August 2010...anyone starting chemo besides me?!

Good day, WARRIORS!

Rachel: OHHHHH CANADA! Wow, and if
you will please indulge my terribly juvenile side and read this next line using
the voice of Beavis from the venerated Beavis and Butthead series: your new Prime Minister
is wicked hot!!!!!!!! You sure do know how to grow them cute in
Canada! I could not believe it when I saw him as first he looks rather
young by Prime Minister standards, and he also *looks* like a decent person!
I know that sound so very arbitrary, but our political races in the US normally
look like who is running for the most unattractive human being on the
planet!!! Example: Trump---damn, he is unattractive inside and
out! Alas, I digress!

Sixteen?! That is a
big one! Hope you all celebrate it in high style! Now, about those birds...! Kansas City V Mets, should be
interesting. I thought the birds were
going, though. At the very least, and
year after year, they are strong contenders.

Good to hear from you again.

LadyInBama: I love, love, love
your pic!!!!!!! Looks wonderful!! I am glad you are doing well, and, as
always, it is great to hear from you as well.

BRCA testing: so I had it done
again because apparently the sequencing is more advanced now. I will post the findings soon. I would post more about why they did it, but
I have become a wee bit more private about my cancer-related issues. In fact, I might start a website for us at
some point, only for current members of this thread. This site is great, but it is really so incredibly
public, almost unnervingly so. Perhaps I will send an email about BRCA
explaining more of what is going on.

In any event, I hope you all are
having lovely Fall days! I just got back
from the most wonderful walk in this crisp weather, checking out everyone's
Halloween decorations, watching the plethora of squirrels scampering about, and
I even saw a few cats and dogs, so overall my walk was a huge success!!

Happy trails, ladies!

Hello Warriors!

Name change! I decided to change my screen name largely b/c the old one was connected to an email address. Sure enough, I met someone from high school and gave them that email to keep in touch. Well, they Googled it and found all of my posts on this thread, and then got upset that I did not tell them that I have cancer, as we were simply catching up in the middle of the mall. I was so pissed off, I cannot tell you. First, this is a private matter; second, what are you doing Googling my information? So now I am "1wonderwoman," which is kind of the way I feel sometimes anyway. So now you know! At least going forward this name will not be connected with that email. Is anyone sick and tired of the technological web in which we live?!

Tex: where are you? I have called and texted, and now I am posting. Please update? I know we are all sick with this awful disease, but that does not mean because we are all at different points with this albatross, that we don't want to be kept apprised of what is going on as we wind our way through this mess. Please update.

Cure: I was in NY on the train recently, just left Grand Central, and sure enough some flake finds their way to me. They were going on all about breast cancer, and how there is a cure etc.... I never once told them they were staring in the face of someone who was definitely not cured, and that there is no effing cure for this, alas I just listened, hoping they were getting off at 125! Fate would have it, we were both getting off at the same stop. It was a long ride, but what was really confounding is where are they getting this stuff from?

Felisa!!!!!!!!! I am so very happy to hear from you!!!!!!!!! I got so nervous since the last time you, and Whitney, stopped by and made a post, the situation seemed as if it could be a bit ominous, and then you disappeared! Sadly, we are part of a very terminal club, and the members in our club are taken down by our common disease. For this reason, please, please, I implore you, update once in a while. Just even twice a year to just say hi, I am still here! I know that sounds cavalier, and a bit silly, but I got to know you through this thread, and I worry about all of us, even though I know what our fate is.

In any case, I diagnose myself with mets 2 or 3 times a week, on average, and by this I mean every lump or weird feeling I think is cancer. Likely lately I had weird feelings in my back, like rolling weird feelings traveling up my back. It is weird, and the reason I share is because we are always scared going forward. I mean you never "unhave" cancer. Once you have it, you will until you cease to exist.

I mention all of this because the lumps are scary to every one of us. My question to you, which my surgeon asked me recently, is does it move? If the lump moves, or feels in any way soft, it is likely innocuous. If, however, it is not moving, perhaps you should have it checked out. Aside from that, even if it is a tumor, don't forget even people with cancer can have benign tumors. Don't fret, and I want you to PROMISE to keep me posted! I am so glad to hear from you!

Happy trails and happy holidays, ladies, and may the force be with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good evening, warriors!

You guys know how I am always clamoring about rebounding. Well, I am helping a friend who is battling bc right now, and I just found this article I am sending to her. I hope you all read it. For those of us who had metastatic cancer affecting our lymph nodes, and I think that was every one of us here on this thread, rebounding is particularly excellent to clean move your lymphatic fluid. Nothing moves lymph fluid like rebounding does. So enjoy this article, and start jumping!

http://www.wholife.com/issues/9_4/01_article.html

Felisa: thank you so much for checking back in! I am so happy for you and your 4 grandkids! I bet they do keep you on the move, and keep your mind off of stuff like that lump. Don't worry, they are making more strides every day. That could even be a hard pocket of fluid, as I remember you had some fluid troubles shortly after one of your surgeries. I am just glad you are doing well, and don't get yourself nervous about getting that checked out. Just take it one step at a time, and START REBOUNDING! Move that lymph fluid!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, my lovely warriors!!I wonder, did you all think we would still be here? I seriously did not think I would, but then again there was a lot of cancer that spread off into my lymph nodeS! Not node, nodes! In any case, I sure am glad we are still here!!Lady-I love your pic! You are so darn cute! That is a really nice photo, and I am so glad to read that you maintain a commitment to ovarian cancer. That is wonderful for you and them. I hope you have a nice holiday Felisa - I am soooo happy you have a BENIGN event!!!!!!!! Who cares those freakin' benign balls of junk rolling around our systems! It is indeed truly auspicious that you have found something benign, in your breast no less! That is very good news. I hope you have a nice holiday, and you have lots of fun with your grandkids! Be well and keep in touch-Happy trails, ladies!

Hello, Warriors!

Felisa- lymph nodes swell for a number of reasons. Of course, this always means they are fighting some type of invader, and while a lymph node will normally be about the size of a pea, a single node can swell to the size of an acorn because of the additional lymphocytes are being created. All that increased size is telling you is your body is fighting something.

Lymphocytes, when confronted with an invader, engulf and attempt to do away with it as a function of the body's adaptive defense immune system. Just don't jump to conclusions, because the same issues that can make your throat glands swell are those that can make lymph nodes swell.

Take it easy, our bodies went through a lot of drama with cancer and the associated txs. Don't overthink this matter, just relax until you get some definitive results. There are numerous things that can make nodes swell, so let's just hope this is another issue.

Please keep me posted, and I am here for you. This disease is like having sleeper cells in your body, in perpetuity, and you just never know when they are going to activate again. Just stay positive because I think the more drama and stress you deliver to your body, the more cancer is strengthened. Keep smiling! This is, after all, all any of us can do!

Hope you had a nice holiday, and make sure you provide updates. I will be thinking of you

Happy holiday weekend, ladies!

Hello, Warriors!

Happy New Year, ladies!

Take advantage of the opportunity to do something new every chance you get, and keep making memories.

All my best, and I am perfectly enthralled we are all still here

Ginger: The RN-JD thing is growing, and my wonderful doctor alerted me to that fact a few years back. Thank you for your kind words!

I am so glad to hear about your pets are largely doing well. That is so funny about the cat, that after 18 years, decides you are okay! I had a Chihuahua who hated my fiancé, and I mean visceral reaction! Eventually I would break up with him, because I figured the dog was on to something! Bottom line is over 3 years and that dog never developed an affinity for him in the least. Of course, people would tease me after that my dog was ruling my life, but I had to take heed! In the case with your cat, however, they are just tough. Cats are very hard to win over! Cats will fail to bond for reasons unknown, and are hardly the barometer for caliber-of-individual that a dog can be. Cats are truly finicky, but I love them no less!

That is a shame about the tremors. I hope that calms down for you at some point especially in our world-of-texting! That has got to be tough.

Congratulations on the house!!!!!!! Raised ranches are great, and when I was young the lower levels were always party rooms for all the kids. My friends had the best swing in their lower level! It was one of those wicker swings that hung from the ceiling, it was way cool! We had so much fun down there. I am just glad you were able to find something you like in that hotly contested real estate market.

Deb: you look FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!! I love that pic! Running with the snowy background! That is good stuff! At one point I was living with a boyfriend and it was a year when we got hammered with snow storms. We were going crazy locked in, so we finally started jogging in the snow, in the city! It was fun, a few wipeouts, but it was fun!

I am so glad you have found some silver lining to cancer. It is hard to even think about a silver lining, but alas I think most of us have had them.

Swimming at 6AM?!?!? My first roommate in college used to go swim at 5AM, and I don't think I need to tell you all I was just getting in about that time! She and I did not last as roommates! That is great, though, Deb. I learned how to swim when I was just 2 years old. I think my parents knew that the older kids would kill me, with their whirlpools and cannonballs, if they did not provide me adequate means to survive! Swimming is such great exercise, so I apologize for taking the "WonderWoman" moniker on this site! You can have it if you would like....!

Speaking of working out, I must go do so! I had the worst stomach bug yesterday. I have not been sick like that in 20 years, but that is what I get for hugging 4 kids all under 10!!!!! They just seem so terribly innocuous, little germ factories!Good day, ladies-

Hellooooo, Warriors!

I just realized that both Felisa and Whitney were in a bit of a crisis situation, and we have not heard from either in a while. To anyone reading this: If your news is good, bad or indifferent, please come back here and let us know what is going on. Yes, the crew is rather Spartan now, but it is my sinking suspicion if anyone finds themselves in harm's way again, we will be back, sending positive vibes and wishing you well. Cancer is a life-long disease, we should stick together!!!

So I saw on public television this morning that cold-cap therapy has really come a long way, and fewer and fewer people are losing their hair now. Also there are some very auspicious developments in dealing with triple negative bc. Overall much of what they said was very positive about dealing with bc, and I was stunned at some of the developments that have come along now, like micro-dosing chemo. I can't remember everyone's experience with chemo, but I used to go for 7-hour infusions of 3 different kinds of chemo. Well nowadays I guess they break that up into several smaller doses. I thought that was interesting. Something else I learned this past week: Neulasta is really going more mainstream, and helping those that are afflicted with white blood deficiencies for reasons other than cancer txs.

The good thing about bc is the news just seems to keep getting better, so keep exercising ladies (the HUGE message on the show this morning), and we could all see many more years!

Your (forever) Fearless Leader!

Ginger: I am so sorry to hear about your fall through the table. That is horrible. You are rather lucky you did not sustain a worse injury.

Congratulations on the house! In that hot market, you are fortunate to have found something. Fix it up however you need. There is no reason to not have it exactly as you need. We are all getting older, dear! We have to think differently and, yes, one fall can definitely change your life. So many hip injuries with the elderly. Your poor friend's aunt who broke her neck in 3 places as a result of a fall; that is just awful.

Yes to Spring and the beautiful flowers!!!!! I wish you well on your move, and don't forget to take it easy. Don't push it, you have been through quite enough. Plus you need your energy and endurance to enjoy your DGD, especially now that you all are living closer!

All my best-

Hello, my lovely Warriors!

I have another important link to share:

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Study-Finds-Carbs-Could-Cause-Lung-Cancer-371392111.html

That is a ridiculously high number....nearly 50%? That is crazy. Whole grain pasta, whole grain bread---just ditch any white-flour based items you consume, within reason, of course. I mean I don't think you have to stop it all together, but it has to be limited.

Here I am always vilifying the animal-based meat processing industry, and all their nutritionally dubious injections of hormones etc... Clearly that will not help our cause, but to look at our populace, the weight problems that are plaguing the country, and the ridiculously high incidence of diabetes, coupled with the proliferation of cancer, and we are getting a much clearer picture on just what could be going on.

Hope you all are well, and that you are enjoying my links! Every time I find something useful, I will post it. This is stuff we need to know.

All my best-