Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Great morning ( nice and sunny here ) today. I have nothing planned but the usual. I was exhausted all day yesterday and I assume from the shot on Tuesday. Hoping I can be a bit more active today. Lots to do. Also have a telephone appt. with the Pulmonologist. So far, save for a couple of rains during the night a few days ago we have had pretty good weather. It is being fairly stable too.
I hope you all have a beauty of a day.
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Good morning, ladies. Another lovely day, but I think I will do a local walk today. It is 54 and going to 72. Perfect. No problem at the dentist. Ortho appointment Friday.
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So for our 19th anniversary yesterday a rather beautiful Chicago day.. There was a horrible snow storm that whole weekend in 2002. A mess. Today, in the 50's. But couldn’t control the weather then or that much of anything else now.
Last night, exactly two weeks after our second Pfizer shot, we went to our favorite sort of upscale Greek restaurant Avli in Winnetka, which we last ate at on March 11 or 17th, early on the night all the restaurants closed in Chicago. They have an indoor- outdoor enclosure where the ceiling opens, so it felt safer than just being inside. Actually, there was only one table for 4 eating inside and we, at 6:00, the only ones outsid. It felt like delicious freedom.Tthe Mather has really opened up. We are eating with other residents for the first time in the dining room downstairs tonight and Friday and making dates for next week, but don't feel entirely secure about this, sitting at a table, masks off, to eat and shout because almost everyone is hard of hearing.Will have to judge whether we feel safe, though everyone has been vaccinated. Visitors can come in again and Beata, my wonderful cleaner, will be here Saturday. Maybe a corner is turning, maybe not.
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Keywestfan - happy 19th anniversary! Wishing you many more happy years together.
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Thank you Karen. Let’s hope for the best for all of us.
jud
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Mazel tov, Judy & Gil! How was Avli (food-wise, that is)? Glad the Mather is beginning to feel less claustrophobic--and that by now even the shouting maskless diners are fully immune. I have a little over a week to go (shot #2 was last Wed. 2/24) before I would even consider setting foot back inside the gym (despite my continuing to pay dues) or taking a rideshare, taxi or the CTA. Last week we used valet parking at Greek Islands, before I realized it. But everyone was masked & gloved.
Cindy, sounds like your stepson got exposed before his body could mount a sufficient response to that second shot. (In fact, if they had been working together it's likely he was exposed to that nurse even before shot #2--and perhaps they were both exposed to the same person at the same time). I wonder if the measures necessary to reverse his immediate hypotensive reaction, coupled with his still being in a weakened state when exposed, lowered his resistance to the virus. (Orthostatic hypotension coupled with tachycardia can be a symptom of both acute COVID and a "long-haul" effect--he may have already been COVID+ when he rolled up his sleeve that second time). But it also illustrates that even though he was one of the unlucky few who wasn't yet fully protected against infection, what immunity he did have kept him out of the hospital and helped him recover. I think he should have taken a few more days off--but as the wife of a "workoholic" doctor myself, I can understand his mindset.
Cellars reopened tonight. I went to have an appetizer (seared ahi) and a drink (cava) at the bar. Except for the redecorating (sea-green shiplap and accent lighting replaced the exposed brick behind the bar), it felt as if nothing had changed since mid-Nov., when it closed to all but takeout and went into hibernation after Thanksgiving. As it was back then, tonight everyone was conscientious about remaining masked and the tables & bar stools were fully-distanced. IIRC, outside Chicago, restaurants no longer have capacity limits. Perhaps the intangible change was an air of cautious relief, now that things appear to be moving in the right direction.
Jackie, I love--and miss--Culver's. My fave of theirs is the battered-fried walleye (seasonal, though the cod they have year-round is wonderful too). Everything is made to order--which is why, if you go through their drive-thru, you have to pull over and wait for your order to be brought to you. The only thing I can eat there is the baked cod with a side of green beans...which is definitely NOT why anyone goes to Culver's. The last thing I ate there--just before being put on a medically-ordered low-carb diet--was a "turtle sundae." (Kids' size, but still...).
Now, as to variant boosters? Yes, I believe we will get side effects, because...well, they'll contain the mRNA of the variants' spike protein coats (or if it's an adenovirus-vector vax like J&J or A-Z, the spike proteins' DNA). Perhaps the timetable of "learning" to make antibodies will be accelerated because of the similarity to the antibodies we've already made. But have you ever noticed that when you get a flu shot, each year the side effects--if any--are milder, especially if that year's "four-pack" contains a strain which you'd previously had or been immunized against?
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I had a cortisone shot in my thumb. Hope it helps, but now, it hurts.
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Happy to hear all the progress on vaccinations. Hubs had his 2nd on Weds 3/3. Shortly after arriving home, he had bit of a headache, running a bit of a temperature and a little achy. Upon waking yesterday, he took Tylenol and today is all good. My 2nd is upcoming on 3/30. Since I had no SEs with 1st one, hope I do as well as hubs with the 2nd one. Looking forward to feeling more secure, but will still mask up and take precautions.
We would love to have a quick getaway somewhere (via car trip), but with all the restrictions still in place, not sure what we would do once we got to our destination.
Everyone be well, be at peace, be safe!
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Petite - I know how the thumb aches after the shot. It will feel better soon.
Stepson Dr had a spinal tap/lumbar puncture today. Docs want to rule out an underlying autoimmune disorder. He's home resting, unsure of when he'll have results.
It'sFriday, school week ended thank god. Its been cold today but we had sun. I'm always thankful for sun! Next week they're saying we could hit 60. I'll believe it when I see it, but hope for it too.
Have a good weekend, stay safe and be well.
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Petite, after my trigger-thumb cortisone shots, I found that arnica gel--followed by holding an ice-cold soda or beer can--helped immensely. (Especially in the recording studio between takes). It usually took 1-6 weeks for the shots to kick in to the point where the thumb would stop "triggering." The relief lasted me 3 years for the L thumb, and 5 yrs & counting for my R. I eventually had the tendon-sheath-release surgery after the second time my L thumb triggered. When a month had passed after the R thumb shot with no relief (and still pain), I scheduled the surgery--only to find in the pre-op room that the shot had finally taken effect and the triggering stopped...6 weeks after the shot. My surgeon was delighted, as he had been running late.
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Sandy, Thanks for the tip. It is much better this morning. I even have movement. I will be careful not to open a bottle or anything like that today. I am am to type. Yay!
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Perform a kind action, and you find a kind feeling growing in yourself, even if it was not there before. As you increase the number of your kind and charitable interests, you find that the more you do for them, the more you love them. Serve others, not because they are your friends, not because they are interesting, not because they are grateful. . . . Serve them because they are the children of your father, and therefore are all your brethren, and you will soon find that the fervent heart keeps time with the charitable hands.
W.B.O. Peabody0 -
Going to be a beauty of a day here. I'm on the next page so yeah to all who got their shots ( 1st. or 2nd. ) and hoping for minimal se's for all too. For those who now have immunity -- fantastic. Sounds like it will be awhile before a person can feel totally safe. I think I will worry about ( when my immunity comes ) being a possible carrier to someone else but with care and using masks until a governmental gr. light hopefully all will be okay.
My kids ( daughter and hubby ) arrived yesterday afternoon from California. My daughter already has a job here, but her Dh will fly back to Calif. as his mother is not well and definitely not expected to live. Then he will return here. It was wonderful seeing them. They both had mild cases of covid so we should be fine here. Fingers crossed.
I hope you all have a great Sat. and thanks Sandy on the variants info.
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Look steadily on the bright side of life.
Cultivate the grace of a good hope. Imitate
the fine optimism of those of whom it is said
that they could see stars where their neighbors
saw only an unbroken expanse of clouds.
George Hodges0 -
Should get about 70 or so ( slightly higher here usually ) today. I will work but that is okay. Have so enjoyed the week-end with my daughter and SIL. He is going back ( flying ) to Calif. today, but will return after he has things with his mother and her illness ( she is in late Stage IV ) settled. Daughter already has a job here in a corporate store so that should work out well.
Lots to do, but most of the time I like staying sort of busy. I hope you all have a really good day. Spring is on the way.
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Jackie, I'm happy for you that you are spending time with your daughter. I remember that she moved back close to you a few years ago.
Today is my 78th birthday. Hard to believe I've been here on earth that many years. I plan to go to senior exercise class at 11:30. Then to a dermatologist appointment at 2 pm. DH and I will have an early (for us) dinner at a nearby small restaurant.
I have decided to stop coloring my hair. This will be the 2nd time. I went "natural" at age 69 and then went back to color. Who knows? I may flip flop again. By now, though, I should have more gray on the back of my head.
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Happy Birthday Carole!! I hope you have a wonderful day.
I'm 80 and my hair has not turned gray. It's starting to, mostly from the crown. I'm impatient because I tried on a gray wig once and it looked fabulous.
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Happy Birthday, Carole. Enjoy your b'day dinner.
Wren, I, too, am 80 and what hair I have left (thanks to Tamoxifen) is still primarily brown. When my father died one month short of his 98th birthday he still had some color in his hair so I'm not holding my breath to have white hair!
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Happy happy birthday Carole. I am 75 and my hair isn't gray yet. My dad's was not gray very early so figured that I am taking that from that side of the family. At first I didn't like the idea of gray but really, the older I get I find I'm more focused on just trying to stay healthy and keep enjoying life and frankly just glad to have hair guess.
So enjoy your day Carole.
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Happy birthday, Carole. I stopped coloring my hair after it came back after chemo. It's gotten thinner again with AI's and I now virtually always wear a hat to cover my bald crown. Have gotten quite a collection. A friend even bought me a green plaid one for St. Pat's Day. My dad had beautiful white hair but mine is more my mother's mousy brown. I have an expensive wig but it's never felt right - too much hair.
Ken felt fine after his 2nd Moderna shot. I felt my arthritis flared up after my first Phizer but maybe I was being super-sensitive. Second one the end of the month. Most of our friends are now fully vaccinated so I feel a little less anxious.
Having a computer crisis. Spilled coffee on the laptop. Is working slowly when plugged in but obviously the battery is shot. Have an appointment at Apple on Wed. I'm guessing I'll replace the whole thing but I sure dread that.
Have a good work everyone.
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My DH's family is prematurely gray so both my kids have hair grayer than mine. His and DD's are also curly. DS got my straight hair with a slight wave. DD is trying to stop coloring now that she's 60.
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Happy B-day Carole. I'm a year behind you. My hair was quite grey before chemo & baldness. When it grew back in, there was a lot more brown again.
Oh no Taco - sorry about your computer mishap. I really don't like learning new tech things.
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Happy birthday Carole!
My hair started showing gray in my early 40s. My late mother dyed her hair for years and year, even before gray as that was the stye - when I started to be more gray than dark brown my mother stopped dying her hair. I was fine with whatever she wanted to do with her hair - but she wouldn't have me being gray and not her. She was 2K+ miles away so it wasn't like we are together a lot. I thought about dying my hair several years ago and youngest DD (who was in high school at the time) was mortified. She said everyone would know its dyed since I'd been gray so long. Never did it after reading the ingredients on the box. I figured I earned my stripes as I call it. On the underside, there is till brown but the top side is all gray.
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Happy birthday, Carole!
Gordy inherited my mom's coarse wavy very dark brown hair (and Bob's volume--at 71 he's not balding yet and his dad didn't until nearly 90). I got my first grays in my mid-20s. At 70, I have my gray roots showing, but supposedly that's fashionable these days. I have a white streak that looks like a highlight. My hair thinned considerably due to letrozole, but on the day I wash it and style it with my AirWrap it looks fairly voluminuous, at least for a few hours. I am due for a trim though--haven't been to the salon since Nov. and the ends are a bit scraggly.
I see my new primary tomorrow for an "establishing visit" (no exam or labs necessary, just vitals). And Glenbrook Hospital called me today: they have re-started doing allergy challenges and I have an appointment on Mar. 18.
Gonna call my friends to find out who has & hasn't been fully-vaxed yet--would love to have them over if they have! Gordy, his fiancee, Bob & I are doing a virtual wine tasting via Zoom (the wines & snacks are actual) Wed. night with Clif Family Winery in Napa. We may have to set up an iPad as well as my laptop, so we all get to see & be seen.
Speaking of laptops, Taco, you picked a great time to need a new one. Apple's new proprietary-chip 13" MacBook Pro is the same price as the Intel version was back in 2017 (when I got mine). If you're willing to have something a little less "latest & greatest," the Intel versions from 2019 & 2020 are being deeply (at least for Apple) discounted, as is the MacBook Air. I'd buy a new laptop (plus a new iPhone12 and Apple Watch Series 6), but mine's still working fine--as are my iPhone 8Plus (cracked screen-protector notwithstanding) and Series 4 watch. We're thinking of doing some badly-needed home maintenance (re-paint inside & out, fix stairs & ceilings, new energy-efficient windows) and perhaps staking the kids to a down payment on a starter house. They're already socking away what they'd have been spending on a reception for a destination wedding (they want just a small non-religious ceremony in 2022--her sister is having a huge church wedding in Jackson Hole this summer and they don't want to steal her thunder).
Gorgeous day today--hit 65 even by the lake, and I enjoyed several coffees out on my deck. Tried to re-hang my new string of battery-powered LED lights on my arborvitae (my neighbors are keeping their holiday lights up, though not the lawn decorations). But even with a reacher and standing on tippy-toe, I can only get the bottom third done. (My landscaper got on a ladder and hung the still-functioning ones at the top, as well as the ones lower down that did not survive the snow & deep freeze--the wires cracked!--which is why I had to replace them). I am not going to risk falling off a ladder on to still-frozen ground (though the snow is melting so fast the water's pooling on the sidewalk). Maybe I can have him come over and help hang the lower ones a bit higher than I can reach.
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Thanks for all the birthday wishes.
I once spilled coffee on my computer keyboard and ruined it. I switched to laptops years ago.
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Rebellion against your handicaps gets you nowhere. Self-pity gets you nowhere. One must have the adventurous daring to accept oneself as a bundle of possibilities and undertake the most interesting game in the world—making the most of one's best. -Harry Emerson Fosdick
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Still having those nice wonderful sunny warm days as yet. That won't last, but oh am I enjoying them. It is that prelude to Spring that I mentioned before. I wondered if it would hold since our climate has become so un-reliably reliable. I'm just going to keep soaking it all in as long as it lasts. I do know that many of the early Spring flowers may end up coming out a bit soon.
I am on a desktop -- the only kind I've ever had. Dh mainly sticks with laptops, but seems to always have issues. I don't know what he does to them, but he registers a lot of complaints. I tried to switch him over once a couple yrs. ago and he didn't like the desktop because he couldn't close his rolltop desk. He seemed in my estimation to do a bit better with it overall though. He went back to the laptop -- has two of them and is always griping. Sigh !!! I am just more comfortable with my somewhat stubby feeling hands ( I know for yrs. now the ability exists to have separate keyboards etc. ) on a desktop and see no reason to change what has worked so well for me. Taco I hope your transition to something new is not too difficult. I'm as almost absolute non-nerd royale when it comes to electronics -- so when I find something that works for me I hang on for deal life.
Hoping you all have a wonderful day.
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It got up to 50 today with full sun, a little wind. School over early, I left at 12:45. I went to a gf house to meet up with another, to sit in her driveway around a solo stove fire (Google them, very cool!), and catch up. It was so nice catching up outdoors.
Well tonight I napped in the reclining end of my sofa, woke up to shower. As I was brushing my teeth I saw my face in the mirror, all red and wondered - do I have a fever?? Nope, I have a sun burn! Two hours of yakking in sun shine with pale Irish skin = a sun burn. But oh so worth it.
Warmer tomorrow and Thursday. Can't wait. Hope your weather feels as good as mine.
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Good morning, ladies. Yesterday was my 68th birthday. I went to lunch with my BFF and DH had flowers, gift card, candy and balloons for me. We stayed home. It was a pleasant day.
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Happy Birthday, Petite!
DH and I are going to a funeral service for a neighbor, a man in his 60's. This is the second neighbor to die in the past 6 months. John had a brain tumor, underwent surgery and developed complications. I am sad for his wife and two adopted children from Russia.
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