Growing Old Amidst Cancer and Healthcare Challenges

Thank you for sharing these thoughtful reflections and for offering prayers to the community. Navigating cancer as an older adult brings unique challenges, especially when watching friends face similar battles and dealing with limited healthcare resources. The testing process can indeed feel overwhelming, and access to quality care does vary significantly by location. This community understands these struggles, and connecting with others who share similar experiences can provide comfort during difficult times.

I feel your pain. I'm 72 and was very healthy, no cronic conditions, no meds, very active...I live in a little Itty bitty town of about 40 thousand, miles and miles from other Itty bitty towns of populations less than 100. Went to my pcp 4 years ago complaining of pain in my left breast. Oh, we'll send a referral to vegas for a mammogram, can't get one scheduled in this town for 6 months or more. Nothing. Pcp moved on. New pcp year later said same thing. Well, the lump keeps shrinking and growing, so it's most likely fibrous tissue ( based on mammo and biopsy results from 1999). He didn't even feel my breast. Then started having diarrhea, and heart palpitations. So he sent me to a cardiologist and after every test in the book found nothing wrong. Colonoscopy then. Doctor said he saw nothing that would be causing my symptoms. Pcp moved. I just gave up. Then I started getting severe pains in my upper left side. Nothing worked to ease it. Ice, heat, massage, creams. Nothing. Went back to doctor...another new one. He sent me home with ibuprofen and said follow up in a week. So I just went to the ER instead of the follow-up and really played up my pain and symptoms so somebody would listen. After ruling out a heart attack, they did a CT Scan. They discovered literally HUNDREDS of lesions, "suspicious for metastatic disease" and recommended I go back to my PCP, get a referral to see an oncologist and get a PET scan ASAP. That was Thursday, March 13 2025. The hospital gave me a copy of a thick report of their findings to show my PCP. ANOTHER new doctor...same office, mind you. His exact words, "this is not good, as a matter of fact, this is really bad". Basically he brushed me off, set me up with oncologist and pain Management. Saw the oncologist the following wednesday morning, he sent me to vegas to be hospitalized that very day, and referred me to an oncologist there that specializes in blood cancers. Was there for 4 days undergoing tests and scans, bone marrow biopsies and spinal taps. They even had social workers come in to discuss options to help cancer victims of blood cancers. Three weeks later, the first oncologist says they were all shocked. I have metastatic breast cancer, stage 4. Spread to every bone in my body. Too many lesions to count. Includes spine, ribs, skull, everywhere. Oh. And the pain in my side? A fractured risocks. Cure. Only treatments. Now I'm on Kisqali and Letrozole, and a bone strengthening infusion once monthly. I have so many side effects it really sucks. I'm thinking of stopping all meds and just deal with it until the pain is too much and go on hospice when the time comes. Otherwise I cannot get my life in order so my husband can carry on without me.