Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
Comments
-
So yes, we get to miss so much because of covid. My 75th. came on Sept. 13 th. and went and was spent here in our woods and in our kitchen with a non-descript dinner that I prepared w/o desert. True we don't get too fancy with celebrations but likely would have gone to Mama Antonio's or the Chinese Restaurant or even Bigger Jigger. Well, next yr. should hopefully be somewhat better. I do remain grateful that I was able to take care of medical issues although having to wait till the local hospital was once again allowing surgical procedures after covid testing. Life worked out and in the end that is something to feel gratitude about and I do.
A bit warmer today but no humidity so likely also not in need of a long sleeved shirt, but lt. jacket this morning. Plenty to keep busy with and hopefully I can continue to dwell on the positive. Our county is on the warning list for possible going back to previous level. So far though not much indication that it is causing local issues. As has been the case for some time I keep my fingers crossed.
Hope you will all have a really good day.
0 -
Good morning, Ladies. 79 degrees and breezy. We are planning a minication. Just need a little getaway and so looking forward to it.
0 -
My 80th is in Oct. I want to order takeout from my favorite Greek restaurant. Luckily it's on a day they are open. Last year we had a big family thing for DH's 80th and the kids gave us a trip to Hawaii. We haven't done that yet, but are still planning to go when possible.
0 -
Just made my flu shot appt. at N.Shore (don't want to hang out at CVS or Walgreen's this year) for 10/4, and my annual mammo--earliest I could get was 12/2! Hope they haven't cancelled all elective procedures again by then. I have an MO appt. 10/8--maybe she can pull strings to get me in earlier before things shut down again (will likely have a followup lung CT for that 2mm "incidentaloma" too). Appts. are scheduled further apart these days to permit social distancing and disinfection between patients.
Still no word on my eye biopsy. Afraid to e-mail my ocular-onc (seems to be the only way he communicates) lest I get news that will further depress me, especially since the results would not affect my treatment yet. I see him 11/18 for followup imaging & glaucoma screening anyway. Vision almost back to pre-op levels (although the R is a bit worse than it used to be), so I will make a refraction appt. (and choose new glasses) next week (or first available).
First Zoom rehearsal for the Bar Show number in which I am featured is Thurs. Should be interesting. Am sworn to secrecy as to the subject until the video is up online.
0 -
Sandy my thoughts are with you during this time of waiting. It is similar to what my sister has experienced. She had her lumpectomy almost 2 weeks ago. No lymph node status yet. I'm starting to think with her they may be holding everything for her follow up appt at the end of the month. But yours isn't until November so I wouldn't think they are doing that for you. And of course there's always the possibility for both of you that things/processes have just slowed WAY down due to covid, staff levels etc. 🙏♥️
0 -
Well, the UIC strike is over, but there's still no deal (nurses want a raise, better PPE and a smaller nurse-to-patient ratio; UIC will concede on the PPE, but only an incremental raise over 4 years, starting next year; and contending that a set ratio--rather than the current system of varying by circumstances of each shift--would increase ER wait times). There may still be a slowdown. As I said, whether the path turns out to have been benign, atypical, or a genomically dismal form of melanoma, it would have no bearing on the course of my treatment so long as the tumor remains localized. So in my case, though ignorance is not quite bliss, neither is knowledge exactly power.
0 -
Good morning, ladies. We are heading out for our minication. Weather looks good, only 5% chance of rain. Currently it is 70 degrees.
0 -
The most important human endeavor is striving for morality in our actions. Our inner balance and even our very existence depends on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to our lives. ~ Albert Einstein
Living in balance and purity is the highest good for you and the earth. ~ Deepak Chopra
0 -
Very cool mornings here as has been the case for well over a week now. I'll start out with long sleeve shirt and maybe change if it warms too much, but due to its being Sept. I often can wear long sleeves all day if I don't use my lt. jacket. Well, I have to say it is better this way than to not be able to be comfortable outside due to heat.
So, trying to accomplish a few small things while working on my bigger projects.
Hope you all have a good day.
0 -
petite 1 - Enjoy your minication and enjoy the nice weather. (hope the lower humidity and cooler weather lasts awhile)
0 -
This morning was 43 when I met my niece for home schooling. I'm in jeans, tank top, and a big fuzzy pull over from Eddie Bauer. Temp now says 59, high may hit 66...4 PM or later. Heat is on 65, not real warm but not bone chilling either.
Sandy - all the waiting tests us. You're more patient than I am. And RBG, some cried, I said (YELLED) really bad curse words multiple times - not at her, but for what will happen with this loss. And I immediately ordered my RBG tee shirt, "fight for what you believe in..."
We had a small vacation planned at a resort for our 25th anniversary. That needs to be cancelled still. It's a new world.
Ladies, I hope your day goes well!
0 -
We're holding off on scheduling our previously-postponed Hilton Grand Vacation stay at NYC's 57th St. location because Hilton is closing a lot of its Manhanttan hotels--including its flagship Times Sq. location. I don't feel comfy getting on a plane, and NY would require anyone coming from IL to quarantine for 14 days. We can't afford a stay that long, and what kind of a vacation is 2 weeks locked inside a small hotel room with just a microwave, Keurig and mini-fridge (and no room service)? We wouldn't be allowed to eat outdoors or even walk to Central Park!
0 -
May be a long time before you experience that again, Sandy.
0 -
Yup--the word "nevermore" has leapt off the pages of "The Raven" into our general vocabulary. Life will be forever different, because certain activities will never again be safely possible and certain industries will never come back. We may be culturally catapulted back several centuries: before restaurants, resorts, mass transit, cruises, live theater, concerts, spectator sporting events, in-person school and college classes, music festivals, wedding receptions, funerals (other than online graveside), etc. Unlike the 1918 flu, we may never get an effective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 (we still don't have one against malaria, HIV or herpes, much less the common cold); so until we get a reliable, tolerable and affordable drug prophylaxis (such as the "cocktail" that prevents HIV from becoming AIDS), social distancing and masking--or throwing caution to the winds and accepting as routine the resulting massive death rates--will become the new "normal."
The upside to being "older" is that we at least have the memories of pleasures past.
0 -
We are very adaptable to change though Sandy. At least I hope we are. In general nothing ever stays the same. That said, it would be the ultimate to be able to live as we had been doing before the dreadful covid, but unless or until we do find something we will have to adapt to a far different style. I think we are not only adaptable but creative too. It would take time to appreciate changes since we lived for so long with great joy, but we are troopers and resourceful. I have faith. We have gotten through a lot, and we can get through this. We have a lot of young people around and many of them love a good challenge. We can do this and most of us will relish being able to explain to the young- in's about the real good old days.
0 -
We have been inured to the concept of historical change being evolutionary and progressive (even if at times oxymoronically, conservative). The worst we'd experienced before was two steps up, one step back. Now it's the reverse--and maybe no "steps up."
0 -
Someone my husband met today works for the airlines - he told my husband that no matter how much the airlines cleans the planes, people are people and not everyone is truthful and still fly when not well and he said he wouldn't get on a plane!!!
0 -
Good morning, Ladies. We returned last night and did not stay over. The little waterfront places we wanted to go to were closed. Since we were on the far side of Beta, the water was sucked out, making the Gulf front very smelly. That county is not as far along in reopening and dining inside was not an option. So we ate fish sandwiches in the car. It was still wonderful to do a one tank wander and sleep at home. It is 66 degrees and perfect for the morning walk.
0 -
petite1: Sorry your minication wasn't what you had planned but it seems the change of scenery worked.
karen1956: I love to travel, retired in 2019 so we could travel more and we see how that turned out. I would not get on a plane now if they flew me for free to a "bucket list" destination. As far as cleaning a plane, they didn't do a good job pre-Covid and I am sure what they think is a good job now is not a vast improvement over past practices. When I learned they never really cleaned the blankets, just refolded and rebagged them, I was appalled. The pillows at least got a new cover but in this day and age of bedbugs, not a safe practice either. So thanks for sharing that feedback.
0 -
Letting go can be a gentle process. Our trust in our Higher Power and our faith that good will prevail, in spite of appearances, eases the process. And we must let each experience end, as its moment passes, whether it is good or bad, love or sorrow. It helps to remember that all experiences contribute to our growth and wholeness. -unattributed
0 -
Going to be nice here again. Not getting over 75 if it reaches there and no humidity. This time of yr. we generally do have a lot less. At our age we are a bit immune to some of it. I have not been able to travel for a long time. Last time was in 2008 when I went to California ( 25 yr. home ) to visit my daughter and her family after cancer txs. were all done.
I would definitely ( had this happened back then ) not have gotten on a plane no matter how bad I wanted to go. So, good fortune for me at this time since I'd just as soon take day trips close to home though some of those are iffy too.
I hope you all have a wonderful day, get good test results if you have had tests, and good news for anyone having to see their Dr.'s. To those away from home I wish you well or a safe journey back.
0 -
I played golf yesterday at the nearby golf course and on every hole there were trees with glorious colored leaves. Eagle View is a lovely little course and I have enjoyed playing it this summer and meeting some of the nice women in the women's golf league. My companion yesterday was Merrie Ellen, who is 90. She was very welcoming the first day I played with the women's group and I have played with her a number of times.
We are fortunate this week to have some weather with sunshine and comfortable temperatures during the day. We haven't set a definite date but will be heading south in a couple of weeks. The Covid cases have crept up gradually but still remained relatively low. The situation has been worse at home in south Louisiana. Nothing much will change when we go home. Masks, distancing, staying at home. I probably won't be comfortable getting together with family members. Basically it will be exchanging one location for another that is more comfortable. Going back to "normal" isn't in sight.
0 -
Petite1- day trips are sometimes the best trips! Glad you got out & about.
0 -
Carole, Any chance of posting a photo of those trees?
0 -
We will likely have Gordy & Leslie over for Thanksgiving (probably carry out a Southern-style version from Big Jones, a local "low-country" restaurant). We have a big enough dining room table that we can stay far enough apart between dropping our masks for each bite & sip. They're going to Houston for Christmas & New Year's to see her family (whom she hasn't seen since last Christmas).
0 -
Carole - one of my regular golf partners is also 90 - and plays better than I do! Oh well - it's the sociability and the chance to get out of the house.
Flying right now creeps me out - as does standing in line in airports. Our BFFs are returning from Michigan and we are trying to decide how long we want to wait before we get together with them. I thought we had decided on 10 days but Ken seemed to be backing off that today. So, to be negotiated. Neither of us has family here, so we have been a "family bubble" for years. Just upped our time together when other activities closed.
In the meantime, I am having trouble finding the positive. In my opinion, we have taken far more than 2 big steps back. The "pro-life" people don't seem to care that people are dying, especially if they are old. Or that people are unemployed, facing eviction and are food insecure, particular if they are people of color. Today I am just sad....Wish I'd bought that RBG teeshirt before January's woman's march. Another thing that for me will probably only be a memory.
0 -
Or that those babies they insisted be born do not have a roof over their head, are going to bed hungry and that their poor nutrition early in life dooms them to cognitive impairment for the rest of it. Thereby guaranteeing they will be unable to break the poverty cycle, and have little or no access to health care. An unwanted pregnancy does not make for a wanted child just because a pro-lifer says this is what should be.
0 -
I heard back from the dermatologist that the thing under my eye is something pre-cancerous. He called while I was out walking so it was hard to really hear him Anyway, I'll see him in 3 weeks and he is going to try to freeze it and then maybe some cream. Before I knew it wasn't something really serious I was stressed at the thought of having to have a plastic surgeon in the mix too. So we will see how it goes. Big thanks to you who shared about your skin cancer experiences and to those of you who offered encouragement.
0 -
Whew! "Pre-cancerous" beats "malignant" hands-down, any day.
0 -
Good morning, Ladies. It is 69 degrees. Today my tiny cat goes to the vet for his license and shots. He will get his claws cut while he there.
0
