me and my son were watching pirates of the carribean 3 earlier - and calypso is a character in that…
aha now i have you.
theresa aka calypso/silverstreak.
thats another one sorted. thankyou theresa
And I am Ros aka Tumbleweed riding Siesta
Well girls the blankets are on the bunks and my handmade quilts are on the bed.The horses can go in the paddock with Kiwi and our old pony Bramble.help yourselves to oats and bran from the bins.Still no news of my daughter that telegram was just a new delivery of fabric for my dressmaking 
My leg is a nuisance but I can shuffle around on my zimmer frame-just keep getting a bit down then I think of you brave riders and that makes the sun come out again.
The Old One
PS what a very refreshing idea this thread is-thank you
Yup, I think that’s everybody so far. Calypso is a great character. I adore her look, and that voice. However, Cap’n Jack is till the winner!
Things I miss being on chemo:
Runny scrambled eggs, all yummy with butter and garlic - all this cooking to avoid bacteria, bummer!
On the upside, to avoid bacteria I don’t have to clean out the chicken house for months! 
Keep smiling Old One, spring is just around the corner and Determination will look wonderful. We’ll get your vegetable patch and corn bed sorted for you, and the flowers round the edge of the house. This is going to be a doozy of a year!
Whew, just taken off the first layer of dressings and had a proper shower - bliss:) And I got a good night’s sleep last night, so I’m feeling a whole lot better today.
Great new chapter Carole; you’ve left us with a hint of the menace to come - fab!! How are you feeling? You’re sounding quite chipper.
Great photo Martina. I’ve always fancied having a proper photo done, but it seems a bit narcissistic somehow (and expensive). I’m glad you’ve done the list of Storm Riders. I’ve written it down, because I’m having trouble remembering who’s who. I never could remember names at the best of times. Only thing is, you got me and my horse mixed up. I know I you can ride my pseudonym, but I’m Mule, and my horse is Cariad. lol
How are you doing Riviera? Have you got your chemo sorted yet?
That first shower is wonderful isn’t it? How’s the wound looking, or are you still under too much cover?
Feeling fine today, thanks for asking. This is the first of my woozy couple of days so I’m easing myself in carefully. But I have to say, this second dose is a darn sight easier than the first one. I’m wondering if I had a tiny touch of OH’s cold at the beginning of the last one, just holding it off with echinacea.
If you fancy getting a photo done Sal, bite the bullet and go for it! I had one done about 12 years ago. Very old Hollywood looking and a total vanity rush, which makes me laugh. I might get another one done at the end of all this - another badger of honour as it were. Maybe wait till I get the tattoo done and show it off in a low back dress a la Angelina J - thinking quite a sizeable one on the shoulder blade now.
I’ve still got steri strips on, so can’t actually see the wounds. They’ve obviously oozed a bit since last week when I have the dressing changed, but not too bad. It just feels so much better now without those dressings. I don’t feel like I’ve got a whole toilet roll shoved under my armpit now, just a almost finished one. lol It’s still quite numb though and I have more pain in my armpit, where there are no wounds, than the wounds themselves. Wierd. I suppose that’s just the nerves having been all mucked about with.
I’m glad you’re feeling better with this round of chemo Carole. I’m certainly hoping I don’t have to go through it. I’m not very good at being unable to do things. I get all grouchy (you’ve noticed, no doubt). I’m going to try and have a longer walk today. Everyone keeps saying I should rest, but I’m just not very good at it:/
Morning comrades
That sounds a bit Eastern Bloc doesn’t it lol. I’ve spoken to my Onc’s secretary this morning - she knew my name already, which is a good start! We’re ready to roll, she’s waiting to hear from the Healthcare at Home people - she needs some info from them and to fax them my chart of drugs etc before they can arrange coming out, but she’s going to chase it all up today and call me back. Hmmm we’ll see. The old cynic in me is always somewhat sceptical of the old “I’ll call you back” dodge. I reckon my chemo could be getting towards the back end of next week now, but who knows… More news when I know it.
I went out last night with some friends from another website for parents of twins that I’ve been a member of for many years, didn’t get home until 1.30am! It’s a very busy website with a lot of members and one of our long-standing members very sadly died suddenly in her sleep a couple of weeks ago leaving a husband and 7 year old twin girls. No idea what happened - she just went to sleep and never woke up, she was only 37. Last night those of us who are in this area met up to start a book for her family in which we all write something about Kate, put little gifts in a box for her children etc. We met at one member’s house, she cooked a fantastic dinner, and we all had a good laugh, a good reminisce and generally a really nice evening. Kate was a really funny, witty and sometimes outrageous person so I think she would have approved of the night we had last night. The book will travel all round the country, with people in each area meeting up to add to it, before it is eventually passed on to her family.
Many of the people on Twinsclub never even met Kate, but felt like we knew her well from our interactions on the forum over the years. Her loss has shocked everyone and is now physically bringing together members all over the country to meet and celebrate the life of someone most of us never met. What I’m getting around to saying, aside from telling you a sad yarn, is that I believe internet forums are very powerful. They aren’t just words on a screen - bonds are formed and strong friendships made to the extent that we all have a real impact on each other’s lives. I feel as if I’m part of a strong group of friends here already after 2 short (or very long, depending on what sort of day you’re having!) months already. I’m glad I’m treading this path with you all by my side, it makes the journey far more bearable than it ever could have been if I were stumbling along alone.
Ok - that’s the mushy stuff over. What’s for breakfast?!
Glad you’re having a reasonable time of this cycle so far Carole. Glad for you, natch, and also it gives me hope that it might not be TOO awful when I finally start on it.
Sal - my wounds didn’t really give me any problems, it’s the places where nerves have been cut that really stung. When those old nerves wake up and start to mend themselves you don’t half know it. My armpit and back of my arm are still a bit numb in places, but getting better all the time. Wait until you try shaving the numb armpit - now that’s a bizarre feeling, I still have to do it whilst looking in the mirror or I’m sure I’d cut myself to ribbons and not realise!
It’s a nice day for a walk - take it steady but I reckon it would be good for an ants-in-her-pants kinda gal to get out and about today. I might even get my own slothful self out there later.
Gennie - so sorry to hear about your friend… You are so right about internet forums and friendships… As i mentioned yesterday i am very into scrapbooking and belong to the biggest forum for that in the uk… One of the reasons alot of the people on there scrapbook is to preserve memories for our children in the future… in the past we’ve sadly lost a few members and people have done similar things to what you and your friends are doing… Created albums, memory books etc for their families…
You won’t have to shave it for long though! Lol. Stay on the bright si-y-ide of life - they’ll call.
Go for a good long walk Sal. It’s only a flesh wound. I was walking the dogs for an hour third day after I got out, so if you feel up to it…
That is a really sad thing about Kate, Gen. Life is a strange, unknown journey. But if a party is what she would have liked, then it sounds like you all gave her a fabulous send off. I bet she was sitting there with you all at 1.30 shouting for another round and telling you to keep going till dawn! I’m having a small tear dropping moment here. You write about her very well, and the bonds that can form.
Group Hug!!! Oh, how I hate those… 
sorry sal, brain drain
SAL AKA MULE/CARIAD
ROS AKA TUMBLEWEED/SIESTA
hope thats right now. thats 13 so far. i think.
see bc nurse this morning, drained another 120 ml, but consultant says im good to go for chemo next tue. asked him why i have to keep gettin this drained and he says it cos i had only one incision so the hole where he took out the lump keeps filling up whereas if i had two incisions the fluid would just be under my arm and wouldnt drain into the breast as well. dunno if i explained that well but suffice to say i understand it.
consultant asked if i minded if 3 trainee docs looked at the seroma and i said no. so he takes them in and then proceeds to ask them questions about what they know about what operation i had an bout lymph node removal. he asked them what the swelling was called and i tried to tell one of them while he wasnt looking but guess my mouth signals werent to good cos none of them got it. hope that wasnt my 15 minutes of fame:-).
the word WAIT is officially on my list of words not to be said in my presence, dont think its gonna work though.
take care all
martina
hmm i’m having an identity crisis now… and wondering if i should have calypso as my name and silverstreak for my horse… lol actually i think i will… lol
mule - i found my armpit area was much sorer than the breast area as well…
morning carole and martina…
martina - hope the fluid all soon drains away… and that you and gennie cope okay with the first chemo next week…
gen sorry to hear bout your friend. you are right friendship can be forged through adversity and triumph. we here are proof of that. i may not always remember what stage everyone is at. but i know all your names and what your look like. and you are all as dear to me as my own family.
sal glad youre feelin better.
carole great episode, dont know how you do it but keep it comin.
theresa i think i have your name as calypso and horse as silver streak is that the right way.
martina
martine - it is now… i’ve just decided this morning that i will be calypso and silverstreak my horse…
I too read Gen’s story and piped a tear or two - puts things in perspective somehow as do some of the other stories on the site.
Felt almost human this morning after 4 hours sleep (obviously the dex is wearing off ) and walked into town to do some errands.
Boy was i shattered when I got back, and my lightning scar has been really prickling since. Hope “he who shall not be named” hasn’t joined forces with the bad guys
Excellent news Martina! Time for a stand off on Main Street with a bad guy or two for Blackjack I think. First we need the chat with the sheriff, dinner at the Old Ones, bring in another couple of Storm Riders from the Mountain Pass, decide on a few bad guy characters… I’m piling up story lines faster than I can write them up here. The problem with not sleeping on steroids. lol.
I’m with you on the name swap to Calypso Theresa. As soon as you reminded me of the character I thought, now there’s a Storm Rider if ever there was one.
Hah, Tumbleweed, that lightning scar prickle thing is just you coming to your full strength as a Storm Rider. It will now act as a warning everytime a bad guy is near. Welcome to the ranks of the constantly scratching themselves!
Right, Steel is sloping off with Runner for a night on her own. Chemo induced depression set in again today, so Steel and Runner wil go build a fire somewhere, pop a couple of DVD’s into a machine handily dropped in from the future, and chill. Working Girl followed by Tootsie I think, or maybe Shoot Em Up. Watch out for that one if you get it, all you lucky Riders about to step through the looking glass! Hope you don’t get it, but if you do, remember it’s the chemo, not you. You can’t do a thing about it. I think the chemo just whacks your happy cells and leaves you looking down into the black pit of doom again. Just try to ignore it. It passes.
I’ll be back bouncing like a jack rabbit tomorrow.