missyk

Plain bagel, toasted, with cream cheese...coffee and a coke. (one can never get enough caffiene apparently! LOL)

Two sentences said it all for me "I just spent Easter holiday with my side of the family..." and "Then I went to my inlaws..." Although I can't say I know how you feel, dealing with all the stupid questions and not feeling as put together as you'd like to (and those inlaws! LOL)...I can sympathize with family gatherings all too well. We had our own today and I was relieved when everyone left and I got to spend some time just laying next to mom napping with her! Hope that your days get brighter for you...and that the flu decides to stay away!! Many prayers for you and yours...

"Three's Company"...beneath the sheets

Roaring laughing at that...and goes off to my blog to tell others to do it! That's GREAT!

One Day At A Time isn't just for AA meetings!! Mom quit 4 PACKS a day over 20 years ago...You CAN do this!! Suggestions from mom (I asked her today how to help you): 1) When the urge to light hits...take a moment to breathe like you do when you're smoking. "Pretend" to inhale, hold it for a second, then BLOW the pretend smoke out. Do it a few times and the urge to light the cigarette will have passed...if only for a while. The urge comes less and less. 2) Remind yourself that at this point the nerve endings in your nose are reformed!!! You can SMELL things you couldn't before and food tastes SO much better!!! Pop a hard candy in your mouth (sugar free if you're concerned about weight...or go full sugar for the sheer enjoyment of it!) and savor the flavor of it. 3) Keep busy doing things that you didn't smoke doing. This one's the hardest for me because the only time I don't smoke is when I'm at work! LOL We're pulling for you!

Robin... As everyone else has said...it could be just a cough! If it lasts more than a week (approximately the time it takes for a "regular cold" to work it's way out of your system) or gets worse, check with your doctor. It might still be just a cough that's hanging out a little longer then, too! Hope you get to feeling better soon!!

Kaylei... Welcome to this wonderful place! I was so happy to read your story...but sorry that you've a reason to join us. I'm happy to hear, too, that there exists a medical team that's willing to do whatever THEY think will help, instead of leaning on outdated treatment plans. All my best to you...sending prayers that you'll never need to zap another met!!

Yay for you!!! I'm so proud!! I started smoking when I was *blushes* 13 or so and by the time I was an "adult" I was smoking close to a pack a day. And yes, even when Mom was diagnosed, I've still continued smoking. The difference is now that I actually THINK about quitting when I've never done that before. I really am proud of the step you're taking in your life. One of the hardest things is to admit to others that you're quitting...putting pressure on yourself. We're here for you for THIS too...and maybe, just maybe...I'll join you soon!

Google triumphs again!!! Help Me Live: 20 Things People with Cancer Want You to Know (Paperback) http://www.amazon.com/Help-Me-Live-Thin ... 1587612127 that's the direct link to Amazon if you're interested!

Ned took the words out of my mouth! LOL I also wanted to let you know that when Mom's been doing radiation treatments (and she's done them alot!) she's always told to eat whatever she likes...including those foods high in antioxidants. She's never been one to take many supplements, though, so I'm not sure about that. I would specifically ask her treating physician to specify if she can't eat them or if she just shouldn't "load up" on them. I suspect they want her to eat a balanced diet, though. Please, let us know what you find out!! I'm curious now! Much love and many prayers that your mom's treatment will do her wonders!

Hi Priscilla...and welcome. Sorry you've had to find yourself here, though. Most definately I know the feeling of suddenly seeing her as "small" compared to the larger-than-life person you've always seen...I went through the same thing when Mom was diagnosed. You eventually move past that part of it and see them as that larger-than-life person again...rest assured. As far as "terminal" goes...think of it this way. Mom told me on one of my darkest days of knowing I was going to lose her "Miss, NO ONE gets out alive...we're all terminal from the day we're born. Some of us just get longer than others." It put a new perspective on it for me and has helped me remember to enjoy the good times as they come. And stage IV disease is scary, especially when you go looking at numbers. However, as you look around here you'll see many stage IV survivors who are still going LONG after they were told they'd be gone...the odds are beaten every day and there's nothing in this world that says that your mom's best friend won't be one of them!! Again, welcome to this "family". Keep us updated on how things are going!! Much love and many prayers...

Karen... Good point about letting the husband deal with the insurance...except he doesn't have the "knack" at it that I do! LOL The problems arrise from a change in insurance companies (the company my husband works for changed insurance companies, that is) and when they (the insurance) entered the policy information for the entire company, they entered it wrong. It's "being taken care of", but until then, we have to call and argue with the people on the phone about having it all sent back for rework. Last I checked I'm pretty sure the insurance company had finally flagged the account to send all that was denied and pending back for rework automatically...and we're still getting denials. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR I think I'll check about the 1/2 time, thing, though...that's a good idea that I'd not thought about! Thanks

Me, that is...I'm not. I'm trying my darndest to keep it all together, but I feel like I fail miserably at times. I work in a high-stress environment. I'm the "associate teacher" who specializes in behavior disorders at the local jr. high. All that means is that I'm a non-degreed teacher (does that make any sense to anyone else?) who, somehow, chose to work with the worst of the worst kids...and I love my job. But my position involves me working with the "gen. ed." students and most of the gen. ed. teachers (along with the special ed. teachers and students) keeping up with what each student is supposed to be working on in each subject, making sure that the work is done and turned in, and dealing with any "problems" that arise throughout the day. Have I mentioned I love my job? The principal that I work under is wonderful...allowing me time, when needed, to help out with "Mom stuff" and asks all the time how things are going (and honestly cares what the answer is). I've shed more tears in front of my "boss" than I have in front of many of my friends. All that being said...I feel like the walls are closing in around me recently. I know time is running out and I want to spend time with Mom. That's fine, work would allow me to take FML (family/medical leave)...but it's unpaid. I would normally say "screw it" and take it anyway, that's just the type of person I am. This is different, though. We have a new house and my income, for once, is necessary to make the mortgage payment. And we're not able to "cover it" from somewhere else in the budget for the time I'd be gone. On top of all this...freaking insurace company is messing up every single claim that's come in from this pregnancy. I spend my day at work, then come home and spend a couple hours on the phone to the insurance company getting OB claims straightened out before I can start the nightly ritual of cooking/doing laundry/fixing lunches/picking up. I'm running out of steam and as much as I know "what" to do about it...I'm not sure "how" I can. It's not possible for me to take time off other than a day or so here and there (until my PTO runs out, that is)...and that situation drives my boss nuts, never knowing if she'll need to find a sub for me or not until it's short notice. *Sighs* Sorry to dump on you guys...I'm just rambling to work it all out myself, too.

I got 9 (I always knew that useless bit of information about growing a pear in a brandy bottle would come in handy!!)

Taste... As long as I could keep smelling all the good things (and hoping not to find one of the bad ones!) I don't think I'd mind not tasting them. I know I couldn't go without seeing, hearing, or feeling something I touched. It's a phobia of mine (and Mom's it turns out!).

Working in a public jr. high I'd go with RESPECT every single time. I sit back and think, often, "My mother would have KILLED ME if I'd have done something like that!!" For someone who just recently passed into her 30s, it amazes me how truely different things are now compared to even 15-20 years ago.

Saying prayers that the carbo/taxol combo takes care of the nodules for your mom!! My mom had wonderful results with the carbo/taxol combo...her primary has been gone for most of the last year or more. (She's just dealing with stubborn brain mets) I'm not sure about how it's worked with the multiple nodules...someone will come along, I'm sure, who can tell you more. Best of luck...and welcome!

Does she have a radiation burn on her back? Mom's burn lasted almost a month after treatment(or more), but it was there before treatment ended. I would suggest she call her doctor if she hasn't had a burn before and is starting to develop one now. Only other thing I can think of is that it's nerve endings growing back after damage that's causing the feeling. I'd double-check, though.

Oh Melinda...I'm so sorry, my dear. You and your husband fought bravely together, along with your kids. I'm crying with you this evening as I read this. No words are adequate to express my sympathy. Know that I'm thinking of you tonight and saying a prayer for peace and comfort for you and the kids. ~xoxo~

Portable TV "Canned" cheering CD My cheerleading uniform! *Giggles* New Place: Flower Garden

Hey Aaron... Many prayers that plan C is the one that does the trick for you. I do have to agree with Liz about the patch, though. Mom had a very similar experience with it and it took a while for her to figure out that it was the patch making her so sick. They switched her to the "suckers" and it took care of it, though...so keep that in mind.

There are, alas, some I didn't live through...but I paid close enough attention to have heard of every single one of them. What made me smile most was thinking about chasing fireflys. A friend of mine has lived in Washington state most of her life (the western part) and the first time she came for a visit in the summer I couldn't figure out what she was so intrigued by, staring out the window. She finally asked what all the flashing was going on outside. She'd never seen fireflies before...and we were quickly returned to childhood (at 30-some years old) when we ran out the door to try to catch some!! (By the way, it's MUCH easier to catch them when you're younger!! )

When Mom first shaved all her hair off, I was going to shave mine to match. She told me not to because of all the scars on my head. YESSS...I'm extremely accident prone!! Unfortunately, it wasn't until later years that I've gotten the ability to get my hands out in front of me, apparently...I always used to land on my head. Mom says it explains alot

With my mom it was the same, too. Weakness, fatigue,dizziness, all of it while doing the radiation side of treatment. The good news is that the energy level DOES come back up for most pretty quickly once radiation is done. Many prayers and best wishes to you and your husband!

I had to give it to my husband...He got 85% the butthead!! LOL He even got the English question right...and he's horrible at English! That's MY area and I missed the question! LOL **Walks away embarassed**