Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Petite - Because I developed "trigger thumb" shortly before I was to start chemo and refused surgery, my orthopedic hand guy suggested we try cortisone shots. I ended up with three shots over a several month period in 2013/14. I have had absolutely NO problem since. As far as I'm concerned, it was a wonder drug.
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I had 2 cortisone shots for tennis elbow and have had no problems since.
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I'll chime in on the cortisone shots. I had one a long time ago for a shoulder that I think I injured doing home renovations. My shoulder was super painful and I finally went an saw an ortho doc who was an associate of my ortho dad. Anyway, this other ortho wanted to give me a cortisone injection. I thought cortisone shots were all just hocus-pocus stuff, but it actually worked. I don't know why I was suspicious of it. It worked and I've been basically fine (well, except for cancer) ever since. It's worth a try, in my opinion.
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Thanks, I will discuss with doc. It is hard to imagine a shot in my finger and thumb. The thumb is the worst.
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When all the words have been written, and all the phrases have been spoken, the great mystery of life will still remain. We may map the terrains of our lives, measure the farthest reaches of the universe, but no amount of searching will ever reveal for certain whether we are all children of chance or part of a great design. And who among us would have it otherwise? Who would wish to take the mystery out of the experience of looking into a newborn infant's eyes? -Kent Nerburn
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Petite - for my thumb, the shot actual went sort of in the palm at the base of the thumb. And he numbed it with a freezing spray first. Wasn't bad.
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Petite1: I have RA and develop nodules on the tendons in my hands as a result. I had a large one form in the palm which affected my left ring finger causing it to "lock" and it was quite painful. My rheumatologist injected it with cortisone after numbing my palm and it not only reduced the size of the nodule but relieved the pain. I developed a trigger thumb after carpal tunnel release surgery and it also was relieved by an injection after numbing. It is well worth it. You need to be able to use your hands.
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Petite, I had cortisone shots for a trigger finger several years ago. As Minus said, the injection goes in the palm at the base of the digit. There is a limit to the number of times this treatment will be used. In my case, if I recall correctly, it was three.
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Petite- I've had cortisone between the joint at the base of the thumb. They did it under a live xray, measure the spot; my hand was so the tip of thumb was the only part of thumb touching. Not so much painful, they spray the spot to numb, but it's a very tiny area and it felt like someone was pulling my thumb off! I can laugh now but at the time, wee oh. Thankfully it was quick, put a brace on and sent me on my way. Its been some time and I haven't needed another; total 2x in that joint.
I've had a noneventful week, which is good. Today is last day of school, we have next week off. Temps here have dropped, 4 this morning, up to 16.
With previous BC I can sign up for the vaccine on Monday. Midnight on Subday I'll start that process. So far state locations near me are long ago fully booked. Closest is 3.5 hours from home. I'll need to decide if we drive north or hope the county puts me in a clinic close to home. NYC has a private citizen that has developed Turbo Vax, tracks available appointments to the minute. Available places last I looked were the Bronx and Staten Island.
Everyone have a happy Valentine's day. Be well & stay safe!
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Pretty cold again today as we knew it would be. I didn't go to work. I had so much ice built up in my wheel wells that the car was very hard to move. Often if I could get it going it went very slowly and growled a lot from the ice hitting on the wheels. So, having the time I warmed up the car --- took several minutes to get backed up and headed nose first out of our driveway and into our lane.
That was tricky since with the ice often hitting/influencing the tires when I needed to steer on the curves I finally got on a straight portion of road. Did okay getting the rest of the way out. Once at the highway ( about a mile from our lane ) we had dry pavement. Got to stop and feed the feral cats and then went straight to the car wash. They have one that uses some hot water and steam underneath the car. Got through that and then just outside of the blow-dryer we stopped and took long ice scrappers and worked on prying loose what remained of the ice in the wheel wells. Tomorrow, hopefully I will be able to leave the drive-way w/o its taking long minutes to get my car to even move. This is the first time we have experienced the issue.
First time I've ever missed my jobs due to my car's condition. For all the yrs. we have lived out here I've never been stopped from leaving ( and I can't claim I was this time ) but I really thought it might take far longer to get my car cleaned on the underside. I actually thought I might have to go through the car wash two or three times. Glad it only took once. The hot/steam wash was $10.00. Only the second time in 6 yrs. that I've used it. Have to admit my car looked pretty good and after all the ice was gone it felt light as a feather.
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Checked my junk mail box tonight and felt like I'd hit the lottery when I found the letter from our public health department with the form to sign up for my vaccine appointment. I'll be getting my first Moderna vaccine on Feb 20th. Doesn't seem right that I'm getting mine before my 94 year old father gets his, but ND is doing a better job of dispensing the vaccine than Minnesota.
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Yea, Puffin. I wasn't able to get one when I took Ken this afternoon. Took us 3 hours round trip so I certainly hope that when I can get an appointment, it will be closer. My daughter, who is a food handler, can't sign up in Maine either.
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Puffin, good news for you. Taco, sorry it did not work out for you, especially with the long drive. DH and I got Moderna #1 yesterday in town during a cold rain storm ( cold enough there was ice on the trees, an unusual event in South Central Texas).
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Our night temps have been single digits. I was told my local CVS was giving vaccines, so I wanted to run up and check it out. Ran out to the car, in my remote school attire - cuddle duds (a vision of loveliness LOL) - to find partners vehicle which is parked behind mine, dead. Had to call AAA for a jump. Then I immediately started my car and let it run 15-20 mins. Because his car has mine blocked in I've been driving his for weeks.
Got to CVS and spoke with the man in charge of checking in vaccine patients. He explained you have to do appt online, I explained I'm not eligible until Monday. Then he told me about a "standby" list. It sounds like if people don't show up they work the standby list for any extra vaccines they have. I got my name put on that (approx 40 ahead of me).
I purchased some toilet paper, and back out to find the car dead again. Another AAA jump, bf came with my car and we drove to the dealership. He did the paperwork and key drop. Oh the joys of upstate NY in the winter!
My gf in FL sent pictures today of a banana/plantain tree we have - she took some ripe fruit off. I told her to take all she wants because we won't be there to see it. Also a picture of our avocado plant, no fruit on it. It was there when we moved in 2015 and has never had fruit. I know much of nothing about them.
IllinoisLady - as I walked around his car, a little Fiat 500c, I kicked the ice off of all the wheel wells. It's a horrible feeling not to be able to move your wheels, or hear them grinding on that ice. Smart thinking with that car wash.
I think I ramble on every time I get on here! Have a good weekend.
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Begin with your own inner peace.
Then use that inner peace
as a platform from which
to approach the outer world
with perspective, understanding, and patience.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
It is those who have a deep and real inner lifewho are best able to deal with the irritating details of outer life.
- Evelyn Underhill
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Waking up to another pretty cold day. Won't get very warm at all -- maybe 12 or 13 degrees. There are snow flurries outside. I don't think we will get a real accumulation but the windshield is covered as are the cleaned off walk-ways. Deck is also 'white' again. Will go out soon and feed the feral cats but otherwise have plenty of stocked up food and am just going to hole up here and be happy.
Tues. I am due to go to Marion and have my 6 mon. CT scan. We are in fact slated to have another snow storm about the same time. I won't bother if it has snowed too much the night before or the day of either. Dh would plow through anything -- but at our age, I just don't think I want to do it anymore. A couple of weeks likely wouldn't be a big issue.
Hope you can all stay safe and warm inside. Congrats on anyone getting their vaccines and sending lots of encouragement that pathways open wide for those of you will working on the project. It sounds like Pres. Biden has in fact secured enough vaccine for everyone in the U.S. to get the shots -- it will be getting them properly dispensed I presume.
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CindyNY: Your avocado tree could be a male and it will not produce fruit or if it is a female, it needs a male nearby to produce fruit. Not sure how you sex an avocado tree but do know they can be male or female. A nursery might be able to tell you how to do this.
We are supposed to have an ice storm today and this will turn the existing snow into an icy winterland. Next few days are snow storm after snow storm so we will be housebound for a while. Will use time to declutter yet again.
Have a safe weekend.
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Ladies, I spoke too soon. I felt really good about my car yesterday and getting it de-iced underneath. Went out this morning to feed the feral cats and did my usual of driving a circle through the back lot only to find myself stuck. Same problem I had before. So, while I'm sure the ice wasn't helping anything -- there is something else going on. I think it may have something to do with my lock-up that was not locking up properly. I should have easily been able to drive through 2 1/2 to 3 ins. of snow -- but 3 quarters of the way around I seriously bogged down. Try as I might -- I couldn't get back up on the second lot.
Fortunately the other people who feed showed up. Whew !! They did not have a tow line though and had to drive back to their house -- at least 12 miles away and get it. So we sat there and waited. After a couple of false starts we were able to be pulled out of the back lot and into the second lot. From there ( snow was well packed down ) we were able to head for home here. So, looks like I'm not going to be going too far and doing much until the snowfalls are done and most has melted or moved out of the way. Definitely think I will not be going to Marion on Tues. I will change the appt. I just am spoiled to my car and do not want to ride in the truck all the way to Marion and back. Also, I'm not sure we should be too anxious if we are to get the storms it sounds like we could to go no matter what we may have to drive.
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I have a piece of bone attached to my jaw and protruding through the skin. It is very painful, and I am miserable. Before I figured out the nature of the problem, I called their office and decided to wait until Monday, when I will be in the city for my first shot. I'll have to change my transportation request, which they won't like. The driver I usually have has a carpentry shop, and we are working on a plan to line my antique trunk with cedar. I hope everything works out. As miserable as I feel, I think I will skip Mass tomorrow, it is going to be -10 at the time I usually attend.
Off to plunk down my $25 for a month's access to Ancestry. Looks like a lot has happened since I was last there.
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Wow, Judy--hope your friend Susan was able to get a real vaccination. That nurse needs to be fired, if not outright arrested. The hospital pharmacist in a Milwaukee suburb who deliberately left out vaccine vials overnight (twice) before putting them back in the fridge is a flat-out QAnon-er, who was not just fired but busted for at least a misdemeanor. Authorities are following up with recipients of those vials to see if they have antibodies, and are also still testing the vials to see if the vaccine in them was still viable. If it spoiled, he will be upcharged with a felony.
How are you handling the cold? I haven't been outdoors (except to fetch stuff off the porch) since my last mani 10 days ago. We have an early Valentine's Day res at Beatrix in Fulton Mkt. tomorrow--by now, we feel reasonably safe indoor-dining because of our vaccinations and masks, plus their special air-filtration ventilation system and no more than 25% capacity. Glad we hadn't made a tent, greenhouse or igloo res., because those are all being canceled through the end of next week. I will be in your neck of the woods Tues., picking up paczki (an annual cheat) from Bennison's. (Nobody delivers them to our neighborhood). Not gonna try searching for hamantashen for Purim--just not craving them this year. (I don't like the cookie kind, and the yeast-raised ones aren't easy to find and not worth the carb-cheating).
Mary, ouch about that wayward piece of jawbone--hope you can get it taken care of. CBG never did anything for me. As for THC, indica does help me sleep but it also gets me loopy (and I don't like getting high--otherwise I'd be drinking much more than I do). I can't vape or smoke because of my asthma (vaping also gave me a sore throat the one time I tried it), and most indica edibles--except for one 72% cocoa dark chocolate bar--have too much sugar. The one thing that drops me like a plugged buffalo is Lyrica--but it's hella expensive (not covered by my Part D plan and no bargain even from Canada) and makes me stumble around hung over for hours the next morning, I got it only to relieve the nerve "zaps" I got as a side effect from my first (and only) Zometa infusion, and the weird foot & ankle dystonia (foot dorsiflexes, toes splay, shin muscles painfully twitch over my tibial hardware) I used to get before I started taking enough magnesium at bedtime. From what I understand, one of Lyrica's side effects is weight gain. (Why is it that for drug side effects, women get weight gain & men get E.D.)?
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We're having our first (and probably only) snowstorm this winter. About 8" in Seattle which pretty much shuts everything down. At first they said this would be it and now they think it might continue until Sunday night. Our snow shovel is somewhere under all this, but no one else has shoveled yet so we're not the neighborhood Grinch. The hardest part is no newspaper. Reading it online is just not the same. We have plenty of food and weren't going anywhere anyway, so it's not a hardship.
DS says the freeway to Portland is completely closed. They've managed to have the hobby shop open for a few hours each day. Probably not many customers. They have puzzles and art supplies and card games so customers don't go crazy staying home.
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Tippy wanted to go for a walk this morning. So we got about a half block, he held up one paw and acted as if he expected me to pick him up. So we went home. Later he wanted to go outside, I put him on tieout, and he nearly flooded a square of the sidewalk. I understand why a small dog can develop a large bladder over time, but..... Later he wanted to go outside again, tieout, and he made his poop for the day. When it is too cold for Tippy, it is pretty well dang cold.
I just need to not wear my upper and give it a chance to heal. Anything even touches it, and I get massive pain. Wondering if the inflammation from moving that splinter around is what is keeping it in place. I will go for it, because I really don't want to make Monday complicated.
With CBN, venlafaxine, excedrin extra strength, flexoril, and cetirizine, one would think I would be able to sleep the whole night.... Nope.
I need to call my cousin in Alaska. Our distant cousins call a gggrandparent Riley H., not Relly H. Mystery explained.
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Mary, now that you explain it, I understand what you're going through. Couple of years ago I had a pointy piece of bone work its way out the roof of my mouth--hard palate, forward & center. At first it felt like a little canker sore, then it began to wiggle when my tongue would poke it. It finally fell out on its own, which freaked me out because I thought it was osteonecrosis of the jaw. But my dentist called it a "sequestered" piece of bone (perhaps even a fragment of a vestigial tooth that hadn't erupted till then), and the periodontist took a CT scan to confirm that's all it was and not ONJ. I understand this is one of the joys of aging.
Wren, isn't amazing how a town full of people who have no problem whatsoever driving over compact snow & Ice in the mountain passes to go skiing freak out when the stuff fall in the city? When we first moved from Brooklyn to Seattle, everyone said I'd love it because if I wanted to see snow, I could just drive out to the mountains, then when it "got old" I could just turn around & drive home. For the first six months, it was just like that. Then in late Jan., on the morning of my 21st birthday, I opened my apt. door (it was one of those 2-story outside-entry "California-style" motel-esque bldgs.) and it carved a wedge in 6" of snow. By the time the snow stopped, it was over a foot. During the rest of the 7 years we lived there, it snowed over 1" only once more. And the tiniest bit of snow in the city caused drivers to spin out all over the place!
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Its at ;easy -8F at 5:50 am (according to my phone) but could be colder according to weather report. Haven't turned the news only yet.
Yesterday the high was 5F. We still managed 3 walks - snow pants, boots layer after layer under. our big down coats and hat with hood. Peaceful out. Won't be any warmer today, but we will get out and walk. Told kids we would take pictures. We're supposed to hey 3-4 inches snow by noon but don't think we'll get more than an inch or so. Just enough to make it slivk
Mary sorry about your jaw - hope you get relief soon.
Central - hope the are issue gets resolved.
Stay safe, stay warm and stay healthy
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When all the words have been written, and all the phrases have been spoken, the great mystery of life will still remain. We may map the terrains of our lives, measure the farthest reaches of the universe, but no amount of searching will ever reveal for certain whether we are all children of chance or part of a great design. And who among us would have it otherwise? Who would wish to take the mystery out of the experience of looking into a newborn infant's eyes?
Kent Nerburn0 -
Not sure of the outside temps right now other than really cold. At least we did not get any more snow overnight and that is a real blessing. I will do bills today and make a run to the store to make sure we are totally covered for a couple of days -- mainly milk and bread as we are okay on most everything else. Seems like we are having a pretty late winter right now. I can recall though I have to admit it was yrs. ago now, once in awhile having a day or two in Feb. in the upper 60's -- almost shorts weather around here. I hope once we are through this -- we slip into something a bit better. Doesn't have to be really warm, just not super cold as it is now.
Otherwise nothing special planned for the day. No one ever plans much with covid still prominent. Good news to hear that Pres. Biden has secured lots of vaccine -- so it is a matter of getting it to people. He is using all the govt. resources that the prior admin didn't so hopefully it will catch up to people though I'm sure it still seems tedious right now.
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Sandy, Handling the cold well enough. Just had to work out a system for my compulsory 10k steps each day when it’s too cold, slippery to go outside. I use the treadmill in the gym here- only 3 people allowed, then do the scary long hall walking on the 10th floor- scary because some people have private caretakers who come and go outside and who one passes while walking in the too narrow aisles and because some residents forget their masks or wear them under their nose. Am very impatient for second shot on Wednesday. Envy you going to Beatrix, but we won’t go to a restaurant until March 3, two weeks after shot, though many residents here are eating in the downstairs dining room. So instead tonight, we took LEYE up on their Valentines Day offer and ordered from Ema, Hub 51, Osteria, and Vong’s. They will deliver here at the non- romantic hour of 5. Enjoy Beatrix.
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Dropped to -24 last night, looks like our daytime high is going to be -8. Wednesday we're supposed to start warming up and get to 30 by Sunday. Working on lots of indoor projects.
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Just read a forecast for our area and it is not at all good. It didn't get over 7 today -- started out at zero. Tomorrow will not get above 9 but we will have some wind which will make it feel as much as -- 20, so not looking forward at all. Going to postpone the Marion trip tomorrow. as there is the expectation of between 3 to 5 inches of snow. My car hasn't liked the inch or two. So no way can we get out tomorrow likely and certainly not Tues. for the appt. We are going to be sitting here for a while. It is okay. I did get out this morning and get extra bread and milk. So looking at making a lot of hot foods but we ourselves won't be spending much time outside at the temps that will be prominent. Taking a bit of snow off the sidewalks -- but likely not much else.
Winter is really here.
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We canceled our Beatrix reservation--the only reason we even reserved there was that our fave Lettuce spots were sold out for tonight (as far back as Wed.). Beatrix' V-day special (the only menu they'd deliver to our address) did not float our boats, as it were. Hadn't realized Ema or the other LEYE places (other than L. Woods, which I find clunky & boring) deliver up here. We ordered from Crosby's Kitchen on Southport near Gordy's house. Arrived late. Mostly good (especially the crab cake app & salmon), but the ribs were only "meh:" Chi.-style fall-off-the-bone baby backs, not even BBQ'ed (instead, parboiled, sauced & baked and not very meaty at that--might as well be pulled pork). I like my ribs to fight back when I bite into them: big, meaty properly-BBQed spares (St. Louis). The only baby backs I like are Hecky's--and we live 1/2 mi. too far south for them to deliver. (Too cold for me to go out & pick them up, which I do in friendlier weather).
This having to layer up indoors, run all the faucets, and hope we don't fall on icy sidewalks (as Bob did in Christ Hosp.'s parking lot earlier this week) is getting very, very old (no offense to "old"). Even if it warms up enough to go skiing, my boots no longer fit over my bunions. If I ever take the sport back up, I might have to get men's boots and double up on the socks. I miss my old comfy leather old-school 3-pin ski-touring boots (they looked like black bowling shoes), but I haven't been able to squeeze my tootsies into a size 37 in decades. (Of course, I don't miss pine-tarring & waxing wood-bottomed skis).
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