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

VelvetPoppy

~IllinoisLady~

You make me long for my childhood home in northern Michigan. We did the bonfire & hotdogs on the beach at the lake. I have never had s'mores though. We would sit on washed up logs (trees) and wrap up in blankets to keep the wind from the lake off. The air was crisp and you could almost feel the snow that was coming. I loved it! I don't miss the long winters we had, but I start thinking about it around Halloween. That's when we often got a first snow that actually would stick.

ChiSandy

92 here today. Leaves mostly green. No rain in the picture, and I saw new blossoms on one of my tomato plants, so I've been watering them. (28 tomatoes still on the vine). Basil, thyme, mint, and rosemary doing well, but parsley is getting pale & leggy. Chives are pretty much pooped out as well. Birds & squirrels got all the Concord grapes. Rabbits ate the few strawberries before they could even ripen.

VelvetPoppy

Our summer garden has been gone for several weeks. We harvested tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, onions,beans. H was able to get about a dozen jars of picante sauce put up. He didn't get many jars of pickles this year because it was so dry. Carrots didn't do well either. He has the garden tilled & ready for the fall planting. I like the broccoli & Brussels sprouts. We have tried Mustang grapes and strawberries, but the rabbits always got them..even with netting. I have tried herbs here, but they don't do well for me.

Getting my paperwork together for my visit with the MO next week. He is going to be disappointed this time. I have no labs, or mammogram results. Those come in November. I will have to fax them to him. I am thinking he may put me on bi-annual visits now. I have been seeing him every 3 months for a year so far. He said it would stay that way until he is 'satisfied that the side effects have leveled off & I am tolerating the med'. The joint & muscle pain in my hands & legs haven't gotten any worse over the last several months and I am managing it. We shall see.

ChiSandy

Those of you whose SEs (specifically: joint pain, dizziness, muscle pain, severe fatigue, vision problems, headaches, finger issues) from your AIs have gotten more severe with age (especially after age 65), even after a few years on the drug, should ask your doctors if your next blood tests ought to include an ESR (red cell sedimentation rate) and a CR-P (C-reactive protein). My sister experienced worsening migraines, exhaustion, and bilateral shoulder and hip pain despite normal imaging--and then got two trigger fingers. She never had breast cancer, and is not on anything remotely hormonal or anti-hormonal. But our mom had the same symptoms--but migraine auras (which she called "the shimmering") instead of the headaches. Because Mom was 80 at the time, had heart failure, COPD and Type 2 diabetes, her doctors dismissed her shoulder pain as OA of "old age" and the "shimmering" as "emotional." All they'd give her for the pain--because they were afraid of further depressing her breathing--was Arthritis Tylenol. (She finally got Vicoprofen a month before she died, and marvelled at how it stopped the pain).

My sister's ESR and CR-P (both indications of inflammation) were sky-high. She has been given a diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), an autoimmune disease that is far commoner than once believed. (Some women who complain of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, and whose doctors dismiss them as hypochondriacs and say those diseases are "fads," might have PMR instead). The average age at diagnosis is 72, but it can occur at any time after menopause. It is commonest in white women of Northern European (including Ashkenazi Jewish) ancestry--occurs twice to three times as often in women than in men.

It is still unlikely that if you are suffering severe AI SEs, you have PMR. But those blood tests can make the differential diagnosis between "AI intolerance" or even "low pain threshhold" (or even "chronic complainer") and PMR. The only treatment is prednisone--but even small-to-moderate doses can eliminate the symptoms. If you do have PMR, you should also keep tabs on your cardiovascular (especially the blood vessels surrounding the brain and neck) health, because temporal and giant cell arteritis is often a comorbidity.

marijen

Chisandy, would you know if an RF test might detect PMR? Thanks for the post

marijen

According to this an RF test would be negative. Answered my own question.

How Are Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Temporal Arteritis Diagnosed?

Under the new criteria developed by the American College of Rheumatology and The European League Against Rheumatism, patients ages 50 years and older can be classified as having PMR if they meet the conditions below:

• Shoulder pain on both sides
• Morning stiffness that lasts at least 45 minutes
• High levels of inflammation measured by blood tests
• Reported new hip pain
• Absence of swelling in the small joints of the hands and feet, and absence of positive blood tests for rheumatoid arthritis

IllinoisLady

Start doing the things you think should be done, and start being what you think society should become. Do you believe in free speech? Then speak freely. Do you love the truth? Then tell it. Do you believe in an open society? Then act in the open. Do you believe in a decent and humane society? Then behave decently and humanely.

Adam Michnik

VelvetPoppy

~ChiSandy~

I am copying what you said in your post and talking to my MO about it next week. My PCP orders my labs & will run whatever tests he requests. Thanks for the information.

IllinoisLady

Gratitude is one of the great positive emotions because it creates magnetism. A magnet is that which draws things to itself; therefore, by giving heartfelt thanks for all the good we now have, through the magnetism that gratitude creates, we will start attracting more good into our daily life. -Elaine Hibbard

IllinoisLady

What a fantastic day here. It is cloudy and cool and I envision being able to come and go and do lots of things today. I hope that vision comes true. We went to Marion yesterday. Dh had a problem with one of his fingers healing up from an injury but other than aching a bit now and then, it will just take patience on his part to wait it out. Quite a drive and time spent for something it would have been nice to hear from the local office. Sigh !!!! We are thankful we have the V.A. but now and then the protocol is odd for some of the more simple things.\

I hope you are all having a wonderful day.

IllinoisLady

Be the first to forgive, to smile and take the first step, and you will see happiness bloom. Be always the first. Do not wait for others to forgive, for by forgiving, you become the master of fate, the fashioner of life, the doer of miracles. To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return you will receive untold peace and happiness. -Robert Muller

Wren44

Beautiful day here! Sunny and a predicted high of 82. That's a little hot for me, but it could be the last warm weather. Friday-Monday will be in the low 60's with rain. My birthday is toward the end of Oct. and it has never had sunny weather here. We might get a few days more, but we can't count on it. And to improve the day, it's my first watercolor class for fall quarter. It's thru the Lifetime Learning Center which has all kinds of classes for very low prices. I get 8 weeks of watercolor classes thru them for the cost of 1 or 2 classes elsewhere.

Anneb1149

I just want you all to know that I am still alive and well. Fixing the damage from Irma is so much more than I expected. And we are considered a small claim! I cannot imagine what the people who lost their whole home are going thru.

At this point, all of the laminate flooring in the house is gone except for my room. They did everything else yesterday, but said I have the heaviest furniture, so the are going to move it out of the room, and not put it back until the new floor is down- they hope only one night. They are doing the floors in the closets as well, and my whole closet has to be emptied so they can remove the shelves to get to my floor. I have a closet that runs along one wall in the room, with two sets of doors. My daughter made her own system of organizing the closet when it was her room, many years ago. I use one set of shelves for my jeans and capri's and I have 2 hanging rods (one higher, the other lower). Unfortunately those rods are between the two sets of doors, and it is quite an effort to get to them. The rest of the closet is storage- suitcases, old records, a small file cabinet, and toys. It is a mess.

So I started to clean it out earlier. I just don't have the strength or stamina to do it. I have set up some tables in the garage to put things on, but I get so out of breath and my back hurts after 2 or 3 trips- and I am not carrying anything heavy. My brother is out today, trying to set up a plan for 3 days at Universal with his 3 kids in early Oct. He is really excited because it is only going to be the 4 of them- no girlfriend/ boyfriend, daughter-in-law, no granddaughter. It will be the first time the 4 of them have been together alone in many years. He should be back soon, and I know he will help, as will my grandson when he gets home from school.

We have gotten 2 estimates for the roof. Their prices are about $1500 apart, but their plans are very different. One says we have to add a slight pitch to the flat roof, so the rains roll off instead of pooling up there. He is totally okay with removing and replacing the solar panels. The other says no pitching needed, but the shingles we have now only handle 90mph winds, and the ones he wants to use can handle winds up to 130mph, and he is totally against solar panels. We have two more estimates coming next week.

We are replacing the laminate floors with tile that looks like wood. I told you a friend was doing it and I trusted him totally. My brother had never met him and was a little skeptical, so he said he wanted to sit down with Ron when he first got here, to make sure they were on the same page. That didn't happen, because Ron and his brother had arrived and started working while Rob was in the shower. By mid-day, Rob is saying, " can Ron fix the patio ceiling? Can Ron fix the family room doors and kitchen window?" I told Rob I had already asked Ron and he said sure. My brother asked me how much I was paying Ron, and I said I have no idea. I do know that his price will be lower than he charges normally, and the work will be done well. I was comfortAble enough yesterday to leave him and his brother here working while we went tile shopping. The daughter who lives with me was married to Ron's nephew. But long before that,Tracy was their babysitter, and she babysat a lot. They couldn't afford to pay her most of the time, but when a church youth group or school trip came up, they always bought her tickets. Ron also sent my oldest daughter a dozen red roses for her 18th birthday, with the note saying, "Every woman deserves to get roses delivered to her job at least once in her life.

I hope all is well with everyone. I will check in again soon,

Anne

IllinoisLady

I may be talking out of the hole in my head, but seems I heard that solar roofs made utilities quite economical and is this another kind of solar panel and for something else. Just my way of saying if that is what the solar is for --- I'd be inclined heavily to want to keep that. Also, pooling water is causing some issues at my house. Not with my roof generally --- it is a metal roof. It managed to seep under somewhere ( I don't get up there so not sure where ) and had made part of the wood unstable and it needs replacing. Thankfully --- the metal can be taken off to do that -- then put back. The thing is we have a partial flat roof since our house was added too a long time ago. Sounds to me though like giving the roof some lift/pitch and not having pooling could be a good thing unless your sun can dry the " pooling " area really quick.

Doing the closet floor sounds like such work --- but I can see in the end how much nicer it would to have the continuous floor. My closet floor is done. Had a thought though it might not be possible due to just the amt. of door it would take, but almost all my closet doors open from the middle and fold back. So wondered if it would be possible for you to do something similar -- maybe even an accordion-style door. If it would upset the woodwork balance or not might be a question. I just know that it has made my use of closets much easier here, but I have to admit -- the closet doors were that way when I got here -- sooo..

I'm glad you have Ron and can feel trust for this project and get it done in timely fashion as well. Sounds like your brother got on board really quickly. I do think many things can be big projects when they are done correctly and it did sound like you are correcting some situations that were a bit out of kilter from smaller renovations -- like having continuous floors. Probably one of those things that feels so great after it is all done and tedious until then. Sending you lots of patience and humor when needed to carry you through.

I'm taking a little time off. Dh has today and tomorrow off so I'm not starting anything for him to get in the middle of at totally inopportune times.

ChiSandy

FWIW, Frank Lloyd Wright houses have a terrible time getting sold (or go back on the market shortly after move-in) because of the flat roofs that leak like sieves--adding the slightest degree of pitch cancels the landmark status and lowers the value. And my friends with solar actually get paid by their electric company for the power they sell back to it. Finally, tile in FL makes so much more sense than laminate. Just sayin'...

Wren44

DS has solar and sells power back. Last winter he got an email that he wasn't producing any power, asking what the problem was. He answered it was the 2 ft of snow on the roof, not to mention that it was still snowing. There's a scheme in Hood River where the company puts it's solar panels on the roof and both the company and the home owner profit from the electricity generated. You buy into the scheme, but it's far cheaper than putting it up yourself.

I was visiting my brother in Oklahoma a few years ago. Everyone was discussing what kind of roof they were going to put up after the latest hail storm. Someone said the metal roofs and get dented by large hail and then the seams aren't tight. I don't think there's a way to win there. Hail storms happen pretty frequently.

Anneb1149

Mornin all,

I have been awake since 7:30am which is very rare for me, but I have lots to do (not that I am actually doing any of it)...We got our solar water heater when they first came out. At that time, there was no talk of selling power back to the utilities. But- we were a family of seven, for five years a family of nine or ten, and that solar heater was a Godsend. When the kids were younger, everyone except Dad, including me, showered or bathed after dinner. Everyone had all the hot water needed, whether they were first or last in line. During power outages of several weeks after hurricanes, we were the envy of everyone we knew- we still had hot water. Several close friends would come by just to shower. That, for me, is an easy choice. I can't imagine our electricity bills without it. Our bills climb into the $400 range during summer as it is now.

The closet in my room does have double accordion doors, Jackie. It is a good sized closet, but not a walk-in. My problem is it is not organized in a way that works for me. Everything is out of it now except my capri's and jeans. Those will stay till the very last minute. My biggest problem is that I don't know how to organize it better. My daughter graciously said that if we have any insurance money left over, I should redo my closet. I have to chuckle at her so often- it is my house, my money and my choice! And I don't intend to wait till we're finished with all the repairs.

She started to say something like that about my brother's kids, who are all flying into Ft Laud for their trip to Universal-"Idon't have any more beds for them, they cannot stay for long, I just can't have that many people in my house while I'm working...etc., etc. I just look at her and without my saying one word, she backs off. My look says very clearly that this is my house, and I will let anyone I want stay as long as I want.

Since it is 10am and I haven't moved from my couch yet, I think I better start moving. Have a great day, everyone

Anne

IllinoisLady

Kindness is perhaps the most essential quality of being fully human.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

IllinoisLady

Anne, good for you. Now as to organizing, I use to be pretty fair at it. Unfortunately either age or the medical insults to my system have reduced my ability to organize severely. It is mainly why -- after all the yrs. I've been NED I'm still working on things that most people would have had done a few months after txs. were over. Let see, how many yrs. now -- well how about 2008 -- which is when I was done with all my txs. I haven't given up and never will, but it is sometimes embarrassing to admit. I'm hoping you will figure something good out -- maybe I can copy if you do. I know some things, but momentarily they really aren't possible -- unless I win a lottery because they are part of a long list of things that should be done here.

In the end, I usually see all ( at least here for me ) as being another life lesson -- and I'll do the best I can and be happy and grateful for the chance. Gloom for the most part is not in my vocabulary because if I dared let it in I don't know when I'd get rid of it.

Up to 80 today, but since we don't have humidity --- it is doubtful that the a/c will come on. That is the value of all the shade in our yard. I hope you are all going to have a fantastic day.

Wren44

Anne, Google closet arrangements and you'll get lots of ideas. Mine is very tiny, built into the eaves. It could use some rearranging. I think it's time here to put away summer clothes, so I'll be trying on clothes to see what fits. I think I'll put dress up clothes at the back where it's hard to see. I only wear those 2-3 times a year.

IllinoisLady

Walking exercises the whole person. It exercises the body-- it gives the arms and legs a workout. It stimulates the flow of blood; expands the lungs. It is gentle and relaxing. It exercises the mind-- it shakes up the brain cells. It fills them with oxygen; drives out the cobwebs. A famous scientist says he does his best thinking on the two miles of sidewalk between his home and office.
Walking exercises the emotions. It gives you a chance to observe and enjoy the world. Open your eyes to beauty. See the homes, the trees, the gardens. See the shining faces of little children. Listen for the church chimes, singing birds and the laughter of happy people. -Wilferd A. Peterson

IllinoisLady

Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light. -Brené Brown

IllinoisLady

People take different roads seeking fulfillment
and happiness. Just because they're not on
your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost.

H. Jackson Browne

IllinoisLady

Just going to say --- I'm so sad this morning for what occurred in Las Vegas last night. Glad they were able to stop the responsible person. Another reminder that we don't know the number of our days or how they will end.

ChiSandy

The shooter killed himself. Little is known about him other than he was a retired accountant, millionaire property owner, and most recently a professional gambler who had been losing tens of thousands of dollars a day in the casinos. And his father was one of the FBI's top 10 Most Wanted criminals back in the day, who had been described by prison shrinks as "psychotic & suicidal." The shooter left no note or manifesto, and had no social media interactions. His brother never saw it coming but admitted he was "not normal."

Wren44

I heard that Trump is reversing the Obama decision to add mental illness as a reason to deny guns. It only applied to people who had been involuntarily committed to a state hospital. Most people with mental illnesses don't achieve that level.

ChiSandy

Involuntary commitment to a state mental hospital went the way of the dodo by the early 80s--the only people who end up there these days are those found not guilty by reason of insanity, "guilty but mentally ill," or temporarily mentally unfit to stand trial. And IL has closed most of its state mental hospitals.

Now I am all in favor of equal protection for the mentally ill--someone who has recovered from depression and is well-controlled on meds, and someone with garden-variety neurosis such as anxiety and panic attacks should not be prohibited from owning a gun if their psychiatrist certifies that they are no danger to others. But schizophrenia? That's characterized by delusions such as hallucinations and hearing voices. Also PTSD from combat experience. (Sorry if that offends veterans). Those conditions should be disqualifying for firearm ownership.

And being a civilian should disqualify one from owning automatic weapons and silencers. There is no reason on this earth for a civilian to possess the same or greater firepower than the police--who needs to be able sneak up silently and mow down a hundred deer without spooking the other wildlife? If Paddock had silencers on his guns, who knows how many more people he'd have killed because they couldn't tell where the shots were coming from?

Wren44

We actually have involuntary commitment in WA. Usually the person clears up once they're back on medications. Occasionally they do go to the state hospital for a few months. I agree about automatic weapons and silencers. If someone wants to have that, they can join the armed services.

bonnets

I agree, NO ONE needs assault rifles or silencers! My son lives in Vegas area and they go to many concerts. Was holding my breath until I heard from them, that they were OK.

Saw my surgeon last week. I asked about getting off the Arimidex. He said now they recommend 10 years or more. Since I am at 5 years was hopin. I think it made my arthritis worse and has contributed to weight gain, Was hoping. He said to talk to my onc, when I see him.

IllinoisLady

I am still learning--how to take joy in all the people I am,
how to use all my selves in the service of what I believe,
how to accept when I fail and rejoice when I succeed.

Audre Lord