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

Unfortunately, all is not beauty and peace.  I don't believe I've ever met
 a person who hasn't been challenged or wounded by something.  Difficulties
 present choices:  we can either waste away from our wounds or use them to
 grow our souls.  My husband, for example, is a survivor of the Second World
 War.  As a child, he suffered through six years of bombings, near-escapes,
 and concentration camps.  Part of his soul work has been the gradual
 transformation of this deep well of grief and pain.  As he heals himself, he
 also participates in healing that terrible idea of war in others.  I have always
 said that no one heals alone--we heal through and for one another.

 Joan Borysenko

Jackie, once again you seem to sense what we need to hear. I had never thought about it, but you are right. We don't learn much from victory but boy, do we learn from the negative things that cross our path. Thank you for giving me a big idea to ruminate on today.

Good Morning ladies.

OMG catastrophies (yes Chevy, I know the speling is wrong), sickness. WTF--I'm having trouble with my F key, the one I use the most.

GG please don't push u'rself, not with all this going on just wait til u really start eeling better. U have a double whammy going on. (((HUGS)))

Blondie (((HUGS))) to u too with those awful shingles, I truly hope they just leave u and quickly.

Teka I love the way "some people" who hardly ever see snow tell u how lovely it looks. Sorry but that much is awful and so glad u have a generator, more people around here are getting them too.

Rita so sorry about the burn on u'r face, but I've done that too and what I used was the inside jelly of Vitamin E and I've never had a scar--well it started to scar and it completely went away. Remember the recipe for the Peach fluff, well for one of these parties I'm making it again, it's so easy and everyone loved it before. But I'm going to add an extra can of peach filling

Jackie I always love u'r quotes (well u know some are my very own, by now) but u really think thru them, but this time I have to say the only thing that has grown is my body and what wisdom I come up with I forget the next day. But u always make them so thinkable.

Sandra what are u doing? alling before surgery, why are u doing so much? OMG girl keeping busy is one thing, but harming u'rself is so different. Please take it easy.

Chevy I'm sorry u'r not feeling well and just hope u'r DH doesn't catch it. Why are u slobbering all over him all the time. Leave the poor man alone so he doesn't catch anything. I realize u can't go out to make a few (and I mean a few) extra bucks now if u'r sick, but don't take u'r talents to u'r husband right now, leave him alone.

My DD just cut my hair (trimmed) it's gotten so long and she's saying no one in this house is supposed to have longer hair than me, I was a little scared there, but she left it for length and just shaped it. But she talked to my cat and the dog came bounding in and was not happy so the 2 of them were circling my chair and distracting her--whew I'm glad she didn't  go screwy on me. She's studying like mad, now she into all the medical jargon for all rashes and skin related diseases--I actually recognized some of the diseases, Yes Chevy ME--but there are so many, where the hell did all of these come from. Well all I'm interested in is if she will be able to rid me of wrinkles---but I realize when people love u they see u differently cuz she said I don't have enough of them to let me come in as a model at one point.  I thought she just doesn't want to bother at first then I think it was love cuz Joey said the same thing. Believe me I have wrinkles--darn brats.

See U'r not so glad I'm back are u? I ramble about nothing---but now I have to make a list for my DD what to buy at the store or what I'm bringing tomorrow--please say a prayer that I'll be able to go. U know or me it's day to day here, I don't mind going with pain, but my D stops me. so I'll try to do the dry day, crackers and toast. Yea I know I throw something else in. 

I'm so happy to have Cami back. And sorry to hear we have some who are feeling sick before the holidays. I'm in a bit of hurry today, but wanted to give you all a little more information about the bra fitting in case you have never taken advantage of it.

I've been fitted for Bras over the years, but it is always measure me and then ask what did I see that I would like to try. I think I got the right size usually, but not the right bra for me. This mastectomy/lumpectomy trained sweet fitter brought the ones she knew would work best for me. Education pays. I had no idea what an "M" frame bra was, but I should have been wearing one for about 55 years now with or without surgery. All the ones she let me try on were perfect and I probably could have skipped the "shell" to put in the pocket once I had the right bras. But she encouraged me to try a minimal shell and that was even better. If you have not done this I would encourage you to. By the way, if you are on medicare they allow 3 bras at first, and 3 more after three months if I need them. And on and on…They also paid for the shell, which is costly.If the bras cost more than medicare allows, then my supplement insurance should pay for them. And so…why would my male radiologist offer breast reduction surgery instead of explaining this to me. I'll be educating him soon. Happy Day to you all.

While on our way to the movie this afternoon (Theory of Everything about Stephen Hawking) my tongue discovered a big chunk was missing out of one of my teeth. I'll call my dentist on Monday and have him take a look at it, hope I don't need a crown.

The movie was very good, the actor does an awesome job with the role, he was nominated this morning for a Golden Globe.

Puffin -- did you enjoy that movie???

Sailing Wind -- your entry could have been written by me.  My house had a really long living room -- front door was closer to one end and clothes would be hung in the living room in worst part of winter.  Coming from anywhere ( at my age, usually school ) we had to pick our way through the clothes so as to avoid furniture while finding doorways into the other rooms.  A maize in your own living room that you had to traverse for all other rooms since they all were OFF the living room.

Jackie 

ritajean I know how it feels to burn your face with a curling iron. My hairdresser years ago dropped curling iron on my cheek and it bonced in my eye. It burned my eye and cheek. As luck would have it an eye surgeon was getting his hair cut next to me and called a specialist he knew after confirming my eye was burnt. All turned out well, I used 35000 units of vitamin E oil, poured it on the burn didn't rub it in at night, by the morning it was obsorbed into my skin, no scar. It did hurt like crazy. Hang in there, Sending good thoughts your way.

My Mother had a Maytag wringer washer that sat next to two deep wash tubs - one for rinse water & one for bluing - and clothes went back through the wringer after each rinse. Bluing was for whitening whites (since 1883 - I had to look it up since I didn't remember). I wasn't allowed close until I was around 12, and then I took over - but not for the small things. It was fun for the first few times. We hung all the clothes outside on an "umbrella" clothes line. When it rained, we moved them all to lines in the basement. And yes, EVERYTHING was ironed - even the T-shirts & boxer shorts & PJs.

Yup!! I "trained" on handkerchiefs and then dinner napkins.

*Good Morning*

Cold but sunny in the North Country!

Good morning to all.  We had a wringer washing machine that sat out on a porch.  During one clothes washing session, a small green frog jumped into the midst of clothes and soapy water.  Yep, he eventually went though the wringer.  What a horrible fate for a little green frog.  The only clothes we ironed were outer clothes and they were always starched.  We sprinkled water on them and rolled them up to keep them damp when it was time to iron.  The skirts my sister and I wore were three yards of cloth all gathered up in a waistband so ironing them was a job.

My mother thought she had arrived in heaven when she eventually had not only a modern washing machine but a dryer.  Some people liked the sheets hung out on the clothes line but I remember them as being stiff.  We probably never managed to rinse out all the soap since the water in our area is "soft."   In a large family the washing, hanging the clothes out on the clothes line, taking them in, folding, ironing, etc. etc. seemed endless. 

At age almost-92, my mother still does her laundry but she hasn't ironed anything in years.

Mommarch, sounds like a good "find" at the used furniture store.  I need a lamp for my guest bedroom and want to go check out the consignment furniture stores when I get around to it. 

Happy Saturday to all.  Wish I could send some of this sunshine up to Jackie and Rita.  Looks like another pretty day here. 

Good morning,

I am hoping once again for a little sun.  We had some yesterday, but does seem it takes it awhile to find us.  In a day or two -- probably Monday, we will likely get rain.  Oh joy --- more gray to contend with for me.  Seems like we have had so many gray days and it is getting frustrating to me.  I'll hang in there though.

Mommarch,

You are really right about "finding" what you need.  Still, the million dollar check we ALL need probably won't be in the mailbox today when we get there.  I seem to 'rake' in a few extra dollars just as something is about to hit the fan, thereby saving us and I'm always so thankful.  Learn to accept that most of the time I won't have as much as I want, but I do know I get all I need.  Guess you can't ask for much more.

Joan,

How interesting  with your tour through your biology lab.  I did some CNA work for awhile and always wished I could view an autopsy.  Thought I should know what a complete person was like inside and out.  I felt like I was always taking care of the "outer" person and never seeing their beautiful insides.  My classmates and others thought I was a bit on the weird side.  Maybe I am.  I do tend to question things from likely unusual vantage points at times.  I have a huge curiosity I guess that is more for the un-seen -- because to me that part is so outstanding to the whole of anything and would give much more "complete" understanding.  

Revup,

I guess the rest of us don't really have to feel like total klutzes if hair-dressers can make the same boo-boos we do.  Knowing that they do these things daily many times for a living, we are all fortunate when we come home in one piece from the Salon.  Wow, for having someone right beside you who could "handle" your situation well.  I think I mentioned ( it has been a long time now ) that my hair dresser got me one of the curling irons that is instant-on, but made me promise not to turn it above four.  Even then you can get a 'nasty' burn, but at least it is not so bad when you keep it turned down.  I get perms -- so it works out just about right for me.    Staying on the #4.

Minus,

I think we all had to TRAIN on the small flat pieces.  My mother took in ironing to make extra money.  When she passed away she still had the SAME General Electric iron.  Though it was electric it weighed so much it seemed to me.  She put a new cord on it I don't know how many times in its lifetime with her.  Still had the box it came in too.  Our older generation having come through hard times ( Depression ) often with the loss of the major breadwinner, kept everything for the most part.  Didn't made any of them hoarders -- it was partly due to the fact that things lasted so much better then ( cheap things now go pretty fast ) and they were often easy to repair and keep. 

Teka,

Our temps. the past few days have been much warmer which we can be thankful for -- but oh how I miss my sun.  I don't mind the snow and cold if a beautiful sun is hanging in the sky.  Hope you have some sun where you are.  You and Joan seem to be like Cammie and myself -- quite different temps. and conditions though we are in the same state and only four hours from each other.

Hope you all have a fantastic Saturday.  I'll be here off and on.

Blessings,

Jackie

Jackie, Have you tried putting full spectrum bulbs in your lights? It helps. Not as much as sunshine, but it takes the edge off. A few years ago gray was the most popular color here for houses. I thought they should make it illegal. With gray skies and gray wet pavement, we didn't need gray houses too. Of course, now they are building condos with numerous roof peaks (can't wait until they have to replace those $$$) and painting each section a different color to make them look less massive. The most popular are a reddish brown, boring gold, and a selection of truly awful greens. My house is faded adobe with turquoise around the windows. Traditional southwest.

My Mom loved her clothes dryer and no-iron shirts. She grew up with primitive and left it behind the minute she could.

Revup....I can not imagine having the curling iron hit your eye! Wow! That makes me feel lucky when I look in the mirror and see this brownish mark running diagonally down my cheek. I'm still keeping it moist and of course it no longer hurts.

On a better note...I got my car back yesterday. It looks like new and I drove it to a Christmas party about 20 miles down the road last night and it handled well. They gave me a warranty that's good as long as I own the car so that made me feel a little better about the repairs, too.

I learned to iron by ironing hankies and pillow cases. I can't imagine ironing sheets and pillow cases now. I have to admit that I do touch up a few things when I don't get them out of the dryer as soon as I should. I try not to buy anything that might need to be ironed.

There are a few brave souls out on the golf course but it's too cold for me out there so I think I'll grab my book and read for a little while. We are heading to Peoria tonight to have a Christmas gathering with a couple of the teachers that I once taught with. I am hooked on the Joe Pickett series of books written by CJ Box. Once I start one, I can't put it down.

Everyone have a good Saturday!

I barely recall where my iron is since I too try to avoid anything that must be ironed.  I'll be the first to admit -- I don't think I could be my mother.  The things she did to make the life of the family good -- well, she was like all the women everywhere pretty much.  Then again, at first, there was little entertainment at home to take up your time.  A radio only at first.  Several years later a t.v.  We only got two stations in the beginning and had to have a big antenna hooked to the house to have that.  So, nothing to distract from getting the house sparkling, and yep -- on laundry day, it took all day.  Ironing was a four hr. chore at least -- there was lots of yard work too. 

Other women did other things as well.  We did not have a garden as many of our neighbors had huge ones and passed extra on to us, but they also canned lots of food and bought peaches for canning so as to have fruit all winter for sure.  We carried all the water we used inside from the well ( we did get a sink and running water to the kitchen when I was in high school ) but almost everyone around us had that.   

I think when my Mom and Dad located to southern California life got really great for them.  They bought a mobile home and had carpet every where for the first time in my Mom's 'married' life -- including the bathrooms ( that was the rage then ) and she always got so tickled that she had carpet even in the two bathrooms.  The home she left in Illinois still had only an outhouse with spiders and wasps.  She loved her life in California but towards the end of her life was happy to move back here to home.  Home was better then.  The house she bought though only one nice bathroom -- had the carpet and a nice full kitchen.  Nothing like our previous house.   Anyway....sometimes when I think about some of the things my Mom had to do I feel a little spoiled no matter how hard I work. 

Jackie

p.s.  Puff ---ssshhh, I've done the same as you.