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

Anne, I have to concur with Jackie—orthopedic surgery may be technically “elective” but is definitely not “lifestyle:” impaired mobility can not only ruin QOL, but actually shorten life. Haven’t needed hip replacement yet, but if it’s recommended I am there. Knee replacements changed my life…definitely for the better. (Only downside is that when my HC placard expired, I couldn’t justify asking my doctors to certify a new application—especially since they all have ordered me to walk, walk, walk). I am still 30 lbs. lighter than before the first TKR. AIs make it difficult to control my weight, but if I were immobile due to knee OA it would be even harder. Your son should not hesitate about having the surgery—he may never be an elite “weekend warrior” again, but he will definitely regain and maintain a healthy degree of mobility. And so sorry to hear about your DGS’ Coxsackie virus. It is contagious, so best to ride it out at home and get his homework assignments online.

Jackie, Cami’s pretty active over at the “cocktail lounge” (How About Drinking) thread. I am an aspirational imbiber, due to being ER+, but am still into my 3-drink/wk-equivalent, so I do hang out there and share my wine adventures (and the occasional non-alc. alternative recipe worth sharing).

Anne - I agree with Chevy. Do have your son get a 2nd opinion and do make sure it's a neurosurgeon. Orthopods are great for bones, but my friend the nurse told me to always go with a neurosurgeon for the back because there are so many nerves in the spinal cord & area that send signals to the brain.

Hi, everyone

Thanks for your input. This is Tim's second or third opinion. And the Dr in charge of the ER Tim works in, as well as being the head of all EMT services for Broward County is the one who got Tim in to see this Dr. Apparently he is the best of the best in our area. Tim did mention a neurosurgeon, but I don't remember if this Dr is one, or if he is going to consult with one. Tim's working at the hospital is definitely a bonus. His sister-in-law, who is a pediatric dermatologist at the same hospital, went to the MRI with Tim the other night, so she would know exactly what the Dr said, and be able to make sure Tim understands his options. It sounds a lot like what you went through, Chevy. Tim's one leg is numb a lot from the disc's pressing on the nerve. Unfortunately,Tim who is an incredible caring young man is also a very stubborn young man and when he makes a decision, no amount of working to get him to change his mind gets thru. I have no idea why he wants to wait for the surgery, other than its outcome not being guaranteed. One summer he choked on a cheese stick appetizer at a restaurant and refused to eat anything but cereal and jr whoppers fromBurgerKing. For an entire summer. Made no difference that whatever I made for dinner had no cheese at all, and the jr whopper had cheese, he had decided and that was that. So I will try to be supportive of whatever choice he makes.

Anne

Hello everyone, I've been lurking here awhile but finally had to chime in and say I'm glad to see Chevy here. I love your sense of humor but I also love that I've found someone here older than me. I just had my 76th BD in August. Now, I'd like to see Cami show up and tell us how old she is. Maybe that will bring her so she can brag about being even older or vice versa. :-)

Illinoislady, I love all the little nuggets of wisdom you post. They so often speak to my heart.

Rest well everyone,

Faith (in the future

Oh hey Faith! Cammi don't even know how old she is anymore. She once said she was 32.... but that was before they invented refrigerators....

Yes! Isn't it fun to find someone older? Hah! It kind of gives us hope, I say. Whoever thought I would be where I am today? I mean 24 sounded old when I was 18! And somethings DO get better.... not necessarily your parts, but your life seems more of a gift to you, more than it ever did. You become more appreciative... now THAT'S a word Cammi will not understand, I don't think..... I think everybody else at the mall looks older than we do..... So I put on more lip-gloss and feel pretty good.... I know it's just a state of mind... but what else do we have?

Looking in the mirror does become rather dis-heartening sometimes... So don't do it. At least without throwing in those hot rollers, and spending time putting your face on. I still do it... every morning... I just don't like to scare people away, while running around in the yard, or going shopping.

And life is still fun! We get out almost every day, if even just to walk around the Mall, or go pick something up.... Even if we don't need it, if it's on sale, ya just gotta HAVE it!

Cammi, I think you should stop drinking and get over here. Hey, I will even stop letting others take credit for your quotes. Isn't that an offer you can't refuse. Seriously, I do wish you'd pop in. You know ---- you make me feel so young and all that.

Anyway hope you are all going to have a fabulous Friday. A bit on the toasty side here but we are in a time period where it goes that way. We just in the last week had our roads into the woods oiled and chipped. O my, I really dislike it, but we have to have good roads. The gravel ( white ) is very dusty and I at least am happy that they put enough on that we don't get oil splashing up on our cars. That has happened in yrs. past when our city/township budgets had a lot to be desired. That means turpentine to take the oil off, then a good washing and waxing etc. Now it just means more washing of your car which I may do this afternoon some time -- we will see. I may try to hold out till Monday and use the car wash to dissipate the white dust.

Time also to start the annual gathering to nuts and falling leaves. It is mild right now but un-mistakable that Fall is arriving. It is a hard time of year for us with hilly land and we have to blow all the leaves off the lawn into the ravines either side. Sometimes I feel tempted to let them lay on the ground over the winter as fodder for the lawn in Spring but that means almost as much work in the Spring.

Are you coming Cammi????

ChiSandy,

Hope you let us know when your cd comes out. I didn't know until today what type of music you played. Have you ever been to the Michigan Dulcimer Festival? It is about 15 miles from my town and is held every summer.

My next door friend neighbor in Tucson (my winter home) plays two different dulcimers. I love sitting on the patio and hearing her music drift through the yard. She is currently battling bc and she sleeps a lot so not hearing the music this fall. I would love to get her and me your cd. Please send me a message when you have them available. Thanks

Jo

You are a child of the universe, "fearfully and wonderfully made." In the history of creation, there has never been anyone like you. Accept this reality about yourself— that you are a special, unique human being who has a place on this earth that no one else can fill. Acknowledge yourself as a glorious expression of your loving Creator. This healthy self-love will form the foundation of a joyful and satisfying life. Then, as you love and accept yourself, your inner light will shine outward to bless and heal your fellow human beings.

Douglas Bloch

AhHah! Yes.... getting the Cam-miester sobered up is aNOTHER thing... She has this sort of "job" where she pretends she is running this plumbing ..... uh..... company. So I think, from what I understand, that she takes "calls" on her old-time corded telephone.... you know.... like we used to have.... And I think then she sends her guys out on calls.... so she says....

Actually, she is one of my favoritest people in the world.!!! Never met her OR Jackie, but there is just something about people, that just wiggle into your heart, and stay there, forever.

Yes, I can tease her, but she can really give it back.... Would someone please tell her we are talking to her, so she had better wake up? She'll probably sleep now, until maybe Monday morning!

It's been a tough fight, but it appears Mike is in remission from Acute Myeloid Leukemia. No one expected him to respond like this, especially since his recovery from the harsh chemo was derailed by three infections, two blood clots, and paralytic ileus, a serious complication. His blood counts were in the toilet for weeks, but once he started getting better, they rose quickly. A bone marrow biopsy showed the percentage of leukemia in his body was 0%. His doctor kept saying, "This is GREAT!!" After 10 days of outpatient testing, 44 days as an inpatient, and 5 more days of outpatient treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Mike got a short 5 day break. (They wanted his lab tests to show higher levels and for him to get a bit stronger before he begins more chemo on Monday.) We were allowed to come home to San Antonio as long as he got daily treatment at our hospital here. (He gets daily IV antibiotics, potassium and magnesium. It's been nice to sleep in our own bed, but we have to go to the hospital every morning (including Sat. & Sun.) at 7:30 a.m. and we don't finish until mid-day. Mike is very weak. He cannot stand by himself but once I get him to standing, he can usually manage with a rollater for a little bit. Most of the time I have him in a wheelchair. He can't get up and down from the toilet, can't get in or out of the bed, etc. It's been a stressful and worrisome few days since Mike has fallen several times. Scares me to death. He's down to 145 lbs now from his usual 220-230. BUT, he's still alive and the doc says he might stay in remission for months.

I'm physically and mentally exhausted but now is not the time to rest yet. We drive back tomorrow afternoon.

Mike's bone marrow donor, his sister Lisa, lost her husband Brian this week. He had brain cancer, diagnosed 3 months ago...he was only 45. Not fair.

Sandra, So glad to hear you get good news. It has been such a long road for both of you. Praying for you both.

Sandra, I took am so pleased at your news -- even knowing that it has been such an uphill climb every minute of every day. I've always said it is amazing what you can do when you have no choice and that really makes me think of you. We all here I feel look up to you, but part of that is our desire to try and help you hold on and hold up. I hope you have some time along the way here for yourself -- to re-charge a bit --- even if it is just a good cry.

Sad to hear about your and Mike's brother-in-law Brian. Some life lessons are so painful and not fair. Prayers for Lisa and your whole family.

Jackie

Sandra - Thanks for sharing the positive news. Sending you strength.

We've been in San Antonio since Wed attending a conference and thinking of you every day, Sandra and Mike. So happy for the progress Mike has made.........now he needs to gain some strength and weight and you need some rest!

We don't experience many thunderstorms in our neck of the woods so it's been rather exciting to watch a wild one this afternoon with more on the way. Oregon also doesn't have this much humidity........86 degrees and 90% humidity? We walked to the Alamo, a block from the Hyatt on the Riverwalk, and I hardly made it back! Tomorrow we plan to drive to the Hill Country and Austin so hoping it's a bit cooler. Tues we''re flying home and the weather girl on TV just reported it should cool down and clear up here on Tues.....Just my luck, lol.

I'm officially done with the "she's so flawed but she is the lesser of two evils" rhetoric. Cause, you know, I'm flawed. And you are flawed. And Bernie Sanders is flawed and Barack Obama is flawed and even Michelle Obama is flawed. But the difference between all of them and me--and probably you, is that they have all given their flawed lives to public service. And now, they are all working together in their inevitably flawed ways, to save all of us, and the whole world from a sociopathic narcissist. And every day, Hillary puts a hopefully unflawed bullet proof vest on her flawed and aging and sometimes unsmiling self and stands up in front of people who have been incited by her opponent to shoot her, and she says calm and rational and intelligent (and sometimes flawed) things about how to make a difference. In my book that makes her a fucking rock star. And in the words of another flawed and resilient rock star. There is a crack in everything. That's where the light gets in.