STEAM ROOM FOR ANGER

I’d take the golden in a heartbeat. The pill…….nah.

One last question. She said at age 65 I can stop going to a GYNO. I went in 2018, do I really need to go there again? There is ZERO estrogen in my body, and with a dead husband there is absolutely nothing going on down there. Do you guys still go?

ctmbsikia, When I was 69, my last PCP said I should see a GYN because I hadn't been in years, but I'd also had endometrial cancer. When I pointed out that I didn't have any parts left, she reminded me that vaginal cancer can happen. I still haven't been, but it's vaguely on my to-do list. One of these years. As far as estrogen, I thought mine had dried up after the hysterectomy. Apparently not, since the breast cancer was 99% ER+. I must have a huge reserve supply.

Personally have not seen GYN in long time now at this point. No one has nagged me and not primary or MO to go see one either. Not sure if it is because they figure I'll die from something else anyway so makes no difference, do not know.

A few more comments about advertisements: how about when the words “paid endorsement” pop up in the tv ads? Or “not an actual patient”? Wow, that really makes me want to believe the claims, right?

But such is the nature of advertisement. The Big Macs you get at McDonalds never look like the glossy, picture perfect print ads or ones you see on tv. Coca Cola doesn’t automatically make you thrilled to be spending a holiday with your family making heartfilled memorable moments. And how about car commercials. Like everyone spends their time cruising ultra-scenic vistas of the mountains. Me, when I got a new car, drove on the highway alongside the muddy Ohio River, pulled into my alley driving past my neighbors’ trash cans and over a speed bump to get to the garage. Still a nice car, tho!

They don’t seem to air contraceptive commercials anymore, but they were a big pet peeve of mine because it was always young, very attractive women with great hair, fashionable clothes, shoes, jewelry, all out clubbing in some upscale place talking about birth control. Like only the most gorgeous of women have sex. I always thought if they really wanted to sell contraceptives, they should show a mom carrying a few extra pounds from the last baby she had, wearing a robe, a few kids running around the house, sink full of dishes, ceiling leaking and bills piling up on the table while husband is in his man cave playing video games! Show us the real deal!

Divine, don't forget those car commercials that always say "Do not attempt. Professional driver on a closed course." They're driving down a city street! Why don't car commercials warn people that driving could cause serious injury or death.

I did figure out the key to happiness, though. It's got to be that certain plastic wrap or floor cleaner or toothpaste or ... . Everyone using their product is always smiling - just like in your Coke or Pepsi commercial.

Rant over (for now).

Carol

this conversation reminds me of Free to be You and Me, the commercial story w Carol Channing

Man I LOVED this album!

Apparently I have a uti. And now I have a headache! Doctors office called in a script for 7 days and I can drop off another sample when I'm done. I'm scheduled for an upper endoscopy on the 25th, I don't think this will affect that? Am I not emptying my bladder enough? Am I lacking in self care? Just getting old? I know some women seem to get them more regularly than others. I have only had 1 that I know of. I was 40 at the time, didn't know what it was, and I did end up going to the ER with that one I was pretty sick. This one must have just started because I have no symptoms.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Before breast cancer, I had one urinary tract infection in my whole life. ONE.

Now? Because I've been on an aromatase inhibitor for almost ten years, my lady bits think they're a hundred years old, and this means frequent UTIs. Every time I ride my mountain bike I get a UTI, and finally my urologist said, either use vaginal estrogen cream or take an antibiotic capsule every time you ride. My oncologist nixed the estrogen cream so now I take a single dose of antibiotic after each ride.

Sorry, ctmbsikia, I wish I had better news. I don't think it'll affect your scheduled endoscopy.

ctm, yuck! I'm so sorry. I hope you get it resolved ASAP. UTIs are miserable!

sb, how interesting that mountain biking would lead to a UTI, but it makes sense when you think about it. A long time ago my PCP recommended estrogen cream, but my MO nixed that idea, too. I haven't had a UTI in forever, thankfully. I remember getting one when we were traveling in Germany. How DOES one say bladder infection in German? (This was way before mobile devices with translators.) I went into a pharmacy and somehow got my point across to the woman pharmacist. She was super nice and helpful. She gave me an herb called bear grape leaf extract. She said that if it didn't work, I'd need to get a prescription. Wonder of wonders - IT WORKED!!! Of course, I couldn't find that same thing here in the states, but I did find something similar. It didn't work quite as well, but it helped.

Jelson, good to know. As far as I'm concerned, it was a miracle worker!

Divine, a birth control ad like this?

I also don't like (well actually I'm mad as hell!) that my health takes up so much of my time. Without you guys, I'd certainly be in therapy. Over these last couple of years I feel the anxiety has calmed down quite a bit. I've used the "it could be much worse, just shut up" and the "it's just a routine maintenance check up" instead of feeling like I'm just failing tests. Like this past urine test. Instead of feeling like I failed, I considered myself lucky that it was caught. I've been feeling a little weird these past couple of days, but today is better. Probably the anti biotic doing battle.

In my spare time I started updating the family medical shared spreadsheet. My daughter has a sheet for everything. I thought it'd be nice to use it again in case she ever needs anything it's right where she would want it. She is taking me next week for my endoscopy. She is 35 and going for her 1st mammogram that morning before we leave. I'm due for a MRI too, but I'm not worrying about it right now, or scheduling it until after I get through next week. One thing at a time. Sincerely grateful for this space to let it out. <<<<cyber scream!>>>>

ctmbsikia, please don't think of medical tests as something you fail, like you had some control over the outcome! How about looking at it like the test worked, because it caught whatever was going on and you can move forward with healing?

And that's my optimistic advice from a back-sliding pessimist.

I'm also trying to get my "stuff" together to make it pretty seamless when my time comes. Just got off the phone with my bank. I made an appointment to go in and have my kids put as "payable upon death" on my bank accounts. Even though I have a will, all they would have to do is present a death certificate and they can have access to the money. Should be quicker. The lady I was speaking with was insisting that my husband's name was still on the accounts and that he would have to be removed first. Um, I did this in 2020. It steams me to find out almost 2 years later somebody didn't do their job. They do have his death certificate but the incompetent soul that I was dealing with just filed it and never did anything else-LIKE REMOVE HIS NAME!!! Good Lord! The lady is putting in the request today. Can you imagine? She said it should be done by the appointment time next week, but she made sure to mention the bank has a holiday on Monday!