Starting Chemo February 2009?

Judy - I second Webbie, I am sure it is nothing there for you to worry about. But good to run it by your Onc. Now that I have finished Rads I keep feeling around my scar area, keep thinking I have lumps that I figure out are either ribs or scar tissue. Grrrr, I hate it! Anyhow, glad you are doing better with your asthma. After your done at Webbies house, you can scoot up here! Actually, come here first, I am closer.

Jaimie - hey, maybe you are not lacking in motivation - maybe Cancer has just given you a more relaxed attitude about cleaning!!  Glad your pre-op went well. I have mine today. I just keep thinking, this time next week it will all be over with. Not looking forward to it at all....

Webbie - glad to hear the Arimidex is treating you OK. Did you not get a Bone density before starting it? That's why I had mine.  I think you need one annually with an AI.

Anyhow, hope everyone has a lovely day. Rainy here , but the garden really has needed it. 

Red blood cells and molasses

I have fairly low iron levels and always have.   hemaglobin and hematocrit  can be brought up  with blackstrap molasses.. takes a week maybe.  i drink it straight.  you can mix it with hot milk (delicious).  I absolutely love molasses .. it's an incredible energy booster for me with all the sugar. 

i started taking molasses in my pregnancies because i had problems with the iron in the prenatal vitamin and my iron was so low  (don't know why tho).  The only way i could donate blood was to drink molasses for a week before. 

iron helps the red blood cell counts and vitamin C helps the iron work or absorb better.  (you can tell i am not a medical expert can't you?)

let's see - i am working my tail off.  I am in the car so much running people around and doing errands for my husband's business that well, i have to really rush when i'm actually at home or simply skip doing it. 

my oldest son is doing an intense boyscout hike and paying the 300 $ fee himself.  he has been training forever to hike up a mountain carrying, everything you need on your back.  he told me. "Mom - we're going shopping and for once I, not you are going to make the decisions on what to buy.  you are always right, but today I'm going to be the one that is right"  (I must be absolutely intolerable sometimes.. i  am little miss know absolutely everything...i guess i'll have to keep a lid on it.)

anyway, I'm proud of him.  it sure is handy having him around because he's huge and strong as an ox.. smart as a fox too and really a nice boy  to think he only weighed 7 pounds the first day.  if I can only keep him nice. as he goes thru the challenges of high school, testosterone, and immaturity and maturity clashing.

Morning, all!

Webbie:  Won't your onc give you a density scan to use as a baseline scan?  Especially after the chemo/steroids, both can affect bone density.  I'm figuring that the lump is nothing....that's why I didn't mention it to onc sooner, esp since I have an appt in 2 weeks anyway.  But the first day I noticed it I did freak a little bit.

Kerry:  Yeah, we're not far from the Ambassador Bridge...used to go to Canada alot, to a place called Colasanti's (sp?), out in Leamington.I think...awesome place, the kids loved it!  Now it's such a hassle just crossing the border...back then, you didn't need anything special, just answer a couple of questions...now we need a darned passport!  Way back in the day, when MI changed the drinking age to 21, we used to go to Canada quite often, lol, since it was 19 there!  It's rainy here, too, but like you said, we really needed it.

Jaimie:  Have fun at the movies!  Free movies are the best!

Apple:  What a handsome boy....how old is he?  I am guessing about 14 or so???  I know my 11 yr old, who is taller than me, is beginning to become quite handy to have around, lol.  He can reach and lift things for me, he's already 5'6", quite tall for his age.   I know what you mean about keeping them on track...my son is about to start middle school, and I am a wreck....new friends I won't know....smokers, troublemakers abound....I wish I could keep him home with me!  The hormone thing started young with him....his voice changed last year, he's had acne since he was like 9  yrs old, the poor kid.  I wouldn't go through those years again if you paid me!

Linda:  Lucky you, a housekeeper, I've never had one.  Don'tcha hate it when the electricity goes out for days....it always seems to be when the fridge is full!  How is your arm feeling?

It's supposed to rain again today....so I'm just sitting around, doing nothing....I want to start gluing my mosaic table together, but discovered yesterday that my "new" used drafting table has a huge lump in the middle that will definitely interfere with the gluing process.....so I need to find somewhere else to work on this one.  A big board or something.

Well, I'm off to clean something

Judy

Helen~ I've been on vacation for a few days but wanted to respond to your post.  Meningomas are common in older adults.  Am I correct in remembering that you are not in your 30s or 40s?  As for the mets on your differential list.. They *have* to add that... even if they are relatively sure it is something else.  That way, you can't sue them *if* it is later.  With that said, it is really, really important that you follow-up on this, just to be on the safe side.  I have a colleague who teaches neurophysiology to the med students; I'll email him when I'm back at work tomorrow and ask him what he thinks.  So... I *think* you've gotten really good news.  But, again, you need to follow-up aggressively.  JMHO!

Hugs to my Furies!! I missed ya'll but it was great getting away.  I'll post more tonight. (I have 2 pages of reading to do! I stopped at Helen's post!) I'll also attach pics!  xxoo

Judy--- chemo brain must still be at work, what picture are you referring to? 

Cheryl----HAIR'S TO YOU!! OMG!!! you look awesome!!!! I agree with Webbie --I have a fuzz ball too!!!! Well, I will see you pals later!!! Love ya!!

Cheryl..

you are definitely close to a ponytail.. just like me.

(the pony will be microscopic and you won't be able to see him)

We are finally getting some rain..whoooo we need it.  Tried the hair dye again last night and it didn't work, again   Oh well.

I am supposed to be doing housework but I am being lazy instead.  I am trying to motivate myself but it's not working.

I was just saying to my husband this morning about the SE's of Arimidex......he said, "small price to pay..." which is what I keep telling myself.

Jaimie - i have been procrastinating all morning too. The kids have been playing beautifully together, I have been playing Gameboy....

Judy,

Can I come over?  Yummmmm.

(I sure would love to have a recipe for Toffee Oatmeal cookies)

I forget that some of you still face surgery.. i am going to reinvigor my thoughts and prayers for the Furies.

 I had some bad news yesterday.  i've  been in a way mentoring a pianist Brendan,.. , finding a place for him to live in KC, i let him give me piano lessons, sponsoring his concerts, doing free promotional literature for him...  He is recently married  to this wonderful Japanese pianist and they live in Kansas City but are looking for career cities to end up in.  (Brendan for instance was applying to be the pianist for the Cincinnati symphony) so he announces yesterday that he tested positive for AIDS.. i feel so bad,  - I'm sure that knocked the wind out of his sails..

I took it so easy yesterday.. i sewed the sofa while watching a stupid movie with the girlchild, walked around slowly, cooked and played the piano and organ.. got my son off to his super hike )gave him a mohawk since he's going to be in the wilderness for 10 days).  that's about it.  It didn't make me feel any better but i kind of figured i needed rest.  I'm going to work to day... see if i can overpower this draining drug.

.  the mohawk

as promised! a few pictures!

well crap! just talked to the nurse and my blood didn't get run today... something about a mix-up and the outside lab having different reference values so mine didn't go in with the group.  They are going to run them next week... which means I need to go back to the cancer center to have blood drawn on thurs.  That and I took one of my few remaining xanax's last night because I was stressed out. whay a waste of a good xanax!

Apple~ Wow that had to be a shock to your friend.  I hope his wife is okay ((bighugs)).  I love your sons haircut it looks adorable. 

Michele~ You are right what a waste of a good xanax.  I hope your anxiety eases up a bit.  Great pictures.  Glad to hear that you are going without head coverage now. 

Webbie~ I hope you get some relief soon.  My DH wants me to make decision now and there are times when I barely come up with words.  I don't know who in the hell he is kidding. 

As for me another fun filled day.  Wednesday I showed the PA a yellow spot on my incision, turned to fuss at the kids and looked back to see the PA popping my yellow thing.  She said it wasn't a big deal well yesterday evening while changing into my PJ's it kept oozing so I kept wiping it clean.  Finally it stopped oozing and I was left with a whole about this size O in the incision that I could see down a bit.  Well I got an appt. this morning with my PS who squeezed it and more junk came out (it's a good thing the incision is fairly numb).  She decided it was best to open it up in the office to see what was going on.  I just looked the other way and kept right on chatting (I am a chatty Kathy IRL).  Finally she said "Oh" and shows me a stitch that was about 1/2 in. long that had not disolved and we are hoping that was the cause of my yellow yuck spot.  So I am restitched and I have to go in the day before my next surgery to have them removed.  I also have to start a course of levoquin antibotics to hopefully clear any issues up.  I am hoping and praying this takes care of everything. 

My surgery is Aug. 5 @ 12:30 which I am not thrilled about.  I wanted it to be first thing in the morning so I can get it done.  Typing that sounds funny because the only thing that I am like that about is my health issues...lol..... 

At the ER with my DD.....another infection of some sort, we're hoping for no long hospital stays...she hates this so much.  A fever is almost a guaranteed hospital stay for her, as they test her picc line.

Apple:  So sorry to hear about your friend, that's really a tough one....I hope you get some energy back soon and feel better, but glad you are taking it easy for now. 

Michele:  don't you hate it when they mess up like that?  Maybe your doc will be more generous than mine and give you more xanax.  I didn't realize you had older sons....mine is 11 also.  I knew you had that adorable little girl, though, love the red hair on her!  Love the pics, looks like a relaxing vacation, and you look great!.  congrats on the proph mast approval....that sound weird, but I know it is important to you, so  Yay!

Jaimie:  Ouchie!  That sounds icky....what is the incision from (since your surgery isn't until next month, I'm drawing a blank....was it the kidney surgery?)  Hope that improves soon, glad you're getting antibiotics in the meantime.

Well, I'm off to the vending machines. 

Hugs

Judy