thread for middle age to older Christian women.

Nancy, the ornithology photography sounds so cool! I'm not a birder, nor a photographer, but I do enjoy looking at other people's work.

gb, I have a neighbor who is really into birding and has taken trips (pre-COVID) to count birds. We have mockingbirds in our neighborhood. I was sitting on my porch one morning with a neighbor and she commented on how many different birds were chirping and singing. It was actually just the ONE mockingbird. I didn't tell her that.

I have a friend with food issues who can basically eat about three things (OK, maybe more than that) without reacting. I hope you can eventually add back some things that you actually like.

Thank you for checking on my blog. I did publish my second post, which is "Roller Coasters and Thrill Rides" on February 6. My sister told my dad about it and told him that I was a really good writer (blush). I gave him the link to it, but I don't know if he's looked at it. He may never look at it – it's just too hard on him emotionally. I'll let my sister ask him if he's read it. I think he's afraid it will be gloom and doom, although the name suggests that it's anything but that. He knows that I'm not a gloom and doom type of person, and I think he knows that that's by the grace of God.

Wishing everyone a blessed day.

Carol

Hi ladies,

I wanted to share with you that one time when I was logging into BCO my eye caught a post by a lady who was diagnosed with DCIS for the second time and is very scared and it was so sad to read her posts because I don't think she knows the Lord and there is little hope out there. But I'm sure there are many in that situation. I'm enjoying the pictures and posts of birds, personally I've had a great fear of birds since I was a child and so it is nice to see them safely on the computer screen and read about the variety and the songs they sing. Praying for your detox program Nancy, and so admire your determination to complete and extend the program. Also, to share a band director story with you, I have a severe hearing loss since birth, but always wanted to play in the band, so when I was in junior high school a band director determined that I could play the drums and he let me play the cymbals and bass drum during school concerts, so by watching him carefully, since I couldn't hear where they were in the song, he would point to me directly and I would put together the cymbals or the hit the bass drum, whichever I was doing, and I was so happy Praying that you are safely in CO Chris and all is working out with a new team of doctors and you have a peace that passes all understanding and the joy of being near family. Also, GB that your dental appointment goes well and all medications are tolerated well. And Carol, I'm impressed with your blog and it is going to be a real encouragement to many. I am so glad I found this site and have each of your names in my prayer journal.

Have a blessed day and stay warm!

Wheatfields

Wheatfields, what a wonderful story about your band leader!

Nancy, I'm so sorry that you burnt your rice. Burnt rice is indeed a pain to clean! I appreciate your support and your prayers.

Your story about Cammie and the bird sounds. Cats can be really good at leaving in a huff! They crack me up.

Love to all,

Carol

Nancy,

A male rose-breasted grosbeak posing for a pic. ;o)

A spring-summer-fall resident in the Adirondacks!

Nancy, I am glad you are safe from your treacherous snow slide. Stay safe!

It snowed a little here but not enough to be dangerous, just very cold. This San Diego girl needs thicker blood!

I miss seeing the birds and have been too busy househunting to even notice them. I feel good just making it through another day. I know my cancer is back as my back pain is increasing from my spinal tumors. My new insurance kicks in March 1st and then I can start making appointments. I appreciate your prayers I can be seen quickly.

Chris, it is good to hear from you. I will pray for the house hunting. I have been praying for you to find the very best oncology team for you and that they will know just what you need for chemo. I pray for the time when you can rest and have all of these things finished. I wish I could speed up that calendar so you were covered with insurance today but God knows what He is doing and it will all happen in His plan for you. TRUST Keep your word close to your heart.

GB, I'm glad you are participating in the bird count. I really do think you have found YOUR hobby which can last a lifetime. God gave me photography as a silver lining to my breast cancer and I believe God is giving you bird watching as your silver lining. BTW Birds and Blooms magazine is offering a $750 prize to the best bird video. In their promo they had a bluebird in theirs. Just sayin'.

Have a good day dear sisters.

Love,

Nancy

Welcome to this thread Luvmy4sons. No one ever wants to be in this bc club but the upside is that you will meet many wonderful people here that either are currently or have gone through your struggles and certainly understand. I would suggest doing a search on BCO and use words like metabolic treatments or alternative treatments. I know there was a lady very knowledgeable on the metabolic approach to breast cancer that started a thread within the last year or so. This is probably a question that you will say I have already done that but have you discussed your side effects to your cancer drug with your oncologist. There are other drugs but I think if they have anything to do with blocking estrogen you may find similar issues but not necessarily. There are some ladies that have been on this thread who just flat out said I can't take this drug anymore and just stopped. I know people from my church that couldn't tolerate the cancer drug and stopped and now many years later are doing fine. I chose to tough it out for five years on Anastrozole. I was a few years older than you at my diagnosis and I had already been in menopause. I had terrible issues with insomnia and when the data started coming out about extending the five years to possibly ten I thought NO WAY. I could have gone for two more years but my oncologist at that time said the two years extra will not benefit you considering your side effects. I had GI issues as well. I was told that exercise could help with the side effects and I was a swimmer during the time I was on Anastrozole.

This is one of those things you will need to pray about, do your own research and then make a hopefully mutual decision with your husband and your oncologist how you will move forward. I am sorry you are having such a difficult time. I wish I had more answers for you.

You said God has seen you through many trials and I have no doubt that He will see you through this one too.

Love,

Nancy

Hi Leslie! I don't have advice on letrozole, but welcome to the group!

Nancy, I might try to take some photos today. My husband is going to fill the feeders today, so we need to get ready for "chickadee highway."

I agree it may be the new hobby. I love how my daughter is learning to recognize the birds along with me. I love how when I got out of the car after work yesterday the bird songs hit me right away (noisy wrens and tufties), and I saw a tufty flying around. They were there all along but I didn't notice them. Now it's impossible to ignore them!

Leslie, I am glad to see some of our sisters reaching out to you. You are not alone in this.

GB, enjoy your birding and maybe you will turn into a bird photographer too!!!!! May I suggest adding a hummingbird feeder to the mix in the warm seasons. They are the cheapest form of entertainment you can get.

Hershey, thank you. The first two weeks of the Detox I had really bad ear pain and I know it was from clenching my teeth. I can laugh now but it wasn't fun at the time. I knew my stress level was off the charts initially. Because of all the foods I couldn't eat it also meant a complete sleep schedule change because mixing my prescription meds with the detox products was a no no. I am now shopping at three different grocery stores which has been the most difficult and costly as grocery shopping is my least favorite thing to do. But......I have to say there are days when I have felt terrific and I have probably never said that in the last many years. So I am encouraged. I have been walking 2.5 miles and more inside my house six days a week as it has been so cold. That definitely helps. I am drinking a ton of electrolyte water as I have had a history of low sodium and one of the health coaches suggested that. Definitely a good thing.

I will have to post some of my raptor photos for you. I love seeing them and the opportunity to photograph them is very rewarding.

How is your Mom doing? I continue to pray for her and for you.

Have a great weekend dear sisters. It is bright and sunny here in IL today but bone chilling cold. I heard last night that it was 30 days till spring. That was a wonderful reality!!!

Love,

Nancy

Hershey, that makes me smile knowing your Mom is back and feeling good. Congrats to her on having her art project featured on the facility website. That's awesome!!!!! I bet she was beaming finding out about that. I bet you are so proud of her.

That is on my bucket list to finally get a photo of an owl in the wild. I have several pics of owls at a wildlife rehab facility but that is not the same thing even though it was interesting watching the different kinds they had there. You must live in just the right habitat for them. That is really neat. I remember growing up we had a Great Horned Owl on our roof one day. That was pretty exciting. I hear them outside my house occasionally but I can never see them. You are fortunate to hear and see them regularly.

Thank you for your encouragement. I hope my motivation will stay in high gear now that the food reintroduction starts on Monday. I don't want to fall back into my same rut of eating the same things over and over again. I have discovered that I love Bison burgers. Beef was not allowed on this program but Bison was. I am gluten intolerant so I haven't had a real hamburger on a bun for years but just having the plain Bison burger was very good and quite expensive but worth it. The one thing that might be surprising if you saw all of the foods to avoid list when I started this is that I have never felt deprived or hungry except the veggie week was a challenge and optional. There was no fasting involved even though those who were into intermittent fasting could do so in a 12 hr window.

Have a great rest of your weekend.

Love,

Nancy

I got dental clearance to start the Zometa. The dentist doesn't know why I have some pain on chewing. He said that everything looks good on xray and exam. But if I need to get a filling or crown done in the future, he said not to worry. I grind a ton (even with the nightguard), plus I suspect I have some neuropathy up in my mouth...so that could be why the tooth is funny. I do feel better after talking with him. He also prescribed a high fluoride toothpaste, so I can start that.

Sigh. Now dermatologist tomorrow. It's the week of appointments. The dermatologist really likes taking biopsies, so I will probably get something removed.

GB, getting a filling, crown, bridge or root canal is not problematic for patients having Zometa infusions. Did your dentist happen to check your bite? If your bite is off, you may be hitting that tooth too hard.

gb, I was super nauseated after my first Zometa infusion. I never vomited, but I woke up in the middle of the night after my infusion feeling really horrible. I got up and took a Compazine. It didn't really help the nausea, but I was eventually able to fall back asleep.

The next time I took a Compazine before I went to bed the evening after the infusion. I still had some nausea, but it wasn't as bad.

After that, I really didn't have any nausea after the infusion. I did run a slight fever several times, but Tylenol seemed to help with that. I read, somewhere here on this forum, that taking a Claritin before and after the infusion helps. My temp is usually around 97.7, so when it gets to 99 or above, I start feeling achy.

Sorry for the ramble. Here's my summary:

• 1.Ask your MO for Compazine. Take one before you go to bed the night after your infusion.
• 2.Take a Claritin the day before, of, and after your infusion
• 3.Try to drink lots of water. I've recently found that I like ginger tea (who knew?) so that might help, too. I drink the Lemon-Ginger tea with a little honey.

I hope this helps. You can also let the infusion nurse that you are prone to nausea. Personally, I'll take pain over nausea any day!

(((hugs)))

(Sorry for the dots before the numbers. I copied and pasted from Word, and it added the dots before the numbers. Sigh...)

Hi ladies,

I am glad that you can share in your experiences with each other as I have no experience with of some of the transfusions you have been talking about.

GB I do pray that you will be able to tolerate your first transfusion in March. I'm glad your dentist gave you clearance.

Carol, thanks for your nice comment on my hawk and asking about how my eggs were. Well, things have gotten a little complicated. I had an apt on Monday afternoon and I had eaten my eggs in the morning. I saw my allergy doctor that afternoon. I was telling her about my five week detox and I mentioned that the first two weeks I had really bad ear pain in one ear. I thought it was from my TMJ and clenching my teeth as this beginning process was difficult and making me nervous. I asked her to look at my ear. I was quite surprised when she said it is red and inflamed. I told her I had no pain then. Yesterday, I felt fine in the morning and then as the day wore on I started getting a terrific headache, was chilling and just felt sick and had ear pain. So could any of this be a reaction to eating eggs for the first time????? Today I still had the earache and I just decided to send a message to this allergy doctor and asked if she would consider giving me some antibiotics since I had just seen her on Monday and if not I would have to go to urgent care. I was so pleased when I got a message back and I do now have antibiotics. It is a bummer that I did all the detoxing and the gut health just to have it undone by antibiotics but I felt like I had no choice. Unfortunately this will mean that my food reintroduction has been somewhat derailed right now. I have no idea if I reacted to the eggs or not. I may email my health coach even though the program is over as far as her part is concerned? I may ask her what do I do now??? I am still continuing the detox products but eating more food and will still be avoiding all the foods I couldn't eat from the beginning. The only thing I need besides healing is patience as I am frustrated with this turn of events as my ability to eat eggs would mean I could start eating breakfast again instead of drinking the smoothie but may have to wait for 2-3 months.

The pharmacist suggested I wait and start the antibiotics this evening so this is a lesson in patience for sure.

I know these issues are not big issues compared with what many of you are going through.

Take care dear sisters.

Love,

Nancy

Hi all,

Sorry I have been MIA. I have been sick for several days with no energy. I am on antibiotics for an ear infection but it has knocked me out. This week's weather give's me hope of spring. I hope I will get to experience it first hand soon.

Take care and have a wonderful week.

Love,

Nancy