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

Thanks to everyone for the loving thoughts and cyber hugs. As the song says, "I get by with a little help from my friends." Allison flew in from Chicago for the weekend and Ryan came to Houston as well. They were pretty shocked at the unresponsiveness of their father. He's obviously so very sick. Ryan will stay here with me for a week or so. Allison went back today.

I am 75 with bc and live in Logan, West Virginia

Morning gals! Odd !!!! There MUST be a story behind that name! You are a new one around here, eh? Don't worry about nothin'.... You will be okay. My Onco score was 19, and I didn't choose to have chemo either... But I had a lumpectomy...and no nodes involved. I was 72 when first diagnosed....! I thought women of THAT age didn't ever get breast cancer.... I DID have radiation, with the MammoSite device, so I figured that was all I needed.

I just turned 79... and going strong.... well, maybe a little slower, but feeling pretty darned good. I took Tamoxifen, but was one of the women who could NOT take it... just try it, and see what happens... There are other types, if one doesn't fit well.... It's all up to you.... You can choose what is best for you.... And sometimes, you just gotta go with what YOU think is best.

Tripping, and falling on my hip was MUCH worse than my bout with breast cancer.... A rod and a few screws put me back together, and that was over 2 1/2 years ago...! But I still work in my gardens, and around the house, and up & down steps... I just do everything "different" now...

Sandra.... I know..... So sorry for what the family, and Mike are going through.... I know we always hope for miracles, but by being part of this, helps everyone to "understand"......That picture reminded me of my Dad..... After awhile, I just prayed for him to go to sleep.... and my prayers were answered....

FAITH! Don't you just hate changes like that? I know we have "choices" but how do you know who you would like? We can't "interview" them, and it all goes through our insurance!

Welcome oddms. I'm 65 and just going through the process. My onco test was 20, barely intermediate, but my MO recommended the Prosigna to delve deeper and help make the decision. I came back high risk for recurrence so am going through 4 cycles of chemo.

I had my second chemo infusion yesterday, and now I'm now 50% done! YAY!! Today was a bit harder though, and I really have to thank this site for maybe saving my life! I'd read of a couple of women having the allergic reactions to the drugs. The nurse had just started the first drug Taxotere and I started feeling weird. I thought, am I feeling something or not? Then I felt like I was having a heart attack, with a tight band around my chest, and then couldn't breathe, then my head felt like it would explode or erupt with heat, and started coughing madly. I called the nurse immediately who stopped the IV, and ran to get stuff to counteract the reaction. Two other head nurses came in, but I was already feeling better with just stopping the IV. They pushed another bag of steroids and then the MO ordered 10 mg of benadryl. We had to wait 30 minutes before trying again. They pushed it very slowly and I had no reaction and was able to finish both drugs. I don't want anyone to be afraid, I was just so thankful I had read about the symptoms on this thread and could correct it RIGHT AWAY. Otherwise, I might have questioned if it was normal or just my imagination.

Sandra and family, continue to think of you. It is just the hardest thing to see someone you love in such distress. I watched my mom and sister in the same situation, and agree, we get to the point we just don't want them to suffer any longer. Hugs to you, your son, and daughter.

Chevyboy, what an adorable shed. I would love something like that for an art studio. Unfortunately, when we downsize a couple of years ago, I don't think it will fit in our back yard. I love the style of this though!

Sandy, you're one of my resident authorities, so I have a question... Since the morning of my first chemo, my blood tests have shown high calcium levels. I don't drink milk, eat a lot of cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc. The only part of my diet that's consistently different is I've started making my own granola with oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, shaved coconut, and slivered almonds, and dried fruit. I'm drinking about 100+ oz of water and eating healthy. Any ideas why valium is elevated? MO is puzzled but following it closely. This bc damn well not be in the bones!!! I'm cutting out the granola just on the chance that the calcium in all of it is putting me over the top.

Hope all stay cool today. It's supposed to be 104 here today, yuck!

Seedsally, Been to your lovely little town on the American Queen Paddlewheeler! I'm in the Hudson Valley. Finally seeing a little cool weather here. I lost my daughter to the beast. She was diagnosed at 27, passed at 33! Young ones have the burden of small kids. We had no history, til she became the history. Then I was diagnosed in 2012 with a small , BC, just had rads. Am on Arimidex.

DaraB, sorry you had such a reaction to chemo. It sounds like they are taking good care of you though. We have a similar DX. My onco was 21. I did have my MO reduce my dose at my last infusion bc of slight allergic reaction. Pretty soon, it will be in your rear-view mirror! I hope you get an answer to the calcium issue soon.

Sandra, So nice that your kids could see their Dad. As hard as it can be, I'm sure them being there was good for everyone.

Bonnets, my DD is 30 and I cannot imagine my life without her. So sorry for your loss. I worry about my DD getting DX'd all the time. My Mom was DX'd 22 yrs ago and doing fine.

You all are some tough cookies and an inspiration:).

Bonnets- we were looking for Balsam Shade. The buildings are still there, but it is an Armanian church center for conferences and retreats. Fun seeing it and taking some pictures. Somehow it seemed more condensed than when e stayed there- probably because we were coming from the city- any lawn looked huge to us.

Today is my last day here. If you are available, Bonnets, I am sure I could get my brother to drive me over- maybe meet at he Goshen Diner and have a cup of coffee (I don't drink coffee, so I would have tea) I know it's short notice, but it is the first free day I have had.

Sandy- I am in Washintonville right now. My sister lives in an apartment at the end of the road the Brotherhood Winery is on. She has lived in Washingtonville since 1978, first in a large home with my parents, her husband and two kids. Everyone except her children have passed on, so when her kids left (both are still local) she downsized to an apt.

Anne

Sandra, Sending love and hugs for everyone. I'm glad the kids came in and could see their Dad.

Welcome Odd-MS. I was diagnosed at 71 and am now 75. I'll be done with anastrazole in March. Yay! I've been lucky not to have much in the way of side effects. A few aches and pains, but at 75 they could be from anything.

Jackie, I'm so sorry..... guess everyone was expecting this, but it is never easy................... Sorry little one...xoxoxo

Anne, Mountain Lodge Park was between Monroe & Washingtonville--it was a compound of ranch homes--a few down in the glen along the entrance roads, then a circle (Orchard Circle) girding a hill (we were on the downhill side), a couple of blocks up at the very top, a pool and a general store. (At least that’s what I remember--my aunt sold the house in 1959). As with the families who stayed in Borscht Belt bungalow colonies (little tiny cottages with minimal kitchenettes, surrounding a central communal kitchen & dining hall), the dads would stay down in the city and work Mon-Fri., the moms & kids on weekends. I think there were three things that contributed to the demise of the Borscht Belt: as to the huge kosher resorts, the era of the “restricted” (i.e., no Jews allowed) hotels, golf courses & resorts ended and the only reasons for Jews to go there were the food (abundant & kosher, but fewer and fewer people kept kosher), the entertainment (and the rise of Vegas & Atlantic City lured the biggest names away) and the cooler mountain air in summertime--and the advent of affordable window air conditioners made it unnecessary to leave NYC to beat the summer heat. Some of the bigger resorts kept going for awhile by adding winter sports, but couldn’t compete with nearby ski areas.

We didn’t go to Brotherhood Winery until I was older and in college. (Legal drinking age back then was 18). I was fascinated by the process, and preferred their sweet “May Wine” (like a riesling flavored with strawberry & woodruff) and semi-sweet Rosario. Then we discovered Lancer’s and Mateus Rosé, later Soave Bolla and Lambrusco--we thought we were so sophisticated back then! When we graduated and moved to Seattle, we’d take trips down the coast into the Napa & Sonoma Valleys (hard to believe how few wineries there were back in the early ‘70s) with a side trip to San Juan Bautista for Almaden. Tastings were free back then--and so began my wine education.

Sandy, sounds like old home week here. I've lived in Bloomingburg and MIddletown since the 60's a Chicago transplant , via Washington DC. We lived here when my son was 2and a half during Woodstock. I remember the hippie cars breaking down in the middle of Bloomingburg and just being left there. Also the planes flying over our house as they took overdoses to the hospital in Middletown, didnt have one in Sullivan Co. at that time! Saw Paul Anka at The Concord, he got his start at Browns hotel , I believe.The big famous old ones are gone, Except for Mohonk, which is still wonderful, in New Paltz. We used to go to Brotherhood, when the tastings were actually in the wine cellar. iked May Wine too and Holiday wine.

Illinoislady, I just saw your mention that your ex passed yesterday. I'm so sorry for the loss. You are always so very supportive of all of us, and I hope you're doing ok.

Hope all else are doing good. Safe travels Anne, and Sandra, thinking of you and your family daily. Dara

Hmm, cloudy out so not sure if it will rain. I think maybe the same chance as yesterday -- about 20 % but just seems pretty cloudy at present. I won't mind if we don't have a hot sun though it didn't feel too bad yesterday.

Dara, thank you for your kind words. I will indeed miss my ex. So glad we were able to have a successful friendship after we parted ways. Though there are people I choose not to spend time with, there is no one I truly hate. That is a harsh emotion, takes a lot of work, and doesn't do much for a person personally. I've never understood why people HATE ( or thought I was odd that I didn't ) their ex's. Life is wonderful --- you get some great choices, and I must have chosen early on to see hate as not productive. I wish I had good sense about some other things.

Start my doggie/animal care for my employers today and going through Sunday. It will be fun. Of course, being asked to do THIS kind of chore likely could NEVER be a burden for me. Not sure just why I'm so in love with animals, but it is a yoke around my neck that I don't want off. I am trying hard to scale way, way back in the ones that live at our house. The only thing that keeps me from being deemed a hoarder is that I don't take in every one I see. The only ones who may find their way here are the ones I can afford to have neutered/spayed or that have owners who absolutely cannot keep their pets any longer. That keeps my population at a level that I can usually handle. The last 5 or so yrs. I've been really careful. I've already figured I'll be well into my mid 80's before it is REALLY quiet here pet-wise --- so we are trying to totally avoid any additions.

Mild and dry today (though pollens & molds are sky-high). Looks like until Monday, Chicago will be doing a credible impression of San Diego (without the saltwater or the mountain backdrop) weather-wise. Storms Monday--of course, that’s the day I’m playing an outdoor festival.

I never went to sleep-away camp, not even Girl Scout camp--my family couldn’t afford it. Instead, when we were little we stayed at my aunt’s summer house in Mt. Lodge Park (technically, the Shawngunks, not the Catskills). At summer’s end, our dad would take us up through the Adirondacks to visit cousins in Montreal--which was truly exotic for a Brooklyn kid.

When my aunt sold the place and moved to FL, we went to a day camp that was held in East Flatbush (one neighborhood up the ladder from ours, Brownsville) at JHS 285 for grades K-3 and Tilden HS (my eventual alma mater) across the street for grades 4-9. (At grade 10 you could become an unpaid, but non-tuition-paying, jr. counselor, which I did until I switched to jr. lifeguard at Tilden’s pool through my college-years-summers). The tuition was modest, as it was partly Bd-of-Ed-funded and used preexisting facilities. Counselors were generally younger schoolteachers and coaches. We were picked up after breakfast & dropped off before dinner at our grade schools M-Fri.--hot lunches and daily ice cream or watermelon were provided, except we had sandwiches during field trips and hot dogs & burgers during cookouts at state parks on L.I. (We had to BYO marshmallows for toasting). Field trips were to zoos, museums, the airports (where we got to ride around the tarmac in TWA planes while flight attendants passed out our box lunches), the beach (usually Rockaway, Riis Park or Manhattan Beach--less crowded and easier for bus parking than Brighton or Coney Island, air force or military bases, ferry rides to Staten Island; and for the “teenage” groups, to Steeplechase indoor amusement park (with a rooftop “horse race” ride and the famous parachute jump) at Coney Island or into the city to see either a B’way show, Radio City Music Hall, or a “Seventeen” magazine fashion show--followed by a jaunt to the Horn & Hardart Automat where we were given a roll of nickels and turned loose. (Our parents always supplemented that with a couple of bucks’ worth of quarters). The Automat food was nothing special, but in those pre-vending-machine days, being able to put in our change and either open the little glass door to retrieve a sandwich or pie or stick a mug or glass under a spout and watch cocoa or soda come out was a real thrill.

Day camp ran through mid-August, so families could take vacations before school resumed after Labor Day. Those last weeks in August were when we’d go to the Catskills. I never got to go to the famous resorts until annual group ski weekends (“Snow Carnival”) in college at Grossinger’s, the Pines & the Concord. Of course, I was a dreadful skiier and spent most of my daytime at the indoor pool or having snowball fights. (Evenings I will leave to the imagination).

A lie doesn't become truth, wrong doesn't become right, and evil doesn't become good, just because it's accepted by a majority. Rick Warren