Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
Comments
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Sandra, great picture ... made me laugh and think ... we can continue our active lives but sometimes we have to make adjustments.
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termite...I wish I was crafty! We go every year to the Spoon River Drive and the Indiana Bridge Festival and I buy my crafts there. I am always amazed at the marvelous ideas! Some of those vendors make quite a bit of cash.
Love the pole dancing picture, Sandra. I got some chuckles out of that!
Today's exercise class was senior yoga and I must admit that it was VERY low-keyed. I'll give it a couple more tries but I don't think I'll get alot of benefit from it. Maybe Tuesday will get to be a Curves day then. I think I was spoiled because for several years I did Gentle Pink Yoga through the cancer center here in town. Then the grant was not renewed and it stopped. The instructor was fantastic and worked us a bit. This instructor is good but it goes at rather a slow pace. I did meet a lady before class and walked a mile with her on the indoor track so I did get some exercise. Then I went to the grocery store and made the mistake of buying a small bag of jelly beans and I've already eaten half the bag. Now why do I do that.....especially since I'm trying to stay away from sugar and get myself into shape again?????
Well, I am heading for the kitchen to make stuffed green peppers for dinner. Hope everyone is having a good Tuesday!
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Rita, I'm glad you "passed" your first exercise class! The gyms around here all have silver slipper classes but I haven't tried one of them. For a while I attended a Be Fit class that was a real workout. Then the instructor got pregnant and the replacement wasn't as good so the class attendance dropped. I started doing my own routine. Thirty-five min. on the elliptical and about 30 min. on a series of weight machines for building strength.
After almost 5 yrs. I still avoid the machines that build pectoral muscles. My PS advised me not to build the pec muscles after my BMX and reconstruction. It may be ok now but I wouldn't want to mess with the positioning of my implants. I'm not a gym rat and don't particularly looking forward to a workout but I always feel good after I've completed a workout.
I'm finding my painting to be a workout. I'm stiff in the mornings from climbing up and down a small stepladder and from getting down on the floor to paint the strip above the floor board trim. Today should be the final day painting the living room. It's quite a change going from mint green to a soft beige. DH and I both think the living room will look larger with the new paint. Now the walls that are painted look very bare with no art work. Also I painted in the holes so it will be positioning pictures all over again!
Termite, there's a lot to see and do in New Orleans. If I were you, I would get some tourist information. Let me know when you will be in the city and maybe dh and I can plan to drive to NO and have lunch with you and your dh or at least meet you at Café du Monde in the French Quarter for café au lait and beignets. We live on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, about a 45 min. drive or less to the French Quarter, depending on traffic.
Gearing up for painting!
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The ego is nothing more than our belief in our own separateness. We’re trained to think we have to be bigger than, smarter than, or make more than others. And you can’t die! Death is a very embarrassing event for the ego. The ego constantly reminds us of how important we are—that we’re right and others are wrong. When being guided by the ego, we feel separate. Wayne Dyer
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I'm all left thumbs craft wise. Always had such admiration for people who could do crafts. Not only because I've known people who actually were good enough to make their living that way.....but when you want to re-decorate your own home, you can often do it without the "expense" others would have.
Going to be in the 70's -- almost 80 here tomorrow but having ( if weatherman is right and I'm pretty sure he is ) a whole lot of downpour so the temps. won't be so pleasant. I can look at back and see the green leaves of some of the bushes so know it is a matter of time. Not sure what we will have this year, but mindful that this part is generally the one where we have to watch for negative weather events like tornado's. Just glad right now that Spring has sprung.
Hope you all have a decent weather day.
Carole -- the trip to meet up with Termite in NO sounds like it would be delightful. There is something about meeting up with someone who "lives" there so to speak. The explanation for customs, or interesting anecdotes about some of the sights just makes one feel much more comfortable away from their own home.
Blessings
Jackie
ETA. name -- how bad my memory can be. I had to go back and get Termite's name. 'Gulp'.
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I haven't posted in awhile but have been lurking.
I don't know if anyone remembers but I've been going back and forth on whether to continue Arimidex after 5 yrs. Well I had my 5yr. Onco appt. and after much discussion decided to take a 3 month break from taking it. If I feel extremely better physically at the end of 3 months she would be ok with me stopping altogether. She's really more comfortable with her patients continuing for up to 10yrs. We'll see how I feel then make the decision. Spring has sprung in Oregon! Leaves are sprouting on trees, daffodils and tulips are in bloom and rainy every day! I look forward to May when the sunny days outnumber the gloomy. My DIL and I begin golf lessons in a few weeks so we won't embarrass ourselves on the course. I haven't golfed since I recovered from GBS so it should be interesting,lol.
Hope everyone is feeling well and having a good week!
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So glad you came back and let us know how you were doing, Judy. All breast cancer is serious - there is never ( that I think any of us know ) a time when it is not. But, looking at your Dx line, it does look like you found out right away that something was going on and you dealt with it. I think it is fantastic that there are AI's we can take as a further measure to try and discourage a recurrence. They do though have se's that can really be troublesome. If you and your Oncologist feel that you are ok not taking anything then good for you. Personally, I don't think I could have felt comfort not doing something, but you are the best judge of what is right for you.
I actually worried a bit when my Oncologist told me I could stop taking the Arimidex/Anastrozole after my five years, but I've been off since right before Christmas and feeling fine and pretty much over giving up my "security blanket". I did not actually have much of anything for se's so can't say that I feel immensely better. It is nice though to have one less drug to take.
Glad you are seeing all the Spring flowers and can expect some really good weather soon. The April showers do bring great things. We have been having ( on and off ) rain the past two days and more on the way. Blech !!!!
Blessings
Jackie
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Hello All,
I'm one week out from surgery, reduction on left and TE inserted on right. PS put in 300 cc in the TE during surgery. Drains were taken out on Monday. Oddly, that was my greatest fear going into this. I'd had a back op in 2002 and the UMX last May. Taking out those drains hurt. Taking out the 2 drains after this op -- no big deal. Discomfort not from TE but from AlloDerm on both sides. PS nurse suggested Alleve so trying that.
Termite, I agree, in NOLA, the Cafe Du Monde. Would LOVE to go there again. Suggestion, don't wear a black blouse, I was full of powdered sugar from the amazing beignets. My local friends with clean clothes, said smiling, "that's how we can tell who the tourists are". I wish I could remember the name of the places I ate there in the French Quarter. On a previous visit we ate at a local place and my favorite thing was the fried pickles. Have since had them in a few other places but never that good.
Sandra, great pic. I needed to laugh.
Yesterday was told I could sleep flat again and try sleeping on my side with pillows. No problem sleeping on my side, until I rolled back onto my back! OUCH. Will stay on my back a while longer.
When I moved to NC last July, I started looking for the LiveStrong program at the Y. A pilot program started nearby end of Sept and I joined. I've never been one for exercise, and now I LOVE IT. I've been going 4-5 times a week and was in a water aerobics class the day before surgery. I try to do the water class 3 times a week and work out on the fitness floor 2x week. I wish I could say I'd lost weight but I'm about the same as I was after the MX last May. I think this has to do with the Aromasin. BUT I am stronger.
I do the pec exercises but gently and if an upward motion only 10 lbs. I can tell if I've pushed too hard. Now after this op I don't think I'll go back for a few more weeks. Today one of my LiveStrong Trainer's brought me lunch and we had the best chat.
Thanks for this board! So far no good support groups found here so this is perfect.
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Global -- sure glad you are happy here. Glad to hear you seem to be doing really well. Maybe some of that great exercise got and kept you in a stronger physical condition and that is why things are going good. Water exercises ( I've considered it ) are excellent, but easy on the joints and muscles so are a fantastic form of exercise.
Too funny about the dark clothes and powdered sugar, but a fine memory. Hmmm, I've seen fried pickles on a menu ???somewhere. I'd probably like them and if I eat them here....I likely would not be disappointed since I would not have the Louisiana ones to compare too. Next time I see them maybe I will go ahead and indulge.
I have a brother-in-law who lives in Salisbury, N. Carolina. They did live in Shalotte....much closer to the Outer Banks, but moved inland so that they could be much nearer his wife's mother.
Hope you all have a good day tomorrow.
Blessings
Jackie
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Had a busy day yesterday making and setting up my Sweet Mimi the Clown display at the bank. It was fun to do and I was pleasantly tired when it was time for bed. Now to practice some face paint for the fair on Saturday. Went for a facial today with a friend and the products they put on my face really amazingly did reduce the lines and wrinkles. But, of course, it's only temporary. But it was nice to look fresh and pretty for a short time. Below is a picture of my display. Hope it makes you want to hire a clown in your area for a grandchild's birthday!
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How cute is that!! I want you for MY next birthday.
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Looks like a lot a work, but as well a whole lot of satisfaction. You must have great lungs for blowing up all those balloons. You know, I think being pleasantly tired is the only kind of tired to be. Glad you had a good day. I tried some of that face cream once. It did work.....it was the price that was not so workable...but at least, if you had good enough reason, you know its out there, huh !!!!
See you all tomorrow.
Blessings
Jackie
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Don't let me mislead you. I use a balloon pump and not my lungs to inflate all the balloons. It's funny looking. Sort of like a giant bicycle pump that sits on the floor and is red, black and white. Kids are facinated by it.
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My trip to Tampa/ClearwaterBeach ended with a spectacular luau...so much fun.The next morning, I was blindsided by snow onthe way to work.About 5” fell.
Sandra, I hope you are doing well.Thanks for the good wishes about my trip...I enjoyed hearing about your family’sconnections to baseball and you sneaking around with those spring season boys LOL! Clearwater Beach was cool and it was breezy...but much warmer than NY!!Sally, Carole, thanks for the good wishes as well.
Termite, did you say you had a nicer spring day in Chicago? My DS did not tell me...he must be out enjoying it. Re: grandbabies...my collection of baby gear has grown and the toy boxes are overflowing...but the youngest is out of the crib and there are no prospects of more babies any time soon. Trouble is, all grandkids are far now so baby things are gathering dust here...(sigh)...maybe I'll get an office after all.
Chevy, wow, almost 5 years...did you take the AI? I am 2.5 years out and it kind of is going fast (like the rest of my life).
Am home with a very weird set of symptoms...flu-like...left work last night abruptly...sent the students home...now am awake at 4 am and drinking decaf green tea and eating matzohs with butter...Jean, I also have the perennial post-nasal and sinus congestion.With allergy seasonarriving, I’ll probably need drugs.
Thursday (today) I had an unscheduled visit to Sloan with myBS to check out a bump in my surgical area that feels different than therest.Now, being sick, I probably have to cancel. Anxiety reigns....
Rita, keep moving! You are doing great.
Hugs all around,Joan
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The
real troublemakers are anger, jealousy, impatience, and hatred.
With them problems cannot be solved.
Though we may have temporary success, ultimately our hatred or anger will
create further difficulties.
Anger makes for swift solutions.
Yet, when we face problems with compassion, sincerity, and good
motivation, our solutions may take longer, but ultimately they are
better. The Dalai
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Stormy night here and morning as well. It will be gunky all day. Hmmm, spell checker didn't get me on that G word. Always the possibility of tornado's and of course more regular high winds. Maybe hail. I don't like the "dark" and without sun sky.....but that big yellow ball will return soon. Fairly warm out -- so no wonder we are getting this stuff.
Joan...you had such fun. Wonder why we get to go away and then seem to have to turn up an ailment of some sort soon after our return. I hope it all gets better quickly. Yikes about having to wait to check out your bump. I'm feeling it is just one of those things.....so many people end up with "odd" things after txs are done. Sometimes I think it is that and just a huge heightened awareness. Sending positive energies that it is 'just' one of those things that will mean basically nothing.
I have allergy/sinus meds that I'm holding back for now. I know in a few short weeks the pollen counts will be staggering so don't want to start too soon. I'll just be doing large amts. of nose blowing until then.
Loving the sight of little green leaves on all the bushes out back....the first thing that heralds Spring being started and the rest easily forthcoming. It always makes me think that I can once again watch the Earth wake up after the long winter nap it takes in this part of the country. I feel like I get to wake up with it. I get to enjoy the newness.....and in a sort of New Years' way look forward to the beginning of projects and cleaning best left for this time of year. Also, to getting to spend lots of time outside. Our kitchen door opens directly onto our deck ( fairly large ) and the gas grill only has to be un-covered and turned on to 'start' a great out door dinner. We eat out there most of the summer. Morning coffee along with a waking up forest....you can almost feel the buzz of energy streaking through the trees and grass and shrubbery.
Hope you all have an ok day.
Blessings
Jackie
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Jackie, Thank you for your good wishes.
I took the day off (rare event). I still feel the same, no worse. I will call to see if they will still let me go to my BS today.
I love reading about your deck...I am ready to get out there too. It's still cool today but mega-sunshine. When you cook/eat out, do you have to deal with mosqitoes and yellow jackets?
DH does not like the battle of the bugs.0 -
Let me know about the lump, worried
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Joan, sometimes we get a few mosquitoes ( depending on how late we are eating ) and an occasional wasp. Though Illinois is just chock full of bugs ( comparatively speaking southern California had almost none ) we are not actually troubled much by them. We have ( though we only own about two acres ourselves ) many acres of growing things around us for bees to buzz around and visit and lots of the other 'buggy' creatures must go there as well.
I'm not fond at all of bugs, spiders, snakes and other crawly things, but have made a bit of a truce with them since often they are quite disinterested in us. We do keep spray for any wasps that manage a nest around the deck and garage entrance or any place we frequent ( like my 12 by 1 0 storage shed ) but otherwise my motto is stay away from me and I'll promise to return the favor in kind as much as possible. We do have some rather interesting ones with some wild colors...like the med. iridescent green ones that we see a lot. I admire the people who are REALLY fascinated about bugs....if they weren't we wouldn't know so much of what we do, but it is not up my alley that is for sure.
Snakes...well, I don't mind them being around as I know that they are eating other things I don't want here either and in the 11 years we have lived here....I've only seen three --- so they don't spend too much time around our house that I know. I am always glad when we don't have drought conditions as I do think they come well into the yard looking for food that is no longer abundant in the brush and timber. Anyway.....the deck is our dining room. I'll go see if I have a picture. I have put it in before....but it is a nice place to spend time.
Blessings
Jackie
pic is small, but I've forgotten how to get them out of Picasa real well....but it gives you an idea.
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Jackie, I have been lurking here as of late and your mention of Shallotte, North Carolina caught my eye! I live in Georgia but my father's family is from Shallotte! Not too many people know of Shallotte. It brings back so many memories of going there on vacation as a child and visiting the many beaches in the area. My family had farmland and raised chickens. My dad was one of 14 children! Yes, 14! We had family reunions where the only food was roasted oysters, coleslaw and cornbread. Ah, the memories. Anyway, thanks for a flash from the past!
Kathy
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Kathy -- how great to talk to someone who knows Shallotte. I've not been there but my brother-in-law ( retired U.S. Diplomat ) and his wife did choose to build a home there. Despite having to undergo some serious storms ( it is about 10 miles in ) they really loved the area. The two adult sons were living in the Salisbury area already, and the remaining son moved with them when they chose to go "home" to be with his wife's mother. It was a four hour drive otherwise and I'm sure had become really tedious long before they made their move.
You are welcome to lurk but do feel free to come and chat with us. I'm not sure about the oysters but the cornbread and coleslaw sound mighty inviting.
Blessings
Jackie
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CHICKENS! I think this is where I came in.
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So we have Chickens now - where's Chevy?
Jackie - your deck is wonderful.
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Jackie, I've always loved oysters. I guess it comes from the family reunions. They would cook them outside in a pit and I remember my father would shuck a bowl full for me. I don't ever remember not liking them. Eat them raw on the half-shell now. My three children love them as well from seeing my husband and me eat them all these years.
I do have fond memories of Shallotte. I was born in the 50's and it was indeed a small town then. Kinda like Mayberry. Many changes have come with the addition of a WalMart. Went back about a year and half ago when my mother died and we buried her in the family cemetery by my dad. Have little family there now with the exception of a few cousins. My brother and I were the youngest grandkids in the family so most of my cousins are pretty elderly now. We did manage to get about 10 of us together to have dinner while we were there.
One of the great things about Shallotte is that it is half way between Myrtle Beach and Wilmington. I have cousins that live in both places. Ocean Isle Beach is a wonderful place with privately owned homes on the ocean instead of high-rise condos as in other beach locations. Very cool little seafood restaurants dot the inlets and waterways of the intercostal highway.
Thanks for letting me go down memory lane for a few minutes! All you ladies seem to enjoy each other so much! Such a great group for me to perhaps join.
Kathy
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Well Kathy and others......that started me thinking about our yard back home here ( a little bitty town about 4 miles from here ) and the beautiful willow trees in the back yard. So many happy hours spent under those trees....even climbing them when I was in first or second grade. My "boyfriend" then, Johnny O'Donell would be climbing them with me. I broke up with him one day though when he pushed me out of my own tree. He never came back after that day. I must have been so rough on him.
We pumped our water from a well and it always had a great flavor. The few times I tasted city water from here -- oh my. It had a very chemical taste. We played hopscotch on the front dirt sidewalk. My girlfriend ( who was very good at the game ) could draw perfect boxes. We had the first t.v. in town and the thing was huge. My dad would take out the front window screen and set it through the window. Half of the neighborhood came and watched t.v. in our front yard.
Penny candy was wonderful then too. You could get an ice cream cone from the little mom and pop grocery store for a nickel. Soda was about the same price I think....or maybe a dime. You can sure tell my age with some of those prices.
We are hearing a lot of thunder again so I think the second big storm of the day will be arriving soon. Sure hope we don't have any problems.
Blessings,
Jackie
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This is a close-up of my deck and what it looks like in summer time there. I love spending time outside but sometimes it is far too hot and humid to be out for too long. Last summer was fantastic....almost perfect. Hard to know what we will get this summer. Did have the very strange winter to withstand. Sure glad it is over. It was a little long for my taste though I normally enjoy winter too.
Blessings
Jackie
p.s. Still not sure what I'm doing with Picasa. It is working a bit different than it use to so seems there are a lot of maneuvers that need to be made to get pictures to come in at a good size.
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Hi all
Sorry I have been absent,things are very busy at the broom shop which is a good thing.
Third court hearing in Florida today. Judge said she does not know why she should send Kimber to us because we did not protect her by letting her go to Florida with her Mom. How were we to know there would be a problem? Our GD is heart broken. Our daughter lost it in court today and walked out.
We are taking every avanue we can to file complaints.
She is of legal age to tell the court where she wants to live. Her civil rights are being broken.
Not a good day.
Welcome to anyone who is new, sorry but have not had the time or energy to read everything.
Hugs
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Thinking of you momarch. How discouraging for everyone concerned. How wonderful hindsight might be, but that is one of the reasons it is called hindsight. Sometimes, you have to do something and only then can you discover if it wasn't the right thing. No offence to any Fla. residents, but it seems to me that the officials there get off on brow-beating and don't pay one whit to the real issue at hand which is a beautiful granddaughter that strongly desires to come home to her grandparents.
I'll be sending prayers for guidance that these officials can "see" the light and handle this in a much better, kinder, and forthright manner.
Blessings,
Jackie
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I have been on other forums and have found most of them to be so negative and at times, just plain hateful. It is so easy to say "welcome" or say "ask anything" but not so much to mean it. So, while searching for other online groups I decided to come back to look for another forum in the hopes there is one out there that is kind, offers insights and yet addresses those issues that have brought everyone together. Your comments are so kind and caring that it sounds like you live next door to each other!
I myself, I'm 61, grandmother to 4, live in the Dallas area and am retired from teaching and other things. I get my TE removed next Wed with implants put in both (the right one was dragging the floor). Then the new nipple and tattooing stuff only to be topped off with beginning Arimidex therapy. I look forward to joining your neighborhood!
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Welcome lostboob. So glad you found us. We have been here some time now and do try to make it a great place to let down your hair, talk about whatever bothers you....rant when you have too, but otherwise just enjoy our 'well' seasoned ( meaning a little older ) status. We do feel like many of our cancer issues have been influenced a bit more by our overall age, but we are all just as young as we want to be.
There is always room at our place so do come often. There is always a cozy chair, a coffee pot and lots of good chatter.
Blessings
Jackie
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