please help

Dearest, beautiful Sue, I hope you are tucked up in a peaceful sleep right now. I just wanted to send you a big (((((((((()))))))))) and all my best thoughts and prayers. You are greatly loved by all of us and you are so precious. Your strength, youth, wonderful character, fighting spirit, love for your boys all add to the power that you have over this stinking bootface. In addition you have these nasty powerful chemicals which although they are giving you hell, are eradicating any minute remnants of the bootface - imagine how it feels - much worse probably!

Much love and hugs,

gb

Sue, and everyone here, a blessing/toast;

To the lamp of love:  may it burn brightest in the darkest hours and never flicker in the winds of trial.  ~Author Unknown

We are all here holding our lamps of love/support for you and for each other...

I am hoping and praying that our love/support helps us all to keep the light burning through all that is difficult to endure.

And Sue, I am sure it is normal to grieve the loss of our old 'before cancer' lives--because I am grieving that too... 

I have a BC psychiatrist who told me to grieve but also to look ahead and focus on what I underwent the mastectomy for--which was to go on living, and that is what you will do too.  You will go on living and see your grandchildren one day.

When I start to feel anxious or worried, I think of my grown kids (23 and 21) and their lives and I get some spunk back and determination to work through whatever it takes to go on because I want to be here for them (and for me too).

This year I decided, like honeygirl, that I will decorate my house as much as possible for Christmas and I am not taking down my Angel collection and string of white lights on my mantle. 

I love Angels and decided that I need them all year round--the white little lights are my little lamps of love that I have burning for all who go through this difficult disease.

I lost my MIL to BC in 1997 at age 57 (she fought for ten years and worked so hard to help others--died New Year's Eve) and then I was diagnosed at 45!

Not a day goes by that I don't think of her and her strength.  My daughter is 21--and I pray and hope that she never has to face this, but her odds don't look so good.

So, when the doctors asked me to be in a four year research study having to do with 'younger' women getting cancer I said yes without even caring about the details (blood draws, etc).

My heart aches for anyone who must battle breast cancer (including myself)--but I know I can reach out here--and just knowing that I am not alone--gives me great comfort and hope.

Hugs to you all.

What a beautiful post, Wren.  I love that quote.  I worry about my daughter as well.  Her grandmother had bc about 11 years ago, and now me.  I told her not to be scared, but to be diligent about doing her self exams and getting mammograms. 

Hi there Lisa!  I'll check for those pm's.  Thanks!!  Flying free is a great perk of working for the airlines, isn't it?  I worked for Northwest as a reservations agent many years ago.  Portia's dad and I flew to Orlando one weekend.  We upgraded to first class for $40 a piece.  It was great!!

Sue, I'm hoping you're feeling better, sweetheart.  I love the song "Yesterday", by the Beatles.  It always makes me cry though.  So sad.  I grieve my old life, but I know that my new life will be so much better because I appreciate life so much more now.  I'm ready to finish my treatments and truly start LIVING.  I'm not going to put things off anymore because I'm too busy.  I love you SO much, Sue!  You're such a dear, sweet lady.  ALL of you are!

Love and hugs to you all--Lisa, Melody, Shirlann, Wren, gb, Sheila, Poppy, Ulla, Tender, both the Valerie's and any of you that I've missed (sorry).

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Karen

Sue...boiling a wig...haha..omg..you make me laugh!

I lauged reading how you were yawning making everyone else yawn..then I started to yawn!! Yes...I am on the internet more than working! LOL Mostly on this site! Take it easy on your lifting sweetie.  Did you get my Christmas card yet?  I love you sweetie!!

Karen..traveling for free, is a perk for us.  The pay isn't the greatest, so at least we have that!  I may travel to Santa Monica in January when my sister has her baby.  Now that my surgery isn't until February, I could do that for a few days!

Love to all!

Lisa

Lisa, It also seems like I am on this site more than I should be here at work. I wish I could fly anywhere for free or even half price.  My son is stationed in Honolulu and I want so bad to go see him when his ship returns to port next spring but I doubt that I will make it. He did manage to fly in right after my surgery because of a death in the family and the Navy relief society got him round trip tickets leaving the same day for $500, he was looking on line and it would have been closer to $1500.

Sue, You need to learn the dicipline not to lift heavy things. I went to the post office last week with 5 boxes going to troops and I used a techinque to get help. I asked a man who was walking into the post office if he would help me carry the boxes in to mail them. I did not even need to use the cancer card, he carried in more boxes than I expected him to, I was going to carry 2 but he said stack four boxes in his arms so I only carried 1.

Sheila

Sheila...that must be so hard to have your son so far away. Bless him.  There you go...ask, seek..help is there!

Where in NC are you?  I love the Carolina's.  We used to always vacation on the Outer Banks!  Love it there...down in a town called Avon..very peaceful!  I miss it.  Work is so slow today...so I am on here more!

Sue..my wig instructions said..wash in cool water, rinse and pat dry..haha...boil..omg...I can't believe you did that!  I need to wash mine one last time (God willing) and pack it away!

Lisa

I bought special shampoo, not sure if I really needed too.  Just filled up the sink, put a small amount in the cool water, swished it around and let it sit there for about 15 min..rinsed..and patted dry and put on the wig holder to dry.

Enjoy your bath dear Sue!!

Glad you liked the Christmas card. ( I had it in the box with the scarves..haha)  Sorry...it came alone!

Lisa, I am in the foothills just north of Hickory about 9 hours from where you vacationed. I also love going to the beach.

My son went to HI April 2005 after my first dx of pre-cancer ADH and will be in HI until 2010, but now he is somewhere in the Pacific, last I heard he was off the coast of Guam. Now we are limited to when he has email access for communications. He did say he was going to try and call Christmas day. I just keep him in my prayers and let God watch over him.

My parents went over Fall 2005 for 15 days and it cost them about $2200 including the hotel. They planned the trip several months in advance and were able to get the cheap tickets. When you have to fly on emergency status they seem to bump the prices up.

Hi all



Sue do you feel a lot less sympathy for people who call in sick at work? I have two youngsters working for me, Funnily enough they were BOTH sick today! (They are seeing each other)



i am so angry. I know they were not both ill and I feel like they have made my first day back a nightmare!!



They didn't even bother phoning they just txt one of the staff saying that they were not coming in.



I know I should just deal with it and not take it personally but when the girl called me this afternoon I made her cry. I just said that her blatant disregard of the sickness reporting procedure was totally unacceptable and it will be debt with when they come in tomorrow.



The guy whos been running my store is very nicey nicey and they are all turning up late and being lazy! I just feel so stressed already!!!!!!!!!!



I HATE STAFF!!!!!!!!!!!

Shirlann.........I know you have been dealing with this mess!! I am so sorry for you!!! I can't top it, and wouldn''t want to try.

I remember dealing with my girls bringing lice home when they were little...that is a NIGHTMARE TOO! All the cleaning and stripping, and more cleaning and washing hair...yikes!!  I feel for you!! Especially now..right before the Holidays!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

xoxo

Lisa

Oh Poppy...I don't blame you one bit for being upset!! But don't let it get you stressed!! But I would definately deal with them tomorrow.  It is hard to find people with good work ethics!

I am sorry your first day back had to be like that!  Shame on them!

Sounds like you need to take the bull by the horns..and shape these people up. Good luck!

Enjoy the vodka!

xoxo

Lisa