**NEW** Starting Chemo March 2009

Hi Ladies,

I've been reading all of your posts and see nothing but good news!  That's great!  I'm still at my sister's recovering from my recon and am really starting to go a little stir crazy.  I may try to take a short walk later.  I can stand for about 15 minutes to a half an hour right now so I think it's time to get moving, no matter how short the walk.. 

 Beth P - very happy to hear about our clear results.  I know just how you felt when you got that info.  In regards to your suggestion for 'cyber workout buddies'..  how exactly would that work?  I may be interested in trying that.  Before my surgery, I'd gotten up to 2 1/2 miles about every other day.  I've gained SO MUCH WEIGHT! 

Francine - Beautiful roses.  Thank You!

Ricki - So nice to see you back and I'm very happy for your sister.  I hope and pray all continues to improve.

Rachel - I'll never tire of hearing about your progress.  And still keep you and your 'jelly bean' in my prayers.  I'm also glad you and Damien are able to get his concerns out in the open.

Dawn - I'm also glad to hear your daughter is able to voice her fears.  I pulling for you both to be able to get through that fear. 

All - O.K.  here's something funny that I hope is no big deal.  I had diep flap reconstruction and I also have lymphadema.  I'm wondering if these two things are contributing to my new strange sound effect.  When I lift my arm..  my new breast sometimes 'gurgles' ?????  I don't know how else to put it.  My sister and her boyfriend think it's funny.  I do too actually.  Have any of you had this experience?  No pain or any other sensation...  just this funny noise....

I wish you all a WONDERFUL evening.  Again..  I'm so happy to see all the good news.  And my drains are gone!!!!   WAHOO!!!!

Love to you all,

Beth

BethR..you sound just great. I too can't offer any help as I did not have Diep reconstruction.No gurgling for me. Glad your drains are out.  But I can tell you that after my exchange  I can make my breast move just by squeezing under my arm. I told my DH I could be on the Letterman show doing stupid human tricks. He didn't think they would let me..LOL.

BethP..maybe I will be able to join in and do some cyber walking also.

I just got my acceptance letter at the BC day camp I will be attending next week. It goes for 5 mornings 9 to 1 at a local college. It is sponsered by my Gilda's Club as well as the College. Sounds like a new fun experience .Oh yes all free..not bad.

Returned home this evening from a pleasant weekend away. Gone only for two nights but seemed like much more.

Hugs

Francine

Hi all,

Fracine - your ability to move your breast reminds me of 'ahnold' on the Tonight Show a LONG time ago.

Beth - there is a website called fatsecret.com that you might be interested in related to getting back in shape.  You can create groups there as well.  If you like it, let me know and maybe we can start a group there.

Have a great day all!

Beth

Hi ladies,

Been very quiet around here lately. I do hope that means all are doing well.

Hugs,

Francine

Hi all!

 Just thought I would check in, and say hi! I just finished a crazy week of babysitting my 1-yr old niece while my brother and his wife jetted off to the Bahamas. It was great fun, but exhausting. This is the most time I have ever spent with a child, so it was a good learning experience.

 Ricki - so good to "see" you here again! Congrats on the wonderful news about your sister. She is a miracle. Looking forward to seeing your new pics! I need to update mine some time too.

Rachel - good to hear things are still going well with you and jelly bean. I bet your mom is going to be thrilled (and maybe a bit scared for you). I hope the visit with her went well.

I had good news - my endometrial biopsy was negative, and my mammo and ultrasound show that all of the areas they have been monitoring are completely stable. Woohoo, after my next one in December, I am cleared to just having annual mammo's!!! Yippee.

 I love the idea of a virtual exercise group. I have been doing well lately and trying to stay motivated. I signed up for a half marathon in November, and plan to jog the whole thing this time. I have been walking/running 4-5 miles 3-4 times a week in order to get ready. I will add longer sessions towards the end of summer. It is getting really hot and humid here, which will probably mean I have to move my exercise to the gym, which is a bit of a bummer. I'd like to run in the mornings, but I come to work at 6am, which means I would have to go run at 4am, and I think that is just way too early!

Bethr - I bet the gurgling is related to your LE, but definitely point it out to your surgeon. It does sound pretty funny. And I can totally visualize Francine doing an Ahnold impression on Letterman, lol.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Janine: That's great news...congrats! I am so impressed with your running/walking/exercise schedule. have you always been active? I really haven't but I really need to get on with it. What do you recommend for a good start? How much walking/running did you start with and how often?

 Francine: Yes I thought you may have visited some of the places. She is really excited and I am excited for her...but of course I will worry! My son is taking his Masters in Clinical Embriology. It is a two year program that is offered through University of Leeds and is done mostly via the internet. He has to go to Leeds four times during the two years. He went last October and I think he will be gone for 10 or 12 days this time. The hospital where he works asked him if he would be interested in getting his Masters and it's great because they are funding the whole thing. He will graduate December 2011 so we will make the trek for it.

DH just left for Vancouver. I will go to the Farmers market tomorrow and out to lunch with friends. Sunday will be family dinner without DH. Nikita leaves on Tuesday. I have tickets to "Menopause Out Loud" next Thursday. I will have lots to do in between ...work..lol Hubby will be home next Friday night.

I don't really understand the hospital dilemna. Does this have to do with your insurance comapny? Are you able to go somewhere else for it?

Hugs

Beth P

Hey all!  Sounds like everyone is busy, we are a grad tomorrow, and getting thru finals, and our trip to Japan is on the 30th!!! I had my 1yr post chemo check and all went well tumor markers are normal!!! My bone density is normal!! Colooscopy in Aug, I have a strong family history, and bld work to see if I can get off the tamoxifen, and onto arimidex, my triglycerides are rising and everything else is low!! she also told me to dring a glass of tonic water with or without gin before bed, the quinine is good for leg cramps, I have been suffering with them!! she also upped my vit D to 2000u, I've been taking 1200u.

So we'll see what happens next in this journey, I'm always waiting for the shoe to drop, even though the news is good, I do not trust this disease, and will never feel it is behind me!! Oh well, have a great weekend!!

Dawn: Great news...so happy for you! It is so crazy how we all get nervous and anxious about our check ups and I think it will be that way for a looong time! I agree with...I don't trust this disease either but we can't let it rob us of anything more than it already has. You must be so excited about your trip...spending time on an adventure with your daughter and hubby.  That's what life is all about. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times F*#K Cancer! Let's live our lives!

Good tip on the tonic water...I'll have a tall one with gin please...lol!

PS: Who is graduating?

Francine: LOBSTER....MMMMMM. Lucky you!

Hugs

Beth P

Hi Ladies,

Had a fun weekend. I had a three pound lobster last night. Not from Nova Scotis but still good. Today I got to see my beautiful granddaughter.I don't see her enough...

Tomorrow I begin my day camp sponsored by Gilda's Club and a local college. It is from 9 to 1 for five days. I will do water aerobics , arts and crafts etc. Will fill all in tomorrow when I come home. Oh yes this camp os only for BC survivors.

Hugs,

Francine

Hello all,

 Dawn - wonderful NED news! And I am still  so envious about your Japan trip!

Beth R - the gurgling sounds really odd! But I continue to be amazed at the sounds which can come from our bodies.

Beth P  hope your  daughter has a wonderful trip.

Janine that's great news about your results.

 I am in the middle  of a 2-3 week criminal trial where I am acting for a guy charged with many many sex abuse allegations from when he was a teenager. Have spent all day cross examining the alleged victim in front of the jury and I am completely exhausted. Haven't felt this tired since the post steroids chemo slump and the radiation tiredness.  Still more to go with her tomorrow and then various other witnesses. Still pregnant as far as I know, though on Saturday and again  today I have had the tiniest bit of spotting (funny to be so scared of blood now when for ages I longed for it to come back!) and am feeling a bit nervous. I have a further scan on Friday so  if  there are  problems I will find out then. 

Rachel: Sounds like a stressful trial. Take care and get as much rest as possible. Good Luck Friday

Tanasha: How is you Mom?

Hugs

BethP

Francine: All in all a good day. I have Skype. You should get hooked up to it and we can chat live! Have fun tomorrow

Hugs

Beth P

Hi ,

Camp was fun today. Belly dancing, water aerobics, and poetry. All good.

Bethp..I will let you know when we get skype hooked up. It would be fun talking face to face.

Tanasha...Hope all goes well with your mother's surgery.

Hugs,

Francine

Hello all.

Thank you to those who responded to my last message, and to all who have been so kind about little jellybean. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful group of women to share my happy story with.  But I am afraid this particular story has ended up a sad one. The spotting got worse and on Wednesday night I was woken by really bad cramps and things went from there -  I miscarried early Thursday morning - the scan this afternoon confirmed it. The doctor said it was most likely a chromosonal abnormality which meant it would never have worked out. I don't like thinking of it that way, so I think I will just think of it as something that was not meant to be. 

Oh Rachel, very sorry to hear that news. Unfortunately most of the time these things happen with no explanation. You're a strong woman I know...but hope you take some time for yourself.

R xo