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jaminkw

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Posts posted by jaminkw

  1. Peachy: I don't know anything about the hospital you mention in Clearwater. The Moffitt Cancer Center, however, was one of the top choices my daughter researched for my diagnosis and treatment. She is a registered nurse who works on an onlcology floor in a hospital in Port St Lucie. She said she's known a number of patients who have gone there are were very satisfied with the facility. I picked MDACC because of my doctor's recommendation and because it was closer for me than Moffitt.

    Good luck and happy retirement in Florida!

    Judy in Key West

  2. Thanks for the feedback. It took me three months to get myself to sit down and record it. I think it will take awhile before I'm ready to edit it down. In the meantime, making it much much smaller will help me and not draw attention to my wordiness.

  3. Am really happy to see the guys feeling comfortable enough to share their seemingly embarrassing boob stories. That's a real sign of trust that we women won't turn that into a joke.

    Judy in Key West

  4. Carrie: It's very early in the morning and I've gotten off my pity pot to wish your mom and all "scrapper" moms see the tides turn and gently carry them back to a more comfortable place. Broken bones are really painful. Hope they are helping your mom out with the pain.

    Judy in Key West

  5. Geri, I'm a relative newcomer but want to add my voice to the well-wishers rallying around you. You are obviously a strong woman to have battled cancer only to be called back into the ring again and come out swinging.

    Judy in Key West

  6. Colleen: Good one. I had to check out the "Just for Fun" forum after opening and reading a really offensive email from someone I consider really intelligent but inexplicitly really racist. This involved Denmark that I recently saw named the country with the happiest people and am trying to choose to not believe the stuff I read there that are allegedly happening to that wonderful country because of immigrants who refuse to assimilate. Yuck.

    I like the funny valentine!

    Judy in Key West

  7. Carrie and Nicole: Recent posts about your moms are inspiring to me. I'm one of those moms people always pointed to as having an indomintable spirit but the last couple of days, I felt I lost it. I went to bed early last night (so of course up at four am) further depressed that my inlaws are insisting on coming for an inpromptu visit in between chemos. It's hard to schedule company between infusions when the recovery isn't going so well but they are very pushy and my husband never has been able to stand up to them. They won't be staying with us but nearby and I have to stand my ground that I'm not responsible for entertaining my sisters-in-laws. When I feel like socializing, I will and when I don't, I'll lay on the couch.

    This morning I decided I would put my appointments and visits from out-of-towners (best friend coming later in March are so welcome as the visit has been planned for months) on my laptop calendar. I had tried to read the schedule from my doctor once before but my brain was not ready to process. Surprise, surprise!!! It looks like my March 11 chemo has not been scheduled. I thought it would be an Avastin maintenance. I'll do the cocktail Feb 19, skip the March 11 in favor of the late March CT/PET and then a visit to Dr Tseng for the results on April 1. I'm almost afraid to wish. Maybe the improvement of Jan 8, if continued, may suspend the treatments for awhile. I just don't know and am not ready to ask yet. The PA I spoke to about treatment the day of my dx responded to my "are we looking at years here?" with a "maybe, but maybe they'll just go in a zap it and then she'll just follow you. Again, I'm not sure they are sure what triggered my single infusion and I'm going back on line to research the likelihood the pneumonia or falls did and perhaps the cancer is earlier stage than the infusion suggested. I'm also going to ask for radiology reports done at MDACC so I can compare the CT/PET in particular with the previous one that said "low level malignancy." I needed to fuel my optomism again and going over the schedule did the trick.

    Judy in Key West

  8. Headaches and earache again, much fatigue. This 5th chemo was a disappointment in terms of recovery. Haven't really felt great since day two so I'm really digging for funny.

    Somtime shortly after my dx, I was talking on the phone with an old friend from High School in NJ. She and I share a similar sense of humor and were making as much light as we could over my situation. She came through with the best line this time--she said "you're going to be just fine and if anybody asks about that IIIB, just tell them it's your bra size." Good, huh?

  9. Didn't know where to put this so it's here.

    I've only been on the site a short time but I soon felt it can't be all about me. I've been trying lately to "catch" someone reaching out and adding my voice to the positive energy the long-timers pour in the direction of someone in need.

    I watched an old 20/20 on happiness yesterday and was reminded of the genetic component of optomism. I've been running a little against my tendency lately, bemoaning a three-day or week bout of nausea vs a one or two. My daughter who is an oncology nurse often calls me to task reminding me of people who upchuck constantly after chemo or can't eat because of blisters in their mouth (I have only mild mouth discomfort). I decided to try adding to the just for fun board to recapture my natural spirit of optomism. I know I am just scared and am hoping reaching out to others and using humor to get through the rough spots in life as I always have will help bring me back to my center.

    Judy in Key West

  10. I've been trying to help my grandson through the realization that Nonie has cancer, a scary thing for a nine-year-old. The bald thing was tough for him so I led him little by little from letting him pick up the front of my scarf and feel the stubble to walking in on me in my bedroom with NO HAIR.

    Recently my husband started teasing me about the fuzz that's already growing. Trying to bring Dominick into it, I pointed out how funny the one longer than the others hair growing towards the front looked. By the time I saw him again, the one had become three. When I showed him, he had this suggestion: Nonie, why don't you let the three hairs grow and shave the rest and you'll look like Tommy (?do I have the character's name right?) on the Rugrats!

    Love that kid.

  11. KatieB: I almost missed your post because we were posting one minute apart. I loved the little happy dance. You know we people in Key West looovveee chickens.

    Judy

  12. Paperback: I'm sorry you have to go through this with your mom. It's true you need to focus on the positive of those things NOT occuring with her. I know what you mean about needing to hear from survivors. I get scared too when I hear about the NEDs and then the cancer pops back up again for those unlucky people. I'm a IIIB and even at a four, there is always hope as the docs chip away at this awful disease. They told me the same thing, once a IIIB always a IIIB and my latest scan showed "improved" so I've chosen to think of it as a box they have to put you in to point them in the right treatment direction.

  13. Carrie: I think many of us who have cancer would prefer having it ourselves rather than witnessing a loved one go through what you describe. My heart goes out to you. You have a talent, however, for putting your feelings down in the written word. Keep doing it. I believe it will give you some little comfort.

    Judy in Key West

  14. Thanks to all who responded. I'm sure it helped me drag myself off the couch and make myself get ready and go out (ladies, in spite of the fact that I couldn't get eyelashes on to save my life!) with my hubby for my birthday dinner. I took an anti-naseau pill and hour early and dinner was awesome.

    Thanks for being there.

    Judy in Key West

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