Addie

I gotta start checking this forum more often...cuz I missed this. But...found it in time to know you've avoided surgery, Beth...and that is a good thing (just call me Martha! ) Hope they figure out the pain and get the clots all resolved asap so you can get home. The green Jello has got to be getting to you by now, eh? Sending my best clot-dissolvin', pain-relievin', gall bladder-workin', easy-breathin' vibes your way, Toots. And for good measure, I'm tacking on a few GIVE BETH A BLOOMIN' BREAK vibes, too! Thanks for keeping us posted. Thoughts heading your way.....

Men! Ya got something with wheels around the house....I swear they gotta ride it, no matter what! I'm sorry you all had to go thru this scare, but am glad Don is better and is willing to give up on the mowing. And yowza...to have Mike with another attack in the midst of all of it? Too much! Glad things are settling down a bit...and know I'm sending vibes your way for no pain, improved health and THE D*MN GRASS TO STOP GROWING!!

Tennessee Tina.....you are a bright light here. No matter what comes your way, you stay cheerful...level...and your family is clearly your priority. I love that about you! No matter what this stinking disease has thrown your way...you are there for Charlie, your kids and for us. And that's sayin' a lot!! We appreciate you. (And P.S. My youngest went to school in Nashville...so I feel a kinship with anyone from TN. He LOVED it down there. NO SNOW!! )

This certainly stunk up my Friday. I can't believe what I'm reading and for the onc to give such a short time frame......I mean, why not more treatment? And nobody can know how long. I find it hard to believe Rachel asked... Please pass our continuing love and support along to Rachel for us, Susan, and tell her we are here for her. I really don't know what to say beyond the fact that I just don't believe this. And I don't believe the doctor so abruptly put a time frame on things. I hope Rachel finds a way to deal with the fear this must have struck in her...and perhaps continue looking for tx that might help.

YEEEE HAAAAWWWW... I'm late too, but this is fabulous news. See that? That's my DUST as I hightail it over to Cin's place for a celebratory sasparilla! So happy for you, Kasey....

Keith...you were dxd a little over a year before I was...and I'm already to where "stable" seems pretty good to me! Oh sure, cannot deny that regression or better still, NED, would be preferable. But as my onc says, "You can live with stable for a loooong time!" Carleen, I'm sure you can get Keith to focus on the positives so you can both follow thru on Ginny's wonderful plan! Sending all good thoughts your way...and am so glad the scan results were weighted on the positive side!

Thank you, Best Friend Susan...for the update on Rachel. I know she's at a great hospital. I'm a native Portlander...now "displaced" on the east coast Please tell Rachel and her "True North" that we are pulling for her to be painfree soon, and for the films and CT to show NOTHING FURTHER. She needs to get home to the dog...and be feeling well enough to take long walks at the business end of a leash. Give her my best, please... Addie

Do I hear the theme from Twilight Zone in the background? What a wonderful story of a shared dog and how two families reconnected years down the road! But then I've always said Dog People are some of the very best people around...and you, your mom, your old postman and his daughter certainly prove that out...eh? Neat little story, Ginny....and I too, thank you for continuing to hang out here a little bit. This place would not be the same without you! Did you finish that baby blanket yet? Am I gonna get to see a picture of it? Please?

Oh, Val...I'm so sorry honey. What a difficult loss for you...but I'm so glad your hubby was able to get there before she passed...so she indeed, knew you had a strong shoulder to lean on. Another blessing in all this...is that your beautiful daughter arrived in time for gramma to get to know her a little. And you will keep gramma alive for your little girl thru your memories. I lost my own father just 8 days before my first son was born. My two sons still know something of their grampa, because I talked about him a lot and had photos. I know you'll do the same. I'm sending a big hug your way and much sympathy. Losing one's mom, for a female, can be particularly hard I think. But I'm betting there is much of your mom within you...your personality, character, values and your heart. In that way, she lives on. Go easy on yourself...and know how important it will be in years to come...that you've had this time to share with your mom and your baby daughter. Thinking of you, honey.....

I'm deeply saddened to hear this. Cathy kept her spirits up throughout...very seldom complaining but rather making the best of whatever her situation was at the time. In that regard she inspired all of us to do the same. I'm so sorry for your loss, which must feel profound at the moment. Much as we can "know a person" thru cyberspace....the Cathy we knew, we loved. My deepest sympathies to you and your family. We are all blessed to have shared part of this journey with her and there will be a bright new star in the heavens tonight. Her name will be CathyR.

Since you'll be center stage for this surgery, I'm just gonna say, "break a leg, kiddo"!! I'm betting you'll feel tons better once you recover from the surgery...and you know you'll be getting lots of vibes from here for that to be speedy!! Take care, Beth...and come fill us in as soon as you feel up to it, okay?

Sending all positive, healing vibes their direction . Dean, you also share your birthday with my stepson. Hope you get the corner of the cake that's got the extra frosting on it!! And...hope the 5 day respite program is helpful to both of you. You continue to be in my thoughts....

My hubby gets awful leg cramps, charley horses, etc. He's got terrible osteoarthritis in his knees, and loses enough sleep over that...but still, he used to wake me up in the middle of the night to massage his leg...trying to ease a bad cramp. They can be SOOOO painful!! He's tried everything, including quinine...which finally stopped working. Then his 83 y/o mother told him SHE takes calcium, magnesium and zinc. You can buy the three in one pill, one bottle. He's been taking it and it works!! Be sure to clear it with your wife's doctor...but you can pick up a bottle of cal, mag, zinc at any drug store! Maybe even at your grocery. Good luck....and hope this one works for her too. It's nice not to have to do any more leg massages in the middle of the night. I have enough problems sleeping...thanks to chemo and steroids!

Such good news about our Cathy! This is good for everyone's spirits....her family, friends and all her friends here at lchelp! We hope to hear from you soon, Cathy....and keep on being the fighter and inspiration that you are!!

Yeah....one as she approaches and TWO NEW FACES as she walks away! I know it's a rhino, and not a whale...but it reminds of that song, "Hello Mudder, Hello Fadder"....remember? ..."Here I am in Camp Granada". Somewhere in the lyrics is a line about "...her name's Mrs. Pellagrini.....Have you ever seen a whale in a bikini"!! Ya just gave me my first real belly laugh of the day, Cin. Thanks. I needed it!!

I'm afraid I'm going to have to cry, "Foul!!" on this photo. Clever of you, Cin...to substitute a photo that is "a few" years old....but not acceptable. We want to see your CURRENT teeny, weeny bikini photo! Remember.....you mentioned it first!

My onc said protein was really important for healing tissue. Luckily for me....I love cheese, yogurt, milk....so could always get some sort of protein down. And Cindy, you're not the only one who gained weight! When appetite is off...they tell you to eat whatever appeals. If it's doughnuts....eat doughnuts. If it's ice cream, eat ice cream. The main thing is NOT to lose weight....even if the calories aren't particularly nutritious. But....I've been lucky in that even when my appetite was off a bit...I would still feel hungry and could find something to eat that kept my weight fairly steady. I'm sure there is lots of info on line...and too, when I had the chest radiation, they gave me a booklet with all kinds of info on nutrition. One thing mentioned in the booklet was to really wash veggies well. I also was told not to drink well water...and we have a well. So now I drink 2-3 bottles daily of bottled water. We also got some of that anti-bacterial soap and put it by every sink in the house, along with a roll of paper towels. Cleanliness...including washing one's hands carefully, is also important while on chemo. I tried not to get too paranoid about it all, and have relaxed some....but am still careful. I try to eat a lot of fresh fruit and veggies too...organic, if at all possible. We even buy organic chicken...because Frank Perdue "infuses" his chickens with lots of growth hormones...and my mostly bald head ALREADY makes me look like a chicken! I make lots of small to moderate concessions to a good diet....but draw the line at seaweed, brown rice...macrobiotic sorts of things. A diet without doughnuts and caramel filled Hershey's Kisses....equals poor quality of life, if you ask me!!

Concentrating all positive thoughts on No Big Deal for you, Rachel. Hoping this is just normal "getting on in years" aches and pains. Will await word when you get back or have a chance to let us know. Till then...holding you in nothing but good thoughts.

I'm so sorry, Melissa, for the loss of your mother. I hope you have a storehouse of good memories to help sustain you through the difficult days. I'll be thinking of you...sending vibes for strength and all possible comforts your way.

You know what, Pat? Sometimes it IS about you!! And sometimes it's about me....and sometimes it's about somebody else here. That's how it goes! There is nothing at all wrong with a little humility...but feeling sorry for ourselves sometimes, or looking to get OUR OWN needs met, or even feeling jealous that someone else gets good news when our own seems to be bad....are all evidence of our being human. We all have the same emotions....so feeling them, as I view it, is fine. Wallowing may NOT be such a good idea , but feeling them is certainly fine. My friend Shelley often uses "letgoletgoletgo" in her emails to me. Let go, three times, all run together like that. It's become a catch phrase between us...and it applies more often than it doesn't, when one is dealing with cancer. Shelley is a survivor of melanoma....which, believe it or not, her dog found!! Sniffed a mole on her leg to the point that it sent Shel off to the doctor! But I digress (and I do it a lot! ) You owe us no apologies and need no forgiveness from us. You're a big support around here even as you and Bri fight your own battle. We all falter a little here and there, trying to be brave in the face of what really, ultimately, is the unknown. It still doesn't mean we need to apologize. I like you JUST THE WAY YOU ARE, Pat!! Don't change a thing for me...okay? Just go hug the other half of the BratTeam and know you both are valued here.

I double dare you on this one!! Teeny weeny bikini, eh? At my age, if I tried that...I could clear a beach in 3.2 seconds! Don't think I'll try it. Have a great trip Cin. We'll take care of the Pub while you're gone...okay? It could be a little like letting the inmates take over the asylum, but what choice do you have...really?? Other than my youngest son, I know of no "attractions" in Chicago to suggest you visit! Well...there is the lake, of course. But you and your friend have a wonderful time and a wonderful visit. Maybe she'll bring some macadamia nuts for the bar....huh? Enjoy and give us a holler when you return. We'll leave a light on for you.

Oy, what a long day! I'm glad Don was able to snooze thru a lot of it and that you had a comfy chair and something to occupy your time. But you're right....it's a terribly long day and terribly unfair to the patient to have to wear that metal halo for so many hours prior to the procedure. Thank goodness they sort of knocked him out...as I'd want to sleep too with that thing on my head Your post sounds positive, though, overall...and you know you have all our positive thoughts behind you. Hoping for good news along the way as they check on things, and hoping too, that the Alimta is working!!

Val~~ I'm so sorry you're at this point...but entering Hospice isn't necessarily the final chapter. Sometimes people improve enough to no longer need Hospice. It's possible. Perhaps not probable, but possible. A little bit of hope to hang onto. I'm sorry, honey. I know this must be hard for you as you want your adorable little one to know her gramma. Store up as many memories (and photos) as you can. Know you and your mom are in my best thoughts and wishes.

Mel, honey....you've been pulled thru the ol' knothole backwards! I'd say you've earned the title of SuperSurvivor! Good grief.... But you know...the wry humor is there in your post. You're not taking any of this and whimpering your way out of the room with your tail tucked, like a scared puppy. Nope. You're standing up to all of it!! I love to see a little humor and some attitude coming thru in your post. You hang in there...cuz that attitude will see you a long way with all you're going thru. You know you have all of our vibes, wishes, thoughts, prayers....for things to settle down with the necrosis...so that you DON'T need any more surgeries for it. Enough already, huh? And do call the doc about all that edema. There has to be some adjustment made or a med added to help you out on that score. Keep us posted, Melanie...I think you're amazingly UN-loopy, all things considered! And eventually, you'll have hair to cover up that scar...so don't worry about it! Sending you "non-swollen and no more necrosis" vibes and a big hug!!

I call it being able to give back a little bit for the privelege of being a survivor!! I'm so glad Lucie is feeling up to doing this...as I'm sure both your spirits are always willing...it's just that sometimes the body doesn't cooperate, eh? The couples you are helping must be enormously grateful.