Starting Chemo February 2009?

Scans today ladies... CT's and bone. Monday brain MRI... never had any kind of MRI, so I'm nervous about that one, then Tuesday Pet Scan. Please keep your fingers, toes, eyes:-) whatever you can crossed........ I think my ativan is coming to my appointments!!

Have a great weekend everyone!

and oh, I finally lost some weight, but I think it was from nerves... but none the less dropped 6 lbs;-)

Susan~ I have brain MRI's every 12 weeks.  They are not a big deal.  They will have you lie (lay?) on your back with a fitted pillow around your head. Then they will slide a barrier (almost a cage) in front of your face.  (Maybe 2-3 inches above your nose?)  They move the table into the tube to scan.  The great part about a brain MRI is that most of your body is outside the tube.  I remind myself of that a lot while in there because it can make you feel a bit antsy with the cage-thing...  They scan you for ~20 min (loud but you'll have ear-plugs). They'll pull you out and give you an IV and then rescan for 10-15 min.  The contrast makes blood vessels light up so they can see if you have new vessels forming somewhere that there shouldn't be vessels.  Really, the worst part is the thing around your face.  I just keep repeating to myself that I could get up at anytime if I wanted to.  Just slide up the cage-thing and scooch out... Not that I *would* do that but it is nice to remind myself that I'm not trapped...  I will be thinking about you ALL DAY!!!  Please fill us in as you get your results!!!

Just checking in to say Good morning.

Sue - hope all went OK yesterday.  Hope you manage to relax this weekend a bit, before it all starts up again Monday. Thinking of you all thebtime!

Beth - hope you are feeling better now, and the infection is clearing up. I use an antibacterial soap now all the time, just to lower my risk a bit. 

Well, I got soaked this morning. When I left the house for my run the sky looked very dark, but I hoped it wouldn't rain. But it did, a big thunderstorm, I got drenched.  Poor dog, she didn't know what I was doing with her! Anyhow, it did stop, but I had to run the rest of the way wet - not so fun with wet socks. Did 6 1/2 miles though. Yah me. 

Anyhow, we are going to my BIL's for a BBQ today - guess it will be an inside one because of the weather. they have a tiny house, so hope it clears up a bit. Then tomorrow we are going to the Zoo, so again, less rain would be good. Hope everyone has a good weekend. 

i'm glad to post here.  I am in a bit of a posting limbo. - not really a part of the stage IV group.. some of those IV girls are a bit mean with the private messages.. do this . don't do that.   i don't know that i should post in stage III forum because it just isn't encouraging to read 'go go go' from a stage iv girl.

still.. things are heating up in Kansas.. we are scrambling to finish the house. the cabinets are in.. cherry from mr. apple's private stock (he bought a small forest of wood 20 years ago, planed it and stored it to dry, encasing 'dyed' amber.. they actually look fantastic.  we are staining, sanding and putting in the woodwork, fixing up our current house.  it's hard not to be grumpy... and easy to be really ecstatic because everything is rapidly coming together for us.  today i accomodate the old house painters. 

the cabinets look awesome.  they looke REALLY yellow-y in this photo, but are very striking and capture a lot of light in reality.

i made RASPBERRY jam yesterday..

Apple... why don't me and you just forget about that stage iv business, and stay here... if only right:-/

Well we got away for a little bit of r+r this weekend, went camping on a lake and did alot of swimming.  My little one sure is a fish, I'm glad she likes the water so much.

But now, back to reality.  Have my brain MRI at 2:00... I am taking ativan an hour before, my stomach right now is so upset, I sure hope I can get thru it.  I am more then just a bit claustrophobic (sp?).  Haven't heard about my ct scans yet, which makes me even more nervous. My onc's nurse used to call me after all my scans to say they were "all clear", so now bad thought are in my head....... eck.

Can I just forget this whole gosh darn mess !?!?!?!!?

Susan~ I am happy to hear that you had some R&R his weekend.  You can get thru this...just imagine that you are back on the beach with your baby girl.  ((hugs)) 

Apple stay hear and talk to us.  We all love an adore you and will agree with whatever you decide.  The house is looking fantastic. 

Michele~ Honestly I took sleeping pills when it got bad .  They are VERY hard to sleep with.  I hope your doggie is feeling better.  Don't feel bad things happen.  Sorry you had to charge it .  Congratulations on your promotion.

So I feel like crap today and my DH has a list of things that he would like for me to do .  He's not going to be happy once he gets home.  My daughter has softball tonight and something every night thru Wednesday and then we are done for summer!!  I have a headache that will not stop (thank you pollen count) and just NO energy.  I am supposed to be editing last week but I am dragging like crazy and I am still trying to get google to find my website after 2 years.  It's VERY frustrating. 

Sue - hope it went OK today. Try not to read too much into anything, I know I do it all the time, and it is usually unfounded. Maybe she is just waiting for all the results are in, and then give you the results all at once. Anyhow, I am thinking of you all the time. Glad you got away for a nice break over the weekend.

Michele - oh, I am so sorry to hear about your doggie. Sacry and expensive, but I am glad she is on the mend. I am running 4 days a week now - about 3 miles during the week, and 6 on a Saturday. I started really slowly - walk a lamp-post, run a lamp-post, and worked my way up. I am really enjoying it now!! There is a Couch to 5km running plan (Google it) or check out Hal Higdon's site - I like him, as he has a very relaxed approach.

Jaimie - Angus has been complaining about an allergy headache too. Hope you get the Google thing sorted out. 

And, Sue and Apple, please keep posting here. I am weaning myself from the boards, just checking here now, so don't leave us!! 

Anyhow, hope everyone has had a great day! 

Oops, posted twice....

well girls, chemo number 5 of 6 is done with... only one more left then i get check ups every 3 months. it feels good to get this out of the way and done with cause i want my hair back. I miss it so much. I miss having leg hair too. Maybe it will be back in time for winter, I can only hope.

We have had a bit of a hellish day, to tell you the truth. We took Jack to the Eye dr this morning, as we thought he might need glasses. Well, it turns out his lens and Iris are stuck together, there is concern he may have cataracts. So, all a bit horrid and stressful. The Dr seemed to think it was treatable, but he might need Surgery and have new lenses put in. Poor thing, I feel awful for him. We are being referred to a Ped. Ophthalmologist, so will keep you updated.

Oh Kerry, that's really rough, for both of you, poor little guy

My mom had those lense implants a couple of years ago, and did well with them.

Thanks guys. We are now worried that he may have some underlying problem. Angus has Ankylosing Spondylytis, which is a form of rheumatoid Arthritis. Its genetic. Anyhow, one side effect is Iritis, which can cause the lens sticking problem if untreated. So, we are starting to wonder if there is a connection. All very strange though - he never complained of sore eyes (he has had what we though was pink eye a couple of times, but didn't seem in pain) or of sore joints. And it is very very rare to have such an early onset. (Angus was about 19 when he started having problems, which is normal) So, there may not be a connection, but it seems a bit too coincidental.

Anyhoo, we are hoping we get to see the specialist as soon as we can. I am just hoping there is no permanent damage. I of course have massive guilt for not getting him seen sooner.

Oh Kerry... there's no way you could have known.  Jack is a little guy.  Unless he was hurting, I can't think of any "sign" you could have seen.  As for pinkeye, my kids have had it a zillion times.  I don't think there's any link. {{hugs}}

oh Kerry.. i'm praying and have my fingers crossed