LilyFestre-Mommy+Daddy+Baby...now on to Life!

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 08:58 AM

you have eyebrows? i am so envious. hypothyroidism means mine are vanishing never to return.

really good to hear you on the upside of things again, Petal.

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 10:59 AM

I'm glad to see you bounce back after each of these treatments. Keep up the good work, kiddo! And the good works!

SRS

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 11:15 AM

Show you, huh?

Ok. Gotta get dressed. I'm showered, my hair is all done (ha ha ha....don't laugh.....I combed my eyebrows!!!....GRIN) and still have some morning chores to do.

I FEEL FABULOUS TODAY!!!!!!!!!!

Nyah nyah

~S~

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: SINSULL
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 11:43 AM

So great to see you happy, Michelle. Enjoy it.
Much love,
Mary

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: jacqui.c
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 01:34 PM

Happiness just overflows. Reading your latest posts, Michelle, have made my day happier than it already was.

Have a really good day melove.

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 10:20 PM

Today has been incredible. It started last night. I fell asleep after a fit of hysterical laughter in bed with my husband......giggle fest extraordinaire! I haven't laughed so hard or so much in months.

This morning I went with my friend to an appointment she had.....we rocked out to Lady GaGa all the way home. Felt like a teenager....FUN!

Did a whole yoga class today, including 2 full sun salutations. No twists as they pull on my port but I did everything else. Sweat so much I had a puddle on the mat under my head....literally. Disgusting but sweet too......I worked hard and it felt SO, SO GOOD!!! Yoga party followed....chatted up a storm with all kinds of people I haven't seen in a bit.

I am so tired. Happily exhausted.

Today was a day well lived!! My heart, soul and spirit are blissfully happy.

Goodnight sweet friends.

Love to all.

Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 30 Apr 10 - 10:31 PM

Giddy. Giddy is the word I was looking for.

YAY FOR GIDDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 01 May 10 - 08:12 AM

another great day

keep having 'em

hugs

sandra

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: Bobert
Date: 01 May 10 - 09:43 AM

Gigglefest???

I told ya'll that a little cannibus in the oatmeal cookies would work wonders...

BTW, Michelle... Saw on the news the other night a lady who went into the store and came out with a shopping cart full of stuff for less tah two bucks??? Not sure how that works... We clip coupons too but ya' generally gotta actaully buy something to get a second one free...

B~

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: jacqui.c
Date: 01 May 10 - 11:17 AM

Another good memory to hold onto when you have a 'down day', Michelle.

Here's to lots more Giddy Days!

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 02 May 10 - 08:04 AM

Giggling along with you, dearie! Hooray!

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 May 10 - 11:04 PM

Hi Friends,

I will be away for a few days. My mom has surgery is having surgery on early Tuesday morning and I wouldn't dream of being anywhere except with her. She should be able to go home on Wednesday. So....I'm taking my computer with me but am unsure about what kind of free time I will have.

    Good thoughts and prayers would be appreciated...very, very much.

Much love,

Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 03 May 10 - 03:07 AM

sending good wishes & hugs to Michelle's lovely mother.

sandra

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: SINSULL
Date: 03 May 10 - 08:33 AM

You and your mother are in my thoughts and prayers, Michelle. Wish her our best.
Mary

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: Janie
Date: 03 May 10 - 09:45 AM

Good thoughts....

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 03 May 10 - 11:18 AM

:)   You made me smile! LOL

For those of you who have access to television this afternoon, Dr. Oz is doing a show on Ovarian Cancer. I would highly recommend watching it...ovarian cancer's tag line is: Listen: It Whispers. The symptoms are vague and often mistaken for something else. By the time pain is involved, it has often spread. So....please, take some time to watch it today. I don't want any of you to have to go through what I am going through. EVER.

Love to all,

Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: jacqui.c
Date: 03 May 10 - 11:29 AM

Good thoughts going out to you and your Mom, Michelle.

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 03 May 10 - 11:31 AM

Thank you for all the good thoughts and prayers...I am outta here!!

Love to all,

Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 May 10 - 06:43 PM

Good timing, I think Oz comes on at 7 here our time.

I don't have ovaries any more, a different, easier-to-treat cancer saw to that. And I learned recently (when my sister was making surgery decisions) that our aunt had ovarian cancer. For her, it went untreated because she had bad emphysema and that is what she died from soon after the other diagnosis.

SRS

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: maeve
Date: 04 May 10 - 02:41 AM

Thinking of you and your mother this morning, Michelle.

m

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 04 May 10 - 06:29 AM

Good Morning,

   All is well with me....didn't sleep much but what else is new? At 6:15am, they took my mom upstairs to get her IV started. She is the first surgery of the morning. She slept all night and did a good job this morning. My mom is the strongest woman I know. She's going to be just fine. We joked about it this morning...a long standing joke in our family.

Mom: I'm going to be just fine.
Me: You are going to be GREAT. If not, I'm gonna kick your ass!
Mom: Laughter.
Me: :)

So....I'm sitting in a giant waiting room with lots of others who are waiting for their loved ones. I have a number that represents Mom. There are TV screens with her number on it. As the number changes color, I know where she is. Right now, she's in pre-op.

Thank you for all the good thoughts and prayers. She means the world to me.

Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 04 May 10 - 08:16 AM

As of 8:00am, Mom is in surgery. Sending up more good thoughts and prayers.

Michelle who is anxiously waiting to make sure her mama is ok.

***Saw my surgeon in the waiting room (looking for the family of a patient who just had surgery) and he waved. It's feels good that he knows me and I'm not just a body or a number. I love Dr. Nash.

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 04 May 10 - 08:17 AM

We're here with you, love.

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 04 May 10 - 08:44 AM

yes

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: gnu
Date: 04 May 10 - 08:44 AM

Yup.

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 04 May 10 - 09:13 AM

9:00am. Mom is in recovery. I have not heard from the Dr. yet and am waiting patiently...ok, maybe not patiently....I wannna see my mama!!!!!!   Continuing lots of good thoughts and feeling grateful for my MudBuds.

Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 04 May 10 - 09:54 AM

Mom did GREAT during her surgery and gets to go home TODAY!!! I didn't hear from the Dr. right away because she told him she was here by herself and would have to go home to an empty house! Mind you, we came here last night, went to lunch (Thai..YUM) and dinner, stayed over and I brought her here this morning! Gotta love those pain meds.

HOORAY!!! YAY!!!! ****HANDSPRINGS*** MY MAMA IS OK!!!!!!!

Stealing Susan's thingy...TBTG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 04 May 10 - 10:00 AM

handsprings are not for me, but I'll join in with happy dancing.

love to you both

sandra

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: SINSULL
Date: 04 May 10 - 10:05 AM

Going home today??? Good for both of you.
SINS

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 May 10 - 12:17 PM

Sounds like everything went well! And so much better to be in the waiting room, or in recovery, not in the surgery.

Gorgeous day here today. I hope the rest of you are drying out and able to get out and absorb some healthy rays and make a little vitamin D for yourselves!

SRS

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 04 May 10 - 05:52 PM

Home!!!!! (Well, at Mom's house).

:) Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 05 May 10 - 01:39 PM

Fighting some anxiety today....saw some statistics that have me on edge and I'm doing the best I can to ignore them. They were as follows: 25,000 women in the US will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year. 15,000 of them will not survive. Outright depressing. My Dr. said I am going to be fine. They found mine really early and I'm trying to keep that in mind.

Today I am taking care of my mom. She's doing ok and that makes me happy. They found NO sign of ovarian cancer in her..HOORAY!!!!!!! I am cooking and cleaning for her, ran some errands and will do anything else she needs. I am also going home tonight to make dinner for my honey. I won't be staying there....Mom really shouldn't be alone at night just yet. I'll be happy to see him as I miss him. Feels good to be the one taking care of others for a change.

Really. Really good.

Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: SINSULL
Date: 05 May 10 - 01:42 PM

10,000 of them will and so will you.
Mom is lucky to have you.
Stay strong.
Mary

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 May 10 - 06:08 PM

What a busy recuperation you've been having, Michelle!

It's beginning to feel a little summery here. Have you checked about your meds--can you get sun, or do you have to stay out of it? I think I asked this before, but I don't remember if you got an answer. Anyway, take it easy back there!

SRS

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 05 May 10 - 06:35 PM

I saw my surgeon yesterday for my 3 monthly post-op check up (everything ok naturally!) & he looked concerned for a second or 2 when I said you were having treatment for ovarian/uterine cancer. When I said it was stage 1, he was very pleased (same as your doctor!) that it was found so early. So he's not worried about you (same as your doctor!) does that sentence make sense?

if the doctors aren't worrying, & you must, maybe you can worry about more important things like what's for dinner, or washing up or ...

sandra

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 05 May 10 - 06:41 PM

You are a wonderful daughter, dear one, and you are and will continue to be just fine!
How about sleep? Getting any?

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 05 May 10 - 10:51 PM

My Dr. told me to not worry until he told me I had something to worry about. It's just on my mind.

I have to say that I have enjoyed taking care of my mom the last few days. It feels good to be useful. I made an early dinner for her (lean burgers and perogies at her request) and then drove home to make dinner (and eat....salmon on the grill, brown rice infused with lemon and summer squash with carrots and had dessert too....coffee ice cream..YUM) with Pete. He was very happy about that and I was too as I miss him. At the moment, I'm back at Mom's and she's sleeping. As for my sleeping...I did get some last night with the help of Ambien. I'm pretty tired tonight and am hoping to fall asleep on my own. Mama is currently sleeping on the couch which is where I sleep but I don't have the heart to wake her up.

Allison, I was listening to your CD on the drive home....Be like a bird.......what is the next line of that song? LOVE IT.

Much love to all,

Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: maeve
Date: 05 May 10 - 10:57 PM

Michelle, here it is. Our chorus sings it too, and I love it. I used to have the words imprinted on a clay tile in the garden:
    "Be like a bird, who, halting in her flight

    On a limb too slight, feels it give way beneath her;

    Yet sings, sings, knowing she has wings;

    Yet sings, sings, knowing she has wings."*link


*adapted from words by Victor Hugo.

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 06 May 10 - 03:14 AM

At our recent National Folk festival, Catter Callie's choir almost went thru the stage! Naturally they kept singing.

The stage manager was worried when 77 members came onto the high temporary stage & said that if he gave the signal members had to leave immediately, so at the signal one side (sopranos I think) moved off backwards, singing & kept going from the ground as one member could see Callie & passed on her directions.

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: Bobert
Date: 06 May 10 - 07:02 AM

Go Michelle and Michelle's Mom!!!

Still here...

Hang in there... Yer doc is right... You'll be in the 10,000 Club... Might even become prsident of the 10,000 Club...

B~

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 06 May 10 - 11:59 AM

:) :) :)

Waiting for a call from the Dr. about my most recent CA-125 test results.

Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 06 May 10 - 01:37 PM

CA-125

Normal is 35.
Pre-Surgery: 500+
Late April: 17. something
Today, May 6, 2010: 18.6

They said a little flucutation is normal. No worries.

*Deep breath and gratitude*

Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 06 May 10 - 01:50 PM

still following your progress and sending love and hugs

happy about the numbers

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: jacqui.c
Date: 06 May 10 - 01:55 PM

What good news dear. Keep thinking positively!

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 06 May 10 - 06:51 PM

Whew. I am just about worn out. Cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner (for Mom), dinner for Pete and I, did 4 loads of laundry, did the grocery shopping, took out the trash, did the dishes, packed up all my stuff to go home and whatever else Mom needed. She's doing MUCH bettter today and is able to get up and around on her own! Oh...and I did wound care for her today too! I'm glad she's feeling better! YAY MOM!!!

Michelle

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 May 10 - 05:01 AM

rest well! as your mom will.

sandra

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 07 May 10 - 08:21 AM

You go, woman!

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 07 May 10 - 09:16 PM

I think people who say, "Everything happens for a reason" need to be smacked upside the head. Twice.

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: LilyFestre
Date: 08 May 10 - 10:28 AM

I learned something new today. Or if it's not new, I have forgotten it. Pete and I were talking about....oh hell. I don't know how the topic came up but he said that my surgeon told them that my cancer was contained and there was no reason to think that it would have spread.

Why didn't someone tell me this? I know the staging but I had NO idea that it was clearly contained. Guess who cried tears of relief?

Maybe the staging indicates that but I had not heard it in those terms. Contained. One of the best words ever.

Michelle who is off to have lunch with an old high school pal who I haven't seen in about 2 years.

Subject: RE: LilyFestre - Great oncology numbers!!! Yowza!!!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 May 10 - 11:28 AM

Speaking from vast combined experience on patients and news--

It is not at ALL unusual to not fully hear/understand every word as you get it, at the time you get it...

Or for docs to be sure all fam members DO get it all, at the time they hear it, so they can recall it for the pt. at the time it is most needed.

One of the more interesting features of pastoral care is to hear all the fam. tellings, sift out the "facts," and hold them all, till needed. In the meantime the pastor(s) pray for the whole magilla, and all the potentialities implied. Professional boundary thingie.

Thinks of it like this-- as a teacher or youth counselor, a pro knows things they may not foist upon a child or yoot-- or their parental beings-- because this or that detail may not be the most important thing for them to kn ow right then, in their professional opinion.

In this situation you have been doing the patient's job, and beautifully. You have known what to focus on at each step and have done so, with great strength.

A lot of people hear it all and then just argue with what they are told, anyway. One of the lovelier things about community is that it includes voices who will be wiser than we sometimes are. I like to think it is all God's plan that we hear these different voices, and that He gives strength and wisdom to folks when they need to make sure we "get" something. A big clue is that the truest wisdom usually comes in terms of love, because that's where He tends to put the strength. :~)

Would you really believe anyone right now besides Pete? :~)

I think if you look back, you will see that you alluded to this containment issue very early on. I think I recall it. Tho you may not have known how important it would prove to be to you later, and did not focus right on it squarely. That's OK. Pete had it for you!

~Susan

CC: CS