TIME TO CIRCLE THE WAGONS GIRLS

CY, we are here for you. Shel and Jeannie are right....you are going to meet it and WIN....

Hi all, just returned from San Antonio....need to unpack (work tomorrow). I will read to catch up on all the posts during my day tomorrow.
Madison

Cheryl. What can I do to help?


Your friend
Cheri

CY - so sorry. We are here for you.



Love,

Cy - I am so sorry to hear your news of mets. Plese know that we are all here for you. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. I know CO is not so close to WA, but please me know what I can do to help. Give us some ideas for a care package (or should I say lots of care packages). Hugs from Denver Karen

((((((Cy))))))) - So sorry to hear your news. Will pray that the chemo will soon kick this cancer to the curb and you will be dancing with NED again. I hate this frickin disease!

Hugs to you,

Sue

You ladies are a busy bunch....lots of posts to catch up on, don't know if I can do it but I'll try.

Denise, saying a prayer for you; I cannot even begin to imagine what that loss is like.

Betty, I use Pampered Chef products. Their garlic press and ice cream scoop are the best. Someone on this board is a Pampered Chef consultant but I can't remember who.

Shel, is nerves getting the best of you? You should just enjoy yourself and if it doesn't work out, it's practice for the next one. What does Earl know? Have a great time.

Liz, thanks for the update on Jankay. B9 results for you tomorrow.

Jankay, hope you get some answers soon.

Vickie, I'm proud of you for hanging in there with your non-smoking.

Sheri, can you take Claritan for your allergies? If so, Costco sells the generic, with the same active ingredient as Claritan, 3 times the quantity at 1/3 of the price. I start my day with Claritan/generic. The generic is $11.99 vs. the $30 for Claritan.

Shirley, have a great time.

CY, I'm sorry. Putting you in the middle of the circle for some extra hugs. Is there anything else I can do?

Karen, I forgot to tell you - I've been on tamox. for over two years and as soon as I have the tests to determine if I am actually in menopause, the onc. wants to switch me to another AI. I did not have any side effects from tamox once the initial shock to my system was over. At fist I had the pain in my feet but that has subsided. I take my 20 mg at night before I go to bed.

Ladies, since I need to have blood tests and I had a bilateral with nodes removed on both sides, how much of a risk of lymphedema do I have if I have them draw blood from the back of my hand vs. my foot? I am cringing at the thought of them using my foot so it was suggested the back of my hand...what do you think?

Good night all and hope tomorrow is a good day.

Margaret

Calling all information gatherers and prayer warriors…I have a friend I need to put in the center of the circle. My friend Nan’s husband has malignant melanoma. I just talked to her and it is stage 4. She said he feels really good, but they have chosen NOT to do any further treatment all he has had is multiple surgeries to remove the skin tumors).

Even though my dad had melanoma in 1980, he had 2 surgeries and then no further treatment. They gave him 3 months to live….goes to show you that statistics don’t mean jack…he is still here with us today NED. In 1980 they really didn’t have any effective treatments to offer. From what I have read, they do have some treatments now, but nothing that looks like the big guns…nothing clear-cut. He wants to sell everything, buy a boat and sale until he dies.

My friend just lost her mom last year to cancer, pancreatic I think, after a long fight. She doesn’t seem to want DH to get treatment if it is not clear-cut.

First of all, does anyone know a site like this one for melanoma? I have googled some, but didn’t find anything that looks like here.

Second, how do I help my friend? How do I accept their decision to not seek treatment when I am the kind of person who would (or think I would) keep looking for treatments, no matter what?

I am really out of my league here and don’t know what to do. They are v ery private, and I don’t want her to think I am prying, but crap…I want to help!

Nan said they are researching clinics down in the States to go for a second opinion. Does anyone know a melanoma expert? Maybe if they see someone top-notch, they can be convinced to try treatment.

I am just heart-sick. I hate cancer

oops forgot
Deb, I'll be adding your friend to my prayer list.

I was a Pampered Chef consultant. I recently went inactive to focus on my health!

Thank yo all for your support.
I have personally told both my daughters and will call my step daughter tomorrow. My stepson will be here Friday and will tell him then if SD doen't tell him before.
Scott says tonight is for cryng and tomorrow we fight!
Thanks you Jules and Cheri for talking withme tonight. You all are the best!

Cheri I'll keep you in prayer that the surgery is a sucess!

Question has anyone done Abraxane & Avastin? That's what I will be doing weekly!

Throwing a few logs on the fires and walking the circle with love and hugs for all my sisters!

Im actually speechless this morning. Feeling such sadness for you Cheryl. I know this is devastating news and right now you are probably heart broken. And the thought of facing chemo again, must be overwhelming. I just wanted to share that we are here for you.



Sherloc: Im the expert at not being able to quit smoking. You are not weak. At least you have it in your mind that you want to quit. And I have been told, people need to try many times before they are successful.

Sheri: I hate doctor appointments like that. As a nurse who used to work in ICU, I never let anyone take blood pressures for me on any of my patients. I only trust my ears. Alot of office staff who look like nurses are not. They are medical assistants who go through the same boring routine of taking blood pressures on each patient when they come in. Did you discuss with your doctor, you cant afford more prescriptions? I would call the office and see if they have samples of the allergy medication. My PCP gave me samples of Zyrtec which really helped me. You need your blood pressure medication and if you cant afford it, then ask your doctor to order something that is less expensive. Im on Atenolo - its an older medication but works for me and is really inexpensive. As far as your daughter, kids have fun in college. Maybe you need to tell her to get a summer job - to save for her tuition. Thats what I had to do. Made my courses much more important.


Liz: I do be we are very much alike and connected too! Good luck with the US today. Just hoping they can find out what this is and fix it. Jelly belly that wiggles? Yep - thats me. Im still walking, but right now Im holding at 11 pund weight loss. Cant seem to lose anymore. Guess I will have to add more steps to my daily routine.

Jan: You have to go back and read the South Beach Diet book. The purpose of this whole diet is not just to lose weight, but to lower your cholesterol. After chemo, my cholesterol shot up to 310! I have been on Lipitor for 5 months and will get my blood checked again in 1 month. Im hoping with exercise, dieting, and medication, my numbers will be better.

Colleen: Just keep up the exercisng when you can. I have to tell myself sometimes, I dont have to do this everyday. They say 30 minutes 3x/week will get you conditioned. I just add alot more walking throughout the day. Parking in the furthest spot away from where ever I am going.

Well, its time to go make breakfast. Hope you all have a wonderful day. I have missed many but love you all.

Nicki

OH...Cheri has her pre-op today. we are right there with you all the way! Surgery and all better tomorrow!
hugs and love again
Vickie

Good morning happy campers! Last day of training for me -- whoohoo! Oh, and its 2 hours a day total for the commute, not 2 hours each way. But it still is a big chunk of my free time.

CY -- so sorry to hear that the results weren't B9. I'm praying for you that you will soon be back into NED status. Do you know what chemo they will be doing?

Cheri -- best wishes on your ankle surgery. Here's hoping you will be back takin names and kickin butt soon. Those puppies are HUGE!

Sheri -- I use Alavert and get it from Sam's Club. I can get 72 for $24 dollars (approx). Maybe a friend will let you borrow their Sam's card if you don't have one. Alavert is Claratin from a different company. Also, I agree with the suggestion someone else made about daughter. Getting a summer job might be just the ticket to help her realize that getting a good education is important if you don't want to spend your life slapping burgers at McD's the rest of your life.

Vickie -- hang in there. What you are doing is a worthy cause not just for you but for Nate and the rest of your family as well. No use surviving breast cancer just to get lung cancer down the road. And just think how much more you will be able to do when you have clear lungs and more air to do things with.

Deb -- so sorry to hear about your friend. I will definitely say a prayer for them. I just don't understand how after all these years and all the money that has been directed at this that we don't seem any closer to a cure or even knowing the cause of all these cancers.

Shel -- I guess I don't understand. Did you cancel the date or did he do it. If you did it then stop it! Why can't you just have a fun date that doesn't have to 'lead' to anything. Just go and have a good time. If you are worried about it ruining the friendship then just tell him upfront that you want to go very slow and that it might just stay a friendship.

Well, off to Java training.

CY, sending you positive healing energy. And a big fat hug! (((((((((((((((((CY))))))))))))))))))

Marsha

Just logged on to say Good Morning and check on Cy and others waiting results.
Now I'm bummed and pissed. I HATE CANCER!

Cy: We'll be right with you, and you will beat the crap out of the beast. Your DH is right..cry it out then fight it out.

Hugs,
Denise

{{{CY}}} Putting You in the center of All wagons!
I HATE CANCER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Puppy