Starting Chemo May 2008

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  • JulieC
    JulieC Member Posts: 324
    edited July 2009

    Just got back from having my blood taken.  Regular nurses just aren't as good at it as the chemo nurses were.  This hurt.  Or maybe it's been so long and I'm not used to it anymore.  Should have results tomorrow or Friday.  Not too worried at this point.  I'm hoping that if it looks like a period and feels like a period that it was a period.  Oh well, it was fun while it didn't last.

    Taking youngest dd and 2 friends to our library for a program with a cartoonist.  They will actually get to draw.  Sounds like fun.  Then she is off to see Harry Potter.  My older dd will be jealous.  She is at band camp until Saturday so she missed all of the midnight showings that her friends went to.  She has called me several times.  She loves me, right?  Or is she just so bored because there isn't any TV, computers, games, etc. during their down time?

    Yea Noelle - one more treatment.  That is great!  Glad you got to go to HP last night.  Did you have fun?

    Kerry - sorry about your dental woes.  My dentist provides sunglasses for protection, maybe ear plugs should be next.  I can always hear what is going on "behind the big door" to the back and wonder about the poor souls back there.  Usually it is nothing, but it sounds terrible.  I think that is what I hate most.  Even when they clean my teeth and it doesn't hurt.

    Kristy - are you packed?  Have fun!

    Randie - missing your summer antics.

    Hugs to all - Julie

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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited July 2009

    Hi, everybody!  Yes, it's me... otter.

    I have escaped from the treeless desert (which turned out to be fish-less as well).  We are now in the Beartooth Mountains, camped on Rock Creek, upstream from Red Lodge, Montana.  It's fabulous, if you take away the fact that I did not bring warm enough clothes.  Oh, well.  Lots of layers.  No electricity, but many, many trees this time.

    The only real drawback to the places we've picked has been the absolute total lack of cell phone signal, which means no internet connection either.  Some would say that's a good thing, but dh and I have elderly parents whose health is not so good, and, well, you know the drill.

    The Bighorn River camping areas and these campgrounds in the Beartooth Mountains are far away from big cities or freeways.  They are really remote.  I am typing this at a picnic table in the city park in Red Lodge, where we've come today to buy groceries and make phone calls etc.  I can type as long as my battery holds out, which is ... (checking) ... just 56 more minutes.  Might not get over to FB this time.

    Anyway, I will try to keep in touch, but it will be less than weekly.  Oh, except next week we'll have to come into town to do laundry, and I think they have wi-fi at the laundromat.  Eddie, I'll put a check in the mail ASAP, hopefully today if I can figure out where I put the envelopes.  Otherwise, it might be next week at laundry-time.  I found something I'd like to print out and send to you to send to ranD's family, but without electricity, my darn printer doesn't seem to work.  :)

    So I'll email it to you as a pdf, if that's okay.  Maybe not today, since I see my battery is fading quickly.

    I am sorry I can't go back and add a remark to everyone who is having a last Herceptin or yet another boob infection or dental "issues", etc.  Just know that I read all the posts and I am thinking of all of you, individually and en masse.

    Huge hugs from Montana...

    otter 

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  • lewing
    lewing Member Posts: 1,288
    edited July 2009

    I also got my where-the-buffalo-roam postcard - thanks, Otter!  I'm curious if this camping trip you're on is the one you'd planned to take last summer.  (Am I remembering that right?  Weren't you planning on a long western driving/camping trip?)  It seems as though a lot of us are playing catch-up on things we'd been planning to do, or wanted to do, during the summer-that-wasn't.  I know my Quebec trip was like that.

    Can't wait until Friday, when I pick my daughter up from her big European adventure.  In the last month I've had four email messages - mostly of the short, "too busy to write much now, I'm having a blast" variety - from her, and chatted with her on FB once.  What I know is that her host family in Italy had a "hot" son (just as she'd been hoping) who's a talented artist and gave her several paintings; that her host family in Flensburg, Germany, near the Danish border, had a farm; that she went clubbing with her host sister and is never, ever going to wash her new cardigan because the smokey smell reminds her of the disco; and that Gay Pride week in Munich is a riot.  (And I always thought Munich was supposed to be kind of stodgy . . . wait til she gets to Berlin tomorrow!)

    Linda

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  • drcrisc
    drcrisc Member Posts: 836
    edited July 2009

    Kerry - I think we must be the dental twins this month.  I had the supposed easier and second of my root canal appointments today - NOT!  He had to do the fill part twice because I have 4 roots (not the usual 3) and one of them is windy and tricky.  This is like trying to put a thread through a needle hole you can't see.  Still hurts, looks like it's going to be a Vicodin kind of night!  Hope your bruised jaw is better tomorrow. 

    Hugs to everyone...

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  • kerry_lamb
    kerry_lamb Member Posts: 778
    edited July 2009

    Hey seeesters. I had a very cool day today..Thursday is a Chaplaincy day. I do a lot of jobs with various individuals and am 'on call' for a shoulder to cry on. Just for interest's sake, I'm going to detail my day..unrehearsed!

    4am: I 'awake', freezing (hub sleeps in James' bed on card-night), and am pleased because it means no Get Back!!! flashes, but my bladder is bursting. I don't mind, really, because I have to get up early and freezing and bursting will ensure I don't over-sleep. 6am: I'm about to either become an ice-block or wet the bed. What to do...what to do...Chemo-cat is scratching at the door so I let her in. She gets on the bed and I move her away from my lower abdomen.

    6.30: up! Let the dog out, feed the cats and make a pot of tea. Gather my stuff for school, shower, drink the tea, jump into the old Triumph (it starts!), drive it to the mechanic to get the brakes done. It's 7.30. Get picked up, go to Lilydale to work..arrive 8.20. 9am: I'm expecting some girls to arrive for a special project (new school website) but the AP says a little girl's pony has foundered, may have to be put down and she is crying in the library. I talk with her for 20 mins, the other girls find me. We go out and take photographs, I remove two naughty girls from the class of a relief-teacher, get them to take some photographs, return to the library so the sick-pony girl (aged 6) can ring her Mum. As the phone is ringing, her Mum arrives to tell her, "Scooby-Doo lives!!!". More tears. 10.40: morning tea. 11 am the naughty, hopeless children arrive to paint a mural. I'm freaking about the potential for that-which-cannot-be-undone.10 mins in, the groundsman comes over to tell me that the council painter needs stencils of human feet (!) so he can finish a pedestrian pathway. I take a naughty, hopeless boy with me and we make the stencils. He tells me all about his trip to the refuse dump last weekend. We cook up a project, and I ring the dump to organise to get 2 bicycles fit for restoration (one for me, one to sell). We clean up from the mural-painting. 12.40: lunchtime. The Home Ec teacher comes to find me and asks me to come to the kitchen. I find a formally set table, and 5 of us are treated to a special lunch. 1pm: yard-duty. 20 mins of "Rueban's spying on me" and "Troy said I shouldn't tell him what to do and I wasn't even telling him" and "I've got no-one to play with" and "Quick! Quick! Georgia's really hurt herself", and in the middle of it this beautiful, beautiful tiny girl came up, gave me a hug (around my waist), looked straight at my swollen, blackened face and said, "You're so pretty", and ran off skipping.   1.20: end of lunch. A couple of hours to myself to put up a display. No. Bailey (aged 7) arrives with a note which says, "Bailey would like to help you today". So we put up the display; it takes twice as long because of the Bailey-Factor and also because there is not a staple in the school to fit my staple-gun. 3.10: my ride home arrives and we leave. She drops me off at the Black Stallion (I shit you not), a gaming pub in a very, very poor area. I had told my husband where to meet me to take me home, and that I would ring him when I got there. So I'm standing outside this really dodgy joint, and my phone is cycling through 'searching...searching...searching...'. No mobile reception!!! Miraculously, Drew pulls up, we call in to check out the car-job, we come home, pay a heap of bills, I cook a fish curry and now I am sitting here with a glass of red, a sleeping dog, two sleeping cats and my man upstairs.       It has been a good, Randy-day. Cancer??? Fuck THAT noise.LaughingXXXX    ps Otter, I REALLY wish I was there with you. XX

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  • Sable
    Sable Member Posts: 738
    edited July 2009

    Eddie~ I got my randie mail in the mailbox today whew! Should be there shortly.

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  • ewesterman
    ewesterman Member Posts: 417
    edited July 2009

    To all having a hard time putting Randie stuff into words, I will wait. There is no rush. Just know I am not cashing checks yet either. Otter, no problem to wait. No time to write a lot today except to say, like Kerry, I am loving my work. Otter....keep coming Seattle is so close. :) Love you and talk to you soon. Jen, I still have two herceps left...one at the end of the month then one Aug 14. Then I am DONE with that. Love you all again.

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  • Gracie713
    Gracie713 Member Posts: 302
    edited July 2009

    Good Morning!

    Kerry--I haven't heard anyone other than my little brother say "seeesters"!  Brought back good memories--hard to believe that he has been gone for almost 10 years.

    Working all weekend--don't really mind because there isn't as much administration there, so you can actually get more work done.  Next weekend we are going to Indiana for my family reunion.  Both of my sisters will be there, but my big brother can't make it this year.  Leaving the space invaders at home--just can't afford to take everyone--had to really budget just for DH & I to go.  She seems ok with it.  It will be nice to have some time alone with DH and not have 2 little girls to entertain--

    Got to get ready for work.  Everyone have a great day!!!

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  • KristyAnn
    KristyAnn Member Posts: 793
    edited July 2009

    Hi Everyone,

    I am out of here tonight for a week at the beach at Gulf Shores- taking a computer but I really dont know if I will turn it on at all (I work on a computer all day!)

    I will check back in after vacation if I really stay offline all week- hope everyone has a great week, lots of fun, work, family, friends etc

    Kristy

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  • JulieC
    JulieC Member Posts: 324
    edited July 2009

    Have fun Kristy - don't worry about us.  We'll be fine.  Just pretend you can't get a good signal.  That's how our condo was at Myrtle Beach.  Oh wait, we didn't have to pretend.

    Be back later - Julie

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  • Roxi65229
    Roxi65229 Member Posts: 462
    edited July 2009

    Hi all. Sorry I've been away awhile. I've just been busy back at work and honestly, I'm overwhelmed with how fast our lives seem to go by. I hate it. I think its been almost two weeks since I checked in and it seems like yesterday. 

    Happy belated birthday Jackie! Hope you had a special day.

    Otter, thanks for the post card. What a nice treat. No more vacations for us until next year.

    Julie, my youngest had her period at age 10 too. Her sister was a freshman (14) and was so mad that her little sister got it first. Was she nuts or what...?

    Me, no periods ever coming back. Glad yours did return Noelle.

    Angels, thinking of you and how difficult it must be for you.

    Linda, it's Friday...how was the trip? She'll have such great memories.

    Kristy, have a great vacation.

    Grace, have fun in Indy. Dress warm, the midwest has been extremely cool this season. I think its in the 60's today.

    Love to read about everyone's busy days.....

    One more day of antibiotics and I'll see my PS next week for another follow-up.

    Hugs all 

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  • Sable
    Sable Member Posts: 738
    edited July 2009

    Oh that SUX! I just spent 1/2 hour typing up stuff and hit a button and shut my browser down and lost it. Dang it!

    the weather here this weekend is really nice and cool, VERY out of season for us. Its about 68 out and its normally in the 90s. With summer being this mild...... I'm worried that the winter is gonna be a bear.

    Not much is going on here to report. Just trying to work and get bills caught up. I still have a very long way to go. I need to put on my answering machine,... I'm broke I'll send it to you when I get it.

    My little guy is heading to my mom's for a week tomorrow. YAY ME! Hubby and I have a date night set for tuesday and we get to see a movie that is not rated G and have dinner without arguing with a small child about not eating. I can't wait! 

    Had to take kitty to the vet this week, When I had her groomed a month ago they nicked her side and it wasn't healing up all the way. So  $60 shot later we were done. I keep looking for cheaper/closer places to the house to take her but always end up going back to them. We love this vet.... they are just 20 minutes away and with a howling cat in the backseat it seems like hours. This time around they ran out of rooms and we got put into the main vets office to wait. (we were seeing the 2nd vet) He came walking in to get his stuff to go home and took my kiddo to his personal closet. He let ryan pick out a snack and let him play with his golf clubs. Brave man.

    I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Love to you all! Hello sweet Randie! You keep those other angels in line ;O)

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  • MsKarin
    MsKarin Member Posts: 647
    edited July 2009

    Hello all my May sisters. Sorry but I needed to take a break. I can not believe how our loss of ranD has affected me. Some one I had never met, only spoke to here on the thread and by phone. It only reinforces my spiritual beliefs on God, energy and the universe. Our bodies separate us and make us individual, but through the spirit we are all connected as one. ranD is no longer restrained to the body and is part of the energy with no restrictions. Be still and you might just know she stopped by to brighten your day.

    OK, I had put my good news on the back burner to focus all attention to ranD. Are you ready? I got the position. I am now a full time special education paraprofessional working in the Autism Spectrum Disorders grades 3-5 class.

    I already know 3 of the students and bonded to one already. He took an instant liking to me. Twice in May I had sat in on the ASD class to observe. Three of the students from that class will be moving into my class.

    Hope all are doing well, I have a lot of reading and catching up to do. Cyber hugs to ALL.

    Edited to say Rock, yet another new word you have taught me. Are we on the same wavelength today? Does this fall under Ubuntu? ("Our bodies separate us and make us individual, but through the spirit we are all connected as one.")

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  • sueper13
    sueper13 Member Posts: 1,224
    edited July 2009

    Hello, all.  Ms. Karin, congratulations!!! You deserve it!

    I am at my sister's house in North Carolina at the beach. We have had a wonderful time with lots of late night conversation and sharing memories.  Lots of good ones and some bad ones. It's good to connect.

    I love and miss you all...i didn't take notes, but I still read all the posts and think of each of you daily.

    Love,

    Sue

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  • drcrisc
    drcrisc Member Posts: 836
    edited July 2009

    Karin - I do have Randie-like moments!  I believe...

    Eddie - I have a card but am still percolating on my thoughts, so thanks for hold-up.  I am still working on collecting the "Randie-isms". 

    Hey to all - we're having a slow weekend because today it's 101 in the shade!  Whew...went swimming yesterday with the girls and their friends.  It was a nice, normal summer afternoon.

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  • kerry_lamb
    kerry_lamb Member Posts: 778
    edited July 2009
    Karin!! Ya-a-a-a-a-a-a--a-y!!!! More Randy-biz today: MY CHICKENS ARE LAYING!!!!!!!  They are now officially EARNING their LAYER pellets. LaughingLove to y'all. Domestic duties call.XXX
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  • Gracie713
    Gracie713 Member Posts: 302
    edited July 2009

    Nice & cool here too!  So not typical for this time of year! 

    Congratulations Karin!!!!!!!!!  

    Happy Sunday to Everyone!

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  • JulieC
    JulieC Member Posts: 324
    edited July 2009

    Yea Karin!  Yea Kerry!  We celebrate the big things and the small things though it sounds like getting your chicken to lay eggs may be a large thing to celebrate.

    Lovely day here again.  It is only supposed to get to the lower 70's.  We went to a bonfire last night and it seemed like a fall night.  Bonfires in July are not normal.

    Older dd is home from band camp and had a great time.  They gave a concert at the end yesterday and you really have to give the directors credit for taking 70 some kids from all over and helping them make beautiful music.

    Update on my grandpa - he had his gall bladder removed on Wednesday and is doing okay.  Had a tough couple of nights getting the anesthesia out of his system.  Was very combative and tried to get out of bed over 40 times one night.  The next morning it took 4 people to try to restrain him and keep him in bed.  Remember - he is 94 years old.  They weren't able to do the procedure laproscopically so it will take more time in the hospital before he can go home, but overall is doing well.  My mom is still there and the different siblings have been in and out staying with him.

    Karin - I love how you described the spirit of Randie.  I think we all need to slow down, quiet down and look for those inspiring moments.

    Hugs to all - Julie

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  • lewing
    lewing Member Posts: 1,288
    edited July 2009

    Karin, I'm so happy for you and for the kids who'll have you in their classroom. 

    Julie, hope your grandfather is doing better.  Hospitals can be really disorienting places for older people (for younger people, too, for that matter), and when you add in anesthesia and painkillers, it's not surprising someone would be agitated and combative.  But it must be upsetting for your family.  I hope the hospital is handling the situation well. 

    My daughter is back from Europe - hurray! - bubbling over with stories about her trip.  She became very close to one of her host families, and is already begging to make plans to go back to see then again next year.  The first thing she did Saturday morning (after sleeping for 10+ hours) was to go down to the lobby of the hotel to get a wi-fi connection to videochat with her host sister.  (We stayed overnight at the same O'Hare-area hotel where Mary and I met for breakfast last May.)

    Linda

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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited July 2009

    Hi, gang.  Just stopped by for a minute to say hello.  We're still in Red Lodge, MT, for another 3 days; so this is once again being typed while I'm sitting in the cab of the pickup at the city park, where there's a decent cell phone signal.  (In case I didn't mention it, our on-the-road internet comes via a broadband card from a cell phone company.  Works great, unless you're somewhere there isn't any cell phone service.)

    Eddie, a note with $ is in the mail, headed your way.  I still haven't sent the email I promised.  I'll try to get on that today, too, if my battery doesn't fade too quickly.  [Added in edit: Okay, I sent it to your gmail account.  I hope that's an active one.  I have a gmail account I never use... <sigh>.]

    This is going to be a global "congratulations" to all who merit (e.g., Karin's new job; kerry's laying hens; Linda's prodigal daughter; Sue & Linda & Gracie who are vacationing or planning one) and a "sorry--that sux" to those in need (grandfather's gall bladder; sick animals & vet bills; struggling businesses).

    Okay, gotta go.  Mr. otter needs the broadband card.  Love you all!

    otter 

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  • Roxi65229
    Roxi65229 Member Posts: 462
    edited July 2009

    CONGRATS Karin! I'm so very happy for you. Just got back from the Renaissance Fair. DAT...

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  • ewesterman
    ewesterman Member Posts: 417
    edited July 2009

    Hi all,

    Jenn, got the Randie stuff. Everyone else, get it here as you come. Mary, hope the doc appt is going to go well. Otter, will get you stuff off my gmail account right now before I forget. Perfect weekend here. Randie would be dancing. Just got back from the strawberry fest on Vashon. Our oldest nearly got thrown out of his Israel program and I was planning a "hard labor" program for him to come home to but they will give him ONE MORE CHance. Gotta' go get Otter' stuff. PS, Loved the buffalo post card. Love you all.

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  • Jeano77
    Jeano77 Member Posts: 237
    edited July 2009

    Karin - Congrats to you - that is fantastic news!! 

    Julie - Hope your Grandfather is doing better . .  awfully determined for his age. 

    Otter - Your vacation sounds wonderful - keep sharing the sights around you because it sounds so tranquil - I feel relaxed just reading it. 

    Roxi - I am in agreement with you, time is flying by!  The combo of being busy at work and trying to "fit" 2 summers into 1 keeps things moving right along. 

    It was a beautiful weekend here and I squeezed every minute I could out of it.  Visited with relatives today and we shared Mom stories - I miss her so much. 

    Love you all! 

    Jean

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  • angelsaboveus
    angelsaboveus Member Posts: 298
    edited July 2009

    Hi Ladies,

    Karin-way to go , the kids will be lucky to have you !

    I'm feeling like a miserable daughter right now , just got back from dropping mom off for respite at the care facility, she will be there for the 2 weeks we will be away.    She was crying when i left and kept saying i want to go home , i don't want to say.....almost tore my heart out.

    But have to keep repeating, it's in her best interest she will be safe and looked after ,  It's in her best interest.............

    Now I have to take her dog to the Kennel, will check back later

    Cheers Undecided

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  • rock
    rock Member Posts: 1,486
    edited July 2009

    a quickie, a quickie just to say...

    cris -- oh, THANK YOU.  you know why and THANK YOU. planting a big ol' smooch right on you.

    karin -- congratulations! i am so happy for those kids!  and finally

    Angels -- I can only imagine how hard that must have been.  All of you who have parents who are a bit needy... my heart goes out to you.  Your mom WILL be safe and looked after.  And you need and deserve a break.  That is what respite care is there for.  I must sound like a real jerk but my sympathies -- while they lie (lay?) with all parties -- favor the family members, like you, who are called upon to do the heavy lifting. Thinking of you. xoxo 

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  • ewesterman
    ewesterman Member Posts: 417
    edited July 2009

    Angels,

    You are a wonderful daughter and you are a better daughter for knowing that you need a break and that you will come back refreshed and ready to do more mom stuff. Love you all.

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  • drcrisc
    drcrisc Member Posts: 836
    edited July 2009

    Angels - Ditto what Rock and Eddie said and I'm remembering that you said hopefully she'll forget she was mad at you by the time you get back.  Hugs to you...it will be okay.

    Karin - YES!!!!  So glad for you!! (jumping up and down metaphorically speaking)

    Rock - OH!! Yay!!!!  I had forgotten about it but so glad to know it got to you - finally!!

    You guys made my day, so now I can say it - today was a good day.  :)

    P.S. I am slowly going through our posts and am almost up to last year at this time.  I keep getting caught up in some of the old posts and remembering things and also wondering what happened to some of the others that started with us...sigh...still, a good day.

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  • Sable
    Sable Member Posts: 738
    edited July 2009

    :O)

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  • ewesterman
    ewesterman Member Posts: 417
    edited July 2009

    Does this mean, Cris, that you are collecting Randie-isms as you go through? Jenn, did I tell you I got your Randie stuff? Love you all. Loving summer. Thinking of Randie. My cancer bully pal, Dottie, who originally turned me on to all of you is just about to hit three years cancer-free. Today was a good day. Hey, the diet seems to be working. Shh, don't tell anyone or it'll be jinxed.

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  • drcrisc
    drcrisc Member Posts: 836
    edited July 2009

    Wow...we've been quiet. 

    Kerry - I keep meaning to tell you, I have intimate knowledge now of you "Get Back!!" hotflashes!!  Had a few this weekend...eeeewwww...

    I had a "Mom moment" tonight.  Sigh.  It's times like these that I would like to remind her that she's creating the stress she so desperately wants me to avoid.  But that would probably not be nice.  So I'm gonna say it anyway - "I know she means well..."

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