
(Painting by Claude Monet, Antibes, 1888. Love this one. We have a reproduction of it hanging over the fireplace in our bedroom, and it is one of those lovely scenes that just immediately pulls you into a sense of calm. Thought everyone else might appreciate it as well.)
I spoke with Digby and there is still no word from the surgeons or any news on outcome other than what we already heard. And so we continue to wait...but I wanted to give everyone a fresh waiting room. Consider this an open thread for the comments below. Will update as I get one.
Digby shares some thoughts here. And for everyone who has ever wondered about the quote on the blog header, wonder no more.
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{{{{{JANE!!!}}}}}
We’re here for you Jane!
Much love to and for Jane.
Get well soon Jane.
Calm is good, even when waiting becomes a drag.
I’ve waited with lots of folks in lots of waiting rooms, and having people with whom to wait makes it a lot easier. Thanks, everyone.
*pacing*
Peterr @ 4
Yep.
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((JANE!)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Everybody I know says I’m a worry-wart. And I suppose I am. But hey, that’s what I do. I’m worried about JH.
Oklahoma kiddo @
9
I’m not worried, there’s such strong Karma there. There’s good thoughts out here. Just when you think Tinkerbell is down for the count, she comes back, brighter than ever!
I’m sure our Jane is not feeling any pain right this minute.
Better living through chemistry, and all that.
She’s probably quite stoned. I sure hope she is anyway.
Best wishes Jane.
I will be anxiously waiting another update in the A.M..
Usually at times like this I’m speechless, but I’m there. I’m here Jane.
twolf1 @ 6
Yes… {{{{Jane}}}}
Along with everyone else, I’ve been on pins all day waiting to hear about Jane’s surgery.
I’m in SoCal (probably less than 80-miles from her hospital), and the sun is just going down. I hope she’s all right…
Oklahoma kiddo: Yeah, me too, I think I was born worried.
Thanks Christie for the picture, it’s beautiful and it helps.
And thanks Oilfieldguy for sharing your words for Jane. For anyone who missed his beautiful words:
“Strong as nails and more feminine than a daffodil. It takes alot of pressure to make a diamond and Jane your brilliance is breathtaking. Your comrades & flowers await.”
*sitting with head in my hands in the waiting room*
so, the surgery is over, but they’re waiting for all the path reports?
I too am watching the sun go down over the Pacific.
I just made a donation to a local cancer support group, in honor of Jane. It eased the sense of helplessness I’ve had all day.
177 candles, from 4 countries
Here, while the sun goes down in the West, if your feed is strong enough, I found this after Christy’s Mellisa Etheridge song earlier: Jake
Christy — the link to digby is not working. But I checked it independently and that site appears to be down at the moment.
Wishing, hoping, praying…
-GSD
The post from Digby really needs highlighting. Digby comments on possible treatment It has to do with the possibility for an effective cancer treatment based on a compound that is already used to treat mitochondrial disease, without ill effects. But, it is not a “pharmaceutial”, meaning that it is not owned by big pharma, and thus there would be no huge profits involved.
SusanD brought this to my attention in a post yesterday, and I followed up the links, and downloaded the original scientific article.
On my way to class to today, I happened to run into a colleague of mine. He started an enormously successful website called CancerQuest after his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. I asked him if he had read the scientific article. Not yet, he said, but I was the second colleage (and second female colleague) to mention it to him.
Earlier today, I emailed him a link with the original article. He is a really good cell biologist and also quite informed about cancer not only personally (see above) but professionally, as he teaches a course on the subject. I am really looking forward to his take on this, both scientifically and politically. I will share this info with all, when I hear back from him.
another worrywart here but i’m trying to stay in a peaceful zone for janes sake…………..
Scarecrow @ 21
i eventually got in.
Renee in Ohio @ 19
Thanks for the candle link Renee, I lit one. I think virtual candles is a lovely idea as I dare not light real candles in my house for fear of very furrys cat setting their tails alight.
I was thinking about Jane last night… staring this thing right in the eyeballs & saying you’re not going to win this one either!!! Nerves of steel. and grace.
I hope we hear tonight she’s waking up safely, no complications… we’ll have to wait for her to give the actual report I’d guess.
I haven’t done one of these in a while:
Current national average for regular gasoline: $2.209.
Crude oil:
Nymex Crude Future $50.48, down $1.76
Dated Brent Spot $51.53, down $.86
WTI Cushing Spot $50.48, down $1.76
Crude oil fell through the floor a week or two ago. Although it is cold at the moment, we had an extended period of mild weather, especially in the Northeast that uses most of the nation’s heating oil. Despite announced cuts by OPEC, they have had little impact on the availability of oil. There is also the slowdown in the US economy. The result is that inventories of gasoline and oil are high. Both increased last week so the likelihood is that low prices will be with us for a while, barring Bush starting another war somewhere.
The digby site is back up.
Thanks for the update, Christy.
I just dropped in and realized that something is up with Jane’s health.
My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer (ductal carcinoma in situ) which metastasized to her brain and liver shortly after a needle core biopsy was performed instead of doing a simple lumpectomy.
Fortunately we found an incredible oncologist after the cancer spread who suggested she be tested for the “her2″ gene.
Her primary oncologist was unaware of these tests.
She did have an over expression of the her2 gene which was causing the mutations.
Please follow up for us all and verify that this test has been performed for Jane.
My wife has survived over 10 years because there are very effective treatments available for this type of breast cancer.
The treatment, Genentec’s “Herceptin” also cured her related liver cancer.
Jane, this too shall pass and you will THRIVE!
Strength, love and Blessings!
Namaste
Michael
Colbert coming up on O’rilly.
Blogger is down, Christy. Can you share digby’s thoughts with us?
And thank you very much for the updates.
I wonder if the surgery team realizes that people all over the world are in the waiting room.
Persiflage @ 26
You’re welcome. My husband sometimes lights a candle on his desk, but we never feel like we can leave them unattended even to leave the room. Yes, we have cats too.
Regarding Digby, it seems to be a Blogspot issue–my husband just told me that the main page of my blog has the same error message I saw at Digby.
The best thing about this waiting room is that we do not have to share it with other families.
Strength.
Peace.
ReneND @ 31
I hope someone can report on how that goes. Our television is allergic to that channel.
jayackroyd @ 32
It seems to be back up.
Did I hear this right, anyone? McCaffrey says on Olbermann that Iraq has a “$5,000,000,000 per month burn rate”?
Can someone tell me when Colbert is on because I never watch O’Reilly and I’m too depressed to start now.
Mack @ 35
Oh, my! can you imagine that picture?
“Medical Center Waiting Room Overrun by DFH’s!”
ccmask @ 39
It’s on now, Colbert up next.
ccmask @ 39
i will do my best to notify. i may not make it through more than 5 minutes though.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 38
Right. We have been spending between $5 and $7 billion every month, for over a year.
ccmask @ 38
Colbert’s show is on at 11:30 pm EST. It is then repeated at 10:30 am, 2:30pm and 8:30 pm the following day.
I won’t watch BillO either. I figure that Amato at C&L will document the atrocities for us to see later.
Best wishes to you, Jane
:)
Sorry blogger is down for the Digby link, gang. It was a post on the cancer drug that pharmaceutical companies aren’t testing, because it’s not profitable apparently, but that has real promise for long-term cancer survival. When blogger goes back up, it is certainly worth the read.
At long last I know where Bedlam is dreaming of rain comes from. Yay! Wait a minute…
Not a question but a curse, how could Hell be any worse?
Boy, that kind of whacked me right between the eyes.
First of all, there’s Jane. I lost my only sister to it a couple of years ago. Second, our company (40 Employees) lost our CEO the day after Christmas in a car wreck. Tonite, the widow secretly shows me a letter she received from the four managers running the plant saying that if they do not receive a $25,000 raise by Tuesday, they are walking out. Which would mean that all of us “others” would be out of a job.
Oh, and I did make it to my hair appointment today, a little later than scheduled. Jane ordered me to get my hair done before going to DC — and I didn’t want her kicking my ass if she caught a glimpse of me on teevee without well poofed and poodled hair. *g*
Strength, Jane, strength.
And LOVE.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 46
I know this sound tin-foily, but there are lots of people who profit from diseases…
health is not really profitable for some, except for the common folk who thank the stars daily.
ccmask @ 48
Unbelievable - greed knows no bounds. Can’t they be arrested for extortion?
I’m sending best wishes from Florida to Jane.
Gotta Pay
by digby
As I sit here thinking sbout my pal Jane and what she’s facing I can’t help but reflect on just how fucked up this is:
It is expected there would be no problems securing funding to explore a drug that could shrink cancerous tumors and has no side-effects in humans, but University of Alberta researcher Evangelos Michelakis has hit a stalemate with the private sector who would normally fund such a venture.
Michelakis’ drug is none other than dichloroacetate (DCA), a drug which cannot be patented and costs pennies to make.
It’s no wonder he can’t secure the $400-600 million needed to conduct human trials with the medicine - the drug doesn’t have the potential to make enough money.
Michelakis told reporters they will be applying to public agencies for funding, as pharmaceuticals are reluctant to pick up the drug
More on this promising new treatment here . They are hoping they will be able to scrape up the money for the clinical trials through charities, universities and governments.
And here I thought the pharmaceutical companies had to charge such high prices because of all the research they were doing. Seems without the possibility of future revenue they can’t be bothered. Of course, a cheap cure for cancer would cut into profits in so many ways, wouldn’t it?
Christy Hardin Smith @ 46
with digby’s inferred permission, here is the text of that post:
Christy Hardin Smith @ 45
Here’s what Digby had to say:
Do go over and leave a word or two once Blogger is back up or follow the link Digby has to the study.
OT– George McGovern is a giant.
He is on KO right now.
Dab: The widow is so upset. He died Dec. 28 and she received the letter Jan 15. We did 2.2 Million last year.
ccmask @ 48 Sorry to hear about your losses.
Is what the managers are doing to your boss legal?
BTW, My comment above was in response to this possible new treatment.
Thanks for the heads-up, angie.
ccmask @ 58
She should call a lawyer ASAP! The company lawyer may be the place to start if he or she is not in tight with managers.
colbert on fox now… i think
…yep, he’s on
Hope I’m not annoying your stat-o-matic thingy cos this is my 5th check back. Glad to hear everyone’s being cautiously, well, cautious. Nothing wrong with that.
I know you know but dammit, you foks are fabulous and wonderful and cool and the besest.
bestest even
whodathunk?:
rumi: I don’t know. That’s why I mentioned it. It doesn’t seem right to me.
Excellent synchronicity on the digby.
Hi Christy
Thanks for keeping us updated. It will be awhile for the lab reports to come back so we will have to be patient as hard as it is.
You and Jane are such inspirations to me and I love this blog. Life is such a series of trials and we just have to do the best we can.
Thank you for the Monet. I love him as well and have several prints in my home. Always look for the light.
ccmask @ 67
regardless of the legality, that kind of shake-down in those circumstances is just plain wrong.
Republicans, right?
Christy Hardin Smith @ 49
Can’t wait to catch another TV shot of our favorite ReddHedd!
RBG @ 68
fair fair fair
use use use
???
Thanks everyone! Of course, my sister had other problems too and she wasn’t very strong, like Jane. Jane is a trooper and I know she is going to come back strong.
My synch has links too, for anyone who wants to click through. I got lucky.
RBG @ 67
great minds link likely.
punaise @ 70
Three Republicans and one Independent. Like Joe.
RevDeb @ 75
Hey RevDeb! Hey Punaise! Hope you saw earlier that I will be following up on this.
Totally off topic, but here’s what I’ve been working on lately: anti-Valentine designs for the current contest at Cafe Press.
Blogger, it seems, has taken a big dump tonight.
CCMask, is it possible to run the plant without these 4? It seems to me that management always gets the managers to do the line work when the line workers go on strike…why not a little role reversal?
Yes VG.
It will be interesting to see what your colleague has to say about it.
Sorry for the personal stuff. I just left her house and she is destroyed over it and I have to go to work tomorrow. End of story.
Fitz!!
Valley Girl @ 77
thanks - keep us posted.
Bless you, Jane. I love Monet. Thank you Christy for the beautiful painting.
Hi all.
I don’t have much to say, just sharing everybody’s good wishes and eating my liver quietly.
ccmask @ 80
No apologies necessary. When folks are hanging out in a waiting room they talk about lots of stuff. This is important and worth mentioning. The suggestion of talking to the company lawyer or another lawyer sounds reasonable.
O’rilly will be on Colbert tonight.
I’m sure it will be better. This wasn’t very funny.
KO - bush admin worst person in world - for cutting budget for cancer research last year and planning to do it again this year.
The Bush Admin is worst person in the world for misleading us on cancer research.
KO!
Bush gets the Worst Person in the World for cutting the funding for Cancer research after they announced yesterday that the cancer rate is going down.
Keith has been lurking.
Did Olberman just do an “Homage” to our Jane?”
Bush Admin WPITW today for their boasting about cancer deaths down while cutting research dollars.
Christy, John Amato, Digby, and all the rest, Jane has excellent instincts when picking friends. Your generosity, kindness, decency, and selfless giving is wonderful. I feel for all of you today, it’s been a long one.
I just saw that, RevDeb.
I think if you’ve created your own reality, it doesn’t seem like lying any more.
ReneND @ 86
no, agreed, i’m not sure anything with O’rly can be funny. anyway, I recorded it and can post it on youtube if anyone is interested.
Twisted Martini @ 79
That’s what she wants me to do. Pull up all the applications and bring them home and see what we can do. I’ll let you know Monday how it goes. I really wanted to Fitz all weekend but there are people in our small busness that need those jobs……they are working for minimum wage while these guys, combined, are bringing in close to $300 thou. We’ll see. Good idea.
Big and continuing hugs to Jane.
Hope.
Faith in her and in her doctors.
More hugs.
Breast cancer in a loved one has been part of my life for almost 11 years. Chemotherapy (CEF, both before and after surgery), surgery, radiotherapy afterwards, Tamoxifen.
For those who want to learn much more, or who have experienced breast cancer (or that of a loved one), no place is better to go than to The Breast Cancer Mailing List.
For those who want to search for information on specific treatments, discussed by those with BC who do painstaking research, go to the Breast Cancer Mailing List Archives.
I used to be a regular on the BC List, but as 10 years have gone by, I started to become more and more optimistic and have less and less need to check on the latest.
But it is an incredible resource for those who have a current need.
ccmask @ 81
ccmask,
Realizing that it will create difficulties now for your company her best move would be to fire all 4 of these guys and put the word out about them. Few companies would hire them with reputation that they will get. They probably have secretaries who know where info is and if you have compentent lower level folks move them up.
And we are rooting for you!!!
Get well, Jane, and to the rest of you, thank you for your support.
Also, what Boudica (91) said.
ccmask- sorry I haven’t absorbed the details of your plight. will reread. But hugs, and no need to apologize.
Though I haven’t been able to post since the early a.m. first waiting room thread, I’ve been thinking of Jane all day. No let-up here on the prayers and good thoughts!
ccmask — You and your fellow employees are on my prayer list now, too! Please let us know how it goes. I hope that something can be done to stop these managers from exercising an extortion racket.
That was KO’s most special comment ever, imho.
It is the first time he has made Bushco the worst person in the world.
He did it for Jane and many others.
Thank you KO!
Remember, in addition to sending Jane our best wishes, we can also help her with the expenses related to this wonderful blog.
Let’s keep the fire by the lake well tended till she gets back.
John O @
97
John O—that was a mighty fine post you wrote. Thanks.
Hi Valley Girl!
I’d be really interested in what your colleague has to say about this possible treatment.
I used to work in geriatrics. For years there were no treatments for Alzheimers. Then the baby boomer generation hits middle age and Big Pharma realises the huge potential profit. Now there are some drugs that slow the pace of the disease. Most clinical trials that I”m aware of are for better Alzheimer-slowing drugs, not Alzheimer-curing drugs.
Big Pharma’s got to make it’s fortune. How else would Mrs Lieberman keep Joey in the style to which he is accustomed?
Michael @ 30
There are three kinds of oncologists:
medical oncologists (chemotherapy);
radiation oncologists (radiotherapy);
surgical oncologists (surgery).
Each keeps up with developments in his or her field, but rarely with developments in one of the other two fields.
It is essential to consult all three — and best if all three work in a team.
angie @ 100
he just keeps rockin’ more and more each day.
thanks for catching that.
ccmask,
She should immediately act on that 25,000 number. As in: REDUCE each of the 4 salaries by at least 25,000. Then fire their asses.
{{{ Jane }}}
there is also an enormous benefit to get from oncology nurses and nurse practitioners…
very, very integral to getting well and dealing with side effects and much more.
Can you feel the love, Jane?
AZMATT: The good news is I am all their secretary! I do all the collections, write all the proposals and bring in all the clients. We may have to give our company Gop a run for their money. I’ll keep you all posted! Thanks. That is the reason why I love this place. Fitz me hard!
The other good news is I lost my diamond tennis bracelet my Mom gave me for xmas and a FRIEND called me today…they found it in the grass at their house. They had a New Year’s party and I lost it there. I thought I lost it at work. So, with this good news, and waiting on Jane’s good news…
ccmask- the tactic the 4 are using sounds like blackmail (sorta) to me. As in, if she gives in now, they will have won, and have the power to do same again.
Scarborough says Bush is a “cornered” prez., and that worries him (Scarborough).
Good idea Shez. Unemployment will appreciate the letter :)) which they all signed.
Hmm- I stayed on fox to check on what Newt had to say. Something about a bigger/super contract for america. He is so running. Loser.
Janie, please get well. The Bastard loves you!
been thinking of this all day and in total denial
please kick its ass like you do everything, Jane
Me too VG. But to me, it is the timing first of all and second, knowing that she knows nothing at all about the business. I spent the day canceling cruises and other trips I had made for them and these guys are strong arming her behind our backs.
Just found this recent update by Corn on the selection process today. FWIW. FYI. Haven’t read it yet, but wanted to post quickly.
today’s corn
hey guitar, I’m a piano playing bastard tonight
hi Sharkbabe!
I echo your sentiments and must tell you that I have missed you– a lot.
Persiflage @ 103
Persiflage, I despise Big Pharma’s corporate values: they are inimical to the values of medicine.
Despite Pig Pharma’s prpaganda, most of the intellectual work in the development of novel drugs is still done in academia. Pig Pharma exploits this intellectual work. GOP/Reagan greatly cut fundinng for basic science, but have not eliminated public funding for biomedical research.
Please share with us your knowledge of the basic mechanisms by which “Alzheimer curing” drugs ready for Phase I clinical trials operate.
After describing the mechanism(s), please also share with us the specific drugs which have been shown in animal models to be “Alzheimer-curing”.
You seem most certain of your conclusions about a matter of vital importance for millions of Americans and their families. Please, enlighten us regarding the factual basis for your assertions.
Citations will be most useful in standard Medline format, but any citations of peer-reviewed journals supporting your assertions will be most eagerly reviewed.
What is the basic mechanism for the Alzheimer curing drug? Oh yes - and what is the drug?
Simple questions - so what are the answers?
That candle page is so cool!
OFG, you made me cry too.
{{{ Jane }}}