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

Thanks for your comments IllinoisLady. I just got back from appointment and chemo appears off the table for now. I was having some problems I thought were lymph nodes but my MO said its stiff shoulder with referred pain and showed me some exercises to do. She told me to be sure and tell my PS next week at my pre exchange appointment about it and that they might be able to release the scar tissue at exchange.

All this is so stressful. Sometimes I will get a quick shock as I realize over again that I am a cancer patient. You never forget but sometimes there is just a jolt as you remember what you've been through.

SeedSally - we'll be waiting along with you to hear the results. Sending hugs.

Compassion is the ultimate and most meaningful embodiment of emotional maturity.It is through compassion that a person achieves the highest peak and deepest reach in his or her search for self-fulfillment. -Arthur Jersild

Hi ladies, Dh and I have been away for t he last 10 days. Were on a Country tour of Western Iowa. Yes, I said Iowa. And 2/3 of the group were Iowans! Saw the surf Ballroom, where the Big Bopper and Richie Valens played, when the plane crashed. Went to Iowa State Univ., went to horse, and a lavender farm, Saw several different antique tractor collections, the Blue Bunny and the Winnebago factories and a Danish Windmill. Also experienced a huge Iowa storm near, appropriately, Storm Lake. Had a fun group of mostly seniors. So back home to catch up and pay taxes and bills!

Now she is going to pretend she is really busy or something! She is such a brat! While in the mean-time, I am out working in my yard... painting my house, garage, moving pots, planting "stuff" and working my fingers to the bone.... while SHE lounges around all day in her big 4-poster Queen-size bed, with the lace coverlet, eating chocolate covered walnuts! She is SUCH a Diva!

Probably has Net-flix and the touch of her finger.... So hold on, while I go warm her up some cream-of-wheat.........

See how long she goes? I mean it's probably because she can't find her way back here... It's like I'm talking to myself... waiting for a little sister to wake up, and drag herself out of bed so we can go play hop-scotch or something.

You guys can tell I have nothing worthwhile to talk about... It's like a dream that I even had breast cancer... And I am so fortunate and lucky to be where I am today... but this AGE thing is sometimes troublesome! Man, I thought when I worked as a Long Distance operator, that some of those gals were just ANCIENT! They were 24. Anything over 60 sounded just unattainable when I was in my 20's...

But turning 79 wasn't much harder than turning 30.... Things like feet, are harder to reach, but that's about it.... And getting down on the floor to look under the bed, without breaking your knee in half, and then finding just ANYthing to pull yourself back up again, is a little worrisome.

I am most thankful for my family, friends and a life that I can find joy in.... Now watch Cammi come back and pretend she knows something about the relativity of chocolate cokes..... I mean if she ever finds us again........... zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Mornin all,

I am busy settling back into home- trying to catch some rest after 5 weeks of traveling from state to state. The only news around here is that my son may need back surgery soon. Last year he got three shots of steroids from the doctor but they didn't seem to really help. He has three discs in his lower back that are pressing on his nerve. The surgeon said the surgery to help that is a very serious surgery and he will be down and out at least three months. The surgeon says his back injury is far more severe than when athletes tear their ACL. They can eventually go back to playing sports after that, where most athletes with Tim's type of injury are never able to return to sports. The surgeon says he has the back of a 50 or 60-year-old man instead of the early 30s The tough part of the surgery apart from the being major surgery and a long recovery period, is that there's no guarantee that the surgery will solve the problem. It might help, it might actually make the situation worse, or it could do nothing at all. Tim has been an athlete since he was about 2. He was riding a two wheeler at 3 1/2 and playing with a basketball even sooner than that. He also has been active in the gym since he was in high school. His back situation will stop him from playing basketball and will limit the amount and level of working out he will be able to do.

Other than that there is not much going on here. My seven-year-old grandson was sent home from school about two weeks ago with what they used to call hoof and mouth disease. Now they call it hand and mouth disease. It is a virus, and I used to think it was only in the mouth. But Kayden had sores on his hands as well. He was home from school for a week, then Jamie sent him to school. They called her to pick him back up within 10 minutes, saying she needed a clearance letter from the doctor, or no visible spots. She would not take him back to the doctor for a clearance note because when they went to be diagnosed they were put in the "sick" waiting room. Refused to take him back and have them in the sickroom again. So he missed another five days of school before he had no spots left. She is such a germ-a-phobe that she would not let me near the baby the last time they were over because she was afraid the baby might be getting the virus.

I am waiting for Tim's call, because we are supposed to be going to have lunch. This date has been scheduled no less than 10 times, with him just not showing up. He says that I should just go to his house and meet him, but he is about a half hour away at least and I don't want to get there and him not be there. I texted him a half hour ago and I'm still waiting for a reply. Will let you know what happens

Anne

Anne, I have to concur with Jackie—orthopedic surgery may be technically “elective” but is definitely not “lifestyle:” impaired mobility can not only ruin QOL, but actually shorten life. Haven’t needed hip replacement yet, but if it’s recommended I am there. Knee replacements changed my life…definitely for the better. (Only downside is that when my HC placard expired, I couldn’t justify asking my doctors to certify a new application—especially since they all have ordered me to walk, walk, walk). I am still 30 lbs. lighter than before the first TKR. AIs make it difficult to control my weight, but if I were immobile due to knee OA it would be even harder. Your son should not hesitate about having the surgery—he may never be an elite “weekend warrior” again, but he will definitely regain and maintain a healthy degree of mobility. And so sorry to hear about your DGS’ Coxsackie virus. It is contagious, so best to ride it out at home and get his homework assignments online.

Jackie, Cami’s pretty active over at the “cocktail lounge” (How About Drinking) thread. I am an aspirational imbiber, due to being ER+, but am still into my 3-drink/wk-equivalent, so I do hang out there and share my wine adventures (and the occasional non-alc. alternative recipe worth sharing).

Anne - I agree with Chevy. Do have your son get a 2nd opinion and do make sure it's a neurosurgeon. Orthopods are great for bones, but my friend the nurse told me to always go with a neurosurgeon for the back because there are so many nerves in the spinal cord & area that send signals to the brain.

Hi, everyone

Thanks for your input. This is Tim's second or third opinion. And the Dr in charge of the ER Tim works in, as well as being the head of all EMT services for Broward County is the one who got Tim in to see this Dr. Apparently he is the best of the best in our area. Tim did mention a neurosurgeon, but I don't remember if this Dr is one, or if he is going to consult with one. Tim's working at the hospital is definitely a bonus. His sister-in-law, who is a pediatric dermatologist at the same hospital, went to the MRI with Tim the other night, so she would know exactly what the Dr said, and be able to make sure Tim understands his options. It sounds a lot like what you went through, Chevy. Tim's one leg is numb a lot from the disc's pressing on the nerve. Unfortunately,Tim who is an incredible caring young man is also a very stubborn young man and when he makes a decision, no amount of working to get him to change his mind gets thru. I have no idea why he wants to wait for the surgery, other than its outcome not being guaranteed. One summer he choked on a cheese stick appetizer at a restaurant and refused to eat anything but cereal and jr whoppers fromBurgerKing. For an entire summer. Made no difference that whatever I made for dinner had no cheese at all, and the jr whopper had cheese, he had decided and that was that. So I will try to be supportive of whatever choice he makes.

Anne

Hello everyone, I've been lurking here awhile but finally had to chime in and say I'm glad to see Chevy here. I love your sense of humor but I also love that I've found someone here older than me. I just had my 76th BD in August. Now, I'd like to see Cami show up and tell us how old she is. Maybe that will bring her so she can brag about being even older or vice versa. :-)

Illinoislady, I love all the little nuggets of wisdom you post. They so often speak to my heart.

Rest well everyone,

Faith (in the future

Oh hey Faith! Cammi don't even know how old she is anymore. She once said she was 32.... but that was before they invented refrigerators....

Yes! Isn't it fun to find someone older? Hah! It kind of gives us hope, I say. Whoever thought I would be where I am today? I mean 24 sounded old when I was 18! And somethings DO get better.... not necessarily your parts, but your life seems more of a gift to you, more than it ever did. You become more appreciative... now THAT'S a word Cammi will not understand, I don't think..... I think everybody else at the mall looks older than we do..... So I put on more lip-gloss and feel pretty good.... I know it's just a state of mind... but what else do we have?

Looking in the mirror does become rather dis-heartening sometimes... So don't do it. At least without throwing in those hot rollers, and spending time putting your face on. I still do it... every morning... I just don't like to scare people away, while running around in the yard, or going shopping.

And life is still fun! We get out almost every day, if even just to walk around the Mall, or go pick something up.... Even if we don't need it, if it's on sale, ya just gotta HAVE it!

Cammi, I think you should stop drinking and get over here. Hey, I will even stop letting others take credit for your quotes. Isn't that an offer you can't refuse. Seriously, I do wish you'd pop in. You know ---- you make me feel so young and all that.

Anyway hope you are all going to have a fabulous Friday. A bit on the toasty side here but we are in a time period where it goes that way. We just in the last week had our roads into the woods oiled and chipped. O my, I really dislike it, but we have to have good roads. The gravel ( white ) is very dusty and I at least am happy that they put enough on that we don't get oil splashing up on our cars. That has happened in yrs. past when our city/township budgets had a lot to be desired. That means turpentine to take the oil off, then a good washing and waxing etc. Now it just means more washing of your car which I may do this afternoon some time -- we will see. I may try to hold out till Monday and use the car wash to dissipate the white dust.

Time also to start the annual gathering to nuts and falling leaves. It is mild right now but un-mistakable that Fall is arriving. It is a hard time of year for us with hilly land and we have to blow all the leaves off the lawn into the ravines either side. Sometimes I feel tempted to let them lay on the ground over the winter as fodder for the lawn in Spring but that means almost as much work in the Spring.

Are you coming Cammi????

ChiSandy,

Hope you let us know when your cd comes out. I didn't know until today what type of music you played. Have you ever been to the Michigan Dulcimer Festival? It is about 15 miles from my town and is held every summer.

My next door friend neighbor in Tucson (my winter home) plays two different dulcimers. I love sitting on the patio and hearing her music drift through the yard. She is currently battling bc and she sleeps a lot so not hearing the music this fall. I would love to get her and me your cd. Please send me a message when you have them available. Thanks

Jo

Sandra, is Mike gaining strength to return home?

Enjoying the pics. ;o)

MARIONSGIRL and Faith-840, Hi and Welcome!!

Jackie,