Starting Chemo in December 2013

10 hours to go until the last Rads treatment. 

Got trays ready for tomorrow to bring to the cancer center. One tray of Georgia almond pound cake and one of mixed plain and blueberry banana breads.  I also have a gift card for the RO for Gander Mountain , he is a big fisherman.  Might be hard to fall asleep tonight. 

yummy treats! Barbara! Very thoughtful of you. 

Congrats DJJ and Barbara! Whoo-hoo!

holli, so glad your insurance came through for you. 

Barbara, Nice of you to bake for the staff! I would love to have your blueberry bread recipe if you would be willing to share. I love to bake sweet breads. You can PM me if you like. 

AC went out yesterday...but it was ONLY in the 90's and the service guy came out right away. Thank goodness the bill wasn't too high. I was sweating it, in more ways than one!

Happy Hump day ladies!

DJJ & Barbara - I second that Whoo-hoo!  Barbara that bread looks so good. 

Keepthefaith - Glad you got your AC fixed without too much damage to your pocket book.

Holli - I am interested as to why your MO put you on an AI to start with.  I haven't had a period since Dec, but my MO is having me start with Tamoxifen for a year, then might switch me over.  I think I am going to get a second opinion on some things.  I like my MO, but I need to look out for myself.  Glad your insurance approved your Lupron.  I too would probably want my ovaries out if I were still having periods.  

In my class I was handed out a card that I am supposed to answer to myself it is as follows:

At the end of the day, ask yourself:

1.  What am I grateful for?

2.  What did I enjoy today?

3.  What do I feel satisfied about?

4.  How did I take care of myself?

Thought that I would share that with you all.  Have a great day.

Kim

Oranje, count, j4....i am the same way on my job and responsibilities....i just can't focus.  I have always been in the top 5 of my company in sales.....right now i'm sitting at 34 and yes, i have had stuff going on, but still....i just don't freakin care about it! I sit and play candy crush saga on my phone while i'm supposed to be working.....sad.  It's like torture to sit here at my desk most days!!

The breads look amazing...i'm thinking you might as well post the recipes on here because i think we will all want them! I have such a hard time making anything in a loaf pan....i burn the outside and the middle stays mushy....any tips?

My skin is all starting to peel off on my chest and back.....similiar to a sunburn type peel.  The antibiotics i'm on from my butt surgery make me sick to my stomach so i'm not eating or sleeping well for that matter.....good way to lose weight but my energy level is at a ZERO. 

I feel a little bit lost not having a doctor appt. to go to..........anybody else feel this way?

Hope you all are doing great!! Congrats to those that are finishing up and ringing that glorious bell!!!!

Michelle

I had 3 different bolus used. 2 with the overall radiation and 1 for my boosts.

Posted this on my Facebook page and Michelle correctly thought I should post it here too!Thriver's Cruise 

I am feeling lost without the daily grind! Filling in my week with other things...trying at least.

Congrats DJJ & Barbara!

And, yes, please do post your recipes here .   Looks scrumptious! I too love sweet breads, but I only ever seem to make banana bread.

I have just 3 more boosts.  Finished on Monday!

Last night I went to an info meeting about a Triathlon Club which is just forming.  I was interested in their early morning coached practices at an indoor pool really close to where I live (5 min drive) (so essential in the DC metro - rush hour traffic is so bad here).  I talked to the coach for a while and he asked whether I would consider working up to a triathlon.  Apparently there are "sprint" triathlons that you can finish within 2 hours even if you are "slow" and also "aquabike" competitions (that don't include the run).   The coach was really nice & supportive. I'm warming up to the idea of working myself up to a triathlon next spring or summer.  I do feel a need to "prove" something post-cancer.

DJJ hope you are feeling as happy as  I am today. As I think it was Missy said  the final chapter ends.

No bell to ring at Rad center, funny since the floor above is the Onc offices and infusion center and they have a bell, actually about 6 of them. My graduation certificate was a half page of skin care instructions. I for one will not miss juggling schedule to go everyday to Rads. App in 2 weeks for RO and MO the same day, hopefully also the zometa infusion. I need to start whining about getting a PET scan.

Oranje - you have great color in your hair, did you trim any white tips off.  What beautiful blue eyes you have.

Forgot to get Victory picture done, will have one of my staff do it tomorrow. Will dig out my recipes and post later.

DJJ you look great.  I d not see any redness at all . Great dress.  Sounds like you had a great night. 

I did not go to work today either, did some telecommuting this morning and will d some more work on the computer tonight.  Too bad I have to go in tomorrow. 

HOLLA !!!!  

Where to begin my goodness I love reading all the new posts, we all seem to be doing great considering the shit show that we've all been through.

DJJ ----- Yahoooooo, looking gorgeous in your red dress.

orange - the hair is coming, you look fab!

wabbit - YUMMMM is all I have to say to that bread, I am starting a new weight loss program on monday and I wanted to claw through the screen

awesome pics Lisa !! love them.  I am not a runner but hope to be someday

Keep the Faith - I totally agree on the remission question, I hate it.  I am always like as far as I know its all good. I am sure they are puzzled when they ask me and get that for an answer.

Robin - your dogs are precious and your yard looks gorgeous, I have a big ole 90 lb golden retriever who was quite distraught when I was away for so long in Toronto, our reunion was awesome.  Hes only 3 and I am the one he has taken too, I mean he loves the kids and my husband but I am the one that gives him all the love and JODI he does alot of damage with his tail !!! LOL

Missy - I hope your surgery went well, I too feel a sense of loss not seeing a dr all the time its just that reassurance that you can ask them anything anytime.

I seen my MO today, for a follow up- so far so good, back again in the fall.  Still have some lingering issues, achy feet and legs at times, just all the annoying little things, that will go away with time.  God I just want some part of my life back, I realize its never going to be the same but still... pisses me off.

I am now going through all the receipts etc from my travels to try to get reimbursed for some of my expenses.

hugs

DJJ and Barb!!!! 

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!  So so excited for y'all.  And!  Barbara Today two ladies in front of me rang the bell.  My oldest DD, Emery, was with me.  I was so happy she got to see that.  I left my youngest two with my mom back home this week. Life has been pretty laid back without Ellison and LuLu for sure lol.  But!  I ramble- I heard two bell rings and you two finished!  Perfect!

Y'all- my MO acts like my cycle continuing is no big deal.  . I don't know what to think!  But, I haven't started tam yet.  They said after rads.  You think that might stop it?!  Pain in my /:()$(:)&

Of course we should all check in regularity as we get back to our lives. Going through this crap at the same time we have a special bond. 

All right,  the recipes, warning the pound cake is sinfully rich you just need a very thin piece. 

Georgia Pound Cake

1 cup butter

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup heavy cream

2 tsp almond extract ( or vanilla or lemon) 

     Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan or bundt pan, DO NOT  pre heat oven,  using an electric mixer cream butter and sugar until light & fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. 

Sift dry ingredients together. Add alternately with heavy cream to butter mixture. Stir in flavoring. Pour into pan and put in cold oven and set for 325°  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Do not open oven door during baking. 

Tooth  pick should come out clean, bake up to an additional 15 minutes if necessary, . cool 15 minutes in pan then invert onto cake plate.  

I keep it refrigerated and it taste even better the second day. This is a great cake to freeze whole or in slices

Banana bread

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 very ripe bananas, mashed well (1 1/2 cups)

6 TBS butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse (optional)

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle and heat to 350°. Generously grease 9x5 loaf pan with PAM. 

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Whisk mashed bananas, butter, eggs, yogurt and vanilla.  Gently fold the banana mixture into flour mixture with rubber spatula. Fold in nuts. Do not over mix, batter will look thick and chunky. Pour into pan and bake 55 minutes.  Toothpick should come out of center with just a few crumbs.  Cool in pan 10 min then turn onto wire rack. Cool for 1 hour. 

For blueberry bread I left out the nuts and used about 3/4 cup frozen wild blueberries (that we picked last summer), adding them to the flour to coat so they do not sink. They are tiny and do not add much to the moisture if you use regular ones you may need an additional tbs of flour to even out the moisture. You may need to experiment since this was my first time doing it and it luckily turned out perfect.

ENJOY

Congrats DJJ and Barbara!!

KJ- my MO said he went to a conference and heard that Lupron in conjunction with an AI has shown to have better effects in premenopausal women (even though the SE may be more difficult). So the Lupron shuts off my ovaries and the AI prevents estrogen from other sources... So I've read :0). I want to have my ovaries removed. Just feel like I need to have that done. So if I do that then all I would need would be the AI. Just need to figure out where to fit that in with my up coming reconstruction surgeries. 

Holli-  Mine was  already 1/3 smaller from surgery, I hope I do not end up with a boob that looks like a Raisinette or Milk Dud.

what a happy collage!