missyk

Val.... Wow...i can still remember when my "baby" was that age...but she never crawled she stood up and RAN. Yes, she skipped crawling!! My friends used to tell me how lucky i was to be able to sit her down and she'd stay put! Little did they know what i would have on my hand just 5 (she's 6 now) years later!!! Enjoy it, one of the greatest joys in life whether we have our mommies with us or not, is having our little girls!! And btw, you ALWAYS have permission, from me, to feel however you do! You know what i'm talking about...and thanks for still looking!

I have not laughed so hard in a LONG while as i have while reading these. Mostly because i can relate to alot of them! Never been in the position of SBeth with the ben wa balls...but i DID just about fall out of my chair on that one!! Here goes mine... I'm a city girl at heart and my husband and his family are farm-folk to the bone. When my husband and i were dating i would visit the farm to see what was going on. One day i was standing by the chicken coop talkin to his father, just chit chatting. I looked over and asked him, "Why is that chicken sitting on the other one?" He looks at me and says, "Umm, making baby chickens?" (I was 20 at the time so i'm sure that he must have thought me dense!) To top off my embarrassment, the rooster started crowing. Me, not being able to pass up a well-timed joke looked at my future father-in-law and said, "Must have been good!!"

You know, that gave me the good kind of goosebumps. Thanks, Pat, for posting that!! I'm so happy to hear that Brian felt good enough to whistle!! Sometime perspective is everything...i needed that!

I'm wearing something i wear everyday and never even have to "put it on" each day. I have a tattoo encircling my right ankle (most ppl think it's an ankle bracelet) that says "Fortes Fortuna Juvat". As you can see from my signature it means, in Latin, fortune favors the brave. I got it on Dec.30th, 2004 not knowing it would have even MORE meaning to me in a few months! I also wear my breathDEEP bracelet day in and day out, dressed up or not, it does NOT come off.

What a wonderful anniversary!! Congratulations and thanks for sharing it with us!!

AWESOME!! So glad to hear it!! I think i'm still AT the pub, come on over! When i find my pocket again, i'll buy ya a round!

WOOHOOOOOOOOOOO...so glad she's home. Keep the optimism, it feels so much better than the alternative! Hugs, kisses, and prayers for you and Suki!

I second that quote by Williams( i tell people "we" have this or that to do, not that mom does)...and share in your pity party...we have all thrown them ourselves a time or two (or three or four). There is NOTHING wrong with feeling scared, nervous, anxious, or even doubting things will go well. Those feelings are so normal! And soon you'll find yourself remembering those feelings instead of feeling them! We live on a roller coaster...many ups and downs, as much as it would be nice to just live on flat land again! Prayers that all is going well and your fears are lessening even as i type. ((((hugs tight))))

Welcome back Kasey!! I got worried for second when i say the "bad news" part of it and was wondering who's butt i was going to have to come out there and kick! Glad it was only a computer problem, not that those aren't awful enough! Glad you had a great time!! I think the bus would be fun, too! But can you imagine all of us getting together? Whatever town we were in would never be right again!

I don't think i've left the pub yet!!! What day is it now? Awwww heck, just toss me a bloody mary and i'll be good to go again! Cindi, i'm glad someone else answered the cosmo question for you...i had no idea either...i'm a fuzzy navel, white russian, martini, and liquid cocaine kinna girl! Nothing like a little bit of variety! LOL Still in shock at all the good news...and feeling so very blessed with such good people surounding me and mom!!! Thanks again, and continued prayers for everyone!!!

I went through my stages of hating "melissa" and tried on "mel" in my teenage years to try to sound not as young as "missy" or as old as "melissa"...i ended up working with a great woman i really looked up to who was "missy" and decided i didn't mind it so much, it's what i've always been in my heart... However... When i married and we had our daughter we were faced with a problem matching my new last name to the names i'd have liked for my child. "Ham" can be a little trying...and my mother just about fainted when we joked, after finding out we'd have a little girl, that we were going to name her Honey Glazed We had chosen the boy's name easily, Logan Xavier (anyone heard of the X-MEN? ) But the girls name we had to haggle over...originally she was to be Janis Christian (I didn't want a "Jan Ham") so i changed the middle name to Adrianna (the ahh sound...i figured i could use a nick name of Adri)..then HE decided to change the first name because he doesn't like nick names...i got to choose between Dominique or Sabrina. We have Sabrina Adrianna. It fits her beautifully! Ann, there's your name with more syllables!! LOL

Lori.. Yeeehaaaw's for you and mom, too!! Come on over to the pub where we're celebrating a day full of good news that we can all share! So glad things are looking good for mom! It's such a weight off, and for us, a chance to take a DEEP breath and regroup. Lori's first round's on me!! CHEERS!

OMG Cindi that's GREAT!!!!! What a wonderful day for all of us here!!! Marks it down as an anniversary of sorts! Mom told me this afternoon that she KNOWS she's got an angel around somewhere...just the PE alone was enough to convince her!! Knows we all have a few up there watching over us! Congratulations on 2 year 9 1/2 months!!! Mom's at just over three months now!! And she says she's going to try and come in and have a sit down and a couple drinks, too! I just can't believe how GOOD things can be contagious! Love and prayers and hope all around...and heck, put another round on me! I start back to work on the 23rd, but i know my hubs will cover it until then!

Slides on up to the bar and orders a white russian for myself and a room temperature koolaide for mom! (that darned ole esophagus ) but soon enough i think i'll be sharing a white russian with her! Thanks everyone! Cheers! And get a round on me!

Mom called a little bit ago while waiting to start the first of up to 4 rounds of 5-hour chemo... The primary tumor that started out at around 2.4cm is now less than an inch! The lymph nodes are NOT lighting up anymore! There are NO NEW tumor sites!! So, all that's left is that little bugger in her noggin to take care of and we're praying the chemo she's going to do now will kick the rest of it to the curb and the SRS will zap that puppy in her head!! Excited doesn't even cover it, and i'm SO glad to be able to come here and share the GREAT NEWS with all of you!!!

I know it has been a crappy beginning of the month on here...i spent alot of time sitting in front of this computer shedding tears...and wondering what kind of complication we would run into next with Mom with all of it going on here. So far, we're not dealing with anything unexpected and we're happy!! She goes today for the results of the MRI and CT's she had done in preparation for the next SRS and beginning the next rounds of taxol/carbo. I can't seem to find the anxiousness that normally follows knowing we're waiting for results. Is it that i've finally settled into this, is it that i'm not paying enough attention, or is it that, somewhere,i know it's going to be ok this time? I'm afraid to feel optimistic...like i'll "curse" something if i do. Silly, i know. But she's had about a month break from all the treatment and she's feeling and sounding better than in the midst of it all. The cough is still there (and the drs are still arguing about WHY it is) and the esophagus is still painfull, but her energy level is coming up a little bit which eases our minds a touch, too. She might begin the 5 hour chemo today, though she'd love to go in and get told she doesn't have to! (A dream i think most of you know well!) I just wanted to let you all know, the month isn't all bad...though i feel a little guilty in saying so. There are so many people i wish i could have sharing in some much needed breaks from the drugery of treatment and worries, even if for just a little bit. Peace, love, and prayers for all,

You know your a LCSC member when... You know not only your own treatment plan (or family members/loved ones) but everyone elses, too, and can actually compose an entire sentence in acronyms! This is fun, Val, thanks! Hugs, kisses, and love,

Awesome!!!

Cindi... All i can say is...WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I'm waiting to hear what you hear (giggles after reading Addie's post) on Tuesday and pray it's ALL good news. They you and your newly tanned mojo, back from vacation in florida, can work on getting the overall you feeling better! (so what color WAS the thong bikini? ) Prayers and lottsa love!

Bunny... That is the absolut pits! Though, i'm thinking about putting myself in the hospital if i get lobster! Actually, i'm puttin in my order for garlic shrimp...i'm really not fond of lobster Seriously, i hope and pray she gets to feeling better soon. You guys are due for some relaxation and a round of "carefree" for a while! Love and prayers coming your way...and HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUKI!!!!!

Well sh*t that really really bites! Hope you get to feeling better soon...i was going to have ya make me a nice Long Island Iced Tea with a peach kick next time i was at the pub! Know we're all here, fighting with you, missing you, and sending our prayers and love to you!

Frances- I am there, too, many days. That frustrated, scared, helpless feeling tends to hold on really tight. When it gets it's tightest grip...I call my Mom. I listen to her voice and absorb ever ounce of love she sends to me. It reminds me just how important it is for me to keep going when the world (and dealing with this disease) seems to want to trip me up. I listen to her voice, still so strong but interrupted with coughing...i listen to what she tells me, filled with advice, laughter, and so much love...i listen to what she doesn't say, too, to know what it is that i might be able to help her with. You WILL make your way back out of this gloom, and we're here to help lift you while you're feeling down. Keeping you in prayers... With love,

I respond with "yes, she did, and quit almost 20 years ago...and thank you for your concern with her smoking habits." with a pleasant little smile. Somehow, my sarcasm just can't be kept down.

Would love to have one for Mom...and would like to help with shipping costs, also. Thanks so much! How exciting!!

I'd never be able to view it on the site (stinking dialup ) but i'd love to have it on DVD...mom and i talked about it today and she'd love to see it with me...but either would be fine. We have both at both houses! ( Lord forbid we get behind the times! LOL) I know i have a TON of friends waiting to see this...as soon as I heard i missed it i was on the phone seeing if anyone HAD seen it...of course, most of my friends are my age (30ish ) and didn't pay much attention! Thanks so much for organizing this...such a dear for it!!! Hugs and great big kisses for it!!!