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Andrea Barnett Budin · 11-12-2007, 03:25 PM

Forgive me for being honest but -- I fail to see how INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES are considered among THINGS TO KEEP YOUR MIND OFF BC...

Seems to me we need surgery, chemo, radiation, counseling, pre meds, anti nausea meds, anti d's, anti anxiety drugs, sleeping aids and all the inspiration we can find!

Discussing our failing self-esteem due to baldness and the loss of a breast is ON TOPIC, though... So very important to our morale!

Discussing relationship issues that arise, where husbands become depressed and temporarily out of reach, where relatives and/or friends view us as a lost cause and write us off in a myriad of ways -- these are all ON TOPIC, yet... In need of being addressed realistically! Advice is understandably sought and many of us have similar experience and valuable input.

So why did I have so much trouble locating this ESSENTIAL thread? Only to find it having slipped in amongst Tiptoe's adventures, which you all know touch my heart and gladden my heart, as well as many others!
Andi

11-12-2007, 03:25 PM	#4
Andrea Barnett Budin Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: LAND OF YES! w/home in Boca Raton, Florida Orig from L.I., N.Y. Ever hovering IN THE NOW... Posts: 1,904	I'm Just Saying... Thinking Out Loud... Forgive me for being honest but -- I fail to see how INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES are considered among THINGS TO KEEP YOUR MIND OFF BC... Seems to me we need surgery, chemo, radiation, counseling, pre meds, anti nausea meds, anti d's, anti anxiety drugs, sleeping aids and all the inspiration we can find! Discussing our failing self-esteem due to baldness and the loss of a breast is ON TOPIC, though... So very important to our morale! Discussing relationship issues that arise, where husbands become depressed and temporarily out of reach, where relatives and/or friends view us as a lost cause and write us off in a myriad of ways -- these are all ON TOPIC, yet... In need of being addressed realistically! Advice is understandably sought and many of us have similar experience and valuable input. So why did I have so much trouble locating this ESSENTIAL thread? Only to find it having slipped in amongst Tiptoe's adventures, which you all know touch my heart and gladden my heart, as well as many others! Andi __________________ Andi BB '95 post-meno dx Invasive LOBULAR w/9cm tumor! YIKES + 2/21 nodes. Clear mammo 10 mnths earlier. Mastec/tram flap reconst/PORT/8 mnths chemo (4Adria/8CMF). Borderline ER/PR. Tamoxifen 2 yrs. Felt BLESSED. I could walk and talk, feed and bathe myself! I KNEW I would survive... '98 -- multiple mets to liver. HER2+ 80%. ER/PR- Raging, highly aggressive tumors spreading fast. New PORT. 9 mnths Taxotere Fought fire w/fire! Pronounced in cautious remission 5/99. Taxotere weekly for 6 wks, 2 wks off -- for 9 mnths. TALK ABOUT GRUELING! (I believe they've altered that protocol since those days -- sure hope so!!) + good old Vit H wkly for 1st 3 yrs, then triple dosage ev 3 wks for 7 yrs more... The "easy" chemo, right?! Not a walk in the park, but not a freight train coming at 'ya either... Added Herceptin Nov '98 (6 wks after FDA fast-tracked it for met bc). Stayed w/Vit H till July '08! Now I AM FREE! Humbly and eternally grateful for this life-saving drug! NED since '99 and planning on keeping it that way. To hell w/poor prognosis and nasty stats! STOPPED VIT H JULY '08...! REMAIN STABLE... Eternally grateful...Yes is a world & in this world of yes live (skillfully curled) all worlds ... (e e cummings) EVERY DAY I BEAT MY PREVIOUS RECORD FOR # OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS I'VE STAYED ALIVE. Smile KNOWING you too can be a miracle. Up to me and God now...