please help

Oh its just a little cruise to the Mexican Riviera, we have done this one 3 times!  BUT the good news is, it is San Diego to San Diego, no airplane flights.  WHOOPEEE, I am getting so I hate to fly.  That last one to Tanzania, 23 hours each way from LA, was a killer.  AND old stupid, I broke my foot in the airport in Amsterdam and when we got to LA, I could not walk.  So I had to "hop" to the doorway of the plane.  The stewardess said, "Do you have this happen often?",  I said, "No, only when I trip in your airport and break my foot".  I asked her what do you do when people can't walk and can't hop?

She said they bring a gurney over the top of the seats and get you out that way.  Sheeesh, they can keep those plane trips unless its first class.

So we couldn't miss this trip, on Princess, only $699 for 7 days, and since we have been all the places, we don't have to get off the ship!

Hugs, Shirlann

Shirlann , Bon voyage'! Have a great time. I know you will. I wish we were all going with you. That would be a hoot. I can't wait till you get back and share your "stories" with us. Love ya , xxxx Melody

PS- no breaking anything this time!!

Suneedazee , I hope your feeling better and will be posting your pics soon. Hugs and prayers , Melody

Hi gals,

First off, thank you so much for the warm welcome. I really do appreciate it and feel as though I have been here for years.

So no news from Sue yet? I hope she had an easy day and is having sweet dreams.

Sue: Again, nice to meet you. I hope it's OK for you to have me here in the thread you started. Like you, I had never heard of ports until I came here two years ago. As I said in my last post, I did double 12 weekly Taxol and 4 EC but never had a port put in. It's just not a common thing where I live. In Japan, doctors don't opt for surgery unless it's really necessary like when there's evidence of disease. No matter how easy it seems. So they don't put a port in nor do they remove your ovaries just to be on the safe side as long as you can opt for the hormone threapy. Yes they put a needle in my hand first but since all veins were damaged enough to be undetectable, they ended up putting it in my wrist. Eeeewww! But once they successfully "stab" at you, you will not suffer a lot of pain. My veins are still a mess but it's not really a big deal.

Shirl: So where are you going to? You will just have to email me a bunch of pix so that I can post them for us all. You will be missed. Just be prepared Ma'am, us all kids will not sit still while you are away. There will be a huge mess when you return! *lol*

Karen: You look fab in your new avatar. I wouldn't have known it's a wig if you hadn't told me so. It does look so real. Oh and thanks for sharing the pictures. I just loved them all.

Valerie: Even though we have never talked in person, I have known you for quite a while now. You have always been such a caring girl and I respect that. Oh by the way, I loved your doggies. They all look so smart.

GB: Boy! I didn't realize you're from Ozland! Let me say I am half Aussie in sprit. You can see that from my username. You are so right, it doesn't matter how far we are apart to become friends. Did you know that I have a best friend in Melbourne whom I met over 8 years ago on the internet? I have visited her three times and am looking forward to seeing her again sometime soon. When I was dx'd with this dreadful disease, I got a bunch of cards and food from her entire family. I visited her this past May and her mom and other relatives invited me to their house and threw a BBQ party for I was strong enough to go through the ordeal. Oh one more thing... I am a huge Rove fan!

Melody: Hahaha a match stick! You funny girl. It's been a while since I ditched my silly wig but I still can't help but hold my head when the wind blows hard. One thing I have learned from having been bald for such a long time is that you can get the flu from your head. I just didn't know hair was such an important thing to keep you warm.

OK time to go now. I am sorry I missed so many. But know you are all in my thoughts. Have a lovely Tuesday everyone!

xo

Fumi

Hi Sue,

Glad to see you back but sorry you are not in a happy mood.

As for the wig, my hair was much longer and thick and the colour was darker than my wig. But everyone thought that I just had my hair cut short , trimmed and coloured. Only those who knew I was going through chemo knew it was a wig. The fact is... no one cares as much as we think they would. Ha ha! You know, just because you change your hairdo doesn't automatically mean everyone recognize that, especially those dumb guys! So try not to be worried and stressed. You will be just fine. And don't be sorry honey, you can tell us whatever you want. When you want to throw a pity party, just tell us so. We will join and even bring some yummy stuff. Hang in there sweetie. Eat chocolate and feel better!

xo

Fumi

Hi Sweet Sue, I don't leave until Sunday noon.  I am packing for one week and it looks like I am going for a month.

I will come back even fatter!  YIKES, I used to be so thin.  Ah youth!

Honey, I can tell, you will not like the chemo, but as you sit there, just think over and over, "go kill those cancer cells, I never want to hear that word again".  Say this with your eyes closed and mean it.

Then, when you are all done with treatment, we will all show up at your Subway, order lunch, eat politely, then carry you off!!!!  We will go to Harrod's, (of course no one can afford to buy anthing there, but it is fun to look) and then eat again, and then to a funny, funny play.  Then to the pub for our pinta.

Ah, I can see it all now, what a treat, some real good deals in the winter, too.  And we went to the Tower of London to see the jewels, and it was so cold, we were the only ones there.  We loved it, no lines, just good friendly people, good food, wonderful plays and such a blast!  We rented a car one year, and learned really quickly not to ask directions.  People would literally get in your car and insist on taking you where you were going!  Nicest people in the world.

Sighhh, and now we have our SUE!   What a treat.  I can sure dream them up, can't I.  But you never know!  Could happen!

Love you sweetie, and tell the doc/onc to be very careful with you as there are numerous crazy, our of control, yanks in the parking lot, watching to see they treat you like the Queen!  OR ELSE!!!

Love you, honey, Shirlann   

Hi Sue! Sending miles and miles of smiles and bunches of gentle hugs my dear sister. Your heading for another hill on this roller coaster ride. And it is stiring all your emotions up , once again.

Just before I started my chemo , I was scared , and angry. I mean , come on , who in there right mind wants to go through chemo!?! NO ONE! And of course , never having experienced it before then , that set up my fear factor. Alls I could think was that I was going to be sick , and bald. Two of the worse things ever for me. And just before my chemo started , I saw an onc that wasn' t my onc (thank god!) , she was covering for him that day and I started crying and she smiled this smurk and said , "you have to find peace with this". And then , I got angry. I thought  , this is war between me and the bootface , The only peace I will have is when I win! I hated chemo. But I did it. I think what upset me soooo much , was the fact that I felt like I didn't have a choice through all this.

I'm sorry you have to go through this to Sue. But remember , I made it through and I know you will too. It just really sucks. And other than the day of chemo and the next day , I worked through out it. You keep your fiesty spirit going Sue. It will get you through this. And we are all here for you.xxx Keep an eye on the scratches. Edwina bite my arm , while I was doing chemo. But it was ok. Remember , try to stay focused on the present. I will be thinking of you tomorrow. Your plan will be mapped out tomorrow. Thats a good thing. Let us know how it goes. Try and get some sleep. Sending you postive vibes. Much love and hugs to you and your boys. Melody

Sue,

You are on this rollercoaster again, and I'm sorry you are down.  Hope you read this when you wake up as I am going to bed myself now, but just thought I'd pop in to check on how you are.

Chin up, sweetheart, and take my good wishes with you tomorrow when you meet your oncologist.  Give him/her a big smile as they are going to become your best friend over the next few years.  Chemo is tough there's no hiding that fact, but as I keep saying "doable" for someone as physically and mentally strong as you.  Who would have thought you would have been back at work as soon as this?  You are one strong woman and you need have no fear of chemo, just tell your body to work with the chemo to kill the c-cells and drink absolutely loads of water.  The water is the secret.

Holding you in my heart for a good meeting tomorrow.  You're doing just fine.  Your onc will be so proud of how you are dealing with this.

Much love, sweetie,

Valerie S

Sweet Sue, show the scratches to the doc/onc at your appointment.  And if you can get some ointment that has an antibiotic in it, this is good too.  Occasionally, cat scratches can cause "Cat Scratch Fever", you don't need this, I am not sure it is even real.

So be sure and show them when you get to the docs.

Now the gals who are chemo veterans will tell you to take all the stuff they give you.  DO NOT wait to see if you will get sick, it is then much harder to get rid of the nausea, if you do just what they tell you, the gals say it is not that bad.

No, I will be back on the 18th.  Just a little jaunt.  Warm water.  San Diego is great, but the water is COLD.  hahaha

Love you honey, Shirlann

Oh, and fumi, I forgot to say, that chocolate cake looks DIVINE!!!  Yummy! 

Hi Sue



Good luck today!

You are going to be fine, if you are anything like me you will know what a hangover feels like LOL and my aunty (who had chemo last year) said that its a bit like that. She is a cancer nurse and she said that some people have hardly any side effects at all! Have fun choosing your wig, you can choose some really beautiful styles like Karen.



Karen you are stunning! you look like a model in those pictures!



Sunneez your pics are great, is that ALL your garden! That is amazing, I know they say American homes are bigger but that is something else! Were all those hearts for you? How thoughtful



I'm off to have the op on Friday (9th) getting pretty worried about the pain now!

I know it sounds like a strange thing to worry about but I'm due for my period on the day of the op, I bleed really heavily and get very anxious!

Will I be able to 'sort myself out' in the toilet without help?

I suppose they have seen it all before....



Again hope you feel better after your app today Sue and are not working too hard!



Poppy

XXXXX

Dear Sue,



It's a lot to take in today for you and for us, this weight of chemotherapy choices based on pathology. I hope Dr. Welsh will let you speak again with him, or his appointee, as needed before making your choice. I haven't posted in a tad, and now I just wish to give you a hug, as it's hard hearing about one's tumor.



If you feel you wish to ask your friends here for help with your decisions (and I don't think that's necessarily not a good step), you may wish to give some details too about the trial you were offered which sounds like it included Capecitabine (hence his reference to burning hands which I suspect is hand foot syndrome). Any way you might check on that and post. On the other hand, if you have definitively ruled that out, then no need to check.



Thank you for posting, which must have been hard to do today. We're here for you and all the others here, Sue.



One day, one decision, one step at a time. That's how we do it!



Tender