Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Hi Ladies,
I took a couple of days off from my computer. Just got tired of it, I do that once in a while.
Lisa I was born and raised on Lake Erie, thanks for the picks of the Great Lakes region. I miss it sometimes. I loved the late spring, summer and fall, hated the February, March and early April part of winter though. Especially Feb and March. Muddy snow and sideways blowing sleet/snow/wind. Yuck. LOL
The Grand Canyon, when I was 16 -- we took a family trip to CA, stopped at the Grand Canyon along the way, stopped every mile at the Grand Canyon along the way. Sigh, my father was so impressed he had to see ALL of it and take pictures of ALL of it along the way. We all finally just stopped getting out of the car to look/see and just let him go ahead and take his pics. LOL. We had pics of the GC coming out of our ears and OF COURSE anyone who came to visit had to see them also. LOL He did the same thing about the 7 mile bridge to Key West. He's dead now, and what I wouldn't give to have him back just so I could look at those pics just one more time.
Elisheva. Stage IV isn't such a bad thing for me. The Arimidex has worked wonders on my breast, I had a lesion about 1-1 1/2 inches long, it's about 1/4 and inch now and is actually healing. I had a Pleural Effusion on my lungs and it is gone, the next PET scan will tell if the "small spots on my lungs" are gone, and I am on Zometa for the 6 suspicious spots on my spine. Last time I went in to the Dr. he said my CA27.29 was 25, from what I am reading that is a good. I haven't had any surgery yet. I am Her/2 - and have a heart problem so they are iffy about giving me Chemo.
BUT when I went into my family Dr. the first time about my breast I didn't think I would make it through the summer, now I am planning a trip to San Antonio, CA and Wash. next summer to see some friends. My Dr. told me they wouldn't cure me but could give me time. Heck, from what I understand it could be two to five years. I mean no one knows when the Arimidex will stop working but --- they have other drugs they can give me after that.
I don't know how Allison feels exactly but we are pretty much on the same wave length when it comes to how much time we have left and how to live it. Any one day is a good day for me and I intend to make it a "best day" if I can. I think what I am saying is that "I am not dead -- until I am dead." :-) In the mean time I am planting flowers, planning trips and living my life.
Jo happy to see you back. Rita, happy to hear from you also. Knowledge Fathynme, Elisheva, welcome, this is a great group of women. I am fairly new to the group and they have already been a support to me.
Ladies, I go in for my next Drs. Appt. and next Zometa infusion next Tuesday. Last Zometa gave me a couple of SE's. That's OK, nothing I couldn't deal with. So pray, if you will. I also pray for all you ladies every morning in my prayers. Especially those going in for tests. I think we all need those prayers.
OH, one more thing. What is CMF?
Have a good one ladies.
Hugs, Pam
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Hi Jo..I decided to just do the five years on the anti hormone therapy..
my onc was supportive however...
how is your gall bladder>
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Lisa - as always just the prettiest pictures....so we can all be right there wih you.
Hi - to all the newer seasoned ladies. This is a nice spot to be.
Pam - you almost always always have this very amazing outlook. CMF is another kind of chemo. Cyclophosphanide, Methotrexate, and Fluorouracil ( I think ) and most people who have used it say it tends to be easier on your system to use. You may have some thinning of the hair but you won't lose it. Overall, it just seems to be easier on your system.
Helen - your are a hoot about the stripper that you aren't or weren't.....or at least that is what you want us to believe.
Well, gotta run. I'm bushed and need to find some dinner. I"ll be checking back.
Hugs,
Jackie
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I'm 62, so that probably qualifies me as being "older" -- right? I was diagnosed last September and have had 3 surgeries, chemo and will finally finish radiation on Monday. It has been a long haul and I am so happy to be almost done! --bonnie
Dx 9/2008, IDC, 5cm, Stage IIIa, Grade 2, 1/11 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-0 -
Hi! I too was dx at 65 this past January. I am on a fixed income and at dx had only medicare
part A. No other insurance. Part B will kick in July 1st and am wading through the insurance
jungle of medigap policies.It is nice to have some other "mature" women to share with.
Greetings, Sandra from NH
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Hi Sandra, Be glad the medigap will help you,I 55 and have to much on disablity and have to spend so much in 6 months to get the other help to kick in. I dont get any other help on medical.
God bless you as you learn and win your fight with cancer, God bless you. Debbie
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I was dx at age 62, was 63 in January. Widowed over 6 yrs ago - married 33 yrs. Sold house in Pittsburgh 2 yrs ago after being in it 36 yrs. (good timing on my part) Moved to an apartment in Virginia to be closer to my only son. I quit work when husband got sick and never went back.
We travelled extensively over the years. He accumulated many frequent flyer miles so son and I often joined him on "exotic" trips when school was not in session: India and the Taj Majal, Paris and the Eiffel tower, London and Buckingham Palace and Stone Henge, Rome, Athens, Cairo and the pyramids, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Boston, Disneyworld and Disneyland, Albuquerque, El Paso. Son says we never took a normal vacation, like other families !!!
Welcome to the newbies. I am curious about medicare, medigap since I have a year and a half before I qualify. Maybe I will be done with multiple medical trips each month by then.
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Good morning.. I have been on Medicare A&B now for a couple of years..
We also have Tricare because my DH is retired military..so far so good
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Welcome Sandra & Bonnieand glad you found us and came in. All of us were thrilled that the moderators gave us **well-rounded -- seasoned** ladies our own place. There are issues that come up when we start this path at a little later time period than the younger gals. Hope you will stay with us. I will be back later....see you all then
Hugs,
Jackie
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Welcome Bonnie,Sandra, Faythnme, Elisheva & any newbie I missed. We don't have a minimum or maximum (!!) age for our thread--as Jackie said we are "well-rounded-seasoned" women who may have concerns that the younger women at BCO may not have at this time; like the fixed incomes,retirement issues, insurance (medigap) medicare, grandkids, achey joints, etc.
Chooks, I'm very interested in those of you who have/are considering retirement and who are single. I was divorced in 2001 and a large part of the settlement was to be my half of my ex-husband's retirement when he could retire in Nov. 2005. It was a bitter divorce. I moved 3 hours away and started my life over at age 55, struggled, but finally got my feet on the ground. Just when I could see the light at the end of the tunnel as far as his retirment, he died suddenly just 4 months before he could retire. UNFORTUNATELY, his was a defined benefit plan, my attorney made a grevious error in not understanding that the benefit I was to receive DID NOT SURVIVE HIM. So, the bottom line was--no retirement for me until I get to 66 and can draw his SS benefit (which is significantly larger than mine will be). Ahhh, such is life. Sorry for the whining...
Then I was dx with this BC in December 2008, so medical insurance has become a real concern for me. I have decent insurance through the university where I'm employed, but can't consider early retirement because of the cost of picking it up on my own. Has anyone else had "unusual situations" involving retirement/health insurance??
While I'm asking for input---anyone else had a port that doesn't work until a "clot buster" enzyme is injected to free it up?? That's happened to me the last 3 weeks. It worked perfectly the all through the AC and first Taxol, but now there's a problem. I'm really glad I have the port--just wish it worked like it should.
So Newbies this isn't the welcome I'd planned--this post took on a life of its own, and I'm not really sure it makes sense--but the moral of the story, I guess, is that you can bring ANYTHING here to this thread and ask for others' experiences. T
Jackie I'll tell you about the stripper/DUI later. Take care. Helen
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Hey, JO-Thanks! I am feeling better. I went back and edited out the TN stuff, but you caught me before I got it taken out. You are so right about serving an awesome God--I just had a weak moment! Thank you so much for the prayers. Glad you are back. I have two pictures I want to post,but I forgot how you explained to do it. Sometime can you help me? No hurry. I have a picture of the grands and a picture of my head with the artwork on it. I saved them to my computer, but am now stumped on the next step. Could blame it on chemo brain, but I really think it's my techno-challenged mind!
Lisa-I wondered about the gall bladder question as well...what is the connection?
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Hi Helen - I swore I was staying off this site until we get moved, but just have to respond to this post. I really think you are having one of "those" days. For me, all the bad stuff that has happened the last 5 years to our family just occasionally comes to the surface and I spend a few miserable days. I call them my "why me" days. It was as if my stage 4 diagnoses was just the icing on the cake. I've found it does me good to just give in to it and wallow in it! Then, all of a sudden, I'm back to my old self. The fact is that a more fragile woman than you would wallow in it all the time and burden everyone else with it! I also think that writing it all down probably made you feel better and I think I'll try that next time. Hope by now you are feeling much better. Please don't apologize for the pity party - YOU'VE EARNED IT!! Hugs and love to you today and everyday. And, yep, I really do think you can bring anything here.
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Helen, once or twice my port "didn't work" right away. They had me jumping up and down (which was hilarious for all to watch), raise my arms, lay me down flat, and cough. I figured out that I must have been less hydrated, but NOT dehydrated, so now I make sure I drink at least 2 large glasses of water just before I get the port accessed and no problems. The other thing is, it has to be flushed at least once a month, but that is not the issue since I get tx every 3 weeks.
Too bad you were divorced before your ex husband died or you could draw Widow's Social Security at age 60, which I did. This is my 4th year of getting it and I am glad I did not wait till I was 66. The bad part is you cannot get on medicare till age 65. One can argue that you get more per month if you wait, but it would take me several years to catch up to what I have already received, if that makes much sense. Someone who is more mathematically savvy might explain better. Something like I have already received xxxx dollars and by the time I am 66, I wlll have received xxxxx dollars. to get that much at the higher monthly rate would take something like 4 years or age 70 and by the time I am 70, I will have gotten that much more. Another consideration, the dollar loses value every year so I get 2009 dollar value in 2009. AND, I have gotten raise in monthly payment every year.
I am sorry you lost out on the pension benefit. My husband set it up so if, when he died, I would get a portion of his pension, but not the full amount, as long as I did not remarry.
Hugs ((( allison and helen ))). Pity parties are needed once in a while, just know that you have to get up off the pity pot and drag yourself back to the real world. It isn't meant to be fun or glamourous or exciting, it is life. AND there is a lot of nice, pretty, happy out there.
I love you all, Nancy
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Well, here goes. I'm in rural Minnesota and look like a trusted up chicken. I had a masectamony Monday on the left side and will go back on Monday to get the tube out and dressing removed. The cancer was found during my regular mammogram 2-1/2 weeks ago. We decided not to have just the lump removed but the breast. I will get the lab reports on Monday. Until reading the discussions I did not realize what I did or didn't know. There is not a support group in this area. The cancer office in Willmar is closed and they told up to contact St. Cloud (60 miles from here). A lady who's daughter in California has cancer called this morning about the Farmer's Market and didn't hesitate to contact her daughter who gave me this link. I don't know the lingo but I feel the spirit of caring and sharing. This is how you start retirement?
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A huge welcome to you, so glad you found us! Usually weekends around here are a little slow, but others will chime in. Ask all questions and if we can't help you, we'll direct you to the forum that can. So glad your friend's daughter told you about us. You'll probably have many more questions on Monday after seeing your doc and getting your tests results.
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Welcome 4ourgirls. Sorry to meet you here on these boards but really glad you found it. I've bumped up the abbreviation thread on the "Just diagnosed..." thread that will help you with some of the jargon as you read through. Please visit often and post any questions - there are no questions that are unimportant. The support you will find on bc.o will be a lifeline these next few weeks, months and even years.
Prayers are going up for your strength throughout. Please let us know how you make out.
Blessings.
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Glad people are still posting on this thread because I just found it this afternoon. Three more days and I wil retire. I was a single mom of three whose ex husband didn't believe in child support and somehow slipped through the cracks of the justice system. At age 44 I had an emergency hysterectomy because I was bleeding non stop. At age 45 I had two heart catherizations which failed, followed by a double bypass which has held strong. Insurance was through work. Never felt I could change jobs or locations because of difficulty in getting health insurance with prior conditions. In 1999 i was diagnosed with Type II diabetes and put on Avandia which did a good job of lowering blood sugar. In 2004 I went into heart failure, was administerd diuretics intraveneously, and lost 104 lbs of water. The cause was determined to be the Avandia. I tried to retire at that time because of ill health. I could get my pension from employment which amounted to $1200/mo. I would have had a difficult time getting private health ins. I would have had to hire a lawyer to get Soc Sec disability and would only have been eligible for Medicare after two years. So I struggled to continue to work. In Dec 06 dx of IDC. single mast in 2/07 with expander. In 5/07 massive infection which sent me into shock and 25 days of IV antibiotics. The expander was the culprit and removed. During this time I was on chemo which continued until 9/07. I had two additional surgeries both in 7/ 07. One moved the position of my port. The other was to try to close the wound from the original surgery in 2/07. This was unsuccessful and another less serious infection followed. I returned to work on 8/26/07 wearing feminine pads to keep clothes dry..Wound remained open until 10/30/07. I began radiation on 10/31/07 and wound immediately reopened. The burns were very difficult and even bled. But I finished rads in 12/15/07. Wound closed within a week. I completed Herceptin tx in 03/08. At no time during this ordeal was I able to go on disability because I would have lost my health insurance. With the help of my God, many prayers and lots of support of friends I have made it to the age of 65. I will get my small pension and a small social sec pension, but I am used to living frugally so I think I may survive. The most important thing is that I will drawing Medicare beginning 6/11/09 and will purchase a medicap. The wonderful Medicare Part D for Rx will cost me $5000 out of pocket. I plan to celebrate this retirement with my BC sisters this summer.
My port hasn't given up blood the last two attempts even with giving the clot busting enzyme. I don't know what will happen, but I love my port and would hate to lose it.
So, I have had a lot of experience with the health care system and survival. if I can help anyone in any way do not hestitate to ask.
Steffi
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Afternoon ladies and welcome Steffi and 4ourgirls. Hope you both book marked this page so you can easily get back. Barb, it sure would have been nice if you could have found this spot before your surgery. You would have gotten a lot of info to digest, but thank goodness you have found us now. We will share totally to help you thru all of this. As far as your report Monday....there is a forum section on here devoted to helping you read that report. It still may leave you with some questions....but start a notebook and when you have questions write them down for the Surgeon, Oncologist, Radiologist, or your primary care physician. Make sure you get copies of all your reports so you can keep tract of everything. And else wise just remember we are here for you.
Steffi....you have been through so much and your grit and winner's determination sure stand out. You are definitely no quitter. I am so glad you have found us,
I am going to be in and out a bit --- reading a lot, lurking a little. My SIL is in hospital. Has severe PAD and will have to undergo a bypass on her worst affected leg which is 90 % blocked. In doing tests they discovered she also had some heart issues going on so to date...we still don't know for sure what they will do first....correct the heart....or the leg by-pass. She does have some gangrene of the foot....so for a person so young...not yet 60, she has serious problems. If I show up a little infrequently the next few days....that will probably be the reason.
Again...a warm welcome to the newest ladies....glad you are here.
Hugs,
Jackie
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Welcome ladies - You can be sure you will get answers or help to find answers, or just a place to talk here. So glad you found us. Annette
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Wanted to say hi this Sunday morning. Noisy night and didn't sleep much, but we will be going over to St. Louis, Mo today to see my SIL who is currently in Barnes Hospital there. I will check back in later when I get home. Hope you all have a great Sunday.
Hugs,
Jackie
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Good Morning Ladies,
How nice, so many new people on here. Welcome to Bonnie, Sandra, Barb and Steffi. Bonnie and Sandra, we have a similar if not the same DX's. I am amazed at how little is being done to me in comparison. I should probably worry but the Arimidex is working so well that I don't think I will borrow trouble. I am feeling luckier and luckier. They are still working on getting the tumors down. I go on Tuesday so I will have to see what they say this time. I do know since I have a heart problem they aren't as aggresive as they might have been. The thing is I feel really well. The aches and pains I get are mostly expected. So anyway. I am thanking my God right now, ---a lot.
((((Helen))), I have whinned, everyone has whinned, it's just your turn. ;-) If I couldn't get on here to say I am afraid or don't understand something, I think I would lose it. I remarried my ex-husband. You do what you have to. Now I am worried as I start Medicare next January when I will be 65 and I want it as my secondary but I am thinking it will have to be my primary. I don't even know if these Docs take Medicare. I surely hope so as I will not be happy if I have to switch Docs. Rob and I are also lost about the Medicare Part B (?). How confusing this all is.
OK, Ladies, something for our souls, a little of an uplift.
First from ---- Helen Keller: Keep your face in the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows.
Also --- Fight Off Illness:
Danish researchers found simply imagining your immune system fighting off germs and viruses helps make it happen! Turns out, picturing your illness being destroyed right inside your body --- by your white blood cells, a bug zapper or even a superhero --- stimulates your immune system to work even harder, so you spend less time being sick! Though scientists aren't sure why, "the fact that you have a sense of control in your own healing improves mood, optimism and self-esteem, which we know is linked to stronger immunity." says Rosalene Glickman, Ph.D., author of Optimal Thinking. Studies have found these visualization techinques even improve the recovery rate of cancer patients! -------- Women's World Magazine, June 8, 2009
That was FYI ladies.
Have a great one.
Hugs, Pam
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Hi everyone.just borrowing someone's computer so just a second here..
We are in Alberta Canada and yesterday through ice and snow...very scary
but we are here in Calgary..hugs all around
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Snow in Calgary? in June?! Really, that's not what ordinarily happens - except maybe up high in the mountains. Here in my part of Canada (southern Ontario) there is no snow, hasn't been for a couple of months. I am waiting for the cherries on the cherry tree to ripen.
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Lassie...no longer familiar with Canada much. Is Ontario very close to the Detroit River or am I way off. If it is....do you know where Amherstburg ???? is. Not even sure I have that spelled right.
Went to Barnes Hosp. today. My SIL did indeed have a heart attack Monday...scheduled for triple by-pass on Thurs.....then, once that is done....they will figure how they are going to go into her leg.....the one that is so occluded that she has gangrene on her foot, and do by-passes there. I think she's in for lots of changes to her life and lifestyle.
Hope you all had a great week-end.
Hugs,
Jackie
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Hugs, jackie. by pass surgery is open heart, thru the chest. My husb had triple by pass. If they cannot use leg vein, which I think is what you mean by leg - they sometimes use a mammary vein.
Welcome newbies. Hugs and Blessings for all, Nancy
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Hugs too Jackie, I know it can be draining for us when a family member
is having trouble, I will be praying for them and you. Pam I love your thoughts,
Well to all the new friends we have, God bless you all, Debbie
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Hi,
Im 65 years old diagnosed on May 1st initially with DCIS after 1st surgery they found 3mm invasive ductal carcinoma in one margin...the rest of them were clean.
second surgery 6/15 with sentinel node biopsy..had MRI of breast and mammogr after 1st surgery as well and those results seem ok
i am from ny and my daughter signed me up for this site and she has been my rock.
Great to connect with people my age as I felt totally like you...everyone seemed much younger then I was and the disease and treatment has a different protocol due to age and menopause.
Warm wishes
Lizzy and Hanna(daughter)
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Welcome Lizzy and Hanna. You will find lots of us "seasoned gals" here with lots of love, support, encouragement and ideas for getting thru this. We will not "get over" it, but we can get through it together.
May 2, a year ago, is when I was diagnosed and this site has been my life line to the "real world" of those with BC. Ask, share, tell, complain, celebrate -- WITH us.
HUGS for everyone this sunny Monday morning. Already HOT and HUMID... but I like that better than cold and cloudy.
Nancy
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Jackie - Detriot is just across the water from Windsor Ontario. Amherstburg is in Ontario just south of Windsor. Ontario is kind of big - if you got on the eastbound highway from Windsor and drove for about 8 hours, you would get to my part of Ontario. If you set out driving north, you could keep going for days before running out of roads and having to take a little plane to a fly in community. A friend of mine who is teaching in one of those far north communities suggested I should visit her in February. By then the ice roads would be in. I said I would be far too ill - although I would be just fine for a trip to Spain or Florida then. I plan to be healthy for things I want and ill for things I don't want.
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Hi - I'm new here - just diagnosed yesterday - don't even know all those diagnosis initials and numbers you all use. I have a question tho - I'm finding the thought of telling my grown children about this very difficult. I can't really say "I have breast cancer" yet. I can imagine telling them I have surgery scheduled, but can't seem to get past that - which I obviously will have to. Due to distance, it will have to be by phone. Do any of you have any tips? Not to mention my mother - 86 and 25 years post-mastectomy herself. She'll flip with worry. I'd appreciate any words of wisdom from you ladies.
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