Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
Comments
-
Morning Ladies,
Size 10 Ye Gad, I haven't seen a size 10 since I was 12. 5' 71/2" also I have always been tall so I "carry my weight well" LOL. Until I hit about 175 then the only person I am fooing is myself. LOL I have lost 17 lbs since being on the Arimidex but it seems to have stopped right there. Haven't lost another oz. in a week now. Down to 200. But as Jackie said, I don't look it as I have always been tall, if not thin. Still all in all, the doc sort of frowned at the 17lb loss but I wouldn't mind loosing another 25 lbs. That would be nice. ;-)
Hey how do I get what state I am from posted in my information like you all have? I was born and raised in Ohio near Lake Erie, east side, all my relatives are still there. I lived in Virginia just outside of DC for 29 years and am now in Florida. I'd like to at least note that I am in Florida, geezzz. I wish there was a place for us to post our birthdates also. But I suppose that doesn't matter as much as we all seem to be over about 55.
UNO, Uno turned out really well, very well meaning and caring people, only had one sort of issue with my friend who is a bit of an know it all nurse about how long Arimidex has been out for public consumption. Their brochure says they trade marked the name in 2007. I told her I thought they were fairly recently out of trials. She said she had a friend who had been on it for 5 years already and her doc just told her she would be on it the rest of her life. I think they are finding out more as they go along. It seems "the rest of your life" is now becoming a given. I have already been told --- at least 5 years.
OK, gotta go put away more stuff and clean out more "boxes." Boxes and books seem to go on forever. Where in blazes did I ever put all these books, I can't seem to find room for them here.
OH, made a great turkey burger with chopped up apples to cut down on the dryness, boy was it good on the grill last night. I'll have to do that one again.
Have a good day Ladies,
Hugs,
PamW1
0 -
PamW1--Try clicking on "My HOme" at the top of the board, then go to My Public Profile. You should be able Edit your profile and type in your city and state. Then save and see if it shows up.
The turkey burgers sound great--think I'll try them this week. Take care. Helen
0 -
Hi, Pam - I think, if you go to your home page, and you just hit "edit" for your name, you can put in the rest of it. Or, maybe that's not it...
. I suffer from CRS - can't remember sh*t! I do know it's not where you plugged in your dx.Good for you for losing weight!! I did OK during rads - dropped 20 lbs., but this winter I thought I was a big hibernating mama bear!! Just eat and sleep. Well, maybe not sleep, thanks to the Arimidex, but atleast eat!!
Susan
0 -
Hi Ladies,
Thanks for the info. I managed to add my state now to figure out how to add my avatar. It's easy enough I know I just can;'t get it off of my facebook page. LOL
Have a good day.
More chicken for dinner, good chicken no hormone shots but --- still all in all --- it's chicken.
Grrrrrr,
Hugs,
Pam
0 -
Pam - I was just looking at your "stats'...what is your stage? It seems such a leap from a grade 1 IDC to mets. If I missed your post about this, I apologize. Holy Moley! Our cancers are all so different.
Susan
0 -
Pam...just an idea because I'm not real literate on a computer.....but I put avatar pics on by going to the home page and they have a little spot on there where it says edit profile. I think that gives a box that says browse. by clicking there ( at least my computer does ) I get a place that lets me browse through all the pics I have on my computer. From there I choose which avatar pic. I would like to use on here.
Hope this helps....you may have to just play with it awhile. Some of these things that I don't do much I have to mess with for a bit till it actually works.
Hugs,
Jackie
0 -
Are you trying to tell me that Arimidex can cause insomnia? GEEZ!!! That's all I need. Have NEVER had a menopausal symptom. Don't need to have bone loss. Don't need any more weight gain. Now insomnia too? Hey, I have fought insomnia all of my life and I'm not about to do anything that will make it worse. I WILL NOT, I repeat, WILL NOT take this stuff if it is going to give me side effects! Life is not worth that!
0 -
Hi Susan,
Stage IV advanced but not spread to far. I have had it for three years. I have had no health insurance. It's a long story. It has only spread to my Pleura and back of my right lung. It caused a Pleural effusion but since I started the Arimidex the coughing and effusion have gone away. The ones on my Pleura and back of my lung are only (as he said) tiny tumors that he doesn't want to do anything with yet. He wants to see how the Arimidex will affect them as I am responding so well to it. OR he's decided I am going to just up and die so why bother. LOL
I don't know the Grade. I shouldn't say "one" but don't know what to say. They don't really have a grade for me. It is very slow growing. He hasn't said a Grade, I don't think it's "one" but until he says something --- I don't know. All's he said was that it is very slow growing. So when I looked at the Grades --- for Stage IV it should be fast growing but it isn't. So what Grade is that??? I agree, I think all of our cancers are each a little different. There are Stage IV people on here and it has spread all through their bodies. Stage IV only means that it is metatastic.
They have done all the CT and PET scans on me, brain to mid thigh and didn't find it anywhere except my Pleura and the back of my right lung and as I said they are very "tiny." They are going to do a bone scan the week after next so I will see then what happens as my Grandmother died from bone cancer at 80 after finding bc at 75. The bone scan worries me more then anything as ------- that could be a genetic problem.
Ok, I am off to make my "chicken" for dinner. When do you suppose I will become truly tired of chicken and turkey. I think it might just be "right NOW." LOL
Thanks for the info Jackie, now I just have to find an Avatar I want to use. LOL
PamW1
0 -
Pam - thank you so much for the explanation. I understand how you can't really grade it. I am soooo happy to hear that the Arimidex is helping. It has been such a pain for many, but you are an example of why we endure the SEs!
Susan
0 -
Cheyanne, I have been taking Arimidex since Nov. 2008 and notice very little for se's on it. Guess I understand that no one with a life-long problem would want to risk having it happen due to an AI but no one can pin down who will get what side effect if any. Also bearing in mind that everything you have ever taken has some sort of side effect. there aren't too many guarantees in life either. I went through 6 months of chemo and 7 weeks of radiation with the viewpoint that I would get rid of my cancer. Taking the Arimidex is just a further tool to help prevent a possible recurrence. The spark of life is firmly entrenched inside of me.....if I got through all the side effects and problems that came with all the earlier txs, I can get through Arimidex. It is definitely an individual matter though. No one was ever forced to do anything-----it is your choice to do only that which you feel confident will heal you and keep you well.
I wish you well.
Hugs,
Jackie
0 -
Cheyanne, I have noticed some side effects on the Arimidex. I've been on it since December, 2008. The night sweats were so bad that I had to take ice packs to bed with me. But during the last week or so, I have noticed that those are going away. I was beginning to think I couldn't live like that anymore as I just couldn't get any sleep. Any new drug in your system might take some adjusting to, so I gave it a chance and it did calm down. I don't notice any other side effects while taking it.
0 -
I opted not to do radiation due to the increased risk of heart and lung damage. I made it thru dose dense chemo, which zapped my tumor, had lumpectomy, and am on Herceptin every 3 weeks with no heart problems. But, I am 63, widow, live alone and am looking for a quality of life as opposed to a major quantity. Don't get me wrong by thinking I am ready to die, I am not. Those with young children have an expected life span of 40 to 50 years or more, while mine is more like 20. Also, I have had major surgery on my dominant wrist/hand and for over 25 years have only 30% of normal use of that hand.
There are side effects to most things one puts in the body, including foods. As an example, I am allergic to chocolate, strawberries and egg whites. Add antibiotics, percocet, adhesive tape, scrub soap and I could crawl into a hole and avoid them all. I chose how far I was willing to go and so far it is working for me. I still have the "option" of a mastectomy should I have a recurrence. Take it one thing at a time and make YOUR decision. Each of us will decide what is primary to and for us.
I am glad I found this site and all the threads and the wonderful ladies who lift me up when I am down and once in a while I am able to offer a kind word or suggestion or even just a Howdy and Have a good day. You know your tolerance level and you are the one who has to deal with it and the side effects.
Hugs and Blessings, Nancy
0 -
Pam...my son lived in Sheffield Lake right on Lake Erie for a year when he first started with this company. It was so beautiful there! Did you chop up the apples and add them to the turkey burger patties before cooking them or did you put the apples on top when the burgers were done. That sounds good to me and I'm always looking for different "healthier" recipes.
I can't help you get the state to appear by your avatar. As you notice, mine isn't there either. I'm from Illinois. I bet somebody will pop on and tell us how to get that accomplished. It is fun to know where everyone is located.
Gotta run. I've got some work to do.
Have a good day, ladies!
0 -
Good Morning Ladies,
The Arimidex has caused very few side affects in me. I get dizzy in the morning "sometimes" about the third week I had an itching type rash all over but that has gone away. Lasted about two days, annoying at best. Hot flashes every once in a while. No worse then menopause. Some bone pain but I already have arthritis. Insomnia? I was already waking up about 3 in the morning. My mom told me that started happening to her when she went through menopause but to not let it upset me just to get up and read or do something really boring. DON'T get up and wash clothes or dishes, just stay put and read or crotchet AND the next thing I know I am back asleep. So if the Arimidex is keeping me up I just haven't changed my routine and it is working. I think I may wake up twice instead of once. But then again, I am not working right now, if I had to get up to go to a job I might be thinking differently.
I do agree though, my quality of life has become more important then my quantity. The cancer had consumed most of my breast and I was sure they were going to tell me they would have to take off my arm and that would have been a big, NO and probably an argument. Heck, they didn't even ask about it. I have a month before I see him again, the Arimidex is still working, breast is not as red and is healing. It's amazing to see this stuff work. Dr Cohen, said they could not cure me but could give me time. Time is good, I feel good and that is what's important to me right now. I want to go to the OBX this summer for a family reunion. It looks like at this point I might just make it. One day at a time, that is all I have. Today I am alive and have work to do. LOL
I feel lucky I am not at the Dr.s 24/7 and still have a bit of a life to live --- in a new house ;-)
The apples in the turkey burger were chopped up small along with an onion and some A-1 steak sauce, bread crumbs and an egg. I had to watch as it got to wet, I had to put in more bread crumbs, but --- boy was it good. Last night I had Macaroni Grill Chicken Marsala. Not bad. I keep trying to find new ways to make chicken. Blllaaahhh, hate chicken anyway. I am a red meat eater. Oh dear. No more rich red bleeding steaks. Whaaa. LOL, well maybe once in a while, between that and no sugar I am becoming Saint Pam. LOL
Ok, am off to make beds and open and put away more boxes. Do the boxes ever end when one moves. Sigh,
Have a good day ladies.
Hugs,
PamW1
0 -
OH Dear,
Forgot,
Rita Jean, Sheffield Lake is on the other side of Cleveland. It is, YES, a very pretty area, most of anything on the Lake is pretty. I have had a good life, lived near Lake Erie my whole life then close to DC, very exciting. Florida is actually guite boring in compaison. LOL
Hugs,
Pam
0 -
Lefty & Pam....it often really does come down to quality of life doesn't it. Lefty Nancy I had forgotten that there are food allergies, tape, and I am allergic to tetanus as well. Step on a rusty nail and it's lights out for me ( just kidding ) as they do have other things they can give ---- but quality of life is a treasure I know. that is what keeps one willingly here interacting with loved ones and trying to make a difference in this old world........and believe me you all do make a difference. In the hustle and bustle sometimes it is hard to remember that a kind smile can make someone else's day and when you make it for them....you make it for yourself. The good things you give away always find their way back to you....a smile, a kind word, a helping hand. None of this is ever wasted....even if you don't get a smile in return, even if a few more tears fall after you have dried some.....these things are important.....when you care good things will happen. If you always strive to hurt no one and be a beacon of light, of hope, of encouragement you will be what you were meant to be in this world. No matter that you aren't an Einstein or a concert pianist, or the winner of a Nobel Prize....just be the best you, you can be. Here's to quality. That what each of you are and I'm so fortunate that I get to know you and talk to you every day. See you all later.
Hugs,
Jackie
0 -
Better late than never. I am an oldie too 59 years young and a 6 and 1/2 year suevvior. Can I come play here ..Shelagh
0 -
Hi Shelagh,
Welcome, what a nice bunch of women these ladies are. Ever supportive but honest. I really don't like being around negative people right now. I like the positive ones. Wish I had had that opinion before. I woulda saved my self a lot of wear and tear in life. Right now, the negative ones get ousted out of my life, right quick. Nice, aren't I? LOL
Again, welcome,
PamW1
0 -
Yeahhhh, and if anyone starts fussing and arguing, we're gonna slap 'em up side the head!! Ooo, did I say that?
I just checked out another favorite forum because I thought someone was sharing comedy...uh, wrong!! It's the same type of post that drove me away during the elections.
So, you gals are stuck with me, I'm afraid!! No more venturing out to those contentious threads!!
I hear that bickering all day long with my cranky kindergarteners! "He called me a doody head!" "She looked at me funny!" Yada, yada, yada!
And, welcome, Shelagh! Is your name pronounced "Sheila"?
Susan
0 -
Hi Gals, I just turned 56 so I reckon I qualify. I've had more misadventures in medicine since my bc and rads got finished. I fell. Five times. Just slips and misses, landing on my butt, landing in a pile of wet leaves, once I slipped off the treadmill, then I missed making a turn on my scooter and laid it down hitting a curb, went tumbling over the handlebars and rolled in the grass. I hit my head kinda hard, bummed up my glasses and had a little headache but no biggie. Then, I went back to work and was walking thru a city park and tripped up on a marker imbeded in the sidewalk, but not quite all the way and I tripped, went flying and slammed into the bricks. It hurt my hand, got a shot in my thumb when it popped out of joint. All that happened in Jan. 08. My back hurt so bad, they did x-rays then MRIs. Took a total of 16 shots in my lumbar spine and finally they looked at my neck and found 2 badly hierniated disks. So, Jan 15, this year, I had surgery to repair and fuse. Wear a bone growth stimulator 4 hours a day. Lost my job after all the painful days trying to work and taking time off to be crying in bed. Flexeril, Skelaxin, Soma, Tramadol, Hydrocodone, Darvocet, Lodine, Advil, tylenol.... my bathroom looks like a pharmacy.
COBRA ins. can last, I believe 2 years?? Does anyone know? I've applied for SS Disability and understand that it can take 2 years to be approved. Also, it takes 2 years to get Medicare so one of these days the Cobra is gonna run out. The SS prob. won't have started and the insurance will be so outrageous that I can't afford it. Guess the BC makes us uninsurable? great. I'm so tired and broke and still have horrible back pain. I know I'm VERY lucky not to have had a worse experience with bc but, since it blew up my life I'm just taking one day at a time and trying not to worry about running out of money, or time, or both.
Anybody from the GA/SC low country? ~Connie
0 -
Welcome Shelagh! And as for you, Susan, you're stuck! We're keeping you here!
Jo, glad to see that you've started walking. I think you'll like it! I always feel so much better when I get done!
Gee, Pam...I cant' imagine Florida being boring. I couldn't wait to get down there this past Feb. for a few weeks! LOL In what part of the state are you located? We went to Fort Myers Beach and I sure hated to come back home!
Well, gotta get busy again.
Hope everyone is feeling well today.
Rita
0 -
Connie -My goodness, it's a wonder you're still able to move! Hope you find out about the COBRA. I've wondered about being uninsurable now. When you need it the most.
Aww, Rita, thanks! I was hoping you folks wouldn't kick me out! And, Florida?? How I would love to be down there! My son's in the Tampa area, and my daughter lived near Jacksonville for about 8 years. I was as happy as a clam at high tide when I visited!
Susan
0 -
hi, pam,
if you can stand one more question about those apple-turkey burgers you make, is that onion sauteed first or raw, and could you possibly be a bit more specific about the proportions? i could never make anything my mother-in-law used to make because she described measurements as 'a handful' of flour, 'not too much' pepper, and 'a little' sugar. but if you double it, 'use more.' no matter what it was, my husband would eat the whole thing, lean back and say, 'good; but not like my mother's.' that witch wanted to take the recipies with her............and she did.
i think i could figure your proportions out if i knew how much meat you use, but if you can be more exact i would appreciate it. it sounds really good, and i am trying to get my good old boy away from beef burgers. so far, he won't touch a turkey burger.
thanks in advance,
barbara-
0 -
Connie 07,
I was on Cobra, it lasted 18 months but that was about 10 years ago. I think it might be 2 years now. I think if your 56 your talking about Medicaid. That will kick in according to your income and disability, or when your SS gets approved. My husband use to be a Social Worker, but that was a long time ago also. That is all he knows, he says he isn't sure about Medicare kicking in if you are on disabilty. Things have changed.
Susan, you can't go anywhere, your a joy to have around. ;-)
I live just North of Ft Meyers and just South of Tampa actually just South of Sarasota. I live in the Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte area. A pretty area and nice and quiet the way I like it now but when I was younger, I liked living in DC. Got to see all the shows and galleries and flowers in the Spring. DC is beautiful in the Spring. I like FLA good enough right now. It got to the point even in DC that the arthritis was not nice to me in the winter.
I walked for many a year also. I was a power walker, walked in the Susan B.(?)Kohmen race for the cure. Someone asked me, "What, about a mile?" I said, "Try five." LOL I can't walk so much anymore becaue of the arthritis but they tell me I should try as it will loosen up my bones a bit. Hmmm, Rita, maybe I will try tomorrow morning, maybe just around the block.
Worth giving it a try I think.
Thanks Ladies,
Hugs,
Pam
0 -
Welcome Shelagh and Connie. Hope you gals will stay here. Pam, I'm definitely positive, I think. Connie, you sound so much like me --- four left feet and they are all going in opposite directions at once. My trouble is and was I'm tall so it's a long way down if I fall. Unlike when I was younger and bounced, I now just go ka-boom....very heavy on the boom. Goodness. I don't know much about Insurance, but when my husband was on disability for awhile ( how long, not sure ) he did get Medicare. He didn't realize....everyone bills Medicare first ( no matter what else you have ) and they seem to take a long time to pay. You get a lot of bills while you are waiting.
I know some people from Marco Island, Fla. I think that is close to Ft. Meyers. Actually they live here in the summer and have another home at Marco for the winter. That has got to be nice, but I think you have to have a tidy nest egg to do that. Well, in my next life-time.
Susan...my vote is you have to stay here too so no trying to sneak out.
Hugs,
Jackie
0 -
Hello Ladies
Just wanted to share a utube video my sister shared with me- that you all could relate to on cancer
its from freshbrewedlife.com called "stepping into the ring" I can't put a link on here- but was worth watching - if you can figure it out.
Just saw a friend at a wake tonite that I haven't seen in 20+years. She had a lung removed because of her breast cancer- and had numerous cancerous spots on the remaining one. But her dr. put her on Arimidex and now the number has dropped to just 2 spots. So I guess its quite a potent drug.
For those of you who did rads- did you ever experience arm pain? Had #11 today and seems to be getting quite sore. Does the "heaviness" and tightness in the breast (for those that had lumpectomys) remain when treatment is over?
I'm on Cobra now too. My DH got laid off shortly after I received the diagnosis. I wasn't going to do anything right away- but my consulting surgeon had called my home to warn me that if I didn't have surgery I would never be able to get insurance because of a pre-existing condition. Needless to say I had it before the month was completed. but everything is so expensive- seems like you will reach your cap before all your treatment and 5 years of AI's are complete.
Walking is great- hard to get going sometimes- buy you do feel energized when its over.
Susan
0 -
Welcome to the new gals joining our group. Susan, I had lumpectomy in December and get twinges probably because the surgeon only got 1 mm clear margins and went back in for a full 2 mm a week later. I would not call it tightness, but a heavy feeling. The heaviness can be fluid or a form of lymphadema. I see my onco on Thursday and will discuss it with her. Did you have lymph node biopsy? I had clear nodes, so that was a very small incision.
Sweet dreams and restfull sleep for all, Nancy
0 -
Hi, Fleecewood Susan - welcome to our cozy corner of the world! I say "ours" because I really do feel at home here! (I came in to school early to get stuff done, and here I am chatting with my buds!! Oh, well.)
It seems to me that my arm ached during rads. My boob was sore and tender, and swollen. It's odd, it was only last summer, but it's hard to remember exactly.
That's good, I guess. Like childbirth - I sort of remember, but not every detail. If I had remembered every detail, my daughter would be an only child!!
Well, hope the day is a good one for all.
I'm a bit bleary-eyed. I'm still taking the usual Ambien generic, but for the last two nights, it didn't work.
Woke up around 3:30 AM and never got back to sleep. Does this mean it's not working anymore? I can feel the panic rising in my chest at that thought!! I hate to go on stronger stuff, if there is any, but I can't imagine being this sleep deprived for too much longer. Has anyone else had this problem?
Grumpy and Sleepy
0 -
You beat me this morning, mzmiller. But I had a restful sleep. Rarely do I have sleep problems, for which I am grateful.
Is my brain foggy or are there at least 2 Susans? One bridge group has 3 Nancy's, so I use Nan. The other group has 5 Mary's, which gets very confusing. 2 are Mary Francis on top of that.
Have any of you tried Reiki? There is a 3 part program that is free to cancer patients beginning in May. It is targeted for stress relief and healing using body energy.
Enjoy the day, have some fun and HUGS, Nancy
0 -
O.K. Grumpy and Sleepy...LOL, are you taking Arimidex? I had the same problem and was told that is one side effect that some people on Arimidex experience. I decided not to take more drugs to correct the problem but must admit that it's improved with time, just like my joint problems have improved with time. I sympathize with you, though as I spent MANY long nights tossing and turning and it was no fun.
Gotta run but I'll check in later. Hugs to all of you!
0
