[Updated...Still waiting to exhale]

Oh boy. Not what you wanted to hear, I know.

Will be praying that Bill makes it into the 15% category.

[YEEEEEEE HAAWWWWW]

Yay! Yay! Yay! So good to hear GOOD NEWS!

[Yippeee Skippeee!! PUB is OPEN....Party!]

Yeee-ha! Fantastic!

[Update on Andrea's Mom]

Praying for a speedy and complete recovery. Thanks for the update!

[Tomorrow......]

Fay, I'll be thinking of you tomorrow! Here's to a perfect procedure, a sample which leaves no room for doubt, a quick and complete recovery, and an absolutely benign diagnosis.

[JUSTAKID...]

Thanks for the update, Cindi.

Beth, just keep swimming.

[Lucie's PET Scan -- Not Good]

Ack! Not what you were hoping for. Well, Lucie certainly knows how to fight. Will keep you in my prayers as you put the gloves back on.

[VISA Commercial]

Now if they could make the hair-loss below the nose only, everyone would ENJOY it!

[Common Complaint]

Being in charge of one's medical journey is bad enough. The thing that scares me is how many people have had to say "no" to medical incompetence .

Record and research everything. My mother has been blessed with an oncologist who feels free to consult with other oncs. he respects, even though he himself is world-known. Several times, we've felt like my mom got the benefit of a second opinion without having to find it ourselves.

[yeah, baby, yeah! has anyone seen my mojo? MOJO found!!!!!!]

"Fear Factor" has nothing on your doctor! Sheesh! But, as I'm sure everyone would agree, a false alarm of bad news is a million billion times better than actual bad news.

Here's to no more bad news, mistaken or real...

[The Official Dean Carl Update]

Dean and Gay, hope you have some good time together. Keeping you in my prayers. Dean, your determination to enjoy life is inspiring. Don't let the "brain bugs" get you down.

[Snowflake Well Wishes]

Cookieman had better be spoiling you rotten! Hope you feel great real soon.

[I'm doing ok]

You and Mike remain in my prayers. Hope the next days and weeks have some peace for you both.

[Next Week]

You got it, Fay. If sheer grit could beat cancer, you'd be the healthiest one here.

Glad you have a team that will let YOU decide whether the risk is worth it.

[Angiogram for my mom--Updated 8/9/05 with not good news]

Oh, how scary for you all!

But it sounds like your mom did NOT have a heart attack, and that is a big something to be grateful for. Hope the bypass goes with flying colors and that your mom has a speedy, uneventful recovery.

[Question- Don't laugh I'm serious]

Hi, Lilian.

I'd suggest you have your pooch tested for Lyme disease. It can look like arthritis in dogs - stiffness and soreness. It can be cured with antibiotics, but it can be a serious problem if left untreated.

Hope she feels better soon. Have you tried a Buster cube to keep her occupied? Misty may do better with something to work at while you're gone. The Buster cube is made of really hard plastic, and you put dog food or treats inside. Playing with the cube releases the food. The toy is incredibly durable - my pitbull can't destroy it, and he tries!

If Misty turns out to be healthy, maybe she would enjoy the company of a cat or another dog. When I had my rottie, she was best buddies with one of our cats. They used to curl up and snooze together.

[Mum has died]

I'm so sorry for your loss. It does sound like she passed very peacefully, and I hope that is a comfort to you.

[Updated 8/6/05 Don is gone]

Oh, no no no. Peggy, I'm so very sorry. And so shocked.

I pray you will find the strength you need. Don was such a terrific fighter, and you did everything you could to help him fight and still get everything he wanted out of life.

[Fay A.'s Bio Update ?]

Holy crow, Fay. Maybe you should present yourself to the surgeon as a career-enhancing challenge. Sell him on how much he can learn from you! It would seem that, no matter how lousy the odds are, that if surgery is your best/only chance it should be made available. If I were a surgeon, I'd want patients like you - tough to treat but tougher to beat. Keeping you in my prayers.

[Mom]

I'm so sorry. You all struggled so hard to make the best of things. I pray you will find peace.

[In Home Hospice]

Well, our family has learned that not all hospice organizations are the same. Depending on where you are, there may be more than one organization in your area. The hospice organization we are working with has a program for people who are seriously ill, but have not been given any kind of "time frame" for life expectancy. They can still receive agressive treatment! My mother can get a home health aid to help her bathe and dress, manage her pain medications, and the hospice organization coordinates her durable medical goods, like a walker and oxygen. When she was too weak, they arranged for an ambulance to bring her in for testing.

Depending on what the policies of your local hospice are, there may indeed be a great deal of help available. If the dr. is suggesting "home hospice", ask if s/he has a specific organization in mind. There are some hospices which offer help to patients who are still undergoing treatment.

[Pop's is gone.......]

So sorry to hear your Pops is gone. It's good you were able to be at home. I'll be thinking of you.

[Prayers for my daughter]

Prayers going out for both of you.

[Path less traveled]

Shadowrose, only you have the right to say what - if any - treatment you want. May you have many great days ahead and an easy journey.

I have seen my own mother suffer greatly during treatment, and she insists she will keep seeking treatment as needed. Not sure that's what I would choose for myself. But each of us deserves that right to choose. There is not right or wrong answer, only YOUR answer.

[Scary Night------and update after Doc visit 1:45 CDT]

Glad to hear Brian is on the mend. It pays to see a dr. whenever things look scary - so many side effects can knock you around .