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

Feb 27, 2009 07:16PM PhyllisCC wrote:

Hey guys,

 I was dx at 56, am now 58 so guess I qualify.  Although I think anyone who wants to join should be able.  Reading all these post for us "older" girls is so helpful; but I also read a lot of the other forums and find them helpful too.  But anyway I'm sure you all realize that you HAVE set up a forum for older folks.  We have more topics and "hits" than a lot of the established forums.  And if the mods don't want to set up a separate one...we can can continue here.  Thanks to all of you keeping this thread alive.  I guess I must be computer savy... I figured out how to put a pic on right away... the rest of the stuff?  I'm still learning.  Thanks for sharing-- it really helps.  Phyllis

Feb 27, 2009 07:27PM JO-5 wrote:

 Phyllis,

You've got me beat --- I even wrote down the instructions and thought I did everything right --- but still no picture!

I really tried, too, because I decided who in the world would care about a grey haired old lady! ????  Until I figure this out --- just use your imagination!  lol lol lol

JO

Feb 27, 2009 07:37PM PhyllisCC wrote:

Jo,

 Your picture is there!... and what a great shot..and a great smile.  Me... I still think the Hawaiian sunset looks better than me!  We'll figure all this computer stuff out... sooner or later.  Take care.  Phyllis  (woops...I figured out the smilies )

Feb 27, 2009 07:44PM mzmiller99 wrote:

Northstar - what a sweet baby furface!!

Jo- you are gorgeous!  What beautiful hair! 

I hope we become a forum, too.  We have a great group here.

 Just think, if we put our life time experiences together, it would probably go back to prehistoric times! 

 Now that I've thought about what I just wrote, I wonder where the h*ll the thought came from?!  Must be this nonstop rain!  Or the kindergartener who told me I smelled like fish slobber today!  We finally decided that it was my new silk knit sweater!! 

However, I couldn't stop sniffing "down there", just in case!!

Feb 27, 2009 07:58PM Northstar wrote:

Hey, swimangel and mzmiller (and anyone else....),

    My little love-cat is called "Pippin," since we read our boys The Hobbit when they were little.   He is also like a little dog--watches us, follows us, sleeps on our bed, and even plays peek-a-boo and go fetch.   When our 19-year-old cat had to be put to sleep last year (whole nother sad story), I thought maybe I wanted a dog, but my husband wisely noted that dogs have to be walked in all kinds of weather a couple of times a day.  So, we have a dog-cat!    I have heard that stroking an animal increases the serotonin in your brain.   I must have a lot, then. 

Feb 27, 2009 08:32PM FACECRAFTER wrote:

Feb 27, 2009 08:51PM samedaynurseJan wrote:

oooooooooooooooo JO.....your picture is wonderful just like you ! I knew you could do it.....you look exactly as I expected....*bigsmile* backatcha.....

I wish I could be the voice of knowledge about all the estrogen answers here but like all of us Im still learning. I am planning on going to an Education and Enrichment Class on hormone therapy which is supposed to answer all the questions about our meds and what they do and also about the NEW MEDS that are on the horizon for us ( I didnt even know there were any.....) soooooooo after I go to this (I will take notes) maybe I will have some good stuff for us......I also just found out about a Mindfulness Clinical Study that I may be eligible for sometime this year I wish some of you lived here so we could go together...Im not sure I want to go back to being a bc something or other but I just read a great Anticancer Lifestyle article in the new AARP (grin) magazine and what does it talk about but Mindfulness and how good it is for us and for our long term survival so if I decide to do it I'll share that information too.

Welcome to any of the ladies from the Illinois board who find their way here....you will love these women , they are awesome !!!!

jan

Feb 27, 2009 09:06PM IllinoisLady wrote:

Hi everyone here.  Same Day Nurse Jan was on the Illinois thread I post on all the time.  I am 63 and feel like I could come here often ( probably daily like I do my 'home' thread ) to see what is new.  My diagnosis is below in my signature.  I had Papillary cancer --- one of the truly lazy cancers --- one almost wonders that it grows at all --- but lo and behold in the same breast not far away was a big bruise and hiding under the bruise during the lumpectomy for the Papillary cancer my surgeon ( a Professor from Southern Illinois University )  found a second much larger cancer, Ductal Carcinoma.  What a major surprise but she saved my life.  I think some surgeons would have lifted out the bruise and pretty much went on....Dr. Ryan kept checking to assure herself that all was fine.  All was obviously not fine.  That changed my after treatment to 6 mos. of  chemotherapy and 7 weeks of radiation.  Can't believe it....my hair came in darker than it was.  Oh well. 

I'm on Arimides for the next five years and doing well with it.  The worst thing I've noticed is a strange pins and needles reaction  ( similar to a quick hot flash since the pins and needles doesn't last long )  and I tend to clomp around in the morning when I first get up.....almost like my feet are asleep or something, but that goes way after a short while.  Not much of anything else.....a few warm moments now and then but nothing that is truly bothersome....more surprising.

Although I am 63 I don't feel even close to that age.....though during chemo I often felt much, much older.  In a strange way.....the older I do get the younger I seem to feel.  It is just a number and gets the importance we give it and guess I look at it as mainly positive ( give me my darn discount, please ) and I just refuse to be less than I have to be or want to be just because of a number. 

I need to work on some weight issues though I did ( certainly the wrong way ) lose 38 pounds during chemo.  Tried to be in charge but it just did not work out well  ---  often the thought of food was so repulsive that I couldn't get much down.  Going to mainly go back to South Beach style eating and hope to start walking a lot again.  Not only is it a fantastic exercise but I think there is something that can happen to walkers --- like the runner's high.  An energetic feeling that in turn is so serene and making you feel you can handle anything that comes along.  I miss my walking.  We live out in the country so it is quite easy to take off and do a couple of miles easy.

Hope this thread is able to stay here.  I have inserted it in my favorites with that hope.  The BC org. was what kept me going through my journey so far and for that reason I would not like for anyone to be denied, but I do think sometimes there might be differences of perspectives for those who have attained a little more numbers than others. 

I'm sure I'll b checking back here later.

Jackie

Feb 27, 2009 11:28PM - edited Feb 28, 2009 03:02PM by JO-5

  OKAY LADIES,

  Call me nuts!      I googled my user name...... nothing much came up. I googled my user name and then typed breast cancer.

Up popped my picture--and the posts....... Since I don't say any thing on here that I care for the world knowing --- the posts are ok........

Just don't like my picture being out there like that.

It bothers me!  This will be my new picture because I AM JUST AN OLD RAGGEDY ANN IN A BARBIE DOLL WORLD!   

After changing my pic...... I tried it again and the posts came up but not my Raggedy Ann. I think what happened was the first time  I didn't log out of the message board - just went back to my home page - then googled. Whatever the reason -- this is how I am going to leave it.

Those of you that saw my pic.... you know who you're talking to --- those of you that didn't --- you haven't missed a thing!  LOL

I guess this is just part of being older and maybe an Old Fuddy Duddy ---- and a lot because of not fully understanding this whole technology! 

Good night all and God bless!

JO

Feb 28, 2009 10:10AM IllinoisLady wrote:

Wow !!!!  I was on PremPro for almost three years and then after total hysterectomy Dr. put me on Premarin.  At one point I ask the Dr. if I could get off the hormones ( I had been hearing negative things ) and he poo-pooed the idea.  Then I had a stroke......and a few months after I had started recovering well, Dr. asked me ----  as though we had never had the original conversation before....if I was ready to go off hormones.  Made me think the test/criteria was.....if nothing bad happens they are OK for YOU.  Then later on I get cancer.  Of course, I could have gotten either of these problems for other reasons too......even though no family history on the cancer or stroke, but I have to think if nothing else it was a major contributor. 

Jackie

Feb 28, 2009 11:53AM - edited Jul 5, 2010 08:36PM by Maire67

Feb 28, 2009 12:14PM - edited Feb 28, 2009 03:03PM by JO-5

 Maire,

 Yep, My picture is just going to stay Raggedy Ann. LOL  I have that little figure and the saying embroidered on the back of a jeans shirt!  (I'm just an Old Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World) .

Can't answer about the chemo brain - didn't have chemo - but I know a lot of ladies that complain about that and someone on here will be able to help you.

I blame my "senior moments" on Arimidex - because I've never been this bad before and it is listed as one of the side effects.

I know Arimidex is not chemo in the way Tax. is but when I mentioned it to my Dr. he said that actually Arimidex is a sort of chemo.

I agree about all the young women w/ BC. It breaks my heart and scares me for our girls. I never realized before I got on here and other message boards how many really young women have BC.

Having said that ---- You should never feel bad  or silly for complaining. No matter what someone else is going through it does not negate or make unimportant what you are going through. We're all just at different places.

God bless!

JO

Feb 28, 2009 12:41PM Sierra wrote:

Hi Ladies:

what a beautiful group of sisters here?

Northstar:  Are you in Maine? by the way

one of my favorite states... just love it

have not been for a while though

so, a few of us on the HRt. odd thing is I stopped it

then started up with it again, but my breasts

were always terribly sore, you could not even

touch.. or it hurt..

Well, I am so happy we are all here

and hope to continue on a good path

Have a great week-end all!

I dont have a picture here

but if anyone wants to see me

write me private

:)))

Hugs, Sierra

Feb 28, 2009 01:09PM Marple wrote:

Yes, Northstar........I think you are absolutely right.  Please moderators........may we have our own forum?  We're oldies but goodies and deserve to be found more easily.

Feb 28, 2009 01:14PM anianiau wrote:

It might be interesting to try sorting out the forum by decade, for example, 50 to 59, 60 to 69. 70 and over. People tend to be dealing with somewhat different issues during those periods. Just a thought, and not meaning to exclude anyone--just make it easier to find...