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

I don't envy anyone winter storms with sleet, ice and snow but I'm not thrilled with our sudden high humidity. It's in the 70's which wouldn't be bad with low humidity. I suspect I may be turning on the a/c before the day is over. DH won't be happy since he's usually cold when I'm sweating. But it's easy to put on some jackets if necessary. I'm definitely an a/c fan when a/c is needed for comfort.

The home health pt was here and put dh through some exercises. I think a nurse may be coming today. We have a appointment at the surgeon's office tomorrow where the PA will likely be removing the staples. On Friday a nurse and the supervising therapist will come and discharge dh from home health. Next week the outpatient pt should begin. I will probably need to do the driving for the first week. We'll have to see how things develop.

I shouldn't be baking bread today but I ate my last slice of homemade whole grain bread today. I use an ancient variety wheat flour, Einkorn. The ingredients are flour, 1/2 tsp salt, water, yeast and honey. It's very good as well as healthy. I usually have one slice for breakfast with peanut butter and jam but when it's fresh baked, dh and I will usually enjoy a slice with butter.

Betrayal, I'm with you on no more bus tour travel. That's why dh decided on a Viking river cruise. The bus tours are better for younger people or older people with the energy of younger people. I can still do a lot of walking but I don't want to travel by myself and dh's days of extensive walking are over. I hope you have a great trip and enjoy every day.

Happy Wednesday to everyone. Hope your day is going well.

Still thinking of things I didn't pack and today's lightbulb was insect repellant for Brazil. I have it just need to pull it out of storage. The big things are all there and it's items like this that get missed but you can always buy them somewhere. Have my sunscreen which is a must since I am fair skinned and burn easily. Had to buy a brand which is coral reef approved and I am hoping it works. I like the Walmart Equate brand that is 70 SPF but can't use it on this trip. It's not like I go in the water, I don't even own a bathing suit. At best, I put my feet in the water.

Weather is rainy as predicted but temps holding above freezing so hope no ice on roads. Just a gloomy gray day outside. Do see ice on tree branches and on covers on patio furniture. So it seems it could be icy in some areas. Just hope it is gone by tomorrow midday when we leave for airport.

Illinoislady, hope you can get on the egg lady's list. We had an egg man when I was growing up. He used to deliver fresh eggs every Saturday including ones from pullets which were so small. They were a gift to us as kids and he would also bring us chicken feet to play with. Never made the connection then as to the source of them. We also had bread men and milk men who made house deliveries. Bond Bread and the milk was from a local dairy and yes, it was pasteurized. I would never drink raw milk. There were local farmers who grew all sorts of produce so during the summer my mother would buy bushel baskets of vegetables and can them for future use. I can remember all the shelves full of mason jars in the basement. We also bought cantaloupe and other fruits by the bushel. DF made homemade root beer which I love to this day; so much better than the canned or bottled ones.

Plan on cleaning the downstairs today. Just vacuuming and dusting since laundry is done. I want to make some corn chowder today and leave leftovers for DD and DSIL. We'll have it for dinner tonight. It's something I learned when I was in Girl Scouts and the local Public Service Electric & Gas offered us a free cooking class. They gave us copies of the recipe but I know it by heart after many moons of making it: 6 ingredients and 1 pot meal.

Hope everyone has a good day.

Betrayal- have a wonderful trip

Carole - happy to hear DH’s recovery is progressing

Taco - I think I’d find the heat difficult to deal with so early in the year

Sandy - great picture of you and DH

Cindy- I hope you get some time to relax next week

Waving hello to everyone

Welcome, Canarycat. You have an interesting life. I hope you will become one of our regular posters.

Betrayal, this TKR was the right knee.

I turned on the a/c yesterday, mostly because of the humidity, not the temperature. Today a home health nurse and a home health pt will come and discharge dh from home health care. On Monday he has an outpatient PT session at 10 am. Since I will be driving him, I am glad the appointment isn't early. In fact, it's perfect.

It was foggy again this morning. Not a factor for us since we don't have to go anywhere.

Wishing everyone a good Friday.

Warm welcome canarycat. We are a small group here but glad you found us and hope you will return often. We discuss a variety of things here but also any disease/treatment/chemo/or therapy issues. Most of us except for occasion (I've been there myself more than once) are through treatments but gladly share what we may have experienced. We will be rooting for you all the way.

I put in what I hope is an interesting, thought provoking, uplifting quote every day to start the day with so my name usually comes up in your 'list' every day. You are doing one of the hardest parts of this disease process. Waiting. We are all in your pocket — and waiting with you.

Illinoislady, so sorry that your BIL has passed. May his memory be a blessing. He was fortunate to have lived such an exciting life and such a long one. My condolences to his family. With things life dementia, the grieving process may occur while they are still living because you are grieving who they used to be. I know this happened with my DFIL.

Welcome canarycat to a warm and welcoming environment. I am one who is leaving for vacation today so I will catch up on my return. I am wondering if your name means you like cats and canaries? I have both plus parakeets and a Dalmatian. I am also a nurse, retired, but still licensed. It takes a while to get the Oncotype so a wait like this is not uncommon.

carole, my ortho surgeon said no driving for 6 weeks post right knee, so I am glad your DH can do it sooner. Her position it was reaction time due to knee pain so I did wait and did find initially I only drove short distances from home.

Hcindyny, had to laugh at your guest saying she needed a vacation from her vacation. Sometimes vacations are so busy you are glad to just get home and plop on the couch.

Waving hi to anyone who hasn't posted yet. I'll be back by the second week in February and don't think I will try to read all the posts I will have missed but will skim them. I'll take photos and will try to post some of them.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day. We have sun and temps in the 40's. Storms coming over the weekend and several next week. Glad to be missing some of this winter. Bye for now.

As I have spoken often about Milt, I thought you might like to read a bit more:

Obituary for Milton L. Iossi

Milton L. Iossi passed away on February 6, 2025 at the NC State Veteran’s Home in Salisbury, NC at the age of 93.
He was born in Sioux Falls, SD on June 12, 1931. He was the oldest of eight siblings. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Army and served honorably in Korea. After his military service, he entered the University of Minnesota and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in international relations. Upon graduation, he entered the U.S. Foreign Service and began his career as a Foreign Service Officer.
His career took him to many foreign locations including Yugoslavia, Paris, Rabat Morocco, Karachi Pakistan, Dhaka Bangladesh as well as several tours of duty in Washington, D.C. His education continued at Princeton University and the National War College.
His career was one of fascinating experiences. From meeting his wife in Morocco to life threatening events at two of his posts, life was far from mundane for Milton and his family. Following retirement, Milton chose to use his many talents in service to others in organizations such as Rotary International, Hospice and the Literacy Council.
Milton is survived by his wife Toni, of the home, three sons Paul, Peter (Patsy), and Graham all of Salisbury, NC. He has three surviving siblings: Denny (Jackie), Daryl and David Iossi of Centralia, Illinois.
The family will receive friends from 12:30-2 PM Tuesday (Feb 11) at Summersett Funeral Home. The funeral service will follow at 2 PM in Summersett Memorial Chapel with burial following at Rowan Memorial Park.

Canarycat - wanted to add my welcome. Questions welcome and "rants" understandable here. I suggest you take someone with you to appointments, especially early in your journey. They can take notes, bring up things you don't think of, etc.

Safe journeys Betrayal and Harley. Wish we could still travel.

Have a good weekend everyone. I too will be rooting for the Eagles. In the end, we always support the NFC team.

Taco

So sorry for the loss of your BIL, Jackie. May his memory be for a blessing—as his full and fascinating life surely was.

Welcome, Canarycat—your kitties are indeed gorgeous! Oncotype results take time, but odds are excellent your score will be low.1 cm is quite small. Radiation protocol for women our age is much less onerous than it was even 9 years ago when I was diagnosed. (Some can even skip it). Hoping your recovery is swift and uneventful. And glad you have an in-person support group. They've pretty much dried up around here,

Bon voyage, harley and betrayal! Pix, please.

Beautiful cats. I remember waiting for my oncotype number with anxiety and remember my great relief to get a 9. No chemo.

It's foggy again this morning. One of my tasks is to pack up the bandaging supplies in the living room. DH's incision is now covered with little strips that should fall off the next couple of days. He slept in the bed last night thanks to being able, finally, to turn on his sides. I got up this morning thankful that no one is coming from home health. That era is over and we move on to outpatient PT.

I stated an intention yesterday to get out into the yard today and prune the knockout roses, which are as tall as I am. Now I get to see whether I live up to this intention. My enthusiasm for gardening is long gone. The planters out on the patio are still sporting weeds when once they would be planted with pansies for winter and early spring bloom.

Happy travels to the travelers.

Good morning although our morning has rain in it. The temps won't be so bad, but the dampness w/o sun won't make them feel all that great. Boo on lack of sun.

Canary, the kitties are gorgeous. Though I don't have any I'm very fond of torties. We rescued for many yrs. so I've had a few. Probably 40 or a couple more rescues in the last 20 years. At the same time we did dogs as well. Had about 8. All passed so we just got Lil Red. Not a rescue. So lonesome for a dog around here we bought him. I got on rescue site but lost patience after 6 mos. and our neighbor had Schnauzer pups so we went and got one.

Chris, glad you gave Tippy's history again. I had forgotten — not about the rescue, but why you kept his name, etc.

Carole, glad you can free the living room from medical supplies now. Sleeping in one's own bed hopefully will just keep helping to get a more normalized response to things. Also, not having to 'expect' strangers in your house so if you want to have a lazier morning or not pick up the newspaper from the floor just yet or whatever the case may be. Most people do feel compelled to do things differently if someone is coming.

I understand not being industrious in the yard, but ours is too big and Dh just (no matter how hard I tried) seemed unable to stay away from most plantings I did. So, over time. My SIL did a couple of areas in the yard and they are big enough that you almost have to stay away from them. He put in brick borders as well which help to keep the mowers from straying.

No traveling here either Taco. For yrs. it was too many rescues and now has become age and infirmities. Dh always went on vacations alone for many yrs. while I kept home going but now he can't do it either.

Canary, Chi Sandy has rescue kitties. She is not home (but kitties are with her) right now. Her home had fire damage so they are in rental (have been for several months) till all repairs are done. Older residence so has to come up to current code standards. Lots of time when you have those sorts of factors, plus winter etc.

Hope every one has a great day and good traveling to our travelers.

hi everyone. miss Tipper is a rescue kitty. They named her Tipper I think because of the white tip on her tail so I kept the name. She is a Princess. No cats are allowed to touch her fur. My nickname Cancarycat is from my love of cats and I’m an opera trained singer. So the singing cat! Hahaha. My voice is found on a number of the Elwoodettes Marionettes shows. Really fond recording memories. I am the REAL Easter Bunny. Hahahah. Here’s a photo from the summer of a tipper with her white tipped tail.

I don't ask for the meaning of the song of a bird or the rising of the sun on a misty morning. There they are, and they are beautiful.

Pete Hamill

I think I have cancer fatigue 😞glad I’m off work for the next three. Been more than exhausted the past two days. I sleep well so no issue there. Oh and it’s now four weeks since tumour was sent for oncotype. 🤔. Yup. Stressed. Looking forward to sleep soon.