Hi everyone,

Speaking of Valentine's day, my best friend was here with me from Virginia Beach to help me after my mastectomy surgery on Feb 7th.  I ended up being in the hospital til the 11th and then she came on the 12th and stayed about a week. How lucky for her to get to spend Valentine's Day with a friend who just found out her DCIS was really stage 3 cancer with 7 positive lymph nodes. What a roller coaster of emotions I was going through while she was here.

She bought me one of those Willow Tree figurines (Angel of the Heart) and told me I was the angel of her heart. She is such a sweet friend. I felt bad about taking her away from her husband on Valentine's Day, but she seemed unconcerned. I think I'll do something special for them this year. Perhaps I'll send a gift card for a dinner out!

So, maxie, you actually had your surgery on Valentine's Day? Wow... this calls for chocolate!

Diana, so sorry to hear about all your hubby is going through. It sounds like poison seeped into his system, making him sick like that.

I hope you can get caught up at work. Tax time waits for no man.

I think I have the approval for the LT now (although I'm not sure). I'm going to try to set something up on Monday. I have to go get blood drawn for my cardologist appointment on Tuesday, so I'm going to stop by personally and talk to them. I guess they can find out if I have the approval or not. I'm wearing a sleeve every day and this big contraption at night. Somehow it got swollen anyway. It could have been due to getting my port removed on that side (did you guys know my port was on my mastectomy side?), or from using it too much. I'm not really sure.

Keenie, thanks for the massage technique instructions for the shower. I have been doing that, although I think at this point I need professional help (I know a bunch of other people who think so, as well). 

I'm off to bed... saying a prayer for my BC friends. May God watch over each of you especially well. I also thank Him for giving you to me... to have as such sweet and caring friends. 

Love you,

Miss S

Hello Everyone!

Diana....spicy....made me laugh out loud.  Kids say the darnest things.  How's your husband doing...he has sure been through the wringer?  Prayers coming your way. 

MissS....I agree...get yourself to the LT.  I hope by now that you at least have an appointment.  Hope things go well with you cardiologist...let us know. 

Christine....love your new avatar.  Wow your hair is long and really looks great.  I'd say mine kind of looks like I have a brillo pad on top of my head....but at least it is hair.

Feb 9th was my surgery....hard to believe it has been a year.  I often think...did this really happen to me?  Yep, it did!  I'm using my surgery date as the date that I became a survivor.  What is everyone else using?

Hope everyone has a great week.

Nancy

Christine

I also am using my surgery date as my anniversary of survival.  On 2/12/08 I will officially be a 1 year survivor.  It just took that whole year to get back to somewhat normal!!  I spent last valentine's day in the hospital, too!  Thank goodness my kids were able to come and give me some love.

I went to my ps for a follow up visit today.  She was pleased with the way the incision looked.  She even removed one of the two drainage tubes.  Now I have to see about that second one.  The only thing that she was concerned about (I called her about it as soon as I removed the bandages on Saturday so don't yell at me) was the fact that my entire right breast (radiated side and the one that just had implant exchange 4 days ago) is red and kind of warm.  I am not running a fever and have been taking my antibiotics religiously.  PS said, "I hope it's not MRSA."  Now that's not a very reassuring thing to hear.  She added two more antibiotics for me to take.  That makes three different ones all at the same time.  I am hoping that all of the icky side effects of antibiotics don't hit me too hard and I sure as heck hope that whatever this redness is goes away fast.  Only time will tell.  I am glad that it isn't worse.  I told the ps that I was pleased and she said that I was always pleased.  Is there really any reason to be any other way?

God bless each and every one of you.

Patti

Wow, I'm glad to hear about the hair comments!  I truly believe it curled over night.  I can't believe this stuff on my head.  I know I am happy to have hair but this stuff is driving me nutty and I hope it doesn't stay.  After dying it back to blond, it also decided to turn a little red so, people at work started calling me Annie. 

I'm praying for you Patty that everything will heal it's self.  Remember..The sun will come out tomorrow...Rosebud

diana -- if you get free long distance with yr cell phone, the calendar lady's number is 832-640-3670. her name is gretchen. her email should be gretchenwalton@comcast.net

February will be quite a month of celebration for us. 2/12 is my one-year survivor date, then Valentine's Day, then DH's bday is 2/16.

Patti -- 6 surgeries! wow! you are such a strong woman!

i hope everyone is enjoying life this year. i went to see my rads onc today, got the all clear. i sat in the waiting room and read"beating cancer with nutrition". interesting stuff. sprouted bread, anyone?

Hi Diana,

Hope your husband is on the mend. My dad had C-diff and it was a trial. He bounced back, though!

Christine ;-)

Hello Everyone,

Patti, how are you doing....did the redness go away.  Hoping that you are fine now and that the girls are behaving.

Christine, aka Fifi, you made me laugh.....I'd say my hair is more frizzy than curly.  Went and had it trimmed this week thinking that would help but the only thing it did was set me back a couple of weeks.  Oh well at least it keeps my head warm.

Rosebud....Annie....do you have a dog and a rich uncle?

Teri.....have you found a good diet ...would be interested in what your research has found.

Diana...how's the DH?  Prayers to you both.

MissS....where are you....how you doing?

MIA's report in.....Angel, Holly, LisaSD, Taurie, 3 boys4me, Christine, Whitecotten, Marshabel...I know there are more but chemo brain is still around and if I go back i'll lose this post.  Everyone please check in....miss you.

Here's wishing everyone a wonderful week.

Nancy

Checking in also -

I haven't posted in a long time, but read the posts occasionally. I finished rads in October, and had my first follow up scans last week. Unfortunately, one of my nodes lit up, and my onc wants me to see a surgeon this week to get it out so that we can see what we are dealing with. He would  not speculate, but his demeanor seemed unusually grim and urgent. Sigh....Preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best!

I hope that everyone is doing well - I am going to try to be a better "sister" to you all and keep in touch!

Marsha 

Hi girls,

First, Marsha, we'll certainly be praying that all is well. Let us know what happens.

Lisa, glad the end is nearing. I'm sure you'll be ready for a break after your rads. You've had a long haul.

Angel, the chemo makes you lose your hair everywhere, but you can lose hair with rads if you have hair in the rad field. Like, my armpit has a section that is pretty hairless, 9 months after treatment. Does that make sense? Glad to hear from everyone. I keep you all in my prayers!

Christine

Marsha...I'm sending a prayer your way that your node will be alright.  That's all we have is hope!

Lisa..rads are a piece of cake compared to chemo..just ask questions about skin care and follow them.  A prayer that you have no issues with it.

Angle..congrads on the hubby's results!!!

I'm still plugging away at work, hair is still not normal..LOL  Hugs to all... Rosebud

Well, ladies, I saw the surgeon today and I am scheduled to have that suspicious node removed on Tuesday. Then a frozen section will be sent off to the lab for testing, and I will be waiting, waiting.....well, you all know the drill!

Angel - great news about your  husband!

Marsha 

Howdy everyone!

Oh Marsha, how awful to have something popping up to worry you. I'm joining in the prayers for benign!!! Big hugs from Virginia!!

I finally saw my lymphedema therapist and I am getting treatments daily for at least two weeks. Finished with the first week. She is wrapping my arm daily, since the sleeve slides off continuously and I am left pulling on it all day. I have to be diligent with my exercises!! She also told me to swim.

Coincedentally, my cardiologist also told me to swim. It's too bad I don't still live in Phoenix, where I had several friends with pools at their homes!  Wow, I hit some sort of hot key and changed the font to this. LOL It's hard to type with my hand all wrapped up.

I also want to share that something is terribly wrong with my joints. My ankles, knees, and shoulders HURT. I can barely get up and down the steps. When I get up in the morning, I almost crash to the floor. After I am up for a little while, it gets better. My wrists don't hurt, but I have lost most of my strength in them. My shoulder hurts so much, it awakens me from my sleep. I sleep flat on my back, so I'm not laying on it. I'm wondering if this is something that was caused by chemo. Some days are better than others, but I am afraid one day I will wake up and really won't be able to walk. I am beginning to feel alarmed about the whole thing!

Sorry not to keep up here more. I think of you all the time and pray for you. I'll be checking back to find out about you, Marsha!

Love you all!

Miss S

Sorry I hAVE B

Oh, Melissa, your website is amazing I wish I wasn't so craft-impaired! And your family looks beautiful too. I've got to think of something I could do with those lovely "thankful" pages . . .



My hip and lower back have been sore, but then my bone density results showed I have the bones of a 90 year old. Sheesh. Lots of calcium, Vitamin D, and Fosomax for me. Are any of you girls on an AI? Sometimes those can give you sore joints. I'm on Tamoxifen for another 18 months. Then we'll see if I'll change meds.



I've got me pneumonia at the moment - burning the Kindergarten candle a bit at both ends! We've got a few days off school this week, so I'm popping antibiotics and resting. I haven't felt this crappy since chemo either! I guess that will be our new benchmark for "yuckiness".



Hope everyone is well,

Christine ;-)

Christine & Miss S thanks for your support on the line. I only sell to stores so I hope your local scrapbooking store carries my stuff if not please ask them to carry the Melissa Frances line please. I am hoping I can raise a lot of money for this web site.

Christine hope you get better soon!

Holly I hope your sister-in-law recover's from her stroke. that is so sad to have one that young.

Marsha you are in my prayers and i wish for ned (no evidence of disease). I love those works.

Angel I am also happy to hear the news of your husband I hope he continues on his road of recovery.

Rosebud your daughter is in my prayers.

Lisa, Rosbud is right rads seems like a piece of cake after chemo. Just gets tiring having to go every day. I had 33 how many do you have?

prayers and hugs to you all!

Melissa