For Older People with Sense
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hey Isabella.. i was calling you, bc a. i don't have a real #and b. i haven't "heard" anything from you in awhile.. love ya gal, and been missing your stories.. Chrissy, my 81 yr old neighbor and i were "chatting " in the yard between houses today. he had a t shirt from New Zealnd on, seems he did a cruise awhile ago.. i don't know how that means australia, but in his mind, it does. so, he went to australia like 5 yrs. ago. takes a big trip every year.. i wish we could make the trip, he did.. he says the "only" way to go is: 1st, LA stay a few days, then hawaai, stay a few days, then i think it was where marlon brando had his place.. t?? it wont come to mind.. anyway, that sounds like a wonderful trip! too bad none of us could afford that, eh?
i told him you'd be here in the fall, so introductions will be in order. we love him.. a widower that still has it goin on, but still greives his wife badly.. this year, the big trip is to Italy, with a female compainon, who he says, doesn't come near his wife, but will do.. what a charecter he is. we love him. the only man my little man chiuhaua isn't afraid of... 3jays
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lisa.. the healer, the prankster.. i can see that. legend says he marshalls out winter, brings in spring.. your photos do that for all of us, for sure!!!3jays 0 -
Gee, this thread is moving fast these days. Hope everyone is doing well and is planning for a beautiful Spring or enjoying the Autum or whatever season it is in Australia and New Zealand.
I am still so very tired all the time as sleep a lot. Slept until 3:30 pm today and I an exhausted and headed to bed. Hope everyone has a restful night and enjoys a good day tomorrow.
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NIGHT, aMY jO... SLEEP WELL, OUR BEUTY. YOU DESERVE THE REST. YA DONE GOOD, GIRLFRIEND.. EVERY LAST NASTY RAD... 3JAYS
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Chrissy, how are we going to educate this lot? Maybe a map might help. Don't worry 3jays we do love mocking friends from the US who think we are one country. Its just like you and Canada, England and Scotland or Finland and Sweden.
Ok its not very big but you can see where Australia and NZ are. I live in the North of New Zealand. Wish I could put a mark on where Chrissy lives. Australians and New Zealanders are usually good friends but very great rivals especially when it comes to sport.
The map is not to scale, Australia is as big as the US and NZ is the same size as California with only 4million people. We are so small and far away that as children we learn so much about the rest of the world, particularly about the UK and Europe as thats where most of our families originally come from. Also our young people usually spend time in the UK after finishing their education. For us going to Australia is like flying from LA to Chicago, well not as far actually. Enough serious stuff.
3jays, sending big hugs, do hope you are feeling OK today and there are not to many dramas. Lisa I am so jealous, I would love to go back to Madrid, was there last year. Can't wait to see the photos.
Big hugs to all
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Hi all!
Amyjo, sleep well! The fatigue will pass but while it's hanging around don't push yourself, just rest as you need. We'll all be here when you wake.
3jays, your neighbour sounds like a right hoot and am looking forward to meeting him. New Zealand is quite a ways away from the coast of Australia and it's a long airplane ride to get there. On a map it looks closer that it really is.......lol
Lisa....Bon Voyage!! Enjoy every moment and please post losts of pics when you get back.
Isabella, I do hope the mess your DD has gotten herself into can be sorted without the total destruction of the family. Hope your computer gets sorted soon too as we miss your posts.
Hugs to all, hope your days only get better from this point on!
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Oooops Alyson, you posted while I was writting...lol. Great map! Distance is a hard thing to explain and people just don't realise how big Aus really is. It's the only Island in the world that is also a continent.........now that's hard to wrap your brain around!.....lol
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3 Jays, Kokopelli is all that and more ...that is why he is so compelling...
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amy, so sorry you are just so tired all the time..what a drag for you..hugs
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Wonderful news, Lisa, on the stable liver numbers. Hope all goes well with Onc as well.0
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I thought Kokopelli was for fertility!
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amyjo- sorry you are exhausted- that can be rough in itself..lots of soft hugs
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Good Morning Girls,
I am awake, for now! I need to take Daisy the dog to the groomers at 11:30 so I thought I would get up and try to do a few things to keep me awake until it is time to take her. She is so shaggy she looks like a little Ewok.
Maybe, I can make it to the store for some basics before I have to crash again.
Chrissy - hope I get to meet you and spend a little time getting to know you when you come. I plan on going to Marybe's Uncle Bill's place in September.
Hugs to all. Amy Jo
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i got an education on New Zealand, and Australia yesterday, for sure.. with my neighbor, and Alyson. i had no idea that Aust.was so big, nor New Zealand so more small.. KIWIS, is it? and Aussies? have i got that right?
sorry, girls. my geography skills are bad, always have been, and traveling was in Us or Caribeean.. i love a beach! but, Australia is somewhere i've always wanted to go. its' way too far for me, though. has been unreachable since getting MS. a trip 50 miles away in a car startas such leg spasms, i cannot even do that lately!
yes, Kokopelli is for fertility; but i thought i'd veer from that.. for Lisa.. she doesn't need those worries now. she 's happily travelling after spending enough time as a mother! hahaha 3jays
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Amyjo, so sorry you're so tired! Just let everything go and get the rest you need. Lisa, congrats on your results and trip. I'd love to go to that part of the world again--was there in my youth (a looooong time ago). Today: my dog is getting groomed. Boy, I love the smell of a just-groomed dog in the morning. One thing about a llasa apso, they have a LOT of coat, and I don't have a LOT of patience for brushing him. He hates water so will need TLC when he gets back. Oh happy day, a nap with my puppy!!
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Amyjo, what kind of dog do you have?
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Hi Ladies.......Had my appt. with the Med/Onc today. Of course took 2 of my kids, so they could get it all straight.....We were all surprised when she said "I'm not sure doing radiation is going to change anything for you"...........she said with my pathology reports, the margins obtained, the ER/PR+...Her2-, and my age 76...........she doesn't see how that will make the possibility of recurrance any different.............I have to say I was surprised..........My son asked "if it was your mother what would you advice her to do, and "damn" you can't nail them down on that question, but she said "let the radiation onc tell you what she thinks.............I have an appt. with her on April 12th, 1/2 hour consult, and then they said 1 hour for the set-up and the mapping......I think the consult will be fine, but I am going to think more about the radiation....
It certainly is like purchasing an extra insurance policy, but if it isn't going to up my chances of it not recurring by on a small %, why go through all that......Really not sure now what to do............Has anyone ever been told that when they had pathology like mine.
Although she did finish by saying "you are a very spry and somewhat healthy 76 year old...you also have it on the far right side of your breast.......so you probably will tolerate radiation better then the average 76 year old with health issues.................Now I'm not sure what I should do.
She did give me a script for Femara........we discussed the SE, and I don't like any of them, in fact I hate medicine period, but she said of all the things needed this hormone is probably the most important.......I am scheduled for a bone scan because of the ostopenia which I already have...
Guess I will see what the Onc/Rad says on Thursday, but I'm pretty sure she is going to want to go forward with the radiation (although she had no pathology in hand when she told me I would need radiation)...................My cancer was IDC, so you ask yourself.."did any of those little suckers escape the surgeons knife"..........So you ask yourself..........do I just go ahead with the radiation, and treat this like some might have...........or do I say is it worth going through 33 treatments to prevent something that might not have occurred anyway.........I asked the kids, but they are as baffled as I am.............I thought radiation was "cut and dry", now I find out that it may not be necessary...................
Decisions, decisions............heads or tails anyone.......
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Dragon - I have a Minature Schnauzer named Daisy the Dog.
I would love to be able to just let everything go but the IRS would not like it and I do not want to pay late penalities. I am getting a lot of rest inspite of trying to stay awake.
Just picked up Daisy from the groomers and I did get some cereal, milk, OJ, and coke this morning. So now it is nap time!
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duckyb - if your path report shows clear margins all around and the RO thinks that radiation will only give you minimal chance recurrance then I would not go throught radiation even at my age of 61. I did it because the radiation significantly increased my chances and my path report show no clear margins. So I did all the recommended treatments. The decision is ultimately yours, but having gone throught the radation treatments I am so very tired and they tell me to expect to be for the same # of weeks that I had treatments so for me that is 6 1/2 weeks and it has been 1 week so far. The fatigue it the worst part as I cannot do anything that requires very much effort. Sometimes even typing is too much. The decision is yours based on the lifestyle you want to have. Whatever you decide we are all here to encourage and support you. And we will share any information or personal experiences we have with you if you ask. Hope you get lots of information from you RO on the 12th. Make a list of questions you want answers to and take them with you and write the answers down so you can review them later. Let us know how things go.
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Ducky,
There was an article on here (BC.org) recently that suggested radiation was being recommended less nowadays for ER+, node negative Stage 1 women over 75 years old. I know none of us want to feel we are not being offered a treatment because we are of an advanced age. But I think the growing consensus is that ER+ cancer is so slow growing that a 75 YO will most certainly die of something else way before BC would threaten them again, especially with the hormonal treatments that seem to work so well. Even though the standard is to take an AI or tamoxifen for five years, it is believed that the good affect lingers another 5 or even 10 years longer. And you can not discount the possible SEs of radiation to heart (if a the cancer is on the left side) and lungs. There is also the suspicion that radiation therapy is very expensive and the trend is toward spending less on us oldie goldies
I would hate to think that part was true! It is so difficult to have to make a decision without full knowledge of what works or does not work. It's good to have a doctor whose opinion you trust and a second or third opinion is never a bad idea. Not to be cynical but the radiation oncologist makes money from treating people with radiation so that muddies the water a bit
I've never noticed... did you have an oncotype done? That info might help you decide. 0/10 nodes is good and grade 1 is good. Did your surgeon say that he got good margins? And finally, there is an optimum time to start radiation. I THINK it is about 8 weeks post lumpectomy but I don't remember exactly. I knew when I was going through it and was pretty obsessive about getting my radiation started on time. Anyway, I felt some pressure to make a decision and get on with it.
I found radiation very stressful and only a minor physical problem. I was lucky in that my facility was only about 6 miles from home so going every day for all those weeks was not bad at all. I had marked the treatment days on my calendar but there were several interruptions; holidays, days the "machine" was down, days that other patient problems messed up their schedule and days added on at the end for a boost I was not anticipating. So my advice is to not book a cruise for the day after you think you will be finished!
Best of luck, Ducky.
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Amyjo, your dog is so cute! Schnauzers are great--a friend of mine has 2 white ones. Glad you're getting a nap finally. It is difficult to "let things go" but I have tried to thin it out as much as possible. Now I'm reallly through with treatment but still don't have the stamina I had before. Not sure why--my back just feels weaker and I have to lie down after a couple of hours' activity. Everything feels sort of rearranged and I hope I'll just adjust to a new body. I've been really fortunate so I feel guilty complaining! XOXO Dragon
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amyjo- Daisy is one cute little pup!
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Ducky, its such a difficult thing, these decision. For me there was no choice - well I suppose I could have opted out of any treatment - my path report was such that I needed radiation.
For me it was very tough but then I had just completed a very heavy lot of chemo. I was so tired and as I am fair skinned I burnt very badly, it was awful. I am not trying to put you off just being very realistic. Other I know women who have been fine and a they are alot older than me. I think the chemo had caused such fatigue that it just compounded.
3jays , Australia is beautiful ( don't tell Chrissy I said that). It is a big wide landscape and stunning. NZ is very beautiful as well but the landscape is closer and greener. We do have some of the most magnificant beaches here and our bush is so different. I spend quite a lot of time looking at travel programmes on TV, not as good as the real thing but helps. Its such a shame you can't travel these days.
Must go as I have work to do today, had a great day yesterday but not sure how creative I feel today. Silly editors don't understand that a keep saying that writing is a discipline and you just have to set a time to do it! If I am not in the mood just can't get anything on paper.
Hope you are having a great day.
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Totally tired out...a 2yr old dancing around me has done for me. I've had her 5 days running. Don't like to stifle her enthusiasm, but I am finding it shattering, particularly being woken so early when I'm a late riser.
I am trying to clean out my dog kennels whilst still asleep !!! To say I shut my boarding business down 2 years ago would not be believed ! I have 12 dogs in now. I keep saying I am going to not answer the 'phone, so I can't take any bookings, then I go forget. I am sick of shovelling you-know-what !!! I wish I knew HOW to say no to people. G/daughter is 'helping' me, but if I suddenly want to dash off ( well,. not exactly dash, I am walking about like a U bend this week !) and get something I have to make sure she is safe while my back is turned. I am expecting DD to come fetch G/daughter 'tomorrow'....that could be towards evening if I know DD, always milks the situation ! I have no idea what is going on at DDs I just don't ask. I saw on her FB she and her DH had been 'out for the day' yesterday, but thats all I know ! G/son is away on a course this week, so not getting any info from him.
We are coming to the end of my lambs being born. Due to everything else I have not pulled my weight at all. I have always stayed up all night with my sheep, but this year I have left it until 1am-2am to have a last look round, and if there's been no trouble I have got off to bed. Luckily I have been able to get off to bed every night, but there's always been some new lambs overnight, which I have had to leave to my helper. Since taking on G/daughter for the last 5 days I just haven't been able to keep up, especially as I am looking after boarding dogs again ! I am ready to get in my car and drive off for a few days....even if its just to the nearest hotel where I can hide away, and get some sleep. G/son will be back on Friday, so am going to ask him if he will move in for 3 -4 days,as soon as suits him .
I need sleep, the boarding dogs create a real noise on and off during the night. I don't notice it thru' the day with 'phones going, and washers and dryers clanking away. But on a night, when its all quiet just one dog having a little yap to itself will set off all the others, then all my dogs join in, and I get no sleep ! Just a good job I have no neighbours, they'd run me out of town !
I am putting all my cows out in the fields tomorrow, they've been inside in barns all winter. They create a lot of work, so they are being slung out in the morning. I am hoping its all done by the time I show my face . The sheep and lambs are going as well, hopefully, so the buildings will all be echoing when they get emptied. I like the animals outside, but don't like empty buildings.
Isabella.
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Ladies, thanks so much for all the info...................Went out of dinner with another daughter tonight, told her the whole story about my Dr. visit today, and she said "Mom I would get another opinion"........I kind of agree with her, but again..............what do I do keep going until I finally hear what I want to hear................I am not trying to get out of radiation (which I told her), but I said "if it is not going to make that much of a difference, then why put myself thorough all that bullsh-t if it isn't going to make that much of a difference.............
The medical oncologist had nothing to gain either way by saying "I'm not sure according to the studies that you really need radiation...........this is not her field (pretty much), as she is involved more in Chemo, and Hormone treatment............As I said she did say the hormone (femara) was what I would be taking, and the hormone was more important since my tumor is estrogen fed..........
I will also have to see if there is a time limit on when they have to start radiation....Like I said, I have an appt. with the Radiation Oncologist on April 12th.....I will go over all this with her again, and now that the total pathology is in, maybe she might agree with the Medical oncologist.............as I said they thoght the tumor was larger when they made all these predictions on what possible treatment could be.....Now we have allthe documentation of what the pathology showed.........
I asked about the oncotype test today,thinking it would be back, and here it just was sent out.......that ticked me off a little, but again because of the great pathology I'm not sure they even wanted to bother with the oncotype........other then the BS requested it. Now its another 2 weeks waiting for that.
the medical oncologist said today that she thinks that is going to be very good, but they sent it out anyway. She said that is used more to rule out Chemo then anything else, and she knew from the pathology I was not getting Chemo, pathology plus my age.
I guess the only time youj know if you made the right decision is when your still alive 10 years later, and you had no recurrance.....................If it does come back after a few years, then you say "damn maybe I should have gotten the Rads.................I will see what the Onc/Rad says on tuesday, and continue to research, and consider a 2nd opinion, and maybe a 3rd. Thanks ladies, and hugs.
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Ducky -- I was skeptical about radiation and had it because the most wonderful doctor in the whole thing very kindly explained the process and the improvement in my recurrance possiblities. We all are different. In my case it made sense.
Isabella - on how to say no. My friend and I have learned to start with "thank you for thinking of me . . . . no". It makes the other person feel OK and it lets you say what you wanted to say. They all find other ways to manage.
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Ducky I have the same stats as you and I didn't get rads or chemo or anything else! Not even Tamox or Femara!!! I'm still here. My surgeon told me to save the big guns until next time. At that time, his comment didn't even seem odd!!
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isabella, its' so good to hear whats' been going on with you.. i believe a hotel stay IS an order. glad you got your pc problems sorted out. i missed ya!
Alyson.. they had a re run of Tyra americas top model, and they filmed in NZ...so, hub and i watched it, and fell in love.. its'SOO green! love to all....3jays
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Amyjo, Daisy Dog is so cute! You can just see her personality in that picture.
Ducky, my diagnosis was different from yours, and I was 60 last year when diagnosed. I did radiation and had no problems with it, but everyone treated it like a "given", You will do radiation, period. So, I did. The worst thing about it for me was having to be there every day. All of us are so different. A lot of people have horrible fatigue, and I had some, but it wasn't as bad as many people have. I take arimidex (generic) now and don't like it very much! But I'm taking it.
Hey Isabella and 3jays. Good to see you both. I know you're exceptionally tired after keeping DGD for 5 days full time, Isabella. Our DGS is 22 months old and like a trying to keep up with a whirlwind.
Hugs to all.
Kathy
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Ladies thanks again for your information........This will take a lot of thought on my part....I really would prefer not to do it.........but I also don't want to have any regrets, and have to go through this at an even later age........I am 76.............Not the healthest, but a lot healthier then some other 76 year olds I know......My biggest problem is not serious health problems..........It is the aging bones..........the aches and pains......arthritis more then anything else.....I said if I could replace from the waist down I would be in great shape.....................of course that was before the BC..........Keep the info coming girls I need all the help I can get............hugs
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