Starting Chemo in JAN 2007

Morning PS: We all slept great and this morning Grendel is a frisky little monster, living up to his name. Busy hiding the phone cords and such! - Skye

Good morning, ladies.  I'm working a later shift today (10:30) which was nice when I got to sleep late, but will be a drag when I don't get off until 7:00.  Fortunately I don't have to do that very often.   I should be out trying to shop, but instead I've been reading.  Much more relaxing.

Skye, I keep going back to look at the photo of Grendel.  He really is the cutest thing I've ever seen - so glad he's a "good" puppy, too.  Those little Lhasa's do have such good personalities (well, my dad had one once that only he could love, but in general, they are so smart and cute).  You'll have to keep taking new pics for us every week or so.  I'm glad your mammo experience went well.

Tina, I'm so glad your oncologist gave you the all clear - you have had a rough go, but maybe it will help not to have to feel like a cancer patient all the time.  I hope you will also be able to stop feeling like a heart patient at some point.  I taped the Bobby Flay show last night so I can watch you on tv - good thing Rebecca mentioned it in chat.  I'm sure you're hoping for FL rather than Nashville, as far as a move, right?  You will do well wherever you go though - I just hope your dh lands in a comfortable job situation this time.  Sounds like his former job was more like a pit of vipers.

Nancy, poor baby...a root canal for Christmas?  Hope you're over your cold soon, though.  And I would like the washing machine - I loooove appliances.  I guess because I spend so much time operating them.  I love that red Samsung set I keep seeing - how cheerful! 

Joni, did you ever get the Old Bay package?  I gave it to my dh to mail, and he didn't know what it was, so on the customs form he wrote jewelry box!  I've been paranoid that they were going to check it ever since.  Hope you're feeling ok, really.

Lynn, so glad to hear from you and to hear you're doing well.  I'm not looking forward to my surgery much (now that I've sort of lost my momentum and had time to think about it) but I did make my appointment for my office visit in early March, after which she will put me on the schedule.  Jan, I'm sure you have mixed feelings, also, but yours will be over before you know it.

Cindy, I too am charmed by your dancing idea.  I'm such a klutz - maybe I should take some lessons, too.  I love making noise, so maybe tap is my thing!  Maybe we should all dance this year, actually - in celebration of surviving, and of each other.

Viddie, hope your weather has improved and that you aren't doing any more shoveling.  I don't know what it is about guys that makes them resist letting someone else do anything for them.  Makes me crazy!

Rebecca, the bday party story was so great - your little guy is such a doll.  I do look forward to the day I open a parcel to find him inside.  Hope your cold is better, also.

Well, I saw the oncologist yesterday.  She is going to refer me to a rheumatologist, who is coincidentally in the same office as my internist.  She didn't think it was cancer related, necessarily (nor do I) but didn't know what to make of it.  She offered a bone scan (I declined) and additional pain meds (I declined those also).  Whatever the pain/stiffness is, it is progressing, though, so I am ready to get to the bottom of it.  I'm not as down about it as I was though. 

Well, I'm going to be late to work, if I don't hurry up and get dressed.

Caya, Mary, Amera, Sharon, Melia, Robbin, and everyone else I may have missed...hope all is well with you all.

Will check in later.  Happy Wednesday!

OOps, I meant Rebecca and Nancy re the colds.

Guys, great news!

I just got in from my cardio and they said my heart sounded great.  They upped my meds and said I'd have a repeat echo. in Feb.  At the end of our visit I spoke about my gyno. conditions and how will I address them if my heart isn't up to speed (no pun intended) and I can't do anesthesia.  It must have set a lightbulb off in his head because all of a sudden he offered to do an echo today...  must have realized he could have it covered by insurance because we'd need to know current state of affairs w/my heart if I need the gyno. work done.  Well, I was all over that.  They did the echo. this am and the tech. told me my score:  50-55%!!!   Totally normal.  I was only 5% two weeks ago.  It had to be viral if I rebounded like this.  I am just amazed.  I couldn't even tell Paul on the phone w/out boohooing with relief.  It's all been just so emotional and draining.

Skye, I am not going to do the last 3 herceptins.  I feel I've done enough.  Onco. agrees.  He said I can do it again should I ever have a recurrence.  And get this:  it's best that our echos are in the 50 to 60 range...  going up to 70 isn't better.  Very strange stuff, these echos/mugas.  So your recent drop is actually better for you.

Nancy, congrats on getting past that root canal!

Tina - Just read your post - absolutely thrilled for you - what a relief - OY!!! Now you can really enjoy your XMAS with your lovely family - and rest up and relax now !!  Interesting news about the lower score being better - I went from 64% down to 59% - I was worried, and the onc. told me it was fine, but now I feel even better.

Skye - enjoy Grendel, he seems like a real character.

It must be dentist week here - Amanda (elder DD) was at the dentist this morning and he took impressions as he wants to make her a night mouthguard.  She had her wisdom teeth out last year and he wants to make sure her teeth don't shift now (me too, after the $4800 I spent on braces for her - OY!)

Both the girls are home now - and I am doing major laundry as they will be packing tomorrow as they are flying down to Florida to stay with my mom for 10 days - Pembroke Pines, which is in near Hollywood Beach, but more inland (west).  They are looking forward to it and I am so happy they are going - and then they will be back for New Year's Eve and have a week here at home with us before they go back to school for their second semester.  Amanda will graduate in June, I can hardly believe it.

And I just noticed we're at the 7000th post - Whoo Hoo!!

Tina I'm so happy that you received more good news. That's wonderful. I do hope you'll have a more relaxing holiday as a result.

Rebecca- Alvin and the Chipmunks? Blech. I hope that cold starts getting better soon!

I had a chest x-ray Monday as part of my pre-op test that i have to get before my DIEP in January. Didn't worry to much about it until I got home this afternoon to a message from my doctor's office telling me to call. I totally fell into major panic mode. Left a voice mail for the nurse and then was crawling the walls waiting to hear back. Of course she was just calling me to say that they had the results and everything looked normal. I had no reason to think it wouldn't be. This scansceity thing is a killer. How the heck do you spell that anyway? 

Ugh Jan...Scanxiety stinks almost as bad as the Alvin and the Chipmunks soundtrack.  I have not been required to see the movie yet, but I am sure that is coming soon.......

Glad your xray was normal.  I agree with Caya, I think they should leave good news as a message if need be....although then if they do not leave a message you know by default that it is bad news so what is the point? 

Tomorrow is my last day of work until the New Year!  Melia, don't take on more work.  You're right, you can only do what you can do. 

Tina, great news from the doc!  Did they ever figure out exactly what caused your heart problem?  Rebecca, if you keep feeling that bad = get to the dr before the weekend and the holiday! 

Skye, Grendel is so cute!  Glad you have some help with DS there.

I got a crown for Xmas, $359 with my insurance - not quite as bad as the rest of you but still not what I wanted in my stocking.

In fact what I wanted more than anything was a new bedroom set.  DH had a deal lined up to get a king size bed, 2 nightstands, 2 dressers and entertainment unit and two chairs for free - too good to be true.  The builder "forgot" and shipped all of the model furniture outstate.  He paid DH $2000 for the mistake in addition to the commission but I explained to DH, you can't buy a bedroom set for $2000!  Ours is 33 years old.  The bed is just a full size and getting way too small with my night sweats.  None of the dresser drawers open.  I am so disappointed.  I blew up.  He asked what is wrong with me?  I said, ah well, I just had bc, etc.  He said, "but you are over that."  As you see, they don't get it!  Then I got mad at myself for getting mad over something so material.  It is very unlike me to want something so bad.  I want that exact bedroom set!!!  I guess it wasn't meant to be.

On a good note, my SIL (kidney transplant) came home from the hospital today.  My brother is having a hard time finding a way to keep track of her meds.  She takes 4 pills 8 times a day...and we think we have it bad?

Lynn, glad you have such a great attitude!  Hope you keep feeling better.  You are very brave.

Mel, glad the holidays aren't getting to you.  If you feel like reading, read! 

My afghan is close to being done although I have more yarn so I keep going.

Cindy, I'm having a New Years Eve party - dance on over!

Joni, I keep praying!

Hugs

Mary, I totally understand your disappointment over the bedroom set. Sure, it's a material thing, and one lesson we have all learned is that material things aren't really what count (I am sure we all knew that going in). But I find that if there is something I really want, and we can afford it, I am much more likely to grab it now rather than wait. I don't feel as certain of the future, and maybe, in a sense, I feel I have "earned" whatever it is. I love my king sized bed.  I hope you can find a set you like.

Mel, I am glad you have some time off coming up. I am off for five days over Christmas, and then four over the New Year, and am really looking forward to it.

Jan, that was very insensitive of your doctor's office. You'd think they would "get" that we are a bit edgy now. I am glad the xray was clear.

Rebecca, I hope you are feeling better. I remember how hard it is to be sick when you have little kids.

Today is my one year anniv of the path report. The surgeon had warned my daughters that it looked like the cancer had spread, but they didn't tell me that til after the path report came in with no node involvement. Still, I was terrified. I remember taking a zanax and a vicodin before we left to meet with the surgeon. He blasted through the door, said he had "great news", and told my husband and me that the nodes were clear. I was so thrilled. I called my kids and best friend on the way home. That was a good day. Then came all the chemo, etc, but that day was a good one.

Ok, all, stay warm and safe. I am off to work. Just two more days.

Melia

Good Morning everyone,

Well, I got my plumbing problems all fixed.  It was the line from my sink to my fridge (ice maker).  Anyways, I had it replaced, and put in a better spot.  They had this line going under my hardwoods over to the fridge, and when it leaked my developed basement ceiling got wrecked.  Anyways, we had the line moved from the fridge directly downstairs to the utility room.  Now if you were building a house, isn't that where you would have put it in the first place?

Well, it looks like we are going to have to break down and buy the new washer and dryer.  I've had my current pair for about 18 years, so I have got my money's worth.  Okay....this is where I need my American sister's help.

How much is an LG front loader washer & dryer set (red or navy blue in colour) in the US.  They still haven't brought most of our stuff up to the same price as the US even though our dollars are almost equal....so if I can get it cheaper in the US, I'll order it there, and have it shipped to Shelby Montana, and go and pick it up.  Tina, I just know you'll be able to help me.  Oh, and I do want the pedestals...that way it forces me to get my laundry done right away...hahaha.

Mary, I had the same thing happen a few years ago.  I wanted this AECO bedroom set, called the Eden collection, but the only one left here in town was damaged, and if you're paying that much for a new bedroom set you want it pristine, anyways I always regret not getting it.  You're right though it is just a material thing.  Thanks for your prayers.  I'm so glad for your SIL.

I'm doing okay this week.  My good friend Anita is leaving for Phoenix tomorrow to spend the holidays with her daughter, (I'm taking her to the airport).  She also has received her letter to see the US Consulate about moving there.  I'm going to be so lost when she goes, we talk every day on the phone and she is my trip partner.  Talk about crazy, she had lived in the US for 30 years, both her kids were born in the US, and her Mom & Dad were both born there.  Her daughter (police officer in Phoenix) is sponsering her, Anita has no money worries, and it still took her 5 years to get into the US.   Anita lost her husband to cancer back in 2000.

Lynn, how are you doing?

Hugs to all.....Joni

It's still dark out - We're off to take the 2 DDs to the airport.  Will check in later.

I think you are right Melia...

Thinking about you Joni.

I am SO there holding your hand.

Skye...that picture of your two little guys is just so precious!  I am not sure which one is cuter....Love the matching hoodies! 

Joni - I hope you get good results today Joni. And I'm also hoping that the IV's go in easily this time.

Lynn - good luck with the drains. I hope everything turns out OK for your sister. Does this explain why she was acting so strangely before your surgery? Maybe it was a doctor's appointment that she had and didn't want to tell you about instead of a hair appointment. Anyway, I really hope that everything is OK for her and that she gets her results quickly.

Rebecca- hope that cold keeps getting better. 

We have an annual tradition in our family of taking the girls to the circus every year. It's always here during their birthday month, so it's part of their birthday celebration each year. I always get great tickets for them and we all have a blast.

This year the circus is here just 2 weeks after my DIEP. DH told me I can't go. I'm sure he's right (he knows me - I'm not tough like Tina off to see HM after a heart attack). So I just bought 3 front row tickets for them. I hate to think that I'll miss it, but I guess it's OK.

Last year we went during chemo and I remember feeling so sick the whole time, but having fun anyway.

I just wanted to whine about it a bit. Thanks.

Hello everyone,

Lynn, good luck with the drains, 4 yikes, I only had 1 and had a hard time with it.  I have put your sister in my prayers.

Tina, I'm so glad for your results, and glad it was only a virus. (Only a virus...does that sound stupid or what).  I know cause I'm hoping I only have arthritis.

Jan, it's always sad when we miss one of our traditions, but you will be there for lots more, and you'll look terrific!!

Dan is taking me today for my MRI, maybe keep me a bit calmer for the needles.  I'm also going to take an Ativan.

Also, with the weekend coming up, wedding on Saturday, dinners Sunday, Monday & Tuesday, I want to wish all of you the very Merriest of Christmases.  Thanks for always being here for me.

http://www.andiesisle.com/thefirstchristmasgift.html

A Happy & Healthy 2008 to all!!!

Love & Hugs...Joni