Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
Comments
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I like them both a lot Anne.
Hugs & blessings
Jackie
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Those shirts are cute, Anne.
DH and I worked in the yard this morning. I did pruning and he operated the wheel barrow, picking up the piles I built. He also picked up a lot of limbs. It was still (no wind) enough for him to burn the accumulation.
This afternoon I worked on a birthday present for my younger sister, place mats with a horse theme. The fabric is very pretty. I bought it in MN at a quilt shop this summer. I got all the cutting and prep done and am ready to do the actual stitching.
Now I'm settled in my chair and wishing I didn't have to cook dinner. DH is still out in his work shop. He has more going power than I do. I wish he would come inside, take his shower and make us a drink! I so look forward to my cocktail at this time of late afternoon/early evening.
Hope everyone had a good Monday.
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Spiritual energy brings compassion into the real world. With compassion,
we see benevolently our own human condition and the condition
of our fellow beings. We drop prejudice. We withhold judgment.Christina Baldwin
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When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother
would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people
who are helping." To this day, especially in times of "disaster," I remember
my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there
are still so many helpers--so many caring people in this world.
Fred Rogers0 -
In the rush of daily living it's easy to forget all the remarkable people, real or fictional, who have been a part of your life.But if you just imagine they are near for a moment, you will realize that anyone who ever touched your heart is always with you, patiently waiting to emanate warmth and support whenever you remember to think of them. -Barbara Sher
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Welcome Emmiejohns. Glad you found this terrific support group where it's safe to share your feelings and get some encouragement. I've been away for a few weeks and missed everyone.
Thanks for the birthday wishes and beautiful pictures.
I haven't been on because I did my 2 craft shows for the holidays. I didn't make as much as I'd hoped at either, but I did sell some older pieces. And, I have a new wholesale account in Skokie. So, that's really exciting.
Thanks for the info. on Vitamin K; it is definitely something I need to be eating more of - no cumadin for me.
BIL is still here. DH has had it too with all the lies and empty promises and how selfish he is. We just have to talk about how to handle it, but we want him gone by the end of the year. DH wants to talk to him, but I'm not sure how "solid" he'll be on the deadline. And we have to decide consequences, is changing the locks and throwing his stuff to the curb enough? Do we need a typed agreement for a "renter" who has defaulted? There's a lawyer in here, right? Would appreciate input on that.
Since we're talking depression and bipolar, it's a topic I'm too familiar with, unfortunately. Add breast cancer to that mix and it can be bad. I haven't been keeping up with my positive readings and affirmations very well and that makes a difference. Since the time change and the rain and darkness, I've been a little grumpy and tired (again, the need for the affirmations).
I went to hear a speaker/coach today about changing your thoughts and being victorious instead of a victim. It was very good and I feel that I have a lot of tools to use to keep myself sane. My goal is to live with more joy somehow in this crazy world. I'm very sad (and angry) about France. I just don't understand why this group can't be taken out (sorry if this offends anyone, so I'll stop now.)
Cats are another favorite topic of mine: we have 4, all adopted from shelters and our youngest, Tommy, who's 3 now, from a family who was being evicted. We were supposed to keep him for only 30 days. Then they didn't ask about him at all and of course, I fell in love with him.
Buddy, who's diabetic and maybe 14.
Fritz, 4 years
Sammy, 4 years
Tommy, 3 years
Since Buddy gets insulin 2x a day, we had to upgrade his food to more protein and more money. I tried to feed him only the expensive food, but it was really hard to monitor all of them and keep them away from him and he refused to eat separately. SO now they all eat the high-protein expensive food, wet and dry. The extra expense from this food and from the utilities my BIL is using and not paying for is getting pricey. Thank G-d I sold items at the shows and online.
Add to that, dh was sick with an infection in a nerve in his ear and was off work for 2 weeks and he doesn't get paid unless he works. That's helping him realize what a burden his brother is on us, financially. Plus, it's been the 2 of us mostly for 41 years and now, it's like our whole routines have been changed. It's aggravating and we don't need it at this stage of our lives.
It's almost time for bed. I'm working from home tomorrow and I have to finish up a few things online.
Oh, I was able to make a donation to this great organization with the help of my customers' purchases in October. I feel good that I kept my word.
Will be in touch.
One day at a time,
Linda
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Great to hear from you, Linda, and mazel tov on that new account. Your little furkids are adorable!
Apropos of this thread (about being over 60), I got some very sobering news today about one of my best friends. No, she doesn’t have breast cancer--that would have been more manageable. She just turned 68, and as long as I’ve known her (25 yrs) has been a brittle Type 2 diabetic. And until last year she was a smoker. Also, though, until a couple of years ago she loved to go out and shop, travel, and work out with a personal trainer. In her youth she was both an equestrian and professional symphony violinist. About 20 years ago she discovered mixed martial arts (and became friends with the guys who wore the sensors for choreographing the Mortal Kombat games and movies) and had been practicing kickboxing. She also had a black belt in conversation. Her husband and mine are colleagues at two hospitals; and our sons have been classmates and BFFs since the summer before first grade (even though her son moved first to NYC and now lives in L.A., the boys are still close).
But starting about 2 years ago she began to develop COPD and lost quite a bit of weight. She finally was able to quit smoking, but too late. Last year she had to go on supplemental oxygen, and began getting forgetful. (Not Alzheimer’s, but cognitive changes from hypoxia). Two years ago, she began falling whenever the streets were icy and last year she finally had to give up driving. She’d had several recent hospitalizations for leg injuries and emphysema. Two weeks ago her emphysema progressed to cor pulmonale (lung-induced heart failure) and pulmonary hypertension, and her cognition declined rapidly--to the point where I could hardly understand her and when I could make out what she was saying it made no sense--she kept asking her husband when I was coming to pick her up to take her back home. Her son flew in from L.A. to be with her (she’s at NWM, about as good a hospital as it gets here in Chicago). The psych team evaluated her and decided she was no longer competent to make her own medical decisions, so her son has power of attorney (her husband felt that his son would be more levelheaded about such matters). Until a few days ago she was on heavy diuretics for the heart failure and 30L hi-volume oxygen. It became apparent that there was no way she could go home again--it would take round-the-clock nursing care and heavy equipment. But there was no long-term acute care facility, much less assisted living, that would be willing to deal with her respiratory needs. Eventually, she was able to be weaned down to 6L oxygen, and was moved to NWM’s long-term-acute-care wing to prepare her to move to a nearby luxury assisted-living building, where her dogs could even come visit.
But her first day in LTAC, she insisted on getting out of bed and refused to ring for the nurse. She fell and fractured her wrist and more seriously, her femur. It would need open-reduction/internal fixation surgery (the break is too extensive to reduce by manipulation and immobilize with external hardware). But the doctors have concluded that she is not likely to survive the long & brutal surgery, and even if she did survive she’d have to be intubated on a ventilator permanently. So they are increasing her pain meds as much as they can without suppressing her breathing, and will be moving her to hospice this weekend. I will be seeing her tomorrow after radiation---her son warns me that she is incoherent, angry, in & out of consciousness and might not even recognize me. But it’s my last chance to say goodbye without saying it, and her husband & son would like me there (as much for them as for her). They still wish to host us for Thanksgiving dinner regardless of what happens--they need to be among friends.
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ChiSandy, what a sad story about your friend. I'm so sorry for everyone involved, including you, her long-time friend. The only small plus is that there are concerned family looking out for her.
Today is my "little" sister's birthday. I remember her so well as an adorable little girl. She is turning 56! I just can't believe my kid siblings are getting so "mature." Yesterday my mother and I took her and her dh out to lunch and Michelle splurged by having high carb food that she has been avoiding in a weight loss program.
Today is another lovely day. I plan to take my mother shopping for a warm jacket. It takes a lot of energy because the stores do not have the electric shopping carts like the supermarkets have. I'll have to bring my mother's wheel chair and push her from the parking lot. She's quite heavy, over 200 lbs, so I'll get my work out. We'll go to Kohl's first. It has a nice dept. for large women and the prices are reasonable. The next store will be Belk's, in another shopping area. These are not indoor malls.
DH went back to the dr. again yesterday. We wanted to make sure he's not developing pneumonia. He has developed bronchitis. The coughing makes it difficult for him to get a good night's sleep.
Happy Friday for everyone.
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How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young,
compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving
and tolerant of the weak and the strong.
Because someday in life you will have been all of these.
- George Washington Carver0 -
Linda, the little gray and white cat we rescued from our BIL's yard looks very much like your Buddy. I don't know if you may or may not have found it true, but our Vet told us that in general ( I'm not sure we noticed it that much, but we have many cats ) cats tend to actually eat less of the good food. Must be the protein levels as protein fills us up more and leaves us less hungry. I had a friend who carefully measured out food to her cats ( she had several and they seemed to know their individual bowls ) and she would feed them twice a day. They did fine that way, but we are way too multiple to do something like that. We have to let them be self feeders when the need or mood strikes.
Good for you and selling at your shows -- but getting the wholesale acct. sounds really great. I think you may be right ( sometimes the Universe sends us aid in odd ways ) about your Dh being off work and SEEING that his brother is and has been a real drag on your lifestyle. These things are always difficult because you hate having to be 'mean' to a close relative but too often the person needing to make changes goes into inertia and won't get the job done until force of some kind is applied. We are our brother's keeper, but not forever. I hope 'brother' gets it together for his own sake too. He needs to learn that no one else can live his life for him and it is extremely un-fair of him to let it go on.
ChiSandy, that truly is a sorrowful story. Our negative habits can really wreak havoc no matter how hard we try to nullify the effects. My mother passed away of C.O.P.D., but she didn't have the issues your friend did. In fact, my Mom didn't have any issues ( she quit smoking 35 or 40 yrs. before her illness ) with the disease until long after her retirement --- I think she was about 73. She was a 10K runner for many yrs. as well. She survived for about 5 yrs. Her lung capacity towards the end just kept getting worse until she was on ( in the hospital ) the big Bi-Pap. She knew her life was no longer viable and she chose to have the Dr. take the Bi-pap and give her only the reg. oxygen. Such a stoic woman. Four hours later she was gone. She did not wish to live for the few days, or hours she knew was left on a bi-pap mask. I couldn't do it then, but the admiration I feel and have felt for my mother since is beyond my ability to describe.
I'm glad you are going to go see her even though she may not be aware or able to interact at all. I think it is important to do whatever it takes not to have any regrets when it is apparent that the known and appreciated in our life is about to change drastically.
Carole, I always appreciate your 'life' events and the sharing you do within your family as well as caring for your Mom. All of my immediate family are gone and though I do have family here --- most of us still work and so the opportunity to do all that much is not high --- so I live a bit vicariously hearing of the time you spend helping your Mom, and the get togethers you all have.
The sun it out bright today but oh very chilly. It's ok because the sun will keep us from getting too un-comfortable but we are getting a bit of initiation into what will be coming. With the global warming we have quit attempting to surmise what our weather will do and just keep sweaters, light jackets, some warmer slacks etc. at the ready when Fall turns up. I've also got a warm coat in my closet now -- so whatever happens I'll be ready whether I like it or not.
Hoping you all have a fantastic Friday.
Blessings,
Jackie
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Morning all,
ChiSandy- how sad for your friend. I went thru something similar with my DH. he found out he was diabetic in his mid- 30's and did very well for years by exercising ( mostly bike riding) but, like long time smokerswho refuse to quit, he refused to adapt his diet. When I cooked (almost every night) the meal would be okay, but he would eat too much. When we went out to eat, all limits were lifted and he would eat anything and everything he wasn't supposed to have. He used his insulin to "control" his sugar levels. That seemed to work until he retired. Then, being less active, and being home alone all day while I was at work, adjusting the insulin ( which he did on his own, with no Dr advice), couldn't keep up with his erratic eating- some days bacon, egg and hash browns for breakfast, other days nothing but coffee, etc. His body started breaking down. He developed diabetic retinopathy, and the day of the surgery, he decided to work out with a friend. It was his first time really working out since the military. He ended up losing most of the sight in his left eye. Then he developed a thyroid problem, which resulted in a large goiter. He finally had to go on dialysis three times a week. Problem was, he always felt worse after dialysis. His blood pressure would drop so low, he would pass out. He went out in the car twice to run errandsclose to home, and hours later would still be driving in circles, miles from home, not knowing how to get back. One time he rode around our street repeatedly because he didn't know which house was ours. Luckily, one of our daughter's came by and he recognized her car. He came in and just slumped against the wall, motioning for me to come to him. He hugged me so hard saying he wasn't sure he was home until he saw me. He rarely drove after that. Then he got an infection, but was so tired of Drs, he refused to go. I went to our neighbor, who runs the busiest ER in our county for advice. He knew Bob pretty well by then and his advice was to leave him alone. He said one of two things would happen - he would either get better on his own (which was unlikely because his fever was 104), or he would get so sick he would pass out and I could call 911. Luckily, by the next morning, he felt bad enough to go to the ER. Unfortunately, the infection had gotten into the catheter used for dialysis and had reached his heart. At that point,there was nothing they could do for him. They gave him antibiotics, but the infection had destroyed the atrial valve in his heart. They couldn't get the breathing tube down past his goiter to fix his heart, and with the damage to the heart, they couldn't risk trying to remove the goiter. They basically said go home and wait to die. He lasted about six weeks, which was longer than they thought. One night he told me he was so tired, and I said I knew and it was okay, and he passed at 7am the next morning. At least he was home and coherent till the end, which was good for us, but I can't imagine him knowing how little time he had left. ANd he was also very angry.
It is very tough watching someone you love slowly killing themselves year after year. There was so much he could have done to help himself. As hard as I tried for many years to feed him correctly, it was very hard to watch him get up from a good dinner, and eat a full bag of potato chips, then an apple, banana, a bag of peanuts, and down beer or wine while doing so. And forget going out to eat. Sometimes I would think he would deliberately hunt for the unhealthiest items on the menu, just to prove he could.
Well I have to get ready to leave for Orlando for my brother's birthday dinner tonite. Have a good day
Anne
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ChiSandy, Sorry for the bad news about your friend. It's hard to lose someone you've known for so long. I agree the visit will be as much for the husband and son as for your friend. It helps the family so much to know how much their loved one is loved by others. I hope she's lucid and can appreciate the visit, but in any case it's important to go. Hugs. It will be very hard for you.
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If all the gold in the world were melted down into a solid cube it would be about the size of an eight-room house. If a man got possession of all that gold--billions of dollars worth--he could not buy a friend, character, peace of mind, clear conscience, or a sense of eternity. -Charles F. Banning
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Hmm, was writing and it disappeared! Oh well, I'm hopefully back on the boards. Been having trouble again, not receiving posts or notices. It seems to change to not receiving notifications of its own accord. So got a lot of catch -up to do. Hope they fixed it, again!
Been reading about the disfunctional, son/son-in-law problems. We have those troubles also. My DH son asked his father if he cud store equipment for his part time landscaping business, here , on a temporary basis, while going thru a divorce and moving. Well that was 10 years ago. Every time we ask him to remove the unuseable, rusting junk stuff, he has a fit. We finally went to a lawyer, 3 years ago and had he write a letter. About a third of the junkyard was removed, nothing since then. I think he is a hoarder and has anger problems. He feels he is entitled to have his junk yard on our property! We don't agree. My DH will spreak to him, excuses are given, and nothing happens. Part of it is DH fault, I know he hates to deal with it. I have reached my limit of patience , and have told him that, get the usual "I will talk to him , when I'm ready!" Very frustrating, and a little scary, as DS gets so angry when we approach him!
Beautiful, cold day here. Dh went to a farm toy show, I went to urgicare, as I got bitten by a deer tick. Had the target rash some years ago and never knew I had been bit. This time the tick was still attached. Got it back in Sons junk yard taking pictures shud we need then for any legal action. Dr. put me on antibiotics. I saved the tick, but they don't test them. They are soooo tiny! Hope I am Ok as I was the last time.
Monday is my Bday, nothing planned , except a dentist visit. Being on gluten free for my digestive issues limits birthday cake, unless I bake one. No bakery that makes them here, supermarket has limited choice of gluten free baked goods. Oh well!
Linda, love the kitty pictures. Our last kitty , Cookie passed this spring. As with most we have had , was a shelter cat. She was the smartest cat we ever had. Trying to survive without pets til we quit traveling. One of our kitties lived for 21 years. So hard to loos them, they are part of the family.
Hope everyone has a good weekend, Jean
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Bonnets, Check to see if any local shelters have foster parents. You can have the cat until adoption and if you want to travel, another foster parent can take over.
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Sandy, I'm so sad for you about your friend. It's so difficult that health declines so rapidly. I will pray for you to have the strength and courage to be with her and for G-d to help you through this tough time.
Carole, that's so neat that you guys took the cats to be neutered and then brought them back.
Jackie, all 4 cats are eating the high protein diet. The canned food is given 2x a day divided between 3 cats (Sammy doesn't like it) and then we fill up the dry food at least once a day. They all want to eat out of the left bowls, but there are 4 that we put down. Buddy gets his insulin shot after he eats and he's the first to talk away from the canned food and go to another dish. The other guys push him out, but he just relocates.
Anne, your story moved me as someone with COPD who still smokes. I've been using BIL as an excuse for stress, but might need to ask about the patch or something before starting radiation. A friend is suggesting a high-protein diet and I don't exercise. The COPD makes walking distances hard as does osteoarthritis and some bone loss in my left hip. Sometimes I just feel like a mess.
Jean, Happy Birthday! Hope you enjoy your day with or without cake. I don't know what I would do without the cats - they're my nurses and cuddlebugs and they make me laugh.
We had snow here and it looks like a winter wonderland. I drove in it a little yesterday, but didn't go out today except to move the cars so the plow could take care of the driveway. I'll post pics when I get them off my phone.
DH is supposed to talk to BIL about the move out date this weekend. I told him if he doesn't, then I will. The more notice we give him the better. I may have mentioned that I went to a speaker/life coach and specifically asked about it. She said we could say we neglected to set a date earlier, but it's time now. And, he has a full time job now. I even found some rooms online he could rent. Yet I told my DH that I would not sit at a dinner table with him again and I don't want him to cook for everyone. Of course he did it today, so I took my food upstairs and watched a movie. DH likes to cook so for him it isn't a big deal. He makes this hamburger rice and mushroom dish that's really good on the weekends. But, ya know? I could just hit the wall right now.
BIL just brings out the worst in me and I don't want to be this mean person. I want my garage back, utility bills to be back to normal and want to walk around in my jammies again.
Here's a pic to make us all smile, Tommy when he was a kitten. Can you just eat him up? I fell in love with him after the first day.
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We got about an inch or two of wet “heart-attack snow” here by the lake. DH scraped off the porch, deck and front & back stairs; DS salted before leaving for his show. Lazy day today--made some spaghetti for dinner (I don’t allow myself to have it more than once a month, if that often; and whole wheat at that). I cooked up 2 oz. of the imported bronze-die-extruded stuff from Target. Was pretty good--nice to have actual al dente pasta--forgot how satisfying that is!
My friend is lucid and her condition is improving, though not enough to have her fracture set surgically. It’s a trochanteric fracture, which can’t be set any other way and can’t be splinted. So she has to keep that leg still and have nurses & aides lift and move her to prevent bedsores. She recognized me and asked after my DH & DS and also mentioned her dogs by name. The plan now is to get her lungs & heart in good enough shape to be wheelchair-ambulatory (she’s obviously going to be non-weightbearing and doesn’t have the upper body strength or balance to use a non-wheeled walker, never mind crutches). Then she will go to the hospice floor of the high-end assisted living facility to which she was to be transitioned after a stint in the rehab wing, which was where she fell. If she lives >6 mo., which it’s increasingly looking as if she might, she will go to one of the regular assisted-living floors.
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Linda, I am in the same boat as you to some extent. DH was supposed to talk to DS again , after telling him AGAIN to get the junk off the property. That was in October. Of course nothing has yet been done. I asked DH to talk to him again, and I just get" I'll do it". I say when, why wait? I think they have to get their courage up . He has had his stuff here for 10 'temporary" years, and I've had it, as have you. It is disrespectful to us . He even barricades the area with his trucks , because 3 years ago DH got rid of some of the junk, as the lawyer said we cud, if he didn't! I have totally run out of patience. Hope you have better luck than I have had. Jean
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When we are afraid of someone or something, it is because we do not feel
that particular person or thing is a part of us. When we have established
conscious oneness with the Absolute, with the Infinite Vast, then
everything there is part of us. And how can we be afraid of ourselves?Sri Chinmoy
If we could but recognize our common humanity, that we do belong together, that our destinies are bound up in one another's, that we can be free only together, that we can be human only together, then a glorious world would come into being where all of us lived harmoniously together as members of one family, the human family. -Desmond Tutu
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Morning all,
We are back home after our overnight trip to Orlando and I feel like a wet noodle. We left here about 2:30 Fri afternoon, figuring that would give us plenty of time to check-in, relax and freshen up a bit before leaving for our dinner reservation at 8:45. We did great on the Turnpike, but the one road between the turnpike took over an hour. It's only maybe 20 miles, but it is pretty much end- to -end hotels and restaurants and it was about 5:00 when we were on it. Shortly before we got there, my brother texted that they were gathering at the pool for a drink before going to dinner. I gave Tracy all the room info after I checked in and asked her if she would mind getting our stuff into the room while I met my brother. They were all ready to get on the bus to downtown Disney and I had to make them wait for Tracy and Dougie. There were 11of us, including my brother's 5 year old grandaughter. She fell in love as soon as she saw my Dougie (13) and wouldn't leave his side all night. He was very good with her. We went to an Irish Pub for dinner, which was wonderful, food wise and entertainment wise. The service was very slow, though and we were there for three hours. Tracy, Dougie and I were on a separate check, and Tracy asked the waiter if they gave discounts for Fl residents (no) or military (yes) so I showed them my military ID (as Bob's spouse) and we got a 20% discount. In fact, they gave the discount to everyone at the table. Even so, our dinner, with tip was $98, and the bill for the rest of them was almost $700. Luckily, they were on the meal plan, so they only had to pay for drinks and appetizers.
By the time we left dinner and got the bus back to the hotel, it was after midnite, and I have to take my pills an hour part. I took the first pills at 12:30, so couldn't take the Ambien till 1:30. I fell asleep between 2-2:30 and Tracy woke me up at 9 saying everyone was at the pool. Another cousin and her two boys met us for lunch, then we headed home to go to Jamie's gender reveal party at her friend's house. I got a call from Jamie about half way home- the friend could no longer host the party, so could we move it to here? We stopped at the store for some desserts, unpacked the car and cleaned up the house as much as we could in 45 minutes and hosted the party. It was very nice, but I was not in top shape for hosting. I think I did okay, Jamie seemed happy. Everyone except Jamie and her family were gone by 8:30. Her husband for the first time in more than 15 years decided to fix our front wasn't latching all the time and Jamie just wAnted to rehash the evening. At 9:00, I said they could stay as long As they wanted, but I was going to bed.
So I am still one tired lady. We were supposed to go shopping for Thanksgiving dinner as well as regular grocery shopping today, but the news has been telling us to stay inside and off the roads- we are getting some serious rain soon. They don't often say that, unless a hurricane is imminent, so we have decided to listen to them.
Happy Birthday Jean. Have a wonderful day tomorrow.
Anne
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Hi to everyone. I just caught up on reading the posts. We're departing tomorrow, headed to Illinois, Chicago area. DH's last remaining aunt who was 103 has died and we will attend her services in Crown Point, Indiana on Wed. We'll have Thanksgiving dinner with a nephew who has just moved to New Lennox, IL. We will be staying at his house. There will be more stops and more visiting with relatives. I won't go into the details but I'm hoping to be back home by Monday night, Dec.1st.
Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving.
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Welcome to all the newcomers
Happy Belated Birthday to anyone I missed this month
Jean, Happy Birthday tomorrow Hope you have a great day!
Carole, Hope your DH is feeling better. Sorry to hear about his aunt.
ChiSandy, Sorry to hear about your friend. Hope she keeps improving
I am trying to catch up on the posts since we were gone for a little over 2 weeks. The GC that were with us behaved. DH, DS, DGC and myself had a good time. The weather was great, only 1 day of rain.
We have been cleaning out cupboards and closets today. We find out this week if the house has sold. We put a down payment on a town house in Florida on condition that our house sells.
I have lost this post 3 times so I guess I will close for now.
Have a great week. Emma
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Termite/Emma, congratulations on selling your house and buying a house in Fl.
Happy Monday to all.
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To be wealthy, a rich nature is the first requisite and money but the second.
To be of a quick and healthy blood, to share in all honorable curiosities,
to be rich in admiration and free from envy, to rejoice greatly in the good
of others, to love with such generosity of heart that your love is still
a dear possession in absence or unkindness—these are the gifts of fortune
which money cannot buy, and without which money can buy nothing.Robert Louis Stevenson
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Wishing you a super wonderful birthday Jean
Many, many blessings
Jackie
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Hi - that would be me, "older", dx at 79, I was so surprised but I was told age is one of the risk factors for BC.
I am finding it hard to deal with.
I have had surgery, and am starting on Chemo, but right path has not been found because I feel react badly to meds.
NanaJA
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Welcome NanaJA,
Glad you found us. Living I think is a risk factor for cancer. I actually think ( from descriptions I've read ) that the older you are when you get it, it may be easier to defeat it for the most part. It is hard to deal with cancer. If you are like a whole lot of people, this diagnosis never spent all that much time on your personal radar. One day your planning great things for your life and the next you are finding out that you have something inside of you deemed very dangerous and scary. The dichotomy is that ( save for the ugly diagnosis ) you feel pretty good so you often wonder -- why me??? and why now???
The up-side is that life goes on, one day at a time until we have accomplished the goal with plans that we and our medical team chose. Along the way you find many women ( so often found here ) who will offer support, encouragement, reality, and understanding. The most perfect people in the world get cancer ( exercise, watch wt., eat right, handle stress well ) along with those who are exact opposites and everything in-between. We just don't know why, but we and you will be in good company here. I hope you will feel free to come often.
Blessings,
Jackie
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Welcome NanaJA. There's a woman on here named SAS-Schatzi, who had genetic testing that discovered she processes drugs very differently than most people. It might be worth looking into if you've had odd reactions all your life. I'm the sort that has opposite reactions. Arimidex makes me cold all the time, barbituates are uppers, etc. I think we all went thru a period of shock after dx. It sure goes from theoretical to personal in a hurry. Feel free to come here with questions, concerns and general chit chat any time.
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Nana - as you can see from the other thread - some days I'm "middle aged" and some days I'm "older". At 70, I figure I can pick & choose. Below is one of the recent chemo threads - ladies currently in treatment. And please feel welcome here anytime & let us know how you're doing.
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Welcome NanaJA. So glad you are with us. This is one of the only places I know where you can come when you want to, rant and rave if you need to, have a pity party one day and share joys the next, get to know some terrific women, really be understood no matter what you are experiencing, get positive feedback and experience no judgement!
We had our first frost last night here in San Antonio. The weatherman said it only got down to 33, but there was frost on the grass and on my windshield. I didn't cover the plants outside so a few are droopy. That's the last time I depend on the weatherman to tell me when we will have a freeze. Of course by noon it was beautiful, sunny, and about 60. We will have a major rain event starting Wednesday and lasting through the weekend so Thanksgiving will be soggy.
Things are looking up around here. Mike has been in a good mood and has had more energy than I've seen him have in months. Last night we went ballroom dancing! Those of you who are new don't know that we taught ballroom dance for many years and only quit in 2013 when I had a moderate brain stem stroke. (Kind of hard to dance when you have double vision and virtually no balance!) That was followed by my breast cancer and Mike's awful fatal diagnosis so we've been consumed all year with his illness and ongoing chemo. We thought our dancing days were over. But he is doing really well lately and wanted to try. It was wonderful! We can't do what we used to - he doesn't have the energy and I don't have the balance, but we did what we could and left with happy hearts.
A new city owned senior center opened close to our house and we've begun exercising again. Mike is trying to build his stamina and get some of his muscle tone back so he is in better shape before the bone marrow transplant. My balance has already improved in the two weeks we've been going.
There's no crisis going on in the lives of any of our 3 "kids" so that's a blessing as well. For the first time in a long time, all 5 of us are doing fine. We have plenty to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
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