Best Of
Re: I’m on hospice - anyone else?
Bumping. On the hospice front, I’m still chugging along. I am having a little trouble breathing every time I eat because the food sits right under my breast bone for hours. I get really tight. Some days I’m weak and some days I have more energy. I’m also getting cramping every morning before going to the bathroom, which is new. It doubles me over and then goes away.
@exbrnxgrl How are you doing?
Yesterday I made it to 64. I chose to go to a beautiful waterfall and lunch. Once we got home, the breeze was amazing, so I sat outside enjoying the beautiful weather. It was such a beautiful day.
kbl
Re: Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
Cardplayer, I have a lot of hand & finger issues I never thought of the anastrazole. I’m unfamiliar with the games you mentioned.
Canarycat, belated happy Canada Day! I too hope you enjoyed all the festivities.
Today was my appointment to get my stitches out. I told the tech I didn’t want to watch, so I laid down and talked her ear off to take the focus off. But I did look before she started - two rows of stitches and 2 stitches on top of the toe; the 4th toe is a SAUSAGE, 3rd toe is bruised. She put steri strips on multiple spots. They X-rayed it and the dr came in.
Dr said I can put weight on the foot, flat, but no flex at the toes to push off - I’m still in my heel walking Velcro shoe. I can’t get in the pool for 3 more weeks. But I explained I don’t really swim, I’m a book reader who gets in to cool off. He said the chance of infection is low but… I asked could I wear the shower cover to keep water off if it to get in the pool. He didn’t say yes but didn’t say no either. I take that as a win.
The not great news is I will still be in the shoe on out first vacation 7/15 at Canandaigua lake. My follow-up is 7/23, 3 days before we leave for Cape Cod. At that appointment I believe I’ll be able to stop wearing the beautiful Velcro shoe and use my sneaker. But I’m also thinking of purchasing a pair of hiking sandals just in case my foot is uncomfortable. (Prime days sale)
First shower tonight without a shower cover - he said not to scrub the toes, just let the soapy water run over them. But once I was out of the shower to dry the foot off… TMI sorry. Enough.
I’m heading to bed. We had a beautiful day today. Tomorrow we might get some rain before noon, it would help water my plants but that’s about it. I’ll be able to do a lot more outside now that I don’t have to worry about getting the foot wet. 🤷♀️
cindyny
Re: Feeling humiliated trying to find an escort (a rant/vent)
So the procedure was today and my friend came and it was all fine. Best case scenario, it will help with the turning of a friendly acquaintanceship into an actual friendship.
I know you are right about asking friends who are not necessarily single also. It's not just about them not having time (that seems more of a factor with kids), but also on some level... pride and reciprocity maybe? Like they would never ever ever call me for something like this, because they have their person. So I guess it is a combination of feeling like a third wheel and like it's rubbing my face in it. But now that I am thinking about and naming those things maybe I can move past them a bit.
Rah, I love that it inspired you to help. I tried to do some googling for local services but everything I came up with (at least for people my age) was paid, starting at about $80 minimum - and that's without paying for the transportation, so literally just meeting me inside the doctor's office and, I guess, walking me to the subway station.
exbrnxgrl, that's always relevant perspective on aging. I always resent it when my father complains about the pains of age, and especially jokes like 'aging isn't for wimps' or whatever, because I think about my mother's death at 53 - which doesn't seem so far from my current age at the moment. x
Anyway, clearly I am carrying more baggage around all this than I had realized. But at least I got my new IUD and hopefully the biopsy and blood tests all come back clear!
Re: Single life after a mastectomy
I posted in another place about my boyfriend and I splitting a month after my bilateral mastectomy. Granted, we had problems for a long time, but he was not great through the whole ordeal. He would say things like, "It's not all about you. Nobody cares about me." He was upset that my daughter was sitting on the couch between us the week I was home after my mastectomy, that he didn't get any alone time with me, and I didn't say anything. He said he didn't want to be number 2 to my daughter. I could go on and on all the crap. He was supportive in many ways, and in many ways, not. I'm still struggling with the whole thing. He has moved on, and I'm trying to.
Re: Single life after a mastectomy
Don't worry I'm single if that helps and basically the partner I had saw me through the chemo etc remission then about 3 months ago I found out he had been seeing his ex for the past year.
It's really painful etc - but I'm happier without the stress he brought me that's for sure. I don't think a guy who really cares for you would care less if you had a masectomy or not. I saw my oncologist the other day and he agreed that he had seen many relationships break up after cancer and that people almost fear they will 'catch it' as such. I laughed but have found that people can treat you oddly as they worry that you will not survive etc.
Re: Not Diagnosed and Waiting for Test Results? Start Here
I got my biopsy results. They are benign. Thank you all for all the support 🙏🏾
Re: Oncotype test
Ok..I didn't realize this .mine was 1.2 cm ..or 11.mm.. first it said 9 mm then after surgery it was 11 mm.. but they still didn't offer it to me...
4k..wow.. are there any tests one could take at this point to determine recurrence or met chances? I know they have the online versions which I've done but I didn't know if there was anything more substantial
Thanks Maggie..you are always so helpful..
Re: Asymmetry and distortion BIRADS 4
Hi @stuckbyanxiety, Wonderful news! Thanks for letting us know. Condolences on the loss of your dog.
maggie15
Keeping up health and immune system
I’m so frustrated… my onc defers to the onc pharmacist, who reviewed my list of supplements that I’d like to take. Most were discouraged because of interference with the meds (anastrazole and Verzenio). I’ve been continuing to try and research - mostly finding conflicting info. Since verzenio can cause your white blood cells to drop, b-complex and e can help maintain them - but b12 gets conflicting comments - results are “inconclusive” - etc etc it seems like almost everything I look up becomes a “better not”. My onc just says “eat healthy”, but my appetite has dropped - it’s been difficult to eat enough of the foods that contain the vitamins. I hate that I feel like I’ve lost control. I have to take meds that can help fight the cancer, but kill the rest of me, and it seems like there’s very little I can do to help myself.
Has anyone figured out how to deal with this?
I wish there was a company that’d come out with specifically formulated support vitamins that wouldn’t interfere with meds, or radiation, or hormones etc
Re: Stage III Cancer Survivors ...Five + Years and Out.
hi. same age and 34 years of survival from IBC stage 3b. am happy to be thankful every day of survival.