Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Isabella....I'm so sorry about your trip to the hospital also! Geez, girls....it's just scary times for you gals! And yes....we DO want our own quiet time....with no-one else around....We don't want people fretting over us all the time....even when we are really sick sometimes! And good for you! Your own "Road Trip".... you go girl! xoxoxo
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Good morning everyone,
and Isabella maybe it is because your family doesn't know how to look in on you. I would think they too are a bit upset and not handling it well so it adds to your stress which they then begin to sense....and they become more stressed. Terrible cycle to get into, and I'm glad you are going to the Dr. Maybe that will be the spark needed to start to turn this all around.
Lisa,here's hoping that you come away from your appt. today with the all clear. Sending vibes for it.
Julia, I am thinking about you as well and hoping that your days get smoother and smoother.
Hi to everyone else. Hope you had a nice day yesterday and enjoyed. The cook-out was great last night, but due to the rain.....got rather cool sitting out as darkness was coming on. I'll be checking in later to see how you all are.
Hugs, Jackie
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Hi Everyone:
I hope today brings us all GOOD THINGS.....No more hospitals or pains and onto the road of recovery.
Make today a fun day and one to remember.
Anne
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Isabella and Lisa........here's to both of you and to a good doctor's appointment! Does the pre-appointment stress EVER go away?
Rita
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YES. yes, yes, yes. I got the all clear for another year. I was a bag of nerves, forgot all my questions, onc said 'are you worried ' WHAT a stupid question, we all worry.... BIGTIME.
I get to stay on Arimidex another year, I was expecting a fight, because I have been on it six and a half years, and onc was a bit iffy last time, which lead me to believe she might say enough is enough, in which case I would have asked for a private prescription, and paid up myself. We are expecting VERY big cut downs in drugs, as we seem to be about bankrupt at the moment !! and our gold standard says 5 years.
I have just been in my cupboards and drawers, and got out all my 'best' china, and my canteen of cutlery, which have been stored for over 40 years, and just brought out at Christmas. This just struck me as madness, my kitchen drawer is a mish mash of patterns and shapes, not a lot matches, so now we eat off the best china, and chop up our food with silver knives and forks.!!
Of course DH wanted to know WHAT the big crash was, as I slung out non matching plates and dishes, he has gone off in a huff at the 'waste', well, so be it I REALLY DON'T CARE. I just can't be bothered to put it on eBay, nor take it to a charity shop.....wasteful, I know, but I feel so much better now all my good stuff is going to be used !! This is what my appointment today, and my hospital visit last week has done to me ! Decided life is for living, and we are a long time dead !!!
Lisa, hope your appointment went well today.
Isabella.
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Hi all, appointment went fine as well see him again in
6 months....glad yours did too Isabella..maybe we have close
to the same name, mine is Elisabeth so Isabella must be a variation on the theme...
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Hi Gals.....My SIL just sent me something supposedly from Johns Hopkins....& I researched the article, & found it to not be true....I'm sending a link that tells the truth about cancer cells.... It answered a lot of questions I have had!
http://www.hopkinskimmelcancercenter.org/index.cfm/cID/1684/mpage/item.cfm/itemID/1016
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Oh Isabella, you know that everyone loves to be in the sunshine of your spirit. you are living the dream girl!! TEE_HEE and yes, our quivering hearts-what the heck is up with that? I was given scripts for lots of heart meds and I am ignoring them. I am so glad your doc visit went well, Ms. I. That is wonderful! I did get to the beach today and had a marvelous day fishing, but my heart was doing wierd things. So i guess i need to get the stress test and all of the other crap done. But what a joy to be out swiming in the ocean-it was so calm and I caught my first shark of the season in the surf. Scared the tourists to death and soon the ocean was empty of human life forms. i go to the new surgeon tomorrow and Isabella, I have already written him and several others a rotten letter-just so he will be prepared!! We are going over my recent mammogram which has some wierd spots on it but tech thinks them benign calcium critters. Since i do not trust any of the cancer docs any more i have no idea what to ask him. Oh well!! J., thanks for the heads up on the fake article. EEEOOWW! I fed my pups fresh caught fish today and on man-they are sleeping in the garage tonight-O' DU PUPPY! Isabella, I love your name-it was the name of my gggggg-mother who came over from Scotland thru Ireland and founded Sharpesburg with her husband-errgh-i don't have my chart out-Thomas I think-but they came over before the 1700's. Unfortunatley the Ellis Island records began charting everyone after 1700, I think, i don't have my geneology stuff out to refer too. I even have the name of the boat they crossed on-they were list on a passenger list-awesome. The Sharpe family (my line) eventually got lands grants in NC (before it was NC) from the Earl Of Granville. She is the only Isabella in our family line so cool. What is the origin of the name in Scotland-it sounds Spanish or French. GOOD luck on your trip and enjoy yourself despite all of the family looky-loos. And OMG how funny that the dishware (non matching) has been rearranged with such gusto. Hey do have windows yet? (((((BIG HUGS))) and pray that everyone's tests and whatever's come up dandy!! XXXOOOO, SV
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Isabella, about 10 years ago I inherited my grandmother's china that she got for her wedding. I never saw it before. It was packed in wooden crates and straw that were unopened! Over 100 years old. My aunt who shipped it to me told me Grandma was saving it "for a good occassion" and she died without ever using the china. Aunt Helene told me not to use it as "something might break" and to will it to my eldest granddaughter. I told her I'd reserve it for special occassions but grandma missed alot of pleasure of enjoying those georgeous dishes was insane. Aunt Helene died 4 years ago never having seen the crates opened or the dishes used---I used it but she was in her 80's and living in Florida and I live in Arizona. Cheers to you for using your good china
SV: you got depressed with the cancer but are blase about sharks. I don't get you. Not that I want to face this lousy cancer, but I'd run a mile from a shark.
Isabella and Lisa
Great to hear of the good reports.Yeah!!!!!! Kat
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SV, gee from scorpions to sharks..what next?!!
Kat..glad that the china was finally put to use..good for you...
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Thank you so much Jackie and Binney, there are no words to express how much your support means to me. Jackie, if you don't mind my asking, how many months was it after your chemo when you started to have a semblance of normal? Sorry to say I felt a new lump in bachelorette #2 on Sunday, I was planning on a second mx when the immunity returns anyway. With OA in the hips, I'm not looking forward to starting Arimidex in two weeks. So sorry to be Debbie Downer today, I feel as blue as Mr. Bluebird.
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G'day Isabella, like you, I use real silver cutlery too. After inheriting DH's grandmothers' set in wooden, velvet lined case, we then inherited his mothers set. This set was not in a case and is who-knows-how-old, so I decided to give my every day stainless steel set to one of my sons when he left home and took out the old, scratched set to use every day instead.
I just don't see it as 'silver' any more, but sometimes get a chuckle out of visitors when they pick up a piece to verify it is what they think it is.
It probably would have our grandmothers turning in their graves to see such precious items being used alongside coffee mugs and the like.
The problem with this stuff is that our kids wouldn't use it either so it is destined to sit in boxes in dark cupboards until the end of time anyway. So what do you do with it?
Sheila.
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G'day Isabella, like you, I use real silver cutlery too. After inheriting DH's grandmothers' set in wooden, velvet lined case, we then inherited his mothers set. This set was not in a case and is who-knows-how-old, so I decided to give my every day stainless steel set to one of my sons when he left home and took out the old, scratched set to use every day instead.
I just don't see it as 'silver' any more, but sometimes get a chuckle out of visitors when they pick up a piece to verify it is what they think it is.
It probably would have our grandmothers turning in their graves to see such precious items being used alongside coffee mugs and the like.
The problem with this stuff is that our kids wouldn't use it either so it is destined to sit in boxes in dark cupboards until the end of time anyway. So what do you do with it?
Sheila.
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Good Morning everyone,
Ah, china and silver. I would have saved it for a million years too, but in my later years like to think I've come of age. No point in being a warehouse for THINGS. So, in my life now, if I have it, I will use it. I think ( even my Mom did this ) for many in life nice things were few and far between and were treated very carefully. When my Mom passed away --- she had the same iron and ironing board. She could repair her own iron and did all those years. Now you just toss them and go get another -- they are not made to last. So I say -- love it, use it, enjoy it.
SoCal glad you had a good test report -- the more the better.
Aussie S great to see you here. You have been missing for quite some time. Good for you enjoying the "now everyday" good stuff.
Hi to Anne and everyone else.
Julia, hmmm, I think it took nearly a month after my last chemo to really feel like I was not getting any funny flavors and to have a high confidence level that my body was re-adjusting to life without chemo. After the first month was a fairly steady progression, but I can't tell you just when I went from fear to freedom. Mainly because there is always a little something it seems, but it is easier not to acknowledge it until it comes time for a test or mammo. No one plans to have cancer and most of us get blind-sided by it --- spent some time in denial, and then slowly accept this is what we have and this is what we have to do. I think you may be speaking about what is called our new normal.
We can't ever quite be the same people we were -- we are forever altered. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but a different thing. It becomes another faucet of who you really are that might never have gotten shown to the world if not for the cancer. Some people feel cancer has made them better people -- I don't see it quite like that. I think those people were ok anyway, but perhaps it helped them define and use better behaviors more of the time and maybe all of the time after the cancer. It is after all a full spiritual, mind, body shock that occurs and shakes you up like you have never been before. When you hear those three words you become like a drowning person with your life flashing before your eyes. All the cliches' roar up to meet you -- and thoughts of all you took for granted.
Life really is a gift -- a very wonderful one, but if you are human, living takes time and effort and in a bustling world it is hard to stop and smell the roses -- to live in the moment and to continue to love our gift. Cancer is to me a huge 'HEY YOU', Slow down and decide what is really important.
Wow !!! once again I get carried away and just let the ideas and thoughts tumble out whether they make sense or not. I don't know that I have been much help Julia.
I have generally always felt a lot of flexibility and so after that first month -- when I knew I was getting better -- I just went with the assumption that -- now I will get better and better, and until I am there ( and you are never there actually ) I will keep working on giving as much of 100% every day as I can. I will do the best that I can ....... and then move on. There is nothing else.
Hugs, Jackie
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Julia I tried to find one I liked better, but was not able:
Those who wish to sing, always find a song. ~Swedish ProverbI hope the bump you found turns out to be just a false alarm. They often are. Always something to keep us on our toes.
Also, you just never know what you may get for se's from Arimidex or any of the five yr. pills. I just mainly ignore it. Sometimes though I think if it gets too difficult, you can be switched to another. I think Arimidex and Femara are very much like each other -- but you won't know till you try. Stay well all.
Hugs, Jackie
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Good Morning to everyone.
Today is a day to celebrate for everyone who is on this board and was luck enough to wake up.
Today is my 75Th birthday......I made it so far, so there is hope!
I am so happy for all of the reports of a clean bill of health. I suppose the pills Ameridex does help, I sure hope so as I will start them after my radiation is over.
I do wonder about the timing on my radiation and pills. Did any of you have this unusual timing as I have? 3 months after surgery to start radiation and the doctor says not to start the Amaridex until AFTER I finish radiation so that's another 7 week. Did anyone wait this long? I wonder how this will affect me since I had two positive lymph nodes. Waiting was due to some complications after the surgery etc.
I appreciate all of the feed back and comments.
Have a good day and feel happy!
Anne
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Anne,
I started rads 7 weeks after lumpectomy, started Arimidex at end of rads ... so about 14 weeks after surgery. One opinion is rads target active cancer cells so wait to try killing them off with Arimidex til radiation is over... just one way of thinking about it. My onc left it up to me. Probably does not make much difference in the long run.
Good luck.
pam
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ANNE, HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Do something chocolate!My onc wouldn't let me start Arimidex until I was done with rads because he wanted to be sure any symptoms of the rads were not confused with symptoms of the Arimidex.
But then I'm the poster-person for adverse drug reactions, so I don't know if that was his usual policy or just me.Anyway, today is certainly not a day to worry about it! CELEBRATE!
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Oh Anne, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!! AWESOME THE BIG 75. Isn't it amazing that the number seems old (at least for me-like in my body number being old) but i feel so young-my body does not agree and i simply have no time for old bodies like mine. And Yes Kate, i do have a twisted since of priorities-I am such an adrenaline junky and I love saltwater fishing-it is beyond a passion-I am addicted. last year I caught and landed a 13 foot blacktip shark in the surf. THAT was a big fish for the surf. nature amazes me and these fish are so powerful ad ancient!! And SoCal, I amso gladd al went well with appointment!! I met with new surgeon today and I love him. He actually took the time to listen tome and he had read the nasty letter I had sent about being abandoned by my onc after chemo went south. LADIES, I NEED HELP MAKING A DECISION. If they can get me on a new hormone replacement therapy, i can do radiation-but he was very clear that I would likely have a lot of trouble with radiation given my history and that it would take about two years to really recover-then he said that some women get a dermatitis resulting in a 'hard breast' (HUH?). He fears that if i do nothing there is a 50% chance that cancer will return. Other option single or double mastectomy-but when he explained how much breast tissue had to be removed if i did a double mastectomy, i was sort of shocked. I mean it seems like half of my body. First things first in that I have to have a stress test to make sure i can do anythig at all so scheduling that and then meeting with him in four weeks to figure out where to go-ERRGH-i just HATE THIS and want to live on that river in Eqypt-DeNile!! Make it all go away!!! XXOOO to all, SV0
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SV,
The only issue you have not mentioned is the effect of radiation on your heart. If your cancer was in the right breast, it is not an problem. If you would have radiation to the left breast it could affect your heart, which is already having some trouble. You need to feel comfortable about that aspect of radiation SEs. I am sure your doctor can reassure you.
Good luck making a decision.
pam
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Pam, thank you so much. I had not even thought of that or had it mentioned tome. Yes the radiation would be in the left side and I think like 35 treatments of rads. My heart is just not functioning right and I just set up appt for a stress test. Dr. Ruiz told me that the 'burns' can be really bad too. He is the first doc who did not downplay the potential SE's without being morbidly focused on the bad things that can happen. But he, I think, understands that i am not in great health due to the autoimmune diseases that i have. thanks for the information. SV
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Pam, thank you so much. I had not even thought of that or had it mentioned tome. Yes the radiation would be in the left side and I think like 35 treatments of rads. My heart is just not functioning right and I just set up appt for a stress test. Dr. Ruiz told me that the 'burns' can be really bad too. He is the first doc who did not downplay the potential SE's without being morbidly focused on the bad things that can happen. But he, I think, understands that i am not in great health due to the autoimmune diseases that i have. thanks for the information. SV
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SV,
I don't mean to be an alarmist. But rads to the left breast "can" cause problems years later. Modern radiation therapy does impact heart and lungs less than it used to but it is still something to ask about. I THINK it actually causes the vessels to become less elastic which affects us as we age anyway. My rad onc spent some time discussing this with me. I had IMRT which is supposed to fine tune the radiation to the tumor bed better. Also the new trend is to prone positioning.
pam
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I have had radiation on the left side twice. Both times it was carefully targeted - as I think is always the case - and both times my heart was avoided. They don't just blast the whole breast. The first time I was told that there would be minimal damage to my lung - just a bit of scarring. That was six years ago and it has caused me no troubles at all.
I didn't ask about how much was being taken off during the mastectomy (although I knew it wasn't a radical one that would have involved taking off muscle). I didn't really want to know as such things can only be worrisome to someone like me with not too much biology information. It's a tough decision, SV, just wanted to share my experiences.
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SV... from this site:
Left-sided breast cancer radiation ups heart riskThe study reviewed here showed that women with cancer in the left breast treated with radiation therapy were much more likely to have cardiac stress test abnormalities years later than women who received radiation therapy on their right breast. At an average of 12 years after radiation therapy, 59% of women with left-sided breast cancer had stress test abnormalities compared to only 8% of women with right-sided breast cancer. All of the women in this study were treated with radiation therapy after lumpectomy for early breast cancer.Because the heart is on the left side of the chest, it's likely the heart unintentionally was exposed to more radiation in women who received radiation therapy for cancer in the left breast. Exposing the heart and coronary arteries to radiation may cause damage to the heart and probably explains the stress test abnormalities the researchers found.It's important to note that this study looked at women who got radiation therapy between 1977 and 1995. Today, advances in technology are making the heart and surrounding breast tissue increasingly less likely to be exposed to radiation. Computers now are used to plan radiation treatment that is extremely precise. The computer aims just the right amount of radiation only at tissue that needs to be treated. Other new technology gives your radiation oncologist a wider and safer choice of radiation energy sources. Together, these two advances give your radiation oncologist the ability to avoid unnecessarily exposing your heart to radiation intended for the breast area. Some radiation therapy equipment actually tracks heart beats and the movement of your lungs and effectively blocks those tissues from any radiation exposure.If radiation therapy is part of your treatment plan, ask your radiation oncologist if the technology being used is up-to-date. Talk to your radiation therapy treatment team about how they'll make sure that you get only the radiation therapy required to effectively treat the breast cancer. If you've received radiation therapy in the past, it's important that your doctor is familiar with your medical history and understands any treatment-related risks you may have. Together, you and your doctor can plan how best to monitor and screen for any complications that may happen.0 -
Anne, Congratulations...you've done well. Have a real good day... well earned !!
I had surgery May14. Rads Sept/ Oct and started Arimidex October.
Sheila. I had my silver cutlery in a great big wooden box, velvet lined...very heavy. Was a wedding present from my 1 set of g/parents who had a bit of cash !! I have slung the box on the bonfire..probably worth a bit, but this cutlery ain't ever going back in no velvet lined box. I have carted it round for nigh on 50 years, 3 different houses, and always locked the dang thing away..... now it can see the sunshine at last.
Isabella.
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I hope it will be one of the best birthdays ever Anne. Way to go......
Many, many more to you and all the health you can handle.
Big hugs, Jackie
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SV, you need a second and third opinion and maybe someone more knowlegable than "our gang" to make the choice. This is not a question of "the one right way versus the one wrong way". It is what you Melissa feels most comfortable (or least uncomfortable with). A gazillion opinions from those of us on this thread will just confuse you more. You are a special person one whose posts I eagerly look forward to seeing. Just decide what is right for you and follow through. I am so glad you found such a super doc.
Love Ya, Kat
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Ladies, thanks so much and all of the info is important to me and pj, thanks so much for the article. i simply do not know anything but what docs tell me and experience speaks so much more loudly. i need to know what happens to us in the long run. Love you all, SV
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Saw a study yesterday on Fox News which showed that we are happier at 80 than we are at 18. Ain't that special! Strangely enough, I agree it's a possibility not a sure thing, depends on many things...probably none more important than love. Anyone care to share or comment?
Happy Birthday Anne! Good health and all the best.
I brought the cake my wonderful nurses presented to me to the Red Cross Blood Drive. There was a time, not too long ago, I could have put the whole thing away in a couple of sittings. As always thanks, Jackie. Like the Backstreet Boys, I'm singin' babe, I'm singin'...
E V E R Y B O D Y................rock your body....................
Love your new kitten, what a cutie!
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