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

Teacher -- loved how you talked about stress.  Not surprised that the test comes next week.  I always think of myself as laughing too much to be stressed -- yeah, right !!!  Do well, ok.

Blessings

Jackie

Blondie -- forget to tell you, what a neat avatar -- and now I know who I'm talking too. 

Teacher, are they talking about the regular kind of stress test where you are on a tread mill? That one isn't so hard but I've also had a Adenosine stress test where you get a drug to cause your heart to beat fast. Maybe they have invented another kind by now cause the Adenosine one was very not fun. It wasn't painful but I had a hard time trying to gulp breaths while my heart was trying to jump out of my chest That was about 15 years ago so I hope there's an easier test now.

Sandra, the nuclear stress test uses a radioactive isotope to show the heart. It is exercise, imaging, and then some more. I had been wondering what to do on the 11th (diagnosis day) and now it will mean 3 hours at cardio. It doesn't involve speeding up my heart, which it does on its own. 

My cardio doc has never said that and I hope he never does.

Morning gals....  Are you all talking about irregular heart-beats?  Or feeling like your heart is racing, and you feel like passing out?    

Years ago, after my Mom died, and I was visiting my Dad in San Francisco, and picking my GS up from the airport, I felt like I was going to pass-out while driving over the SFOBB 5 times!  

I just KNEW my 11 year old GS could not take the wheel, nor my DAD who was 3 sheets to the wind!   I got through it, but my heart was pounding, besides feeling like I was going to faint!

Later on, when I got back to Denver, I was really worried about my heart!  I had that tread-mill test... a cardiogram...  And of course no symptoms at those times!  I then wore the 24 hour Holter monitor...  nothing!

Then they had me wear the "event" monitor, which recorded a weeks worth of heart issues!  Yes, I still had the dizzy spells, and palpitations, but they could NOT find anything wrong.

I finally quit drinking coffee, too much sugar, and by then, the stress from my Dad, always being drunk.....  the trip, and everything else was over with, and my heart got back to normal... 

So I'm just saying this, so maybe  it could be as simple as "Stress?"

Anyway, my Dad drinking was nothing new.  I grew up with it.... my Mom lived with it....  and we all hated it.  But with my Dad, it wasn't until after Mom passed away, that I finally got to "know" my Dad....  Yes, I always hated being around him when he was drunk, but after Mom passed, he started to slow it down.... and when I visited him, I saw how much he loved her... how he missed her...  They were married 62 years, and he lost the ONE woman he loved, more than all the rest.   We learned to talk, and we just became close.  He would call me long distance, and just talk about Mom.... about how he missed her....  How he would put his arm over her pillow, thinking she was still there....

So I learned to love this man, who I couldn't STAND ever since I was a little girl.  When I would visit him, I could see HIM going downhill.... he didn't care anymore...  and he just ate snacks and nuts...  All the years of smoking and drinking, finally got to my Dad.... but I had about a year of learning how to love this man all over again....  and he treated me like a Daughter he loved.  My Brother just didn't get the chance.....

I don't know WHY I talked about this....  but stress will hurt your body more than anything else you can do.... almost. 

And Forgiveness and feeling at peace will heal your heart....

This morning dh and I are off to the gym.  I always feel good when I'm finished my workout!  Then I treat myself to a cup of coffee to drink on the drive home. 

It was warm and muggy yesterday afternoon so I turned on the a/c.  Today we're supposed to get some cooler air.

Today I need to schedule a kidney ultrasound for my mother and a bone density scan.  Both were ordered by the kidney dr. we saw on Tues.  My mother has stage 4 kidney disease.  Sure hope this dr. can help her improve that function.  Stage 5 is dialysis.

Happy Thurs. to all.

Remember that the right temperature in a home is maintained by warm hearts, not by icy glares, lukewarm enthusiasm, or hotheads!  Your attitude can set the tone for your whole family.  So use whatever scraps you can find—even if, in the beginning, it’s just the scrap of a smile—and make a gift of whatever you have.  Then watch the gifts come back to you.
 
Barbara Johnson

I think I picked the right quote to put here this morning.  ( And Forgiveness and feeling at peace will heal your heart....)

Sometimes letting go -- and giving in --- is not giving up.  It is forgiving so you can have that passageway to peace and serenity for yourself.  The person or people who cause you the most distress are likely in worse shape than you and erasing bitterness and pain is not forgetting -- it is learning to live with a very imperfect situation so it no longer has a hold on you.  As long as it has a foothold, you can be tortured, feel misgivings and far too much un-rest in your soul.  We can't always do much about other parties, but we can always do something with ourselves -- forgiveness is not because the other person necessarily deserves it, but because you do.

I also enjoy hearing about loved ones who have transitioned coming back to reassure us -- that they are fine and are still very much aware of us.  It has always been interesting to me ( we take such pride in our aliveness ) that they are actually far more alive then we are.  To be here and in life -- we have to forget all that we have known since the very beginning of life. 

If we retained the knowledge we actually have -- we could not be here -- this is a special journey to define and refine the soul -- we are growing our soul, learning and discovering, things we need about ourselves and about life and spirituality.  So the beautiful lives we have experienced and loved are indeed much more alive than we are while we are here on this Earth.  Another interesting thing which was ( maybe not for anyone else ) a discovery for me -- we  all ( those who have gone on and those still here )  agreed beforehand to be a part of each other's existence to further those things we needed to learn about and experience.

By the way -- many of these concepts were things I fought with myself about and sometimes wanted to deny as " not right " -- too vague, iffy, other world like, but once I learned to quit fighting -- like forgiveness -- life settled down and I ended up with such comfort in my soul.  So that is my disclaimer.  Some people can't make that reach and that is fine.  Each soul is exactly where they need to be, and each one needs ( for whatever personal to them reason ) to believe what it is they do believe.  No one is wrong -- we are all on slightly different levels of experience and understanding and you are just where you need to be at this time. 

So -- it is just that way.  An easy leap for some, a much more obscure and more difficult one for others -- but whatever it is -- it is just the one that is needed for right now and for this life.

See you all later.

Blessings,

Jackie

Thank You!!

I'm enjoying the 0 political advertising that was so annoying.

Anne ... Thinking of you and your family.

Anne, so very sorry, prayers for you and your family.

Anne,

We're going to *Hug then Hug some more*.

Hello Anne  oh so sorry for this terrible day. Sounds like your sister did right to call the ER but also the oncologist.  My husband had a very large brain tumor in front in his brain removeed.  It turned out not to be cancer.  After that we found many people that had non cancerous tumors removed.  While it could be stroke, I wanted to offer the hope that my husband did ok.  Hope you are sleepingoing riget now and can meet tomorrow refreshed and strong.

Sandra  I just read back and saw the great information about PNC avoidance.  They did say during the appointment no gas anesthesia for her.  Lucky for her she has a son that is an ansthesiologist.  And the doc suggested the son could call if he wanted.  She is scheduled for surgery next Friday  I trust her kids can reorganize schedules with that notice.  

Chevy, I can almost hear the music box playing that great hymn now.  I have had similar experiences that bring comfort.  A sort of amusing one goes like this.  My husband always untangled fine gold cha in necklaces for me.  He was just good at that.  While dressing for his funeral on a hot July day I was sweating and angry at a tangled chain. I literally said dammit BI'll where are you nowaiting when I need you.  The chain just simply untangled in my hands. So now I must stop typing because the tiny tears of a sweet memory make it hard to type.  Nighat all.

Holy moments come to us daily if we will ask for eyes to see.  It may be the sun streaming through the window as you fold laundry.  Or maybe it’s lifting your friends to God while you drive to work.  We can’t always withdraw to quiet hillsides to pray, but God will meet with us in the quiet places of our hearts.
 
Sheila Walsh