<B><FONT color="4B0082" size="4" face="comic sans Ms">MAMMOGRAMS</FONT> -- A DIFFERENT KIND OF MOUNTAIN

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Wednesday, December 04, 15:21:02

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Subject: MAMMOGRAMS

Author:

Stacy

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Date Posted: 12:11:12 02/07/07 Wed

Many women are afraid of their first mammogram, but there is no need to worry. By taking a few minutes each day for a week preceding the exam and doing the following exercises, you will be totally prepared for the test and best of all, you can do these simple exercises right in and around your home.

EXERCISE ONE:

Open your refrigerator door and insert one breast in door. Shut the door as hard as possible and lean on the door for good measure.

Hold that position for five seconds. Repeat again in case the first time wasn't effective enough.

EXERCISE TWO:

Visit your garage at 3AM when the temperature of the cement floor is just perfect. Take off all your clothes and lie comfortably on the floor with one breast wedged under the rear tire of the car. Ask a friend to slowly back the car up until your breast is sufficiently flattened and chilled. Turn over and repeat with the other breast.

EXERCISE THREE:

Freeze two metal bookends overnight. Strip to the waist. Invite a stranger into the room. Press the bookends against one of your breasts.

Smash the bookends together as hard as you can. Set up an appointment with the stranger to meet next year and do it again.

YOU ARE TOTALLY PREPARED!

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Replies:

[> Subject:

So True!

Author:
Your Cancer Cousin, Lisa
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Date Posted: 11:59:23 02/08/07 Thu

I love the refrigerator door exercise the best! That's what it feels like to me, hee hee!

How have you been doing? I'm hanging in there but it seems the cancer's still spreading according to my tumor marker -up another 117 points from last month (yikes!). In fact, I feel worse AFTER getting out of the hospital than I did while I was in there. I'm on 15mg Coumadin right now and my INR is perfect at 2.6 from my last labs. Thank goodness I no longer have to give myself Lovenox shots anymore but now at least I can do my own Neupogen tummy injections at home - just grab and jab!

Some days, I find it so hard to hang on but I manage to do it anyway. I just think of all that you've been through and hope I can do the same. Hey - one good thing, my brain scan came back clean. That's the first good test I had since last June! Now, if we can just stop it from spreading with the new drug that would be awesome.

I also found out that I will be officially "retired" from Comcast as of this April. It was depressing for a little while but now I'm free to find a job closer to home if I can get this back in remission. I won't miss the hour drive to and from work, that's for sure. For now, I'll continue to enjoy life on disability and try to get my act together.

I still have to plan for a trip to Maryland in the future you know!

Stay Strong Chicky!
Love ya!
Lisa

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[> [> Subject: Hey Lisa

Author:

Stacy
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Date Posted: 15:08:45 02/08/07 Thu

Lisa, I hate to hear about your scans but I'm thrilled about the brain scan results. I keep praying for you and I know my Mom does too. You better keep hangin' on!! You're loved by so many and you're such a good person, you need to INSIST that you're not going anywhere and you're staying right here with everyone!!

Does your company have a long term disability plan? That's what I opted for. It terminated me from the company and allowed me to keep my benefits and insurance at no cost to me. Also my company pays the taxes on my disability check. Personally, I love retirement. I had an extremely stressful job. The less the stress, the better off I am. I certainly could NOT continue to do the job I was doing for Verizon Wireless. There's absolutely no way I could do it now. I just don't have the strength or the stamina anymore. If you could do the same thing as I did and be able to live with the least amount of stress as possible, it would be so much better for your health.

I look forward to meeting you! YOU stay strong too!
Love and prayers!!
Stacy

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[> [> [> Subject: Ahhhhh - Retirement!

Author:
Lis
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Date Posted: 11:14:52 02/09/07 Fri

I am very lucky that I did sign up for LTD benefits with Comcast. I have Liberty Mutual and since I'm on LTD before my "retirement", I'll be able to stay on LTD at no cost for as long as I need (or until age 65). As for medical and dental benefits, I'll just swing onto George's policy. We both work at Comcast so our HR rep will help us out with that.

The one thing I'll miss the most is my co-workers and Comcast was the best company I worked for. I started out with TCI in 1989, bought out by AT&T Broadband, who in turn was bought by Comcast. Another great thing HR is doing for me is that they will do everything they can to re-hire me if I want to. The only problem with that is I lose my 17 years of senority, basically starting back over. I don't know if that's worth the 2 hour travel time anymore.

I didn't have a stressful job, my last boss was the cause of my intense stress that landed me back into Cancer Land. Some people get stress zits, I get stressed and then sick and BOOM - cancer again - go figure.

hey, I wanted to tell you about 2 cancer forum sites I found: www.cancercompass.com and www.bcmets.org. Cancer Compass is great and I've found myself totally engrossed for hours reading about other folks in my same situation. And, what's better is that we can help newbies with our experiences and try to make them feel better. The BC Mets.org one is a little simpler but you can still get some good info on it. I'm gonna add these on the Cancer Cousins link page.

Also, I wanted to tell you about Fifth Season Financial (www.fifthseasonfinancial.com). They enable folks like us to be able to get an advancement on our life insurance policy to help cover expenses BEFORE anything happens. Now, you have to be in serious shape to get approved, but like me - I got awarded half my policy because the doctors who reviewed my case, still think I have a shot at beating this. It was a win-win for me.

And lastly, I wanted to mention Making Memories (www.makingmemories.org). The goal of Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation is to grant wishes to people who have been diagnosed with terminal breast cancer. I spoke with Fran, one of the founders, about donating the proceeds of the DarkerSideofPink buttons to their organization and she wanted me to design a button for them as well. I was really honored!

Anyway - that's all for now. tell Mark and Mom I said hello and give them a hig for me too! Take care and I'll chat with ya later!

hugs!
Lis

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[> [> [> [> Subject: Hey!

Author:
Cliff
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Date Posted: 23:19:30 02/09/07 Fri

Hey Stacy! Just thought I'd pop in and say hello, just so you know I haven't forgotten about you! Hope you've been staying WARM in this cold weather.

And Lisa....I saw the pictures of you that Stacy posted. Hey, you're cute--awesome blue eyes! There aren't many like that--which means you're morally obligated to make sure the world can see them for years to come.

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[> [> [> [> [> Subject: Cliff - you're the best!
Author: Lisa [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 23:44:40 02/09/07 Fri Hey Cliff, thanks for the compliment! That sure was sweet of you. I'm trying like hell to make sure I stick around. I got a lot of living left to do and sales at Cancer Cousins are starting to pick up too - I gotta see where this little business takes me. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: MAMMOGRAM
Author: Stacy [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 09:32:09 02/13/07 Tue Well I'm scheduled for my mammogram in April. Guess I'll get started on those exercises right away LOL! [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: What's The Sense?
Author: Lisa [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 14:47:32 02/13/07 Tue What's the sense of a mammogram at this point? You're already on chemo! Leave the lumps for the PET CT scan to pick up! lol [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: THAT WOULD BE NICE

Author:
Stacy
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Date Posted: 19:28:22 02/13/07 Tue

That would be nice if I ever went for PET scans but the doctor never sends me for them. I get regular CT scans but he does bone scans and MRI's when I'm having troubles in specific areas. His theory is.... even if it does appear some place else, he's already treating me. If it was in a new place and it was becoming a problem I would have symptoms. I'd rather have a PET scan over a mammogram when that's the side my port-a-cath is on.

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[> [> [> [> [> Subject: HEY CLIFF
Author: Stacy [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 09:29:41 02/13/07 Tue Thanks for those kind words to Lisa. Too bad she's married, huh!?! [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: Yeah...
Author: Cliff [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 22:32:47 02/13/07 Tue ...and I'll bet her husband's name is Lucky... [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: Not Really ....
Author: Lisa [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 21:41:20 02/16/07 Fri LOL - now we know why they call marriage an "institution" - you have to be CRAZY to get married! LOL. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: That's for sure!
Author: Cliff [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 22:40:14 02/18/07 Sun I was married, Lisa--and looking back, I should have been institutionalized.... [ Post a Reply to This Message ]