Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Happy HumpDay

Mid week and I am trying to catch up. As my mother would say, the faster I go, the behinder I get. I really haven't had much time to get online this week. I've been busy, to say the least.

My very best friend Rose, had a mastectomy on Monday. She found a large lump in her breast about a month ago during a self exam and it turned out to be cancer. She had 2 tumors in her breast and both were about 2 inches long. They did a lymph node dissection and those were not compromised at all so she is very, very lucky. Her prognosis is excellent, but she will be going through some chemotherapy in a few weeks. The results from her mammogram show that her other breast is perfectly fine so this also is very good news. This is a very intelligent woman, but one who always blew off pap smears and mammograms because she just didn't feel like going. She also thought she wasn't 'old' enough to worry about such things. I have tried telling her in the past that no one is exempt. I lost another friend to breast cancer a couple of years ago and she had been fighting the disease for 5 years. She was only 43 when she passed away. I go for my exams faithfully every year. And knowing that Rose doesn't...I always make sure I tell her when I go, in the hopes that she will think about it and follow suit. I am glad I followed through with that ritual last month because it may have saved her life. It was the day after I told her I had gone for my mammogram that she did the self exam. Thank God she finally heard me.
I spent some time with her at the hospital on Monday and she went home on Tuesday. I just spoke to her on the phone and she sounds great! She said she is following doctors orders (she has little choice there because her mother in law is a retired registered nurse and is staying there for a couple of weeks to help her) and she feels ok all things considered. She's able to manage pain with tylenol. I am so happy that she will be here with me for a long time to come. Our plans to torment the old men in the nursing home some 20 years from now can still be carried out! LOL
She still has a rough road ahead of her, but she's tough and I have confidence that she'll pull through. I'll be going up to help her out this weekend.
So if you haven't had that mammogram, ladies, please get one. I would like to keep you all around for a very long time.

Another friend of mine had her baby on Monday. A boy, 8lbs 14 oz 22 inches long. Momma and baby are doing just fine. I hear he is a content baby and hardly ever cries. Lets hope that continues. I'd like to get up and visit her sometime this weekend, too.

I tried putting up some new mini blinds in my living room last night but found out that I didn't measure correctly and had to exchange them today for some wider ones. The other blinds I had up measured 35 inches wide...so that's what I bought but came up about an inch short. Go figure. The 36 inch ones fit beautifully so I guess I wasn't supposed to actually measure the blinds but the space they are to fit into. Do I look like an interior decorator to you? LOL

I'm going to surf around for a bit, then bed isn't too far away.
I hope everyone is having a good week.

9 comments:

AliceKay said...

I'm glad your friend finally heard you, and I hope she makes out okay with her chemo. I know you two will enjoy tormenting those poor old men in the nursing home someday. :)

I'm one of those women who keeps putting those tests off, too. It's been 5 years since I had a mammogram, and I know I need to have one soon. I had a scare 10 years ago and don't want another. I'll try to get past this doctor phobia of mine and make that appointment soon. October sounds like a good month.

I wish your friend and her baby the best. I've seen his pic, and he is precious. I would give anything to be able to tell her that, but I can't.

And yes, I'm feeling better today. The coughing finally has lessened and my head feels much better. Thanks. *hugs*

ChicagoLady said...

I too lost a friend to breast cancer, she battled it for more than 5 years I believe, it eventually moved into her bones, and finally the chemo stopped working. She was spunky and had a great sense of humor. She's the one that got me into Nascar racing.

Kerry said...

I guess this message is directed at me :(
....... cause I have never had my breast examined and don't ever think to. It's just not something I have ever worried about and although I am 40 and I see commercials it still doesn't occur to me book such an appointment. Cancer certainly doesn't run in my family and I don't even think my mother has ever had a mammogram? Guess it has to be done sometime tho

AliceKay said...

An annual mammogram is recommended starting at age 40...sooner if there's a history of breast cancer in your family. I had my first one when I was 40, but only because I was having a problem and needed it checked out. Lucky for me, after a second closer view mammogram, everything checked out okay. Did you know that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month here in the US?

Toriz said...

My Nan battled breast cancer and won the battle. But that doesn't mean that I'm all that eager to have my breasts examined. I have enough doctors pulling me about without going out to look for another one.

Toriz said...

Btw, congrats to your friend who had the baby!

Lainie said...

Wasn't meant to be preachy by any means, and I apologize if I came off that way. No one likes to be poked and prodded and I will be the first to admit that I dread every medical appointment I've ever gone to. My mother never had a mammogram until she was around 60 and has no history of cancer of any kind in her family. She has beaten both colon and uterine cancer thanks to early detection.
I also want to say that my friend Rose had no history of breast cancer in her family as well.
I'm off my soapbox now....enjoy your evening.

Toriz said...

Even with early detection there's no guarantee you can beat the cancer. And even without it there's no guarantee you can't beat the cancer

AliceKay said...

You weren't being preachy, Lainie. Thanks for the reminder that we should get those tests done. (us older ladies, anyway) *hugs*