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7775. msgreer - 7/1/2012 5:33:01 AM Arky
Good to hear Judith looking and doing so well. Cancer can consume a person but it sounds as if Judith has made her plans and is sticking to them. She is further along with that than I was some three and a half years ago. I envy your time with her and her with you.
Oh, when I saw the lovely pictures of Moses getting married on Cocoa Beach I looked at the date and realized I was in town...isn't that ironic? Would have loved to have met you..what a beautiful daughter and the pictures you posted were great...one with the Pier in the background. 7776. arkymalarky - 7/1/2012 3:34:42 PM Oh! That would have been great! Thank you. It was the most magical event, and very low stress. I recommend a beach wedding to every parent. Mose was stressed, but had it been traditional she'd probably have had to be wheeled down the aisle.
Judith has really benefitted from catching this early. And she always amazes me with her practical, live in the moment approach to life. 7777. thoughtful - 7/1/2012 5:11:07 PM Glad to hear J@h is surviving so well so far. More power to her.
Wabbit, so sorry to hear about your foot. What a pain, but air casts are wonderful...who cares about ugly shoes...wear long pants and no one will notice!
Glad you are on the mend. I broke my ankle many years ago, sprained it again this winter and y'know the bone is still significantly larger than normal...i doubt it will ever be the same again....looks especially lovely in high heels!
Just another badge of courage from living life. 7778. arkymalarky - 7/1/2012 5:48:29 PM Started couch to 5k, had company and a four day workshop and didn't like the app I had. Mose said it went way too fast for a beginner. So I found another app and started again, and this one is fantastic. Five bucks, but better than a free one I wasn't going to use. I log my conditions (terrain, weather, etc) with their icons, including treadmill, and it does the rest, including your map anywhere you go. So in CO, if I use it on the mountain or in Boulder or Denver, it logs the route, all while playing Pandora or iTunes. It also has a journal and sharing option. I love this app! 7779. arkymalarky - 7/1/2012 5:52:38 PM Mose and SIL ran a 4 mile race yesterday. SIL is running 13-16 miles working toward a marathon in January. We'll have to make a road trip for that one , especially if Mose does a half like she's working toward. 7780. judithathome - 7/1/2012 6:47:12 PM Hey, guys...I've been really lax about posting since the trip...which was GREAT!
The new room that Arky & Mr. Arky did over is fabulous...she needs to take pictures and explain the art work...it's wonderful and suits the room so well! (Focus on the ones without identifying names...ha!)
We had so much fun and I made out like a bandit shopping, too...Arky made the big haul and has some wonderful things to show for it.
Wabbit, sorry about your foot...luckily, you aren't having to wear that boot in Texas!
MsGreer, the anti-cancer drug I was put on is still making me sick every day for a couple of hours...any hopes that the side effect may subside?
And the oncologist had me get a bone density test done which showed osteopinia...problem is, the Anastrazole (anti-cancer med) blocks a lot that goes into bone formation so she sent me a script for this once a week stuff and I am seeing her Friday and I plan to tell her I refuse to take that stuff...I got a medication-induced ulcer that STILL bothers me from trying that once a month stuff years ago and my GP told me to never take those types of meds again...I use the Calcitonin nasal spray instead.
I'm going to ask if I could take something else; I've heard of one treatment that is once a month injection...I'd way rather have that than the ulcer-inducing one!
7781. arkymalarky - 7/1/2012 7:12:44 PM I posted one in progress, and now need to get set up to post from the phone to here through picasa.
But today I'm ironing!! Judith taught me how to iron correctly, and now that our home improvement projects are done, that's what I'm doing until CO.
Oh, and Judith, Mose is here for a couple of days and we're eating at my former student's restaurant I was telling you about. Next time y'all are down we'll have to go. So nice to enjoy an evening out at a real restaurant without driving to Hot Springs. I'm still not used to it. 7782. wabbit - 7/2/2012 1:41:22 PM Actually, Ms. Greer, I'm back in MA and about 30 miles due West of you. I'll email you.
JaH, I was also told to take that weekly (or monthly or whatever) calcium and opted out. Also, I cannot swallow those enormous calcium tablets, those things would choke a horse. Now I just chew on Tums with calcium when I need to and drink my milk. So far, I'm stable.
I'm picking away at home things too, Arky. It's good to have some free time with nothing scheduled. Maybe I'll spend a day painting. 7783. arkymalarky - 7/2/2012 3:47:07 PM Ooooh, how nice! 7784. arkymalarky - 7/8/2012 3:23:26 PM Finished my first week of ease into 5k. I LOVE that app.
Mose sent me this summer drink recipe. I'm going to keep a pitcher of it handy:
Sassy water (makes 2 quarts):
*1 lemon, sliced
*1/2-1 cucumber depending on size, sliced
*Mint leaves, whole (I usually use 15-20 leaves)
*Fresh ginger, sliced (bring ginger to a boil in the water and allow to cool before adding other stuff)
Let ingredients soak for several hours in the refrigerator before drinking.
7785. msgreer - 7/9/2012 4:24:34 PM wabbit, Check your email. I was going all out when I wrote you.
7786. msgreer - 7/9/2012 5:08:26 PM Judith, So glad to hear you had such a great trip with Mr. and Mrs. Arky. I would have loved to have gone shopping with the two of you.
Now, as for the calcium issue. Whatever medication you take, chemo that is, is going to pull calcium from your bones. I had osteopenia before I was dx, which should have been a light over my doctor's head because I was in excellent shape but he did not put one and one together.
I was not allowed to take calcium during my treatment because it would have interfered with the infusion I was getting, and there in lies the rub. From what you said it may be the same for you.
I can tell you that I too got what I call a "Calium Ulcer" when I took them before all this started. Those tablets are rough. Now whether your oncologist will allow a once a year calcium infusion or they have them twice a year and three times a year..whether she will allow you to have any infustion of calcium is up in the air. The folks at Hopkins and Dana Farber said NO to me..absolutely not because it would take away from the effect of the Rituxan I was getting.
As a result, and I might have told you this, I have had oral surgery because the lack of. I have not had another bone density but I will soon.
I would bring these concerns to my oncologist to see if there is a holistic or preventative measure you could take and not get ill.
There should be meds or an OTC remedy for your oncologist to suggest to you. Honestly, I ended up taking Compazine because the nausea was just too much. Can you describe..or do you want to describe exactly what you are feeling because that way I might be able to give you some specific ideas. Whether this feeling is going to last for the rest of your protocol, I would think not. Your body is adjusting to this poison, and whatever you are taking is poison/chemo of some sorts. If I could only give you an amount of time this would last but I can not. It is an individual issue. That said, I know there is something to take to help to counter how ill you feel for those first hours while your body is adjusting to the oral med.
Mine was a bit different.. Compazine and sleep is what I did.
You told me your dentist is on already on board.The next thing is are you seeing him/her on a regular basis and have you gotten permission from your oncologist to do so. If you can get x-rays so you can truly be followed that would be amazingly helpful in the long run.
I sincerely hope you can get some help for how lousy you feel each day. I gave you some suggestions but if you have more questions let them rip. I will do all I can to answer them reliably. I just need specifics on how you feel. I would like to help you in any way I can.
For me it was acupuncture, which I highly suggest after the western medical society gives you the okay. It works. 7787. msgreer - 7/9/2012 5:16:26 PM Judith,
See if your oncologist will allow you to eat a calcium "Diet", whether it be high in calcium or not. Even if your labs say your calcium number is fine, you have osteopenia so calcium is being pulled out of your bones.
Acupuncture. Now I believe you would be able to have regular acupuncture. This I can say from personal experience works. I could stop my compazine, had a sense of calm energy and did not sleep for the entire three years I went through treatment. This, plus ingesting foods full of lovely calcium is what I can think of at this moment. That said please check with your oncologist or her nurse.
I am very sorry to hear you feel ill each day. I am going to wait to hear what you have to say before offering anymore ideas. You know so much that I doubt anyone has to tell you what foods are high in calcium. Good luck and I will wait to hear from you. 7788. judithathome - 7/9/2012 5:36:22 PM Saw her on Friday, MsGreer, and my bone density showed osteoporosis in both hips...which I could have TOLD anyone who actualy asked if I had bad hips...ha!
She ordered a once a year infusion of some sort for next Friday...the 13th! I was excited by the date since it will be easy to remember.
And she suggested I start taking the anastrozole before bedtime. Also, my surgeon gave me zofran. 7789. msgreer - 7/9/2012 5:53:39 PM That is all great news. I am so happy you will be getting calcium. You have it all covered, young lady!
Don't forget acupuncture...if you ever want to talk about it we can do so here.
Osteoporosis...yes, you would be the best person to ask!
Acupuncture. If it interests you at all I highly recommend it..but with the okay from your doctor, who I am liking very much. Good luck! 7790. concerned - 7/11/2012 4:34:55 PM Hi, JAH -
My mom received a prescription to strengthen her bones (I do not know the name but it was not OTC calcium) to prevent further breakage because of her multiple myeloma since she discovered she had the disease when she rolled over in bed and broke her collarbone. You might want to ask if a medication like that would be suitable for you. 7791. judithathome - 7/11/2012 7:08:48 PM Conn'd, that's why I'm getting the infusion...I can't take that prescription stuff because the first dose of it I tried years ago gave me an medication-induced ulcer that I am STILL bothered with and muct tale daily meds for.
Your mom is lucky she can take it...some of us can't. Hence, the infusion once a year.
Sorry about her broken bone, however...that's a bad place to have one if you have move in any way whatsoever. 7792. wabbit - 7/12/2012 7:04:10 PM msgreer, no email from you yet. I checked the spam folder too, nada, even though it shouldn't go there, your email is in the contacts list. 7793. msgreer - 7/15/2012 6:35:29 PM wabbit, I was just going to ask you if you got my email. I have two emails for you and one came back but the other didn't. I thought you might have felt that I gave you too much news. Can you email me which email I can reach you and I will see if I have the first email I wrote and forward it to you. I can't wait to see you. How much fun...if you want we can go for a walk on the beach or go to the local restaurant for good eats...and visit. I am delighted to know we live so close together in MA. nurseisin@yahoo.com. I want you to see this grand old NE beach home I stay live in. 7794. arkymalarky - 9/3/2012 3:52:41 PM On Thursday I will be halfway through this 8 week 5k program. This week is 14 out of 31 minutes running. I'm slow, but keep the form and haven't walked any of the running parts. I hope I make it the other half. It ratchets up a bunch the fifth week. Of course I can take it slower, but I'd like to stay on schedule.
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