'Breast Friends' Christmas get- together

Last night we had our 'Breast Friends' Christmas get-together. The group started meeting twice a month after meeting in a breast cancer support group in 2000.

J. graciously hosts the Christmas event each year .... even though she struggles with lymphedema in her right arm. Each of the ladies brings something hot or cold and the meal always ends up delicious ... and to top it off, one of the ladies, I., is an outstanding dessert maker. Her desserts look like they are straight out of a magazine and they taste absolutely the best.

J.'s home is always so inviting that we really enjoy going over there and with the gift exchange ... we walk away with all sorts of 'girly' things like candles, creams, lotions, soft and cuddly stuff.

Merry Christmas to the ladies ... A., C., I., J. and S.

Thank you to my husband

I just wanted to say 'thank you' to my husband D. for driving and picking me up from chemo each time. He interrupts his work, leaves to pick me up at home and then takes me to the Cross and make sure I'm there on time.

I especially want to thank him for putting up with my disruptive sleeps. There are times the chemo drugs and the meds I take cause some awful side effects that keep me up at night or cause me to be restless during the night. Sometimes I just get up and go into the other bedroom ... that is if I realize I am restless but there are many nights where I snore or whistle through my nose (due to stuffiness), stop breathing, toss and turn, have chills or hot flashes, have bad dreams/night mares, and so on.

D., thanks for putting up with it and not complaining about it.

Monday evening Christmas get-together

In my rush to write something about CT scan, I didn't give too much information on our Christmas get-together on Monday night. Three ladies I previously worked with got together for supper at one of the ladies (Ma.'s) home. Ma. has a beautiful home and put on a wonderful supper for F., M, and myself. We had some good laughs ... namely about making coffee. Ma. is not a coffee drinker or coffee maker so when she made coffee .... it was like 'espresso' ... black and extremely strong ... F. helped her make a second pot of coffee and it was much too weak ... like tea. We giggled and giggled and decided Ma. needed a coffee measuring spoon from Santa for Christmas.

'Thank you' Ma. for the wonderful supper and three deserts, 'thank you' M. for the gift of truffles and 'thank you' F. for the lovely Christmas ornament gift.

It was nice to catch up on all the news.

CT Scan results are in and they are good

Late this morning I got a cold-sore and called my research nurse at the Cancer Institute to see if I needed to get a prescription for it because chemo destroys most of the white blood cells which are used to fight infection. So I wanted to make sure my cold-sore wouldn't get infected.

To my surprise, she said she had the results of my CT scan and they were good. The tumors were shrinking. I didn't ask details on how much or which ones because I was so excited about the news. I really really thought the news was going to be bad.

After getting the news I was on cloud nine and went for chemo @ 1:30. D., came home from work and drove me to my appointment. I was ready to get more chemo to keep fighting this awful disease. Chemo went till 4:45 pm. D, picked me up and we went and got a sub for supper.

During chemo, the research nurse came to see me and gave me a Merry Christmas wish & hug and a prescription for some cream for my cold-sore. She said if it didn't show signs of improvement, to get a hold of them and they would get me a prescription for some pills.

All and all a great day.

CT Scan results or lack of ...

This afternoon I had a visit with my oncologist and she said she had the CT scan results but not the radiologist report of the scan. She said she thought there was no change but that she wasn't a radiologist so she couldn't confirm one way or another. I felt uneasy with her answer ... as if she was avoiding telling me some bad news. This is just my feeling and I might be wrong.

Long story short ... she said the she would call me when the radiologist gave his report. This could take a day or two. I will let everyone know as soon as I do.

Tomorrow I have chemo as per usual.

My appointment at the Cross was over an hour late and after the appointment, I had to rush off to a Christmas get-together with some ladies I used to work with. That is why I'm writing this so late.

IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY ALL IS SECURE

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
HE LIVED ALL ALONE
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE
AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE
NO TINSEL NO PRESENTS NOT EVEN A TREE
NO STOCKING BY THE MANTLE JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES AWARDS OF ALL KINDS
A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING SILENT ALONE
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER
NOT HOW I PICTURED A LONE BRITISH SOLDIER
WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO THE FLOOR FOR A BED

I REALISED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT
SOON AROUND THE WORLD THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY

THEY ALL ENJOY FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY ALONE
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE
'SANTA DON'T CRY THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM I DON'T ASK FOR MORE
MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY. MY CORPS'

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT I CONTINUED TO WEEP

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SAT AND SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHTS CHILL
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD DARK NIGHT
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOUR SO WILLING TO FIGHT

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE
WHISPERED 'CARRY ON SANTA ITS CHRISTMAS DAY ALL IS SECURE'
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT
'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT'

THIS POEM WAS WRITTEN BY A PEACE KEEPING SOLDIER STATIONED OVERSEAS

THE FOLLOWING IS HIS REQUEST I THINK IT IS REASONABLE.

PLEASE WOULD YOU DO ME THE KIND FAVOUR OF SENDING THIS TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN

-26 Degrees ....

We're just bundling up and trying to stay warm.

I just woke up from a nap ... my eyes continue to water. Usually this only lasts about a week every chemo cycle but this time it just isn't quitting. The watering makes my eyes tired and sore so the only relieve is to close them and ... well take a nap ... if I can. They also prevent me from doing any reading ... which is a real pain.

One of the other things that is giving me grief right now is that I have a reaction to the bandages used for my CVC (central venous catheter). I was given a prescription for bandages to cover my CVC and to keep the tubes in place. A couple of months ago I broke out in a rash on my chest ... likely due to the bandages, so the oncologist asked me to go to the chemo area and ask for some paper tape and gauses which is supposed to be easier on the skin. I still break out in a rash the odd time. So my solution seems to be to rotate between all varieties and sizes of bandages. I also try and use lots of lotion in the area because I struggle with dry skin. This week the rash flared up again. It can be quite sore and itchy.

So if I could just get those two issues cleared up ... I'd be pretty happy. I have chemo on Tuesday ... it sure would be nice to have a couple of days where something isn't wonky.

Last support group meeting for the year

This morning we had our last Cancer Patient Support Group meeting for the year. Only 3 of us showed up ... looks like everyone is busy with Christmas stuff. I enjoy the support group because we get to talk about any thing we want. A lot of times we share things with the group that we might not share with anyone else. I think people feel closer to each other because we are all going through the same thing ... cancer.

After that, one of the ladies in the support group and I went out for a nice lunch.

And then, I stopped at London Drugs and picked up some good deals they had in their flyer.

I going to sneak out one more time before the evening and that is to fill my car with gas. The temperature is going to drop and I want to make sure I have a full tank.

My stamina is much better than it was a couple of days ago.

CT Scan today ...

Early this morning, I had my CT scan. For those who have never had one, you may have to drink 2 liters of water spiked with a few tablespoons of 'contrast' chemical. It 'lights' you up from the inside out and shows off the tumors ... when scanned.

I'll have the results on Monday when I see the oncologist.

The weather here is chilly and windy .... and is only going to get colder. For Sunday, we are expecting a high of -24 and a low of -30. Yuk!

Nothing more to report ...