thread for middle age to older Christian women.
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Hi ladies,
My new mantra of I can do all things through Christ who strengths me and The Joy of the Lord is my strength (which I can sing out loud) has sustained me through a rough several days. I have been nauseated, totally wiped out and also today a bad stomach ache. I am praying for wisdom as I think I have narrowed it down to a few different things but sorting it all out is the challenge. It sounds like I am certainly not alone in challenges.
Shannon, I am really sorry to hear about your Mom and how this has affected you. I am certainly praying that it will be nothing. I hope she can get all of the tests done and results back quickly. The waiting to find things out is so hard. I am glad you are doing well with your radiation. You did so well with your chemo that I hope you can breeze through this. I am praying for both of you.
Chris, I am glad you had a release with tears. I tend to hold things inside until it feels like a volcano erupting when I can finally cry and release all the pent up emotions and fears. You have been through so much and I am glad you had your time of tears and are feeling better. I am glad things are moving forward even though I imagine waiting for tests so far out is so difficult. So happy you got a good report from your eye doctor so one thing to check off your list of concerns. I will certainly be praying for your oncology apt tomorrow. I pray that you are very comfortable with this new doctor and will feel confident with your treatment plan moving forward. Your new house sounds like a dream and it is going to be fantastic when you have all your family in for your big anniversary celebration. Try to think on that as you go through all of the other things that are weighing heavy on your mind. You are one of the strongest people I know and you will get through this!!!!!!!
GB, I love that you are back to enjoying your birds. I am not even sure if I know what a Mockingbird looks like but I am pretty sure we have them here.
Take care everyone.
Love,
Nancy
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Chris, I hope today's appointment with the new oncologist went well. Your new home sounds fantastic!
Nancy, I do hope you feel better soon and are able to get out and enjoy a peaceful walk around the lake.
Shannon, I'm so sorry to read about your mom and how her news is affecting you. I will keep you two in my prayers.
Wishing everyone a relaxing weekend.
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Chris, I hope today's appointment with the new oncologist went well. Your new home sounds fantastic!
Nancy, I do hope you feel better soon and are able to get out and enjoy a peaceful walk around the lake.
Shannon, I'm so sorry to read about your mom and how her news is affecting you. I will keep you two in my prayers.
Wishing everyone a relaxing weekend.
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Looks like the site is back up and running and I hope everyone did well these last few days.
Shannon, how are you and your mom doing? I am sure this is rough and I continue to pray for you both.
I am starting a new treatment (for me) but it is too soon to tell how it is going. My new oncology team seem to be on top of things and I am able to trust the process. Otherwise, things are about the same. We closed on our house, the weather is warming up for a few days, and it looks like my family will all be here in June for our 50th Anniversary. If my treatment can stay bearable until then, I will be happy.
Blessings, Chris
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We're testing it. We miss you
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Glad things seem to be up and running again. Thanks, mods! Sorry for all the grief you've probably been getting.
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Hi everyone.
I was quite surprised to see BCO up and running and grateful that it is for now.
Thank you to the Moderators as I can only imagine how many emails you have received. I think one thing really stood out to me and that is we take things for granted until they are gone. Hopefully the community forums will be able to keep going in the midst of the tweaking.
Carol, I got your blog update and read it. I can tell you that I had terrible scanxity going into my mammogram yesterday. You don't know what happened to me in 2019 but I can share that another time. My scans are fine. Very relieved. I am praying for your scans coming up. I had never known all the details of what you go through and it is a lot. Praying for a good outcome.
Hershey, thanks for asking about me. I thought I had responded but didn't dare try to go backwards right now. I hope you are doing well.
Teka, I am glad you are back to lurking and posting as well. My chipmunks have surfaced but now are a little confused as we are expecting more snow.
I have not tried to go backwards and that didn't work so well the last time I was on here. I have a zoom class coming up soon so I am typing as fast as I can.
I have continued to have GI trouble but have been better the last few days. I pushed a little too hard today and some things did not agree with me. Hopefully this will pass soon.
Shannon praying for you and for your Mom.
Chris, I have been so concerned about you and I didn't know how long BCO would be down. I am relieved to hear that you are now on another treatment. I am praying that it will knock your cancer to the curb and you will enjoy minimal side effects. I know you have been talking about your anniversary since last year and I am praying it will just be awesome.
I have prayed for each one of you. I must sign off for now.
Love,
Nancy
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Chris, I'm happy your oncology appointment went well. It sounds like the oncologist is well versed and proactive. I hope the new treatment plan delivers excellent results.
Nancy, you've accomplished much with the diet and exercise program. I hope the GI issues settle down soon.
Wishing everyone a peaceful weekend.
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Hershey, thanks. I have lost 11 lbs. Not sure if I have mentioned that or not but GI issues still hanging around but I am determined to press on. I have invested way too much time effort and money to stop now. I am on hold on the food reintroduction because of the GI issues so my food list of things I can eat is still rather short. Are you enjoying more free time now that you have less work hours? How is your Mom doing? I continue to pray for her as well as for you and for everyone on this forum.
My free photography zoom session I did last night is going to pay off today. They are offering for those of us who took the class a free firmware update for as many cameras as we want to bring in by tomorrow. That is about a $90 savings for three of my cameras so after my dentist apt you can be sure I am heading to the camera store!!!!! Thank you Lord for unexpected blessings.
We are in a rainy pattern so to see the sun again would be great. I did see it peek through for a very short time. I see buds on my backyard trees and that tells me spring is about to unfold sometime soon.
Take care dear sisters. Have a great weekend.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, I sometimes wonder how I accomplished anything around the house when I was working 40 hours a week. Housework, errands, and miscellaneous appointments were squeezed into evening hours and Saturdays. It's nice now to do some yardwork or go to an appointment after leaving the office at 12:30. I am thankful for that.
My mom is doing well. Her baking club has been busy making spring treats, and she's looking forward to planting a tomato or two in the community garden in a couple of months.
That's a fantastic deal on updating your cameras' firmware. Your camera shop is providing great customer service to its patrons.
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Hershey, the talk among retirees especially the newbies is how in the world did we squeeze everything in when we were working. Many of us have pretty full schedules in retirement and wonder how we had time to work. LOL So I do get exactly what you are saying. I am glad you are enjoying that time to get things done and still hopefully have time left over to relax and enjoy yourself. It makes me smile thinking of your Mom in her baking class. The community garden is a fantastic idea. I have not heard or seen that around here but that is such a great thing. There is something therapeutic about gardening. I am sure she will love that.
Actually I just got back from the camera store. It was a long time there BUT I actually saved $105 on my three cameras but of course I had to buy something so $30 later it was still a fantastic offer. They mentioned on the Zoom session that the manager of our camera store got Salesman of the Year or some great honor. They have a booming business even during the pandemic so I am fortunate we have them so close. I have taken several classes in store and it is just a great thing to have this in retirement.
Well my personal chef didn't show up tonight so I guess I better head to the kitchen. HA HA
Love
Nancy
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Still having trouble with this new stuff.
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Still having trouble with this new stuff.
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I'm glad the site is sort of up and running. I've not posted a lot because I just haven't had the motivation. Nancy, I'm sorry you're having digestive issues. No fun at all!
I'm sorry I can't remember who said what - there's been a lot of catch-up with the site being down for a while.
I'm trying to get my weight down to 122. It's where I feel best, and I recently climbed to 135 and I just didn't like it. I figured out a plan that works for me: I have a Fitbit that counts my steps and calories. I don't put a lot of faith into the calorie burn number, but I've been recording that number on a spreadsheet. The next day, I subtract 500 calories and make that my intake goal. I rarely burn more that 2,000 calories, per my Fitbit, but I'm a week and a half in and am down 2.2 lbs. I'll take it. It feels do-able to me.
I'm also (sort of) intermittent fasting and have coffee with milk in the morning, but then don't eat until noon. We shall see.
I have my CT and nuclear med bone scans on Monday. Nancy, I'm working on my next blog post, which is titled "Reprieve." I hope I get another 3-month reprieve. If not, I'll have to come up with another idea - haha.
Wishing all my sisters a lovely and peaceful weekend.
Carol
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Carol, where is your blog?
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gb, it's at https://my-sunny-side-up.com
I think there is a link in my bio, but I'm never sure if it shows up there.
Carol
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Hi ladies,
It's good to be able to get on the site again and read, although while it was down I thought thank goodness we can always pray. GB I loved your story about the mockingbird and had just been wondering how you were doing with your new bird feeders and all. Carol, your blog is very good and praying for a reprieve - it did come up for me with the link. Also, praying for you Nancy and the diet issues, and Hershey and your mom, also Shannon and your mother. So nice to hear about Faith and Ade now and then. Keeping you all in prayer. Have a wonderful weekend!
Wheatfields
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Hi ladies.
Jean, you are not alone in still experiencing difficulties with the forum. How are you doing? Your family?
GB, I think of you often when I am watching my birds. Actually they are probably not happy with me because we had lots of rainy days and the feeders are empty now. I was able to buy more feed yesterday so my only excuse is I am inside in my comfy warm house and dreading going outside. I saw a hawk flying low near my house and that will make the birds do a fast exit before you can blink.
Carol, you sound like you are on a good fitness track. I use my Samsung phone and there is a Samsung Health app which I have used the last couple of years. You know how some women like to collect many shoes. Well, I like to collect watches. I know. I sent my sister a picture of 11 watches that I had taken to get batteries recently. She texted and said is that normal? LOL No one has ever accused me of being normal!!! She has no idea that that was certainly not all of them that I own. I like some bling from time to time so like shoes I like to coordinate my watches to my outfit. So I have not come to the point of giving up my watches for a fitbit yet but I do like that you can track your sleep. In my Zoom classes with our health coach during the five week detox she had mentioned the free app Cronometer. You might find that app helpful as well. It can track calories etc. Congrats on your weight loss. Mine is very slow but they always say that is a good thing. I have never officially done intermittent fasting on purpose but I naturally have many hours in between meals usually. I can't do a keto diet because everything I have read says with underactive thyroid (which I have) it is probably not a good mix since Keto affects your metabolism. One of my former principals lost 50 lbs and his cardiologist wanted him on a keto diet after he had a heart attack. He looked terrific when we were having retiree breakfasts before the pandemic hit. I have been praying for GOOD results for your upcoming scans so that your Reprieve blog will be a reality.
Wheatfields, it is good to hear from you. I hope you are doing well. I drank no smoothies with my detox ingredients today and so far I am doing really well. I think I just have to let my system calm down after the flare. Thanks for your prayers and concern. I always pray for you. Faith really needs our prayers. I need to touch base with her again. She has multiple issues plus her DH has some real concerns as well and I know that weighs heavily on her heart. Ade and James are doing fine.
Shannon, how is your Mom? How are you? How are you doing with your radiation treatments? Prayers for both of you.
Hershey, have a great weekend. We got a little snow but nothing that stayed. I have been all pumped up over my photography class so I have a goal to pursue some new things with my camera now.
Chris, how are you feeling on your new treatment? I have been praying hard for you. I can feel your excitement of your upcoming BIG anniversary and I can't wait until you have guests in your new house with all of the bedrooms. That is awesome. How is your daughter doing in her new job? How is Briana adjusting to her new school? How are your eyes doing? My sister is having her first cataract surgery on Monday. It is interesting how different eye surgeons do things differently. She has been using eyedrops before surgery. One of her friends had cataract surgery with my Mom's old eye doctor and he uses a newer technique and she doesn't have to use any eye drops at all.
Well it is later than I thought. I have to get to the kitchen.
Take care dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
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Carol...lol, yes the link is there...I just apparently have an incredibly poor attention to detail...
Bird feeders are good with lots of full birdie bellies. Mostly chickadees, tufties, Carolina wrens, and woodpeckers (downy and red bellied) with the occasional nuthatch. There is also a house finch couple that will fly in and spend a great deal of time eating. They are always together. Mourning doves eat from the ground underneath every morning. Lots of cardinals hang around but they don't seem to eat much. I noticed that a feeder fill lasts longer now, I imagine because it's spring so they have more of other things to eat.
The bluebird family is still here. We're wondering when they will start nesting. They spend a great deal of time sitting on and looking in the bb house, but no nesting behavior has started. I seem to remember them getting a later start last year.
Slowly learning the bird songs with the help of Merlin. I can identify quite a few now. Merlin tells me I'm picking up pileated woodpeckers and northern flickers near a wooded area on my walks at work, but I have yet to see these birds.
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Oh, I forgot. We had to pull the suet nugget feeder down. The squirrels kept pulling it down and dragging it all over the yard. Meanwhile, mice got into the nugget bag and ate the rest of them. We're in the middle of trapping mice now. I think we'll stick to seed for awhile!
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Nancy, how in the world do you remember everything when you post here? I have to open a Word document, then go through the recent posts. You amaze me! J I ended up getting a new Fitbit yesterday because my old one wouldn't sync. Tech support finally gave up (they were kind and helpful) and I found one at Best Buy and they delivered it yesterday afternoon. Still trying to figure this one out. It's a wrist model, which I don't prefer. I have to tuck it into my sock when I'm on the under-desk elliptical machine. I'll get used to it – I just don't like change. I love your watches story. Thank you for your prayers. I'm usually not a worrier, but I don't have a good feeling about these.
Gb and wheatfields, thank you for your support and your prayers. I'll update here when I get the scan results.
Love, hugs, and prayers,
Carol
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Nancy, I appreciate you taking the time to remember everyone who is active and inactive on this thread. You have a real ministry here and I didn't want you to think you weren't appreciated. I sometimes update my prayer list from your posts!
I have a praise...my daughter and her daughter went to church this morning on her own initiative. I wanted to go so badly but I woke up with a lot of nausea and a strange rash so I didn't go. But she is doing well with her job and life. I can't wait to hear how things went. I see the gastereonterologist tomorrow so hopefully I can begin to get some answers.
I am sending prayers that all you sisters enjoy a peaceful and blessed Sabbath. May God be praised.
Chris
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Chris, that's happy news. Thank you for sharing that. Hoping you're feeling better this afternoon.
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GB, I have not had luck with the suet feeders either. I had what appeared to be a gazillion starlings that attacked mine and the was the first and last time I ever put out a suet feeder again!!! Your scenario sounds funny and mine looked like a horror scene from the movie The Birds!!!
Carol, I have not heard of a Fitbit that wasn't on the wrist and I have never heard of under the desk elliptical either. I don't know about my memory. I do take a brain supplement and maybe it is doing the job. Because my Mom died of Alzheimers I am of course concerned about getting that. I wasn't feeling so good going into my mammogram last week either but it turned out fine. I am praying for yours.
Chris, thank you for your kind words. That is so great about your daughter and Briana going to church. I hope they had an uplifting experience. I'm sorry to hear about your nausea and rash. I am praying this will not persist.
I was finally able to get back to church today after missing the last four Sundays due to sickness.
A friend invited me to go to a concert. We missed attending concerts the last two years so I am excited as this feels like one more step towards normalcy. We are seeing an orchestra and I think singers present music from Wes Side Story which is one of my favorite musicals and I love the music.
Have a good night everyone.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, I'm so glad you were able to attend church!
I've had the Fitbit One forever. It is/was meant to be clipped to a waistband or bra or placed in a pocket. It worked well for me, even though I had to replace it a few times. It's just getting used to this new device. It "makes" me take an extra 1,500+ steps to get to 5 miles per my tracker. The One took around 12k steps and the new inspire 2 takes 13,8k to get to 5 miles. Oh well. As long as I'm moving, I'm happy.
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Nancy, I have a Fitbit Zip. It hooks to my waistband or sports bra and connects via Bluetooth to my phone. It's not as robust as some of the wristband models, so it's much less expensive. It works very well for me.
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Hi ladies,
Has anyone has this experience with Arimidex? Last summer I was experiencing sharp shooting pains in one thumb joint and when I mentioned it to the MO's PA she said it could be the Arimidex so I took a 3 week break from it to see if there was a difference. There wasn't much change and I also didn't want to go through the trouble of changing meds because my body objects to most. But now I've noticed sharp shooting pains in both thumb joints plus the left thumb does a lot of clicking and locking at the joints. So next week I'm going to see an orthopedic doctor and ask. Just wondering could it really be Arimidex or "a type of arthritis". My toes especially on one foot become achy after I walk a considerable distance. Maybe it's just a part of being 69. Have a week filled with blessings!
Love, Wheatfields
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Wheatfields---I don't know, but I get what I feel might be arthritis-type pains that I firmly believe is from the medication. I'm on Zoladex + exemestane, but had similar pain with tamoxifen. It got better between stopping tamox and starting Taxol, but came back. This weekend I could barely walk between my ankle hurting, and then my shin hurting. The pain is in a different place nearly everyday. It doesn't respond to painkillers, heat, exercise or anything, and just disappears as soon as the next area starts hurting.The MO told me to start doing yoga--she's not much help with this stuff and her responses to side effects are a little flippant. I told her I don't get on the floor because I can't get up. Her answer was chair yoga. Ok. I'm 43, so it's not age related.
Please let us know what ortho says. I've thought about seeing ortho, but have also considered PT or possibly pain management.
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I got a voicemail that my scans looked stable. My MO is ordering an MRI of my hip and the foot that has been hurting. I'll see her on Wednesday for my regular appointment.
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Sunshine, yeah for stable! Great news.
Nancy, so happy you got to church. I miss it and hope I can attend next week. The concert sounds amazing too.
They moved my colonoscopy up to this Thursday so that is both scary and good. Not an emergency (they had a cancellation) but we all are tired of playing around with this thing and want some answers. It is good also because it is not such an early appointment and my daughter is off so we don't have to worry about the granddaughter's schedule. Still trying to find a solution to the $2100.00 copay for my new meds...There are people working on it trying Foundation grant money, etc. If not, we will just pay it.
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