thread for middle age to older Christian women.
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Good morning, my lovelies!
Nancy, beautiful photos. My first job when I finished grad school in 1982 was in Maine. I was paid $12k for the year. I think my apartment rent was $200 a month. It was actually a good job. I’m sorry your friend fell and hurt herself.
We have a rental townhouse that is vacant. Long term tenant of 11 years moved out. Place looks like he didn’t even live there. Minimal wear and tear. We’re upgrading the upstairs bathroom, but fortunately we can do most of the work ourselves. New carpet downstairs, new countertops in the bathrooms. Rents in the area are obscene! We’ve raised the rent maybe three times in 11 years and it was way below market value. We kept it low since our tenant was so good, but now we can bump it substantially.
I will see the palliative care physician on Wednesday. Will talk about current issues and goals.
Intolight, you’re in a tough position. I might be OK with someone staying for a short (weekend) visit, but longer than that would stress me out. Our kids are different, but I need my space and my peace and quiet. I like to nap on the loveseat in our den and don’t feel like I can do that when someone else is here. I, too, never know how I’m going to feel. DH is great about handling the details with meals, etc., which I really appreciate.
Teka, I love your photos, too!
Love to all,
Carol
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Nancy and Carol, I received my first Bachelor degree in 1980 and accepted a counselor position with a small liberal arts college in the Midwest. My salary was $11,000 per year, and I rented a large one bedroom apartment about 10 minutes from campus for $250 a month. Heat, water, and trash were included in the rent; I paid for electricity and my landline telephone. My position included paid medical and dental coverage as well as a small annuity ($300) through Travelers. I was thrilled and felt so blessed to have been offered such a luxurious position (well, luxurious to me).
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Hershey, those Linden trees are known for their perfect shape. Maybe I'll try to make some tea from the bloosoms. So now we know why you are so wise. You have been trained as a counselor. That would be funny if you taught at my college. I went to Illinois Wesleyan University. It was the size of my high school. Actually your salary sounds pretty decent compared to mine which was in the 1973-74 school year. My apt was $180 dollars and I had a roommate who was also knew to teaching and we got set up from some help from the school district. I had to live in a motel the first couple of weeks of school waiting for the apt to open up.
Carol, your teaching position in Maine sounded pretty good. I was in a small farming town and I had five schools spread out in three towns. Nothing like trial by fire.
Carol, what does your palliative care doctor do for you. I am thinking some time ago you were upset about seeing that type of doctor and then it wasn't quite what you thought it was. Do they think the radiation to the espsophagus was helpful? I sure hope so.
I had a lovely retirement brunch at my church this morning for this couple who has been the pillars of our church. The lady was my role model. She has been on 100 misions trips and most of them she led. Just fantastic people. She was a professional psychologist, she did church counseling and became an ordained pastor quite late in her life. She may be retired but she will never stop working.
I needed to get some potting soil from Home Depot to get my flower containers planted since I have most of the plants. The bags were wet from all the rain we have had and they were very heavy. I bought four and I had one of those big flatbed type of carts that have a mind of their own!!! Anyway I hauled the first bag into my trunk of my car and I don't know what happened but I lost my balance and fell really hard into the cart. I knocked my glasses half off my face and my shin of my good leg was killing me. I rolled up my pant leg fully expecting blood everywhere and there was nothing but it hurt like crazy. I got all the other bags in my car and on my way home I thought that would really be something if I broke a bone in my good leg a few days before finishing PT. I iced it and now my right arm is hurting as well. I may have bruises all over by tomorrow. I am just praying i won't have to have my leg xrayed and it will heal quickly. I already have a referral to this hand surgeon as my left thumb got so aggravated during PT. I just want to get a cortison shot in it. I have seen this doctor before when I had trigger fingers which were thought to be a side effect of Arimidex.
Have a restful evening eveyone and have a great Mother's Day.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, palliative care is focused on managing symptoms of a serious illness. It can often focus on pain control. The patient can still be on a curative treatment plan, like chemo. Hospice, on the other hand, is offered when curative treatment is stopped, and the patient generally has less than six months to live. I'm looking forward to getting some relief from the rash that seems to be spreading and talking about the bone pain and foot numbness.
My MO has offered to move up my next set of scans (due at the end of June), but I think I'll wait. The pain is uncomfortable, but not so bad that I need to take something for it.
My video visit with the palliative doctor is on Wednesday. I'll let you know how that goes.
Love to all,
Carol
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Nancy, how are you feeling today? I hope an xray won't be necessary. You're right about those long flatbed carts. They can seem to have minds of their own.
I enjoy reading about your early teaching days. Driving to 5 schools in 3 different towns could be dicey during the winter months, especially in rural Illinois. Were other specialists (Art and PE) on a similar schedule?
Yes, that would be funny if we had been at the same college. My school was located in Nebraska. It was a wonderful college: great faculty, staff, and students. I met my husband through work, too. His position eventually necessitated a move out-of-state.
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Nancy, I am sorry to read about your latest "bump." I agree in hoping you won't need an x-ray. The trees are lovely.
Yes, snow is normal this time of year in CO. Remember I live at 7000ft. But in the Spring snow may fall but where I live it rarely covers the ground for more than a couple of hours. We plant grass, trees, and flowers for our area. I can't wait until mine get finished and I can show you all.
I actually worked in the grocery industry for 20 years before switching to education. Then I was hired right out of school for a Gifted & Talented teaching position as I was continuing on to my MA degree in Gifted education since I was "older." I rolled right into a PHD program from there as I wanted to go into administration, which I eventually did. It was a quick succession and I am sorry I didn't go into education sooner. I originally had two schools. I currently live in the district where I started working. Gotta run—-more later.
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Ok, just had a quick mother's day trip to the local cowboy store 👢 🤠The sister who wants to visit is not the same sister who visited my family reunion/memorial for my brother. This one just got a divorce and has limited funds, and her sons graduated from high school the last two years, so at least they are older. I am thinking two days/nights max for a visit. I think that is all they can get off work anyways. My house is big enough to house them all with three guest rooms, but I can't do anything for them while they are here. I would feel bad for them to spend money on a hotel when they don't have to and will easily see my rooms. I think the boys can go hiking so us ladies can talk. I was told they cook and clean at home so they can look after themselves although I have never met them. Sounds like I made up my mind… Of course, I told her if I have a bad spell they may have to cancel. She said she was ok with that.
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Carol. thanks for clarifying your situation. I will specifically pray for your bone pain, foot numbness and rash. Any one of those things sounds like a lot but to have them all is definitely a lot to handle. I hope your apt with your doctor goes well on Wed. I hope your rental home reno goes well. Sounds like you had a fantastic renter.
Hershey, I am actually feeling pretty awful after having a long nap. I had heat and ice on for a while. I have a terrific headache but I am hoping nothing is broken but probably wrenched my whole body. My shin which I know I hit has not bruised yet but I have a feeling it will be a whopper when it does. I am actually afraid to say anything to my therapist since Tues is supposed to be my last sesssion. He told me on Friday he may add 20 more sessions because he will miss me otherwise. If it was the middle of winter I might consider a couple more but I am so ready to be done and I think if I broke something I would know by now even though my past history tells me that is not necessarily so. A story for another time.
In my first teaching position my main school oddly enough was one of the largest elementary schools in the state at that time. We had 7 sections of every grade. No the other "special teachers" did not travel like I did. The band director I followed left me NOTHING. The principals didn't seem to have a clue what the band director did either. I had to eek out my own way and somehow I did. I met the greatest people in that town of 15,000. My reunion I had with my teacher friends was from that town. In my 6th grade band I had a child prodigy clarinet player. I heard all of these stories before I actually met him for the first time. He was absolutely unbelievable!!!!! I became best friends with his parents and ended up spending many nights with them over the course of the four years I was there. His Mom and I and one of the chorus teachers created a trio and we played around town. Flute, clarinet and piano. I have great memories of that time spent there. I got my Masters after working summers on it and I took a leave of absence my four year and spent that whole year as a graduate assistant and taught a class at Northern Illinois University and finished my Masters and then moved to this area I am at now. The summer before I moved I worked in a fruit factory and I could write a book about that experience. Oh my!!!!!!!!!!!!
It has been fun hearing about all of your education experiences and grocery careers.
Chris, it sounds like you have made up your mind about your guests coming. We don't have cowboy stores around here ( at least not that I know of) but I would love to hear about that trip!! I have had this desire to take horseback riding lessons but at my age and issues it will probably only be in my dreams. I hope you get your flowers planted soon. You may have yours in before mine because this week looks like another rain week on the days I have time to plant.
Wheatfields, I hope you are having a great time with your sister.
Teka and GB, I hope you both had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend.
Take care everyone.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, I'm so sorry you were feeling unwell yesterday. I hope today is a better day for you. I can't recall whether or not you see a chiropractor, and your hesitancy to mention the leg injury to the physical therapist is understandable. Twenty more visits seem overwhelming.
Chris, I'm picturing horse tack and supplies galore at the cowboy store. It sounds like a fun Mother's Day trip.
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Nancy and Hershey, the cowboy store, Big Rs, is fun. When you walk up to the main door this time of year there is a large pen with live laying chickens you can purchase, then there are small baby chicks under lights inside. They have boots and adorable western clothes, gloves, hats, socks, etc., as well. We went to purchase boots for my granddaughter as they were on sale. It is full of ranch hardware like a hardware store, and feed and tack items. We buy our dogfood there and they have an aisle of dog treats and other items there also. It is like a western-themed Home Depot. We live in a ranch area although the city is gradually pushing it eastward. You can take your dog in and we usually bring Princess. She loves all the scents!
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Hershey, I think I wrenched my neck…hence the awful headache. That finally went away last night and today other than some areas of soreness I am ok. I am grateful for no broken bones. Yes, I saw a chiropractor for many, many years which I knew I wouldn't be able to afford in retirement. That is why I learned how to swim in my last year of teaching to swim laps as an alternative treatment. Unfortunately my Y permanently closed where I swam laps for years until the pandemic hit. Walking is now my only exercise even though I do get a little endorphine rise when doing my knee exercises. I want to resume my bicyle riding which I haven't done since my bc diagnosis. I will ask my therapist tomorrow what he thinks of that. I warm up with a NuStep machine at therapy so I wouldn't think it would be too different.
Chris, we have a Farm and Fleet in our general area which might be the closest thing to your Big R's. We have several horse stables in our area so there must be a place for them to go for things. That is great that you can take your dog. I saw the cutest pug at Home Depot recently inside the store and I have never seen that before. I don't think it was a therapy dog but it was riding in the cart and I was right behind them. It was so cute. I bet Bria looks adorable in her new cowboy boots. I remember as a child going someplace where they had chicks. I love that type of thing even as an adult. There is an unincorporated area right behind me and there is a house that has had chickens for many years. Seems strange around some near million dollar houses but that makes it all the more interesting on my summer walks which I will resume soon. I am getting in more steps in the last few weeks.
Kerry, how are you doing? Any news on the job front for your husband? Praying for you and DH.
Well I am doing some late laundry and have to go. I hope you all had a great weekend and have a great week.
Love,
Nancy
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HI Teka,
Just got out of a HOA board meeting. Yes, it was my last session of PT yesterday. I made my therapist a greeting card and wanted him to see it before we started. He was really touched by that so I am glad I made it for him. I didn't tell him about falling into the metal cart either. LOL I wanted him to know I was finished. I didn't have much time to do my Happy Dance because I got some really bad news regarding my sister's husband yesterday. I am waiting to find out more news which I will share if I can. Thanks for asking.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, I'm praying for your sister's husband.
Carol
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Nancy, praying that circumstances affecting your brother-in-law have improved.
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Nancy, I am praying for your sister and her husband. May God guide them safely through this challenge.
Blessings everyone for a warm and bright weekend.
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Thank you all for your prayers for my BIL and family. I don't have any more news at this point except he was able to go back to his regular room at this workshop so that was good news. . My sister is a master naturalist and is thrilled with the cicadas. She sent me a picture of their two big oak tree trunks. The cicadas were so thick on the ground it looked like mulch. A few days ago she sent me a picture of her holding a couple of them. She said they felt like a butterfly on her hand. I say NO THANK YOU. I saw one in my backyard as I was getting ready to plant some flowers yesterday. I can handle one but not a gazillion. This type of thing is one way my sister handles stress.
Carol, your experience in finding your MRI location sounds like you were in our hospital here. LOL I am glad you were able to find some helpful people to get you to and from your MRI safely. Your blog was humorous and poignant. I pray for you regularly.
It is going to be really hot here today. It feels like summer has already started.
Have a great weekend dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, so thankful the prayers for your BIL are working. But cicadas? I agree, no thank you! We left Nashville years ago and one of my grateful reasons was to leave the cicadas behind even though they don't bite. We also had noisy tree frogs and hordes of mosquitos. My DH could blissfully sit in the back yard and read, but not me. He would even surround me with bug zappers and citronella candles but I would still swell up with mega bites… I fear I am developing an allergy to insect bites and fear my next bee sting!
Carol, I love your elevator analogy. This disease has its ups and downs and I often get lost not only in the facilities but in navigating its tangled corridors and alleys of medicine and treatments.
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I am not sure if most of you are aware of all the cidada emergence this year or not. It is affecting a few states. This is not your run of the mill locust that we get every year. This little guy was right next to me planting flowers. He has big red eyes. This is a truly once in a lifetime event of the 13 yr and 17 yr cicadas all emerging in the same year. I know…… lucky us!!!! Some towns are capitalizing on this event. One town downstate is having a Lollacicadas festival this weekend imitating Chicago's Lollapalozza four day music festival. And yes, you can even eat them but I am not going there. Would you like your chocolate sundae with a few sprinles of cicadas. LOL I couldn't resist.
Chris, have your flower plantings happened yet? Thank you for your prayers for my BIL. I can't imagine losing your vision like he is. The one day he had a workshop he was all excited about what he was learning until he had that initial blood test that put him immediately in the hospital. This is a two week event and hopefully he didn't miss too much of it.
Enjoy your weekend everyone.
Love,
Nancy
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USA Today published a cicada map a few days ago. Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri are ground zero for the critters. You've hit the jackpot, Nancy! 😉
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Hershey, yep we hit the jackpot…………….and guess what the prizes are🙄.
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Hershey, thanks for that link to the map. I wasn't sure if that meant currently. My sister's county showed the 13 yr brood and my county showed the 17 yr brood. I had been doing some research on them as well. Once they emerge from the ground they only live 4-6 weeks. They live the majority of their life underground. It is interesting albeit pretty creepy. LOL
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I thought I would add a little good news… Eight years ago today I was initially diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. My CT scan today showed no evidence of cancer, anywhere. (My wording.) It is always difficult to post this when so many are struggling, but the general world doesn't understand that this doesn't mean I am cured nor that I have no side effects. I still struggle hourly with extreme fatigue and other side effects, including an emergency stop at a bathroom on the way home. I know you all get it…the fight continues. But I am praising God for His healing touch.
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Chris, I am joining you in praising God for 8 yrs of surviving Stage IV breast cancer and praising God for your CT scans today showing NO CANCER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have prayed for you for 8 yrs that God would give you many more years of good quality life on this earth to enjoy your family and friends longer. I continue to pray that your treatments will not cause you so many unpleasant side effects.
I have been hesitant to post this but I want to join you in praising God as I am now a 10 yr survivor of BC. I started treatments in May of 2014. One thing I have realized from being on this thread for 10 yrs is that each of us has our own challenges which are very specific to each one of us. I have said in the past that each of us has our own curriculum in life that we have to live out the best we can with the Lord guiding us each step of the way. Is there a reason and purpose to each of these curriculums? I definitely believe the answer is a resounding yes indeed. We have no idea of how our lives touch people around us. People watch us not only as Christians but as bc survivors and Stage IV women who are living their lives not knowing what the next day will hold. We just might be "that" person who others look to for inspiration and how we handle great challenges. God may be using us in very powerful ways that we may not understand at all on this earth until it is revealed in heaven. We may be the person that gives comfort to the newly diagnosed with bc and is terribly fearful and anxious. We know that there are people lurking on this thread to see what Christians talk about. So my prayer for each of us is that God willl give us the power, grace and dignity to live out our lives so that in the end we will hear well done good and faithful servent as we enter into our eternal home.
I had a wonderful weekend with great weather. I was able to attend a wonderful concert yesterday afternoon and everything was making for a perfect weekend until it wasn't. I started having a stomach ache and nausea after eating last night and I am still feeling it today. I would appreciate your prayers for a quick recovery.
Love,
Nancy
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Chris, I am praising the Lord with you and continue in prayer for you!
Nancy, praise the Lord also for you and praying that you are feeling better today. Also praying for your family.
I did have a good time with my sister. She does still want to return to their apartment in independent living so it is a bitter sweet situation knowing that she can't and be safe. I am thankful though for the caring staff and friends she has there and also, faithful friends from independent living who still stop by to visit.
I've been having some pain in one leg that is keeping me from walking as much as I like and starting PT today for it. My orthopedic doctor said it is some tendonitis with bursitis.
My nurse friend is back to not sleeping much at all. But she did cut the Remron in half from what the doctor prescribed which I don't think is good. But sometimes these nurses think they know best :)
Praying for all of you!
Love, Wheatfields
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Thank you, Jesus, for Chris' most excellent scan results and Nancy's 10-year cancer-free anniversary!
Wheatfields, I'm so glad that your visit to see your sister was a good one. Tendonitis can be very painful, and I hope that PT will reduce your discomfort. Your comment about some nurses gave me a smile. I know one nurse who thinks she's a doctor and likes to diagnose everyone, including herself! 😷
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Wheatfields, I am glad you had a good visit with your sister. It is a blessing that she has friends there and others who come to visit. I am sorry to hear about your leg. I hope your PT will help the pain to diminish and disappear. Having our usual exercise be interupted wih pain is disappointing. I imagine we will both be doing home exercises for quite a while.
I am still not feeling great but I am trying to gingerly do more today. I was running some fever last night and hopefully it is fighting the intestinal upset.
Thank you for your prayers. Today as I looked out at my flowers a couple had toppled over. We had high winds yesterday and into the evening. I was still in my night shirt and no shoes and quickly went out to pick up the one pot that toppled off my patio column. Another I didn't bother with and will get later. I noticed a couple of cicadas, one in the pot that blew over and another beside it. I am hearing them today for the first time. They do not have as robust of a sound as our annual locusts at least so far but I have a feeling that might change.
I got an email from the Morton Arboretum that is near me and they said they estimate that they will have 1.5 million cicadas per acre. They said come and see them as they will only be here for 4-6 weeks. LOL I don't think too many of us are counting down those days in regret!
Have a good day dear sisters.
Love,
Nancy
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Teka, that's a beauty. I bet your daughter is thrilled to see the first bloom. I bet it has a wonderful fragrance too. We grew up with a big lilac bush that my Dad planted. It was so pretty and smelled so good.
You have a wonderful weekend too.
Love,
Nancy
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I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. I had put some plants out with the American flag and I had some guests that liked our flag and my plant.
Not to creep anyone out but here is what a cicada invasion looks like in my backyard. I won't be converting my heated birdbath to my fountain any time soon!!!!
I felt something on my neck today while inside my house. I screamed, flicked it off and yes, it was a cicada. Cammie was looking at me strangely. I had been inspecting my trees, flowers and yard. Yes they are pretty much everywhere. Slowing me down a bit to get my yard finished. I will embrace the situation as best I can. I did coax the critter onto a stick and put it outside. Their singing is getting loud. There are three types of the 17 yr periodical cicadas that we are dealing with now. One of those types singing sounds like an emergency vehicle with it is strange vibrating siren.
God Bless our fallen heros and God Bless our troops.
Love,
Nancy
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