WELCOME TO THE WAGON CIRCLE

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  • ArmyNavyMom
    ArmyNavyMom Member Posts: 303
    edited February 2007
    Tina - Yea! So happy to hear your good, no GREAT news. You nurses are the absolute best. I admire you ALL!

    Vickie2 - I'm sorry you're feeling blue. I'd say do whatever YOU want to do. If it's out and about and loud and noisy, or home and quiet and reflective. But be sure that whatever it is makes you feel as good as possible. I know it's tough when the DH isn't there when we want them to be, maybe making plans to celebrate when he gets home would help. Congratulations, you will be in my thoughts!

    Anne
  • MorelandMom
    MorelandMom Member Posts: 20
    edited February 2007
    Thanks Anne....I really struggle now w/him being gone since I got sick...course I've never been good about it when I'm honest abt it....Guess I'm jealous!

    Vickie
  • PeanutsGirl
    PeanutsGirl Member Posts: 153
    edited February 2007
    Hello, I've been reading this thread, and felt brave enough to jump in tonight. I tend to read more than I post. I had a 3 month follow-up today with my med onc. I really like everyone in her office. They've taken such good care of me the past two years. Today I thanked Debbie the PA for the pink bracelet(the rubbery plastic kind) that I got on my first visit there.

    That day I told them that I really didn't want to ever need to wear one. Just looking at it gave me all sorts of horrible feelings. I felt like crying right there in her office. Why me? Was I going to die? Will I live long enough to see my granchildren grow up? Well, you can probably added more to my list, as we've all been there. That first visit took place the week before Christmas. How many more Christmases would I celebrate?

    But what has happened, is that that little pink band has given me strength. You see, there are three words on it: HOPE, FAITH, LOVE. Over the past two years every time I read those words, I remember that there is always HOPE, to have FAITH, and that I am LOVED by my family, friends, and most of all by God.

    I took me a couple of months to come to an understanding of where I was, and who I was now: a survivor. I hated that word at first. Now, I've determined that today is a day to enjoy whatever it brings. Worrying about tomorrow is a waste of time.

    I've posted in the crafting thread, and thought a might venture in here. I found bc.org near the end of my tx, so I didn't get involved with the treatment forums. I have posted mostly in the Triple Negative forum. I posted a summary of my dx and tx on the Roll Call thread there. You are welcome to check it out if you like. Or, if you want ask me questions and I can answer them here.

    Hope I'm not sounding too preachy here. That's not my intent. I haven't yet decided on a wagon.

    Laura
  • AlaskaDeb
    AlaskaDeb Member Posts: 2,601
    edited February 2007
    Welcome Laura! You didn't sound preachy at all. I loved the story about your bracelet...it made me smile. I hope you drop by the main circle. Have fun picking a wagon

    Deb C
  • TeddyJudy
    TeddyJudy Member Posts: 104
    edited February 2007
    Laura welcome and yes please join us in the Main Circle.

    Vicke 2 ~ I am glad that you are back with us, now it's time to come with us to the Main Circle.
    Hugs,
    Judy
  • ArmyNavyMom
    ArmyNavyMom Member Posts: 303
    edited February 2007
    Welcome Laura, what a beautiful story! Thanks for sharing it.

    Anne
  • MorelandMom
    MorelandMom Member Posts: 20
    edited February 2007
    I'm not sure how to get to the main circle...i though I was!

    Vickie 2
  • AlaskaDeb
    AlaskaDeb Member Posts: 2,601
    edited February 2007
    Hey Vicky 2-

    The main circle is the thread with over 200 pages called Time to Circle the Wagons Girls. Just click on the last page and jump right in

    glad to see you
    Deb C
  • rumoret
    rumoret Member Posts: 685
    edited February 2007
    Well I have enjoyed reading your posts. I am fairly new to the boards and have posted a few times....but believe me I have read a lot more. I was dx in April and had surgery on my birthday April 20th, 2006. I started to pay attention to the TAC thread for women who were starting chemo during the late spring and early part of summer.......then I did not go on the computer again and totally forgot about this website. Then when I made it back from hospital stays (chemo reaction, and hospital induced pnumonia) I saw my breastcancer.org bookmark and began reading the TAC thread, I was able to compare my experience with a few of them that ended up in the hospital like me. So since then, I check in and see if any newbies have posted and then try to find something funny. I think about joining a group in my home town because I would like to meet some women locally. I have one friend who went through breast cancer at age 49 almost 4 years ago, she has been helpful, but she works and is very involved with her husband.....always has been. My mother was diagnosed in 1999 and is still doing great......she does not like to discuss anything about BC.......thinks it brings her down......and she wants to enjoy her life not worrying about this BC pest (can't blame her she is 76 years young.....go MOM!)

    Does anyone ever ask for a roll call on those living in their CITY on this board? Or....would that be against board regulations? I would be interested in seeing how many live in my city or near it.........

    Anyway, I still deal with body aches and emotional aches. I think of Betty Ford, our prior First Lady, when she said she gave herself permission to cry....but only for a certain amount of time.....and then she would get on with her day. I do a lot more crying lately.....usually alone......in the shower.......at the computer........or when I hear another Breast Cancer Commercial on the radio or television...which is everyday.

    On a happy note......I had my first grandchild on January 26th, 2007 and I watched him be born. I am happy and sad at the same time. I have prayed to God to let me live long enough to see him grown and married......I hope God blesses me.

    Love,
    Terry
  • TeddyJudy
    TeddyJudy Member Posts: 104
    edited February 2007
    Terry ~
    I too live in California. No, it is not against the rules to tell people what city we are in. I live in San Leandro, CA (Northern California.)

    You are correct there are so many times when we wish we would have "live" people to connect with although the chat room really helped me when I was going through everything 2 years ago. Unfortunately I never did discover the boards. I read it was not live, did not know much about them and wanted people to help me NOW. I did not realize that people respond so quickly on message boards. I was almost completely computer Web dense. I am so glad that I found these boards now.

    Please come and join us in the "Big" circle. There are over 200 something pages but don't worry about having to catch up. Come in say hi, tell us a little about you and what you are up to. We talk about all kinds of things and everyone is VERY nice. I think you will like all of us.

    It is the thread called "Wagon Circle" Very close to this thread.

    Congratulations on your newborn grandchild and YOU will see him grow up.

    Hugs to all of my Sisters and Come see us.....
    Judy
  • TeddyJudy
    TeddyJudy Member Posts: 104
    edited February 2007
    Hi Ladies ~
    Just discovered Thongsie's thread "What is Your Dx". Pretty interesting, but not all of you are on there. I will fill it out this evening.

    Got to go now, off work, need to run errands.
    Hugs,
    Judy
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2007
    Terry, welcome. Why don't you do as Judy suggested and join us in the big circle? It's called, 'Time to Circle the Wagons'. We laugh, cry, rant, discuss health problems & issues and support each other. It's not a club just a bunch of women who care about one another. We could help you with just about any issue you'd have. As many girls as there are whatever you're going thru, either someone else has or is going through it too. It is sooo easy to get acquainted & everyone is just great. So please come check us out. Don't worry about trying to keep up just join in and get to know us. You will be so glad you did. I promise.

    Cheri
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2007
    Terry, by the way, Congrats on becoming a Grandma. It's wonderful. I have 3 grandsons and you'll probably see their little faces plastered all over these threads.

    cheri
  • rumoret
    rumoret Member Posts: 685
    edited February 2007
    Thanks, everyone.........I will mozzie on over to the larger wagon train and say hello. By the way I live in Modesto, CA (now don't mention Scott Peterson....Pleeeese.......LOL).

    Love,
    Terry
  • sherloc
    sherloc Member Posts: 1,047
    edited February 2007
    welcome Terry. congrats on being a new grammie. Grands are better than sliced toast.
    I live in Sonora. Wow, have never had someone so close before. We should get together for coffee one day.
  • Biker54
    Biker54 Member Posts: 1,310
    edited February 2007

    Wow, are you and Terry close to one another? That is so cool. You should definately get together. Irisheyzs and I live very close to one another. We did get together and we had a blast! We will be doing it again with the DH's.

  • marshakb
    marshakb Member Posts: 1,664
    edited March 2007

    Hello ladies.....can someone please explain to me how you get pictures on your post replys? Took me forever to figure out how to get my avitar up and have spent alot of time trying to figure out how to PM or post pics and it is just beyond me. Simple, plain, English words please LOL. Marsha

  • dash
    dash Member Posts: 766
    edited March 2007

    Hi again, Marsha~ I save pictures to my free photobucket account and then use their codes to post a picture here. Open up a photobucket account first, upload your pictures there and then see if you're still stuck

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2007
    image

    Marsha: Hope you have a wonderful day. I just learned how to post pics myself. Im still too new to teach anyone.

    Nicki
  • marshakb
    marshakb Member Posts: 1,664
    edited March 2007
    Thanks Holly, it worked! I resized it to the "for boards". Still seems to big so maybe use the thumbnail I guess. Anyway, appreciate it!

    And Nicki, thanks for the birthday fireworks, looks like I just missed yours. Happy belated to a fellow fish swimming in two different directions! (That about sums me up) Marsha
  • dash
    dash Member Posts: 766
    edited March 2007

    You're welcome, Marsha! You may want to try something else for resizing. I use a another freebie(this one is a download) called Irfanview. It is so easy to resize with this program. You might want to resize with that and save, then upload the resized one to photobucket. Have fun

  • christineK
    christineK Member Posts: 1,265
    edited March 2007

    Hi Marsha- Happy Bday. I use resize2mail.com then take the smaller pic to tinypic.com

  • b445
    b445 Member Posts: 1,325
    edited March 2007
    Marsha Happy birthday! have you made it over to the main circle yet?
    The size for the boards really works well unless you want smaller
  • b445
    b445 Member Posts: 1,325
    edited March 2007
    This is for all the new gals looking at the Wagon Circle.
    This circle is here to help support you as you try to move on. Weather you are going through chemo, rads or have been done and just need someone to surround you with warm hugs. That is what the Wagon Circle is for.
    Don't feel like you won't fit in. Just jump into the mail thread and let us know a little about yourselves. You will be welcomed with open arms. The circle is only a little over 6 months old and has grown so fast because it's filled with LOVE!
    It can seem a little overwhelming thinking you need to keep up with everyone. But please don't feel that you need to. Visit us often and you will see the love we feel for each other.
  • lke
    lke Member Posts: 24
    edited March 2007
    Hi.

    This is lke. I though I was doing fine, until it was time to do the 2nd 6 mo. checkups. Then I did not want to go and have them done. I was afraid of what the doc would find. Silly, I know. If the cancer is back, we need to know so we can start another campain, but ... Well I finally went. More to do, but so far so good.

    Bad news. My mother (78) was just diagnosed with Hodgkin's. She first had blood clots in her left arm. (I had a blood clot in the left arm with the staff after the last chemo.) It is all so genetic sounding to me. My mom has had her first chemo and is waiting for the hair to go. I was able to give her some tips on chemo and explain the funny feeling over her breastbone. (Yes I told her that she must still tell the doc's and NOT to assume that it is the neulasta or proquid. But that they could cause it. In adults blood is manufactured in the breastbone so they work on it and cause pain.)

    In a way this makes it harder for me. I can just see that cancer is going to have a major role in my life from now on. It was bad enough that I worry about the breast cancer coming back, but now I will worry about this damn Hodgkin's happening to my bothers, sister and myself.

    Everyone said that I was so brave with the BC, but it was somehow easier when I was in chemo and doing rads. Now it is like a dark cloud that is just out of view, waiting to spread more fear. I am not afraid of death, but I am terrified of living in pain, of being depending on others to care for me.

    Thanks for providing a place where I can tell this. I am not sure that others would understand.

    Linda
  • purplemb
    purplemb Member Posts: 1,542
    edited March 2007
    llk, good to see you...join us over at the other wagon thread...
    keep your head up and know you are not the only one with grey clouds...
    hugs MB
  • ArmyNavyMom
    ArmyNavyMom Member Posts: 303
    edited March 2007
    Linda,

    Welcome! You are right, the greatest thing about the Circle is we do all "get it." I'll second what MB said and suggest you come on over to the Circle the Wagons thread. It is very fast moving, you probably won't want to read it all, just the last little bit. Jump on in, it's a very warm, accepting place. If you knit or crochet (or want to learn how) check out the afghan thread. That project has helped to chase away some of my gray clouds.

    Hugs,
    Anne
  • Bodil
    Bodil Member Posts: 16
    edited April 2007
    I'm not new to these boards, but new to this section so I thought I'd introduce myself here.

    I was dx with lobular cancer a year ago. I'm finished treatment except that I still have tissue expanders that will be replaced with implants in May.

    I know that some women finish treatment and want to get away from everything cancer-related, and that is certainly a valid choice- but that is not me at all.

    I still go to my support group, and I've become very active in my local Survivor community.

    I try to keep up with the latest research and studies.

    Last night I went to a film screening and panel discussion about using the arts in hospital settings, notably dance and poetry.

    I'm very interested in this topic. I wrote all through my cancer experience, mostly on my blog. It saved me in countless ways.

    Well, I think I'm going on a bit too long here...am anxious to read through some of these threads!
  • AlaskaDeb
    AlaskaDeb Member Posts: 2,601
    edited April 2007
    Glad you found the circle Jayne. Stop by the main thread and you will get lots more responses. I do a bit of writing myself. I find it helps me to understand things when I write about them.

    Hope to see you here again

    Deb C
  • purplemb
    purplemb Member Posts: 1,542
    edited April 2007
    Jayne Welcome....this is the best site to find the new normal...I hope we can help ...
    MB

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