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

I just went back for some reason I can't fathom( maybe the fib ) and re-read what I wrote earlier. I do a lot more than just post a quote. A lot of jabbering from me most of the time unless I'm having to do something. I did not mean to tell my whopper -- we are always in a fresh second of time and at the time I felt like I had not been posting much. I take it back.

Welcome snow ghost - as you can now see, we are a small but chatty bunch. Many days we are dealing with the issues of aging more than living with cancer but know that we are here for that too. Hope you can get your profile posted and made public - need to do it for each item listed - so we know more about you. I think Cardplayer and I are the only ones who are TP, for instance.

Great looking yard. As I've said before, many of you have more energy than I do. Unlike my DS, I have little interest in a yard/garden. Good for you who do!

Jackie may label this a "political statement" but I will make it anyway - climate change is real. Phoenix heat is record breaking as it is elsewhere. My DD lives in Maine where few homes, including hers, are air conditioned. So sorry to read about the floods in St. Louis. Northern AZ is flooding too - following huge fires this spring when it was so dry. And so I it goes. Very sad.

By the way, I especially liked yesterdays quote, Jackie.

Sandy I sent you a PM on my toes. I’ve also seen a physiatrist for my back. Degenerative disk disease, arthritis, with bulging disks all around. But L2-L5 we’re the ones causing horrible back pain. I saw a physiatrist on recommendation of step son, now a gastroenterologist, back then I think doing his residency. After X-rays and an MRI the physiatrist did a steroid injection under live X-ray while I was in my workout clothes, easy pull down pants, lying on the table. It was a little painful as the injection takes up space in an area without much space to give. It was quick, I was given an ice pack and had to sit for a while before they let me go. I think I hurt more leaving then when I got there. That night I went to sleep as usual and was wide awake 3 hours later from the steroid. Dr called me the next day to see how I was, not much to report. Long story to say, it really didn’t help me. On my return visit w Dr it was almost like nothing more he could do. He told me that many people live with pain and use pain management. The injection didn’t make me any worse that I could tell, just didn’t make it any better.

We’re hoping to see a concert tonight, Shemekia Copeland is playing for free along with 2 local blues bands at an outdoor venue. But the forecast is calling for storms beginning around 2-3 pm. She’s the headliner and probably won’t be out until after 7 pm. So with rain and temps up in the 90’s, I won’t know if I’m going until 6:30 pm. I hate outdoor events where the weather may be bad. Are we going? Are we staying home? Unknown.

Hoping the weather is better where you are! Have a great day ladies.

Taco, and everyone. Speaking generally about the weather ( bad in so many places right now ) is not really getting into politics. Now were we to get into naming names and finding entities to blame for what is going on, that would get us into partisan bickering and there goes what we have worked diligently to achieve here -- a quiet, peaceful place for everyone who comes..

I, along with most of you am fearful for us with 'climate' change which keeps changing for the worst.

We keep waiting for rain, but the past day and a half it seems to have eluded us. I worry the humidity will come up which hasn't been nearly as bad as I expected. Fingers crossed on that one. The sun is once again muted -- so there are some clouds roaming around but none that seem too dark right now.

All I have going on for today is a trip out for supplies/groceries. We had planned to go to Mt.Vernon to the Kroger store, but I cancelled that. It is Ch. Supper day and we would not get back in time, plus I have stocked up on the items that come from Krogers that I like which are lo-salt. It is really then cheaper for us to go to Walmarts. Sometimes I don't like going there, but we don't have a lot of stores that are close enough here so having forced others out that is our main choice. I do go to Schucks ( our only other grocery store ) for some things as well.They have a brand ( it is actually a 'store' brand ) of bread and butter pickle with no salt. So there are a few things that get in that category.

I know it is hard to keep stock of 'foods' for people with medical issues. Just fortunate I noticed them. For a short while I had quit reading labels every time I shopped for food, but now am back to it for sure -- mainly checking for salt and then fat. Sort of tough since that is what flavors so much of what we eat.

Hope you all have a great day.

Cindy, I'm inclined to do as much as possible stretching-and-topicals-wise before I submit to cortisone shots for my back. I think the injection pain, immunosuppression, insomnia and weight gain would be deal-breakers for me unless my back is "locked up" in utter agony. As to the (alleged) sciatica, I really think that what I'm feeling in my hip & thigh when walking is something else. I've had sciatica once (when I was pregnant) and it was a constant burning pain fro my back down my hamstring. Bob is prone to it if (and while) driving too long without a break, especially using the accelerator--but not so much in the new car. OTOH, I have no problem while sitting or driving--my hip & thigh pain feels arthritic, and only when weightbearing after I get up from a low or soft seat. I wonder if there are Synvisc (hyaluronic acid gel shots) for hips the way there are for knees? Or if there's a hand-held-bulb lumbar traction machine that works the way my cervical traction device does? I will also ask about gravity inversion--whether it's possible to do if I fast and take a PPI before each session. The exercise that seemed to work best for me (and was actually sort of "zen") in my PT sessions was the "reformer" apparatus (sort of a supine leg-press using springs & the body rather than weights), which I hear is fundamental to Pilates. I know that reputable Pilates instructors will insist patients do PT before starting Pilates, and I don't think one would let me just use the reformer.

Welcome, Snowghost. Hope you stay around. We are chatty, all right here, unless we want to use the PM function.

Jackie, I enjoy your daily reports. I often post my daily reports without responding to others', mostly because I am in a rush. And backtracking will not work with these short pages, unless I save before backtracking.

Sandy, I have been having problems with a sciatic point in my left hip, and pain in my left knee. I need to use both hiking poles. I certainly hope you get those difficulties sorted out quick. I simply avoid sitting on low surfaces, except my bed, which is low for Tippy's sake. Because I was so active yesterday, my right knee was bothering me, but after a half-hour of immobility it settled down. Our internet and TV were down for about twelve hours.

Cindy, glad you got a window of time in which to enjoy the concert. A friend and I are going to our concert in the park next week.

Jackie, I agree with you that climate change has gone beyond politics. But the political situation-- too much power to the wealthy, was partially founded on the status quo in respecting Creation. My dehumidifier helps immensely, for a small apartment. You can order no/low salt from Amazon or Wal Mart-- no travel needed. Of course, no perishables are available unless you live near/in a large city.

cardplayer, with Neurotonin/gabapentin you need coverage all hours of the day. Unless your insurance will cover for the expensive timed-release version. Those side effects will wear off. I have mild CP, plus balancing on a slippery knee joint can be quite a tight-wire act, but I can make it to the bathroom OK, although I believe that I touch the walls on the way.

I will update on me later. Tippy demands a walk, and I am not dressed yet.

Good Morning. Another overcast day with rain and thunderstorms in the forecast. Got our walk in, a few rain drops, then nothing. We could really use a nice soaking rain.

I use to get sciatica and frequent lower back pain. Had epidural injections in L3 and L4 plus PT. Since I had PRP injections in my right hip (after replacement), I haven’t had any sciatica or need for injections. Still do PT occasionally for lower back and neck issues though.

Wish my insurance allowed timed released gabapentin, but it doesn’t. Spent lots of time on the phone with Express Scripts yesterday. They had quoted me a price for my Restasis eye drops that was significantly cheaper (half) than what CVS was going to charge for my refill. So I transferred the prescription. Next thing I get a charge on my credit card for almost the same amount CVS was going to charge. When I spoke to Express Scripts customer service, she said it’s because I was getting 6 vials rather than 3 vials in my 90 day supply. That made no sense to me. It’s still a 90 day supply. She hung up on me, so I called back. Got the call escalated to a supervisor. She got a pharmacist on the line. Turns out, my doctor rewrote the prescription ordering 6 boxes instead of my usual 3 boxes of vials of eye drops. I’m getting double what I usually get, more like a 180 day supply. Still cheaper than CVS.

Have a wonderful day

I’ve just started wearing the FitBit for the cancer study. So far I’ve gotten 3 nights of sleep monitoring. I’ve said I get 7 hours of sleep, but FitBit tells a different story: 6 hrs 47 mins; 6 hrs 25 mins; 5 hrs 18 mins. Last night I was awake on & off for nearly an hour. I think my stress level will increase as I see my lack of sleep. HAHA!It’s new so I’m checking it out a lot, maybe as time goes by I’ll ignore it.

It’s a pleasant 78 outside, with a high up to 88. If humidity stays on the lower side, I’d like that. We need to pack for a week on Cape Cod. The less humid, the better. Enjoy your Friday!

MC -- while they are not fun and are painful often I look at the majority of my failures in two ways -- as a heavy duty learning experience and as the impetus to find a way to improve as much as possible. Sort of goes along with my idea that if everything in our life was perfect it would be so difficult for us to learn since we would never get the negative inputs. I still have plenty of failures ( although they generally seem a lot smaller now ) and while I can't say I welcome them, I don't attach the 'dread' to the event so much as I use to.

Glad you had someone who cared to talk you down. Mistakes and failures help you grow and they seem slow and tedious ( painful ) but I'm convinced it is a much faster way to learn because we can compare.

No fitbit here but still having to take a blood pressure reading several times through the day to make sure to not throw myself into blood pressure imbalances. Not sure how 'good' we can get my blood pressure but maybe I'll ask the Cardio Dr. when I see her. It is staying ( upper ) around 99 to 114, and ( lower ) between 74 to 79.

Maybe coincidence cardplayer, but our weather sounds pretty close. I live about in the middle of the state so an hr. or so going east or west or north east will get me into another state. Close to Missouri, Tennessee, and Indiana.

I turned 60 this year and also diagnosed with BC. I have it in opposite quadrants of one breast so I will loose that one for sure. Thinking of taking the other so I am balanced as I hate wearing a bra. Thinking it might be nice to go braless (I'm a 40DD). I feel pretty confident that I would be ok going flat but I guessing its the fear of what i don't know or can't imagine that has me reaching out for others experiences with going flat. Anyone?

Surviving 60 welcome to the club no one wants to join. This is a friendly group but may not have specific information about going flat. I *think* there is an actual thread called "going flat" or similar on this site that might be helpful.

Key west hoping for continued reassurance as you come to each decision point on this hip replacement journey.

I am ready for the weekend. Too many Dr. Appts, blood tests, PT, and medical stuff lately. It wears me out thinking about the various things, mainly. We have a 50th anniversary party to attend on Saturday which should be fun. I hope you all have a good weekend also.

key western - I did less than 3 years of AI's and I'm not sorry. It certainly was a quality of life decision for me. If you don't stop, please talk to both your MO and your surgeon. I am convinced that my knee replacement recovery was hindered by the AI's but surgeon didn't look at my chart closely enough to catch it.

Another quiet weekend for us. Hope to be able to play golf. The weather hasn't been a golfers friend this week. On the other hand, rain is desperately needed. The south and east side of Phoenix tends to get much more than we do, northwest of the city.

If my friend gets moved from Mayo to a local rehab, will stop in there. Took them forever to diagnosis her lymphoma and she got so weak that she can't go home yet. She said her first chemo treatment wasn't too bad though and she seems to be realistic about not being able to manage at home.

Surviving60 - be sure to look for the thread for those who choose to go flat. I don't think any of us made that decision. If you can't find it, go to the moderators for help. This site isn't always easy to navigate so try to be patient - something I know is hard to do when you are trying to make all kinds of decisions.

You will find lots of support from this chatty group. Fill in your profile and make each answer "public".

Have a good weekend, everyone.

Marge, aka Taco

A beautiful sunny day after the rains last night. It was warm when we took our walk this morning but we had a nice breeze. Almost felt like we were at the beach. Except there was no sand or ocean.

Did my usual Saturday routine - watered a few indoor plants and made hummingbird water. We haven't had as many hummingbirds as we did last summer. Miss seeing them feed. The cats were quite active this morning. Maybe they're waiting for us to put clean sheets on the bed. That seems to be one of their favorite activities.

It's funny how even in retirement, we have our routines. I've always been an organized person, a list maker and a planner. Now Alexa reminds me to do things, DH and I have shared lists in OneNote and we are able to see what we have on each other's calendars.

Enjoy your day.

I don't have any of the issues that people need answers for right now, but as for myself -- i usually contemplate all the information I can get and then go with what my heart/gut says. You know best what you can live with or in some cases without. All of you who contributed had wonderful suggestions, ideas and personal stories. There is a wealth of information on BC. Org although I've relied mostly on 'friends' I've met on this bog -- much like I do when I ask my 'close' neighbors and friends here where I live As the site has made some changes it likely may be easier to ask the mods to point out some forums that would enhance your knowledge.

Going to be hot today so won't be doing much save for things to do inside. Yesterday was though pretty comfy at 81 degrees. Yesterday we saw a doe ( no mother in sight ) several times through the day in the same place. Never decided for sure if there was a mom or if something happened. If I see the little doe today I may call my frined who is a wildlife rehab specialist and see what she might offer in the way of info or help. She has raised a lot of baby deer, starting them out in her bathtub in her bathroom. She will surely be blessed for the work she does with all sorts of 'babies' and or injured owls, eagles etc.

Her daughter used to sort of hate riding with her mom -- who often would insist on stopping to pick up 'roadkill' because some of the wildlife she nursed back to health has that as their principle diet. Hmmm, I guess I can understand that. Most people seeing you do that wouldn't automatically think of this older woman picking up something off the highway as a wildlife expert who needs this to feed the animal'bird she is nursing back to health.

Sorry -- I got way off the subject.

Hope you all have a wonderful day.