NJ April 2008.....

[Kat817 19]

Eileen, please know my heart is with you as you make the decision with your doggy child. I have been there, and know it to be a heart wrenching, soul baring choice. It has been several years now since Chelsea was put down, but I miss her still. I gave my DD a dog brush this weekend, when we cleaned out for our yard sale, and it still had Chelsea hair in it---reduced me to tears----I told them I was saving it for the DNA factor, so when they made enough advances, I could have her cloned. They all laughed, I didn't. I loved her so much, and I still miss her, so I do understand how badly you are hurting. You will have to be the strong one for the family---but when you need to cry and vent---we are here. (((((hugs))))))

Kat

[HarleyNana 10]

Hey girlies, I see you Diane, Sherry, and Kat . Hope everyone is ok, so much to catch up with, I've missed everyone.

Well, I just downed 4 Ducolax tablets and since 4:00 PM, I have drunk/drank 5- 20oz Gatorades, three with Miralax, yum! I go for my colonoscopy tomorrow, can't wait, LOL.

Eileen, sorry about your doggy.

Kat, how is your daughter?

Sherry, may I borrow your post, you pretty much caught up on all the girls...."ditto".

Diane, I think of you every time I eat my cheese crunchies :blushing:, and I'll think of you tonight when I'm having my dinner of a Popsicle.

Gotta run, and I do mean run....later

[Iluvharleys 15]

Hello Y'all!

I still haven't caught up on the posts, but I hope to soon. I just have been really busy!

Pat - Good Luck tomorrow! Let us know how things go. When I take one of those Ducolax pills they almost kill me, I can't imagine 4! Yikes!

Eileen - My thoughts are with you, I know how tough it is to lose a fur baby.

Kat - My thoughts and prayers are with you too!

I am still trying to figure out the camera and how to get things on here. I'll keep trying.

Hello to all the rest, I'll catch up with you all soon, I promise!

[piercedqt78 658]

I'm here and alive. My knee has really taken it's toll on me. I missed work all week last week and haven't been this week either. I'm going back tomorrow. My stitches came out today. I have gone from now being able to bend it at all, to being able to let it dangle off the end of the table. It's still swollen and sore and when I asked the doctor if this was the best it would get he said we could talk again in 3 weeks. I hate when they blow off valid questions. He could have said, let's wait and see how you are progressing, but he said "we'll talk in 3 weeks".

Kat, Manda is in my heart and prayers. I'm dealing with indifference with my medical doctor too. I'm being evaluated for cushings and other various endocrine tumors and I've been waiting 5 weeks to be seen. I had a ton of blood work done and have no clue what the results are. They were forwarded to the specialist for him to review. I get those results on the 7th of May.

I am a member of another board like this but it's local motorcycle riders. We had a very very young rider go down this week, and that has me a wreck. He's just a kid and has been in ICU for 5 days. Rod in his leg and collapsed lung. At least he had on full gear (there are no helmet laws in IL). I go for my rider safety course thursday, and then again sat and sun. I'm excited and a bit scared too. The weather here has been too crappy for us to ride anyway. We had a day in the 70's and then snow flurries the next day. It's been unreal.

Sherry, I'm not getting the new posts reminders either. But I did get one tonight for Pat's post.

Pat, the colonoscopy isn't too bad. I had one a few years ago and it was over before I knew it. The pre-test prep was the worst.

Betty, I have 4.5 more months til my vacation. Please tell me that you had a margarita and thought of us.

~Mandy

[Iluvharleys 15]

Good Morning Y'all!

Yes Mandy, I had a margarita (several) and thought about all of you. I had a wonderful time and will remember it forever. I will keep you in my prayers too and hope you start feeling better soon.

I haven't even gotten in the shower but wanted to come and say good morning to you all.

I'll check back tonight.

[Kat817 19]

Hi everyone-

Well Manda knows nothing more. When the scheduler looked over all the info faxed to the caridiologists----she saw where Manda's resting pulse rate is over 120. So she set the appointment with a cardio-electrophysiologist------the same one in fact who did Rick's ablation. Which is what Manda will need....AFTER they figure out the dilation of the ascending aorta---and she does not do that, so come back when it has been addressed. They did not give her another appointment, or direct her to a Dr, for that----nothing. I was hysterical and madder than I remember being in forever! I have composed a letter, emailed it, have it printed in duplicate forms, and will send it off in several directions to as many Dr.'s as I could obtain names for--as well as to the Albuquerque Journal, if I do not hear something back within 1 weeks time....which was included in the letter.

Today she spoke with her PCP, who is sending her to a local cardiologist for an echo---which the CEP Dr. said was what she needed to do---she just did not help her get it done---or worry about it being done in a timely manner. But right now she is looking at the end of June. So they may load up and go to Scottsdale, they have not made the decision yet. The mayo clinic in Scottsdale is close enough to be viable if nothing is being done for her.

I cannot focus on anything, I am a bundle of nerves......if this progresses quickly---and no one knows what it is doing. It may have been this size since she was a child, and she may die at 95 years old with it still that size. It could have grown that size during the pre eclampsia issues of pregnancy----or it could have begun growing last week, and still be growing quickly. Normal is 2.0 cm. Hers is at 3.4 cm, and 5.0 is immediate surgical intervention. The risk is of dissection---where the aorta tears itself loose from the heart----and you bleed out in mere seconds most of the time. So with only one test, we have a baseline, but no one willing to look again, and see if it is stable or not!

I think they see this robust healthy looking 26 year old WOMAN, and blow her off. It is so friggin' scary!

She had a step aunt--no blood relation, it was her step moms sister--die at 34 from a dissected aorta. She thought she had the flu, she hurt all over, so she moved out of the bed, and onto the couch. When her DH noticed her gone, he come out to check on her, she told him, everytime he moved it hurt her...so he told her to go to the bed, and he would sleep out on the couch. She refused to move, said it hurt too bad. The next morning when he got up, she was dead.

Well last week, Manda could not move, she was in such pain! Now every lymph node in her body is swollen to the point of being visible. You can see them in her neck, and under her arms. The ones in her groin, make wearing jeans impossible, and sitting a challenge. They gave her antibiotics, but have not looked to see whether they may be connected!

She sees her gyno tomorrow for the mass on the ovary. He is a kind, caring guy---hoping he takes time to listen to her, and maybe refer her to someone.

I am sorry I harp on this, I am having problems concentrating on anything else. I am really scared. I am so glad to have you all here, and know your prayers are helping-----big hugs to all of you--Mandy, keep healing! I will be back, and let you know of any changes.

Kat

[jetti 2]

Hi everyone! I didnt have time to read everyone posts but I wanted to fly in and say hi and that I missed all my lovely ladies! I will be back later to read.

[SherryW 4]

Kat...absolutely no need to apologize..this is something that is effecting you, your daughter..you're whole family. You're a friend and we're here to lean on sista! Keeping you, your DD and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

Love ya!

[Kat817 19]

Giant hugs of thanks Sherry---it IS comforting to know you are there.

Kat

[signgirl 0]

Kat, I understand you being frustrated, angry, scared....I'm sure I would be too!! I agree with Sherry...no apologies needed. We're here for whatever support we can offer, we know you'd do (have done) the same.

Eileen....can't get you off my mind. Check in when you can, alright?

Betty, I had a hard time trying to send some photos of vacation. I even tried to send some to Pat a while ag and she said they looked like postage stamps! so small she couldn't really make anything out. (I'm not real savvy about the photo posting!)

Mandy, I'm so sorry you're having such a time of it...I'm including you in the prayers too for a speedy recovery.

Pat, I'm sure everything came out ok. (pardon) hee, hee. Seriously though, I'm glad you got checked-out..Now if I could just get my DH to get HIS colonoscopy!

Well, the weekend in DC was very nice. I just wish I could explain why I had such a hard time eating! GRrrrrrrrrr! Everything I tried would just "knot-up" in my chest 'til I spit it back up. I think I got more upset at having my DH see me excuse myself so often, than the actual discomfort. I wonder if the car ride (3 hrs) or loads of walking......nah! that couldn't affect a band!!!! could it?

[piercedqt78 658]

Kat, we love you. I would be upset if I thought you were holding all this in rather than getting it off your chest and feeling somewhat better. I'm here for you girly, we all are. I'll pm you my number and you can call it anytime. You tell Manda that she has a powerful group of women pulling for her and that this will all work out. Give her a huge hug for us and then buy her a gallon of really good ice cream, that makes it all better you know. :smile: You vent all you want. We are here for you.

On a huge positive note my knee is doing better each day. I am back to work and it's not killing me. I do have to run but I will check back later. ~Mandy

[Kat817 19]

I know today is May---not sure if we have a May thread------------wanted to check in!

I have good news! Manda saw the gyno today, and the mass is cyst formation, not tumor formation!!!! Her CA 125 is normal! No cancer! The RA test looked to be positive he said....which is not wonderful, but it is something we can deal with, since forced to.

He said she is a mess female wise, and reproductively. He told her if she could get a cardio clearance he would suggest she work to have another child within 2 years----because in no more than 4 maybe 5 years she is looking at a total hysterectomy, before she ends up in my shoes. She had to use clomid to have Kinsey--a fertility drug. So he said if she wanted, they would work on that after getting a cardio clearance.

As I type she is once again at her PCP's trying to get an echocardiogram scheduled so she can see a cardiologist specializing in the dilation of the ascending aorta. He said he hears no leaks today--that is good!!!

So I am breathing a bit easier. No cancer. The RA saddens me, but hopefully hers will not be any worse through the years than mine. Now we work solely on getting cardiac clearance, find out what is going on there.....one step behind us, another biggie to go---but all in all wonderful news on the ovary issue.

OK---gotta go cook some noodles. Will check back with everyone----just wanted to let you know the newest with Manda!

Thanks for all the support!!! I do love you guys!!!

Kat

[SherryW 4]

I started a new MAY 2008 thread for us. Here is the link...

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f51/nj-may-2008-chat-62038/#post826212

See you there. Man we're slacking if I'm the one making the thread..I'm usually the one that's lost hahaha!