Dis Breast Cancer Survivors Part III - GAGWTA!

[Dan Murphy]

Stopping by for a couple reasons. First, because you ladies are all great and I do like to stop by every so often to say hello. Do hope and pray everybody is doing well, making progress and/or staying in remission. I think of you all often. Best wishes and blessings of the Christmas and holiday season to everyone.

Secondly, maybe drop by here if you can to offer some suggestions to Sarabi's Cubs and her trip to WDW while in treatment....

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2352841

I know you can be of much help with advice and thoughts.

Take care, love you all.


Dan

 

[Candy30]

Hi,
(I don't know why that thumbs down showed up. Can't edit it out)
LMP I have not heard of that place before but then again I am a city girl too! Your DS will "get there" on his own time just like Snappy said. He will get there. Kudos to your kids grades Snappy.

Honu- Just reading your post made me want to take nap. You are a movin' Mama always. Love it! I agree with what you said about our family members taking it harder. My DH hates my port. He and my DS leave the room when they access it.

PNM- How goes the renovation? Do you have any updated pics? I am so happy your SIL was safe. I am more nervous when other people drive than when I drive. My husband has to tell me to sit back and relax before I drive us both crazy.

Sha- Sorry about your trip. How's Mom?

AnnRAe- I love the way snow looks when it is fresh. My DH an DS do not like it because we have 36 steps to our front door!!! Koha (dog) goes crazy in it! He loves it! The kids say he is on crack when he gets out in the snow. I must admit it is hilarious!

My best friend in OH brother died from H1N1. She is so distraught. Feels like she should have pushed him to go to the hospital more. It was a big shock to everyone. He has a 10 year old son who absolutely adores him. The Mom left the two of them 5 years ago. He was just going through the courts to get full custody of him. Fortunately he finalized the divorce 2 weeks ago. She was told that no money would come to her. Now she shows up and wants to take him with her. I am hoping it is not just for the money. She was very mean to the both of them.

Everyone keep warm and GAGTWA!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Some storm pics from this weekend -

This is what we woke up to Sunday morning:

The wreath on our front door

Full view

*Trying* to open the front door to get a peek outside

View out back slider

View out living room window - note plow going down street

DH snow blowing

Watching snow blowing/waiting to go out to romp

I will post some renovation photos soon. Still completing finishing touches.

 

[wdw4us2]

Wow - I can't imagine that amount of snow! We moved to Florida when I was 12 and I can honestly say I don't miss that weather at all. Just looking at the pictures makes me cold!

I'm glad everyone who is dealing with that weather is safe. I guess it's definitely a White Christmas for the cooler parts of the country! I will now stop complaining about our 60 degree weather.

I managed to finish the Christmas cards yesterday and help the kids finish decorating the tree. Time to wrap presents!

LMP - I can relate to what your DS18 said about the word cancer. I already told my sister (which is where we are having Christmas dinner) I didn't want to spend the day talking about how I feel, my treatment, etc. I want the day to be about Christmas and family and to give my family a break from their daily reality of my condition.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thought you guys might enjoy these, from my Photo Board Holidays Assignment thread. (A sneak peek of my kitchen!)

 

[NHAnn]

GAGWTA!

Where does the time go?

I am thinking and praying for those of you in treatment!

And of course greetings and blessings to my old pals here.

Linda, love the pics, can't wait to see more of the kitchen...the countertop color is warm and rich and lovely!! We dodged the "blizzard" up here a hundred miles north of you, just a dusting!

It's so nice to hear of all your students doing well in college...so hard to believe DD graduated a year and a half ago. She has decided to pursue a Masters in Speech Pathology, is studying for GRE's and getting apps ready with a plan of leaving her job (speech/language assistant in an elementary school) at end of school year and take a summer off (hasn't done that since age 14) and start school again full time in the fall. She broke up with the boyfriend and has moved back in here to save money, at least that's the plan.

Wanted to get in here to wish you all the very best this holiday season. Relax and enjoy.

 

[snappy]

Oh my, those pictures were absolutely tantalizing!! I felt like I wanted to EAT them!!! lol

Maybe I can tantalize you back. . . I am making a big honking pot of sausage and chicken gumbo. I was planning to make it a duck gumbo as DH got back from another very successful duck hunt at his boss's hunting club last night with another 20 plus ducks but I forgot about marinating the ducks first.

So the ducks will be later.

When I saw the snow pictures I have to say I could not figure them out. How does the snow get UP ON the door?

I guess I am still a snow virgin?

Glad your SIL is OK. How scary!

Now I am salivating about seeing the rest of the story of the kitchen redo.

DH is out finally putting up the rest of the outdoor lights. We have yet to put the ornaments on the tree. Maybe later.

I had to work late so the gumbo she is still a cooking.

Sadly, my brother Tom called last night. He cancelled his Christmas trip and will reschedule for sometime in January or february. He had a sore throat with whitish stuff on the tonsils, and could not face waiting in the airport for hours. Some of his friends were hold up in the NYC airport all weekend. If you are sick, the airport is no place to be.

Candy, sorry to hear of your friend's loss.

Finished with shopping, just need to pick up food for Friday now. Our plans have changed since Tom is not coming in. I got a lot of last minute gift surprises that I am loving. We are going to do a more intimate thing for just us five.

That is once we get to Thursday. I unfortunately have a lot of work to do and no reason not to work with Tom not here.

I got new eyeglasses this weekend and I am loving being able to see again. I guess three years is too long to go between eye exams?

I got the best looking red Raybans shades. I am now one cool old chick (is that a hen?) I will have get DD19 to take a picture of me and post it. I am just loving being able to see to read without putting my glases up on top of my head.

DH and I splurged. . . we each got 3 pairs, DH a set just for the computer, me a pair of actual readers WITHOUT the far correction. It is hard to keep up with 3 pairs.

Barabar are you beside yourself anticipating your trip/ did you ever get in touch with Merry? I looked everywhere and could not find her email, etc.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Good late evening ladies

Linda - I loved your pictures, cant wait to see the kitchen ones too

Laurie - sorry your bro. had to cancel his trip, but you have his new year visit to look forward to. Wow you are cooking up big time!!

Barbara - wow, cant believe you missed our snow!!

Ann - Wishing you a happy holiday too

Candy - Wow, all those steps, I am glad we have a ranch and no steps, dh wanted it that way. He though I would kill myself with stairs.

Fl Lisa - I hope you have a wonderful christmas celebration

Well I am shouting it from the mountiantops, Praise God, good news today, the blood tests came back great so that means the cancer is still undetectable right now. the med I am taking is actually helping to repress any cancer cells from coming back post radiation and surgery. So I thought I would have a good new year, but it seems it will be a medical year. I just wish for once I wouldnt have to have a test, etc. But now its, Jan. -voice test, feb. - 1 year surgeon followup, march -ultrasound of neck, blood tests, endo visit, april - rad. onc. visit and May -nuclear scan. Today the endo said I am waiting too long to go back to the rad. onc. She wants me to call and reschedule and said if she doesnt like it to tell them to call her personally. Iam schedued for June 3 so far. Tomm. is the stomach surgeon and both ds21 and ds19 are sick. I think maybe ds21 is getting strept and ds19 sounds like bronchitis, oh what fun this will be.

GTAGWTA. Blessings to you all always.

 

[Tuffcookie]

Maryann,

Just stopping by to catch up on everyone's news.

What a year you have had! I'm so glad the test results are coming back good! After all you've been thru what is a little strep for DS's?

I wish every one of you dear ladies a very Merry Christmas and Happy (& healthy) New Year!

TC

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Ah thanks Cindy, you are such a sweetheart. I was thinking of your Disney Christmas Tree when I was buying 2 new ornaments the other week. I was thinking of going with the lenox like ones as a collection, but I figured to go and do different ones etc.

Oh and I did a dining review on the boards if anyone wants to read it. Off to the surgeon soon, will update later

 

[wdw4us2]

LMP - Great blood test results! I'm happy for you!

 

[annrae]

Hi Ladies: This will be a short post as I have a busy day today. I am passing along some information I received in an e-mail from Melissa (Merry Poppins).
She is fine and so is her family - however, her computer is not feeling well and she is hoping that Santa will come down the chimney with a new one for her - so until then she says hi to all of you. She can only pm once in a while but she does read the posts so is caught up on how everyone is doing.

I was hoping to meet up with her the end of Dec. in WDW but I'm not sure our dates will coincide so just waiting to hear from her.

Take care everyone and have a good day. Hugs, Barbara

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Good afternoon ladies

Barbara - Thanks for the update on Melissa, and since you can reaad this..Hi Melissa!! Sorry you cant post, we miss ya!!Glad all is well and I hope you get that new computer!!

O.K. So I am wrapping the souvenirs to turn into christmas presents for the ds and guess what, I am my brand new disney ornament is broken. The cm wraoped it in tissue paper but not the brown stuff like the other one and I dont even think dh can crazy glue it since its mirror looking, it says FRAGILE on it! Hmm, would disney even replace something like this??? Anyone know??? It still has the tag on it, it was $14, I guess if it cant get replaced the 20% discount I got on it makes it a little better to deal with. I really want a new one but dont want to pay for it.

Good news again, God is so good. The surgeon checked out my stomach and I described the symptoms. I should start off saying we had a terrible nurse. She is someone new we never saw before. She said I cant hear you, understand you etc. (my voice), um, and dh wasnt repedting the words to help me out. I was so upset and frustrated, I just said well I have cancer. She was asking stupid questions etc. I want the old nurses back, the 2 of them were there and had cute snowmen scrubs on, I thought of you both Sha and Linda. Dr. M. said this is common wtih the pain issues and muscle related post surgery. If I want to I can use the stomach binder and I need to see him in 6 months as he has to watch this thing carefully, hmm, o.k. so now my medical appts. calendar just got into June 2010, oh joy

GTAGWTA, Have a great day everyone.

 

[Candy30]

LMP Great news about the blood work. What a blessing!!! Take it one dr. appt at a time. We are with you girl.

Ann Rae thanks for the info on MP I wondered where she was. I am not good with associated names with the screen names. MP HI!!! We miss ya!

Snappy...we would love to come to your house for dinner tonite. My fam loves gumbo!!

NHAnn- Hi and been missing you!!!
PNM Beautiful kitchen! Love it!
The snow is hitting us and we are supposed to have an icestorm over the holiday! I hope not. Cause I cant get down my steps. Those are days we hold onto the railing and go down the side where the Ivy is. Safer. Otherwise we will be in house bound. Which is not a bad idea.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

O.K. ladies, I have the link for my blood donation story, so if you send me a pm I will send you the address of how to look it up. Please, due to the nature of my dh job, I cant have this published anywhere on these boards, thanks, o,.k. now promise me with your blood too

Barbara is lst because she already pm'ed me the other day.

 

[CherylDan]

GAGWTA!!!

Just wanted to pop in and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I hope you all have a wonderful time with friends and family, and that Santa is good to everybody. I hope everybody remembers to take a step back and just enjoy it and take it all in - seems like I always need to remind myself to do that! And in all the hustle and bustle, a nice quite night spent watching "It's a Wonderful Life" just can't be beat.

I also want to say thank you to each and every one of you for keeping this thread going - I know I've been MIA lately, but I love knowing that it is still here, and the support is still going strong.

Merry Christmas!​

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Interesting story out of Boston today. Senator John Kerry's wife has BC.

Heinz Kerry says she has breast cancer
By Glen Johnson, Associated Press | December 23, 2009

Teresa Heinz Kerry said she is being treated for breast cancer at Massachusetts General Hospital and will undergo radiation next month.

Heinz Kerry, 71, said doctors discovered she had cancer in her left breast in September during her annual mammogram. She is the wife of US Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts.

In early October, she underwent lumpectomies on both breasts at a Washington hospital after doctors also discovered what they thought was a benign growth on her right breast. I would guess these were excisional biopsies?

That diagnosis was initially confirmed in postoperative pathology, but two other doctors later found it to be malignant. In November, Heinz Kerry had another pair of lumpectomies performed at Mass General. Wonder what happened there? Strange.

Doctors also inserted titanium clips, and next month she will receive five days of targeted radiation aimed at improving her odds of a successful treatment to 95 percent. She said she is undecided about follow-up medicinal treatments must be chemo that could raise her survival odds to 99 percent, given her age and the side effects.

Her surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital was the one she recommended to Elizabeth Edwards, who found out she had breast cancer just as her husband, former Senator John Edwards, was concluding his stint as Kerry’s vice presidential running mate in the 2004 elections.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/12/23/heinz_kerry_says_she_has_breast_cancer/

It's a new story just out last night. It'll be interesting to see the medical experts' commentary on this one (as it was for the recent mammogram/pap smear controversy).

Meanwhile, I wish Mrs. Kerry well.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Just a fly by to say hello and tell you I am thinking of you all!!

Wishing everyone a very happy holiday!!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Good late evening ladies

Candy - I sent you the web address for the blood donation story, hmm, now you can see what dh and I look like, scary!!

Elizabeth - Wishing you a joyous holiday season also!! Read your trip report. Sorry for all the stuff you had to go through. We had some rain but always seemed to be inside somewhere when it was happening, and your luggage woes too. Did they ever reimburse you for the stuff you bought?? I have only done a dining report so far.

Well hmm, guess what I was doing today, making ds favorite dinner and helping other ds make the birthday cake, wrapping presents, (actually disney souvenirs)etc. I am tired.
Now we dropped off ds18 at a party, ds19 is at a neighborhood party and ds22 is at his bowling birthday party and someone is suppose to drop ds18 off there so ds22 can bring him home, oh the logistics of older teens etc

Dh says, oh we are going by target, do you want to do some shoppiing? Yeah, like I have energy 9:30 pm um, no thanks.

We are going to the christmas eve candlelight service, and then on christmas day we just relax and watch the parade, I am cooking a ham for dinner.

If anyone else wants to read the story, just pm me or ask here and I will pm it to you.

GTAGWTA, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays everyone!!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Maryann, they did reimburse us for 3 pairs of Crocs and a jacket. And they didn't really HAVE to pay for the jacket because they didn't pre-authorize it. DH failed to mention that he didn't have anything more than a long sleeved T-shirt in his carry-on, so I didn't realize that until we got to Epcot. I told him to put the jacket on the same transaction as the Crocs and if they reimbursed us, great. I told the CM about the jacket when I turned the receipt in, and they covered it.