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

Dear Ducky.....you gave me my giggle for the day. My body says it feels older but then again some of that may be the Tamoxifen. Who knows....no one.

For all of you stuck in the midwest mayhem I am so sorry. Being a Hoosier & living in Fort Wayne until I was almost 50 y/o I know what you are going through. If my house was bigger & you could get out, I would tell you to come on down. It was 71 here today but we are also going to have a drop in temps in a day or two but nothing like you are dealing with. This is one of the few times I like Texas other than your cars don't rust out & there is no state income tax. 20 yrs here hasn't changed my feeling at all.

Three years ago, after two weeks of unrelenting snow & deep freeze in January, we got a couple of 40F+ days, with rain on the second day. I was scheduled to play a concert in Madison, WI with my singing partner. I decided to give myself plenty of time to get there. First omen was when my Fusion Hybrid (hadn’t bought the Outback yet) got stuck in the melting ice partway out of my garage and needed a push to get to get on my way. Second omen was traffic crawling along Peterson Ave. en route to I-90. Third omen was the WBBM traffic report, warning of flash flooding in McHenry, Boone and Winnebago Counties….all of which I had to pass through before the state line. Made it on to the tollway, only to find a single lane open due to construction, moving at a snail’s pace. Continually updated my partner about my progress. At about 1/3 of the way there, just s. of Huntley, my phone rang. It was my partner.

“Turn around and go home,” he said. “The Beltline is a solid sheet of ice and there are trucks jackknifed all over the place. I’m here at the venue already, so I’ll go ahead and do the show solo.” (Turns out he and the sound guy were the only ones who showed up). Only then did I realize how urgently Nature was calling, and that the trip home would be torture unless I answered it. “I know,” I thought, “there’s the Huntley exit and I can go to the bathroom at the Outlet Mall.” It was about 6 pm when I entered the outdoor mall’s parking lot, which was strangely nearly empty. Approaching the mall itself, I saw the reason why: the entire place was swathed with yellow “CAUTION” tape, with sandwich-signs reading “DANGER—FALLING ICE.” I took tiny little mincing steps (wearing UGGS and using my cane) and entered the Ann Taylor outlet. I apologized, “There’s nothing here that could possibly fit me, so I can’t buy anything; but would it be possible to use your restroom?” They nodded, I did my business, and headed out the door on to the sidewalk, which was strewn with rock salt. Then on to the asphalt of the parking lot…and no more than 6 ft. from my car, I felt my foot start to skid. I was able to straighten up and try again. Same result. From that spot to my car was a solid sheet of ice, and the ice was beginning to spread toward the sidewalk.

I screamed for help, for someone to walk me to my car, and for five minutes I had no luck. Finally, a woman across the lot yelled that she was going for help. Soon, along came an EMS ambulance, followed by a police car. I explained that I’d had knee replacement surgery only a few months earlier and was terrified of falling. One policeman took my right arm and the other the left, and made sure I got safely into my car. Then the EMT insisted on taking my vitals. I assured him I was fine, hadn’t fallen and was not going to have a heart attack. He asked where I was going, and I explained I had to turn around from a trip to Madison and was heading home to Chicago. “We’ll follow you out of the parking lot and to the tollway—that way you won’t be able to change your mind, and if anything happens, we’ll be right there.”

So I made it on to the eastbound lanes, doing only 40 mph. SUVs kept passing me, honking and flipping me off. The blind spot monitoring system was disabled because of all the slop. It was so icy that I could have sworn the snowplows & salt trucks I saw were really Zambonis. I phoned home. Gordy answered that there was no way I’d be able to get through the alley to the garage. So I vowed to find the closest hotel to the Chicago city limits that appeared to have a clear parking lot. Ended up at the Holiday Inn O’Hare. Got some very strange looks checking in with just my purse and a guitar. I had no emergency overnight bag, so I had to ask for a toothbrush & deodorant. I’d have bought a T-shirt in the gift shop to sleep in, but I wasn’t about to pay thirty bucks for a souvenir T-shirt I’d never wear in public. Used my iPad Mini to go online, went to sleep, and in the morning for breakfast nuked the leftovers from my Bar Louie dinner the night before. Made it safely home.

First thing I did was to grab a gym bag and pack a change of underwear, nightgown, tee, granola bars, water, tooth stuff, deodorant and at least one day’s worth of meds. Never leave home—at least in my car—without it.

I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.

Not going to be nice our here later. More freezing rain with maybe a bit of snow on top later. This is not how I actually wanted our winter Christmas weather to start all at. Unfortunately, like Puffin and everyone else, no one asked me my preference. Well, good chance I wouldn't have gotten it anyway. Otherwise -- I don't have much to do out today so it should be okay. We will do what we have too this morning and stay in the rest of the time. I have some mail ( Christmas cards ) to get out and a purchase ( of course I forgot something at Walmart ) to make at the store. Ladies --- I'm in complete denial that I can remember everything without writing it all down --- like I used to be able too. SIGH !!!! I've tried so hard to achieve this feat --- but it is time for me to get real and keep a pencil and notepad at the ready. Another big SIGH !!!!

I hope all of you have a safe but productive day. Hope you don't have to spend too much time out of doors Puffin --- at least not cleaning icy/snowy areas that aren't enough for you service. Stay safe.

Hey Ducky -- we are waiting for you.

Thanks for the birthday wishes... I have also finished Chemo and I'm in the process to start Rads.

Puffin, Shoveling snow in those temps is just plain grim.

Sandy, Glad your home again. That was the trip from hell for sure.

How many times I gotta tell you Chevy. Golly, isn't there some little neighborhood guy who might like to make a couple bucks by doing a bit of shoveling. Well, I think maybe there was actually enough snow to help you with your landing but my oh my --- you got to take better care of yourself so you can take care of the sir you lives with you. I'm glad he finally saw you -- out there turning into an ice crystal sparkling in the sun.

You know --- I usually have to crawl over to something --- no matter how I end up on the ground or floor and use it to help hoist myself up. It is partly age and partly that stroke yrs. ago. In some instances I can get up but it is not at all a great sight -- so I'm resigned to just being a bit of a spectacle which I hope is soon forgotten by all. I'm sure glad you only ended up with a sore knee, some wet clothing and very cold hands. From now on -- please for me ( and you and dh too ) stay upright when you are supposed to be, okay.

Jackie

Hope you get relief soon Sandy. I'd opt for going on the trip too.

Jackie

Sandy, We use buprenorphine at the shelter and it really does help the pain. We fostered a cat who managed to reach her incision with the cone on. Eventually she ended up with a large cone which solved the problem. One of our volunteers discovered that the small paper plates fit right into some cat bowls to make elevated dining. She uses it on old or arthritic cats as well, just to make them more comfortable.

Morning girls.... It's always fun reading what you talk about Sandy! Boy, you do a lot more than WE do! Is it because we are older that we really don't go traveling as much as we used to? And we don't drive all the way across town to go shopping in some snazzy shopping center? Or maybe we really don't NEED anything.... Ha!

Jackie, there aren't any kids around here! Just little Ivy & Ellie next door! We are the oldest ones in the whole neighborhood! All these new "kids" are in their 30's buying all these expensive newer homes, that were built off of scraped land. So we can't put the 5 & 7 year old girls to work.... Hah! The younger guys in the neighborhood, DO help with the front walk.... And we watch their homes, feed the cat, take in mail, when THEY are gone!

And the snow on the walks is pretty easy to handle, because it USUALLY isn't that big of a deal.... but we shovel paths like out to the squirrel feeder, and in back of our gate, and places that could easily melt, if we let it... like about June! But we don't mind shoveling a little at a time....

I SHOULD have had my boots on.... Not my slippers... I know, I know.... I can hear you all now.... Hah! But the squirrels came right over, when the temp got up to 7 degrees, and the sun was shining.

I must have done a 12 point landing in that snow! Nothing hurts today! Like Tim Conway rolling down those steps! I fell forward, on my knee, my hands, my other knee, then my head on the fence, and plopped on my butt! So I was 1/2 laying back against the fence like "up-hill"... I think if I wasn't getting so frost-bitten, I could have maneuvered myself up alone.... but just that extra hand, to pull me up to sitting position, so I could turn over on both knees, then hang onto "stuff" to get up, really helped. The whole thing just made me laugh! Probably because I was so thankful I didn't really hurt something!

Rita! I saw you driving your convertible!

Every time I hear & watch this, I am thankful...........

And oh yes yesterday we had not one but two tornadoes, a flood of rain, 70 degrees, terrible wind, temp dropped to 19 this morning. Cold windy icy patches now. Like they say about Missouri if you don't like the weather hear just stick around a couple hours and it will change.

All I can say is 'youse' gals. S. Sally I'm relieved that you finally decided to get yourself to some medical people to figure you all out. Stoic people sometimes I think do have trouble owning up to some of the parts that try to be lax on the job now and then. I'm with you on that DX as sometimes we really do know. Not so much more than the Dr.'s but more of the whys and hows. I'm also convinced to a degree that our family ( shared genes ) do match up well enough to put us in a position to have similar illnesses. I'm hoping those things you do from now on will get you right as rain.

Hard to believe ( even though I'm your neighbor so to speak ) about your weather. Especially the 70 degrees as we here over in Illinois have been weathering the cold for several days and have a light layer of snow on the ground as we speak. The sun it out which may do a lot of that in --- we will see.

Chevy, yes --- do put proper footwear on if you attempt some of those things that aren't so easy for some of us as it used to be. Sure, you know I'm not saying anything about age because we don't need too many reminders. I help now and then with snow around here. We have ( since we use mainly the side door and have for years ) a lot of shoveling that needs to take place. The deck which is large and has a set of steps both sides. Left side is shorter amt. of wooden walk-way, but the right is much longer and leads to the parking area in front of our house. We have thought of putting up an awning there to help with how much snow accumulates. Didn't get that done this yr. with having to replace the furnace. Our four car garage was actually a huge awning starting out here when we first bought the house --- then we framed sides, front, and back and filled it all in with a double garage door on back and mid-sized single on the front making it a drive-thru garage. Guess what --- neither of us ever "drove" through. Dh always had too many things in the way so it was drive in the back and back out of the back. It was still a good idea.

Hope you all have a great Sunday.

Jackie, Just a thought. If the wind direction is consistent when it snows, a hedge or small fence might help keep the walk clear. The hardest thing when we moved here was to look south for the approaching weather. Most of ours comes from the southwest. In Texas and Okla it was always from the north.

Yup Chevy, I went off all caffeine more than a year ago, added a little chocolate a while ago, which I can tolerate. Made the biggest difference in my life, since then had 4 episodes, 2 related to steroids. the other 2, as with yesterday, cant figute out. Drs are never worried cuz it is sinus rhythm. I pay attention to it though, as it was the only symptom when I had the PE 2 years ago! Yesterday there was an increase in my usual missed beats too! When I was having tachy every day , before I gave up any caffeine, I wore a Holter for 2 weeks.