{{{{{ Jean}}}}} I am so sorry that you are having to deal with this with your mom. I know what you mean when you say you wish you had the support from her. I lost my mother to cancer 14 years ago. Not a day goes by that I do not think of her and miss her so much. I sometimes have mixed emotions wishing she was with me through such a difficult time but then I wonder if I would have wanted her to be so worried and scared for me. I loved her so much, she was my best friend. I can say however that during my worst days of chemo, I sometimes felt her presence and I know she was with me in spirit.
Jean, as you know my corgi and I are a therapy team. At the nursing home we visit, Athena and I always do the "memory" wards. The patients just love it when we come for a visit and it just makes my day to see someone come "alive" when they see Athena and reach out to pet her. Even better is when they tell me stories of years past of thier own pets.
I hope you enjoyed your visit with your mom tonight. I am thinking of you.

Grace 

Lumpectomy June 18,2009
4 rounds T/C DONE !
33 rounds of rads DONE !!
1 yr of Herceptin - DONE  !!!
2 yrs Tamoxafen/ taken off due to elevated liver enzymes.
oophorectomy 05/2012
Started Femera 05/12

52 years young  :)
Mother of 2 sons in US Army
Wife of wonderful husband
and of course I am now.
KOMAN STRONG  :)

Hi everyone,

I'm just back from an amazing and wonderful time.  I spent a few days in Monterey with our wonderful Rena and her husband, David, then on to San Francisco with my cousin Ellen.  We did it ALL!  Alacatraz, Rocketboat on the bay, Beach Blanket Babylon, SFMuseum of Modern Art and did I mention the food????? We drove down Big Sur, stopped in Monterey, drove through Carmel, stopped at Pt. Lobos, had late lunch at Nepenthe, then down to San Simeon for the night.  Next morning, the Hearst Castle, stopped in Santa Barbara for lunch and back to Long Beach!  And now my daughter and family are here from Austin to do Disneyland this week.  Woo hoo!

How much joy can one person have?  

Hug,
Elaine

 A person's greatness is the power to stand alone;to be able to make her own choice; in action,to write anew her own law; to choose her own sacrifices; run her own dangers; win her own freedom; venture her own destruction; to choose her own happiness 
 

Today was my grandson Austen's 12th birthday.  Every day I give thanks for him.  He is my reason for being here.  I did chemo because I wanted to see him grow up.  He was 8 when I was diagnosed, and his brother was 1.  Now they are 12 and 5, and they are expecting a baby sister in September.  God has been good to me.  Each and every day is a gift to me.
 
Cindy

49 at diag. 03/02/06, idc lb
6cm tumor, 11 pos nodes, mast/hyst
3/24/06 eg+, hercep - 8 dd chemos 4 A/C & 4 Taxol, comp. 07/28/06
28 Rad.tmts comp. 09/28/06, Femara 5 yrs
Just celebrated 4th year cancer free.

"To me every hour of the day and night is an unspeakably perfect miracle."  Ralph Waldo Emerson 

That is so wonderful Cindy!  Grandchildren are a special gift.

Hug,
Elaine

 A person's greatness is the power to stand alone;to be able to make her own choice; in action,to write anew her own law; to choose her own sacrifices; run her own dangers; win her own freedom; venture her own destruction; to choose her own happiness 
 

Oh My!!! I'm waaaay behind on my diary of joy.  Last week had a wonderful time with my oldest son and DH in St Barths.  My DD came home from college for the summer last Friday and my sweet dear middle child graduated with an engineering degree yesterday!!!  Got an extern position and is headed to grad school.   Whoo Whoo!!! two down, one to go!

dx ILC/dcis excisional biopsy 5/30/08
r segmental mast (partial) snb 6/4
node neg stage1 gr ll
er+/pr- Her2 - Oncotype Dx 11
R mast 9/22/08 w DIEP
tamox,now AI 
BRCA 1 & 2 NEG
davinci hyst/bso,  

Sharon:  Congratulations on your children's accomplishments!  

My joy is that I'm on the road again as of Tuesday.  Going down to San Diego to visit friends and then driving to Palm Springs for a few days.  The joke is that I continually say "I'm staying home" and I never do- ha ha.  I moved to Belmont Shore five years ago just before I retired and I don't think I've spent more than 3 weeks at any one time in my apartment.  Of course, going down to SD for all of my treatments added to my travel schedule :)  Anyway, life is good and I'm not passing up any opportunity to have fun.

I'll be lurking while I'm away.

Hug,
Elaine

 A person's greatness is the power to stand alone;to be able to make her own choice; in action,to write anew her own law; to choose her own sacrifices; run her own dangers; win her own freedom; venture her own destruction; to choose her own happiness 
 

My husband and I got to participate in the Breakaway from Cancer Mile during stage 8 of the Amgen Tour of California bike race. About 100 survivors and their support person got to walk 1/3 mile across the finish line before the riders and then had seats near the finish line to watch the race. It was such an inspirational, fun and exciting day. Had the privilege of meeting some very courageous, strong and amazing people. One of the highlights of the day was seeing McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey, Grey's Anatomy). He spoke to the survivors before our walk then walked to the finish line with us. Best of all I was able to get him to sign my t-shirt and get a quick hug and pic with him!!!

gail

Age @ DX 47
12/05 Axilla lymph node biopsy pos
1/31/06 bilateral mast
IDC 3cm 10+ lymph nodes
Stage IIIc/High Grade
A/C x4 Taxol x4
Rads x 35
TX done 9/06, Tamoxifen 5/09,Femara
5/09 PET Scan mets to liver & nodes
7/09 Avastin/Ixempra x8
1/10 Avastin/Xeloda x ?

My son is coming home from HI, and just was awarded two medals.  I will get to see him in July, along with his children who live in KS.  I can't wait.
 
Yesterday, my little Austen who I raised for a while when he was a baby, graduated from sixth grade and they had a ceremony.  Tonight, my little Jonathan is graduating from Pre-K, and my nephew Taylor is graduating tonight also.  We won't make his graduation, but we are having a Texas bar-b-que tomorrow at my brother's ranch.
 
My Mom is improving and I am going to have a nice weekend visiting with them.  Also, I brought my baby dog, Chico with me to work and he has been so sweet.
 
I am very blessed and happy today.
 
Cindy Lou Who
 

Oh what a wonderful day!  Today was my last day at my job where I have worked for 34 1/2 years.  I am so blessed to have worked with some great co-workers and to have retired with a pension and fully paid health insurance.  I know how lucky I am.  Now, it's time to decompress from the stress and just take in each day and decide what to do next!  In the meantime, I will enjoy my baby grandson, Declan.

Toni
LI NY
DCIS 10/05 
Surgery & 6 1/2 weeks of radiation 
Tamoxifen for 2 1/2 months and stopped
due to vision issues

Today I am grateful to Suzy Komen for inspiring the love and passion in her sister, Nancy Brinker, so that she created this foundation and consequently, this message board.  I am blessed with the acquaintance of each and every man and woman who has given me help and support over the last five years.  Blessings to all!

Jennifer
DCIS
lumpectomy 5/02/05
32 rad tx comp 7/07/05
tamoxifen
comp. hysterectomy 4/04/06
Paducah, KY