About to leave for Paris!!!

[Esther]

It's getting close to departure time here....we leave on Sunday afternoon for Paris. I've already started packing for the trip, though if I forget something I'm sure they'll have lovely French stuff to buy.

I'm wanting to buy one super wow thing from Paris to remember the trip by, and I haven't totally decided what yet. Maybe a designer purse?

I've been living with mets now for almost 3 years, and it's so nice to be having a great QOL and be physically able to travel and still enjoy myself.

Hope you all enjoy yourselves in my absence!!!

[Unregistered]

Esther...I hope you have a great time in Paris!!! Wow...you really are an example for the rest of us!
Tammy

[tammymarie1971]

oops I forgot to sign in.
Tammy

[Cathya]

Esther;

Paris.....I haven't been there for 20 years....but loved it. What would I buy to remember a trip....mmmm.....the last time I was there I bought a red designer shawl which I still have and it's lovely and warm....you know a purse would be marvelous. Have yourself a wonderful time. Where are you staying? One time I was there I stayed at a house just outside of Paris near the Bois. It was fantastic to get up in the morning to go out to the local patisseries. My goodness.....20 years...I WILL be thinking of you!!! HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME.

Cathy

[Barbara H.]

Have a great trip!! You know how to love life and how to live!!!
Barbara H.

[Becky]

oui, oui


Have fun

Becky

[StephN]

Dear Esther -
As I recall you are visiting some other cities as well - kind of a whirlwind tour?

You should try to visit Fauchon - it is a deli/wine and "beautiful things" store. You can check it out on line before you go if you get a minute.

Everything is VERY expensive in Europe. The dollar is not favorable to the Euro, so you have to factor in 20-25% more for every Euro you spend. I know if you really want something that money is no object, but the budget can get blown quickly.
You will pay $5 for a little shot of some good coffee, $6 and up for a beer in a brasserie. I have even heard of $8 for a coke in some sidewalk cafes. Small stuff, I know, but sticker shock is everywhere.

Will be excited to hear what you find - I like the shoes when I find some on the narrow side.

[Sandy H]

Esther, I am sure you will have a great trip. Are you enjoying your motorcycle this summer? We need an update on it!!! Let us know what you do purchase. We all need to treat ourselves now and then. hugs. Sandy

[tousled1]

Esther, Have a wonderful trip you certainly deserve it.

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

Please return with loads of wonderful stories for us back home. I love to hear when someone is going on a trip. I get lost in their stories when they return.

We have a month long trip planned for Italy now in August an am not sure if we are going to be able to make it due to progression in my tumors. I am trying to work the whole thing out and see if we can still pull it off.

I am so excited for you, have a MARVELOUS time.

[Esther]

Irene, I hope that you are able to pull off your trip, maybe you can just schedule in a one month break from treatment.

What treatment are you beginning?

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

Hi Esther

Well, the situation has gotten a little more complicated.

Since my last regimen of Taxol/Carbo/Herceptin did not even phase my two tumors, we stopped all together except for taking Herceptin. I have been investigating the Tykerb EAP program in my area and am at waiting on my doctors office to open up (which should be within the next few weeks) Meantime I have already been without any chemo except the Herceptin for 5 weeks. I can't start anything or it will disqualify me for the Tykerb. I have nothing else to take at this point and the tumors are growing. I feel fine now and could travel but our leave date is 8/23 (for one month) and starting on the study will probably interfere with the followups they will probably need to do.

I know that the trip is secondary to my life right now, but am still working on going. I am not giving up that thought yet. So you see, right now I take everything literally one hour at a time waiting on news.

I am very nervous knowing that the tumors are in there growing as we speak but am getting myself in a peaceful place to enable myself to handle the wait.All of us know how terrifying that WAIT is.

So even if I do not get to make my trip, I will enjoy your stories when you return. HAVE A MARVELOUS TIME. The planning is almost as exciting as the trip itself.

[Esther]

Oh....well, hopefully you can work the tykerb trial around your vacation, since it is in pill form.

If not, you'll have plenty of time to plan another vacation once things settle down.

I'll be interested to hear how your tykerb trial goes, I've been considering it myself.

[mts]

I always buy a charm for my charm bracelet when I travel... I have a little Eiffel tower and an arc de triumph on my bracelet.

Have a terrific trip!

maria

[sarah]

Esther,
Have you been to Paris before? what part of Paris are you staying in? What sort of things are you interested in?
One thing that's nice if you haven't done it before is to take the Batobus (not to be confused with the bateaux mouches tourist boats) that goes around the Seine in a circle. Since I often stay on the Left Bank, sometimes I'll get a 2 or 3 day ticket because it's fun to take certain parts of it. Also the Pont des Arts is a nice short walk across the Seine - it's a wooden walking only bridge near the Pont Neuf, also it's a lovely place to take photos.
One piece of advice - always say Bonjour Madame to a woman or Bonjour Monsieur to a man before asking a question in a store, etc. The French are fanatics about this courtesy and will treat you different if you understand their code of behavior.
Have fun.
Sarah

[kat in the delta]

Hi E.,
MY son has a friend-girl Chloe who has an apt in Paris, which is free for us to stay. We were going, but looked at the ticket prices for now and should have made earlier arrangements. Are you going on your own or with a tour group ? Do you know the motel room rates for now ??---It really may not be too much $$ considering the "free stay in Paris on the main strip". I majored in French in college and went to school in Dijon, France one summer, and have a friend from PA who takes students on tour regularly. Where all are you going ?? Want any info ?? If you go to Italy, I know someone married to an Italian ambassador who will give you some tips & has written a book on sites of Rome...... Bon voyage !!! kat in the delta

[kat in the delta]

tammymarie,
How are you doing on Femara ?? I have finished all the A/C, masc, rad. Taxol,and just finished my 1 full year of herceptin-- because my cancer was in Lymph nodes but not in another organ . Now I am going to take either Armidex or Femara. My onc want to make sure my hormones are not working, so I'll take THat test this week.(I'm 52). Have any side effects on Femara ?????????? kat in the delta

[saleboat]

Esther and fellow travelers,

I'm in the midst of planning an October trip to Rome for my husband's 40th. I want to share a site that I recently found-- it has been so so helpful to me. I'm sure there's lots of insider info on Paris.

www.slowtrav.com (http://www.slowtrav.com)

Have a fantastic time,
Jen

[kat in the delta]

JEN : Look at www.sharri whiting.com
I know her brother. She is married to an Italian diplomat/ambassador and has written a book on Rome, available from Amazon.com. She is originally from Alabama. You can e-mail her and she will arrange you a personal tour of places in Italy. I want to go there too since my grandparents (now deceased) came from Italy. Let me know about you trip. You can tell sharri that you heard about her from me. Her brother recorded my son in Nashville.(classical pianist--just started 2 yrs ago--at 20 yrs old- composing his own music.--No lessons,cannot read,nor write note----late genius!!!) http://myspace.com/williamweejyrogers kat in the delta

[kat in the delta]

Look and listen to my son's classical piano music. You can get on it (may have to make your own password,etc..but worth it) www.weejy rogers.com (weejyr@hotmail.com)
(It says he is a 102+ female which is wrong---) He cannot read nor write music, and has only been composing for 2 yrs--and has some of the most beautiful piano music the world has known. He is 22 yrs old---late child prodigy-. We may need him for our group !! He plays solo, and also has recently started a band for fun. Peter Corbin, a reknowned artist, flew him to New York--just for 1 song. Go to www.peter corbin.com
proud ----kat