Starting chemo September 2014

((Hugs)) Everyone. My computer is dead, so I don't get to post much. I try to use my KIndle to check in, but it's a pain to post using it.

Poppy. sorry about your computer! Good to "see" you!

Jean, I admire your attitude and your faith! I need to catch that from you!

Nomatter, my youngest daughter did the Pantene donation a few years ago when my mother in law was fighting esophageal cancer. Her pony tail was 18" long!

Saw my PS yesterday. He thinks that my insurance company is going to refuse to pay for a revision. I cried all the way home in the car. It was just the shit frosting on my shit cupcake this week! I feel so deformed and ugly, not to mention the physical discomfort. Ugh!

Spent the day cleaning my house, since Little E was with he who shall not be named. Tomorrow, I will work on putting storm windows in, cleaning the breezeway and garage, and raking leaves. It's supposed to be in the 60s, so I may hang some Christmas lights as well. I am feeling my nesting instinct kicking in. I think I am subconsciously afraid that this liver issue is going to result in a hospital stay, so I am trying to get everything in order. If it happens, I will be ready, and if it doesn't, at least my house will be clean and ready for Christmas decorating. Trying so hard to stay busy, and not think too much, and be optimistic. Easier said than done.

I have emerged from the dark world known as SE land.  This one last Wednesday kicked my butt.  Nausea, pain, you all know the drill.

Good news though, tumor marker went from 277 to 86!!!  And that does not count last one.  Normal is 40:  

BHD:  praying for you:  like Jean, don't know what I would do without God 101!!!

Love hearing from everyone

Hugs and more hugs

Kath

TOBY

Toby, Chemo is rough. Sorry your side effects are so bad this round. Glad you checked in and hope you are feeling much better.

BHD, My DH and I took our youngest to see the Peanut's Movie. I think we enjoyed it even more than our kiddo did. Brought back fond childhood memories.

Jean, I hope you are feeling good today!

LOVE the pictures, and glad you felt well enough to go to the movie--  he really is just too cute.  

Went today:  no treatment (thank goodness) but still got a few hours of fluids, iron bag, nausea bag, and steroid.  I have option to do same tomorrow and Sunday:  but I get so swollen and not sure how I will sleep:  I will listen to my body in the  morning:  my "chemo bag" is packed though

God is with me every step.  Jean, you are a model for all of us!!  I hope everyone is getting ready to enjoy the one day we should be even more grateful for all we have:  I am thank ful for you all!  So glad we all reconnected:  Love the laughs, cheering eachother on, and all of us finally fessing up to BHD that we pooled our resources to get he shall not not be made new hearing aids.  So he will finally be able to LISTEN to you!   

Both of our boys come home next Tuesday.  Forrest is rocking at Covenant:  amazing to watch him mature, and excel.  He will fly home from TN Tuesday afternoon.  His fraternal twin Taylor will drive home from Florida Southern that early evening.  He is doing well in his Honors pre med/ biology program, but really needs to find his passion.  This is their junior year:  he vacillates between PA, and doing research, I am encouraging him to use the Career Center.  

Both bring such laughter and joy.  

Love you all!

Kath

Poppy, your curls are adorable, and so is your family! Two of my older kids were bandos, and I really miss going to the football games and watching them march. I think Little E would probably prefer to play football than an instrument.

Toby, I am glad to hear you are getting through your treatments so well. I am praying for you, as always! Take extra good care of yourself this week so you can enjoy your time with your boys!

Jean, your little Valentina is beautiful! Love those pigtails!

Little E had a great birthday, and had 2 friends sleep over last night. The kids had a blast, but I am pooped! Thinking a nap is on the agenda for today!

Still waiting on results from my cat scan and ultrasound. Trying not to freak out that the US tech went and got a more senior tech to have a look and take more pictures. Really wish my liver would just behave itself already!

The rheumatologist put me on a low dose of Prednisone. My rheumatoid factor was negative, but he says my body is behaving as though I have RA. Probably caused by Tamoxifen! So we are pretending that's what I have and treating it as such. If and when my liver starts behaving, he will start me on Plaquenil. Yay for one more pill in the box! NOT!

My MO wrote me a script for 6 months free access to the gym and a weekly personal trainer. I need to force my lazy, broken butt to call on Monday and get the ball rolling. I wish I could wave a magic wand and make all of us whole and healthy again!

Hi Rose and all on this thread. I finished herceptin/perjeta which ended my active treatment in October. I'm still on an AI. Probably will be for 10 years. My chemo Doc gave me an 80% chance of avoiding a recurrence. I am now waiting to get a hip replacement on February 17th and looking forward to being out of pain and being able to get around more. It would be nice to hear from the rest of you dear sisters on this board. I would welcome an update from all with you when you have time. Love, Jean

Hello ladies!!!!  I know, I know, I have been gone for awhile.  Well, let's see what has been happening, my brother has been diagnosed with lung cancer and cancer of the groin (now that has to hurt).  I have been trying to talk to him and give him encouragement.  He is in St. Louis this week for treatment. 

My son and his wife lost their guinea pig, a/k/a "the rodent".  My DIL was heartbroken!!  My son is still working out of town, so I had to console her over rodent.  I have been three times as busy at work than I should be and have been putting in a lot of overtime.  My husband has been doing the same.  You can imagine what my house looked like trying to get ready for Xmas as well as my husband's 60th birthday. 

Rose, I cannot imagine making that big of a move.  Although I would like to retire at this point in my life.  You and your husband are so lucky, I wish you the best.  I am coming your way the first week of Florida.  My guys are going to the 24 Hours of Rolex and then we are going to Key West, while my son and DIL go to Harry Potter World (a/k/a boy on a stick world). 

Jean, I hope the best for you and that nothing else needs to be replaced. 

Toby, are you doing okay???

Will the doctor visits ever end?  BHD, I can't believe it is one thing after another with us. 

I went to an ENT the other day, because my sleep study shows I have severe apnea.  Geez...I should not have done that.  He found that my tonsils and my Uvula (the thing that hangs down at the back of your throat) are almost touching and that has caused my tongue to swell leaving little room for air to get through.  SO......instead of having my revision to make me flat, I get to have a uvulectomy and my tonsils out and tongue surgery to decrease the swelling.  I have looked at these on YouTube and I am going to have to think long and hard about this.  I won't be able to talk for about a week (my husband might like that) and the doctor said that I will be in a lot of pain, but he has good drugs to help me.  And here I thought my "make me flat" surgery was the last one I was going to have to have.  I am so disappointed, I could just cry!!!!!!

I wished you lived closer too!!!!! Popsicles sound like a great dinner.

After 33 years of marriage, and I talk with my hands, my husband is pretty good at charades, but this may be a challenge. Not talking will be the biggest challenge for me, but we will get through that. I tell people that after what I have been through, my husband and I can handle anything now.

Working has sometimes been a challenge for both me and my bosses. I am just thankful that they have been wonderful through the last couple of years and know that more is ahead. They tell me that whatever I have to do to stay healthy then they will support me through it.

Keep your chin up and your arms around Little E, it will get better.

Guru, that is what they are thinking. But I think a second opinion is in order and I am in no hurry to have this surgery done.  But, if it means sleeping without a CPAP for the rest of my life, then I would do it.  Do you sleep with a CPAP??  I couldn't stand the wires under my nose during the sleep study, much less a contraption on my head all night. 

All I did was tell my PCP that I was tired and almost fell out of my chair a couple of times in the last week. She ordered the sleep study, but I got to bring my machine home and hook myself up. I didn't last very long with those wires up my nose. UGH!!!!! I cannot stand anything, even my hair to touch my face at night. The doctor told me that it would probably open up my head since my nose is always stuffed and I am constantly sniffing or blowing. Both my husband and I think a second opinion is in order and will not do anything until we are satisfied with our decision. We agree that sounds so extreme, but the doctor said it would be best to get all parts out at once, especially since all the parts are growing together back there. I still want a second opinion and maybe a third and a fourth and a......

I told my husband that after losing both breasts, a fingernail and 4 toenails, I have lost enough body parts and really would like to keep what I have left.

GO CHIEFS!!!!!!!

We were in Florida the first week of February -- what a disaster that vacation was.  My husband wrecked the rental car, the first hotel room was disgusting and we wound up sleeping in the car and my mother called with the news that my brother with the cancer was in hospice and I needed to come home.  We flew home that Friday and saw him Saturday and he passed away that Monday.  We buried him last Friday.  That was the hardest thing I do believe I have every done.  I had one brother that refused to come into the chapel and I had to threaten him to within an inch of his life.  My mother collapsed twice during the funeral and sobbed uncontrollably.  My other brother and I had to take her out and would not let her watch the closing of the casket, which did me in.  She sat in the car at the graveside service.  I sure could use a couple of good and uplifting stories ladies, I sure do miss you!!!!! 

Thanks ladies for the hugs and loves!!!!  You are simply the best!!!  We will make it through this.  The family is still having a hard time believing he is gone, but I do not think my mother will ever come to terms with losing one of her babies, her first born no less. 

Kathy was our dear friend TobyCC.  She "adopted" me into the September thread and was always there when I needed a lift in life.  May she rest in peace.  The following is on the Christian website where I copied it from to show you ladies.  I am sure Jean can tell us who wrote this and keep us informed with more information. 

Kath went to be with Jesus last night. I emailed her SIL as I had not heard any more from her coworker. She went into hospice on Tuesday and got very sick and weak and passed away last night. I have asked to get some information on her. I will pass that on to you if and when I get it. She is not suffering and in pain anymore and can truly rest in the arms of Jesus now. Let's continue to pray for Patrick, and Forrest and Taylor her twin boys. They are both finishing their junior year in college so you can imagine how hard this is for all of them. I also imagine that they in their grief are feeling some relief that she is no longer suffering.

I will update as I hear anymore. She loved all of you ladies so much and our thread was a great source of comfort to her.