I got myself in a wee spot of trouble when I didn't post for a few days last time I was away so thought I better request a pass.

We are heading up island on Thursday morning to a beautiful campground called Miracle Beach. I will relax by day...nice walks and spend lots of time on the beach. Hope to swim while the tide is coming in and not meet up with any seals. I am on strict doctor's orders not to overdo it and let my back heal.

By night I will teach mine and other kids how to gamble and how to generally wreak havoc in the campground by placing glow sticks in outhouses and other harmless pranks. I camped as a kid and have a few of those in mind.

I will be back next Monday in time for a zometa infusion on Tuesday. We usually go for longer but treatment calls.

I just need to figure out how the heck to plug in my heating pad for my back in the great outdoors.

Take care all and be good.

Sandra

Sandra-

Glad you are able to get away for the camping trip. Sounds like you will have fun, especially the part about teaching kids to misbehave!!!!

Hey - maybe you can sing some of your cancer songs around the campfire - I am sure the kids can come up with some new ones!!!

As far as the heating pad goes - maybe you can get some kind of plug in thingy for the lighter in your car with a LONG cord??????? Maybe??????

So have lots of fun and enjoy yourself.........the part of us behaving while you're gone .........Probably NOT gonna happen but I will fill you in on it all when you get back!!!

Hugs - Patti B.

Look in the drugstore for products that generate heat when applied. Not Ben Gay or other "rub-ons", but a patch. I tried Well Back last week and it was wonderful. Takes the place of a heating pad.

Have a good trip. Sorry, but you just aren't going to be there long enough for a keg bus trip. Next time, maybe.

Muriel

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Dx NSCLC 5/03. Surgery UR lobe. Staged as 1B. Chemo (taxol & Carbo)9/15/03 - 11/13/03. Wonderful CTs until Nov 04. Surgery 11/27/04, again staged as 1B. Chemo (Cisplatin and Gemzar) 2/05 to 6/05. Good CTs and PET since chemo.

Sandra, Your getaway sounds fabulous. Try those patches Muriel is talking about. Some last for 8 hours. I've tried them and they're a good option.

Have fun, Judy in Key West

P.S. Email hasn't come through yet!

P.S. Patti, hope you guys act up/out. We're counting on it.

Sandra.. Have a great time... FYI, there is a thingy you can get that plugs into the lighter deal and has a place to plug in stuff like that... i use it for my laptop... I got mine at walmart. wish i could remember what its called....hmmmm... well anyways have a good time

Shelli

Thanks all I will stop in at a store on my way home from work and ask for a "hot patch" and a "thingy". I am sure they will know exactly of what I speak. Or I may get pointed towards some really interesting stuff! I will let you know.

Shelli, bless you for your efforts but it's an inverter that goes from 12volts to 110volts. You can get them in Walmarts and places like that. If I remember they're not very expensive, like $20 or so. Aren't I a smarty aleck. I bought one once but o.k. I did have to ask my husband what they're called.

Have a great time, Judy in Key West

But you can't show those to the kids! Have a great time.

Ned

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Ned is just my nickname, though it would be nice to merge it with the other meaning eventually...

Aloha means "Hello, goodbye, love, compassion, welcome, good wishes." It means belonging to others with a common humanity. It's defined better as a feeling in the heart than by words.

Dx NSCLC adenocarcinoma IIIb Sep 2006, now stage IV. Taxol+Carboplatin+Avastin 4 mo., Avastin 8 mo., Tarceva 16 mo., Alimta 12 mo. (sometimes combined with Cisplatin or Carboplatin), Navelbine since Feb 2010, 10 sessions of WBR in March 2011. See My Cancer Journey: viewtopic.php?p=351369#p351369 — UPDATED 03/05/2011.

Above left: Our golden retriever Rosie, who joined the family on 3/5/08 at the playful age of 2.

Below: Hannah, our golden companion 1994-2007.

Sounds wonderful! Have a great time!!!

Affectionately,
Carole
PS I'd offer to post a few night time tricks, but I have a feeling you already know too many.

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01/07 Dx NSCLC IIIB Squamous Cell (5 cm. Grade 3 tumor RLL & right hilar & mediastinal lymph nodes). Underwent concurrent radiation & chemo, which decr. tumor to 2 cm., but by 12/07 tumor growing & lymph nodes growing & spreading. 2nd & 3rd line chemos bombed & by 07/08 tumor back to 5 cm. w/mets to liver, left lung & lymph nodes. No viable treatments left, <b>but</b> I'm still pain-free so me and <b>my tattoo</b> are still <b>Dancing in the Street</b> (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y-x2fWKbmo)--figuratively at least! See <b>My Story: Quality of Life</b> at http://lungevity.org/l_community/viewtopic.php?t=36841.

Well I knew I could count on Muriel's advice. I think we should appoint her den mother or something on this board. I stopped by the drug store on my way home from work and explained what I was looking for. They knew exactly what I spoke of and they have all sorts of "hot patches" to put in all sorts of places. I got the one to put on my back! Thanks Muriel...I honestly never knew such a thing existed.

As for the "thingy". I am a smart enough girl to not have asked for that in public. I asked at home first about that one. Turns out we do own such a thing and no need to ask. So that will be my "back" up sleeping plan.

Thanks all..you just never know what good advice you will get on this board. Am busy packing my "things" as we speak.

Sandra