Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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betrayal, where are you located? My DH is at Field Day also in Colorado Springs.
My DD was asleep downstairs as she is a night nurse and worked last night and again tonight, and my DGD was downstairs most of the day just doing her thing. I felt mostly alone but do enjoy a day to myself.
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The field day is Eagleville, PA at the lower Providence fire company.
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By virtue of being born to humanity, every human being has a right to the development and fulfillment of his potentialities as a human being.
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Just lost a post, so I'll start over. I went to appointment for ear piercing and as I arrived a mother and several children were leaving. One girl was in tears and appeared to have just had her ears done. She was young and I sometimes wonder why mom's listen to them at this age because it is a painful procedure for one so young and it certainly is costly. She appeared to be about 6 years old at the most.
The woman piercing was somewhat behind and had to pierce another child ahead of me. I listened to her and she was wonderful with the child explaining every thing she was going to do ahead of time and very patient. She even had the child look in a mirror at the marker dots she places on the ear lobes to see if she liked them. The child was told it was going to hurt some and she had her inhale and then exhale sharply during the actual piercing. The most painful part is when she threads the hoops through the needle, but the child was prepared and didn't cry. She looked to be about 7 or 8.
I have silver hoops that will be removed in 8 weeks and exchanged for a pair of my earrings. In the meanwhile I am to rotate the hoops twice a day and follow-up with Bactine MAX spray to the ear lobes. I had to go to CVS to pick up a prescription, so that worked well. Years ago we just used alcohol on cotton balls to clean the piercings and we all used gold ball studs for earring since we had to hide them from our nursing instructors.
Said I could also use saline if my ear lobes got dry looking. I am looking forward to wearing some of my favorite earrings again. These hoops are so small you can barely see them, but they are symmetrical and that's what is important. They are also higher on my lobes than my former ones had been and that may mean some of my earrings will lay/hang better.
Overcast day, not overly war nor humid, but will stay inside to finish what I didn't get dusted yesterday and to water indoor plants.
cindyny, I hope your birthday dinner was without chaos and you had an enjoyable time. I'd love to invite my youngest brother to parties, but his wife is the queen of mean and no one wants to be with her; same applies to DH's only sister. So neither get invites. No drama that way.
Chris, I am glad you are back to sewing and looking forward to hearing what you are making.
Hope everyone has a wonderful day and waving "hi" to everyone.
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I lurk here but just wanted to update that my beautiful DH of nearly 33 years died on the 23rd. Beyond sad.
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Wallycat - my sympathy on the loss of your husband. (((Hugs)))
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Wallycat, sincerest condolences on the loss of your husband. May his memory be a blessing to you. ((HUGS))
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I just made another caftan with shorts. Going to be nice. I have a new caftan, no shorts, going to cut the border off another pair that doesn't have a top, but both have purple. Then a sheer piece, I am making pants with shorts lining the inside. That will have a pullover kimono-style top, I think. Then I will have three saris left. Then I will place an order to India for some block-printed cottons, like five dollars a yard before tariffs and handling and postage. That will be 2/3 of the value of the fabric. Good deal.
Wallycat, you do post once in a while, I am so sad to read about your husband. What a sweet gift, Cindy.
Then on to my adventures in sourdough breadmaking. I am very happy with my recipe, but I can do better. Good to have 100% whole wheat sourdough. Sourdough bread is much more nutritious than bread made with commercial yeast. I am using my scales, keep it plugged in so I can weigh for any recipe. Much more accurate for consistent results.
I have a bunch of meals in the freezer again. I use some rectangular Bentgo containers, from Amazon, they stack nicely. So good to have a freezer I can depend on, rather than opening it up and finding many things—slushy.
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I have no right, by anything I do or say, to demean a human being in his own eyes. What matters is not what I think of him; it is what he thinks of himself. To undermine a man's self-respect is a sin.
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It was 73 degrees when I went out to pull weeds and mulch two flower beds. I wanted to get an early start before it got too hot and by the time I finished nearly 3 hours later it was now 81 degrees and quite hot. There was a nice breeze which made it more tolerable. Plus I took breaks between mulching.
I did manage to weed the large bed by the rock and then a bed which abuts the road and is where I had planted lily of the valley many years ago. It was a hot mess when we moved here featuring honeysuckle and poison ivy. Both have been eradicated though I did find 2 small poison ivy plants today. They were sprayed with poison ivy killer and should be gone in a week at the most.
I managed to pull 1.5 bags of weeds and used 16 bags of mulch to complete these areas. It felt good because I used to do up to 25 bags per day in the past. I still have work in this area to tackle the bed by the stream and DS is supposed to come help with replacing the fence there. The stakes we need are already in place but the chicken wire is too flimsy so it will be replaced with a heavier green fence that we have used on beds in the backyard and for the junipers. This area will need about 10 bags of mulch to cover it.
The 80 bags are now down to 49, so I am making a dent. I plan on getting out tomorrow to tackle the stream bed and one as we walk up the hill. It's small and only takes about 3 bags of mulch. Once I get these done, I'll tackle the 2 in front of the house. If I have enough mulch left, I'll do the backyard and the driveway ones that we did last year and just top them off. It looks so nice when it is all done and is a great cardio workout. Each bag weighs about 30 lb. and I dump when I can, but sometimes have to carry them to where I want to mulch. My biceps are firm again.
We are expected to get the heat dome starting tomorrow and I am not looking forward to that. Thursday and Friday are to be the really hot days over 100 degrees and of course we have plans to go to Kutztown on Friday. I'll freeze some water bottles to take with us and we plan on leaving early so we can be there when the gates open.
For the first time in my life I got poison ivy. It's on my forearms so above the level of my garden gloves and it's probably from when the long vine of it hit my arms. I do wash my arms as soon as we come in from gardening, but it must have already been on my skin too long. Cortisone is helping to control the itch, but now I know what DH, DD and DS endured over the years since they always got it easily. I was always the designated poison ivy killer using spray to keep it out of the yard, off the trees, and the woods.
Chris, your new outfits sound beautiful. I love how you repurpose sari material into new designs. That material is not easy to sew on, so I am amazed that you have the ability to use it.
I hope everyone has a great day and waving "hi" to everyone.
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Found this post by the Princess of Wales after she completed the 3 Peaks Challenge in England, Scotland and Wales. I thought it had a message important to all of us:
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people in this country hear the words no one wants to hear. What follows is a path that tests every part of who we are: physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. The challenges ripple outwards, touching families, friendships, work and the quiet moments we spend alone with our thoughts.
Cancer doesn’t just affect the body. It changes how you think and feel and profoundly affects every aspect of life. I know this personally, and that the journey through and beyond treatment requires more than medicine alone.
I have taken on the National Three Peaks Challenge, not simply as a physical endeavour but as a chance to explore life beyond diagnosis and to give something back. The Royal Marsden is a place that holds great meaning for me and whose care and expertise are life changing for so many people.
Through this challenge, I want to raise awareness for the deeper impact of serious illness and the importance of holistic healthcare. Every individual is different, and ensuring there is a whole person approach to care enables those living through cancer to manage the deeply personal challenge of diagnosis. Holistic therapies complement clinical pathways and support patients’ ability to maintain their wellbeing, resilience and quality of life during an exceptionally difficult time.
We have an opportunity to reshape what the future of holistic cancer care looks like, enabling more people, nationwide, to access the kind of personalised support that can help make a meaningful difference during and after medical treatment.
This challenge will support the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, helping to transform access to, and understanding of, holistic care that will enhance recovery and healing for patients across the UK.
Healing, whether personal or collective, is not just about fixing what is wrong. It is about finding balance in how we live. Between effort and acceptance, between control and trust, between thinking and simply being.Because in the end, bravery isn’t just about pushing forward. It is about knowing how to stay grounded, connected and present, no matter the terrain or landscape you are walking.
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Betrayal, If I didn't have a serger, it wouldn't be possible. When I get to a stopping point, I will do a fashion show. Sandy said she would like to see them. Maybe we can get her to stop by.
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Walycat, my heart breaks for you. Condolences on your loss.
Chris, you’re back sewing and that’s a good sign.
Betrayal, oh so sorry you’ve got poison ivy. I’ve never had it, knock on wood.
I had my ENT followup today. I brought a note pad to be prepared for any new information. Well, the results from the swallow test were all normal. But they seemed to think I was still bothered by the feeling of something in my throat/back of my throat - tonsil area. Im not, it went away a long time ago. So, no new meds and no therapy of any kind, contact them if it comes back.July 9 is my endoscopy. If they see anything, the gastroenterologist could change meds etc… It’s all a wait and see.
It’s been hotter than blazes and it’s only going to get hotter over the next few days. Record breaking heat.3 -
I was too old for a paper route, too young for Social Security and too tired for an affair.
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wallycat - so sorry for your loss. Hope memories of those years together will bring you some comfort.
Cindy - what a wonderful gift.
Be careful in the heat those of you farther east than I. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I too freeze water or gatorade before being out. I always have a well insulated bottle of water in my car too. Never know when I will be out longer than anticipated.
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It's a habit for me to take a container of water with me whenever I go anywhere. Since all the publicity on plastic particles, I avoid bottled water.
Happy Wednesday to all.
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Everyone of us needs to show how much we care for each other and, in the process, care for ourselves.
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Welcome to July!
If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.
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Yes, I am feeling better and regaining my strength. It is the way my body responds to stress. I think a low carb diet will protect me. With this surgery tomorrow and eventual surgery on my lower jaw and the book, stress in my life will never end. Even changes, like teeth and new hearing aids and traveling can trigger it. Thank you.
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Chris, what surgery are you having tomorrow? I must have missed this in one of your posts. Prayers for a successful outcome.
It is the first of the heat dome days we are to get for the next 4 days. Yesterday I managed to finish mulching the bed by the stream and started a smaller bed off the driveway. I spread 2 bags of mulch there and it is weeded, but needs probably 2 more bags of mulch to finish. All total, I spread 12 bags of mulch.
Today I decided to go out while it was still cooler (74 degrees), and did the 2 beds in front of the house including the one under my beloved lilac bush. They took 10 bags, so according to my record I am down to 27 bags left from the original 80. The humidity today is much higher and there was no breeze to cool me off so I am glad I started earlier. It is now 81 degrees and it is only 11 am.
Have Dine Rewards to use so we made a reservation to have an early dinner at Bonefish Grill. After dinner I will hit Giant for groceries. I'm not going to grill on the 4th given the heat wave, so I think we'll have hot and sweet Italian sausage with peppers and onions. I'll make some potato salad and I think baked beans with pork roll for a change.
I'm doing laundry today and have one load done with another to do. Then I'll be caught up. Sent an order to Walmart to be delivered this afternoon before we leave for dinner.
Had a doctor, who I saw in March of 2025, resubmit his bill to Medicare for more money. Medicare approved it and paid their share, but my gap IBC insurance changed last July 2026. Medicare did not submit it to IBC and it will have to be submitted to my old policy. I called them and they will cover it, but I have to complete a customer request and mail that with a copy of the Medicare EOB to them which is what their billing office should have done. They billed me and I refuse to pay it until it has been processed, so they can wait for their money. It looked to be balance billing which is illegal since they are participating providers.
Just noticed that the radiologist reading CT scans are billing from Dallas? I know they have reported a shortage and it is now taking more than 3 weeks to get results whereas a year ago, you got them within 48 hours or less. Not sure why there is a shortage and is it nationwide or just on the east coast?
Freezing bottles of water to take with us on Friday when we head to Kutztown for the fair. It will be in the high 90's but the humidity is supposed to be only 52, which is much better than what it is today. The bird creator will be there. I had written to them and they made an effort to find my phone number and left a message that they will be there. So I may be buying a new bird or 2. I just love them in the yard and now that the beds are filling in with ferns, they look like they belong there.
Hope everyone has a great day, and waving "hi" to everyone. Stay cool and hydrated.
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I have a very small growth in my bladder. I watched it in the ultrasound. Unlike a baby, it is not recommended to let it grow. It is probably cancerous, but again it is very small. I will be wearing a catheter for the next week.
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Chris, best of luck for surgery tomorrow.
Carrying water is a habit from being in FL. It’s a good habit to keep.
I got in for a cortisone shot in my shoulder this morning. Appointment was at 9:15 before the heat was too brutal. He numbed it quickly, gave me the shot and I was on my way.
Once home I had to check on the pool from rains last night. I needed to remove 2” of water again. Then I deadheaded the geraniums on the deck; grabbed clippers and deadheaded the rose bushes - they bloom in clumps; then I checked on the blueberry bush. It appears the bunnies are taking the ripest ones from the bottom. I took the clippers to take out some dead branches and that was the tipping point - I started sweating. That was the end of that, I was done. I went inside and took off my outfit and put on my night shirt.
Because it’s so hot out, back then it was 85 and felt 91, my house in the mid 70’s felt cool. Right now 93 & feels 98. I haven’t been back outside. House is 78 and doing nothing to exert energy, I’m comfortable. But note as soon as the humidity hits us, when the dirt floor basement doesn’t give off enough coolness, the AC split will go on.
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Chris, you will be in my prayers tomorrow. I hope the catheter will not be too uncomfortable.
You all are so busy! We are having our two dead trees replaced by the nursery Friday since it is on their dime. That should complete our landscaping for the year, except for maintenance of course. We met our BIL and SIL for brunch today and then drove over to the Farmer's Market. It is a local market only and they do their own off-site ordering so the prices are a little high, but the produce and other goods are marvelous. They did have Palisade peaches (early this year) but the lady next to me who was checking them out and said they felt "mealy" and I should wait for the next batch. I really wanted some but I will accept her advice at $4.99 a pound. I bought some plums instead, and other stuff. Had the helper clerk help me pick out a watermelon too. It "sounded" and looked good and was heavy so we shall see. We are having our BIL and SIL over for the fourth because the guys are installing cameras and something for the Ham Radio for my DH, and our neighbors set off lots of fireworks even though it is illegal. It will be on a "bad" SE day for me after my chemo yesterday but my SIL loves to cook so she will handle that and I can sit. I can order the shopping delivered for my part.
I know most of us are under a heat dome and/or fire warning for the fourth, so stay safe.
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Thanks for the prayers. I have been through greater discomfort. Report at 9:15. Then I will be laying around for a while. Y'all know the drill.
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Thinking of you Chris. (((HUGS)))
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Chris,
In my prayers!
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Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tunes without the words - and never stops at all.
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wallycat, so sad. pm me if you want to talk
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