Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Hi Lindsay, Welcome. Ive only been here since this past fall. Had a lumpectomy and rads, followed by Arimidex. My breast is sometimes tender and also fuller than my other breast. Surgeon told me to massage the breast, maybe I have some edema in the effected breast. What do your drs say when you ask about the tenderness?
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Just can't resist one more chicken comment. I was a city girl. As children, lots of kids got real live green & blue chicks for Easter. Don't shoot me Chevy. Horrible to think about now. At least the live bunnies weren't dyed.
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Hi, Camillegal and Bonnets,
Thanks for your so prompt replies. You make me feel better. I haven't had much feedback from the docs other than it's because the breast got so beaten up. I see my oncologist in July, but I saw my family doc last week, and he figured the ultrasound is just to be cautious and I shouldn't worry. Easy for him to say, eh?
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lindsay -- welcome sweet lady. Yes, we do answer questions, but get off into "normal" discussions because there is no much of life to participate in that is not cancer. Guess we find it nice to take a break from some of the almost constant thoughts we once were having and sadly still have....when test time comes around.
If if helps....I'm still sensitive on the lumpectomy breast. It has been five years now, but for the first couple of years....out of the blue I would sometimes feel a sort of deep stabbing pain. I don't know...maybe it was some nerve tissue reconnecting or something......never thought to ask and now I don't get it like I once did. I think we all likely have a bit of sensitivity.
Funny about the Docs that tell us not to worry. We are females, wives and mothers......if we don't worry about things, just who is going too, eh !!!! Still, I do know what he means....we are indeed better off if we can use our time to enjoy life and not worry about things that likely are not happening or even going too.
Anyway.....hope you feel comfy and stick with us. We are harmless and maily happy, but we do get to come here and moan, rant and rave when things aren't going well.
I'll see all you lovely ladies later. Have to run go see about a bill that was paid.....don't understand why Verizon hasn't cashed the check for nearly three weeks ago.
Peace and love
Jackie
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Jackie u'd better check that out or u'll get a disconnect notice and be on the phone til u'r disconnected.
OK are we finelly (I can not spell that word, it won't come to me)
done with chickens, wait Minus two they got dyed??? Oh shoot her Chevy.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. and feels decent.
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Welcome Lindsay. I'm not really surprised that you have pain after all that. The ultrasound can tell different structures apart, so you may have an answer about what is hurting. My recent pain was a muscle. There's also pain from nerves regenerating. Just jump in here and start reading. You'll feel at home pretty soon.
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Hi, I've been "away" 10 days from this thread...lots to read back when I get a chance. Glad Chevy's back...I spent 9 day in San Francisco with my son - we had a great few days in Big Sur then back to the city...spent a lot of time hiking and taking photos...I met 2 BC sisters from the radiation recovery thread and it was a good experience. If I already mentioned this, sorry...I can't remember 10 days back.
I am watching the severe weather and cannot believe what people are going through right now....and now the severe weather has moved on up toward Illinois and Ohio...
Jackie was thinking of you and I know somebody else is from IL as well. What a terrible spring for the central part of our country. Too many lost and homes gone; now flooding,day after day.
My first week back to work was quite stressful. Tomorrow is my Dept. 2nd annual picnic...I was going to bring my grandkids but I just don't want to spend the week end thinking about work at all. Bad things happening...and I opened the can of worms.On top of it all, I got poison oak in CA and it is really taking over my body. I will probably go to the beach tomorrow but will remain covered up.
I promise to read back....and catch up with everyone here...when I got back my yard was in full bloom with the 20 rhodedendrons that I planted; and the grass is filling in. (smile)
Be safe in the storms....
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Welcome back, Joan! The trip to CA sounds delightful. I enjoy hiking in beautiful natural places. The poison oak is a bummer. We have poison ivy down here but I can never identify it among all the other wild vines. Sorry about the stressful workplace and can of worms.
Welcome to our group, Lindsay. On this thread we're at different stages of recovery. In my case I'm coming up on my fourth anniversary of diagnosis (dx) and surgery (bmx) or bilateral mastectomy and immediate recon (reconstruction). We use shorthand for all the cancer talk. Less typing! And quicker reading!
For us lucky bc'ers, life goes on and we try to enjoy every day. That's why we joke and tease. But we're also here to commiserate and share experiences. I don't know why you might still be having pain after two years. If I were you, I would definitely be questioning my drs and medical support people. We're interested so keep us posted.
DH and I dragged ourself to the concert last night. If I hadn't already bought the tickets, I would have settled back in my chair and watched some recorded golf. Guess I've gotten OLD... The music program was Beatles music and it was well done. We got home at about 9:15 and went immediately to bed. We're exciting people! DH was up at 6:30 to go and play in a men's golf tourn.
I have a busy day ahead. I'm making chicken salad from scratch. First I'll poach a whole chicken with onions, carrots, celery, herbs. At 1 pm I have to walk over to a neighbor's house for the baby shower. Then tonight we're going to ANOTHER music event, Jazz at the Vineyard. It's a take-your-own-chair-and-picnic sort of gathering at a wine vineyard out in the country. They don't let you bring your own wine, of course. You have to buy the wine from them. We've never been to one of these events even though they've been going on for years. We're such old stick in the muds about going anywhere at night. So we're going with another couple who go regularly. The chicken salad is part of our picnic supper.
Rita, we miss you and are looking forward to touching base with you again.
Hugs to all and have a good weekend.
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Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission
of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without
words than words without a heart.
Mohandas Gandhi0 -
Good morning ladies.....and I'm so sorry about the strange marks on the quotes. I tried a different method for the quote as I saw the way it first came in.....the marks would be there. Thought if I drug it over.....instead of C and P that it would be ok..........NO...didn't happen.
Joan, how great to see you back. Sorry about that pesky Poison Oak. No fun at all. We have it here to, but I think I have been so afraid of it.....I seldom get close enough to anything I can't identify. We do occasionally get a mild case of poison ivy. We have some along our road leading to our house. We stay away from it ( I sometimes put some 'killer' on it ) but the dogs run through and so we get a lite touch from them. They are not bothered....but we find out where they have been.
Hope you are well from it soon.
Carole....I can relate. I could never imagine myself as 'ahem' old enough to enjoy the things I now do, and to be going to bed rather early as compared to my younger years --- but it feels like what I am supposed to do so I relax and just go along for the ride.
Life is just as exciting.....it is just exciting earlier, rather than later. And I'm generally much more rested for it.
We are trying to finish up the tail-end of some very windy and rainy storms of last night. We didn't have any serious occurrences here....though not far away 75 miles, across the river some tornadoes touched down. I have wondered what things would be like this year with the global warming............and though the rain filling up our water table so well is good.....the amt. of tornadoes ( though not reaching here ) is a frightening thing. I'd like to think things will settle down, but it is early yet and I think my guard and nervousness will be up yet for some time.
Thinking of you all and hoping for good weather and no bad storms.
Love and peace,
Jackie
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I've been on this thread occasionally over the past two years but turn 65 in a few days, so thought this group would be good company. Happened to catch Carol's post about her squamous cell surgery. I have Mohs surgery scheduled June 24th for squamous cell on my chest. It's right above my BC breast; wonder if chemo or radiation had anything to do with it popping up?
It will be my 5th Mohs surgery, but all previous ones have been for basal cells. I look like Raggedy Ann (even with my clothes on). I had serious Mohs surgery, including a flap, over my eye, which took one eyebrow. I always had bangs to cover it, until chemo came along and took my hair. (But it pretty much took the other eyebrow, too ...)I have scars over my lip, alongside my nose, a long railroad scar on my neck and one on my arm.
That's what I get for scheduling college classes 45 years ago so I could sunbathe on the dorm roof from 11 to 1!
A nice group you have here!!
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Welcome wave whisperer, and so glad you decided to join us. You could have come anytime....we are just well seasoned and don't go much by age. I always surprise myself just a bit when I realize just how OLD I actually am. I have picked up some physical limitations along the way, but really my outlook still mainly keeps me feeling more 50 than the 67 I actually am.
Although I really don't mind putting on the years, I think I've always planned a bit for holding onto a younger outlook. So far, so good. I get a little antsy if the music is too loud, or if young people aren't a little mannerly towards others...especially their elders, but all in all.....I don't feel TOO set in my ways.
You do sound like you have been through a lot with the Mohs and bc as well. Good outlook though....didn't we all or most all of us do some ( now looking back ) foolish things when we were young and nothing bad could possibly happen to us. Well, you have to be invincible for awhile I think or you'd never figure out what you need to not do.
Don't know as it is the week-end, but others should be coming around to chat with you. Glad you are here.
Peace and love
Jackie
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Welcome Wave and this is a wonderful group of women, with compassion, knowledge and caring.
It's rainin here some thunder and Jackie u'r right water well needed but these other things that are happening, I don't like--to scary for me.
Whoa Carole can u be any busier, u tire me out, u'r energy is amazing and u have a good time too. But I know golf is u'r primary thing to do. After my dad retired one of his jobs was part time Starter with the cart (I think that what it's called) nd he loved it. He loved the outdoors and all the people who golfed--he'd always say how nice they were to him and they'd even ask him for advice on a swing or something and he was more than happy to give it. Altho he never told anyone he never golfed a day in his life he watched and he thought learned and women would bring him gifts of wine and chocoltes---well he fell for that. And they would take pictures with him on the golf course--that was one of his favorite jobs and he couldn't wait for the club to open.
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Expressing gratitude ignites the light within us and is a sure path to joy. Gratitude is one of the highest vibrations of energy we can create, it's free, and anyone can give it. It can be as simple as being thankful for soup, being thankful one can see, walk, wiggle a finger, or tap to a beat. One can be grateful for happy children, good neighbors, good luck, and simply being alive. . . . Part of the journey toward joy involves not waiting around for trouble, but being continuously aware of our blessings.
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Good morning....going to be cooler here now with all the rains ( we hope done for a while ) over. Will be able to get some outdoor work done. Lots to do today.....so, will see how it goes.
I'd like to clean out my little storage shed. I know I have a lot out there that should never be put back in there and most of that will likely hit the garbage can. Haven't been out there with a good cleaning for a long time. So easy to NOT think about cleaning when there is always it seems so much to do inside.
Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday.
Peace and love
Jackie
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Welcome, Wave. I'm familiar with your name from other threads. My dh has had two MOHS and one on his nose where he had followup with a PS to do a flap. He has always been an outdoors person. Never sunbathed like I did but never wore sunscreen either. He sees our dermatologist at least every 6 mos.
Well, Jackie and Camille, all that talk about rain has caused it to rain here! We're having nice gentle rain today and we need it since the gardener (me) has gotten too lazy to water the beds when they need it. It would be nice to have a watering system like the upscale folks have in the fancy subdivisions but we don't have one. So our plants have to get by on what nature provides, which is often too much or too little. I do water the pots on the patio and fill up the fountain.
It's a shame to admit it but this rain is welcome because I won't be getting dressed and taking my mother to church. She doesn't go out in the rain. So today will be a day of rest.
Jazz at the Vineyard was fun last night. It was quite a scene. Groups of people bring their folding tables and chairs and set up on a big lawn. There are lots of children. Everyone brings their own food, but there was a barbecue business selling barbecue and it smelled delicious. A jazz group played on the porch of the winery building which was just a metal bldg. Once it got dark you could look up at the big sky and see the stars. Plus candles started to flicker on the tables. Almost everyone was buying the bottles of wine, which are reasonably priced, and sipping wine. I took some pictures on dh's smartphone.
We didn't get home until 9:45!!!! So we had to sleep in this morning to catch up! Now that we've been, we will probably go again with this same couple.
Wishing everyone an enjoyable Sunday.
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Carole....you sounded like you had such a great time at the jazz outing. I think there is something about doing things out of doors --- in something of a family reunion style. It is joyful and pleasant and we feel in accord pretty much with everyone else. Probably a good way to set things up -- breaking bread with others so to speak brings out unity. I also feel that you touch the universe a little better -- feel not only in tune with the people you are sharing food and music with, but in tune with the universe under the stars. I can easily see how it could become a favorite event.
I think our rain is over here -- a second storm was predicted for yesterday but it didn't come. Is cloudy here now, but I don't think it is going to rain and I certainly hope those aren't famous last words because I have some outdoor work planned. Of course, I'm sitting her a bit nervous....just in case.
Also need to do some cooking for the week. Hmmm, there is never a time around here much to not do anything.....sometimes you just have to go ahead and TAKE that time for yourself.
Anyway, will be checking back later today when I give myself a coffee break. First have to run to Salem and hit the store for a few needed items.
Peace and love,
Jackie
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Carole u sound like the last couple of days were really great. But I do smile when I see what time u got home---am I the only one who remembers leaving the house st that time. hahaha and being with a lot of people having a good time is always fun just watching--so be glad for the rain cuz now rest.
And jackie u r a busy woman I wish I enjoyed outside things, never did. Alot of u do and it's nature u'r loving. Not me--Mother nature is a crazy woman, and getting worse.
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Afternoon women, I'm just beginning rads and I'll meet with MO middle of the month. I'm now thinking that he might recommend tamoxifen for me (65) because i already osteoporosis. Any others like me,by chance? Any input? thank you.................
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Not me, Patti. I'm on arimidex, an aromatase inhibitor. Good luck in making your decision.
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pattiethenurse....I'm on Arimidex as well. If you already have osteoporosis, I think it might be possible for him to maybe want you to use whatever five yr. pill he comes up with plus Zometa injection once every 6 mos. or something. Not sure.....every MO seems to have certain ways they like to "deal" with things.....their own sort of program structure.
Hope you both can reach a good agreement so you are 'both' comfortable with the plan.
Peace and love
Jackie
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Pattie I'm on aromasin--don't like it much, but what do I know what something else would do.
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Patti, I'm on Arimidex, but they offered me Tamoxifen because of osteopenia. I declined because my anti-depressant would have to be changed to one that doesn't interfere with tamox. It took me years to find one that works and has low SE's and I didn't want to change. I would think that it might be an option for you.
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Good choice wren,I just figure they know what goes with what so u went the right way I think cuz changing meds for that can really be a challenge.
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If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life,
your tears will prevent
you from seeing the stars.
- Rabindranath Tagore0 -
Today an apptment at the gyn dr. An exam by the NP (no fun at all) and ultrasound of the ovaries. My paternal grandmother died of ovarian cancer.
Tomorrow the stitches on my face removed at the PS's office. Then over to the BC dr. for annual exam. Ultrasound of chest and underarms. The gel is warm!
Happy Monday to all.
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Carole u've got Drs. this week --ick I think but good to get it over with.
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Carol....you have a busy couple of days. I'll be praying you get nothing but good results with everything and are set for another yr. of good health.
Quiet here this morning. Sort of cool outside. It will warm to the lower 70's only which is ok with me. As I am fond of saying and its true....the heat is ok with me......what I hate is the humidity that makes you feel like you are enveloped a hot, steamy sponge. Sure felt like my week-end went fast. Yesterday ( had to go get some things first ) I made things for lunches all week. That tends to take up a big portion of the afternoon. Then we visited with friends until 9:30 last night. Always a delight to be with people you enjoy so much so that no one ever bothers to look at a clock.
Hope you all have a great Monday.
Peace and love
Jackie
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Good morning. A glance outside reveals that we must have had a rain shower during the night or early morning.
My ultrasound yesterday revealed the ovaries were normal size. The exam by the NP was tolerable because she used a smaller instrument to obtain the pap smear.
Afterwards I went to Steinmart and found 3 pairs of shorts and 2 blouses. After my two apptments today, I plan to check out Talbot's but don't expect to find anything to buy. I should be in pretty good shape with summer clothes. I still can't fit into some of my older clothes.
Jackie, you seem to be in contact with Rita. I hope everything's ok with her.
Happy Tuesday to all.
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Life can change in a split second. If something isn't going your way, know that at any moment, it can take a new direction. And if you love what's happening, embrace it with all your heart and be grateful for your blessings! Tia
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