May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 2

[Mom323]

http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treatments/Chemotherapy/Combinationregimen/CHOP

R-CHOP is named after the chemotherapy drugs used in the treatment. It involves the monoclonal antibody rituximab (pronounced ri-tucks-i-mab), and the drugs: cyclophosphamide (sigh-clo-fos-fa-mide), doxorubicin (docks-o-rou-bi-sin, originally called Adriamycin®), vincristine (vin-chris-teen, originally known as Oncovin®) and prednisolone (pred-ni-so-lone), which is a steroid.

CHOP uses the same chemotherapy drugs as R-CHOP, but without the rituximab. Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells.

Rituximab
Rituximab (Mabthera®) belongs to a group of drugs known as monoclonal antibodies. It is used to treat several different types of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Monoclonal antibodies are used to try to destroy some types of cancer cells, while causing little harm to normal cells. They are designed to recognise certain proteins that are found on the surface of some cancer cells. The monoclonal antibody recognises the protein and locks onto it (like a key in a lock). This may then trigger the body’s immune system to attack the cancer cells and can sometimes make the cells destroy themselves.

Rituximab locks onto a protein called CD20, which is found on the surface of one of the main types of normal white blood cells (B-cell lymphocytes). It is also present on the surface of most of the abnormal B-cell lymphocytes that occur in some types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Rituximab acts by attacking both abnormal (malignant) and normal B-cell lymphocytes. The body can however, replace any normal white blood cells that are damaged quite quickly.

More websites on R-Chop:

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00209222

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/466320?WebLogicSession=P1NlEXWYX4HwDPQn5OPmllcRRFZjRUDz1GfKpcekYdnQVtvO0a5J|3110687101735209573/184161393/6/7001/7001/7002/7002/7001/-1

http://www.bloodjournal.org/cgi/content/full/106/12/3678

oops should have kept reading before I posted.

 

[Jhalkias]

After seeing the cast members waving us off from Castaway Cay, Doug and I had to have a pair too. We will have them with us on the cruise.

Carol

We have them too, and will be bringing them along for sailaway!

 

[Mom323]

I'm finally caught up and it's 10:17pm. Time for bed. Night all.

 

[LiserAnn]

especially if you want to shoot in RAW. (not IN the raw).

 

[LiserAnn]

I like Nordtrom's also. I liked Hecht's until they were bought out by Macy's. I do not like Macy's at all. I'm even more unhappy that when I go home to visit in Chicago, Marshall Fields is now a Macy.

So what department store does Macy's NOT own?!?! They're buying out all the good stores! What happen to fair competition?!

 

[fourmcds]

For all of the ladies with shoe shopping fetishes, one of the hottest designers coming up is Brian Atwood. His shoes are amazing! They are a little spendy, but the quality, look, and fit is well worth the cost. If you are in the Chicago area, he will be making a PA at the Michigan Ave Nordstrom in the next few weeks.

www.brianatwood.com

Note to add:

His shoes can only be found at three Nordstrom's - Scottsdale, AZ, San Francisco Centre, and Michigan Ave. Also at Jeffery in NYC, which is now owned by Nordstrom.

There are some really cute ones there. Lucky for my wallet I am not near any of those stores, but I did see you could buy them from Saks on line Think DH would notice another new shoe box in the closet? Probably not, but is it worth it?!

 

[HollyTyler]

Still not totally caught up on this thread. Had good intentions this weekend but RL got in the way.

Need a visit from the Tag Fairy though as my tag is wrong (finally!!). My student loans were finally paid off at the end of December.

Managed undergrad without any but couldn't quite do law school full time as a single parent without. Oh well. They are done!

Hope everyone is well.

Snowy here today - I'd take the rain.

Fiona

I'm right there were you were, sister! Single mom, law school, student loans, very scary loan amounts to pay off. CONGRATS on paying yours off!!!! You must feel so relieved and absolutely ecstatic!

 

[HollyTyler]

Hi everyone---only have about 30 pages to catch up on but figured I'd post an update....

My sister (and niece) is finally home! She was discharged on Saturday. I am finally home (after having my flight cancel yesterday and had to rebook for today).

Got my fish extender - AMAZING! Thanks again Carol & Doug!

For all of you that sent me pm's re: bracelets.....will try to do some calculations today and post what it's going to look like (cost).

Ok-now to go catch up.

I'm so glad to hear your sister and your niece are home!

 

[LisaG520]

That's what I was thinking. I'll call them in a few days...I wanted to give everyone the chance to PM me first. I'll keep ya all posted!

Sent you a PM to add me and DH!

Karen:

No offense taken. My husband was not convinced either until we bought the Nikon D2X. He is now a convert. Here is a picture we took with on the last cruise with the Nikon D2X underwater with an Ewa housing. What do you think?

That is an awesome picture. We used disposable underwater camera on our last cruise and the colors just aren't that vibrant.

Is the Ewa housing available for other cameras?

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

I've arranged for group photos on the last 4 or 5 cruises we have been on. Here's the picture of our group on Pirate night during the 2005 PC cruise I arranged. If you would like me to take care of that for this cruise, I would be happy to do so.

We are definetly in for the picture. I am already looking for pirate gear that we can wear to MNSSHP next october and then on the cruise.

Hi All,

Here are the pictures of the Fish Extenders we are making for this WBREPO cruise.

This is the way you will receive them so there is lots of room to personalize them.

Those look great. Mine arrived on friday, I can´t wait to see it!

Me!!! May need help with talking DH into it. Maybe I'll just fail to mention it and be sure to "treat" him to several DODs beforehand. By the time dance class comes along, he may just think it's his own idea!

Carolyn

I will try to do that later tonight, but may not get to it until the weekend. I have a school board meeting tonight, and all the info is on my laptop at home.



We should think about this . . . I think some people on our last cruise felt "pressured" to make sure that they did something nice for everyone. With 97 cabins, this may be hard for everyone . . . and, you can ship the stuff to the port, but then you have to haul it all home . . .

I am going to make a suggestion . . . how about if we come up with 15 things - one for each night of the trip? The leis could be one, the lanyards another. Make them nice things that those who are interested could contribute to instead of 97 other things. Whoever wants to volunteer and come up with the ideas can be responsible for getting the stuff and distribution. We could all end up with some nice things to remind us of the cruise. No one would go broke or crazy trying to come up with 97 different ideas that were cost effective. (one idea that I liked from our last cruise was a deck of cards with our cruise date and info on it - another one could be a custom Christmas ornament). Things that someone may not be able to buy individually for everyone, but they could afford to contribute so that they could have a keepsake.

This would also keep the kids (and the kid in all of us) happy for each night's "surprise". We have 15 months to come up with creative ideas, and this is a very talented group. The "fish extenders" is what gave me the idea for this approach.

In addition to that, everyone could bring a card or something like that for each cabin that they could distribute, maybe with a picture of their family and name, with email addresses, etc. so that those who want to keep in touch can, and it could also be something for a scrapbook.

This is just a suggestion. I know we went nuts trying to figure out what to bring, and I felt bad for those who thought they "had" to bring something to exchange.

Any thoughts?

This is a great idea! (as I am sure lots of people posted before me, lol)

Oh, the stories we could compare! The good thing is that I'm learning early how to juggle tons of cases. Because of how he is, I have to know what's going on in all of the files. I may only be a secretary, but there's no just sitting and typing for me. I actually enjoy a challenge, and I appreciate the value of what I'm learning from dealing with his forgetfulness, so it works for me. But the most important lesson I've learned is that I WILL NOT be working when I'm 80 years old!

I hope that you will be cruising instead of working by then.

They all must have housekeepers and chefs and all the other people that run a household. No jobs or kids either.
Corrine

Well, I have 2 maids, one of which technically runs the household (there are some advantages to living in a 3rd world country), but between work and my dd I still haven´t had time to catch up on this thread, can´t imagine trying to keep up with the other

Since Plutobrat cannot pm or attach links yet, here are the Mickey Map with blank space


and with Ship of Fools, stealing the Magic again

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l311/Mom323_2006/MickeyMap-T-shirtwithtitleandsub.jpg

Hey Brat we need the link for the font.....

Corrine also known as Hey Ma.

Thank you!

No, today was not any better. I was stuck on the freeway going to a meeting for an hour because they shut the freeway down. That was how my day started at 630am.
My Alaska cruise is officially caput! I canceled it today. It just was becoming too worrisome and no long fun. Not to mention it kept cost us more and more and more money. So the girls are good with canceling because we will do something else with them this summer. And my friend and I know we made the right decision because canceling it did not leave us crying and depressed, it has left us releaved.

So now, it appears that Jeannine and I really will be going on the East Bound Med Repo cruise without our teens!! We are waiting for final pricing info but it looks like we will be on our way!!! So I guess God really doesn't close a door without opening a window!!

Someone wrote about how great the Disboards are to everyone. I was also the recipient of their love and concern. Two months after I booked the first East Bound repo cruise, I found out I had breast cancer. And I had a really agressive form. I was 41 and it had already spread to my lymph nodes. So 15 months before I am to leave on my dream cruise I go totally hit for a loop. My friend Susan (Ivanova) kept the boards informed of my progress. I ended up getting so sick from the chemo that I moved in with my parents. Needless to say, I was too sick to get on the boards (and you all know, that is really sick!!!) I was feeling really down, I was bald, I wanted to die because I was so sick, and I just didn't feel like I could keep going with the treatment. That weekend Susan came by and she had a box for me. Inside the box was cards and wishes and hats and scarves and doo-rags for my bald head. I had everything from Mickey mouse patterns to parrots. I cried and cried and cried. It was just what I needed. I started wearing the head ornaments and we took pictures and emailed them in. Needless to say, that care package gave me the motivation to stay with the program and make it through all my treatments and I still made it on the cruise. My hair was not very long, and I looked pretty butch, but I was on my cruise! So yeah, we do get to know each other really well, and we are there through the good times and bad. I still get teary eyed thinking about it. Disboards seem to attract the cream of the crop when it comes to outstanding human beings!!

Laura

I am so glad that you are alive to tell your story, and can´t imagine how hard must that time have been

That's the same Cindy. In fact, somebody here posted the number of days left with a whole bunch of these guys: and I copied and pasted that into an e-mail to Cindy. She just opened that e-mail today and said something like, "Don't make me hurt you!" BUT I also e-mailed her the confirmation I received a couple days ago and that got her excited. So I'll keep pestering her to keep her excitement level up. If you don't see me onboard, it means she got fed up with me after all!

We spent four days in Cadiz. You'll love it. It can get very hot in May, and many shops close midday for a couple of hours.

Woody

Oh yeah, gotta love...NOT the siesta in Spain. People in Spain eat around 2:00 pm, and many stores will close from around 1:30 until around 5:00, so I would strongly advise you to try to eat at the same time that they do.

And after all the weight we would have all lost by then, we could eat it all

I like the idea of being able to get some little goodies for everyone, but not having people feel pressured to do so. Also, John's points are good ones - especially the whole packing issue. There might not be as much surprise if we all talk about what to get though on the boards! Maybe there is a way to divide this up and then keep it a secret - maybe anyone that wants to do it can send a PM to someone that will then divide people up into 15 teams? And as more people join us, they can join a team - so we have Team 1 (first day), Team 2, (second day), and so on. And maybe one leader for each team. And the indivudals in each team can PM each other so it can remain a secret what you will get!

Any other ideas? It will feel like in May! Lisa
Lisa

I will pm you. I am up to being part of a team. I just hope that whoever leader I get will take payment with my international credit card through paypal.

Morning all. I'm supposed to be exercising right now, but I'm sitting on my behind checking the boards. OK, since it looks like I'm going to have this group to hold me accountable for my excercise and weight loss resolutions, off I go.

Have I mentioned how much I hate exercise?

I am completely with you. The only motivation I had to exercise when we went on our first cruise last september was that on the first days of august y decided to try on my shorts (summer in Mexico is rainy and not hot at all, so nobody wears that kind of stuff in the city). Lo and behold, the new cruise wear that I had just bought in march didn´t fit, and I was not going to spend more on clothes that would hardly be worn just because I was overweight. Of course after I fit in them I ate my way through the cruise, lol.

I am counting how many days do I have to start dieting and exercising for the april trip to WDW since I will have to wear the already quoted clothes again, but I figure that I still have 2 more weeks to go, lol.

Which part made you ??? The edible treats or the teams?

Hopefully not the teams! Regarding the fish extenders and giving mail - if PJPoohbear and Laura are up for it, we could put the teams on the website? I will take charge of a team! I'd like Team 6 if possible (May 16, 6th day) - it is my 40th birthday! What do you guys think? This could be fun! Who wants to be on my team??? Any one else want to take lead
on a day?

To clarify, if I am in charge of team 6 (May 16), I would have a few others on the board on my team as well. We would PM each other ideas, see if between us we can cover the costs, and if we come up with a Big Idea we will ask bystanders on the board to contribute. Otherwise, our team covers the costs for the gifts that day. If we have 6 people in a team, each "prize" costing say $.50, and we have say 200 individuals, it would be less than $20/family. More people in each team, less cost or more expensive mail. And everyone commits to get SMALL things or things that will easily pack (or you can eat!). And not everyone has to be on a team - you can just sit back and get mail!

Up for it all?
Lisa

I am up to being part of a team and also maybe bring some typical candy from us (of course it will be HOT, so I hope disers will take the risk of tasting it).

I want to see everyone's fabulous faces. If you haven't posted your photos on PJ's website, please do so. This is a closed site, so only fellow cruisers can see the photos. If you don't have the password, pm PJ or Laura. It's been fun to see everybody who has already posted pix, but I know we're still missing tons of folks. Of course, after we Lose Before U Cruise, we will all need to post new photos, or we won't recognize each other.

DH installed the Windows Vista in my computer and did away with my picture programs that I was familiar with. Now I must start playing with the new windows until I learn how to use the picture and video features with it.

This is so exciting. I can't wait to hear the names.

They look too big to go through the Panama Canal. I wonder if that means one of them will be permanent on the West Coast.

The current ships are Panamax now, but last October the people in Panama voted to expand the Canal. It looks very interesting, they will be able to reuse the water instead of wasting it like they do now (ok, not wasting but they don´t recycle it, once it flows from the lakes into the sea, it doesn´t come back, that is why they depend on rain so much).

Hopefully the new Disney ships will be able to cruise the expanded Canal by then, but I think the expansion will take a long time to complete.

Wow what a day!!!

Ok, it is official and Jeannine and I are going on the East Bound Transatlantic Repo cruise!!!! Ordered a dvd camcorder today so I can record right on DVDs and then play them when I get home! Of course we are going to rebook onboard and have them fax a request to IC for the new ship(s). This is in addition to the one our TA faxed into IC back in January that we wanted to do a repo on any new ship any category after 2008. So I think we will be covered on that.

The new ship has about 400 more staterooms than the existing ships. Also, the rendering is rather decieving as the ships are 2 decks taller than existing ships, but even if it isn't panamax now, it might be by 2011 because they are expanding the Canal. Otherwise, I am still up for a cruise around Cape Horn. Antarctica anyone???

You are so lucky to be able to go on the EB Med Repo. Have a lot of fun!

The mini navigator is a little booklet I will put together that is separate from DCL's navigator. It will list all of our special events (from this thread) as well as all the Dis Board cruisers and their staterooms as well as any special occasions that may be happening with any in our group during the cruise.

I print them before I leave town (but yes, I have been known to bring my printer/scanner)

I bet this will be really useful for all of us, at least I know that I would miss half the meetings that we are planning if I had to rely on my half brain to remember them, of course now I must remember to check the navigator and have it with me.

I know i don't talk as much as others and i don't know everyones name but i need some help. My grandfather had a 2nd stroke in 2 months and they aren't forcasting that his chances are all that great.

Could i ask that you send some good thoughts his way that he either isn't as serious as they say or if he is that he passes without too much pain?

Thanks in advance.

Sending prayers his way.

Noel,

Yes!! We shipped most of our wine for our last cruise as well. Because we are a wine shop and certified wine shipper, we are able to ship wine to almost every state! Our website is www.winemiles.com. If I have enough advance notice, I can even try to aquire special wines for you that we don't normally carry.

karen, wife of been2marceline

Dh and I will have to check into it, he already said that he most definetly wants to try the Banfi.

My wife (UKANGEL) and I really enjoy our wine. I normally get a delivery every two months from

www.virginwines.co.uk

I also get more Frequent Flyer Miles for Virgin Atlantic, which also helps my vacations.

One thing I have found from my experience is that wine seems a lot more expensive in the US compared to the UK (and it is about the only thing, everything else is cheaper in the US).

I think the wine is a lot cheaper in Europe. At least in Spain many restaurants will give you a glass of the house wine with the menu of the day but will charge to change it for water.

Can´t beat a good afternoon in Spain eating tapas and tasting wine from one bar into the next yummy! I am sooo jealous of those going on the Med cruises... I bet they will have a GREAT time.

Ted, my DD, and I love to "brewpub" our way around places. Usually the food is great and compliments their own beers so well. We have Pyramid here in Walnut Creek, and we have visited several in Las Vegas and Portland.

And you are right, I would rather drink water than light beer or pilsners. As for non-alcoholic beers, when I was pregnant the St. Paulie Girl was the only one I could half way stand.

Karen, wife of been2marceline

I am not a drinker, but the only time in my life when I became one was when I was pregnant with dd. Every day my dad would have a Corona with his food and whenever I felt queasy because my meal, he would leave me enough to take a small sip in the bottle and that would make me feel sooo much better.

Here's a question regarding the fish mail. Do we give one item per room or per person?

I guess it would also depend on what was given. I have been looking at Promotional Item websites for ideas. For example, a travel first aid kit could be one per room, but Yo Yo's could be one per person.

Does this make sense? I have been googling and I think my brain is googly.

No comments from the peanut gallery, PlutoBrat.

Corrine

It does make sense, some things can be shared between the family and others must be per person.


I am loving the multiquote feature more each day!

 

[birkner]

That is an awesome picture. We used disposable underwater camera on our last cruise and the colors just aren't that vibrant.

Is the Ewa housing available for other cameras?

Yes, the do having other marine housing for different cameras. They are not inexpensive but are professionally waterproof. You can check this website for your camera:

http://www.ewa-marine.de/english/e-photo.htm

 

[been2marceline]

Karen:

No offense taken. My husband was not convinced either until we bought the Nikon D2X. He is now a convert. Here is a picture we took with on the last cruise with the Nikon D2X underwater with an Ewa housing. What do you think?

WOW!!! This is an excellent shot!

 

[been2marceline]

Ohhhhhh . . . the film vs. digital debate . . .
(sure beats more shoe talk)

Coming from an old film guy, I just love my Canon Digital Rebel. I think that digital (at the high end) has finally caught up with film. There is also just so much flexibility with a digital darkroom in your computer too - especially if you want to shoot in RAW. (not IN the raw).

Using a Mac, and iPhoto, I feel much more organized than the shoe boxes of photos and negatives that I have from when we were first married. I've also found that by using snapfish, it makes it REALLY easy to have the snapshots everyone wants to look at and hold. I also do not have all those worries I used to have about having enough film, or shooting too much film.

Now, if I was shooting Black and White, I would probably shoot film. It's a whole different medium, and one I can actually play with in the darkroom vs. color.

But if you are happy with film Karen, by all means do what you like. I keep wondering with the proliferation of digital cameras, how much more time film has before it will become rare, hard to find, or obsolete.

John,

It is already a bit tougher to get film cheaply. Costco (the $100 to $300 dollor store) does not have all of the options in film that they used to have. I can still get what I want at Sam's cheaply, but for good selection I can still find lot's of film types at long's or target.

Cameras are another story. To replace or repair a point and shoot, you really have to search. Not too many options anymore.
Still... I will hold out for a bit! I know that I will have to adapt to the change someday, but not yet!!

Karen, stuck in her ways, wife of been2marceline

 

[HollyTyler]

Sounds like quite a trip, Holly! Glad you made it safely. Did you think the show was worth it? I remember my daughter going to this many years ago and loving it. Wish I had a mystery neighbor like yours My son just moved to Alberta so looks like I'll be getting a little more exercise shoveling, not that that's necessarily a bad thing! My parents made their trip safely, but my mom was supposed to stay and have a hernia operation and they sent her home instead. Apparently she doesn't have a hernia at all So they made the trip for nothing! She is keeping her usual upbeat attitude though, teasing my dad that at least she got some new nightgowns and books out of the experience LOL. Weather has greatly improved here.
Kathe

Yup, it was definitely a great show! I was surprised at how many of the characters were there. I'd say Tyler's favorite part was when Oscar took over Elmo's World and turned everything green, told us we shouldn't brush our teeth because they're supposed to be green and that we should takes baths in mud, and told us all to get lost. Then Elmo shows up and turns everything back into Elmo's World.

Strange about your mom's situation. Did her doc misdiagnose her or something? What's up with that?!

 

[AuntyBrat]

Thanks - I haven't read and caught up since after the Oscars but wanted to post real quick to see if anyone has heard of a treatment called R-CHOP. It is a mix of chemo. I just got back from visiting my friend. She was somewhat hysterical as the doctor just told her she couldn't have any more children after the chemo treatments. I have known people who have had cancer and were still able to have children, so not sure if it is specific to this treatment? I'm a nurse, so they all look at me for answers (which I don't have). I have an email out to my baby cousin who is no longer a baby but an a MD oncologist. But not sure I will be able to touch base with him before seeing her again tonight.

Any feedback on that treatment would be appreciated.

Now, back to the cruise fun talk please!! Lisa

I know that the chemo puts you into a chemically induced menopause, on top of everything else you go thru. Some women recover and eventually get their cycles back and some do not. My surgeon had brain cancer and went thru chemo and was told she would never have any more children, and 18 or 24 months later she was pregnant with her second son...I think you need to remind her that whether or not she can have other children is not nearly as important right now as making sure she is there to see the one that she has grow up and make her a grandma!!! I was older and never did and went thru menopause symptoms after chemo finished...I was probably going thru it during chemo but was too sick to notice...

 

[been2marceline]

So what department store does Macy's NOT own?!?! They're buying out all the good stores! What happen to fair competition?!

They don't own Nordies or Bloomies, and I hope they never will!!

Karen, once worked for Macy's, Emporium, but now shops at Nordies!

 

[HollyTyler]

Karen:

No offense taken. My husband was not convinced either until we bought the Nikon D2X. He is now a convert. Here is a picture we took with on the last cruise with the Nikon D2X underwater with an Ewa housing. What do you think?

HOLY FISHIES, BATMAN! That's one heck of a camera! Sorry, a little excited....or maybe just too many Jelly Bellys!

 

[birkner]

They don't own Nordies or Bloomies, and I hope they never will!!

Karen, once worked for Macy's, Emporium, but now shops at Nordies!

Only two department stores left I shop. If Macy's buy either one or both, I am out of options.

 

[been2marceline]

Only two department stores left I shop. If Macy's buy either one or both, I am out of options.

DITTO!!

 

[HollyTyler]

Sad but true. He saw the Mickey hands the cast mebers wear and he had to have a pair. His first day back to work after the cruise I worn them and waved to him from the driveway. I thought he would drive through the neighbor's yard, he was laughing so hard.

Despite being very excited beforehand about waving back to the CMs at port with the big Mickey gloves, when the time came, a long travel day and hot sun resulted in a grumpy little Tyler this past September: