Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part III - GAGWTA!

[wdw4us2]

I can't wait for my trip tomorrow. We are staying at the Polynesian, which is my favorite WDW resort. The weather looks to be nice, too. I'm just happy to be getting away from everything for a few days.

The trip to Miami on Monday was eventful. I am now scheduled to have surgery next Wednesday at Jackson Memorial in Miami. I am having a complete hysterectomy - plus he is removing some other things. We are all praying that what he takes out is clear and negative for any new cancer. If not, I am going to have to have intraperitoneal chemo for six rounds. I don't even want to think about that right now.

I will try to post next week before my surgery, but I have a lot to do when we return from WDW. I have to get all of my Christmas shopping for the kids done, because my recovery is expected to be 4-6 weeks.

Hope everyone who is awaiting results gets good news!

 

[PatsMom]

Good afternoon all!

CherylDan - your carb plan sounds reasonable to me. You'll be surprised at how much food you have to eat if you plan it right. There is a book by Calorie King that has carb counts for lots of fast food type places and also at home food. I found it very useful when I started counting carbs. I ended up doing only one carb for nighttime snack. Worked out better for me. If I walked an hour before dinner for three or four miles I could sneak in a few extra grams of carbs too. You are right about not being able to save up.

WDW4US2 - have an awesome trip. Can't wait for my next one!

LMP - glad to hear your DH turned down Russia! And that he got a good review.

I am recovering from my sixth treatment. Had some fever, chills and very, very tired. And it really hurts to pee. But it is getting better. Now I am back in waiting mode. I have a cystoscopy scheduled for 12/23 to see if the treatments are working or if the tumor is growing again. Depending on what that shows, it will probably be more treatments or more surgery. Hoping for the treatments.

One of the things that sucks about cancer is that the treatments are almost as bad as the disease.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Good morning ladies

Lisa - I am so sorry you have to go through all this sista, yes as cheryl says, cancer sucks. But the Polynesian is great. Wishing you all the best.

Pats mom - hope your side effects are lessening today. Hang in there!! Wishing you all the best with the testing too.

Cheryl - hope ya hear something soon sista. Why do the doctors always go away when we have problems, want test results etc.

marci - thinking of you too

I went to the eye doctor. She told me she has ovarian cancer and even showed me her port. I told her to fight tough!! She said the radiation did not effect my eyes ptl, but I need some antiobiotic eye drops for 2 weeks. She says my eye lashes are too long?? I have a litttle more enegy in the morning since the b12 shot. ds19 is taking me for the repeat blood test today. I had a good time shopping with dh yesterday. Will do some more sat.

We are trying to add 2 days onto our vacation and I need to do it today and book the airline tickets. A cm told dh they are sold out, so I posted on the resort board. Looking into travelocity, never did that before. We will see what happens.

GTAGWTA. Thinking of you all.

 

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

Hi everyone.

I've been thinking of you all and hoping all tests, surgeries, scans etc. have been going well for everybody.

My husband and I went to WDW for a couple of days together and then he left and I stayed behind. Well, I got sick - sicker than I've ever been in my life. I thought I was going to die alone in a hotel room. I spent the whole 4 and a half days in bed. I didn't think I would be able to get dressed walk out to the bus and navigate the airport to get home but I remembered the words here "I fight like a girl!" And through sheer will power, got home. I almost lost my sense of humor . Now that's sick . Anyhoo - if you're going anywhere soon - take extra precautions. I thought I washed my hands a lot and was using the "Wet One's" Towelettes after all the rides etc. but some exotic bug floored me. I don't want anyone else getting this. I've never spent that much time in bed. I was back to work four days after my mastectomy and worked through chemo and rads so it was a very nasty whatever to take a normally healthy person out.

Can we call people who have cancer "healthy"

Well, that's my short story made long. For those who read through it all, sorry you had to read all that, but thanks for letting me vent about my experience. Typing has made me tired so I have to go sit and rest.

Thinking of you all and hoping everyone is doing well though.

GAGWTA.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

GAGWTA, Ladies!

Thinking of all of you and hoping everyone is doing OK!!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

KJ - wow, I am sorry you got so sick. I am sure it was horrible. But you sure showed what inner strength you had. You sure did fight like a girl!!

I will definetely bring lots of hand sanitizer. It doesnt sound like the flu shot would have any effect on what you had??

Also I have 2 zofran from the oncologist from May. I think I will bring those if we need them to make it home etc.

O.K. I am gonna vent. Dh is trying but his cell hone is dead and now he is at a dinner meeting. We added 2 extra days at the Poly, but paid through the nose for that. Oh well more airline miles for the next trip.

Now I am trying to do dh free ticket and of course something is wrong. Says the password is invalid. So I cant call for this either since its his account. The flights are over $300 each, so there is no way I am paying for his without the free ticket. They say a new password will be mailed in 10 days. I need to book this today. I hope he can get home and straighten this out.

And of course there are now no adrs for 2 people, so I am just gonna book what I want for 4. Its only for 2 meals so what else can I do.

This trip is starting to turn into a little nightmare. I just want time with dh and no doctors, shots, examinations, tests, scans etc,. etc. I need a
"nocancercation" for sure!!

 

[snappy]

KJ, sorry you were so sick. That is a scary story. Are you back to normal?

Maryann, I hope you can get the free ticket booked soon. It is nerve wracking to have to wait to book, especially at Christmas.

Are you still waiting for results.

I am good. I was toying with the idea of going to a class in Tallahassee and then drive down to Orlando but I came to my senses. My sister has sent me many pictures on her new iphone from her trip (they are headed back today). They really loved the Wilderness lodge villas. It was cool, especially the first part of her trip and the lodge was a perfect place to relax. Driving the scooter made her very nervous at the parks, even though crowds were low. She is a very nervous and tentative person though. They particularly had difficulty driving the scooter onto the bus, it was stressful for her and her husband. They ended up mostly taking the boat to MK and then transferring by monorail if they wanted to go to EPCOT. They loved the AK and especially Sanaa. If you book a late lunch reservation you have a good chance of having a leisurely meal at a table next to the ceiling to floor windows and can truly enjoy the animals.

They liked the food at the new Mexican restaurant in EPCOT a lot as well.

They saw a family of deer and many others along the bike/joggin trail at Wilderness lodge. She was blown away.

There were way too many kids in both pools at the lodge though for her to go in. She is disabled and in constant pain and is petrified the kids migh inadvertently knock into her. And it is difficult for her to get in and out anyway unless it is zero entry which I don't think either of those pools are.

I am really looking forward to seeing the pictures from their REAL camera. The sky was so blue on the iphone pics-I can't really believe they were that blue.

GAGWTA everyone!

 

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

Maryann - I hope you get all your vacation plans settled soon so you can relax and enjoy it. It sounds like you really need it. Once you get down there you will have a great time. I had a flu shot about 3 weeks before we left - thought we'd take care of that loose end wouldn't get sick .

Snappy - I hope your sister had a great time. It sounds like she has a lot of challenges to deal with. Those stories put things in perspective for me. My life is a cake walk for sure.

Just got back from the doctor. It's viral and bacterial so I'm on antibiotics. Short day course though so it's only 6 days worth and hopefully I'll be better and able to have my reconstruction. That's the only thing I care about at this point. I've waited 13 months for this I don't want to put it off another minute. I'm not an impatient person am I

Well, have a great weekend everyone. We're soggy here but expecting the white stuff later.


GAGWTA.

 

[snappy]

KJ, my sweet sister was like a kid in a candy store, even though she is 53 years young. She bought boatloads of pins months before she the trip via ebay. She had all 7 dwarfs which apparently is something people notice, lots of special music and garden related pins 9she is an avid guitar and piano musician and teacher). She loved trading the pins. She had not been to WDw since 1997 at Christmas when she went with some of her grad school friends (she was finishing up her social work degree at Tulane). She has been a fan since the 60's of Mary Poppins, found her right away in EPCOT, and don't you know several days later, she saw the same Mary Poppins in MK. Mary Poppins remembered her and how she could say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious backwards. I am sure I butchered the spelling of that 'word.'

Joan married late in life (11 years ago) so no children but she loved talking to the kids in the park (just not swimming with them, lol). Her favorite part was meeting people and swapping stories of how they clelebrate the holidays in their state and countries, and telling how in her town the residents build hundreds of huge bonfire structures in the shapes of many objects and light them all up and down the Mississippi river levee on Christmas eve. She had fun telling the little kids that Santa down here has alligators instead of reindeer and he rides in a piroggue (like a wooden canoe) instead of a sleigh. I guess everyone thought we truly live in a good old banana republic.

Swapping stories was truly the highlight of her trip. She shared every story with me too via cell phone. Gosh I was longing to be there but I got my fix vicariously not to mention free!

With the exception of a panic attack once she finished a long day at MK, I think the trip was a success. I can't get her to go with me as she seems to think I would run circles around her. She does have to rest a lot. They were in Orlando for 9 nights but only went to parks 4 days. It was good planning and lot of advice from me, knowing her limitations and preferences.

Thanks for commenting on her trip. I feel like I was there every minute. I even got a couple welcome home shoutouts from DVC CM's. Fun!

 

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

Snappy - Joan sounds like such a wonderful, wonderful women with a sense of joy and wonderment around her. I bet she had a ball talking with the kids and they must have enjoyed her amazing stories as well. I would love to sit down and talk with her. She reminds me of a friend I lost a number of years ago. When you see people enjoying life, despite the pain and suffering they are enduring, it makes one appreciate our own blessings more doesn't it.

 

[NHAnn]

GAGWTA ladies!

Betcha thought I'd abandoned you forever. Sorry to be MIA.
I can't believe it's November already.

I'm getting back to feeling like myself after some months of....well, just not feeling like myself for various reasons.

I have a new "granddog"! DD's apartment up in Burlington VT allows pets, she has been on the lookout since she moved up there a couple of months ago...she spied a young shepherd/huskie cross they think ..perhaps a bit of collie maybe.....at our local SPCA when she was in town for a visit a couple of weeks ago. It was an instant connection. The adoption went through today. She and he are VERY happy together. She's very happy in general, loves her new job up there as an Autism Interventionist with young children...and mama's happy when her "baby" is happy
He's such a handsome fella. I tried to post a picture of her and "Ranger" but it is coming out GINORMOUS...not sure what I'm doing wrong. Will have to work on that.

KJ--that sounds scary, being so sick in a hotel room. Hope the meds kick this bug to the curb quickly and your recon proceeds right on schedule!

Snappy, your sister sounds like quite a lady....somehow that doesn't surprise me

Maryann, glad you got your 2 days added on at the Poly! Never stayed there myself but spent some time "hanging out" when Avery and his family did for his MakeAWish trip. It's a beautiful resort....I just love the view sitting at the pool....overlooking the beach...looking across lake...and MK in the distance.

DH and I decided to take advantage of a Southwest sale that popped up and booked flights for late January to my happy place No hotel yet, gotta work on that

Thinking of you all, even when I'm not posting!

 

[NHAnn]

...........

 

[snappy]

KJ, I was working on a response to your post last night but it went poof. Suffice it to say that the workds you used to describe my sister were indescribably beautiful. Who was the friend who you lost long ago?

Your words remind me of the ladies on this thread and what they face. I love the way you all laugh in the face of pain and worry.

I guess that is why I am here after almost five and a half years. The blessings word you used is just the ticket for what the GAGWTA ladies and thread are to me.

Good to see you post, Ann. Glad you are starting to feel back to normal again. I am so glad your daughter is thriving up there. I would love to see the new member of the family. I have that same problem with size when I send people pictures via email. Maybe our resident photography expert Linda will come to our aid!

I agree about how nice the Poly is. I arrived early when I went to met Maryann and her DH back in May. I found sitting out by the beach at the Poly wonderful. I grabbed a spot at a table under an umbrella facing the lake and really got into my zone. A few quiet minutes when you are traveling with our two daughters and a friend are mighty precious. Nice to not be onstage constantly.

I am cooking a big pot of Italian red gravy to give to my boss who had rotator cuff surgery two weeks ago. They found an enormous bone spur on the affected shoulder too during surgery that had to come out which they did not expcet to find. They should not have done the surgery outpatient in my humble opinion. She is still struggling with balancing getting the right pain med level PLUS being able to avoid feeling nauseated. She is going to try and come in to office tomorrow as the quarterly board meeting is Tuesday and there are fireworks ahead. Our funding is looking lean next year and changes they are a coming. The members of our board have proved not to be very well equipped for directing, well, anything. They are pitiful when it comes to any kind of fund raising, which is the direction we are heading. Can't rely on the generosity of the state anymore it seems.

 

[wdw4us2]

We had a great time at WDW this weekend! It wasn't as crowded as I expected it to be and the weather was perfect. The Polynesian was wonderful, as always. Aside from enjoying my time with the family and one of my good friends, the highlight was seeing Rick Springfield at Food & Wine. He was awesome! I have much to do in the next two days, so you probably won't hear from me until after I return home from my surgery.

MaryAnn - Don't worry about not being able to get ADRs where you want. We were able to get into Chef Mickey's on Friday night with a 25 minute wait. None of the other restaurants we visited seemed to be overbooked. I think it's still a case of people making reservations at multiple locations for the same time. I would make back-up ADRs, then try to walk up to anywhere you really want to go. Once we got in, we called and canceled the backup reservation.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Good morning ladies

Lisa - wishing you all the best with your surgery. So glad you had a great time at disney. And Rick Springfield too! My sis and I would sing Jessies Girl and watch him when he was on General Hospital too!! What longhouse did you stay in? I love Samoa best. I just dont want the 2nd floor with no balcony.

KJ - hope the antibiotics are doing their magic and helping you feel better

Laurie - your sister sounds like such a wonderful women. People who show so much strength and determination really inspire me. I love how she shares her stories and I now even learned something about how you celebrate in Louisiana!!

marci - wishing you all the best with your surgery.

Cheryl - any word on your test results? I am sure the waiting is frustrating. Hang in there sista

Ann - I am so glad that you are starting to feel like yourself. That is such a good feeling isin't it? Sounds like your dd has found the perfect job.

Pats Mom - hope the side effects have subsided.

Well the trip is finally booked. Not exactly the flight we wanted but we are making the best, just going down and not arriving till almost 5. I dont like arriving in the dark. I booked 2 more adrs and signed us up for a little dis meet at the mk one night. Ds22 starts tryouts for the team on wed. He heard like 30 kids are trying out, can you say cut, cut and more cuts? He said he never did this before, always never had enough kids tryout. He also was so sweet and sensitive and just put his wedding tuxedo in his room and knows not to talk about it too much to me. Now the whole church is invited to the wedding. I dont think we will go. Its too far away and then we would just come home. I will just look at the pictures. That will be all I can handle I think. We went out to celebrate ds19 birthday. I didnt enjoy myself at all. I felt like I was at some bachelor party I told dh with the way the 3 ds were talking. Tomm. I have a meeting for the school. And maybe I will start my reclast run around again.

GTAGWTA. Blessings to you all always.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

GAGWTA, Ladies!

Marci went into surgery about 8 AM today. They have just finished the mastectomy and are beginning her reconstruction. She will likely be in the OR until about 9 PM.

Thank you all so much for your good thoughts for her! I will post more as I hear.

 

[snappy]

Thanks for the update, Elizabeth. How wonderful of you to take on keeping us informed. You are a sweetie!

MaryAnn, I am glad your trip is booked.

Who are you meeting up with?

Good luck with the reclast.

Lisa, your weekend at the Poly sounds wonderful. I am glad it was not too busy. Good luck with your surgery and please post when you are up to it.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

It sounds like everything went well with Marci's surgery. They had her in her room by 8:30 PM, so I think it went a bit faster than they estimated. Hopefully I will hear more today.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Good afternoon ladies

Elizabeth - thanks for updating us about Marci. Hoping she is not in too much pain

Lisa - Thinking of you too sista.

KJ - hope you are starting to feel a little better

PatsMom - I hope things go as best as they can for you today. Hang in there!!

Cheryl - any news??

Laurie - Sorry about the funding loss. I guess bingo wont be an option this time! Maybe you could get some organization to "adopt" you like Elks,Moose,etc.

Went to my meeting last night. I was the only female there outnumbered by the 3 guys. Gheesh, the other lady was not there. Oh and dh informed me he is going to china the end of Jan. Ds20 just got another jury duty notice. They always pick on him. I have the system down pat. Ignore the lst notice, get the 2nd one, send it in at the last possible minute. Get the notice and hope you have a high number or it will be right before school starts in Jan. Did this before for him. He had a really high number. They are processing ds19 application now for the state univ. Oh goodie. Time for utter joy or utter disappointment again. We will see.

GTAGWTA. Blessings to you all always. Thankful for all your encouragement and wisdom and inspired by all your determination and strength ladies

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

GAGWTA, Ladies!

Marci is doing OK. Lots of pain in her abdomen from the tissue they removed to do the reconstruction. They have had her sitting and standing, so she is making progress.