thread for middle age to older Christian women.
Comments
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Heavenly Father, Thank You for being beside this wonderful group
and hearing all their needs and wiping every tear. Please bless all
those that are going through tests or treatments, knowing You Lord
are holding their hand each time. As You comfort those that are hurting
and wiping every tear. Please help us to stay strong and remember, Lord,
You are always near. Please bless Nancy Faith and other here as You
know their ever need. Please fill them with hope and Your love, knowing
someday they will be with You and hurt no more. Please help those that
need help with bills or food, that someone may hear and help get them
their needs. Thank You Father for all You are doing and have done.
In Jesus wonderful name. Amen
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Hi dear ladies. I wasn't feeling well yesterday and didn't make it to church. I was so nauseated in the early morning. I sure hope these episodes disappear as I get farther away from my AI. I thought these were related but who knows.
I received a letter from the VA on Saturday and was initially quite upset about it and then after rereading a few times I realized this may be there standard letter (thankfully not a denial) that we have a ton of applications (my words) and yours may be delayed. We are in the process of figuring if we need more evidence or information on your claim.
. I know my VA advocate thought it was a good application and I think we provided a ton of documents. The Lord keeps saying just trust me in this. I still have heard nothing on my MRI. This is what happened on my last mammogram when I didn't hear anything for days (very unusual) and then I called to realize something was wrong.)
I had a four year old (who I don't know) that was apparently playing with my neighbors and he decided to use bug spray to mark up my driveway when I was gone. It probably won't come out. Exasperating for sure!
Faith, Happy Birthday officially. That cake was supposed to be animated so you will have to imagine those sparkler type candles! Praying that your blood work will be excellent and that you feel better in all ways.
Debbie, thank you for your beautiful prayers and I am praying for you as well for ALL of your needs.
Ade, I am so glad to hear that James' fever is over. I hope you will attend to your own needs now as that is so important. Thank you for your nice comments on my photos. That butterfly pic is very special to me. I have entered it in a magazine competition for the first time ever. You may use it for your granddaughter and I am honored.
My pool is closed for two weeks and I need that so much right now. I have been walking but have had a lot of hip pain the last few months and it just aggravates that. I am feeling a bit discouraged.
Have a good day dear sisters and a great start to the week.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, I am so sorry to hear about all of your latest trials. VA? no pool? Bug spray??? I also didn't make it to church, but then I rarely do anymore. I am so exhausted getting ready to leave the house early and I never know whether I can sit through it all without having to get up quickly, so we don't usually try. I am praying God helps us find a closer church with a later service but I hate changing churches. And I am with you on waiting for results. Had a scan on Friday and it will be next Friday before I see my MO so I sit and wait... I pray that God will give rest and relief to both of us today. May He send a special joy and a peace that passes all understanding. Love, Chris
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Iam MBC. Orig. Dx 2008 but revisited as Mets to bone last fall 2018. My adult daughter, an only child is an alcoholic, but I am not allowed to say so because she needs her dignity to overcome the addiction. My only sibling, my brother is battling cancer again, a reoccurrence of colon cancer. My husband is wonderful but often angry, just about things in general but I know he is stressed out. I am stressed out.
My daughter is in an unhappy marriage. She was supposed to move into a place of her own this last weekend. I was going to help her move. She is still living with her husband and he is doing everything to keep her there. She has been so ill she cant get off the couch she is sleeping on. She is in a gated community and I cant get to her unless she makes the effort to buzz me in and he is not there. She told me he thinks I am causing her to want to move out. It has been so very difficult because she needs help and I have given everything over to our Lord. Still, he gave me this beautiful girl to raise and care for...am I to simply let go?
I feel so strongly I am not doing enough. I don't understand alcoholism or her debilitating illness but she thinks if she can get away from her husband, she can get well and get back to working again, and that is the only hope I have.0 -
Dear LovedBy..., you truly are loved by our Savior. He also loves your daughter and I am praying God moves any mountains of restraint and despair in this situation. God can make a way where there seems to be no way. You are in my prayers. Chris
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Nancy I'm sorry about your pool being temporarily closed. Is there another in town you can "borrow"? Thank you for letting me make a print for my grandaughter of that amazing butterfly photo. I can't get over how splendid it is and I will find just the right scripture - maybe about becoming a new creature in Christ - to go with it. I pray you will get GOOD news on your MRI! The waiting is the hardest but keep focused on the Lord - not the storm.
Last night James ran a fever and had one of his sweats (again!) in the night. I was SO discouraged! He is napping now and I pray he will NOT have another bout of fevers/sweats and this was just a fluke "aftershock". It wears out his body and depressed both of us as it has gone on so very long (YEARS) and nobody has an answer. I want to give the Lord praise when it seems they have ceased - but every time I do - they start again!
Nancy we are in the process of getting James' VA disability increased and read that there is a back log of over 350,000 applications! They say it can take a full year to hear back after you submit the app. I know your app is different but that's what they are dealing with. Perhaps as our president desires to help the VA become better they could hire more application facilitators to shorten the wait time. One big problem for us is that James' doctor doesn't DOCUMENT his symptoms which are relevant to his claim. She told him he is "just getting old"!!!
I have a pile (or three) of laundry ahead so will make this short.
I pray for ALL of you.
With love,
Ade
(Our rainbow the other day - not as nice as Nancy's but God made it just the same)
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Ade, I am so sorry to hear about Jame's fever returning. I know this has to be so frustrating and disappointing. I had never heard an actual number on the VA backup. Of course your application is very different than mine. There are beaucoup bucks involved with disability claims vs the type of claim we are making for my Mom but nonetheless the backup could be similar. I knew that it might be a year but I also have a letter saying if approved it would be retroactive to a date in June. I just hope she lives long enough to reap the benefit before her money runs out. As far as James' doctor I don't know how much you can insist on him documenting things but if his application is anything like my Mom's you will have to have documentation from his primary doctor no matter what he says about getting old. I know my thoughts about that but I will keep them to myself!!!
Your rainbow is beautiful. The foreground makes it more interesting than my trees in my rainbow pic. I came home today in pouring rain and bright sun but I never did see a rainbow. I went quite a bit out of town and drug my heavy camera equipment on these trails to find this waterfall and hoping with school in session I would find it empty. What a laugh. It was full of people wading in the water in front of the falls so my photo opp was a bust. I ended up leaving as there were people everywhere and no way to get some decent pictures. Maybe just as well because it poured and I could have been stuck int he woods with my camera equipment and no protection.
I will try to walk instead of swim. I will have to do my best to get some type of exercise.
I still have heard nothing on my MRI and when I had it on Wed they said your doctor will get results in two days. She said she would call before putting it in MyChart. She has not done that before but so far nothing anywhere.
Dear LovedBy.............your angst is palpable. I am so sorry for all of the things you and your daughter and family are experiencing. When it comes to addiction the person affected is the one that has to want change. I am sure you are doing all you can for her in this situation. I say Amen to Chris's post to you. May God move mountains in this situation and show you what you need to do and how to do it. Trust in the Lord because He is the only one who can affect real change. Every single day leave all of your worries at His feet. You may have to do it over and over and over but He wants us to trust Him for every single thing. Remember that He loves your daughter even more than you do. He loves You as well. Let Him lead and guide you in this very tough situation.
Love
Nancy
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Greetings dear ladies. Praying for all your needs. I am still very stressed over last week's accident that totaled my car. I have been shaking and crying a lot. Very easily triggered. Got a new car today with lots of safety features. Almost started to cry at the dealership. Hubby is also very stressed and we backslid into an old negative pattern of behavior earlier but have settled down now. My chemo doctor ordered a brain MRI on Saturday because of my accident and focus and memory issues. Please pray for us. Love, Jean
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Chris and Nancy thank you for words of encouragement. My mind is full of fear and dred and it makes it so very hard to know what God wants for me. I know part of it is also dealing with cancer and chemo. I had a "calm down" day yesterday and read scripture so I am doing better today with a quiet mind. I just learned my daughter will be picking up keys to her new apartment today and I will help her move some things in. I trust God is working in her life as well and hope she finds a "church home" soon for support.
You all sound like a good group of people. God bless you all.0 -
I’m thanking God for answered prayers today. My blood work is all good, tumor markers are below normal so that is a good thing. I also saw my cardiologist today, and he thinks I’m doing well also. I don’t like to sound ungrateful but the side effects of these drugs are taking their toll. I guess there’s no free ride and life could be so much worse. I’m really grateful for all God’s blessings.
Still praying for everyone here. Nancy, I hope you get good results of your MRI soon. Hope you’re feeling better, now that you’re off the AI.
Jean, I’m so sorry that your car accident has caused you so much anxiety but it’s very understandable. Hopefully with time, you’ll feel more comfortable driving that new car with all the safety features. I have some of them in my 5 yr old car and they really make me feel safer. Prayers that your brain MRI is normal.
Ade, I’m so sorry to hear of James fevers again. That must be so frustrating and exhausting for both of you. Praying they stop, you get the house finished and can finally move back to Ohio.
Welcome to Loved by a horse, I’ll pray that things get better for you and your daughter. Hope you find some comfort here from all the special people who are great at praying for us.
Love and prayers for everyone here,
Faith (in the future).
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Hi dear ladies,
The last couple of days have been pretty crazy and I didn't have a chance to check in. I had two apts yesterday and was supposed to be taking a friend for her skin cancer surgery on Thursday and I got home late yesterday and she had frantically been trying to reach me saying her surgeon had a death in the family and her surgery has been moved to today and the location was over an hour to get there. My friend lives a half hour from me and I had to pick her up at 7:30. We made it without a hitch and she only had to have one layer of skin shaved to get all of the cancer so it has been a good but very exhausting day.
I did get good new on my MRI and it looks like I do have a hamartoma of the brain which is what the initial MRI back in Nov. suspected. It is apparently an unusual place to have one of these tumors which sounds like it is pretty common in other parts of the body. There was no change from the last MRI in Feb. so I don't have to have a repeat MRI for a year. One very big thing off the radar for now. I am still seeing my social worker and we have entered a new phase doing CBT now. I think there is an end in sight and I wanted to continue until I have my next mammogram at the end of Sept because I certainly don't want anything else to trigger this detour I have been on for some time. Thank you for your prayers.
Faith, that is GREAT news but I know it doesn't help when you are still feeling so many SE's. I know that for me exercise is key and my pool is closed now for two weeks and I have walked a little but the rainy weather has been iffy. I am not sure if you are able to walk at all but I really think it would help you if you could.
Jean, I completely understand what you are going through. It sounds similar to what I have gone through but different triggers. I had my car totaled when someone rear ended me several years ago and it is a very traumatic thing. I hope that your new car will really help and I pray that your brain MRI will be fine. Do know if you don't already that it is perfectly normal to have hardening of the blood vessels of the brain. I read that on my first brain MRI before talking with my oncologist and freaking out because that was what I thought my Mom's issues were with her dementia. I guess it is as normal as having arthritis as we age.
LovedBy, I am glad that things are improving for you and hopefully for your daughter.
Chris, have you heard any results from your scans yet? Praying for good results.
Have a good evening dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
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Faith, thank God for answered prayers and a good report. I also understand the fatigue of continued SEs.
Nancy, sending continued prayers for your additional challenges. Sounds like you are having an extremely busy life on top of it all!
My onc sent me a brief email this afternoon about my scan results. She said they are stable but we will need sooner follow ups because of additional activity in a new node. She then included a summary report which mentions new subtle findings in a couple of additional areas. It is a bit mixed and confusing since she said "stable." Doesn't sound like it to me. I have been on the emotional edge ever since. I just need to hold on until my appointment of Friday to make rational sense of it all. I will let you know.0 -
Chris, I can certainly understand your concern. I am glad tomorrow is Friday so you can see your MO. If this was a PET scan you probably know that activity in a node does not necessarily mean anything cancerous. It could be inflammation or infection so I am praying that since your MO said stable that that will be what she reiterates when you see her tomorrow. In the mean time lifting you in prayer for peace and pleasant distractions.
Love,
Nancy
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My recent scans came back "stable" but the SE's are still terrible. So tired and my back is killing me. The morphine the pall care dr has me on doesn't even touch it; going back to MMJ to try and get some relief.
Oh yeah, I'm "stable" for sure.
L
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Belated congradulations on the negative brain scan Nancy. Love, Jean
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Victoria, I am praying for your surgery on Aug. 27. I am assuming the date is still the same even though I know you were concerned about taking all of the lymph nodes. Let us know how you are doing?
Chris, how did your MO apt go? Did it put your mind at ease.
Lita, great news on "stable". Praying you can get your pain under control.
Jean, thank you. How's the new car working out?
Since my Y pool is closed for a couple of weeks I have been spending some fun outings with my camera. Here are some of my favorite subjects.
Have a great week dear sisters.
Love
Nancy
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Happy Sunday to all. Been off this website once again for awhile, but always seem to find an afternoon to check in and read the posts. We all seem to have things going on. It is called life and being human.
I have been blessed and thank God everyday, actually several times a day for each day and for watching over me. I am not without issues, especially after having bouts of Vertigo and bad headaches. Nancy, I recently had a breast MRI and. Brain MRI in the same afternoon. Not fun, but doable. Thank the Lord, both turned out fine, but still not clear on the headaches. Seeing a ENT doctor and another in the coming weeks. If you have ever had Vertigo, it is awful.
I will be going back to Hawaii...Oahu again in November to see my son’s family and 4 grandchildren. I try to go 3 times a year....love the visits but hate the travel from Florida to Hawaii.
Nancy, your pictures are beautiful and I enjoy the scriptures everyone posts. You are ALL still in my prayers daily even if I am not checking in. Very busy with church work and volunteer work with dog rescue. I have 5 now! Love them all....want to save them all!
Have a peaceful, blessed week. Nancy, you will get through your MRI. Pray for positive results. Pray for all of you wonderful ladies. ❤️
Lynn
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Hi Lynn,
Good to hear from you. Sorry to hear about your vertigo and headaches. That is what prompted my first brain MRI in November when a brain tumor was found. I have had four MRI's since then and my last one of the brain showed no growth so that challenge goes on the back burner finally. The month of March I had dizziness therapy so I can appreciate your challenges. I have allergies and have had sinus surgery in the past so when it comes to this stuff sometimes it takes a while to figure out. I am not seeing an ENT for the moment as I have had other more pressing issues. I hope you can find some relief especially before going to Hawaii again. Good to hear from you and enjoy all of your furbabies.
Love,
Nancy
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hoping the MMj does its job and eases the pain Lita. I see you've been away for a couple of days. Hoping you have quality time with Mr and Miss. Over and hugs
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Victoria, praying your surgery is over and you have good pain control. When you are able let us know how you are doing.
Mollie, welcome. Feel free to post anytime.
Have any of you read Picking Up The Pieces surviving after cancer by Magee? My social worker recommended this book and I ordered it.
Ade, how are you and James doing?
Love,
Nancy
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Good morning, Nancy! Yes, the surgery went really well, God is so good, and ty all for your prayers! I got to the hospital yesterday at 5:30 a.m. and.was home by 3:30 p.m. Pain is much worse than it was yesterday, but thankfully the surgeon prescribed Vicodin (which she originally wasn't going to do). The drain they inserted is uncomfortable, because it prevents me from sleeping on my usual right side. A home health aide is coming today to check the drain, and check for any signs of infection and lymphedema. The meds make me very sleepy, so sleeping as much as possible is my plan for today. Thank you for checking on me!!💖
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Victoria, thankful you are recovering well at home. Praying for relief from the pain and for a quick recovery.
Nancy, beautiful pictures as always. My DGD loved them! How are you feeling?
Lita, praying for pain relief and ease of SEs today.
My onc visit went well. To be brief, stable for her means my medicine usually shrinks anything new that springs up and she doesn't want to change anything since there is no growth large enough to biopsy. Since I tolerate these meds pretty well her fear is a different medicine would cause worse SEs. So I am good with that for now. I get to travel to MO and visit my grandboys in October. She is letting me temporarily adjust my meds so I feel better while there (meaning I delay starting a new med cycle a few days until I return). This week I have my granddaughter home all day. We have established a routine where I don't get too exhausted. God is good.
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Victoria, I am glad you are through the surgery. Praying for good pain control and praying NO lymphedema!!! Sleeping sounds like a good plan. Happy dreams. This time will improve.
Chris, thank you. Glad your DGD liked thr photos too. It sounds like your treatment plan is working and if your MO says stable I would take that to be good news. Glad you have a plan so you don't get so worn out with your granddaughter. Making a trip to MO sounds good. It would be weather perfect and possible nice fall colors by then too.
I saw my social worker yesterday and she mentioned this five week class. The problem is it starts next week and it is pretty far out of town and I am just not sure I am up to a big commitment so soon when I am not even finished with the social worker yet. I have a mammogram on Sept 23 and I have some fears going into that so I will probably see the social worker through that and then probably be done I think. Lack of swimming really makes a huge difference so when the pool reopens next week that will be good for me. I am going to the Butterfly House again today. I am squeezing in as much camera time as I can while not in my usual swim routine. The opportunity to take butterfly pics is rapidly closing so I want to enjoy it while I can.
Take care dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
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Ade, I am praying for your safety. I think I have heard you mention this area that the active shooter is. How are you and James doing? Praying for you regularly.
Victoria, how are you doing a few days out post surgery?
Have a good weekend dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
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Thank you Nancy. Both the El Paso and the Odessa-Midland shootings were 3 1/2 hours from us. Texas is a BIG state! It takes us a DAY to reach the northern border! However we travel the same highways as the shooter was on whenever we go to James' VA appointments and the VA center is NEXT DOOR to where the gunman was shot at the Cynergy theater. I am SO thankful we were not there yesterday - but will be going there on the 30th this month again. Thank you for thinking of us!
I am blessed to report that James and I have been actually WORKING these past 4-5 days! I can only manage to paint 2 doors (2 coats front and back) in one day before the pain gets too bad but am also painting the door trims before James puts them up. He is patching the nail gun holes and painting over them - all 2 MILLION of them! So little by little, as we can - we ARE making progress! Since we are into September now and have about a month more work to do we may just winter here (NO Hurry for the ice & snow up north!) unless THE house becomes available in Ohio.
Nancy - just wondering if you filed the INTENT TO FILE with your mom's VA application. The benefits are paid RETROACTIVE to THAT date regardless of when you actually submit the claim. I plan to do that today for ours. The claim form number is 21-0966. Your name & social goes on the first as the preparer and hers is the 2nd. There are some You Tube videos on that. It can be a SUBSTANTIAL amount of back pay if you do it.
I am keeping up with you all on here and praying for your needs, but just haven't had the extra energy to post.
Blessings upon your Sunday, Ladies,
Ade
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Ade, glad to hear from you. I am glad you are making good progress. Staying over winter sounds like a good plan. I am glad you were not near the shooter. I was pretty sure I had heard you either speak of Odessa or Midland in the past so that was probably when mentioning the VA clinic.
I did do the intent to file and that was in June. The actual application was received just recently. The delay was actually because my advocate forgot to give me a form and by the time I got that form a couple of weeks transpired and that required my Mom's signature. So I did realize that if approved it will be retroactive to that date in June. I am praying her money does not run out before she actually gets any benefit.
I am not sure how complicated your application is but I am imagining it is quite burdensome as the one I did for my Mom. I don't know if you have the advantage of having a VA advocate who can help you on this but I remember saying to mine that I don't know how people do this on their own. There were parts of the application I could have gone down a path that would have taken me a good part of the summer to acquire documents and evidence and he basically said they don't want that. However there are new forms as of October and these were apparently quite a bit different than previous ones. I just hope he knows what he is talking about. I think my cousin did her application on her own when filing for my Mom's sister but I am not certain about that. I hope you can figure it all out. At the time my advocate told me you have one year after filing the intent to file to complete the application but I imagine you already know that. Of course I don't know if that is the same for your situation or not. My BIL ended up getting one of the State representatives involved and that really lit a fire under the VA and he got action definitely to his benefit. Praying James will be able to get the same result.
Our sisters in the path of Dorian.............praying for you.
Teka, I hope you didn't do any damage to your eye. Resting sounds like a good plan.Yesterday I was weeding on my patio on my knees and lost my balance and fell into my brick patio wall. Initially I thought I broke my pinky finger. I hit my knuckles and it looked like I had punched someone! I just have a bruised pinky but otherwise intact. I had JUST talked to a neighbor at the grocery store not an hour before and she paid her bill by using her fancy watch. I said I would like one of those too. She said you should have one in case you fall. I just said I am NOT going to fall. Oh well.
Have a safe weekend dear sisters. I am planning on facing my fears and planning a trip to the Chicago Botanic Garden to visit their Butterfly Exhibit as Monday will be the last day of the season. The traffic can be hair raising for sure but I am going for it. I need prayers!!
Love,
Nancy
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Teka, glad your eye is feeling better. Wow, that is some huge beautiful morning glory. I don't think I will be petting any bees anytime soon but I can get a little closer to them when taking pics without as much fear as I used to.
I did make it to the Chicago Botanic Garden without any problems other than I imagine my blood pressure was elevated quite a few times!!! I was telling my social worker what a big deal this was for me to take this solo drive into the metro Chicago area. I was the victim of a gang crime many years ago when I was on my way to my very first wedding gig as a clarinetist in a quintet. I was a passenger with my friend driving. We came to a stop light and this guy walked very slowly in front of our car. In the meantime which I didn't realize another guy was coming from behind the car and probably with a baseball bat broke the window where I was sitting and I had glass shatter all over me. I really thought that was the end of us. My friend gunned it and I remember hearing the tires squealing as we raced around the corner. She thought I had been shot but I was okay. She saw the guy grab my purse but in my reflex to protect my head I just put my hand over my head and didn't even see him take the purse. My clarinet reeds were in my purse and it was a terrifying experience which actually went on for some time as they had my car keys, apt keys and my drivers license so they knew where I lived. The police said many times they will go back and try to rob the house. I did play the wedding that day.......another long story. So going solo to this place was a huge victory over fear for me. My social worker was saying that this type of trauma can cause reactions years later.
Continued prayers for our ladies in the path of the hurricane.
Here is one photo from yesterday.
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Wow Nancy...what a terrifying story and I understand your fear now. Ade, glad you and James are feeling better enough to work. Sounds like God is moving your mountain.
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Chris, yes it was terrifying and the fear continued for a long time wondering if this gang would find my apt. at that time and do more harm.
As we see footage from the Bahamas it is just hard to comprehend the devastation and suffering. We pray for our friends in the Carolinas from this thread as the hurricane seems to be gaining strength and hitting land in the next couple of days. Praying for protection and provision.
I found out today that one of my cousin's wife had a heart attack and died. She was only 75 and we are all in shock as this was totally unexpected.
I resumed my swimming today after the pool being closed for so long. I cannot tell you how great it feels after getting in a swim session. I am so grateful as it has been a difficult summer for me.
Take care dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
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