Longhorn

I've mentioned in passing how I've been experiencing a "marathon period" for the last several weeks. I just figured it's due to being perimenpausal. I've even joked that it's like the grand finale at the fireworks show. Today I had my annual gynecological exam and it appears that there is a "growth" or "mass" in my vagina. I'll see a GYN specialist next Thursday. The nurse practitioner who did today's exam said she'd never seen anything like it. She mentioned that I could end up getting a hysterectomy. The "C" word was never mentioned and there's no point in speculating. I'll be happy if an operation is all I need. Of course, the first question that crossed my mind is, how much weight will I lose? :grouphug:

I'm sorry I've been away so long. I'm afraid my lap-band is a distant memory except when I occasionally feel my port -- and when my doctor freaks out because she forgets it's there when she's examining me. :wink_smile: I first want to wish everyone a belated Happy Bandiversary! I look forward to checking out your posts and getting an idea of how everyone is doing. As far as my situation, I switched treatments in November when my latest scans showed some tumor growth. I've been tolerating the new treatment very well and have been able to continue teaching. In January, I will be going to the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Zion, Illinois (near Chicago) for further evaluation., They treat the whole patient with diet, supplements, and exercise, in addition to treating the cancer. The majority of their patients are Stage III or IV and they're used to helping patients who have been told there is nothing else that can be done -- though I haven't been told that. I feel that I need a team that is more aggressively on my side than what I've been getting. I hope all of y'all are doing well and I'll try to visit more often to keep up with your success! Take care! Kendra

Hi, Sades! Thanks for your kind words. I'm doing well and I'm optimistic about what the new year will bring. I'm going to see a new doctor in Chicago on January 12. I'm excited about getting another perspective. I'm glad you're well back on track after what you went through last summer. Take care! :ohmy:

No need to apologize! I'll be seeing a dietitian, too!

Thanks! One of the reasons I'm glad to be going to CTCA is that some supplements can actually interfere with the chemotherapy so I will follow the advice of the doctor of naturapathy that will be examining me. I wondered about the wedding! I'm glad it was a great day! I knew about the band removal and also wondered how you were doing. Maintaining is no easy trick, especially without the help of a band. Good for you! Thanks for thinking of me!

What a tough situation for all of y'all! I'm so sorry for the stress and suffering. I hope there are some good moments for you! I'll bet it's quite a contrast to what you're used to. We don't even realize how bombarded we are because we so used to it. I don't see it changing, either, as long as there is money to be made. However, I do understand that food is also a big part of Jewish culture, too! My daughters were in Israel in October for a wedding and they said there was tons of food at every family gathering -- and for the first week, it was one family gathering after another! They also got a lot of nagging if they didn't eat, even when they insisted that they had already eaten! So I guess it's more of a public/private contrast in styles. :eek: I hope you enjoy your visit as much as possible! I'm sure it means a lot to your parents, on some level, that you are there.

Hi, Jill! It's too bad that patients have to work so hard to be sure they're getting the best, most appropriate care but our medical system is set up so that everyone is a specialist with little knowledge outside his or her own field. And they see so many patients that they don't have much time for each one, especially outside of the visit. But I'm not going to let the system defeat me! You're doing fantastic! Congratulations! Thanks!

Your prayers are very much appreciated, Sweetie! And congratulations on your fantastic progress! :tt1:

Thanks, Cindy! Your support means a lot to me!

Bandpal, I saw your before and after photos in the other thread and you look absolutely amazing!!! It's hard to imagine how much better you must feel now! Your wife and children must be beside themselves with joy, knowing that you've probably added 20 years to your life! I'm so proud to know you! You have nothing to apologize for. First, you do have an active, busy life! But second, I have no doubt that if I needed you, you're only an email or phone call away and there is so much comfort in knowing that. :frown: I'm encouraged to know that y'all are still praying for me. I've probably set some kind of record as the atheist with the most prayers on her behalf. :w00t: But I wear a "prayer box" sent to me by a cousin on a chain around my neck. In it goes all of the prayers and positive thoughts that people have been kind enough to send. They give me strength. I'll be sure to let y'all know how my visit to Zion goes. Thanks for dropping by! :angry_smile:

Hi, Foofy! Thanks for posting and your positive thoughts. I'm so impressed with your progress! You're almost halfway there, girl! Good for you! :angry_smile:

I'm still around but not benefiting from my band right now. My sister is thinking about getting one and she needs it more than I did -- more weight to lose and diabetic. I hope it works out for her. 1st Cindyg1212 PattyPoo Nessa3678 brandymom1234 Mom_of_Chuy sanderro Holiwood Longhorn Forestcat Rhea Sades edeva3 Teresajo 2nd lizzie_07 lindata KristinaDawnB lindseyann2u sconie pam726 robin bird 4th QatarPhil 5th DLW wnt2lose jelbel 6th Wishes4444(Ann) Diva Inside ndmom kandiceb jetti vanessav hollyberries LangleyGirl 7th Goldie1109 susieq125 shadst83 Cota129 Imonmyway7368 MyLady 8th anw5102 dawndannae stranger138 needto ebrow39 Bandstertobe zippykat QUEENMOTHEROF1 Melanie1972 9th Banded4Life neen7171 maccy mariaxoxo4u Kristin1031 Carsons mommy chubbydiva Miztrniceguy 10th Selisejohnson omlagirl jen6740 anitak33 12th suebob Shalee04 Foofy Mariegabrieleee 13th CCFRA Princessannod1 Tralynn222 sschude BandChick64 -acl- (Amy) 14th lightenup! dream'n2bthin Life Change (Eulete) carleah2 emnasmom 15th steph_cn RxTracy Hopping to It- Danna sunshiny Tete2 kickrmom 16th Laurieu sstaab 19th Mrs Smartypants Momto1plus1 MusigalF lisawach 20th Skinny_Jill blondecz (Crissy) Firebolt (Judy) Cuerposano (Diana) Mysie 21st Bobp Bandpal 22nd luvmy4boys 23rd FlaLMT and fiance HoneyB-Palomino & mom 26th kuchiegrl1 Motocrossgirly jrsyshoregrl684 (Bypass) BigDoug143 BarbBee hungryforchange 27th 731Shawty Cherlita Julie-Ann plump_princess HAJohnson1 28th lukin puppy TxArcher shortgal 29th Sassafras TAWHarris McQty close 4mykidzinVale (Surgery in Bend, Oregon) 30th WorththeWeight samorelli Southerngal

Oh, Judy, there must be some way you can recover your financial damages. Have you sat down with a lawyer? I'm sorry if you've already gone through this in this thread and I missed it. Your dress does sound beautiful! I can't wait to see it! That's some great shop you found that can customize it so well. It's going to be a lovely day and I can't wait to hear all about it!

I'm so sorry you had to go through this, Judy! I've read most of this thread and it sounds like you've got the right attitude. For now, please relax and enjoy your son's wedding! You will look fabulous! I'd love to hear about the dress you chose! :shades_smile:

Congratulations, Steph! What a determined young lady you are! You're doing us all really proud! :shades_smile:

Sades: I'm so sorry that I was away so long and didn't realize what you've been going through! I'm so glad you're back on track! I can't add anything to all of the wise words posted by our fellow November Nymphs but I will say that my first reaction was that you lost all of that weight ON YOUR OWN! And now you'll finally get the help you thought you had in the beginning! No sense comparing your life to what could have been or even should have been. All you've got is now and things are looking pretty darn good! I know this summer has been a disappointment -- hell, this year has probably been a disappointment as you wondered why you had to struggle so much to lose and why you weren't feeling restriction like you thought you should. Well, the mystery has been solved. I hope you have nothing but smooth sailing from now on! :shades_smile:

You do look great! Congratulations!

Add me to the list of those in tears! What a wonderful, wonderful evening! I don't think I could have planned such an event for myself and I can be pretty darn selfish! You found yourself quite a winner! Congratulations and thanks for sharing your story with us!

I'm sorry for the tardy update. I've also been on vacation and finished two weeks of classes so it has been a bit hectic. My PET scans confirmed that, while I do still have active cancer in my pelvis and lungs, it is greatly reduced in size from before treatment. Because the chemotherapy was working, I started it again this week. My teaching schedule is perfect for fitting in the treatments and recovering from them. I had one session in between classes and I finished the third session yesterday and don't teach again until Tuesday. I haven't weighed myself since I got back from vacation. I did get some new larger clothes, which isn't the direction I wanted to go but I had no choice. I'm hoping I can get in some exercise. They say it helps with fatigue but it's difficult to get started when you're already tired! However, we're planning to move things around so that my exercise room will be more convenient. I'm afraid I haven't had a chance to check up on how y'all are doing but I do hope you're continuing to see progress. I know I still have a band because every now and then, food passes kind of slowly. Who knows? Maybe I would have gained even more if I didn't have it! :shades_smile: Take care and keep up the good work! :teeth_smile:

Howdy, Y'all! I had CT and MRI scans on Tuesday and the results were excellent. All tumors showed remarkable shrinkage or disappeared completely. I saw the doctor today and we've decided that I will get a PET scan in two weeks to make sure that the remaining spots showing up on the scans of my lungs truly are cancer and not scar tissue. The PET will also help us see what, if anything, remains of the tumor in my pelvis. I'll meet with the doctor the following Friday, August 29, to discuss options, which could include more chemotherapy or surgery or internal radiation. I'm feeling great after these six rounds of chemo and I'm happy to have at least six weeks off before further treatment. Greg and I are headed to California next week for a vacation that involves taking the train from LA to San Francisco and, after a few days, another train from SF to Denver. It should be relaxing and fun! Take care and know that I appreciate your friendship. Kendra

Hi, Y'all! Thanks for asking about me! I'm doing fine. I'm just a little tired with my new teaching schedule -- my morning classes overlap with afternoon classes for four weeks but I'm halfway through and then I'll only have afternoon classes until mid-August when we have the break between summer and fall semesters. When classes resume on August 25th, it should be an easier schedule (though, less money, of course!) Everyone tells me not to worry about gaining weight but it's hard when my clothes aren't fitting well and I gave all my big clothes away! I absolutely do not want to buy new big clothes so I'm just going to make do with what I have. I really don't see a reason not to get another fill because my appetite is definitely strong right now but I'll decide after we have a better idea of what my treatments will be after my next scans in early August. I lost it before and I will lose it again! I should visit the November Nymphs board more often to see how y'all are doing. I'm now a moderator on a favorite political board and that seems to take a lot of my online time. But I'll try to check in once a week and post somewhere else besides this thread! Y'all take care! You know I love y'all!

Hi, y'all! I haven't had anything to post because there hasn't been any news. I thought I'd be scheduled for new scans after the fifth round of chemo that I just completed but the doctor says we're going to wait until after the sixth round in three weeks. So there won't be any news about my future treatment until August. In the meantime, I've gained about 20 pounds, which isn't fun at all! Some of the gain can be attributed to the steroids that I get with each infusion to reduce allergic reactions and nausea. My hair has become so thin that I now wear a wig when I go out in public because it just looks too goofy. I need to check into some scarves, too, but the wigs aren't as hot as I thought they'd be. We're planning a great week-long trip in August. We'll fly to Los Angeles, then take the train that follows the coast to San Francisco. After two days there, we'll take the train that goes through the mountains to Denver and spend two days with our daughter, then fly back to Austin. It should be just the relaxing trip we need. I'll be teaching all day for the next four weeks so this will be my most tiring schedule since all of this started. However, the afternoon classes are on the computer so I don't have to lecture all day, so it shouldn't be so bad. Once I'm done with chemo for awhile (knock on wood!) I plan to get a fill and get rid of this weight! I hope y'all are doing well! :tt2:

Oh, my students aren't kids! I teach at community college so my students are all adults. The program I'm teaching this summer is a college prep program, getting them ready for the math entrance test. There were 500 applicants for the program and only 30 got in. I have 15 of them and they all happen to be women. All of them are working on two-year degrees in the medical field except one who wants to be a computer network administrator. They are very hard-working and motivated -- a teacher's dream class! :biggrin2:

We haven't seen our oldest daughter since Christmas either so we're definitely going to go see her in August! My students are wonderful and require no kicking! They're all on my side, too, so they look out for me. I can't believe how quickly we bonded but it's a great class! :scared2: Take care, Sades! :tongue:

As always, I appreciate the words of encouragement and support! I'm feeling pretty bloated right now, I guess because of all the steroids they pump into me to help with the side effects of chemotherapy. However, I'm feeling well otherwise and should be ready to go back to work tomorrow. I only teach from 8 to 11 so I'll have all afternoon to rest, if needed. Our son came out to visit from California for the weekend. It's the first we've seen him since before Christmas. There's a chance he'll be going to Iraq this summer but if not, we hope to go see him in San Diego and our daughter in Denver in August. I truly hope to be done with chemo by then but we'll just have to see what the scans show. I hope y'all are doing well and looking forward to a thinner summer!