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

IllinoisLady

"If you are willing to look at another person's behavior toward you as a reflection of the state of their relationship with themselves rather than a statement about your value as a person, then you will, over a period of time, cease to react at all."

-- Yogi Bhajan

IllinoisLady

It is always something -- we don't get much chance to be bored in life -- at least when we are older anyway. Seems tom enhance growth in one way or the other. So onward. Some gray outside and it was freezing overnight after a day of fabulous warmth. Got up in the low 70's depending on where you were exactly. Just a little tease of the NICE that will get it sooner or later.

Lots to catch up on here. Having to give my kitty special soft ( consistency of soft ice cream ) food until Thursday when he goes to the vet to finish up his dental work. Glad when that will be done. I hate having to leave my friends -- no matter how good the hands are that are keeping them. So, back home on Friday. I'm sure if I keep dishing out some of that soft food I'll be forgiven fairly quickly. Actually Spot is a lg. boned cat -- about 9 lbs. of a gentle giant and super loving. Sweet guy all the way.

Anyway hope you are all going to have a good day today and that if not already, you will soon be getting Spring weather wherever you are.

pingpong1953

Woke up to a blizzard this morning - the wind is just now calming down. They were calling for snow fall amounts ranging from 4 inches to over 10 inches, depending on location. I couldn't tell you how much snow we had because it was basically falling horizontally and we have some really interesting drifting. I'm north of Lake Huron, so snow isn't exactly unknown but this late in the year it's a bit much.

carolehalston

Sandy, I agree that all the frames look good on you. You amaze me because your brain is so teeming with information!

Jackie, you remind me so much of my sister, Linda, who has a soft heart for animals. She and her dh operate their own humane society. Most recently a young large dog appeared at their house (property is fenced). He jumped their high fence with ease. He stayed a few days before his owner showed up, acting indignant as though my sister and dh had stolen his dog. He took the dog home. The dog returned, jumping the fence again. Occasionally he goes home to his owner for a visit but obviously prefers living at my sister's place with a lot of other dogs that have been adopted.

She also has cats that all live indoors in various parts of a big old two-story house. And horses. A miniature goat. Peacocks that have to be protected from some of the dogs.

For me it would be a nightmare and the situation ties her down but it's of her choosing. As you can imagine, there's a lot of expense.

We had the a/c on the past few days but a weather system came through in the wee hours flushing out the humidity for a while. The sun is shining and it's in the 60's. Spring is already preparing to jump ahead into summer.

I must venture out and do some grocery shopping and also go to Hobby Lobby.

Happy Wednesday.

ChiSandy

Woke up (too early for comfort) to an inch of snow on the ground, 25F, and patches of black ice everywhere. Lotsa fun driving up to Skokie (with 1/8 tank of gas) for my hand surgeon appt. Thank God for traction-assist--en route, saw several spinouts by the curbside (yes, city streets). Was 10 min. late, but the surgeon was later. Diagnosis is (besides the original TfCC inflammation) ulnar tendinopathy. Partly from the fall, partly from arthritis, and partly from the combo of a too-long ulna and too-floppy tendon. Am sporting a lovely black splint-brace halfway. up my forearm. (Also had a cortisone shot). Now have to dig up a mitten, since a glove won't fit over it and we are in for at least another week of no-bare-hands weather.

Oh, and like a millennial I have to tell time by looking at my phone: my Apple Watch (or any watch except perhaps a big cheap ugly men's watch) won't fit over the brace and I can't wear both it & my med. ID bracelet on my R wrist.

IllinoisLady

Wow ~!!! But a relief to find out where you are with all of this. Hoping the shots and brace do what they need to do so you get as much comfort and healing as possible.

ChiSandy

Here's my fashion statement:

Let's just say it makes cooking (especially knife skills)...interesting (as in "may you live in interesting times"). But at least it's not as obtrusive as my pre-R-knee-replacement offloader brace--in bright purple sparkle, which had to be worn over my pants.

IllinoisLady

Deep inside, our integrity sings to us whether we are listening or not.
It is a note that only we can hear. Eventually, when life makes us ready
to listen, it will help us to find our way home.

Rachel Naomi Remen

IllinoisLady

Wow !!! To the could have been bigger statement. Yes -- do be careful with those knives. One boo-boo at a time please. What is the estimated time period you will have to have your 'new' arm wearing apparel.

Sun today -- and I sure hope for all day. Will get up to 50 today. Of course, we are due in a couple or so more days of more winterish weather. I'm feeling like being a good sport right now because I have the sun outside to support me. Not sure how I'll feel when the worm turns again. Well, lots to do to keep me busy and not worrying or thinking about it. Dh missed which day off he had so had to wait for Spot's appt. till tomorrow instead. I doubt he cares too much. He is chowing down at a record pace since we substituted a couple of helpings of "wet" canned food. He'll be back to fighting wt. in no time. That is good because he is such a pretty boy when he is filled out properly.

Hope you are all going to have a really good day.

ChiSandy

Gotta wear the brace, at least until the pain & swelling goes down, and for sleep regardless, at least 6 weeks. That's 5 days after my next gig, so I might have to take a much longer break from performing (and some of those gigs are for the duo, quite well-paying for folk music). Took it off to shower and apply Voltaren, and am going through the initial "cortisone flare" now that the lidocaine in the shot has worn off--hurts like hell to pronate (rotate wrist thumb down) without the brace. (It has upper and palmar metal stays). It was a chore putting my bra on--with the brace I can barely reach the back and w/o it on it hurts.... And going braless is not an option except in my jammies.

Wren44

Sandy, Most bras will stretch enough that you can step into them. You might see if yours will.

SoCalLisa

latch it in front then turn it around. 😊

SoCalLisa

I had this to deal with

Learned to do a lot with one hand

Fromgrammatomom

Hi everyone! I took a small break and as I found out had a bit of catching up to do! I sooooooo enjoy IllinoisLady’s quotes of inspiration!

I was feeling so defeated by the amount of tests and the fact that they found more stuff that required more tests. And to top that off we lost my daughters 6 yr old Colorado Bulldog the week before Easter. Her spleen ruptured from a tumor and we opted to put her down. Odds were that the tumor was malignant and she would only live about 6 more months after surgery(5k in cost or up). I was so saddened but knowing that my daughter would meet her at the rainbow bridge was all good.

I had an MRI guided biopsy the following week, 2 more “tumors” , no longer a candidate for lumpectomy. Pet Scan this past week has my hope renewed, NO UPTAKE on lymph nodes in my chest or otherwise. So yesterday I had my first round of Fluvestrant. SE are not bad, weak legs and sore joints, I sweat some last night but that is doable because I haven’t sweat for a few years. Not hot flashes per se, just slight sweating. Now I am looking forward to spring and my new roses!

Thank you all for listening!

GOD BLESS YOU ALL

Gerr

Fromgrammatomom

Now I was rambling(whining) above so after some coffee......

Thank you Anne for the welcome. And good luck with that grandson and enjoy your summer with him.

I also wanted to comment on the Kitty and say kudos on the weight loss!!

Still having brain fog issues but this too will pass.

Gerr

Wren44

Fromgrammatomom, Hooray for no lymph node involvement! I'm assuming Fluvestrant is some kind of chemo. May your symptoms remain minor. Sending sympathy for the loss of your dog. They are definitely family members.

IllinoisLady

Mistakes are the portals of discovery.
- James Joyce

IllinoisLady

Let me add my sympathies as well for the loss of your Bulldog, from grammatomom. I am something of an animal rescuer though at my age I'm trying to wean myself away. Not because I no longer care, but it is harder and harder to keep up and as well -- while I expect to be around for a long while as yet, some of the pets I have will to. I'm hoping to outlive them all if I can -- I don't want to put any of them in the position they were in before I got them -- not knowing where they were going and to whom. In any case, it is painful to have to let one go -- even when it is better for all concerned. They ask so little in life and bring such comfort. Time does heal and I hope for you and your families healing.

Good to hear about your 'good' lymph nodes. I too don't know Fluvestrant but likely if the se's become truly troublesome there will hopefully be something you can use to get relief.

The Vet called and Spot did fine with his dental surgery today. Hated taking the food away last night. He ( once he saw the Vet on Monday ) began to LOOK very forward to mealtime. I had moist food to mix up for him -- also got some for the others since they tend to wonder what they did or didn't do, to not get special treatment, and when Spot got done with his dish he would nose around to the others to see if he could help them a bit with it. Had a couple who didn't care for it much so he was able to really get his fill. I will get him tomorrow and hopefully all will be fine with him.

Car is in the garage at the moment getting new rear brakes. That will be nice to have. I have about a yr. left on my tires. So a transmission flush and a couple of other things and I should be fine for awhile.

Hope you are all having a good day.

carolehalston

Very enjoyable day. I played golf with some women in my Friday group and didn't perspire much at all. Yay!! I even hit some decent shots along with some not-so-good ones.

There was a time when I would play golf and then do other things but I don't seem to have that energy or stamina now at age 75. Probably there's a lack of motivation, if I want to be honest.

So my big accomplishment this afternoon is a load of laundry. And researching a recipe for the crab cakes on tonight's dinner menu.

The weather forecaster was right about rain coming in this afternoon. We're having a rain shower as I type.

Hope everyone had a good Friday.

pingpong1953

I did the same thing to my right arm a couple of years ago. Of course I'm right-handed!

ChiSandy

Game, set, match--Lisa! (I'm merely playing with a hurt paw). Wasn't too bad today--put my bra on right after a hot shower, while my wrist was still somewhat supple. I've never tried to step into a size 40F or G underwire bra--and even if I fasten it in front, just twisting it around and trying to slip my arms through the straps is as problematic as reaching around the back. The cortisone flare is lessening. And the Voltaren gel is helping (can't wait till I get to Rome and can buy a boatload of it OTC, cheap--plus Ventolin asthma inhalers for 8 euros, rather than the $30 co-pay I have to shell out under my Part D plan. Meanwhile, I've been able to don & remove the brace fairly easily. And I did dig up a spare Lee Press-On nail to tide me over till my next mani.

SoCalLisa

love my Voltaren gel . Have been using it for years and years now. First found it in Florence Italy when I sprained my ankle. The pharmacist couldn't speak English but came up with it after many charades. So many years later until it came here but as an RX and then times more expensive. I always ask friends when they visit another country to pick me up 3 or 4 tubes. Or when I do. Now there is a generic here but it doesn't work as well.

ChiSandy

My insurance covered the generic diclofenac gel for only a bit more than the cost of the European stuff. But I think the reason it might not seem to work as well is because in Europe you can buy "Voltaren Emulgel" or "Voltadol Forte" in the 2% strength, whereas branded Rx-only Voltaren gel and its generic counterpart come only in 1% strength in the U.S.. In fact, I was amazed when the pharmacist in Rome in 2016 asked me if I wanted 1% or 2%, since I had no idea there was that strength (and OTC to boot). I understand it's OTC in Canada as well. I was first prescribed it when I had an occult stress fx in my foot 8 yrs ago--and it was fiercely expensive even then. Four years later I was on a river cruise, and severely bruised my soles while walking on pointy irregular cobblestones in Nuremberg, Germany (I didn't bring sneakers because I didn't want to look like a tourist, and I figured my German walking shoes would be fine for German streets). Ducked into a pharmacy and was flabbergasted to see a huge window display of all things Voltaren--in fact, right there on the self-serve shelves. Even bought a bottle of the spray! (Oh, and in Spain I was able to buy generic Flector pain patches--transdermal diclofenac--OTC for about 1/4 their U.S. price (and they're Rx-only here. I was able to get brand-name Celebrex in Barcelona & Paris for 28 euros for a month's supply).

But there are paradoxical weirdnesses: in both the UK and Switzerland, you can't buy Neosporin or any antibiotic ointment w/o a prescription (had a nasty, infected elbow scrape in Milwaukee the night before I left for London & Lausanne, and I couldn't get it to clear up till I got to Paris and the pharmacist sold me some aureomycin ointment). And in the UK, both oral NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, naproxen) and melatonin are Rx-only! (In a country when you can buy acetaminophen with codeine--Tylenol #1 strength--just by asking the pharmacist and showing photo ID).

Fromgrammatomom

Thank you for SE concern! But They dont do chemo for low grade ILC anymore (yay!!. Fluvestrant is aroma tase therapy. It is administered via injection ( IM in each glute muscle) 3x in 4 weeks and every 28 days thereafter. I opted to do a clinical study. For 6 months prior to surgery.

I seem to be self absorbed these days so I will go for now until my attitude gets better. Lol Snow and cold today didn’t help much.

carolehalston

Self-absorbed is ok! Almost required for newly diagnosed bc sisters.

IllinoisLady

If humans are to survive, we will have learned to take a delight in the essential differences between people and between cultures. We will learn that differences in ideas and attitudes are a delight, part of life's exciting variety, not something to fear. -Gene Roddenberry

IllinoisLady

Enjoying hearing about meds from other countries. Been a really long time since I've been out of ours --- and then it was just across the river to Canada. First husband's mother was Canadian so we went a lot. Really hated ( though we did it two or three times actually ) using the tunnel under the river. It was one lane each side so lousy if there was a car accident. Also, there was always water seeping down the sides which didn't really inspire a feeling of confidence. Wasn't as claustrophobics as I am now. Odd that there seems to be a reversal about prescription meds that we sooo take for granted here.

Fromgramma -- it is hard to not be highly absorbed when you are undergoing treatments and missing the days when CANCER wasn't your current problem. I'd have to look it up now, but some time ago there was I think a rather interesting study about PROBLEMS, and it seemed that at the end people ended up preferring the problems they actually had rather than someone else's. I can relate as it always seemed to me that others ( no matter what the problem ) seemed to breeze thru things and never broke a sweat over any of it. Of course I did find later that it really isn't that way much at all, but just a different attitude at some point takes over.

Sunny this a.m. but starting out pretty cool getting up to the 50's. Big day today so glad there is sun. Spot will like seeing the sun after likely wondering if he has been abandoned. I'll have a nice plate of fresh SOFT food for him as my peace-making gesture and lots of hugs. He'll never look at the cat crate the same again though. Anyway, I hope you all have sun at your house too.

Saying hi to Anne and hoping things are well with you.

Lynn1951

As another 'older' woman, I am not concerned so much with reconstruction. I am, however, concerned with making the right choice for surgery. I have had conflicting information as to what is the right choice. I had a lumpectomy in the left breast 12 years ago. This time the tumor is in the right breast and lymph node. I was planning on bi-lateral mastectomy. One of my doctors said that I should consider a lumpectomy this time. The reasoning is that if the cancer returns, it will most likely to back to the remaining breast tissue. If I have bi-lateral mastectomy, it would go to the chest wall if it returns. Has anyone heard this?

IllinoisLady

Lynn, welcome. Sorry you have to go through this again. I'm pretty far out from my original dx. which was in 2007 so I don't think I could be of much help to you. I know there are other threads ( though I'm okay if you are comfortable here ) that likely get into specific detail on some of your questions. I'm wondering a bit myself about what your Dr. said. Carole who posts here had bi-lateral and I think many women do because they just don't want to go through the possibility of a recurrence. My Dr., and way back when yours then might have too, said that surgeons like to do breast-sparing surgeries since the tx. afterwards is pretty much the same -- in my case, chemo and then radiation. My surgeon ( a woman ) never mentioned ( at least that I recall ) that a lumpectomy would be better in case of recurrence. She said at the time if the tx. is the same, recovery is faster and easier and little rehab needed if you do lumpectomy.

Hopefully others will get on who have had more experience/knowledge for your issue. Also, they may be more aware of and could point you to some other threads that discuss surgical issues. I hope you are able to find lots of answers.

ChiSandy

I'm having a difficult time facing up to the fact that unilateral reduction surgery is beginning to morph from "wouldn't it be nice if they matched?" to "wouldn't it be nice if my back & shoulder problems cleared up?" My seroma is continuing to shrink; "Thelma" is a G or H but "Louise" is down to a small DD. Part of me is thinking, "ooh--I could buy bras at Victoria's Secret or even Target again." The other part of me is thinking "when can I possibly make the time to do this and recover?" It will definitely involve drains and likely pain. That, and with a smaller chest (despite the joy of no longer having to safety-pin my shirts closed), my gut will appear larger. From Dolly Parton to Winnie the Pooh? Life isn't fair. (But in the grand scheme of things, it's still been good to me so far).

Got a new iPad today. My old iPad Air had been filling up (32GB) & slowing down. I've been less & less enamored of hauling along a laptop for travel--even my ancient wheezing 11" MacBookAir feels surprisingly heavy & unwieldy for its less-than-optimal storage & keyboard size. I did get the cheapest & lightest Bluetooth keyboard/case I could find on Amazon ($20), but it is almost as heavy as the tablet itself and three times as thick. I used to travel with my iPhone, MBAir and sometimes an even older iPad Mini with cellular for backup or use as mobile hotspots when wi-fi was unavailable. The Mini is 64GB, but it's a pretty cramped form factor and even with a keyboard no substitute for a laptop--the Mini made sense when phones were small but my phone is now an iPhone 8 Plus. I was tempted by the new 9.7" iPad with Apple Pencil support (so I could take notes at lectures or seminars with no desk or table to rest a laptop or keyboard), but it doesn't support the Apple Smart Keyboard/case--and the aforementioned Bluetooth case actually weighs more than the Pad.

So I bit the bullet and went for the 10.5" iPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard (attaches magnetically and even with the cover, the whole rig weighs about the same as my old naked iPad Air. And since I plan to use it as a travel laptop, I got the 256GB size (wish it came in 128--64's too small). Wi-fi only--I don't want yet another cellular line, and I can use my phone as a hotspot. What's nice about it is that I can use it on my lap when in bed in my hotel room--the Bluetooth cases tend not to be very stable. And for watching movies in-flight it's much easier on my eyes than my phone or the Mini. I also got the Apple Pencil. Best of all, it will fit easily in my brief-tote when I fly--with room to slip my purse in there as well (a trick I learned to maximize carry-on capacity: just before boarding, stuff the purse into the tote and it's still a "personal item"). My spinner-rollaboard goes into the overheads--carrying my essentials and a change of underwear should my checked bag get lost; and serving as a rolling cane to help on those long corridor walks.

Now to convince Bob to ditch his ancient wheezing WIndows laptop (getting slower every year). The only reason for him not to get a Mac is that--believe it or not--some health websites and hospital VPN firewalls still work only with Internet Explorer....which they stopped making for Mac years ago. There's a workaround in "Settings," but we're talking about a near-Luddite.