Bab's, Where are you???????

I'm worried about you too, Babs.

Hi Des, Pat and Carol:

I personally spoke with Babs yesterday evening on the phone. She's doing just fine, she's just taking a small break from the forum. Her Dad is going through some health issues and she's busy with caring for him. She'll be in on occasion.

I assure though, she sounded great. Hope that helps, and I'll keep you updated on how she's doing.

Love,
Barb

Barb - Thanks for letting us know. Hope you are doing ok.

Babs - I'm sorry to hear about your Dad. Hope he is doing better and taking care of him is not wearing you out too much. You remain in my thoughts. Positive energy your way from me.

Stay Strong,
(ok, or as strong as possible under the circumstances),
Sue

Hi Everyone,

   I'm sorry if I worried you! Barb, tks for posting a note. I'm feeling good myself and have been working more hours and taking my dad to appts. He will have part of his colon removed sometime next month due to pre-cancerous polyps. Thank God they found them in time! They were too big and embedded into his colon so they will have to remove that portion of the colon. I lost my mom to colon cancer almost 4 years ago... .

    He just had a prostrate biopsy done on tuesday due to an elevated PSA and a hard spot on his protrate. We will know the results on that next week. He had part of a stress test done this week and will have the other part done next week. He will see the GI near the end of the month and will be sent to the surgeon to get the surgery scheduled. My dad is 73 yrs old and I worry about how he will do with this type of surgery and if the prostrate biopsy will show a slow or fast progressing cancer.

   My daughter is moving to Atlanta today and I may to go up there tomorrow and spend the night. The weather isn't looking very good this way though and I have trouble driving in the rain. I'm keeping my eye on the weather channel.

   Thank you all for the positive thoughts and prayers. I hope things turn around for all of you soon. Carol, I'm sorry your having a rough time...((Hugs)). I hope you all have a good weekend and take care. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

                                   Lots of love and hugs, Babs

Hi Carol,

    Awww....Your so sweet to check on me. Barb called me earlier and told me you posted.

   I'm doing good healthwise. My dad is going through alot though. I'm really worried about him. He had to have a more extensive prostrate biopsy this past wednesday and he is very sore from that. He was suppose to have a heart cath done yesterday due to an abnormal stress test but that fell through because the machine wasn't working at the hospital so that is rescheduled for august 1st. He gets the results of this last prostrate biopsy this thursday. The colon surgery is on hold for the time being till all this other stuff is taken care of. He is so frustrated and tired of doctors and meds. He told me he wants to stop taking his meds and stop going to doctors. I think he is just giving up..... . I know he can't live forever...he's 73, but it still breaks my heart.

    I hope you are feeling a bit better by now...((Hugs)). Thanks again for checking on me. I miss you too! Your in my thoughts and prayers.

                                                  Love ya, Babs

Babs, I hate to hear about your dad and all of his problems. You know the saying, "old age ain't for sissies?" Believe me, it's true. It helps to keep a sense of humor but that's so hard to do when someone you love is so ill. I hope the prostate biopsy comes out ok. My dad had prostate cancer that broke out of the sack and yet he lived another ten years. He also had a bipass and survived it for twenty six years. So these old guys can survive a whole lot.

I've been worried about how this would affect your health and I'm happy to hear that you're doing well. Take care of yourself so you can better care for your dad. I'll be thinking of you more than you know.

Love,

Pat

Hi all:

Just wanted to pass on that I've heard from Babs. She mentioned in her email that she was doing ok. Her dad's prostrate biopsy was negative. He was due to have his heart cath two days ago. She sounded pretty up beat in her email.

I just wanted you to know that I think she's taking a break from the forum for awhile, but she's doing well.

Take care,
Barb

Thanks for the update Barb, I was wondering but I didn't want to bother her. That is great news about the biopsy! I'm sure that was a huge releif for everyone.

Bab's if you read this I am sending ya love and Prayers and I hope the news continues to be good. You are missed around here.

love

carol

Hi Everyone,

   Thank you all for your kinds words, thoughts and prayers. Sorry I haven't been around much lately. My dad is doing well. His heart cath went good also. He wanted to post-pone the colon surgery for a bit. He will have it sometime in Oct.

   I have been busy with him and working more hours. I was doing great till Wednesday morning at 2:10am when I was bolted await with crushing chest pain, sweating and nausea. I just got home from the hospital a little over an hour ago.  I had a heart cath that showed blockage in a small artery to my heart, so I got a good work over the last 3 days. I'm feeling pretty good right now, but will have to make some major changes. I have to wear a nitro patch everyday, change my eating habits, limit stress...lol, take more meds..yum, yum! Also start walking everyday. The doc said if I still have problems they will have to do a ballon.

   At least I had a warning! I'm sure I will be fine. Oh yeah, I've got to stop smoking too! He gave me a rx for Chantix. I think if it worked for my dad it will work for me too... .

   Thanks for checking on me and thank you Barb for posting a note.

   You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Hope to chat with some of you soon. Take care.

                             Lots of love and hugs, Babs

Babs,

You really have had a scare! I too hope that the nitro patch and quitting smoking will help. More meds and less stress, and no more smoking and I'll bet you feel like a human pin cushion. I'm just glad you had the warning and that you have everything under control now.

I know that your dad's illnesses have been stressful for you, plus working more hours, plus not feeling well yourself. I hope you can find a way to handle the stress, even if it's a short period of meditation every day. Thanks for checking in and letting us know what's going on with you. I'm sending gentle healing (((((hugs))))) your way Babs and hope things in your life settle down. You need a break.

Love and hugs,

Pat

Hi Babs--
I'm so sorry to hear about your heart, but you're right, good thing they caught it. I'm glad your dad is doing better, mine is 70 and is about ready to give up too. It's impossible to get him to do anything he should anymore and I never know what to think of that. I have the greatest relaxation tape that I got from my counselor when I was on interferon and having major flares and my body was being destroyed and I was totally nuts. Anyway, we both agreed that if we could find the man that made that tape, we would marry him, no matter what he looked like just because his voice and method were so terrific. There are some really great tapes and you can lay down and listen through your headphones and I mean they put you in another world completely. I get the same effect from Robert Stacks voice when the tv is turned down low, I'll just fall asleep. I'm glad you are thinking of quitting, my son and bf just cannot quiit and it is so hard for them and I quit when I started liking them too much and I'm glad I did. Theres aome good methods out for that, hypnosis and some other accupressure and other stuff like that in addition to the patches and all. Its good to see that you are looking forward to slowing down some, I'm glad I did and it pays off. (((hugs))) and best wishes and prayers. Its good to hear from you. You were missed!

Tks Marji and Emmi,

   I haven't tried meditation yet. I need to focus on that technique soon. Marji, tks for the suggestion of relaxation tapes, I will look into that.

  I started taking Chantix yesterday to help me stop smoking. I'm on the lowest possible dose right now and will work my way up to the max dose. It worked well for my dad and for several other people I know. My dad stopped smoking after the 3rd week of taking it, so I think it will work for me too since he was a heavier smoker than me.

  Emmi, I didn't call 911. At that time I really didn't know what was going on. I just wanted the pain and nausea to stop and go to sleep. Later when I woke up, I started thinking about what happened and called my Cardio docs nurse. She told me to go to the ER. I really didn't want to go and called my Internal Med/GI docs nurse and she told me to go straight to the ER that the doctor was at the hospital doing rounds and would see me in the ER. I had to think about it for a bit since these two doctors are in two different towns and use different hospitals. I decided to go to the local hospital where my IM/GI doc was. I figured I'd be there a couple of hours and go home. I had no idea I would be admitted with a "wake up call".

  Anyway, I hope you both start feeling better soon. I know you both are going through alot....(((Hugs))). Please take care and know that you are both in my thoughts and prayers.

                                       Love and hugs, Babs