MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

3rdtimenow

I agree Ncollette, dark chocolate is actually good for us now, who knows about next week? LOL. Last week we could only have 1500 milligrams of salt this week we can have twice that. Who can keep up?

elimar86861

The debates on alcohol, diet and "lifestyle" habits will rage on.  The studies do conflict many times.   A few years ago, a glass of red wine was supposed to be a benefit if you were going thru' radiation.  Whatever the benefits of wine, what amount is "good" and what amount is excess?  That quantity has been revised several times in the five years that I have been paying attention.

As far as the danger of estrogen production from body fat, I do believe that.  However, if I have ten pounds around my middle am I making enough estrogen to cause trouble, or at what point does that become an issue?  Fifty pounds?  I just cannot remember hearing about the quantity of poundage that is "too much."  I'm thin, but I've got some belly fat.  What is my risk?

Drinking means very little to me. I could easily give up all alcohol.
Emphasis on the easily. When something comes easy, we are more likely
to do it. When something is hard, that is when the challenge begins. I have a sweet tooth. I bet I could lose my belly fat if I gave it up. Instead, I find all sorts of reasons not to.

If you have excess in your lives, ask yourself if you truly like the
excess or is it just coming from habit or addiction? In my experience,
I've done things I didn't even like out of habit. In my experience,
that is often the case. Pull back the curtain of rationalization and
see if there is a nasty little wizard of habit lurking there.

Risk-wise, it comes 'round to what I think of as Cancer Accounting.  You have two columns, things plus and minus regarding risk of cancer.  Everyone has factors in each column.  Hopefully, if we have enough in our plus column, a few in the minus column won't matter; but the fact is that some factors outweigh others.  We can only guess at our Balance.  This is why we will continue to see women who drink get BC and women who don't drink get BC.  Women, who seemingly do everything "right" still get BC; but obviously they had something very weighty (like genetics) in the plus column.  If we knew how to do the math of all the factors in our lives, we could make sense of it.  We don't even know all the factors; and the world we live in right now is one where cancer facts and cancer myths are inextricably tangled.

(Now that was surely a nickel's worth!)

elimar86861

So, let the behavioral controversies rage...we've got a thread birthday to celebrate!

                                                   

ncollett

Woo hoo Happy Birthday!!

glennie19

jbokland:  agree that it is interesting that the emotional part is first on the list.  And reducing stress,, oh boy,,, I wish I could do that right now. Have tons. *sigh*

At least I'm eating better!! and trying to get more exercise.

glennie19

Risk-wise, it comes 'round to what I think of as Cancer Accounting. You have two columns, things plus and minus regarding risk of cancer. Everyone has factors in each column. Hopefully, if we have enough in our plus column, a few in the minus column won't matter; but the fact is that some factors outweigh others. We can only guess at our Balance. This is why we will continue to see women who drink get BC and women who don't drink get BC. Women, who seemingly do everything "right" still get BC; but obviously they had something very weighty (like genetics) in the plus column. If we knew how to do the math of all the factors in our lives, we could make sense of it. We don't even know all the factors; and the world we live in right now is one where cancer facts and cancer myths are inextricably tangled.

Well-said!!!  

And Happy Birthday to the thread!!  Party ON!  Bring the chocolate and the red wine!!

elimar86861

Ah, yes, I remember Aug. 22, 2009 like it was yesterday.  I had been thru' a run-of-the-mill lumpectomy, a not so run-of-the-mill failed mammosite placement, and was poised to begin my 6 weeks of external radiation.  The horror!   By the time this thread began, I had already conceded that I would do rads and Tamox., based on evidence I had dug up on the internet and because I was too scared not to.

Here I am today...pain in the rads breast at times, when the other has none; eleven new scars (majority from CRC included.)  Still, I am alive.  I am thankful.  I still hate all the barbaric treatment that accompanies this disease.  There is no amount of chemo brain that will cause me to forget that.

Here I am today...with some great women I would not have met otherwise; also happy that some have moved on and distraught that some have fallen, claimed by BC at obscenely young ages.  All helped me immensely as I dealt with cancer (twice.)

I was forced to learn so much about it when I got this disease, it seemed only natural that I should stick around and share all the newfound knowledge, that maybe I would have something to say that could stop another newly diagnosed woman's head from spinning as much as mine did.  I'm pretty sure that was accomplished a time or two.

Here I am today...finally tired about talking about cancer. 

                                        

Not like me to just disappear, to just slink off, but rather to move on in style.  Get on my gator-cart and ride, so to speak.

glennie19

Love that gator cart.  That is hysterical.

elimar86861

That comment would be better if you had an umbrella drink in your hand.  Virgin or spiked, you decide.

                                       

                                                     

I'm a terrible party planner, having forgotten to remind everyone that the thread birthday was coming up, but I hope most of you can muster a little last minute festivity.

elimar86861

It's a work day for Eph, but she better put in a good showing today because she knew this day was coming (and was hoping we could get to 1,000 pages.)  That was a tall order, Eph, but as long as there is BC and Middle-aged women with something to say, it won't be too long before that mark is hit and surpassed.  Real women with real stories.  Add in a little Mid-Age crazy and voila!   A giant thread, of course!

elimar86861

Enjoy the cocktails.  The kitchen help is still working on the food.  It'll be out by lunchtime.

elimar86861

Don't forget to get your party dresses on.  

Hope no one else was planning to wear chocolate.

barbe1958

Looks like her right breast is drooping! LOL

As for the "chefs" - a little more cock and a little less tail, please!

VERY good point about habit. My DH and I drank every single day from the day we met 21 years ago (met in a bar, no less!). So when I decided "we" were going to stop there was a little bugger in my brain wondering...what if? What if one of us NEEDED to drink? But it didn't turn out that way. We both stopped cold-turkey two nights before my surgery and haven't looked back. So OBVIOUSLY it was just a habit. We would put down a magnum of wine EVERY night. Over the years we drank Scotch as well.....crap, what we spent in booze!!! We figured at LEAST $600 a month. Thank goodness neither of us smoked! What a vice-bill that would have been.

So, my point is, do pull back that curtain. That drink you think you need, may just be a ritual, signalling the end of your work day, or the beginning of the weekend, or a sale, or a bad day, whatever. 

elimar86861

LOL!  Right side meltdown!

Those cooks are the morning crew.  If anyone knows of some good "help" for our day-long soiree, make sure they show up to do our biddings.  These did whip up a nice brunch buffet, tho'...

glennie19

That is a lovely buffet!!  **grabs a plate**

3littlebirds

Looks to me like the woman in the chocolate dress might want to discuss a revision with her PS. We're going for symmetry here:)

I feel my occasional glass of wine at the end of the day is my reward when my work is done and I can relax. For my sister, it was a cup of herbal tea. We all have our little rituals that give us pleasure and add to our emotional well-being. I think that's the number one item in the "positive" column!

Happy birthday to the thread!

elimar86861

That's where it gets tricky 3LB.  IF something (let's say any amount of wine) was to up the risk of BC, then it goes in the plus column; but if it gives a bit of well being and/or reduces stress, then it may well go in the minus column also.  We can hardly decipher how it all balances out.  

My mom said smoking took away her stress.  She said this as friends dropped dead from heart attacks in middle age and she kept on smoking for about 60 years total til she died of lung cancer.  Again the balance sheet...Why do some get LC after smoking 10-15 years, and there's my mom puffing away for 60?  To look at her and her average lifestyle, you would have no clue that she must have had something in her plus column.  She lived into her 80's and, given her propensity to smoke, astounded more than one doctor.

When people defy the odds, there is something at work that we just don't have a clue about.  A balance, whether apparent or not.

elimar86861

                                

elimar86861

                                       

Eph3_12

Actually this is my week for Friday OFF!  So I slept in (some)..Here I am.  Where's breakfast???  Antonio & I are hungry,

He needs more than a bagel.  Since I have claimed him now that he & Melanie are split, he needs some energy!

Eph3_12

Once breakfast is over, I need to run some errands, but 1st, I need to take a nap.

 Back later!

elimar86861

I will say this:  Eph has been true to Antonio for the whole five years now.  I hope he appreciates that!

Tomboy

oh elimar! please do not go away anytime soon! you KNOW yours is the first thread i visit each day, happy happy happy birthday to you! i am gonna go and look for some presents for you!

ncollett

Ok then we are gonna need some Luke Bryan to sing for us after we eat lunch and get us ready for his concert here in Indy next Fri night!! Can't wait! and then....

Some hot firemen to help put out the fire from Luke Bryan ( he he lol)

KLJ

Nice pictures ncollett! Made my day. Have fun at the concert. I would love to see him live but I'm to old to be in those young rowdy crowds. I would gladly sign up for a nice small venue

 

lovewins

This is the first thread  read as well...you ladies really make my day.

Eph3_12

Hey George wants to take us waterskiing this afternoon.  I'm in (virtually of course.  IRL I was never able to master it)

elimar86861

kathec, Not my birthday. This thread is five years old
today!  I've been an unaging little pink dog all this time.

heartnsoul76

Happy Birthday dear thread, Happy Birthday dear thread. Happy Birthday dear thread, Happy Birthday dear thread! (hope you gals were singing, not reading!)

You know some guy made a lot of money off of that silly jingle!

elimar86861

Oh!  Looks like George was idling up in the boat when I made that last post.  

Gotta have a cake to go along with all that singing...

                                     

Don't know how edible that sheet frosting is, but it looks cute.