<p>AvonDad - sending you and your family hugs and prayers!</p>
<p>Hi Avon
Sorry to hear about your wife. I am sure that she will come through fine since it is in early stage. Sending prayers and best wishes for speedy recovery.</p>
<p>AvonDad, Keeping you and AvonMom in my thoughts. I have a good friend who had stage one breast cancer 15 years ago. She is doing phenomenally today. I am hoping things go smoothly and that she has a complete recovery.</p>
<p>AvonDad - So sorry to hear this news. I know you will stay strong for AvonMom and support her in all ways! Please know this is a safe place for YOU to come for support when you are tired and stressed. We are here for you. As hard as this is on your dear wife, you need support as well. Husbands forget they too need a place to go and say “this isn’t fair and it sucks!”. It isn’t, and it does. Please know we are here when you need us. Without question my prayers are with AvonMom, your kids, and you.</p>
<p>AvonHSDad, positive thoughts being sent your way for all of the Avon family. </p>
<p>DS is home for break. My, my, my…what a difference the few months away have made. He is pleasant and patient and thoughtful and…mature. We have had some lovely conversations about his classes (something which almost never happened in high school) and even his scheduling difficulties for next term don’t seem to faze him. He ended up without any classes in his intended major but will be getting a number of gen ed requirements knocked down all in one term–I asked him if he just scrolled down to “P” and picked three classes, because he has Psych, Phil and Physics in addition to his university seminar–and will pick up the CS classes third term. He commented that he’ll have a lot of writing to do, and I think my eyebrows may have crawled all the way up to the top of my head because, while he is terrific at it, he hates writing and twelve years of arguing and nagging about it has made me a little touchy. He says he’s gotten the writing thing figured out and he’s not concerned about it–he’s ready to put the work in and is up to the challenge. </p>
<p>I went over and looked in the threads for this years college searches and applications–hard to believe it’s only been a year since I was stressing out about whether my kid would ever find a place and hit his stride.</p>
<p>Avon, ++++++ to your wife and wishing her a speedy and complete recovery. Cleveland Clinic is an amazing facility and she will be in excellent hands, I’m sure.</p>
<p>AvonDad, I echo all the messages of support. I know what a wrench this throws into a family–so hugs to your kids and to you too as you help AvonMom get on with her treatment. Like others here, I’m really relieved to know it is Stage 1. SO treatable and then all will be well!</p>
<p>S2 had to turn in a final project in Comp Sci (no final exam, whew!) and has already taken 3 finals, with 2 to go. I was not a fan of his schedule, where he took 18 units (max allowed) but 3 classes were 2 units each. We’ve seen with his older brother, those 2 unit courses take just as much out-of-class work as 4 unit classes. And 6 classes was a crazy amount. He argued that 1 was req’d and was pass/fail, while all the others are to help him keep to his double major plans. So far, he wants to stay in both, so no changes here.</p>
<p>Avon Dad-thinking good thoughts for Avon Mom.</p>
<p>D2, H and I spent the weekend at the HS volunteering for the annula telethon to support the local community newspaper charity fund. The entire 50 hour show is primarily run by students- from hosting to cameras, auction item gathering, etc. They raised oer $32,000!!! We are all so pround of these kids.</p>
<p>I need to do some on-line Christmas shopping and am waiting for H to put the lights on the tree so that I can finish decorating.</p>
<p>AvonDad- our thoughts are with you & your family.</p>
<p>S has two exams this week. He said he took notifications off of his phone. That was a positive development. His phone literally goes off every min with texts. Fingers crossed that he has been able to rescue this semester. </p>
<p>Found out from one of my friends that S is spending NYE in NYC at a concert. Interesting, not sure why he didn’t want to mention it, maybe he didn’t want me to start worrying now. She bought all the boys’ tickets & I will reimburse her. Compared to some choices it doesn’t sound too bad, train down & back, no Times Square. Although I’m sure the train will be SRO and crazy. </p>
<p>Trying to finish decorating, need some motivation. I don’t want to cook dinner either. None of my men care about the decorations, just my D who won’t be here until the 22nd. We usually have a pre-holiday party & I’m hearing that many won’t be attending for one reason or another, so we may just go out to a restaurant down the street. It might actually save some $$.</p>
<p>AvonDad…
Sending you, your beloved and your family prayers for strength and peace during this time.
My mother was diagnosed 16 yrs ago so I/we understand this firsthand.
Warmest regards,
Fogfog</p>
<p>Someone here had posted about buying British bottled “salad cream” and shipping it to their student here in the US. I have seen it at my local grocery store.
If you are here–Is that directly for greens/lettuces? Or for potatos? etc</p>
<p>AvonDad, so sorry to hear your news. I know how stressful the diagnosis is, even when it sounds like it’s DCIS. I was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ too the week of Thanksgiving back in '02 (getting diagnosed around the holidays I think is even more stressful) and was treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Without a doubt, she and you will pull through this. Like your wife I didn’t need chemo and felt like I’d dodged a bullet. They did a sentinel node biopsy, and my nodes were clean. Be sure that she religiously does the physical therapy exercises after the operation. I regained full range of motion in my arms/shoulder, and it happened fairly quickly – w/in 6 weeks. PM me if you would like to talk about it. I’ve spoken to so many people since my own experience w/ the disease, even those I’ve never met who are friends of friends. It’s my way of giving back as many people reached out to me too in my time of need, some of whom I’ve never met; again, they were friends of friends. While I wouldn’t wish this experience on anyone, there were so many positives that came of it, including joining an amazing sisterhood of survivors. Your wife and family are in my thoughts and prayers.</p>
<p>On my volunteer front, the URM girl I’ve assisted w/ the application process was rejected from her first choice on Friday; she applied ED to Dartmouth. She was certainly bummed out that evening, but I had her get back in the saddle again. We visited Barnard yesterday but it didn’t appeal to her and I don’t think it was because of the bad news she’d just received. She actually was very even-keeled yesterday. She’s a trouper. </p>
<p>Well, I’m very behind in all I need to do for the holidays. I need to go buy a tree in a few minutes. Of course, i’ll now be choosing it in the dark. Gosh, I hate feeling so late in all this. My S takes his first exam and has a paper due on Tuesday. His next exams aren’t until the 20th and 21st. I’ll pick him and my mom up that day. LOts to do between now and then.</p>
<p>Ldinct: D is going to , what I assume is, that same concert…</p>
<p>Rodney- Avicii, Swedish Techno? I think it’s an acquired taste, ha ha. And I usually like S’s music.</p>
<p>AvonDad~You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.:)</p>
<p>fogfog- saladcream used on sandwiches instead of mayo/ mustard. Also great with tuna for a tuna salad. Can be used as a salad dressing. local Publix now has a British section in the ethnic foods section. </p>
<p>Avon- thoughts with you. My H was diagnosed with melanoma this time of year 6 years ago. Our girls were little so we told no one till after Christmas, including his parents who were visiting us from the UK. Sending your family cyber hugs at this tough time.</p>
<p>AvonDad - I’m sending lots of prayers and positive thoughts out to your DW, you and the rest of your family.</p>
<p>fogfog - we also dip out potatoes (hot or cold) in the salad cream! it is yummy. now on my shopping list too…</p>
<p>AvonDad- I am so sorry for this news- especially in what is such a festive time of year. I will be holding your family in my prayers for health and grace to get through such a trying time.</p>
<p>D is working with a new friend to qualify for special allergen free housing next year, hoping to avoid the lottery. Some of the older buildings are not guaranteed mold free, and both D and her friend have eating issues that dining services cannot handle easily. They really want to get assigned an on-campus apartment outside of the lottery process- which they hope to designate both allergen free and substance free. Both don’t mind helping others who may have made unwise choices regarding alcohol, etc, but they REALLY don’t want it where they live. As a mom, I heartily applaud this preference. ;)</p>
<p>As for changing majors, D selected a different major for every college she applied to. I’d holler through her door the majors at the particular college I thought she’d be interested in, she’d yell back her choice, and I’d fill it in the Common App (that she had done for her unsuccessful ED app). They ranged from Physical Sciences, Medieaval Studies, Classics, History, History of Science, to Abrahamic Studies. Have no idea what she selected for her current college. She is majoring in Environmental Studies/Ecology and Animal Behavior which may have on the app- who knows? But she is so very happy at her school. H and I think that she has not been this content for at least 6 or 7 years, and we are truly grateful this worked out for her. We actually got to see her briefly today as she drove home for the final hunt of the formal fall beagling season with the young woman she calls “her twin”. They really are scarily alike so it was nice to meet the friend and have a chance to give D a hug. D will be home Thursday night for the break- going back sometime in January, depending on work schedule and her independent study project for spring semester. It will be nice to have her here for the holiday without a press of school work hanging over her, unlike previous years.</p>
<p>Avon - It is great that they caught it so early and I hope surgery goes well - and good that it is so soon, you won’t have long to wait. My mother was a breast cancer survivor for 30-some yrs, and had a mastectomy while I was in HS. I was completely kept in the dark until the surgery was over and they brought me to visit at the hospital. It was not a good idea to spring that on someone so I am glad for your d that you let her know. Your wife and family are in my prayers.</p>
<p>AvonHSDad–My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Sounds like for all the bad news, the good news is that it is stage 1 and recovery rate is high. I echo BlueIguana’s words that you need to take care of yourself too, and feel free to come here and “yell and scream” if you need to. </p>
<p>I have to say I wish my DS was having finals before the holidays. His school has finals in January. So who knows what homework or papers he will be doing over the break. Seems like it would be a much more stress-free break if finals were over.</p>
<p>DS will be on campus likely all 4 years. His school boasts about a 98% on-campus all 4 years rate. Hopefully that means the housing is good as well as available. I don’t know what he will do next year, but they have been talking about it already. I don’t think they get to choose until the spring.</p>
<p>I’m woefully behind on holiday planning/decorating, etc. No tree yet. We were going to get one on the way home from shopping until we realized we had the small car instead of the truck. Oh well. Not sure when we can get one. I have put out some decorations in the house, so all is not lost.</p>
<p>I’m madly trying to get baking done so I can mail it off to Dad and FIL, since it’s a large part of their gift. I guess I’ll see how far I get in the next couple of days, then mail off what is done.</p>
<p>Enjoy the homecomings! My DS won’t be home until the end of the week. We called him tonight and found out he was sick. 
Upper resp. infection. He doesn’t sound too good. I was going to send him one of the groupon chicken soup packages I purchased earlier this year, but delivery won’t be till toward the end of the week, and he wouldn’t be able to eat it before he comes home. Guess it will have to wait for the next illness.</p>