Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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HI Patti: I had what is called Deep Conscious Sedation when it was put in and taken out. It is via IV and also known as La La land. No headache, can eat and drink immediately after, no memory of any of it. I had the same with my lumpectomy and SNB.
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Hi Denise, to glad to meet you. We are the golden oldies. LOL. Do you like to do any crafts, like knitting, cross stich, latch hook, working with wood, gardening? Do you enjoy reading? do you have grandkids? I guess I need to slow down huh?
JO, I wanna go with you next time. that sounds like a perfect evening and the kind of music and food I love. am so jealous, there is nothing like that around here.
Lefty, jazz and a grandbaby on the way, you are blessed.
kmc, do the amish have cooked food there or fresh produce to buy?
Alyson, thinking of you and praying for you.
Happy day all.
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I have to share this link with those of you blaming our forgetfulness on all this bc stuff.
You need to turn on your speaker to hear the music...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lSliucgygc
Have a good day, Chooks
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Pap,
I had my port put in the operating room under twilight anesthesia. Went home in a couple of hours. I had it taken out in April by local injection in the surgeons office. I was very nervous to do that, but it was nothing. My incision has healed very nicely. It is great to get it out.
Denise welcome to you. I enjoy all these loving ladies in this thread, we all have a lot in common.
Well, gotta go watch the weather, we have two tropical storms coming our way, got to see if we need to get boarded up in a couple of days.
Thoughts and prayers to you all.
Cindy
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Cindy, I know what you mean by watching the weather this time of year. On the weather channel this morning, I heard that tropical depression Bill has the capability of turning in to a hurricane.
Welcome, Denise.
I increased my walking distance this morning to 1 1/2 miles.
Has anyone seen Julie and Juliet?
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Denise
Maire That You Tube video is so funny! I can see myself in most of those scenarios (but not at the end--YET).
Cindy, Carole Hoping those storms don't morph into something bad. My DIL's parents live in Indian Pass, FL (between Panama City and Appalachicola (sp?). For a couple of former land-locked Missourians, they've adjusted well to evacuations.
JO I'll be coming along with Spar for the next Amish dinner concert!
Alyson--Hugs and prayers this week.
Nancy Congratulations! Grammyhood is great!
Lisa I'm still trying to figure out what that plane is in the picture posted. I know it's not a P-51, but I'm still trying to ID it.
O.K Chooks--Here's wishing everyone a good week. I'll be at the hospital tomorrow morning at 6 for my follow-up MRI on my brain lesion. Then I go to the neurosurgeon at 10 so he can tell me the results. He said he didn't want me to be anxious waiting for results. Then at 2:30 pm, I go for my rads simulation. Will be a loooong day. Take care--Helen
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wow Helen - that is a long day you have tomorrrow. It's good that you won't have to wait for results but still a long day. All the best with it.
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OK, anyone seen Christmas goodies in the stores yet ?? Apart from sale stuff, that is.
I saw my first display yesterday, August 15th ! This gets more stupid by the year
Helen, all good wishes for tomorrows hospital day.
Isabella.
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Isabella - what happened to fall, halloween and Thanksgiving stuff. We just pass over it? You are right, it is stupid.
Spar - our Amish market has a restaurant inside the market where you can get breakfast and lunch. They have stalls that sell meat, produce, cheeses and a hot pretzel stand - they are dunked in hot melted butter (yum), a cooked meat (like fried chicken) place, a candy shop, a bakery (you have to get there early - these items go fast) and a furniture section. You can also buy a quilt, placemats, etc.
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Isabella!!!!!!!!! I thought it was just me..........I saw an add on T.V. this aft about some kind of Sears/Kmart card...........a Christmas credit card of some sort. Sheesh.........summer has just started here.
Kathleen, an Amish market? OH GOSH..........take me with you!
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Helen.............I'm sending good vibes your way for good results tomorrow. You will be tired when tomorrow is over. We will be waiting to hear from you!
Alyson, it's no wonder you can't concentrate on things right now. My gosh, gal, I completely understand. I hope you have been able to get some sleep and sincerely hope that the surgery and tests go well. Hugs to you!
Hey, Jo....I am an only child, too. We have several Amish communities in our general area, too and I love the food and the artistic furniture. There are several people who also purchase their kitchen cabinets (cupboards) which are simply gorgeous.
I've been enjoying all the lovely flower pictures that you gals have been posting. Some of you really have green thumbs. I love to plant them and care for them but I really have to work at it. I have no naturally given talent in that area! LOL
Hugs to all of you! Best luck to all of you who are facing treatments, surgeries and tests this week.
Rita
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Hi everyone.....was thinking about the Amish and their cooking. Guess it is the lifestyle. I have not seen too many overwt. Amish ladies ( I'm sure there are some, somewhere ) so I'm thinking it is the overall way they do things.....and I know lots of walking etc. Yes, we just could not eat like they do.......although once I could and do fine with it. Your store sounds marvelous though Kathleen and I'd be ready to go myself.
We are getting ready for rain here. Did not wash my car as I usually do.....and we will have rain for the next several days too. Breaks in-between I'm sure.
Wishing you all well.....and good test results. Lots of prayers.
Hugs, Jackie
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Helen, Sending good vibes and prayers for good results tomorrow.
When I worked retail, we bet 25 cents for when the first Christmas item would arrive. It was usually around 4th of July and they were back stocked (kept in the back room). Labor Day weekend was spelnt making One whole section of Christmas stuff and everyone had to haul the stuff out of the back room and get it all pretty. By the time Halloween came around, I was sick of Christmas stuff. If a customer said, isn't this just the most beautiful ornament, decoration, etc. I had a hard time NOT saying "enough"...
Hugs for everyone, Nancy
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I'm with all of you....I don't like rushing these holidays at all. I have never "taken advantage" of early purchases and though I don't know for sure how it's done in your area.......here where I live people tend to put up their X-mas decorations the day after Thanksgiving.....and don't take them down until end of January. For me that is way, way too long......so the last thing I want to deal with is an earlier and earlier date to see X-mas goods in the stores.
I always lived in homes or apts. that were way too small to have decorations and trees up very long...usually came down the first week after Christmas though I would leave outside lights a week or so longer. Mainly more because they always looked so pretty if we had a good snow going. I am with you Nancy......way too irritated by these long time periods to see some of the "beauty" others do.
Hope you are all going to have a fantastic day. Interesting Jo....about the Amish ladies. We have a fair amt. around here but guess I have seen mainly the younger ones.
Hugs, Jackie
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The first Christmas after my husband died I felt invaded or attacked with Christmas. It was everywhere - music in the stores, decorations in the streets, town square, homes, stores, Ads on TV, flyers in the mail. I could not get away from it, although I did not put up a tree or any kind of decorations. It was forced on me and I could not escape. No other holiday gets that much attention or hype or advance notice, if that is the right word to use. Not to get all religious, but that is what Christmas is about for me, not the marketing and promotions to spend money.
Have a super duper day. Hugs, Nancy
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Nancy....I hear an original echo now. Did not know how to get the idea across that the Yule holiday is much more special to me in a spiritual way and I guess I know way too many people that don't seem to have a "thought" with any breath at all about it that way. Even one of my family members will ( usually in a mad rush ) to not only get up the tree but proceeds to often buy way too many "trinkets" to be wrapped and go under the tree. There are presents ( nothing much useful and not at all desired ) strewn half-way across the floor.....and lots of pictures taken before gifts are handed out.
I'm not a total Scrooge.....and do like to remember those I care for or who have been special for me and to me in some way --- not too elaborate though. I quit partaking at this relative's house. Felt it was meant to present some "memories" picture. I just couldn't seem to feel good about sitting for how long ?? opening how much stuff ?? that would shortly enough find its way to the good-will store donated. I'd have rather been handed a stack of donation cards ( for all that was spent as several people came to these things ) and then had a nice family sit-dowm meal with food each person brought.
SIGH....thank you Nancy...you said it all so much nicer than I did.
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JO, I am making everyone's Christmas this year too. Maybe, if I can afford it with a little money with it. We are having a huge Thanksgiving dinner here at my house this year but at Christmas this year we are all taking a family vacation together, skiing in Red River, New Mexico and my son and his family always go to the Bahamas for Christmas. So this year will really be different. I asked the grandkids would you really rather go on vacation or having Christmas presents and they both screamed vacation.
Helen, will be thinking of you and praying for good results.'
Nancy, it is about Christ's birth and I feel I need to remind my grandchildren of that. You said it nicely.
kmc, that sounds so good, I wish we had an amish market around here, I would be the first in line. love good food.
Helen and Noni, thinking of both of you.
JO, you cantankeris thing, I love ya. Sherry
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Last year at Christmas I said, "Enough obligatory gift-giving to people who don't need anything!" I bought my 86-yr. old mother a present and also bought gifts for two children in the family, son and daughter of a mentally-ill niece who is below the poverty line. I took the money we would have spent on gifts and made several donations, one to the local food bank, another to public television, and another to national public radio.
I see people out in the stores buying this little item for the school teacher, that little inexpensive trinket for the hairdresser, and on and on. The desire to give a present is generous, but most of what we receive from neighbors, for example, are things we don't need and don't want. I end up sticking the stuff in a closet, regifting it, or throwing it out.
It was so liberating not to engage in gift-giving that has little meaning. To me, home-made gifts are the best, and there have been years when my husband and I made things that we enjoyed giving.
My mother called me Scrooge!
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Years ago, I told my hubby's stepmother that we had so much that I thought we should share our good fortune and rather than exchange gifts, we should take the money we would have spent on gifts and donate it to a charity. We still gave gifts to the little kids, but the bulk of family giving became a gift to a charity. To me that is more in the spirit of the holiday than just getting alot of gifts for myself. So I heartily agree with what carolehalston started to do last year.
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Carolehalst, that is a great idea, I plan on knitting scarfs for everyone (usable) and also making homemade different kinds of candy for everyone. ( everyone loves to eat candy) We also give to salvation army because when our home and everything we owned blew away in the May 3rd 1999 tornado they drove by every meal time with a meal and a cold drink. they helped us so much as we were going through and hauling off garbage. We also ring the bell for them in front of walmart and love doing it. Still going on that ski trip, hope I can get my legs stronger by then.
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I wish I could persuade my family to stop giving so much 'stuff ' at Christmas, but I just can't see them doing so.
I said 2 years ago NO MORE knick knacks, I am just so fed up of silly little cutie dogs, cats and babies, I get them birthdays and Christmas, my shelves are groaning with this rubbish....for rubbish it is ! But they all say 'we don't know what to buy for you'. (WHY don't they just ask ?)
DD and family have gone to Europe, will be back in 2 weeks, and I shall have to oooo and aaarhh at something else they thought I would like !
Also, mentioning Amish. Is it pronounced to rhyme with 'pay' or 'arm', often wondered.
Isabella.
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Hi Ladies,
I am throwing this question out to everyone. I had my last radiation treatment 6 months ago. Do any or all of you have days when you mentally and physically feel great for a couple of days and then all of a sudden have a day or two that you are so tired it frustrates the h_ll out of you. I am just wondering. I do work three days a week 12 hour shifts and lately I have been doing 4 shifts. I do not get it. I was told in March I was in remission. I was so happy, 10 days later my Mom was diagnosed with lung cancer. She is 80. I am running over there also. I guess I went from one frying pan into another. I feel mad at no one in particular, but kind of angry. Maybe I have post traumatic stress disorder. Thanks for letting me vent.
XOXOXO Cindy
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Good Evening Chooks All,
Thanks so much for the prayers and good vibes--the neurosurgeon read my MRI this morning and said "Nothing has changed...it's identical to the MRI last month." So that was good news. I go back in 3 months for another one. The radiation simulation was interesting, but I didn't get my tatoo today--one more appointment (tatoo) to be made before I actually begin rads.
I really want to sit down and catch up on everyone's posts, but not tonight! I'm sooo tired and am having a hard time typing. BUT, I did want to say that I'm very much in agreement with your thoughts on Christmas. Around here, Thanksgiving is almost a non-holiday in retail (but since we don't give gifts, hand out candy, or buy costumes, I guess retail doesn't see much in it for them??? Anyway, at most of the stores I go in, it's Christmas from about July on, with a brief intrusion of Halloween (masks? ...just over in aisle five, next to the manger scenes...).
AND finally, the Amish. When I was first married, we lived in Boone Co., MO and there was an Amish community just being estblished a few miles north of where we lived. On Saturdays, some families would go door-to-door, selling baked goods. They made the best angel food cakes I have ever tasted. We used to go out to the community and buy molasses in the Fall, and decided it was better to go after dark because it was harder to see them skim the flies off the molasses!
That's it for tonight. Take care, Chooks, and thank you so much again. Helen
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Just dropping in before I rush off to see the onc - it is my 6 month check up so will be interesting to see what they have to say about things. The scan results were fine, you can see the little lump, its actually bigger than it feels so will be pleased to get it removed. Then they can sort out what it is which hopefully will be nothing nasty.
when we visit the Sates next year I really want to visit some Amish places - my aunt lives in Pennsyvania not far fron Lancashire County. Have a friend who grew up in a Mennonite community in Canada so have heard a lot about their lives.
Even in this part of the world Christmas is very commercialised - it drives me insane. Have cut down on presents and one DD has put forward the idea of gifts like making someone dinner or giving them a voucher for a facial or manicure rather than buying objects that we don't really want.I often give people a Christmas decoration that can be put on the tree.
Cindy, I think it takes a long time to get over that real fatigue. Look after yourself.
I had better get my lunch
Hugs to all
Alyson
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I so enjoyed what everyone had to say about gift-giving. It is overwhelming at times. I always enjoy the wonderful people who thought enough of me to knit a warm scarf....and I always thought with all the postal raises the last few years....wouldn't it be nice to get a book of stamps. It would not bother me a bit if someone gave me pet vouchers as I have lots of the un-wanted around my house. There are so many ways to have a wonderful, meaningful time....
Helen.....hope you will get a good rest now - now that you have such good news. Cindy I too think fatigue can catch you a bit un-aware. I know it did on me a few times
Hope your Dr. visit goes well Alyson.
Well, I'm off for the night....tired now and need to settle down. Huge pour down earlier.....thought I'd need a boat to get home.
Hope you all get on fine. Hugs and prayers to all.
Jackie
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My family gave up giving Christmas gifts several years ago to everyone except the kids like 12 and under. Being spread out up and down the east coast we have started to rent condos mid-way so that we can just get together, cook a meal and hang out together. It's been lots of fun. One year when that wasn't going to work out my sister contacted a local support group in NC and I and my DSs flew down and we adopted a family for Christmas. A young single mom who was trying to put herself through college while working and raising 3 young kids. Oh, we had so much fun going shopping to buy things on the kids wish list and then we invited them to dinner on Christmas day. It was soooooooo cool. My kids didn't even mind not getting gifts.
True story - my cousin's daughter decided to go to the Post Office one year to get a "letter to Santa". Well she and her mom went shopping and then on Christmas eve went to deliver the gifts. They got to the apartment house, went in and knocked but there was no answer. They didn't know what to do. They then went back outside and asked an old lady they saw outside if she knew the ***** family. The lady said she did and that they were at the church down the street. Turns out it was her grandson who wrote to Santa. He said he didn't want anything for himself but for his sisters and brothers (there were 5 of them). The old lady knew he had written and she just didn't want to face the next day, Christmas, and see his disappointment. She broke down crying in my cousin's arms because she had left the church after praying for a miracle and there they were with bags and bags of presents.
It gets better. That evening my cousin and some other family members drove up to the Poconos (mountains in PA) to celebrate Christmas. Her daughter, the one who got the letter to Santa, and a friend left to go to a party (they were only 21 at the time) and were driving back to NJ in bad weather. The friend lost control of her brand new SUV and ran head-on into a tree. The car was totalled but both girls walked away without a scratch!
We remember the reason for the holiday and give thinks at Christmas just for being together with family.
Sorry this was so long but the posts about Christmas presents brought tht back to mind.
I love to visit Amish country in Lancaster although I wonder if it's somewhat commercialized? I've wanted to visit the Memmonite Center nearby Lancaster but haven't so far. Have to put that on my radar. Maybe take my "seniors" from church on a road trip.
Have a blessed evening all.
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Hi Cindy....Looking back....that first year after radiation...I was up and down and pretty tired all the time. I can't imagine working 12 hour shifts...that's tough on anyone....You have just waged war on cancer and it is tiring. Be kind to yourself...take time to rest whenever you can. Don't feel guilty that you can't do what you once did. I did all of the above and now realize that chemo, rads and just the mental struggle will wear you out.
Talk to your doctor or find a support group ....you may need to be evaluated for PTS. Hang in there you are not alone. And darn it all...it's okay to be angry at this blankety blank disease.
Now that I"ve said all that I have to take it to heart now myself. ...
Had my onc appt. today and I'm looking at a PET in the near future. Waiting for marker scores. The adventure continues. :-)
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Patoo, enjoyed your Christmas stories. Very heart-warming.
Could someone explain the tatoos? Marker scores?
Glad for the good reports.
A friend is picking me up this afternoon to go to a movie. I've been staying home a lot (3 1/2 wks post-op) and will soon be developing cabin fever.
My oncotype dx test results should be back in another week or so. Then I'll know whether chemo or no chemo.
I hear my husband coming home with lunch!
Hope everyone is having a good day.
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Morning all from this side of the world.
The visit to the onc went as expected, spent most of the time discussing SEs of Femara and filling out forms. When he felt the lump he said' well that shouldn't be there', he didn't know what it was. When I was gping he just said that my appointment was for 6 months but he would see me asap if needed. Now we wait for the path results after it is removed.
I think my brain has turned to mush, just can't concentrate.
Must move as I have pilates this morning then a friend id taking me out to lunch.
Have a great day.
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Alyson, I'll be hoping that the lump is nothing serious.
A friend took me to the movies this afternoon, paid for my ticket and even the popcorn! We saw 500 Days of Summer. It was cute and entertaining. Plus I enjoyed getting together with my old friend.
My dh just came in and suggested we go out to dinner tonight. He didn't have to twist my arm! The steak house restaurant right down the highway from us has a prime rib special on Tues. nights. We've been a couple of times this summer, and the prime rib is outstanding.
All in all, it has been a very nice day.
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