anyone starting chemo in Nov 2005

Hello, my sweet sisters. Your kind words warm my heart. These days I only come to this thread, none of the others, too much to do, too many things going on. You are family to me, and I care so much for each one of you.

Odalys, don't let yourself think that time is running out. You could spend months agonizing over a question and do the same soul searching in a single day. It's the quality of the thinking that counts. It seems to me you do some mighty quality thinking these days. Trust yourself; you will make the right decision.

I know what you mean about wanting children. I had always thought I would have three or four, and then I had only the one. She is celebrating her 28th birthday today! This very day. In my case it was because I didn't meet my husband till I was almost 40, and we didn't decide to be each other's life partner till even later than that. He's five years older than I am and didn't want any more children. I have a few regrets, but for the most part I am okay with it. My regrets have more to do with wishing we had had a child together; these are issues none of you have faced. To my thinking there is surely nothing better than sharing your children with the person who helped you make them. All of you are so blessed that way.

Kim, I am praying that your meds are now balanced and that you can count on steady good days.

Debbie, what instrument do you play? What sort of pieces are you playing right now?

Mary Lou, I bet you can't get your hands off that little baby! I am so happy for you and for your family.

Hugs to all,

Anna

Hi girls, just returned from seeing the new baby. He is beautiful. I love being a gram! They have not had much sleep in the last week. Looked like they were both run over by a truck. I have never longed for those days back.

I like my visit and then onto my life as and older woman. No cares..... Just me to keep up with. And believe me that is very hard these days. Chemo brain shows it's head at the worst times.

Odalys - I can understand you wanting another. My son and I talked about children, and what age to have them. He thinks the way I did. What age will I be when that child is 10. And even at 18 when they leave home. I was a grandmother for the first time at 38. And this time at nearly 51.

That's what I get for so many years between the boys. Seven years was a little to much. It was like having two single children. If that makes sense. But it was great for a baby sitter too. And for the small runs to the store.

But then Cory felt very left out when Chris wanted to date, and then got married. Cory was to young to drive (9). Just look at the big picture. Your heart will tell you what to do. (((Hugs)))

Anna- I'm in that step mom position too. But, I just treat them all the same. I'm lucky that Michael is a much better father figure than the boys real father could ever think of being.

So it is not always best to be with the father. I learned the hard way.

I seem to always learn the hard way on many of life's battles.

Debbie- Glad to hear you are playing this year! How much difference a year makes. Can't wait for pictures.

Kim- Glad the headaches are gone and you are feeling better.

Margerie- I loved the card! Those little ones are so cute!

Got to go , love to you all.

Margerie - Thanks for sharing

The top picture is from today's church program. I cracked up the entire time because little kids were running off the "stage" area crying, kids were missing cues, Daniel crawled away to be closer to his Da Da....oh, it was fun!

The second was just so stinkin cute....

The third is from the "Mo Mo show." The rest of the world calls him "Elmo." Daniel gets very proud if someone else mentions Elmo because he feels like he knows Elmo personally now.

The 4th is from the Prairie Wind Ensemble Concert the other night.

The 5th is from Church today!
Deb

Beautiful pictures everyone. I love looking at them.

Hi ladies.

Got the news today- I also had thyroid cancer- hey-don't panic!

I have already been prepared for this for almost a year. Ever since I heard that my thyroid was abnormal (goiter), I figured it was up to no good. I had a suspicious nodule- biopsied benign. We have been watching it since March and I just said "Get it out of there!" Had the surgery a week ago and they found 2 spots (0.5mm and 4mm) of "incidental papillary carcinoma". Of course the spot we worried about was totally fine.

Treament is TSH suppression, already doing that, and maybe thyroidectomy if you want to be aggressive. Did that already. So really, the only tangible affect on my life is I have to check off the box that says thyroid cancer. And I know that of all my tissue to come back positive since inital surgery (including 3 skin biopsies, ovaries, gall bladder, right breast) this is the one I would want to come back positive. It still sucks.

Anyway, I am doing well physically and emotionally. I call it the thyroid miracle- ever since the surgery my hot flashes and joint pain have completely vanished!

I did qualify for the her2 vaccine trial- off to Seattle next month. Hope they have power by then!

Hope all of my friends here have a Merry Christmas!

We will be out of town until New Years!

Love,

Margerie

Deb - Love the pictures. Daniel is adorable. Your hair is coming out great. Thanks for sharing these special moments with us. Glad to see you are enjoying this season.
Love,

Margerie,
WHOA. That was a shocker. Wow-I am just in awe of the power and strength my beloved sisters have. I continue to pray for you (and the rest of our sisters), and your continued good health and good spirits. Your post just amazed me, dear Margerie!
Now, I have to ask you, is the joint pain and the hot flashes a "symptom" of the thyroid cancer? And, was that considered mets, or a special bonus you got in addition to the bc? I ask about the joint pain and the flashes because I have been dealing (unhappily, I might add) with both for the past several months. I feel like I am addicted to pain meds, and never know when I am going to be overly hot or overly cold.

Anyway, I had better go. Stay strong, dearest sisters. Merry Christmas!!!!!
Love and prayers, Deb

Deb,

My joint pain and hot flashes were my menopausal symptoms (ovaries out and Arimidex). It is probably a coincidence the symptoms are gone now, but I will take it!

These microscopic thyroid cancers are found on up to 36% people incidentally upon autopsy. It is truly no big deal. Technically, the therapy is observe and take thyroid replacement hormone. I am on the medication already and the thyroid is out- an added bonus!

I already freaked out and thought this was bc mets back in March when they told me I had thyroid nodules. I had a biopsy back then and found out it was not- bc rarely mets to the thyroid.

Wishing Anna and all beautifully peaceful nights and glorious winter days!

Life is good,

Margerie

P.S. I had my rad tattoos removed with laser therapy today- yeah! Just didn't like 'em. Now they are gone and that makes me happy. ($85 to remove 5 small tatts if anyone else is curious!)

Hey, I have been reading about the tatoo removal, too! Interesting. I have not even really noticed mine, either.

Marg-thanks for telling me more. I know you all agree that any ache and pain or twinge we have scares the crap out of us! You are so amazing, by the way! I love how strong you are.

How is everyone else doing, seeing as how the magic of Christmas is upon us now? Daniel is just enamored with the lights. We went to our local "Festival of Lights" tonight, and my neck hurts from turning around to watch him look at all the sparkly, lighted figures. He was amazed.

Anytime someone says, "Is Santa coming to your house, Daniel?" Daniel gets very somber and says, "Da Da," as if he knows something he shouldn't! Too funny!
Love and prayers, Debbie

Hi dear sisters,

I just saw this posted on another thread and thought you may get a good laugh from it.

20 Ways to Maintain a Healthy Level of Insanity

1. At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down.

2. Page yourself over the intercom. Don't disguise your voice.

3. Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that.

4. Put your garbage can on your desk and label it "in."

5. Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.

6. In the memo field of all your checks, write "for smuggling diamonds."

7. Finish all your sentences with "in accordance with the prophecy."

8. Don't use any punctuation

9 As often as possible, skip rather than walk.

10. Order diet water with a serious face whenever you go out to eat.

11. Specify that your drive-through order is "to go."

12. Sing along at the opera.

13. Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don't rhyme.

14. Put mosquito netting around your work area and play tropical sounds all day.

15. Five days in advance, tell your friends you can't attend their party because you're not in the mood.

16. Have your co-workers address you by your wrestling name, "Rock Bottom."

17. When the money comes out of the ATM, scream "I won! I won!"

18. When leaving the zoo, start running towards the parking lot, yelling "run for your lives, they're loose!"

19. Tell your children over dinner. "Due to the economy, we are going to have to let one of you go."

20. And the final way to keep a healthy level of insanity... Send this e-mail to someone to make them smile... It's good therapy

Keep smiling! Merry Christmas !!!

Over 1 year ago we all started with this terrible disease. We all stuck together through the horrible world of surgery, chemo, test, results, rads and everything else that came our way. The support and encouragement was totally amazing. I loved coming here because I knew this is where someone out there knew EXACTLY what I was going through. Although my situation with mets is a little different you all have stuck by me and supported me so whole heartly. As you all have moved on to finish chemo on to rads you have stuck by me as I continue my fight with mets. One day I will experience a life without chemo. I do feel "lucky" that the chemo I've been on haven't made me really sick and I have been able to continue with my daily life like I've always have. The cards, gifts, notes and emails just warm my heart. You really don't know what it all means to me. I hope I am putting this down so you all understand how much everything you have done means to me and my family.
I want to wish you all a Blessed Christmas and a very Happy New Year. We are all going to have a great 2007!!

I love you all,
Kim

Kim, your words touched me mightily. I always pray for you and will continue to do so. I am so happy to hear that you are tolerating the meds well. I loved Odalys' story of the woman who defied her doctors' predictions. I am reading and hearing more and more about how these newer treatments are changing everything. I am picturing a strong Kim, a gentle but powerful warriorwoman whose goal (and end result) is health.

I love the avatar, Odalys! What a handsome son you have; boy, are you going to have your hands full with the girls calling and all in a year or so. Also, Maggie is such a cutie! I especially like the hat. My daughter and I wear Santa hats all day on the 25th. I remember how it kept my head warm last year. This year I had to pull it on pretty hard to make it cover these curls. My daughter tells me my hair is much fuller than it has ever been. I think she's right. It's still awfully fine, but there seems to be so much more of it.

Those instructions for how to maintain one's level of insanity still have me chuckling. The one I like the most is skipping whenever possible. I go to physical therapy for a terribly degenerated hip (we never knew I had been born with hip dysplasia until arthritis came into my life, into that one hip only) and told my therapist that my goal was to be able to skip once more. He smiled and said he couldn't promise the skipping, but maybe we'd be able to put off the hip replacement my other doctors were talking about for a little longer. Since I have had all the surgery I ever wanted, that sounds pretty good to me.

I am imagining Margerie and those beautiful children romping through the snow right now. Well, maybe not at this precise moment, 7 a.m., but nowabouts.

God bless my dear sisters. I love you all.

Anna

Oh Kim, we love you so very much. Please don't thank us, that is what friends and sisters do for each other!

Odalys, your Steven is truly a handsome guy! I loved the pic of Maggie, too! It made me laugh out loud.

Anna, you sound really good-is that how you are? I continue to pray for you, too! I love how eloquent your words always are.

Christmas was a blessed event. Watching Daniel open gifts this year and squeal with glee over what Santa brought was the greatest gift ever.

I am falling asleep as I type, so I have to keep this short, but my exchange surgery is scheduled for this Thursday, so please say a little prayer for me! I am nervous about this one for some reason.

Love and prayers, Deb

Odalys, you are so beautiful.
Deb, glad you had such a magical Christmas with Daniel. Yes, what a difference a year makes.

Love,
Kim