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

IllinoisLady

Sun is out today to cheer me up although I wasn't blue at all. Still waiting to get a schedule ( hoping to get the rehab clinic I want ) to start rehab. I would like to get going as I'm due to go back to Evansville in 6 wks. and would like to have as much progress ass possible. My hope is to be cut loose from there since it is a long trip for the 15 or 20 mins ( some is wait time for the Dr. to get into the exam room ) from Dr. F's care. He is a very good Dr. but it is a difficult trip.

Glad that almost everyone is doing ok and have had good reports.

I know it will take some time for Taco. Losing people from our life seems cruel, but I do see it mainly as a transition from a life that could no longer sustain well-being. We don't want anyone to suffer, yet to see it stop we must give up their physical presence. It is/can be a harsh adjustment so I wish you well Taco and hope that time will do its healing work for you.

Beaverntx

Sandy, cheering for your good news!

April, yes, with overall weight loss you can lose weight in your breasts. Unfortunately, we cannot decide exactly how much weight we want to lose where so results are not guaranteed.

april1964

okay thank you beaverntx!

Wren44

I second the news that losing weight will also reduce bust size. I've gone from a double D to a small B. My mx was one sided so it's ok with me if the remaining one disappears (not showing any signs of that however).

ChiSandy

I used to lose my weight first in the face and then the breasts...but pregnancy and even the short stint of breastfeeding I did changed that. Now, I notice the fat comes off my butt and thighs first. Nope--my "twerk" don't work any more.

IllinoisLady

I will greet this day with love in my heart.
And how will I do this?
Henceforth will I look on all things with love and be born again.
I will love the sun for it warms my bones;
yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit.
I will love the light for it shows me the way;
yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars.
I will welcome happiness as it enlarges my heart;
yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul.
I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due;
yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.
- Og Mandino

Goldfish4884

Thank you IllinoisLady, I needed this today.

IllinoisLady

Glad you found something needful. I did too.

IllinoisLady

Thank God every morning when you get up that you have something
to do which must be done, whether you like it or not. Being forced to
work, and forced to do your best, will breed in you temperance,
self-control, diligence, strength of will, content, and a
hundred other virtues which the idle never know.

Charles Kingsley

IllinoisLady

Just wow. Woke up to rain and not at 11 a.m. it is still raining. Not hard, but fairly steady the whole time. Knew it was coming but still amazed at how constant it has been. Fixed breakfast early knowing we wouldn't go out to feed the feral cats. Tomorrow is due ( so the report says ) to be sunny. Well, I hope so because today is a great day to nothing much at all.

I didn't make plans, but did think it wouldn't rain so steadily. I ate and had a sm. doze -- something that is so easy when it rains. Feels good to be lazy.

Hope you are all having a good day -- rain or shine.

Yogatyme

Have been at our mountain house since Wednesday. Temperatures are moderate and we had light rain most of the night. Foggy now and the Smokies are living up to their name. Looking forward to watching the Michigan/Notre Dame game later. In the meantime, pretty lazy!

ChiSandy

Storming like crazy here--started about 3pm. High wind and lakeshore flooding warnings--waves are currently 7-10'. We brought in the last of the tomatoes yesterday and discarded the remaining two plants. Should've brought in and re-potted the basil, too, which got frost damage. (Will just get an indoor plant to "over-winter").

Quiet day for me: slept in; patched two of Bob's brown leather jackets (temporarily, with black leather tape, till the brown leather patch comes in), plowing through my DVR to free up hard drive space after several nights away from the TV. Going upstairs to "konmari" (Marie Kondo) the heck out of my underwear drawer, tossing too-large as well as worn-out panties (except those that match two snazzy bras from my pre-lumpectomy days that fit me once again, now that the Seroma From Hell has shrunken from 20cm to 9, to 5, to its current 3.5 cm--as small as it'll get, since the surrounding scar tissue can't densify any further). Then I'll make dinner--just for me, as Bob'll be home very late and no way I'm going out in this weather (he would be prudent to stay out south tonight, even in the hospital's doctors' lounge if necessary). Will watch SNL--I hate rap, but host/musical guest Chance the Rapper is funny. (I will fast-forward through his musical segments, though).

Yogatyme

Well, Norte Dame got their asses handed to them by Michigan. Huge upset. Go Blue. All is well at The Big House.

WorryThePooh

Just wondering please if anyone here has been on Exemestane, after having been on a different one (Tamoxifen or Anastrazole), and if so did you find the Exemestane has less side effects?

I was on Anastrazole initially, have been switched to Tamoxifen by my doctor, due to bad knee troubles I was getting, but now find I feel rather down and flat on this one, plus a lot of mood swings and hot flushes. Now she says she can switch me to Exemestane as a last option to try, but I don't know if it's going to be any better!

IllinoisLady

As I experience it, appreciation of beauty is access to the soul. With beauty in our lives, we walk and carry ourselves more lightly and with a different look in our eyes. To look into the eyes of someone beholding beauty is to look through the windows of the soul. Anytime we catch a glimpse of soul, beauty is there; anytime we catch our breath and feel "How beautiful!," the soul is present. -Jean Shinoda Bolen

petite1

I started radiation Thursday. The first day was fine. The 2nd treatment slowly went bad. I got home and my armpit hurt and the area above my scar was pink. About two hours later I took a nap and slept about 15 hours. I got up took my first sip of coffee and was dizzy and thought I would pass out. My husband put me back to bed and I slept 3 hours more. Today is better. Slept 8 hours, but still have discomfort. I will talk to RO Monday.

HikingLady

petite1 I'm glad you're going to check with your RO about how you felt after 2nd treatment. My RO said to drink A LOT of water, get extra rest, and also eat a lot of extra protein during radiation. The protein helps for rebuilding cells, of course, and my instructions were 75-100 g of protein daily. Fatigue is a big deal, and also due to cell destruction + rebuilding. However, that part---extreme fatigue--- is usually more cumulative and not right away. Sorry about how you're feeling, and I hope things even out for you.

IllinoisLady

I agree with Hiking Lady. Usually rads are cumulative. My RO said to try and walk daily and it certainly did make a major difference in energy level and not needing extra sleep. I will say though for petite 1, the one day I did succumb to fatigue I HAD to lay down and sleep. The sense of deep, deep exhaustion was palpable all though my entire body and I felt I would just collapse if I didn't get rest. It only happened once in my 7 wks. of radiation and for that I'm still very grateful. Hopefully your RO should be able to help you sort out this issue.

carolehalston

Petite, I hope you are able to tolerate the next treatments better. Sounds like your husband is very supportive.

We lost power during a wind storm on Saturday morning about 3 am and were without power all day yesterday, last night and this morning up until about 9 am. Boy, was the restored power welcome! We were fortunate to have a small generator that ran the refrigerator, tv, and chargers. Also we have a flow well so we had water. We were able to light burners on the gas stove even though the electrical auto light function wasn't working.

This summer we talked about having an in-house generator installed and decided we would. Now we're even more committed to the idea. It's a lot of expense but worth the money when the power goes off.

WorryThePooh

Not sure if anyone saw my question above regarding Exemestane? I asked the question in this topic, because it is one only given to post menopausal women.

Petite1, that sounds very much like my initial reaction to radiation. However it became much easier as it went on, and I didn't have much problem with fatigue.

CaroleHalston, glad you got your power back!

We've had very hot windy weather here, on Saturday I got caught in a dust storm whirlwind when out shopping, which wasn't fun.

karen1956

WorrythePooh - I was on all three AIs and even tried tamox. I had different side effects on Exemestane than Letrazole or Anastrazole. I had horrid joint pain on Letrazole and Anastrazole - and carper tunnel on Anastrazole - on Exemestane, no joint pain, but tendonitis in both wrist and cognitive and mood issues. BUT pleases remember, not everyone has side effects - I was one of the few who had side effects on everything. I had GI issues on tamox.

All the best to you.

IllinoisLady

Use the talents you possess, the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. Henry Van Dyke

petite1

I was dehydrated and had a UTI. Forcing fluids. Lots of cranberry juice. Will go back tomorrow. They will do IV fluids if I have not improved, but I feel better already. I was sleeping and not drinking.

IllinoisLady

Sorry that happened but likely easier to fix so glad you have needed answers. Knowing what the issue is helps to solve it all so you can move on in a lot more comfort.

WorryThePooh

Thank you karen1956! I have had so many joint issues on both Anastrazole and Tamoxifen, however much worse on the Anastrazole. I'm going to plod on with the Tamoxifen until I see my doctor mid November, and then make a decision.

petite1 I'm glad you are feeling better!

I love that quote IllinoisLady!

IllinoisLady

Peace is present right here and now, in ourselves and in everything we do and see. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it. We don't have to travel far away to enjoy the blue sky. We don't have to leave our city or even our neighborhood to enjoy the eyes of a beautiful child. Even the air we breathe can be a source of joy. -Thich Nhat Hanh

Peace comes from living a measured life. Peace comes from attending to every part of my world in a sacramental way. My relationships are not what I do when I have time left over from my work. . . . Reading is not something I do when life calms down. Prayer is not something I do when I feel like it. They are all channels of hope and growth for me. They must all be given their due. -Joan D. Chittister

petite1

WorryThePooh, It went much better today. I drank lots of fluids before and continuing to do so. I feel "normal".

IllinoisLady

No sun today, but no rain either. It is due to come tonight for another 24 hr. rain or so it sounds. Not sure I'm totally enchanted so far with Fall. This would /will be the second time in a week to get a 24 hr. rain. Sigh !! Maybe we will be lucky and it won't happen that way. It is fairly cool outside though and won't get above 40. That is brrr weather to me.

Was able to go yesterday to the Rehab Center and set up my first appt. for this Thursday. I'm really excited to get started and hope I don't regret that. I've worried that I would not be able to straighten out my arm all the way -- though I can do fairly well. I do think I've done a fair amt. of moving it, but only in the sling and not so much out of it save for changing clothes and showers.

Making a pot roast for dinner -- so I'm getting better at what I feel competent cooking though it is still something of a chore -- but in a couple of months I'll probably be wondering why I looked on all of it as such a big deal. After all, besides finding issues that needed attention, I also managed to lose some much needed wt. Nice to have some bonus for the distress. I've gained a lb. but in reality I think it is because I'm now in jeans, socks, and a sweatshirt and most of the time before was thinner long sleeve shirts and some capris.

I think Colorado and very soon parts of Chicago will be getting snow -- in Oct. Seems a mite early, even for Colorado. I think N. and S. Dakota will be getting it too. Winter is coming a tad early I think.

Hope you all are having a good day.

MCBaker

We had the predicted one inch of snow last night. My dog got to pretend he was a sled dog, pulling me on my mobility scooter. I really don't think at eighteen pounds he would have much success at it, but he can go ahead and fantasize, anyway.

Yesterday we met a miniature of the same crossbreed as him, he crouched back then lunged at him, teasing him. I think my baby has a sense of humor.

Wren44

When I was in the 5th grade, we lived in Wichita, KS. I couldn't go trick or treating because it snowed during the afternoon. I was disappointed, to say the least.