Best Of
Re: Life does not end with a stage IV diagnosis (really!)
@xsuzx. Sorry you are here. My cancer came back after 7.5 years. I am sure you are feeling overwhelmed right now. Getting through the initial testing is the worst. You will find people in any topic will help you out and answer questions. My mets were in the pleural of my lung. Google had me dead in 3-9 months. So don't believe everything you read. That was 3 years ago. There are so many new meds out.
Did you have a biopsy. Do you know what your estrogen and progesterone status are? Did the tell you if you are her2 +/- or low. If you know those create a signature. It will help people better answer your questions. Also, share the meds you are on in the signature.
Find the chats that best fit your cancer and meds. You will find new members and veterans to this awful disease. The beginning is hard. The side effects to meds can be challenging but there is a lot to be learned from the members here so just start asking questions.
Last there is a search bar to search topics on meds, types of cancers, locations, etc
Re: Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
The day flew by. I slept in later than normal - I was shortchanged the night before, 7+ vs 5. SO slept in way beyond me. I had laundry done, and the robot vacuumed everything except our bedroom, because he was still in it.
I took a gf crockpot back to her house; she’s still in Illinois. I had used it on Thanksgiving, put it in the dishwasher so it was nice and clean. It was taking up space on my counter. They’re big and bulky, so ours is stored in the garage.
We called Norton, computer security, to do a tune up on SO’s laptop. I still need to buy a SSD drive, before they can do my laptop. I was told by them my HDD is full. My computer skills are limited, so I may buy an external SSD and put all my photos on it - basically empty file storage on to it. Maybe a cyber Monday sale will help me out. I barely use it, but I do our taxes on it so by February I’ll want to use it. SO’s is running super fast now, he’s quite pleased. Total for calls, being transferred etc, was 55 minutes.
Tomorrow we’ll pack for PR. I’ve started a list, and will buy whatever we forget to take. I’m hoping it’s super relaxing. I looked up the Don Q rum tasting in old San Juan, and it’s closed. But we can take the ferry over to Barcardi, and enjoy the ride. I did see online Casa Barcardi now charges for the tours ($40), they’ve added a rum tastings ($80) and even a self pour to make your own bottle ($198) - all to increase their profits, which was inevitable.
Bloodwork results were in very early this morning. Everything is good. Cholesterol 184, but the PA notes say my LDL was high. This is my normal, a low hdl offsets my higher ldl; some ratio thing. She wants it retaken around 2/28, and include a urine. I laughed - test my A1c after Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years - that should be interesting. (wire my jaw shut lol)
That’s my story. High today was 79 but didn’t feel hot. There was a breeze, rolling clouds moving through. I sat for a bit reading in my driveway, letting the sun light up the page.
Hope you all have a good weekend.
cindyny
Re: Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
Martyccrn - Glad you found us. "Age is just a number." It's my understanding that this group started mainly because we weren't raising children and were looking forward to or already retired. Anyway, we do chatter about a lot of things but will try to answer any questions you have on this journey. Fingers crossed that yours will be a false alarm. Waiting is one of the hardest times.
We had a nice Thanksgiving Day. I played golf in the morning and then we had dinner at a friend's home. We took a family corn casserole and pecan pie. Had leftovers last night. Beautiful weekend - morning lows in the early '50 and days in the '70's. I played golf again this morning. Ken just turned on the Northwestern/Illinois game and it reminded me why we suffer through the summers.
Low-keyed weekend for us. I've been researching Mom's family line but plan to switch to Dad's in 2026 so doing some last minute clean-up. Also looking for pictures to add to our StoryWorth account.
Hoping your football team wins. I've about given up on mine!
1946taco
Re: Faslodex Girls Thread
I get a generic brand called fuvesterant. I haven't heard that the brand name was being discontinued. The generic will continue. I am in the US.
Re: Faslodex Girls Thread
Fulvestrant shot yesterday. No reaction this month. No pain no adhesive reaction etc. Had to have been the result of the flu shot.
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
@eleanora - Thank you so very much. Seems like I've had a lot of problems with electrolyte imbalances and now a "possible" uti (test was negative, but I have some vague symptoms). No one has really been able to put their finger on this. I've been talking to my oncologist, been to the ER, been to urgent care, and also am working with my PCP, but no real definitive answers at this point. I'm seeing the oncologist again this coming Tuesday. Just lots of low energy, brain fog, aches and pains all over. Getting some of the electrolyte imbalances corrected seems to be helping some, but now I'm taking an antibiotic (macrobid/nitrofur….sp?) for a possible uti and that too seems to be making me feel a little bit better after a day or two, but it also seems to have mounting side effects that aren't pleasant. I don't know this particular antibiotic but seem to remember it being given to me many, many years ago, and I stopped taking it midway, due to side effects. We shall see. I didn't have a chance to discuss this with the PCP, as he just phoned it in to the pharmacy and I got a message later. Since I hadn't had it in so long, I decided to give it another run. Fingers crossed that this will do the job! I'm also getting a break now from the Zometa infusions, and I recently read that those can cause electrolyte imbalances and uti's as side effects, so gotta wonder … Hope things have been going reasonably well for everyone here and that this week-end is a pleasant respite for all. I miss my routine activity here.
Re: Life does not end with a stage IV diagnosis (really!)
@xsuzx So sorry you are on this journey, but as all of the others have said, this is a great place to gather information and friends. I was originally diagnosed 16 years ago with stage 1, no lymph node involvement. Last year I had pain in my upper sternum that turned out to be stage IV BC. I have now been on treatment for over a year. I, like you, was terrified at first. But, now, as you can see from my signature, I’ve been through quite a few things, and I am currently in remission.
Wishing you a smooth journey. Do let us know your specific diagnosis and keep us posted on how you are doing. We are all praying for you!
Hugs, Pam 💗
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
@sf-cakes Glad you enjoyed the dog show and the pie, hope you had more pie today.
Nothing on the agenda today, slept well, laundry is underway. Need a good sweep as always. Funny that for all the vacuum type devices, best I have found is the most recent broom and dustpan. Pan has the teeth that can be used to clean bristles and when sweeping into the dustpan, no line of dust left over. I also need a good mop on the floor as well. One of those vileda devices will fit the bill. Also need to run my power washer in the tub behind the washer. It really works well. One of the more coarse heads also works well to clean dishes a bit faster without much effort from me. That makes it easier to stay away from buying an unnecessary dishwasher.
Food is a different matter. I discovered that mixing food in the pot like pasta and eggs with vienna sausage is a bad idea, the meal was not good and a waste of a couple eggs. Better served to make stuff separately and then add them together as I feel like. I did discover just now that an El Monterey beef and bean burrito was delicious. It is cheap, not super huge and really did taste good. I added a dash of salt, some sour cream and onion powder as well. It was delicious and ever so inexpensive, will buy them when shopping for stuff again. Tonight will likely be an egg mcmuffin made a home, toast the english muffin, add butter, bit of mayo and cheese, make egg in the mini griddle and that will be supper.
I do hope everyone is having a good day with leftovers or football or whatever you do. In pockets for all who need it. I am including everyone in my pocket duty and in pockets of my SIL and her mom. Her mom has possible lymphoma, going through the testing etc. I am supporting my SIL since she has her own situation she is dealing with, her mom and possibly me. I told her that I am not any further along toward a consult and will let her know when that is. Told I am dealing with it and do not want her to take on stress for that. She has promised to come when I find out. Will call DB tonight or this weekend to see how his week is going for him.
Normally I am not always tying them up on the phone but since seeing each other is not happening, phone convos work for me to stay connected.
Re: Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
teka I love your piggy bank photo. Says it all. I bought myself a new vanity for my powder room. So my piggy is looking mightily scrawny too.
I hope everyone had a good thanksgiving. Ours was in October as we celebrate the harvest. My sisters birthday is Nov 21 so I get really into the holiday spirit after that. Still needing something for mom. She’s impossible to shop for. Doesn’t ever like any clothes we get her. So I’m hoping for something in small appliance realm that she will like. I started putting put my Xmas stuff yw and Dusty is posing like one. Welcome to the group Marticcrn I’m also a nurse there’s a bunch of us in this group. I retired from teaching in 2018 but have always worked in the community or acute care my areas are ER and mental health and addictions Im currently working parttime in a harm reduction clinic.
