It’s me Beth- just had my 3rd scan in 2 weeks. 1) Head and neck for DFCI study of familial CHD mutation, 2) then a brain MRI due to new headaches and kaleidoscoping vision and then 3) my usual look under the hood with a CT scan of my pelvis and abdominal area. Looks mostly good but suddenly a lot of pain in my hip like it broke. This is a big deal for me because my whole family is returning to see our many friends in NZ less than 2 weeks after Xmas. This is worrying me and really hurts alot. So I of course got out my glue gun and made this sweet Hobbit House for my daughter her beau and his 2 identical 7year twins! Any other suggestions of what to do when pain is an issue and you want to distract yourself?
Distractions 101: It’s me Beth- just... - SHARE Metastatic ...
Distractions 101
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Bettybuckets
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my fav part with the miss and bark from the woods that I used on gorgeous roof. My only problem was that because of xeloda, my finger tips are so sensitive to heat and I kept burning my tips with the glue gun! Ouch!
Beth’s Hobbit cottage
oh one more thing… I made this by covering an old knife block with commercial moss that you buy at a craft shop and the dolled it up with some real moss and bark. It was a lovely distraction while worrying about the results of the scans… and worry will I be able to go back to Nz for 2 months as planned. Thinking pos thoughts..
Beth what a creative lady you are, I wish I had that kind of skill and the motivation. I'm a landscape artist (oils) but have only sat down once at my easel all year. This bloody dis - ease strips us of a lot of things that others can't see. Anyway I'll stop whining, I'm sorry but I can't help with the pain distraction, but just wanted to say I understand about the worry thing. I had my regular scan head to pelvis last Wednesday and get the results this Tuesday and even though I feel pretty good it still is a huge record playing over and over in my mind. When you come to dear ole NZ are you coming to the South Island at all, I live in Timaru and would love to meet up. Go back to a doctor and get the hip checked out so you can stop worrying. All the best Susan
Love love love
Art Art Art!. Best medicine alive. Anything arty. Just let your self play. Oh. And watch a good series. When you have a good series or a good book, you’ve got a friend. Oh and get them to give you better pain killers.
My right shoulder and chest were so sore a month ago. Found I had broken my 3rd rib down from the top. I thought I was just being a wooos. Would have thought it was a reallly long heart attack had it been on the left side.
PS. Love your hobbit’s house.
I also admire your creativity ! I hope you get this hip pain figured out and it doesn't interfere with your upcoming visit to NZ. I'm so happy to hear your daughter is happy in her relationship 
Oh yes she is so happy- she has just bought a new handsome home with her man… who has identical twin 7year old girls…. The house has a large in law suite for me to come and visit as she will now be 2 hours away.
Betty,Take a walker, a wheel chair and lots of pain meds with you. Is there such a thing as a hip brace or wrap of some sort? It seems like something to stabilize it might help. Have a Merry Christmas and a safe and fun trip. Blessings, Hannah
Hannah- dr asked me no to do any weight bearing until we find out from the scan.. hurts so I am trying not to but I am helping my daughter move into a huge home. So thst is hard to do when you want to be helpful.
I love your little house! Great idea for a fun distraction. I just read somewhere that an aromatherapist found diffusing oils helped her when she was in pain from treatments. Maybe google to find some suggested fragrances? I love my diffuser. I dont use it much but find it very helpful when I have something like blocked nose (eucalyptus), headache, etc. Probably frackincense (eh, spell check!) could be good. Sorry youve got the bad hip pain and vision issues
Wow for the amazing hobbit house and hope you have a great time catching up with family. Intense pain is hard to manage and you need some strong emotion/activity to match/cancel it - belly ache laughing till you cry (that scene in planes train automobiles when car catches fire gets me going and many others), shouting top of your voice, drumming or equivalent, game of chess against the computer, researching something new eg family history, physically - a Tens machine, massage, heat to soothe or ice to numb…., hypnotherapy to redirect the pain ie to your finger….
So many good ideas.. I’m going to google to find out more about the tens machine!
Take your knitting or slow stitch project go and go to urgent care for a hip x-ray. I LOVE the hobbit house 💚 Mary
I wanted to! But they radiologists said that an X-ray won’t be as good as the CT scan thst I coincidentally just had. Dr says not to walk much til we find out. Hmm!
Oh my goodness! Let us know.
wishing you all the very best and will be waiting with you in virtual spirit to hear the results. All my 💜
I also try to be creative when MBC thoughts intrude. It is so wonderful to lose yourself in a project! Hallmark Christmas movies are another distraction for me. It is an hour and half of happy endings that help me forget about things. I love your little house!
Funny you should say that as I was approached by Hallmark to make a movie about my daughter and I about being up in that billboard. That would be another lovely distraction!
Oh Bettybuckets that would be so exciting to see a Hallmark movie around that experience. I followed your billboard and it definitely was an exciting one. You should go for it if you are able. I'm another person addicted to those Hallmark Christmas movies.
On another note I hope your hip pain is not related to a pathological fracture. You may recall I had that experience about a year ago. Not pleasant. A plain hip x-ray will show if there is a fracture and a CT of hip may indicate if there is an increased area of bone mets that might be a potential to do so. Good luck and fingers crossed that all ends up ok. Take care.
what did you do? Did they operate or just change drugs? Pins in it new hip?
No sadly I needed to have a total hip replacement. My surgeon said my cancer had caused so much damage that it was inevitable that it would fracture.
Betty, like I said before, you are one amazing woman in all different ways. I hope your pain makes itself scarce....
You should do the movie! It would be a great distraction for you and those of us who love Hallmark movies. Practically a public service!
Hope your scan results will be good and that you can go to New Zealand as planned💕. I have scans tomorrow. Love the little house you made. Theresa
Hi Beth, I love your house and am thrilled for your daughter. Sorry to hear you have new struggles with MBC. Hope your scans are all good. But the hip thing - best to get that checked as soon as you can. I am scheduled for a hip replacement in February, so I know how debilitating hip pain can be. Things like that can get worse if not treated, I hear. Sometimes knowing what’s wrong can bring some peace. Sure hope it doesn’t interfere with your trip. We are going to try to go to NZ again after my surgery, maybe in April, so we’ll miss each other, but it would be great fun to meet in person over there one of these days. Keep us posted!
Aren’t you marvelous to be planning my surgery and then a trip! Hope I can still go
Haha. Guess I worded that awkwardly. So sorry! I don’t wish surgery on anyone!! Hope you are feeling better these days. The road is a rocky one, I find your uplifting spirit so inspiring. Sending good intentions out there for a successful trip for you. Going direct from NY again?
I’m so so sorry for the typo caused by fat fingers from HFS and not rereading before sending… I truly meant how amazing you are to be planning Your surgery AND still planning for your Nz trip after. I csn see how that one word mistake made me sound sarcastic and was not my intention.
As the queen of fat fingering texts, I understand more than I can say. I didn’t take it sarcastically, but rather as a laugh. Some days, it is the best medicine, so I thank you for that. 😘
Love your hobbit house. What a great idea! Hope all scans are good and you get some pain relief.
You are so creative. Lovely house.As for your new headache: how are your platelets? When I was in the hospital and coughing, I had a headache like I had never had before. One of the surgeons had me get a CT scan. The results 😱 scared me. I had a brain bleed due to low platelets. An interventional radiologist did a procedure which stopped the bleeding.
Just FYI.
May you have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful trip in NZ. ❤️
Sharon
So many clever drs out there if they just have time to work us up.
PS: can't wait to see some more of your pictures Sharon
Lovely fairy house! I used tree bark to cover a Christmas nativity that I made for my Christmas display. And yes I agree that distractions are needed desperately. The creative urge keeps this soul alive. Hope to see you on Hallmark!
I was so pleased to hear you were making the trip back to NZ but what a bummer with this new pain. I cracked a rib years ago taking my son’s dog for a walk (didn’t know it then) and as they had just bought a house, helped by sweeping out the garage etc. Of course completely the wrong thing to do. I can hardly wait to hear about the results of your CT scan so I imagine you’re climbing the walls. What will be will be but my fingers and toes are crossed it’s nothing too serious. Chris
I just wanted to update all- my abdominal scan was considered Stable! So that means that I get GO to NZ in January… and I can stay on xeloda and stave off switching to IV chemo!
Hurray, Beth! I'm so happy to hear that you're stable *and* going to New Zealand. And your house is really lovely.
Happy holidays to you! Have a great trip.
Helen
Thanks so much Helen! I’m excited now that I passed the scan hurdle and can plan on going.
That's fabulous news Beth! Is your hip feeling better too? Where in your hip were you feeling the pain as the CT does visualize the pelvic and some of the hip area but doesn't really cover the outer areas of the femur. Personally to be cautious I would ask for a x-ray of Pelvis AP and Lateral to cover all the bases. Travelling out of country it is always best to be sure but if you are going for 2 months do you have health insurance coverage there? Sorry I can't help but look at the big picture of things. Take care.
Hi awesome4ever- hip sore in bone so hope to get an X-ray tomorrow or asap per onc.. I am lucky to be a kiwi ( Nz citizen) so when I go back to Nz then they have universal health care… and i have my GP and oncologist that see me. When we travel to see our son in Switzerland we do make sure to have insurance though.
Thanks for the update Beth. Wonderful that you are a dual citizen and can definitely go and enjoy your time away with a Healthcare system at your fingertips. Glad you are getting an x-ray too. You definitely have an exciting trip to look forward to in the new future and being able to stay on an oral chemo ...I am so happy for you. Enjoy the holidays and your upcoming trip. Take care.
Oh jeez I spoke too soon and now trying to figure out if I csn still go or stay and get rods. Will post an update.
Oh so sorry my friend. This was my fear for you as it happened to me last year. Will be looking for your update. I know you will do what is the best thing for your overall health as per your oncologist and orthopedic specialist. You are in my thoughts.
Hi A4- my oncologist called and spoke to me for 30 min.., he is always so responsive and lovely. He wants me to see the orthopedic surgeon first but he’s hopeful that this might not be the cancer or a break… could just be bursitis.
Thanks for the update. 🤞that it is less serious and you can still travel. I hope you are blessed to get a wonderful orthopedic surgeon as I was so lucky. I will be thinking positive thoughts for you.
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