please help

Cathi, letting you know that I am praying for your friend.

Oh how I remember taking Penelope to her 'spa' day. Penelope didn't like to take a bath and it was easier taking her to Theresa and letting her handle Penelope.  Although I imagine that you have it easier with petite Margo versus large Penelope. Penelope wouldn't want to stay in her seat, she kept wanting to crawl in my lap, imagine me trying to keep a 55 lb basset hound in the passenger seat while I am driving down the road . These are bittersweet memories.

Sheila

Hi Ladies, I've been reading for the past few weeks but so busy with my Aunt that I've hardly had time to post more than a thing or two. My Aunt's back in her apartment, but we still have a few things to take care of for her. This weekend, I hope to move some mattress sets down to replace her old ones, and maybe do a bit of grocery shopping. But it all depends on the availability of other family members (specifically my brother with a pick-up truck).

I can see it now, the back of the truck loaded up with two twin sets, the cab filled with people to help move them, driving down 87 (NY Thruway) to the Bronx. We'll look like the Beverly Hillbillies, lol. All we'll need in Granny in a rocking chair on the top.

If that doesn't come together, I plan to do some long-postponed shopping. My nips are unbandaged (and looking nicely dainty!), and I need some new bras! One of my sisters sent me a gift certificate to Victoria's Secret a few months ago, so I plan to start off with that and see what I can get at the mall.

My new breasts are set wider and lower than the originals. I'm not even sure what size I am now, so I will have to try the bras on rather just buying off the rack like I used to.

Cathi, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend, Blaire. In some ways, it reminds me of what my sister went through. Her palette and half her upper jaw were removed 18 years ago, but the cancer came back a couple of years ago and has just been eating away to the point that she can't wear a mouth prosthesis anymore. She says she is horribly deformed-looking now, and won't let me come to visit her...won't let anyone see her except her husband and her son. Radiation to that part of the body is so destructful of good tissue that she won't do that. And there's no effective chemo for her type of cancer. She's just letting nature take her course, but I'm afraid I may never see her again. I hope Blaire has a better outcome and lives a long and cancer-free life.

But you know, even with the pain, my sister still has lots of things to rejoice about. Her son graduated from law school last year and last summer passed the Florida bar exam. Just after I had my surgery in January, he came to New York to take the NY bar exam, and we just found out he passed...on his first try! And on a day he was feeling sick (eventually came down with a horrible cold)! We're just so proud of him. Now he needs a job, lol.

Karen, I'm so sad about Portia. I hope she feels better soon with the meds. Teens and depression...scary mix. But I hope moving to the new house is something she's looking forward to and that it will help, too.

My church fellowship hall was hit tonight by Lightning and the roof collapsed. they said that it is a total loss. We just finished the basement of the fellowship hall for a youth room. It is upsetting, I remember when we broke ground for the fellowship hall 24 years ago. Please pray for the church family.

Sheila

Thankfully no one was injured and no one was killed.  As sad as this is, with a quarter century of memories wrapped up in the building that is so badly damaged, stuff can be replaced, but people can't.  Your whole congregation is in my prayers.

Oh Nancy your poor sister  -  I'm so sorry. laire is home -  while I haven't actuallt talked to her 9she's not to talk a lot) we have computer chatted,  she said lots of pain the first 2 days,  but getting better,  says the scar on her neck looks just awful - but she is still VERY SWOLLEN,  no solid foods,  she is practicing swallowing some wter now aside from just the ice chips,  her DR's have been quite honest with her about the rads from what she has shared with me,  it is most definetly going to be tuff going for awhile.

Well sisters I had another major scare yesturday - this time it was all me -  All week long actually about the last 2  weeks,  I had been having some weird pains,  at first it started on both sides of my chest -  like rigt where the drain tubes went in from MX,  it was both sides,  it hurt to touch,  but kinda brushed it off to just that left over surgery aches and pains, that lasted a couple days then subsided  but the pain moved to the bottom of my rib cage  - bilateral again, still brushed it off,  hurt worse if I sat a long time, but nothing I could not tolerate  -   Thursday the pain just went to bottom of rib cage on R (mets is on left) was increasing in intensity -  but still I felt tolerable if I just took it easy.  Friday I woke up it was even worse, Ed could tell he says YOUR MAKING YOUR SCRUNCHY FACE ,  I told him it was alright and sent him off to work,  well within 2 hours - I honestly thought I was having a heartattack,  my bottom rib was jabbing knife pain and my chest was crushioing together - could hardly breath -  I WAS TOTALLY FREAKED OUT. Long story short ,  because I really did think it was my heart went to the ER, it is where I needed to go because of symptoms,  but they really had no clue after they ruled out heartattack.  The druged me up with something  - OMG , the needle was not even out of the IV before I was on cloud nine - some  darn good $hit. LOL 

ER DR said it was COSTOCHONDRITIS- and in my case ????? it is caused by thickness and irritatiion/swelling of the rib/sternum/breast bone ,  and it does kind make sense except my surgery was well over a year ago and have had no issues. So anyway he gave me a script for an antiinflammatory and vicaden for the weekend and guess it's off to Onco on Monday or tuesday.

It feels better today,,  the crushing feeling is way better, I guess the pain pills help that,  like I need more of those - LOL So anyway - just another day in the life of me -  LOL

HAPPY SUNDAY ALL. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

I have been diagnosed with Costochondritis too, back in March! When they had ruled out all my heart issues, that was what was left. Mine isn't bilateral, just heart side, so that's why they were so cautious. I almost pass out from the pain and can't breathe when it comes. Very scary. I have found that since I'm on Oxymorph that I just get twinges while I think, "That would have hurt a lot if I wasn't so medicated on pain pills!"

My heart goes out to you Cathi, it's no fun for sure. You'll find the "incidents" will go further apart as time goes on. Nothing seems to bring it on, so there are no restrictions, just ones I chose  like raking and vacuuming.

Thanks Barbe,  the chest squeezing that had me so concerned was the entire chest area on Friday,  but now the actual rib pai in only on the right side and it is like the very bottom of the rib cage,  and it is actually sore to touch. I think your right though about the pain meds, I am tolerating the pain once agin but only with the help of the vicadin ,  funny thing is too though the past 2 days I told Ed this AM it feels like there is a tennis ball underneath my rib on the R side,  I can't feel a lump or bump,  but when I move,  twist ot turn,  I feel something,  PET SCAN showed nothing in that area,  so who knows.

OH well my only goal this week is to take it easy we are having a LAUA PARTY on Saturday,  AND I REFUSE to cancell,  the girls are coming over this week to help (or do all of) the cleaning and lots of prep work for me,  I haven't talked with them yet,  but going to ASAP, after Friday they are really suspicious.

HAPPY HAPPY DAY BARBE XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

And now Heathrow is closed. Devin is to leave London for Madrid in just over 24 hours. This is the first time I've actually been worried about him since he left the states. Could everyone please blow real hard and clear off the ash cloud for him?

Here's Connor, Jasper, and the back end of a bulldog (his best side, believe me) from yesterday. We played at the dog beach with my daughter Heidi, her dog, and Mei. Afterwards, we went to Heidi's house and cooked dinner...salmon cakes made from leftover Copper River Salmon they had bbq'd the day before, fresh green beans sauteed in black bean sauce, dumplings, potstickers and dim sum dumplings courtesy of Mei. Heaven!

Don't forget to blow!!!

Thanks for the wishes guys, I couldn't see Facebook at work so it was fun to come home to so many good vibes.

Judie, my sister flew home from Italy last week just fine. No pilot is going to be a "cowboy" and fly into that crap if it will risk his life, never mind 400 others in the plane! Your DS may be diverted to another country first. Great picture of the beach! 

AMEN SISTER

Cancer certainly hasn't made me a better person! I was pretty amazing before bc and I'm still amazing. I'm with you on that one Cathi, how friggin' shallow was her life before!

Barbe - sorry I missed your birthday. Hope you had a great day. Sending you belated birthday wishes.

Lisa - that is just so horrible about your dear friend. I am praying for her right now and sending her my best wishes for a successful treatment. I have heard that triple neg tends to respond very well to chemo. You are such a lovely friend -I'm so glad she has you by her side through this nightmare.

Cathi - praying for Blaire. I'm sure your love is helping her. I hope your rib pain goes soon but glad the chest tightness has decreased. Hope you have a blast at the party.

Love to everyone,

Jane oxoxoxo

Cathi...so happy your chest tightness has gone.  Hugs for you...I know you are strong, but I am sure that pain, is very difficult to endure. Have fun at the laua!!! Sounds like a blast, and I wish we ALL could be there...gosh what a blast that would be!!! Dance...away!!!!. So happy your daughter's are pitching in to help you.

Thanks Jane and Cathi for your prayers.....she starts chemo today...I will stop by on my way home from work.  I just feel so angry.

xoxo

Lisa

Hi chappies,

Cathi - will your bloody troubles ever FECing end? You and Barbe have another condition I have never heard of. And it's chronic? What treatment are you getting for your mets? Julie, my wee rads Buddy from rads (in that horrible grip of winter last December) had cancer of the siliva glands. She is doing well, but had a dog of a time eating, swallowing etc. She is so much better now, and she is in her 60's! I so hope Blaire fares the same. Here's hoping.

Julie, you have NO IDEA the amount of disruption the ash cloud has caused here in Scotland. I live under a fly zone and it is just now that we are seeing contrails regularly. One of the girls on Herceptrin had to have her family come over to drive from scotland to Benidorm in Spain to get her back for treatment. The protocol (here, at any rate, is that if you miss a course, you have to start the 18 again). But it is just travel disruption, nothing to worry about - there is no health risk from the ash, not even in the Shetland Isles, which is closer to Norway than Scotland, so very much closer to the eruption. Lots of folk on holiday in Europe couldn't get home and no one was taking responsibily for getting them home, or taking care of them while abroad. It's just never happened before, so it's untrammelled territory. The current wisdom is that there has been a bit of over-reaction by the CAA. Anyhow, it is JUST TRAVEL disruption. Crap, but not dangerous. If Devin ventures down to to he Mediterrainian coast he will meet as many Scots, and Brits, ever a few Irish .. as he did here. Madrid, Granada, Northern Spain - less likely ...

I am meetng both consultants next week, Onc  and one for the long term s/e. Wed and Thur. Bit nervous. I have had my 14th Herceprtin last Monday. Only 4 to go!! Nearly at the Emerald City.

Love to each and every one one of you

Nettie xx

Hi Dawn,  sorry sorrry about the DX, I personally can't provide any info our your type of BC.  As far as Chemo & rads everyone reacts diffrently,  what I can offer at this type is love,  suppport and friendship -  wishing you a most gentle walk through this journey.

Neddie that ash sounds awful can't even begin to imagine.  The things so far with my mets is I am fortunate I guess you can say,  it is contained at this time just to the hip and thigh,  so for me at this time it's basically keeping it that way  and pain control. The rib thing I believe  and onco believe at this time is caused by the MX, seems weird to me to happen so long after surgery,  and it's not even on the rads side,  gonna keep a careful watch on it of coarse but nothing showed on my PET scan in that area.

Lisa prayers of coarse and I know where you are at being ANGRY about all this crap -  over the last few days I have noticed FEAR, in Blaire,   and it breaks my heart to see and feel her that way. DAM CANCER.