Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Sandy, the good news is that your floater will diminish, some of it may be absorbed and some will sink to the bottom of your eyeball. I've had the gel detachment in each eye and no longer "see" the floaters. They are very distracting though until they sink!
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Sandy - any walking is good walking. A gf has challenged herself to walk for a 1/2 hour every day in July. I'm doing more odd jobs around the house than working out. From 5x a week to a steady 1+. Sad.
Floaters - I wasn't aware they sank. I thought the brain adjusts somehow and you just don't focus on them anymore.
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Good morning, Ladies. After several rainy days, the sun is out and the rain is heading out in the Gulf toward Texas. Since it is now a tropical storm, hoping for the best for those folks. There seems to be a scheduling problem for my upcoming mamo, so that will be my project for today. Cyber hugs, thoughts and prayers to all with medical issues.
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The highest and best thing that people can conceive is a human life nobly and beautifully lived—therefore their loyalties and energies should be devoted to the arrangement of conditions which make this possible. The sole issue is how to make this world a place conducive to the living of a noble human life, and then to help people in every possible way to live such lives.
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Having sun here in Illinois as well ( the southern part ) and while we could have some rain still, I don't think it would be during the day if it does. We have had a lot of our storms at night lately so we will see. It will be hot and not at all comfy. Seems the days are gone when we didn't have to use the a/c til' last wk. of July or August.
Looking forward to the week-end. X-ray on Monday with cath. removal on Tues morning. I am so anxious to have it gone. It has certainly cooled my jets and likely just for that was a good reason. I will still take it easy, but I'll be able to use two hands again to do things, rather than having to be in places where I had a handle so I could free my hands. Also, it is just awkward period.
Hope you all have a good day.
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Yay for cath removal Mon., Jackie! We are having what is likely our last mild (mid-70s) dry day for quite awhile, perfect for patio dining.
Had my phone consult with UIC Rad. Onc. today, and it looks like I can be at home with the brachytherapy plaque in my eye (just have to sleep in the guest room w/o the kitties, and stay arm's length away from everyone--and since we're already social-distancing that shouldn't be too hard). The doc says it should be safe for the cats to occasionally cuddle, but not spend the night in bed, in my face, with me.
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Good news about your eye treatment, Sandy. Better to recuperate at home!
Jackie - Yes, good news about cath removal. My brother had a hip replacement & has had to use a foley catheter ever since.
Still hot & humid here, around 88 to 91 for the next couple of days.
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Yay Sandy. It is much better to be home. I hope it passes easily for you and really glad you are not barred completely from the kitties. You will both be the happier for it I think.
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Sandy - great news for you to be at home rather than stuck in the hospital. Comforts of home can't be beat.
IllinoisLady - it sounds like you're doing ok, and will be even better after cath removal.
Today the tree service made a liar out of me, they showed up! No call last night, I left to workout in a gf back yard, when partner called to say they were at the house. I zoomed home. The tree and all debris were but a memory in less than 30 minutes. The stump showed the inner base was rotted, so glad we took it down.
Tomorrow high of 89, but we're set to re-stain my ancient garage. Trying to work around rain dates, leaves us doing it in the heat. I just want it done.
HUGS to all faced with health challenges. Its been a strange year, made more difficult for those with health issues.
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Great news for both Jackie and Sandy. My cats like to snuggle and one has to be near my face so I can identify with keeping them away. Glad you can "isolate" at home rather than in a hospital. Will you need to wear a special eye patch?
I go for a CT scan of my abdomen on Monday to explore any other issues with that pre-cancerous polyp. The surgeon ordered this so I can make an informed decision as to the next step: repeat colonoscopy to attempt removal or laparoscopic removal. I was glad I met with the surgeon because he did listen and offered several options after consulting with my GI doc (via phone in my earshot) and a radiologist (also while I was listening) over the virtues of a CT scan vs. MRI. I think this is the first I have ever met with a surgeon who did not push for surgery! Hopefully I will have answers by the end of next week as to the next step. Not looking forward to the CT scan "milkshake" though.
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Ask if you can have the "protein-bound-iodine" contrast instead: clear, colorless, odorless, tasteless, not at all viscous. I had no trouble at all drinking it as prescribed. In your pocket for the scan, Betrayal.
Yes, I will have to wear a special eye patch: a layer of padding covered by a lead (or lead-lined) shell.
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Many issues yesterday and this a.m. but with some adjustments it seems I'm back on now.
Sandy -- I'll be stuffed in the pocket somewhere.
Also yours Betrayal. Hoping while I'm in your pocket all goes well with the CT. Hope you can get a 'better' coctail for your scan.
Sandy, the eye patch -- well, it is for a good cause. Not much fun but doable. Hoping everyone does well.
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In no way can we soeffectively hasten the dawning of the inner consciousness of another, as by showing forth the divinity within ourselves simply by the way we live. By example and not by precept. By living not by preaching. By doing not professing. -RalphWaldo Trine
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lots of pocket occupying this coming week!
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Hi everyone.
I was reading over post and see there are so many crazy things going on here.
My sweet Illinois Lady I didn't know u were going thru all this, I am so sorry and u know I have to throw in some prayers. <Ladies u have to know by now she is one of the quietly kindest ladies>
And so many of u I always hate to hear activity with Drs. <not usually a great thing> and yet u all sound like strong women to me. Bless u all and pockets are getting full easily here. I can only say prayers and send <<<HUGS>>> to all and I don't care if I don't know all of you, it won't hoit, oy vey.
I know we're all getting older so it seems like more is happening, but we also go to the Drs. more than most women our age so they find everything.
Oh and BTW I still have my at home job, I haven't been fired yet even tho there have been many reasons to do it,
Best wishes to all of you.
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Self-respect cannot be hunted. It cannot be purchased. It is never for sale. It cannot be fabricated out of public relations.
It comes to us when we are alone, in quiet moments, in quiet places, when we suddenly realize that, knowing the good, we have done it; knowing the beautiful, we have served it; knowing the truth, we have spoken it.
Whitney Griswold
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Cami, my sweet fellow Illinoisan. Your words are so kind for me and for all of us. Thank you, thank you. I'm glad you are still working. Sometimes it helps us stay out of trouble you know. I hope to be back soon -- working that is, and not making too much trouble. I adore the kitty too.
Not much planned today for me. I cooked a big breakfast and will have to clean the kitchen before we eat again and need to do a couple of loads of clothes. The struggle of nothing by mouth plus only liquids after for day of coming home, in addition to the GERD which seriously cut into any food of note and I'm not at about 173 I think. Though not intentional on my part -- I'm going to try not to increase if possible. I am now just in the overwt. category and I'd like to hold it there.
I hope you all have a beautiful Sunday.
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Thanks to everyone volunteering for pocket duty tomorrow and for those undergoing procedures, I am in your pocket as well. I really would like to expand my social life to beyond MD appointments. They are nice people but seldom have great news. I think we all could do with some great news for a change. So <<hugs>> to all.
An update on the baby parakeet and I will post a new picture when my DD sends it to me. She is doing serial photos. The baby has sprung pin feathers on most of its' body but its head looks like a tonsured monks. It has tiny wings that it flaps and wobbles around the cage like a child learning how to balance to walk. It's hard to believe that this transition from immobile naked baby to one mobile with pin feathers has occurred over just 2 weeks. My DD says it looks like a tiny vulture because the head and neck are still somewhat bare. Quite demandingwhen it is hungry and keeping both parents busy. Nice diversion from all the other negatives occurring in the US.
Jackie, love today's quote and it speaks volumes about those who have none. Have a good day.
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Betrayal: Love hearing about the parakeet. As youngsters, we had a parakeet for yrs. at our house. My Dad worked as the stock manager for our local Kresge's. He came home with our bird one day along with cage and food, etc. Dad was like that now and then as he did have a love of birds and animals. He made out being gruff, but the heart was there, mainly hidden.Bobby was very young and fairly trainable -- so he could talk. Also, he enjoyed the company of people and we would let him out of his cage often. Had to be careful of course, but I don't think we ever came close to losing him out the door. He would sit on your shoulder and chatter and if you were eating he would try to get a 'taste' of what you were having. It was one of the very delightful times of my youth.
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Good morning, ladies. I am glad all of you with medical issues are doing better.
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Hi all. I had triple negative with lumpectomy right breast 2 years ago Now having left mastectomy for triple positive.
I'm 69 and wondering if anyone else has experienced this? Surgery scheduled August 4 . Will also have reconstruction.Appreciate any tip
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We've had a lot going on.
Turns out my stepson got COVID, felt off, tired/fatigued, and had issues w his blood sugar levels (type 1 diabetic), but otherwise ok. His 2.5 yr old son caught it, 104 fever but bounced back fast. Pregnant wife was bedridden for 10 days, lost sence of smell. Has seen her OB who confirmed the baby is ok.
They didn't tell us until it was over and every one is doing ok. This was because they didn't want us to worry, knowing we couldn't do anything about it. They're in Texas, we're in NY. An OMG moment.
On to good news, other stepson Dr. has taken a position at UBC, Raleigh, NC. Still in his fellowship thru 6/21, but we've been told most have jobs lined up by September. Seems like a great fit for him.
We spent Saturday scraping garage and the long shed addition to it. Hot & horrible describes it. Our thumbs were numb after 6 hours of scraping. Then we spent Sunday, 4+ hours, applying cape cod grey solid stain. Thumbs, index finger, wrist - overused and useless by finishing. But done. Check that off the list.
Medical appointments this week with your pockets full and best wishes to boot! Always hoping for the best.
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The plaque brachytherapy implant procedure will be in early August. I am so frustrated with communication delays, even w/in the UIC Health system. My ocular oncologist e-mailed me last Sun. (as soon as I got the scan report from the day before) and said he would have his NP order the plaque & seeds on Mon. the 20th. Radiation Onc.'s sec'y called me on Wed., did an intake interview, and told me the Rad. Oncologist and her resident would formally phone-consult with me on Fri., which they did. But she (the rad. onc.) told me that her dept., not the ocular onc.'s, has to order the seeds and custom-make the real and "dummy" plaques (the latter for marking placement of the real one). I asked her how likely the delay would cause mets, and she said "not very." But then she said that if during the surgery the ocular onc notices that the base diameter of the tumor has increased, they'd have to close up and make a new set of plaques. And the needle biopsy would be to determine if the tumor has certain genetic features that would make it more aggressive and likely to metastastize, in which case I would be offered a trial of systemic treatment (most likely experimental immunotherapy) if I qualify. Chemo would be administered if spread has occurred, and it would likely be palliative. Oh, joy.
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Sandy: Nothing worse than having a plan and having it run into roadblocks beyond your control. Communication delays and/or lack thereof (communication) seem to permeate medicine today and it is distressing to those of us that are the patients. Hopefully it is a once and done procedure with no setbacks. The wait is what causes the anxiety to increase because you are dealing with an unknown and they seem rather cavalier about it.
Or you get an ambiguous answer "not to worry, it might morph into nothing or not develop into a lesion for 20 years, etc., plus it is very small but it must be removed within the next 12 weeks"? WTF? How does one make an informed decision with this claptrap? Had the CT scan today and must say I wasn't able to get the other prep solution so I had to use the vanilla readicat. If cold it is palatable. However, they did not suggest I refrigerate it, that was a memory from a patient teachable moment.
I am attaching yesterdays photos of the baby parakeet. It is so much larger now and very mobile. Seeing it preen itself and flap those tiny wings is good for a laugh. It leaves its cat food bowl bed at will but does stay in it overnight. The head still looks like a vultures (especially the one in Wiley Coyote)
. Enjoy.
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Betrayal, I share your frustration. When Bob had his CTs, the hospital offered only the unflavored barium, which he says was almost as bad as the cramps that sent him to the ER. I had barium only once, as a teen when they were trying to diagnose IBS and rule out an ulcer. But they had the compassion to mix it with a little chocolate syrup so it tasted like a shake. Hope you get felicitous results!
And that baby budgie is adorable!
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I had the nasal Covid test this morning as part of the preop for Friday's surgery. Everyone has described it as so uncomfortable and that it took 10 seconds. It was only 5 seconds and not nearly as uncomfortable as I had been expecting. Had the test at 9 am and just got my negative results at 2;15 pm.
I went and bought a Sitz bath basin this morning. I'm so raw down there from all this drainage that I'm walking bow-legged like a cowboy. Hoping an epsom salt Sitz soak will make things more comfortable.
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Another sunny day brightener with baby bird. It is cloudy here after a sunny morning start. We had a downpour earlier. Not sure but there could be some more up there. We will see.
Wow !!! Yes, frustration at inconsistent information and feeling a bit on a ledge about possible results and fixes. Not a total stranger to it. Feeling for you Sandy.
I was able to go get my X-ray study this morning. Got there and had to wait while the techs. had a conference as to how to precede -- because I showed up with a cath. on. Well, it was the reason I was there. Put dye in - no bladder leaks then tomorrow the cath. can come out -- so I do know Sandy. Made things a bit nerve wracking since we were not all on the same page. At least though I think we were all in the right chapter. I have my fingers crossed.
Waiting to hear from Dr. B. who will remove cath. tomorrow as to what the X-ray study has told him. Then I will get in my car ( first drive since surgery ) and go to my cousin's and pick up some field corn she has for me. First pick of the season. Always a great time of yr. I get Libby's sweet corn in the can as to me it tastes the most like field corn, during the yr. but wait with baited breath for the field corn. After a couple or three weeks -- last pick is a big one and I take that batch and clean it, blanch it slightly, then seal in meal sizes in freezer bags.
Hope you are all having a good Monday.
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Puffin, in your pocket for Friday's surgery. Try some colloidal oatmeal in the sitz bath (if you don't have any, run oatmeal--rolled or instant--through the food processor or blender till it resembles a coarse flour). Aveeno makes a colloidal oatmeal powder (the original product in its line). Baking soda is also soothing. 35 yrs. ago, Bob hosted a dinner for his colleagues at Bombay House. He ordered chicken vindaloo but decided to keep it low carb (and perhaps display a little ill-advised bravado) by spurning both the rice & the naan--against the advice of his Indian physician colleagues. Well, you can guess what happened a few hours later. We called our HMO's doctor on call for advice, and I mentioned the Indian restaurant. The on-call doc laughed "let me guess: didn't eat the rice, right?" (He, too, was Indian). 2 inches of water in the tub with half a box of Arm & Hammer later, he actually fell asleep in the tub and felt fine when he woke up.
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