Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Good morning everyone.....I left a quote ( I do it everyday on Rita's Illinois Ladies thread ) and I'm so taken with it.....I'm going to put it here...hope they don't mind over there:
Ever felt an angel's breath in the gentle breeze?
A teardrop in the falling rain?
Hear a whisper amongst the rustle of leaves?
Or been kissed by a lone snowflake?
Nature is an angel's favorite hiding place.
-Carrie LatetI know angels are something we all need and we all have......and when I saw this quote it just resonated with me so much because of how easy it is for nature to nearly take my breath away Anyway, it's a beautiful Sunday morning --- still so nice and cool here ( so amazing for August ) and was probably a perfect morning for the last day of our local Balloon Fest. I did not get up early to see if they had their morning race or not.
Kathleen....so glad you mentioned your Uncle. I am sorry that he had cancer.....wish no one had to get it, but there is some comfort actually knowing that men get " bundles of jagged nerves " when it is time for tests too. Hated even the slightest thought anyone may have had that we are a bit "hysterical" for our feelings right before tests.
Wishing you all a great Sunday. I'll be back later on.
Hugs, Jackie
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G'day chooks, I hope you are all as well as can be. Personally, I am fine except for a sore butt! I have been kicking myself all afternoon (it is 11:55pm here) for allowing either old age or Arimidex to get the better of me.
Being Sunday, about 2pm, I thought I would go out to get the Sunday paper and fill the gas tank which was at zero full. Stopped on the right side of the bowser, unlocked cap, pressed fill button, picked up nozzle, poked it into the requisite hole in vehicle, pressed lever. Absently looking around for awhile, I looked at bowser face to see how it was going and the numbers weren't moving! Looked at guage next to it and they were rocketing up pretty fast. No other cars were using the same bowser!
Oh. . . My. . . God! I'd just filled a diesel tank with 35 ltrs of petrol!
Panic button hit and I just stood there not knowing whether to laugh, cry, or wet my pants. Stupid bloody bowser!! Stupid people who make multi fuel bowsers!! I mean, who in their right minds makes a bowser that has opposing fuels that should never be put in certain engines?
It stands to reason that an Arimidex and oldtimers affected old lady would come along one day and pick up the wrong nozzle, doesn't it?
The guy in the servo wasn't even that surprised when I told him, almost like he expected it. Finally, that old woman he'd been warned about, had lived up to his expectations and made his day. Now he can relax, she won't do it again will she? I wonder how many Arimidex affected old ladies there are in a town of 23,000 people?
So, there I was, stuck at the servo, unable to start the 4WD, (which was still parked at the bowser) waiting for a tow truck on a Sunday afternoon.
Do you have any idea how many mechanics are working on a Sunday afternoon in Australia? Neither do I, but I can tell you it's close to zero in this town. Even the tow truck drivers' mechanic mate wasn't working today. Hmmm, should I have played the cancer card here?
To top it off, I left home without my mobile phone! I wasn't going to be away for more than 15 minutes at the most, was I? HA!
I must remember to copy all the numbers in my phone into a purse sized address book to keep in my hand-bag. I can't remember my own phone number let alone any one else's.
After using the servo's phone to ring my Auto club, a tow truck arrived two hours later.
First thing the driver says is that duel fuel bowsers should be banned, they cause so much grief.
After dropping daughter and myself at home, he took our vehicle to the Auto club workshop, where it will at least be locked up for the night.
DH is away at work and hasn't rung me yet, so I still have that conversation to look forward to.
Thank God, he did the very same thing a while back so he can't take the use of the car off me by using the Arimidex argument. The truck driver was very surprised that I hadn't started the car and driven off, thereby destroying the motor. All I could say was that I was taught by the best, a man
) Sheila.
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Dh and I went to a movie yesterday afternoon with another couple. Saw a sci-fi movie titled Precinct 9. Actually well-done with lots of action and great special effects. The time fitted our schedule because we'd planned to take in a movie and then have dinner. Normally my dh and I would never have gone to this type of movie, but we had lots of laughs afterwards. The movie was about aliens.
Dinner was at a really nice restaurant. I enjoyed a glass of wine and the food was good. It was a fun evening.
Today the dh is out playing golf, actually with the same couple. They all suggested I might like to come and ride along in my dh's golf cart, but the Solheim Cup competition is on tv. I'd rather watch the lady professionals play golf. It's a nicer day here in south LA than normal for August. A "cold front" came through lowering the humidity somewhat.
Hope everyone has a happy Sunday.
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My goodness Sheila.....what a story. I know you'll forgive me but I really had to chuckle at the word "bowser". We just call those gas pumps but here they are put atop a short concrete platform. Most pumps here have three nozzles for regular, hi-test or diesel. They are marked well and I think the nozzles are different sizes so generally you will not put the wrong gas in the car. Dare I say this....Dh always gasses up our vehicles as he goes so much more than I do that he needs to carry the gas card. I haven't put gas in my car for a zillion years. At least you knew not to start the engine which is something I would have done without a thought.
Carole I had to look up at your address under your avatar.....I read that and thought---there is no humidity in So. Los Angeles.....but yes, there sure would be in Louisiana. I don't usually watch si-fi either. Too far out for me. I'm more into who-done-it type movies or some of the more old fashioned type like " Trip to Bountiful". It's an older movie and I thought I would dislike it, but after seeing it I bought a copy, wore it out and am working on wearing out this second copy. Why...do I like it so much.....I'm not sure but it stirs things up inside of me every time I see it.
Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday.
Hugs, Jackie
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I'm glad you cleared that up JACKIE - I couldn't figure out what a Bowser was! I had only heard that butterflies contained the souls of those who had died a few years ago by my boss whose daughter had died of breast cancer. I printed the angel poem. I liked it - a lot.
SHEILA - I can well imagine your frustration ... grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I think this is a very good reason to have DH fill the gas tanks.
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Sheila, what a story! The diesel nozzles here in the US are green, whereas the gas nozzles are black. Smart of you not to start the engine.
I'm exhausted from sitting in my chair all day and watching the Solheim Cup. The US ladies beat the Europeans, but it was a battle all the way. Both sides played very well.
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Ladies dh and I went to see Julie & Julia today and enjoyed it. If you like cooking you would enjoy this movie. We went out for pizza after. It was nice to get out and away from thinking about tests, rads and docs. Thursday is my pet scan to see if the nodules on lung and thyroid are active and need further investigation. Tomorrow is rads # 21 of 37. So far going OK. Neuropathy & pain in leg improving. Now down to about a 2 on scale of 1 - 10. Had legs and arms tested and they say no permanent periferal neuropathy. Just takes time for things to come back I guess. Hopefully the scan will not lead to another round of chemo. Would be glad to not have to go down that road again.
Hugs too all of you. Annette
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Sheila ..that was an incredible story and though it's very sad, I found myself laughing at your description of being "that old woman he had been told about". I've been in that predicament myself. As for bowser....ladies isn't he the singer in Sha Na Na that's on the oldies commercials?
I had a pleasant weekend ...just getting ready for a trip 'down the Shore' this week.
I have to say I'm glad to say as a "Jersey Girl" I don't have those service station experiences....In case you haven't heard or read the T shirts...."Jersey Girls Don't pump gas!" It's state law and it keeps the 'big hair' from getting messed up.:-) For the rest of you in the "other 49". If you ever want a good laugh pull up behind a New Jersey plate and prepare for a really good laugh as we navigate the bowser.
Take care all. Waiting for the PET appointment ...the insurance company hasn't given approval yet....so what else is new? Maire
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Sorry about the 'bowser' ladies, I couldn't think of another name for them, Arimidex again! The more modern servos? here have the colour coded nozzles, but this particular one is fairly old. I usually use a different place but the fuel guage was on zero and I didn't want to risk all the problems involved with diesel motors when they run dry, by driving a couple more kilometers further.
This Aussie lady has learned to do all sorts of things over the years, as DH works on ships and is often away for long stretches. The one thing she found very hard to do was step back to let him take charge when he was home. Many a cross word was said when she tried to tell him how to do things a better way. We often had hot tongue with cold shoulder for dinner after one of these events. Another thing I find peculiar about his working away, is that nothing breaks down when he is at home, it all waits until the minute he boards a plane and then I have a house/car in domestic breakdown mode. When he walks back in the door, I have a similar personal domestic breakdown.
Sheila.
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Annette, I will be thinking about you on Thursday and hoping beyond hope that everything is inactive. You are right, It does take time for our bodies to get back to normal. We've been through alot and we don't just bounce back automatically. I have fingers and toes crossed for good results from your PET scan. Please let us know as soon as you have the results in hand. I'm glad that the results are going well for you. I also used the Biafine cream and had no problems except for some fatigue at the end.
Sheila...Oh my gosh! What a nightmare! I probably would have been dumb enough to start the car and then I would have had major problems
Jo, that frozen corn and peaches will taste good during the winter! I'm not that ambitious anymore but am enjoying the few things that we do have in our tiny little garden.
Well, I've been down in the back. I've been babying it for several weeks now. It heals up and I thnk I'm O.K. and then just out of the blue, the pain reappears and I'm walking around all hunched over. I guess I will try to call a chiropractor today. It's been a long time since I've been to one of them and I'm not really a super fan of them so I guess that tells me that I've hurt long enough if I'm willing to find one. They'll probably tell me it's old age! LOL
Hope everyone is doing well today. More later........
Rita
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Rita - I have two cures for my bad back. Well, three, but since surgery I hardly have remembered to do the exercises. I got a memory foam mattress - not just a topper, the whole mattress. That helped a whole lot. all the things that used to hurt don't any more. Then last summer, in a burst of self indulgence (before all this started) I discovered that massage chairs exist and bought myself an excellent one. It is so good now for those nights when I can't go to sleep - just stumble downstairs, sit in it for a 15 minute program, get back to bed and all is well.
I just finished chemo yesterday and today am going for an MRI on the remaining boob. My son looked worried when I told him about the appointment - I explained that this one saw what happened to the other one when it misbehaved - it wouldn't dare! My instructions are not to use deoderant, no lotion, no metal, no make up, wear long pants and socks. The friend who is driving me (I thought driving an hour each way might not be a good idea day 2) might be kind of frightened when he sees me.
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Hugs for all. I hope you will wear "something" on top, leslie... sorry if my weird sense of humor got the best of me. Good luck for good results. Interesting that my back has been acting up lately, must be sympathy pains. However, I do have 3 lower slipped disks and as much as I baby it/them, they flare once in a while.
I go for my first post tx onco visit Thursday. No blood work was ordered, so I wonder what is going to happen? I hate paying $40 co pay to just talk about how I feel and congrats that I am finally done with Herceptin. Have a good day, Nancy
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Good morning everyone. Rita...I think chiropractors can be a good thing. They have those big infra-red machines that can get so deeply into the muscles, tendons, etc. I tense so badly when they "adjust" that they usually can't.
I thought about those memory foam mattresses but just have not been sure but a couple other people I know swear by them. I think I'd be inclined to do what my friend did.....she said she actually went into stores and would lay at least a half hour on the beds that "seemed" her style. She tried the memory foam as well that way but came away with a different kind. I'm needing a new set....so one of these days I guess I'll take my favorite pillow and start making the rounds.
Lassie....I see by your diagnosis you are plus everything....what is next in your tx plan? Nice to be done with the chemo part though. Good luck with the MRI.
Nancy...you are done with everything so I too wonder why no blood work. If there are lab facilities where you go they may draw blood and have the results before you see the Dr. They did that with me all the while I did chemo....and for a while after. Now....they call me in a week before my office visit. So -- it will be you and Nana on Thurs. I'll be hoping it goes well for both of you.
Hope you all will be having a great day. See you later.
Hugs, Jackie
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Jackie - thanks for asking. I started Herceptin on the second half of chemo - that will go for the best part of a year. In three weeks I will start Femera for however long I am told and in October I will have radiation on the area where the lymph node is one up from the area that had that one pesky "involved" node. The hardest part is done now though. I am looking forward to having my hair start to grow and to regaining some energy. Having had rads before (this is time two) I know that it will be some time before full energy returns. I think that I am getting the full arsenal of treatment and fully expect to be fine in the long run. Need to - that new grandchild is due in three weeks!0
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A delightful morning here in south Louisiana. We awoke to 60's instead of 70's. I enjoyed my walk and didn't even get wet with perspiration. When I started out, I thought I might walk farther this morning, but the energy level just isn't back up at 4 1/2 wks out from surgery. According to my WW pedometer, I walked 1.6 mi. One more day of lower humidity and it's back to the August doldrums. I'm not complaining as long as the a/c is working and there's no hurricane churning in the Gulf.
I'm hoping for good results for those of you taking tests. Also hoping for a low oncotype score for myself. I should know something this week. My hair needs styling but I'm waiting until I find out whether I'll have to take chemo. What's the point of having my hair styled if it's going to fall out?
Rita, I hope your back gets better. I like to think of you out there on the golf course!
Today a friend named Julie is picking me up to go to a matinee showing of JULIE AND JULIET.
Happy Tuesday!
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Just got the phone call from my dr.'s office. My oncotype number is 9! No chemo. What wonderful news!
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Hope you are all having a good week.
Last night DH sent an email to DS about someone we had met at a BC function we attended. DH also made comment on what was happening with me. Reply came from DS fairly quickly - 'Dad, I think Mum is waiting for the results of the biopsy not autopsy'. I did wonder at DH's laughter coming for the office.
Function was great, it was to announce some big fund raising events for Breast cancer research. I made DH come with me as I was very unsure that I was going to cope. It all felt very close.
I see the BS tomorrow so should have all results then and we will work out what happens next.
Must get moving as I have to take my sister up to the doc as she has been unwell for days.
Alyson
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Woo Hoo Carol,no chemo. Congrats leslie. My first grandbabe is due in March.
After my husband died, I threw out "our" bed and got an adjustable one. The mattress is super thick and is almost as comfy as the recliner when the bones are aching. I heard the temperpedic is also good, but for now, I am happy. Nancy
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OMG --- Jo, you are too funny. You know...I probably do snore. I haven't been able to stay awake long enough to find out. Actually, I think I do on occasion --- but Dh says not too loud which I'm sure is because he is drowning me out. When we came home to Illinois ( fortunately ) we bought houses with 3 bedrooms and I promptly made one of them my own. Dh is a loud snorer, but a light sleeper. I would wake up and could not turn on this tiny lamp by my side of the bed...he would awake. T.V. turned the lowest it could go would cause him to wake up. The only solution was for me to leave.....and that would "wake" me up even more. We have been back home 12 years and it is 12 years of great sleep. People think I'm weird for "having" my own room....well, that is what sleep deprivation causes.
Alyson....your hubby is too funny too. That would cause an eyebrow raise wouldn't it???? I am hoping your tests turn out the way you want....sending healthy thoughts your way.
Nancy...lucky you. I think my dh could use an adjustable bed for the condition of his back. He would never lay straight again though. He sleeps in his recliner a lot as it just works better for him. Some friends of mine got one of those sleep number beds and they love it. Lots of options now-a-days.
Hope you all have a really good day.
Hugs, Jackie
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My husband snores, but it's usually not a loud snore. Just different kinds of noises. I wear those foam earplugs that hunters use to protect their ears. The trick for me is getting to sleep before he starts snoring. It's rare that his snoring would wake me up once I'm asleep. I take a knockoff for benedryl to make me drowsy. Antihistamines were first marketed as a sleeping aid before it was discovered that they're beneficial for people with sinus congestion and allergies.
I had a very pleasant outing today. Accompanied a younger neighbor to her book club meeting. The author of today's book was a guest, and I knew her from the years we both were members of the same writers group. It was fun seeing her again, and I was able to compliment her sincerely on the book, a romantic comedy entitled HOW TO SCORE. It's available in paperback and her name is Robin Wells if anyone is looking for light escapist reading.
Yesterday I went with a friend to see JULIE & JULIET. I recommend it, too. Meryl Streep was wonderful in the role of Juliet Child.
If it sounds like I'm indulging myself and not doing much work around the house, it's absolutely true!
Hope everyone is having a good day.
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Carole...I'd probably like that movie too. To me, Meryl Streep can do nearly any role...always seems to do well with accents etc. I have seen a lot of movies she did but I think I like "Bridges of Madison County" just about the best. I have some movies here I can watch over and over and it is almost like the first time, or more that I see another little nuance I missed. I feel that way about a lof of Julia Roberts movies.....loved "Something To Talk About" -- all the people in it seemed so right for their parts.
Quite hot here today but almost nightfall so I think it will cool fast. We get up most mornings lately and it's nearly chilly outside. Fall will be in here in no time I think. See you all sometime tomorrow.
Hugs,
Jackie
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Just to say got a great result from the BS
She actually danced around saying she was wrong. She had thought she was going to have to give me bad news but the path report came back B9. Growth was probably caused by radiation. She said it was one time she was so pleased to be wrong. Now I can start to focus on things again. Must get some work done.
Alyson
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Jo..where did you get the tens unit?
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Oh Alyson..........how wonderful! B-9...what a sweet-sounding word! I am SO HAPPY for you! You are so right.....now get focused on other things and get out there and enjoy your life! Hugs to you!
Hey, Jackie, I'd forgotten all about "Bridges of Madison County" until you mentioned it. It WAS a great movie! In fact I saw it a couple of differenrt times and I'm not a real movie buff. Usually I prefer to read the book. Is it raining in the southern part of the state yet? It's still calm here but it looks rather overcast and threatening.
Well I'm off to get a few things done before I head to the chiropractor. This back pain is messing with my life style! LOL
Hope everyone is doing well today!
Rita
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That's great news Alyson!!
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Alyson, that's wonderful news! I'm so happy for you. But maybe you should celebrate instead of getting work done?
I walked a little farther this morning, 1.8 mi. I'm working up to 2 mi. and could have done it today but was starting to perspire pretty heavily. Probably just an excuse! I think I'm getting lazy in the guise of recovering from surgery.
Today I'm picking up roast beef poboys to take out to my mom's house for our lunch. She prefers that to going out to a restaurant. Normally I take her to have her hair done on Thurs., but today her hairdresser has a medical problem.
Happy Thursday to all!
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thanks jo..I have a pt appt today and I will ask about them
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Hi,
Just checking in as a goldie-oldie, 62 years young.
Carole
Some days ago you asked if anyone had seen Julie and Julia. I did and loved it! Amy Adams is a "comer" but Meryl Streep stole the movie. It was easy to forget one was not watching the real Julia! And did you know Julia was a breast cancer survivor? Not mentioned in the movie though. Anyway, loved it. Have you already seen it?
Pam
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Pam, I saw the movie on Tues. and thoroughly enjoyed it. I agree that watching Meryl Streep seemed like watching Julia. No, I did not know she was a bc survivor. In the movie she seemed like such a good-natured woman.
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JO - yet again, you are a life saver. I had no idea what those machines were called but I used a borrowed one for the dropped foot I had several years ago. Now I just ordered one for the present dropped foot I have now! The one I ordered is both a nerve and muscle stimulator. I'm excited!
JACKIE: I, too, love "Something to Talk About"
ALYSON - too happy for you. Yea!
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