Thinking of you, Lu Ann, today

[Mary Anne in TX]

You've been in my thoughts all day today and I just wanted you to know that I'm sending prayers your way. Hope all is well and getting better. ma

[lu ann]

Hi Mary Anne

I finished WBR last Monday and I will be finished with rads to my lower spine Wednesday. I have done well on this treatment. I have swelling in my ankles and I feel more fatigued then I have ever been in my life but it hasn't been as bad as I expected. Doc said I should peak out this week but I will be on the mend. I can't wait. Thankyou for your concern.

Blessings from Lu Ann.

[tousled1]

Lu Ann,

Great to hear that you're almost finished with your treatment and that you're doing ok. You'll regain your strength slowly after treatment. Keep up the good work!

[Jeanette]

Happy to hear things are going well for you. Just take good care of yourself and rest when you have to. Hugs and Blessings to you,Jeanette

[suzan w]

glad to hear that you are feeling better...one step at a time!!! Hang in there and know that we are all sending you energy!!!

[lu ann]

When I was treated at Cancer Treatment Centers 3 years ago we were told to consume almost 3 times the protein than that of a well person. I've taken the advice this time and I think it has really helped me keep my strength up. I'm still more weak then I have ever been in my life, but I could be much worse off. I have swelling in my feet which I'm taking lasix for. I'm also down to 1 decadron a day so that will help. Thanks again for your kind concern. Love and Blessings from Lu Ann.

[Believe51]

Oh Lu Ann, I am glad you are doing so well. I too have been thinking of you and your recent fight and prayers have never been so loud!! You are an astonishing person who I have grown to admire.

Next time you write maybe you can tell us a story about that 'Furry Little Friend' you have in your arms. We have a very furry 'lil feline too. Amazing how he has helped in our fight for life.

Best Wishes and Hugs & Prayers coming your way!!

Waiting For A Miracle..and expecting one soon>>Believe51

[lu ann]

Her name is Millie and she is 9 years old. My oldest daughter Emilee rescued her from the parking lot in the retirement community where my Mother inlaw lives.

Millie was on her way to becoming a ferril cat if she hadn't been rescued. She is very skiddish and does not like anyone to pick her up. She will only jump on my lap and sleep. She also startles easily. We nicknamed her Psycho Kitty.

Millie is a beautiful cat. I entered one of the photos I took of her for a contest at the Portage County Fair. It was a portait of her head and neck taken with natural light. We won a blue ribbon and almost took "Best of Show", but the eye closest to the camera was slightly out of focus. Some pidgeon won instead.

We have an 11 year old 90 lb. Lab, Shepperd, Rottweiller, who Millie loves to stalk, hiss at, and hates. Our dog Breeze doesn't have much use for her. She is kind of afraid of her.

Breeze and Millie have been wonderful companions through all of this. Breeze stays with me wherever I am in the house. She is such a sweet and good dog. Animals definately sense a need.

Take care and God Bless You
Lu Ann

[Chelee]

Lu Ann, I'm so sorry you've had to go through so much. But I'm glad your doing pretty well after all things considered. Make sure you get plenty of rest...give your body a break. (Like you didn't know that already.) Hang in there and know that I always have you in my thoughts and prayers.

Chelee

[Mary Anne in TX]

Oh, I love your fur friend stories! My husband's dog Sam (pom mix) is the first to know that something is wrong with me. Even before me! He stays by my side til the "bads" have passed and then he's back to being a shadow for my husband. He's been there for me many a night as I worked through some bad pains and yukes! Bless his little soul for helping get thru some crumby stuff!
My little female (papillon mix) is my bestest pal, but she doesn't "feel" the need like Sam does. She just loves me and stays at my side constantly.
Sometimes I think I should have had dogs instead of kids. I understand them so much better!
Have a wonderful day and know we are all pulling for you!
ma

[Believe51]

Not to take away from the original post (Ohhh, look what I started!!), but we have a 12 year male Maine Wave (Maine Coon family), brilliant orange!!!! He would have been a stray too. Totally a Momma's boy.....Well, until daddy got sick. Now he is still a Momma's boy, but tags around daddy til she gets home. How rude!! Poor little guy is so lost, we had to put his sister down last July and he has not been the same since!!

We tell Mookie (totally fits him too) that he is the best treatment dad has to get better. People laugh when I say Mookie is my favorite person. Well, he is!!

Lots of Love going out to you and Kitty!! Waiting For A Miracle...and expecting one soon!!>>Believe51

[Vi Schorpp]

LuAnn: I'm so happy to read of your progress. Like the others, I love animals. I have a long-haired chihuahua ("Penney" who has a face like a doe, she's beautiful) and a papillion (Gizmo) and a cat ("Kitty"). My sister just got a skittish cat and they are calling her "Scaredy"....my sense of humor. Thought I'd pass that along.

[lu ann]

....for your concern. Today was my last rad. treatment for my lower spine. I see my medical oncologist Friday. I will be starting tykerb and xeloda for my bone mets and enlarged lymphnode in my neck. I'm hoping the WBR allows the treatment to cross the blood brain barrier, just incase.

I'm still real unsteady on my feet. I think I can understand how old people feel. I fell back about 4 weeks ago. My legs just buckled and I was on the floor that quick. I was home alone but was able to get up by myself.

My ankles are swollen from the decadron so I'm taking lasix. I'm down to one decadron daily and one oxycodone, for breakthrough pain. The pain has just about gone away in my right leg (tumor on lower spine treated).

Whole brain radiation used to be my worst nightmare, but I went through it without debilitating side effects and never have to do it again. They would still be able to do gamma knife or someother tx. if need be.

I think the biggest pain of what I have to do to stay alive is have my left pleural cavity drained every three days. The fluid around my left lung caused it to collapse about 75%. There was too much scar tissue to re-inflate the lung, so the surgeon put a pleural cather in, which my husband drains for me. Each kit is in a sterile bag including a vacuum bottle, bandages, etc. We are able to get 450ml. out before it feels like an elephant is on my chest.

It just amazes me what we go through to live. I wonder sometimes about how life would be without all of this. The general public doesn't have a clue. And then there are so many people much worse off then me in 3rd world countries who are starving and don't have clean water and we buy bottled water instead of drinking the free water out of our taps. Such extremes.

On a brighter note. Mary Anne, My husband always joked that we should have raised dogs and not kids. Pets don't talk back and borrow money.

I've gotten so much closer to my 2 older girls since they moved out on their own. My middle daughter Carly used to go lock herself in her bedroom and not talk to me. Now she calls and visits me and wants to know my opinions. She's been a real joy to be around. As long as her younger sister isn't here, then all hell breaks lose. I have joked around that stage 4 breast was easier then raising teenagers

The girls were 7 1/2, 4 1/2, and 7 months when I was origionally dx, Sept 26, 1991. I was stage one and never imagined I would have a reoccurrance 3 1/2 years ago. It was much harder for the girls to deal with 3 1/2 years ago when they were 20, 17, and 13. My youngest daughter, Julie was the same age I was when my mother was dx. with breast cancer. Mom lived 13 years and it had been 13 years since my origional dx. so I assumed I would die that year. But I'm still here, I survived. YEAH!!!

The disease has had it's most affect on my youngest daughter, Julie. She sees me getting attention and has become somewhat of a hypocondriac. Every day she comes up with something new wrong with her. She also can be very mean to me, saying the most nasty comments. She has had years of counceling which she is not attending right now. Her councelor has taken her as far as she is able as Julie has a drug and alcohol problem and her councelor doesn't have the training. We took her to Laurallwood which is for substance abuse, which Julie refused to go after the first week. The councelor there suggested we take her to a grief councelor. We will look into it. I just don't want her to have any regrets if I should die and we have unresolved issues. I know from my own experience with my dad, whom I was estranged for the last 6 weeks of his life, how hard it is to not be able to say I'm sorry or I love you.

On to a brighter note. Believe51, does your Maine Coon cat have a tail? Before Tom and I had kids we used to live with another couple who had a Maine Coon Cat that didn't have a tail. He was beautiful, looked just like a raccoon. He was declawed but used to climb a tree that was growing crooked. He would take a running jump and climbup in that that tree.

It sounds like we all have benefitted from our furry little friends. They just have a way giving us what others sometimes can't give or show. I hope you all have a wonderful day today.

Love and Blessings
Lu Ann

[Believe51]

Mookie has the furriest tail I have ever seen, he also has a dark orange 'M' on his forehead and I tell everyone that it means 'Mommy'. LOL!! He has the furriest body too and his ear and foot pads (pure white!!) have fur that sticks out about 1 1/2 inches. When I say he is co-dependent I mean it, I have to put this bad boy to sleep inorder to get housework done.

The best thing is the crying, which I limit myself to only 5 minutes a day if needed. He will come out of nowhere when he hears me, even in a thunderstorm or with fireworks being lit!! Mookie has really bonded with hubby, especially now that he knows Daddy is ill. My husband was a worker and spent a good part of the week there. Now that he is home more, the cat will sleep right near him until my return. Whenever he gets up to do something, Mookie steals his chair. When I ask where he went after that, hubby replies "Your chair". Ha! Ha! I tease him so too, "Oh, didn't want to disturb the Mookster???" He is so afraid about ruining the 'bond'....Mommy brushes him all the time and Mommy has to bring him to the vets!! Ugggg!

Since he is a big cat (the new vet says he needs to lose weight, but he is suppossed to be a big boy!!) my husband will pick on me. He says "Mook Man, Mommy is going to get into trouble when she takes you to the Vets" or "Mookie, the Vet is going to tell Mommy that she is not listening to her advice and she is a bad Mommy"!! Oh well, Lu Ann I guess it is the price I pay to have my husband cleaning the litter box!! LOL

Thanks for updating us, I love the fact that I can actively be involved with my friends journeys all the way here in Little Rhody!! You have really helped us over the last several months and we are indebited a lifetime. How could we ever thank you enough??

Waiting For A Miracle....and expecting one soon>>Believe51

[lu ann]

Your Husband is the one who has breast cancer. I forgot. When was he diagnosed? Does he have brain mets? How many txs. is he having? I had 15 mild to moderate txs., which is why I probaby don't have as severe side effects.

I am looking forward to gaining my strength back. It is so unsettling to be so weak that I feel like I'm walking on eggshells. Doc said I should peak this week and on to recovery. Can't wait.

I see my medical oncologist this Friday. She is prescribing tykerb and xeloda. I'm not sure when I will start, but both drugs are pills that I can take at home so that will make life easier.

I've spent the last 7 weeks having surgery to my lung, in emergency with double vision caused by the skull met pushing on my optic nerve, and rad. tx to my brain and spine. I'm ready for a break before the weather gets cold and dreary.

My husband is taking vacation the first week of Ausust so we can celebrate our 26th Wedding Anniversary. My mother in-law and my daughters had a 25th Celebration for us last year, which was wonderfull. I was doing well. I think I was on a chemo break then.

The Lord has really Blessed me in this life. I am having a decent quality of life even with the bumps in the road. I think I feel this way because I know this isn't all there is and that there is a brighter day in the future with no sadness or pain.

Take care of yourself. He needs you to be well just like I need my husband to be well. I've never been the caregiver, he has. I don't know what I would do without him. He is much like my father who took wonderful care of my mother.

Love and Blessings
Lu Ann

[Mary Anne in TX]

And fur people don't "fall out of love" with you either!!! Our oldest son is alcoholic too and too hard headed to attend meetings. We spent a fortune on treatment 7 years ago and had such high hopes (guess I really still do...just can't give up on who I know he "really" is). Anyway, we have our granddaughter (7 1/2) now and are experiencing that "growing experience" of having older kids (31) & raising their kids. I think my diagnosis threw him into a tail spin and may have made things worse (he had a heck of a time when my mom died of PSP a few years before that), but it's still up to him to want sobriety badly enough! I've had no contact for 3 months and of course, have worried the "what ifs" we don't reconnect before something happens....to either of us! I'm just praying. But he's 31 and your daughter is still really a kid. I'd do whatever I could too. I see in my granddaughter the pain and goofy behavior of what she has been through and the instability of her life. She is finally talking to me about it a lot and it seems to help, but there is a long way to go. (Keep me alive God to do the work, please, or provide someone else better). Lu Ann, I'm believing and praying for you, but now I'm praying for that relationship too. I know how important it all is to you. You are a good person and mom and doing your best. Most of all you're one fantastic warrior! God bless you and your family....I'm believin'......ma

[Believe51]

Hubby has 'salted' areas of mets to the brain, he will recieve 15 treatments for WBR & 15 treatments for his pelvis. Being stage IV with bone mets is bad enough, but he had a couple of headaches, Thank God, that alerted him to the potential problem. My Love has never taken a sick day in the years that I have known him and never gets headaches, (I get migraines) so we knew something was brewing.

As a matter of fact when we were driving home together one fine August day in 2006, he mentioned that something was going on with his body and he KNEW IT WAS BAD!!! That was the worst day of both of our lives, not diagnosis day. Again, the day before we had nothing to fight with, had no idea of what we were up against. The day of diagnosis was bad too, but atleast we had the power to know what the fight was. Today we stand here knowing what we are up against, we have the power to fight and the HOPE for the future.

Sometimes he will ask me "Bopski (lil loving nickname) what in the world ever happened to me??" Nothing has happened to him to change him, just cancer. (Just cancer, what a horrible summary!!). My answer is always "Genetics Baby, Genetics". What do you say to a person when they ask that?? For they have not changed, especially by choice!!

He has been very blessed so far, treatment stopped working and that is awful, but the side effects and everything else is pretty good. I have been following your journey and I want to thank you again. Cancer is a very private thing and you can either share by giving back or you can share for the people who cannot give back!! (either too shy, too sick, too embarassed, etc)

I love you Lu Ann, please keep that 'Award Winning Warrior Fight', for you have and always will need it!! And Lu Ann, glad you mentioned that you should have only raised animals. My son gets mad when I say that Mookie is my first born. LOL. Okay, maybe he has reason!!

Waiting For A Miracle...and expecting one soon>>Believe51