Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Oh Isabella, you have to learn to post pics....I want to see the lambs. And SV, I love surprises. AmyJo, It sounds to me as if her skin is really burning, but I would think the rad techs or her radiologist or someone would tell her what to do about this or have her take a break or something.
I just got back from spending the weekend at my Dad's and the same dishes that I left in the sink, plus a few new ones are there and that really makes me mad since I know my not darling husband did nothing all weekend long. Back to reality. I am going to call my cousin about dates toward the end of Sept tomorrow night and then we should get some sort of a headcount and start making plans.
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I went out to lunch today with a group from thirty years and more ago.
I haven't been for ages and I found that of the ten of us, 4 had had
breast cancer and three had daughters who had or have breast cancer.
hmmmmm
anyhow saw this today
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You can see we had some rain...
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Maybe you need a new primary!!!! All my doctors gave me wonderful support before and after my double mastectomy. I am also over 60. I am active, working full time, and still very much engaged in a long term marriage. There is no reason in the world why you should settle for anythign less than a 30 year old. I had simultaneous reconstruction and finished off with nipple reconstruction and tatooing (3 times to get it right)! I am happy with the results and I think it has made all the difference for me.
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OH LIsa, I would love a giant MuMu made of that exact flower-likelots of them not just one huge one-but would need Omar the Tent maker to put it together-what wonderful colors-those would sell so fast here!! And Isabella, no hospital-docis mad at me for not making in there on Thursday so feel like i am being punished for being a bad girl. I mean the hospital here would ot do the lung CT cause they were afraid-so they call him and I am supposed to drive an hour to get to HIS hospital-couldn't do it. But doesn't matter - lots of people here going thru this and I swear we have been nuked and just don't know it yet. Every breath is a struggle-but his chirpy nurse on the phone today said to just keep taking the steroids and aunt'b's-third round by the way-and use nebulizer and soon it will all go away!! VEry VEry cold here today but gorgeous sun outside-still cannot enjoy it outdoors as the chirpy nurse suggested I do 'can't you get out and enjoy the sun?????" If i could have reached thru the phone!!! If I could do that i'd be out taking pix you freaking idiot!! I have trouble getting to the mail box-like i am going to head out anywhere!!! Rant!!! Lots of people here in worse trouble than me...AND HOORAY-THE AMERICAN VERSION OF BEING HUMAN IS ON-hysterical-ya have to see it!! Love ya all SV
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Lisa, I keep saying those 1 in 8 stats have to be outdated, but they never seem to change them. Beautiful pic as always.
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What kind of fabric? Cotton, blend?
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Hoow is this?
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Girls, Forgive me, I'm just sticking this on the end of this older ladies forum because I need help with some fears I have. I'm already posting over with the regular age chemo feb 2011 people, so that's a big help. But this is age-related, and I felt some of you might be able to advise me on this chemo business and how hard it has beenis on me. I'm 60 years old, but I'm not in very good shape because I got disabled from an old car wreck that broke my back in three places, and I used to exercise all the time, went places, enjoyed life. This all stopped about seven or eight years ago. I just want to stay home.
So, when I got breast cancer, invasive ductal, grade 3, tumor is larger than 5cm (I don't know the exact, just from seeing the mammogram), and presented with inflammatory clinical features, well, I have simply not been able to stand up to this chemo very well. I'm on the AC part of ACT, every two weeks for four times. Just finished second time, and I am miserable. I am very fearful of when I start the T part that's supposed to last 12 times, once each week, that I'll never make it. DOES ANYBODY know if it's gonna kill me to go 12 times? Would it be normal for an older lady to request less times, and does anybody know if my survival rate would still be fairly good with, say, 8 times?
In addition, after all the chemo, they'll operate, and I do not want reconstruction because all I want is for this to stop, and yet there's talk of radiation, many many times of it? When my husband went thru all this in his 40s, he said the older people, which is me now, really had an awful time with their radiation, aged them quick. See, I don't want my doc thinking because I look kind of young, and my years are 60, that I can handle all this... I feel like I'm much older, and, considering my lousy health to start with, I AM much older.
Any ideas, thoughts, viewpoints, I would so welcome. I WANT to do what they ask, but I am sincerely unsure that I'll make it, or if it will even be worth the torment I feel... I feel like a prisoner of war, just torture for me. And getting in touch with my breast surgeon is nearly impossible, they just throw this routine at you and have no earthly idea how hard it can be. Thank you. GG
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Dogeyed, I didn't have to do chemo but I know that some ladies end up doing less chemo. Your grade and stage indicate agressive treatment so I would try to do as much as you can. HYDRATE!! Drink tons of water. That truly helps. So sorry you feel bad.
Ginger, SV would look great in that fabric. Oh Isabella, I so wish I could see lambs being born! Lisa love the pic! Marybe, I too, think the 1 in 8 stats are outdated. Seems like 1 in 4 people I know has/had someone close with BC. AJ, when I was researching emu oil, there was a testimonial from a woman who was horribly burned by rads and she used emu oil. They showed pics day by day and after 10 days, she was good.
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SV: Get thee to a doctor. I had the garbage flu with coughing, etc etc. When I did not improve after 10 days, I went to the doctor who discovered I had a secondary bacterial infection which had caused the bronchitis part. So after 8 days on antibiotics (I am supposed to stay on them for 14 days), I am finally not wheezing and beginning to feel better. Make sure that you are checked ot for a bacterial infection or just ask your doctor to prescribe some antibiotics.
Dogeyed: Lots of older women have chemo. Was there a particular reason that you ended up with dose dense CA-T? I was on CMF with 8 tx 3 weeks apart. I was able to tolerate it, but I was pretty tired throughout. I did not fight it and rested alot. I also had radiation during the chemo--I did not have particular problems with radiation. I kept my skin dry using corn starch (the kind you eat) and I also used some creams at the appropriate times. At the end, I used emu oil, which for me, a vegetarian, was a difficult decision. But I had no peeling, skin cracks etc so I suppose it was worth it. One thing I did after my second tx, was weekly acupuncture. It definitely helped keep my side effects under control. I can only compare to the treatments before the acupuncture and the treatments after. In fact, at the end, my oncologist expressed surprise that I had not had mouth sores since I had dry mouth. When I told the onc I had used acupuncture, she said that studies found that it really could help with side effects, especially with mouth sores. Now why she never suggested acupuncture is beyond me. My internist recommended the acupuncture doctor--a woman who was from China and had been trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine. All the best to you.
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Dogeyed - love the name you chose! Yes, you can do chemo. You aren't that old compared to many here. My chemo finished when I was almost 62. I haven't had a car wreck but no one told that to my back which has troubles. Chemo is no fun, not something you'd want to do too often. And yes, you do feel miserable some of the days you are on it. No one can tell you if the next drug will be better or worse. It is different for most people - our treatments may be a bit different but I found the second drug easier on me. If you have survived chemo this far, you aren't allergic to it like one person here and you ought to be able to manage the rest.
After chemo, radiation is no trouble at all. For me the worst part of it was finding a parking spot at the hospital out of town and the time it takes out of your days. I was able to walk to my local hospital for chemo. Surgery - the good part is that you are asleep for it and the surprise to me after a mastectomy was how little pain there was. We all make our own decisions about reconstruction. It's not for me - I live alone and who looks? With a lovely fake boob knit by my daughter, the rest of the world is no wiser.
Have you had children? In retrospect, chemo was kind of like being pregnant in that it takes a few months, makes you feel poorly and it's hard to remember the details of it when it is over. Instead of a baby at the end, you get to know you have done everything possible to stay on the planet more years.
Best wishes - be good to yourself and enjoy the moments of sunshine.
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Hi to all--been away for 3 days then my 'puter acted up. Love to you dogeyed--chemo has to be my worst nightmare but I would to it in a heartbeat if it meant I could stay around a while. SV, following your posts and praying that you are healing. Reaching out to all--I'm having MRI tomorrow for a new "lump." It's probably scar tissue but we all know that we're already in the "1 in 8" so after that you get suspicious. Mostly I just don't want to go to ANY doctor for anything. I've spent the last year going to doctors and I find that it takes up your whole day--another day wasted on cancer. How do you convince yourself not to worry until you are sure something is really wrong? Dragon
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Oh Dragon, {{{HUGS}}}} you can't help but worry. I worry every time I get any kind of test. We'll be there with you tomorrow holding your cyber hand!
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DOGEYED-I feel like I am in the exact same position that you are in. I was a size 2, running 10 miles a day then hit by a drunk driver in 1998. My health declined rapidly-I gained a ton of weight-rehab from that was awful-and on top I already had ten years sober. My Mom passed after a grueling battle and her quality of life very poor. I was hit with a cancer diagnosis in Oct 2009-Stage 2-3 BC and everything went out of my control-because i let it-I did not know anything and trusted the oncologists-WRONG FOR ME!!. They did surgery (lumpectomy is what i opted for) that became severely infected. They did one chemo (Cytoxin/Taxotere) and I had what they call a "delayed allergic reaction to it." I have never been so ill and truly was close to dying from the chemo. I stopped everything (the docs would not treat me bec i was so ill anyway) and have spent a year focused on getting the one chemo out of my body-recovering from a single surgey and I suffered what i believe was massive brain trauma from the chemo. I only know because i had massive brain trauma in the car wreck and I had to recover from that in 1998. All of my psych meds quit working both times and we have been working on adjunctive therapies to get my brain levels up to the point that I can enjoy bit of life. GET MORE OPINIONS FROM PROFESSIONALS OF ALL KINDS-nurse oncs are the best-for me! Most women tolerate the chemical therapies and live quite well with them-I am not one of them. I have chosen to step away from it all for right now, though my oncs want me to do a double mastectomy. I am really chosing 'balancing quality of my OWN life' versus what the docs are saying they are offering me which has no guarantee AT ALL!! Even with a double Mastectomy-I had to have someone expain my DNAONCOTYPE on the tumor I had-this kind of tumor tends to return in the lungs and bone anyway and not the breast and my tumor was IDC. This is just my experience and my view. I was an incredibly active woman before cancer-I surf fished everyday and spent every day on the beach. This past summer I could not go outside in weather over 75 degrees (from the chemo burning my thyroid) and any time I went in the sun for more than 10 minutes I got sick as a rat with sun poisening. I am now dealing with extensive lung trouble-but again, this is just me. Yeah my whole family has 'jumped on me for giving up' as they call it but they are not in my shoes. Please feel free to PM me if you want to chat more-you face a very difficult choices and YOU do have the power to say STOP-for now-catch your breath and find out more!!! Biggest hugs, SV
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I have to point out to anyone new to BC that SV's experiences are highly unusual.
Since Dogeyed has already started chemo, you clearly are not allergic to it like you were, SV. From what Dogeyed has said, I think you are experiencing what all of us who have been through chemo have seen. It makes us feel poorly and uses up our days for a few months. Radiation is much much easier to tolerate. We are asleep for surgery and most people do not get infections. If you need Herceptin or further drugs, you can do it. Then we know we have done everything possible to stay on the planet as long as possible. I certainly did not enjoy chemo -- but I most assuredly enjoy my life now.
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((((DRAGONFLY))))))) and Mandy, because i did not run to the hospital last week when offered a bed-I feel like I am being punished and now not allowed a bed-truly think this is systemic candida with candida pneumonia-slammed myself on big diflucan and now about 15 hours later I am noticing some change. But been on three rounds steroids, Aunti'B's, home nebulizer-absolutely everything. I know I need a solumedrol IV and Anit-somthing for infection in the lungs-it is either that of the cancer has in fact returned in my lungs.They could ot do a CAT scan last Thursday bec i could not hold my breath for :40 without going into spasms of coughing fits. So hospital seems out for now. i tend to - hell I am my own doctor when I go to the ER or anywhere else and it doesn't sit well with other docs-so I get labeled hystrionic by GP's who are not psychiatrists-everything that i have been referred to a specialist too has been found later-geees, the ER here MISSED Cancer in a CT. Unbelievable-but I am ranting due to roids-so need to stop. Barb help me!!!!!!! I have a whole gallery wall waiting for me to fill and orders from all over the world and a seller in Virginia who wants my work and a web guy waiting for me to get well to do a new website-I HAVE A LIFE TO GET BACK TOO-and I cannot freaking breathe!!!! never been this bad without being in the hospital so I just don't know what to expect. Sats are running at about 90-which the ER docs say is FINE for an asmathetic with pneumonia-go figure-Barb-make me stop it-I am ranting!! Barb is my stoplight-XXOOO, SV
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SV, take an ativan...NOW!! Then take a nice long nap. {{{{HUGS}}}}}
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SV - I wish I were closer. You need someone to go with you to the hospital as your advocate, to insist that you get the treatment you need to get better. Isn't there anyone who can do that?
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There is - but will SV accept that help?! I hope so.
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Yeah I have a ride to the hospital but that is no longer the issue. The issue is that my sats have to be at a constant 88 or below to be admitted and for my insurance to cover it. I have been working on this all day trying to get a bed and my lung doc is now refusing saying to "wait and give the meds more time." I just so blew it last week but I was just too ill to get there-the drive is an hour away. And Lassie, I encourage you to do a little more research and go on a website called Taxotere's. And talk to my cardiologist who has had to put pacemakers in very young healthy women after their chemo and late damage done to their heart. CHEMO is a huge money maker and onc here are getting slammed for putting women who are 78 years old on a harsh chemo regimen and are not healthy enough to do chemo. I am very tied into the medical community and know these instances to be true. What i am saying is do not jump into chemo blindly-learn all of the options-I just trusted everyone and went forward and damned near died. Sorry to be pissy-OK I took an ativan!!! I need to go to my quiet place! XXOO SV
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SV glad you took the Ativan, what you need is someone to come along with a big hammer and clonk you, and carry you off to hospital...you know, IF you have got this wrong you are a long time dead !!
I am the worlds number one hospital freaker, have upped sticks and walked 3 times in all of my journey, but I actually DO start off in the hospital ! I have much more trouble with my GP who is just so damned dismissive she worries me. I think she thinks I am in the pink of health, and the biggest hypochondriac she's ever met. I have to fight her for everything...where are all the nice caring listening doctors today ?? I think I must have been about 10 years trying to get her to see I had Fibro. Even when I got my specialist to write it down and send her his diagnosis she was still saying 'Fibromyalgia, or whatever YOU choose to call it' I had Glandular fever, I was really ill, staying in bed ill, and thats not me, and even when the blood test came back with confirmation, she said 'oh, its not that bad' . I was ill 9 months.
I actually had a message on my answerphone this morning to ring my doctors surgery. The receptionist told me the results of my hip Xray are thru' and would I like to make an appointment ? OK ...I made the appointment, and have to wait until March 29th, or I can have a 'phone consultation on March 25th ! Nothing moves fast here. No results 'could be given to me ' this morning. I keep saying its time for a change. I have been with her 30 years, and moaned each and every year ! There is one big advantage in staying with this practice, its only about 2 miles from my house.. ....just wish I'd thought to move 29 years ago.
I have had a lazy day today, just can't get about without back pain, so I got all done by 12.30pm and went and sewed all day. Once I get into a sitting position all my pain goes. I was sat upstairs until it got dark at 6.30.....and G/son was here for his tea....I had been so engrossed in sewing I had forgotten it was time for him to call. He got a cold tea tonight, sausage rolls, salad and pickles, plus a big slice of chocolate cake. He was out and sorted all my sheep out before he went on home. Nothing is looking likely as of about 5 mins ago, so I am shooting off to bed, and hoping I can get myself up at 7 am again. Everything is laid down very peaceful.
I am having a peculiar visitor now, sleeping among the sheep pens, and eating sheep food.....a fox !! I think it is the one who killed my goose 2/3 weeks ago, its the same colour. I caught it fast asleep at 7am, curled up in the hay in the barn right in among my pregnant ewes. The barn has an open front, so the fox can come and go as he likes. He doesn't look very well at all. I got within 4' of him before I spooked him and he was off. He has quite bad mange, quite a lot of his fur has been scratched away, and his skin is pink. If only I could catch him I could jab him and get rid of his mange, but thats not going to happen...no way will a wild fox be caught. No way either will I let anyone shoot him. I have locked up my hens, the weathers cold, so it won't harm them to stay in a while. My helper has seen him again today hanging around, so I told her to put some dog food out for him, and by tonight it was eaten...so...looks like I have yet another creature to feed on my horrible smelly dog tinned food ! I get the most horrible smelling dog food you can imagine...the dogs love it, and the cats will fight one another over it, but the smell !! I think theres a lot of fish in it. I just get it because its cheap, and I have to buy so much of it.
Isabella.
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Isabella what a kind heart you have feeding that fox. And of course if he isn't hungry, he won't go about killing other animals. But you are truly a wonder!
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Isabella, only you would feed the fox that could get into your henhouse. (((HUGS))) to you. SV, please, try to get to the hospital. Good job on the ativan.
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To all those wondering about chemo, it affects everyone differently. I had TCx4. I tried to for-stall potential problems by heading them off at the pass if possible. I did the same thing with rads. Turned out that both were doable. Fun, no. Doable by all means. I achieved my goal of knowing that I had done all I could to prevent a recurrence of the beast. There is no guarantee, but a certain peace of mind.
Isabella, bless your heart on feeding the fox. Not many would do that.
Finally, we got our German Shepherd puppy yesterday. He's adorable. I took him to the vet today and he said "Susan you do know he's huge for 6 weeks". He certainly is, but cute as can be!
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Awe, sus, how cool! PIX!!
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Oh, susq, your puppy sounds so cute! A picture please...I love German Shepherds. We once had a shepherd, collie mix...she was wonderful with a great temperment.
Isabella...I am so glad you are feeding the fox! We would be quite a pair, I have anywhere from 12 to 21 ferrel cats I feed twice a day, sometimes racoons come around, we have a family of possums that come to the trough and one year we had triplet baby skunks. The cats really don't care who they dine with...it's a small world....
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Sus a puppy! We need pictures besides something so we can see how he grows. Please.
SV, go back a couple pages and look at the fabric please. Is this what you like? How tall are you?
Isabella, a fox in the sheep house. Sounds like a book title, yes?
Dogeyed, I think your husband is mistaken, radiation does not age you. It is difficult only in that you need to go everyday for 5 or 6 or 7 weeks. I have had a little bit of sunburn from it, but not bad at all. I had my first Boost of 10 today after completing 27 rads.I have some fatigue but I am driving myself there and back and walking the distance to get to the Radiation Oncology Dept.
I had chemo, AC/T and wish I had taken more of the drugs I was prescribed for the side effects. I am alwyas reluctant to take drugs that may alter my consciousness. I should ask myself, "exactly what rainy day am I waiting for!" Every single time I have taken the helper drugs I have been glad that I did. Yes you are going to feel bad some days during chemo, just do it. I do have neuropathy in my feet and hands and would do it again to get rid of the beast. I watched my faviorite aunt take her last breath when she dies of breast cancer. I will do anything prescribed by competent, respected, physicians to beat this thing. I will also research all of it and question everything, and if it makes sense I will proceed. I still have things to do and I plan on being able to do them.
Hugs to everyone
Ginger
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ok, just a quick fly by.. wanted to talk about chemo.. i hhad an allergic reaction also, to dense dose.. you won't like the answer, but it makes it MUCH EASIER.. they titrated the dose DOWN.. much less toxic, easier to handle. A?C is the worst.. for that, i had to take the 4 ; so there's only 3 more for you to do. with the taxotere, 1st, its' a MUCH easier drug to handle, and if they titrate it, and seperate it from A/C its' fine. SV didn't get that chance to chaNGE. I DID. FOUND ANOTHER ONCO WHO WAS MORE THAN WILLING. (sorry for caps, wandering fingers) amnd i had to add a few more tx. but, spaced out to rest in between. my cancer was DCIS; but wicked aggressive. so, i needed every tx; and no interuptions. it was well worth it. ive had 2 scares, 3 PET scans and NED for over 3 yrs, inlcuding time bf chemo. im 60; also, and the chemo was hard, but not crippling.. the recon surgery and following infection has been the thing that almost killed me; but im here, just slower. Please try to figure put with your drs. another approach than dose dense. it'll make it much easier. if you want to, PM me. remember, SV is an extreme example. i also had a bad reaction, but with some changes, came out ok and NED!!! be well. ill catch up later, ladies. today was the funeral of my friendd, and im still "shocky" i owe a few emails, and some serious catching up here... Marybe: who's in so far for Uncle Bills??? 3jaysmom
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Oh my gosh Marybe, is this the George Clooney you were thinking of?
George circe 1990
This from a bad hair day for hunks spread. He was but a young tyke there. 0
