MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

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  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,886

    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.

    image

    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...

    image

    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.

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,886

    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.

  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 2,845

    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.

  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 1,951

    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.

  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 2,845

    Diana, right, but even with normal D, I don't seem to absorb calcium well. Had the thyroid checked, but that is fine also.

  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 1,951

    too much fiber such as wheat bran can effect the absorption of calcium. So hard to find that right balance

  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 2,845

    Diana, thanks, didn't know that.

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,886
  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,375

    Whew - nothing about over indulging on Cheetos!!

  • lulubee
    lulubee Member Posts: 903

    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.

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,886

    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.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,375

    eeeuwww - not green cheetos for breakfast....

  • lulubee
    lulubee Member Posts: 903

    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.

  • loral
    loral Member Posts: 818

    Related image

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,886

    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.)

  • eph3_12
    eph3_12 Member Posts: 2,704

    I so wish there was a "LIKE"button on BCO!


  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 1,951

    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.

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,886

    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?

  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 1,951

    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!

  • klt5817
    klt5817 Member Posts: 32

    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 Henley




    Out 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.

  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 147

    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.


  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 1,951

    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!!!!!

  • midwest_laura
    midwest_laura Member Posts: 114

    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. 

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,375

    Laura - welcome to this thread. Looking forward to seeing more of you.

    Diana - hugs but gentle.

  • Lita57
    Lita57 Member Posts: 2,338

    Retirement? What the bleep?

    If this is retirement, I'm in the wrong parallel universe!

    Beam me somewhere else, Scotty!


  • nativemainer
    nativemainer Member Posts: 7,932

    Kit5817--great poem, thanks for sharing!

    {{{{Diana}}}}}

  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 1,951

    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.

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,886

    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!!!

  • midwest_laura
    midwest_laura Member Posts: 114

    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.

  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 1,951

    Elimar- the freaking bag is looking better by the minute. This pain is too much!