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

MCBaker

That is so beautiful, Mrs. Centralia. Very good choice.

IllinoisLady

Thanks MCBaker. I had it in I think a good while ago. Found it again and I love it too, so wanted to give it another opportunity to hopefully be appreciated and I see it is.

kathindc

Oh,this quote is so true.

ChiSandy

Good one, Jackie!

Carole, I've been wearing progressives since 39 (and our son Gordy began wearing them at 34). Took all of a day to get used to them. I still wear them even after cataract surgeries because the lenses couldn't correct all of my astigmatism; I need the reading correction (and drugstore readers don't correct for astigmatism so stuff--especially crossword grids--look distorted) and really love having 20/15 night vision for driving. Besides, they hide crows' feet, undereye bags & circles better than any concealer I've tried, and they've been part of my image for decades. (I've added animal print clothing to my signature style--wearing snow-leopard-print fleece PJs as I type this. A decade old, too big--XL--but still very comfy especially with the impending polar vortex Sat. night into Monday).

I wish I could do Pilates, but I still have trouble getting up off the floor (the machines are only a few inches above).

MCBaker

I quit going to the gym several months ago, some fear of heart disease. Now, because of all the echocardiograms they are pretty sure what I have been experiencing is angina, so stop exercising if it happens, take some antacids to eliminate possible digestive cause, and go to the hospital if it continues, because it can be diagnosed only during an episode.

So, anyway, I started going again. Improved sleep. Improved stamina. Upper back pain when working standing up or bending over. Trainer says walking to gym using hiking poles, then a round on the machines, then recumbent bicycle, then the machines, then walking home. He is not concerned about traffic jams at the leg machines, but upper body core and arms are important in recovery, so don't skip any of those.

Dog and I go to school tomorrow, the teacher will provide us with transportation when we can't walk. So it is snowing right now, expect five inches. Wind and bitter cold tomorrow. I did get him some cans of Vienna sausage for treats at school. I have cut him completely off treats, except for his multi-vitamin and mineral dental chew in the morning. Right now he regards me as:

She who refuses to sleep with me

she who puts me in a little cage during the night

she who pulls at my hair when I let her brush

she who makes me cold with shower-water

she who won't take me out for scooter-rides

she who won't walk with me for at least two hours a day

she who always puts that halter-thing on me so I can't free-range the neighborhood

she who won't feed me treats.

Yes, I am mean and cruel. I am told that school will improve our relationship. I hope so. I hate to see him glare at me in the morning, but I hope to have more restful nights and not wake up with a headache.

Puffin2014

I'm moved in to my new apartment, they started loading at 9:30, finished loading at 10:30. 
Long walk from the truck door to my apt, they really worked. Furniture fit where I was planning. 
They broke a leg on my dresser but got it nailed & screwed back in place. They finished at 2:05. 
By the time they finished we were having a blizzard. I wasn't sure if my my internet and Dish TV workers 
would get here. But my internet man came & has me hooked up, I need to buy a router to get wireless. 
Dish guy was here & set up my recorder and gave me my remote. Going to take some getting used to only being 
able to record 2 shows at a time. It's coming in with a beautiful picture though. 
The storm is continuing into tomorrow so I'll leave my frozen food from the upright freezer in the garage till 
the streets have been cleared after the storm, I got my bed made up and have just been relaxing tonight.

I had my last appointment with my oncologist and have been discharged from the cancer center. 
After stopping my arimidex in October, I've lost 7 pounds and my cholesterol dropped from 206 to 174 and my 
triglycerides dropped dramatically.

ChiSandy

Congrats on the great numbers & new digs, Puffin! (But bummer about the blizzard). For a router, I suggest an eero mesh network--you can establish different virtual networks for wi-fi, smart TV and the "internet of things."

MCBaker

Puffin, first night in a new apartment! Isn't it grand?? The old problems are gone, and you get to resolve new ones. I remember my first night here, I couldn't wait to get completely out of my old one, it was really bad. I only had the bare essentials, but I was happy.

Something wrong with your post-- there was no automatic right margin. Went like three lines out to the right. Were you using a device you weren't used to?

keywestfan

Puffin, One Oak Place looks so wonderful on the tour and will, for sure, be a most positive place for you. It was so hard for us to move from beloved 45 year home in the Glencoe village that I loved into what they now call a “Life Care Community “ in Evanston,Il, but it has been grand. We went from 3000 square feet to 1960 sf and it just felt cleansing ( not quite Marie Kondo though.) The surprise has been how much fun it is, the people you meet that you never could have met otherwise, the new good caring friends to be made. What I found hard at the beginning was to balance our old life and friendships with the activities and new friends inside, But in time it all melds and the old and the new coexist. It is wonderful also when we travel to just leave the apartment. I used to, when in the house, leave long notes for DS, who lived a few blocks away, to come over, turn the alarm on, turn it off so cleaning lady could come in, turn it on again, take recycling out,... Now life, in terms of how we live is so easy.

Also, starting anew when older, while exhausting, helps keep us young . As do your great new lipid numbers..

judy

IllinoisLady

Real education should educate us out of self
into something far finer--into a
selflessness which links us with all humanity.

Lady Nancy Astor

IllinoisLady

Puffin, you came into my BC org. in smaller type and different typeface. Two great paragraphs and pretty positive. All in all it sounds like blessings all the way -- especially with another fresh blizzard in the makings. Hopefully, while you may need to 'consider' what is happening at your 'house' it won't be a worry in your living spaces now.

Good for you and the great success of differences on your being able to get off Arimidex. You are starting out with something grand it sure sounds like and Keywestfan made things even better by her description of getting new and old friends and activities blended. So glad to hear all the positives as you learn to deal with the in and outs of moving and reestablishing yourself.

carolehalston

I had problems reading your post, Puffin. The lines ran off the page on the right. Congratulations on your move. We'll have to get together next summer so you can show me your new home. I'll twist dh's arm to drive me to Fargo. I'm not a city driver.

Thursday I went to the optometrist at Sam's Club and had the eye exam. Also ordered the progressives. I love the frames I picked out. They're a pretty dark blue color and they were Members Mark brand and not pricey. I'm actually excited about getting progressives!

The young woman optometrist dilated my eyes but had some trouble with the retina examination because of my floaters. She recommended that I go to an opthomologist (sp?). I will follow her advice. She did reassure me that she saw no evidence of eye damage that diabetics can develop. I was extremely near sighted before my cataract surgery 20 years ago and near sighted folks are at risk of retina detachment.

Sandy, this Pilates class is basically floor exercise with stretches and positions. No machines. I can do most of the movements lying on my back but I can't position my body into some of the positions when not lying on the floor. I have intentions of doing some of the exercises at home on the carpet.

Happy Saturday.

IllinoisLady

Good for you Carole. Your glasses sound great. I have never used the Sam's club, but for convenience and price used our local Walmart. Found out at the time that the eye Dr. was a Dr. working for the military which gave me a lot of comfort about it. I could have gone to Marion, but for the time and gas money it seemed just as good to stay here.

She has left, so I likely will go to Marion V.A. when ready and get my eyes checked there and likely bring the prescription to the Walmart here. I will bet you end up loving the progressives. I would never consider anything else. I usually end up with red frames because it seems to be what works best from the color palette for me. I've had a variety of frames through the yrs. but discovered that most of the positive comments on my frame choices came when red was the choice I made.

Hope your visit to the optometrist turns out well. I use Systane Complete for my floaters. This was recommended by the former Walmart eye Dr. They are a bit on the pricey side, but I've never had to use as much as is recommended. So, I've tried some other kinds, but keep going back to the Systane.

Beaverntx

Carol, I too was extremely nearsighted before cataract surgery and thus have "long eyeballs". My ophthalmologist has diagnosed macular degeneration but believes it is related to the long eyeballs rather than being age related. The md has been stable for several years and I have not had vision changes from it. Moral of the story, at least for me, is that it has been reassuring to have that annual visit with the ophthalmologist, especially now that I am taking Tamoxifen. I do take the AREDS2 formula, just in case.

CeliaC

Interesting info on the "eyes". I use Systane Complete (for dry eyes) and also take AREDS2 formula (for beginnings of macular degeneration). Both were recommended at my last eye exam, a bit over a year ago. I had EyeMed at that time through work and the office I went to takes a special type of "photograph" of the eye. No vision insurance this year, but will be probably be looking for one very soon as I need an eye exam again. Cataract surgery on both eyes was done in late May & early June 2016, prior to BC diagnosis. Have glasses for computer work, with "blue light" filtering, use cheapie readers at 2.00 and got scrip sunglasses with a slight distance scrip as I wear "shades" more often when driving. Now retired, but still use the computer glasses. Does anyone out there have a vision care plan they like? I have been looking at VSP, which seems to be reasonably priced. Have heard Costco is a good source for glasses. Advice anyone?My

ChiSandy - Interesting about the glucose and a1c. My glucose (measured when have fasting lipids) is very much the same as yours, but the a1c is always fine.

redhead403

I get my glasses at costco, least expensive for cash. I have vision insurance through my work so they cost me 50 dollars. I can get new lens and frames every year

Wren44

I have gone to Costco for glasses but they didn't have much of a frame selection for what I wanted. I bought a couple of pairs from Zenni and have been happy with them. The eye exam is covered by my Medicare Advantage Plan.

Beaverntx

DH gets his glasses at Costco; I use cheater readers so get them wherever although I have used peepers.com. Annual eye exam covered by insurance.

MinusTwo

Costco gives a fantastic hearing exam. Every bit as good as the med center. My brother says their eye exams are just that good.

MCBaker

No Costco here. My HA's come from medical clinic. I have an appointment this week with a specialist in adaptive equipment for hearing impaired people. Going to get a bed-shaker and maybe some other stuff.

Most of dog school went well. Learned the routine for getting him into the cage for bedtime. He is beginning to like me better. Just at the end of the lesson, one of the dog-parents had a heart attack. Luckily two of the people there are certified EMT's.

I am going to have to call dentist tomorrow.

IllinoisLady

Before you speak to me about your religion,

first show it to me in how you treat other people;

before you tell me how much you love your God,

show me in how much you love all His children;

before you preach to me of your passion for your faith,

teach me about it through your compassion for your neighbors.

In the end, I'm not as interested in what you have to tell or sell

as in how you choose to live and give.

- Cory Booker

MCBaker

Thanks, Jackie. Such a good reminder that "They will know us by our love."

carolehalston

Jackie, the other color for glasses frames I considered was red. I always admire colorful frames.

Today I ventured out to do some errands. It was windy and cool enough for a light jacket but the day itself was sunny and bright. Tonight we're enjoying a cheery fire in our fireplace. It's one of the things I enjoy about winter.

Puffin2014

I hadn't noticed the problem with my last post, thanks for letting me know, I went back and edited it. I think I had copied it from an email I'd sent and then pasted it here. It sure messed it up.

Our blizzard lasted 2 days and travel wasn't advised even in town. The 40-50 mph wind gusts kept drifting the streets in faster than the city could plow them. Yesterday streets were open again so I went to the house and got my 4 tubs of freezer food loaded into my trunk. Vacuumed the carpets and sent a text to my neighbor who's interested in buying house and asked if he and his wife wanted to come walk through the house now that the furniture was gone, she hadn't been with Jeff the first time he came over. So they came over, went home to talk it over, and we've agreed on a price. He says he'll have the money Friday! I came down some more on my price, but for me it's worth the peace of mind. With every storm I worry about whether my snow removal company has gotten the sidewalks and driveway cleared and whether the snow needs to be removed from the roof so it doesn't cave in, whether more ice dams are forming. Then when it's -25 there's the worry that the furnace will go out and my pipes will freeze. When I arrived at the house yesterday to get my food the company had forgotten to clear the snow from my gas meter and it was buried in a 2 ft by 3 ft drift. Luckily the snow removal guy came back to finish the driveway and he shoveled it out after I reminded him. But I still had to manually crawl into the area and clear the snow by hand from behind and under it. So this morning I'll call my lawyer and hope that they're working on Martin Luther King day and can get started on the paperwork.

carolehalston

So glad things are working out, Puffin. Once you finalize the sale, you will save money on snow removal, etc. Plus unload all that worry.

IllinoisLady

In honor of the day:

Cowardice asks the question - is it safe?
Expediency asks the question - is it politic?
Vanity asks the question - is it popular?...
But conscience asks the question - is it right?
And there comes a time when one must take a position
that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular;
but one must take it BECAUSE it is right.
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Nothing in all the world is more dangerous
than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

IllinoisLady

Chilly here for sure. Enough so that we had a very light snow this a.m. Still a few errant flakes coming here and the outside. Our little Tuxedo cat, Tiny seems a bit fascinated, but there isn't enough to keep her attention as long as when its a squirrel. She is the little one that when she "chatters" at something outside sounds like a dog squeaky toy. For a week or more I kept looking for who had brought one of the toys into my computer room only to finally realize -- it was Tiny talking to herself about what she was going to do to that squirrel when she figured out just how to get him.

Anyway, I don't think much snow will be produced and that is good. Rain for the week-end so it will warm. We are staying in our "who knows" weather patterns for now.

I hope you all have a fantastic day.

petite1

Good morning, ladies. It is cold here, even in Florida and should be in the 20's tomorrow. There go the plants again. Time to try and cover things up. We are still thinking about downsizing. We are going to look at some models today.

CindyNY

petite1- I'm in SWFL, its 66 now, high was 70 and we loved it! Full sun & no humidity. We took a great bike ride this afternoon. I head up to NY on Thursday, temps expected to be in the high 30's. Yikes!

Puffin- I hope your lawyer was available. 🍀 It's been fast, but definitely good. Saving on homeowners insurance, property & school taxes, and all the paid maintenance for snow! Wishing you the best.

ChiSandy

Our ophthalmologist is our friend--when he does refractions he also examines for macular degeneration and "capsular clouding" post-surgically, so that our Medicare Part B & supplement will cover it. (It doesn't cover just a refraction, so that's why we don't go to an optometrist instead). He sold his practice & no longer owns the on-site optical shop, so we no longer feel the need to buy glasses there. (And I remember the debacle from last year: the frames that arrived from MN broken in two due to the subzero cold, and then the defective lens in the replacement). Bob took his prescriptions to the Oak Brook branch of Warby Parker, and chose two frames that were made in Italy rather than China. Warby now has an optical lab in upstate NY, so the glasses arrived in less than a week! I'm overdue for a refraction, so I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and go down to the SW side (the office is a mile from Bob's) and see if my reading correction has changed or I'm just picky. I will probably go to Warby in Lakeview because I can get there by rideshare or a couple of blocks' walk from the train (though I'd have to change lines). It's on a busy boutique-lined stretch of Southport Ave. so parking is a bear. (It's only a mile south of Gordy & Leslie's apt.).

Had patted myself on the back last month after I was able to replace the retaining nut on my toilet's trip lever. Well, last night I pushed down the handle, and...nothing. Sigh. Have to reach in and pull up the lever arm myself. Ordered a new assembly from Amazon--should be here by Wed. (One plumber wanted >$300 to install a new one; our regular plumber would probably charge >$150, so I'm gonna try to do it myself). Bob hates the soft-close toilet seat--because the etagère over the toilet is too far forward (and it's against the wall), the lid hits the edge of the shelf; it stays up but the seat doesn't. I showed him how to clip the lid & seat together so he can go standing up (as men of a certain age must), but he still grumbles. So I think I'll have to unscrew that bottom shelf, or prop the legs up on blocks high enough for the lid not to hit the shelf when it's open.

My birthday is Thurs. (69), but Bob & Gordy have Wed. night off. Gonna see what kind of really nice restaurant I can find where I won't have to cheat much (I really want to hit 155 by my next weigh-in a month from today--150 is too much to hope for). Getting tired of steakhouses. Next Wed. is Broadway Cellars' "Best of" wine pairing dinner (most-requested dishes & wines), and there are courses where the carbs are integral (e.g., a seafood vol-au-vent and a poached pear with mascarpone). Gonna be strict about limiting myself to an ounce of wine per course.