So...whats for dinner?

Laurie,



My family and I are doing OK but sooooo many here are not! I will say this, the people in my community are just amazing! The stories coming out of this of just the sheer will of the human spirit in the face of such devastation AND the enormous heart and compassion from those in a position to help are tuly an inspiration!



My daughter was supposed to start her student teaching semester at a local school district last week ( she is studying to be a biology teacher) but, with the flooding, she has yet to start... She met up with the teachers from the district she was placed in and today, they cooked and bagged hot dog and hamburger bagged lunches and went into the neighborhoods where people were cleaning out to distribute the food! My son spent all weekend helping the grandparents of one of his friends clean out from having, not only their basement flooded but, the water so deep that there was 2 feet of water on the first floor! I am so proud of both of them! We are finally getting to the point that families are starting to be allowed back into their homes for better or for worseM



The situation here is dire but, we are a STRONG community!! We got through this 5 years ago and we WILL do it again..... One step at a time!



But, Enough about me! How is your recovery going after the lightening strike? That has to be SUCH a big mess as well!







My son

Michelle!!!



Big yay on being a DIEP candidate!! My offer still stands to be a fat.... errrrrrrr, tissue, donor if need be....lol



Wanted to let you know that I will be thinking of you tomorrow! Second to the last chemo is HUGE!! Enjoy the chick flick and popcorn! What movie have you chosen?

Sunday a bunch of us Chelmsford Massachusetts High School Grads got to gether on FB and are planning to go to Browns for LOBSTA.  I can't make up my mind if I want it boiled or in a roll.

Laurie, I'm amazed at your great attitude again!  This will serve you well no matter what you have to go through.

Seaside, down here in Philly, it doesn't seem like we have had nearly the problems your area is facing.  My yard has a big slope.  Rain runs down into the street, no problems with flooding basement or anything.  There were a lot of flooded streets that needed to be detoured around.  I am sure lots of people had water in their basements.  Nothing like your area though.  Hope things keep improving for you guys.

Zumba girl, wow, your hubby sure can eat.  I have a 20 y.o. son that can do that (not often, but sometimes), and he is 115 lbs and 5 for 10.  No fair!  But my brother used to be like that, but it caught up with him.  I wish I could donate some tissue to DS.

Hi everyone   Michelle congrats on the good news....once my friends found out how the surgery was done, I always had lots of offers for tummy donations,LOL  I told them I had plenty myself and that I knew I was saving that fat for something   Who knew?

Well. this week has been the week from helll for me, was all set to go back to work, called my boss to set up an appt. with her to talk about me coming back and she says,"there is no job for you"  told me to apply for something else within the agency....I am a nurse>>>  so basically I am out of a job!  She had told me when I got sick, not to worry that she would always keep my job for me,  mind you I worked all through chemo, even during my sickest days, only took time off for the surgery followed by rads.  Uggg  time to get a lawyer? I am 53 and wanted to retire with this company, not to mention I love the kids I work with.

Hope everyone with cleanup from the storms is doing well, i know what a chore it is...I remember the flood of 1972 here in NY and cleaning my grandmas house...that mud and silt from the waters is impossible to get out of furniture and house.

That  tomato sauce is a lot like the one i make, my DH loves the meat in it...I prefer it without, but I do it to keep the dear hubby happy, and when we eat out I get just the marinara...love the chunky tomatos

Sorry this so long...off to find a new job!

Ducky - I take calcium pills and they don't bother me, but we're all wired differently so it doesn't necessarily mean that they are not bothering you.  Are you in treatment right now or taking an anti-hormone?    I am taking pepcid in the AM and prilosec at night.  If I eat or drink something that bothers me, I take a couple of Tums.  I am finding carbonated beverages are bothersome.

Treatment #7 is in the bag...or more appropriately, my chemical waste dump body has absorbed chemo #7!!!   I will go tomorrow for my Neulasta shot.  My labs looked a little better - protein back inside the low end of normal and my AST (liver function) inside the high end of normal.  I had Neulasta, so my WBC was just above 10.  My RBC is hovering at just above 3, which probably explains the fatigue.  But all in all, I am doing OK and will be resting this evening. 

When I met with the PA, I had a load of questions for which he didn't have very many answers.  I guess I am an unusual case because of my recurrence after Mammosite so he deflected all the questions until I come back on the 28th.  I'll meet with the Medical Oncologist before my last treatment. 

I also asked about testing for the BRCA gene.  It turns out that one of my grandmother's six sisters had breast cancer as a young woman.  The better news is that she outlived all her siblings and died at the ripe old age of 102, and with her faculties intact!  They will include that test with my labs on the 28th, then I will return on 11/30 for genetic counseling.  Apparently, they have a counselor on site just once a month.  No problem, really. 

A grumpy (bad day at work) DH is making dinner - meatballs, homemade sauce that I had in the freezer, and macaroni, I think.  My daughter brought me home from chemo and offered to go to the store and pick something up, but he couldn't come up with anything.  Then she offered to take something out of the freezer and he said no.  When he came down from his office, he asked me if I wanted to go get something and I said no...lol.  He should know better than to ask me if I want to go to a restaurant on chemo night.  I guess I haven't played this up anywhere near enough!!!  If he doesn't get the grump off, I may watch tv upstairs tonight and give him some space!  I was up at 5:15 this morning, so an "early to bed" is probably a good idea.

Carrie - oh my, the job situation is horrible!  Those are the conversations you wish you had in writing.  Is there an HR department in this company?  Usually, companies have HR policies for Short Term Disability and FMLA (if the company is big enough).  Is there an Employee Handbook that addresses Medical Leave?  You should check that out first. 

Michelle

Carry, what your employer is doing to you is absolutely deplorable.  I wish I knew more about those things, but I would think going to human resources if your company has one is the first step.  Does your boss have a boss that you can go to?  If neither of those work, I would seek out a lawyer.  There may be an organization that would help you out at no cost, maybe through American Cancer Society, Susan Komen, or the ACLU or something.  You could also possibly go to your local newspaper or tv station.  When my mother had an issue with insurance and the nursing home/rehab place, my sister called the local news and the nursing home voided all the charges that weren't covered by insurance.  And it was thousands of dollars.  Good luck with it, it is just really repugnant.  It makes me angry.

Michelle, we had spaghetti and meatballs tonight too!  Also a spinach and tomato salad and Italian bread.  It was good if I do say so myself.

Debby, mashed potatoes and corn sounds good too.  Hope you enjoy yours.  Does anyone have a good recipe for turnips?  We got some of those from our CSA this week and I've never prepared them before. 

I made my self a taco omelet tonight, with ground turkey taco meat, cheese, salsa and sour cream. delicious

I love turnips, i havint made them in awhile not sure why, you either love them or dont. I make mine a couple differnt ways; I boil turnips and potatoes in a pot just like you would cook your mashed potatoes, until fork tender, drain,  mash well ;put your milk, butter, salt and pepper  to tast. Another one i love is : turnips and apples, boil your turnips for about 15  minutes, then add apples, cook another 15 to 25  minutes or until fork tender, drain, mash and add 1/2 cup of white wine, 3 tbls of cream, a couple tablesponns of butter, salt and pepper, put in a baking dish cook for about 30  minutes in a 300 degree oven, the wine will cook out but give a great flavor

Or you could just cook them alone like you would potatoes, or add to stews Hope they turn out good

Thanks everyone, I have been in touch with human resources and they really dont know whats up but checking into it.  I am on top of this and wont let it go away easily!

Michellle sounds like you got through another one with flying colors.  One more to go?  rest and let the DH wait on you (when he gets over the grumps of course)

Debbie  love the sound of those mashed potatos with wine?   Hmmm gotta try those!  Of course anything with wine has gotta be good!

today will be my second to last herceptin infusion, last one in October which will be my 1 year cancerversary.  It is rainy here and cold today so will try to come up with a comforting meal, like maybe pork chops and stuffing.

Hi all!  Well, DH is getting his grump off.  He's lobbying to play golf 3 days in a row, it might be my turn to get grumpy.  We had just been talking about doing something on Sunday that involved a drive - like maybe going to Castle in the Clouds.  Then he got the invitation.  If the Taxol pattern repeats itself, Sunday may not be a good day for me, so I told him to play. 

I got my Neulasta shot today then stopped at the store and picked up everything I need to make Chicken Carciofi, one of my favorite dishes from a little Italian restaurant in Independence, MO.  But when I got home, DH decided that we needed to go to Texas Roadhouse for steak.  So I guess my chicken dish will wait until tomorrow.  He says he is going to make it...this should be interesting.  It's one of those "no recipe" dishes that is described as pan seared chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, kalamata olives and artichokes in olive oil.  Pretty simple, really, and very yummy.  I add a can of cannelini beans and some fresh sliced mushrooms to make it more of a ragout.  They serve it with a side of pasta.

Regarding Pickity Place, would Sunday, October 2nd work for you and anyone else who would like to go?

Michelle

wow, I really need to proof read before I submit. The book is called "The Pink Ribbon Diet"

zumbagirl   ha ha we knew what you meant.  Let us know how you like it, and if it has any merit, may want to read it.  I am reading her2, fascinating about the politics behind all this and how it takes people with money and clout to get things moving.

Talked with the oncologist yest about why i was still having nausea issues (random) 7 mo out of chemo, and he said that it takes a good year for the stomach and intestinal linings to regenerate themselves and get back to normal.  Also thinks I may be getting the nausea from the tamoxifen.....great...I have 5 yrs of this!?

Debbie  my mom just made a pineapple upside down cake for a picnic and my DH couldnt get enough, brought home 3 pcs.  i never think to make it, and prob couldnt match my moms anyway.

Joyce - enjoy Florence's.  I haven't been there in years!  We are going back to the prime  rib place.  Thought we'd worn that out already but our son wants to meet us there.  And since he was nice enough to go play bingo with his grandmother, I'm not going to tell him no.  We will have a good time regardless!  By the way, I just woke up from a nap.  Wow!  I guess it's a sleepy kind of day for me!

Michelle