For Older People with Sense
Comments
-
Alyson, you are making me jealous with talk of buying plants, and gardening. Your foxgloves are a picture....I love those . Next year I will have loads of them. Being biennials they are all up all over the place in my garden, about 6" high ( but they have to get thru' the fast approaching winter yet ) I let a lot of my garden self seed to get the cottage garden effect I want. Your blossom looks so lovely right now. I cannot get it thru' my head that you are having all this going on, and we are all brown and drippy and shrivelled up!!!
My blossoms are at their absolute best the week of May 5th....looking out of the upstairs windows is my favorite place to look at the flowers...there is so much blossom I can't see the lawns at all. I have just had someone come and 'put my garden to bed' I was about in tears, watching someone else working in MY garden. At least it looks very tidy, and ready to go thru' winter for me. Normally I would spend most afternoons all the way thru' winter outside digging and tidying and planting, and getting hours of pleasure from it, but, can't do it anymore. I keep saying 'when' my back is better, but am coming to realise it will certainly not get back to the way it was....hard to accept.
I was going to have an afternoon doing nothing....but have decided to get myself off out to look for a winter coat for my nearly 3 yr old G/daughter. I am following on a tradition set by my G/ma and MIL, they always used to buy my children one good winter coat a year. Sure was glad of it when we were short of money ! The sun has just started to peek thru the clouds, so will go spend a couple of hours shopping....I am SURE I shall manage to pass (and go into) either a shoe shop or a dress shop...I just cannot walk past these shops !!!!
Isabella.
0 -
Isabella,
I have to thank (?) you for setting me straight about rural medical care in England. I was totally charmed by the thought of a doctor who came to your house if you did not show up in his office for an appointment, albeit a rather grumpy one.
Actually you have corrected many erroneous PBS inspired impressions of life in England. Except for your farm! It is right out of All Creatures Great and Small. I love to read about your adventures and misadventures, the interesting characters who populate your world, and your family peccadillos. My own life pales in comparison but that is okay, I can live vicariously in your world. Thanks for bringing it to us!0 -
LynMichel, Love your quote from George Eliot. She's one of my favorites.
klick and Miles2go, welcome. I'm also a west coaster and live in Beaverton (near Portland). We lived in California for most of our adult lives so we're one of those California families who invaded Oregon! We really love it here as California had gotten way out of control for us.
Chrissy, thanks for asking--I'm doing well. My big complaints right now are my upper and lower back. The middle seems to be okay!
Fall is really here in Oregon and the chantrelles are ready for the picking. Last weekend my DD2 went mushroom hunting and today I'm supposed to cook them up. The thing is, I know they're safe but I'm still a little nervous about eating stuff found in the woods. I need to quit reading the CDC website!
Happy fall to all,
Dragon
0 -
Hi you all
I just got back from a long day on Seattle buses. I went to my first day in the radiation room...it was a dry run with no zap. Those will start tomorrow. Now that I have that behind me, I've calmed down. I especially don't want to complain when I hear what many of you are going through. I guess if I have redness & burning I'll whine, but not until then.
I enjoy the quotes you put on your posts. Here's one for you gardeners: "Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you." —Nathaniel Hawthorne
0 -
Hey Chrissy, last weekend four of us from the Exercise thread met up in Minneapolis for a fun weekend get together (Ruthbru, Badger, Patoo and myself) well we had a great time and on one of our walks we ended up in Loring Park which is a squirrel habitat, my goodness we oohhd and ahhhd over the little critters they were everywhere and very very friendly and would even take food from your hands in fact they were pleadingly looking for their hand outs. All the time we kept saying oh wouldn't Chrissy love this, of course I forgot the camera but just know that now whenever I see a squirrel I think of you
0 -
Hello,
Logging onto the site, I noticed your post in March about skipping radiation and an HRT drug beginning with A~. Noted you are 75. I am 72. My history: Right breast, new CA~ IVC Stage1a, grade 2, 8mm tumor w/no metatastic cells with SNB biopsy/pathology. Clean margins folg lumpectomy on 18 October. Skipped radiology 15 years ago (age 58) Left Breast on general principles plus DCIS Stage 0 diagnosis, clean margins w/lumpectomy. NOW the medical community no longer routinely recommends radiation folg my DCI & pathology. Generally good health otherwise. Fast Forward to today! Again skipping radiation and HRT Rx to leach every bit of estrogen out of my body. Question: Why did you decide to skip radiation & cease HRT Rx therapy??? I've done a lot of research on the subject of post-op adjuvant therapy; however, you're the first woman I've come across with like thinking. Thanks for the opportunity to connect. Colorado Morning Glory
0 -
Chrissy, Immense gratitude to you for establishing this informative site and my opportunity to connect with "older" women. Colorado Morning Glory.
0 -
SRBreastCancer gal, I hope you're still connected with this site. I am so new! Colorado Morning Glory
0 -
Hi Miles2GO, we have ladies of varying ages on this thread but I'm really pleased that you have found somewhere where you feel comfortable. I did read a couple of weeks ago a thread started for the 70's plus ladies maybe there are some ladies there that have like mind as yourself when it comes to decisions made for treatment. You may like to check it out. I'll look for it for you and give it a bump so it's easy for you to find.
I love your avatar pic is it morning glory?
Love n hugs. Chrissy
0 -
Miles2Go,
I also skipped radiation and hormonal therapy for DCIS stage 0. Since it was multifocal and high grade I chose mastectomy, but had the bilateral mastectomy in order to avoid Tamoxifen. The thing is, I had already had a stroke and the Tamoxifen has a thromboembolic side effect (clot producing). I didn't want to take a chance on it. It's an individual decision but I'm happy with my choice. No matter what age you are, your quality of life is the main thing. Many people do fine on the anti-estrogen therapies and have no side-effects at all. Remember, all ductal and lobular carcinoma starts out at stage 0. If it's a fast-growing tumor it will progress to invasive carcinoma at some point.
Update on my back pain (sorry to complain--I too have nothing really serious to complain about!) I found out it is called "pyriformis syndrome." I've found some good exercises on You Tube. The insurance co. doesn't want me to have a bone scan but they're probably right, I don't need it for this. If it gets worse, however, I'm going to get ugly and start demanding things!! I like to make a big scene anyway--might as well have my day!
XOXO to all, Dragon (AKA "Difficult Old Lady")
0 -
If you're difficult then count me in, too. Hugs, Dragon!
0 -
Hi I finally got caught up reading here.
I noticed several of you were talking about sewing. I am back to it after about 10 years away. My DH bought me a fancy dancy model and I need to learn to us it with all of its innovations. My DD has my old Viking 500 which I loved. She also has my old Huskylock serger. I first sewed on a treadle machine, then a refurbished singer, then a WHITE, then a Viking 500, then a Viking Designer One, and now my new machine which of course also does laundry, cooks dinner and runs the vaccumn. My husband is a computer software guy so he will buy me about anything if it has interesting electronics involved with it. I went to a class last week to learn a bit about this machine and I had fun and met some new people. I have stayed in the house mostly since we moved out here to Redmond WA. I am finally emerging from my cacoon but I don't think a butterfly I will be. lol
Isabella did you get any of your friends to come stay with you after the truck thing happened? Your conservatories reminded me that back in Illinois we had several that were just wonderful to visit in the freezing dry winter. I felt like I was coming alive once inside there. They were old buildings with much white ornamental wood and beautifuI decorative wood. I don't know if they have such things here in WA. I too love to hear of your adventures. You write in a most engaging fashion and I am always drawn in to your daily goings on.
Everybody, HI. TTYL
Gingerbrew
0 -
Hi everyone...I had the most disturbing dream two days ago and I can't get it out of my head
in the dream I was planning my own funeral..hmmmm scary
0 -
SoCalLisa - The dream would be disturbing to anyone in our situations but dreams are not always what they seem. Here are a few ideas:Death of oneself:
Death is an extremely important event facing all of us, and yet it is a mystery, so we often experimentally confront and explore it in our dreams. A dream about ones own death may also show a retreat from the challenge of life, or a split between mind and body.
The experience of leaving the body is sometimes an expression of this schism between the ego and ones life processes.
Other possibilities are to do with the death of old patterns of living - one's ‘old self', the loss of the boundaries that limit your awareness to an identity connected only to your body. This latter is usually a willing surrender of self to the process.
The next examples depicts what was mentioned above. It is a way of reminding ourselves to do now what is deeply in us before we die - especially regarding love.
Have to get you over to a reservation and have the Medicine Man talk with you. I'm hoping it's about your desires to have things work out the way you want them to and the feelings of fear more of an acknowledgement within you that you might be a little fearful of other possible outcomes.
Big cyber Hugs and Gentle Words of Comfort.
0 -
Actually Jazz, in my dream I was all matter of fact about the whole thing and knew just what I wanted..I was doing the arranging at the National Cemetery here and brought my VA paperwork.....and not very bothered about it...strange...
0 -
Gingerbrew. I didn't get any of my friends to come and camp in my field. I was all hot to do it, then thought 'do I really want a family invading my privacy....I'll just see how it goes' I only have one of the gypsies who I would call a good friend, the rest are aquaintances really. I have had the police check on me 3 times, that I know of, this week, and twice the week before. I didn't think they'd actually do this, but they have done !!! I had the last 2 this morning, hanging on my doorbell, I thought I was being a bit bolshie when I opened the door, and held my wrists out, and said ' ok, I'll come without a fuss' I THOUGHT they'd fall about laughing, but were very serious, and made me feel a real fool !! Shalln't do that again in a hurry. Apparently they were at the door to see if I had given '2 men in a green car' permission to shoot my land, as there had been a report about 2 such men locally, very early this morning, each carrying a gun. Did I feel an idiot !!
I did get a 'phone call from the police officer who is dealing with the incident, a couple of days ago. He asked me if I minded him passing on my name and address to the owners of the trucks. There were 3 trucks involved that night, all from the same supermarket, and the supermarket wanted to send me 'something in appreciation'...goodness knows what, but we shall see !! The supermarket is one of our biggest chains ASDA, which in turn belongs to the Walgreen empire. A nice voucher for a round the world trip would be appreciated, but I suspect in may be a 4 pack of Heinz beans !!!!
I have been doing a bit of painting today, I WAS an avid collector of pairs of Staffordshire pot dogs. When I last counted about 5 years ago I had 42 pairs. I stopped counting, but didn't stop collecting...so I reckon I must have going on 80 pairs, plus many, many singles. They are absolutely all over the place. Last Christmas I put out a message NO MORE dogs, as anyone who is stuck for a gift always gets me dogs. I have only bought 1 pair and about half a dozen singles all this year, so I AM behaving. I decided to start and clear out windowsills ( luckily I have very deep sills, being an old house, so I can get lots in one window ) I took 15 from one window, they hadn't been dusted in about 2 years.( I won't let anyone touch them in case they get broken.) The paintwork was in such a disgusting mess that I sanded it down and gave it a coat of paint.....looks much cleaner now....and so do the 15 dogs, all nice and sparkling again from their bath. Took me all afternoon. Now I have made a start I shall have to carry on right round the house, but hoping NOT to have to get the paintbrush out at every windowsill.
We have had a really miserable day, rain, rain, rain all day long, and it's still at it. everywhere is very misty tonight...I can't see any lights twinkling in the distance, as I usually can on a night...creepy. Guard dogs just let out on patrol, so feel a bit safer when they are running round and round the house. I wouldn't like to meet them at all, if I were a stranger...the Rottweiler boys in particular look EVIL when they get wound up ! I sometimes get a VERY small feeling of fear, and they are MY dogs, but you never can trust the devils. Even tho' I have had them both since they were 6 weeks old I don't like to turn my back on them, and ALWAYS talk before I go up to them, so they can be sure it's me. They are actually very, very soft and have lovely natures, but as they have matured, they are about 6-7 now, are getting a bit tetchy, and HATE strangers...which is WHY I keep them !! Just doing their job !!
Isabella.
0 -
SoCalLisa - Not strange coming from that advantage point. Sounds like you've embraced death and your not afraid of it anymore. I had to deal with the issue of death and dying about five years ago. I spent for days fearing what was coming and one day I realized we all die. I accepted the idea I was one small woman among everyone who has been born since the beginning of time, and I was moving towards the same end as all of them. We all live and we all die. Where we want to rest at the end is something we all need to consider. If we don't, someone else makes that decision for us. I personally don't see that as scary, but I don't think it means I'm dying either.
I think your really lucky to have the option, with your years of service, to be buried in such a prestigious place - when the time comes. Have you taken care of the future arrangements. My family has a family plot and each new generation becomes responsible for the caretaking of the generations before.
Such a deep discussion I hope it doesn't frighten or scare anyone in here. It's one of those subjects a lot of us don't won't to read or hear about.
0 -
I think you are right Jazz, did that ten years ago now...the VA maintains the national cemeteries in the US..and I have all the paperwork collected (have had for many years)..
It is a deep discussion, but one that we all have faced or will. I hope for our kids sakes we all have...
on a happier note...
0 -
Jazz and Lisa - I read your posts with interest and am in full agreement. Over 20 years ago My DH and made living wills and our own wills. We do keep a copy here and the original is with our attorney. Our secondary executor knows where to find our copy and knows who the attorney is. We each gave him a letter with our requests for final arrangements. We both want cremation with the ashes put in the canal we live on at the little park about 2 blocks from our current home. We both suggested that unless they felt a need for a religious service we would just as soon they had a party to share happy memories. I did however ask that my brother be consulted and his wishes given special consideration in the event DH is not there or otherwise unable to be my administrator.
0 -
Isabella, I volunteer for a Clean Water mission in Haiti. We make bio sand water filters to help the people there. We had a Rottie for years that protected the mission and did her job very well. I witnessed a confrontation with a local trouble maker and our director. WHen our director began to raise his voice to tell the guy and his friend to get off of our property on Rottie began rushing up and biting their ankles. She was a fearsome sight indeed. She was never trained to protect, it was just in her nature. Another time she caught up to a thief trying to go over our fence with a truck battery. She took out a piece of his thigh, once again acting on instinct. Now we have a puppy learning to do her predicessor's job. We had tried to overlap the dogs so one could learn from the other but someone poisoned our dog she was only eight. I really loved our first Rottie, I even have a funny photo of her in my lap.
I am sure your dogs will set up a racket if you had intruders and protect you as well. You could always turn out the little ones to further confuse any undesirables. Just kidding there.
My days and nights have gotten mixed up again. Whenever my husband goes out of town I stay up later and later. I know it is partly because I can't see any neighbors from here and feel a little bit tense. I had wanted a shot gun or something but was discouraged by family. Maybe I should get some bear spray?
The weird part of my sleep cycle is that I love the early morning! I also love the feeling of all I can get accomplished in the early day and still have lots of free time. I always feel better when I am up early! Makes no sense at all! It has been suggested that I have "delayed onset sleep disorder" or something like that. The LAST thing that I want is more medicine to take. ARGH
My poodle puppy is now a gigantic huge puppy. He is 5 1/2 months old and has so much energy I am astounded. I never realized that mu former dogs all Golden Retrievers were that much more laid back. He is like an unruley teenager now. He is food motivated, but seriously how many treats can I reasonable give him in a day. We take him to dog training once a week and he preforms well there, it is the day to day where he sprints around finding now playthings. We now have up 4 pet gates. When I had energy I was a decent dog trainer, I think, maybe it was just the Golden's.
Nite I am going to try to sleep, hubby is home on a late late cross country group of flights.
Ginger
0 -
SoCalLisa, please help! I can't remember the name of the flower you posted! It's so beautiful--is it from Hawaii? Dragon
0 -
Ginger, you can get bear spray at a lot of places. I'm in a similar situation, and have almost ordered some myself, from Cabella's - they have a nice personal size can. My DH's sis does a lot of traveling and often naps at rest stops, she carries a can with her in the car.
I also had a White elec. sewing machine & loved it - and still have my old White treadle (nobody wants it; it's in the shed, but still works great for heavy-duty). I really still like my old Pfaff, but need to learn my mom's Bernina. Both sit in the closet right now and I feel guilty....
Insomnia: mine makes me get up earlier and earlier until I'm going to bed at 8 or 9 & getting up at 3... and napping all during the day...ugh. Finally, after a couple years of this, I've gotten my schedule straightened out., and can bed at 10 or 11 and get up betweeen 6-8. I feel so much better. Interrupted sleep and those 3 a.m.s were just wiping me out mentally and physically. You have my sincere sympathy for the problem & I hope you get some good, restful, regular sleep...
Lisa, that is a lovely flower, I'm with Dragon, what is it? Is it a plumeria? Jasmine?
Isabella, glad it's you dusting. Maybe England doesn't have as much dust as the Sierra Mtns, we generally have two basic seasons at our elevation: mud & dust. (sometimes snow). I hate to dust. Also glad the po-lice are keeping an eye on you, and that your Rotties are on duty.
We are just finishing up a revised set of final wishes & instructions & legal paperwork. We've had them since we were young, but this was a big re-do & it took months. Glad to be (almost) done with it!!!!! All that focus did create some rather "disturbing" dreams. Hope I don't get any out of the blue like yours -- ((Lisa)).
ChrissyB, have you recovered???? ((CB)) Thanks again for sharing your journeys, all of you. Through this site, I've gone to SV's; on Barb's last cruise, with Lisa on her barge cruise, to MO to "Uncle Bill's"; and on Chrissy's grand adventure, among the places I can think of off the top of my head. Thanks to all for the pix & travelogues.
You have provided a lot of inspiration for what shall we do now that (ta-da) DH retires this week!!!!!!!! We are looking at renewing our passports and enjoying our time. We'll see how long it takes before I'm asking him if he wants to take up golf or.....(joke: luckily, he has a big shop, and keeps himself busy busy busy.) My concern is that his job for the past twenty years involves looking for others' mistakes - I hope he doesn't get bored and start in on me!!
0 -
ps: Welcome to the new ladies, but sorry to meet in these circumstances. Best wishes to all!!
I'm glad Ducky started a new thread for the 70+'s and have read some of the posts and learn from your experience. Hope to join you there in a few years! But please stick with us too!
0 -
I think it is a plumeria...
0 -
That is a gorgeous flower. Did you shoot the pic of that SoCal? Don't I wish I was in a field with that kind of beauty. It is kinda strange how our mothers give us birth and care for us and how we turn at this age and our mother's are still helping us with what's to come. Quite wonderful really.
Lost Creek I thought it strange you were discussing sewing machnes. I just purchased one I couldn't afford yesterday and am so excited. It's the computerized one that you can design with. Probably way out of my league but hey you only live once.
So happy I found this thread or forum. I find fitting in with the younger generation enjoyable but not as fulfilling as discussing and sharing deeper things.
You all have a wonderful day. Hope you all feel good today. I'm getting better from the BMX but am staring chemo down the barrell and get a little nervous about the things I hear. Peace and Joy
0 -
Hi everyone. Why does it seem all problems in life seem to happen all at the same time? My FIL died this March. I got my diagnosis in July. My BIL killed himself in Sept. Now my DH's mother is acting wacky. There is no other word to describe her behavior. She has deeply hurt my DH with her actions recently.
Marybe and Dragon I think I might go with some type of scarf cap when I lose my hair. I found 2 sites on the internet that have head coverings that I like. Here are the links: http://www.headcovers.com/ & http://www.etsy.com/shop/EnglishTraditions?ref=af_you_favitem
Murtah recently I've started talking more about my BC. It makes me feel better too. But I only talk to people I really feel comfortable with about it. They make me feel normal about it by talking to me like a person who just has to overcome some problem in life. Thank goodness people with cancer don't have to talk in hushed tones about it anymore. I recently talked to a friend of my mother's who was recently diagnosed & getting treatment at the same place as me. It made me feel good to reassure her about her surgery & other things.
0 -
Jazz, yes I took that photo...I just love to take pix of all kinds of flowers..
Lyn, it does get alot easier to talk about BC as the time goes by. It does help to
have friends to talk to who have also gone through the experiences...
My three sons bought me ball caps for all occasions...I had a closet full...and some
were priceless..
0 -
now those I'd like to see pics of socallisa!
0 -
Hi girls, I took this in my garden yesterday after a shower of rain. What do you think?
0 -
Beutiful chrissy!
0
