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BiographyUPDATE: August 2008. Saw Oncologist who confirmed spread of cancer to my spine T9 & T10 also T6 and L3 show some abnormality. This is a comparison to the other 3 bone scans – 1st being July 07 right after lumpectomy. My surgeon prescibes this test for every breast cancer patient. Probably a precaution, which in my case was a good thing. I am not sure what is going to happen next other than another Mammogram and Ultra sound of my breasts in Sept., another bone scan and CAT scan in Nov. so this might be where they find more. God forbid those cells keep mulitplying. It’s leap frog at its’ finest game. I feel over anaylized, overpricked, overradiated but somehow glad that I live in Canada where it is all FREE. My private insurance pays 80% of all my drugs as well as massages, chiro, physio, dental, and so on. Why do you think we have a waiting list for immigrants? Not because they love the winter here! So for now I wait but I live.Oct. 09. Bone scan and CT, Oncologist’s report at the end of the month. Whoopee, I can hardly wait. I still have my sarcasm working. Cancer SymptomsFeeling sometimes bitchy I put that down to arimidex. I hate the revisiting of menopause, night sweats, etc. Sometimes I just feel tired and can’t keep up. UPDATE AUG/08. Not as tired anymore, but the rest is the same. Surgery Description, Dates & Side EffectsLumpectomy May 2007. No side effects. Recouperated really well. My scars are barely noticeable. But one breast is slightly smaller. Hard to tell since I am a DD, but I can. UPDATE AUG/08. Can not see the scar, but feel a solid 4” line under my arm where lymph nodes were checked. Radiation Description, Dates & Side EffectsSept-Oct. 07. 26 treatments went well. Yes tired but not too much. Glad it is over. Hardly any burning. Used Lubriderm cream all the time; that helped. UPDATE AUG/08. Enjoyed the summer sun but made sure to use SPF 50 so as not to burn. Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side EffectsPamidronate or otherwise known as Aredia. Assists in replenishing bone loss. Given via IV monthly. Tired, headache after treatment, diarrehia, bones ache all over. MAR/08 New treatment – Clasteon – 4 pills/day but NO IV. HOORAY. No side effects except bone pain. I went on the internet to find an alternative cause it took 6 jabs every time with the IV and I just hated the thought of doing that for the rest of my life. Hormone Therapy Description, Dates & Side EffectsArimidex taken at night. Started treatment Aug. 07. Sleep deprived, night sweats, bones ache, sometimes tired, always hungry. UPDATE AUG/08. Side effects have lessened but just slightly. Bone Marrow Transplant Description, Dates & Side EffectsNONEImmune Therapy Description, Dates & Side EffectsNONEComments: |
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Weezie, Here is our link to the twitter page:
http://twitter.com/BlogForaCure
A poster of that would be cool. Not sure how we would do that. I will put this one on the wish list since I don’t know how to do it right away. Might be cool to do a post of everyone on BFC too. hum….
Thank you so much Weezie. I know how lucky I am and I also know that I will be stronger for this. I guess I’m a little antsy about finishing this up and starting my life…I’ve not really lived and appreciated life but believe me, I will after this. I promise you. Peace…
Dear Sweet Weezie,
! Yeah, I’m starting to think as well that everyone just has too much going on to even think about meeting. I was really hoping it could happen.
Yeah, I got service. I better type quickly. Heck, I make enough type-o’s typing slow. I am so happy you were able to have some “fun time”, Happy Anniversary
Laura’s BF has accepted a job in Chicago and since she has graduated grad school there is not a job to be found so she has decided to move to Chicago with him. I will never try to hold her back but to be honest I am in a panic. What will I do? She will be more than 5 hours from me? He will be moving in two weeks and her lease is not up until Sept., then she will move as well. I am hoping (not mean) that he gets up there doesn’t like it and then a great University calls Laura to teach locally. Then, he comes back to his job that he has now in St. Louis. Am I a dreamer or what????? She does SO much to help me. She tries to make everything SO Special for me. Maybe she will have to get it out of her system like when she moved to Fl. for one semester. But, I was so much better at that time. After much thought, unless something greatly changes I am staying in my home. If I have to get help, then that is what I will do. But, I have never rented or been told what to do. It’s difficult for me being in the hospital. Heck, if I can’t sleep and have a taste for lemons, I’ll go to ther fridge and slice me some. (BTW, a little known secret I crave & eat lemons like some crave chocolate). And, I have Maggie, I could never give her up unless it was a forced situation. All I can say is that I can only take this one day at a time. Also. no I do not have a clue as to how to hear Mac’s Sermons. I wish I could listen to them as well. I’ll be fine, I just have to think of this as a speed bump. You are always in my thoughts & prayers. Be Well, Patty
Hi Weezie,
In reading your comments about the drug companies, etc. Even my Oncologist is blown away by this one. The new drug that I get it 2 weeks at a time is $4,444.52, another drug that must go with it that I get it in monthly supplies is $9.099.00. The eye drops they have me on which so far I do not have any answers without more tests but they are 1.5 ML and are $329.00 per bottle. I am using about 2 bottles per week. The above figures do not include my other medsfor the heart defect, osteoporosis,seizures, or nausea. Personally, I do not know a living sould that had this kind of cash to put out on a monthly basis. So, just to live my life with the meds that are needed are now over $30,000.00 per month. Since I began with the TIA’S, we are in discussion about the need to sell our home of 24 years. The day that Laura came over to find me unresponsive ( the morning of our big plans to see opening night of,”WICKED”. It was just a stroke of luck for she came over to cut the grass. Later she told me she was so scared that was the end. It saddens me greatly that she had to experience any and all of what she did. It is in discussion now about an assisted care facility… My, have I gotten that bad this fast? Be Well, Patty P.S. Can you send me the list of the things youo have learned so I can copy it and frame it. I loved it. You are so wise
Hi Weezie,
Thank you for your note. I really appreciate it. I seem to be the only one on the NY Times blog who didn’t find cancer to be an uplifting experience. And I agree with you 100%—why are the people with cancer the ones who have to do all the fighting? There has, in fact, been little progress in the last 25 years. That said, cancer is many diseases with many causes; dozens of cures are needed, not just one. I live commuting distance from NIH (National Institutes of Health, the US govt’s medical research arm). I know a couple of researchers there, and they really are trying. But scientists are as susceptible to group think as anyone else, and I wonder if scientists are even asking the right questions.I have no love lost on pharmaceutical companies either. But I would think that they would stand to make plenty of money on cancer meds that actually target cancer cells and could essentially turn cancer into a chronic, controlled condition, kind of like the antiretroviral drugs that are used for HIV/AIDS, or insulin for diabetes. The longer cancer patients stick around the more meds they will buy, so there should be plenty of profits to go round. Someday (sooner rather than later, I hope), burning people with radiation and sending poison through their veins will seem as primitive as leeches. In the meantime … yeah. Cancer is still a mysterious disease and people have magical thinking about it. Although there is a mind-body connection, cancer patients have the only disease where the patients are supposed to will away their disease.People get blamed, or blame themselves, for not having been properly chipper if their treatment fails; people also get credit (or give themselves credit) for succeeding because they have the right attitude. Sometimes it makes me laugh. Were it only so simple.
At least in Canada, health care is a right, not a privilege. In the US, people without insurance who have cancer are diagnosed later, receive less treatment, and (needless to say) die sooner than people with insurance. It’s terrible. I don’t think health care should be for profit anyway. Why should giant corporations (especially insurance companies) make money on the backs of sick people?
Be well, Weezie.
Andrea
Thanks Weezie! I need all the positive reinforcement I can get, so I appreciate your comments so much! I also want to wish you the very best on your follow-ups. These things just continue to scare the bejeebers out of me, especially when there are little things noted. We will get through this though, I know we will! I am going to try and chill all weekend—I hope you do the same!
Love—
Martha
Weezie,
I’ve not heard from Patty, although I’ve emailed. I will try calling. When she disappears I worry that she is in the hospital again.
Be well.
Andrea
Weezie, yeah I feel like a bald onion. I had my chemo yesterday and the white blood cell shot today. So far just a dull headache. You are so strong and sharing with everyone! I wish I could meet you some day! Thanks for all your comments…I pray for you nightly.
Thanks, Weezie, for your kind remarks. I was wondering why you aren’t surprised at the oncologists fast and furious treatment. I think it was because I had 13 of 24 lymph nodes that were cancerous. I hope that’s the reason. I just know that I will have to take one step at a time. Probably won’t be taking any giant steps for awhile. You have such a large support group. You are truly a caring person and I appreciate your help. Peace…
Weezie, I posted a blog about the surgery last week. Check it out if you haven’t already seen it. I’m much less sore now and the butterfly stitches are beginning to pull. The surgeon removed 24 lymph nodes and 13 were cancerous. Not the odds we had hoped for, but we’re still fightin’, aren’t we?
Weezie, happy early birthday!
Thanks for the good laugh,keep them coming they don’t seem to have a big sense of humor here, I guess they don’t mine. bhappy4ever6@aol.com
Karma is tough, oh well.
Thanks,Patty
Patti; Send me your email address so I can forward some things to you. Weezie
Hi Weezie,
Thanks for your note—especially using the term “new normal”—I hadn’t thought about cancer like that, but you’re right because it never goes away.
I should have been more specific about Patty’s post. It was not private (it’s in blue), and is found under my last post (“Motivation: Got Up and Went”).
The longer I’m on this blog the more truly amazing people I encounter. Yes—it gets harder to keep up too.
Take care,
Andrea
Weezie, yes, I will have Dani do that for me. She and Tyson, as well as my son-in-law and daughter-in-law are so supportive. I’m just ready to start the next step. Thanks for all your good wishes.
Thanks so much Weezie, you are a very special person. Peace to you.
You are absolutely right, weezie! We must all live life to the fullest and I have finally realized that! Had the PET scan and ultrasound today. No news yet. Ironically, my sign zodiac is Cancer! (July 3rd) Take care!
hey weezie, thanks for telling me about your sis’s yoga studio…sounds great. I’ll definately look it up and yes, maybe we’ll meet one day. that would be awesome. How are you doing these days?
Hi Weezie
Thanks for your comments – you always make me smile!!
Hugs
Anna
you are such a bright spot in here i love your comments and fighting attitude. thanks for being in here.
love,
annette
Hi Louise,
Thank you for your great comments of support.
The SIR spheres (radioactive beads) are delivered via cath. It is done in three stages over a six week period of time. I will be sedated (not for the entire six weeks though).
Love, and God Bless!
Larry
Weezie—
Your comments made me laugh so hard, I almost fell off the chair—but I decided once was enough! Sending you loving thoughts and wishes for the best of everything in 2010. May it be a very healthy and happy year for you!
Hugs—
Martha
Thank you Weezie for your support, it means a lot, I hope your doing better.
Vitamin d3 is animal based like what your body makes with sunshine d2 comes from plants and is not ready for use right the body has process to d3 to use it On average the body just store for the when there is shortage in your system and it has to do the extra work to use
Plant based d2 is a byproduct in food processing and cheap scam companys sell it knowing all the while that is second rate There is no plain d it is one or the other d2 or d3
If you are older than 65 then you should be doing 10,000 iu every 3 days becuse your thalmus is smaller now
Toxic amounts are 100 times this dose.
It intersting that canada health now says on thier web site that is impossible to enough d3 in our climate without suppliments
Weezie—
It’s so good to hear from you, as you have been absent of late. I hope you are doing well and I wanted to wish you the very best with your upcoming follow-ups. They really freak me out, but I know you and I are both going to ace it! Thanks for the encouragement!
Hugs—
Martha
Weezie—
I laughed when I read the comment you made on my pic of my race in 1991. That was many years ago, and yes, that is me! As for the “cutie” with his arm around me, that’s my next door neighbor! (Don’t tell my husband!) Actually, my hubby took the picture! Hope you are doing well.
Love ya—Martha
Weezie—
You are so sweet! Thank you for all the kind words—it means so much to me to have your support and encouragement! You were one of the first people on BFAC to reach out to me and I am so appreciative of that! May God Bless You!
Martha
Hi Weezie—
You asked about the poster on my blog who left the upsetting comment. Those comments have been deleted by Jill, along with this person’s account. So, there is no longer a record of this. All I can tell you is that it was someone whose user name was apricotsfromgod. Hopefully, we’ve heard the last from them.
Thanks so much for your support—it means so much to me. I hope you are doing well and always look forward to hearing from you. Take care.
Martha
hi weezie,thanks for popping in, i havent checked my blog in a while.seems so much to keep up with!!
talk to you soon.
you are such an endearing person, easy to tell by your warm writing.
hope to get to write more with you in time.
i live in missouri. but getting treatment and surgery in houston , tx. md anderson,,actually this thursday on lungs.
i love your attitude too,,,,keep going
love,
annette
Hi Weezie,
The bikers up hear often due runs for cancer. We have many a fund raises for cancer and toys toys for tots…We keep ourselves busy and try to stay involved load afairs…We ride with pride..Ric
Hi Weezie,
Unfortunately, some of the supplements are in gel-cap form. Crushing and drinking the solid tablets never really appealed to me because I think it would feel like sawdust going down.
My wife and I have been separated a couple of times during our 16 year marriage. It was going south just before I was diagnosed. Now, at this point…She’s hanging-in there and giving me as much moral support as can be mustered under the circumstances. There are times that are definitely problematic. But, I stay focused on the main priorities. I cannot waste any more time ringing my hands and asking “why can’t things be better between us?”...so…I do my thing to survive the best way I can under the circumstances. Don’t get me wrong…I know she cares. But, as a defense mechanism, she puts up a cold exterior, and appears to be very curt and stressed at times. Some people will make a small everyday problem seem earth-shattering so they don’t have to deal with larger issues facing them.
So…whatever gets you through the night…
Love, and God Bless,
Larry
Hi Weezie,
You’re absolutely right…my oncologist would strangle me as well if he knew of all the supplements I take on a daily basis.
Since the cancer has spread to my liver, and the prognosis is not great no matter what treatment is applied by the oncologist, I decided to be more pro-active and take command of my situation.
My stamina is great, as well as my white and red levels. My liver function has improved tremendously. That said, I realize there will be no way to completely eradicate the cancer from my liver unless I receive a transplant…of which I am not a candidate. At this juncture, I could have three months, or I could have twelve to twenty (next CT Scan is in one week). At this point, I have to be in the driver’s seat. I know that is very arrogant of me. Swallowing the supplements requires a tall glass of pomagrante and blueberry juice watered down with seltzer. It takes me about fifteen minutes every morning while I watch the news. It’s almost automatic at this point, and before you know it…I look down, and all of the supplements are gone. Then, I get my daughter ready for school, and I go to work.
I want to maintain as much normalcy as possible.
Love, and God Bless,
Larry
Dearest Weezie,
You are so sweet and I have dreams to come and have coffee or tea with you some day and chat. I believe Gemma is very happy and would want us to be also. I still weep daily, and then I picture her saying “Mum, I’m okay. Don’t cry.” It gets me from here to there. Her sister Julia is so far away but seems to be dealing with it as best she can. I speak and text Zac on occasion. I tell him he is always welcome here and I hope he will meet someone wonderful one day and live his life as best he can. Zac is such a good young man. He was with Gemma every step of the way and never ran from all the scary things that happened. Theodore, my grand-dog, just turned a year old. Jill said she would help me post some pictures as I am so behind the times. I kept Gemma’s cell phone because her beautiful voice is still on when you call and it is also a camera phone. I finally am ready to lay her to rest in the cemetery. I have her here with me in a beautiful angel urn because I could not part with her. Now I feel her all around me no matter where I go so I made arrangements to bury her ashes once her sister comes home for summer. I promise to get pictures posted soon. Love and best wishes to you. Nancy
Joyce, the private emails are already set up I think. Just write to Jill and she will explain it. The Paul and lisa I mentioned, this is their blog name: Paul Daigrepont
I won’t see my entire family at Thanksgiving but I am thankful for the ones I can be with. My daughter that lived in Myrtle Beach, SC, moved to Miami, FL, on March 1 and I won’t see her or her family.
Yes, my reading glasses has helped so much. It is hard to type and hold a spy glass.
I hope you are doing well. Take care.
Hugs, Joyce
Thank you so much for you kind words on Gaile’s memorial page. It helped me to read them. ;-)
Hi Weezie—
Thanks so much for your kind words of support. I appreciate it so very much! I hope you are doing well—I think of you often. Take care.
Martha
Louise,
I hope you are doing well. I hope I wasn’t being too nosey asking about your husband’s stress test. If I was, forgive me. I was just concerned because my son died at 39 from a heart attack and my late husband had his first heart attack at the age of 53.
Take care.
Hugs,
Joyce
Hello, my friend.
You have been on my mind for quite a while but I just haven’t gotten back on here very often.
First, what did your husband find out about his stress test? I understand about his boring diet. I have been on a low fat, NO SALT diet for last 2 years since my husband died. He was suppose to be on one but he never could stand to eat food without salt. It doesn’t bother me as much now as it did but I have had to give up quite a few foods that I really loved.
Since I don’t need my prescription glasses any longer for seeing at a distance, I bought a +3.00 pair of reading glasses from Wal-Mart and that works so much better than the magnifying glass. It is hard to type and hold the magnifying glass.
I hope you are doing good. Take care.
Love and hugs,
Joyce
Hi Weezie,
Thank you for your kind words of support and encouragement. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Larry
Weezie – The private emails should be finished later this week. My programmer has finals on Monday and will start working on it sometime after that. I will let you know when it is complete and how it will work.
I left a comment on Gaile’s page yesterday. I really want to hear from her and nervous things are not going well and that is why we haven’t heard from her.
I just told my programmer to start working on the project for us to send private emails/comments to each other. Hope to test it next week. Keep your requests for improving the system coming. Slowly and surely I hope to make it happen. ;-)
Hi Weezie, your post was not at all odd to me so dont think that. A few new members diagnosed with anal cancer have not completed their bio so I didnt want to send a post to them until I had more info to go by. I fully understand the frustrations and emotions Martha feels, if physicians would only pay attention to our symptoms anal cancer would never go beyond in-situ which is so easy and painless to eradicate!!I still weep each time I hear about yet another person battling to slay this dragon called cancer. I guess I probably will:( I am here for anyone who needs advice, support and prayers. Blessings to you Weezie, Shalom, Lily
Jill; funny thing I tried to donate some cash by visa but it won’t take my province or postal code, only U.S. states. I think you need to update that so if people outside USA want to help, we can. I don’t like Paypal.
Thanks Weezie
There is no way right now to allow people to send private messages. But I think that is a great idea and want to work on that next.
And you just used the new feature by commenting on my bio page instead of a blog page. Makes sense?
Thanks,
Jill
Weezie,
Thanks for your sweet remarks. Adam is still at MacDill AFB, he is working on getting his life in order whether it be in Tampa or Alabama. He will do whatever it takes to survive. His children come first. I told him i just wanted him to be happy and content with his life. We can visit him down there anytime. He still talks to Celeni form time to time too. I think of her often too, hoping she is doing ok. I went to get flowers from my sister in laws grave a few weeks ago and just stopped by Wesleys grave to view his monument. It is really beautiful with the guitars and music icons that say “will always be remembered.” Adam designed this himself and did a great job in honor of his Dad. Blessings to you, may God be with you always,
Robin
oops, I was signed in under the admin user. That was me above. ;-)
Louise – This is where the comments can be posted. It was requested by a number of people to be able to contact someone who hasn’t posted a blog posting yet. Since the old way you could only comment on a blog if someone had actually posted something. Sometimes we get people who sign up and post comments on other blogs, but there is no way to comment back on that persons blog until they actually write something on their blog. Hope this makes sense.
Another thing I would like to set up is private emails to someone. Do you think this would be helpful too?
Thanks,
Much Love,
Jill