Lar, your comment about the pain shooting up your butt and down your leg CRACKED ME UP!!!!!!!!!!!! That was soooo funny! I am so happy for you too girl and thanks for the laugh! What's LI-PO-MA??? I can say it (I think) but I have no freaking idea what it means!

Mandy and fellow SM loathers, It's just something we do every year. Even my real mom goes to my Dad and S-monsters house. (She never re-married...she always said "he's going to pay me alimony until the day he dies!) I am going this year for sure no matter what because I want to read my dad's will. We were not offered that opportunity. None of us kids wanted to say anything to her but when my brother got laid off (he struggles...he has 5 kids) I just had to know so I asked Sandy about the will. She said "You can read the will, when you are here, if you so desire." Argh. My dad wasn't around when we were young but as we all became adults, most of us moved to FL to get the hell out of San Angelo (middle of nowhere) Texas and this is where he lived. Anyway, blah, blah, blah. I just can't wait for Christmas and this entire year to be over with!!

Liz, your comment about your sm also made me lol!! I'm glad you feel a little better and you know, the comment Lar made about you being able to get them replaced....I know that doesn't make you feel any better but.....if they do mess them up, you'll be happy they can! And, that procedure is nothing really right?? I love you girl. I hope that everything goes well for you with that. Now, regarding your hair....that SUCKS!!!!!!! Man sister...I just hate to hear this because I am still hating life with my hair and it is growing....slowly but surely. Not like Virginia's but it's about 1/2 inch long and my head is completely covered and it's pretty thick. I finished tx 8/16. Now, I have been taking the vitamin Biotine. It smells like s*#! but, I choke down 2 a day. That is suppose to make your hair and nails healthy. My onc wouldn't let me take it during tx but he said have at it afterwords. The Rogaine is not a bad idea either. I believe they really tested that stuff before they put it on the market and, it is very expensive and still selling so.....I sure hope this turns around for you fast Liz. Hugs girl...

I hope our Cindy's are o.k......

See y'all later!

Traci

Liz, Great news!!! My sister just had the tram flap surgery 12/13 and she is due in from Atlanta to my house (9 hr drive) in less than an hour!!! (With her screaming kids.....Lord, help me!)

Just trying to make you feel better girl. But for real..... : )

Here's a hug for you!!

Look what I just read:

To paraphrase Ben Franklin, 'In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom,  in water there is bacteria.' LOL!!!!

Hi girlies....I have HUGE honkin' head cold and I am NOT happy...  I guess if a head cold is the worst I can complain about, I got no right complainen' right??

Here's my latest pic- 6 months out of chemo.......

Liz- if it's any consolation to you, I had NO problems with rads...  They made my skin red and peely and such during the actual rads, but there have been no real long term SE's.  I do have some slight edema on my breast, but not that bad.  Like, when I take my bra off at night, you see the indentation of the bra in my boob.  It's funny...  The skin feels the same as before.  The whole boob is a little more brown than the other one...but even that's fading.  The texture of the skin and the boob is virtually identical to before I started (and now I am, golly, what, 7 or 8 months out of rads...had the rads in Feb-April before my chemo).

Lar- I am still thrilled for your news...phew...

Traci- I do love your posts!!  I am in for Vegas if you all want to meet up.  It would be a blast...

Ok, I'm going to go bond with my couch...and will this clogged head away. 

Happy Friday girlies...

Virginia 

Larr - so excited for you that it's not a tumor....but how is a li-po-ma treated?

Let's see, you asked about me - I seem to be working or busy non stop, just a wait and see at this point.  My mom's aunt died today....so my mom's family is doubly  sad.  Sigh....now I don't know whether to go see my mom for xmas which is what I was planning or to go keep my gma company because her sister died.  I don't know what it feels like to be 86 and have your sister die.....if it was my sibling at any time I'd be keening-wailing-not-coping upset.  But then I only have one brother and I adore him to bits.  Sooo....

re: my mom's dx - the focus is no longer on me, I need to learn to listen to my mom more.....This year was all about me, and now it's not, and I realize it's only been a week but the need to shift gears is clear, and it's taking me a bit. 

But work at least is going really well!  lots of grants awarded in the past two weeks - happy holidays indeed   Slowly but surely picking up the pieces from cancer land...

Plus, the best surprise ever - LeeAnne dropped by my work unexpectedly.   She looks great!  My staff commented that we'd seen the same hairdresser.....LOL.  (=chemo) But seeing a cancerland pal in person, it makes a huge difference! 

Happy Holidays to all, take good care!

Virginia, Get better soon!!!  And I hope you plan the Vegas party for AFTER my rads.  I wanna go!!!

have a great time Lorain!  and thanks for the encouraging words...I'm going to hope for the best.

That's amazing that they can see "stuff" on these pictures...they look like nothing to me!!  :O  Guess that's why I'm no doc!!

Went to the City today...  Had a blast.  I was cold, but awesome...  Nothing beats NYC at Christmas time...  But the crowds...oy oy oy...  TONS of people.

Here's a pic of me and my friend Laura with our Clown noses in front of the tree at Rockefeller Center.  LOL  (You know, the Big Apple Circus is in town).

Hehehehehe.

Liz- I meant to comment on going to Vegas after you rads... FOR SURE GIRL!  We coudln't meet without you!!!! 

Yes, I am lucky to live close to NYC....we had our office Holiday party at the Museum of Natural History.  But, with the perks of living close to the city, come positively outrageous costs for EVERYTHING...  Oh well... I'm sure I don't have to tell you living in CA...I'm sure it's just as bad...

It's WAY gloomy here in NJ today.  Thank goodness we went yesterday to the city.  Today should be Xmas cookie day...  Let's see how motivated I am!!

:O

Virginia 

Virginia, awesome pic of you.  It sounds like such a fun day!

Well my hair took a turn these past few days.  It's actually long enough to look a little wild with the curls.  I can't wait until it's long enough to have some bangs, but it's getting better all the time.

Mandy, I'm also a competitive womens vb player, though I had to leave my team of 20 years when I moved from the DC area a few years ago.  I'm hoping to play again someday, but there's little hope of joining a women's league again (my town's too small).

Have a wonderful holiday everyone!

Merry Christmas everyone!!  I'm sure you all are running getting ready for the big night/day with your kiddies.  I am proud of me...I made 2 batches of bar cookies this AM and have my 3rd and 4th batches of batter ready to be baked off!  Then, that's it!  I have to call it!!

My Dad will come over tonight and it will be just the two of us...  Nice and quiet.  Tomorrow at my brother's house then Wednesday my whole family comes here...  I am very excited...  

Stil sick though with that danged head cold.

Oh, and I have a TV US on Thursday.  YAY!  I'm REALLY looking forward to that...  GROSS...  Piss me off.  Tried to get my breast MRI squeezed in before the end of the year, but they couldn't do it.  Something to look forward to in '08.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day today and tomorrow!!

Big hugs to all,

Virginia 

Merry Christmas ladies!

Lar - how cool - another volleyball player in the group!  I have been playing competitive or at least organized volleyball every year since I was in grade 7 (30 years ago!!!)  I used to play ladies but now prefer co-ed.  I still spare on a ladies team and have played in a tournament already this year but I really like the power and speed of a co-ed game.  However, it is nice to be the "go to" person on a team instead of the guys all the time - or sometimes even play middle!  It all depends on what the team is like - some teams I've played for in tournaments have the women there to basically pass and serve - no fun at all.  The teams I've played on set the women their fair share and we are division 2, so it clearly hasn't hurt our team.  Are you able to play co-ed?  When I played first div. ladies a few years ago, there were 2 women on my team who drove 2 hours one way every Monday night to play on the team.  They were from a small town where there just wasn't any competitive volleyball for them and they figured it was worth it.  They'd drive in some pretty major snow storms - I thought they were crazy!  I guess it beats curling!

It's great that you got in so quickly to have your lypoma removed!  Are you planning on having a hysterectomy?  If so, may I ask why?  I asked my onc. about an oopherectomy but he didn't think it necessary - but now I'm not so sure about how I am metabolizing the Tamoxifen so I think we need to discuss this again.  Our diagnosis is pretty similar except that my tumour was larger (2.5cm) putting me at stage 2A - but I am ER/PR positive (100%) and her2 negative.  I am also a grade 3 (well, actually a 2-3 but they said to consider it grade 3).  I see my onc again on the 24th of January and I plan to take in a list of questions a mile long!

Virginia - you little baker you!  Way to go!  What's a "TV" ultrasound?  I am glad you got in before the end of the year - be sure to keep us posted on the results!  I'm sure all will be just fine.  No one has said anything to me about another mammogram yet - maybe becasue I'm still in active treatment? 

Well, I hope everyone is having a wonderful, meaningful and fun time with whomever they are spenging the holidays.  Wishing you all peace, love and happiness!

Mandy

Liz- LOL!  Maybe someday I'll come to CA for New Year's!  It would be great to meet you!!  This year I am going to my best friend Sam's house...  Her husband is a CRAZY man.  He called me and said, "GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNN, you gotta come over on New Year's....we're gonna sing KARAOKE!"  I said, "Only if i can sleep over..."  Every time I go there I get stinkin' drunk.  Last time, we ended up on the roof of their house "gazing" at the Empire State Building (they live near NYC with a stupid view of NYC).  Hilarious...

Mandy- TV is trans-vaginal.  UGH.  I only had the one...  My gyno is so paranoid...that's why I have to have the follow-up.  My onc said that it usually takes a few negative tests for the gyno's to feel comfortable...  The gyno is more in favor of taking out the ovaries...onc says, "no way if you are healthy..."  It's so hard to weed through the conflicting opinions.  I have a friend who gets injections to put her in menopause (she has the onc I originally had in NYC) --- I mentioned this to my onc in NJ and she said, again, "no way...why would you want to do that if you don't absolutely have to"  Makes me crazy.  And yes, I was a baking fool...and some of it did involve choclit!    In fact, I had christmas cookies for BREAKFAST this AM!  (NOT GOOD)!!

Lar- good luck with your surgery.  It's amazing to me that they can "see" that lipoma on the MRI.  It looks barely perceptible.  Amazing what modern technology can detect...Thank God we have it...  I hope that it is not painful for you!!   Is that something that you may have had...and they just happened to find it b/c they did the MRI and the tests b/c of the BC?  In other words, if you didn't have the BC, would this have gone undetected, maybe for years?

Ok girlies...  Merry Merry.  Liz, can't wait to hear what your surprise was from your hubby!!  LOL

Talk to you all later!!

Merry Christmas!!

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

Mandy, I played on a co-ed team for about 10 years.  It was a balanced team that gave equal play to the women and men.  As I reached my mid-30's though, I was losing a little leap, so it wasn't quite as fun to play on a men's net.  I may play co-ed again, but it's so hard to find the right mix where the guys are willing to give up hitting to give the women equal time.

Virginia, I don't know how long the lipoma has been there, but it's only been causing pain recently.  It was detected by a massage therapist a few weeks ago, and that's what started the diagnosis train.

As far as the ooph goes, at first when I asked my onc (pre-chemo) whether I should have my ovaries ablated, she said she didn't think so.  But when I saw her in Sept she changed her mind and suggested I consider it.  I didn't ask her why the change.  I think I will when I see her in a couple weeks.

I'm considering the hysterectomy because I have painful fibroids.  So it's not necessary to do it, but if it won't cause more problems than the fibroid pain, I might consider it just to be able to eliminate the risks to the lining due to Tamoxifen and get rid of the fibroid pain.

From your pictures you seem so youthful  so maybe that's why your onc isn't hot for you to do it.  But with such high ER #'s I'd definitely learn more about it and weigh it against se's.  My Gyn said that because chemo put me into permanent menopause, that losing my ovaries isn't going to produce se's of any significance that I'm not feeling already.

Liz, what a sweet sentiment from your hubby.  I wrote my hubby a card telling him that 2008 is going to be his year.  He put most everything aside in 2007 and took on the lion's share of the family burden (as well as making it to most of my appointments).  It made me smile to hear how your hubby is appreciating how hard it all this is on you, too.

Morning Ladies!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are sufficiently stuffed from all that yummy food, fulfilled from all the family surrounding you (or perhaps, happy that they weren't!) and got lots of great presents.  My Christmas was great - lots of crazy-chaotic togetherness, good food and lots of fun!  My son got a new sled and we went to the local hill to try it out on Christmas Day and had a blast - I even went off some "jumps" that some snowboarders had built...I was krapping myself but it was so much fun.  It is so life affirming to say "what the hell" and do something a little crazy, silly or even dangerous!

My kids got about a hundred movies between the 2 of them so we plan to spend some quality time with our TV!  In between soccer games that is- both of my kids are in a soccer tournament starting today and ending Dec. 30th. 

Well, hope all is well with everyone.  What was your favourite Crhistmas gift?

Talk soon, take care,

Mandy

Mandy, I think our dx's ARE pretty similar.  My tumor was actually over 2 cm by the time I had an MRI (1 month post US indicated it was 1 cm), but it was probably a combination of the hematoma from the biopsy and grade 3 rapid growth.   My nephew said that grade 3 tumors can double in size in a couple months.  My ER % is 80-something, so also high like yours.  Isn't it funny how we find comfort in finding others with similar dx?  It's not like this disease follows any of the rules anyway!  But I do find it useful to see what others are doing to mitigate risk.

I think Traci mentioned she is in her 30's ... are the rest of us here in our 40's?  Just curious.  (And Virginia, 40's IS young  ... but you are obviously young at heart, too.)

Off the cancer tech talk ...

I have been eating sweet stuff NON-STOP!  I made a pecan-cheesecake pie on Christmas day and I think I've eaten about half of it myself.  My 3 year old very nearly caught me cutting myself a piece for breakfast this morning (we're strict with him and sweets ... so I'm a big hypocrite!)

Mandy, we don't do Christmas gifts for the adults in our family, since we've exploded with kids in the past five years (nine altogether age 1-4).  Just too stressful to add on the adults.  Hubby's parents got us a wine fridge though, so I'd say that is my favorite since it's my only!

"Janet Evanovich"  ... tell me about her, Virginia.