Middle-Aged Women with Breast Cancer

Count me in, I'm 52.

Count me in, too! I am 51.

Count me in too.  I'm 51 and going into surgery on Monday. 

count me in I'm 58

Sheila

Hi moderators.

I think that Elimar has a brilliant suggestion. We are currently meeting on her thread in the Forum for Younger Folks.

Everytime I clock into the "Middies" thread I feel as tho I am stepping on the "Young" toes.

As you can see by Elimar's thread, it's taken on quite a life of it's own..... of course many, many, many of us fit into this age group.

I think the nice thing about having our own "Middie" thread is that it is such a cross section of dx and treatment experiences..... the common denominator being the age. It's been a true delight to meet others from across the spectrum.

I am aware that there has been yet another dust-up over dissecting the boards further & further. No doubt there a gazillion opinions & experiences beyond my grasp.... but my main feeling is that the "Young" desserve to have their own space -- without us Middles stepping all over them.

P.S. It would indeed be awesome if you could take the whole thread and transplant it.

I think it's a great idea.

I'm 43.

No offense to anyone, but, um, if 60 is middle-age, does that mean that life expectancy has gone up to 120?  

marie- yes!  And I am a HUGE BF fan, LOVE the quote!  He speaks well of us "old" women, as we would have been for his time... Ben Franklin arguing for our own forum on BC.org- just substitute "forum" for "sex"

But if you will not take this Counsel, and persist in thinking a Commerce with the Sex inevitable, then I repeat my former Advice, that in all your Amours you should prefer old Women to young ones. You call this a Paradox, and demand my Reasons. They are these:1. Because as they have more Knowledge of the World and their Minds are better stor'd with Observations, their Conversation is more improving and more lastingly agreable.2. Because when Women cease to be handsome, they study to be good. To maintain their Influence over Men, they supply the Diminution of Beauty by an Augmentation of Utility. They learn to do a 1000 Services small and great, and are the most tender and useful of all Friends when you are sick. Thus they continue amiable. And hence there is hardly such a thing to be found as an old Woman who is not a good Woman.3. Because there is no hazard of Children, which irregularly produc'd may be attended with much Inconvenience.4. Because thro' more Experience, they are more prudent and discreet in conducting an Intrigue to prevent Suspicion. The Commerce with them is therefore safer with regard to your Reputation. And with regard to theirs, if the Affair should happen to be known, considerate People might be rather inclin'd to excuse an old Woman who would kindly take care of a young Man, form his Manners by her good Counsels, and prevent his ruining his Health and Fortune among mercenary Prostitutes.5. Because in every Animal that walks upright, the Deficiency of the Fluids that fill the Muscles appears first in the highest Part: The Face first grows lank and wrinkled; then the Neck; then the Breast and Arms; the lower Parts continuing to the last as plump as ever: So that covering all above with a Basket, and regarding only what is below the Girdle, it is impossible of two Women to know an old from a young one. And as in the dark all Cats are grey, the Pleasure of corporal Enjoyment with an old Woman is at least equal, and frequently superior, every Knack being by Practice capable of Improvement.6. Because the Sin is less. The debauching a Virgin may be her Ruin, and make her for Life unhappy.7. Because the Compunction is less. The having made a young Girl miserable may give you frequent bitter Reflections; none of which can attend the making an old Woman happy.

8thly and Lastly They are so grateful!! 

I am a rather youngish 50 so I guess I'm here, too!

I am 49 so theoretically I would fit into this proposal, but myself I already feel a bit lost with so many forums.  I think Athena went a little over the top with her satire on the other thread in this forum but I do know what she means... For example I don´t have kids and am single and I see so many moms posting in different forums about their kids and husbands being what gives them the strength to go on, that sometimes I feel the lack of a forum reserved just for those of us who have to come up with other reasons to keep stepping back from the abyss... And I don´t live in the US, what about a forum for expatriates? We can keep splitting hairs indefinitely.

But if another forum is what people want, why not, one more can´t hurt.

Rachel, the Ben Franklin passage is a hoot! Thanks for posting it!

Lisa 

It seems that a huge percentage of the women on these boards are somewhere in the middle. 
While more older women may be diagnosed, it is the ones who fall into the middle age (40 to 60)group who are most likely to face this diagnosis and be computer literate enough to reach out to this board for support.  If so many other groups merit their own forum, why not extend the same accessability to what is probably the largest group on the boards?

I was 40 at dx and felt too young for BC.  I now know many younger women who have faced BC, but there are issues with our middle age that would fit best in our own forum.  Moderators, please help us to have a forum home of our own. 

Elimar, yes, there is a singles forum. But women who are not mothers? havent seen it. What about women who are uninsured? Surely theirs are very pressing concerns.

My point is just that there is no end to the number of forums that could be created to address every possible situation.

But as I said, I am not against the idea of a forum for middle aged women. If people want it, go for it. I just wanted to say, for the record, that although I fit into the proposed category, there are already so many forums here that I personally find it bewildering. But that´s just me, I dont pretend to speak for others, nor do I mean to overrrule their concerns.

I guess I qualify for middle age, I was 55 when I was dx.  I am now 58.

 This is nice.

I'll chat in here♥