Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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The blowing and drifting snow had blocked both my doors from opening. I waved a hand out the slit I was able to open my front door and waved down someone who came and shoveled out my front door. Notice how the snow is over my chain link fence. I got the shovel out of my garage, snow was up to my knees. It's still snowing and blowing and won't be quitting until tomorrow noon. I might have to get up every couple hours to shovel the step so I can open the door. Scary to be trapped inside my house.
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Puffin, That would be totally scary. I'm glad someone came to help out. When I was a kid we had a blowing blizzard in Oklahoma. It went completely over the roof of our 1 story house. My Dad and Uncle climbed out a back window where it was only about 2 ft and shoveled a path to the front door. No school for a week and all the kids played until dark with forays into the house for hot food and rewarming. I doubt it was fun at all for my parents. Having lived through the depression, there was always extra food in the house. If it happened here, I would be in a world of hurt. We have spices for any cuisine but not very much actual food.
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I second Wren in being so happy there was someone who could get you un-trapped from your house. I hope you have some extra food. I wonder if my claustrophobia would act up. Likely okay if I would have a whole house to move around in but I'd still feel trapped if I could not at least open a door or window to get out. At my age -- getting out of a window could be tricky too. I hope this doesn't last too long for you . Looks to be your driveway is definitely off limits as well as the garage.
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The storm is continuing through the night. Looks like I'll need to set my alarm and get up and shovel my steps every 2-3 hours tonight.
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Happy Holidays to all...
I hope that you are enjoying this busy season...I am always relieved when Christmas Day has past -- even though I really enjoyed it!
I love the feeling of no urgency, long rests and reading on the sofa...and just slowly picking up the pieces of the whirlwind visits of my adult children. We will have a quiet New Year celebration (I hope!) as most of my kids are traveling to ski somewhere between Vermont and Utah.
Carole, I can relate to holidays without our loved ones. I hope you have had good memories of times with your mom. And yes, that feeling of being an "orphan" is real.
I am retiring at the end of January. I think I have 19 more days to work. I can do it! After my last day, I will return to work 2 days a week to teach a class. I am not sure that is the right decision; but I am going to try it. I am tired!
I have some unsettling symptoms that I am checking out with the oncologist. But the good news is my blood work is still good.
For that, I am grateful.
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Today I will share some very sad news as I report the passing of a dear BCO sister, Sheila888. Some here may know Sheila from the Calling all Stage 1 Sisters thread, or the Bonfire thread, or TOL. She had a recurrence a few years ago. It came back as Stage 4 a year ago; and she went to fly with the angels on Sunday the 29th. Rest in peace, dear sweet Sheila. She was a friend to me.
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More than ever, I just despise how BC and other types of female cancers are affecting women's lives. I pray for a breakthrough...a cure...a vaccine...something.
May you have good health and peace in 2020.
Hugs and love to all,
Joan -
Femara (the brand name for letrozole) and Arimidex (the brand name for anastrazole) are both AIs, and differ from Aromasin (exemestane) in that the latter is steroidal. Letrozole is the newest of the three (it's been around since 2008). Most MOs tend to prescribe what they're used to, and for years it was tamoxifen, period, until AIs were introduced--anastrazole being the oldest. Letrozole has also been used in in vitro fertilization treatments (it stimulates HCG in pre-menopausal women), as well as abused off-label by male body builders who want to avoid "man boobs" caused by the slight amount of estrogen--even in men--converted by aromatase from androsteinedione (what Mark McGwire used to "juice") into estrone. My MO says that of the three AIs, letrozole seems to be the most effective in holding off recurrence (it's why it's the AI of choice to be co-administered with Ibrance, Verzenio, and Piqray for MBC). I've noticed that the slim women seem to be given anastrazole while we more zaftig gals get letrozole. Exemestane seems to be given if one can't tolerate letrozole or anastrazole, as well as in MBC in combination with Affinitor.
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Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive. -Howard Thurman
It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no person can sincerely try to help another without helping him or herself. -Ralph Waldo Emerson -
Puffin, I am thinking about you this a.m. and hoping your night was not too bad.
Carole, I hope each day gets a bit easier. I still and will always miss my Mom, but I think so often of the good times, the beautiful teacher that she was to me and the love she had for ALL of her family and though sad at times, it gives way to a deep appreciation of her as a human being with a lot of love as well as wisdoms to share and I'm soon thinking so much more of the positive aspects of the lady I'm so grateful was my Mother. That gratefulness helps me find joy in my memories. Wishing that for everyone.
Joan I am so glad to hear from you and I am deeply hoping that your symptoms turn out to be only bothersome and not huge or unsolvable issues. I also want to say I'm so sorry about Sheila. I was not on the threads you mentioned, so I didn't know Sheila, but it is hard to lose those we have come to cherish from these boards. I hope her passing was gentle and that time will help you and her family heal from the loss.
Not too much going on today. There is gray as well as much cooler weather outside today. I don't do gray well, but I have a lot I want to get done and hope that takes my mind off the outside color palette enough to get by.
Sandy, I always learn a lot when you fill in the many blanks people have when it comes to txs. for our maladies.
Hoping you all have a marvelous day.
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Puffin! OMG!!! I have never seen so much snow! Man, I holler when it's hard to open our back screen door! But we've only had about a foot, in each storm, this year! Yesterday it was only about 6 inches... I am so DONE with winter... Hah!
Talking about the pills we are offered after our surgery. I started with Tamoxifen after my lumpectomy when I was 72.... Just noticed aching joints... I kept taking it for a year, mostly because I was scared to death to get cancer again. Also, my friend had been on tamoxifen for 5 years!
Then one morning I woke up and could not hear. After a lot of research, and 5 different articles, and maybe 3 more months on Tamoxifen, I quit. 2 Oncologists had not heard of this.... But I quit anyway. All this time, my Husband said, "It has to be something you are taking".... But after 3 months, my hearing was getting worse.... That's when I quit.
After all the research, I found a lot of articles about Deafness from Tamoxifen. And I don't like to talk about it, especially here, because it only happens to women, who have a certain "gene".... And then because of this, as the label suggests, you can have a stroke. After testing, on me, AND another gal on BC.ORG, we had a "stroke near the 8th cranial nerve in the base of our brain.... so we lost our hearing.
This probably wouldn't happen to the women without this particular gene....
So just watch your side-effects! We always dismiss those "side-effects" thinking they won't happen to us....
Anyway, hearing-aids help a lot.... And losing my hearing wasn't as bad as falling on my hip and breaking my femur! A rod, and a few screws fixed THAT one, but this cold weather is NOT helping.... Hah!
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We had just gotten a new puppy when we had the mother of all snowstorms. We had 39 inches of snow fall in a 24 hour period so I can relate to not being able to open the door. We were able to shovel out the back door and a path so we could work on housebreaking the puppy. When she first stepped off the back step she disappeared into the snow so we made this elaborate labryinth of paths in the back yard so we could walk her. She loved the snow as she got older and had to be the pilot on the kids tobogan as they zoomed down the hill. Still have pleasant memories of her but not that storm.
Puffin, make sure your exhaust vents are clear. Hope you get some warmer weather so the snow diminishes.
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You all remind why I continue to be glad we retired in Arizona. Even being at our daughter's in Maine at Thanksgiving made me depressed - cold, damp and dark. I'll be thinking of all you snowed in ladies.
I'm surprised at those of you who started on tamoxifen as seniors. I didn't think that was ever the drug of choice after AI's were discovered. I knew ChiSandy would have a better explanation of the differences than I would.
Happy New Year!
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Taco, I am clearly a senior but was given the choice of an AI or Tamoxifen. I chose Tamoxifen because I've had osteopenia for more than a decade, have gotten that stabilized through diet, exercise and supplements and did not want to risk osteoporosis. On a 5 year plan, assuming I complete the five years I will be in my early 80s and don't want to deal with side effects any longer than that.
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Yeah, Chevyboy, there are advantages to hearing loss. I can run a monster of an air-filter machine in my bedroom at night, doesn't bother me. My bedroom wall is opposite the laundry room of the apartments where I live. People can go in there at weird times of the night and slam the washer and drier doors, doesn't bother me. I just recently got bluetooth capable hearing aids, and am having a ball, listening to music with my $6000 wireless earbuds.
Glad I don't have to take anti-hormonals. The complaints about the side-effects have me nervous about a very infrequent occurrence.
I got rid of my port, and got a nipple tat!!! Is that a good closure and celebration?
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Puffin, that is Snowmageddon for sure! We had that much a few years back (2014), but at least we knew what was coming and went out to shovel every couple of hours. Still & all, at one point we had nearly 4' pile up on the front lawn--the sidewalk didn't need to be shoveled as much as carved out. Only way we could get out our front & back doors was that our first floor is up eight stairs to the deck & porch!
Yesterday autumn ended--but not before I enjoyed a cappuccino out on the deck. 30F now, been windy (high was 35) all day, flurries, but the real snow will start by midnight. (We had to salt the porch, deck and both staircases this morning). Natch, I have to be at my mani by 9:45 tomorrow a.m.--gonna take a Lyft in case parking will be tricky. Then it's hit the ground running for the errands I need to run before greeting my dinner guests at 8.
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I shoveled my doorways before I went to bed at 11 and set my alarm and shoveled them at 5am. My snow company came at 11:30 with the machine that clears the driveway and later this afternoon with the machine that does the sidewalk. Roads in town are in terrible shape, I know I'll be staying home for New Year's Eve and watching the ball drop on TV.
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Thanks for the clarification about the tamoxifen, Beaverntx. I'm quite sure that I will stop AI's at 5 years if not before. My personal goal is to die before the senile dementia that runs in the women in my family gets bad.
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Puffin -- Glad to see you dug out. Have a good New Years Eve staying safe. That is a good plan for everyone.
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Good morning, Ladies. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I appreciate your kindness.
Soni-B - I am on Arimidex 1 mg. I have only been on it a couple of weeks and have not noticed any side effects.
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Great snow pictures, Puffin. I hope you stay warm and safe. I am content to live without snowy winters. We're having an unusually nice winter season. November was mostly sunny with moderate to warm temperatures and so was December. Today its sunny out and will warm up during the day. DH left a short while ago to play golf. I plan to go to the gym.
We have no New Year's Eve plans. Last year we cooked a prime rib dinner for another couple but this year I haven't even decided on a menu for the two of us. My attitude toward food at the present time is eat healthy and lose some weight.
Good luck to you, Joan, in your semi-retirement.
Wishing all of us a healthy and happy 2020.
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I need a kind of spiritual inhalation, a spaciousness that comes
when I am living from the inside out. Only in this way can I find
my joy again, the tenderness I can feel toward myself and the
world. Find is the wrong word. I don't think anyone "finds" joy.
Rather, we cultivate it by searching for the preciousness of small
things, the ordinary miracles, that strengthen our hearts so we can
keep them open to what is difficult: delight in taking a shower or
a slow walk that has no destination, in touching something soft,
in noticing the one small, black bird who sings every morning from
the top of the big old pine tree that guards this cabin. I need to
give my attention to the simple things that give me pleasure with
the same fervor I have been giving it to the complex things
with which I drive myself crazy -
Carole, we are planning on a very quiet New Yrs. Eve as well. At our age, and living where we do, and with friends ( we use to celebrate moderately with them ) now divorced, we will likely keep to our same habit of trying to stay awake but not really making it. I may just make hot ham sandwiches for our dinner unless some big inspiration comes along -- and we will pick out some t.v. that we both like. I have started keeping a book to read by my chair during the boring commercials. It is a total rarity that I try anything I see in a commercial. Maybe that makes us "old". We like the tried and true and if something is 'good' enough one of our friends will say something.
Glad for all who are having a mild winter. Ours has been that way so far. Use to have one month of snow and one month of REALLY cold weather. Sometimes it came in the same month but more often not. I am glad for the most part. The only time I really appreciate snow now is on X-mas Eve and X-mas Day. It just seems more 'right' then. The rest of the time it is something of a chore.
Hope you all have a pleasant NYEve and a lovely start to your yr. tomorrow.
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We are celebrating our 60th anniversary and will attend a friend's party. We've gone 2-3 times now and it's always fun. Lots of intelligent people, mild drinking and good food. We don't drink alcohol and take something we can drink just to make sure. They have lasagna and salad, plus appetizers and deserts. People can stay till midnight, but I'm sure we'll be home by 10pm. Our usual bedtime is 9pm, so for us that will be staying up late to celebrate. We're thinking of getting matching wedding rings to mark the occasion. Our rings have been different since the original was stolen in the 60's.
They're predicting a warm winter here. Not good because we need the precip to fall as snow in the mountains. The melt is our summer water supply. We don't need snow in the city. Some of the streets downtown have a 17% grade, so snow really paralyses traffic. The trick is to stay on a bus route because they get plowed first.
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Happy 60th, Wren! Sounds like a nice party.
It will be noisy here tonight. Some of the people in the subdivisions nearby spend a fortune on fireworks
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CONGRATULATIONS WREN!
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Happy anniversary, Wren! In today's world, that is quite an accomplishment!!!!
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Mazel tov, Wren! (My iPad would have autocorrected it to "Mabel toy, When").
Awoke to 2" of snow--just enough to be a PITA and need clearing. Natch, since we're walking to & from dinner, it's cold too. Gotta wear UGGs, which sorta kills the bling of the rest of the outfit. Bob's gonna be late, as the tire sensors on his car went blooey and he had to get a rental. (Offered him mine, but he wouldn't bite--he doesn't like the seating position).
Happy New Year! (Tonight starts my 5th--and hopefully last--year on letrozole).
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Wrenand to all of you here:
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Wren, Happy Anniversary!!! 🥂🎉
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Just poopin in cuz I never forget all of u and welcome newbies.
May u all have an incredible happy, healthy New Year.And Chevy show a video of u pole dancing oh wait that's when u broke ur leg. Well u did the best u could do, after all the 20[s are behind u now, I mean the 1920's but I do know u can still fit in ur stretch bracelets.
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Hello everyone. I admit that the number of posts is somewhat intimidating, so no, I haven't read them all, though I will certainly try. I'm 68, or will be a few months. I am experienced with cancer, but a different type, and I'm still trying to learn about breast cancer. So, to keep this relatively short.
Ductal InSitu breast cancer, and my path report only says "aggressive." I am used to seeing numbers. It was however contained. Nothing in lymph nodes 5 were taken including 2 sentinal nodes. Struggling already a bit with mild lymphedema. Margins were clear, but only 7mm at the "deep" side, but this was a pretty surface 1 1/3 cm tumor on side/top of my left breast. ER positive.
Obviously I have many questions but the main one I want to ask here is about Letrozole. Do I really want to risk bone/joint damage at my age? Where is the cut off? I believe from reading it's at 70, but I've only been on this drug for 4 days and it's already kicking my butt. I have a constant headache and dizziness already. I also have very high *when untreated, cholesterol, and I realize I may have to increases that. My bones are good, I happened to have a bone scan about 6 months before this diagnosis.
I'm scheduled to begin a 4 week radiation treatment this month.
Do I really need the Letrozole? Do I want to trade my bones and joints for a chance at decreasing a recurrence of breast cancer? I keep thinking, at 68. would I rather chance the complications of joint replacements or a recurrence.
I seriously hope this doesn't sound stupid. Thanks so much for reading and for any opinions!
Edited to add that I joined in 2010 when my sister was diagnosed with HER2 neg breast cancer. She died of it 5 years ago. I got the call on the anniversary of her death that my mammogram showed "abnormalities." I had surgery 2 days before thanksgiving this year.
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