MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Momine, In my model, then, your "balance sheet" would be heavily weighted by genes, despite having a number of things going for you in the plus column. Genetic component is so "weighty" and, like in the case of BRCA especially, people even try to restore balance (even the odds) with the PBMX. Of course, because absolute value of any given factor is unknown, we can only wait for the "sum total" to reveal itself by cancer developing or by remaining disease free.
By the way, I know I describe it all as way, way, way, more simplistic than it will turn out to be. It is just that I am not a great science mind and when I read and hear things of greater complication, my own mind just tends to reduce it into something easier for me to comprehend.
I imagine this, but with BC risk elevators and risk reducers in the columns and the numeric values and totals left blank. Or even this...
but the size of weights would be different for each person (e.g., your genetic block might be larger than someone else's.)
With the values/weights unknown, BC development could easily seem random. If it were possible, first, to even know all of our own personal factors, good and bad, and then know the weight or value of each personal factors, I think a lot of the randomness would be dispelled.
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O.K., here's a recent article about one possible BC risk factor ... Vit. D deficiency. Still nothing conclusive. Why? Because although many BC women have sub-optimal levels, not everyone deficient for Vit D gets BC.
https://www.yahoo.com/beauty/whats-connection-between-vitamin-d-breast-cancer-135448836.html
Of course, my "Balance Sheet" theory can easily take that variance into account...if the individual has enough going on in their plus column to offset the Vit. D deficiency, maybe they can avoid developing BC.
The take away for all of us BC women is to still try to have our Vit. D numbers within the normal range, perhaps nearer to the upper end of the range, just in case that does confer a bit more risk reduction.
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Yep, the vitamin D thing has come up in many studies. I made my doc check mine and it was in the middle range, neither high nor particularly low. But I also wonder about that one. My dad and his twin had rickets as children. I have scoliosis. We all have cancer. I wonder if the observation that low vitamin D seems to correlate with cancer in many cases could be due to some of us having a problem metabolizing vitamin D properly. I.e. simply ingesting a bunch of D might not be the answer. Generally though, all this stuff is sort of maddening, because we just don't know enough.
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You need the D so your body can absorb calcium. They go hand and had. I take two of the D3 then tums throughout the day. They tested me and both were low.
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Diana, right, but even with normal D, I don't seem to absorb calcium well. Had the thyroid checked, but that is fine also.
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too much fiber such as wheat bran can effect the absorption of calcium. So hard to find that right balance
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Diana, thanks, didn't know that.
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Well, maybe I just sat around and ate too much grilled steak and rice...
http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/worst-habits-that-increase-your-risk-for-cancer.html/?ref=YF&yptr=yahoo&ref=yfp
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Whew - nothing about over indulging on Cheetos!!
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Ahhh, Cheetos. Beautiful crunchy messy day-glo Cheetos. With an ice cold Coke. Man, those were the days.
Cue Adele singing "When we were younggggggg..."
Say, why do we not have Non-GMO Cheetos with Super-Absorbable Calcium and Magnesium, I ask you? (Cooked with extra virgin coconut oil, of course.) Or Coca Cola with Kale and Vitamin D??
That's what we need, riiiight? Work with me, world.
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lulubee, Allow me to welcome you and your musings to this thread. Also, I must add that I am almost positive a few Frito-Lay brand managers check this thread frequently, so your suggestion just might wind up on the store shelves in another 12-15 mos, not that you will ever receive credit for it or any monetary compensation and, even more insultingly, no crate of Super-Cheetos on your doorstep. Personally, I could kind of go for a Kale-Cheetos combo crisp, but you just know the color would be revolting.
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eeeuwww - not green cheetos for breakfast....
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elimar, so good to run into you again and thanks for the welcome! Silly me, I posted here without realizing that I've not posted in this thread before-- so sorry to burst in without a proper intro like that, LOL. Hard to keep track of such things when you've been around the BCO boards for a decade. We are now the old-timers here, I guess.
Kale Cheetos, ay? Just imagine the dragon green fingertips! Frito-Lay is headquartered not too far from where I live, I do believe. Just saying... it would be nothing for them to deliver me some freebies for, umm, product testing.
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Thanks, Loral. Made it thru' another year without getting blown up.
Dianarose, how are YOU doing? Is Ibrance still getting a thumbs up from you? How are your WBCs?
Seems like there were some ladies that posted here last month about upcoming procedures...but we have not heard back from them. So, ladies, if you are reading, please post an update.
I totally forgot my Dx-cancerversary this year. It was back in June. My surgery-cancerversary, the one I really do count from, is in a couple days. It is either the 9th or 10th, I can't quite remember without looking it up. See those key words "forgot" and "can't remember?" LOOK HOW FAR I HAVE COME. And Newbies, I hope most of you will one day will be as forgetful as I am about your own BC, even tho' it looms very large in the beginning. (Not to be insensitive to the Stage IV ladies, who have the constant reminders. For you, I am always hoping that you are maintaining well with good meds and few SEs, so you can live life and put cancer into a small box in the back of your proverbial closet---til that cure is found.)
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I so wish there was a "LIKE"button on BCO!
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I'm hanging in there. Tumor marker went up one week and had it retested the following week and it went down. Freaking roller coaster ride from hell. Fatigue and lack of energy is my biggest complaint. My hair was growing now seems to have stopped at one inch and it's straight 😖. Never had straight hair. Not thrilled about it but at least its hair. Having a different procedure tomorrow for the naphostomy tube, maybe. I have a ton of questions first. Want to know how many times she has done this, how painful is it, is there a higher risk for infection and how often does it have to be changed out. She wants to go through the hole in my back, down through my kidney and through the urerter into my bladder. I will still have the tube out my back but no bag. If it fails I can attach a bag. Not looking forward to it. I would love a miracle that when she puts the dye in it all goes through on its own but that's a total long shot.
Hope everyone is enjoying their summer. We went to a ball game, did a little fishing and went to the casino for a couple of days. I played a table game that's like poker called let it ride. Got 4 beautiful kings. They paid me 900.00.
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Dianarose, We gotta find a way to take that casino gambling luck and transfer it to kidney luck for you. Have you had your naphostomy tube for a whole year at this point? (Of course I mean "whole year, feels like twenty.") So let me ask you this...if the long shot succeeds, what color would you be peeing out?
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It will be a year next month and our relationship has not improved whatsoever. I hate the dam thing!! Not sure what color I would be so lucky to pee out lol. I told my DH that when I die the first thing I want him to do is remove it!
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Hi all,
I've been busy preparing and gone thru 2 CM, 1st on June 15, 2nd today July 6. I've posted some in the "Chemo in June 2017" tread. So, let me repose that for you since I believe it applied to some of us here as well. Here it is:
I'm in awe after reading all of your
trials & triumphs during this chemo phase of our life. I had the
first of four TC sessions on Thursday June 15th. I only
had general weakness, constipation, dry mouth, achy joints during the
first four days post chemo; totally manageable. However, on the
evening of the 4th day, that Nuelasta med must have kicked
into 6th gear suddenly because my body felt like someone
taken a baseball bat and hit me all over (I did take Claritin
10mg/day since day 1). The bone pain did went down on day 5th
but then my ears' drums started to hurt due to loads of histamine
that the drug caused fluid to accumulated. I quickly double
Claritin's dose to 20mg and had to take Mucinex D to drain the sinus
as well. After bloodwork last week, my MO told me my lymphocytes
count was so good that he will lower my Nuelasta dose in ½ to help
with the bone pain and reduce histamine. However, I do have to come
in to the infusion center to get the shot 24hr after chemo, because
the dose of auto-injection device cannot be adjusted. I'll let you
know how that works out after my 2nd chemo on July 6th.As I was curled up in a fetal position
on my sofa on the eve of day 4, my 19 yrs-old son read me the
following poem. He said it helped him during his basic cadet
training at the Air force Academy last year. It inspired me as well.
So, I would like to share it with you, my virtual sisters:“Invictus”
by William HenleyOut of the night which covers me,
Black
as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For
my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I
have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning of
chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of
wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the
menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It
matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the
scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my
soul.
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My 6 month check post surgery went well, but the Nurse Practitioner made this off-hand comment about my "enjoying retirement". What the he'll? I am 50 years old. I am not working because I've been in treatment. Just because there's not a work phone # does not mean I live a life of leisure. Meh.
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Kidney procedure sucked! I am in so much freaking pain!! The bag sucked but was pain free. Going to give it two days and if this pain doesn't go away I want this tube out and back to the bag. Feels like peeing razor blades!!!! F'n cancer!!!!!
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MexicoHeather: I hope that you had a good, snarky response to that NP! She deserved a good verbal slap upside the head.
DianaRose: Sorry to hear about your problems with the tube. Don't these cancer gods know that you have already had your share of hell? You are long overdue for a break. I wish that there was a magic wand to fix this. Wouldn't it be nice to just concentrate on getting better, and not be distracted by constant pain and misery? Hang in there. This road that we are on must take a turn somewhere. While you're traveling through it, just know that you've got support here. Come and vent whenever you need to.
KLT5817: Thanks for the poem reference. Very inspiring.
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Laura - welcome to this thread. Looking forward to seeing more of you.
Diana - hugs but gentle.
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Retirement? What the bleep?
If this is retirement, I'm in the wrong parallel universe!
Beam me somewhere else, Scotty!
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Kit5817--great poem, thanks for sharing!
{{{{Diana}}}}}
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My poor little bladder has been used to one kidney for almost a year now. Needless to say I was up nine times to pee in the night. Still feels like peeing razor blades.
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Greetings to all you Newbies!
klt5817, It never ceases to amaze me at how mindless some of our healthcare team can be and how dopey some of their small talk is. Feel free to bash them here and vent as much as you would like to. However, when you do get a good, kind and caring worker...make sure to be appreciative because we need to give the good ones positive reinforcement, don't we?
MexicoHeather, that is a five-star son you've got. I never got a poem. I'm jealous now.
Midwest_Laura, I have a BFF (IRL) that started on Ibrance about the same time as you. How are you doing on it so far?
Dianarose, What's up with the peeing razorblades? Is that supposed to settle down on it's own or what? What has the doctor's office said about that? Girl, if you are willing to go back on the bag, I know you REALLY must be hurting!!!
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Hi, Elimar. Ibrance has been good to me so far. I definitely noticed a difference in the primary tumor, even in the first month. (One of the advantages of NOT having breast surgery is that it's easy to see progress without scans.) I would describe the change as, "the edges are less defined" and "the tumor seems softer". Basically, the tumor is less "angry". Currently, I'm in love with Ibrance. SE's are minimal for me as long as I take the pill after a high-fat, high-protein, high-volume meal. I'm hoping that this trend continues, though I've read that every month is a crap-shoot. You never know which SE's will decide to show up.
Even with the Ibrance success, I have been having some anxiety lately related to estrogen. As expected, my joints were feeling awful after starting Letrozole back in May. But within the last few weeks, my joints are feeling better. While this is normally a good thing, I'm worried that it is a bad sign and that I'm no longer in chemo-pause as expected. My MO and I decided that we would pop out my ovaries instead of doing the Lupron shots. (I'm too lazy to go in for monthly shots for the next 5-10 years.) Unfortunately the next available surgery appointment was 3 months after that decision and 4 months after chemo was complete. My surgery date is this upcoming Friday, July 14th. That date can't come soon enough! I want a guarantee that there is no more estrogen floating around to feed the beast. I feel like, every day before the oophorectomy is another day that the beast is being fed and is growing.
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Elimar- the freaking bag is looking better by the minute. This pain is too much!
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