thread for middle age to older Christian women.
Comments
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Hi Char,I am new here and trying to figure out who Char was. Your pics are beautiful and your family looks precious. I am starting to get a clue. LOL It might take me a while. Your pic with Bev was so cute. Such a special time for you two to meet. Hope to get to know you better and the ladies on this thread.
Nancy
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Hi Nancy,
Welcome to the thread. I have been reading your posts. Our school district visited Naperville a few years ago to see the school system there for our PE department.
It is amazing how God helps each of us to find this particular site. It has been a blessing to me over the last year as I hope it will for you as well.
Char
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Hi Char,
Thank you. This thread has been a blessing for me already in just a very short time. Are you a teacher or administrator? It is a small world for sure. I hope to get to know all of you better. Are you a gardener? Possibly a dumb question. LOL I am an avid flower gardener but have only about a tenth of the flowers this year because of my diagnosis in March. I finally got up one of my outside fountains today and it felt so good. I just finished rads on July 3 so am just now starting to get my life back. That whole process threw me when the sadness set in. Hopefully that will pass. Nice to meet you.
Nancy
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This is my baby, Cameo, aka Cammie. She is a pistol!!! She is a Ragdoll.
Love,Nancy
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I LOVE seeing all the pictures!
Bev - you don't look like a boy - you look great!
Char - love your pictures! I'm so glad your knee is getting better. Also glad to see your dad and husband looking good.
Sharon - is your new picture with your new hair? It looks good! On the hair, hair, hair discussion group several of us have been discussing curly hair. The most important thing I've learned is to NOT use a hair brush. I've never had short, curly, gray hair before but I'm finding it to be an enjoyable adventure, but it took me a while before I got to this point.
Carren - I'm praying for you. I hope the swelling goes down and that you get a diagnosis for what's going on. I don't have a primary care doctor and I suppose I should get one, but I'd rather not add another doctor.
Love and continued prayers for you all, Deborah
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Wow, lots of activity today! Bev, wonderful pictures - you all look great and it's awesome that you can all get together. Char, your pictures are terrific as well. Gorgeous sunset and I see your dad is still with you. He's a cutie and looks healthy!
Carren, glad to hear from you but sorry about your latest ailment. I don't have any ideas for you either as I'm banned by my onc from taking anything over the counter. I'd give the doc a call Monday if the swelling hasn't gone down. In the meantime, check out http://www.earthclinic.com/ and read through their ailments section. Likely they have some suggestions on inflammation.
Nancy, so glad you got the last of your rads in - woo hoo - they're over!
I've been dealing with low platelets this weekend and tired as all get out. I've tried everything I can think of to get the counts back up but so far nothing is working. It's also been soooooo hot here which makes the air thinner than it already is from the altitude. Been huffing and puffing so I turned the oxygen back on tonight which promptly made my nose start running (go figure), ha ha. Then with the runny nose my stomach went whacko so I took an anti-nausea to counteract the funny stomach. Talk about the domino effect! LOL. Now awaiting the last hour of the day so as to take the last of the pills for the night. At least I don't have a nosebleed this weekend, ha ha.
So glad to hear from everyone. The trips, pictures and updates are a great encouragement. Blessings. Sue
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Nancy: I am an elementary PE teacher. I started my principal papers but decided it was not for me. I did not want to deal with parents, upper administrators, my own peers and kids. I saw too many principals die from the stress and work overload. Yes I am a gardener. I have a master gardener certification.i also take care of three school gardens. I can certainly understand you not getting out I the garden but before you know it you will be right back in there and it will be waiting for you.
Deborahanne: How exciting for you to be meeting up with Bev and Sharon in a few days. I know that you will enjoy it like I did. The knee is finally improving. Hopefully I will be back to normal by August.
Sue: It seems like the old domino syndrome. One thing plays on the other. You are in my prayers girl.
Carren: I pray you get some relief and some answers.
To all on here, my prayers are with each of you.
Blessings,
Char
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Hi Sue,
I am sorry you are feeling so poorly. Is there anything your onc can do as far as the platelet count? I have just been able to resume all of my supplements the next day after rads. So much of them has to deal with my fibromyalgia that the thought of being off of them so long was really scary. I am still very fatigued so I can sympathize. My emotions have been up and down since finishing rads. I know it is going to take me time to process all of this journey and to slowly get my life back. I sure hope you get to feeling better. My prayers have been with you.
Char- PE was in my choices of career path. When I was 16 I made my decision of music and never looked back. I was voted the most athletic girl in my high school class so PE was certainly up there in my thinking of careers.
I hear you about turning your back on pursuing the principal path. I wouldn't want that job for all the tea in China!!!!!
Deborrah- I have never embraced my curly hair. LOL When I was at the beauty shop recently this lady said to me I love your curly hair. I shot back you can have it. I felt a nudge of the spirit and I felt very bad for saying that. God created us all uniquely and I felt like I had slapped God in the face! Now that I have been in treatment the last couple months I have seen so many ladies who have lost their hair and I realized how grateful I was for mine, curly and all. I know many of you were not so fortunate as to dodge the chemo bullet. I am amazed at your strength of acceptance. So let's celebrate curly hair!!!!!!!!
Nancy
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I love all the pictures! Lovely ladies all. I have straight hair and my sister has curly hair. She has spent the majority of her life straitening hers, and I'm always trying to curl mine. I think we want what we don't have. :-)
Great news about Dan, my friend's SIL who broke his neck in a diving accident. Not only was he able to be transported to Colorado for his rehab, he is able to be in a wheelchair and manuever it himself. He is still being assisted with his breathing, but they posted an awesome pic on FB of their family watching the fire works, and Dan kissing his wife! PTL. I have no doubt that he will bless everyone he meets.
Thank you all for your prayers. You ladies are awesome!!!!!!!!!
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Mini,I think the grass is always greener when I comes to hair. I am new here and I don't know if we have officially met. I am still trying to get a grasp on people and situations.
I am sorry about Dan's horrible accident but glad that he seems to be making good progress. PTL. Take care.
Nancy
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Nice to meet you Bandwoman. I wish it were under different circumstances. These are great ladies here. It's nice to share, vent, etc., with people who understand what you are going through. Many of us come and go at times, depending on circumstances, but there is always someone here for encouragement and support.
I understand about your emotions after stopping the rads.When I set up my radiation, I set it for 8:00 am so I would get out of bed and not lie there and feel sorry for myself. That was fine, except at the end of the treatments I felt like I was resigning from my job again. I had only been out of work for 3 months when I started the rads, and resigning my position had been a difficult decision for me. Driving back and forth made me feel like I still had a job. Weird, I know. It was an odd time. I didn't have my old routine anymore, but I didn't have a new one yet. I felt kind of lost. The fatigue and assorted aches and pains and new meds didn't help either. But the world keeps on turning and now I find myself with the proverbial "new normal." God has kept me here, so I know there is reason for all of this, whether I see it or not.
Blessings
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Mini,
When I took a sabbatical leave from my job for a year I really felt out of sorts. Most people have some sort of plan before they retire or resign from work but in your case, I am sure this was not something you had been prepared for. We are such routine creatures that suddenly changing is enough to throw anyone out of sink. It was also very hard to get back in the swing of things when I went back. It was a good three months to where I felt back to my old routine. So I am certainly feeling for you. I am looking at retirement, Lord willing in two years and I still have mixed feelings about it.
Char
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My job was so stressful. Before I even knew I had BC, I was having major health issues. I told my husband that my job was killing me. Literally. I knew it was counter-intuitive for me to quit my job. There aren't a lot of well paying jobs out there for 50-somethings, with no college degree. But I knew that God was telling me to quit. It's been 2 years and my health is improving. I likely won't be in mgmt. again, but that's OK. Hopefully, I will get my SSI. And I'm in the process of starting a small business making soap (w/o all the horrible ingredients!) and candles. I won't get rich, but I like doing it. Hopefully, I will be able to turn a profit in time. In the meantime, I will be listening for God. I know He has a plan for me. I'm out of the boat, now I just have to work on not looking down at the water. :-)
Blessings
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Hi Mini,
It is so interesting that you felt like you were going to a job when in radiation. I have told some of my friends that is exactly how I looked at it too. If I thought of it as a job it wouldn't seem so overwhelming to go every day of the work week. I just finished rads. on July 3 and that morning before leaving I was on the verge of tears the whole morning. I don't cry easily and my emotional roller coaster has been shocking for me to experience since most people see me as being very strong and in control. I made it through the last day hoping I wouldn't lose it. The radiation team gave me a certificate and they all hugged me. Some of the patients I had just met a couple days before hugged me as well. It was a good exit. The next day was the 4th of July. I made myself go to the fireworks with a friend but I was not in the mood at all. I still have lots going. I am still in PT for my injured shoulder and I have been having some chest pain issues and I saw my primary doctor yesterday and will be having a stress test next Thursday. I see my MO this Friday to start the five year drug. So I am still feel in the thick of it even with rads over.
I am so sorry that you have had such a difficult time. I read some of your posts before I started posting here. I sure will pray that your SS disability comes through for you. I am sure it must be very scary to have an income and then not. Certainly a very hard situation where you have no choice but to put all of your trust in the Lord. Believe me I know that total surrender is not easy. I was reading one of your more recent posts about wanting to start your own business. That sounds awesome. I hope you can do that. You might be surprised that it might just take off like wildfire.
I had watched so carefully what I ate and was into exercise but avoiding products with known toxins I have not done. I might be thinking twice now before using some of the cleaning products that I have used my whole life.
It is nice to meet you and I will pray that your disability will come through. Hang in there. I can sense that this thread is a great place to be for support and compassion.
Love
Nancy
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Hi Char,
How is your PT going? What happened to your knee? I have had a torn meniscus for many years and I sure hope it doesn't progress into anything more than it is now. I am still in PT for my shoulder. I saw my therapist today and will see her only one more time next week and then I am going take a few weeks off and then get a new script if I feel like I need it. I really don't feel ready at all to exit. I still have a lot of pain if I move my arm the wrong way.
Sounds like your husband has shoulder issues as well. My rotator cuff is not torn but I have an tendon inpingement.
I didn't mention it before but your two dogs look so cute! I just retired three years ago and it is definitely strange at first. My mom ended up getting dementia in my first year of retirement so my life was really turned upside down. She is still living alone so my sister and I are her sole caregivers. I hope to get down to see her in a few weeks now that rads are finally over.
Well enjoy your summer before school starts. Glad you and Bev got to meet and spend some time together.
Love
Nancy
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Thanks Nancy. I'm Nancy too. :-) Someone posted the perfect cartoon on FB. It showed a woman writing a letter with the caption: Dear Whatever Doesn't Kill You, I'm strong enough now. Thanks. :-)
Blessings
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Hi Nancy ( Bandwagon):
I had a really chewed up and torn lateral meniscus. One of my students literally plowed into me the day after my 60th birthday. He knocked me on my butt. I did it in the beginning of January and couldn't go for surgery until the end of March because of some after school commitments. I had to go to an assigned PT center because it was on workman's comp but it was a really poor prescribed treatment. It did nothing but suck the system of money. I lost lots of strength from January to June and my right knee was pretty beat from bearing most of the work load. My ortho doc put me on an arthritis drug, told me to use therabands and do aqua therapy and dismissed me as an as is needed basis. So he basically said your as good as it gets, good luck. I was pretty down but my hubby went to talk to his PT center that has been working on his shoulder since December after having rotator cuff surgery. They did an evaluation and took me on as a client to work to get my leg strength back. I will have to keep up the strength in all my leg muscles for the rest of my life to avoid a knee replacement down the road. The new therapist are great and I am already showing improvement in strength, reduced swelling and range of motion. The Lord is good and He has a reason for everything so it will all work out in His time.
My mother died from demntia. I became her legal guardian and she died at age 66 of early onset Alzheimer's disease. Actually she died of complications of the flu so I never was forced into those final decisions of removing feeding tubes and such. I know what you are going through. It will be challenging. Might I suggest you get the 36 Hour Day: A Family Guide for Caring for Person's with Alzheimer's and Other Dementia Diseases. It is a good book and will help you understand and make sure you take care of yourself as well.
Char
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Hi Mini (Nancy)
This might get confusing. LOL My junior high that I taught at there were six Nancys and one of them had almost the same unusual last name as me as well. Go figure. It got very confusing and we were always getting the wrong emails etc. She lives in my general vicinity and one of the pharmacies gave her one of my prescriptions. Can you say law suit!! Hopefully we won't get too confused.
Bandwoman (Nancy)
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Hi Char,
I am sorry to hear about your knee accident. That very same thing happened to our art teacher quite a few years ago. This student plowed into her in the hallway and she ended up having to have knee surgery as well. Who knew that teaching could be so dangerous!! That is shame that you had subpar treatment at first. I know that down here on earth we have many trials and challenges that don't seem to make any sense at all. My thinking is that when we get to heaven we will instantaneously know the answers to all of those whys and it will all make sense in His perfect plan.
I know that doesn't make it any easier while we are living through those times in the here and now though. I am glad your husbands PT center was able to take you. What a difference a good therapist makes. I have two wonderful therapists for my shoulder but it is my insurance that is the issue. I will have had a total of 15 sessions after my last session this coming week. They want me to take off a few weeks (because it is easier to start a new script and have approval with insurance) and see how it goes on my own. If I still need more help then they want me to get a new prescription. I have had PT a few times in the last few years with other insurance and this one in retirement is the pits as far as covering PT or anything related to back pain or pain in general. I pay a hefty premium for this too!
One thing that has been really hard to swallow is that clear from my diagnosis in March it was recommended by my insurance to get all of my cancer treatments in before July 1 when my deductible starts all over. My RO really worked with me to get my treatments in before July 1. We went right up to the wire but nonetheless got them all on the calendar in June. Then when the radiation machine broke down for four days it required me to go into July for three days of treatment. That cost a whopping amount which I will have to pay soon whereas if it had been in June as scheduled I would be paying nothing as I had already reached my maximum out of pocket expense. My radiation office said sorry nothing we can do and my insurance said the same thing.
I live alone with my cat and have never been married. I was married to my job all those years and put my students before my own life. So this has not been easy in many ways trying to maneuver though the maze of cancer on my own. I am very independent which I thought was a good thing but the Lord has shown me through this that I need to depend on others for a change and to swallow my independent pride and ask for help. That has been very difficult.
I sure hope that you and your husband can get to a point of full recovery. I know with my shoulder it has been frustrating because I want to see progress happening faster that it has been. I am sure that you both probably feel that as well.
I am a gardener as well but certainly not to the extent that it sounds like you are. I only have about a tenth of my usual flowers this year. I just got up my cascading fountain this afternoon and I saw the first Japanese beetle of the season. I took my bad arm (not thinking) and swatted at it and I just about lost it I hurt my shoulder so bad.
I am sorry to hear you lost your Mom at such a young age. That must have been very difficult for you. I will have to check into this book. Thanks.
Take care and I hope for full healing for all of us. My prayers have been with you for your 1 year apt. I think I saw you post recently. I am praying for a great report. Take care.
Love,
Bandwoman, (Nancy)
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nancy, join the crowd. I can't keep everyone straight either. Blame it on chemo brain.
BEV and DEBORAHANNE- What a total joy and blessing it was to be able to meet you in person today. Our three hour visit was in no way nearly enough time to share what we all had to say, but it was such a fun experience to compare treatments and excerpts from each of our lives. God works in mysterious ways and that was proven today in Lexington. I didn't want it to end. Bev is still on the road toward Tennessee as I'm writing. I'm praying for her to have a safe trip. I'm sure Deborah is safely at home by now, as I am. I can't imagine driving such great distances as Bev has been doing this week, but I'm so glad that she stopped by on her road trip to get acquainted. Now our texting will have a new flavor since we met in person. I recommend it to any of you who live within reasonable distances from one another. Hearing what God has done in the lives of others is so rewarding bit strengthens our faith. He is an awesome God, and as Bev says, I received a kiss from God when I realized that Deborah's mannerisms were almost identical to my late best friend's, Mary Ellen. It made me cry. I miss her so much, but it was as if she were sitting there with us today--so comforting and awesome.
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OH MY GOODNESS. I wrote a huge text about meeting Bev and Deborahamne today and lost it when I tried to edit a grammar mistake. My carpal tunnel won't let me retype it now. I'll return later. Boo hoo.
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Hey Sewstrong,
That will teach you to edit your grammar in the future LOL I'm sorry I couldn't resist. That is so aggravating when that happens. I am so glad you got to meet Bev and Deborah. I have a very close email friend from NY and I remember the first time we ever talked on the phone it was really special. I have already met a couple of people on BCO that live really close to me as in 35-50 min away close.
I wanted to ask you about your four shoulder surgeries. Were those all on the same arm? I only have one more PT session and I don't think I am ready to be released next week at all. I just picked up some prescriptions through the pharmacy drive in and I was having so much trouble trying to pick up my meds because of my arm.
I just got back from the DMV and got my new mug shot on my renewed driver's license. Yes, it looks like a mug shot. I should have held up some numbers in front of me. LOL My lackluster smile kinda reflected how I felt waiting in those lines!
So after running some errands and getting a cup of coffee I am wiped out. I just can't imagine Bev driving all over the country. She obviously has much more energy than I do. I just finished rads a week ago and hopefully my energy level will return one of these days. I see my MO tomorrow to find out when I will begin on the AI drug.
Sorry to hear about your carpal tunnel. That can be a pain. I battled that many years ago and after wearing a brace for quite a long time that helped. I no longer have issues with it but I know resting your hands is important.
Take care.
Nancy
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Hi Sue,
You have been on my mind and my prayers are with you. I know you are having such a hard time with your chemo and the whole domino affect. I just pray that you can get your platelet count up and feel better. Know I am thinking about you and praying for an improvement in your symptoms.
Let Jesus take your hand in His and lead you through this tough time!
Love,
Nancy (Bandwoman)
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hi Nancy, you're right. Resting my hand would help but with my other arm in a sling for so long, I overused it big time. I had successful rotator cuff surgery on my right arm, not so successful surgery twice on my left and then the replacement surgery on the left. There was one tendon that was so short from wear and tear that it couldn't be fixed. The replacement surgery is far less painful. You're right again. The teacher in me couldn't stand the error so it served me right to lose the text.
Bev and Deborah, I'm going to try this again! I felt soooo blessed to be able to meet you and to have Bev spend the night. The three hours that we talked was not long enough for all of the stories we had to share, but it was, as Bev says,a kiss from God. It made me cry to see the resemblance in you, Deborah, and my late best friend. Your mannerisms are identical to hers. It's been 18 years since I lost her suddenly, but I miss her still and can still hear her voice in my head. The way you put your head back and take a long breath before you speak is what made me cry.it brought back so many memories of her. It made me feel that she was there with us. I cry every time I think of her. We called one another for EVERYTHING, and I haven't had that close communication until God sent me Bev. We text one another all day long over every trivial thing we can think of and over every not so trivial things. That connection to someone is what I missed about my friend.
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Bev, Nancy, and Deborah. Do you see where I deleted a text?!!!!! I didn't mean to!!!!!!! It is just not meant for me to text you. I rewrote my longggggggg text and somehow deleted it. I'm either brain dead or this carpal tunnel syndrome is causing me to hit the wrong button. I'll try again tomorrow. In so mad at myself. Let's just say I loved our meeting and thank God that we were able to meet.
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My new picture is me with my wig. My frizzy curly hair that is growing out is still not what I feel like is me. I cut the wig to look like my usual hairstyle. When my hair gets as long as my wig, I'll change my picture again. My vanity is sinful.
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Nancy ( Bandwagon): I worked with an Arlene, Carlene, Darlene and Marlene in one school building years ago. My poor principal could not keep all of us straight so he called us by our last names.
Sharon: so glad you had a wonderful visit and good time. Our hair is our glory according to Corinthians. I can only image what I would feel like without my hair. Even though it's a hair piece, you did a really nice job styling it.
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Hi Sewstrong,
I actually got your deleted post because I get email notifications and it was probably the complete post that got accidentally deleted. Now I think I am losing my mind because I can't remember all of what you said. LOL I stopped to put a load of wash in the dryer and completely forgot what you wrote. Some of it is coming back to me. You did have surgery on both shoulders. I remember you saying that. I also remember your tears at Deborah's mannerisms that reminded you of your best friend. God works in mysterious ways.
I looked at your new avatar. Your wig is very cute. Did you cut it yourself. Good job! As I had mentioned before, trying to keep everyone straight is a challenge. I had forgotten that you are a retired math teacher. I do remember saying to you a while back about teaching at a Christian School also.
I hope your carpal tunnel improves. Take care. Glad you got to have Bev stay with you and meet Deborah.
Love,
Nancy
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Hi Char,It sounds like you gals could have formed a girls band. LOL You could call yourself the five mean lenes!
My user name is bandwoman but bandwagon does make me smile
Nancy
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Sharon - Your post shared very well how WONDERFUL it was for you, me, and Bev to meet in person. God certainly blessed our time together today just as He has blessed many of us by bringing us together on this board! I hope and pray we'll meet again, three hours wasn't long enough!
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