Anyone starting chemo in June 08

Wyoming, I have read that the glucosamine is more likely not to work.  My DH bought a big bottle of it so I guess I'll try it anyway.  Glad you are having fun with the grandkids.  I am doing as little as possible today.  Resting for the beginning of a new work week.  Kelly, hope you are having fun on your trip and are healing.  Watched a movie called Adventureland last night.  It wasn't the greatest but I have seen worse.  I also have Sunshine Cleaning or Fighting to watch tonight. Hope you all are taking it easy too. Love, HunkyD 

Karen, I just started taking it.  Sounds like you are going to have a fun weekend.  We have no plans for the weekend.  Maybe a barbeque and some beers.  We are babysitting our sons dog (our grand daughter) this weekend.  She is diabetic so needs shots twice a day.  She takes her medicine the same time grandma takes all her pills...LOL.  Hope you get over your cold before you go!  Wyoming, hope school is not making you DAT!  I know you seem to enjoy your job.  That is a good thing.  Hope Kelly is having fun on her trip.  I know she is probably just savoring the rest time.  Surgery does knock you back a step.  Leggy, hope Wolfie is keeping you on your toes!  It is already September and I can't remember August.  I love you all....HunkyD

Hi Everyone, got my results from my bone scan and blood tests and all were okay, what a relief that was.  They are taking me off of the Tamoxifen for 4 to 6 weeks and see if the pains in my shoulders and back go away.  If they do, then they will switch to another drug instead.  Hope it is the Tamoxifen that is causing it because that would be an easy fix.

I didn't realize how much I was worrying about the bone scan and this is not like me at all. If anything I am the first to say oh it isn't anything but I think after the cancer bit it sure changes you mind a lot. I guess that is when you realize that yes it can happen to me.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend

Bonnie

 Hi Ladies, 

Today I left work early, DAT but I got as much done as I could.  We can all relate to that. 

Wyoming and HunkyD, Wolfie is always a handful, but dogs give us so much in return( he never retrieves anything).   My dog is 9 in Nov. maybe he'll start to slow down a little and give me a break, but I doubt it.  I'm the only one who's getting older....

KKing hope your feeling better, summer colds suck.

I've got a short story.  At work yesterday I met a couple, walking the property, looking at our sculpture garden, and we struck up a conversation about the grounds.  They told me about their home and how they have 3 acres and want to turn it into a retreat for cancer patients. They told me how she was his 2nd wife and how his first wife died of cancer(not BC, but I forget).  They had been friends, and wife #2 had BC so he called her after Wife#1 passed away, to see how she was doing etc.  She had first BC 12 years ago, they married 6yrs. ago after he proposed on our property.  They come back every year.  She asked how long I worked here and I told her 9yrs. although not last summer or fall, when they were here last.  She asked why I wasn't here last year, but I'm pretty sure she figured it out (chemo. hair). So I told her about my BC, and we both took our hat's off at the same time.  She had a cute hair cut, and said mine will fill in.  We compared stories, while her husband let us talk as he walked a short distance away, and she let me ask all kinds of questions, all the while tears just flowed.  It was like meeting a long lost sister.  Her husband took our picture, and sent it to my email.  We will keep in touch. They were so much in love, and happy!  She told me one door closed and another opened up.  Her fear of cancer is over, she said she survived twice and now has everything to live for, the love of her life.

So true HunkyD, I have two close male friends, who worked with me for 6 years, one with heart problems, the other just finished rads. for prostate cancer (we had the same rads. doctor) .  We have been friends for about twenty years.  All through my treatments, they called me, and gave me their support. Now I'm there for them, in fact the friend with the prostate cancer, called me asking me what I thought about the rads. doctor, he was debating surgery vs. rads.  He went with the rads. and has had really good results, far better than expected.  

Funny though, we used to tell each other dirty jokes, now it's about  cancer, knee and hip replacements, and pacemakers....OMG!

Happy Labor Day weekend,

Leggy 

Glad I had a day for rest.  Doing laundry and got lunch made for work tomorrow.  Wyoming, I'll bet those grandkids of yours are the greatest.  I know you are a liitle bit fond of them...LOL.  We have our sons dog/our dog this week, as he is gone elk hunting somewhere near the Montana Border.  She has just been diagnosed with canine diabetes so two shots a day. We will take good care of her.  Can't wait to hear some of Kellys stories and Karens.  I still won't brake for snakes, maybe a roadside pub, but not for rattlesnakes....LOL.   Hope you did have great fun Karen.  Love hearing from ya all, we do have a bond whether you want to admit it or not.  I can't nor do I want to steer away from this place. I know someone here will have my back and really understand when or if I have the beast on my doorstep again. I think we will kind of be sisters forever in that sense. I cherish you all....have sweet dreams.  I have surgery again in 4 more weeks.  It is just going too fast.  I am not healed from the last one yet. Just want to feel like I can smile for this next christmas.  Take care all of ya.  HunkyD

Hi everyone,

KKing when I saw my surgeon's nurse, she said Bone cancer does hurt all the time, and if it gets better when you take medication for it than it's not mets.  Small comfort, but I keep repeating her words, to myself when the doubts creep in. 

I have a question for you gals, does anyone still feel insecure about how you look, now?  The other day I was walking my dog in town, on main street where they have a restaurant with outdoor seating, and I could have sworn this man said "That lady has cancer".  I looked at them and they were both looking at me.  Then I walked further and another restaurant, which has big windows, it seemed like everyone was looking at me.  Now when I was bald, I tried not to look at anyone, for fear I'd see pity, or have people stare.  Lots of people really stare, even when I wore a hat, which I always did.  I bought a wig, for my return to work, but only wore it for a short time, it bugged me.

I asked my Mom, when I got home if I there was anything wrong with what I was wearing, etc.  She said it was my imagination, but it really bothered me. I haven't dyed my hair, and it came in salt and pepper, and is a bit thin still at the temples, but my friends, say they don't notice it until I show them.  They also, hate it when I roll my eyes, and say Yeah Right, when they give me a compliment, but it's hard not to see myself as still sick.

Sorry for the downer, but it's been one of those weeks.

Karen, yes I think if the beast was back it would be painful all the time, although a person always has their doubts.  I am still having so much pain but it is all in my muscles, especially in my left arm which is not where I had the surgery side.  I went to physio today and he said that the muscles in my arm, neck and shoulders where so tight he said it is a wonder I could move at all.  He said he would work on my arm until I couldn't stand it anymore.  Wow did it ever hurt, I mean big time, tonight my arm is bruised and sore, although he told me that would happen. He said he had another man that had the same type of thing after chemo and that the man said he could actually taste something after his arm was worked on. The physiotherapist was wondering if some of the medicines are staying in the muscles and causing this. Of course this is all guess work.  Will see what happens in a few days.

Leggy, do yourself a favor and go and get your hair styled and colored. I felt a lot better after I did that, although their are still days when you feel like cancer is written all over your body for everyone to see. Especially when you have only one boob lol - one hangs down and none on the other side. Will eventually get something done about that. I do have the bras but find they are very uncomfortable.

HunkyD you have a good attitude, just try and laugh as much as possible but some days are really hard to do that.

Hugs to everyone, have to go now.

Bonnie

Here is my new avitar. My school picture for my ID. You can see how long my hair is. I think it has stop growing since I  started my treatment.

See ya!

Wyoming

I agree.. nice picture Wyoming.  Your hair looks great.  I am going in for another highlight before October 6.  That will be next surgery.  I will let her trim the ends but not going to get it cut.  I have had it cut twice.  It is at irritating stage but I am going to try and hang with it.  Seems like a lot of us talk about necks and shoulder pain.  That is where the majority of my pain is other than those related to reconstruction.  I think mine was from radiation, chemo, and now tamoxifen.   I did have my clavicle area hit pretty hard with the radiation.  Who knows!  Some days are better than others, but I do know I have developed some frozen shoulder symptoms.  I am not in constant pain, so I am not complaining to onc about it too much.  Take care all of you...Kelly, thinking about you always.   xxxooo....HunkyD

Hello everyone, we are back safe and mostly sound.  Still jet lagged but had a great time visiting with family and making memories with my mom and daughter.  I will write more later when I can keep my eyes open. 

I looked through all the posts since I left and was thrilled to read the good news while completely "getting" the bad day parts too.  I played the lottery in Ireland hoping to win so we could all have a get together but only won three euro so bought candy instead 

Kelly

Kelly welcome back. Can't wait to hear about you memory making trip. I would have bought candy with your three euro's also.

It is raining here and cold. It is hard to believe we can have one day at 80 something then the next day only in the 50's. Here comes the hard time of year for me. Between now and Easter all of the good candy that are calling  my name. I wish I didn't have such a sweet tooth (actually a whole mouth full of sweet teeth)!!

HunkyD getting your hair done before surgery will help you heal faster as when you like your hair it gives you confidence. It has been a month since I had my hair done and you still can't see my roots coming in. Usually by now I would have dark roots showing. I think I'm stuck with this length for now. Better than not having any.

LeggyJ can't wait to see your updated avatar. How did your lap go for Relay for Life?

Bonnie hope every thing is going well for you.

 Talk to you later.

Wyoming

Hi Everyone,

This is me, my picture taken today at the Relay for Life.  It was fun, met some nice ladies, we did a lap, and I came home.  I'll go back at 5pm and stay for lighting of the luminary's. There was one lady who just finished chemo.  She did AC and then was to do 8wks. of T, but quit.  She said she didn't want the neropathy in her feet, but she got that anyway, and she refused Rads.  I did 8 TAC, and it was rough, followed by Rads.  When I told her when I finished chemo. on Sept.19th, 08, said "It takes that long for your hair to grow out"!!!!  I told her I had hair cuts, all along, because of my chemo. hair.  As you perhaps see, mine came in curly and a different color, texture, and quite thin on top.  Oh well. 

It was 103degrees here yesterday, and really cool today, the sun just now comeing out and it's after noon.

Hope your all well

Oh yeah, TAC is really tough, but the worst was July 4th last year, when I had to go to the ER, with a high fever 103degrees, and it just would not come down. My friend and her boyfriend, ended up taking me to hospital, and we were there about 6hrs. The ER really took care of me though, whisking me off to a private room, the second I walked in the door.  After an x-ray, I had the start of pneumonia, and they said if I hadn't come in then, I'd be in hospital, for a least a week. Luckily, I was always able to talk with a chemo nurse, then.  They were great!!!!  But, I can't bring myself, to go anywhere near the door, to see them again, yet.  It's hard enough, to visit my Onc.  every 6 months.  Now, my surgeon, that's another thing, I love to run into him in the hallway.  He was so cute,and funny,  I've got a thing for funny men.  They can be unattractive on the outside, but OMG I love funny men. Luckily, I've run into quite a few in my lifetime....that's another story.

It's raining today, what a change from just a few days ago...time to walk Wolfie

Hey Kelly, we need some new stories...tell us about your trip as soon as you are up to it, were looking forward to it.

Wyoming, I was just wishing my hair was straight, like yours...We're never happy with what we've got, are we.