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

Anne....a while back I fell and got severe pain in my back....was concerned so I went to the ER....well as it turned out the ER Dr. told he he thought I had broke a vertebrae but I would have to go to an orthopedic Dr.........I said "well good luck with".....he said "oh no, when the order comes from the ER you will be seen within a few days.......it cost me a copay for the ER, however I got to see the Ortho.in in 2 days....

Chevy, so sorry for your loss! When friends die it seems to hit home harder—a reminder of our own advancing age.

I may have to bite the bullet and do something about the bone spurs in my vertebrae—what causes my back to “go out" is that the spurs irritate the spinal nerves and the muscles go into spasm to protect the spinal cord from more movement. My back muscles are tighter and stronger (backs of legs—hamstrings & calves--too) than my abs, psoas, and quads (front muscles)—so stretching the muscles behind me and strengthening those in front will provide better back support and improve my posture. We're also working at keeping my shoulders back and my head up.

If you guys don't mind allow me to add my 2 cents worth about getting old. Even if you don't feel it everywhere you go someone or something reminds you you are no longer a spring chicken. I remember when I thought 40 was old. Recently when I was in Kohl's the sales clerk automatically gave me the senior citizen discount. Ditto with Taco Bell and the Malco theater. Love the discounts but hate the reality.

I haven't had any of the orthopedic issues you guys have had so I can't speak to what you are going through except I hope you get some relief soon.

We have BC/BS through my DH's job. Large deductible but monthly insurance payment is largely paid by the company because my spouse is an associate. With the cost of medical procedures so high we typically reach our deductible long before year's end.

Celia - we live in Collierville a township outside Memphis. The NCAA tournament has teams like Kentucky playing UCLA in Memphis at the FedEx Forum this week.The teams play Thursday and Friday. It will be interesting to see what kind of reception Calipari gets. Some Memphians are still ticked about his leaving UofM for Kentucky. IMO they do need to get over it. That was years ago. Kentucky was his dream job. I do think he could have handled his departure better.

Sorry about your friend Chevy. Our BC group at church lost one of our ladies to BC and another one was just DX with Stage IV BC. I also had another friend pass away from BC. She suffered so much. Hitting too close to home.

Diane

Do your little bit of good where you are;
its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.
- Desmond Tutu

Sandy, I was wondering about that as I've taken a number of antibiotics ( Cipro twice lately ) and did not have reactions though I know that everyone is different in their responses to drugs. Also, I do try to be cautious with antibiotics since we have a habit of 'wearing' out our drugs by over-use so I always try to do what I can some other way ( over-the-counter ) with sometimes asking the pharmacist to give me possible ideas of what he or she thinks is best for something. Of course, these are easier to solve flares as for something serious I would get a hold of the V.A. or go to their Emergency room. During the day if it is not ( they triage ) a super serious thing you go to the Quik Care area which deals with all the non-emergencies. You are seen much quicker and they are just as good though it is NP's that deal with you. After hours all go directly to the Emergency Room. That system has worked quite well for me.

Hi everyone.

I so agree with the whole ER, clinic care and lt's find out what's wrong right away thingy. I don't remember ever utilizing them until all this happened but it's a good thing to go there, and they take tests so fast and get results faster actually. So why not. And too I was never on an Anti-B until all this, well maybe at one or two times, but now it's just a part of everything.

Chevy my story is to long, even for me, let's just suffice it by saying of course it started with back problems after chemo--I did PT and all the chit I was supposed to but viola just got worse so now I wouldn't even wish this on You--oops TMI. And yes steroids work for me, and even keeps my diarrhea away, just like Anti-B's do--my body is getting older and needs more help. Shut up Chevy, I know what u'r thinking And another thing, I bet u'r still wondering why I'm still employed---Well Missy, just so u know--they like me--yes someone does--after all how much damage can I do just answering the phone??? Don't go there Chevy. And yes I know there are so many things and I've done them all, but I think they do forget about me so I stay under the radar. Which is a wise choice in my case.

Jackie I still enjoy u'r everyday sayings but lately there is always someone saying them, I don't see unknown--remember if it's unknown I SAID IT. Maybe u forgot.

OK talk to u later.

Aw geez! WHAT is this "utilizing" and then "suffice?"...... Hah! Proud of you girl! And who is "viola" anyway? Is she someone new that I don't know about? Ducky.... YOU know? I think she is hallucinating again....

I'm glad anyway miss Cam, that you can control whatever it is that is wrong with you..... You know, I was talking to the guys building the house across the alley from us.... And I told them about the neighbor.... Old Mrs. Oletsky, that was old when I was little!.... Well she moved out years ago, and they just scraped her house down.... and anyway, she made me mustard-plasters when I moved in here.... (I grew up a block away, and knew her then)...

But back to the mustard-plasters.... THESE guys never HEARD of them....!!! All they knew is Mentholatum.... or Vicks! Hah! And you had to use a WOOL cloth, for the musterd plaster..... So I told them how to make them.... I'll show these "kids" what it USED to be like. Mrs. Oletsky used to grow Cabbage, then make Sauer-kraut in a crock out back of her house! MAN was that stuff strong! And when you got something in your finger, you were supposed to cut a piece of bacon, and tape it over the splinter or whatever, and it would draw it out!! And you had to drink Castor oil.... and Cod liver oil when you were little, so you wouldn't get rickets! GOD.... it's a wonder we even lived to tell it!

And "you've done them all?????" Hah.... I just knew it! And I'll bet you smoked in back of the shed.... too! Right? I wouldn't smoke near school.... Me and my Brother used to pull out those dried hollow dried weeds that grew in the lot next door.... and light one end and "smoke" them! No wonder I have Asthma! Used to cough our heads off, till we fell over!

I'm so glad you are still "working"..... keeps you off the streets. xoxo

Mornin all,

I went to my Dr's Physician's Assistant yesterday. I like her, but am still stressed that I couldn't get to the actual Dr. She gave me a referral to a lymphedema specialist, and for regular physical therapy. I asked for a refill of the Percocet, and that's when I started to get PO'd She had to go to my Dr to get him to sign the prescription. If he was available to sign it, why couldn't he see me when no one else was in the waiting room. Secondly, she said he would sign this one, but before he signed another, I would have to see an orthopedic and have an MRI. I think she was surprised when I said that was what I'd be looking to do if I need more. I know a lot of people get addicted to this type of drug,but I had already told her that while the directions say I can take one every 8hrs, I had never taken more than one full one every 24 hrs and usually not more than half a day. Again, if I had seen my own Dr of 25+ yrs, he would have known I wasn't a problem. Plus, the original script was a month old and it was a 10 day supply.

Then the contractor I hired to do my kitchen and garage was supposed to send me a contract a week ago. Foolishly, I gave him a deposit the last time he was here, and never thought to get a receipt. I texted him Mon, and he said he was sorry, he had been sick all weekend. I didn't hear from him again. I called him today and didn't get an answer. I started really stressing and started typing a text to him. Before I finished he called back and said he would email me everything this evening. He was going to send it after work last night, but there had been some kind of reaction to a paint job he did and he was there until 2am fixing it. I really like him, and he had 2 fivestar recommendations on Home Advisor, so I am really praying he comes thru tonight.

I hope everyone has a great day

Anne

Mornin' ladies,

Oh Sandy good idea about the lighting, cuz that's what I do. Hmm I always learn things from u. Not like chit of Chevy's that's 100 yrs old. Anyway that could be one reason I don't sleep well, but I do know I have to have the TV on always, it's a bad habit from many years ago. I turn off the sound when the phone rings. Unfortunately I have passed that habit down to my kids and Joey. I remember when Joey was a baby and my SIL said he will never have a TV on when he goes to sleep. Oh how quickly one gives in. LOL At least he sets it tho.

Thank u Jackie for acknowledging the "unattributed " remark cuz u know how I get. U are always so stable and humble.

Oh Ann how aggravating to be questioned when u really take so little pills. But I know they're really watching that but I also feel that when Drs. think of the patient as a whole and the kind of pain they should not have to think about it. I know that might not be a good map of thinking but it's also what is happening in u'r body. Good luck on u'r remodeling and if he sends out the paperwork u know he's OK with it. I do the phones for electricians and plumbers and remodeling so I know how hectic it can be, but the guys do it pretty well, OK sometimes I don't get the information right <shut up Chevy> which can cause delays, but I usually catch it pretty soon. But quotes are the hardest to get out, I think. Really only one man does that with more work than I thought and people want one ASAP, and it keeps him from working on jobs just doing that. Well anyway, I hope all goes well, u don't need the stress.

Oh I remember those things and my dad used leeches and get this people would bring their babies to my Grandma so she could breath them well??????? She'd make some signs over them and say in Italian some words and breath on them LOL My mom thought she was just plain crazy and told her that was stupid as my dad would find his leeches. LOL <no not on babies> so u see that's where my queerkyness comes from and my spelling too. But in all fairness they have introduced leeches back into medicine again. But actually when u look back so many things worked that seem bazaar today--so who knows. BUT when my dad lived in Italy he said right out of his area was a field of poppies that the women would get all the seeds and make tea from them for the family and he added he lived in a very calm and happy village. They didn't know, or did they????????????? OK now I gave u lots of fodder to go at me and I don't care, cuz u'r older than me and I don't let u forget it. <did I use fodder correctly?> If I did I impress myself, if not who cares.

OK see u later girls.

Welcome back, Cammi! We have missed you. Chevy often disappears, too, as does ducky. The three of you add humor and liveliness.

Sandra, Mike's recovery is miraculous. I so admire both of you. My role of caregiver for my mother helps me to appreciate to a small extent the strain you have experienced.

My mother has signed a contract with a Hospice company that will provide her with additional care and allow her to refuse being shuttled off to the ER every time she has an episode that would put the nursing home at liability risk. The contract can be revoked with a signature. My mother definitely hopes for some more years of enjoyment. She needs a lot of help at this stage, though. She turned 94 in December.

Wishing everyone a good Friday

I remember with my first my Italian mother -in-law was an idiot....and that went on for many yezrs...LOL......my father-in-law grew strawberries in his front lawn...(seriously he did), and one day I went out front and while I was sittinng there I said to him.......Those strawberries look good......meaning growing nicely..........I hate f/n strawberries.........well my lunitic mother-in-law jumps up from the step, runs into the lawn, grabs a strawberry and says to me.........EAT THIS, EAT THIS NOW HURRY.........I said "I hate strawberries".......she said .........NO YOU HAVE TO EAT THIS OR THE BABY WILL HAVE A RED BIRTHMARK ON ITS BODY SOMEWHERE"................I looked at her and said "well I'm not eating that strawberry, and hopefully the red one comes on its as where no one but me will see it, and whatever girl he marries"...................she walked in the house and said something in Italian....................LOL

Chevy, Cammi, Ducky !!!!! So good to see you all. Now don't get upset about the order of your names. I just typed them in the order you all reappeared.

Sandra - so glad to get back from vacation & hear your wonderful news about Mike.

Well I guess we could list you all in age order, then you'd be first again. No disrespect intended!

BTW - when I was pregnant, my elderly neighbors on each side just knew that my baby would be strangled by the umbilical cord in the womb because I hung clothes on a line outside to dry. Oh I thought those ladies were "old" - at least 50 or 60. So maybe 25 years younger than I am now. Oops.

OMG Teka! YES!!! I remember THAT one too.... !!! I musn't hang the clothes on those clothes lines.... out back..... because the cord would wind around the baby's neck!!!

Never mind about carrying out the basket of clothes all that way!!! And I didn't tell them that one time I just rolled out of the car.... somehow.... didn't get hurt, but that even scared ME!

Yes miss Duckster.... All fruits had a meaning.... especially strawberries! He had strawberries in his LAWN? Did he mow them??? And when I was nursing my first one, I had to go in the bedroom, and cover up.... "It wasn't nice" to do that where others were present!!! Those bitches.

And my milk was not "rich enough".... supposed to be thick & creamier! I felt like a foreigner trying to raise something I knew nothing about. Surprised they even survived.

Minus.... YES! You had better list Ducky first... because of her age and all.... Hah! She has seniority! And I am right behind her... by 2 years... I think. But we don't SOUND old, and God only knows we don't ACT it!

Miss Cam must still be asleep... Or she forgot where she is/was...

We went to that funeral Mass... Got lost.... Went to the wrong church the first time! Now who ELSE would DO that??? shut up Cammi....

We were wondering around in this HUGE empty.... (WAIT..... Yuuuuuuuge) Empty CHURCH! No-one NOwhere!!! Walked around aimlessly.... looking into empty rooms! No funeral no-where!!! Finally, down the hall.... this angel.... I mean woman came out.... and after nearly begging her for help, we were on our way to the correct destination!!! WHO else would DO that????

I was never so glad to get to a funeral in my life! The RIGHT one anyway. Got there just when the hearse was bringing Dennis in.... I thought I'll bet he is laughing about this!

Good Morning I'm here.

Oh I knew Ducky was going to say something about that being first thing, Minus she always want to be first.

Ducky CONCERT good for u, that should be fun.

Good stuff Teka,

OK Chevy I'll raise u one--my aunt, cousin and I were going to a wake--we walked in and said hello--very cautiously, we didn't seem to know anyone--well we walked in the front and one of us said when did she loose all that weight, my aunt said that's not her, but don't let anyone know we're in the wrong place. As we LOLed walking out--we went to the car and finally found the right one. And unfortunately, there are so many stories, I'm kind of the sane one in my family, almost. Just on my mom's side. My dad side thinks they are all sane, who's going to tell them.

Carole it's so nice to see u. But I'm sorry about u'r mom and all u'r going thru. Did everyone here know u wrote published novels, that always amazed me too. No Chevy not a pamphlet about Coors beer where u worked and had nothing else to do. I'm talking about BOOKS. So just let it go.

Looks like rain today and a lot of it--Sandy batten down the hatches, supposed to be not nice. Don't start any walks today.

Jackie I really liked the quote from yesterday, I try to do that once a day--<shut up Chevy, cuz it's easy to make my mind blank> yes I know it is, that's the wonder of me.