I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Good Morning Everyone!

Wanted to wish all the dads a Happy Father's Day.  My dad died three years ago and I still really miss him.  Wish we could have had one more day together.

hugs to all,

Bren

We have no business going into Syria or arming rebels.  Yes, something has to be done for humanitarian reasons but that is what the UN is for.  Our unilateral involvement is not necessary or wise.  If action needs to be taken, then it should be taken through the Arab League. Arabs should be instrumental in solving internal problems of Muslim states. 

For those of you on Arimidex, I have some good news.  I have been done with my 5 years of Arimidex for 7 months and my energy levels have returned.  The aches and pains in my muscles and joints are gone.  Finally when I have sore muscles it's because I have been working in the garden not the same pain at all. I just wanted to let everyone know that there is hope for normalcy after Arimidex.

Bren..what a lovely tribute to your Dad.  I don't have a picture of my Dad, but he was and remains very special to me.  I continue to feel the influence of his teachings daily.  What seemed so casual at the time left deep and lasting marks that I treasure.  I have never loved he or my mother more than right now nor appreciated them more. 

notself.....forgot to say, I'm happy that your brother had a fantastic Dr. that put him on the road to success with his treatment and good life can continue for him and his family. 

Also nice note about the Arimidex.  I will be on it until November at which time I'm sure there will be a discussion about the next step.  That could indeed be a cessation of the drug.  I've been fortunate in I think, only having very light and intermittent se's, but still to me, one less drug to have to take is all the better.  I notice things most during weather changes.  

Jackie 

Some pundits are beginning to notice that a few GOPers are now referring to the ACA as the ACA instead of Obamacare -- which is ceasing to become a dirty sobriquet as the public is starting to learn of its benefits.  Hahaha!  I expect the Democrats will continue to proudly mention Obamacare for the next several years -- until they manage to bring in the single-payer model!

It's no wonder that the Cdn federal conservatives are having big, big problems -- they've paid far too much attention to the same losers that the GOP have used as advisors.  And the far-right fundies of the Party don't seem to see what ISN'T working for their counterparts in the U.S.  I just finished reading The Armageddon Factor by Marci MacDonald, and was both astounded and dismayed at just how far the influence and tentacles of Rushdooney, Hagee, Ralph Reed etc. have spread into the Canadian landscape.  However, reading about the "Faith and Freedom" Conference which just took place made me realize that the vast majority of Americans and Canadians will never buy in to these people's bigotry, religious lunacy and hardly opaque fascistic longings.

HI, notself, so good to see you. So sorry to hear the difficult news about your brother, and joining all in celebrating his doing so well.

I too finished my 5 years on Arimidex - and have had the same experience as you.  So good to feel the sore muscles from exercise, gardening.  Definitely more energy, tho I had a nasty flu, and still have bronchial problems from it, but even with all that, feel more energy.  Hang it there women, the light at the end of the Arimidex 5 year tunnel is SUNSHINE ( not another train)

Joining all in conflict re: MIddle East. So many situations which do not seem to have a workable solution. Won't even "touch" USA foreign policy, haven't agreed with it in decades

Dominion Theology has been around for a while and is behind the effort to eliminate the teaching of evolution in schools.  Here is a Nova special on the Kitzmiller v Dover lawsuit in Pennsylvania where Dominion Theology first came to the attention of the average person.  The program is two hours long but it is fascinating.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/evolution/intelligent-design-trial.html

Here is a link to the Wedge Strategy as proclaimed by the Discovery Institute. It outlines the political and social agenda for turning the USA into a theocracy.  These folks think they are commanded by God and will not give up their efforts to bring civilization back to the Middle Ages.

http://www.antievolution.org/features/wedge.html

What is truly startling is many if not most of the chaplains of the Military are followers of the Dominion philosophy and are attempting with some success to implement the Wedge Strategy. Their goal is to control not only politics but also social media, schools and the military. They appear to be making progress.

Congratulations, Sunflowers, on being done with anti-hormonals.

Notself, I am so happy to see you! Welcome home! We have missed you - I have especially missed your calm voice. I'm also happy to hear of your brother's successful surgery and his excellent prognosis.



Father's Day. My parents divorced when I was 10 and my father absented himself from our lives (he was an alcoholic and didn't pay child support or visit us). I saw him a handful of times through the years - he died of liver cancer 5 days before my 22nd birthday (I was there). I always celebrated Father's Day by giving my mother gifts and thanking her for being both a mother and a father. I miss my mom today, as every day. My sister, too.



Syria. Like many of us, I am torn. I remain furious that the Cheney Administration so destabilized the Middle East by removing Iraq as a counterweight to Iran that we have this widening and dangerous conflict. Heckuva job, Georgie and Dickie. (For those who ask how long we will blame the Cheney administration for these bad things, the answer is FOREVER - because their greed has changed the balance of power for the worse and caused great damage to our economy, our political system, and the world's interaction with and perception of us). That aside, I would like to find some way for us to help end the slaughter of civilians without creating another Taliban or arming al Quaeda affiliates or fellow-travekers or Iranian opportunists. I don't know how to do that.



I am still delighted with retirement - and waiting for it to stop feeling like vacation. It is a pleasant feeling!



L

Notself - 20 hours of surgery.  So glad your brother is doing well after that, and cancer free.  Welcome back. 

Interesting to hear the lovely sentiments about Father's day.

I'm working on 10 months of hormone blockers and besides the aches and pains, I have hair thinning in the same areas as a man (it runs in the family I guess).  Luckily my hair is curly and somewhat covers it up, but it still bothers me to see my scalp when my hair is wet.  Does this get better too when you're finally off the drug??

No good can come of going into Syria.  It's like pouring gasoline on a burning fire, imho.  How long does it take for the United States to figure out this is how we get ourselves into a ground war we never planned on.   How are we going to get arms to the right crowd?   Like we know how to control weapons in our own country.  Admittedly, this is my knee jerk reaction, but I'm tired of us draining our resources to be the world's policeman.  Tired of war.

HL - it only gets better!!  After 5 months, I'm filling my life with new activities - things I choose to do.  I love my new painting class.  My gf's husband retired a few months before me.  He was a trauma surgeon.  She gave me this vision of him waking up each morning and going "Yes! [I can get up when I want and do whatever I want today, for yet another day. ]"

Love the uh reality in these silly things !!!

Sandy, I agree that we cannot stand by and allow the slaughter to continue without trying to stop it. I worked in the State Department during the first massacres in Rwanda and Burundi. We are all haunted, even if we had no power to do something. I just don't know what our realistic options are - I have been away from that life for too long.



Kam, it has gotten better every day. It is such a novel feeling to feel RESTED. And if I wake up in the night, it's OK - because I can sleep as late as I need to the next day! As much as I loved my occupation, I DO NOT miss my workplace one iota. You know, throughout all the goodbyes and my retirement party and even the last day - I never shed a tear. Not once. I couldn't wait to be gone - and I never thought I could feel that way. I am relieved that it was time!



L

Shouting out to Athena!!

I totally relate E.  Hair loss is a total bummer except for the few that have the perfect head and facial features - maybe you are one of those??!!!  While I'll take the hair I've got now, after chemo, apparently these stupid hormone blockers want to make me look like a bald man.  When I get to the comb over stage, like a friend of mine, not sure what I will do.  I also won the permanent neuropathy lottery.

That is good news about the deficit.  It reminds me of all those naysayers saying we need to run our federal budget like a household budget.  Two different beasts.  We need the government to spend stimulative money when the country's economy is in the tank, regardless of any balance sheet.  If we had spent more, we might be further out of this hole that GW guy dug for us.

E -- I'm so sorry about the hair loss; not fair, not fair.

Kam -- After chemo, my hair was SO slow to grow back.  I started taking Femara a month after the last tx, and I'm positive that's what caused only about 70% of it to actually grow back.  it's so thin on the crown, and baldness does not run in my family - either side.  My brother who is 8 years older has a full head of auburn hair and you need a magnifier to discern the gray ones!

Anyhow, I'm now off Femara and taking 10,000 mcg of Biotin to see if that will encourage more growth.  Too early to tell.

As for running the government like you run your household:  honestly, those folks need to study macro-economics along with government economic policy.  I guess they think everything can be brought down to the smallest common denominator for folks to understand.  And they would be (and are) the first ones to holler for government monies when environmental disasters like tornadoes and hurricanes and forest fires do billions of dollars' worth of damage to their towns and their livelihoods.  Or when their bridges collapse.....gaaaaaah!