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

Went for my radiation set up yesterday. Not too bad, no new tattoos, they can use my old ones. Have to do the breath hold, which I find difficult and anxiety provoking. I’ll practice as instructed. I decided to make one treatment a week an “outing” with friends. Drive together then do lunch, cocktails, a walk, shopping, sit at the beach—whatever, something fun. Plenty of volunteers. Grateful to have so many friends

owensgrandma, I like your approach to radiation. A once a week outing sounds like a great morale booster and will hopefully provide some distraction during this difficult time.

Cindy and Betrayal - I can so relate to the white roots. I started going gray in my 30 ‘s. For many years blonde highlights were the answer but by my late 40’s I needed a full color every 5 weeks. Inconvenient and expensive. Since I lost my hair last year I have decided to just go gray. So far it’s working out okay. However, facial hair is the bane of my existence. It’s ridiculous how much I have.

Petite - enjoy your month mostly free of Doctor’s appointments.

Illinoislady, you sure are getting lots of rain. We’ve had very little in the northern part of the state. We are going to need some soon or my freshly green lawn will turn brown again. My spring allergies have hit in full force. I’ve had a pounding headache all day.

The contractors left late yesterday morning. Woohoo! DH has spent the day unpacking boxes and putting stuff back in the kitchen cabinets. We are purging stuff as we go and DH is a great organizer so I’ve given him free rein although it means I may have difficulty finding some stuff initially.

Good morning. The PCP changed my cholesterol meds and the pharmacy still doesn't have the script. It will be 2 weeks tomorrow.. I have called and gone into the office without any luck. I will try again when they open.

betrayal, I had the plumber out here for a bathroom sink leak. I would just turn the water off and ignore it, but I have company coming and need the guest bathroom.

minustwo, I haven't tried electrolysis, yet. The dermatologist gave me a prescription for something called No hair anywhere, but it hasn't worked.

Good morning. It is cloudy here and I think will rain soon. Yesterday's second round did not feature the wind so that was good. One of the limbs that came down in the first storm with wind did some damage to the roof of our garage. SIL says he can repair it but fortunately it did not go all the way through which is why repair will be able to happen.

Need to go to the bank, but lots of other things to do while we wait out the possible rain. Otherwise, I'm just on my regular list for now of working down what I can.

Petite, I sure hope you can get your med change soon. Wonder if the medication is in short supply or something. Can't imagine a pharmacy taking so long. It sounds to me like minus two had great fortune with electrolysis and maybe that may be the way for you. I would hate facial hair myself. I don't know, but I think I got lucky during my first bouts of chemo. I lost all my hair and it did not ALL come back. I never regained underarm hair and the slight and light amt. on my legs was not enough to bother with and none on my face either. I did luck out and my bald head recovered all right although with the AL's it did thin a bit more and it wasn't ever much more then thin before. Another reason why I do perms still. It makes my thin hair looked thicker.

The rain has started so on we go. I don't see the smallest branch moving so hopefully (unless something were to come out of nowhere) no wind or other issues to speak of.

Hope all will have a really good day.

canarycat, will your surgical incisions prevent use of tank tops? Your photos are lovely especially your patio area. If you are replacing the special sand, did the instructions tell you to wet it after installation to prevent washout when it rains? I built a fire pit area with pavers left over from our new walkway install so know what you are doing now.

petite1, I find it hard to believe you are still waiting for your prescription. Did the office not forward it to the pharmacy? I have the issue that the CVS nearest to me where I get the majority of my meds doesn't seem to stock narcotics so I have to go to the one in the next town over to get them. What a pain.

I slept a tad better last night but still have frequent wake ups to the point that Fitbit says I got 59 minutes of sleep. I decided to read until I could fall back but am finding I am not retaining what I am reading. So it will be a do over to understand. Leo was cooperative and I did get up to grab the ice pack for the itchy knee. Rash appears to be spreading rather than disappearing.

Plumbers came to remove leaking pipes and to replace them and valves. So crisis averted.

Cruise to Alaska excursions were available today so I booked for DD and I. I've been there so I let her decide what she wanted to see. So there will be a repeat for one but I enjoyed it then and don't mind seeing it again. Access was difficult so had to call HAL for directions and of course was on hold for 20 minutes before I got an agent. This is the cruise we won. Our stop in Victoria is really short and in the evening so we won't get to see much. On our last cruise I went to the Butchart gardens which were lovely.

Sunny and 75 at present with expected in the 80's this afternoon. Patio doors open and Misty and Regan sharing the sun spot.

Illinoislady, hope the rain clears up and you get some sunshine soon.

harley07, glad you can finally be in your home without any intruders. I imagine your DH will have to take you on a tour of where he put kitchen items but so nice he is willing to do it. My DH has no clue where most items are and they have been in the same spot for over 25 years. He knows where the items he uses are and that's it.

Have first post-op PT tomorrow afternoon so have to figure out what to wear. I have not been getting dressed because it is easier to stay in a robe since I am not leaving house. This way rash is not irritated by clothing and is readily available for cortisone /ice pack application. Not much laundry either but did do a load this morning.

Hope everyone has a great day.

Patience strengthens the spirit, sweetens the temper, stifles anger, extinguishes envy, subdues pride, bridles the tongue, restrains the hand, and tramples upon temptation.

George Horne

Chris, hope you get a relief for your thumbs. I don't think we realize how intgal they are to ADL until they don't work well or hurt, then we realize their usage and sometimes abuse they get through our use. Do you really need to consult this new book for your project?

Illinoislady, glad you got some quality sleep. I am running on empty today between pain, spasms, itchy knee and inability to sleep for more than 30 minutes at a time. I read until I could fall back to sleep but again it was more like a cat nap and not helpful. Fully awake at 5 am so I quit fighting and gave up. Pain not responding to meds so will up dose and hope that helps. Leg is very swollen for past 2 days so think this increases pain as well. It does reduce overnight but as soon as I get up and move around swelling increases. By bedtime calf, ankle and foot are very swollen.

PA called to tell me she filed prescription with pharmacy and told her of my concerns. She feels rash is related to post-op incision dressing and it will take time to go away; so continue cortisone. Increase pain med on bad nights and nap during day if needed. Reading does make me drowsy so I will keep a book handy.

Landscaper's workers showed up today and I did not know they were coming. Owner stopped by and when I asked he said he thought he had contacted me. It is the same guy who did my walkway and patio so it's hard to be mad at him. His workers are working hard since our soil is quite rocky (read boulders at times) and they are working on the front hill which is somewhat steep. I jokingly told them that any rock they found was theirs to keep and they laughed.

They are putting in 30 plus perennials that will bloom at different times of year with some blooming in winter. They are also mulching and adding a deer fence to try to keep them out. The fencing is green so it should not be intrusive when you look at the hill.

I can only view it from the top and it looks really nice. DD and DSIL are here so I asked them to take a picture for me after they guys are done. They even took out the dead tree I had asked DS to remove but he was waiting until this weekend to do it.

Lawn service also showed up for first mowing of the season and DH did not tell me they were coming. He is at a conference today so I am alone and trying to deal with all of this.

DD was supposed to come at 1:30 to take me to PT but here the appointment time in my phone was incorrect which I learned when the PT clled to ask why I missed the noon appointment. I had it down as 2 PM. So had to cancel last minute and now can't see her until Wednesday next week.

So this has been a somewhat disastrous day but the saving grace is the new landscaping (that I can no longer do), a mowed lawn and having DD and DSIL here as company. They brought food for lunch and dinner so I will be well taken care of.

It is sunny, in the high 60's and pleasant with a light breeze. Hope everyone else has a better day than I am experiencing.

I woke up, last night to a racoon climbing the downspout to get on the roof. After he left, I went back to sleep. In the morning there was a dead baby opossum in the pool. I call the pool company and my handy man to clean my gutters. By 9:00, everything was back to normal. I have no clue how the opossum got in the pool. The gutters were so full, I the the racoon may have been hunting for something in them. A neighbor told me to put apple cider vinegar on the gutter down spout and it will keep the racoon away. Who knows???

I did get my new meds last night. Finally.

Canarycat, love the paver tool. I have to get one. I thought I would never wear tank tops again, but I do. If I don't raise my arm all the way up, no one sees my scars. And if they do, I no longer care. I changed over time. It took almost 6 years to get there. LOL

My hair is back to dark blonde, without photoshop. Not sure I’ve mentioned before, but when I came down here all my lady friends were blondes. They’re all white as snow now. So I’m guessing that’s my progression into the future.

Jackie, lil Red probably ran himself ragged. A penned in area would probably be enjoyed by him. Down here we’re in a bad drought, various fires starting. We’ll take your rain.

Petite, your May sounds good with only 1 dr appt. The first week I’m home in NY I’ve got a lung CT on Monday, and a foot surgeon on Thursday. It just gets crazier with drs until I think, besides vacations, I’ll be free from all in August. I’ve never heard of using apple cider vinegar in a gutter to keep raccoons away, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work.

Betrayal, so sorry your sleep still isn’t on track. It’s good you caught the leak in the basement and got it taken care of. That’s a crisis averted. And landscaping - wee oh, they did a lot! It’s a blessing that’s off your list.

Owensgrandma, perfect set up with friends for a distraction after rads. I had the tattoo on my chest removed! In my head it was visible and looked like a blackhead; and I thought everyone could see it. All in my head, but it’s gone.

Harley, I have a thick hair on the side of my chin. Every time I feel it, or see it, I pluck it. A soft black hair showed up in the middle of my chin, and a soft downy mustache also made an appearance. My mom had blonde peach fuzz and never had any dark facial hair. I’m ok blaming the AI drug. I’m glad you’re back in your house.

Minustwo, I’ve thought about electrolysis. Until it drives me nuts, I’ll pluck for now. But worth considering.

Chris, it was reading books, holding them, is what made me seek surgery. I even bought these foam type triangles that you rest the book on and a tray like thing that held it up. They helped but not enough. Good luck with your surgeon.

Canarycat, love the pictures! Your pavers look great. I’m with Petite on I wear whatever tops I want. Not sure if anyone sees any scars, but my tattoo was removed (vainity? most likely) so reality - wear whatever you’re comfortable in.

By the by, I have real tattoos. One on my breast and one on my opposite hip. Yes, we thought we were bad asses. The one in my breast is about 50 years old, I’m soon to be 66. Hidden from our parents for quite awhile, done by a friend with Indian ink, with a needle and thread. They don’t bother me at all, so why a black dot bothered me - was all in my “cancer” head. (the homemade tattoo was a cross, later covered professionally with a flower) 🤷‍♀️

OK, getting ready to leave on Sunday. The carpet and car were both washed. And then we had the first rain in weeks come down. I called it the final rinse. The carpet was draped over chairs dripping wet and that night we dragged it into the garage to let it all dry out.

Today I took in all solar garden lights, and turned them off. All but one shut off, it had the on/off button break. So it’s stuck on. It’s glowing nicely in my garage, until it runs out of juice.

Yesterday 5 of us ladies took a ride over to Cape Coral to see if we could find the famous burrowing owls. We found them, in regular neighborhoods, right near the houses. As I post these pictures, I think of Puffin. She would have certainly enjoyed these little guys. They are so cute, the babies were bobbing and weaving their heads, like a dance as they watched us. It was a fun night.

Lastly - I packed my clothes today. Tried on stuff to give away or keep. One suitcase gets stuffed to the gills with clothes not needed to travel; the other with what I will need to wear on the way home. I leave some things here, one of which is a night shirt that I really don’t like, because it hits the lymph node scar in my armpit. You know where this story is going, as I got out of the shower and opened the drawer I keep my nighties in, it was the only one in there. So yup, it’s what I have on now.

Hoping everyone that hasn’t posted in awhile is doing well. Enjoy Friday. Nite!

PS - Leoma Lovegrove, local artist, died recently - stage 4 BC. Her art was in all the Bealls stores; after hurricane Ian her studio & gallery were destroyed on Matlacha, she opened a studio in downtown Fort Myers. I have many pieces of hers, but my favorite is one she autographed to my grandniece. Tomorrow evening at the downtown Fort Myers Art Walk they’re having a tribute to her. I’m hoping to get down to it. SORRY this post is SO long.

Peace is an awareness of reserves from beyond ourselves, so that our power is not so much in us as through us. Peace is the gift, not of volitional struggle, but of spiritual hospitality.

Harry Emerson Fosdick

Good afternoon. I am here late today. Partly for being up earlier than usual and so doing some of my computer work early and not getting back any sooner. I too loved looking at the burrowing owls. Living out here in the woods we have learned to adore owls. The ones that inhabit our trees around here are pretty big birds. The only part I am not so thrilled about is that their 'stare' at you gets absolutely creepy after a while. Otherwise, I find them to be beautiful, graceful birds.

My only tattoo was the radiation marker. I never noticed it after a while. I stopped wearing anything sleeveless a long time ago — when we lived on the coast in California it was generally much cooler overall with temp. changes during the day (I could easily change clothes three times a day) so did not bother with sleeveless clothing. Once we moved here it seemed only a short while before I was glad for more coverage due to lots of sun and ticks and lots of insects which were something that seemed in short supply in California. Then a little later I started to develop old lady arms and that was the final straw. I only wear pedal pusher type 'shorts' now during the summer and light blouses with sleeves. I have been content with it all. We are awaiting some more rain.

While I think we have surely had enough rain for a while, I can't be too upset. It has seemed that the rains during the day for the most part haven't lasted all day, and the sun has come out afterwards, so I haven't really had to deal with my GRAY weather depression. I'm not anxious to it to get too warm but a couple of weeks of dry days would be sort of nice. Lately it seems the soil never even gets to looking dry.

No special plans — other than a lazy day.

cindyny, I will try to post them here. DSIL sent them to me.

The pink azalea was an existing one that my Dad gave to me many years ago. The bush in the upper right hand corner is the lilac I love that is so fragrant and I had this landscaper make a new stone enclosure wall around it when he replaced my walkway. This is the sunny side of the hill plantings. He put a fence enclosure around those plants the deer might want to sample.

I am wondering if they missed mulching some of the plants so I will have to check it out. Maybe tomorrow. Enjoy. I miss being able to do this, sigh.

Your hill looks all dressed up now Betrayal. I love the old fashion lilac. Their smell is my idea of heaven in a bush. I think you will end up with a super nice display. Glad the fencing was used to discourage the munching of the plants.

Betrayal, the beds look beautiful. I know you love to get out and garden, but just think how much time this saved. Once you’re able to get out, I’m sure you’ll still putter in the garden.

Cavalry, the cats look content out there!

Tonight I took the grill apart, after grilling steaks. Scrubbed the grate and the heat tent things - name escapes me. It’s all put away for next season.

I dumped a bottle of bleach onto the shower floor, after I covered the drain. Scrubbed it around and after 1.5 hr put in some Dawn and scrubbed & rinsed it.

A bunch more to do but all very doable tomorrow. Leftovers for dinner tomorrow so nothing to worry about cooking.

That’s it for today. I’ll try to jump on here tomorrow, I should have time because I’m forcing myself to take breaks after each task. Nite!

Good morning today. The color is gray and it's a WET gray. Yes, more rain for us. We really don't at all need it, but at least it is one of the gentle rains — no big pour-down going on. I haven't looked at reports to see how long it might go on, but we are cooler this morning. The furnace is even kicking on.

Canary, I love your MONKEY pictures. How wonderful that you got them all to pose so nicely for you and look at the camera. I have had a few (had to move to an apt.) friends that needed to sell their homes and have an apt. All of them so far have not been able to resist having some sort of planting by or around their units. I think once a gardener it is almost impossible to break the habit of nurturing things that grow. Be it your garden of cats, dogs, flowers or vegetables.

I spoke too soon, I guess. It's raining a lot harder now. Not super bad, but I don't have to look towards a puddle to see it.

Cindy, you are still a big bundle of energies. Sounds like you have good control. Sometimes I am amazed, but to be honest, I think I'm a little jealous. I was still doing three or four jobs, plus my own home when I got stopped by my bad mitral valve. Thank goodness it is mild. I've pretty much adjusted to being retired. And the upside is that everyone stops at some point and does things differently and so there isn't anything very unusual. I was past 70 when I stopped working at a heavy pace — it was a good time to slow down.

Looks like maybe a lazy day here — likely more dependent on the weather than anything else. I had thought to go to the bank, but I could skip it. I do need a couple things at Walmart. That's almost an everyday thing. Part of the beauty of living in a small town. You don't really have to stock up too much because even living outside of town isn't a real barrier.

Saying hi to everyone and hope your Saturday will be great.