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

SallyS70

Jackie, I twisted your words to "finding your bearings" which is just the twist I needed to help put my life in perspective ... I am trying to find my bearings after a year of BC plus some other changes.  The phrase is calming.  Thank you!

Teka,  I need to adjust my sails ... it's hard work.

 

Wren44

I think it's better to experience feelings as they happen rather than trying to keep them down. They don't last long and once experienced, you can move on.

termite

i Ladies,

Welcome to all the new ladies.

Happy belated birthday to the ladies I missed in the last 3 weeks

I am trying to catch up on all the entries for the past 3 weeks. We were visiting my MIL and brother in-law and family in Florida for 2 weeks and I am back to work and trying to catch up on house work and laundry. It was beautiful weather in FL and we came home to 20 some degree weather and snowflakes.

Hope everyone is having a good week.

ritajean

Hi all you wonderful ladies! I can not even remember the last time I posted on this thread. My summer was crazy. I took each of my three grandsons for their own special week this summer and chaired two different Golf for the Cure events that kept me hopping. The abundance of rain kept me busy in the yard when I was not on the golf course and we just got the leaves under control before this cold front hit today with snow!!!! Whew!

I lurked quite a bit on this forum but could never get caught up enough to "join in." In fact, I am still not caught up enough to join in because you ladies run a fast ship here! :-) Gosh I've missed you gals and it looks like there are some new gals who have found this thread, too. So....instead of trying to get caught up, I'm just going to jump in and start over if that's O.K. with all of you. :-)

Rita

car2tenn

Dear NOrthstar,

We "older women" are out here...I am totally computer literate and I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer 11 months ago...I am happy, well adjusted to Arimidex and have no idea about 2015 but ready to take it on..Carolyn from Music City.. By the way I am 67 and feel 37.

Teka

IllinoisLady

Welcome Carolyn -- you found us.  Yes, we have attained some years -- we are well seasoned, but as young as we want to be.  You have discovered that we may be defined by a set of numbers, but it is only a small part of the story.  So glad you found us.  We are not a large group here but have been here for quite some time now.  Come on it, lots of chairs around the fireplace, and lots of chatter and friendship going on.   Sounds exciting to hail from Nashville, Tn.   Are you going to be getting snow in your forecast as well.  I looked at snowflakes ( none really stuck ) all afternoon.  They were big and fat, but did not build up -- just a few, every few minutes -- then gone again.  Trying to quit dreading it all though I don't mind so much the seasons -- they have just been so un-predictable since we went into the global warming patterns the last few years.

Hope you will come often.

Blessings

Jackie

nancydrew8

Wren, I agree with you. You often hear the same about grieving. The more you suppress those feelings of loss, the more difficult it becomes to move on.

When we're told it's cancer, emotional outbursts are a grieving of sorts. I guess it's best to give in to them and move on.

Catherine

nancydrew8

Elizabeth Gilbert - link: 

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/13/elizabeth-gilbert-life-you-want_n_6148472.html

After this video there are more conversations with her. They all relate to this journey we're all on.

Catherine

 

Chevyboy

Jackie...Everything you say slips into my heart, and is always there when I think of you.  Thank you for being my friend..... 

And Teka!  I LOVE all of your pictures and quotes!  I just sent the last one to my Daughter's.... The one about the Storm!  So moving....!

Chevyboy

And Rita.... I was thinking about Jackie last night, and thought of you, and wondered how you were doing!  Good to hear from you again....!

And WELCOME Carolyn!   I don't know where "Northstar" is.... the one who started this thread, but we have taken over, and hanging on for dear life!    So hope you find us again! 

My Brother lives in Nashville, so you must know him, right?  Ha!     You are only 67?  You are still a kid....  Just WAIT about 10 years, and you will think WTH happened?    I FEEL like I am about .... I don't know?  My DD#1 gave me an angel wing key chain one time, and it said "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?"  So I COULDN'T say 50, because my Daughters are older than that...  So I think maybe about 40?  

All we can do is live every day.... we are lucky and fortunate enough to be GIVEN another day...  so we just gotta make the best of it! 

nancydrew8

Chevy, I remember when I was in my thirties and would hear about someone who had passed and they were in their late 50's, I'd think....well, they lived a long, full life.  Heh!

So now anyone who is in their early 60's I consider a kid.

Catherine

Puffin2014

welcome back Rita

carolehalston

Ditto to Jackie's wise counseling to our ladies who are going through the painful early stages of dealing with bc.  It seems so long ago now for me.  5 yrs. and counting.

Looks like winter is going to stick around for a while.  It will warm up a little and then another cold front will hit next week.  The projected high for next Wed. (my golf days are Wed. and Fri.) is 47 degrees.  So I guess I'll have more days to go to the gym.  And catch up with house cleaning.

It has been over a week since I had a cocktail or glass of wine.  Same with dh, who is the reason we're "drying out."  On the plus side, I'm 5 lbs down on the scales.  Cold weather is comfort food weather, though.  I'm baking peasant bread today, the kind you form with your hands instead of cooking in a bread pan and bake on a hot pizza stone in the oven. 

I also have to go out and do a little shopping for a birthday present for my great-niece who is turning 5.  And my sister. 

Happy Friday to all.

Teka

*Good Morning*

Chevy, Thank You!!

A dusting of snow and 28*F is winter enough for me.

IllinoisLady

If instead of a gem or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give.

George MacDonald

IllinoisLady

Morning -- on my gosh.  It is so cold outside this morning, the ground is crunchy.  We don't usually get temps like that quite this early -- and this did manage most of the day yesterday, that sort of crazy un-expected snow that would blow around in the air from time to time, but then disappear.  Well, glad it didn't stick -- but I think we were all surprised.  No snow was expected until sometime tomorrow or tomorrow night. 

All the outdoor ( including feral cats ) furries have fresh new straw in their houses.  Even our outside dogs -- though they do have a heated dog house.  We tried buying those large mat/beds for dogs.  Our big black Lab Billy finds it way too much of a personal challenge to rip to shreds in the shortest possible time so now they get some straw to start the cold season.

You are all so kind about my blabber-mouthing.  I just like to share my personal opinions and feelings -- and I am touched always by what we go through that is negative and causing pain --- and as well, knowing that most will discover the phoenix within and defeat the negativity.  Though maybe tired of hearing it -- so much of why we are here is all about how we deal with what page we find ourselves on in life.  If all we can manage is to move the needle one millimeter higher, or all we can manage is less than a half hearted smile, or a touch on someone's else's hand -- we are there -- moving toward the positive.  It takes so much less to wake up the Phoenix than we think.  So thank you. 

Nancy Catherine -- the Elizabeth Gilbert piece struck lots of nerves in me.  Not as much for me in some ways -- but it did resonate.  Coming from a small town and having less reason to have to feel very competitive helps.  I don't have to be better than anyone and most of the time can just be myself -- and myself is actually a shy, quiet person.  Hard to get that about the "blabber-mouth", but I am.  I can easily talk about my feelings and sensations on here because it is a place to share and all are free to pick and choose -- if something feels like a fit - ok.  If not - that's ok too.  We just go on.

Also could well identify with being much younger than now, and  seeing those who were 25 or more years older as definitely ready for the pasture as it were.  I'm sure back then I could not envision myself at the age, especially the age I am now.  I'm not just real sure when time started to zip along so much.  For so many years --- a yr. took at least a whole year to get through -- then without being highly aware of it, it started to take less time to get through that yr.  Still does -- though winter tends to slow things up just a bit. 

The upside is that I'm not out to pasture and I'm sure won't be for a very long time.  I regret those thoughts I had a little because I'm sure the ones I referred to didn't see themselves at all like I saw them.  Sigh !!!  We can be so complicated !!!!

I hope you are all going to have a magnificent week-end.  For many of us that might mean a mug of hot cocoa with some marshmallows and whipped cream on top.  Not sure I'll be outside long enough for that, but just doing it when I know it is frosty outside would be fun. 

It is Saturday and I am content. 

Blessings

Jackie

Teacher64

Stress test started with radioactive isotope injection, time for it to flow to heart before images of heart were taken. Then it was treadmill time til max rate, more isotope, more walking and then more images. It was such a relief for it to be over. Yesterday I had a dermatologist appointment because my PCP suspected a spot on my face, but it was nothing. Good news times two this week. Yeah

Teka

IllinoisLady

Yay for you Teacher.  Glad that you have good results so you don't have to change much -- whatever your doing now works.  That is something to be grateful for on Thanksgiving, eh !!!!!  Way to go.

Jackie

MomMom

Hello All,

I can hardly keep up with all the posts.  Welcome to newcomers and Catherine, so good to hear that you have a plan in place and that it's doable.  

I had my first follow up mammogram and ultrasound today and got an all clear.  Yay!!  I'm so happy about that.  It's not that I really expected anything to pop up so soon after treatment, but triple neg is a tricky one and can return sooner rather than later (first three years), so I am very grateful.

However, my clogged tear ducts caused by Taxol (started in August - 3 weeks after my final treatment) are driving me nuts.  I've been to my regular ophthalmologist and two opth. plastic surgeons - the second one at Johns Hopkins (my doc says the best eye docs in the country).  If the steroid drops I'm on do not work (and they aren't), I may have to have surgery.  I think he would start with insertion of stents (general anesthesia) which is similar to DCR surgery where they actually go into a bone in your nose and there are stitches under your eye.  Sounds dreadful, but this constant "crying," pain and light sensitivity is getting me down. 

carolehalston

Yay for Teacher and MomMom for good test results!  Clogged tear ducts are miserable.  I had that problem when I wore contact lenses.  My eye dr. told me to use hot compresses on my lower lids and that did feel good.  Not sure if it helped the problem.  During that period I used lots of eye drops.  Cataract surgery freed me of contact lenses and glasses except for reading.  It was a major blessing.

I enjoyed my cold day.  I accomplished my birthday shopping and was back home by noon.  The second loaf of peasant bread is in the oven.  The house smells like baking bread.  DH and I have having our "fake" cocktails.  A Virgin Mary for him and a bourbon and soda without the bourbon for me!  In other words, soda with a squeeze of lime.  The fireplace is lit and provides some warmth and cheer. 

Hi to everyone.

shuf

just starting the travels of bc. Wanted to know about oncotypedx scores and fish scores since I scored her2 positive? Waiting on those scores and a second biopsy of lymph node on other side.

Teka

shuf,

Welcome!

shuf

hi, teka where are you in the travels of bc?

Teka

I had last Triple Negative BC treatment in March 2011.

shuf

this new to me right now - I am retired and taking care of my mother - trying to learn as much as I can don't know how bad I am going to feel and try to take care of her - also my final her 2 numbers and a second bio on other breast lymph node - live in tennessee

IllinoisLady

Welcome  SHUF.  I'm so far out that I'd have some trouble with your questions -- I think hopefully someone could further clarify and or totally correct me here.  The fish portion of testing  if I actually recall was more of a clarification of the diagnosis and noted cell changes and how you miht respond to chemo, while I think with the Oncotype -- the lower your score is -- the higher the likelihood that you could skip chemotherapy.   I have never encountered a Triple positive before -- so not sure if this would hold up in those conditions. 
Anyway, you I think will get some more information from the further testing you will have done.  Here's hoping that it all comes together for you. 

Other than the above -- just be sure to make a list of all your questions, and when it is answer time if you can have a second set of ears -- because sometimes it is hard to focus -- especially since you are learning the language of a difficult disease at the same time.

Anyway --  we are always here.

Blessings,

Jackie

carolehalston

Welcome, Shuf, and good luck to you in your bc journey.  I can't answer your questions but hope that you do get answers. 

nancydrew8

Welcome Shuf - you've come to a wonderful forum with wise and nurturing women who lift you up and keep you from going down those dark roads.

Mine is very new as well and so far no word on the HER2 results which were to be in today.  I was on edge and nervous, heart palpitations, no appetite but found out later in the day that it was sent out to another lab for Fish analysis and the results won't be in until next Thursday/Friday. They score it from 1 to 3 and mine landed on 2+ so it needed further analysis.

I'm not sure if my fears are well-founded or an over reaction because I'm more terrified with this HER2 outcome than I am of the double mastectomy schedule for December 12.

I need to figure out a way to handle this waiting better as it's taking its toll on me.

MomMom, so glad your mammogram turned out fine and I hope you get that eye problem resolved soon.

Catherine