7/11/12...Hey! A Lucky Date! and SURGERY Today!

I have never felt more positive!  About  Everyone's decision to have this left breast off. The RADIOISOTOPE and blue dye  is a test I had yesterday was injected with two long needles of blue dye by a Radiology Doctor.  Then I wait for two 1/2 hours till the tie finds its way to my left breast.  Then I am put on this long rolling cart and an XRay square machine comes down close to the top of your chest to take pictures of where the dye is.  this will help determine the stage of  the axillary under arm lymph nodes.  This will be used as a "map of the surgery" to know where to find the "top dog of the lymph nodes" to take out. The RADIOLOGY DOCTOR, STONE, then marks the sight with an X on my breast and also towards the under arm area, another X under the arm all with an arrow..between the two.  Then there is a print out of this chart that I take into the hospital with me this a.m. and it goes to my SURGEON DR. BIANCHI..It was great, in my book, BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR'S FITNESS PLAN by Dr. Kaelin, M.D., MPH  tellsALL ABOUT THIS TEST ON PAGE 42.  I knew every step of the way of this long test.  Every drop you know, gives comfort to you.  Sooooo, I feel good this a.m. I am all packed.  Coffee is on for Bill and Lauran..Just have to put my tooth brush in my packings..I will walk Annie, our dog now and jump in the shower.  Last call for hair wash.  Us ladies want to wash our hair, just like we like a glass of wine..Set it up Sam! Hugs, phyllis   05/06/1933  send comments to  phyllisreh@aol.com                    JACK, thanks for the call..www.women70andover.com    

7/10/12....HANG WITH ME..! pr

It might take awhile..I will be back like Mc Arthur!  hugs, phyllis 05/06/1933   leave a comment or phyllisreh@aol.com       www.women70andover.com

7/10/12.Drumroll, Camera, Surgery Tomorrow 7/11

It took alot of appointments, xrays, reading, breast support groups. Hearing personal stories of brave women who survived breast cancer.  Their pain, their delving, tricks of finding a natural pill to give them more energy after radiation. Women that go to work during all these processes.  I got my strenght from all the books, diagrams, exercises, Bill's open heart surgery in the midst of all of this.  Seeing people of all sorts work hard at physical therapy.  Seeing the grace of God and going to services, listening to Rabbi's and talks about how people get from one square to another.  Remembering when I was five years old and playing with some puppies at a neighbor's house.  My Mom yelled it was time to come home.  I opened the door and found our kitchen table pulled up to the sink.  My Mom told me to climb up and lay down.  I did.  A man was there he was a doctor.  I was about to have my tonsils out!  My Dad was scared for me to have it done, so my Mom made all these arrangements to have it done at home, while my Dad was at work.  I was scared, but I did what was best and what I was told!  When I got up they gave me ice cream and a baby doll in an incubator.!  I was in Heaven!  Now I still do what I am suppose to after reading and learning about my 11 cm Cancer..it must come out left breast and all.  I will go into a healing mode and be able to take my walks, do funny things like eat my veggies, laugh with Bill.  We will look at each other and say...How in the world did we get this far and be so old?  Breast Cancer and Open Heart Surgery 4 by-passes/  Learning to walk all over again.  We must NEVER STOP LEARNING..We have ingredients and love in us from our pasts.  We are gems with the support of family and friends.  Bring on the veggie soup!  Here I come and don't forget the ice cream! Cheers! Hugs, phyllis 05/06/1933   please send comments to phyllisreh@aol.com   or click the red comment button below   www.women70andover.com  

7/9/12... Lots to Do! pr

When you are a medical "specimen", everyone wants another test!  Also! everyone wants to put their two cents in.  They are all skilled and from my side.  I listen, learn and mull through it.  I look up what they say.  I review my Breast MRI'S.  Also I listen to people that have had this done.  It has been very helpful for me to get on UTUBE.  You will have to close your eyes sometimes as the video's are very graphic.  On the other hand people that have had mastectomy's will tell you real facts of tips of how they got this far.  Not all of it is "hear-say".  My readings have given me knowledge.  So far this has all helped.  I hope in the process I have helped other people in some way.  If it is not Breast Cancer, perhaps it will be something else that will hit you, when you least expect it.  I hope you will be one of the few that gets through your life, without a scratch.  Time for a Hug! phyllis  05/06/1933   send comments to phyllisreh@aol.com  or hit the red comment button below.   www.women70andover.com 

7/8/12.....What's Your Foundation Done? pr

What does a title like that mean?  What's Your Foundation Done?  For me it means I hope all those veggies and exercises continue to  help me. I know my glutes and walking are healing me!  I know they are!  My breast is invaded with cancer.  Had I not done all of the above for so much of my life I might have been knocked down by the big wave of cancer that wanted to knock me over. I can hear you saying, I do not have cancer, why would I want to read those books?  Because you are valuable! And! never start a sentence with Because!  I will give you the names of  two books, with the encouragement to please get them at the library and read them.  We protect our cars with spare tires, we get insurance for floods in our homes..but what do you know and do about building a foundation for your health and your muscles to protect you from the health storms that might come your way?  The book THE BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR'S FITNESS PLAN by Carolyn M. Kaelin, MD. MPH she is the Director, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital. It is an eye opener book, easy to read and lots to learn about those BOOBS hanging out in your bra.  The BOOBS that will never let you down! Keep your body strong.  If so, you will be more able to withstand the harshness of the storms of ill health, that come to all of us.  Right now, it's my time.  Tomorrow.....???? where will those storms go?  Women must help each other.  This book  gives you pages of exercises you can do without having BREAST CANCER.  PROTECT YOURSELF before! If you do NOTHING ELSE...learn about your PECTORALIS major muscles...keep them strong...at all times!  The other book is FORKS OVER KNIVES, edited by Gene Stone. You can also get this from Netflex.  It is a documentary.  I have mentioned these books before in my writings.  Perhaps I am turning into our MOM'S, who used to say to us everyday of our childhood, "Did you finish your milk"?  I always thought, "Yuk, I hate milk".  Now we must try and take better care of ourselves, you are all so valuable and dear! Now back to my reading!  Hugs, phyllis 05/06/1933..thanks for the comments I have been getting.  They are so helpful!  phyllisreh@aol.com
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7/7/12 MORE TO LEARN! duh! it never stops pr

Good Morning!  Bill is walking Annie this a.m. That shows you two of us are on the ball and the other one me is bringing up the rear.  We learned alot at Dr. Richard Weiss's office yesterday.  What I learned in the waiting room was major!.  A lovely lady was there and looked familiar.  I asked if  I could talk with her and her husband, both she and I felt we knew each other from Breast Support meetings.  She had breast cancer since 2003 and had taken so much Chemo her hip bone on one side was deteriorating and she will need a hip replacement so she will not need a walker and her driving will continue. I could not believe this and was surprised!   The cancer had spread to other areas.  They were both so brave, so kind, so caring.  I wanted to just say...let me take care of you.  I do not know what I would do for you..but be there to help in someway.  Lets get through this.  When I learned she was 59.  I said I have a daughter just two years younger and I fell silent.  This meeting has regrouped me, with the thoughts, we all must do more to understand this disease and stoomp our feet and help, until then go to Breast Support Meetings, if you have cancer or not and give a hug, that is universal and helps, hugs, phyllis 05/06/1933  send your comments to phyllisreh@aol.com     www.women70andover

7/06/12 Bill

I am the one who just had a heart bypass. I am doing fine and improving from the ordeal day by day.

More later.   Bill