Wish me luck ...

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

My daughter used to enjoy a few crazy hats when she went through her chemo. The one she loved most was sent to me from Canada - a baseball cap, sporting a Canadian maple leaf on the front, with two arms that emanated from the sides, which would clap when you pulled the cord under the chin. Mind you - she was only seven at the time. Her hair grew back in initially in very tight curls, but now she has the most beautiful thick red wavy hair you can imagine. Not sure if she still has the hat, Joan, but I could ask...

Be well! 

[The Peepmaster]

And from me. What colour is the wig?

I wanted to do my bit, so I've been looking for a supplier.

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

Is that where you get yours from, Peeps?

[Malc]

Did you get a new dog Joan?

You used to have a dog called  Joan?

[Joan]

Joan, thanks for the update. Your positive posts show that you're 'keeping your pecker up' (what is a 'pecker'?) and it makes me feel an ungrateful bitch for moaning about the year we've just left!! Keep getting better!

<<I will appreciate the good life that I have! >>

Google topic for the day: What is a 'pecker'?'  The mind boggles.  I'm not sure that I have one. 

You know, when something like this happens to you, it makes you so much more aware that there are so many people who have had much worse things touch their lives.  As far as I'm concerned this is just a largish hiccup in my journey through life and I'm just a little blip in the scheme of things.  Don't get me wrong, I still have moments of "Why me?" and feeling sorry for myself, but I know that I have more to be grateful for in terms of my breast cancer than whinge about.  I have more than a 95% of stopping the sucker coming back in the next 10 years (and probably longer).  Even if I'm in that 5%, I know that I've been extremely fortunate to have had the life I've led, and more importantly, privileged to have met and known the people who I count as friends, even if I'm not in contact with them any more.  Of course, my life hasn't been perfect - whose is? There are still flaws, but even the flaws have their good points!  What I'm trying to say is that if I were to go tomorrow, I would be happy with the hand I've been dealt over the last 55 years.  I'm getting carried away here - enough of this gooey show of emotion (been watching Home Alone).  Your last line is the right attitude, Vulch - I'm trying to follow it myself. 

Thanks, all of you - Malc, I have to see this - do you live anywhere near Caloundra?  The wig's pretty close to my normal (dyed!) hair colour, Roger.  This is my wig to make me look as normal as possible - would want to be at that price.  I may indulge in one of Peep's party wigs later.  The hat sounds terrific, TT - I'm sure your daughter will be cherishing it if she still has it.  I hope she stays well too.  Oh, for my hair to grow back in gloriously thick and it's original colour - I'd even take red.  Somehow, I think that is not to be - not supposed to dye it for 6 months either - may be using the old Henna.  Should have phrased that differently, Diane, we haven't got a new dog - miss Ben terribly, apart from the hair shedding bit!

I'm now going to start taking the Chrissie decorations down - won't be able to on Tuesday and I know nobody else will.  This superstitious Scot doesn't want to invite any bad luck in the house if she can avoid it! 

[Malc]

I'm a superstitious Scot too, and just to make sure I didn't invite bad luck due to late dismantling of avatar, decorations and tree, I didn't put any up.

[The Peepmaster]

When should I take my decorations and avatar down?

How did Roger manage to do his?

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

Who knows? Least of all Roger.

Joan, I appreciate the goo, and recognise it from my own experiences a few years back. Can't say I've never moaned about my lot since, but this reality is never far away, and a great comfort. Thanks for the reminder.

Our decs came down two days ago. Must've been a good one this year - usually it's Boxing Day!

[Joan]

I can't believe it's a month since I last posted anything!  I was going to have a wee swearing session seeing as Roger said I could if I wanted to, but seeing that poor old Fyodor has undergone bypass surgery and finding out that a friend's father has very advanced cancer, my whinges pale into insignificance.  Still, maybe I could have a go for all three of us ...

@/**&\  #<//!  $#^| and @>%%<+!

I'm coming good really, just felt a bit sorry for myself in the days following my last treatment - more fatigued and nausea not nice.  Went to see doctor and I'm going to take the steroids for longer, which should help with the nausea.  I had the Herceptin this time - don't think there were any side effects, although my eyelids are twitching sometimes, which didn't happen before. Doc didn't pay much attention to that.  3 chemo treatments down and 3 to go - half way there.  I still have some hair - not much, but enough to brush it. It looks like my mother's when she was in her late 80s, very wispy, not quite so gray, though.  At least something sticks out when I wear scarves. 

Son is presently coming to the end of a holiday in Thailand - he managed to lose his wallet within 24 hours of landing in Phuket, so big panic to get us to cancel his cards and work out how to get more cash to him.  Don't really want to know what he's up to over there, but couldn't resist a look at his Facebook wall - big mistake!  Be glad when he's back home safe. Will we ever stop worrying about them?

Kate turned 20 last week - my baby is no longer a teenager!  She got into the Fashion Design course she wanted to do at college, part time, not full time as she wanted, but it's very difficult to get in at all, so she's done well.

We've had rain and storms overnight and it's still coming down now - nice and cool though - about 22C.  Hope it's not too cold wherever you are. 

[Tom]

Hi Joan, nice to see you again! 

I don't know if it will help you any, but every part of me twitches from time to time... my eyes usually if I'm coming down with a cold. It was my left hand yesterday, which was causing problems with my writing. I'm right-handed, so you can imagine how the twitches were feeling!

[Malc]

Hey Joan,
Nice to hear from you, babe, and to know that you're still full of spirit and humour. I know you're a Facebook friend too, but I prefer this.

[Bilthehut]

Joan,  keep on trucking and doing what you are doing - it must be working.  Humour helps as well.
Take care.  Bill

[Diamond Lil]

Joan, when you start thinking 'why me', picture Roger a prisoner in his own home this weekend and I'm sure that'll help you keep your chin and pecker up

[Diane CBPFC]

[...]

I don't know if it will help you any, but every part of me twitches from time to time... my eyes usually if I'm coming down with a cold. It was my left hand yesterday, which was causing problems with my writing. I'm right-handed, so you can imagine how the twitches were feeling!

I don't know how your twitching could help Joan in any way - okay, maybe for mixing up her liquid medicines. 

[Diane CBPFC]

I hadn't realised you had been gone for a month - because I still see you on Facebook.

Glad things in general don't suck as bad as they could and that you are progressing through the treatments. I still like to think of all the mosquitos that you are killing.