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

Morning, all

Chevy, you are so right about the suffering being over. Bill was never a complainer and didn't let anyone how much pain he was in until 3 days before he died. But the physical changes were so extensive, I doubt I would have known him by sight had I made it to the Hospice before he died. I am so glad, that other than one picture, my last memory is a very happy one.

I have been so busy. I have gone somewhere every day and have eaten out all but one dinner. We have had some great family time. Because my younger brother is here, I have not been restrained to doing only what my sister wants. We plan to drive up to the Catskills (think Dirty Dancing) to see if we can find the resort we stayed at for 2 weeks in the summer.

The only downside to all this is that my brother's family has not joined us for anything. His widow is so sick, she is receiving blood transfusions weekly. They still haven't found out why. She needed two this weekend, but they could only do one yesterday, so she is back at the hospital for the second one today.

Then we leave early Wed morning to go back to my brother's home in NC. Fri, Robert ( brother) will take me to Rob (son) in SC. Then Sun, Rob and Scott will each drive halfway to get me to Atlanta. That is a new destination for this trip. But Nancy is having another skin cancer removed Thurs, and last time, her face swelled so bad, she couldn't open her eyes for days. Scott will be home Thurs-Tues, and I'll be there for a week or so.

Anne

Anne, Let me know which one you are hoping to find. I may be able to tell you if it still exists. So many like the Concord and Grossingers have been torn down! They are building a New Casino on the Concord property. If you're close you might be able to stop in, we are 10-15 min. from Goshen.

Sandra,

Sending loving thoughts to YOU, Mike and your entire family.....hope Mike kicks the big "D" soon.

I think if I do have MDS, it is much slower than Mikes MDS & progression to lukemia, as Dr. told me in 2014. Having an iron infusion tomorrow from 9-4:30.

Anne have "The time of your life" in The Catskills ( I LOVED DIRTY DANCING)

Waving Hi to Chevy....post more....do you know how Camillegal is?

Jackie....sorry about ex & your cousin

Hugs to all,

Di

Hiya Chevronette!!

I WISH!!!

Oh I love that shed. I have a big Amish build shed with a storage loft. I love it, but my SIL helped me clean and put nearly everything I had in there in the loft. He and daughter moved away ---- well, that now means who knows when I'll see anything that is in the loft. I'm thinking how much of that I might have driven down to Good Will but thought my kids might want it. Sigh !!!! Guess one of these days I'll find a sturdy youngster who wants to earn some money and lots of those things will find their way down to the ground floor again.

Looks so nice outside today. Warmer than we'd like but otherwise we are just beginning to look a little like Fall. Plenty of vegetation and plenty of green yet with all the rain, but it had that tired look beginning --- Sept. Oct. and November --- slow at first, but still un-mistakable. I heard some predictions of a harsh winter this yr. Well, we heard that last yr. and actually last season wasn't that bad. Fingers crossed. I stopped counting on predictions since we have had more and more effects ( not getting what is predicted ) turn up through the last few. So, just hoping that it isn't too bad.

Hope you all are going to have a wonderful day.

Warm & muggy today--rain threatening, but not a given. Will have to water the tomatoes just in case. Have only 3 or 4 left that are squirrel-bait--still not big enough & way too green & hard to pick except to rescue them from the critters. But I do notice some new blossoms & pips on a couple of plants we thought were goners. Bees won’t let me trim the seed spikes off the basil--it’s getting leggy & woody though still abundant. Thyme, rosemary, chives all doing well. Horsemint took over from the spearmint--way too bland to be useful.

Anne, Bonnets--until 2 years ago I used to attend the NERFA folk conference at the Hudson Valley Resort (formerly “The Granit” back in the day), which was the “last resort standing.” (NERFA moved from Kutsher’s in 2007--and as far back as 1998, when Gordy & I stayed there for the “A Day in the Garden” on the site of Yasgur’s farm, it was definitely threadbare & down at the heels). But the HVR was bought by a Japanese firm, and we’re not sure if they’ll be replacing it with a luxe resort, corporate retreat center, or expensive real estate development. When I was a kid after my aunt sold her summer house in Mt. Lodge Park near Washingtonville (where we spent our summers), we spent a couple of weeks per summer at first the Western View near Ellenville (which got turned into “Camp Westmont”) and then Zalkin’s Birchwood Lodge up the road (now a Jellystone Park KOA).

Hate to burst anyone’s bubble, but “Dirty Dancing,” though set in the Catskills, was actually filmed at Mt. Lake Resort near Roanoke, VA, with some outdoor scenes at Highland Lake Resort in Flat Rock, NC. Not surprised--both locations are very near popular scenic drives through the Blue Ridge Mts. (more spectacular and “mountainous” than the gentle rolling Catskills).

Thanks to everyone for the loving thoughts and cyber hugs. As the song says, "I get by with a little help from my friends." Allison flew in from Chicago for the weekend and Ryan came to Houston as well. They were pretty shocked at the unresponsiveness of their father. He's obviously so very sick. Ryan will stay here with me for a week or so. Allison went back today.

I am 75 with bc and live in Logan, West Virginia

Morning gals! Odd !!!! There MUST be a story behind that name! You are a new one around here, eh? Don't worry about nothin'.... You will be okay. My Onco score was 19, and I didn't choose to have chemo either... But I had a lumpectomy...and no nodes involved. I was 72 when first diagnosed....! I thought women of THAT age didn't ever get breast cancer.... I DID have radiation, with the MammoSite device, so I figured that was all I needed.

I just turned 79... and going strong.... well, maybe a little slower, but feeling pretty darned good. I took Tamoxifen, but was one of the women who could NOT take it... just try it, and see what happens... There are other types, if one doesn't fit well.... It's all up to you.... You can choose what is best for you.... And sometimes, you just gotta go with what YOU think is best.

Tripping, and falling on my hip was MUCH worse than my bout with breast cancer.... A rod and a few screws put me back together, and that was over 2 1/2 years ago...! But I still work in my gardens, and around the house, and up & down steps... I just do everything "different" now...

Sandra.... I know..... So sorry for what the family, and Mike are going through.... I know we always hope for miracles, but by being part of this, helps everyone to "understand"......That picture reminded me of my Dad..... After awhile, I just prayed for him to go to sleep.... and my prayers were answered....

FAITH! Don't you just hate changes like that? I know we have "choices" but how do you know who you would like? We can't "interview" them, and it all goes through our insurance!

Welcome oddms. I'm 65 and just going through the process. My onco test was 20, barely intermediate, but my MO recommended the Prosigna to delve deeper and help make the decision. I came back high risk for recurrence so am going through 4 cycles of chemo.

I had my second chemo infusion yesterday, and now I'm now 50% done! YAY!! Today was a bit harder though, and I really have to thank this site for maybe saving my life! I'd read of a couple of women having the allergic reactions to the drugs. The nurse had just started the first drug Taxotere and I started feeling weird. I thought, am I feeling something or not? Then I felt like I was having a heart attack, with a tight band around my chest, and then couldn't breathe, then my head felt like it would explode or erupt with heat, and started coughing madly. I called the nurse immediately who stopped the IV, and ran to get stuff to counteract the reaction. Two other head nurses came in, but I was already feeling better with just stopping the IV. They pushed another bag of steroids and then the MO ordered 10 mg of benadryl. We had to wait 30 minutes before trying again. They pushed it very slowly and I had no reaction and was able to finish both drugs. I don't want anyone to be afraid, I was just so thankful I had read about the symptoms on this thread and could correct it RIGHT AWAY. Otherwise, I might have questioned if it was normal or just my imagination.

Sandra and family, continue to think of you. It is just the hardest thing to see someone you love in such distress. I watched my mom and sister in the same situation, and agree, we get to the point we just don't want them to suffer any longer. Hugs to you, your son, and daughter.

Chevyboy, what an adorable shed. I would love something like that for an art studio. Unfortunately, when we downsize a couple of years ago, I don't think it will fit in our back yard. I love the style of this though!

Sandy, you're one of my resident authorities, so I have a question... Since the morning of my first chemo, my blood tests have shown high calcium levels. I don't drink milk, eat a lot of cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc. The only part of my diet that's consistently different is I've started making my own granola with oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, shaved coconut, and slivered almonds, and dried fruit. I'm drinking about 100+ oz of water and eating healthy. Any ideas why valium is elevated? MO is puzzled but following it closely. This bc damn well not be in the bones!!! I'm cutting out the granola just on the chance that the calcium in all of it is putting me over the top.

Hope all stay cool today. It's supposed to be 104 here today, yuck!

Seedsally, Been to your lovely little town on the American Queen Paddlewheeler! I'm in the Hudson Valley. Finally seeing a little cool weather here. I lost my daughter to the beast. She was diagnosed at 27, passed at 33! Young ones have the burden of small kids. We had no history, til she became the history. Then I was diagnosed in 2012 with a small , BC, just had rads. Am on Arimidex.

DaraB, sorry you had such a reaction to chemo. It sounds like they are taking good care of you though. We have a similar DX. My onco was 21. I did have my MO reduce my dose at my last infusion bc of slight allergic reaction. Pretty soon, it will be in your rear-view mirror! I hope you get an answer to the calcium issue soon.

Sandra, So nice that your kids could see their Dad. As hard as it can be, I'm sure them being there was good for everyone.

Bonnets, my DD is 30 and I cannot imagine my life without her. So sorry for your loss. I worry about my DD getting DX'd all the time. My Mom was DX'd 22 yrs ago and doing fine.

You all are some tough cookies and an inspiration:).

Bonnets- we were looking for Balsam Shade. The buildings are still there, but it is an Armanian church center for conferences and retreats. Fun seeing it and taking some pictures. Somehow it seemed more condensed than when e stayed there- probably because we were coming from the city- any lawn looked huge to us.

Today is my last day here. If you are available, Bonnets, I am sure I could get my brother to drive me over- maybe meet at he Goshen Diner and have a cup of coffee (I don't drink coffee, so I would have tea) I know it's short notice, but it is the first free day I have had.

Sandy- I am in Washintonville right now. My sister lives in an apartment at the end of the road the Brotherhood Winery is on. She has lived in Washingtonville since 1978, first in a large home with my parents, her husband and two kids. Everyone except her children have passed on, so when her kids left (both are still local) she downsized to an apt.

Anne

Sandra, Sending love and hugs for everyone. I'm glad the kids came in and could see their Dad.

Welcome Odd-MS. I was diagnosed at 71 and am now 75. I'll be done with anastrazole in March. Yay! I've been lucky not to have much in the way of side effects. A few aches and pains, but at 75 they could be from anything.