Hey Moopy

Aortus said:

Thanks ALL!
Thanks for thinking of the Moopster, Kathy, and thanks to all who have supported Moopy and me with their kind thoughts and prayers and even with jokes at my personal expense. Moopy is very tired right now, but it is a good kind of tired. She would love to have the energy to respond appropriately and undoubtedly will, but for now I will have to do my best.

Wednesday's simulation at Barnes went very well overall. Waiting and having the process done was very hard on my brave little wife, but the simulation itself took little more than an hour. They made a mold, took lots of pictures, and colored Moopy with magic markers. Next appointment is Wednesday, June 24, for another sim. Hopefully rads begin the next week. We'd love to get started earlier, but if Dr. Taylor isn't in any hurry, who are we to argue? Besides, the combination of local hyperthermia and IMRT is worth waiting for!

From there we checked into our furnished "vacation condo." It is in St. Charles, which is across the Missouri from St. Louis, but still only a 30 minute commute to Barnes-Jewish. The place is amazing! There are even FOUR ponds in the complex, which will be great for when Tasha and Jamie come to visit with all my godguppies. Better get going on those passport applications now! The extra wait will give us more time to get our home here straightened out, and to get the pups used to their new temporary environment.

It's hard to make going out of town for radiation therapy sound as if it's not "drastic" or "last-ditch." At least to those who are not members of "the club nobody wants to join." But nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, we are very happy that Moopy will be receiving a standard of care which she could not receive in our home town. Both IMRT and local hyperthermia have been proven to bring extra benefit. The first could be done in Springfield, but there is a waiting list. The local hyperthermia might get to Springfield in another five years. Maybe. Bottom line: there are more things we can do to improve Moopy's prognosis, and we're not going to wait around to do them!

For this, we have to thank Moopy's insistence on getting a second opinion from an oncologist at a National Cancer Institute hospital. That got us hooked up with Dr. Barbra Horn, who simply will not settle for "good enough" when it comes to Moopy's treatment. Moopy and I like to think of it as "putting ourselves in help's way." We would both urge any of you who are even considering a second opinion to go ahead and do it. Or a third if you feel it necessary.

It is also hard to explain just how much the camaraderie and love and support on this bulletin board have meant to Moopy and me, and will continue to mean to us. Even in the waiting room at Barnes Jewish, I cranked up the "board" on my iPod Touch and was reading Moopy all of the beautiful messages you left from her. You are all with us, all the time, everywhere we go - in our thoughts and in our prayers, in tough times and good. Thank you all so very much for being such a great example of God's healing love, which is there for all who reach for it.

Best,
Joe

Good to hear
that Moopy is getting the best of care,Joe!
I hope that her rads treatments go by fast and you can come back to home sweet home-though it's nice to get away sometimes too!
Love you both,
Patty

rjjj said:

Hi Moopy
I feel like i must have missed something. Did your rad situation change? I am so glad you are getting the best care possible, and that Joe makes sure of that!! Please don't cry..then i would have to water down my keyboard also. I was trying to think of something really funny to send to you and all i could think of was a picture of my porkeypine head. And i'm not quite ready for that humiliation yet!!lol! You will just have to imagine it.

Soon we will be posting pictures of our beautiful locks of hair. But just want to tell you , Moopy that you are so beautiful hair o not! and i bet I know one guy out there who will agree whole-heartedly! Right Joe!

I hate change also. and it is frightening..especially of the unknown. I know things will get better for you, as the treatments become more familiar.

My computer at home isn't working quite right maybe because I have been computer sharing with the one in Billings..so if I missed something I am so sorry. You know how much i love you, my sis in pink.
jackie

jUST BUMPING THIS UP
i know how modest you are but also know how much we all love you. so just keep that in your heart always. jackie

rjjj said:

jUST BUMPING THIS UP
i know how modest you are but also know how much we all love you. so just keep that in your heart always. jackie

Hello Moopy
Hi Moopy, thinking of you always. Hoping things will go smoothly for you. You and Joe are such a wonderful couple, you are so lucky to have each other. Keeping you in my heart.
Love, Nancy

rjjj said:

Nancy
so good to see you. Are you finished with Rads yet? love ya, jackie

Jackie
Hi, I am almost done. 7 more days (6 after tonite) I know traveling has been hard on you. How far into rads are you? I thnik about you all the time. Love, Nancy

rjjj said:

Nancy
I am half-way through now. just getting a little red, and tired. I am so happy for you 6 to go...then off to enjoy the sunshine with Mike.
love, jackie

Moopy and Jackie
Hey Moopy and Jackie! Two of the sweetest on this site! Both of you truly help others out so much, and, that includes me! When I do log on to the site, I always look for your names, as, you always have so much to offer us! You give so much of yourselves and put forth all of the best wishes and advice that you have.

Hope your rads are still going well Jackie. I posted my lil advice to you earlier. And, don't expose the radiated part to the sun..NO NO NO! You will wind up in the hospital with a 3rd degree burn. I saw a girl that did. She had no idea, as noone told her and I guess she wasn't thinking. Make sure it is covered and wear a sunblock!

Ok, later you two! Love you, Jeanne

p.s. i have been trying to clean my house, but, i keep getting people dropping by. lol really nice though, they have been bringing me MORE plants for my gardens. now to find a place..hmmmmmmmm another new garden perhaps? lol

Kristin N said:

So, how is Moopy doing
So, how is Moopy doing today? Have you started your radiation yet? If you have, I must have missed it somewhere. Hugs to you, Kristin

Thanks for asking, Kristin
Moopy and I drove up to our "summer condo" this afternoon to get things ready for our official move up here - either Sunday evening or Monday morning. It's a matter of when is the best (or least bad) time to haul our doggies the 200 miles up here to St. Louis. We will be checking a few more things out here tomorrow - we have already located the Target, the grocery stores, and the malls - and heading home in the afternoon.

Moopy has her next simulation on June 24, and we're hoping the show will get on the road a few days after that. She's in good spirits, especially since her hair is growing back big time, but I can tell that she's a little anxious to get going with the rads.

Joe

Aortus said:

Thanks for asking, Kristin
Moopy and I drove up to our "summer condo" this afternoon to get things ready for our official move up here - either Sunday evening or Monday morning. It's a matter of when is the best (or least bad) time to haul our doggies the 200 miles up here to St. Louis. We will be checking a few more things out here tomorrow - we have already located the Target, the grocery stores, and the malls - and heading home in the afternoon.

Moopy has her next simulation on June 24, and we're hoping the show will get on the road a few days after that. She's in good spirits, especially since her hair is growing back big time, but I can tell that she's a little anxious to get going with the rads.

Joe

Thanks for the update, Joe :-)
Aaahhh, yes - the priorities are definitely in the right order, the planets aligned correctly, all is well with the universe.

Locating the nearest Target and shopping malls (a J.C.Penney, too? I'm hoping so, knowing Moopster's habits); of course, Retail Therapy while in St. Louis MUST accompany the other therapies. And Borders? You need one of those, also. So Moopster can use her stash of g-i-f-t cards.

Obviously, no additional tutorials are needed.

Kind regards, Susan

P.S.: Today, I'm heading for my own nearest (favorite) mall that includes BOTH Target and JCP! With a JCP $10 coupon in hand! A free tank top? Or, maybe a pair of earrings... hmmm... Decisions, decisions... Woo hoo!

Aortus said:

Thanks for asking, Kristin
Moopy and I drove up to our "summer condo" this afternoon to get things ready for our official move up here - either Sunday evening or Monday morning. It's a matter of when is the best (or least bad) time to haul our doggies the 200 miles up here to St. Louis. We will be checking a few more things out here tomorrow - we have already located the Target, the grocery stores, and the malls - and heading home in the afternoon.

Moopy has her next simulation on June 24, and we're hoping the show will get on the road a few days after that. She's in good spirits, especially since her hair is growing back big time, but I can tell that she's a little anxious to get going with the rads.

Joe

I just want to say HI to
I just want to say HI to you, Moopy and Joe! It is good to see you posting again! Please keep it up, ok? lol Hugs, Noel

Aortus said:

Thanks for asking, Kristin
Moopy and I drove up to our "summer condo" this afternoon to get things ready for our official move up here - either Sunday evening or Monday morning. It's a matter of when is the best (or least bad) time to haul our doggies the 200 miles up here to St. Louis. We will be checking a few more things out here tomorrow - we have already located the Target, the grocery stores, and the malls - and heading home in the afternoon.

Moopy has her next simulation on June 24, and we're hoping the show will get on the road a few days after that. She's in good spirits, especially since her hair is growing back big time, but I can tell that she's a little anxious to get going with the rads.

Joe

Good luck with your move!
I can just see Moopy with her hair flying in the breeze and that beautiful smile on her face. I hope you and the doggies all enjoy your time there. And thanks for keeping us up on everything.
love, jackie

Akiss4me said:

Hang in there.....
Moopy, hang in there, they will start soon enough. I am anxious to get mine over with and was just informed a 2 week more delay as Surgeon did not like the looks of my tumor & wants to send off for OncoDX testing to determine if adding Chemo would be a wise choice. The delay bothers me somewhat, but I feel really bad for my husband, Bill, because all the waiting is starting to take its toll on him (poor guy). I travel out of town for treatment right now but it is only about a 100 mile trip. So we have been going back & forth. However, they did arrange my rads to be done here locally with a wonderful Radiation oncologist that works closely with my team there. And kudos to you for locating the important things up there...shopping, shopping, & more shopping !! Pammy

Hello, Y'all
Thanks for your new messages, my friends. Pammy, I wish you did not have to wait for the oncotype test--you and your hubby-- and that it comes out with a low score, or risk of recurrence. Chemo is doable, and we will be here for you if you do need it. In the meantime, I know we all are hoping that you won't. Please keep us updated, ok?

I know I will have lots of questions for Kristin and everyone who is taking or has finished rads. I am SO ready to get started and get it over with. I am definitely bringing up the rear of the Spring Class of 2009. Probably I am now Class of Summer 2009. Oh, well. So happy that Nancy and Jackie are coming along nicely.

I especially appreciate having you all because I did have an upsetting experience at a restaurant yesterday. Along with my hat, clearly covering baldness, I am also sporting the disappearing eyebrow and eyelash look. Plus, big blue lines are all over my left side, running up to my throat and neck. That is, they can be seen if I don't wear a turtleneck, which I am not in this heat. So I look like a walking Etch-a-Sketch. The lines are for radiation. Altogether, not a conventional look.

Anyway, at the restaurant, two women looked upset as I seated myself behind their booth. They looked away and had the expression of people who had seen something that made them lose their appetite. No compassion or even pity. Just a sick look,as if they couldn't enjoy their food anymore because they had seen something so freakish. I, feeling angry as well as hurt, actually moved over so the one woman with the most disgusted look was facing me. She turned her head away again. So I knew it was me. It made them ill to look at me. I was very angry and then just hurt.

Thank you for caring and for your posts. I read them all and am strengthened in the bad times and good. I may not post as much for the next few days as I have to work and get things ready for the move to St. Louis. But I will check in, as will Joe, and you will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Love, Moopy