Starting Chemo April 2009

Well Judy, I wouldn't go as far as to say I'm "comfortable" yet, it's just BETTER and EASIER to not have the drains. Showering is possible, yes, and I went back to taking showers, but it's not "normal" yet either. I can't use my "scrubby"; I have to keep my body turned as much as possible away from the shower flow so it doesn't directly "hit" me in the chest, and I have to bend down to wash and condition my hair because I can't raise my arms up that high. But it's better than not being able to shower at all, and it's enough to keep the BO away (although I find I've had a lot less of that since my estrogen dried up)! I guess it'll just take some more time. But then again, it hasn't even been two weeks yet since I had surgery. I suppose given THAT, yeah I'm doing GREAT. But comfortable -- not there yet...PADDLE BOATING? I used to LOVE paddle boating. That, and my strong-water-pressure shower, are the only things I "miss" from where I used to live; the park where I used to go for my walks was just about immediately next door to my apt building, and it had a lake with paddle boating. I suppose there's places to paddle-boat here but haven't found 'em yet.

Amy -- Glad you didn't have to "do" drains.  LOL 

Helen -- has your weather improved any?

Finally, finally FINALLY the weather totally "broke" this weekend -- it got sunny and WARM!! I planted most of my container garden this weekend (I'm deliberately waiting another couple weeks to plant the cherry tomatoes). Other than that I was mostly lazy. Saturday night me and my Pack Rat went out for pizza and watched Firefly. Today was still gorgeous so I walked to the pharmacy to renew my Wellbutrin prescription, and found 99-cents each red "wooden roses" which actually look pretty real. They'll do for Pasteurella's until the zinnias grow....IF the zinnias grow. I used to be great with house plants in my teens, but I never got to do any kind of outdoor plants or gardening at all until now. Oh and speaking of house plants, Solfegietto likes being outside in his own pot with dirt now.

Tomorrow -- studded snow tires come off, so it'll be a Pack Rat day. He'll be over for lunch, after eating we go to the tire place, and then, oh wow, I thought he'd probably go back home to finish his workday but when he called this afternoon he said he'd rather just come back to my house and work here. What good timing, too -- I had no idea. The day before he works from here, I usually move "everything" over to the iBook so he can sit at my desk and use my big monitor; I take the iBook downstairs. Well as it happens, this morning I decided I wanted to be outside on the porch today so I did the iBook updating already. So all I have to do now is just stay out here on the porch! LOL...well, OK, I do think I want to straighten up a little in there, and I know I want to sweep up and straighten up on the porch too, not just sit here being lazy on the iBook.

On that note, think I'll say "catch you all next time" and go downstairs to get the broom and dustpan.... 

Am back from my appt and everything was ok.

Judy x

Ohhhhhh myyyyyy.......     :::::faints:::::

I don't believe it.....guess what me and my Pack Rat did this evening......

Apparently he decided we should celebrate Hump Day, and he started up!   Yes....THAT!!!!!  Not that I didn't um.... appreciate his...skills, but part of the reason (other than body image issues: I still look like I was too recently dissected) I hadn't tried to start anything up is because, well, any contact with my chest still hurts. Like I can only give "little" hugs, not big full frontal hugs (and no way am I ready to get totally buck naked and jump on top of him; frankly the thought of doing that actually makes me shudder!). I couldn't imagine how we'd be ABLE to "do anything" until I at least reached the point where I could painlessly give big hugs again...well...leave it to my Pack Rat I guess, to find a way! (yeah my T-shirt was still on and only the night-light was on)...He found a way for us to do it which made zero contact with my chest and maximal contact everyplace else. Weirdly enough, he had HIS T-shirt on too.

I'll tell you this much though -- I could NEVER have been that FLEXIBLE if I was still taking AIs! 

Ummmm...so how come he's the one who's unconscious and I'm the one who just had an operation?  LOL

So glad your appointment was OK, Judy. 

Betsy? Helen? How are you two doing?

Geri -- well, whether I still have a green thumb or not is yet to be determined. Even if all of my plantings end up growing (which would shock me), it'll be close to 2 weeks for me to find out -- germination on all of them is 10-14 days. And oh yes, isn't the warm weather GORGEOUS!

Catch you next time..... 

Did you all say "warm gorgeous weather"???? It's still winter here...rainy and cold. I can not recall a spring that has been so dreary. We didn't have a cold winter like you...but OMG the water has not let up. It's truly black clouds most of the time. I can hardly wait for things to dry up a bit.

I'm doing ok. Actually better than I expected. I was explaining to my sister tonight...of course you are depressed think of what has happened over the past three years. We have had six family members die (both parents, the rest are all of our aunts and uncles), both of us have gone through a cancer scare, her family is falling apart (possible divorce).  I said talk about stress...we are off the charts. So it's ok to grieve, it's time to grieve, we have a right to grieve. By just saying those words I felt much better. 

Amy I liked your post.

Titan...when is the wedding???? I bet she is busy being the mother of the bride. Showers, etc. At least I hope that's what you are up to.

Lena I planted my garden last week between rain showers. I had to put cloches on my tomatoes otherwise it will be a summer of green tomatoes for me. Of course, I love fried green tomatoes (the movie too) so if the cloches don't work I will still be happy. I lost all my artichoke plants this year, so I need to replace them but the soil is too wet. I love how gnarly artichoke plants look plus they are really good to eat.  One year I stripped all the leaves off and let the artichoke bloom, it was like a living sculpture. I love gardening, it's very therapeutic to me, even with my gimpy arm.

It's getting late so I need to sign off. Hugs and happy hump  day to all.

Betsy

I bench pressed `100 lbs today.  It was very exciting. Of course I wanted to share my news with my April sisters. 

Love to all - 

Amy

ps. Weightlifting aside, I am going to have cheesecake on my birthday too. SO MUCH better than birthday cake, IMO.

Oooh AMY!! Another cheesecake lover! Woo-HOO! When's your birthday -- sorry I forgot if you told us. Damn chemo brain is forever; most of my marbles are back by now but apparently not 100%. Mine's June 9th (next Thursday). Actually the celebration will have to be the weekend of the 11th since the 9th falls out in my Pack Rat's office workweek (and his job is likely to get weirder too). Well I guess it was more important he had time to take me for surgery and to get my drains out and such. Well I guess all you can keep up that major bench pressing to help you work the cheesecake off at least. I can't bench press, I guess I'll have to think of something else physical to do.....  ;-) and if I can't think of anything, maybe my Pack Rat will.

Geri -- weather changed here today. Got cooler (low 60s), mostly cloudy and windy. 70s, my favorite, are coming soon though. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUDY!!! I hope this year ahead is a wonderful one for you.

My birthday isn't till September - I was just planning ahead re the cheesecake.

Happy birthday, Judy!  :-) How was your cheesecake?  (I know... YUMMMMMMM!, right?)

Amy -- I decided I wanted to eat cheesecake on my birthday back in December, so I see nothing wrong with a decision in June to eat cheesecake on a September birthday. LOL 

Happy B-Day Judy.. my fellow Gemini! Today's my mother-in-laws birthday too. A popular day. My birthday was May 25th..it was hard to celebrate right after my Mom's services. All my siblings called or emailed me...which was very unusual. Usually only one sister remembers my birthday. But given everything, I had a good day. I hope your day was wonderful.

I'm not a big cheesecake fan...but I'll supply caramels if we ever meet!

Thank you all for your good wishes! I had a lovely day and was thoroughly spoiled. I did share birthday cake with a friend with the same birthday, and it was chocolate cake, but not to worry, cheese cake is on the way for me this week !

I hope we all have a great year ahead! Hugs to all, Judy xxx

Happy belated birthday Helen! How is the end of your year going? And Happy belated birthday to anyone else I may have missed !

I am so busy at work today, so cannot write anymore. Hope everyone is well and sending you all hugs, Judy x

Hi Lena. Every step in this journey is a challenge, isn't it? But report sounds positive - if one can say that having cancer removed from your body is positive. I have had rads 2 times - first on my right and then a few years later on my left. I agree that it is a walk in the park compared to chemo but still not a party. The first time I did have some burning but not terrible. Second time, no burning, but I did find the surgical site where the lymph nodes were removed tightened up again and it took a while to go back to where it had been. New research is saying that rads gives a huge benefit in preventing recurrence. How many is she suggesting?



And happy birthday to everyone

Lena - good to hear that you are "on track" with your recovery. It is a long process, but from reading your posts, you seem to be doing ok. I did not have rads, so cannot offer you anything on that. I just hope that everything goes smoothly for you.

We are in the throws of our relocation process and my husband is very busy meeting final deadlines at work, and I am trying to plough through lists, but with little success. I am so overwhelmed and exhausted. I suppose, that what will get done is ok and whatever doesn't get done, well, that's just the way it is. I find that frustrating, I used to be so organized and on top of everything, but it is just not happening at the moment. So, I am trying to take it day by day and do what I can.

I hope everyone is doing ok today, sending you all hugs, Judy x

Huh? The weather is beautiful today, Judy! LOL It's a beautiful partly sunny summer day, 85 degrees, slight occasional breezes.

So....today is my third birthday post diagnosis. Three down, maybe two more to go perhaps. Think maybe I'll go for a walk after I finish my iced tea.