For Older People with Sense

barbe1958

I LOVE the surgeon who is going to take out my thyroid!!! He was WONDERFUL!!! Was VERY concerned about my Fibromyalgia so I know I will be well-medicated!! He is also going to check out my para-thyroid glands, thank God!!! I will be in 2-4 days so it won't be until the new year. He is off anyways. He even had my DH touch the mass so he could feel it too!! I will definitely be going on thyroid medicaiton FINALLY!!! Probably Synthroid. Maybe then I'll finally be able to lose some weight.

Thank God!!! I will be able to make it a couple more weeks, I can still breathe through the passage that is still open. He can see it is bulging over towards my breathing parts. He was just so gentle and kind. He touched me a number of times and I really believe in the "hands on" approach. I trust him now. My DH was impressed too!! He is a thyroid cancer specialist even though my mass is presently classified as benign. He will make sure there is no cancer lurking within the mass. What a relief!!

I think knees should ALWAYS be done together but I don't think they allow that in Canada yet. Why not??? Makes perfect sense!! One surgery, one recovery! Keep that date, Chrissy!

Kaara

Lulabee...saying prayers for you!

Barbe1958:  Good that you have someone that you can trust and feel confident about.  Soon you will have that thing out and replaced by thyroid meds that will make you feel much better.  I'm now on synthroid, but my new integrative doctor said he prefers the natural thyroid hormone...I think it's called naturepath or something like that. 

barbe1958

Kaara, our bodies run on chemicals and electrical impulses. I just can't take a chance that a natural replacement would give me the strength I would need with NO thryoid anymore.

QCA

Welcome to Peggy and Macatacmv (who I'll probably call Mac!).  This is a wonderful thread to get and give support, and you'll like it here.

Glad your house is looking a little Christmasy, Isabella.  We didn't decorate a lot this year (just the tree and a few other things) since we didn't want to be constantly on GS about touching and holding things.  I could now, I suppose, since he won't be here again until Christmas day, but then I'd have to take it all down, now wouldn't I?  I shall leave well enough alone!

Chrissy, I'm glad you've got a date set, even if it is a good while away.  From what I understand, going private would be nevertheless faster, and honestly, as I've gotten older time seems to pass more and more quickly!  Why is that?

Barbe, it's great that you like your surgeon!   Having a doctor who sincerely cares about you and takes time with you makes so much difference, doesn't it?

Kathy

lassie11

Barbe - a friend of mine had both knees replaced at the same time in Canada several years ago.

Elisimo

Chrissy - so glad to hear about the new grand neice and that you got to hold her so soon after she was born.  They are so special when they are so new.  Love the smell of a new baby.  Glad too that you are finally going to get those knees taken care of.  Maybe when I see you again your knees will really look like knees ;-)  Love, hugs and lots of merry cheery wishes to you.  Missing you.

Mac and Peggy - welcome to our little island of love and support.  Peggy, I am a tea drinker too!  We are always here to provide love and support whenever you need us and any other time we are hear just to listen, chat and share life.

Isabella - hope all gets sorted out with DD before Christmas.  You two really do have a roller coaster relationship.  At least SIL is concerned enought about the business to take her to accounts for her treatment to you.

Barbe - glad you found a surgeon that you really like to take care of your thyroid. 

Anonymous

Barbe, Is it ablation?  Chrissy, you will be so happy with your new knees....I was really happy when the othopedic doc said mine is still doing fine and pain is actually from a nerve that is being compressed in my back.   Amy Jo, I am hoping all your reports are great and hope you and Jimmy have a wonderful Xmas, just the two of you.   It seems a lot of people actually have mac and cheese at Xmas and Thanksgiving these days....think it started as a southern thing....sounds pretty good to me.  I have given no thought to Xmas dinner.....we have a honey baked ham that was sent to us and I am thinking maybe just some scalloped potatos and green beans will do us.  I have been too  busy with baking and office parties and upcoming trip to MI that I have not worried about dinner.  I hope everyone's surgeries and scans go well.  Allyson,  hope the PT gets the shoulder back in shape.  Kitchenella, Do you enjoy being in the kitchen....it's my favorite place in the house. Barb, I am sure you look just fine.....I was up another two lbs when I got weighed today and to tell you truth as long as I have clothes I can fit into, I am not going to worry about it.  The nurse was telling me today after I was telling her my story, that she is amazed I do not have lymphedema after having had 19 lymph nodes removed.....yeh, but I do have a big pouch under my arm.    

I am posting pics from the two offices I work with....one was more formal , the other casual. 

dragonflymary

Marybe you look lovely!  Welcome to the new people and sorry you have to be here.  Any support or information you need you can probably find it here.  

Took my GS and GD to the Muppet movie today.  It was really great and I do recommend it!  Plenty of things to keep adults laughing and the kids loved it.

DH out of sorts with his bladder infection and I'm really worried about him.  When he acts sick he usually is.  Just hoping it's not in his kidneys.  Oh well, his current biopsies are all negative so that's reassuring.  But I'm a nurse and I always go to worst case scenario (lymphoma? pyelonephritis?  prostate cancer?)  Just hoping he's okay.  

Love and chocolate to all,

Dragon 

chrissyb

I have told you about our new bub but I have failed to show you so here is a pic taken about 6 hours after birth.

I spoke to my sister earlier today to get a progress report on my niece and grand niece and I'm happy to report all is going well.  Niece is recovering nicely and baby is settling well.  It sounds like they will both be home for Christmas.

Be back later tio finish posting.

Love n hugs.   Chrissy

Valjean

So, so beautiful, Chrissy. I don't think I have congratulated you for the newest addition to your family. Beautiful......

Kitchenella

Marybe yes I do like being in the kitchen  However coming up with the menu's seems to be a chore. I do love the internet for searching for recipe ideas..

I had 30 nodes removed and so far so good re: lymphoedema. I'm trying hard to do my exercises regularly and feel some progress.  I've found that putting one of those bean bag microwaveable heating pads under my arm for a few minutes before exercise helps.

Peggy 

3jaysmom

welcome to the new ladies.. sorry, if i go back, i'll lose this.. its mac, and kitchenella: i HOPE!!!

   chrissy, the bub is gorgeous!!!

  Isabella, Santa came today, and sent me a wonderful CD : will you thank him for me??

  and Dragon: we have dueling dxs here, right now, so i know the worry, and the "snappiness." to do a little more, the prednisone they have me on, now, has me crying one minute, yelling the next.. makes isabellas DD look like a pansy... seriously, though, im glad your SIL is getting it sorted!!

 maybe, if we don't kill each other, we'll have the decorating done tommorrow. ive sent a lot to goodwill.. im too old, too sick, and too grouchy to do all of it another year!!!!always have real poinsettas, and a bunch of pink ones fake round here for the holidays.. i never noticed how much pink i have t christmas.. the only time i use it. i try for the "victorian" lookk.. hah........3jays

barbe1958

Marybe, not ablation. The whole thyroid with the mass has to come out.

Hugs to all the decoration strugglers....I just had DH put up a strip of lights around the sliding door to the deck. I wanted the 'real' ones, but he got the LCD ones. I HATE LCD ones as they seem to TAKE light, not GIVE light. Oh well, I have Christmas lights!! Funny that I felt the need to arrange the bag/stockings around the door. Treating the door like a tree! heheehehehehehe

BarbaraA

((Barbe)) So glad you like him. Here's praying for a complete recovery and finally peace for you!

Isabella4

chrissy..what a lovely baby...you get to get THE SMELL right now....lucky you I just love new baby smell.

Isabella.

3jaysmom

eww..there's nothing like the SMELL of a new baby!!!{hugs}}3jays

chrissyb

To all, I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Hannuka!  May the joy of life and love be shared with many.

Love n hugs.  Chrissy

Kaara

Same to you chrissyb and to everyone else as well!

Elisimo

Chrissy - the baby is so precious!  I know you will be giving her lots of kisses as often as you can.

Hope everyone has a joyous holiday season with family and friends all around. 

dragonflymary

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah to all.  Finally got all the cookin' done and now we can relax. DH got a new antibiotic and he's happier than he was for a few days there.

Chrissy, the baby is beautiful!  Wish my grands were still babies and I could have that fun again!

Glad to be alive for yet another year.  Last year was a lot harder; now things are calming down. This is the new normal they speak about I guess.  

Hope everyone has a great holiday and a great New Year's.  I'm so looking forward to Sunday as I DON'T have to COOK!  This is the first time in at least 20 years that I haven't cooked on Christmas and even if she serves hot dogs it will taste fabulous!

Love, peace and health to all.

Dragon 

QCA

Dragon, so glad the antibiotic is helping your DH!

And Chrissy, what a beautiful baby!

Kathy

Kaara

Happy Holidays everyone!!  Let the festivities begin!

 I've got a busy morning, making vegetable lasagna and corn pudding for the dinner at DD's tomorrow.  She must be mellowing in her old age because she usually has to maintain control of all the food, but this year she said I could make and bring some things for which I am grateful, because it doesn't seem like Christmas unless I'm cooking!

Later we will go to church and then have a nice dinner somewhere.  Hoping that my DS will join us, but it depends on whether he gets a better offer...like from one of his lady friends!

Enjoy your day everyone! 

lulubee

Merry Christmas, everyone!  All the presents are wrapped and ready, all the errands are run -- hallelujah for that!  

My two daughters and I cooked all day yesterday and we're about to get back at it again to finish everything up for tomorrow.  Salmon on pumpernickel bagels this morning, tortilla soup and tamales this afternoon, It's A Wonderful Life after lunch, church tonight... and then Santa Claus!

I send warm, twinkly thoughts to all of you -- as Dragon said, it's great to be alive for another Christmas.  Today, I will just rejoice, and that's all. 

SoCalLisa

Alyson

It's Christmas morning here and feel so blessed because it is five years since dx. Had a wonderful night with family, good food and so much fun. That is what Christmas is all about - love.

Today will be more stressful but we will deal with that as it comes. Lunch at my sister in laws- she has always been a thorn in my side since I started going out with Dh and that is a long time as we will have been married 40 years next year. I really miss her husband as he was a real honey and we would hide in the kitchen at similar family functions having fun as the 'outlaws'. So between my sister and his sister life can be fun at times.

Still have some bonbons to wrap for church and a fruit salad to do do but that will be after church. DD1 is singing this morning so that will please her Grandma, who we have just taken breakfast in bed. That was to keep her out of the kitchen and continually asking what she can do.

May all share the blessings of this time.

Isabella4

Happy Christmas Alyson.....I thought it would be about Christmas Day with you.

Hope you have a lovely day , do you get to see Bea and Sam ?? hope so.

I also had a BIL...well, he's still alive, we just don't see each other anymore ! We used to call ourselves the outlaws...at all family gatherings we would retire to the kitchen, or sit on the stairs moaning about this family we were both married into !! New Years Eve was the worst for us...both of us hated all the kissin' and silliness, so we would hide out anywhere we could get to avoid the stupidity !! ( my parents -in-law had a pub and it was chaotic New Years Eve !) Just hundreds of family and total strangers grabbing hold of one another...  uuurrgghh !

Enjoy the rest of your Christmas...it's 7.30 in the evening here...so we don't have long to go now .

Isabella.

QCA

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone here!  I treasure each one of you.

Kathy

dragonfrog1951

Hi, I just found this neat new thread and I can really relate to it. I am 60 years old so I think I qualify as "older" though in my mind I am still 24! More sense? I guess that is true about many things. As I get older a lot of things are just not that big a deal. I feel I know better what is important in life. To my surprise I was diagnosed with grade 3 IDC on November 16. I had my lumpectomy & SNB last Monday, the 19th of December, now I am playing the waiting game like many of you. Wednesday the 28th I will get my pathology report. I am recovering well but I am tired and jittery. I am forgetting things and making mistakes. I think because it is so much to process at once. I am so happy to be here in a place of peace. Thanks for letting me ramble on. Merry Christmas to all of you! Mary:)

Leah_S

Welcome to our little group, Mary! Yes, you qualify on the "more sense" - you had enough sense to join us, didn't you?

Merry Christmas to all my dear friends here. Enjoy your wonderful celebrations. And Happy Chanukah to those celebrating with me!

We have a very special celebration in my family tomorrow even though Christmas is not our holiday. It is my parents' anniversary and tomorrow is 65 years!

Barbe, I'm glad to hear you have such a kind, compassionate doc for your thyroid problem. I hope the surgery goes smoothly and your recovery is uneventful. Do you have a surgery date yet?

Alyson, I'm waiting with you on the skin stuff - I had something removed from my face a couple of weeks ago and they said biopsy would take 3-4 weeks. Yeah, I thought that was a bit much, too, but there's nothing I can do about it.

We went to my daughter's for a Chanukah party this evening. I brought doughnuts I had made (traditional Chanukah food is fried things since the miracle was with oil) since I knew the grandkids would really like them. It felt a little strange - it turned out she'd asked my other daughter to do cookies and asked her husband's grandmother for a couple of quiches but she didn't ask me to do anything. She knows the Femara knocks out my stamina and I think she's afraid to ask me to do things she once would have asked.

Leah

Isabella4

Hi Mary, and welcome to our corner of the world.

Sorry you find yourself here, but we are all in this thing together, some as recent as yourself, some a few years out. You'll find someone or other here who will be able to give you good information and advice. The waiting is the absolute worst thing, whatever the result we all go thru' this awful fear. Good luck to you with your path. report, you don't have too long to wait now, just try and put it to one side and TRY and enjoy the festive season....I know...easier said than done.

Have you got a good support system ?? If so, lean on then for the next few weeks whilst your treatment path is decided, you'll feel so much better when you have direction, and feel you are starting to take back your life.

Just got in from a Christmas Eve meal out. I am stuffed....diet starting very soon ! I have settled down with a large white wine and lemonade, and am hitting the sales on my pc. just about everything starts either tonight or tomorrow afternoon...well, all the sites I like do !

For once I am in control of Christmas. Everything has been parcelled up, and pushed into my car earlier this evening....just some food to pile in from the freezer as I set off. My clothes are all laid out ready, shoes ready to step into as I go out the door...what could happen ???? Anything at all at my house !! I have a little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel looking as if she could go 'pop' at any moment, but she won't stop me, I shall put her in the car with me, and borrow a cage at DDs to keep her near me. Ever the provider of entertainment for the family.....I've been to family weddings, funerals and various gatherings with sick lambs rolling about in the back of my car in nappies (diapers) and needing to be fed every 2 hour puppies...dogs having puppies...dying cats.. I just pile them in and DD and I take turns to bob in and out of whatever ceremony we are supposed to be at and sort them out !! My younger brother got married about 25 or so years ago, I had a quite ill lamb in tow...I just couldn't leave it, and I wasn't about to miss my brother getting married....trouble was word got round the guests, and there were a lot of them, and they kept tramping out into the carpark to see how the lamb was doing ( I was just praying it wouldn't die on me, there would have been uproar !!) My brothers new wife was quite mad that day as the attention was more on what was in my car than her. My brother told me off a few days later, suppose he'd had a rocket up his behind from his new wife...but... I live that way, if they don't like it, don't invite me !!!

I think now tho' I have cooled off a lot...I don't have as many animals to look after to start with nowadays, and there don't seem to be nowhere near as many family do's....well they DO happen, but since bc no-one seems to be able to pick up the 'phone and ask me along !!! The 'phone calls, and the birthday and Christmas cards, stopped over 8 years ago, when I let my brothers and my sister know I had bc, for all the rest of my family know I could be dead and buried. I keep my eye on their goings on on FB !!

I made my peace with DD, she grudgingly apologised, I WAS going to do the grovelling, but she got her apology in first ( and so she should have, little monkey !) and we are all systems go for tomorrow. She is partying tonight, full of her outfit, and her new hairdo, so I just hope she gets into gear to be able to cook in the morning, I shall go fashionably late so's not to become involved in the cooking !! She  has gone out and bought me a footstool, as I always sit with one here to ease my back, and so I might get the best 'granny' seat tomorrow....can't really cope with being bumped around sharing sofa's with the kids ! My beloved granny always used to sit on the best chair in the house at Christmas, and direct proceedings....so looks like I have got 'elderly relative' status now !!!!!

Isabella.