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

Anneb1149

Morning all,

The wedding is less than two months away, and the siblings are starting to actually start planning for it!! There was a collective gasp heard from SC and Ga as well as locally. They are adding up the expenses they will have leading up to the big day. Of course, DD and DS have the cost of traveling down, which they knew. All had thought it was a great idea to stay at the hotel the night of the event, and now realize the room alone will cost over $200, not including parking. All the men in the family are in the wedding party and have found out the tux rental is $240.

So, some alternate plans have been made at least as far as overnight accommodations. They are now looking for a 15 passenger van/ taxi that can get them there and back to my house. They figure that may cost $50/ couple which is way better than $200. My room is paid for as part of the package,but I don't know that I won't come home with my kids- I don't often have a chance to be with them all at the same time.

Funny story re dresses. My DD and I went to Ross yesterday,just to look. I found two nice dresses, one navy blue, one mint green. Tracy found 5 - she's a size four so many more options. She tried one on and before she turned around for me to see it, she said, "wow, this would be great for Nancy (in GA)" I looked at her and saw Nancy. We quick sent a picture offto Nancy, she said she wasn't sure what size though, so we grabbed two sizes and are shipping them off for her to try tomorrow. She HATES shopping of all kinds, but clothes shopping is the worst. The only pro problem was one of the dresses I picked was the exact same as Nancy's so I am still on the hunt. Tracy tried on another dress that she said would be perfect for Jamie. Jamie is normally a great bargain shopper, but right now she is totally exhausted with baby Alex nursing every two hours. She is trying to fill a bottle of breast milk a day so Daddy can do one of the middle of the night feelings, but even when he does, Alex will not go back to sleep until Jamie nurses her. Jamie says it takes less than 5 minutes before Alex is out, but it interrupts her sleeping.

As you know, Jamie took no down time to recover at all. I am so afraid she is going to crash, and badly. She is very pale, was astonished at how bad she looked when a friend took a picture of her and the baby the other night. She has lost 26lbs in the three weeks, because she is too busy to fix herself food, and says she cannot eat the amount of food she is supposed to every day. We try to help, by giving her all our leftovers when she comes by, and, of course, at least one meal while she is here. We wanted to cook up some meals for her freezer, but she has no oven to heat them in.

Sandy, thanks for the tip on the website. I am going to try Marshall's and Kohl's today, then may have to widen the search areas.

Anne

IllinoisLady

Afternoon,

I had a busy morning ( not hard mind you ) but a lot of catch up before going out to feed cats. Then with Dh in the car down to the garage where his truck is being worked on. It has been there now 3 full days. The man who owns the shop does good enough work, but this has always been my gripe --- he saves you money but at the cost of your time and often putting out others in some way to provide transportation. Sigh !!!! Don't know how tomorrow will go either, but likely hauling Dh to work and picking him up -- again.

I'll try and be a good sport, but it does gripe me a bit. The garage owner knows that there is another 'family' vehicle and that Denny WILL make it to work, but I do find it all tiresome and often very cumbersome to work things around dealing with taking time to drive the 44 mile round trip to Mt. Vernon and back. Ok when I don't have to work but when I do it really gets dicey.

Otherwise -- in the 80's here, and oh how nice that is. All this nice will bring rain but I went and washed my car anyhow. It was really dusty and had enough that it would have taken quite a storm indeed for it not to have streaked dirt marks here and there.

Hoping you all have a great day.

Jackie

Anneb1149

Jackie

I'm sure I'm not the only one like this, but if my car is in the garage, I can go for days, perfectly content to putter around the house- but when it is in the shop, or one of the kids borrow it, I suddenly have places I need to go to, right now!

Anne

IllinoisLady

Anne, that is me inside and out. If my car is outside --- I could be in the house nearly forever. As long as I can go IF I need anything. Always great that my NEEDS don't interfere as long as the car is available, but if it is not there I tend to be a little edgy on the inside and don't seem to be able to push it down very far. I can think of all sorts of things I'm "likely" to need sooner rather than later --- even if there is a half a bottle of something left. I'm just sure something will happen and I'll run out. Dislike losing my sense of perspective and balance and becoming illogical if my car isn't outside.

Jackie ( laughing of course )

IllinoisLady

Acceptance is not a talent you either have or don't have. It's a learned response. My meditation teacher made a great point about the difference between a reaction and a response: You may not have control over your initial reaction to something, but you can decide what your response will be. You don't have to be at the mercy of your emotions, and acceptance can be your first step toward empowerment . . . For me, acceptance has been the cornerstone to my having an emotionally healthy response to my illness. -Morrie Schwartz

IllinoisLady

The ideals that have lighted my way and , time after time, have given me new courage to face life cheerfully have been kindness, beauty, and truth.

Albert Einstein

IllinoisLady

Quiet here today. I hope everyone is fine. I worked this morning and hadn't the time to make any other entry save for the quote. I was a bit tired so curled up in my recliner and had a nap. We have had such beautiful days lately -- all sunny and warm. I think later tonight we will get some rain and some tomorrow as well. Doesn't sound like our temps will be too affected though. That is a good thing. Our trees are really starting now to pop out the leaves and the sun and warmth will keep them coming.

I'm still so enjoying my car to the hilt. I have all sorts of cleaning things ( though I had a number of those already ) like a duster to do the outside of the car --- to cut down on needing car washes so often and in the store the other day I found Armor-All protectorant for the car interior which has New Car Smell in it. That made me happy.

Right now, the pollen coming from the fresh new grass, trees and shrubs is making a somewhat yellow coating along with a bit of dust -- so a lot of outside dusting will take place. I'm just glad we are moving into weather that will be a little more consistently warmer. Hope you all have a great afternoon.

Jackie

carolehalston

Jackie, I washed my Prius this afternoon and vacuumed the carpets. It was a grubby little car. I came inside quite wet from perspiration. By then it was 5 pm and I decided that I had used up the energy I might have used for cooking. So we'll be ordering from Chili's and dh will go and pick up the order. Probably in my clean car! He was out in his workshop with the door open while I was laboring away and I'm sure he saw me but he did not appear to help.

Minus lives in the Houston area but she said on another thread that her house is not located in a neighborhood that floods. We seem to be living in an era with extreme weather.

Rita, I played golf today and my score was 10 strokes better on the back than the front. Needless to say the back nine was more fun.

Hello to all.

IllinoisLady

Be grateful simply for being alive. When you are grateful for life, pure and simple, your life becomes one you can be grateful for. That may strike you as circular or even backward logic, but your attitude really does have an effect on how things work out. When you can't change your life any other way, you can still change your attitude. When you do, your life changes. You find more chances to love, and you will be surprised to see how much more love is returned to you. -Bernie Siegel

carolehalston

A pretty sunny day here. Jackie would be happy! I went early to my PCP's office to have blood drawn. Then circled by the YMCA and got sweaty walking on the treadmill for 35 minutes. I didn't do my strength exercises today but plan to get them in when dh and I go to the gym tomorrow. We both played golf yesterday and didn't keep to our usual schedule of exercise on Tues. and Thurs. mornings.

I learned from the young woman who drew the blood that I can drink black decaf coffee and still be "fasting." I stopped off at McD's after leaving the PCP's office and got a senior regular coffee. For those who haven't discovered this, McDonald's has good coffee at a much cheaper price than the coffee shops. A senior cup is 77 cents. A bargain! And you can get a free refill. Seniors can be cheapskates! I know I am when it's possible.

Well, I need to get moving. Today and tomorrow I'm going to the nursing home to spend time with my mother, who has been doing very well with her rehab. We could all be inspired by this 93 year old who is working hard with the goal of going back to her house. Whether or not she's able to do that, she will be happier if she's able to accomplish lifestyle functions like getting herself to the bathroom.

Wishing everyone a happy Wed.

IllinoisLady

Good morning ( though it has already rained out of doors and will keep on ) to all. I didn't have time to stop and chat earlier but am having a late breakfast now. Needed to get out and try to feed the feral cats before the rain. It may rain again tomorrow as well --- don't know the expected time period, so I wanted to be sure they got their food today just in case I can't go tomorrow.

I didn't renew my gym pass as yet. With early Spring here --- I'm thinking there are some items that I likely should try to get caught up on or slightly ahead of if I can. If I'm not able or feel I'm falling too far behind with the guy --- I'll renew and hope for the best. It is $32.00 per month so about $1.00 per day --- a bargain in my book --- but not so good if you don't go every day you can. As is, I usually only go Mon. thru Fri. so I need to feel that I'm staying on that schedule as much ad possible.

Carole, you are so right. Your Mom is a huge inspiration. I'm sure you are correct -- no matter how things go when rehab is over your Mom will feel better having climbed as far up the hill as she is able. I well recall my Mom ( not making deals mind you ) saying so often that she would be ok if she could just get used to and be able to not give up certain parts of the life she loved living, when she finally ( her last 10 mos. of life ) was diagnosed extremely late with the C.O.P.D. that took her life. She loved visiting with her family, watching the balloons at Balloon Fest, cooking and baking and her country music. She continued the whole time keeping her house clean and tidy and doing her laundry. She was not too prideful, but so enjoyed a REALLY clean environment ( coming as much from having worked in hospitals ( surgical suite ) a good part of her work life. She just worked a lot slower and rested for longer in between --- but she didn't have to give it up. She was thrilled when the Dr. told her she could cook ( I had been doing it for her ) with her oxygen on --- just to be super careful with the tubing.

No matter where you are in life, there are just CERTAIN things that make your life good and soooo worth living to you, so here's to Carole's Mom. Little lady, I don't know you personally ( though I'm sure I'd enjoy every single moment ) but I'm so glad you are so willing to keep challenging life on your terms. You are a huge inspiration.

Well -- I took up the extra floor mats I had in my car to wash and discovered something I don't have right now. A little broom and pan small enough for the spaces under where you put your feet while driving or being a passenger. These extra floor mats are actually cheap though nice, shag-type bath mats just almost the right size. They do not hold or stop a lot of the dirt --- but I had them in my Blazer and now this car. They are great for if you have wet feet from walking in the rain, or even a bit of mud stuck to your shoes. Then it doesn't get transferred so easy to your bigger car mats etc. When dirty, take them and shake them out and throw them in the laundry --- where mine are right now. My worst problem is Dh doesn't like to "check" and make sure he isn't kicking the extra mat all over --- which is actually sort of routine for him. He is normally fairly good about things like that but when I look down on his side --- it seems often the "mat" is all balled up and not doing very much good at all. Sigh !!! I know if that is all I can come up with......... There actually are a couple more things but we don't need to bother with them.

Looking forward to getting my sun back.

Jackie

Wren44

Jackie, He needs to be sure that balled up mat doesn't get stuck under the brake pedal. That could be a disaster.

NormaJean65

IllinoisLady

Wren -- thanks. I do watch really closely when Dh is driving for sure. Don't know why but he seems better about it when he gets into the driver's seat. I have been so fussy about the new car that I haven't even made a payment on yet -- I probably should relax.

NormaJean -- I know it seems to happen every yr. to places in Texas but the news stories were scary to me this time. It seemed like more than usual water was coming down. Sure hope you are all well on the way to receding waters and dryer land.

Jackie

Wren44

NormaJean, Did you get high water in Katy? I still can't believe people are stupid enough to drive around the barrier and sign. But every flood they do it.

NormaJean65

Wren44, our addition faired well considering everything. "Old Katy" had flooding. Katy schools have been closed all week. When I saw some of the aerial pictures it was absolutely mind-blowing. Some major roads are predicted to take 4-6 weeks to dry out. A couple of dams are 80 % full and old so there is concern there. I am thankful DH is retired & not commuting 25 miles one way. It has just now started raining . Grrrrr! People that have lived here for a while realize that there are extremely low places that the road (fwy) goes underneath another road/fwy they others are just too stupid to have a drivers license.

IllinoisLady

We must work on our souls, enlarging and expanding them.
We do so by experiencing all of life--the beauty
and the joy as well as the grief and pain. Soul work
requires paying attention to life, to the laughter and
the sorrow, the enlightening and the frightening,
the inspiring and the silly.

Matthew Fox

ritajean

Bonnets...That gluten free Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix was pretty good. You might want to check it out. I don't think that I have ever seen a gluten free plain yellow cake mix. Is there a special place that you get it and would it be possible to PM me the recipe for that peach, pineapple cake? I am always searching for good gluten free recipes. My neighbor just came back home from Virginia and she brought me a whole bag of gluten free products from Trader Joe's. The guten free pretzels are wonderful....as were the chocolate chip cookies which I guess you can't eat. I'll let you know about the rest of the stuff as I get to it.

Carole, I bet that back nine WAS a lot more fun. Ten strokes makes a big difference in your score! I played today. I couldn't wait to get back to Illinois to the grass. Now I find that I have to relearn how to hit off the grass instead of the hard ground. Getting out of the tough rough here is also another challenge Hey, there is always something to work on with our golf games, isn't there?

Norma Jean... I was going to ask if you had any of the terrible flooding in Katy. The pictures of Houston on the TV were horrible! Glad it didn't hit your area as hard. Floods are so scary.

My allergies are going crazy. My eyes are watering, my nose is running, and everything is draining. So far the "over the counter" allergy meds are not even making a dent in the problem. I love the spring in Illinois but this year there must be a lot more allergens in the air.

Well, I need to get some dinner started around here but wanted to check in because I've been away from the site for a few days. Hope everyone is doing well!

bonnets

Rita,

The GF cake mix we have here is Betty Crocker, have Yellow, chocolate and brownie GF mixes. Only have sugar free Pillsbury here! Checked my mail, but the dump cake is on I think it's Gluten free Digest , website. I'll try and remember to send it to youwhen I get another post from them. It has tons of recipes. Glutino makes great chocolate, yogourt and plain pretzels. Also Schar has the best bread I have found, It's actually moist! I like Udi's chocolate chip and snicker doodles. Warm them in the micro for 5 sec each, yummy.

Discovered I have gall Stones. I'm afraid of the surgery when I read that a lot of people continue to have pain as bad or worse than before they had the surgery. Also problems after, with diarrhea, which I have enough of with my IBS. Right now they aren't bothering me. Seems if it isn't one thing it's another.

Lovely day had a volunteer breakfast and our sr. players also did one of our skit productions at a local senior residence. Tomorrow DH and I both go to the eye dr.

ChiSandy

I had gallstones, twice. First time was back when I weighed 235 lbs. and open surgery was the standard procedure--surgeons HATED to do that operation on obese patients because of how many layers of visceral fat needed to be sliced and how long the patient was under general anesthesia. Second time, only 6 years later (and 20 lbs. lighter), laparascopic cholecystectomy had become state-of-the art. 4 little incisions, closed with one suture and a band-aid each. Took about as long as the average colonoscopy does today. Never again had that intensity or kind of abdominal pain since my lap choly. The only time I get digestive distress from not having a gall bladder is if I go overboard with too much fat in too short a time. I think that may have happened to me maybe 3 or 4 times since 1994.

Seedsally

hi ladies I'm here just got home yesterday from hospital BMX with reconstruct 600 cc's saline per side no path yet 1:24 am and just emptiedall 4 drains for 2nd time. Very tired. CHeck back later

ChiSandy

Welcome home, Seedsally. Rest up and check back in when you feel up to it.

IllinoisLady

As you take a few minutes each day to quiet your mind, you will
discover a nice benefit: your everyday, "ordinary" life will begin to
seem far more extraordinary. Little things that previously went
unnoticed will begin to please you. You'll be more easily satisfied,
and happier all around. Rather than focusing on what's wrong with
your life, you'll find yourself thinking about and more fully enjoying
what's right with your life. The world won't change, but your
perception of it will. You'll start to notice the little acts of kindness
and caring from other people rather than the negativity and anger.

Jack Canfield

IllinoisLady

Good morning,

ChiSandy, I may have mentioned that Dh had gall bladder issues last summer ( probably close to this time of yr. too ) and the interesting thing is -- he complained of pain, not constant by any means, off and on for yrs. w/o any sort of diagnosis. Last yr. it was in fact consistent enough and problematic enough to require a hospital stay. He still has his GB though.

Seedsally, wow, I must have missed your post about going into surgery, but glad you are home and starting the process of recuperation. I didn't have to have drains for anything, nor did anyone I know personally, but it has always sounded difficult. You may be having naps for while to catch up on working toward getting more energy back and healing well. I'm praying for that with lots of healing energies on the side.

Jackie

Anneb1149

Mornin all,

Seedsally- like Jackie, I didn't know about the surgery, or more likely, knew about it, but forgot the date. I came home from the hospital with 3 drains. Three of my 5 children were there for the surgery- my oldest DD who is the best caretaker ever, and my two boys. When the nurse came in to empty the drains the first time, my youngest son asked if he could watch how it was done, my daughter moved out of sight. My son was not known for liking other people's bodily fluids. But he had started working in an ER while I was doing chemo. Nurse never had to empty drains again. I was in the hospital for two nights, mainly because Atlanta had shut down completely due to a snowstorm. No one, including staff could get home that night. The second night there was some discussion of who would go home, who would stay. Usually, my daughter would decide that because she's the oldest. Nope. Tim said over all the other voices " I came to be here for Mom's surgery, and I am not leaving. If anyone elsewants to stay with me, that's fine, but I am not leaving." He took care of me like he had been doing it for years. He emptied those drains and measured the amount of fluid like a pro. When they released me, he continued to take care of the drains for the rest of the week. He had to go home on Sat and my middle DD was flying in to be with me for a week while my other daughter returned to work. Tim waited till he knew Tracy's plane had landed and she had met up with her brother-in-law before he got into the car to drive back to FL. Nancy was still complaining about how disgusting the drains were, every time Tim emptied them . He wasn't leaving until he knew there was someone there to take over. By the middle of that week, Nancy made her husband learn how for when Tracy left, but at that point, I could do it myself. It was three weeks after surgery before the final drain was removed.

PS No one else had a problem with the drains. They all watched and waited to see how much fluid was in them each time. And, other than than the drains, my oldest took absolutely wonderful care of me.

Hope your recovery is problem free.

Anne

IllinoisLady

Anne, you have a new avatar:

Jackie

bonnets

Rita, the website I was talking about is the Gluten Free Digest. jean

bonnets

Went to a local, non-Chain supermarket. This time I hit the jackpot! They had 3 private bakeries that do gluten free! I got chocolate chip cookies, cranberry scones and s small frosted carrot cake! Had a cookie for lunch and am planning tea and scone this afternoon. Woohooo!

Anneb1149

Yes Jackie-I have a new avatar. The one I had was at least 7 yrs old and pre BC. I have had pure white hair since my thirties but had always colored it. When it came back after chemo, by the time there was enough to color, every one had gotten used to the white and encouraged me to leave it white. And while it initially did seem a little thicker at first, it soon went back to the awful thin fine hair I have always had. Except I think I have less of it. There is nothing I can do with it to make it look normal. With the wedding coming up, I found a new local wig store and this is the result.

Anne

IllinoisLady

Your right Anne --- my hair is thinner somewhat now too --- but it was always very thin and fine. I keep permanents in my hair and that keeps it looking much thicker. I never really tried it, because I got use to having SOME, though I won't say it is the greatest, style/thicker/curls sort of, no matter what, but was told as well that colored hair tended to SEEM thicker or LOOK thicker too. Late to test this theory out now with the wedding close but it may be something to ask of people/hairstylists some time in the future. Lots of people don't keep the pigment in their hair very long into adulthood. Knock on wood -- at 70 I don't have much gray hair at all and it seems by doing perms that what their is tends to now show even less since it winds into curls pretty much -- and is another reason that I keep on doing things as I have. Mind you --- if and when the gray hair comes to the degree that it does for most people --- I will learn to live with it I'm sure --- I've spent most of my life not being I don't think too vain at all, but I wouldn't be telling the truth if I didn't say that I'm happy to have so little gray right now. It keeps me from having to make any REAL special arrangement -- even if that arrangement only had to be semi-temporary.

Glad you found a local wig store -- I like it.

Jackie