Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHEVY!!!!

the flowers are beautiful

great pix and love engagements....

a nurse came today and b/c I stopped chemo, they want me to go into hospice here...they say that is much better than whatever I am on now...told them I would think about it and talk to my drs...cancer sucks...

bbl

Good idea wren thanks

I haven't been on for awhile, as I've been kinda blue - well, really blue - really.  And just haven't felt like chatting or anything. 

Had my MO visit - which was uneventful

Then for some reason I was looking at my medical information (it's online) and realized that there was a report I hadn't read from the bone and joint clinic (the folks who want to do a joint replacement on my shoulder).  Anyway, I read this report that has been languishing in internet hell for a few months, and it said I have "generalized osteopenia".  Since no one in my family EVER has had osteoporosis, and my dexa scan that was done when I started letrozole showed REALLY good bones, I promptly called my MO and said I want a dexa scan done.  After getting the general run-around from the nurse (why do they do that anyway???)  I said:  "Apparently I'm not making myself clear.  I am on a medication that is known to cause bone loss.  The bone clinic said I have "generalized osteopenia" and my dexa scan of two years ago showed NO indication of osteopenia.  I want to have a dexa scan done."  They are supposed to call tomorrow with the date of the scan.  If they don't, you can bet that I'll be calling back on Friday.

In addition to that, I've realized that I've got some lymphedema going on.  My left arm is about 1/2 to 1 inch larger around than my right.  So I'm trying to find a lymphedema PT who is not too far from where I live.  And why is it that mosquitos ALWAYS bite me on the left arm???  There's a lot of other available body, but no.  Left arm.  Always.

Throw in some family problems and this #$%^&* medication and I've just been on a downhill slide.  My back/hip has been hurting so bad I can barely walk much of the time.  If I exercise, you can bet that the next day I'll barely be able to walk across the room.  I wish I could just move in with my acupuncturist.  About the only time I feel OK is for about 12 hours after I see her.

OK.  That's my complaint litany for now.

So for the not complaint...  I made two batches of raspberry freezer jam - one of them is "herbed".  It's a little too weird for me, so I won't make that one again.  Tomorrow I plan on working on my park bench project.  Hubby is going fishing in the morning.  I'd go with him but apparently have insomnia tonight, so I will not be getting up at 3:30 to go fish.

Happy Birthday Chevy!

Puffin I'm glad u shared u'r story with us---A NURSE EVERYONE LOL, but I also see u've had sadness in  u'r life to but happy u have a wonderful partner to make this as easy s possible for u and now u have us. Well I'm gad u joined us, these ladies are great.

Puffin, thanks for sharing your interesting life.  You've been/are a busy, productive person.  DH and I are spending July and August at Pine Hollow Resort near Park Rapids.  This is our 3rd year to do this.  We have a large 5th wheel and use it for a small summer house.  Several of the couples who have campers here at Pine Hollow are from Fargo.  ND people love the lake country in MN!  We notice lots of cars with ND licenses.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHEVY!!!!

Jackie, I don't blame you for being annoyed at the person who foolishly took in a cat and now wants you to adopt it.

Kaara, I remember the lovely garden you had at your NC home that you sold. 

Cami, I'll bet you're doing a good job for your employer.  You not only take down the customers' info.  You probably entertain them!  Glad you're attending some parties.  I'm sure you liven them up! 

Blondie, I also have known people who did well on hospice.  The people who work for hospice are so caring.  And they understand the mindset of not wanting more treatment. 

Anne, I always enjoy your posts.  Here's a tip from an OLD English teacher.  Break the long passages up into paragraphs.  The breaks make reading easier.  Hard to give up that red pen!!!

Slept until 8 am and am drinking coffee and taking it easy this morning.  Yesterday tired me out.  We biked 23 miles and did shopping and errands.  Looks like another pretty day but with a chance of showers this afternoon.  We're planning to play golf at or after 3 pm to get the lower twilight rate.  Will have to wait and see what the weather looks like at that time.

We have a big family group here at Pine Hollow who are renting the two condos and also the two pontoon boats.  So they're renting our little boat that we take out fishing.  BOO HOO! 

I just heard the warbling of a loon out on the lake!  Love that sound!  Hope everyone has a happy day.

Have to be at work soon but back to comment and chat after work.  See you all then.

Jackie

PS:  Happy Birthday Chevy!!  Sure beats the alternative doesn't it...lol!

Blondie:  Hospice is a wonderful group of caregivers....my aunt had them and they made her feel comfortable at all times.

Happy Birthday Chevy-hope you have a great day. 

Blonde- take your time, get as much info as you can, think thru all the possible options, then pick what's right for you. We will all be with you, whatever you decide.

Carole- I will try to implement you suggestion, not only because it makes sense, or that  you were an English teacher, but because you are a very successful author, so you must know what you are talking about. 

Cami- I had a situation like you the other day with sending an email accidentally. I am not good at verbal confrontation and usually, if I am really stressed, will put my thoughts in an email, which 90% of the time I delete.

This past weekend, there was a blowup between my DD#3 and DD#2's ex- husband who is now living in my house with my daughter and their son. They are somewhat "friends with benefits" but mostly co- parents of their son. Doug has done a lot of work around the house since he was medically discharged from the military 18 months ago. Some was really needed (upkeep in the yards), other purely his idea,just to keep busy like re- arranging the whole garage- moving cabinets, adding shelving, etc

Problem is, he now feels territorial about the house ( although his financial input is not much more than the child support he's been paying for the last 9 years). My youngest son ( who is still living here), and my youngest daughter have a problem with that.

Jamie feels that even though she is married and no longer lives here, this is still her home and she can come here whenever she wants. She also doesn't see a problem going in to the master closet to get something of hers that was stored there when it was my closet. It is now Tracy's closet, and by default Doug's closet. 

Sun, When Jamie came over, Tracy was in the master bedroom folding laundry. Jamie got a formal dress of hers from the closet. No problem. Later, when I came home from Tim's engagement brunch, Doug was showing his BIL the new surround sound system he just bought( rather loudly) and the GC were watching the family room TV, also kind of loudly. Jamie and Tracy were taking about getting their hair done,and Doug came into the kitchen to tell them they were too loud.

Oh boy!! Jamie said "this is MY house and I can talk as loud as I want." Doug's even louder response was a rant about this not being her house, and how wrong it is for her to go into "his" closet or "his"garage without permission. It got pretty nasty.

The next day, I wrote an email to both of them, being much more forceful and blunt than I would ordinarily be, since I knew I would re-read it several times before sending it, if it was ever sent at all. I was about half-way through and it went out. I must have brushed the send button somehow, but it certainly wasn't on purpose. Damage done, I had to finish it and send the rest. Long story short, Jamie admitted she needs to give them the respect she would expect if the tables were turned, and ask permission before going into their closet, with the stipulation that if Doug is hiding something in there that shouldn't be there, he should move it out of "our house". Doug has not said a word, but had been extremely nice and friendly since then. I basically told him that he was here by Tracy's grace and really had no right to challenge anybody on anything other than his personal belongings . 

Right now, there is peace in the valley, and I will see how long it lasts. Big problem looming is that Sat is my GD's birthday party, and her dad, Jamie's husband, does not want Doug there because he disrespected Jamie. The two men (boys) have had a long standing hatred for each other. The good thing is that they usually avoid each other as much as possible, so I am hoping Doug will just decide to skip the party. Except that his BFF/ BIL is going to be there.

And so continues the story of my life. Sun night my older son said I can't win - either I am bored to death,or in the middle of some stupid melodrama that stresses me to death, no happy medium for me. He has been pulled in to it several times this summer- his point or side being that he could give a **** less what they do or say to each other! keep it the **** away from me. That works for awhile. Then....

Anne

Thanks, Wren.  I thought so, too.  Part of my frustration in all honesty is that they didn't simply schedule me for a dexa scan, as I've been on this devil pill (as ducky calls it) for over 2 and a half years.  Since everyone knows it causes bone loss it just seemed like they weren't paying attention.  I know that we all need to be our own advocate, but I'd really like them to pay attention as well.  It's not like they aren't getting paid enough.....

Wow -- now that I'm home I can see that everyone got through everything and there really isn't any input  ( original )  at all needed from me.

Blondie, I too have heard of people excelling within their hospice care.  I think one of the big things that they deal with are pain management issues ( lots of others I know too ) and I would think that could be a lot of help to you just on that one reason.  We are all here for you whatever you feel is best.  You are important to lots of people and whatever it takes to bring out the best in you and for you.

GG....it is a real pickle with the osteopenia thing. When I was first diagnosed....the one Dr. just nearly insisted that I MUST take Fosomax.  I thought about it, but since I didn't have a clue as to when my osteopenia began nor how many years down the line before it changed, if ever, I decided I did not want to risk what could be some really harsh se's.  I counted myself fortunate that I had very few with the Anastrozole and since my Dr. felt I would go off of it after five years......I didn't want to get involved with more drugs and more se's.  If things change somewhere down the road I may have to re-visit my current stance -- but not till I have too.

We end up with so many drugs at times.....I don't want to take any that I don't feel are fairly necessary to my well-being.

Anne, I think all's well that ends well.  Glad your (sorta ) SIL understands that while he is appreciated for things,  he doesn't fall into the category of rule-making for the young part of the house-hold.  Like you say, peace and quiet hopefully will reign until a few feathers come loose over something else.  If love is solidly in the roll-call than most of it is annoyances  that hopefully can always be dealt with fairly diplomatically.

Kaara, glad the title and deed transference is done.  I think your idea is great --- keeping tally of the loan/gifts and subtracting at the time you wish to share with your loved ones through inheritance.  It is only fair that those not having monetary issues not have to lose out because they didn't. 

Turning out to be a nice day here.  Tomorrow will be a longish one for me.  Not totally looking forward to it, but we will see how it goes.  I will work tomorrow night and have Saturday night off.  That is always nice as that way I end up with sort of a three day week-end though the last day on that is Monday rather than Sunday.

Chevy --- hoping your big day is the best ever.

Blessings

Jackie

I am more of a "lurker" than a chatter but wanted to let you know how much I enjoy hearing about your lives.  I've been more or less, saved by my puter since I've been kinda house-bound lately due to fatigue & bad knees.  Anyway, just wanted you to know how much the BC forum has kept me entertained.

Martha

Anne how do u keep any part of sanity in u'r head. OMG the patience u have--I'm glad things sound better and hope it lasts a long time for u, I've always said Boring is good, that means nothing bad is happening. (Jackie u can quote me--again) LOL

Blondie so many of my thought are for u and I do want to agree (cuz I really checked) that hospice would be a big help to u and people do actually get kicked out, well not literally but they do get one on one treatment and get stronger.So special vibes are going to you.

Have I missed something along the way--has Rita been around, I don't remember now.

Kaara u r a smart woman and u have good ideas on how to spend your time.

Carole u'r always so complimentary to me, but I'm not really funny, except to myself--I laugh when I'm alone cuz I think of something funny and I've never had much of a filter anyway now I have none and everyone knows it, so they humor me thinking I'll probably be going any day now,,the jokes on them, I'm still here and they're forced now to humor me.

Oh I'm till writing to the Governor cuz he;s being a PITA but the President's office intervined for my taxes and they are working at working it out, so they are not taking anything from my SS for now. And my DD1 has finally stopped getting phone call from the Governor's office cuz she's not my boss. So she doesn't care how often I write now as long as they don't call her at work anymore.

BTW I'm blaming all my bone loss and all my problems on chemo and meds--I can walk a little but not long and I do my exersizes (sp) from my chair like in PT all my bones are crumbling within me and I think I look awful but I'm glad u can't see me inside out. I look better this way.

Thanks 4 all u r kind words, hospice isnt like what it used to b like. Thrya nurse comes to the house 1 time a week, checks in on me.. they do so much