thread for middle age to older Christian women.
Comments
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Praying for good results sagina. When will you get them?
Good to see you on here Jo. I don't get on as often lately either as my job as well as my own health issues and getting ready for a grandbaby are keeping me very occupied. I am having foot surgery on Jan 4th and grandbaby is due Jan 13th. Also expecting another new puppy in Feb! DH and I are traveling to Maine for Christmas to see our families. We were both born and raised in the same hometown - high school sweethearts.
I pray for you ladies on here often even when I don't write. I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving.0 -
Hi ladies. Scan went well, brain scan added to orders, will have results on Monday at 9:45 am at my appt.
Hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving.
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How are you doing Sagina? I am having an ultrasound of my abdomen tomorrow. The left side is slightly bigger than the right. My doctor didn't seem too concerned, but agreed to order an ultrasound to give me peace of mind. Hopefully it will show nothing to worry about. I would appreciate prayers.
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How are you doing 3bells? Do you have a surgery date yet?
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((((((((ROCKET)))))))))))))
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JO - Hi - I've missed you too. Of course I've been on other threads and sometimes just missing in action! I've had some more health issues but am trying to get them under control. Getting old is not for sissies!
Rocket ... also praying for good ulstrasound.
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Ladies thank you so much for the prayers. My ultrasound came out okay - nothing to worry about. What a relief! Tests are so stressful! I don't like having them, but am always greatly relieved when they turn out okay. My doctor thinks my abdomen is slightly larger on my left side due to surgery and radiation. There is a little more excess skin on the left side than there is on the right. I'm just so relieved. Thank you all!
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Rocket ... thank the Lord. I know - I hate tests too but also am so relieved when they come out okay.
I am especially glad yours came out okay.
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Yes Jo I do have truncal LE, but the abdominal area is larger on the other side. I believe it is due to more skin on that side as the side with radiation has fibrosis so the skin is stretched tighter.
I got my lab work in the mail and noticed that my white blood cell count has decreased from 5.5% to 4.3% in three months. Does anyone know if this is normal?0 -
hI Rocket - my blood tests indicate the WBC should be between 4.0 and 10.5 - hope that helps. I have the opposite problem - its my RBC of 3.64 (normal 3.80 to 5.1) which means I have anemia, my hemoglobin and hematocrit, MCH and MCBC are also low. I am taking iron pills.
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I think you are probably right Jo. I will do my best not too worry. Thanks!
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I first came to this thread last January when dx the third time. I then opted for a lumpectomy. I'm dx again of late of idc on the right breast so looks like I'll be getting a blmx Dec. 27th. I am so tired of cancer. Since I'm her2+++ I'll probably be doing herceptin this year. Don't want to do the chemo or hormone drugs. I am the bread winner for my family and feeling good and being there for my family is important.
My hope is in the Lord. I have to believe that no cancer bullet is going to kill me before it's my time to go. I would appreciate your prayers right now in the decisions before me...and during this month (I'm getting pet scans, brain mir's etc) that my main focus or eyes will stay on the Lord. I won't fear or be afraid as well said in Psalm 23, although I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil.
Blessings to all of you dear ladies
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Eve, hang onto the Lord and don't let go. What you said about the cancer bullet reminds me... once when I was obsessing about all the mid-to-late life years that I will now not likely get to live, I was suddenly overcome by the thought, "The day of my death has never changed." The days are numbered for everyone, you know?
The Lord knows the end from the beginning, the number of hairs on our heads, and as the good King James says it, "He hath set the bounds of our habitation." I love that phrase.
God is good all the time, even when we don't understand what He is doing.
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Evebarry, I'm preparing to be a team leader on a retreat - the theme is Matthew 28:20 - Behold that I am with you always, to the end of the age.
As soon as I read your post this was in my head....God's blessings to you now and always.
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Good morning all. It's sad moret new women aren't coming here and finding godly encouragement. I know many must be out there and it would be such a blessing for them. I haven't been active on any topic and only check this one sometimes.
I wanted to give an update, especially for those who have been praying. My third taxol treatment was a disaster. It was like an 18 wheeler ran over me. every part hurt except my nostrils. The day I was due for the fourth, I ended up in the hospital with dangerously low white blood cell count and fever. They kept me on two broad spectrum antibiotics for five days then gave me an injection for two days to bring the count up after all cultures came back normal. No infection, just a taxol side effect..
I had to decide whether I would try again with half the amount of taxol and no guarantee II wouldn't have the same reaction,, or wait and have surgery. Decided on surgery. Had to wait until over six weeks from the taxol. Margins and sentinel nodes were clear. I will be three weeks from surgery next Monday and am struggling with a lot of nerve pain now, but so grateful for the good report.
The pastor from my daughter''s church came to pray with me a couple days before and then to the hospital to pray just before surgery. Many there were praying. They brought meals the first couple of days I was home. Another of God's mercies!
For some reason the nerve pain is worse when I try to work on my computer, but I will try to check in sometimes, and watch the email notifications in case someone posts. Maybe if some of you post sometimes on other threads, you might mention this one in the hope that a new group of women who need fellowship miight come here.
I am so grateful for your faithful prayers and words of encouragement!
Peggy0 -
Praise the Lord Radiation is over
the boosts at the end were painful, but with prayers, and tons of aquaphor I got through it. Now it is back to weekly herceptins until August 2012. 0 -
Eve, sometimes when I felt anxiety, it grieved me because it felt I was letting God down. I am so glad for the scripture: "there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus." Sometimes his strength helped me be unafraid and other times he carried me through a time of anxiety out again into his presence. He is always faithful.
The scripture from psalms "my times are in his hands" was a comfort. He is the glory and the lifter of our heads.
Praying for you,
Peggy0 -
Zumbagirl, I'm rejoicing with you that the radiation is finiished. He will keep carrying you through the rest of treatments. Glory to our faithful God!
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thanks 3bells,
I know God is faithful to carry us through every circumstance. It has been a very rough year, not just with cancer, but we lost a relative in April when a tree fell on him, and we just lost my father in law Nov 25 to dimentia. I feel through all of this our family has drawn closer, and we just appreciate each other more. Life is so short, and you never know, if through a freak accident, or an illness, if you will be leaving this world, so I want to glorify God with every moment I am here .
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Zumagirl, we are so incredibly blessed to belong to our Lord. Without him, tragedies break families up. With him he brings good out of all things. One of the best things in eternity will be freedom from our old nature. I so often fail to remember I was created to glorify him. Oh the joy it will be to glorify him perpetually!
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Hi everyone! Like JO, don't get on here much, but just wanted to share: I'd posted about my DIEP reconstructed, cancerous boob hurting so much. Others offered things I should consider, including truncal LE. Long story short, I just prayed for God to take this persistent pain away. It was a gradual thing and now, no pain.
I guess with every little pain, the worst is considered and takes over our minds.
God is good all the time!!.
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mikita, I'm so glad the pain is gone. It's true. We don't notice the smaller pains when there are harder ones. But when the worst ones are gone, the smaller ones demand attention. I can't believe sometimes how irritable this nerve pain makes me and, though I try to focus on the grace given me through the whole cancer ordeal, the irritation seems to keep me from focusing on Him more than the far harder things I went through.
Thank God he knows we are dust and is faithful and never stops loving us even at our worst!0 -
Good morning faithful ladies, I would like to ask to join this thread.
This has been a most difficult fall. I am mother of two beautiful young woman, the oldest living with me, the youngest away at school. Separated from their father 16 yrs, although after many angry years we are close and he has been so supportive.
Diagnosed early Oct with ILC, which was missed w ultrasound and mammo in Feb of this year. The dr did recommend an MRI, as I had a large area of cysts. I unfortunately put that off until I saw a change in that breast, nipple slightly drawing. MRI in Sep still showed nothing conclusive, but did light up an area in the right, which had already had many biopsies.
At this point another US was done on the cystic breast, and core biopsy confirmed 2 areas of ILC.
I apologize for this long post, but agonize over my Dec to delay MRI and wonder how different my dx might have been. I have been so busy, an excuse I know, with life in general, work and trying to stay alfloat, that all I feel about my life is deep regret. I know I was struggling even before this with enormous emptiness, and filled my space with busyness.
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I feel I have let down my children, my family, my friends, and definitely neglected my relationship with the Lord. I left the church we attended when my marriage broke up. Rather than staying for strength and support, I Chose to retreat into sadness. Big mistake.
My daughters, parents and even ex husband have been wonderful, and I'm struggling to feel worthy of their love and attention.
I even had a visit from the church I spoke of. Rang my bell and sang carrolls. Left me crying. So sweet.
My daughter and I had been wanting to join a church for a very long time. I just let so much
get in the way.
I guess what I'm asking is for any encouragement, advice or prayer you can offer. I will be so grateful.
I will pray for all those here as well.
Thank you and may God bless you.
I love the0 -
Secretgardn ... many gentle hugs are coming your way and many prayers. You are being way too hard on yourself. You are a child of Gods and therefore perfect. I, too, showed nothing on mammagram and US but I had a bloody discharge from my nipple and a breast surgeon who instinctively knew something was very wrong. Had she not pushed I might very well have waited too. I wanted very much to believe the radiologist who told me my ultrasound showed nothing more than a cyst. Go find a church ... you will find even more support which you need right now. I'm so glad your ex-husband, parents and daughters are being supportive. God Bless.
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Kathleen, thank you so much for your reply and reassurance. Thank you for keeping me in prayer.
God Bless you too, have a wonderful Christmas.
Laura0 -
Laura ... you are so welcome - that's why we are all here - to support each other. There are times I thought I was going crazy. Fortunately, there were a lot of sisters here to help. You have wonderful Christmas too.
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Laura, lobular BC is easy to miss. Mine was quite large (larger on the MRI than it seemed on the mammogram. I had chemo first because there was a small possibility of inflammatory BC also. In the end I had surgery early because I had a rare reaction to my second course of chemo. The results were good, but I will be on an anti-estrogen drug and will be watching for recurrance.
I noticed the mass several months before I called the doctor, thinking it wasn't that different than the other side. One of the traps we fall into is blaming ourselves for so many things. And that gets us no where quickly.
Our Savior is ready to instantly forgive us and it is so important to forgive yourself. One of the most difficult things for those we love is to not be able to rid us of the depression that comes from regret and guilt. And imagine how sad our Savior is if we hang onto our failures. We are human and will fail. That is when we turn our eyes on Jesus and trust his love.
He has taught me much as I have gone through the past months. It's amazing how he can take us through very difficult times and teach us. He is always faithful, even when we have failed to be faithful; and believe me I speak from experience for I have often failed Him!
Right now, start reading the bible and looking for reassurance of his love. Some of the old hymns are rich treasures that help. I can't sing, but have a hymn book that I use for prayer time. There are many verses in the psalms. I love to read Roman's 8 and have read it lately several times. First comes Roman's 7, describing how we fail, and then comes 8 with it's promises. Most of all he wants you to trust his love. You have repented. Yes sometimes we feel sorrow for our failures, but smash any guilt that clings and refuse to listen. You are washed cleaned and every day you start again: a new person in Christ.
You will have much practice in trusting him as you go through these next months. Sometimes it may seem it is hard to trust because we are human and anxiety is beating at our door. Those are times to cry out for his help. He will carry you through the times of anxiety and teach you more about his love.
So I pray especially that you will let go of all guilt and rejoice that you are forgiven and are new again - and again and again. I thank God for your loving family. Seek the joy of the Lord so they may rejoice with you as you grow.
I haven't arrived, Laura. But each day is a new day to fix my eyes on Jesus and not on the past. I pray that you will choose that also.
Rejoice in the Lord always!
Peggy
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3bells thank you for your kind and comforting reply.
I know that when I have very dark and anxious thoughts that I am not believing that God will carry me through this. Makes me feel like even more of a failure.
I will keep reading the psalms and pray for God to help strengthen my faith.
I will keep you in prayer too.
In him, Laura0 -
You have inspired me to read the Bible - always a good thing. Thanks.
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HI all my faithful sisters. Haven't been on BCo for several weeks and not on this thread for a few months and coming back reading here has definitely encouraged me. I also know that I have to get back to having time daily in the Word and talking with the Lord. Although I know He knows my heart, I also know He wants me to do my part as well. He will not fail me for my shortcomings but it's the least I can do after all He has done for me.
Thanks all for being here. Much love to you all.
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