INSOMNIACS place to talk in the wee hours

I love that all of you got to meet up. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year.

Hey there - I lost a short post to this thread yesterday. Will try to remember all of it.

Sas - that is so cool you got to get together, the memories you must have to carry forward in life!

Have found a new oncologist and I am very content and getting stronger. Aromasin only for time being.

Sleeping better and getting to bed around 11 or midnight and up around 9 or 10. Basically 10 hrs average.

Sas - the cough and copious phlegm stopped once I got off Xeloda. saying .... 80% better from cough. Though it had been there before due to lymph nodes all along bronchial tubes, I wonder if the clearing of those cancer masses would have made cough stop by but the Xeloda caused a different type of cough. Plus there was the pneumonitis from radiation SEs and that has cleared. Anyway, I am so much better. Though I have been told and that is by 2 MOs that I can explore hospice now. So I am while well enough, but am working to be stronger and keep on trying to get cancer back in a cage.

Sassy, you are right, I will pop my head in when I am called. Still work full time because my business partners will not let me retire yet. One of them gave me a bear hug last Friday and told me glad you are staying. I guess I am glad too. Before the cancer hit me, I used to plan to work until 75. For more than 7 years, I still am not prepared for retirement. I am lucky not to have pains.

Loverly, Junie & ShepK, share some of your get together time with us.

Our cruise ship. Capacity: 5000+ passengers.

Norwegian Escape

Hallway to our room. Notice how all the fish are swimming one way towards the front of the ship. I thought it was a pretty cool way to help direct you to the front or back of ship.

Map of ship.

Obstacle course for the kids (and adults😃)

Faced my fear and went on this rope course 17 decks above sea.

Here is DD1 on the zip line from the rope course. She looks so calm. You wouldn't want to see my face. Ha!

Food was good, surprisingly. Entertaining was great also.

My favorite hiding spot to read.

The Great Stirup Cay...private island owned by Norwegian Cruise Line.

Lover, my SIL had gotten sent down to St. Thomas after Hurricane Maria went through.

I need to get out of bed first. If only everyday is vacation day.... Why did Adam and Eve disobey?

Junie, desserts came out 👍 Took my basic cheesecake recipe used lemon extract instead of vanilla, left out the milk, and added limoncello and a tad more cream cheese. Used vanilla wafers instead of graham crackers for the crust. Topped it with a thin coating of lemon curd. Would love to see a picture of Kirby when he gets home.

Shep, Sas, Junie, and Liver sounds like you had a great time together. Nothing like bad directions for a bonding experience. They do have you take a round robin route

Blue, which state are you in? We did the cruise to Alaska many years ago. I was amazed how blue the glaciers were. I still remember the only sound I could hear was of the soft engine of the ship while we were cruising on the fjords. Everyone was quiet as each was inhaling in the pure air and in awe of the majestic beauty of the wonderland. Hope you get to see it. Yeah, work to keep the beast in the cage. May you be granted strength to fight.

Mommy, is your SIL with FEMA? Bless her heart.

Junieb, beautiful picture of the wolf moon. Hope your stomach cooperates soon. Still on jello and broth? I don't need to report to work until Thursday, but have plenty to do at home. Need to declutter

Kath, your cheesecake sounds yummy. Love cheesecake, but it doesn't love me.

Queenie, how do you like your new laptop. Which one did you get?

Hi Eeyore and Beatmon!

About our trip to South Carolina, it was eventful at the beginning, middle, and end. Ha! Like I said, we can plan, but He directs. Wish we had more time with our Dear Shep. My other regrets was I didn't get a chance to drive to west Florida to visit Ms. Spookiesmom.

Junie - lovely supermoon photo. I missed it, was so frigid we had drapes closed, darn. Thanks for the photo.

Goshen is 1 1/2 hrs one way. They have offered us a house that is for guests who travel somewhat to a lot far, but we have Danny Boy and have to go home for him. Though my sister and I have discussed us staying there if the need arises and Hubby stays home with the dog.

Lover - I am in NW Indiana near Lake Michigan. But way in country and no cities near us at all. To get to the cruise ship will be a trek across 2/3 of this country. That would be enough driving. And we would have Danny Boy, so driving is a must. I think some ships have kennels and some 'barges' are an option. If I go it will be to be treated by my primary oncologist who moved there end of May 2017. But my sister and daughter are like, ummm no, please don't. because they blame him for this getting so bad. I don't, I have my own blame in this if there is any blame at all. I own it so that makes it easy to forgive him for mistakes too.

Thank you for think link to MamaRay's thread, FeelingFeline.

Sas - cough still improving, I can go to bed and maybe cough once, used to be endless. Today had a scope of vocal chords. Ah yes, the dreaded scope. They sprayed my throat and I freaked! had that blast of chemicals that take my head off then I could not swallow, but I could breathe so I calmed down. Turned out the spray did no good for me, my GAG REFLEX is absolutely set on no one shoving anything in my mouth. So finally after multiple very loud and gaggy attempts that had both techs and Hubby giggling.... sigh..... I whispered, maybe if I hold the wand. It only had to go to the back of my tongue. And when I did that I was fine. Good pictures and sound recorded. She said she can tell from the way my left vocal chord remains a bit loose that there is probably some nerve damage, the coming CT w contrast will show where it is coming from. Answer is to get rid of cause. Then a botox injection which lasts 3 to 6 mo and repeat. Or an implant. Then it will close properly. Right now air is also escaping so that makes it hard to talk too. And turn head to left when I eat and keep chin down so as not to aggravate and cause cough. But of course, cancer first.

Today I pushed my own wheelchair for awhile.