a 6hr. procedure and requires a week in the hospital but if it's for you, great.  Deanna has a lot of info on it.

Bette: I'm so happy to hear some uplifting news for you. I can't wait until my reconstruction too. I've been praying real hard for you.

Misty: So you're going 1 size up huh? I do remember your size but thought it went well w/your size.  Whatever floats your boat!  My friends have suggested to go D but I want to remain a full C.

Wishing you all a great holiday weekend!

Jeannine

This is the week when we hope to have the biopsy scheduled. I am not sitting around, waiting for the call, however, because this is Vacation Bible School week at church, and today I am telling a story to the children, the Creation story from the Bible. I pray that I do it justice. I used to tell stories as a children's librarian at the public library, so I volunteered to do this. Preparing for it has kept my mind off of myself.

Lashon,Lisa, I pray for you every day and hope to hear from you soon.

Bette 

Bette, I admire your courage.....sharing your time with others, despite what you are going through yourself. 

My prayers are with you and I will keep your name  before our prayer circle.

Hello Hope everyone had a great holiday. We just got back today from some family time at a golf resort and we had a good time.

Corrine~ I hope that your daughter doesn't give up hope. Sorry that this happen

Jeannine~ That is so cooool to have went to Neverland Ranch. Glad that you are always busy and having an adventurest time.

Bette I'm praying that everything is good for you.

Misty~ Congrats on being almost done with Herceptin! wish i was

Deanna~ Glad your doing great! Keep being that positive inspiration for us all.

Learned today that a needle biopsy is too risky due to the location of my lesion. They said my lung might collapse. So now the pulmonary specialists are looking at my scans to see if they can do a bronchoscopy. I looked it up and it does not sound pleasant.

The end result is more waiting. At least today I got three progress report phone calls from a fantastic CRNP at the Breast Center. It makes it easier when you know what is going on.

Bette 

Today a scheduler from my local hospital called offering an appointment for a needle biopsy TOMORROW. Based on what we learned from Hopkins yesterday, we declined. The pulmonary specialists at Hopkins are still considering what the safest procedure would be.

I am doing OK with the waiting today. Working with the kids at Vacation Bible School helps. So does Tom, who has been extra considerate and affectionate during this time.

Thank you all for your prayers

Bette 

Deanna, I was surprised that they offered to do the FNA here as well. It is scary that if I didn't have the input from JH, I probably would have said yes to the procedure. The thought of having a pneumothorax at the hospital here in PA scares me.

Bette 

An FNA is a fine needle aspiration, basically a needle biopsy. They believe at Hopkins that they can't get to my lesion with a needle, without risking collapsing my lung.

Today we got a phone call saying that the pulmonary medicine department has my records, but due to the doctors surgery schedule, we won't hear about an appointment until next Monday or Tuesday. I guess I'll relax tomorrow and this weekend knowing that I don't have to wait for the phone to ring.

I saw my radiation oncologist for a follow up exam today, and she said my skin looked really good. She then counseled me not to stress out so much about the PET scan as they often show false positives. I am glad I went.

Tomorrow is the last day of Vacation Bible School. It has been great to work with the children this week and has kept my mind off the biopsy issue for at least part of each day.

Bette 

Hi ladies,

  Hope everyone had a great holiday.  We spent the weekend at our little cabin in Matagorda, and had such a great time.  I really needed that, even though I'm still not allowed to swim.  The water was unusually clear, blue and beautiful.  Great being with my friends.

Bette, my prayers continue for you.

Joyce, how are you feeling? Good, I hope.

Jeaninne, I agree with Deanna, go for that second opinion.  Sometimes PSs don't recommend procedures that they aren't familiar with, or experienced at, especially the DIEP.  You will feel better if you know you looked at all of your options, trust me.  I don't feel like I looked around enough, and now I'm questioning myself about that.

Misty, glad to hear your Her txs are almost done!

Corinne, I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter's loss.  I pray she will be allright.

Hope everyone has a great weekend,

Deen

Jeannine, I will pray that you don't have IBC. It is very rare. I do have it and have survived over one year and am going strong except for this little bump in the road. 

I am planning to have DIEP in six months if all goes well with my biopsy. My PS does tons of them. He was very encouraging at my last visit.

Lisa an LaShon, I pray for you every day.

Bette 

Deen, thanks. I am staying strong. Weekends are more relaxing because we are not waiting for the phone to ring.

Tom had a longer than usual night at work last night and is sleeping. Soon I will make a pot of coffee and wake him up. The highlight of the afternoon will be getting an oil change on his car(and praying that an oil change is the only thing it needs).

We have another area of concern in our lives besides my health. The Commonwealth of PA has not passed the budget for this year, and if it has not been passed in the next two weeks, thousands of state employees, including Tom, will not get paid for time worked. Please pray that the Governor Rendell and the legislators can cooperate to pass the budget in time. I have been trying not to stress out about this, but it is on my mind, along with the biopsy.

A good Saturday afternoon to all!

Bette 

Corrinne, I am sorry that you had such a tough week. At times it is good to have a good cry to release tension. Sounds like you released a lot of tension. I'm glad your husband was there for you on the phone.

I have had many minor meltdowns and cried in Tom's arms over the past few weeks. This weekend I am calmer. Monday we will be waiting for a phone call again, and that will start the silliness. I plan to worship the Lord with gladness in my heart tomorrow, no matter what looms on the horizon.

Bette 

Corinne, I hope this Sunday stated you off to a great week of trusting the Lord, and leaning on his promises. You are an inspiration to me with your faith AND your ability to exercise so faithfully.

Right now Tom and I are spending a mellow Sunday afternoon. He is cooking dinner, we have music on and candles lit. That guy knows how to help me relax.

Next week he is taking me away for the weekend. We have theatre and B&B reservations. So exciting! It eclipses the stress of what may happen this week.

Bette 

(((Corinne)))  It sounds like you had a lot of suppressed stuff to still deal with, and that your daughter's miscarriage was one thing too many for you.  I'm so glad you made it home safely.  How are you feeling now??? 

(((Jeannine)))  OMG!  I can't believe you have to worry about the possibility of IBC now!!!  How soon will you find something out?  I'm praying hard that this is just a bad scare that will be over and done ASAP.   

(((Bette)))  Thinking of you, too, and hoping you will also be getting some answers this week, and that those spots turn out to be nothing serious.

{{{GROUP HUG}}} to you all!    Deanna 

Thank you for the  {{{GROUP HUG}}} Deanna.   Lets circle and surround our sisters, Bette, Corinne and Jeannine, with our love and prayers as we support one another with faith and courage.   {{{HUGS}}}