Illinois ladies facing bc

Girls..you are not old. That is only a birth number. You all look amazing even with all the txs we had to endure. I must say we all do look hot!! Illinois gals know how to rock a party in sparkle style. hehehe Laura thanks for posting the pics. Maybe next time make then a little smaller in size. Hope you all are having a wonderful evening...now back to putting up my Xmas stuff and listening to my Xmas music..falalalalalala

BJ

Oh I forgot to ask if there are any iPhone uses out there who would like to play Words with Friends. It is a free app at the apple store. It is like scrabble and Wendy and I would like you to join us. If you would like to play pm me and I will give you my screen name. It is very addicting.

Wendy its your move now... hehe

BJ

Laura - thanks for posting the pictures, everyone looks wonderful.  Also, thanks for driving yesterday.

 I wish I had an iPhone to join you ladies - I love scrabble! And that zombie thing Wendy was talking about, not so sure , but would be willing to try!

OMG, what a wonderful, wonderful party.  Mucho thank  you's to everyone who made it happen.  BJ.. you really know how to throw a party.  I can't say enough about how much I appreciated being able to visit with so many... and I know that I missed a few.  You ladies are all so wonderful to share your experiences and advice. 

Laura, thanks for posting the pictures.  I was just showing them to my DH.  He wants to know why we don't invite the guys to join us.  HEEHEE.  I told him that it would be like going to your wife's high school reunion!

Jackie... you were there and so was Ratley.  Thanks so much for your daily quotes.  I always look forward to them.  And Rita... you hold a special place in everyone's heart for starting this thread that has developed into a very special sisterhood that will go on and on and on.

It's been a busy crazy weekend in my house with lots of parties to get to and way toooo much eating.  I am going to crash into bed ASAP.  Off to get my first bone density test tomorrow.  Hopefully my new little friend, Femara, will be easy on my bones.

Everyone have a great week.  Stay warm!

Laura, thank you for putting up the pictures. They just look wonderful. So sorry I had to stay home at the last minute. Slept most of the day, but was thinking of you all.

Bj and Wendy, I love Words W/ Friends!  I think I have 3 games going right now - DH, DS, and my nephew.  I'll PM you my screenname.

Also, Angry Birds is like CRACK.  I get so focused on that game sometimes that I've burned through my whole battery.  I read online where some people were dressing up as a group for Halloween as the characters from Angry Birds.  LOL.  Wish I'd seen the pictures.

Woke up early this a.m. by a phone call from my mother-in-law letting us know that my husband's grandmother passed away.   My MIL takes care of her all year, and for December, she goes to Texas to stay with her other two daughters so my MIL can have a break and go to Disney.  Well, she passed away while in Texas and now my poor MIL is just so upset that she wasn't there with her.  Gram was 97 though, and she told everyone yesterday to please just let her go.  She was ready.  So it was a very peaceful, easy passing.  We're going to miss her terribly though.  Gram was basically the only grandmother figure I've had since meeting my husband almost 30 years ago.  She was a character and will be missed, and dearly remembered. 

Thank you for posting the pics, Laura.   They really came out great.  Was there a problem in sizing them down? 

Stay wam and have a great day, ladies.  Guess I better throw myself into the shower and get to work!

Good morning everyone......even though it is so cold.  Sure feeling winter big time this morning.  I would not go to the gym either in this stuff.  The only thing that keeps me going out is knowing some hungry cats are waiting. 

Rene I am sorry to hear about your Gram, but she made it for a long time and knew when it was time to find her peace.  Wonderful if we could all do that.  Hope your MIL will find her own acceptance too. 

Sounds like I am about to know the joys of juicing.  Denny wants to do this....so-----beet juice, here we come.  Should be interesting.  I do think it would be a great way to get closer to the ? right ? amts. of good food everyday. Hard to do this well sometimes -- only thing I worry about is how to juice carrot cake with cr. cheese icing. 

Hope you will all have a wonderful day. 

Hugs, Jackie 

Laura, thanks for posting the pictures.  I know it was a ton of work.

Have a happy day to all. 

Susan

Hi there!!  Thanks Laura for posting the pics!!  What a good time it was!!

I've been a busy girl today!!  Went to the dentist..and got a CLEAN check up.. THEN, got the call and I'm IN the trial.. I fly to Seattle next Monday for a day.. will be going once a month.. luckily the fares are cheap.. and I have miles.. for most..   still a bit shaky and excited!! 

Cranky in Illinois....just got back from my first appointment at the lympedema clinic. I can hardly type. they wrapped my left hand from fingers to my shoulders. omg does this crap ever end???? trying to be hopeful that i dont have to do this daily for the next month.....and if i thought blouses wouldnt fit before, try adding several inches of compression bandages to the width of my upper arms. think swartanegger?  onward

Oh Marina, I am so glad for you.  Can you tell us about the trial?  You're the first person I have known who is part of a trial.  It all seems like such a hopeful and positive  adventure!

Laura, it is nasty cold.  I actually stayed in all day, now that I think of it.  Has your  DH heard anything about further interviews in the warmer place of choice?  I hope all works out on that.

Stay warm and hopeful, ladies.

Onward, I am sorry to hear about your arm -- just one of the se's from having cancer.  It's not great, but it can get a whole lot better with the proper treatment and you can move past this uncomfortable time.

Speaking of which I just heard that Elizabeth Edwards has been told she only has a short time left.....the Dr.'s can't do anything else for her. She will be given palliative care from now on.  Her family, including John are with her.

Hugs, Jackie

Quick drop by- Carolyn, I wanted to give you the link to Good Shepherd's Lymphedema Management Program:  (oops I had the wrong link!)

I'm so glad you are going in for treatment.  I did want to suggest that you have  a few sessions of treatment before you get fitted for your sleeve.  The shape your arm is in, the PTs should be able to get it down with the massage and wrapping- and once it is stabilized, that is when you should get the sleeve.  

Did you know...

... that today is Dock of the Bay Day? In 1967, three days
before he died in an airplane crash, Otis Redding recorded his
greatest hit, "Dock of the Bay." Quick bit of trivia: Otis had
been in San Francisco playing The Fillmore, and he was staying
at a boathouse, which is where he got the idea of the ship
coming in. The whistling at the end came about because Redding
forgot a vocal fadeout he had rehearsed before

Put this on today because I thought it was interesting and I always liked the song.  I could have read something like this so many times and yet today it so stood out to me as something  very good having come from  a fill in for forgetfulness -- a bit of a mistake......and yet it made that song so memorable.

I guess the lesson here is that you might find a silver lining where you least expect it,or that good things  --- like very good friends can come out of problems and so we need to take the negatives in life and try to see what there may be that is positive. 

It is snowing outside as I write....fat lazy flakes -- not a heavy snow.  At least not yet.  I have to say....I like this kind of snow and it does help me justify the cold.  Going out to Hope of Hope today and work -- well, it's called work, but I always enjoy the interaction with all the residents there. 

Hope you all have a good day and are very productive whatever yo do. 

Hugs, Jackie

Jackie:

This one for your: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzrXc68gNjQ

Just got back from chemo #4. I'm 2/3's though. Yay! Oh and yes my eye lashes are starting to shed especially the bottom lids. Forget who seemed to be jealous at the party that I still had mine.