Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Hi all, I am doing OK, back at work today, this last one made me very tired and painful, but feel better today. We had an inch of snow last night at 6000 feet. We can use any little bit of precip we can get. It is to be only about 34 today and tomorrow high is to be only 28 with 30% chance of snow.
I think I am only going to work 3 days a week 4 hours a day until after the first of the year. Hopefully by then I will get some energy back. Sure hope I have some energy like Jackie and Chevy in the near future.
Congrats on your trip Jackie, sounds like it was a good time. Chevy you had better be careful.
On Sat. my hubby who is a klutz around the kitchen decided to fix himself some of those cinamon rolls in the tube. So I hear bam, bam, coming from the kitchen and him groaning I get up to see what was going on and he had not taken the paper off the roll and it blew up and rolls were coming unwound all over the place and he was trying to wind them back up. What a hoot. Got to love him. Have a great day.
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Marcha....That is sooooo funny!!! I mean about your Husband & those darned tubes! I've done that before....So now I hit the edge on the side of the door, or I press it with a spoon, over the sink! They haven't actually exploded like THAT, but they DO make noise!
I can just imagine him trying to make them into the right shape....Ha, ha!!! I made such of a mess one time, trying to take one of those raw pizza's off of that cardboard thing, & place it into a small oven....on a rack.... It had thawed out, so that was the WRONG thing to do! But my little spare oven would not hold that large whole thing! It was like trying to stuff a floppy pizza onto a little tray. Man, I won't do that again!
Marcha, we are a little over a mile high...and it has been snowing a lot here! But now just so cold! Supposed to get down to 2 degrees tonight.....
Jackie...I order stuff online also.... It's just so much easier....And also we just send money to our Daughter's family in Orlando.... We used to buy gifts & send boxes, but even THAT costs so much now, & it's hard to find just the "right" gift......
For our Daughter here, we just give her money also, but we help her out a lot all year long.... She is like my all year long Christmas Present...Ha! It's so fun to spend time with her, like shopping and lunches!
Jackie...just rest.... those little trips just knock the soup out of us....xoxoxoxo
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Jackie, how do you find your quotes? Out of a book? On the internet? Your trip to Chicagoland sounds really heartwarming.
Monmarch, funny story about your DH cooking cinnamon rolls! Here's a story on me. You know the cheese slices with a thin sheet of paper between the slices? Well, I made myself a sandwich to take with me when I was playing golf. When I bit into the sandwich, I got a bite of thin waxy paper! Yuk.
Our weather is so changeable. We had some pleasant cool days last week with highs in the low 60's. Then it warmed up this weekend to the 70's with muggy air. Up and down. Down and up. Today was about 70, cloudy with rain showers. By Wed. it will be colder. We always watch what's happening in TX because that weather is headed for us.
As for Christmas, we don't decorate any more. We have a tall artificial tree in the attic that we need to set out on the curb. It was quite expensive in its day but doesn't have the built-in lights. I enjoy other people's lighted yard decorations and the decorations in stores. I gave away most of my ornaments a couple of years ago. Yesterday the interior of the church I attend was gorgeous. There must have been at least a hundred poinsettia plants displayed in mass. I used to buy poinsettias, but then I hated disposing of them after Christmas. I planted quite a few but they don't turn that bright red in the yard.
Has anyone seen the film Water for Elephants? Was it good? It's available on our cable tv On Demand.
Hope everyone had a good Monday.
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Oh Marcha.....that is way too funny. I always ask my husband....did you read the instructions first --- and find out that he's usually fibbing if he says yes. I got some of that Purex clothes softener that is little colored crystals. You put it in the wash machine......just toss the capful of crystals right on the clothes. Dh didn't do that. He put the crystals in the dispenser -- the one you put the liquid in.....yikes. Had to take the whole works out ( thank goodness it comes out pretty easy ) and wash the whole thing.
I liked Carole's story too.....of leaving the paper on the cheese -- been there and done it a couple of times, and of course there are always those times when you take a thermos of hot water to work instead of coffee. That can cause some language not fit for human consumption.
I get my quotes mainly from subscriptions on the Internet.....some sites I have stashed in my favorites and thanks to a couple of the Chicago gals....I do have a couple of quote books.
I haven't seen that film, but a couple of the Chicago ladies did and really liked the movie. I have been wanting to see it, but......going to have to find a way to get movie watching back in my time budget. Our player wasn't doing well, but I think Dh has it figured out now.
We got some snow just before i went to work at 1 O' clock. It snowed a good part of the afternoon, but there wasn't a big accumulation. Am I ready for this --- I'm not sure. Summer seemed awfully short this yr.
I'll talk to you all again in the morning.
Hugs, Jackie
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Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.
-- Jane Howard0 -
Good morning everyone.....I think I'm getting back to normal at last. Slept so well last night I never even got up to make a trip to the bathroom. That is saying something for me.....so nice to catch back up to normal.
Overcast here....not sure if we will get more snow. I was shocked somewhat to see it yesterday though I knew it could. With all the moisture in the air from the rain in the morning....they were the big fat lazy flakes that I do enjoy watching. Just seemed like it wasn't going to get cold enough.
I hope you are all going to have a wonderful day. Hope you enjoy the shopping Chevy.....don't wear yourself out now.
See you all later....after work.
Hugs, Jackie
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It was cool and overcast today with drizzly rain in the afternoon. When I walked this morning it felt a little raw. It's supposed to rain overnight and in the morning. I called and cancelled golf tomorrow morning.
Today I caught up on my ironing! Yes, I still iron. Most of it is pressing and touch-up ironing. Tomorrow I hope to get some more household chores done, like cleaning the toilets. It's really nice to stay home all day for a change.
DH climbed up into the attic and got out the Christmas wreath. We hung it outside on the wall beside the front door. It's strung with colored lights and looks quite festive at night.
Hope everyone has a good day tomorrow.
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Morning gals! Yes, this cleaning thing is catching! Ha! I also iron, and really like it....I know, I must be daft....
I just bought a pretty little chrome hangar, that hangs over the closet door inside, & when I iron, I put them up there, until they are dried from the steam...DH usually does the toilet stuff, & cleaning, & I do the rest of the scrubbing....
And I have to bring our little trees down also! I don't use big ones anymore...just so much work! Our one Daughter here, has her house all decorated already....So does the one in Orlando, but they have ALWAYS loved the holidays!
Yes, our youngest, (50) and I went shopping, and we just laughed and teased each other all day. She is using this "cream" on her chin, to get rid of any more pre-skin cancers that might develop, and right now it is bright red & peeling, so everytime she looked in a mirror, she just groaned... But it wasn't THAT bad, I thought...I told her "We can always get a sack and put over your head! She was just mortified everytime she thought of it or put her hand on her face.
But then we had lunch at the Food Court in the Mills, and it was really good! I bought some cute Winter short boots, with "sensible" heels, Ha! And I bought her a couple pair...for part of her Christmas. I also bought 2 Pomegranites at the store, and accidently LEFT mine in her car! So I promptly called on her cell phone, and said "Come BACK, I forgot my Pomegranite!"
Of course she wouldn't....she was already home.... Oh well...I told her I was sobbing, and missing my Pomegranite, but she didn't care. She said "go buy another one"....Ha, ha! I bought THOSE two...but it was just something else to laugh about. Take good care! xoxoxo
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Morning ladies! Finally got my decorations done...wish I could have said it was fun, but I just wasn't in the spirit...even played some Xmas music to no avail. Must be jitters because my surgery is coming up next week.
I went on the IDC thread and read all the stories about dye injections and how much they hurt, etc, and then to make it worse we saw one of those medical TV shows last night about people dying in the hospital from infections! Do I need this now! It can't help either that I was taken off all my hormones that were making me feel so good before. Time for some retail therapy!
Glad everyone is enjoying the holiday season. Carole...I sure miss playing golf...my shoulder has been bothering me, so I took some time off. Chevy...sounds like you and your DD had a great time shopping. I would like to do more of that with mine, but she is always so busy. She has a new boyfriend now, so her life seems much more positive, and for that I am thankful.
Tomorrow I'm going to see my GS sing at his school....looking forward to that, and then to the new doctor we are seeing for my boyfriend's MS. He is an integrative doctor that uses holistic medicine to treat disease. I'm making an app't with him as well to see what he can do for me from a holisitic standpoint. We're already following his diet advice and it's working for us.
Enjoy your day everyone...talk to you soon!
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As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let us down, probably will. You'll have your heart broken and you'll break others' hearts. You'll fight with your best friend or maybe even fall in love with them, and you'll cry because time is flying by. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, forgive freely, and love like you've never been hurt. Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances. you just have to live life to the fullest, tell someone what they mean to you and tell someone off, speak out, dance in the pouring rain, hold someone's hand, comfort a friend, fall asleep watching the sun come up, stay up late, be a flirt, and smile until your face hurts. Don't be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all, live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back.
~ Unknown0 -
Good morning everyone....nice to see you Kaara. Chevy....so much fun with your dd and these are the kinds of memories we treasure so much. I do recall some shopping excursions with my own Mom......and it is now not about where we went, what we ate, bought or anything else. It was the warmth and joy of the togetherness. I still feel a big smile inside and Mom has been gone now for 13 yrs.
Kaara....don't stress too much while waiting for your appt. It is just my very humble opinion that as there are no tests to tell who will benefit from different therapies ( I think I mentioned before that there are those who for some reason chose no therapy at all and their cancers went into life-long remissions ) so make your choice carefully. I am respectful of anyone choosing what to do, but I guess I need evidence and numbers --- not just anecdotal material -- cold hard facts is what I look for mainly when faced with difficult choices. I do wish you well and some comfort and peace while you are deciding this issue.
Did I say it is trying to snow...just a little nippy outside. Not sure I am ready for this, but I did move back home partly because I missed the seasons. I really love a good snow, but I don't want the good one today.....I like them to happen when I have a day off so I can go out and take a long walk in the snow.....feel the flakes on my face....I've even been known to make snow angels.....of course I always hope there is a wench standing by to get me back up off the ground.
Hope you are all going to have a really wonderful day.
Hugs, Jackie
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Thanks Jackie! As always, wonderful words of wisdom and good advice. I wish I knew how to copy and paste that quote from this site because I would like to send it to a few people that I know. I will get my boyfriend to help! PS...I was able to do it myself...so proud...Ha!
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Kaara...The reason they inject dye into you, is so it will travel to your lymph nodes! And that way they can find them to take them out.... Maybe it does hurt a little, but a lot of things have hurt worse.
Also you have to wait for the final Pathological report to find all about the tissue and the nodes they took out. Your stats might change from the initial biopsy. That tissue is also sent to be tested for the Onco test. But if you will absolutely not do chemo, they might might even order it.
Most will do Radiation anyway....and even offer the Als...just please, listen to your team...see what your chances are without any further treatment. Standard medical care has been proven to help us, and the choices are getting better.
I just know that if it ever happens again to me, I will take the advice of the professionals who know a lot more about cancer than I do... Sure I will "optimize" my health, but sometimes it takes a lot more than alternative treatment alone. Complimentary yes, but not "instead of."
It's so much nicer today! Maybe get up to 50, and the sun is shining!
Oh, did I tell you, it's been 2 years and 3 days since my surgery! Yeah!
It seems like a lot longer! Take good care...xoxoxo
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Chevyboy: Congratulations on your 2 years and 3 days!! I am getting the oncotype test...when I met with the onco he said that I could make that choice whether I decided to do chemo or not, and I decided I want it because of the information it would give me regarding whether chemo would even benefit me, and most of all, the score, which would tell me about possibility of recurrance.
The weather sounds beautiful....hope I make it to Breck for skiing this year, but if I do rads, it will be close. Went Xmas shopping today, and feel soooo much better! Nothing like buying toys and goodies for my little precious grands to put me in a great mood.
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Kaara, I empathize with your nervousness as you await your surgery day. I remember feeling the way you're feeling now. It was an awful kind of relief when the moment arrived. I wanted to go ahead and get it over with. One of my most vivid memories from the whole experience was waking up in recovery and realizing the cancer was gone! I felt so exhilarated! I don't think I've ever felt any greater happiness than in that moment. Of course, I was medicated and felt no pain! I had a morphine pump.
DH climbed up into the attic yesterday and got out the Christmas wreath which is lighted. It really looks festive at night. He has it on a timer. My only other decoration is a comical reindeer Christmas card holder, about 3 ft. tall. I have him hung with some odds and ends ornaments in addition to the few cards that have started to arrive in the mail. I sent out e-mail card greetings last year and will do the same this year. Postage is expensive and after Christmas I hate to throw the cards away. So I'm not doing my part to support the postal service!
The temperature is supposed to dip into the high 20's tonight. DH has my pots of herbs covered to protect them. I think we should probably bring them inside, but we'll see how they fare.
Hope everyone has a good day tomorrow.
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Morning gals! Yes Carol, I remember that feeling also! I just thought "WOW" it's over, and I woke up, Thank God! And I'm done!!! I thought THIS is the best feeling in the world!
All that worrying, and waiting, and preparing, and that morning with all the waiting! I just wanted to get this show on the road!
Kaara, you will see what we mean! You will think, "Okay, this is over now, and I can just relax!" Yes, my Onco test was 19...."the low side of intermediate"....but I think my age and the grade, and stage, and no node involvement had a lot to do with not doing chemo.
But after reading all over these boards, if this ever happens again, who knows? I might have to make completely different decisions.
And yes Breckenridge is probably one of the most beautiful places on earth this time of year!
I found this picture on Google Images for you....Will you be skiing? I don't think I would try that one so soon after surgery.
It's 25 degrees here now, & supposed to snow a little....yet again!
But the ground is frozen solid, probably for the rest of the winter... Just snow & ice now. And THAT'S here in the city, Ha! Have a fun day everyone....! xoxoxo 0 -
Beautiful picture, Chevy. I would just as soon enjoy the picture and skip being there! We have some frost this morning and the sun is shining brightly. It will warm up to 50's, which is pleasant with no wind. My camellias and sasanqua shrubs are blooming, adding some pink color amidst their dark green leaves. I'll try posting some pictures on another day. I have to get moving this morning.
I agreed to babysit with great-niece Olivia, 2 yrs., while her mother goes to a dr. visit. The mother, my niece, was in an auto accident and has a broken bone in her right hand and a bruised foot. She and her significant other were very fortunate to emerge from the car alive. It was totalled. The whole incident was unnecessary but I won't go into detail. Too complicated.
While I'm babysitting I'll try to get some laundry and cleaning done at my niece's house, a double-wide trailer that three of us in the family bought for her so that her three children would have a decent home to live in. The cleaning won't do any good because the children haven't been taught to pick up after themselves. Yesterday I bought two of the school-aged children, 6 and 8, a warm jacket and gloves because they need the jackets now. It would be silly to wrap them up for Christmas.
Then this afternoon at 2pm I'll take my mother to have a perm and do her grocery shopping.
Then TONIGHT... DH and I will go the woodworkers' guild Christmas dinner. A full day. But being a BC survivor, I'm grateful that I'm able to do these things.
Have a happy Thursday.
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Chevyboy: Love the photo! If I have to do any rads, skiing will probably be out for this year and we'll trade our timeshare for something less taxing on the body. If not, I'll probably be ok, because at my age I don't ski that hard anymore. I don't like to fall....too hard to get up!:)
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Be pleasant every morning until ten o'clock. The rest of the day will take care of itself. -Col. William C. Hunter
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Hey Carole, my sentiments exactly. I'm usually very grateful now for the things that I am doing and realize that I had such a big complacency going on before. You are an angel to those children of your niece's -- and yes, I do know that at this stage of life, it is not EVER about personal recognition or thanks -- it is about giving chances to someone else -- probably for the same reason we are grateful -- because we were given valuable tools and got well and had the opportunity to do so, and so it goes.
Chevy --- the picture. Gorgeous. There is always something so inviting when the street lights are on lighting up the snow and you think of people in their cozy houses.....maybe looking outside while they enjoy what they are doing. I never think of some of the discomforts that come along with the snow. Also, I have to admit that so many of our snows up to the last two or three years were so warm that I didn't dare button up my coat or I would start sweating. I'm still trying to figure just what "winters" are going to be like.....if some of the recent changes are definitely permanent.....yikes.
I hope you are all going to have a really marvelous day. I will be checking back in again, after work.
Hugs, Jackie
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"Things are never quite as scary when you've got a best
friend."
-- Bill Watterson0 -
Good Morning! Next Monday is surgery day for me. Wish I could fast forward to Tuesday and have it all over with! I called this morning and the pre op tests were not back yet. So glad I called and reminded the nurse to call for them since they are at another facility.
Going to W Palm to see my DGD today which is always fun! Got 99.99% of my shopping done, so that is off the to do list. Decorations are done as well, so once I have surgery I can relax and recover with no worries.
Jackie, those words of wisdom that you posted the other day that I copied and forwarded to all my friends was a big hit. I have received tons of replies thanking me for sending.
Have a great day everyone...it's cloudy and cool in S. Florida...might rain and we need it.
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Good morning everyone...cloudy today but hoping it brightens up. This morning had to take my car back to the garage to have it scoped and get transmission fluid changed. It was overdue and coughing and sputtering almost.
Kaara....wish you were past Monday too.....waiting on procedures isn't easy. What irony....we walk around with cancer doing wonderful but the minute you hear that diagnosis.....you want it gone. I'm hoping of course, that all will go smoothly and recovery will be fast and effortless for you.
Glad to hear the quote was appreciated. Not sure just where and when I learned to love them.
Ordered some stuff on line....not something I do too much so sure hope it works out. What little we do can normally be easily done here, but one of the women I worked with wanted Chicago Bears things. Even though I was just there.....I didn't have time to shop -- was there to party, so had to find some things on line.
I felt sort of bad.....the gal who wanted the things asked me if we could have a little Christmas party together.....her family does not do anything. She meant the lady we care for along with us three who help her. Of course I said yes....how could I do otherwise.......so these things that she said she would pay for ( she doesn't know what they are ) will instead become her Christmas gift.
I guess though I enjoy the holiday season in general, every day is sort of like a holiday to me now. I am happy to celebrate with others if they want too.....but something inside me celebrates all the time now. It does not have to be designated a special time.
Hope you all are well and will have a Fantastic Friday --- just the way they should be.
Hugs, Jackie
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'You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are.'
Eckhart Tolle0 -
I love Eckhart Tolle....."The Power of Now". The phrase "It is what it is" is my new mantra! You can't control or change what has already happened, but you can control your reactions going forward.
My #3 son (the baby) is coming for a "pre hospital visit" because he doesn't like hospitals! That's just fine with me.
Little last minute glitch in my pre op screening. I got called back at the eleventh hour for more cardio screening! Try 3 PM on Friday afternoon when I was 50 miles away! These doctors have absolutely no compassion for the patient to wait until the very last day to do this! I had to run all over W. Palm Beach trying to find the Cleveland Clinic up there which was closer. If I didn't get a heart attack doing that, I never will! Finally got the clearance, but now have to have a cardio workup after I'm over the surgery. Does it ever end?? Did get to see DGD and take her for a photo with Santa, who she didn't like at all! She would only sit on his lap if the rest of us were in the photo, so I have one of all of us with Mr. and Mrs. Santa!
Have a great day everyone!
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"The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it."
-- Richard Bach.0 -
Kaara....................my daughter truely believes in Tolle's way of thinking.....................she and I both have his books. She is much better at following his beliefs then I am , but she is always quoting him to me.................she calls me "the guy on the side of the road", who could not let things go............
You also might enjoy another book she has read called ....."The Five Love Languages"..............I also read it, and it is excellent.
Joel Olsteen also has a great book out...........I believe it was his first one........I purchased it and read it, even though I think sometimes it is easier to do things from his spot in the world (wealth wise), he does certainly make a lot of sense in his thinking...................I watch him on TV now and then.
I am Catholic, so I'm not a "holy roller" type, chasing every preacher on TV, but I did think he had a very "kind way" of putting things, and looking at things.
But we do swear by Tolle he is good, and funny I should meet a reader of his on BC.org............you must admit, he is very deep in his thinking, and sometimes a second read makes his way of thinking a lot clearer..................hugs, to you
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Morning everyone though it is almost 3 p.m. I stayed overnight at the hospital last night so had to have a couple of naps ( though I'm not normally a napper ) before I could even start to think.
I too have all the Tolle books, along with several authors who veer deeply in the "Tolle" direction. I have been studying these authors for almost 15 yrs. now. They can be a little deep, but one of my teachers often says......when you are ready for it, you will totally understand it, so take what is freely available now and give yourself a chance to grow a little more.....then, as you do Ducky, read it again. It works for me.
I have grown quite comfortable as most of these works speak to me on a much deeper level than my brain so I do see myself as much more spiritual than religious. I apologize if that statement bothers anyone but that is how it is for me. I respect everyone no matter their religion --- you gravitate to what you need so have no problem with anyone.
Though much cooler than I enjoy we have had a wonderful sun the past couple of days for which I am so thankful. I hope all of you have had the pleasure as well.
I'm going to run out now and feed some feral cats. I'll be checking back in later on. See you all then.
Hugs, Jackie
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I am not familiar with Tolle so will have to read one of his books. Which book is the one to get first?
DH and I went to my mother's house today for noon dinner. My youngest sister and her DH were also there. They live less than a quarter mile away. After the hearty meal of boiled ham, baked potatoes, corn and green peas, we watched the Saints game. The Saints won and are into the playoffs.
I'm thinking that one of my resolutions for the new year is not to be so busy. I go somewhere almost every day for some obligation or activity. I never seem to catch up with my chores around the house. On those days when I can stay home, it's so nice to putter.
I'm not doing any Christmas shopping this year. My 5 siblings and I went together and bought my mother a new mattress set, so her present is taken care of. My niece's children will be getting presents from a company that "adopted" them for Christmas. I buy them things they need throughout the year. Other relatives will give them presents. For poor kids, they really have too much "stuff" to litter up the house.
Hope everyone had an enjoyable Sunday.
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Carole: Start with "The Power of Now" as it will help you understand his philosophy about living in the moment and letting go of ego. I read one of his other books first (name slips me right now) and then went back and read Power of Now.
They are not easy reads and I was quite amazed when my DGD told me she had read his book! She's a throwback to the flower child generation, but what a sweet wonderful spirit and heart she has. It has been awesome to watch her transformation from a difficult teenager to becoming a vegetarian, purifying her body, and changing her thinking. She is 100% supportive of my desire to treat my bc the natural way...even bought me a greens attachment for my juicer and made me a special magnetic necklace to wear. She's just one of my seven special DGD's. Also have 2 DGS's.
Well, I'm off to the hospital first thing in the morning, but my surgery is not until 1:30 PM. I guess they will be busy with me before that getting me prepped and numbed. I'm having to practice my deep breathing this evening so I don't get too nervous.
Have a good evening....I'll talk to you soon!
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