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

IllinoisLady

Grayish looking this morning, but I think we will get some sun later. I'm sure ready. It has been such a wet Spring so far. Some of us even having trouble getting out to mow the lawn. Of course for another four days I'll be back and forth and only a week off to catch up. As usual I'm beginning to look sooo forward to sleeping in my own bed. My little friends are bed hogs for their size. Also, I have to put my hearing aids and glasses in the bed side table drawer because they are toys to "steal" and take elsewhere in the house or even outside while you sleep. So, after a week away they will go again -- for another week only and then return briefly only to go for a week-end to New York. Chad ( Dr. B.'s son ) is up for another Tony award ( in two categories ) so they are going to be his guests for the play. A lot of 'traveling' for the family during this month. I think they won't want to go anymore for some time.

I hope you all have a fantastic day. I'm a wee bit early but afraid I might forget but want to wish your mother Carole, a Happy Mothers' Day. I so miss my mother and wish to celebrate her memory by honoring all the Mom's still here -- so anyone who still has their mother please give them a hug from someone they don't know.

MCBaker

Puppies appear to like the taste of earwax. Luckily, when it happened to me, only the case was cracked, Never leave them out when a dog is around!

Kjchico

66 years old here and deep into medical limbo. I get my MRI on the 14th, RO on the 16th, MO on the 22nd, and finally the BS on the 28th to find out when my lumpectomy will be. The waiting is tough. I do feel great though, except a little tired. I don’t know what my treatment will be.

MCBaker

The next few weeks will be rough, but we are here for you.

IllinoisLady

It is a whirl-wind full of activity, and the waiting with constant questions is difficult but when you get to the other side hopefully the path quiets way down. Lots of good wishes and hugs.

Wren44

Kjchico, This waiting is really the hardest part. We all remember being a bundle of nerves during the wait. Once you have a plan going forward, it will seem much easier. This site has a wealth of good information. Do not consult Dr. Google. You'll end up worrying about things you saw there which don't apply to you at all.

60notpretty

Kjchico, I agree with Wren44. The waiting is absolutely the hardest part. I'm at day 14 of 33 rads. I'm close to the end now, but thought I would never get here. Be patient and like Wren44 said, this site is full of great info. I went in to everything with much more knowledge than I would have otherwise. We're here for you ((hugs))

Kjchico

Thank you all for the wonderful encouragement! ❤️❤️

Beaverntx

MCBaker, I was not so fortunate. We had a young dog who loved to chew on metal, I inadvertently left my hearing aids on the table by my chair. Returned to find only pieces! Still have the dog, who has matured nicely, and have replaced the hearing aids...

MCBaker

And of course the batteries are dangerous once they get into an animal's digestive system. Even little kids have picked up batteries and swallowed them-- life-threatening event.

carolehalston

Jackie, thanks for the hug for my mother.  I think I've already shared the plan for Mother's Day.  My sister Michelle and her dh, my dh and I will have a noon meal with my mother in her room at the nursing home.  She has a folding table that will work nicely as a dining table and my sister is bringing a couple of extra folding chairs.  We'll bring the food.

We had a family get-together at Michelle's house for Easter and all six of my mother's children were there and most of the spouses, also some grand and great-grandchildren.  The youngest was Jackson at two months old and a real cutie.

It has become too difficult to transport my mother, too difficult for her.  

Kjchico, good luck to you and welcome to our discussion forum.  

Almost forgot to share my recent health news.  I just got feedback from my kidney dr. that I have bacteria in the urine.  She prescribed an antibiotic.  My mother has been plagued with UTI's and I have my first at age 76.  

Happy Mother's day tomorrow to all you moms.

HikingLady

I love hearing everyone's updates. All my life, Mother's Day centered around my mom, but she's been gone for four years now. For the first time in 11 years, our daughter will be with us for Mother's Day! She went back east for college, then grad school, then career started back east, and then to Los Angeles for current job. Today, she and her husband are flying up to be with us overnight. They'll come to my concert (I sing in a chamber ensemble, and have two solos tonight), and DH and DD and her husband and I will go out to brunch tomorrow before popping them off to the airport in the afternoon. I'm beyond delighted! Our son can't be here; he also lives in LA, but we keep in close touch.

I will share a very fun Mother's Day tradition: For many years, my family's three generations (my sisters and their families, and our parents, and DH and I and our kids) gathered for a hike & picnic near Mt. Hood for Mother's Day. It was a grand affair, with 15-20 people. We prepared and then toted wonderful food and all picnic equipment to a hillside with a gorgeous view of Mt. Hood and its surrounding valleys and hills. We took blankets and chairs, and even played (usually opera!) music on a boombox, then had a small hike up a nearby hill with an even more amazing view. Plenty of space for kids to run around and explore. It was a glorious annual event. The rain plan was my sister's house, quite near that location. It was a huge amount of work to do it, but worth it for the gorgeous location.

carolehalston

HikingLady, I LOVE your mother's day tradition!  It sounds so wonderful that I wish I could have experienced it.  Minus, who follows this forum, is also a trained singer and enjoys many music performances.  One of my regrets about my life's experience is that I have almost zero knowledge of music other than the layman's ability to play a music station on the radio.  I remember singing when I was a child but now I cannot "carry a tune."  

HikingLady

HA ha to the "play music on the radio." That reminds me of a friend who can't cook, and she says that the best thing she can make for dinner is "reservations."

IllinoisLady

In no way can we so effectively hasten the dawning of the inner consciousness of another, as by showing forth the divinity within ourselves simply by the way we live. By example and not by precept. By living not by preaching. By doing not professing.

Ralph Waldo Trine

IllinoisLady

Loved hearing about the mother's day experiences. We usually just ate together and gave mom a card and gift. Nothing outstanding, but more like what I assume most people do. Hiking Lady yours sounds like they were always VERY wonderful. Had we done something like that I'm pretty sure we as a family would have ended up at one of the California missions. My mother never tired of going to the old missions -- it almost seemed when watching her that she became almost another person with her strong identification of them.

Moms are pretty special people that is for sure and I miss mine ( Daddy too ) every day. I did a few yrs. before they passed on write them each a letter letting them know how happy I was to be their daughter and how grateful for all the love, wisdom, care and attention that they gave me through my growing up years -- even when I didn't deserve it.

Trying to rain here and accomplishing some of it -- mainly it looks pretty gentle right now. I'm not liking it, but it was expected. I hope we work out of so much wet weather. It is tiresome in addition to making things we need to do outside more challenging when in some cases they were already that.

I hope you all have a wonderful Saturday. I'm looking to be back home after Monday night. Tues. morning I will wash all the bed linens and towels etc. I have used and inspect the house before I leave. It will be divine to sleep in my own bed again.

Saying hi to those not posting as of late for whatever reason.

MCBaker

I went to the annual event for the Area Cancer Support organization, which gives grants, mostly gas cards, to people with cancer to help with some of the things insurance doesn't pay for. Rode on my scooter, there and back. Got a carnation, and had a sausage and pancake breakfast. They gave me gas cards to trade for cash for taxi so I could get to the gym this winter.

Got home, and received my first Amazon Prime purchase that actually arrived in 24 hours, some gelatin to help with hair and nails.

Then a young woman walked up to my door and delivered a floral arrangement and a box of chocolates. From my daughter. I cried. My son has promised something, but it hasn't arrived yet.

IllinoisLady

A beautiful afternoon for you MC. Nice things happen to nice people.

nanette7fl

Mary sounds like you had a wonderful day!! So many gentle surprises!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the Mom's and Grandmoms!!

I have a question....When your hair grew back did it come in differently? I don't mean color-wise I mean directional hair growth. My hair has come back oddly. I have a cowlick swirl in the back left of the crown and over my right front I have another one (no swirl just standing at attention now)!! I didn't have these before but my 2 sons both have these, It's just really weird that it's growing back like this. Even my Dad said I didn't have those when I was growing up. This is going to be a challenge to try and style my hair. It's always been parted on the left so that's ok since it's swirling that way but that from one is going to be a challenge lol

IllinoisLady

A mother is not a person to lean on,
but a person to make leaning unnecessary.
- Dorothy Canfield Fisher

IllinoisLady

I'd love to answer your question about hair, but mine came back just as fine and straight and mousey as it had been before chemo. It has thinned in a few places, but the cowlick I always had stayed in place and I still have to have slightly poufy hair to hide it. I do ( I sometimes worry about the chemicals ) still get perms to hide the thinness of my hair -- but if not that I'd be dying it to get the body. I like some wash and wear which is possible with a perm soooooo. I hope someone has an answer.

I do think it is possible in a few months for all to settle down again. Here's hoping for you.

It is rainy this morning here but should calm and maybe a bit more this evening. Then tomorrow should be fine. The rain is getting VERY tiresome. I hope during my time off the weather is nicer with way less ( hopefully none ) moisture.

Hope you all have a beautiful day.

jo6359

Nanette-my hair came back with crazy chemo curls.

HikingLady

I have extra body and extra curls. I do not hate them---fun to style. I actually had good success with Cold Capping, so I lost maybe 30% of my hair---it thinned. New growth ended up making my hair super fluffy because little short hairs added so much body. Not hating it all, kind of enjoying the change in curliness. Photo from a concert I sang in last night

jo6359

Hikinglady-you look great. I love music but I cannot sing.

nanette7fl

thanks ladies. I guess it's just going to be what it will be. DH says he can see curls forming and that would be fine as before chemo I had naturally wavy hair.

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day. I did... my 2 sons got together and bought me a 4-5 hr trip to a spa!! I was floored! I told them I'll either use it 1/2 way through rads or when they're done

ChiSandy

Hope your Mother's Day was great!

I sing too, but even though I'm classically trained (and still take lessons twice a week), the only choral singing I do is in the annual Bar Assn. musical (nominally a mezzo, but more of a utility infielder--anywhere from first tenor to second soprano, wherever I'm needed. The chorus is about 60 of us). My performances are mostly folk music--either solo or in a duo with my Madison, WI-based singing partner. My next gig is teaching two workshops at a dulcimer & trad. music festival about 70 miles SW of here--I play mountain dulcimer and guitar on stage (when not singing, harmonica) and add electric bass in the studio. I'm also a songwriter. Last week I sang & played at a science fiction convention in Des Moines, IA. My sister is a first soprano with the Alexandria Singers in northern VA.

This weather is getting really old (even older than we are). We haven't seen 50F since Tues. night, and it's been raining (though not as brutally as in Houston). There's something truly obscene about not only having to keep the heat on in mid-May but also seeing one's breath outdoors and still needing a hooded leather parka. (I've removed the snap-on faux fur hood trim as an act of defiance of the weather gods).

Gordy bought me a lovely hydrangea plant which will have to remain indoors till June for its own safety. For dinner, Bob took me to the Palm, where I had my first steak in over a month.

IllinoisLady

Generosity does not apply only to money and material things; it is more about your spirit. You do not have to be financially wealthy to be generous. You can give love, kindness, time, listening, patience, caring, appreciation, compliments, and service. When in doubt, give.

Alan Cohen

IllinoisLady

Ah, you are so right Sandy. This weather is a giant pain in the wazoo and according to our longer range forecast we can look for more rain. Still, we will get some sun today which I'm feeling huge gratitude for already and plan to continue feeling while it lasts. This yr. has been awful and I doubt whether too many farmers have been in their fields as yet. They'd sink. Anyway I'm hoping that maybe there will be an un-expected zig in the zag pattern and maybe we will keep our sun a bit longer.

Hoping for sunshine for everyone and certainly willing to share mine ( if only I could ). Hope you all have a great Monday.

Sending a big hi and hugs to anyone not posting lately.

IllinoisLady

Once you accept and rejoice in your authenticity, you begin
to see things as YOU are. You begin to see the authentic self
is the Soul made visible. Godspeed on your journey to wholeness.

Sarah Ban Breathnach

IllinoisLady

Ah, sun today and not too cool on this my last work day for the next week. My own bed will be wonderful as well as not having to go anywhere ( at least till feral cat feeding time ) shortly after I get up. It may ( or may not ) rain late this evening, but sounds like we will start getting warmer temps on a more consistent basis. We will see -- it is hard to feel a lot of confidence the past few yrs. I'd just like a little less wet weather and have dry out time in-between.

Was thinking about the singing -- mainly because the stroke I had wiped out my ability to carry a tune at all. Wow !!! I embarrass myself now, but when I'm alone I can laugh about it. When young ( if you are old enough this will probably be familiar ) many people said that I sounded just like Kitty Wells. Maybe -- I wasn't hearing what they heard. I grew up on country music. Back then it could be sort of wangy and twangy, but it isn't now. It has had an update. I actually am prone to listening to lots of different kinds of music and instruments. I'm very fond ( love dearly ) music played with a pan flute as well as Celtic music.

Going to be a beauty of a day. Hope you are all well and going to enjoy good weather as well. Hugs to all.