After a self imposed hiatus.........Value Buy is back

[Virgil Showlion]

Wow. Very sorry to hear about the diagnoses.

[Value Buy]

Nov 14, 2016 22:26:43 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

Nov 14, 2016 21:39:58 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

A few things..............we all know how hard our wives, mothers, significant others work to maintain house conditions........
Well I thought I knew.........
I have had to prepare meals, but have drawn the line at frying bacon. I am not getting attacked by spitting grease ever again......Thank God and Oscar Mayer for microwave bacon, but it ain't the real stuff.
Make sure her regular meds are taken at proper times. She has diabetes, not too serious yet, and this complicates the treatment, and do not say anything about the steroids she had to take the day of treatment...
I wound up buying a new washer this summer. She complained about it but I did not take her seriously enough...oh brother.......until I started doing the laundry. 
Maintaining one bathroom for her exclusively trying to keep it amazingly clean for her- can't have any complications from infections, etc.
She has trouble sleeping through the night, and I have not had eight hours of sound sleep since March either.....


I know I am rambling.........but now you know why I have not been around. Politics and cancer do not mix.....
The other thing I want to say, is you really learn very fast who your true friends and concerned relatives are real fast. There are people who I would never think would not be there for her at a drop of the hat, but evidently some people will drop you like that proverbial hot potato.
Lucky to even get a damn phone call 
Enough from me tonight..........

VB, I'm really sorry to hear this. I know how hard it is to fight through chemo and all the associated misery that accompanies cancer treatment. It's hard for the patient and hard for those who love and care for that patient. My thoughts are with you and yours. Begone, damned cancer!

As an aside, the hyperglycemia may well subside after the treatments are over. It's not an uncommon side-effect. 

My wife and I were talking a few weeks ago about our situation. We wondered how working married couples survive dealing with these issues. We are retired, it might make us a little older, maybe making it a little harder physically, but at least we do not have work, or loss of income to deal with on top of everything else.
The mental aspect of it can be overwhelming at times, but in a strange way, it makes us stronger too.
On the bright side, since chemo ended last week, we see some hair starting to come out already. We know it will be brittle, and will have to be cut off, maybe twice, but it is a start for her.
Another thing was having a good supplemental insurance for Medicare, and she had a good strong medication  insurance policy. Costs out of pocket are virtually zilch. If we are on my old company insurance, our portion of the bill would be rather large.
In Florida, the Cancer center we visited, everything was basically in one building, they took care of all appointments with all doctors. No phone calls by us making arrangements. They called us for the appointments. We were amazed how easy it was for us. We appreciated the team work, and we both thought about our previous dealing with doctors back home for any sort of surgery, etc. Here in Indiana, we had to make the appointments after being referred to a doctor(s), spent time on the phone making appointments, etc, and driving all over two counties making appointments, etc.  Not to mention whether the doctors were in network, etc.  

[mmhmm]

I'm really glad to hear it's gone so well for you two, Value Buy. Serious illness in a family causes more than enough stress and misery without the healthcare system adding to the problem, that's for sure! I'm just going to stay positive and keep wishing the very best for your wife, and for you. 

[Virgil Showlion]

Nov 14, 2016 23:36:09 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Nov 14, 2016 22:26:43 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

VB, I'm really sorry to hear this. I know how hard it is to fight through chemo and all the associated misery that accompanies cancer treatment. It's hard for the patient and hard for those who love and care for that patient. My thoughts are with you and yours. Begone, damned cancer!

As an aside, the hyperglycemia may well subside after the treatments are over. It's not an uncommon side-effect. 

My wife and I were talking a few weeks ago about our situation. We wondered how working married couples survive dealing with these issues. We are retired, it might make us a little older, maybe making it a little harder physically, but at least we do not have work, or loss of income to deal with on top of everything else.
The mental aspect of it can be overwhelming at times, but in a strange way, it makes us stronger too.
On the bright side, since chemo ended last week, we see some hair starting to come out already. We know it will be brittle, and will have to be cut off, maybe twice, but it is a start for her.
Another thing was having a good supplemental insurance for Medicare, and she had a good strong medication  insurance policy. Costs out of pocket are virtually zilch. If we are on my old company insurance, our portion of the bill would be rather large.
In Florida, the Cancer center we visited, everything was basically in one building, they took care of all appointments with all doctors. No phone calls by us making arrangements. They called us for the appointments. We were amazed how easy it was for us. We appreciated the team work, and we both thought about our previous dealing with doctors back home for any sort of surgery, etc. Here in Indiana, we had to make the appointments after being referred to a doctor(s), spent time on the phone making appointments, etc, and driving all over two counties making appointments, etc.  Not to mention whether the doctors were in network, etc. 

I have to admit: any time I read things about "good supplemental insurance for Medicare", "good strong medication insurance policy", and "doctors in network", I get really thankful I live north of the border.

That's not a plug for "single payer" or whatever you call it down there; it's just a statement of fact.

It's truly heartening to hear your insurer hasn't added to the stress of everything.

[Jaguar]

Value Buy, I wish your DW and yourself all the best. My thoughts are with you all.

[zibazinski]

I'm so sorry VB. My aunt is going through this right now. She had a double mastectomy and chemo. Then radiation which burned her terribly. Then she got spots on the other side and now she's back on chemo. Probably radiation again. She's been lucky in that it hasn't made her sick so she drives herself and doesn't need my uncle, yet. She's 80 as is he. But cancer is a nasty evil curse.

[djAdvocate]

Nov 11, 2016 14:20:55 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

I guess I did miss something on the boards.
We did have an election and elected a new President!
Have tried to catch up on the various threads, but posters have really been busy!
And 90 percent of them got it all wrong.......

I must congratulate Trump. He did blow up the Republican party. What I did not understand, Bernie started blowing up the Democratic party, but Donald dealt the fatal blow to the Democrats on Tuesday.
We had a twofer on Tuesday. Both parties are soul searching to see where they went wrong, and neither understand it was their elitism and scorn of the citizens of the U.S.A. 
But Democrats truly got the last laugh.
We elected a Democrat to the White House. Unfortunately, neither party wants to claim him........

unfortunately, i disagree.  i don't think the Democrats are in disarray in ANY sense of the term.  quite the contrary.  they have a lightning rod to unify them.

they chose a very weak candidate and lost to what i thought was an even weaker one.

[dee27]

VB,

Wishing your wife a speedy recovery and you some restful sleep. Bacon: Bake it at 400 degrees in the oven in a broiler pan. The grease drops through the holes of the broiler; let it congeal and dispose in trash. This avoids the usual splatter from cooking on the stove top.

[Green Eyed Lady]

VB...you and your wife are in my thoughts and in my prayers.

[djAdvocate]

Nov 11, 2016 20:34:29 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Nov 11, 2016 14:14:12 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

As I stated, I am back, but on a limited basis. I thought I might make it a game for everyone and we can have some fun!
Reasons, are one or more of the following.

1.Spent eight weeks in Ohio volunteering for a certain candidate, door knocking, phone calls, etc, then moved on to Michigan, doing the same until Monday
2.Was dealing with twenty weeks of chemo treatment with a family member, and was physically and mentally torn apart dealing with everything as well as a mother-in-law serious health issues, and brother-in-law diagnosed with kidney cancer, winding up car pooling to three different cities every week for quite a few weeks.
3. Dezi showed up, so I decided to take a vacation so I would not get banned.
4. Saw Laura's post about playing nice on the politics board, and said, "no way Jose" and banned myself.
5. Hit the Lotto
6. Was so disappointed in the one sided politics board where there were four people representing one side, and decided on exile until after the election.
7. If I stayed on the politics board, I would have flat lined by October 15th, so left for saving my physical and mental health.
8. Combination of 1 and 5
9. Combination of 1 and 7
10. Combination of 6 and 7

Feel free to take your best guess and reply.
On Monday I will release the correct answer or answers.

9, obviously.

2 is probably true, but family tragedies are no justification for shirking one's posting responsibilities on a message board.

The timing of 3 is wrong, and 4 assumes posters pay attention to warnings by admin, which is plainly false.

5 is improbable. This also rules out 8.

6 clearly isn't true since there are only four kinds of threads on the Politics boards: 1-on-0 (topic is too complex), 1-on-1 (debate between two long-winded posters [generally Virgil and DJ]), 20-on-1 (progressives on conservatives), and 20-on-0 (progressive echo chamber). This also rules out 10.

7 is true. You wouldn't have mentioned 1 if it wasn't also true. Hence 9 is the correct answer.

What do I win?

don't exaggerate.  i have had three conservatives go after me before, and i have seen three liberals go after a conservative occasionally.

the whininess is bad enough coming from posters.  coming from an admin, it is deplorable. 

[Wisconsin Beth]

Best wishes and prayers to you and your wife VB.

[wyouser]

Thoughts are with you and your wife VB.

[tyfighter3]

VB, glad your back. I know what your going thru, my wife had third stage colon rectum cancer a few years ago. She has 6 months to go before she can say she is cancer free. 5 years is a long time to wait. They have made leaps and bonds in cancer treatments over the last few years so I have every hope that your wife will be fine. It's a part of life that I wish on No One to go thru because of being a spose standing there knowing you can't do anything for her or him but give support. You will be in my prayers.

[Value Buy]

Nov 20, 2016 16:08:50 GMT -5 tyfighter3 said:

VB, glad your back. I know what your going thru, my wife had third stage colon rectum cancer a few years ago. She has 6 months to go before she can say she is cancer free. 5 years is a long time to wait. They have made leaps and bonds in cancer treatments over the last few years so I have every hope that your wife will be fine. It's a part of life that I wish on No One to go thru because of being a spose standing there knowing you can't do anything for her or him but give support. You will be in my prayers.

Thank you.
That was what the doctor originally said about cancer free after five years.....
Our last visit with the chemo doctor, he told us the new standard is no longer five years cancer free. We are looking more like 8 to 10 years of maintenance drugs before before giving the    Not sure if this al cancers, or just breast cancer.

Anyway..... we start radiation Tuesday, and run through about January 15th, if all goes according to plan. 
Then we go from there.....

[Value Buy]

Thank you everyone.
You do not realize how much this means to me!

[Jaguar]

Stay strong and know we are always here for you.

[zibazinski]

If you need to vent or talk or whatever, we are here.

[Value Buy]

Nov 22, 2016 21:08:25 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

If you need to vent or talk or whatever, we are here.

Shall we talk election results?


VB thinking maybe not on this thread.........

[zibazinski]

Definitely not on this thread. No safe place to go to.

[Value Buy]

A short update.
We just finished day three of radiation treatments.
The place is a great establishment, and is a women's health center clinic specializing in Breast cancer. 
Different from the chemo appointments as is very private, usually one person in waiting room when you arrive, but almost goes in immediately, and then someone else shows up just before my wife is called in.
We sort of miss the chatter and congeniality of so many patients fighting the same disease, but the treatment takes about 20 minutes, and they say it will grow faster as she understands the movements they want her to make during the treatments.

She is slowly regaining vigor and strength from the chemo.........fingernails are a problem, and the hair is slowly growing out, but not kinky or knarly yet. Sort of soft and dark, which is hard on her. She is a blazing redhead, and wants it back!

[Green Eyed Lady]

My prayers continued to be with you and your wife, VB.

[mmhmm]

Dec 1, 2016 11:57:32 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

A short update.
We just finished day three of radiation treatments.
The place is a great establishment, and is a women's health center clinic specializing in Breast cancer. 
Different from the chemo appointments as is very private, usually one person in waiting room when you arrive, but almost goes in immediately, and then someone else shows up just before my wife is called in.
We sort of miss the chatter and congeniality of so many patients fighting the same disease, but the treatment takes about 20 minutes, and they say it will grow faster as she understands the movements they want her to make during the treatments.

She is slowly regaining vigor and strength from the chemo.........fingernails are a problem, and the hair is slowly growing out, but not kinky or knarly yet. Sort of soft and dark, which is hard on her. She is a blazing redhead, and wants it back!

It sounds like your wife is doing well, VB; especially, considering all she's been through. Kudos to her! As for the hair, what she's experiencing is pretty common. Sometimes, the hair comes in really curly (even if it was straight as a stick before), sometimes just wavy, and sometimes it's still straight as a stick. Color change is less common but not unheard of, and hair often returns to its original color and texture over a period of time. Thing is, speed of growth is slowed considerably so it can take a year or so. Thankfully, there are some darned good hair color products on the market!

Give her a hug for me and keep one for yourself.

[Value Buy]

Dec 1, 2016 12:54:19 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

Dec 1, 2016 11:57:32 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

A short update.
We just finished day three of radiation treatments.
The place is a great establishment, and is a women's health center clinic specializing in Breast cancer. 
Different from the chemo appointments as is very private, usually one person in waiting room when you arrive, but almost goes in immediately, and then someone else shows up just before my wife is called in.
We sort of miss the chatter and congeniality of so many patients fighting the same disease, but the treatment takes about 20 minutes, and they say it will grow faster as she understands the movements they want her to make during the treatments.

She is slowly regaining vigor and strength from the chemo.........fingernails are a problem, and the hair is slowly growing out, but not kinky or knarly yet. Sort of soft and dark, which is hard on her. She is a blazing redhead, and wants it back!

It sounds like your wife is doing well, VB; especially, considering all she's been through. Kudos to her! As for the hair, what she's experiencing is pretty common. Sometimes, the hair comes in really curly (even if it was straight as a stick before), sometimes just wavy, and sometimes it's still straight as a stick. Color change is less common but not unheard of, and hair often returns to its original color and texture over a period of time. Thing is, speed of growth is slowed considerably so it can take a year or so. Thankfully, there are some darned good hair color products on the market!

Give her a hug for me and keep one for yourself.

Thank you!
I did not want to leave the impression her original hair was knarly or kinky. We were told it could grow wiry, for lack of a better word. Hair color was also mentioned as possibly being different, but just let it  grow out, and shave it all off and start over. The second growth could possibly be closer to the old norm...as to texture and color, but color origination is not a guarentee.....

[mmhmm]

Yep. The chemo creates changes in the follicles themselves. Over time, things usually return to what's normal for the individual patient. Another possibility she might consider is the purchase of a couple of wigs that are close to her original color. Wigs have come a long way.  They're no longer heavy and uncomfortable. Some are made so the hairline looks very real if she doesn't normally wear bangs. They're also not near as expensive as they once were. She can choose synthetic hair or opt for real, human hair (more expensive). During the grow-out period, she can keep her hair very, very short and wear a wig whenever she wants. I've know quite a few women who took this approach and were very satisfied with the results. For the record, Paula Young makes very nice wigs at reasonable prices. Most of hers are synthetics, I believe, but there are any number of outlets for human hair wigs, as well. A Google search will give her lots to look at and choose from if she decides to go this way.

[djAdvocate]

Locks Of Love has a program for human hair.

my son donated his when he was in 8th grade.

[djAdvocate]

Nov 22, 2016 21:17:00 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

Definitely not on this thread. No safe place to go to.

this shows some unexpected sensitivity.  well done.

[Value Buy]

Update:

We finished radiation treatments this morning.
Thirty three treatments. Twenty eight were for breast and under the arm area, and final five were only in the breast area.
She did well up to two weeks ago, when the skin was really showing effects of the treatment, but she is doing well.
 
This afternoon we met with our Oncologist for the final time, until follow up meetings.......
Her blood work is strong for red and white cells, and the bone density test taken in December came back good, so she can start the maintence drug for the next five years.
We have to see an Oncologist every three months to make sure the medication is doing well, and with him, when we are home up north.
It was a positive meeting with him, saying she has done really well with both the radiation and chemo treatments, but as usual, no guarantees and no test that will tell you it has come back. Her risk factor for it returning is in 11% range, based on the original tumor, treatment procedure, and the five year drug treatment.
All we can do is watch for signs of medical problems relating to Cancer and get into a doctor asap.
He gave us a good vibe on the outcome, so we will take him at his word for now!
Only thing to do now is schedule a mammogram which is little over due, because he did not want done until radiation was over............and pack the bags and head to sunny Florida for awhile!

[zibazinski]

Jan 16, 2017 19:32:16 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Update:

We finished radiation treatments this morning.
Thirty three treatments. Twenty eight were for breast and under the arm area, and final five were only in the breast area.
She did well up to two weeks ago, when the skin was really showing effects of the treatment, but she is doing well.
 
This afternoon we met with our Oncologist for the final time, until follow up meetings.......
Her blood work is strong for red and white cells, and the bone density test taken in December came back good, so she can start the maintence drug for the next five years.
We have to see an Oncologist every three months to make sure the medication is doing well, and with him, when we are home up north.
It was a positive meeting with him, saying she has done really well with both the radiation and chemo treatments, but as usual, no guarantees and no test that will tell you it has come back. Her risk factor for it returning is in 11% range, based on the original tumor, treatment procedure, and the five year drug treatment.
All we can do is watch for signs of medical problems relating to Cancer and get into a doctor asap.
He gave us a good vibe on the outcome, so we will take him at his word for now!
Only thing to do now is schedule a mammogram which is little over due, because he did not want done until radiation was over............and pack the bags and head to sunny Florida for awhile!

.


What part of sunny Florida?

[Opti]

Congratulations to you both for successfully making it through chemo and radiation. Make sure to have her take it easy and lock in her success.

[engineerdoe]

Jan 16, 2017 19:32:16 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Update:

We finished radiation treatments this morning.
Thirty three treatments. Twenty eight were for breast and under the arm area, and final five were only in the breast area.
She did well up to two weeks ago, when the skin was really showing effects of the treatment, but she is doing well.
 
This afternoon we met with our Oncologist for the final time, until follow up meetings.......
Her blood work is strong for red and white cells, and the bone density test taken in December came back good, so she can start the maintence drug for the next five years.
We have to see an Oncologist every three months to make sure the medication is doing well, and with him, when we are home up north.
It was a positive meeting with him, saying she has done really well with both the radiation and chemo treatments, but as usual, no guarantees and no test that will tell you it has come back. Her risk factor for it returning is in 11% range, based on the original tumor, treatment procedure, and the five year drug treatment.
All we can do is watch for signs of medical problems relating to Cancer and get into a doctor asap.
He gave us a good vibe on the outcome, so we will take him at his word for now!
Only thing to do now is schedule a mammogram which is little over due, because he did not want done until radiation was over............and pack the bags and head to sunny Florida for awhile!

Glad she gets a reprieve in Florida.  She will still be feeling the effects of radiation for about three weeks after being done.  I guess in my experience that was the nice thing about chemo (yes that is bizarre to say/read) that in a week I would feel ok again.  Radiation kicked my ass it it took a month to start feeling like I was going to be a normal human again.  I'm sure her doctor has mentioned this to her already but she should start physical therapy as soon as she is cleared to keep lymphadema in check in her arm.  They have some really cool compression sleeves too.