thread for middle age to older Christian women.
Comments
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Shannon, I hope you feel the love and prayers from all the dear sisters here. You can insert your own name in this Scripture to make it more personal.
Faith, I am praying for you as your grand daughter's wedding nears. This banner is for you too and for anyone dealing with fear.
Thank you dear sisters for coming alongside Shannon in her time of need.
Love,
Nancy
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Chris, I hope your onc apt went well and your eye apt. I had both of my eyes done in 2012 and a second cataract is forming on one eye. I guess this is normal around 10yrs post surgery. If I have this right you will be traveling to see you new uncle and your new family on Wed which on my time here is today. I will pray that you will be able to handle the crazy traffic and get there with with no problems. I am praying you have a great time with them. I am not sure when you will be at your Airbnb but I do hope it can be a fun and relaxing time for you.
Esther, praying for your trip back to your destination and hopefully you got everything you need in this load. I do hope you will find this time to be fun and relaxing although I know you have some business to tend to while there.
GB, how are you doing?
Irisheyes, how are you doing?
Shannon, I am praying that you are feeling some better. I hear it takes a few weeks before the AD will work. I do hope that will take the edge of of this depression for you.
It is very late and I have to get to bed.
Take care everyone.
Love,
Nancy
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Thank you all for your prayers and standing with me! I am so thankful for my sisters in Christ!
Yesterday was better. But I always do better on days I have hubby with me. He brings so much joy to me. I’m praying today will be a good day. I will keep busy and trust God for complete healing.
I have surgery coming up soon and I have to make some choices. Please continue to pray for me and pray for wisdom and for God to give me clear answers.
Again thank you all!! I’m still praying for you all! I check everyday for new prayer requests here. And I always include your prayer requests in my prayers every morning and whenever God lays you on my heart.
I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week!
Love and hugs
Shannon
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Thank you all for sharing how great things the Lord has done and carried you through. I have a prayer request that seems kind of small considering what we have already gone through. But I was at the dermatologist the other day and he noticed a spot on the bottom of my foot that has been there forever and thought it should be biopsied for it had some similarities to melanoma. But I said NO for I have had a long standing fear of needles and the bottom of the foot yet I thought no way. But a dear friend of mine who is a nurse and goes with me to these masked appointments, hears for me since I mostly read lips and have a hearing loss, persuaded me to reconsider. So now there is a biopsy scheduled for Monday and I need your prayers. I need to not be resting in my own strength which is nothing, but in the Lord. I'm praying for all of you and and my heart goes out to each of you. Irish eyes, I'm glad that you found this group and we will be praying for you every step of the way!
Wheatfields0 -
Hi Nancy--thank you for checking on me!
I have Taxol #3 tomorrow. I'm nervous because I see the doctor this time. I have a bunch of questions for her, including about my GI issues and whether or not I should be concerned that my liver enzymes keep rising. They're not super high, but getting progressively higher each week. Covid vaccine #2 on Monday. Also nervous about that.
Wondering about my hair. So I lost about 2/3 of it on AC. It's extremely thinned and patchy. I have an old man bald spot--well, the entire center part area is like maybe 4 inches across, and you can see my scalp through the rest of my hair. I'm ok with that because I just wear the caps and turbans, and I have it cut short so it just peeks out the bottom. But they told me that when it grows back, it can be a different color/texture. So what happens if 1/3 of my hair is my normal hair, and 2/3 of it is a different color or texture? Yikes, that could look weird. I don't think buzzing it down would make a difference because the change comes from the follicles. It will just grow back odd. Maybe it won't happen at all and it will just grow back normally. Or maybe continued Taxol will just finish the rest of it off?
Work is, well, work. I guess that's a general prayer request. Thankful that I have colleagues willing to shield me from face to face involvement with patients (with no chance of distancing at all from whatever ills they might have). But it would still be nice for them to accommodate me with some work from home. It's up to corporate powers to do that, and they are, for whatever reason, not doing that. I've wondered if that goes against some sort of ADA protections, but I don't really have the energy to fight it. The person who would decide this doesn't seem to like me very much. :-(
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Wheatfields, I will pray for an easy removal and your speedy healing. It's wonderful that your nurse friend accompanies you to appointments. She sounds like a true and faithful friend.
Is it possible for your dermatologist to do a shave biopsy as opposed to an excision? A shave biopsy heals much faster and is less painful than an excision.
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Hi Wheatfields, I agree with Hershey that your nurse friend is a gem. I am so glad that she had you reconsider. Will she be able to be there with you for the actual biopsy? We will certainly be praying for you about this procedure on Monday and that it will be nothing serious. My podiatrist removed this lesion on my ankle and she was almost convinced it was cancerous and it turned out to be a wart so you never know with some of these things just by looking at it. When you have your procedure just don't look at the doctor and the needle at all and I know that helps me. I have had cortisone shots in my heel and as long as I can't see what is happening it helps me get through it. I am glad you reached out for prayer. I will be praying for calm these days going into Monday as well.
GB, you are handling your hair loss better than I would for sure. I guess the question of hair coming in not all the same might be a question to search on BCO. I am sure there are lots of women who could give input on that topic who have been through it before.
I will continue to pray for your work situation. I hope when you see your doctor tomorrow that he/she will give you answers to your questions that will ease your mind on things you are concerned with. Hang in there. You have two treatments down already and about to have your 3rd tomorrow. You are going to make it!!!!!
Shannon, I am glad you are feeling better. Many are praying for you. When is your last treatment and do you have a set surgery date? I have been praying that the Lord will give you wisdom in these tough decisions regarding your surgery. We are all here for you.
Love,
Nancy
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Hello again friends, thank you all for your prayers, sometimes I think I feel them working, Nancy, I found a different dress online that I like fairly well and best of all needs no alterations. And, DH thinks it makes me look slimmer. That's always a good thing. We leave in a couple of weeks for our DGD's wedding and I'm getting more anxious about the whole trip. Idaho has one of the highest rates of Covid and I can't get a booster since I have the Moderna vaccine and there is no vaccine for it yet. I think the rate of Covid is coming down so we will just have to trust in God that all will be well. I've been doing fairly well with my anxiety on another new med until today when it reared it's ugly head again. I'm not sure why it's back, but I could use some prayers for peace and safe travels. I also have to ask for more prayers for my DH, he's still having problems from his knee replacement and now they discovered that his carotid artery is almost 80% blocked and he doesn't know what to do as there is a risk to the surgery. He's started taking cholesterol meds to help clear the artery but he has awful SE's from it, terrible leg pains to add to the knee pain.
I'm sorry I haven't welcomed all the new people here but know that you are welcome and I am praying for your needs. I thought it might help some of you to know a little of my story and I'm going to make a long story short. I first had BC 30 years ago in 1991 with node involvement and had a mastectomy with an implant. Also had chemo and lost all my hair. (It came back, thankfully). It was a fairly easy recovery with some issues along the way, but mostly I was fine until almost 6 years ago when it came back in my left lung. I started on IBrance for about 19 months and took a break for a vacation, expecting to start up again when we returned. My Onc said to just use letrozole for awhile since I had so many SE's from the IBrance and more importantly he thought my tumor was slow growing. Well here I am almost six years later and still only using letrozole to keep my tumor in check. I just saw him yesterday and he said things look good. I will have a PET scan in January and then will know for sure but I don't live in fear anymore. I've had a good life and I'm now 81 years old and going to see the first of our 10 grandchildren get married in a couple of weeks. I hope I can see some great grandchildren before our Dear Lord calls me home. I was only 50 when this started and none of our four children were even married. I think I always believed and prayed I would live long enough to die of something besides BC and with God's Grace, I just might. I'm telling you all of this in hopes that you will believe that you can and will live long and happy lives.
Have a peaceful night with restful sleep everyone. Love and prayers,
Faith (in the future)
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Hi All, I had a wonderful visit with my new extended family. Learned some things I won't bother you all with, but I also learned the responsibility of being a living witness to my family. My main takeaway is that they were happy that I could tell them God placed me with a good family and that I had a good upbringing. The fact that made them happy sums up my visit. The drive was good (thanks to my daughter) although I probably shouldn't have gotten my flu shot yesterday and planned the trip today. I had a headache and slight fever last night, but by the time we reached LA I was doing ok. I do have a lot to think about...
GB, I will be praying for your treatment tomorrow. I don't know about your hair loss but thank you for your honesty. It is something I think about if and when I switch over to chemo.
Shannon, I continue to pray for your treatment decisions and surgery. May God's presence continue with you through it all.
Wheatfields, your nursing friend sounds like a real treasure. I pray your foot issue proves to be minor.
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Faith, I received the Moderna shot also but I have already had my booster, the third shot. I don't understand your comment about one not being available. Perhaps I misunderstood or maybe it is your medical provider.
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I took this picture this morning. I am a very visual person. I often have thoughts and reflections of sights that I see.
What does this image say to you?
Irish
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Irish, that's a beautiful picture, it makes me think that God is coming to rescue us. Let us pray that's true.
Chris, according to the news I hear and my doctors, there is no approved vaccine for Moderna yet, but hopefully coming soon. I don't know what booster you received but I doubt it was Moderna. I think I did hear they were giving the Pfizer vaccine booster to some compromised people like us. Whatever you received, I pray it continues to work for you. I'm happy to hear you had a nice trip to meet more of your family.
God bless,
Love, Faith
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Faith, I looked on the actual bottle for my booster and it was Moderna, and the vaccine card has Moderna and the lot number on it. The Kaiser clinic where I went has both available and looked at my files for which one to give. Strange we have conflicting info.
Irisheyes, love the picture!
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Chris, I am glad you had a good time with your new family and made it there safely. Sorry about your flu shot reaction. Are you now at your Airbnb? I hope you enjoy the time there.
Irish, that picture tells me that I should still be in bed. LOL However I was up early today but it was pouring rain so I didn't get to see the sunrise. That is a beautiful picture. Thanks for sharing with us.
Faith, I am so glad you got a dress that doesn't need to be altered. Hey if someone told me I looked slimmer in a particular dress you can be sure that is the one I would pick!!! I am sure you will look beautiful in it. Okay, I am a bit confused regarding Pfizer and Moderna. I just spent the last several minutes trying to make head or tails of this issue. The CDC hasn't helped in this confusion. It is in a way a matter of semantics regarding booster being the third shot or not. It is true that Moderna has not authorized their booster yet BUT YOU can get a third dose of it. I am not sure if Walgreens is offering that too. As long as it is a month after your second you can get it and with your diagnosis you would not have a problem. Just finding out where would be the challenge as this is more restrictive than the third of the Pfizer on who can get it. I haven't said much because I didn't want to scare anyone BUT I had my booster of Pfizer on Friday and the nurse told me it was the SAME as the prior two doses. I am still not completely over the side effects. I was pretty sick actually. I was much better on Tuesday and then Wed I felt like I was getting sick with a horrible headache and chills again. I have had a lingering hacking cough since the shot. I don't mean to scare you but if you want to get one you would need to do it ASAP not only for any side effects but it takes two weeks to be fully effective. For some reason I thought your wedding was on the 15th but getting that mixed up with another friend. See if you can find something online. If you could get the third shot it might alleviate some of your anxiety about Idaho. I'll be praying that you can find something soon.
I did make it to the dentist today but was concerned about this lingering cough. Thankfully I didn't have to cough while I was there and it was a pretty painless procedure until I heard your insurance won't pay for this. Then it was a little more painful BUT it was a simple smoothing out an edge of the crown and not replacing the whole crown which would have been a big expense. So I am grateful it was not worse.
GB, praying you will mange your 3rd Taxol today without any GI issues.
Have a good day dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
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Good morning ladies, Got a late start today, had a bit of trouble with restless legs and I think anxiety as I continue to wait for the Oncotype test, so that I can start my treatment.
Came out to the office to try to finish making corrections to the book that I am trying to publish. Struggling to keep focused, I start to think, then check email, reread paragraph, check my email - rinse and repeat - UGH!
Enough gripping. I know that the wait is part of the process, doesn't mean I have to like it though.
I look out the office window realizing that I must take time to look outward, so that this doesn't dominate my days.
Thoughts? Ideas?
Irish
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Irisheyes, God has placed blessings around you just for today. Look all around and see the goodness God has for you.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing. Psalm 34:8-9Waiting for me is the hardest part too. Sounds like you are an active person and do better when you are busy. I am learning to rest more but it is difficult. I am trying like Paul to be content in all my circumstances, to pray without ceasing, and to praise continually. It is tough when I don't feel well and carry unnecessary burdens, but God is faithful.
I am praying for you today.
Chris
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IntoLight
Thank you so much Chris.
I have never been a good wait-er.
Psalms 34 is one of my more favorite passages, thank you for that.
I am going to try and focus on that verse today.
I remember how the children of Israel had to wait.
Jacob had to wait.
Hannah of the Old Test had to wait.
So many other example of the wait.
So often God calls us to wait.
Maybe the wait to strip us of trying to control.
More importantly to show me how much I need Him.
Irish
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Taxol #3 was ok. I had my long list of concerns for the oncologist and she was pretty unconcerned about all of them, which I guess is good. She's pretty non alarmist so I know if there's a problem she'll tell me. Suggested a probiotic and told me to try to eat normally (I'd been avoiding a lot of things). Said my issues are pretty standard with Taxol. Was up like 3 lb which is kind of a surprise considering I barely ate for the last week. Steroids I guess.
Still worried about everything though. I really need to be on anxiety medication, but don't really want to start a new med, so that's that for now. Maybe someday. :-(
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Hi dear sisters. I had a bad night last night and decided I needed to go to urgent care today which I did. I didn't even try to get into my primary doctor. This urgent care has things that I figured I would have to go elsewhere to get like xrays if I went to my primary. My issue is a cough that started the day after my Covid booster and got worse as the week progressed. I saw a NP and one who I had seen before and is very good. I had a Covid and flu test and both were negative. I had a chest x-ray and that ruled out pneumonia. She is treating this as bronchitis and I already have my new inhaler and some cough meds now. She did not want to give me steroids which might have been the usual protocol because she said it could interfere with my Covid booster doing it's job. I would appreciate your prayers that this will clear up quickly. She said she doesn't believe this had anything to do with my vaccine and believes this was a secondary issue that happened to piggyback onto everything else this week.
Irish, I hope you are feeling better at this point. Chris has given you some good verses and good advice to hang onto. Waiting is not my strong suit either and I don't think it is for most of us. When our future treatments depends on this test it is only natural to have some anxiety about that. I pray that the Lord will give you some good distractions and clarity of thought so you can work on your book. Sounds interesting.
Chris, I sense that you have more things on your mind than you did before meeting your family. Praying that God will take those burdens you feel and let Him carry them for you.
GB. I am glad that #3 Taxol was okay for you. I normally have GI issues and I take two probiotics and adding that to my supplements years ago was a game changer for me. I would highly recommend it. You did mention something that stood out only since this issue came up with me today at urgent care. You mentioned you are on steroids. I think you still have to get your second Covid vaccine. My NP today said that she would have put me on steroids today but it would inhibit the immune systems response to the Covid vaccine. So just a head up for you on that front. You might want to run that issue by one of your doctors. We will continue to pray for you and I do pray your anxiety will improve as you go through your treatments. You already have 3 treatments down and you are doing so well. Hang in there. You can do this.
Esther, praying for you as you prepare for your tenting and as you travel back and forth in preparation for that. Just think that in a couple of weeks this will all be history and those little buggers will have met their Maker!!!!!
Chris, the same thought for you as well as your tenting takes place. I know your cruise was rescheduled. Is that coming up soon?
Take care dear sisters. Have a great weekend.
Love,
Nancy
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The oncologist told me to get my second shot on Monday, so a few days after the steroid with enough time to recover from side effects before the next treatment. It's not ideal but with weekly Taxol it's hard to time it perfectly.
The vaccine might not be as effective but I think they think it's better than waiting until Dec when I'm done with chemo, especially since I work in healthcare and can't escape exposure as well. It's already in my mind to maybe get boostered later on. I think even if it's not a full immune response, hopefully it will still offer some protection.
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GB-praying for you today and your treatments. Praying for side effects to be minimal and for healing to happen in your body!
Irish- praying for you and your book. I’m not a good “waiter” either. Patience has never been my strong suit. BUT God! He has such huge plans for us all. Nothing, not even time, will change the destiny He has for you!! Nancy I’m glad you got to see the dentist. Sorry that it is not covered. Praying God will make a way for that to be paid without it disrupting your financial well being.I had a good day! Me and my daughter went to Hobby Lobby and shopped and stopped and got drinks at a coffee shop. It was nice to get out and just relax without worries for a little while.
I have two more chemo treatments to go and then I will have surgery the first week of November. Pretty anxious about it. But I know God has me.
Thank you all for your prayers and if I missed anyone tonight know that I have prayed for you today. I go through each day and pray for all of you any prayer requests you have posted.
Hugs to all!
Shannon
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Good afternoon, I want to thank everyone for praying. I felt a wave come over me, I knew it was the prayers. It is the power of the body of Christ.
Iris
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Praying that you all are having a blessed Sunday. And Nancy that you are feeling better, and also that Shannon, Irish and GB are feeling that peace that passes all understanding. Thank you Faith for sharing your story with us, for it is such an encouragement. Hershey, I'm not sure about the dermatologist but thinking he is going to just take a small piece of skin to send in, i.e. maybe a shaving. As the time approaches I'm feeling more anxious, yes, my friend that is a nurse will be able to go with me. I do have a prescription for 1mg of Ativan which I cut into 1/4 some nights to help me sleep, I was thinking about taking a 1/4 tomorrow morning as we are leaving. It seems that would help me to relax more. Psalm 34 is a great encouragement as mentioned and I especially love v.4 ~ Praying for you all and thank you for your prayers!
Wheatfields
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Wheatfields, I have been praying for you for tomorrow. I am glad you have some meds. I am glad your nurse friend will be going with you. I wonder if you could ask your nurse friend if she thought it would be okay to take some of that med before your procedure. They will probably be giving you something to numb your foot so I don't want to give any advice on that as that could maybe interfere with the numbing agent. I will continue to pray for you. I have been quite sick and that is my reason for not posting the last couple of days.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, I am so sorry to read you are so sick. Please rest and get well. Sending continual prayers for your recovery.
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Nancy, I am so sorry that you are feeling unwell. Do you feel up to making a trip back to Urgent Care? Perhaps a phone call to the NP will suffice. I pray that you feel better very soon.
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Thank you Nancy and I am so sorry you are not feeling well, many prayers are with you that you continue feeling better each day! The Lord did get me through the spot removal and I'm comfortable yet because it's still numb. Praise the Lord! May he comfort you today too and heal you.
Love, Wheatfields0 -
I hope you feel better Nancy!
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Thank you everyone for your prayers. I really appreciate them. Yesterday I started having GI issues with my cough meds so I am not sure how many more of them I can tolerate.
Wheatfields, I am so glad you are home from your procedure now. Praying for a good result.
I have my very hot bath ready to inhale all of the moist heat which does help. I will see how I am feeling today before calling urgent care again.
Have a good day dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
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Thank you all for your prayers. I will be seeing my primary doctor tomorrow.
I hope you are all having a good week.
Love,
Nancy
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