The Official Oklahoma Forum Chattin' Thread (Redbird, May: work, health, home)

[Goodpasture]

RB, if you EVER get into Tulsa, let me know. we need to get together for a coffee or dinner or something. Hell, if you heading for Okie City, I would like to meet both you and Don.

At the end of last January, Schousse was diagnosed with breast cancer. On February 15th she went in for a mastectomy. After a summer of chemo she is now considered cancer free, although we are doing the exercises to redirect to different lymph nodes and she is on a drug regimen that is suppose to give her five years of hot flashes (power surges?). We've found that the best thing for day to day relief is humor. As long as we can share and laugh and tease, it is ok. It is when we dwell on the negative that things get a bit out of hand.

But let us know when you are heading to a city.........btw, don't know what you are doing for New Years, but we are "hosting" and we have extra air mattresses and blankets...........at this point we know for certain that Dennis and Don from Arkansas will be here as well as Schousse's ex from Cape Cod and we may have my ex and her new husband. Won't be fancy but there will be a lot of it.......home grown ham, black eyed peas, green beans we froze last summer, several kinds of pickles we put up a while back.........not sure what else.....DM me if you need phone numbers and directions.....we are off the easy roads.

[redbird4848]

Of course, everyone reacts differently to being cancer free. My reaction was delayed. Don's was silence.

After not talking about it for about 10 minutes, Don finally said Well, the cancer may be gone for now, but it may have jumped to another part of my body. The first five years are the most likely time it may return.

It was snowing pretty heavily on the drive home and Don said he would treat me to any meal I wanted. And that is how Don goes through life. He always takes care of others first. (BTW, we had pizza.) I think driving home in the swirling snow was a good way for us to contemplate the last 6 months of our lives.

Our cancer journey may not be over. We are very cognitive of cancer reappearing. And we are aware we dodged a bullet. We may be entering another phase of our cancer ordeal.

It is a shame the best people are often the ones who have cancer.

Another thing, I noticed so much during my days of sitting in the hospital waiting room. The love and devotion of couples waiting on their spouse who were receiving radiation or chemo.

I have never met so many caring and loving human beings as cancer spouses. So often the husband or wife would share a waiting room with me and we shared a common unspoken bond. Cancer is such a private battle.

I appreciate and welcome all of your comments. And GoodPasture, you never know, one of these days, Don and I just may stop by your place. That would be really cool.

[Schousse]

Originally Posted by redbird4848

Another thing, I noticed so much during my days of sitting in the hospital waiting room. The love and devotion of couples waiting on their spouse who were receiving radiation or chemo.

It IS a "couple journey", not a private one. Goodpasture went with me on every single doctor's appointment and chemo treatment. That made a HUGE difference.

I am glad Don is doing well. Keep up the positive thoughts and attitudes and he will be just fine!

[colleeng47]

Originally Posted by redbird4848

Of course, everyone reacts differently to being cancer free. My reaction was delayed. Don's was silence.

After not talking about it for about 10 minutes, Don finally said Well, the cancer may be gone for now, but it may have jumped to another part of my body. The first five years are the most likely time it may return.

It was snowing pretty heavily on the drive home and Don said he would treat me to any meal I wanted. And that is how Don goes through life. He always takes care of others first. (BTW, we had pizza.) I think driving home in the swirling snow was a good way for us to contemplate the last 6 months of our lives.

Our cancer journey may not be over. We are very cognitive of cancer reappearing. And we are aware we dodged a bullet. We may be entering another phase of our cancer ordeal.

It is a shame the best people are often the ones who have cancer.

Another thing, I noticed so much during my days of sitting in the hospital waiting room. The love and devotion of couples waiting on their spouse who were receiving radiation or chemo.

I have never met so many caring and loving human beings as cancer spouses. So often the husband or wife would share a waiting room with me and we shared a common unspoken bond. Cancer is such a private battle.

I appreciate and welcome all of your comments. And GoodPasture, you never know, one of these days, Don and I just may stop by your place. That would be really cool.

Yes, I remember when DH was told he was cancer-free, it took a while for him to become confident with that. He over-diagnosed every little ache and pain he had. He said for months he felt like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. But eventually he became comfortable with it and in a couple of years (or less) he was his old self again. It takes time. You have to have faith in the fact that your body really did heal, and everything will be all right from now on. My materal aunt had a breast removed when she was 34 years old (back when that was an unusual thing to do), and she lived to be 87 years of age!

[mkfarnam]

Great to hear your good news,

Does that mean your "weird quirky humor" is over?

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by redbird4848

Of course, everyone reacts differently to being cancer free. My reaction was delayed. Don's was silence.

After not talking about it for about 10 minutes, Don finally said Well, the cancer may be gone for now, but it may have jumped to another part of my body. The first five years are the most likely time it may return.

It was snowing pretty heavily on the drive home and Don said he would treat me to any meal I wanted. And that is how Don goes through life. He always takes care of others first. (BTW, we had pizza.) I think driving home in the swirling snow was a good way for us to contemplate the last 6 months of our lives.

Our cancer journey may not be over. We are very cognitive of cancer reappearing. And we are aware we dodged a bullet. We may be entering another phase of our cancer ordeal.

It is a shame the best people are often the ones who have cancer.

Another thing, I noticed so much during my days of sitting in the hospital waiting room. The love and devotion of couples waiting on their spouse who were receiving radiation or chemo.

I have never met so many caring and loving human beings as cancer spouses. So often the husband or wife would share a waiting room with me and we shared a common unspoken bond. Cancer is such a private battle.

I appreciate and welcome all of your comments. And GoodPasture, you never know, one of these days, Don and I just may stop by your place. That would be really cool.

Your both welcome in our place as well redbird. I can understand Don's anxiety about this. He doesn't want to get his hopes up too much, but technology itself is evolving so rapidly in cancer treatment that even if it does come back in three years or so, the chances he will be it will be even better. Think positive!

[redbird4848]

Originally Posted by Synopsis

Your both welcome in our place as well redbird. I can understand Don's anxiety about this. He doesn't want to get his hopes up too much, but technology itself is evolving so rapidly in cancer treatment that even if it does come back in three years or so, the chances he will be it will be even better. Think positive!

Oh yeah, I am always positive, gotta be.

It IS a miracle considering we did not have surgery. It was all intense radiation and FU5 chemo.

I think they said he cannot have any more radiation-EVER. I read every thing I could on the newer treatments. And I believe Tulsa has a place called the American Cancer Treatment Center (or something like that) with a new machine that directs the radiation to a specific depth, thereby minimizing the collateral damage.

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by redbird4848

Oh yeah, I am always positive, gotta be.

It IS a miracle considering we did not have surgery. It was all intense radiation and FU5 chemo.

I think they said he cannot have any more radiation-EVER. I read every thing I could on the newer treatments. And I believe Tulsa has a place called the American Cancer Treatment Center (or something like that) with a new machine that directs the radiation to a specific depth, thereby minimizing the collateral damage.

Yes, it's called Cancer Treatment Centers of America, and is widely regarded as one of the best.

http://www.cancercenter.com/

I hope Don never has to see these people, but they are supposedly very good.

[redbird4848]

I never realized so many people on this board have a history with cancer. To think I did not want to post about it on this normally bright and cheery forum. You guys are way cool.

The dreaded big C.



Freaky stuff.

I wonder if they had cancer in the old days.

[mkfarnam]

redbird4848 wrote:

I wonder if they had cancer in the old days.

Nothing like it is today. Back then a good percentage of people smoked and nob filtered cigarettes.