Motivation

Spring, here's to no more friggin surgeries girlfriend!  and to getting the edema under control.  Kudos for walking in the snow/ice!!  

Welcome Sandy/blondie - may you find your motivation here!!!!!!!  No more excuses sister!  

Found a new trail yesterday not far from home.  Walked through a nature preserve.  It actually got hot in one area and I was sweating like a pig and got really thirsty...I had to stop and rest.  Went for an hour.  Then this a.m. did 30 min of treadmill/stretching and at lunch time walked the trail behind the office for 30 min.  Was sweating when I got back.  Had to enjoy the breaks in the rain while I could!!!  Deanna, it felt SO GOOD to be walking outside!!!!  Thought of all you girlies and smiled!!  EXCEPT one part I didn't like today.  Some guy was on the trail standing there smoking a cigar, talking on his phone...jerko!!  Nice of him to go on a nature trail and pollute the air!!  jerko!! 

Nature trail with a cigar, real nice.

Here's to being gentle with yourself when you need it, hauling your butt out of your bed/chair/sofa when you know you should, feeling energized and joyful with movement, and remembering what that feels like when sluggishness sets in!

Got up at 5:45 am and did my "Serenity Now" yoga workout (about 30 minutes) before work. I am trying my best to reconnect with inner stillness and calm in the midst of crazy times. I have been edgy lately, worried about some new symptoms, hoping to feel relieved after a mammo & US on Wednesday. Take care all and move, even if it is just wrist and finger exercises or ankle and feet exercises or both while watching tv!

Brenda, let us know, and here's hoping everything will be fine.  Funny you mention the serentiy now.  I told DH recently, I've gotten so used to doing yoga and loving the feeling afterwards, relaxation pose really relaxes me and then sitting up lotus afterwards just is so associated with this inner relaxation and peace.  I now can find that feeling again by sitting in that position and finding that space and concentrating on breathing.  So, I can do that now in the morning before leaving for work and heading into a stressful meeting.  Nice to be conditioning myself in a good way for once.

Hi everyone. Worked AM shift on Monday and then went to the center on the way home. Working PM shift on Tues. Yoga on Wed and back to the center on Thurs/Fri.

Brenda - sending good vibes. Keep us posted.

Rain again. It beats the snow!! Keep moving and dancing. 

Did yoga dvd after work yesterday...ahhhhhh very nice!!!  Dragged the tush on the treadmill at dark thirty for 20 min, this girl was tired!  More yoga on tap after work, cause like I said...ahhhhh very nice!!

Deanna, I LOVE Scottsdale!  Sounds like you had a wonderful getaway!!

Brenda, positive vibes coming your way...

Diane, love that your son plays baseball, would love to watch a game!!

kmmd, great to hear you're conditioning yourself and reconnecting from within.

Joy, you always find a way to get in the exercise even with that crazy schedule - you go girl!

Harley, hoping you never got that headache!!

Thinking of you all!!  And a big HEY HEY HEY to all reading and not posting and to those that do!!

I am grateful to all for the kind words of support. I will certainly let you all know the outcome of the mammo and US tomorrow morning, although I don't know that I will know anything tomorrow. Whenever I have diagnostic tests done, I always call health information management at the hospital or wherever, and whenever the report is done, I drive there, sign consent, and read my report myself. I have never had regret over doing this, even when the report is troubling. One time I waited to see how long my onc's office would take to let me know about a PET scan, and it was about 10 days. I let them know afterward that I already had obtained the results myself and that I thought it was unacceptable to have people wait so long!

My primary source of stress is admin/management where I am employed. I love the work that I do, and I am very skilled at it, which gives me great satisfaction. While I was enduring chemo last year, my organization was "taken over" by a different organization and a new director was hired. I have witnessed events and actions taken toward others that cause me to suspect that I might not receive much support if I were to have to take FMLA time again, and I have had minimal if any spoken understanding from that "corner" with regard to my recovery process. My "only" other stress right now comes from needing another work-up to rule out more signs of advanced breast ca. Fortunately I do have very strong coping skills, but I am growing weary of having to remember and use them so much of the time!

And by the way, I got up at dark thirty,as Kari says, this morning and worked out for 30 minutes, then walked for 20 minutes when I returned home. I will definitely do some type of workout tomorrow morning before I have the tests done!

brenda

Thinking of you...  please post and let us know how it goes, ok??

Hugs and Prayers,

Harley

Brenda, I will be thinking of you in the morning, sending you both calming vibes and strong thoughts that everything is totally clear.  Hope you will be able to feel the peace and strength of our combined thoughts!    (((Hugs)))   Deanna

Brenda, hoping by now 'your time' that are done with your exams and that you get the all clear.  It always helps calm me to visualize you gals being there with me, my sisters who understand.  I am sorry for the stresses you described, its really awful to have to worry about time away from work (FMLA) if needed.  I'm the same way, a worry wart, but I'm trying to cope better than I used to!!  I thought of you again at dark thirty when I dragged my sorry tired tushie onto the treadmill.  I was yawning coming in to work today.  Feeling better now.  Hope you are too.

Shout outs to all!  Will check in later today.   

You all are so generous and kind! Your support really touches my heart. I made it through the mammo and US without getting any feedback. The mammo tech was respectful, unhurried, careful around my port, but still focused on getting the best images possible; she even did another one (and squeezed a little harder, pk--which was fine with me) to make sure that she got a good image of the "area of concern." The US tech let me know that she was "behind," that they were short-staffed (incl the radiologists), and that I would just have to wait until I could get my reports to know the outcome. I had to remind her about my history and resist various urges I had while I was imploring her to take her time; at one point, she exclaimed, "That area you are feeling is just an artery!" and when I pushed her to scan again and with a little more pressure in the right area, she said, "Oh, yeah, I see the nodule you're talking about--I think it's just a swollen lymph node!" Anyway, first she insisted that I was "just fine" and need not worry, then followed up with a more vague response and assurance that the radiologist would take his time in looking at the images. Fortunately for me, I have a long history with the medical system, and I have learned to advocate for myself as is possible and try to accept those things I cannot control. I'll keep you all posted.

And, yes, I did get up this morning at 5:45 am for a 30 minute workout, and I walked for 20 minutes when I got home today! I also have started incorporating "little exercises" throughout my day, like doing calf pumps/heel raises (whatever you call them) while waiting, or stretching while I am talking on the phone, etc.

Allie, I hope your body is healing well. To all, take good care, move, hug, sing, and laugh! And dance!

Had ultrasound today, the lump seems to be just fat or something non-cancerous, she is sure (these are reconsturcted boobs with belly and butt fat) and this is the prophylactic side anyway. But need one more ultrasound on monday to get real baseline, surgeon said.

OK and I am doing the edema for back and side of ribs - massage, had 2, and 3 weeks to go. The massage is very nice but I am not seeing or feeling any difference yet. Wearing compression top and sleeve. Blech! 

I have not been able to walk! All this time away from work is messing with my exercise schedule, and it was snowy and icy here. i did go to Yoga 90 minutes last night. It all melted today, TOMORROW i walk again!!!

I feel wiped out! Is this the winter blues??? BRING ON THE SPRING!!!! 

Brenda,

Glad your mammo. and US went well today.  I'm still praying for the ALL CLEAR!!  Please let us know when you get the good results...

Diane

That stupid groundhog!  It is ALWAYS 6 more weeks of Winter, no matter WHAT he says! 

Spring, 

I am really getting sick of the COLD!!  I am SO ready for Spring!!

Today, I did 30 minutes of elliptical torture....   hate it!!

Harley

Blondie- don't get too down on yourself. The motto in the exercise program I am on is "do your best and forget the rest". Even if you only stretch for 10 min or walk up and down the block once, just try to do a little more today than you did yesterday. Don't try to keep up with these crazy (but lovable) ladies who do 2-3 miles a day, they have been at it awhile and have worked up to that.

Did shoulders and arms yesterday, very grateful there was nothing waist down related in that DVD. I really think the muscle stiffness is more due to menopausal symptoms, seeing my doc on Monday. Tonight is yoga, 1.5 hours of it, need Spring here to help me out!! Have tomorrow off so if I am really stiff, it's okay.

Well, off for another day of "boob squishing"! Have a great one everyone!!!

Penny 

Drive-by, finally checking in to see about Brenda (and of course all of you too)...

cheering from this corner!!!!!!  And blech to winter cold!!!!!

Went to plastic surgery class and have an appt. set up with ps for 2/25.  Walked this a.m. too!

take care cuties