Having hope for all in 2009

[Joy]

I wanted to start the new year by expressing my absolute pure love for all of you! This is a swelling from my heart that I feel quite often and felt that it should be shared. Please spend your New Year's Day doing what you enjoy and setting the year up right. In the face of so much of our unhappy situations I can't help but to think that if collectively we do this and cultivate good times and hopeful thoughts (little or grand) it can only help. I am thinking about and praying for all of us a lot today (like most days).

A quick update. Round two of E/C/H/xyzabc blah, blah, blah. SO far I am faring okay. This is so much better managed now as compared to 8 years ago on A/C blleeeechhhh. Hair loss for the 4th time caused some bathroom tears for a few days. Then it just got silly. For a day I looked like a skinny old troll doll, then like a creepy toy from "Toy Story", then like Ramona Quimby's doll Chevrolet (for those children's literature lovers), and now...a baby ostrich. I did not see that look ranked high in Glamour's new looks for 2009, but maybe I could start an haute couture trend.

I did get my hat with hair from "hatswithhair". This is my second one and I do like them. The cap is soft material with real hair in a choice of beautiful colors (mixable and blendable if desired). It is more comfortable than a wig, but you have to wear a hat always. I have swam in mine and in the past. This time though I went brunette with blonde highlights and it is long, but what the heck. I am also going to get a blonde wig in the near future. And then we will really give Luca's neighbors something to talk about-hee, hee, hee.

Anyway I do not know yet how effective this stuff is. I hope to call on Friday for the latest CMP's, CA 27.29 and hope that things are good, duh.

Anyway my very best to all of you and thank you for being there over the years I need you and we all need each other.

[flynny]

Thanks for the good wishes. I pray that 2009 will bring you lots of good times and your "new cocktail" will treat you well.

Happy New Year!!

[eric]

Joy,

Reading your note is a great way to kick off the new year. Thank you! Not only is it well written but I can feel the emotion behind your words. I guess that's because I feel the same way. I can't begin to express my admiration and gratitude for the people on this site, including you. I agree that positive words can only cotribute to helping in '09.
By the way, I'm glad to hear that your new relationship is going well.

Eric

[Believe51]

I raise my latte glass as I solute your friendship and the many wonderful qualities you endure that help me through some pretty hard times. Cheers to My Joy.

We all do need one another to aid us through this fight. What a pleasure is has been to get to know you and all the others in this family.

Love to all. May 2009 bring us that much closer to a cure. We ALL deserve it!!>>Believe51

[Lori R]

Joy,

I've been thinking so much about you lately, so I am glad that you posted.

Your posts are always so upbeat...the hair (or lack of it) certainly is an emotional challenge. After my chemo rounds of taxotere, my hair has never come back. I still look like the troll with a fringe of hair around the sides. I too look at it occasionally and just cry. Then snap out of it and move on.

I hope you enjoyed the holiday with familly and friends.

So good to hear from you!!!

Lori

[vickie h]

Dear Joy, I have been thinking of you over the holidays, so I was pleased to hear from you...it's always a treat. I am going to look up the hatswithhair site as I am on my 3rd loss of hair and looking like a little old man at the park, feeding the pigeons. I pray your new treatment will keep things at bay and that you will have Luca's love to keep you buoyed in these rough seas. I, too, am hoping for that next treatment as my mets are getting worse. You have always been an inspiration to me over these past few years and I want you to know how important you are to me. Happy New Year, sister, and thank you for the words of encouragement. I love you, vickie

[Rich66]

The baby ostrich look is about to break. Hang in there

[chrisy]

Joy,
Thank you for posting - I really miss you when you're "gone", then again I disappear from time to time myself. But it's different when it's YOU! Just when I'm thinking of going into hiding, you put something out there I just HAVE to respond to!

I have to say I love the descriptions of your hair devolution! Did you bypass the cindylou who look? I'm fashion challenged enough without having to keep up with your hair haute couture - I swear I saw myself on "what not to wear" recently.

But you sounded SO cute as each of those things... and I know how hard it is to laugh at that when you feel like crying. You're awesome, girl.

And I have been trying to get the new year started out right. Hubby has been hiking in the Grand Canyon the past few days, so I spent new years eve eating junk food and watching "dog the bounty hunter" (ring out the bad!) and the past 2 days, getting my head straight to face the new year.

My sister gave me a Rascal Flatts CD for Christmas which I've been listening to today; cranking up the song "STAND" which reminds me so much of you, and so many of our friends here...with apologies to the copyright holder, here's the chorus:

'Cause when push somes to shove
You taste what you're made of
You might bend 'til you break
'Cause it's all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you've had enough
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe your hands, shake it off
Then you stand, then you STAND

That's you, dear one, and all the rest of us!

Much love and wishes for health and happiness in 2009!
Chris

[ElaineM]

Thank you for your wonderful post. I think "HOPE" has to be our theme for 2009.
Hope, health, peace and joy to all in 2009 !!

[schoolteacher]

Joy,

Thank you for your inspiring post. I agree that Hope has to be our theme for 2009. Let us know about the results of your tests.

Amelia