MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

barsco1963

Oh mac.....tis the season for baked goodies isn't it? Those cupcakes are so cute - but not too cute to gobble up of course. Eat what you want, share some and of course if others "assume" that you were busy in the kitchen, then so be it.

I have been on a baking spree myself lately. No real reason for it other than it gives me something to do and I can't seem to pass up the delicious recipes that invade my face book feed. Thank goodness everything freezes well. I have shared some, baked some for a fundraiser, and bring out a little at a time for us at home. I never used to have such a sweet tooth. Not sure what happened.

elimar86861

Missingmercury, Rads are no fun, and I hope you get thru' those five weeks with minimal issues (most do, actually...but 1/3 get a bit more scorched than the rest.) If you don't have a long drive to and from your radiation, then it just kind of becomes that daily thing you do. Seriously, after the first week, the whole thing is de-mystified and it settles into a routine. Good Luck!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have been occupying myself with shopping, decorating, and enjoying the back home visit of my East Coast college son. The days have just flown by. We have a big roast lamb feast planned for tomorrow. We are kind of doing a Greek-style meal and I made the honey-walnut cookies yesterday that will be the dessert. Where's Momine, to suggest some traditional Greek side-dishes?

I applaud everyone for policing themselves well enough that the thread has not become a laundry list of Winter snowstorms. I applaud those who are policing their waistlines. Don't they say the holidays are like an automatic +5 lbs.? This past month, I lost a few pounds and I am not dieting so, of course, with the kind of history I have I was beginning to worry; but now I think just relax and let Christmas eating take its course. With the baked goods, pates, cheeses, nuts...it's the equivalent of eating a stick of butter daily. I'll be back to my fighting weight come Jan. 1st.

To all posting or just looking in, I wish you a Holiday Season jam-packed with joy, love, togetherness, and that greatest gift of all:Good Health!

MinusTwo

Eli - The new header picture & the stockings are wonderful. Thanks for posting.

Hope everyone has a peaceful & joyous holiday.

Eph3_12

Amen E Amen! Good Health to all my BCO sisters!

 

justamy

Merry Christmas ladies! Spending tomorrow with my husband and 2 kids (age 19 and 12) then off to my LAST chemo Friday. So glad that part is about over...surgery is up next...I think it will be BMX but have to talk to surgeon still.Hugs to all...Amy

Loral

I wish you all

Loretta

PoppyK

JustAmy, good luck on your last chemo. It truly is a fantastic feeling when that is complete.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Tomboy

For the first time in 15 years, just me and my man! I am so pleased about it, I plan on spoiling him terribly tomorrow, all day long! Hope everyone has a good holiday, and special thanks to elimar, for gathering all us together here, and maintaing our interest with your ever changing banner, and your well developed sense of humor! Hope everyones holiday, is all they wished for!

Momine

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates.

Eli, those cookies are so good! My daughter made some this year. Rule of thumb is that you can't have a proper Greek meal without a large salad or 2 or 3. Outside Greece, people always think of the tomato and feta salad as "Greek salad," but in actual Greece, salads are manifold and include both raw and cooked veggies.

For lamb, the classic is Greek-style oven-roasted potatoes with lemon, garlic oregano and olive oil. For a vegetable dish, I really like green beans in tomato-sauce, the way the Greeks do it.

Eph3_12

MERRY CHRISTMAS MIDDIES. HOPE YOUR DAY ROCKS!

barsco1963

Hope all of my middie friends are enjoying time with family and friends! Merry Christmas!!

Eli - Hopefully a bit of down time and Christmas goodies will pack those pounds back on.

Eph - I was watching TV last night when I saw the trailer for Into The Woods and it hit me that you and your DD were not going snow shoeing or hiking today (per your post the other day about going to Into the Woods), you were going to the movies! One of those light bulb moments on my part - lol 

Eph3_12

That's OK Barsco, I knew you were thinking along a different line & I did walk today, just not into the woods. But did see the movie. It is a musical so if that's not your thing, not sure you will like it. It is quite long too; if I had been editing, I think I could have taken out a half hour or so & tightened it up, but nobody asked me Otherwise, it was awesome acting & there is a scene with Chris Pine, as Cinderella's prince & another hottie that is Rapunzel's prince that is priceless, singing and all!

MinusTwo

Eph - thanks for the review of Into the Woods. I will go just to see the actors. I pretty much hit everything Meryl Streep does. However I have yet to find any local friends who want to join me.

elimar86861

justamy, Isn't it great to be shedding off your old "chemo year?" This time, after the "down days" of your chemo cycle, it will be nothing but UP, and it does not take long to feel the energy come back (although it does take a while to get to 100% again.) Congrats upon finishing!!! (I saw your new pic, so now we just have to wait and see what kind of hair grows in, eh?)

Tomboy, Because half the time I don't even know what I am seeing, I did not realize that your avatar was a painting. I thought photo. You must have worked from a photo. How else does one see their own back? What happened to that long hair? I gave mine to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths and it is surely a wig by now.

Momine, We got it mostly right: Potatoes as you described--check, green beans--check (but just plain,) some pilaf-like bulgur wheat (which would not send me to the ER like that quinoa!) and a pan of moussaka. Sorry, no horiatiki. Then, besides my honey-walnut delights, my husband wanted to try his hand at a figgy-pudding. Now, that may be English, but I think with it being FIGS, it could be served after a Greek-style meal, don't you? De-lish!

Sorry, if anyone has drool on their keyboard now. Ahahaha!

Now, some holiday miscellany: No Cheetos on the tree this year. In case any old-timers to this thread were wondering...Just didn't go orange this year. I spent $5 on Lottery Scratchers for stocking stuffers. We have 4 people, so the 5th went in my hound dogs stocking, even tho' we don't have her anymore but have to put up her stocking anyway, in memory. Well, the "ghost" of my hound dog won $10. I did two returns the day after Xmas, and no waiting at the return counters. Incredible!!! Just threw that in because my competitive nature is saying: Top THAT!

Feeling good, and bracing myself for 2015. Bring it!

Momine

Eli, sounds like a great meal.

Tomboy

my hair was so damaged from sun, sawdust, sheet rock powder, paint, etc, i just let the birds have it for their nests! I cant afford models, I paint from my own photos. I asked my man to take some of me.

Momine

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

PoppyK

Happy New Year!

mel147

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2015!!!

carollynn79

Wishing all a Happy Healthy New Year, have not been on much but doing very well.  We were blessed with a beautiful grand daughter this year, pretty far away but have gotten to see her a few times with more scheduled!  Had a very healthy year, no lumps, growths etc so feeling very blessed! The garden did great with much canned goods in our pantry.  We sold produce, jams, baked goods and wood projects at the local farm market and really enjoyed it. Lost 12 pounds in 2014 and hoping for 15 more this year! 

Loral

barsco1963

Happy New Year to all my middie friends! Wishing you all good health, much love and happiness for 2015.

DH and I actually went out last night - took DS and his girlfriend for dinner. We were home and in jammies by 6:30 but we actually did something! Caught a nap between 10:00 and 11:30 and was awake for the countdown at midnight. Ahhh the life of a tired old gal

Jeeper4

Happy New Year to everyone. I'm 51 and recently diagnosed. Horrible time for this to come upon me. Kid 3 is graduating high school in June, kid 1 is graduating college in May, kid 2 is dissatisfied with his college choice so is doing the admissions/transfer process all over again. They have been a great support here in these early days. I am most concerned about kid4, my bonus baby, who is 10. I have not told him anything yet as I am still waiting for final pathology and mri report. I hate hate hate that he is going to have to deal with this. We are very close and he is very sensitive. I know in the end we will all just have to deal with this the best we can. I've been so worried about all the possible outcomes I might hear about me at my next drs appt and today it just kinda hit me in the face about how much my dx will affect those around me.

elimar86861

Jeeper 4, I had a H.S. senior (also college-age son) the year of my Dx. They were not too panicked (they said) because my Dx had a fairly good prognosis. Their school years went on normally and I was thankful for that. Hope your BC is early stage and you can banish it with surgery/treatment. No tips for going thru' it with a 10 year old...probably just keep the info. basic and unalarming, and answer his questions honestly as they come up. Good Luck!

----------------------------------------------

Best of Happiness & Health to All...

justamy

Hi Jeeper. So sorry you have to join this club. I know it is so hard in the beginning. Everything coming at you at once. You will make it. Just hold on.I am 42 and was diagnosed in July. I had a daughter who just graduated high school and a 12 year old son. I was very concerned for my son as he too is very sensitive. To my surprise, he has flourished in school this year and been OK in general. I've told him all of it and he has seen me go through my best and worst days of chemo. I say all this to say that maybe your son will surprise you. Praying that all goes well for you. Hugs Amy

PoppyK

Hi Jeeper, Welcome to this group. Everyone here is so helpful and supportive.

I was diagnosed at 49, am married and have sons aged 17, 15 and 12. I think this entire thing has been hardest on me... since we women are the care takers of the family. We put everyone's needs first... and with cancer we have to take care of ourselves. My just turned 12 year old has handled everything fine. At his age, he doesn't have a lot of knowledge of or information about the scary side of cancer. I've been straight forward and honest with my kids, while trying to keep their lives as normal as possible. Keep it simple, but don't lie to them. They need to be confident that you are telling the truth, or they will worry and wonder what is really going on. You want them to trust you.

That's my advice. I've been through surgery, chemo and the recoveries that go along with that. I started radiation this week. My kids have surprised me. I thought my looking sick, losing my hair and so on would really effect them. Not so much. My oldest, a high school senior, had to apply for colleges with his dad's help instead of mine. Science projects were done with out me (I am a scientist). I couldn't chaperone and volunteer for all the school events, such as my middle son's marching band. All of these things were harder on me than on my kids.

Let me know if I can help you in any way. Please update us on what your learn! If you make your diagnosis and treatments "public", we here on the boards can better address your situation.

Poppy

Eph3_12

Jeeper, so sorry 2015 is starting this way for you. My daughter was a freshman in HS when I got my diagnosis. On the whole, she did just fine. As others have said, keep it simple & honest with your bonus baby. Let us know what you find out about your diagnosis so we can help if possible.

barsco1963

Welcome Jeeper - sorry that you are here. You will surely find the support and encouragement you need here. Lots of women who have "been there, done that" and always here for each other no matter what. Keep us posted on how you are doing both mentally and physically. If you have a question, ask it. If you have any news to share (good or bad), share it. If you need to cry, there is always a shoulder (or two or twenty) to lean on. If you need to vent, we are all ears! No judgement - only understanding.

 

Deborah2012

Hello Jeeper,

So sorry to hear your lousy news. To echo others, this is a very safe place. When you have your diagnosis more precisely defined, you may want to re-post. There are threads throughout BCO that have groups of women that will have the same diagnosis as you and are facing the same treatments simultaneously. For example, someone may have begun a calling all Rads in January 2015, or Waiting for a mastectomy in February 2015. This 40- 60 ish thread is very welcoming and the ladies share numerous things beyond breast cancer as well. They have terrific senses of humor that we middies appreciate. We're here for you any time.

Loral

I just received this in an email....

Breast cancer can remain dormant in non-breast tissues for decades before returning as stage IV disease. Perhaps surprisingly, the most aggressive forms of breast cancer (triple negative, inflammatory, HER2+) are less likely to recur than hormone receptor positive (ER+/PR+) disease after the first five years. The switch from a dormant to a proliferative state is not well understood. Now Princeton researchers have devised a computational model that appears to explain tumor dormancy. Their model assumes a natural contest between tumor promoting and tumor suppressing factors in the cancer cell or microtumor microenvironment. This competition results in a stalemate for a time in which the cancer either eventually wins or is eradicated. The model also predicts that if the number of actively dividing cells within the proliferative edge of a microtumor reaches a critical (but still relatively low) level, the dormant tumor has a high likelihood of resuming rapid growth. The implication is that cancer-promoting diet, lifestyle, and environmental exposures can play a role in triggering the switch that leads to metastasis and vice versa.