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

Before we started going to my daughter's for Thanksgiving, my DH and I ate out at a local restaurant one year. I was feeling sad about no leftovers when they brought us a bag with turkey, stuffing, gravy - it was so fabulous! Got to nibble on it later in the day and the next.

MJ

I would LOVE to eat out somewhere or, better yet, go away somewhere for Thanksgiving. My family always did a buffet and we ate when we felt like it. The holidays growing up were very casual & I just loved it. This family is very traditional...sit down dinner, everyone dressed up and it was really nice. However, I think it is time for a change. I have suggested a local restaurant in the past and had it shot down by SIL, so I will lie low. The seed has been planted; I think, given time, it will take root. BIL & SIL have a three hour drive to our house. It is bound to begin to wear on them. I know it makes for a long day when we go to their house for Christmas. And no, we don't stay over at each others homes - medical issues, pets, etc. At least H has accepted the idea of doing the cooking early. We do the desserts during the week; the turkey & dressing are done the day before and the sides on the day. It isn't hectic like it was when I had three women pushing me out of my kitchen and the men watching football & screaming at the TV! I remember the year the ceiling fan & a lamp got broken when H & his brothers reacted to a bad play!

We always go to Mass on Thanksgiving morning. Our son was born 7 weeks prematurely on Thanksgiving. He was so tiny and at risk for SIDS. We had lost a baby just a year & a half before, so this little boy was precious. That was 33 years ago. He overcame/outgrew all of the medical issues that came with being born so early and has turned into a fine man.

I may whine & complain about my sore joints & muscles, but life is really good and I know I am blessed. Sometimes I just need to remind myself. Have a great night, ladies.

Poppy, you are so very right. Holidays are great, but to me every day is a holiday and when I get up in the morning --- I want to start feeling grateful for my day immediately -- not because I know how it will or won't be, but because it is hard to solve things with a less than stellar attitude --- and no matter what we do, as the saying goes -- life goes on. So, I'm not hung up much on ANY holiday but I do recognize doing things that are full of tradition for us is an easy choice and those times can be very meaningful. Dh and I have tried a variety -- eating home alone, inviting people to share, going to another family members home ( we always take a dish or two to share ) having un-traditional foods -- all to say that we have built in a flexibility to our life that will work no matter what.

I will say with our kids not here, and both sets of our parents deceased and both of us with deceased siblings has made it easier to adopt the flexible role. Out of respect for our parents ( were they still alive ) I think we would tend to hold to tradition a bit more. I bet you will be happy with whatever way you go.

Monday is start day for return to Nutrition Class at our local Rec. Center. I know some new things have come out and I also know that I need the structure of learning to get back into more meaningful targeted exercise. Starting some other new things as well -- like letting my hair grow a bit longer. Hoping it all works. I am not through eating up all the no-no's that found their way into the house through the late summer. Way too many snacks that seemed like they would be easy to control but turned out the opposite. So -- lots of work, but good things.

Hope you all have a fantastic day. It's a lovely Fall day here full of promise an a 78 degree temp. later on today. Would be a good car washing day I think.

The senior center where I volunteer has both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for everyone who wants to come. I think Thanksgiving is traditional and Christmas is ham and turkey provided, pot luck for the sides and pies. They ask people to sign up to estimate amounts, but there's no charge. Our director and social worker do Christmas (they're both Jewish). The community is welcome to attend as well.

I'm scheduled for my 10 year colonoscopy Nov 7th and picked up my golytely today. Not happy with how the prep has changed. Mix up a gallon of the stuff, drink half of it at 5pm the day before, an 8 hour glass every 10", then drink the other half 6 hours before the procedure. My procedure is at 8:45 am, so that means I need to get up at 2:40am and drink half a gallon before 4:40 when I'm then NPO. Won't be getting much sleep that night.

Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.

Mohandas Gandhi

Welcome, Susie! This is a great thread because we're all facing very similar issues - both in our BC and everyday lives. Hope you're doing well.

MJ

Welcome Susie. I hope you'll come back often.

Susie, welcome! Please let us know (or PM me if you do not want to divulge here) where you are in Ohio. I am in N KY just across the riverl from Cincinnati. Originally from NE Ohio & lived many years in Cleveland.

Really pretty day here this morning. I think rain tonight but until then I'll be able to do whatever needs doing outside. It will be cooler and stay cooler the next few days. I've wondered if we just went through Indian Summer or if it will show up a bit later. Don't count on anything since predictions often don't hold up since we got into global warming.

Did manage to get some leaves away from the house yesterday. Driveway cleaned of them as well. There are a lot more to come down yet -- but it is nice not to stumble through leaves and hidden twigs in the areas where we walk daily. I used a rake to pull them all away from edges around the house, and dog pen and it is good exercise -- especially as how Monday is first day of class at the Rec Center. Once you start --- the instructor always reminds of experiencing a couple of weeks of aches and pains from stirring up unused tendons and muscles. Expecting that --- so hoping the raking and a couple of other activities done lately will help that.

Hoping you all have a great Fall day.

We are having a shower outside this morning. My little weather report ( fairly local ) said a 90% chance. Doing my morning chores I began to think maybe I should go look for my feral kitties early --- and then, and then, of course I heard the first showers start to patter on the screen room roof. Well, it is quite slow and lazy though it has been consistent so far. My kitties will come out if it is like this -- so might as well stay home and do what I can till regular feeding time.

Stuffing my face yesterday trying to use up most of my dietary no-no's. Down to 7 corn curls --- so maybe my dogs will get a treat. Animals seem to know things. I've watched my dogs and they don't gobble those things like they do other 'treats'. I'm pretty sure the only entity that should be eating corn curls in an inanimate object. Well, as a kid I loved those things. So---I did switch to the really crunchy ones. They won't be any better but they are harder to eat and not I think as satisfying as the big puffy ones. Baby steps as they say. In a couple of weeks I might forget about them entirely.

Despite not having a freeze ( I'm so good with that ) Dh and I think the fall leaves are really pretty shades this years. They just have such a 'rich' look. I am going to miss coming down our lane w/o all that pretty reddish and yellow hanging up above. Several people had fires going yesterday with burning leaves. The city only allows it on I think every other week-end. Not everyone has city leaf pick-up -- so burning is still allowed, but confined to stated times due to people with allergies and breathing issues.

When we first came back home -- it has been 20 yrs. now -- you could burn whenever, so daily for a while the city was smoky with fires. Then more and more people started showing up at the city counsel meetings with the request to limit the burning so it evolved into every other week-end. It is better all around. First year for leaf pick-up was a disaster -- but after a couple of yrs. they figured out how.

Hope you have a great Sunday.

"Protect your spirit from contamination. Limit your time with negative people."

-- Thema Davis

It has been a really productive day.

Mopped the whole house...I do this every other week, went with H to vote early....lots of propositions and a school bond, then I drove to the fitness center and worked out for almost 50 minutes. I did my normal 'Push' exercises & half of the 'Legs'. I didn't walk the treadmill though - left knee & thigh kind of sore. I will finish my 'Legs' workout Wednesday when I go in for the 'Pull' exercises. I won't have time to go to the gym after Wednesday. Craft shows are starting up. I have two I want to go to this weekend...Friday or Sunday & Saturday. I sometimes buy Christmas gifts at these craft shows. If I don't, it isn't a waste because I get a lot of walking in and I like looking at how creative people can be. I have absolutely no style, taste or creativity. I tell people I don't DO crafts, I BUY crafts.

Heading into town tomorrow morning early. H wants to see if he can find some Championship series T-shirts for himself & S; I can pick up my eyeglasses & his meds; I also want to stop by Lowe's to get more floor cleaner & look at some door mats and then we can go to his gastroenterologist appointment. He may need endoscopic surgery again. He has had two of these procedures in the past 20 years. Daily Nexium usually helps, but after a while they need to go in and take tissue samples. I don't know the finer points of his condition. I just know the Nexium helps, but he also doesn't always do what the doctor tells him and there are consequences.

It's going to be a busy week. A cold front came in Sunday morning, so temps should be comfortable in the mid-70s.

What you seek is seeking you.

Rumi

Yesterday was beautiful and sunny - and I spent it taking a friend to urgent care. I picked her up at 1:30 and at 5:15 she found someone else to pick her up when she was done. She called at 8:30pm and had just gotten home. She hit her head and because she was over 65, they either wanted a cat scan or keep her overnight for observation. Stupid, I think, because she had no symptoms of a concussion and had hit her head on a linen closet door. I would never have called, but she is very anxious. In fact, I hit my head on an iron sink at the animal shelter and only told my DH. Enough bitching. Maybe I'll get a few leaves raked before the rains turn them into concrete.