Jan 2008--Ain't it Great?

Tina, I intentionally avoid seeing pup dogs, we'd end up with a house full, the dh is just as passionate about the little guys.  Couldn't imagine our wieners with two cats in the house.  The fur would probably be flying!!!  You better hope that the little guy is gone before next weekend or hang on ...

enjoy the sunshine today ... Carol

Hi,

I, too, am a big American Idol fan - it's one of the only shows on TV that the whole family can enjoy together. We are big fans of Carly, David Cook, & Brooke White. Thank goodness for our DVR, or 1/2 the time we would miss it.

For all those on Taxotere - I am 2 weeks out from my last tx & feeling pretty good except for the fact my legs/feet, hands, & eyelids are swollen. I just noticed it yesterday - my feet look like hotdog buns. From what I gather from researching the subject, & also what the onc told me - this is to be expected, & it can last from a few weeks up to a few months. The steroids they pre-medicate us with are meant to minimize the future swelling - mainly to prevent severe swelling & pulmonary edema. The median weight gain is 2kg/4.4lbs. I haven't seen my ankles & feet look like this since I was 9 months pregnant with the twins! Otherwise, I feel pretty good - even the fatigue is less. I'm trying to push myself little by little everyday to try & build up my stamina b/c I go back to work in 3 weeks - which will mean being on my feet for 12+hours/day. Also, before my diagnosis, I had gone back to school (online) -  all in all, I'm excited to resume my studies & return to work. It will give me a chance to focus my attention on something else besides bc, & hopefully help me look forward & move on.

I'll be here standing by the light at the end of the tunnel cheering you all on - how could I not - if it  wasn't for the January Jewels, the tunnel would have been a very, very dark, lonely, & scary place.

Have a good weekend!

Therese

I decided to go back to pp 1 of this post, read the first 10 pps, all I can say is that "we've come a long ways baby".  Hoping that these pages don't some how disappear, there is definitely a story to be told!  Thinking of printing them out, I know I would enjoy the laughs and maybe a fear tears that have been shared, in the years to come.

Made it for a 2 mile walk, with wiener #1, asked the dh to stay home in case I needed to be picked up by car for an emergency "head call".  Got home, found the recliner again, I have one laptop and the dh has been on the other and we're watching golf on tv from Orlando.  Wishing we we're there .. we're being pathetically lazy  today and enjoying every minute!!!! 

Julie, what a post gal, hoping your head isn't still spinning!

Time to motivate ... Carol

Boy, did I miss a bunch since yesty AM!  The Jewels have been busy again.  Today I was also out and about-I've got so much I want to have done for Easter before Wednesday, then I'll be slowing the pace dramatically.  I hope I'm not too foggy next weekend to enjoy some of the festivities.  dh is finally done with all the overtime this week.  It'll be nice to have him home tonight.  The kids and I have missed him.

One thing to note on the SE front:  swelling is really kicking in the past few days despite moving around a lot.  I'm gonna look like a stuffed sausage soon.  And chemopause must've been a fleeting thought for my body.  I skipped the "flow" last month, but it arrived yesty again.  WTF!  What a nuisance.  My body must just be taking advantage of the fact that I don't have chemo until Wednesday and I'm feeling pretty good- so time to clean house so to speak. Maybe that explains the acne breakout I had this week.

Kimberly:  In reading your post yesterday-you have such a great outlook, woman.  Are you sure you're not a therapist, b/c you could be!  You sound just like mine in the way you put a positive spin on things.  I am learning to do this; not that I was negative before, but just a new way of looking at situations.  Makes me happier for sure.

Thanks for the tips on wine.  I'll let you know when I start.

Rest easy this weekend.  Looking forward to your posts when you feel better.

D1:  Like the sleepover thought-LOL!  What a group we'd be, all dozing!  And, yes, I'll be going into Wednesday with my warrior face on (can I borrow yours, Dana?)!  Last round, yea! On the ugly LE sleeve-there's a new job opportunity for someone: designing prettier compression garments.

Paula:  Glad you got Taxol #1 under your belt without problem.  LJ gave you some good advice on iron (she gets the dietary crown!).  Good to be proactive so your plan can hopefully go as you want it to.

TexRN:  OK, classic chemo brain story there!  At least you didn't get home without the kids-that's one of my fears.  I always joke with my kids' teachers to please make sure I leave with all their stuff, and also THEM!

I think we've all had our share of "mom moments" with sick kids.  I know I blew off my dd's complaints one AM and she was sent home from school within 2 hours with a whopping fever.  Man, did I feel bad.  And, uh... most adults are NOT immune to strep (not sure what that doc is thinking).  It's a bacteria, and anyone-including adults can get it.  I caught it from one of my patients about 2 years ago, and it sucked!  No kissing or sharing utensils with dd for 24 hrs. (OK, my post may be too late).  Once she's had abx in her for 24 hrs., she's not contagious.  Good news: strep responds pretty well to abx and the kids really feel good within 2-3 days.

I have the ankle swelling this time, too (had the eyelids before, and that continues)-and it's just before my last tx (so about 2 weeks after the last tx).  I also noticed today that my rings were tight-took ‘em off before it gets worse there. I've gained about 5 lbs. since I started chemo-I'm totally blaming it mostly on swelling.  Like LJ, I don't eat salt-so no help there.  I prop my feet up, too, at night.  And I definitely notice the "sausage" look when I take off my socks at the end of the day.  Yuk!

WVGirl:  What great co-workers you have... flowers and a lovely poem.  Thanks for sharing it with us.

Julie:  So glad the vomiting did not hit you this time, but it sounds like some other things are hitting you instead.  Migraines sound so miserable.  And-- scary thing blacking out!  I hope you feel better soon.

Carol:  You have surpassed me on the GI front; I pass the crown onto you.  Sorry to hear you are still having issues there.

Thanks for the update on Kalen, pass on our wishes to her to feel better soon.

I liked your wine and cookies story-got a chuckle out of the visual.

Well, it's getting dark so dh and the kids will be coming inside soon.  I'll be back tomorrow.  Gotta post the weekly events!

Evenin' Jewels!

LJ- thanks for the advice on the iron. I had been taking supplemental iron until my last dose of AC-went off of it b/c my stomach was too fragile from the chemo. I agree with you on preferring the natural sources, esp. organics, for my nutrients. I'm hoping that my stomach will tolerate more iron rich foods now that I'm off of AC.

Therese- LOL at circling thru the pick up line and forgetting your dd-I can SO see myself doing that very thing! I sure hope you are staying healthy and dd is recovering from her strep infection. I'm praying that you'll dodge the bullet on that one!

You have my best wishes as you get ready to return to work. Hope that swelling subsides quickly and doesn't return once you're back on the job. That's great that you're taking classes again-very proactive both in terms of your career and not obsessing on the BC.

WVGirl- OMG, what a beautiful poem! I am so happy that you are getting lots of TLC from your co-workers and friends. The flowers sounded beautiful!

Julie- I'm soooo thankful that you don't need a barf bag this time around. But, what a bummer that the migraines are still dogging you. Be careful w/ those blackouts-you don't need any more problems!

Carol- Glad your insurance saw the light w/o a fight and you're getting your le sleeve. I'm glad the big D kicked in while you were near a clean BR. Bummer that you couldn't take advantage of  the extra time off yesterday. Ummm, hope that cabbage doesn't send you flying to the potty!

I've scanned back over some of the early pages. Kinda nostalgic experience, isn't it? I'd like to keep the pages of our journey-I couldn't have made it this far w/o the Jewels!

Thanks for the update on Kalen. Hope to see you on the board soon!

Tina- thanks for the heads-up on the rash. I'll be alert for that. My ds is a huge Packers fan. He has an autographed pic of Favre-one of his prized possessions. I know he's going to miss watching him play... meant to take him to a game b4 Favre retired... ah well...

Kathy- hope you get all your Easter ducks in a row b4 treatment day. And isn't Aunt Flo rude to disturb your good days! The nerve!! Have a good evening w/ your family.

Dana- hope you have a nice relaxing evening in your jimmies-in spite of Aunt Flo!

I am feeling pretty good this evening. Took a nice long nap this afternoon-made up for the steroid-induced insomnia last night! The cough seems to be lightening up, hopefully for good this time. Haven't noticed any major se's yet from Taxol... so far, so good.

Sorry for the long post--I think I'm caught up now.

Take care, Gems!

Paula

Dana , try this.... the cat pose/stretch

also better instructions c/o Amy Dec 07 gals

www.abc-of-yoga.com/yogapractice/cat.asp

I hope this helps. Love & hugs from Suz (Dec 07)

Suz- aren't you the cat's meow with the yoga animation! Thanks for the info. I'm on Taxol and every bone/ muscle in my body seems to hurt today...

Julie- I forgot to comment on CTE in my last post. I love being a CTE teacher-I have the best of both worlds as I get to teach my students about health care and train them for entry-level positions and college. Most of my students (90%) go on to college to be doctors, nurses, rad techs, dental hygienists, etc. Our state is very supportive of CTE-in fact, every student in WV schools must have at least 2 career credits to graduate. This is def. not your mother's CTE, is it? I kinda fell into this job 7 years ago. Was working PT for the school system doing health screenings and got the call that they needed a substitute to teach this position. I laughed and told them "I'm not a teacher, I'm a nurse." Anyway, they HAD to have a nurse to teach this position so they begged and I agreed to take it on until they could hire someone... I was soooo impressed w/ what these kids were learning in high school (2 years of med terminology, CPR/first aid, infection control, A & P, pathophys, nutrition, G & D, law and ethics, HIPPA, etc, etc, plus 100 hours of clinical training at the end of the program). I wish I'd gone into nursing with the background these kids have! So, here I am 7 years later, now w/ a MS in education, and  loving every minute of my job. It's a great place to be!

Happy Sunday all!

Paula

Morning Jewels,

Happy to report that the corn beef and cabbage settled into my tummy just fine.  Thank god, as I was starved last night, and ate more for dinner than I have in a couple months.  Back to a little Miralax this morning, I can just see the opposite problem creeping back and I want to be one step ahead!

D1, your house sounds like ours, college hoops have been on almost everynight this past week.  Yesterday we we're watching golf and recording the Pac-10 final.  Hope you had a good time with the dd at hoops today, we're they playing in a weekend tourney?  We sure missed not having the dd playing ball this year, it was such a large part of our lives for so many years. 

Okay, I think you take the award for the ugly mommy moment.  I'm sure you will hear about that one at many family gatherings, I can hear your dd now, once she's a parent telling her child, guess what your grandma did to me!!!!   My poor ds broke his arm while suited up for baseball, no he didn't slide headfirst for the winning run, or catch a fly ball to save a homerun, he fell off of the bench he was standing on to get their team pic and broke his wrist in two places.  
So much for that season!!!

I liked Kathy's comment that a good job for somebody would be to make attractive compression garments.  For some reason the word compression and fugly just seem to be going hand in hand.

Kathy, good timing for the dh to be done with O/T.  Sounds like your still bouncing off the walls staying busy and trying to get everything squared away prior to Weds.  So whats up with the Aunt Flo thing?  I really thought that it was a given that chemopause would happen. 

Paula, read yesterday's post, thought you we're doing so good on your Taxol txt, sorry to read today that you've got the body aches.  Hope they don't stay long, and your cough is about gone.  Noticed the talk about iron, is it just me or does iron tend to be a plugger-upper?  Over the years I have tried to take vitamins with iron and didn't care for the effects. 

Kimberly, I'm imagining that your in a fog induced coma about now.  Know that we're thinking of you and look forward to your being back as your spunky self soon.   I couldn't agree more with Kathy's words to you, we always know that your posts will be uplifting to all.  Miss ya when your down, so hopefully you'll be back soon.  By the way, had my club soda and cranberry in a wine glass at dinner last night, looked just like a White Zin (YUCK)!

Will be giving Kalen a call this afternoon, my guess is that she is probably dealing with the hair falling out by now.   I'll let her know that some positive vibes are being sent her way.

Going to hit nine holes of golf, even though its only about 45 degrees out.  I know the walk will do me good, and I'm feeling confident that the sharts will stay away!!!

Take care all,

Carol

Hi Ladies

Even though I have just started in March (acutally Feb 28th) I read your convos alot because you all have so much wisdom to share.  I will type more later, but was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for dry mouth, like a mouthwash, toothpaste, lozenges whatever.  I thought I saw something before but can't find it now.

Thanks

KathyN 

Kathy, god knows just about every topic has been addressed on this post.  I'm not quite sure if Biotene mouth rinse is used for dry mouth, but I think so.  I know its recommended for trying to avoid mouth sores.  There is also a Biotene toothpaste, personally I don't much care for it, but if it keeps problems away I'm game.  My drugstore as well as grocery store carries it. 

My guess is that you'll get some other responses to your question ... good luck with your txts ... and ask away!

Carol

Ok, the week's events:

Monday:  Free day for the Jewels!  Happy St. Pat's Day!!

Tuesday:  Free day for the Jewels!  Can ya believe it???  2 in a row!

Wednesday: round #4 for me (last one! Yea!  Then I have herceptin every 3 weeks until Jan. '09 to finish, and also reconstruction to finish).  Round #4 for Maz of 6 (2/3 of the way done)

Thursday:  LJ has Round #4 of 12 for her weekly T, Donna1955 and Tinalee123 have round #6 (which is round #2 of T), CarolC has Round #4 (last for her!; don't know what's next for her... haven't seen her post in a while)

Friday: Dana has round #3 of her weekly TH.  It's also her 38th b-day.  Happy Birthday Warrior Dana!! 

YAY! No Jewels up for Monday or Tuesday! That's a reason to celebrate!

KathyN - I use the Biotene toothpaste (not the best tasting but I've had NO mouthsores and the dry mouth is under control). I also use SmartMouth mouth wash which is specifically for helping with dry mouth. Good luck finding something that works for you - I'm sure you'll have more suggestions to try from fellow Jewels!

Carol - we just have the lab and 2-yr old "kitty" for now. We did have turkeys (SO messy) and ducks for a couple years, but the "wild" ended up doing them in. My dh is a true redneck from southern Illinois and would love to raise chickens, cattle, you name it -- I usually put the kabosh on lots of those ideas before they get too far!!

Kathy - glad you've gotten so much accomplished. Hopefully I'll be able to get some good days and get lots done before my next tx. I have so much I'd like to do, but just haven't felt up to it yet.

I spent about an hour outside in the sun (and cool!) earlier today - it felt soooo good! The dh and ds were doing yard work, so I just sat and watched them. Gotta love that! The migraine is actually a little better after being outside for a while - hope it goes away completely now!

Dana - hope you're doing okay today. I'm with several others and just use Advil/Motrin for the body aches - heating pad and hot baths help too. Get some rest, dear!

I forgot to tell you all that I found out Friday that the faculty/staff at school took up a collection for me since I'm on unpaid days the rest of the year. I was so overwhelmed and so touched by the generosity of everyone! They basically donated the difference of what I'm not getting by being on disability - my dh and I are just beyond words at everyone's kindness. I feel so blessed to work in such a wonderful district and truly love my job! Keep the faith, girls -- a few months ago, we were trying to figure out how we were going to be able to keep my car during all this!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

Julie

Julie - you are so blessed to have people that care - doesnt that will great! God bless you Pumpkin!

Jenn - make sure you click on the insert/edit image button (next to the smiley face), then paste your link.

Hello Jewels, I know this will be long. But once I get reading & responding I can't stop.

SheShe48, I am so happy your uncle got a heart. I hope everything goes well for him. I just read your bc story & feel so sorry for the ordeal you had. But you sound strong now and I am sure you are going to beat this thing. Just like we all are.

DI, I loved your reference to bm. One of them I Want & the other I Need. You guess which is which. I did sneak a drink while out to dinner with the kids Fri. Night. I had a frozen margarita & it was wonderful.

I'm with you on the Beatles & the Eagles, FW Mac is OK too, but you can keep PF. Now if I had to choose one artist to take to the deserted island with me it would Neil Diamond. I get all wiggly just thinking about him.

You dh is wonderful. Aren't the nicest surprises the ones that come out of the blue. No birthday or other celebration that required a gift. Just a little "I'm thinking of you" present. Those earrings sound fabulous. I'm addicted to gem stones. I think topaz has the most beautiful range of colors.

And thanks for the picture. You don't look old enough to be mother to those girls. I bet people often mistake you for sisters. I didn't like it much when it happened to me & my mother, but then we are talking about my mother. But I was in 7^th heaven when someone thought my oldest, Nick, was my brother. You have one beautiful looking family.

I'm sure you found a way to make it up to him after blowing him off while dealing with the pix. I find myself doing that on occasion with mine too. He does so much for me, he did before & he does even more now. But we do butt heads on conversation time once in a while. If I want to talk, he's into something. Then when he's done, I'm involved. Men!

Sorry to hear about your mom's arm. It seems lots of us are having other complications in our lives this week. I'm crossing my fingers that my small group stay healthy.

Don't feel bad about your dd's arm. My mom waited 2 ½ days to take me in when I broke my foot. She thought I was exaggerating about the pain. Yes, you can break a bone & not have swelling. She felt really bad but I still give her a hard time about it.

To all of you Packer Fans out there: My eldest ds is a huge fan & was devastated when Brett retired. And after living in Milw. for 7 years the Pack is my 2^nd fav. team to the Colts of course. Deanna Favre has a great, inspiration book out about her fight with bc. My kids gave it to me for my b-day & I recommend it to all of you. And I must have missed the post...what is the book you are all talking about?

Paula, I'm with you on those Pantene ads. Hair color ones are just as bad. But I am very comfortable in my baldness. I love it. I bet I end up keeping my hair even shorter than before when it does start coming back.

I'm so sorry that your dh's seizure kept you from the ball game. You are pulling double duty, my friend. Taking care of your dh & yourself. And seizures are so unpredictable, that in itself is a constant strain.

KathyL, So I'm not the only one with head zits! I've been putting Clearasil on them. I also have for recurring ones on my face. 2 on 1 side of my nose, 1 on the other & 1 right in the middle of my nose. I think they are gone and wham! they come back. Haven't had this trouble since my teenage years.

Get that makeup out & have some fun.

Add me to your list for Thurs. full dose of the chemotini.

Vettegal, I'm sure as I read on I will hear the news about your sis. Man, that is too much to take. I hope things work out for both of you.

Tina, Your story of meeting your dh could be mine. When we 1^st met we were both married, neither happily. He became my best friend. I could talk to him about anything. When I reached the end of my rope with my marriage I got a divorce. He was still married and though I knew he was my true love I also knew I couldn't have him. I made another romantic connection & moved from Indianapolis to Milwaukee & got married again. BIG MISTAKE! Running from someone you can't have is no way to find another relationship. We lasted 7 years and my oldest, Nick did find the love of his live. When that was over I came back to IN & started talking to dh again. He still worked at the same place & I had gf there so it was natural I'd stop by the office. The rest is history. And now I'm back working there again & it's great. Especially once he lost his license.

I think I know how I got bc. Our junior high was being renovated when we were there & the asbestos dust was so thick you couldn't see from one end of the hall to the other. Out of a group of about 10 of us that have stayed in touch we have 1 death from bc, 3 survivors & 2 with benign tumors. We are sure the asbestos had something to do with it. My family dr. believed us & started me on mammos when I was 35. And my surgeon said while there was no research into that it would be a wonderful thesis for a student dr. We have a reunion coming up in a year & we are going to survey for more cases.

Dana, You hit the nail on the head with the greetings we get from our dogs when we come home. I even have 1 cat that comes running in to see me. And they look at you with such adoring eyes. I really feel sorry for anyone that doesn't appreciate a pet like that. You hang on to those dogs, they are truly your now.

Kimberly, I'm not real impressed with your info on chemo brain & fatigue. I'm not looking forward to thinking & feeling like this any longer than necessary.   I'm starting to really scare myself with some of the things I forget or can't do right anymore.

You are making this Oprah thing even more inviting. I'm sure we all would appreciate a make-over by that time. I really think her show would be interested. Every one I've talked to about this group thinks it is a wonderful idea. And there is no way I can describe just how good it feels to be here, learning & sharing with each other.

Carol, What a super brother! He's come thru with something sweet before this hasn't he. You are lucky. I'm an only child & miss siblings more now than I did when I was young.

I sure have to vote for mammos. Mine showed the calcifications & caught it in very early stages. And with it being one of the agressive forms I hate to think of how big it might have gotten before I felt it.

I know who you mean & 2^nd your vote for our Oprah correspondent. But I also think after her 1^st letter we all should write in. Give them the full effect of our support for each other.

Just for the record, when I was in jr/sr hs I had a poodle, a dachshund & 2 cats. When they were all playing it was wild, but when they got tired they all piled up together & fell asleep. And now we have 2 dogs & 3 cats. I love the interaction between them.

Therese, My fingers have been swelling for a week or so & yesterday my feet were really bad. I thought it was because I walked all weekend with my kids. But combined with the breathlessness and the ‘what ever it is' on my MUGA I was getting worried about something serious. I take Taxotere so maybe that is all it is. I see the onc this Thurs & hopefully he can explain everything away.

I'll be watching for you at the end of the tunnel. It is a true blessing we are here to push & pull each other thru this.

Julie, Did you call your dr? Passing out is not good. I used to have migraines all the time, b4 my hyster. I know it's easy to forget what you have taken. Do you think you took too many meds? If you can't explain this I really think you should mention it to someone. How are you going to post to us if you are passed out on the living room floor?

I'm glad you felt like soaking up some sun today. I hope you will send some of it my way. Earlier today the weather girl said it would be sunny today. It's 5:22 & I'm just now seeing some brightness in the sky.

WOW! What a bunch of coworkers. You are truly blessed to have friends like that. Some day you will be given the chance to pay it forward. So enjoy this blessing.

Tinalee, You are beautiful in your baldness. And I love your Queen. At the moment mine is on the desk next to me, but she takes turns walking on the keyboard or draped around my neck watching the cursor move across the screen. The only time cats do what they are told is when they thought of it first.

I'm sorry this has been so long, but I haven't even turned on the comp since my kids got here Thurs. evening. We had such a good visit. Joey, my dgs, wasn't at all put off by my head. And Nick had shaved his to match. That's the picture I'm trying to post, of me & Nick with our heads together. Thanks Julie, but you tip didn't work. I've tried pasting the IMG link right on the doc & clicking the insert image button & pasting it there. No matter what I do I just get the url address not the picture. This is frustrating because I work with digital pix all the time & have never had a problem. I'll keep trying.

In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your Sun.