Ann

If you were given the opportunity to be a different gender for just one day, would you do it? Why?

Great news, Eppie. This certainly gives you something new to be thankful for! I am dancing with you!!!

Cheryl...saying prayers for both of you! Be strong! Now is the time for you to "Cowboy Up." Remember, we're all in your corner, sending prayers and lots of positive thoughts!

Pat, I hope you and Brian both managed to get some well deserved rest overnight. Hopefully, these spasms are a passing thing. Dennis had spasms in his back a few times and in his hands. On two occasions, the doctor sent us to the ER for IV fluids and this fixed the problem. Had Brian been drinking enough liquids? I'm saying prayers that today is a wonderful day for both of you!

Way to go

Oh Karen, I have to take a deep breath after reading your post. My eyes are filled with tears as I think of all the pain you must be going through right now. I know how hard it must have been for you to meet, once again, with Dave's oncologist in this type of discussion. I am so glad you have a dear friend to help you deal with all this and help you care for Faith while you have your own medical problems corrected. Sometimes, I have such a very hard time understanding why God puts some people through so very much pain. One would think that you have definitely had your share of suffering. Karen, I will be saying extra prayers for both you and your mom. You're a very strong lady and I know God will guide you through this.

Godiva chocolate

As most of you know, the time is quickly approaching the three year anniversary of Dennis' death. In addition of just dealing with the anniversary of his death, I also deal with spending the holidays without him. So, as you can imagine, this is an extremely hard time for me. For the past two years, strange "little" things have happened that seemed to make me feel his "closeness" to me and this has somehow helped me along. On Friday night, while preparing for my craft show on Saturday, I am certain that Dennis was in the kitchen with me. The "thought" first came to me that he was there and then, I could almost feel him right behind me. This feeling was so strong, I was actually shaking as chills ran down my arms. My son later told me (without knowing of my experience) that he smelled cigarette smoke in the living room. No one has smoked in my house for over three years now. Then, on Saturday, the strangest thing happened. Dennis has always called me "Annie Roo." My little craft business is called Apple Annie's Country Crafts. I had business cards on the table at my show but certainly nothing that mentioned Annie Roo. An elderly lady came up to my table and seemed to linger for a long time. When I finally asked her if I could help her, she looked at me and said..."Annie Roo...I was sent here to let you know that you are loved and you will be fine and also to tell you to really be happy at Christmas this year." Well, I was shaking after this. I asked this lady who wanted me to know this and why she called me Annie Roo? She replied that sometimes, God just tells her to say things to people and He was telling he to say this to me. She then reached across the table, patted my hand and walked away! I am still in awe over this but thank goodness my future DIL was there with me and heard and saw the entire things. Friends, I am NOT losing my mind. How did this happen????

Heather, I am so very sorry. I know that your mom wasn't doing very well the last time you posted. I know she is at peace now and free of pain and suffering. Please take care of yourself and know you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Shelly...I am so sorry that you now have something new to cause you worry. Bless your heart, you have already had more than anyone should ever have to deal with in such a short time. Listen to what Addie and Cindi are telling you, as I believe they are right. My friend was told that "bad" lumps are rarely painful but that cysts can hurt something terrible. Try and find something fun to do that will take your mind off this for the evening. Hey, we're all saying prayers for you, so God will hear your name a lot tonight!!!

Karen, although I am so very sorry that you have a reason to be here, I want to welcome you to this board. There are so many warm and compassionate people here that will always be ready to help! Some have information and experience with a specific topic, while others offer lots of hugs, prayers and broad shoulders. Our Cindy is a definite reason never to believe statistics. As she said, if your current oncologist is willing to "give up" and give your husband a time line, then maybe you should find a doctor that will be a bit more optomistic and aggressive. I lost my husband to sclc almost three years ago. In those three years, I have read of so many new and promising treatments available for sc patients. I will be keeping you and your husband in my prayers. Please feel free to PM me if you'd ever like to talk.

I think this will work. Let's see. I'm going to start out with two words that go together. Then, the next person picks up the second word and adds a word...and so on. Example: Christmas Tree Next Person: Tree Stand Next Person: Stand Tall OK??? Let's do it! Thanksgiving Turkey

If my body was a car, this is the time I would be thinking about trading it in for a newer model. I've got bumps and dents and scratches in my finish and my paint job is getting a little dull, but that's not the worst of it. My fenders are to wide to be considered stylish. They were once as sleek as a little MG; now they look more like an old Buick. My seat cushions have spit open at the seams. My seats are sagging. Seat belts? I gave up all belts when Krispy Cremes opened a shop in my neighborhood. Air bags? Forget it. The only bags I have these days are under my eyes. Not counting the saddlebags, of course. I have soooooooo many miles on my odometer. Sure, I've been many places and seen many things, but when's the last time an appraiser factored life experiences against depreciation? My headlights are out of focus and it's especially hard to see things up close. My traction is not as graceful as it once was. I slip and slide and skid and bump into things even in the best of weather. My whitewalls are stained with varicose veins. It takes me hours to reach my maximum speed. My fuel rate burns inefficiently. But here's the worst of it- almost every time I sneeze, cough or sputter....either my radiator leaks or my exhaust backfires.

Donna...this is wonderful! I don't know when I've ever read something this nice. Thanks for sharing it with us!

I think my dream job would be hosting my own talk radio show. I love listening to light hearted talk radio on the drive home from work in the afternoon. Sometimes, just talking about off the wall things can really take your mind off problems and make you smile! I really like talking to people and some of the callers are just too much!!!

Since we're all on different time zones, it makes things a bit difficult sometimes. I would love to chat once a week. Maybe some people would even like to do an afternoon chat???

Sue, both you and Mike remain in my thoughts and prayers.

If you could create your own personal dream job, what would it be?

I've learned that people you care most about in life are often taken away from you way too soon.

Don, you and Lucie are the best! This sounds like really good news to me. You are such a great team and together you manage to fight this battle every step of the way. Happy fourth Thanksgiving!!!

Beth and Bill...I am so very sorry.

You know, I just have a hard time imagining that some of you guys weren't angry! Yes, I shared a lot of the other emotions that many of you mentioned but anger was right there at the top of my list! Maybe there is a big difference in the way a loved one takes this news. I suppose the patient has to keep it together mentally in order to fight. I was so angry and still am at times. I felt so cheated because this was happening to my family! I couldn't understand why there were so many mean people out there who were perfectly healthy, while my kind and gentle husband was dying? Maybe this wasn't supposed to be a part of things? Does this mean I should have had counseling? As a wife, I had so many fears that built up inside me and these fears became anger. Dennis had been my rock for 25 years, How was I supposed to merely accept that he was going to die? You know what...thee are days that I have it all together pretty well and manage to keep it all in one sock. But then, there are still days that I'm mad as hell!!! Sorry guys....guess I just don't have the right attitude.

Peggy...I am so much better knowing that you're so much better so I guess that we're both much more better! Hey, girlfriend, I always thought you were the very bestest anyway! OK...on a serious note...I'm really glad things are looking a bit brighter for you. It's just so easy to have these down days. Sometimes, I really have to talk myself out of being down. It's getting about the time of year that I have to give myself a lot of those pep talks...if you know what I mean?

Saw this on another board...wanted to share!!! For most people, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we've been given and savor the scents of crisp autumn days and pumpkin pie. For me, it's a little more complicated. One November afternoon when my daughter was in kindergarten, I picked her up after school. She bobbed out to the car and crawled into the back seat. "What did you do today?" I asked. She couldn't wait to tell me. "We learned that boys are different from girls," she chirped. Looking into the rearview mirror, I could just see the top of her head. "My teacher told us that boys have a thing the girls don't," she added "Well, yes they do.." I said cautiously. I couldn't think of anything else to say, so we were quiet for a moment. Then she piped up again. "That's how girls know that boys are boys," she said. "They see that thing that hangs down and they know that he is a boy." I mentally calculated the distance home. Our five-minute commute already felt like an hour. "Did you know that when the boys see a girl they puff up?" My palms were beginning to sweat. "Um...well..." I was still searching for something new to say, to change the subject, when she asked, "Why do the girls like the boys to have those things?" Well I didn't know what to say. I mean, what woman hasn't asked herself that question at least once? "Oh, well...um.." I stammered. She didn't wait for my answer. She had her own. "It's cause it moves when they walk and then the girls see that and that's when they know they are boys and that's when they like them. Then the boy sees the girl and he puffs up, and then the girl knows he likes her, too. And then they get married. And then they get cooked." That last part confused me a bit, but on the whole I thought she had a pretty good grasp on things. As soon as we got home and I pulled into the garage, she hopped out of the car, fishing something out of her school bag. "I drew a picture," she said. "Do you want to see?" I wasn't sure I did, but I looked at it anyway. I had to sit down. There, all puffed up so to speak, looking mighty attractive for the ladies, was a crayon drawing of a great big Tom Turkey. His snood, the thing that hangs down over his beak, the thing that female turkeys find so irresistible, was magnificent. His tail feathers were standing tall and proud. She was a little offended that I laughed so hard at her drawing, and I laughed until I cried. But when I told her I loved it - and I did - she got over her pique. That was the end of that, for her anyway. But I'm not so lucky. Every year I remember that conversation. And to be honest, I haven't looked at a turkey, or a man, the same way since.

How to cook the turkey Step 1: Go buy a turkey Step 2: Take a drink of whiskey, scotch, or JD Step 3: Put turkey in the oven Step 4: Take another 2 drinks of whiskey Step 5: Set the degree at 375 ovens Step 6: Take 3 more whiskeys of drink Step 7: Turn oven the on Step 8: Take 4 whisks of drinky Step 9: Turk the bastey Step 10: Whiskey another bottle of get Step 11: Stick a turkey in the thermometer Step 12: Glass yourself a pour of whiskey Step 13: Bake the whiskey for 4 hours Step 14: Take the oven out of the turkey Step 15: Take the oven out of the turkey Step 16: Floor the turkey up off the pick Step 17: Turk the carvey Step 18: Get yourself another scottle of botch Step 19: Tet the sable and pour yourself a glass of turkey Step 20: Bless the saying, pass and eat out