Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part III - GAGWTA!

[CherylDan]

GAGWTA!!

LMP....sending lots of good thoughts that everything goes smoothly, right down to your requested floor! That's too bad about your DS.....hopefully next time will go better, maybe he was a bit nervous?

Alice, hope you sleep better tonight!

We've been living in a construction zone at our house, started with our master bathroom project which has now extended itself into the bedroom too! Decided that we just couldn't do one without the other. Well, I decided. DH was fine with leaving the bedroom alone, but where's the fun in that?!? Sooo....upgrading to a king size bed, and that of course means new bedding, and oh gee whiz, might as well replace the furniture since we have to get a new headboard anyway, and hardwood floors would look much better than this carpet, wouldn't they honey?!? Seriously, our old stuff was worn out, and it will be soooo nice to finally have a nice bedroom.

Charlie is doing great (most of the time!) He's just about six months old now, and just graduated from puppy kindergarten. They even took graduation pictures. He goes next week to get neutured.....my poor DH is having such a hard time with that!

 

[lookingforward]

Hi everyone. I am doing the "tamoxifen shuffle" tonight. What I like to NOT affectionately call the crazy insomnia that I have developed since I started taking the medicine. My oncologist says its menopause...but I am not so sure

Anyway...I went online to catch up with all of you and went to press the copy button to respond to some of your posts and couldn't do it. What the heck was going on??? It literally took me ten minutes to figure out the old thread was closed. Who the heck knew about the 250 page rule? I sure did not.

So, I hope that you are all doing well. I remember posts about surgery, mammogram worries, etc. I am sending positive thoughts your way. My dad is doing well, has one more chemo before he has a six week break and then they will go and check his bladder again to see if there has been any regrowth. I am praying hard that he gets a long break from treatment!

I am doing okay. Working really hard, blah, blah, the usual! The kids are having a good summer, my little one got a great part in Hairspray and is loving it. My two boys are busy working and hanging with their friends. I love the summer months because its easy for me in the morning. ONe more month and I will be back to getting up at 5 a.m.

Hey, you all were mentioning Brenda Vaccarro and Kathleen Turner. TRUE story about Ms. Kathleen Turner. My first job out of college in 1983 was an agent assistant at The Don Buchwald Agency in new york city. It was a smallish talent agency. One of the agents was David Guc who was Kathleen's old boyfriend and was her agent. During the lunch hour I had to cover the receptionist at her post. They had a bank of phones and it was very busy. David walks out and says that it is VITAL that the ,minute Kathleen Turner calls to transfer the call as she would be calling from Mexico and the connections were really hard to get. (remember ...this was 1983). He said that she was there on location filming Romancing the Stone with Michael Douglass. I was 22 years old and eager to do well so a few minutes later the phone rings and I hear "Kathleennnnnnnnnn Turner calling for David" in a whispery voice. (side note: I knew she was an important client but personally did not know her at ALL). SO I said "please hold" and immediately transfered the call as instructed. Boy....I was proud of myself for not only making the transfer right away but for picking up her call on the first ring. I was smiling a half hour later when David Guc walks out of his office and walks towards me. Surely he will congratulate me on a successful mission accomplished...right?????
Yea, it didn't happen. He walks up to me and says "Boy, you sure did manage to make Kathleen REALLY mad, thank God she is in Mexico right now!" (Yes, he was SERIOUS). I was mortified and squeeked out "why is she mad at me..I don't even know her??" He then told me that she was disgusted that I did not (and I quote) "treat her like the star she is" and transfer her call AFTER greeting her like a star on the phone. I guess I was supposed to say something to the effect of "Kathleen DARLING...How must it feel to be YOU? PLEASE tell! I am so honored to be able to transfer your call...please understand that I am one of the little people and it makes me so happy to be able to hear your lovely, deep, gravely, fake accented voice!"
She was actually mad that I did not say something deferential to her. After that experience and others like it with other clients I decided that being a talent agent was not for me. Picture Ary Gold from Entourage but minus off all the nice things about him. Anyway, years later Burt Reynolds was interviewed after working with her and said she was the meanest person he had ever met. She later blamed her meanness on her unfortunate battle with arthritis...but I KNOW that in 1983 she did not have any physical ailments (she was only about 29 or 30) and she was just plain mean.

I am excited that I am going to see a comedian this weekend with my local support group friends. The comedian is a cancer survivor who is supposed to be hilarious. I can't remember his name (but I can remember EVERYTHING Kathleen Turner did to hurt my feelings 26 years ago!). I will let you know his name when my short term memory returns.

GAGWTA!

 

[honugirl]

Good evening ladies

Lisa - Hope your cold symptoms will be bearable.

Thanks! I'm sleeping a lot, which helps.

Well I am back to tell the tale. I should preface by saying that ds21 took ds17 on a little practice before we left. He came in and said ds17 hit the mailbox. I said quit joking around. He said, no, I am serious.. Hmm, a sign of things to come. The inspector ds got seemed nice enough. Thought it strange that ds arrived back before the car in front of him since they go in a line etc. Well he told me he failed and she told him to "come back when you learn how to drive" Needless to say he was devestated., So devestated that when we got home he finished what was left in 2 gallons of ice cream. I think the rules are that you have to wait 30 days to retest and then you may wait even longer if the site is booked etc. Well that does put a little bump in things. I was honestly thinking he would have my van and drive himself to work. I dont think I will be allowed to drive for a while, I was not the last time for about at least 2 weeks. sigh, sigh. Also got the call, my surgery will be at 1 pm, so I have to be there at 11 am. They told me I am his only patient tomm. That is strange in and about itself. I thought they usually book the place for the whole day. They also told me, because I asked , that he has to wait for the surgeon before him to be done in that room and they will also tell me what floor I am going to. Well I am going to put in my request for 18, yeah, like I have anything to say about it. I will definetely freak out if they say 15 and I will say it loud, because I dont care, that is the floor where I almost died. Dh actually had to help them push my bed into the elevator because they were doing absolutely nothing to help me etc. So say some prayers and I will try to bring the laptop in 1 day if dh can.

GTAGWTA, Blessings to you all. (Keep it quiet around here sistas, cause I dont want to miss all the fun while I'm away o,k.,

Hopefully that's enough hugs to get you through the procedure. I really hope all goes well.

Sorry to hear about your son. He'll do better next time.

I'm still waiting for my endo to fax my records up for a consult with the adrenalectomy surgeon. I'm hoping I can convince my them to move up my brain scan a month to August so we can go on to surgery in September. Not sure if that's going to work though. I think they're kind of dead set on the 6 month mark, which means that surgery will be in October because I'll have to wait for my neurosurgeon to look at the scans and give his recommendation, then set the surgery up.

 

[Notatourist]

I found you, I found you...

Round five of chemo is done...now working through the neulasta shot. MORE percocet to come...

How are all you doing tonight?

GAGWTA!

Notatourist

 

[lookingforward]

I found you, I found you...

Round five of chemo is done...now working through the neulasta shot. MORE percocet to come...

How are all you doing tonight?

GAGWTA!

Notatourist

Hang in there. I HATED the Neulasta shot but is sure did help keep me out of the hospital with low blood counts. I am thinking about you. The percocets really helped me with the bone pain. Sending you all my best thoughts!

 

[Aliceacc]

Having a rough time.

I made the mistake of looking at the results of Wednesday's reconstruction while taking a sponge bath yesterday. The left side, where he had minimized the good breast, had lots of blood stuck to the dressings, not too bad. But the right side, where he built me a new nipple, has what looks like a big yellow napkin tied around it... all I could think of was a clown's nose and I cried all day. Silly I know-- surgery was Wednesday and it's unrealistic to expect it to look beautiful 2 days later. Still, not a good day at all.

 

[honugirl]

I found you, I found you...

Round five of chemo is done...now working through the neulasta shot. MORE percocet to come...

How are all you doing tonight?

GAGWTA!

Notatourist

Hey there, congrats on finishing 5 rounds of chemo. Percocet is nice.

It's 4:30 am and I'm still awake, just about par for the course. Just a regular day here watching the sun rise while I should be staring at the inside of my eyelids.

Having a rough time.

I made the mistake of looking at the results of Wednesday's reconstruction while taking a sponge bath yesterday. The left side, where he had minimized the good breast, had lots of blood stuck to the dressings, not too bad. But the right side, where he built me a new nipple, has what looks like a big yellow napkin tied around it... all I could think of was a clown's nose and I cried all day. Silly I know-- surgery was Wednesday and it's unrealistic to expect it to look beautiful 2 days later. Still, not a good day at all.

Hang in there Alice. It'll get better. Mentally it's hard to look at stuff like that and know that it's going to look better in the future. You want it to look good now.

I felt the same way after my first surgery, I was supposed to lose weight if it worked. It was so hard to look at myself in the mirror everyday when it wasn't happening. I'd cry a lot of the time. Still do as a matter of fact. Eventually I'll get to where I like myself again, but in the meantime, it's rough going.

 

[Aliceacc]

It's hard. It's been over a year of this crap and I'm tired of crying. But I'm also tired of being so conscious of what I wear to school each day-- I teach high school. And of juggling doctor's appointments. And of having to tell my son yesterday: "Sorry, honey I can't take you to the beach. Daddy's working and I can't drive."

In a bizarre coincidence, I'm tired of getting a phone call every time I get out of the hospital telling me someone has died. (After my mastectomy, it was my father in law, 8 days later. After April's surgery, it was my niece's 2 year old daughter-- she died that morning though we found out an hour after I got home from the hospital. Yesterday, it was a cousin's mother in law-- not someone I was close to, but still....)

I'm tired of having to go into my Assistant Principal's office to keep him in the loop about my NEXT surgery and the time I'll need off for that. (I have to have half my thyroid removed the week we start Freshman Orientation in September.)

Sorry, I don't mean to complain, especially when some of you have it much much worse than I do. Just going through a small rough patch.

 

[honugirl]

It's hard. It's been over a year of this crap and I'm tired of crying. But I'm also tired of being so conscious of what I wear to school each day-- I teach high school. And of juggling doctor's appointments. And of having to tell my son yesterday: "Sorry, honey I can't take you to the beach. Daddy's working and I can't drive."

In a bizarre coincidence, I'm tired of getting a phone call every time I get out of the hospital telling me someone has died. (After my mastectomy, it was my father in law, 8 days later. After April's surgery, it was my niece's 2 year old daughter-- she died that morning though we found out an hour after I got home from the hospital. Yesterday, it was a cousin's mother in law-- not someone I was close to, but still....)

I'm tired of having to go into my Assistant Principal's office to keep him in the loop about my NEXT surgery and the time I'll need off for that. (I have to have half my thyroid removed the week we start Freshman Orientation in September.)

Sorry, I don't mean to complain, especially when some of you have it much much worse than I do. Just going through a small rough patch.

Vent all you want to. That's what we're here for.

It sucks. It really sucks. It sucks even more when we hit a rough patch and nothing's going right.

Hang in there. We're all going to get through this or I'll eat my hat (not the John Deere one though, that's my favorite).

 

[Aliceacc]

Thanks! It's bound to be better today!

My sister and I are commiserating via email. I booked the Magic of Steam Engines tour as a birthday/Fathers Day gift for our upcoming WDW trip. They're cancelled from now until the Fall, since the Roundhouse is being used for the monorail investigation. Completelly understandable, but now I'm searching for an alternative.

So that's at least a project-- aside from the Geometry course I haven't taught since the early '90's that I REALLY should start to prep one of these days.

 

[honugirl]

Thanks! It's bound to be better today!

My sister and I are commiserating via email. I booked the Magic of Steam Engines tour as a birthday/Fathers Day gift for our upcoming WDW trip. They're cancelled from now until the Fall, since the Roundhouse is being used for the monorail investigation. Completelly understandable, but now I'm searching for an alternative.

So that's at least a project-- aside from the Geometry course I haven't taught since the early '90's that I REALLY should start to prep one of these days.

You're welcome!

I did the Steam Train tour in 2007, it was really good. The only downside was that at the end we were stuck with a guide who just wanted to tell stories and we just wanted to get out to the MK!

My favorite tour we've done is the Backstage Safari tour at Animal Kingdom. It totally rocked!!!!!!!!!!!! We got to get up close and personal with a rhino and saw the elephants. They take you through the food prep area and several other areas. Plus you get a special safari without the regular "Wilson" storyline and they go into the history of the safari and tell you more in depth about the animals and stuff.

Behind the seeds was good too if you're interested in gardening at all. They take you through all the areas of the land and you get to sample some cucumbers grown right there. Very informative.

I'd have to look and see what other tours we've done, I don't remember them all. But the animal kingdom one was far and away the best one.

Can't help you with the geometry. I flunked that...

 

[Aliceacc]

If I can't get them onto one of the Safari tours (since we're at the Poly and not the AKL) I'm thinking maybe I'll put the money towards lunch with an Imagineer?? (How much fun is that for an 11 year old??) Or Sea Raycers at the Poly?

Or what else??

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

GAGWTA, Ladies! I see the new thread is off and running!

Alice, I am glad your surgery went well. I am sorry the post-op results aren't quite up to snuff yet, but I know you will get there!
Sorry about the train tour! Lunch with an Imagineer is fun. We took DS when he was 10. It is "most appreciated by those 14 and up" but he did fine. Our Imagineer was in charge of pyro effects - Illuminations, the stunt show, etc. We are doing the Sunrise Safari on 8/9 - let me know if your guys are able to book that one and we'll look for them!

I had a VERY minor procedure on my eyelid yesterday and I am anxiously awaiting the swelling to resolve. It started as a stye over 3 weeks ago, so I have been looking very scary for almost a month. It turned into more of a cyst that absolutely refused to heal. Today it isn't as painful or as purple, so that's a good thing.

MaryAnn, I read about your experience in the sun while on Cipro. I am on doxycycline for my eye. I was at the pool with the kids on Tuesday (wore PLENTY of sunscreen) and Wednesday my chest was COVERED in this red, bumpy rash. DH thinks it was a reaction to the med. At any rate, it hasn't gotten much better. Dr. wants me to stay on the med for another 4 weeks. Yay.

Sending lots of hugs and good thoughts to those of you in the middle of treatment!

Maureen, isn't it funny how a brush with a celebrity changes your impression of them? I can't say I ever cared much for Kathleen Turner anyway.

Cheryl, Charlie is a cutie pie! DH found a kitten under his truck at work a few weeks ago. We were unsuccessful in finding a home for him, so guess where he lives now? He will be going in for neutering as soon as we get home from WDW, so he can commiserate with Charlie!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Alice I would like you to do something for me. Please say you will. I will tell you what it is when you respond back. You will need to promise and I am holding you to it.

 

[Aliceacc]

Uh, uh. I'm from New York. We don't make any promises until we know what we're getting ourselves into.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

OK, then. Never mind.

 

[Aliceacc]

Come on, tell me what it was.. I promsie I'll think about it!

 

[snappy]

OK now I am curious too.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

OK, OK. I know there's an element of trust involved in making such a promise, and over the internet, that's difficult... But I think it could help you and I just want to hear that you'll try it.

Here's what it is. I'd like to see you start practicing a little meditation and affirmations. Make some time for yourself, light a candle, put some soft music on, etc. Plan to shut out the rest of the world for at least 15 minutes or so, better if longer. Now relax. Concentrate on relaxing and breathing - from your abdomen, not your chest. Feel all of the muscles in your body relax, from your head, to your neck, arms, trunk, back, butt, thighs, calfs, feet. Work it. This will put your body in a relaxed state, and it's been shown that being this way for even a few minutes can have lasting benefits to you for the rest of the day (endorphins and all that). It can take several minutes to become relaxed. Enjoy those minutes. Work it.

As for your mind, put yourself somewhere pleasant while you're becoming relaxed. A favorite vacation spot, perhaps the beach. FEEL the sensations of your favorite spot - smell it, see it, hear it, feel it, taste it, live it. Don't allow anyone or anything to interrupt this time which is YOURS. Bring yourself there anytime. The more you do it, the better you become at it.

Now the really fun part. After you're relaxed and you've enjoyed being at your favorite place for a while, now you're going to go to a new place. The place you want to be, perhaps a year from now. You are in school in the front of your classroom teaching your students. They adore you. You are wearing a lovely, comfortable outfit in a smashing color. It fits you absolutely perfectly, with your "new figure" and all. You've gotten a zillion complements on it today alone. You feel and look great. Your mind is at peace. You are happy, settled, have a new appreciation for life, etc. At home, you admire your new figure. It really looks great now that it's healed. Amazing that something like that can be done when so many Sistas before us were left incomplete. I have a lot to be thankful for (list these). Etc.

When your mind goes to a place that's unpleasant, you have the power to take it somewhere else. Practice it, I promise it will help you if you do it regularly.

 

[snappy]

Linda, your post reminds me of the relaxation sessions I had with a wonderful counselor back in the early 90's when I was struggling with continuing to work in an extremely fast-paced enviornment with 2 kids under the age of 3.

The exercises were very helpful me to me. I still listen to soothing sounds of the sea pretty much every single night when going to sleep. My bedroom CD player has a setting where the CD plays over and over. So the first sound I hear as I am awakening in the morning is the sea.

Not I repeat NOT an alarm clock.

Good thing i am not expected in the office early in the morning.

Maybe I should try this before and after the bingo session tonight?

This will be my 5th session attending. I do not stay the entire 6 hours of the session. I made it perfectly clear my role was to help the bingo workers and board member volunteers understand how to complete the paperwork the state and parish gaming offices insist on.

When they get comfortable (we have some people who shiver at the sight of numbers) I am outta there.

I actually have bingo nightmares. Who would have thought such a simple thing would become an albatross?

I gotta quit complaining, there are so many here that have such serious issues. I am just trying to inject a little humor, albeit lame, as is my usual pattern.

You can put me on ignore if you like.

Anyway, GAGWTA!!