Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Happy Tues. Don't know why but I'm already praying for Friday. Guess I didn't have enough week-end this time. Do we ever..... I need to get a number of things done and if I keep myself a little busier through the week, not only will it go fast --- but I might be able to do more of what I really want to do on the week-end.
It is cooler here since our last rain....feels more to me like Springtime weather should be and is nice. There is more rain coming -- probably from Louisiana Carole.
Well, they do have the gate fixed on our lake so we are not constantly losing the water in it which is nice. For a bit I thought.....jeez, we are going to be living by a mostly dried up mud puddle. Something good happens now and then.
Hope you all have a beautiful day.
Jackie
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Just an extra I fouud and worth posting:
Never fear shadows.... that always means there is a light shining somewhere. ~ Jonathan Santos0 -
Jackie like Me and my Shadow, strolling down the avenue ---OK I admit I didn't make that up.
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Beautiful here, humidity finally went down. Went to lunch with a friend and then a wake for a young Mom who passed from a brain tumor, with a 5 year old and 5 mo. old, So sad.
I am on Arimidex also. I have noticed my arthritis is worse on it. No osteoporosis, at least not yet.
Having a tea for my Red Hatters next week , got to get busy getting things together for that.
Have an appt with my surgeon Thursday. He's such a straight faced guy. Got him one visit, put smiley face stickers on my boob! Finally saw him smile! Gotta have a little fun.
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Jackie, don't rush time! It goes too fast. I can hardly believe it's June, 2013! The years seem to whiz by.
I'm very thankful to report that my ultrasound of chest and underarms turned up no problems. I brought up stopping the arimidex at 4 yrs. The NP, whom I really like, urged me to continue for the 5th year if I tolerate the drug. And I do tolerate it. DH seems to agree with her. So I guess I'll keep struggling with weight control, high cholesterol and high bp for another year.
Heather, the NP, was very flustered when she came into the exam room, late. She apologized and then told me about the patient she had been with. It was a horror story. I won't share it because it would be a downer for you, too.
After 2 days of dr apptments, I'm looking forward to playing golf tomorrow. Hope we luck out and the scattered showers fall elsewhere. Bonnets, your weather sounds delightful. You'll have to tell us about your red hat party.
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Carole YYYAAAAYYYY u'r doing good and it makes me happy to hear this. Enjoy golf and whatever else u want to do.
Bonnets tho when I read about the wake---This is a terrible disease.That poor family. Bless them all.
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People who soar are those who refuse to sit back, sigh and wish things would change. They neither complain of their lot nor passively dream of some distant ship coming in. Rather, they visualize in their minds that they are not quitters; they will not allow life’s circumstances to push them down and hold them under. Charles R. Swindoll
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Good morning everyone. It's a fantastic day outside.....but the forecast is for evening storms...again. Sigh!!!!I guess that will be ok as we will have another beauty of a day for ourselves.
bonnets....that is too funny about the smiley face on the boob. I think some Dr's are somewhat naturally reserved, but we all need to see a little emotion....it helps convince us that we are a real person and that our Dr. genuinely cares about us. I'm glad you found the way to "GET" a rise.
Rita....sure hope you are doing well.
See you all later.
Peace and love
Jackie
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It was HOT today out on the golf course. My shirt and underwear got soaking wet with perspiration.
This afternoon I visited my mother and brought her some stuffed bell peppers I cooked last night. We had some coffee and solved the world's problems! So don't worry about anything!
Rita, we're concerned about you. Regbeach, how is your mother getting along? Hi to everyone else. Hope you all are doing well.
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Carole it might have been hot, but u did golf LOL
Yea where is Rita? I hope everything is ok---see when someone doesn't come in to check in we all wonder if everything is all right.
Just check in.
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Good morning. We're up early to go to the gym (YMCA). No apptments or commitments today so I hope to get some "jobs" done.
Wishing everyone a good day.
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Morning gals! Carole, I LOVE stuffed peppers....!
It's just so different now that we are both 75, and don't cook full or complete meals anymore.Now it's usually just something small, because DH doesn't eat near what he used to... Just maybe 1/2 a hamburger, or 1/2 of everything! We sometimes share a lunch if we are out, but Dinners sure aren't like they used to be.
Going back to my PC this morning.... Maybe she will come up with some new miracle idea on what to do with these hands. I've been fooling around with them for probably a YEAR, and they are no better. Even the Dermatologist she sent me to last year was worthless! I just wish I could take something to make it all go away! Nothing does...... only the creams and ointments make it feel a little better, and keep the drying, and cracking and peeling a little more comfortable.... And yes my gloves....! My girlfriend told me I look like Jackio-O.... Ha!
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Chevy, Do they have Trader Joe's in Denver? Their vegetarian stuffed pepper is really good. I wish you could find something for your hands too. That has to be a real drag. Is it possible you're allergic to gloves? Didn't you say you had 2 neighbors who had chickens? Time to introduce them to each other. Then they can trade chicken sitting.
Beautiful morning here. Sunny all this week. I was awakened at 5:45 by a crow cawing exactly 5 times, pausing, crowing 5 times, etc. At first I thought it was someone's alarm clock because it was so regular. Now I'm trying to reassure my foster cat that I'm not going to put medicine in her sore mouth. She had extensive dental work on Tues, but the pain medicine is so traumatic to give that I'm seeing how she'll do without it.
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Wren.....if you don't want to do without your kitty's pain meds......if you have a dropper....squirt it on her legs. Cats hate "being dirty" or "sticky" and will lick it off.
Hi to everyone....I'm running way late but hope you are all going to have a great day. I will be back after work, but will leave a quote after this.
It is old and not from my usual source.....but a good reminder...that we do all make a difference.
Peace and love
Jackie
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Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or
strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.
Robert Kennedy, 19640 -
Chevy,
JUst wondering if you have a water softener. My Mom suffered for years, trying everything, til she went and stayed someplace and they cleared up. Asked what they had , watersoftener. She tried it and cleared up her hands! Just a thought.
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Chevy see how everyone is trying to help u--Bonnets that was a really good question too. I would never think of that one. Of course I've come up with nothing for Chevy's hands--And that's quite a compliment Chevy about looking like Jackie O, of course there are other Jackie O's in this world and maybe she meant one of them--not such a compliment after all.
Carole u finally have a free day and of course I broke into song---Y M C A
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Wren-May I ask? What antidepressant you take. I started zoloft about 6 weeks ago,and I think I'm starting to come out of a dark place.........hmmm,I hadn't thought about interaction? I'll certainly bring that up with the MO.
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Camile, LOL at your singing YMCA! I love that song. It cracks me up that so many people liked the song and sang it without ever really paying attention to the words!
Tonight I am pooped out. Transferred some frozen foods out to the freezer in the rv. Did some housework and laundry and ironing. About 3:30 my body said, ENOUGH ALREADY! so I took a shower and quit working. Now I'm sipping a glass of chardonnay. It tastes really good.
Chevy, dh turns 74 on Saturday and I made 70 in March, but we still like to eat a good dinner. I try to limit my portion size because of the weight struggle. As I've said before, I enjoy cooking. My new "thing" is making home-made pasta. I just bought some pasta attachments for my Kitchen Aid on Ebay. I probably won't get around to trying them out before we leave for the summer. A couple of times I've made "little ears" or orechiette pasta by hand.
Wren, I wish we had a Trader Joes. The folks on the What's For Dinner? thread are always talking about their purchases at TJ's. We do have a Fresh Market and I do some shopping there.
I ordered a birthday cake for dh. He loves carrot cake so that's what his birthday cake will be. On Sunday we'll have cake and ice cream at my mother's house with whatever family members are there. I'm planning a noon meal of hot dogs, hamburgers and potato salad.
Tomorrow night we're going out to dinner with another couple who are neighbors. The man's birthday is June 8, too, so we go out for the men's birthday every year.
Chevy, it's hard to believe you haven't gotten some relief for your problem with your hands. But then my scalp has been itching for at least 10 yrs. I've used prescription shampoos, topical solutions, you name it. I keep scratching.
Half the glass of wine is gone and my plantar fasciitis in my heel isn't hurting nearly as bad!
Have a good evening.
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Carole,
I had plantar faschitis for years. Had been bad for 3 months, when we went on a cruise where there was an accupuncturist. I decided to give it a try, figured all I had to loose was money. I was , to say the least sceptical. Nothing the first day. By the second day, no pain, that was almost 3 years ago, and have not had it back. I'm a believer. If you haven't tried, it might be worth a shot!
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Patti, I'm taking bupropion (Wellbutrin). It interferes with the processing of tamoxifen, making it only half strength. I could have taken Effexor, but I've taken it before. Can't remember why I stopped, but they have a pattern for working for a couple of years and then dumping me.
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Hi Ladies,
Mom went for rad set-up appt last Fri. What an ordeal. I think she was still worried about the chemo we cancelled on Tues. Or she understands more than she did a month ago when we went to RO the first time. She saw the equipment then but didn't have anything done. Friday she didn't want to get out of the car, kept saying "I don't know" which means just that or means she wants to say something else but is stuck on that phrase. She literally wheeled herself out of the waiting area and started going down the hall to the door. She pushed the phone out of my hand when I tried to call my brother to talk to her. Multiple times. Nurses standing around watching this. Then, they wheeled a lady in a stretcher right past her, clearly she had a bad experience with chemo and/or whatever other serious issues she had going on. Eventually, I got her to go in room for CT scan. Dr. and I still had to convince her to get onto the table. 30 mins. into this she walks to table.
They couldn't get her positioned correctly easily, trial and error, finally we had her roll on side and propped her with foam, and figured out how to get her arm out of the way (on side of stroke). Scan started, then mom moved, was visibly irritated so techs made her promise to come back and we left (almost 2 hrs). We went back a couple days ago. Ladies had things all set up and waited for us at front door, with exception of a pad to lay on since I think the hard table was hurting her bones. Mom was a trooper and we were in and out in 30 mins.
I have sworn to her that there will be no side effects. After all the research and worrying about chemo, radiation seems like it should be easy. Of course, now I have read some horror stories about fatigue and I know there is the skin issue.
Today, RO office said they would do the Canadian radiation schedule. It's shorter duration with more rad given each day, but cumulative radiation is lower than the typical 6 week schedule. It will be 17 days. I did some quick research on it and it has shown to have same efficacy as the 6 week schedule. So, I wondered why everyone doesn't do it. RO said skin effects will be greater but he thinks that outweighs the taxing effort of mom going for 6 weeks and the anxiety, getting on table, etc. He only heard about the first 2 visits secondhand since he was out of the office.
I was concerned he was shortcutting due to her condition (like, the wishy-washy surgeon). The nurse told me he doesn't offer the shortened schedule usually, since he is more traditional but that the younger dr. offers it more. I was ready to agree to the shortened schedule til she said since I had questions maybe I would feel better long term if we just did the typical 6 weeks. So, back and forth, with decision again!
After talking to dr, we are moving forward with the shortened schedule. I read online that Johns-Hopkins does it as standard treatment and half of the patients at Sloan Kettering.
What started out as a non-eventful, typical day, with one phone call turns into some big decision point about something I know very little about.
Simulation in a different room and first treatment is next Tuesday. They are planning on an hr. I hope it is faster.
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Reg u'r mom is a trooper scan are misersble--mosly cuz u can't move and if u;r enclosed it's a horrible feeling and U mom did well--this is all time work now and it is tiring for both of u.--You are a wonderful dgtr, she must be a wonderful mom too.
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Regbeach, I was in a clinical trial testing the effectiveness of the shortened, 15-day rad treatment with the traditional 6-week schedule. I was disappointed to end up in the extended arm, so I had the 33 treatments. I started burning pretty badly about 2/3 theough, so, for me, the longer time probably worked best. Hope your mom does well!!
Simulation and set-up can take an hour, but, after that, rads are a breeze, usually in and out in about 15-20 minutes.0 -
Reg, glad you updated us. I was wondering how things were going with your mother. Sooner or later this HAS to get easier for both of you. Hugs to you both.
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You are not separate from the whole. You are one with the sun, the earth, the air. You don't have a life ~~~you are life. Eckhart Tolle
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Good morning.....Pleased as well to hear from you Regbeach. Hopefully, the worst is really over. No one can judge for anyone but I do think -- since no chemo will happen that the rads are really important here. So, some struggle, but once this next appt. is actually done -- ( set-up does take a bit ) it should be smooth sailing for the rest.
Most people mentioned ( including myself ) how boring the rads sessions were....and in general they are. It usually takes a bit more time to get a 'gown' or something on, get positioned on the table....and then a very short round of the rads....then off to get dressed. Undressing and dressing usually took more time than the rads. Once you Mom has the experience for a couple of days......and sees that in general nothing hurts ( maybe not real comfortable on the table ) and that it all goes fairly fast, she may be able to breeze through most of her sessions w/o apprehensions.
They are for most the easiest part generally of the tx regimens for cancer. Just make sure to use plenty of whatever lotions the Dr. prescribes. I can't say their is a right or wrong one......there are many. I have heard some people use Emu oil in addition to whatever else is prescribed. I had clear Aloe Vera Gel.....very in-expensive from Walmart. Some prescribe Aquafor....also comes from Walmart.
I have read some of the materials on shorter time periods for rads.....and it sounds just as valid to me as the longer sessions. I went daily ( no week-ends, of course ) 7 full weeks. Very time consuming and boring. For your mom's sake......a shorter time period would just ( jmo ) maybe make it easier for her.
There are fatigue issues, but if your Mom is still doing her stroke therapies I think that could help. Most days I took a small walk and it seemed to help me. I will say....the couple of times I did feel that fatigue....it was like no other I'd ever felt. I just didn't want to move anything and really needed to NAP big time. I did that,and that engulfed by total tiredness evaporated.
Always wishing you and your Mom well. Sounds like you have been quite a team. Hugs to you and her.
Peace and love
Jackie
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Javkie, as usual, u explained and wrote everything perfectly--couldn't have said it better.
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Hi everyone, I haven't been on here much lately. Had #16 treatment today; been feeling very tired & depressed. Plus the weather around here doesn't help either.
This month is difficult for me; even after all these years. Soon it will be the anniversary of my husband's death & speaking of Gilda Radner; she died 1 month before my husband died. I remember it was on the front page of the newspaper, so I hid the paper from him & said we didn't get one delivered that day.
Time just escapes us; it evaporates; leaves us stranded in places we never thought we'd be in.
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Linda, I think those anniversaries are always hard. I know the grandmother who raised me remembered the date of my mother's death into her 80's. I was 4 and don't remember the date, but the season, and always have a slump during those months.
Your last sentence would be a wonderful beginning for a poem.
(((((HUGS)))))
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