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

Hi ladies,

I love this part of the chemo cycle where I feel decent and can eat and just have to pace myself so I don't over do. Headed out this morning with my camera and took pictures of a new columbarium and the 8 people who have been "buried" there. Then headed to another cemetery, stopped at the office and they looked up the locations for 3 people I had photo requests for and found their tombstones and photo'd them. 

Had lunch with a dear friend who is back in town for a few days getting her house ready for sale. And then drove to a cemetery south of town a few miles. I go there every summer and take photos of the stones of the people who have been buried in the last year. It's a small church cemetery, usually only have about 5 new ones every year. Tomorrow I'll relax and add all the photos to the website findagrave.com.

Came home and knew I'd "hit the wall". Took an hour nap and feel better. Had Lew dab the spots in the back that I can't see or reach with my vit E cream, and think I'll go pick some of my grapes. Found some of the grapes I picked last Thursday had gotten moldy over the weekend, I need to get enough picked so I can start processing them before I lose any more.

Don't have to cook tonight, we're going to a picnic with a group of Lew's computer geeky friends, have a watermelon to share with the group and we'll pick up steaks to grill. I know some of the wives so it'll be a good time.

Yes, I've seen "Botched." Some of those folks have a body image disorder, I think. My plastic surgeon is a great guy and so talented. He is the primary surgeon for active duty soldiers who have been burned in the war. (I go to a military hospital - Mike is a retired A.F. pilot.) My husband has been a volunteer in the burn clinic for 6 years now and in the past year, I've been there an awful lot. It is amazing to see what Dr. Chan can do for these soldiers. Some need 20 surgeries or more and suffer unimaginable pain. One man had an explosive blow up in front of him and lost his nose. Dr. Chan put in a tissue expander on the guy's forehead to stretch and grow more skin. Then he flipped it down and covered the newly created nose made with cartiledge. I saw the guy every week for about two months and could barely believe my eyes.

My situation is NOTHING compared to our heroes. I lost soft tissue and muscle on my left side and around my left implant in the three days my infection ran unchecked after the BMX. (I had immediate permanent implants placed the same day as the mastectomies.) Thank goodness Dr. Chan hit upon the right antibiotic on the third try. I was a mess this time last year but he has done a good job putting me back together. I have pretty good range of motion after the last operation to lengthen three muscles - parts of each had been lost to the infection. I now have a six inch zig zag scar from the front of my left shoulder, down to the side of my left implant. The muscles attach in odd ways and cause uncomfortable pulling, compression, and distortion of the tissue that is left and the left implant. In surgery #5 the doc will continue reconstruction of the pocket the implant fits into to eliminate implant migration and pain. Parts of the underarm axillary area is simply newly stretched & grown skin over ribs since the soft tissue had to be cut away. I'm sure a mess if I raise my arm. (Good thing I can't raise it very far or I'd be scaring little children.) I'm going to be so glad for surgery #6 to transfer fat to those areas and similar areas on my upper chest because it will help cut the pain. After that, I'm through. Nothing cosmetic for me. I just want to live without constant discomfort.

Today was the last day for babysitting the grands.  We spent two hours with the hose and buckets of soapy water on my very dusty car.  It still looks awful, but was fun.  I just sat in a lawn chair and applauded.  Planned to go to the carwash soon anyway.  They will be going back home for the start of school.  I sure hate seeing an end to the kids days off.  It will be very quiet here at the lake again.

Anne, glad the sponge is gone.  Teacher celebrating the first day of school is a tradition  some of my retired friends share with you.  They go to breakfast just as the bell is ringing.  A nice way to stay in touch.  Sandra, glad the eyes are improving.  You always seem so positive, yet have seen so much of hospitals.  No joke about vision intended!  

Wow, a real neighbor stopped by to invite Carole and husband to pizza and ice cream.  That sounds quite nice.  Glad you had the time open.  We need more of that stuff.  Ice cream I mean. 

I've got to prepare to entertain little girls at a birthday party for a five year old.  It will be fun.  That's my favorite part of clowning.  Saturday is the big event. Bye for now.  Keep on laughing at something every day.

Good Morning everyone. Oh yes I watch Botched too. Interesting, but I really like when they fix something that was really fixed horribly and the women are so happy. But double Q to triple is recockulous.==People are crazy.

OK I hear thunder and wind so far that's how the morning is starting. Did n't check the weather yet.

BTW did I read Jackie say Chevy was like the Rock--well I stopped to think for a moment and at first thought yes Alcatraz it is but then I finished the whole sentence so OK I screwed up.

I'm trying to wake up here no coffee yet, meaning I'm not waking up yet so I have ro come back later. Hop everyone has a good day.

Happy Tues everyone

Yesterday was a great day all around. I woke up about 7:30, and didn't hear my GS getting ready for school, so I checked to make sure he was awake. He was all dresses (including his backpack on his back), sitting at attention on the chair in his room watching the clock. School starts at 9:00. Next time I checked, he was in the bathroom, combing and recombing his hair. He was so excited. I held him back till 8:15, but by then he was going to explode if he didn't leave. 

Then I went to lunch with 7 retired teachers and 2 retired bookkeepers. What fun catching up with everyone. As I was getting ready to leave the lunch, DD#3 called to see if I could pick her kids up from school- a chance to be the first to hear about Kayden's first day of Kdg, and Victoria'sfirst day of fourth grade? Absolutely!

As we got home, a lady came from a therapy place to evaluate my lymphedema. She did a very thorough job and a wonderful massage. The actual therapist will be by today or tomorrow to wrap the arm - not because it is so bad, but because I am starting to develop some fibrous tissue in a couple of places and they want to get rid of that before it becomes a real problem.

Doug arrived then, wanting to be here when his son came home from his first day of middle school. He was an hour early, and started his sad tale about not qualifying for housing, but I just said that was too bad, and asked him about HIS first day at cooking school. Just like the little ones, he was excited to share his day.

Dougie got home and was even more excited about his day than he was before he left, so we enjoyed his report. He is both highly gifted and very social, so he had a lot to tell.

Tracy wasn't thrilled to come home to Doug, Kayden and Victoria, but Doug left finally, and I made dinner for the kids. When Jamie came to pick them up, she and Tracy had a real good talk about the Doug situation and Tracy's need for Jamie to have some boundaries,especially about coming here during the day without telling anyone she is here.  Not a problem for me, but a major one for Tracy.

I finished the day by making my reservations to go back to Ga for the month of Sept. Can't wait to see my boys up there, and I am due for some testing- PAP and PET Scan. I will also get to visit my little GD in SC while there. 

Sorry this is so long again, but after all the stress and drama of the last few weeks, it was so great to have a busy, fun, productive day. 

Anne

I see trees of green, red roses too

I see them bloom for me and you

And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white

The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night

And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

George Weiss / Bob Thiele

I am on here late and felt the "quote" which is actually part of a song would be nice for everyone.  So often it is a wonderful world -- but like Anne, and Joan who had a wonderful rest, sometimes it is the situations  that change a bit  ( like Doug empty nesting your house Anne ) and ( Joan -- a good rest away from nearly everything )  that get us into the big accepting mood that life is good and even better at times  when we have done some good storm weathering  -- and come out fairly well indeed.

Speaking of storms, we just had a pass-through type of one.  I thought our rain was all done, but not so.  I just got home from work, it turned dark with lots of thunder and then we had a fairly brief but heavy pour down.  Don't know if that is it or not.  The sun is back out, but then it was out before -- don't think I can trust that indication much.

Anyway, I need to go and get some things done but will be back later.  I'll see you'll then.

Blessings

Jackie

Jackie my favorite is Louie Armstrong singing that song.

Anne it sounds like things are more undercontrol where u are. U know what I found to do when someone goes on and on and on about their poor miserable problems I explain specifically about all my operations from the first o the last, it tends to break their power of poor me a lot.

Joan good for you and u'r DH---it's always nice to just get up and go.

AA O grew up with Scotties my dad always liked them, they're so cute but a little stubborn. Well it sounds like u'r wrapping summer up,sob, but yes I do remember well when we all played together outside and there was never a worry--These kids nowadays don't have the luxury that we had, oh they have all the games, but not all the play time that we had.

And Chevy Rock-----Me------Hard Place. Sorry I got all mixed up. But that so easy to do when a statement is about u. Everyone agrees, I'm sure.

AA how sweet, our Scottie had a litter and my whole family got into that one so we all had them. My dad trained her so well, we had no fence and she never left the boundary of our yard and we had her for 15 yrs, but she did eat what we ate,,,all Italian. LOL

Jackie, we too have fully accepted our role in the castle! He happens to have a heart condition that matches my husband's, so they are both free to play that card with me as well. I'm done for. 

I had a Scottie. Corky thought everyone was his friend, he was stubborn, and he loved to snuggle. I had him for 11 years til he got cancer. I didn't have a dog again (cats though) for 20 years til I got my schnauzer.

Chevy, I'm sure you knew I'd be among the first.  That is one of the most beautiful things I've seen in a long time.  If only - people could be as loving and caring as this cat and dog.  We get through this world best when we can hope for understanding and assistence at times from our fellow travelers on this Earth -- all trying to do the same thing.  Grow our soul before we re-present it to the Creator of all things.

Blessings

Jackie

AlaskaAngel.....I have a six pack of Boston terriers....use to show 'em.....these are all spayed or neutered, as every puppy I ever sold.  Done with showing/breeding dogs.   

Sandy and Di,

Let's do try to meet up when you are here on the 4th. Iit can be a bit challenging on both ends if there are a lot of big ships in town because the town is pretty small. Cell service isn't available in the areas between towns as your ship is traveling, but is available close to town. I don't know what your internet access is while aboard, to stay in touch in case there are any problems or changes. Do you? Feel free to PM me. How do you manage to get the puppers to line up long enough to take the photo!??

If you Google a Map of Ketchikan, Alaska ....it shows 4 ships.....the last few years we have docked at the farthest dock to the left on this map.....and used the the walkway along where the small boat marina is located to get into the town and Creekside.....great museum there too!