Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part II -GAGWTA!

[NHAnn]

I
Just wondering. . . anyone else besides Laura and myself going for the Orlando RFTC?

Did you forget me already? I'll be there, with 2 of my sisters (real biological sisters that is LOL. One is the Phyllodes tumor survovor, the other has had several scares, always benign fibraodenomas...she participates in the Sisters Study) We are hoping to hitch a ride with you on race morning to WWS, we'll walk over to BW if you have room in your car for us 3!

DD's elbow is healing slowly but surely. She's still at camp and still even teaching swimming, though there's another certified lifeguard at all times and the bunk counselors do the "hands on" if neccesary This summer has been a wonderful experience for her (including and in spite of the elbow!) , and focused her interest in working with kids on the autism spectrum in speech/language or special ed.

I am deeply disappointed in John Edwards, I am trying not to judge, but like snappy I would like for him and the story to disappear into the woodwork. The dishonesty at so many levels bothers me. I keep having vivid recollections to my personal moment (well, half a moment really) with Elizabeth when they were here on the campaign trail some time ago, I posted here about it.

Merry, you are ever the optimist, I love it!!

Belated b-day greeting laurabelle!

Friday night I had gone up to bed early but not able to sleep, had the TV on, then heard DH yelling something downstairs here. What he was yelling was not DIS-appropriate...about a BAT flying around down there in the living area and how I should shut the ahem, darned, bedroom door til he got it out. Apparently he whopped it with a broom and stunned it then swept it out to the deck, it was gone in the morning. Then Saturday night, one of his friends came...same bat time, same bat location! (OK I'm laughing so I don't cry and shriek!!) This one flew out when he opened the deck door, no broom needed. We are freaking al little about where in the heck they are getting in......and that they are telling all their bat friends about the party here

DH thoroughly inspected the attic/eaves, around the house outside, trying to figure out where it/they got in. Last night we taped up the window AC unit vents, closed the cellar door (usually keep it ajar as the cat litter box is down there, we brought that up to the main floor bathroom) and hoped for the best...no bat visits that we know of....keep your fingers crossed, they are CREEPY!! The Friday night one was BIG. ew.


GAGWTA!!!

 

[Sha]

Just wondering. . . anyone else besides Laura and myself going for the Orlando RFTC?

Laurie

What is the date again??

Merry.. I dont know where, but I heard that info before. Maybe it was an interview a couple years after on a news channel or something. I can only imagine how powerful it was to see.

 

[pat fan]

Patfan, you hanging in there???

Laurie

Yup. Still haven't heard so I've decided not to freak out anymore. It won't change anything anyway. Thanks for asking. I'll post something whenever I find out (which I DO hope will be soon!).

 

[snappy]

Did you forget me already? I'll be there, with 2 of my sisters (real biological sisters that is LOL. One is the Phyllodes tumor survovor, the other has had several scares, always benign fibraodenomas...she participates in the Sisters Study) We are hoping to hitch a ride with you on race morning to WWS, we'll walk over to BW if you have room in your car for us 3!

DD's elbow is healing slowly but surely. She's still at camp and still even teaching swimming, though there's another certified lifeguard at all times and the bunk counselors do the "hands on" if neccesary This summer has been a wonderful experience for her (including and in spite of the elbow!) , and focused her interest in working with kids on the autism spectrum in speech/language or special ed.

I am deeply disappointed in John Edwards, I am trying not to judge, but like snappy I would like for him and the story to disappear into the woodwork. The dishonesty at so many levels bothers me. I keep having vivid recollections to my personal moment (well, half a moment really) with Elizabeth when they were here on the campaign trail some time ago, I posted here about it.

Merry, you are ever the optimist, I love it!!

Belated b-day greeting laurabelle!

Friday night I had gone up to bed early but not able to sleep, had the TV on, then heard DH yelling something downstairs here. What he was yelling was not DIS-appropriate...about a BAT flying around down there in the living area and how I should shut the ahem, darned, bedroom door til he got it out. Apparently he whopped it with a broom and stunned it then swept it out to the deck, it was gone in the morning. Then Saturday night, one of his friends came...same bat time, same bat location! (OK I'm laughing so I don't cry and shriek!!) This one flew out when he opened the deck door, no broom needed. We are freaking al little about where in the heck they are getting in......and that they are telling all their bat friends about the party here

DH thoroughly inspected the attic/eaves, around the house outside, trying to figure out where it/they got in. Last night we taped up the window AC unit vents, closed the cellar door (usually keep it ajar as the cat litter box is down there, we brought that up to the main floor bathroom) and hoped for the best...no bat visits that we know of....keep your fingers crossed, they are CREEPY!! The Friday night one was BIG. ew.


GAGWTA!!!

Sorry, Ann. Now I remember that you are coming. Funny thing, I pm'd Linda to ask her if she was going and said, if only Ann was coming too, the circle from the original thread would be complete.

I guess I had one of the darn senior moments. Also had too much wine this weekend (my New Orleans friend and I had a few glasses after making it through that funeral Sunday).

Gotta have an excuse.

There will definitely be room in our car, we have a mid size reserved. It is an early call, I think last year they told us to be in the parking lot by 7:30 am. I think both Laura and her daughter and mom and I left WL about 6:45 am. Aren't you staying at the Swan?

I need to get over to the Komen site and sign DH and me up.

My New Orleans friend says she'll try and make it next year, maybe even this year for the race at least if she goes to Tampa during that time frame to see her sister's new house. You guys would like Cindy. We have been close for 30years,met up in college right after DH and I married. Sister close. Thick and thin close.

We have a lot of wildlife here but thankfully no bats. We did have a big black bird behind the hallway bathroom wall. Now that was a trip.
Got him out though after several days, live but a little stressed. My DH is a genius. He cut a whole through the back side of the cabined through the wall board around where we heard the thing moving. He was able to free him from the wall and swish him out the hallway door.

Can't wait to meet you and your sisters.

 

[snappy]

Sha, the RFTC in Orlando is Sunday, Oct 5th.

Can you make it over?

 

[Sha]

Sha, the RFTC in Orlando is Sunday, Oct 5th.

Can you make it over?

I am going to try... will mark it on my calendar this time

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

GAGWTA!

I hope you are all well!

Merry, sorry about your indoor rain!

Ann - I don't do bats! YIKES! There was a bird in the house at one of my former nanny jobs, and I thought it might be a bat. Very freaky! Hopefully you guys have sealed up their entry points!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I spoke to Mom tonight. She is getting better. She saw the doctor today and she is going to follow up with the surgeon on Wednesday afternoon. She starts back to work tomorrow, so I hope that goes OK. She didn't sound very happy, but she says she is just tired.

 

[MerryPoppins]

I may not have always been so optimistic. I've just learned that life is too short to dwell on the negative side. Besides, it wasn't so much rain as a waterfall. I joked to DD that not everyone has a waterfall in their bathroom. I'm trying not to feel down about the money. We have $500 deductible, so if we need a new roof... oh well. It'll all work out in the end. Houses are just so expensive sometimes. And tonight DH's laptop is acting up.

Thinking positive thoughts for all of you.

 

[snappy]

You sure were up late, Merry. Around here I am the early bird, especially after a night of bad dreams/nightmares like last night.

I had one that continued despite me waking up numerous times. It was just awful. In the dream DD18 and her BF moved into an apartment HERE in Baton Rouge right before their classes in New Orleans start. The BF spent all the $$ he was saving all summer for his board in New Orleans on this apartment in my nightmare. It was a dump, old food left everywhere. It looked like someone who had been unemployed had left suddenly and left his job seeking stuff everywhere. It was way across town and huge and somehow connected with a church. There were various groups meeting in some of the rooms.

In the dream, DH and I kept trying to reason with the both of them to no avail.

One frustrating dream. I have no idea where it came from. I am concerned and was thinking right before going to sleep about her BF's 8 yr old sister who has been in the hospital since Friday with a very serious staff infection on her leg that had to be operated on Sunday.

My body kept trying to wake me up, telling me my back hurt. I did go to the gym yesterday so it would not surprise me but now that I am up and away from that crazy nightmare, my back is fine.

I think my body wanted that darn dream to end. Very strange. I am glad to be awake.

Enough about that.

JSK, I hope you are feeling better today. Sorry you basically missed everything yesterday. It has to be daunting for her to go to work tomorrow. I glad she is doing better.

It sounds like you would advise everyone to stay away from the deluxe dining plan. I know it is mucho $$$. From reading your trip thread, I know you guys had many wonderful meals (wonderful pictures there). Would you do the basic dining plan in the future instead? We did the DDE card last year. I am not sure if we saved any money or not but it felt like we did. I really did not keep track but we may have just come out about even. I am not much of a meal planner, we do spontaneous stops for meals so the DDE works better for us. We always have a car too so occasionally do offsite meals. I can't see any of the DDP's being a value for us, in fact I think I would be stressed trying to figure out in advance where to eat.

Your trip sounds wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing the details and pictures live. You cannot imagine how fun it was for those of us reading along. I would not be able to pull what you did off in a million years.

Laurie

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Strange dream, Laurie - I wonder what it means? These days I'm really paying attention to practically everything as it seems there are so many strange things happening and they all seem to have meaning somehow. I should probably stop reading the books I've been reading and hit the photography books again.

The mention of the apartment in your dream made me think of a show I just started watching the other day called How Clean Is Your House? It is unbelievable that seemingly normal people can live that way.

I was kept awake all last night with thunder and lightening. Big, huge cracks - for hours. We were all awake, actually, and the poor dog was up in bed with us, too. This has been ths strangest summer weather-wise around here.

Neat trip report, jsg. I began reading backward from the end (and haven't finished yet, but next time will start from the beginning) and all of us really enjoyed it.

GAGWTA

 

[snappy]

I dunno, Linda, where the dream came from, but I sure as heck am glad I am awake now.

I am still disturbed over it. My dreams usually are not that vivid and they don't continue after waking up and going back to sleep numerous times.

Glad the thunderboomers did not cause you any damage besides lack of sleep.
Lots of rain here too and my goodness it is hot and sticky. It was over 80 degrees at 6 am this morning.

First premier soccer practice tonight and I have no idea whatsoever how those girls are going to play in this pea soup.

It actually was not too bad when DH and I walked Sanppy and Naj last night.
By the way, Linda, Naj went to her first obedience class last Thursday. I think the trainer was impressed (she missed class # 1 since DH could not find the group) that she already knew the come, sit, go down, stay commands. I have dilegently been working with her, rarely miss a day.

She seems to be doing better, although she has chewed a section of wordwork in my kitchen that steams me. Snappy is tolerating her a little better. DH is very diligent walking her as well every day (me thinks he is walking himself as well). He is looking good (had to wear a suit for a big meeting tonight) and has not had any more chest pains (I asked him regularly and I believe I now have full disclosure).

My teens will both be gone off to college in 11 days. Oh my, I have a lot yet to do, nothing that one more Saturday out shopping can't cure. The interesting thing will be getting all this hoopla down to New Orleans. We need to hire a semi!!! We need extra stuff for DS20 since he will be living upstairs in Mamere's house. Hopefully, the contractor will finish the punch list this week so the coast will be clear. I'd like to get alot of his stuff up there and set up this weekend so we can focus more on DD18 the next week.

I can't imagine what it is like for the ones coming in from afar. At 70 miles away we can take a road trip and help they more (although we did not do this with our son). We do have independent offspring.

So much different dorm shopping for a girl rather than a boy. DD18 was much more engaged in the process, picking out colors, items, etc. We bought ALOT at Walmart. I was proud of her for not being a snob about that. Some things we couldn't find at Walmart so we finished at Bed Bath and Beyond with my folder full of 20% coupons.

One thing that is helping her immensely is that she was able to choose her own room mate, a girl from Lafayette that she met way back in early June at orientation. They have been in contact all summer. She is vastly relieved that her roommate is someone she thinks she can get along with. Of course, actually living with someone can be an eye opening experience but I have not burdened her with that fact of life. She needs to learn some lessons on her own.

GAGWTA!! Thinking of your mom, JSK, and patfan. Hope you are both well this morning!!


Laura, how has your health been lately?

 

[laurabelle]

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

Laurie- The Humira is still rocking! I'm doing great, and see my GI doc on Fri. Hubby has an appt. with his primary, for a physical and hopefully he will open up to him about his panic attacks. I can't remember what school you said your oldest dd was going to...I'm glad she got to pick her roommate! Strange dream...

Melissa- I'm sorry you are going through this...yes, I think people pay extra for a waterfall in their bathroom, but not a $500 deductable!!! All my appliances seem to be going crazy right now! I just had the guy out and I need a new water line for the ice maker/water in my 5yr old fridge. I'm thrilled that this repair is only costing $140...Of course with back to school looming, tag renewal, emmissions testing... we will continue to be nickled and dimed to death!

Ann- When are you arriving? I can't stay for the RFTC, but I'll be there with my family from 9/26, then they leave on the 30th, and I'm there until 10/3. That's the plan anyway. I'll PM you...

Elizabeth- I just got caught up on your TR. I'm sorry you got sick, that viral thing is going around. I think my youngest had a touch of it this weekend, slight fever, headache. She rebounded quickly though. I think it hits you harder when you're not home to crawl in your own bed though...Sorry your mom can't have more time off. Hopefully they will be flexible with her.

Linda- I try to pay attention to everything! Of course interpreting dreams is tricky, nothing is what it seems on the surface.

 

[snappy]

DD18 is going to Tulane. My sister got her social work masters and DH's oldest niece who works for Oreck, now in Nashville (boy does she complain about the music there. . .she like Al is a big jazz fan) got both her undergraduate and one of her business masters degrees there.

So far I am impressed with the information and guidance they are supplying both student and parent. Reminds me a bit of the stuff with the big expensive Catholic high schools here.

I am thinking it will be lots more liberal there though.

Met some very interesting parents at the Orientation. They held a 2 day PARENT orientation as well. . . too much information. . . you can get most of the info from the web site but I get the impression some of the rich folks from NY and NJ want to be spoon fed (apologies to anyone I may be offending by this non PC comment) but a few of us were annoyed for instance by the repetitive questions that were asked about the meal plan, which as you might imagine was not too complicated.

I don't think it had anything to do with where they were from, it was more the silver spoons in their mouths that was driving it.

There were also a lot of average type parents I chatted up too, along with the helicopter mom from Texas who had her daughters schedule all picked out for her (she ran and got her laptop out of the car to "help").

I was lucky to find out what my DD was taking, and she ended up picking wisely I think. I believe there will be little problem for her cutting the apron strings from us (not the purse strings, however, LOL)!!

 

[pat fan]

Well, I have to go for an ultrasound tomorrow and they're setting up a tentative appointment for next week with a surgeon. I guess that appointment will depend on what's up with the ultrasound.

My doc's words were that there was a "denseness" on the film and that the mass was palpable to the touch so....I think that was all she said. Anyway, guess that's what I'll be doing tomorrow, besides seeing the ob-gyn about my ultrasound on the fibroid tumors I have causing "monthly" problems. I feel like canceling that apt...Bad periods? At this point, who cares?

A question....does anyone else have a DH that is more of a problem avoider than a real supporter? My DH would mean well, but I know him like a book and this will be very hard for him. I haven't told him about any of this yet, but I'd like him to go with me to the ultrasound, but I'm afraid he'll just get all distant and that's worse than him not knowing and not getting support just from ignorance. Did I explain that properly?

Thanks.

OT....My DS is heading back to school soon as well (sophmore) and the purse strings are for sure the only ones he doesn't want to cut! He's actually pretty good about it, works all summer and part time at school, but everyone else's parents pay for everything and they don't have to work or take out loans. Sorry...but we do the best we can and that's all we can do. He'll live

 

[Pea-n-Me]

There was a recent poster here who was also reluctant to tell her DH what was going on. She finally did, and he was much better than she thought he was going to be. Give him a chance to support you through this. We're here, too.

They are doing the right thing fully investigating this even though it's hard on you. Stay the course, and hang in there.

 

[pat fan]

Pea-n-Me
Thanks. I think a little of it is also "if I don't say it out loud, it's not real" which is stupid, but hey, that's how I think sometimes I will think hard about it. If I want him to go with me, he'll have to take tonight off (he works nights), so he would have to know soon. Thanks again1

 

[laurabelle]

pat fan- My mom was strongly urging me to bring my hubby along to get the pathology results after my surgical biopsy. I think my sister and mom both knew it was cancer at that point since my SIL's dad, who was the head pathologist didn't contact me early with the results. I knew it all along...I had done everything else by myself or with my sister (nurse) up to that point, and even though my hubby knew what was going on, he wasn't overly involved. That sounds worse than it is, and I don't mean it too. I won't bash him, I love him. It's because he does not think he knows what to do, esp. concerning this medical stuff. Once he is told, he does a great job. I have learned to be vocal about what I need and not expect him to read my mind. He ended up doing things for me that I would probably have a hard time doing, but he didn't complain once.
I also think that your hubby can support you in ways no one else can.
Give him a chance, but don't be shy about making your needs known to him, I know he'll appreciate not having to figure it out! We are with you!

Laurie- Sounds like a good family history with Tulane. I am talking to my kids (esp. my oldest) a lot about making their own choices, taking ownership of their lives. Making the future, beyond tomorrow, real!
It sounds like you've done a good job mom!

 

[CherylDan]

GAGWTA!!

Just wanted to pop in for a quick hello - hope everybody is doing well.

patfan....how did the ultrasound go?

 

[snappy]

Awfully quiet on this thread, where is everyone?

GAGWTA!!!