Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?

OhioFan - It's my understanding that you can develop lymphadema and cording anytime once your lymph nodes have been compromised by surgery or radiation - even up to 20 years later.  Do get a referral to a specialist since statistics show most docs have about 15 minutes of training about LE in their entire 7-12 years of schooling.  There are several good threads on bco and below is a link that many of them would send you to read.

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/

Jackie, I saw a photo of a great idea for sheltering community cats. It was a styrofoam cooler set up on a couple pieces of wood. A round hole was cut in the side and looked like straw was inside. That could keep them pretty warm.

Wren, this is a fantastic idea.  Where I feed cats ( in a thicket across a field ) someone left some dog houses.  I do put fresh straw in those.  There are two cats there now and the occasional possum and raccoon.   There is a very large piece of weighted down plastic that serves as a roof -- so they have a pretty fair amt. of protection there.  I do have to take a snow shovel in winter and dig a path ( the snow drifts badly there ) to reach the houses -- but afterwards -- unless another snow comes.....I can just re-trace my original footprints. 

The one cat ( orange and white tabby ) has been there for yrs.  Refused the homes that attempted to adopt him.  I don't know for sure how long he has been out there, but he is getting old age thinness.  I know the lady ( humane society ) who put him there.  She was surprised that he is still alive. 

There is also a long haired black cat ( missing one entire back leg ) who has been staying there now for some months.  He? She? too has a rather thin look but though it might not have happened had the orange tabby been younger, they seem to co-exist fairly well --- so decided I'd let them be.  Think it is so ingrained into Mr. Orange -- he would not want to come home with me.  I feel with his age he is "home" and no matter what the future brings....he would be happiest where he has spent almost his whole entire life. 

We manage  ( he and I and the black cat too ) to get along.  I can pet then and hold them once in awhile if I do it carefully.  Mr. Orange would bolt big time though if I made the wrong move.  He is a very sweet and handsome guy. 

Jackie

I chose my BCO name because I need something I could remember! It's my name plus my street numbers.

Loved the darling picture of the dog giving a raspberry (so funny) and the beautiful Teka. She looks so squishy!

I'm one week out of surgery #5 now and feeling ok. I have one drain this time. Haven't had a drain in the past couple of surgeries but my PS felt it was necessary this time, but only on one side. Hopefully will get it out next week. It's not really much trouble because my PS allows showering after 48 hrs. Some poor women have drains for 20-30 days and aren't allowed to shower while they are in.

Going to the doctor for a check up yesterday was PLENTY of exercise. Had to nap when I got home. Isn't it funny how drugs affect your system? General anesthetics take weeks to fully leave my system even though I get the very minimum dose possible because my heart likes to try to quit if it gets too much. So far this surgery seems to be a success in decreasing the chronic pain I've had for a year. Doc put in Alloderm this time to try to keep the implants in place. The damaged muscles I have from the infection last year exert strange pressure and pulling on the implants as well as on nerves and other muscles. So far so good. As usual I'm just taking regular Tylenol. I have the pain tolerance of an ox which is fortunate since I can't take any of the "good stuff" for pain. I've coded (flat lined) four times on dilauded, stadol, tramadol, plus once during a heart catherization when iodine based contrast dye was injected. Even a simple Tylenol #3 (with codeine) will make me pass out. So no, I don't get a pain pump, morphine, or any kind of narcotic/opiate after these surgeries. It's just me and my Tylenol but as I said, I can deal with pain really well so it doesn't matter. There should only be one more surgery, probably in three months when I'm all healed from this one.

Time for another nap.

Sandra - great news that you seem to be healing well & are tolerating the pain.  You know very well how important it is to nap so I hope we don't have to remind you!!!

Chili on spaghetti?  Are we talking just the "pure" meat kind or the kind w/beans too? 

Welcome to anyone new.  It has been hard for me to keep up with all the things DGD is involved in with school.  Glad we are able to do it.  Her report card is A & B.  So proud of her.

DH and I are leaving Sunday for Iowa to get the Jeep he bought up there and his brother and friend have running good.  DGD is going to stay with one of her friends.  She did not want to miss school.

Took our dear Rosie Pup to Kimber's Paternal GMA in Alpine.  They love each other.

I really do not want to go to Iowa again, but will see my 89 year old Mother again.  

Hope everyone is doing as well as well as they can.

Hugs

I had lymphedema develop six months post surgery.  It was pretty slight, but I did see a PT who measured my arm and suggested I get a compression sleeve for times I am especially active or if there is any swelling.  My arm is still a tiny bit larger than the other arm, but nobody would notice it.  My surgeon is the only one who really sees it.  I was told to be careful the rest of my life.

About the name Miminiemi.  My maiden surname is Niemi.  Teachers in high school would get confused and call me Mimi as a first name.  We all thought that was hysterical because that would make me Miminiemi.  And so it began.  Thus, too, my clown name Sweet Mimi the Clown.  AND now the grands call me Mimi.  My actual name now is Thelma.  Doesn't seem right, does it!

Puffin, you sound so matter of fact about the kidney procedure.  I'm thinking big positive thoughts for you, such a brave little bird!  Hope you can get it done quickly and easily with no worries.

Camie - I never noticed Camille is your screen name.  I always read it as Cami Legal, thinking you must have been a laser of something.  It's pretty funny I didn't get it since my last name is Oneill.  A friend kept reading it as One ill.  When my husband was sick I had a friends and family blog entitled One Ill Bill.  His name was Bill Oneill.

Puffin -- forgot to say....rads are in the main more boring than anything.  I had 7 weeks total -- so was getting really tired of it all.  A bit crispy on the end since the last week was all boosts, but it always seemed to take more time to change  ( I got to where I used a big towel ) and then change back to my clothes than for the rads themselves. 

It will/should go fast and before you know it -- Rads Grad and your onto what's next.  Happy, happy.....and then go out and have a nice dinner to celebrate. 

Hugs and blessings,

Jackie

Sweet dreams, sweet Blondie.

I, too, thought Cammi's name was Cami legal.  I wondered if she was Hispanic and was NOT illegal!  LOL!

Jackie, I am careful not to have blood drawn from my protected arm and same with blood pressure cuff. 

Today and tomorrow I will be working at the Wooden Boat Show in Madisonville.  It's a "scenic scene" with the riverfront lined with wooden power boats and sailboats.  Lots of food booths and bands playing and booths with people selling stuff.  I'll be working at the Woodworkers' Guild tent.  All year the members, including dh, make little wooden boat hulls and other parts.  The children line up and design their own boats.  The men assemble the boats:  sailboats, trawlers, military boats with guns and then the children can sail their boats in a huge tub of water.  Some of the boats are very "unboat" looking because of the choices of parts. 

The women helpers, including me, do tasks like glueing on a mast with a sail and writing the name the child decided his or her boat will be called.  The kids are cute and it's fun but it's also hot so today will be a long day.

It would be the perfect place for Sweet MImi!

Happy Saturday!

Well, Teka, I don't know how I missed your beautiful cat.  Main Coons are extraordinary.  All are larger than other cats and I think in general all the males are bigger than the females.  Wonderful temperaments too.  I'm always torn when I see some of the truly fabulous varieties of cats but I think since I recue mainly....there won't be any in my life. 

I have been fortunate to have actually "rescued" a couple of really GOOD types as we had a Turkish Van and a Japanese Bob-Tail along with a Siamese.  They were all great cats, but we have always had multiples since we rescue -- so after a while you sort of forget about some of the "specialness" as they become just felines in need of love, care and a home.

Carole, that outing ( though I wouldn't care for the heat either ) at the Wooden Boat Show sounds like a lot of fun.  Of course, I'd be sneaking over a lot to the craft fair booths.  I so admire people who can do things with their hands.  You must be good at it -- helping with the small boats the kids make.  I have sort of short stubby hands and fat thumbs that have always gotten in the way of arts and crafts -- so when someone can do these things....I'm just well, envious.  I bet those kids have a ball. 

Blondie -- I think I wouldn't care much for that weight gain either.  Guess we are always trying for that delicate balance between doing enough to help without enhancing the se's of what we take.  Hope you get some good sleep.  I'm thinking of you.

Blessings

Jackie

Mimi: I was anxious for a couple days when IR wasn't returning my phone call, and I hadn't talked to a person to explain my concerns about which should come first, the kidney procedure or my rads, and that they'd made my appt for Wed next week without asking me if I was even available on that day and time. Finally connected with a person and they got me in Thursday in a cancellation spot. Feeling better now that there's a plan that IR doc has approved. Throughout all of this I've told myself "you just do what you have to do"

Camie: like Mimi, I've been reading your name as Cami Legal too!

Wren, I got my Turkish Van from a friend when she was just a tiny kitten.  One parent was a Van and the other parent -- who knows???  Bunny though had most of the Van attributes and really, really had the look -- with the tri-color head markings as well at the tail. 

For those of you who don't know about the Vans -- they are ( usually white med length hair with three different  ( I always called then dots ) patches of color around the head.  The same three colors would also be in their very pretty tails.  So, they can be really attractive.  Bunny was somewhat standoffish, but spent most of her time with me.  If not with me.....she often was hanging around in the bathroom hoping someone would take a bath or shower.  She would pace around the shower door till you opened it and usually run in -- hoping for a SLOW drain that day.

Vans are water lovers and will happily swim in your pool or bathtub too.  Bunny really adored the water.  She went to the Rainbow Bridge some time ago, but she was and has been a very unforgettable girl.  Friends used to say, that she looked like when it came time to get her tail God just grabbed the first one there without looking -- but it is/was a very outstanding feature with Bunny.  We still feel fortunate that we got to care for her all of her life. 

Our Japanese Bob-Tail was mainly white  as well with some gray patches.  Their hind legs ( not quite as pronounced at the Manx ) are slightly longer than the front legs and rather than a tail ( there can be two or three sizes ) Shorty had more like a tiny hard spot that protruded slightly.  There are also nubby and stubby tailed ones.  Shorty was a small very gentle cat who never met anyone else feline or human that he didn't instantly love.  He went to the Bridge just a few months ago.  He was about 16 or 17.  We found him wandering alone as a kitten and being tormented by some kids in a park here.  

We also homed a couple of Bengals -- very expensive high breed cats.....they are beautiful cats and very loving.  They cost around $1,000.00 for one cat.  They did not work well in our household.  A bit high-falutin' and so  though they stayed to themselves, they kept the rest of the other cats in the house-hold stirred up.  I finally ( when the other cats started fighting among themselves -- fairly unusual ) had to re-home them but found them a truly wonderful situation where they would be the only two cats in the household.   Had a feeling when I took them that it may be trouble.  They were truly gorgeous cats.  Nuff' of my cat stories. 

Jackie

Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that
 everything in life has purpose.  There are no mistakes, no
 coincidences, all events are blessings given to us to learn from.

Elizabeth Kuebler-Ross

I'm off to the Wooden Boat Show to work all day.  Once the kids start to arrive, the day passes quickly.  For the first part of the day yesterday, I wrote the child's choice of a name on the hull of his or her boat with a marker.  I got so amused because several little girls named their boats a girl name that wasn't their name!  The moms stood there looking mystified, without any clue about why a little girl named Sophie wanted to name her boat Kayla! 

In the afternoon I helped the children who had masts on their boats pick out sails from a choice of about 10 different colors.  The little boys usually wanted at least one black flag with a skull and cross bones.  Their next choices were gold with the Saints fleur-de-lis or purple and gold for LSU.  The little girls loved a pale aqua color and pink and purple.

I feel guilty about being so busy this weekend because the father of my niece's two older children (girl-9 and boy-11) will be taking them to MS some time today to live with him at his mother's house.  I know nothing about what the arrangements will be as far as sleeping quarters, etc.  I won't have the opportunity to say goodbye to them.  The youngest child (girl-5) won't be going because she has a different father.  I have heard from my mother that Olivia is sad about being separated.  She will probably spend time between my sister's house and her mother's house.  My sister (the grandmother) thinks that my niece left home as a way of forcing the father of the older children to take over rearing them.  My niece has two many mental problems to cope with all the demands on a parent.  The new home environment for the kids will not be ideal but it won't be any worse than living with their mother.  It's a sad situation.

Wishing everyone the best possible Sunday.  Gentle hugs for Blondie and everyone else needing a comforting hug.