HIJACK THIS THREAD!

I've been lurking on this thread and have enjoyed it immensely.

I wanted to jump in and say 'thanks' to Always Hope for posting instructions on how to insert photos..thank you!  

As for the dog topic, I have a site on my favs called the American Temperament Test that has dogs they've tested listed by breed and how those dogs fared on this test.  If anyone is interested,I can post the link.   It is, however, only indicative of the actual dogs tested and shouldn't be misconstrued to include all dogs in a particular breed, because there are always exceptions. 

Also, the AKC (American Kennel Club) site is a wonderful tool to help decide on a pet with breed stats and what to expect personality wise.   We have a 7 y/o dal/lab mix adopted from the SPCA, she's been my buddy all during treatment and I swear she knew I had cancer before I did!  But she's certainly not a lap dog although she thinks she is....she's the type who takes ME for a walk. 

Kimberly, good luck with your chemo, I hope the plan you signed up for works, the no SE one...didn't know about that one or I would've surely picked it.  LOL   Your poems are amazing, you are really talented!

Kimberly, my knees couldn't take the constant pounding of running either.  This is a boat racing team....I've heard the races take only about three minutes but you're paddling with all your might during those short, or long?, minutes.  The term dragon boat is used to describe the type of boat used, it holds 20 women, two abreast...sorry, couldn't help myself....10 on either side of the boat.  Just picture a very long canoe with a dragon at the front. 

I've been reading past comments on this thread and I see you're a twin!  I am too, identical and 5 minutes younger than my sister.  She had bc too, it'll be 15 years ago next month. She was dx when we were 33.  I always felt like I was a timebomb.   We've both been tested for the BRCA 1 and 2 and we are negative. 

Hope your neulasta shot goes well today!  

Okay, I'm at work and a BIG pet peeve of mine is noisy eaters! One of our maintenance guys always eats a sandwich with lettuce on it and it bugs the crap out of me to hear him munch and masticate! It seems I'm always taking a break when he is! :-/

At this very moment there's this guy eating corn chips and he's really making a lot of noise. Guess I need to get off the computer and finish my break outside of the breakroom.....  

Jaybird, I absolutely loathe noisy eaters.  I loathe them and they make me nauseous.  I've been known to tell them to pipe down...

Yeah, they look at me like I have a problem but I'm cool with that.  They quiet right down.

Oh my goodness those dogs are SOOO cute!  I would love to dress them up for Halloween!!

Anne

Melting over here at the photo of the gorgeous dogs. Thanks Carol for learning to post and then actually posting them!!!! Congrats! Oh they are soooooooooooooooooooooooo CUTE!

Kimberly..how are you doing???

I suggest the noisy eaters stay away from Kimberly for a while as she eases into "how to eat while on chemo". You have to just try things and see what you have the appetite for. I had cravings for Burger King..something that I NEVER eat during my normal times. Of course, I had the cravings for it but couldn't actually EAT it! Weird stuff!

I am one of the oldies so Anne, I can't help you. I've been liberated from those since chemo. "No, they never returned, no they never returned..."

Bush is in Jerusalem now and I'm on my way there. My son will be sworn in (he's in basic training in the paratroopers unit) there at The Wall.

Precious dogs, Carol!  Thanks for the pic.  I hope to learn how to post a picture in the near future...no time or patience right now.

Anne, sorry you're suffering so, but I can't help either in that dept.--my period makes an appearance oh so rarely these days.  Had one last January, and then nothing until September...wishing it would just go away for good.  I can't complain, though, reading your post.  Hope you're able to get some help.

How interesting, ravdeb...your son sworn into the Israeli army at The Wall!  I haven't made it to Israel yet, and it's high on my list of places to see before I die. 

I should be practicing my Japanese on Rosetta Stone, but I'm pooped...a little reading in bed and then lights out.  I'm so glad tomorrow is Friday--these five-day weeks after vacation are killers.

Take care, everybody...

Lynn

Talking about dogs, when we got Penelope (my basset hound) my dh wanted either a basset hound or a St. Bernard. I am not even 5 ft tall and I put my foot down for a dog that was bigger than I was and ate more than me. We then found Penelope as a rescue in 2003 and she has been a life saver for me now since my dh is home on weekends only. I have to take her to a groomer to get her baths because I cannot lift her 55 lbs into the tub by myself. As it is, I have to assist her into the car (small achieva), she can get her front feet in but has trouble getting her hind feet in, she gets stuck in the middle. the bad thing about her is she sheds constantly! I just bought a new vacuum because I could not find filters for my old one.

Sheila

Good Morning Ladies

Anne-Oh, I am so sorry you're experiencing the period from hell right after your bilat. I don't know what to say about the hormone issue...it could be so many things...pain meds you're taking for example can have headache side effects. Mine arrived about two weeks after my bilat done 12/6, and I had no problems. Good luck and hope you find relief.



TerryNY- Thanks for explaining the Dragon Boats thing..and for the Pic Marin...it looks like fun. And what a small world you having a twin. Sorry to hear about her diagnosis at 33..but 15 year survival rate should be very comforting to you as you travel this road now with all the advances that have occured since your sis blazed the trail ahead of you.



My twin is feeling a bit like a target too. She's experiencing the same sudden low blood levels I did this summer before my diagnosis in Oct. She's had two blood tests and both show low counts...she's been put on iron for two months...same routine as me, which raised them oh so slightly...and will get another test in two months...right about the time her BRCA test results come back...I'm praying it isn't cancer related as her mammo came back normal...but so did mine last year '06. I told her she needed to press for a PET once her tests come back and if they are positive -anemia still and BRCA positive. Once my tumors were removed....a week after surgery my blood work showed I was totally normal again...and I hadn't been allowed to take my iron for two weeks before surgery.



Jaybird-I am so right there with you on noisy eaters...it's eating with their mouth open that causes that lovely dining serenade. My husband eats noisily when he's having sinus issues...and with allergies...that's a lot. He can't get enough air through his nose and chew at the same time he says....he's always apologetic when he's eating loudly...and I know he's not doing it because he was raised to be an inconsiderate eater.



Twink-Hey what a small world you living in Concord and shopping at one of my sister's regional stores.

Yes, I am lucky to have my sisters close...what a bummer to be so far away from yours...3000 miles is a big distance. Hopefully you talk a lot and/or email often to keep in touch. And how adorable are your big sweet dogs...I love the blonde as well using your little girl as her writing desk..writing poetry maybe?



Carol C-OMG are those puppies just the cutest things... it's like they're smiling.



RavDeb- I'm doing OK so far. So far, only slight nausea...not even bad...a weird taste in my mouth, but not metalic like...just swish with Biotene wash after meals and that seems to help. Drinking lots of water and tea. Had 4 small meals yesterday, not a lot but I have no real appetite...just eating cause I know I need to eat. I'm supposed to experience a potential Decadron crash...but I'm saying I don't want to do that, so I won't. I could also experience achiness and flu like syptoms due to the C chemo drug I'm on and the Neulasta in the next day or so, but again, I'm saying don't want to...and so far nothing like that has occured...as far as 9:47am that is. ;-)



How exciting and a bit scary to have a son in the military at this juncture...I'm glad he made it through boot camp. My son joined the Navy at 22, but a knee and back injury from roller hockey days were so aggrevated by the training that he was unable to function...and he so wanted to make us proud...ended up getting really depressed about it all and was medically discharged before even finishing boot camp. Can't say I'm sorry about that... So, how was Bush's visit- he's not my favorite person on the planet right now, I have to admit.



I am soooo looking forward to no more periods. I do think..don't know why that I'll have at least one more during chemo and maybe two. But the nurse was pretty postitive that I'd be in chemopause permanently. WhooHoo!!!



TerryNY- LOL about your McDonald's comment...just the thought of fast food made me say 'yucko bucko'.



All for now, I should probably eat something.

Your SIS

Kimberly

Sheila-Thank you for raising a son that is trying to keep our country safe. I have 2 little boys and I just can't image how I will deal with them going into the military. Thank your son for me too.

I don't know.....

My mom's mom died from BC (47 years ago) and my mom gave her morphine injections.....  Definitely not a pleasant way to die, for sure, but would a care-taker rather take care of you or have you just 'go', without that final "good-bye?" Perhaps I should ask my mother, but she was only 23 at the time of my grandmother's death so maybe she can't give me a 'good' answer.

Sorry, I guess my neighbor's sudden death, along with my own thoughts of leaving my daughter motherless, have made me contemplative.....

I'm thinking (selfishly?) that I want to be here for as long as possible. Death is not pretty but it is a fact of all of our lives so why shy away from its unprettyness? If my loved ones love me then they will tolerate my dying. If not then hopefully they'll give me some pills or something to expedite the process. JMO...