Look Out...

…Flo is pissed.

Here I am, minding my own business, following up on treatment for breast cancer, cleaning the house and cooking for all the relatives that came to visit for Thanksgiving, trying to find the energy to shop and decorate for Christmas, figuring out what to do about Christmas cards, when out of the blue, in response to this post (be sure to notice the date), I receive this:

“Flo,

That quote, ‘somewhere a true believer is training to kill you’ can be found here:

’Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.

He knows only The Cause.

Still want to quit?’

NousDefionsDoc
www.professionalsoldiers.com

Flo, you don't want to plagiarize someone elses work now do you?

JD
Adminstrator
ProfessionalSoldiers.com

Posted by JD to Flying Flo's Forum at 24 November, 2007 08:55”

Again, notice the date.

I have a few things to say before I answer the question.

First, get a life, JD. Life is precious, and instead of searching the web for possible True Believer plagiarisms, you ought to spend some of that time with family and friends. If I were one of them, I wouldn’t care much for your priorities if you were out making questionable comments on nearly 11-month-old blogs, instead of sitting around killing time with me.

Second, are you proud to be defending the PS website in such a way that you totally detract from the essence of a post? Did you even read the damn post? My sole purpose in writing that particular post was to pay homage to members of our military that were out risking their lives to defend our freedoms and lives back home. As a former soldier, it disgusts me that you’re more concerned about proper credit being given to a quote, than about the welfare of our military. I don’t supposed it occurred to you to say something to the effect of, “Thanks for remembering the troops, Flo! BTW, that info about the True Believer is from a quote that can be found at PS.com.”

Maybe I’d be thanking you for pointing that out, instead of calling you a moron.

Third, what does an “adminstrator” do? Oh, was that a typo? Hm, perhaps you should use a spell checker. And a grammar checker.

Fourth, yes, I do happen to know that quote can be found at the PS website. I know that because you also stirred up the SOS at my friend’s blog. Eleven months ago. After she copied that particular post to her blog and said she had gotten it from my site. Eleven months ago. A little slow, aren’t you? I also know I found several other references claiming credit for that quote, which I believe included some high mucky-muck at some elite soldier course graduation. Just because that particular quote is located on your site doesn’t mean a thing to me. As much of a stink as you’re raising, show some proof. But not to me—I don’t give a rat’s ass.

Fifth, in answer to your question: No, I don’t want to plagiarize. It’s a good thing I didn’t, or I might have to apologize. According to dictionary.com, plagiarism means “1.) the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work, or 2.) something used and represented in this manner.” (plagiarism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved November 24, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/plagiarism).

I NEVER EVEN ATTEMPTED TO CLAIM ANY OF THAT WORK AS MY OWN.

So fuck you and the horse you rode in on. (Oh dear, I hope that’s not plagiarized.)

Now, as opposed to wasting time like you do, ranting about this has actually been very beneficial for me. Because I feel EVER so much better now.

Flo

Thank You!

You all are just the best! Thank you so much for the support, and know that your prayers are working.

It’s Holly and Lainy’s fault I haven’t written. Holly was here last week, and Lainy got here today. But don’t give them too hard a time, I’ve had/am having a blast and it’s keeping me out of trouble. Well, major, bail me out of jail kind of trouble anyway.

Surgery is tomorrow, we’re keeping it simple. She’ll take a little more tissue from the area she took the tumor, then check lymph nodes. If they’re clear, she’ll insert a temporary catheter into the tumor cavity. The MRI results were fine, so as long as the final pathology report is good, there’s no fluid around the catheter, and there’s enough clearance between the catheter and the skin, I will be doing the short form of radiation. It’s called mammosite therapy, and twice a day for five days they will insert a seed through the catheter, radiate me, then take it back out. I’ll go for the final evaluations next week, then hopefully start the treatment the week after.

I was going to tell you about all the fun stuff I’ve been doing, but the mind sort of just went blank. Imagine that. So I’ll leave it to Holly to fill you in. I do know that she probably needed a couple of days sleep to recuperate from all the running around we did.

I’ll get back as soon as I can. Maybe I can get Holly to post a note about how surgery went, so check at her place. (Is that ok Holly? Can you do that for me? Can ya, please? Huh? Ok?)

Thanks again, y’all just give me goosebumps!

Flo

Rant and Pray

Ok, well, we never went out of town. Here’s the deal:

I received a call and the day we were supposed to leave I had to go in to see the surgeon about the pathology report on the lump that was removed from my breast. It is ductal type cancer, however, it is very small (0.6 cm) and Stage 1. The tumor profile came back the next day and the nurse said it was “favorable,” but I don’t know the specifics of that yet. I had a special MRI Friday afternoon and am waiting for the results.

Right now, I basically have three options; all involve further surgery. Option 1 is clean out a little more around the area the tumor came from. The margins of the tumor were clear; this is just extra precaution to make sure they got it all. Then they’ll check the lymph nodes while I’m in surgery and take some out if necessary. Afterwards, I will have to have some type of radiation therapy.

Option 2 is a mastectomy; option 3 would involve simultaneous reconstruction. I will probably not require radiation with either of those.

We don’t know about chemotherapy yet. I imagine that will depend on what the profile results mean, and if the MRI shows any more tumors.

I know things will turn out fine. It took a couple of days for the shaking inside to go away, and I think that mainly came from the word. Cancer, no matter how favorable the prognosis, is a gut-clenching, kick-in-the-teeth word. Especially if you’re not expecting it, which I wasn’t. I think even my doctor was caught by surprise.

Supposedly, a mammogram can detect tumors that can’t be felt. This one could be felt, but didn’t show up on the mammogram. My PCP also requested an ultrasound of the lump. Nothing there. When I saw the surgeon, she said of course it felt abnormal, but it didn’t feel like a tumor. Even when she took it out, she didn’t think it felt cancerous.

How in the hell can something that’s there, especially something that’s now obviously abnormally there, not be there on the films?

Anyway, as I said, I know it will be ok. However, there are already some changes in my priorities, and the time I spend on the computer is one of them. Right now I’m doing well to keep up with my email.

To my daily and regular readers, I’m sorry I’m going to become scarce and unpredictable, but I want to thank all of you that have taken the time to visit. I told MFSG that there were about a bazillion people praying for me (and she responded that she made it a bazillion and one), including a priest and an entire convent of nuns, and this simple gesture of love from my family and friends brings tears of gratitude to my eyes. Because of the blog world, I’ve added a few more to my family, and you have brought me laughter and joy with your visits and comments and your own blogs.

May God bless each of you. You’re all special people, and I hope to continue seeing you around here and there.

HOWEVER…

(What? You thought I would leave on a mushy note? Not hardly! It’s time for the rant part.)

KSA and I did get out for a couple of days last weekend. One of the things we did was go see Jodie Foster’s new movie “The Brave One.” If you haven’t seen it, and you want to see it, stop reading right here.

I like Jodie Foster, I think she’s a very good actress, but I expected better of her. This movie pissed me off. I was ready to leave after her third violent encounter. But I told myself: “I know she’s usually the good guy, but surely she isn’t portraying a person who is glorified for purposely, knowingly, going-out-of-her-way calculatingly, to find and off the bad guys.”

She is. And she even ends up with the police detective on her side. I was disgusted.

Sure, she was killing bad guys. The first couple were even understandable. A guy comes in a convenience store and shoots his ex, then comes looking for her when her phone starts ringing. I’m thinking justifiable, even though her gun wasn’t registered. So why didn’t she call 9-1-1 instead of sneaking off?

A dude is holding a knife to her throat on the subway, she blows him away. Sure, I would, too. I’m not sure about his buddy, though. I don’t remember how fast it happened. And again, she runs away. But when she walks up to the creepy guy in the car after he calls to her, oh yeah, she’s lookin’ for trouble.

The humor at the end also just set me off. Then, wah-lah, she’s a heroine.

She might have even been “The Brave One” if she hadn’t taken matters into her own hands.

Flo

I'm Leavin' On a Jet Plane

I do know when I’ll be back again, but I’m not gonna tell you, otherwise you’ll either start worrying about or yelling at me cuz I haven’t posted in ages.

And before you start hollerin’, Lainy, I already got my excuses all lined up for why I won’t be posting while I’m gone. Unlike Holly, who drove, I am flying. Our hosts are picking us up and driving us around, so I don’t have personal transportation to go to the library. And it’s not like I’m going to visit my brother, either. It’s a guy KSA worked with that retired, so it wouldn’t be very polite of me to help myself to his computer. If he even has one. With his view of the mountains, I sure as heck wouldn’t!

We’re headed toward Minden, NV and some kind of air races. Evidently I’ll be allowed to attend one day, whereas the men folk will be going twice. I think I might be flying in a glider, too, and I’m hoping I don’t puke. I heard mention of Napa Valley, but I’m not sure. Isn’t that in California? I hope I don’t need my passport, I’m not even sure it’s current.

Y’all be good while I’m gone, cuz I ain’t comin’ back to bail you out of jail.

Flo

P.S. I see MFSG has visited some. Everybody wave and tell her hi!

Talk Around the Water Cooler

There are a couple of women leaning against either side of the door jamb, just inside the kitchen. This poor dude walks up to the two on his way into the kitchen, and asks one of the women if she needs to stay on the rosary list.

Woman 1: Yes, please, I’d really appreciate it.
Woman 2: So when are you having it done?
Woman 1: Tomorrow.
Woman 2: You know, I still have like a dent where I had it done several years ago.
Woman 1: Really? Was it a needle biopsy or did they take it completely out?
Woman 2: Just a needle biopsy—I don’t have that much there to begin with.
Woman 1: I know exactly what you mean!
Woman 2: You know, one side is bigger than the other.
Woman 1: I know, and they’re taking it out of the one that’s smaller to begin with!
Poor Dude: Excuse me ladies, you’re getting a little technical on me here. I think I’ll just slide on by you and grab me some fruit and crackers.

+++++++++++++++++++

So Lovi calls me the day after my biopsy, checking up to see how I was doing. She asked how big the lump was. I said I didn’t know, maybe the size of a pea, maybe less. So she says, “Do ya still have a boob left?”

Don’t ya just love sisters?

Bitch.

Flo

Stadol vs. Versed

This morning, Holly and I were discussing the benefits of Versed. I think she’s even written a blog about it, IIRC. Yesterday, I had, I think, my first experience with it.

See, I went to see the breast surgeon Tuesday. She’s pretty confident it’s nothing to be concerned about, but we decided to take the lump out for peace of mind. KSA and I are going out of town next week, and the only time the surgeon had open before then was Wednesday.

So off I go for outpatient surgery yesterday. They gave me what I think they called “anesthesia with sedation,” and one of the drugs they used was Versed. It was good, I was nicely sedated. They said I’d go to sleep nice and wake up nice. I don’t know how nice I was, but I did wake up easily, surprised it was all over. And I was tired the rest of the day, but not groggy.

So yes, I have to say that the Versed did relax me. However, Stadol made me feel Oh So Good.

I had Stadol when I was in labor with both of the kids. I didn’t have a whole lot of time to experience its effects with MFS, but I was laying on my back, looking up at KSA, and his eyes were suddenly SO blue. They were about the purtiest blue eyes I ever did see!

Well, it was a whole different story with MFD. (Of course, what else would you expect?) I’m sitting up in bed, they’re pushing the Stadol as I’m having a contraction. I’m starting to feel really good, floating along, and suddenly, I’m feeling so good I’m laughing. Practically hysterically. I couldn’t stop.

In the mean time, MFS is sitting on my mom’s lap, looking at me, and says, “Not funny, Mommy. NOT funny, Mommy!”

KSA’s eyes didn’t turn as blue that time, though. Then again, the back of her head was pressing on my back, so instead of looking at his eyes, I was yelling at him to “get her out of there!”

I still do think I prefer my Stadol.

Flo

Thank You

When it’s more than just Lainy checking up on me, I know I have been horribly remiss in posting. I’m so lucky to have the family and friends that I do, including my blog family. It really brings tears to my eyes when I think of your concern.

Thanks for asking about me, I’m sorry to have worried you and I’ll try not to do it again.

Flo

In A Funk

I’ve been a bit “off” here for a couple of weeks. Have you ever felt like there’s something wrong, but nothing you can pinpoint? Like it wouldn’t take much for you to start crying? You’ve got plenty you should be doing, but just can’t give yourself that little push to get started?

Well then, you might be suffering from depression. But I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me.

Ah, still got a sense of humor. There may be hope for me yet.

Actually, I am a bit disgusted with this whole “life” situation. You know, my body has been falling apart for years. The eyesight is going, my knees and neck sound like Rice Krispies, arthritis occasionally flairs up in a thumb, I’ve got carpal tunnel, a couple of bad discs, high blood pressure, I tend to be hot, my memory stinks, and I’ll spare my male readers the details of my monthly ordeals. You’re welcome.

So I go in for my annual exam a couple of weeks ago. I’ve got a few things I bring up to the doc—my BP meds are making me cough, I’m really fed up with my monthly ordeals, and a couple of other minor complaints. She orders tests.

I go the next day for my mammogram, sonogram of a lump the doc found, and a pelvic sonogram. They always give me the results of my mammogram before I leave, and they said that it and the ultrasound were normal. Yeah, well, I still get the pleasure of consulting with a surgeon.

I had to wait for them to send the result of the pelvic ultrasound to my doc. Ladies, if you haven’t had a pelvic ultrasound lately, evidently current SOP calls for two views, the usual one directly on the abdomen, and another one from inside that is supposed to give them a better view of the ovaries. Except after all that, she still had to go back for an abdominal view of my right ovary because it was so high up. Turns out I have an ovarian cyst and a thickened endometrium, so I also get to see a gyn.

As if all that isn’t bad enough, the doc also checked my hormone levels. They’re normal. NORMAL. I am NOT peri-menopausal.

All these years I’ve been telling myself, “Just a little bit longer.” And I haven’t even started!!! This SO sucks.

It’s all my mother’s fault, you know. And stupid me asked when she finally started going through menopause. I think she lied.

And poor KSA doesn’t have a clue how much worse things are going to get.

However, there is good news. I went for recertification last week and I am now qualified to shock the shit out of you.

Flo

I Must Be The Youngest Mother Alive...

…because my daughter seems to think I was born yesterday.

Our adorable church accompanist is leaving in a couple of weeks to attend the Berkley College of Music in Boston. So we had a nice little reception for her after Mass the other day.

After a while, I noticed MFD wasn’t around and when a couple others asked where she was, I went out to see if her car was still there or if she had just up and left. She was sitting on the curb by her car, talking with one of the ensemble members. She said she wasn’t feeling well and had gone outside for some fresh air. So I told her the guest of honor wanted to talk to her and she needed to be getting back inside.

She came inside a little bit later with a big grin on her face and some kid trailing behind her. She told me That Kid drove for a whole hour to surprise her.

Surprise. Uh huh.

So we have a little discussion when That Kid is gone:

Me: So how did That Kid happen to know to surprise you at church?
MFD: Well, I had told him that we were having a little party and I be hanging out for a while after church.
Me: Uh huh. So, you didn’t invite him to meet you?
MFD: No.
Me: So he decides to crash the party? Invites himself to this party for someone he doesn’t know?
MFD: I guess so.
Me: So how did you happen to meet this kid if he lives an hour away?
MFD: Well, somehow, he and the members of his band managed to get in to the Back to School Dance.
Me: Really? The dance that was for OHS students only.
MFD: Yeah.
Me: Uh huh. So these non-OHS kids got into a dance they weren’t supposed to be at, and none of the chaperones noticed anything.
MFD: I guess.
Me: You know, this just isn’t sounding right.
MFD: Well I don’t know what else to tell you.
Me: I guess the truth would be a little too much to ask, huh? So you’re telling me you’re ok with a guy that thinks nothing of being rude or breaking rules?
MFD: I didn’t look at it like that.

Oh, now I get it. I wasn’t born yesterday, but obviously I’m suffering a concussion from falling off the turnip truck.

Flo

Gift Idea

You know, it’s never too early to start shopping for Christmas. Here’s one for the Democrat that has everything:



Flo