thread for middle age to older Christian women.
Comments
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Thanks Jean. I read books and articles and had Cammie to the vet several times and I thought I had it all figured out and then.................I have a couple of ideas which reading your article you pasted confirmed some of it. Thanks for posting that.
Love,
Nancy
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Lovely ladies, I want to thank all of you for your prayers and let you know that we have a contract on my mother's house! Praise Jesus! This process has been exhausting, but I am so thankful to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Joanne, thank you for the tip regarding pre-paid funeral expenses. That is something we will definitely pursue.
Wishing everyone a Blessed Sunday.
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Hershey, that is GREAT news. I know we still have that weight hanging over us as far as the house but i live in that house when I am visiting with my cat so we are not in a hurry to sell. I am sure it was exhausting and so glad that part of this journey is almost over. I hope you Mom is adjusting well to her new facility.
Love,
Nancy
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I know some are in the process of scans and will be waiting on results. This verse was given to me while I was going through treatments and it was attached to a potholder saying this particular group was praying for me. I still have it on my refrigerator and this verse continues to give me comfort as I face other trials in the bc world and beyond.
Love,NancyIsaiah 41:10 New International Version (NIV)
10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.0 -
That is one of my treasured verses, Nancy. It's so reassuring and comforting. Thank you for posting it today.
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Mine too. I have it on my wall...L
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Hershey - so glad for your good news regarding the house!
Nancy - one of my "go-to" verses too!~ thank you.
Lita - just good to hear from you!
I met a lady - a new customer - who was looking at some of the clothing I had up for sale. She asked some questions and had mentioned she'd lost about a hundred pounds. I asked if she minded my asking how (since I need to lose MUCHO MUCHO weight - and can't seem to bring this metabolism into line). She replied that 2 1/2 years ago she lost 3/4 of her tongue to cancer and can no longer eat! She said she'd rather be fat and be able to eat again than this, and that it is really socially difficult for her. I don't know if she is a believer or not but told her I will pray for her. I know this isn't a BC post but this lady could use your prayers. Her name is Kirsten. Thanks
Blessings on your day
Ade
P.S. Perhaps I shared too much regarding my family trial. If it seemed that way I apologize. My point was not to air old pain, but rather to give the Lord glory for His love getting me through it and to say we CAN come out on the other side of these things ok with the Lord. That time is all under the Blood now and gone from me. Glory to the Lord!
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So thankful for all of you good ladies and for the banners and scripture reminders. God has blessed me with friends like you!
Ade, I will certainly add Kirsten to my warrior prayer list, and I celebrate with Hershey on the sale of the house.
My DH has his retirement party tomorrow although he has to work 14 days between now and August 31. Let the good times roll!
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Looks like that verse resonated with several of you. It is powerful for sure.
Lita, how are you doing?
Faith, how are you doing? How did you manage the long trip to see your grand child graduate?
Ade, tongue cancer is an awful thing. I will pray for Kirsten.
Chris, so for DH it is really happening quickly. Good for him. That will be a fun chapter for you both I feel certain.
I have just not felt very well for several days and I don't know what is going on. Trying to get this VA application in and running into obstacles that are so frustrating. Having fatigue and GI issues and to tell you the truth I am a bit scared because I don't know what is going on and it has been going on for quite some time. I see the dentist tomorrow to see if they will have to drill through my fairly new crown and do a root canal. UGH I am getting the new shingles vaccine this Friday and one of my friends from church got it and was sick for five days. I was expecting 2-3 days as this is pretty normal. I did get some butterfly pics on Friday. Was feeling better then. Here are a few of them.
Have a good night dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
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Thanks Teka. Love your summer banner. Hard to believe July 4 is just around the corner. Hope you are doing well.
Love,
Nancy
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Wow Nancy, the coloring on the black butterfly picture is amazing! I am lifting you up in prayer this morning. I understand what not feeling well means. I haven't felt well for three years now and it is definitely wearing on me. I have yet to ask for help with depression but may have to my next dr appt. Battling this without affecting my family is taking its toll. It is hard to stay strong for so long.
Here is a pic of how my mornings usually go...
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Thank you Chris. That butterfly is a tiny thing called an Atala and it just came out of it's chrysalis. This was it's first few moments of life which was exciting to see them release it. They actually let this little girl put it on that flower and she was SO excited. What a sweet kitty you have. Just beautiful. I am getting ready for the dreaded dentist evaluation to see if they need to drill a hole in my fairly new crown and do a root canal. UGH I would appreciate your prayers. I would mention something to your doctor about your depression. I cannot tolerate those drugs so I can only do talk therapy and exercise and because of apts and day camps at the Y I have not been swimming on my usual schedule and I can really tell a difference. However I know those drugs are a Godsend for many people. I hope you can find something to make you feel better.
Got to run. Praying for you.
Love,
Nancy
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Beautiful butterflies, Nancy. Those are so hard to capture because they just don't hold still! Not as bad as hummers though. I hope your dental evaluation gave you better answers than what you expected and that you can feel better and get back to your swimming routine soon. May the Lord help you to finish the VA papers for your mom and get it processed in record time.
Joanne - Thank you for your kind words of understanding that my post was intended for ministry and to glorify the Lord for all He has done. That Ohio sky is a treasure. I remember SOOO many white skies in Ohio and when we got one of those like you shared it just made you feel good. There are mostly blue skies here everyday, which I love - and yet, in time, we're moving back to white skies again. Oh well. We need to heed what the Lord tells us and not second guess because of feelings. As the Nike commercial says, "Just do it". . . so we are. Like Abraham we don't know where, but ours is to obey.
Chris - I know EXACTLY what you're saying. May Our Lord grant you His peace and strength physically, mentally and spiritually. (We ALL need that!)
We are slowly getting the house ready for sale, but we have so many days of not feeling well that it is going rather slowly. What was diagnosed as 'arthritis' in my lumbar is getting worse and my spine is curving noticeably. I don't have to tell you what my fear is. We are all there when new maladies beset us or the old ones get worse. We surely do need the Lord.
These are our new NEIGHbors out for a morning stroll yesterday. It is so peaceful I wanted to share with you. (Maggie LOVES to watch these strange new creatures now that the deer aren't coming anymore. It is "doggie vision".) The yellow wildflowers are Mexican Hat flowers.
Blessings on your day,
Ade
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Hi dear ladies.
Joanne, I will say amen to your post. I imagine we all have family issues that have caused us heartache and knowing God can bring us through it and bless us in the process is certainly worth sharing. We have had a lot of cloudy skies here too. Nice sky pic. Clouds are some of the most fascinating of God's creation. Last night I left a homeowners meeting and we meet in the basement of the neighborhood nursing home so we had no windows. We were all shocked to see it raining when we left and one lady pointed out the beautiful rainbow. I always see them when I don't have my camera.
Good news. On Tuesday when I saw my dentist he was able to put a sealer on this crown and did not think I needed a root canal. I was really so sure that I was not going to get an easy out with this tooth and I was SO thrilled when I didn't have to have one. Then I came home and made a phone call which was hopefully the last piece of the puzzle to this VA application for my Mom. Again I was expecting a real hassle and didn't get that at all and the document I need is coming in the mail soon. PTL I can't tell you how those two things lifted me. I had two pretty good days of feeling good. So that is the good news. The other news is I am getting REALLY scared about getting this shingles vaccine. My neighbor who planted my rose bush for me and is strong as an ox asked me what I was doing working in the yard in this heat. I told her I was madly trying to get things in place before getting this shot tomorrow because I was bracing for a rough week. She told me she had the first of a series of two shots and she had so much pain she could hardly stand it. She was in bed for the first day and felt bad for the next two. She is hesitant to get the second shot in six months.
Joanne, I know you have pleaded with me to NOT get the shot. I read some horrific stories last night about people having long lasting issues such as sciatica for months after. I am praying that if I am not supposed to get it the Lord will stop me. I have had shingles three times and I know that if it goes into the secondary phase which is chronic you can have years of nerve pain. So I feel like my choices are do you want us to take off you arm or your foot! Please pray that God gives me wisdom to do the right thing. My apt is Friday at 4.
Ade, I don't know how you and James have forged through in the TX heat and doing all of that work. I pray that God will bless you with a quick sale when you are ready and that He will bless you with another wonderful place to live. You may not have wild horses in your view in Ohio or who knows, maybe something even better. I guess we still have deer in our neighborhood according to this one lady I talked to last night. She said they are almost domesticated. So maybe it was deer that ate my hydrangea. Love that pic. I still have a desire to take horse back riding lessons even at my age!
Got to run. I see my social worker today.
Love
Nancy
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Joanne, on Saturday I was about to go to urgent care because I thought I had shingles. I have had them three times so I been through this enough to know what to look for. When I realized there was also some rash on the other side then I realized it couldn't be shingles since they present on one side only.
Sure sorry to hear about Tammy. I hope with the meds that she will have a lighter version. Bummer with her new job and not being able to take off. In education we had to take off because we were too much of a risk for pregnant mothers who would be around the schools.
My new pcp wanted me to get this shot so he initiated this at my first Medicare wellness check with him. I have seen him a couple of time prior and I really like him. He told me this new shot was more effective and in two doses. He said the vaccine was in great demand and I would have to be put on a waiting list and that I would have to check my insurance coverage as it was a pricey vaccine. He told me nothing about SE's but again he is still new to me and doesn't know me very well. I got the call that my vaccine was in so that is why it is happening now. With my schedule to my Mom's the timing worked out okay as well. I discussed this quite a bit with my social worker. She thinks I have been on a steady rise in improvement so that gave me a lift. I feel stronger in just the last few days so at this point I am planning on doing it but still praying the if the Lord wants to stop me in my tracks he will do so.
Pray that it will be okay. I will be starting my last bottle of Anastrozole in a couple of days. I think my 5yr celebration is going to happen although it was delayed by this bump in the road.
I must get to bed. I had to drive out of town to find the court house just in case I am sick all week since Jury Duty is coming next..........and to think my colonoscopy last June was a pain. LOL
Have a good night dear ladies.
Love,
Nancy
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Joanne I am sorry you have to go through so MUCH pain & anguish all at once. You must feel tested to the limit often. I am praying for you and the Lord knows well ALL of your needs. I am thankful, however that you know the Lord's faithfulness and love toward you and you can rely on His presence with you through the storms and trials. (Oh WHAT would we do without Him! We'd simply be as hopeless and helpless as the world is right now.) What you said alone, regarding the arthritis, has brought me great peace about my spine and I thank you! I don't know how I will be able to do all that is required of me physically through the next several months - in my flesh I simply can't - but my help comes from the Lord Who made Heaven and earth and He will provide.
Nancy I am thankful you are doing better now and making progress with your therapy and your mom's application. That is answered prayer for which we give thanks. I cannot tell you one way or another about your vaccine. However, you are relying on the Lord to stop you if you should not take it. He just MAY be speaking through Joanne. Just a thought.
We had two of our little new marigolds pulled up right after we planted them a few days ago & the bloom was eaten off. James replanted them and sprayed them with the "stinky pee stuff" and they have been left alone ever since. It could have been deer or bunnies - but now they are leaving them alone.
James made little rock circles around the Chinese Pistache trees & we put Marigolds in - (the ones we now have to spray with stinkum).
Today's a warm lovely day.
Blessings upon your day,
Ade
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Hello all! I have a few questions I am hoping you can help me with. I finally met with the surgeon after having two ultrasounds, a biopsy, bone scan, CT scan and PET scan to make sure my breast cancer has not spread anywhere else, and thankfully it is only in my breast and sentinel lymph node. The CT scan showed severe arthritis in my spine, both hips, both shoulders, both knees, both hands and both feet. I am 67, and have diabetes. The surgeon and oncologist conferred and are recommending a lumpectomy rather than a mastectomy, and the surgeon said she will not even discuss a double mastectomy due to my diabetes. They are afraid of infection if I have a mastectomy and, because I have large breasts, having a single mastectomy would make me very lopsided and increase the severity of my spinal arthritis. They are unsettled about chemo, due to my diabetes, so they want to schedule an Oncotype test. Have any of you had that? And did the results affect your decision regarding a lumpectomy or mastectomy?
Also, if you had a lumpectomy, how long was your recovery time and was your surgery outpatient? The bedroom in my house is upstairs, so am wondering how easily I'll be able to get up and down the 12 stairs after surgery. I have more questions, but don't want this to turn into a diatribe, so will stop for now.
Victoria
Photo of an old garden gate I took in a beautiful wildflower field recently. "Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!" (Psalm 96:12)
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Hello all! I have a few questions I am hoping you can help me with. I finally met with the surgeon after having two ultrasounds, a biopsy, bone scan, CT scan and PET scan to make sure my breast cancer has not spread anywhere else, and thankfully it is only in my breast and sentinel lymph node. The CT scan showed severe arthritis in my spine, both hips, both shoulders, both knees, both hands and both feet. I am 67, and have diabetes. The surgeon and oncologist conferred and are recommending a lumpectomy rather than a mastectomy, and the surgeon said she will not even discuss a double mastectomy due to my diabetes. They are afraid of infection if I have a mastectomy and, because I have large breasts, having a single mastectomy would make me very lopsided and increase the severity of my spinal arthritis. They are unsettled about chemo, due to my diabetes, so they want to schedule an Oncotype test. Have any of you had that? And did the results affect your decision regarding a lumpectomy or mastectomy?
Also, if you had a lumpectomy, how long was your recovery time and was your surgery outpatient? The bedroom in my house is upstairs, so am wondering how easily I'll be able to get up and down the 12 stairs after surgery. I have more questions, but don't want this to turn into a diatribe, so will stop for now.
Victoria
Photo of an old garden gate I took in a beautiful wildflower field recently. "Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!" (Psalm 96:12)
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Hi Victoria,
I am glad to hear you do not have mets. I am your same age and I live alone with stairs. I did not think I needed anyone to stay with me when I got home from the surgery as an outpatient. That was five years ago. I had a friends with me at the hospital and one that was taking me home and another friend who was to be with me in the evening. It was recommended I have someone with me for the night and I am very independent and thought I won't need that. Well, when I was in recovery I knew I needed someone with me that night so my friend that was to stay with me in the evening stayed that night with me.
I had a lumpectomy and I had complications with mine which according to my surgeon hardly ever happens with his patients. I developed a seroma so my recovery was a bit bumpy. I did not have drains but had to be manually drained by the surgeon because of the seroma which is a build up of fluid in the breast due to surgery. I did have the oncotype test and my medical oncologist said don't worry about your insurance he would take care of it. I was not on Medicare at that time. The oncotype test is a help to determine whether chemo would be beneficial to you or not. For me it was not so I had radiation several weeks after my surgery. I did not have cancer in the sentinel nodes so I don't think chemo was in the picture but my MO wanted to be sure. I have arthritis in many places as well and I think for someone our age that is probably par for the course. My recovery was maybe a month and I had no problem with stairs from the beginning. I actually talked my radiation oncologist into starting radiation before she wanted me to because my insurance ran from July 1 so she let me do that so I could finish rads before my new deductible started over. Well you know how the best laid plans can go sometimes. The radiation machine broke down for four days right at the end of my treatments so I didn't finish until July 3. Oh well. I was just happy to get them over.
Hope all goes well for you. Let us know how you are doing and I am sure many will be glad to answer questions if they can.
Your garden gate pic looks neat. Prayers for you as you and your cancer team make wise decisions for your best care.
Love,
Nancy
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I got my shingles vaccine at 4 and this lovely lady with a Mississippi accent did my shot and I could hardly feel it. I said what is a Mississippi doing up here. She said a man! I asked her how she liked our winters. Apparently not too well. I said well you are probably loving this hot and humid weather and she said oh yeah. I wish I shared her enthusiasm for it. It is 10 pm and so far I just have a sore arm. She said she has given probably 100 of these vaccines and the biggest complaint is a sore arm. Only one woman who had a pretty bad reaction and she said that lady will NOT be getting the second dose. She wanted me to schedule my second dose in two months today. I said let's wait and see how I do before I schedule. This lady that had the bad reaction didn't have it until two days later so I know I have a ways to go to see how things go. So far so good.
Joanne and Ade, I may have to look into some repellent. I put a double fence around my new hydrangea that I planted recently since something either ate the other one or the weed whacker guy got to it. I told my social worker it would take an asteroid from the sky to ruin that hydrangea now!!!! She didn't think the rabbits would eat hydrangeas......apparently not hers anyway. I used coyote urine several years ago on some things. Can't even remember how that worked out but I don't think very well for chipmunks.
Beautiful pic of the desert and amen to that banner.
Have a good night dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
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Joanne, I missed your post and just now saw it in my email. After going to my home owners meeting the other night apparently deer have eaten some of the neighbors rose bushes. A deer would have a hard time getting around my fence but if it was a big one and they were persistent I supposed the could reach over the fence but so far so good. They aren't eating my roses that I am aware of. I know you were looking out for me but I just felt in my knower that I was to go ahead with this. Time will tell but so far not as bad as I had expected. I was truly expecting really bad pain from the get go and it was not that at all so I was thankful. I am so used to fibro pain and back and neck pain that maybe this will not be any worse than I deal with all the time. Thanks for your prayers.
Love
Nancy
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Thank you so much Nancy, that is so helpful!! I see from your profile that you also had Hormonal Therapy. My oncologist mentioned that and said I would need that for at least five years, but I don't know what medication she will prescribe yet. Did/do you suffer any side effects.from yours? I am trying to keep a very positive attitude, and so pretty well most of the time. But, it also is beginning to sound like, for many of us, feeling as healthy as we did before the cancer may be years away, which is frightening!
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Veronica, I just started my last bottle of Anastrozole today as matter of fact. I will finish at the end of July. Some ladies have no issues at all and from the start I heard that if you exercise regularly you will have less side effects. I am a lap swimmer and I swim year round. I know when I am downstate visiting my Mom (usually three months out of the year) I don't get in any exercise and I can feel the difference. I have been hesitant to say much knowing that many people will be starting these drugs. I have had trouble with side effects but I have hung in there. Insomnia and GI issues were my big ones. It does affect your emotions but I think that is where the exercise helps to combat that. I know that some ladies are on the Aromatase Inhibitors ( which more than likley you will be on as well) have had their five years extended. My oncologist didn't think an extra two years benefit would out way the side effects I have had so I will be finishing in a few weeks. I am really anxious to see how I feel after that. I am currently dealing with reactive depression and my social worker in oncology that I have been seeing since April thinks I will be much better when I am off the AI (Anastrozole which is an aromatase inhibitor). There are several drugs in that category but I never chose to try any of them besides the Anastorzole. Some ladies have gone to Tamoxifen who did not tolerate the AI's very well. I have some church friends who could not continue with the drugs and they are doing just fine now several years out.
I know you have mentioned wanting to travel the country in an RV and be able to enjoy your photography. It sounds like you are an active person and I do think that will help. I would caution not to spend too much time on some of the threads devoted to these drugs because they can be real downers and possibly convince you of things you will not even experience. I was talking about this very issue with my social worker regarding reactions to the shingles vaccine I just had on Friday and we both agreed that people who tend to post about such issues are the ones who are having issues. The ones who don't have issues are out and about living their lives which is probably the majority.
I wish you all the best as you move forward in your decisions and your treatments. Take one step of this journey at a time. It is when we look too far ahead (true of anything in life) we can easily get overwhelmed. My MO wanted me to have several weeks of recovery from radiation before I started the AI but all oncologist don't do that. Let us know when your surgery will be so we can be praying for you. I pray now that God will give you peace and not let your mind get too ahead of where you are right now.
Love,
Nancy
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Shingles vaccine update. I had the shot at 4 on Friday. By bedtime I was feeling some nausea. Yesterday I felt nauseated a good part of the day and fatigued. I could still eat but just basically took it easy. Today the nausea is gone and I am still laying low as I don't feel myself yet. My arm has been pretty sore but I was fully expecting that. Nothing horrible. I am doing better than I expected and I am thankful for that. We had a Dorothy and Toto moment earlier and my neighbor was coming over to help me put up my fountain which is too heavy for me to lift. I said a storm is coming. She wanted to come over anyway. The high winds started and another neighbor came over and we were able to get my heated birdbath down and the fountain up. We all rain inside. I was thrilled to get that up. Now I just have to get the top on and the pump in and say my yard is 99% finished. PTL
Love,
Nancy
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Going tomorrow to check for the cause of numbness and burning in my left thigh. Probably not cancer related. Please pray they find the caise. Tks, Jean
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Jean, praying that your thigh problems will be nothing serious and something easily treated.
Love,
Nancy
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Tks Nancy. It was diagnosed as hip bursitis and it is being treated,with 6 weeks of PT. I will then revisit the doctor for a reevaluation. Love, Jean
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Victoria, may the Lord grant you and your doctor team wisdom to proceed in treatment the perfect way and may He give you peace.
Nancy, praying you feel better and that the shot will not be any worse than it is now, and pass quickly. How's the VA app coming? James needs to apply for a greater degree of his disability but is putting it off until we get moved.
( Why the delay? Who knows...Jean, thanking the Lord your hip diagnosis isn't worse and praying you find relief through the PT.
James took this photo of this morning's sunrise.
IN THE MORNING - WHEN I RISE - GIVE ME JESUS...
Ade
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Jean, glad you have some answers to your hip pain. I pray that your PT will help make this pain manageable. Thankfully it was not more cancer.
Ade, what a beautiful shot. James has your eye for composition as well!! You will probably never see any sunrise pics from me. LOL That is because I am a night owl and I don't get up early any more. The shingles vaccine has been a few days of not feeling well. Actually yesterday was day 3 and I felt the worst then so it has been unpredictable. I have had nausea and fatigue for most of the time and some nerve pain which was a bit scary yesterday but today was much better. I even went out in almost 100 degrees heat index to take a few pics of this one photo I was hoping to get and the goldfinches did not show up like they had been so I stayed out much longer than I was expecting but got a variety of pics.
When my BIL was going for more disability it was quite a process and he even had a person coaching him before he had to appear before this panel. If Jame's situation would turn out like that I can see why he would want to wait if you are still spending a great amount of energy on fixing the house up to sell. However I can see why you would want to push for it now as well. Once agent orange was in the picture and his variety of illnesses which were all believed to be from that chemical his disability shot up to 100%. He gets a very nice tax free disability check every month. Just a heads up. If James gets anything from the VA save it. My BIL made the mistake of throwing something out which cost him dearly because he could have received a LOT of money retroactive but since he threw the document out he had no evidence.
The last document I need for the VA application has arrived at my sister's. Now she needs to send it to me and then I will go over the application with a fine tooth comb to be sure I haven't missed anything. I have to use a magnifying glass the print is so small. I can't help but think that is done on purpose! I have jury duty next week so it has been one thing after another so far.
How is the house shaping up? Doing this work in the heart of summer in TX cannot be easy. I pray everything will fall into place and the Lord will lead you to your next home.
Have a good night dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
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