Annette and Malcolm, THAT IS GREAT NEWS! Congratulations to you both and I know you are having a great weekend after all this stress.  Annette, NED is with you now and may he remain forever, let the kids have their blessed relief.  Jean, my thoughts and prayers are with you as always, you will get your special candle at church this weekend!  Tricia, did you google "Dildo"?  Seriously?   I am dying to hear what you call this over there....LMAO....
Sharon, what a sad, sad situation for those families.  Were the roads bad?  We just never know from one second to the next and sometimes that overwhelms me, the "no rhyme or reason to it all"...we had a similar thing happen here with triplets, they were playing in their front yard and a car drove up on their lawn and hit them...one of them died.  What is wrong with people?  Are we all too busy talking on our cell phones or worse, texting, to pay attention?  I just want to stay in bed and pull the covers over my head....
 
Mary - I have to agree with Sharon about the rehab facility.  It REALLY helps them and you are not strong enough to take care of Don in this way.  We love you and because of you, we love him, and only say what we think is best for you both...I went through this many times with both of my parents and home nursing care is not all that much help for the caregiver!  I will talk to you over the weekend....
 
Tricia, what did I miss about your tests?

DX 5/13/08 Clearwater, FL HER2 +
IDC Stage IIIA changed 12/2/08 to IIB Grade 3
Taxotere, Carbo & Herceptin  6/11/08
Part Mas 11/5/08 SNB neg & addl node neg - CLEAN MARGINS!
Arimidex 11/25/08  35 Rads 12/15/08

Pat I googled it and we just call it a vibrator but have never heard it called Dildo lol...regarding my tests its just my GP wanting reassurance my swollen ankles were not due to kidney or liver issues!
How sad about those triplets, I dont know how people can text while driving !!
 
Rena thats wonderful news about Linda!!
 
Annette and Malcolm, congrats to you both ladies!!
 
 

Tricia Keegan...From Ireland Dx July '05 IDC 3/9 nodes pos..triple positive..a/c x 4..Taxol/herceptin x 12
Herceptin 1yr ..rads x35 oophorectomy Aug '06
Currently taking Arimidex /Zometa 1 x yearly
Carepage- survivortricia

Hello, I know it is late and that I am very tired.  It was a hard day for my Don.  He has not been able to "go to the bathroom & ?" since he arrived at the hospital.  Well they started with an enema and that didn't work and then they came in with this molasses and milk thing and it worked.  He was up all night with a stomach ache.  He was in there for 1/2 hour.  He says he knows he has more so they are doing it again tonight.  I have been able to remain calm and deal with all of these issues but when the nurse came in to talk to me about what he can eat....I had a meltdown.  We are dealing with diabetes, heart disease, kidney stones, stroke and now renal disease.  What can my dear husband eat.  He has a wonderful RN who is so compassionate and knew that I was so tired and depressed.  She took me out of his room and sat me in her nurses station and told me to let myself cry,   I did and I cried for quite awhile.  She said that she knows how much I love Don and that I try to remain calm and handle everything but she knew I was ready to break down and she helped me do this.  Don was not discharged today because of his inability to move his bowels and also his lack of appetite.  The nurse let me order his dinner and she approved of what I ordered but he took one bite of the chicken and threw up. 
 
I am home and Snowball will not eat until his Daddy calls and talks to him on the phone and tells him to eat.  Don did this tonight and he jumped off the bed and ate his wet food an drank his water.  He loves his Daddy.....so do I.  I fear that I have lost my strength to deal with all of this.  I have to find strength within me to do this.  Please pray for me that I can do this. 
 
Love, Mary

Diag. Oct 2003 with 6mm mass, IDC grade III ductal carcinoma in-situ, Inflammatory Breast Cancer stage IIIB, Her2+++.   I had A/C followed by Taxotere (only had 2tx as I had heart problems from it); Left Mastectomy followed by 35 rads.  Recurence in 9 months as skin mets to mast. site. tx Carboplatin/Herceptin,  stayed on Herceptin every other week for almost 4 years only stopping when my ejection fraction would get too low. off herceptin & ned 3 years in 2010

Mary, I wish I could do something to take away the stress and pain for both of you. I can imagine how exhausted you both must be. What a wonderful nurse Don has, and I'm so glad that she was able to help you get the tears flowing. I hope that tomorrow will be a better day and that Don's system gets stronger so that he can leave the hospital soon. Sending love and support. xo

Rena age 63 California Central Coast
26-year survivor
BRCA2-positive
Dx 1986 IDC ER/PR negative 22 positive lymph nodes
CMFVP chemo weekly for one year, 7 weeks radiation
October 2007: New chassis and spark plugs!

Oh Mary,   I so understand how you are feeling.  I have no answers just wanted to say I hear you.  glad someone listened to you and let you open up and get some of it out.  You carry alot on your shoulders like I do.  Just wanted to say something, to say I care!!
Rose

 Pink Impacts Forever
5-23-06 DCIS High Grade
Strong family history BC/OVCA
denied(lost appeals)out of network surgery
10-30-06 BM SICA left,DIEP right
Nodes Neg No chemo or rads 
Revisions along with LAVH/BSO/TVT 1-23-08
Biopsies x 3 10/20/08,neg
Bone scan 2/23/11 spot on R frontal and occiptal bone
PET/CT scan 3/4/11 negative

Mary you will find the strength and are just at a low ebb right now which is understandable, we all care for you very much so lean on all of us until you feel stronger and there will be better days. (((((hugs)))))

Tricia Keegan...From Ireland Dx July '05 IDC 3/9 nodes pos..triple positive..a/c x 4..Taxol/herceptin x 12
Herceptin 1yr ..rads x35 oophorectomy Aug '06
Currently taking Arimidex /Zometa 1 x yearly
Carepage- survivortricia

Mary, gather strength that Don would have been good to go except for the bowel and appetite issues, both I am sure are reversible?   He has a lot going on health wise but everything bearing equal strain he will get out!  Sending Big Hugs to you all.

Rena, good news for Lynda and yes, let's have your Family done with Cancer, you've had more than a fair share!

Non Hodgkins Lymphoma Extra Nodal (Stomach + BM)
Stage IV C. Survivor x 5 years
T/ment: 8 cycles Rituxan CVP x 8 + Rads. x 30
Friends affected by Breast Cancer

Rena,
Congrats to your Linda! (i have one too!).  She must be so relieved.

Rose,
Someone suggested contacting your state representative and congressman.  They can help intervene at least to get the passport rushed, especially if it is just a renewal.Thinking of you and your girls(((((()))))).

Mary,
I hope Don is feeling stronger today.  I know he's ready to see his Snowball!  Yell loud enough so he gets access to every available service upon returning home.  Keep strong Sister!

Tricia, 
You Irish women are being kept in the dark.  The said device has was called a  "marital aid" back in the day  lol 

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,  

Lol Sharon, yes but we're all going straight to Heaven!!!
 
Why do you think we drink so much here????

Tricia Keegan...From Ireland Dx July '05 IDC 3/9 nodes pos..triple positive..a/c x 4..Taxol/herceptin x 12
Herceptin 1yr ..rads x35 oophorectomy Aug '06
Currently taking Arimidex /Zometa 1 x yearly
Carepage- survivortricia

Mary, thinking about you and Don today. I hope he's much better!

Tricia and Sharon, thanks for the laugh!! You two are so funny. Tricia, are you feeling better?

Jean, how are you doing? Any word re: your Mayo appt?

David leaves for Thailand tomorrow. He's a bit nervous but excited. They changed his fight via Seoul, so now he's there for 24 hours! He's happy to get a glimpse of the city, but he has to schlep his down jacket with him because it's in the 20s and 30s there. When he gets to Thailand, it will be in the 90s! Crazy! I miss Karen so much, but I'm glad that they will have this time together without me. It will be good for their relationship (I hope), which is rocky sometimes. 

I woke up yesterday with a headache, chills and fatigue. I slept almost the whole afternoon and then through the night, so I must have something because I don't sleep much. Luckily, it's mild and only annoying. Hmm. Think I'll take a nap!

Rena age 63 California Central Coast
26-year survivor
BRCA2-positive
Dx 1986 IDC ER/PR negative 22 positive lymph nodes
CMFVP chemo weekly for one year, 7 weeks radiation
October 2007: New chassis and spark plugs!