The Hermit Club

magdalene51

Bippy, no need for embarrassment here. I didn't have that problem, but I will say that the steroids mess with my bladder. I can't hold my pee, and get no warning that it's time, so I would stand up and it would let go. Now I wear a diaper the day before until a day after. As much as I hate having to, it does make it easier when I can't hold it.

Monis

Phew!  Always exhausted by the end of the week.  I need the weekend to catch up on all the sleep I didn't get during the week.  I just read somewhere that if you don't get more than 5-6 hours of sleep a night that you're 30% more likely to gain weight.  Maybe that's part of my problem!  Now, not only do I have to lay off of the sweets and carbs, stop drinking so much wine, and exercise more, I have to sleep too!  That's just asking too much.  

Will be going to my son's house warming party he's throwing on Sunday.  He came over for dinner tonight to say hi to his folks.  Probably doesn't have any food at home for dinner!  This is the last weekend and the last days of summer!  It will be a nice warm one here.  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Bippy625

Teka, hahaha, i will have to google that, is it real?  Well, it oughta have a name. 

Mags, thanks for sharing, it helps me to know that I am not the only one although our problems were different. i am sure that was no fun. My hubby joked about me getting some Depends, and frankly I gave it serious consideration.

Monis, i was a nightly drinker before dx, but stopping really helped my sleep,and have lost some weight. will have only an occasional red organic wine now, one every 2 weeks.  It just does not appeal to me now.  Yes, carbs is all i can tolerate after chemo for 10 days, hello carb face bloat!  Sighs. I was totally sedentary till dx, now we walk every night and that really helps with fatigue, sleep, stress.

I slept well and feel good right now will enjoy it....may shop a tad at the mall, looking for a soft, thin cashmere hat to sleep in.  

will be in Hermit mode soon though, so see you all here!

Jazzygirl

Good morning hermits- I am gearing up to head north and may pop in over the weekend but going to try to stay off technology and enjoy my time away. Wishing you all a good weekend here!

I have always been one to loves to sleep and my mother used to say I was a "good sleeper" as a younger person. However, in midlife that changed with job stress, family stress, etc. I will say during periods of high stress when I was not sleeping as well, this is when the weight started creeping on (the weight I am trying to loose now via working with the personal trainer). I learned awhile back that lack of sleep and/or stress creates a hormone called cortosol which puts weight on your torso (that is where mine is mostly too). So I really think to keep a good weight, you have to a) eat properly b) exercise enough and c) get enough sleep. 

Someone on another thread here made a recommendation to me that I have been doing about what to eat when during the day. She said she would not eat any of the processed heavier carbs (meaning things like bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, etc.) after 2 p.m. each day. Better to eat these things earlier in the day when you have the whole day to burn them off. She lost 17 pound by just changing what she ate when.

I heard the trainer guy from The Biggest Looser on Rachel Ray this week too saying the same thing. He said in the fall, everyone loves to eat the fall harvest items like sweet potatoes and even squash! He said better to eat those earlier in the day too, as they are very carby. He said that loosing weight is 80% diet and 20% exercise, but that most people are not eating the right foods at the right time of day. This is where that expression eat like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch and a pauper for dinner. I often just have a salad with some protein for dinner. If I go out for dinner, I try to eat some lean protein and veggies. 

I did try the not eating the heavier carbs after 2 p.m. and saw weight coming off almost immediately.

Hope everyone here with the SEs feelings better and enjoys the remains of summer. Fall on the horizon now, my favorite season!

Teka

*Good Morning Hermits*

Bippy, yes!

Mags, I dumped pee and poop!

Monis, how will we ever diet through the holidays?   Enjoy the party!

Jazzy, daughter joined us for lunch then helped me to choose a lovely pair of rose colored eyeglass frames.   Enjoy your trip!

SallyS70

Monis, I think I need a hammock like the kitty.  Hammocks seem like the height of relaxation.

Bippy, hope you find a hat.  When I go to the mall or Walmart I feel like I have done some exercise.  

I need to go to Walmart today for plain Greek yogurt and frozen blueberries to use as a protein based breakfast.  Jazzy, thanks for sharing about carbs after 2 p.m.  I actually like the idea of having the more carb heavy meal at noon but will need to stop the carby midafternoon snack.  I like having a healthy new weight loss approach to try.  I get my new walking exercise DVD today.  Hopefully, more exercise and a change in carb eating will jog a few pounds loose.

Jazzy, I hope you are enjoying your week end away.

Teka, your rose colored glass frames sound lovely.  

camillegal

Oh I'm so sorry, I'm so behind---Welcome to the newbie this is a super group even if u'r not a full time hermit, it's great.

Jazzy u'r really getting all over the place, and I hope u land exactly where u want to be.

Hi teka

Mags that was so thoughtful of u'r friend and u look great.

Bippy I wear Depends almost all the time, it's gotten to the point I don't even get embarrassed anymore. Tht's terrible of me but after all these years and 100 tests tha's the way it goes.

Hoping everyone has a great weekend. I'm trying to.

Teka

Cami, enjoying the weekend with Joey?

Bippy625

jazzy, good info on carbs!  

Cassie, congrats on your daughter!  So nice to look forward to with the holidays, and to focus on good things.

Sally, looking online, zippo here in stores so far as to hats i want. Sierra trading has some inexpensive ones i am perusing...

Hi Cami! 

Going for dreaded neublasta at 8:30, insert bitchin and moaning here...i woke up tired, even though i slept well and all night. 

 Feelin mentally down, getting some pro help in October to help deal.  Till then, i will let my hermit flag fly!

Jazzygirl

Greetings from Taos, my hermit friends. I am on my way out for the day, but wanted to share this pretty patio with you where I had lunch yesterday. At my fav restaurant here.

Oh and I just found out my sister and crew are descending on me for Thankgiving. They have never come to NM for a Thanksgiving or Xmas before, and it looks like Jazzy may be cooking for up to 6 folks, total including herself. But I look forward to it really. Good chance to show off my new and improved home too!

Teka

Jazzy, such a pleasant patio to have lunch.   

You're going to have such a fun Thanksgiving.   Never to soon to plan the menu!

blondiex46

How cool is that. Ah u will have so much fun with cooking 4 family.

Teka

and decorating the dinner table ;o)

Monis

Having family and friends over for Thanksgiving is wonderful...Until it's time to do the dishes!  Sooo many pots and pans, mixing bowls, casserole dishes, and the turkey roasting pan.  And then you have to get up early to go to work the next day.  But, I still love it.

Jazzygirl

Good morning hermits- waking up to rain here in northern NM so instead of going over to the hot springs today for a bit, I am going to just head home. Won't be fun sitting outside in the springs in the rain, plus they are warning of t-storms and they won't let you in the water when that is going on. So not the day to do the hot springs, but I have enjoyed being up here in Taos with beautiful weather all weekend. I will begin my travels home mid morning today. 

You are right that I will have fun with the Thanksgiving meal. My sister told me yesterday we could go out to eat, but said I wanted to cook and have everybody over. I am going to call my friend in town when I get home to invite her and her husband. She is a good friend of my sisters (now my friend too) and was the woman who helped me through my surgeries a few years ago. I saw her few weeks ago and she mentioned they were not spending the holidays with either of their daughters this year. So my hope is that they have not made any plans yet and can join us (or stop by later). 

Bippy-  I hope you get through your shot okay and sounds like you are getting some other support in October. You are taking good care of yourself and hope you find it all helpful to you.

Monis- I work for myself and may have some new work starting soon short term, something longer term come Nov and will plan to just take that day off. Sometimes the clients are working that day, but usually many are off. 

Teka- those new glasses sound really pretty. I am holding myself back about making comments about rose colored glasses though. LOL!

I got some beautiful photos of the aspens turning up in the Taos ski valley yesterday that I will download off my camera later today so more fall in the SW coming to you. We don't get the pretty colors like others do in the northeast and other areas of the country, but our fall features more gold hues with the aspens that turn first in Sept and then cottonwoods later in the fall. 

I will leave you with this picture taken with my phone from another patio at one of my favorite eateries on the northern side of town looking out to the mountains.

Bippy625

hi jazzy, Your thanksgiving plans sound wonderful!  I absolutely love to cook, and miss it very much right now because I have no appetite or ability really, to make what I normally like to make. I miss nurturing my husband by feeding him.... Half the fun is planning the menu right?!   Thanks for sharing your trip details it looked wonderful in that restaurant.

They were out of neuplasta yesterday at the hospital!  So I have to go back today to get my shot... I am preparing for a visit from my best friend from Maine --she arrives October 3. We have a travel trailer and she loves camping so we are going to set it up in the backyard as if we were really camping under the stars!  I'll send you pics when it's all set up. Lots of cooking out and hanging out.. I can't wait to see her, she's one in 1 million and is getting me through this chit....

Hi Teka and Monis!

Bippy625

cinnamon rolls, anyone?! 

Teka

Monis, yes, exhausting!   Nice if able to take the day before and after off from work.  
Jazzy, hope friend and husband will be able to come Thanksgiving.   Looking forward to photos of aspens and later cottonwoods.Bippy, friend is in for a fun surprise.   Post photos!!Last week managed to get the majority of outdoor clean-up done before the coldddddd rains of Fall.   The next 9 days will be the end of taping and painting!

Teka

Please, yes, looks so delicious!

magdalene51

Cinnamon rolls? Yes!

I am also looking forward to an October visit! The folks we spent the weekend with in June are coming over from Missouri the weekend of 11-12. I was really surprised that they wanted to do it, since it's an 8 hour drive each way and they can't take Monday or Friday off like we did when we went (we actually took Thursday and Friday, stopped overnight at a hotel Thursday night). But they are determined. June was the first time we had met face to face though she and I have known each other (online) for years. And our DH's really liked each other so that's a bonus. DH wants to take them down to the Riverwalk in OKC so we've got to find a wheelchair for me as that would be way too much walking. But she is jumping up and down excited to see me and I am so looking forward to our visit.

Today is steroid day, tomorrow round 5 of ACT and I am dreading it. But after that will be just one more.

OncoWarrior

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maidentiredofwaiting

OncoWarrior, I've had those days too.  I think the stress of treatment and the bc itself along with trying to take care of family and friends is just a little too much sometimes.  And a good cry feels good! 

 I start a new chemo, taxol on Wed so worrying what se' s I'll get from that.  I've been a total hermit lately and the best company is my dog.  Right now he is sleeping on my foot, silly dog.  Anyway, hang in there.  Hugs to you! 

I've been oggling recipes on pinterest so I might try one for dinner tonight.  I hope everyone has a good Monday!

maidentiredofwaiting

Jazzy, Tao looks lovely!

camillegal

Good Monday morning Ladies.

Jazzy the pics re great. And planning Thanksgiving sounds wonderful, still lot of work tho (to me).

Onco that cry was good for u--I always call things after shock for some reason, but it happens. And it does clear the air a little.

Bippy u'rcoming visit sounds great--good idea to camp out too. U'll have so much fun.

Hey Teka

Mags u too with the visit, and u'r getting done with all of this.

You know I did cry once thru all of this and that's when I finished all my chemo----I cried with my Dr. but I was going every week for 2 yrs, except for a couple of breaks for surgeries, so I think I felt like was this enough? They threw everything at me, but everyone did it's job which they were surprised, but I was so used to the staff too and meeting different people thruout that time. Don't get me wrong I don't want to do it again for sure but that's when I cried. Oh well.

OK have a good day everyone and hope the wether is still good wherever u are-

SallyS70

Good afternoon all.

As I waited for my first post diagnosis mammo this morning, I thought of all of you.  I was scared, but thinking of you all and knowing that you all care and understand gave me courage.  My MO has been watching a lump along my surgical line for 6 months, so I knew there was the possibility of aspiration or biopsy.  The radiologist feels the likelihood of it being cancer is very small, and he gave me the option of watching it some more.  I elected to have the fluid aspirated  and a needle biopsy if the solid part does not dissolve when the fluid is removed.  So, next Monday, I will no doubt be very nervous, but the staff at the breast center is very kind and will take good care of me.

Jazzy, sorry that rain kept you out of the springs this morning. 

Maiden, will be thinking of you on Wednesday.  

Onco, tears seem to be part of the whole cancer experience ... shed or unshed ... I am glad that you feel better.  I, like you, have to watch out for dehydration.  Thanks for the reminder.

Mags, will be thinking of you tomorrow.  Hope you can find a wheelchair for your adventure with friends and am happy that you have a fun event to look forward to as you go through the last two chemos.

Hi Cami ... am thinking of Joey.  My grands are almost upon their October break.  They start school in August then get an October break.  I am hoping to get some gramma time with them.

Maiden, Pinterest for dinner ideas ... good idea ... I have only been there once or twice.

SallyS70

Teka, Bippy, Monis, and Blondie and everyone else ... you are in my thoughts.

OncoWarrior

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Jazzygirl

Hi hermits- well, I changed my plans for the day and did end up going to the hot springs after all. The morning weather report started saying the rain would really not come until later in the day, so I decided if I could get a few hours of soaking in, I would be the better for it. I found a short cut today between Taos and the hot springs I was not aware of, but found myself wandering through some interesting rural communities up on the plateau. And adventure for sure.

I got to the springs a bit after 9 a.m. and was on the road home by 4 p.m. Some good soaking and nice lunch at their restaurant there. There was a t-storm that came through after lunch, but then things cleared up, but as I was preparing to leave, it looked like there were more storms coming. It was cloudy the whole way home, but no big rain. I think it may rain here tonight. The whole state seems to be getting rain right now (we are a big state too).

Sally- I am sorry to hear you have had a lump they have been watching. I think it is good you are going to have it checked out and find out what is going on. I have had plenty of benign lumps and cysts in the past, but of course, it is a whole different story with these after having bc. The radiologists usually can tell based on their criteria whether it is of concern. 

We will be in your pocket next monday and hope they get the results to you as quickly as possible. 

Onco- I saw your post on 100 Days of Gratitude and also here. I think we all experience varying degrees of meltdowns. For many us through are through the bigger part of treatment on these threads, in most cases, it has not been that long for any of us. I think if it happened, it needs to just come out for whatever reason. Maybe don't try to figure out why (maybe there is nothing that triggered it), but you just needed to release it. I am hoping you feel better as a result of being able to let it out?

Last week, I watched one of my favorite movies ever from the 1970's that was on HBO that morning. It is a movie that has always made me cry every time I have seen it the past, and there I was again, sobbing at the end of it once again. I was like "oh come on, how many times have you seen this movie and you know the ending, why do you cry every time?" The movie is about love and loss, and let's face it, everyone has had loss along the way here of some type. I rarely cry so when I do, it surprises me.

Maiden- I hope you are able to tolerate the new chemo. Take super good care of yourself. I like that you have a doggy friend to keep you company. 

Bippy- sorry you have to go back for the shot (dang them), but glad you have a friend coming to visit. Spending time with people who care about us is very important during treatment.

Mags- so good to hear you have company coming too! I hope your 5th round goes okay. You are in the home stretch now. Know we care here and you will be through this part soon. 

Cami- I hope the D is better these days and you are feeling okay?

Blondie girlfriend- you sleeping at night yet?

Teka- lots of fall yard work and painting right now. Then you can hermit all winter, right?

Lili- how are you doing this week?

I think there are others here I may be missing, but hope everyone is doing okay on this start to the week.

Gotta get some unpacking and laundry done. Jazzy's northern NM adventure is done! More pics to come soon!

blondiex46

Ywy jazzys pix r coming

Crying, well it goes w cancer I think, dont know why we feel the need to b so strong at the stupiest times, I cry at hallmark commercials but crying when u have a disease like this to me is normal. I have never said why me either time in 1996 or 2009 , since, why not me, has to b somebody, dont feel sorry for myself either, there r people far worse off than me. I feel sorry 4the kids n babies who dont understand what is going on.

Maid good luck with taxol did have that one but all the tax's have most of the same se.as usuaal keep u mouth moist.Mags how r u really?

nope not sleeping at night. Just took another pain pill, a zofran n an ativian. Hopefully I will sleep b4 430

Hugs

Teka

*Hermits*   Sweet Dreams!!