Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part II -GAGWTA!

[Pea-n-Me]

Thank you, everyone.

Just home from the wake; funeral's tomorrow morning. My cousin must have taken my God Wink story seriously because he'd fished out some old pictures of the day we met at Arlington Nat'l Cemetery and brought them to the wake to show me.

So...I wrote the Eulogy and [gulp] ... I have to read it at the funeral. Wish me luck, I've never done anything like that before. (Typical Virgo, I have a backup plan - a friend of my cousin's will sit up front and step in to read it for me if I choke up for more than 15 seconds! )

Merry, Wow! I think I'd go as far to say you had a Visitation Dream! Way cool!

Wishing everyone well. GAGWTA

PS did you all see this about Christina Applegate? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25994209/

 

[laurabelle]

~~~***GAGWTA sistas***~~~

Linda- You will do fine, I just know it. It's a difficult, but honorable thing to do... I didn't know about Christina Applegate.

Laurie- I did check out her TR, those pics are terrific! Linda have you seen them?

Nothing much going on today. I'm waiting around for a plumber, yippee! Reading jsk's TR is much more fun!

 

[snappy]

Linda, you must have been so touched when your cousin had those pictures to show you. My goodness I have a lump in my throat as I write up this post.
Good luck at the funeral. I personally would have a bit of trouble reading it, but as strong a woman as you are, I believe you will do fine. If not, your friend will be reading your words, your eulogy, that is what matters.

I cried when trying to do a reading at my sister's wedding in 1999, so you know what would happen if I tried to deliver an eulogy.

Laura, our JSK is some writer, so much info, you can tell how much she did her homework on the front end. It was nice to see a good picture of her too. She and her family are BEAUTIFUL (with apologies to her DH, LOL)!!!

I don't read trip reports much, after that wonderfully hilarious series several years ago with the lady who coined the love ya mean it phrase (does anyone else remember those or what that gal's name was?), nothing ever seems to measure up.

No longer the case, JSK's reports are even better. Not so much irreverent, just fun and packed with details. I need her to plan my next trip although I know I honestly could not keep up with her. Maybe twenty years ago. . .???

We have a tropical storm (Eduoard) in the gulf, should get a bit of wind today, it is more headed to Galveston. They really don't need more wind there for sure. It should land too far west to do us any harm unless it turns. We do have to watch that storm as we are on the east side of it where the tornadoes tend to form. Right now it is nice here. When I went out to water this morning, there was actually a cool dry breeze. That disappeared kinda fast though.

GAGWTA all, good luck today Linda, and please let us know how your onc visit goes. Thinking of you.

 

[CherylDan]

Just wanted to pop in and make some noise ......seems so quite here lately!

Linda...how did the eulogy go?

JSG...that is quite a trip report you have going! And those pictures are fantastic! Thanks Snappy for the link.

Snappy...everything ok with the storm??

I just ordered four pairs of shoes from Zappos. My hope is at least one pair will fit, and the other three will be returned. Going to a wedding this weekend, and I literally had nothing in the way of a brown dress shoe. Which is not surprising, because I avoid dress shoes like the plague! I'm a needs-to-be-comfy kinda gal.

Had some crazy weather around here last night, several tonados in the area, but no big damage. Chicago had a wild time, had to evacuate Wrigley Field and O'Hare!

Have a good night everybody! GAGWTA!

 

[snappy]

Cheryl, just a whole lotta rain.

Today makes 30 big ones (years of marriage) for DH (or Al as I call him) and me. I had tons of errands involving DD12 including a dentist checkup, school and soccer shoes and uniforms, etc. so I blew off work. Then I proceeded to start major decluttering.

Big mistake, even with my comfy Berk's my feet are crying foul.

Al had to work till 7 pm so we are just gonna take DD12 and her friend out to eat at a casual place.

Our REAL anniversary plans center around our October trip to WDW. I guess we will be ok with that. I did receive the sweetest card I have ever seen.
It touches on counting on each other in good times and bad, love growing stronger for all we have been together.

He gave it to me at about midnight (we were up late waiting for DD18 to get home). At least it made that craziness a little more palatable.

Love you guys.

Laurie

Hey great, DS20 and DD18 and her BF are also joining us for dinner. The more the merrier.

 

[CherylDan]

30 years! Congratulations!!!!

 

[MerryPoppins]

Happy anniversary! Sounds like fun.

 

[lookingforward]

Hi everyone! I am back from California. The trip was awesome and did a great job of taking my mind off my sadness for a little while. My son did a great job at UCLA for acting camp...I even got to meet his teacher who is on Two and a Half Men. She rocked!

I will post more later...but my official favorite hotel is now the Beverly Hills Hotel. I could only afford two nights there but it was worth every penny. The most beautiful place with the best service ever. I plan to return every few years, god willing. It will forever be my dream destination.

Favorite restaurant was Spago.

Los Angeles traffic is horrible.

More tomorrow. Missed you all!

 

[snappy]

Maureen, glad to "see" you. Can't wait to hear more about the trip. Any pictures? Would love to see you and your DS having fun.

We had a wonderful meal too last night. Certainly nothing like Spago, but we had the biggest, best seasoned gulf crabs I have had in eons. Also, I went for the salad with lump crabmeat, grilled shrimp, and crawfish.

I ate most of the crabs. DD18, DD12, and her friend just don't have my dexterity, and DS is allergic to shellfish. When I was young, my grandparents in New Orleans as well as one of my uncles boiled hampers of crabs all the time. They weren't fishermen, you could buy hampers of "nice" crabs for not too much $$ down where the boats come in. Where the expense comes in is all the seasonings you use not to mention the beer to wash it down with. It is also a lot of work dragging out the outside boiling equipment and cleaning up the mess afterward (this is definitely an all outside activity).

Good memories. I have not thought of it in a while. DH is not a crab eater, we have boiled crawfish, never crabs. He thinks picking crabs is too much work.

Much easier to buy and eat them in the restaurant and let them clean up.
LOL.

GAGWTA!!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Wow, the last few days have been tough. I couldn't even bring myself to post I was so worried about this hip thing.

So I had my XRays this morning and the tech obliged my looking at them myself first (I couldn't wait any longer! ) I saw no holes in the bones which was great, but I did notice some small round circles in between the joint. The tech thought it was artifact. I doubted that as they were very clear, but I had no idea what they could be, and to make matters worse, they showed in one view but not the other. At any rate, the main thing was no bone eaten away, and with that, some of my stress went away. But I still had to wait for my oncologist to get the radiologist's reading.

Well it was like Old Home Week at the Onc's office. I visited my original Oncologist who is back part time after her illness, she hugged me and reminded me I could call her any time. (And cared enough to ask how I was after all she's been through.) I visited with my chemo nurse and some of the other nurses there, the jolly crew that they are, lots of hugs and laughter. I met with the genetic counselor to go over my family tree and discuss the pros and cons of being genetic tested (I went for it), and then I let my new Oncologist know that films were done and to keep an eye out for results if she would. (BTW, I really like her, too.)

She called me in the car as I was on my way home. No Cancer!! (last smilie is me after the news). Funny though, what I do apparently have is something called calcific tendonitis which are calcium deposits on the tendon (which holds the muscle and bone together) which are what is causing my pain. My Onc was funny - she admitted she wasn't familiar with this but said (and I agreed) the big thing was that it wasn't cancer. So - I guess I have to figure this out more but for right now I'm overwhelmed with emotion that, once again, I've been fortunate/blessed/lucky/what-have-you, that I am still ok.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your thoughts and prayers. A special to you Cheryl, that we're both ok. (Boy, these tests sure suck to go through, don't they? ) It's been a long night, am going to hit the hay now.

PS, I was able to do the eulogy and I'm so glad. Thanks for your support there, too.

GAGWTA I will look at jsg's trip report and pics soon (am actually on vacation now, staying home and relaxing!) Maureen, glad you had a nice trip, sounds awesome! Laurie, your meal sounds spectacular!

 

[lookingforward]

Wow, the last few days have been tough. I couldn't even bring myself to post I was so worried about this hip thing.

So I had my XRays this morning and the tech obliged my looking at them myself first (I couldn't wait any longer! ) I saw no holes in the bones which was great, but I did notice some small round circles in between the joint. The tech thought it was artifact. I doubted that as they were very clear, but I had no idea what they could be, and to make matters worse, they showed in one view but not the other. At any rate, the main thing was no bone eaten away, and with that, some of my stress went away. But I still had to wait for my oncologist to get the radiologist's reading.

Well it was like Old Home Week at the Onc's office. I visited my original Oncologist who is back part time after her illness, she hugged me and reminded me I could call her any time. (And cared enough to ask how I was after all she's been through.) I visited with my chemo nurse and some of the other nurses there, the jolly crew that they are, lots of hugs and laughter. I met with the genetic counselor to go over my family tree and discuss the pros and cons of being genetic tested (I went for it), and then I let my new Oncologist know that films were done and to keep an eye out for results if she would. (BTW, I really like her, too.)

She called me in the car as I was on my way home. No Cancer!! (last smilie is me after the news). Funny though, what I do apparently have is something called calcific tendonitis which are calcium deposits on the tendon (which holds the muscle and bone together) which are what is causing my pain. My Onc was funny - she admitted she wasn't familiar with this but said (and I agreed) the big thing was that it wasn't cancer. So - I guess I have to figure this out more but for right now I'm overwhelmed with emotion that, once again, I've been fortunate/blessed/lucky/what-have-you, that I am still ok.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your thoughts and prayers. A special to you Cheryl, that we're both ok. (Boy, these tests sure suck to go through, don't they? ) It's been a long night, am going to hit the hay now.

PS, I was able to do the eulogy and I'm so glad. Thanks for your support there, too.

GAGWTA I will look at jsg's trip report and pics soon (am actually on vacation now, staying home and relaxing!) Maureen, glad you had a nice trip, sounds awesome! Laurie, your meal sounds spectacular!

OH YEA! I am so happy to hear everything is going well with you. YOu were in my thoughts and prayers, I am thrilled to hear all is good.

 

[snappy]

Linda, I am so relieved that you are relieved. Sorry ANYTHING showed up, but as you said, at least it is not bone mets.

Thanks for letting us know. Glad you got to express that emotion (crying). I bet you felt better after. Even better that you are taking a vacation.

No vacation here. School starts TOMORROW for DD12 !!!!!

Not the college stuff, that is August 25th.

At least we have the school supplies (ordered them in May through a school program, got the shoes, the uniforms, the teeth clean. She could use a haircut but we jus plain ran out of time.

Did I tell you DH lost his phone somewhere (either the soccer field or the mall) and some bozo ran up $1500 in international calls in less than 24 hours, before we called AT&T and had service cancelled on that phone?

Some people are mean. It got me so upset, I started balling, I mean really gasping for breath with a customer service lady called Monday to offer us
a nice little old international calling plan. I can't imagine doing this to anyone.
It sounds like since we reported it fairly quickly we won't be responsible.

Just what I need with all the back to school bills we are facing right now.

I read on the Dis that Louisiana is having a food booth at the Epcot wine and food fest. Interesting. Maybe I should offer to whip up a batch of MY crawfish ettoufee. Hey we could have a cook off.

Seriously, I am so grateful all is well with you Linda. We have been lucky around our thread the last few weeks, thank the Lord.

Laurie

 

[CherylDan]

Linda.......
Woohooo! Soooooo glad to hear your news! Doesn't it just feel like you can breathe again?!? That's how I felt anyway. Like you said, for right now it's just so overwhelming to feel so relieved.

Snappy....yes, you've got that right, about being lucky around here the past few weeks! That sucks about your DH's cell phone - but good that you wont be responsible for those calls. It never ceases to amaze me just how rotten some people can be.

Maureen....I've heard that the Beverly Hills Hotel is beyond wonderful! Very cool that you were able to spend a few days there. I'm looking forward to hearing more about it!

DH is on vacation this week and next (he took off two weeks before starting his new job). We've been keeping busy around our house - lots of maintenance work getting caught up with, stuff like that. Nothing too terribly exciting.......but that's more than ok, I always tell him I like our old normal boring days - means nothing is going wrong!

GAGWTA!!!!

 

[MerryPoppins]

I love to get on here and find happy news. So glad we have reason to celebrate!

Welcome back Maureen. Glad you had a good trip and it lightened your mood for a while at least.

Snappy, is there any way to trace the calls he made? Can anyone do anything about it? That really stinks. I know someone once made charges on my dad's Visa and he finally managed to get out of paying them. Can't remember how he proved he didn't make them. The guy who worked in a restaurant made several charges on his card while he was charging their dinner and they finally figured out who was doing it. That's a lot of long distance charges. Ouch.

School here begins the 20th. Not sure when DS goes back to class, but he's moving out next Monday, I believe. Work week is coming up at the fraternity.

 

[snappy]

Snappy....yes, you've got that right, about being lucky around here the past few weeks! That sucks about your DH's cell phone - but good that you wont be responsible for those calls. It never ceases to amaze me just how rotten some people can be.

Yeah!!! Dirty rotten scoundrel!!!

I am convinced all the good news here concerning the recent tests benefits us all. I don't know about you guys, but when someone amongst us here gets good news I physically feel better myself.

It is just like reading JSK's live trip report, I believe I live vicariously here.

I guess sistahood is alive and well!!!

GAGWTA!!!!!

 

[snappy]

Oh my, DD12 just left for school, she looked so cute with her long red pigtails.
Yesterday she had borrowed some of DD18's clothes to go to a movie with her friend Rachel and she looked all too mature for her 12 years of age.

This morning with the pigtails and the Catholic school uniform she looked like my little baby again.

I do think she had a good summer despite my going to work (It was the first summer since 1998 that I worked and back then it was even more part time than now).

I guess starting the summer with that wonderful long Memorial Day WDW trip, doing swim team, summer soccer and softball, 2 weeks at that nice camp in Alabama, along with her brother and sister being home on and off between DS20's summer classes and DD18's work, it all somehow worked.

I don't think I could have pulled it off if she had been younger. I sure worried about it last September when I accepted this "part time" position. But she has grown up alot since then for sure.

I sure don't make enough $$ to afford a babysitter every day.

End of summer/beginning of school musings. . .

 

[laurabelle]

~~~***GAGWTA sistas***~~~

Just popping in real quick...the kids are having friends over within the hour to swim. We are leaving tomorrow for my birthday weekend trip to our friend's place at the lake, so we've been cleaning.

Linda- I'm so happy to read your good news!!!

Laurie- The first day of school comes early there! I'm not ready for summer to be over. Ok, I'm back to toying with the idea of spending an extra couple of days at WDW since the condo is paid through 10/3. I am trying to set up a visit with my friend who lives in Daytona Beach. I'll let you know if I do this and hopefully we can meet up at some point...

 

[pat fan]

I haven't read all the posts in this thread (crazy amount) but it seems like you all are survivors of BC and other cancers as well. Can I ask a question or is it strictly for survivors?

If I can ask, have you ever had to get a mammo because there was a lump and there has been some pain in that breast, had the tech look at them and say they would put a rush on them so you would have the results by the end of the week instead of 2 weeks? Does that tend to mean they want you to know it's fine so you don't have so long to worry, or that you need to find out soon to get things rolling?

I know you really can't answer this as I'm sure everyone/place is different, it's just the waiting is making me crazy. Anyway, thanks if you have an opinion, and if questions aren't allowed/thread is only for survivors....have a great day anyway

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Hi Pat Fan,

No, this isn't just for Survivors, though there are many of us here. It was meant as support for people like you going through testing and such and needing support, as well as just a place to hang for anyone going through a cancer experience themselves or with a loved one. So Welcome.

To answer your question, yes. I think any time there's a lump or other abnormality they know how stressful it is and usually try to make things happen quickly. They're sensitive to it. So don't read into it too much. Realistically, it can mean they are worried about the findings too, but keep in mind that 80% of lumps turn out to be non-cancerous. Did you find the lump yourself?

 

[pat fan]

No, my Dr. found it at my physical. I admit to only doing a self-exam once or twice a year....what can I say? I was lax. I know the odds are in my favor, but as I'm sure you know, waiting and not knowing, all kinds of stuff goes through your mind.