Snowflake

I had pain after surgery between my shoulder blades because I couldn't handle wearing the bras I had in my drawer. I started wearing a bra for mastectomy patients and got the support I needed without underwires and that pain eased.

Sarah, I had a recurrence after eleven years just three years ago. I just shook it off and continued my usual life... Yeah, right. I curled up in a ball and cried for a week straight. Then, I found out not only was there a tumor behind my clavicle, but that it had a friend in my brain. Ugh. I am STILL fighting depression/anxiety over this new detour. I can function, I am taking happy pills to drag myself out of a sobbing mass. On the bright side, stage IV is immediate approval for Disability, there's just that first six months of no income. I can nap any time I want to, no job to go off to. I'm in the middle of the mitten and my hospital is affiliated with U of M. I had genetic testing and have the ALK mutation so have been on Xalkori since radiation ended. I am glad my trusted oncologist has this resource and am happy to share that there have been many improvements since my last trip in 2003. Hang in there, big girls DO cry, but they also take care of business and get extra help when needed. Better Living through chemistry. Good luck, Becky

100% of the "me" in this whole world survived 5 years with a projected expectancy of 12%. A few years ago, I took a college statistics class....sooooo of many ways to report the same information to put a different spin on the info. Seriously. Skip the numbers, they cause indigestion. [emoji41] P.S. Currently 14 years out from initial diagnosis, 3 years from recurrence. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Hi, Brandon, I was diagnosed IIIA in 2003 at 34. Lifelong nonsmoker. I had surgery, then radiation and two months of Iressa followed by years of monitoring. After five years, I saw the oncologist once a year. At the time I was diagnosed, chemo was not standard after (or before) surgery. Eleven years later at my annual checkup, the oncologist touched a spot on my neck that hurt and he was concerned. Long story short, it was back. I've been restaged to IV. I've had surgery to clean out what could be removed in my neck, and gamma knife to treat a brain tumor. I've also gone through another round of radiation and chemo. My oncologist sent out for genetic testing and I'm a happy mutant. I am currently taking Xalkori and holding. Biggest thing to learn is when it is too big to handle alone and talk to your doctor about anti-anxiety medication and/or antidepressants. Get the feeling of panic controlled so your brain can process the information you are being given. Hang in there, you're still lucky, hold on to that. Cowboy up.

I have an introduction, but all things considered, it's probably easier to just submit a new one. 2014 was one really crappy year. My annual testing, after eleven years cancer-free, was at the end of April. May 5, I am in with my oncologist and he is explaining to me that it's been long enough that I can just follow up with my GP. As he's talking, he's doing the neck lymph node touchy-feely exam...and hits a tender spot at my collar bone. He says he doesn't like that, wants tests. He looks concerned, I tell him he sees cancer everywhere, that's his job, but I'm not going to worry until there's something to worry about. I am in for a CT on Thursday and then consult with him on Friday. Need a better look at this swollen lymphynode, PET on Tuesday, poke biopsy on Wednesday. Surgical biopsy on Monday and the unmistakable sound of manure hitting the oscillator. It's a tumor with an extremely slow growth rate - in fact, he thinks it came from the original tumor. The entire tumor cannot be removed by the ENT that performed the procedure, it's touching the carotid and the jugular vein. Gee, maybe we should check out my head... June 3, meeting with radiation oncologist to see if I am a candidate for radiation of the unclear margins. During this meeting, he's not as concerned with that as the lesion in my brain. June 6 Gamma Knife, radiation and chemo start June 10. Many trials and tribulations, but still kicking. Now stage IV, but like age and weight, it's just a number. My oncologist tells me I'm not normal - I've never tried to be. He says a recurrence after eleven years is unheard of. Yep. Blowing up stats left and right! On the bright side, I no longer have to go to work any more and am enjoying the fur kids! The plan is to beat this monster back under the bed with my Louisville Slugger. Snowflake

Oh, no.

Eric, unlike many who are on "city" utilities, my gas comes from a large propane tank ("pig") in the yard. Filling the whole thing is about $1K and lasts about a whole season. We use propane for heat and for cooking (gas stove). Our electric bill is roughly $125/month. We have central air in the summer and an electric heater we run in our bathroom that is at the end of the heating ducts and beyond frozen during the winter. Bad thing about using a tank is that the fuel has to be paid for on delivery, where the mainline can be "fudged" by paying partial bills or late payments when the paycheck doesn't quite cover the full amount. The least amount I can add to the tank is $500. Starting to seriously think about moving out of state with the rough economy and costs associated with hot/humid summers and rough winters.

If you've been following Lily's posts, you'll know that she just spent Thanksgiving with Jacci and her family.

Glad I could make you laugh, Judy. Life is hard for the sensitive souls, good thing our core is steel!

My screw ups for the day, so far (and this is from 10:00 - 12:00, just two hours). I can't take a phone message and milk every bit of information out of a potential client. I got a name, a phone number, opposing party name, did a conflict check and got the "whole story" from the caller, but I did not quiz him on where he had heard of the firm. It would have been hard, though, since her cheap phone hung up on him when I tried to "un-hold" him... Called back and had to leave a message on his voice mail, haven't heard back yet. I also do not know how to make double-side copies (total BS, I'm a pro, have even worked in a job where I formatted reports, bindered them and sent them on to the clients in record time) - but I was given a tutorial while a client was waiting on her. Seriously, and she billed the client for that time, as well! I wonder why she hired me if I'm not competent to even make copies... If I could ONLY find something else, ANYTHING else. Cripes, it can't pay any less!

Welcome to Redneckville! First day of firearms deer season and the woods are full of volleys and echos. The drive to work should be an experience. Hoping the first few shots scared the critters into hiding instead of flushing them out into the road... I don't wanna go to work. I'm tired. The only saving grace is that I know the boss won't be in until around 10, so I have a little bit of time to do the job without the constant nagging. Amazing how much I can do when she's not around to ride my butt... Okay, Judy, step in here any time now, I've opened, you just need to pop in and have your say!

Very much a Monday - I posted something today at lunch and then blasted it to the stratosphere. Bummer! Off to bed, tomorrow is another day to screw up in. I'm sure that there will be problems with so very many things I just don't comprehend - like how to open an envelope, staple a page, and file paperwork standing upright in the folders so the tabs cannot be read. (Her demand, since I can't be trusted to file appropriately, I am punished with a handicap of not being able to read the files. If there were ANYTHING else available, I'd tell her where to go in a heart beat!) Whatever. Another day, another dollar. Later, taters!

Houghton Lake is about a half hour from me. Seriously. If not for the lack of income, losing the job would be great. My house is a disaster area, hubby is working 12-hour days and weekends are spent sleeping and relaxing. Home-cooked meals are a dim memory. Butchering really isn't that bad, but the roadkill one really did make me feel weak in the knees. Less than three hours and it's Monday. Ack.

In less than five hours it will be Monday again. Argh. Looks like you didn't end up blown to Kingdom Come, MI Judy. Where does the hubster go that's "north"? I'm about middle of the mitten on the sun rise side.... Took hubby and did some shopping yesterday. Kohl's was having a sale (aren't they always?) AND I had a 30% off card, as well as another card for $10 off - I saved more than I spent! Hubby has been wanting a specific coffee maker and the stars had all aligned, so I picked it up, along with some flannel shirts for my father-in-law for Christmas (I drew his name in the family drawing - ~$15 for shirts originally marked at $46 isn't too bad). I think I may be coming down with something, besides Monday Aversion. Woke up to a really dry mouth and throat this morning and have felt kinda foggy. Secondary symptom would be a digestive system that feels like a heavy artillery shelling - loud enough to have the dog looking at me strangely. Maybe there's a sick day or two in my future, wa-hoo! Add to that the positive side effect of weight loss and it'll be a big mark in the win column! Oh Lily, I never would eat venison when my dad made it. Couldn't get past the Bambi vision...I had to TASTE it (house rules) but I didn't have to eat it if I didn't want it. I had to give the hubby the same consideration when he made it a point to cook it for me, after telling me that he cleans it more thoroughly than most. He knows what he's talking about. As for being able to choke down some beef, I have a friend who grew up on a dairy farm. I've seen those beautiful little calves and the mommies have such sweet and kind eyes... I love steak, but I know where it comes from, as well. Piggies are cute, too. I haven't really felt the desire to be the one who shoots the deer and has to field dress it (hubby said he'd do that if I were to go with him and get one), but I help butcher it when he brings in the quarters. It keeps the grocery bill lower, and the meat is actually healthier than beef and pork - go figure! ...and yes, it surprised him that I didn't get all squimish over the venison as we were butchering it, since he thinks I'm prissy...LOL I sooooo don't want to go to work tomorrow..or Tuesday...or Wednesday... We'll see what the rest of the month brings, I may be out of a job by then, as she can't run her business in the building she is in after the end of the month and hasn't looked for any place to move. Seriously.

Yay! I did it! I figured out how to merge! (Was so afraid to delete both topics, but it worked!) Almost lunch time here, hustling to finish off the morning. Take care!