It's me Linda starting new thread

dorion

You guys are the sweetest bunch I've ever met in my entire life. Carolyn, I am so happy that you got to go home. And before you wonderful ladies start feeling really bad for me I got good news, they got sick of watching me pout and they are going to let me out of here tomorrow for 5 hours!!!! I am so happy! See there really is Christmas miracles. But I had resigned to the fact that I wasn't going to get out for Christmas day and had all sorts of alternative plans in place and I got Meghan all fired up with excitement to ease her sadness of me not being there. And boy is she gonna be nuts tomorrow, not only am I going to surprise her with my presense she is is going to go out of her mind. I got her the Bunny Rabbit she has been oggling at since September at the pet store and then after me being with her and also oogling the damn thing I got him and she has no clue. I managed once again to pull it off and got her all her wish list fulfilled except her acoustic guitar which I'll get after Christmas cos she'll know it will be from me and not that darn Santa that steals all our thunder and that I couldn't get it while I was here.

When I read your message about all the prayers flying out there that I can catch them, I could feel it. You made me cry! Thank you beautiful ladies. And I figured out why I'm here still. Us gals are gonna have a conferrence on this and collectively I know we can come up with something extrodinary. This has been sailing in my head since my diagnosis and being a single mom I know the financial strain it is on all of us, young and old, parents or not. There is not one charity or organization in place for help financially or releif for that single mom who can't by a birthday cake or present for her childs birthday, or a lot that can't afford meds. You see where I'm going with this. Why can't we start up a charity or organizaion where people who are sick can can get some releif? This is rediculous that they have all these foundations for breast cancer research and yes love the Make a wish foundation, but that is for the childern, what about adults. Let me here your feed back on this Girls. This could give us something to work on in the new year. I'm not even sure how to go about it, but I know I can sell snow to eskamos and so I could get legal experts to perhaps donate thier time in helping us set a foundation up. What do you think Ladies? Think we can do it? I know we can. Love to all and let's have a wonderful Christmas. Thank you all of you for your support and love. My love holds no bounds with you ladies!!!!!

Linda

saundra

Midland Tx has it
Well, the wonderful city I live in has all kinds of support. I am a member of a church that has many ministries to single Moms. We have a Christmas store every Christmas where a mother can pick out two new toys for each of her children and they are gift wrapped and carried to her car. This year we served 631 families. We have a continuing ministry of benevalance where needs are met like money for utility bills or rent is provided. We have a food and clothing pantry. We have a home for single moms with living and education programs to help them learn to be independent for as long as two years. This is just from one church and there are others. Most important to me we have a group of cancer support that meets once a month called CAPS or Cancer and Prayer Support. Also a hat shop where you can get hats, scarfs, and wigs, new and used free..as many as you want. I am sure there are other cities like mine. Let's hear about others.
Maybe my home is different, but when a need is seen, it is met pretty much. Saundra

billsgal

A Happier Christmas For Sure
That is so wonderful that you have gotten to go home for Christmas! So happy for you! And your spirits sound so much better, which is understandable. Also, your new thread ideas sound great too. Good luck with that! Well, I'll be lurking on here watching to see how you are doing, and hope that miraculous things will come your way in the new year! Best wishes always.

Carolyn

mopar

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
How wonderful, Linda! I'm so happy for you. And about right now you are home, and ready to present Meghan with her big surprise! As much as you may have needed the attention, health care givers know, just as well as anyone else, that our quality of life is just as important to our recovery as any meds. So happy they could accomodate you!

I agree that there need to be more support groups out there. And if there are any, we at least need to hear about them more.

Have a VERY Merry Christmas with your daughter!

(((HUGS)))
Monika

carol2dogs

Merry Christmas
Linda,
I'm so very happy for you that you got to spend some time at home for Christmas! I'm dying to hear how your surprises went over with Meghan. Did your family have any surprises for you? I like your ideas about helping those who are sick, especially with the financial hardships that come with illness. I'm thinking.
Love and hugs, Carol

lindaprocopio

carol2dogs said:

Merry Christmas
Linda,
I'm so very happy for you that you got to spend some time at home for Christmas! I'm dying to hear how your surprises went over with Meghan. Did your family have any surprises for you? I like your ideas about helping those who are sick, especially with the financial hardships that come with illness. I'm thinking.
Love and hugs, Carol

I'm so glad you got her a BUNNY!
I got MYSELF a little pet bunny last spring and she has been such a sweet gentle little fuzzy ball of comfort to me throughout my treatments. What a wonderful Christmas surprise! If you need any 'bunny parenting' tips, please ask me! I've had rabbits as pets since my own boys were toddlers.

Quality of life is so important in treatment decisions. I was in yesterday to get my daily Neupogen shot and the staff said over HALF of the chemo patients were given the option of taking a mini-vacation from treatment for Christmas and most had taken advantage of it. I hope it was a wonderful day for you, your family, and for all the lovely teal warriors here!

msfanciful

I Agree 100%
Hi, I'm so happy to hear you were able to go home for Christmas! For us dealing with something so life-altering, I couldn't imagine not being able to at least be at a place of comfort on Christmas.

I'll bet she loved the bunny rabbit too.

I feel blessed as well, because I got to another birthday since my diagnosis (2/2007). My birthday was on Christmas Day , so I too feel blessed to have the opportunity to celebrate another day, no matter how large or small.

I agree with you 100%, because I too was thrust into this world of expensive, surgery, hospital stays, treatments and neverending follow-ups and tests totally unprepared. I was in business for myself and of course could not afford insurance, so if any of you can imagine the horror one feels when they hear the words "cancer". I couldn't worry about getting well for worrying about how was I going to pay for everything!

All I can say is there is a god, because to this very day, I still don't know how I was able to receive all 14 chemo treatments, surgery, etc., without it. I just landed on the doorstep of a wonderful doctor and her team by the grace of god.

But there were still those challenges of having to come up with monies (that you don't have), or fearing to hear the words " we can't treat you anymore because you are a charity case."

I've often wondered why is there not some group or agency that is there specifically to help the financial needs of the uninsured as well? I know we are not the only ones in this nightmarish position and I have met many who haven't been as fortunate as I ( if you can believe that!).

Yes sister, I think it can be done. If you can conceive it, you can acheive it.

My prayers go out to you and yours.

BonnieR

Glad you were home
Hey Linda, just wanted to chime in with the rest chorus... ♪♫ Glad you were home for Christmas ♫♪ ... and the bunny what a special gift. I had a co worker that there bunny was litter box trained. Sending Lots fo Prayers your way. Bonnie

dorion

lindaprocopio said:

I'm so glad you got her a BUNNY!
I got MYSELF a little pet bunny last spring and she has been such a sweet gentle little fuzzy ball of comfort to me throughout my treatments. What a wonderful Christmas surprise! If you need any 'bunny parenting' tips, please ask me! I've had rabbits as pets since my own boys were toddlers.

Quality of life is so important in treatment decisions. I was in yesterday to get my daily Neupogen shot and the staff said over HALF of the chemo patients were given the option of taking a mini-vacation from treatment for Christmas and most had taken advantage of it. I hope it was a wonderful day for you, your family, and for all the lovely teal warriors here!

I'm back.....
Oh boy eh? What a way to start the New Year, well they finally let me loose last Monday, what a relief! I took myself on a shopping spree that day and spent my rent money...lol lol...I did...shhhhh....I wanted to buy myself some nice cloths, I think it was all the meds that was sailing through my body and I temporarly lost my marbles, that's what I'll tell them in small claims court.

Seriously now, I still wear these horrible bags and let me tell you they are a pain in the ****. They smell, which is very upsetting to me because I am very sensetive to smell and I so enjoy wearing my fragrances, I never in million years think I would be adding eau de urine to my collection. I'll call it Coco P. But apparently there is some sort of a coal thing that they'll put in place to obsorb the odor, I have homecare coming in on Friday so they'll be able to help me out. Meanwhile I've had to manage these damn things on my own with just trail and error and just figuring things out on my own. I just pray that these kidneys will mend and they'll take the bags out and more importantly I can continue with my treatment. But enough 'bout me, let's talk Meghan. OMG that darn bunny wabbit, Linda, this little guy is so adorable I'm not sure who santa brought it to. He is so cuddly and sweet and he always gives me kisses with his tiny little tongue, he runs around my feet and begs for me to pick him up. I was so alergic to rabbits until Hoto and Meghan's face Christmas morning! She spent the night with me Xmas eve and we went home together I had my friend hide him in the bathtub and I made my girl suffer through most of her presents before putting her out of her misery.

The thing that got me is that although she didn't see a bunny she didn't show one ounce of disappointment on her face at all, which kind of broke my heart. After she unwrapped most of her presents with still some to go, I kept asking her if she had to go to the washroom, she insisted no, but I insisted that she go and when she was standing there trying to figure out what the heck that sound coming from the shower was I yanked back the shower curtains and Girls, you should have seen the look on her face. She put her hands to her face and she almost cried.

Now having told you all this, I'm wondering, I didn't tell you this story already did I? LOL...them there drugs are a wonderful thing. Well I don't know how I managed but I did manage to pull it off for my girl, with help of a wonderful friend/neighbor who wrapped all my gifts and picked up Hoto, without her I would have been paniced. Yes Linda I will be asking you adive, like how to get them to stop leaving treats all over de place. Or is that unpreventable? Friday night I had to be rushed to the hospital with my usual bowel obstruction and that pain is really enought to make you want to end it right there and then. So another night in the hospital, they wanted to keep me an extra day but I opted to signing myself out, I know my body and this ain't my first rodeo here, so I knew I was good to go. Well that's about it for now, it's enough eh? And you know I'm gonna thank all of you again for hanging with me and keeping my spirits up. Love all you guys tons.

Linda

dorion

BonnieR said:

Glad you were home
Hey Linda, just wanted to chime in with the rest chorus... ♪♫ Glad you were home for Christmas ♫♪ ... and the bunny what a special gift. I had a co worker that there bunny was litter box trained. Sending Lots fo Prayers your way. Bonnie

to let you know, I wrote a reply but I reply in the wrong place, if you know what I mean. I'm still just learning how to use this thing. how is everyone? Me? Still dealing with these darn bags, it's amazing that they send me home with absolutely no instructions as to how to care for these things, what to look for and so on. It's all trail and error, but finally homecare is coming tomorrow, we'll see if I learn something new. Wish me luck guys on my docs visit on Monday, I'm feeling optomistic though. Love to all and have a great weekend.

Linda

BonnieR

dorion said:

to let you know, I wrote a reply but I reply in the wrong place, if you know what I mean. I'm still just learning how to use this thing. how is everyone? Me? Still dealing with these darn bags, it's amazing that they send me home with absolutely no instructions as to how to care for these things, what to look for and so on. It's all trail and error, but finally homecare is coming tomorrow, we'll see if I learn something new. Wish me luck guys on my docs visit on Monday, I'm feeling optomistic though. Love to all and have a great weekend.

Linda

Luck
wishing you lots of luck and sending up prayers. Bonnie