Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

Angela Wright said:There’s actually a whole field called palliative medicine. It’s meant for patients in the terminal stages—basically when curative medicine has run out of options—and it focuses on ensuring a decent quality of life without constant pain for as long as possible.

That said, if I’m being honest based on what I've seen, I’d suggest getting all the documentation translated and seeking a second opinion from one of those major global centers of excellence. Sadly, our doctors here aren't always up to speed on everything, and they just don't have the budget or the setup to pull off certain protocols that are already standard practice elsewhere. For instance, Fighter's husband had this incredibly rare type of sarcoma, and once they hit a wall with local treatments, she reached out to the Dan Farber institute in the USA for a second opinion. They actually came back with six different potential paths, including the possibility of joining a clinical trial. They didn't end up making it into the study, unfortunately, but hey—it shows that there’s always at least some kind of option out there if you look.

Thanks so much!!!... I'm going to do a little digging into that...
Right now, I'm just waiting to see my friend, hear how the consultation goes, and find out what the MRI turns up... just waiting! Ugh.

Angela Wright said:The only thing I see on that page is a bunch of registration forms for some conference and news claiming they have evidence that scorpion venom—specifically an Edema species from Cuba—works on cervical cancer cell cultures, which is something Mileva already posted about. And let’s be clear, that’s an in vitro study; even someone who hasn't seen a Divix film could figure that out without needing a translation. So, really, there isn't much point in all this pamphleteering or lamenting. ☕
What exactly is "registered" remains a complete enigma.
In modern, verified medicine, the alpha and omega of competency is finding information on Medline pages—which is the world's largest database for registered drugs (and, as I explained in my previous post, there is a very specific path a drug must follow to be registered for a particular indication). That is an undeniable fact.
If anyone wants to verify this for themselves, here is the link—just type in Vidatox.

...''alpha and omega'' regarding drugs used under conditions that cover the exact same or similar protocols used in the USA. Over there, they don't even recognize variations of Andol because their protocols simply don't account for them. Yet, the reality remains that a drug is still a drug, even if Americans don't recognize it as one.
And despite all that, they sell it online for $900 a bottle— and they market it as a drug.]

placidscout87 said:...''alpha and omega'' regarding medications used under conditions covering the exact same or similar protocols currently active in the USA. They don't even recognize variations of Andol over there because their specific protocols don't account for them. Regardless, the fact remains that a drug is a drug, even if Americans don't recognize it as one
Even so, they sell it online for $900 a bottle— and call it a medication]

Even though the moderator made it crystal clear that this conversation is dead and buried, my nature won't let me resist the urge to snap back at you, even if it costs me a ban.🙂
The nonsense you’ve spewed here is just a pathetic jumble of expressions and analogies that lack any shred of logic, insight, or actual knowledge.
There is an organization called the WHO, which includes members from all over Europe, the USA, and the rest of the developed world. They operate under the exact same strict and clearly defined rules; so, when something is approved in America or Europe based on those standards, it's recognized globally. Treatment protocols are built for a specific indication using products backed by RELEVANT studies. Andol has been on the market for a hundred years and comes in its own generic versions. In fact, the formula for Andol is so universally known that it isn't even worth the effort to produce a generic version.
Nowadays, any random person can claim something is a "medication" just because the general public is uninformed, essentially giving themselves permission to fleece people for a quick buck—which is obviously and transparently your goal here (it's easy to see, considering your post history is obsessed with this single topic and your username screams ego).
You can buy just about anything on the internet. Thank Bog that our country is actually quite strict when it comes to importing unregistered drugs into the USA. Anyone foolish enough to go underground to buy that kind of garbage deserves every side effect that hits them.
Just stop it, please.🙂

Hey everyone. Just wanted to jump in and say thanks to vividsailor7 for actually carving out time to hang out on this forum and share some advice.
It’s pretty rare to find people who genuinely want to help, but trust me, every little bit counts—whether it's someone just listening to you vent or offering tips on treatment.
I'm keeping all of you and your loved ones in my prayers; I really hope things start looking up.

And honestly, I'm rooting for everyone to get better soon, because if you ask me, half the battle is all in your head anyway.

Hi everyone.
A colleague's mother has been battling lung cancer for a year now. She’s cycled through four different types of chemo and a round of so-called "targeted therapy," but nothing has worked. Back in July, her CT scan showed no metastases, yet one entire lung is compromised while the other remains clear. She’s dealing with a constant fever and is completely wiped out from the last treatment; she's currently hospitalized, essentially just waiting for the end. The doctors are merely managing her symptoms because she’s far too weak for any more aggressive therapy.
Surgery isn't an option since she doesn't qualify—two lymph nodes are already involved. My question is this: how can you just leave a woman to die without doing anything at all? There has to be something else to try. It feels absurd. I keep pushing my colleague to get copies of her mother's records and send them everywhere for second or third opinions, but she won't budge. The poor woman is in a terrible headspace, just waiting for the inevitable. Is there any help available? We're in Indianapolis, where it feels like the easiest path for people is just to give up; apparently, there aren't enough experts willing to step in. As a layperson, this makes zero sense to me.

stormycanyon18 said:Hey everyone,
A colleague's mom has been battling lung cancer for a year now. She’s cycled through four different types of chemo plus a round of those so-called "smart drugs," but there hasn't been any improvement whatsoever. Back in July, they did a CT scan and couldn't find any metastases. One entire lung is hit, while the other is clear. She’s running a constant fever and is completely wiped out from the last round of chemo; she’s currently hospitalized, basically just sitting there waiting for the end. The doctors are just managing her symptoms and calling it a day because she's too weak for any more intensive therapy.
She won't go under the knife because she isn't a surgical candidate—two lymph nodes are already involved. So, here's my question: how can you just leave a woman to die without doing anything at all? There has to be something else worth trying, hello, this makes zero sense! I keep pushing my colleague to get copies of her mother's medical records so we can blast them out to specialists and hunt down ten different opinions if necessary, but nothing. The poor woman is in such a bad headspace that she's just waiting for death to arrive. Is there any help out there? Just a reminder, we're in Indianapolis, where it feels like the easiest thing for people to do is just give up; apparently, there aren't enough bright minds around here to step in and make a difference. To me, as someone who isn't exactly a genius, this is insanity.

Where was she being treated?
If she wasn't in Washington, D.C., or Jordan, you absolutely have to seek a second opinion right there!
Otherwise, I am with you 100%. There are centers of excellence in this world for specific diagnoses; there are clinical trials, and you should definitely be reaching out to those institutions.
But unfortunately, lung cancer is incredibly common, and it’s far too frequent that in smaller towns, they claim all options are exhausted, while somewhere else, they’d say they aren't. But that doesn't mean you stop fighting and looking for a way forward.

Well, she was in Jordan, but they aren't exactly top-tier experts there. They actually ruined my brother's life with a wrong diagnosis about 16 years ago. Does anyone know who we could actually reach out to?

stormycanyon18 said:Well, she was at the facility in Jordan, but they definitely aren't the experts I make them out to be—they actually ruined my brother's life there 16 years ago with a wrong diagnosis. Does anyone know who we could reach out to instead?

I’m sorry you went through that, but look, Jordan is a specialized hospital for pulmonary issues; when it comes to lungs, the odds of them missing a diagnosis are basically zero. Just look at a colleague of mine—her mom had microcellular lung cancer, and they treated her perfectly; she’s in remission right now. It really just comes down to the individual case.
You need to sit down and start Googling clinics abroad or see if there's a specialized institution nearby, maybe check if there's an active clinical trial for a new lung cancer drug. But you have to have every single detail and the exact diagnosis ready, because there is a massive difference between something like adenocarcinoma and microcellular cancer.
Over here, you can ask Dr. Radić for some advice, but you absolutely have to provide the exact medical report, otherwise he won't be able to say much.
Regarding clinical trials and how to find them, check here

stormycanyon18 said:Hi everyone!
A colleague’s mother has been battling lung cancer for a year now. She’s already cycled through four different types of chemotherapy and even a course of so-called "smart drugs," but there hasn't been any improvement whatsoever. Back in July, they did a CT scan and couldn't find any metastases anywhere. One entire lung is affected, while the other remains clear. She’s dealing with a constant fever and is absolutely wiped out from the side effects of her last chemo session. Now she’s stuck in the hospital, where she is literally just waiting to die. The doctors are merely managing her symptoms and that’s it, because she’s too weak for any further treatment.
She won't undergo surgery because—she isn't even a candidate for it, since two lymph nodes are involved. So, here is my question: how can you just leave a woman to die and do absolutely nothing? There has to be something else worth trying—HELLO, this makes zero sense! I keep pushing my colleague to get a full transcript of her mother's medical records so she can send them everywhere and demand ten more second opinions if necessary, but nothing happens. The woman is in such a terrible mental state that she's just waiting for the end! Is there any help available? Let me remind you, we are in Indianapolis, where it feels like the easiest thing to do is just give up on everything; apparently, there aren't enough smart people around to step in and intervene. To me, as a total amateur, this is senseless.

I see you've already received an answer.

Oh, they messed up big time. They didn't bother with a proper biopsy; instead, they diagnosed a 22-year-old with planocellular tracheal carcinoma. No deep dive, just a flat statement that he had zero chance of recovery. By the second day after the "diagnosis," they already had him on chemo, hoping the cancer would miraculously vanish in a week. Then, months later, everything just spiraled. After a million tests—some working, some ending in total disaster, like a perforated large intestine followed by an effusion, then surgery, and so on—a doctor at Mayo Clinic finally figured out the actual diagnosis: carcinoid syndrome. It was something that could have been managed normally with the right treatment. She actually sat down with my parents and said, "I really don't know how to tell you this, but a terrible mistake was made regarding your son..." This all happened at Jordan.
A few doctors at that same Jordan facility started questioning the diagnosis because, frankly, my brother never smoked, and that specific type of cancer usually only hits lifelong smokers over sixty. By the end, it was too late for anything. He ended up passing away from a common cold because he'd lost over 90 pounds, and that final surgery just finished him off. The doctors decided to perform a puncture right after breakfast, and well, we all know how that turned out.
He was only 22 and a perfect human being. Now he’s gone. We will never be able to accept the fact that he could still be here with us if just one single idiot had actually known how to do their job.

stormycanyon18 said:Oh, they messed up big time. They didn't perform a proper biopsy—they just slapped a diagnosis of planocellular tracheal carcinoma on a 22-year-old kid. No deep investigation, nothing. They basically told him there was zero chance of recovery. By the second day after the "diagnosis," they already had him pumped full of chemo, hoping this cancer would miraculously vanish in a week! Then, a few months later, everything just spiraled out of control. It was an endless cycle of tests—some working, most ending in absolute catastrophe, like when they punctured his large intestine and caused a massive effusion, followed by surgery, and so on and so forth. Finally, during his stay at Mayo Clinic, a doctor actually figured out the real diagnosis: carcinoid syndrome. If they had used the right therapy from the start, he could have been managed perfectly fine. She actually sat down with my parents and said, "I honestly don't know how to tell you this, but in your son's case, a horrific mistake was made..." and that was right there at the hospital in Jordan!
A few doctors at that same facility in Jordan started questioning the diagnosis because of the facts: my brother never smoked, and that specific type of cancer almost exclusively hits hardened smokers over the age of 60. By then, it was too late for anything. He ended up passing away from a common cold because he’d lost over 90 pounds and that last surgery just finished him off. The doctors decided to run a puncture right after breakfast and, predictably, it ended exactly the way it did.
He was only 22 years old and he was perfect. And now he's gone. We will never be able to accept the fact that he could still be here with us if just one single idiot had known how to do their job!

I am so incredibly sorry about your brother. All I can say is that even we doctors make mistakes sometimes, but that's where the catch is: do you own up to it and be honest with the family, or do you just make excuses? My heart goes out to you, truly.

stormycanyon18 said:Oh, they messed up big time. They didn't perform a proper biopsy; instead, they misdiagnosed a 22-year-old with planocellular tracheal carcinoma. No biopsy was done, and they just flat-out told him there was no hope for recovery. By the second day after the "diagnosis," they already had him on chemotherapy, hoping for some miracle where the cancer would vanish within a week. Then, a few months later, everything just spiraled downward. After a million tests—some successful and others turning into absolute nightmares, like when they punctured his large intestine resulting in an effusion, followed by surgery, and so on—a doctor at Mayo Clinic finally landed on the actual diagnosis: carcinoid syndrome. This was something that could have been managed normally with the right treatment. She actually sat down with my parents and said, "I honestly don't know how to tell you this, but in your son's case, a terrible mistake was made..." and this all happened at Jordan!
A few doctors at that same Jordan facility started questioning the diagnosis because of the facts: my brother never smoked, and that specific type of cancer typically only shows up in hardened smokers over the age of 60. In the end, it was too late for anything; he passed away from a common cold because he had lost over 90 pounds and that final surgery just finished him off. The doctors decided to run a puncture right after breakfast and, predictably, it ended exactly how you'd expect.
He was only 22 and was a perfect human being. Now he’s gone. And we will never be able to accept the reality that he could still be here with us if just one single idiot had known how to do their job!

Horrific!😲 😢I know of another suspicious case where a biopsy wasn't handled correctly either, leading to brain radiation for what was later determined to be an ischemic insult rather than a tumor.
Has anyone ever actually sued a hospital or a doctor for making a mistake like this? I realize it's not much comfort and it won't bring back a lost life, but at least it might prevent that specific person from repeating the same blunder and causing another family to endure this kind of tragedy.

It’s honestly exhausting seeing everyone check in here just to share bad news. That said, there are still some truly wonderful people on this forum who have stepped up to offer support when you needed it most.
We took my father-in-law in for blood work today, and the results were nothing short of staggering; his white blood cell count jumped from a terrifying 0.6 to 4.2 in just six days, and now, after seven more days, he's sitting at 9.8, leaving the entire medical team absolutely stunned by this level of progress.🙂)) He’s staying at the hospital today to begin his second round of chemotherapy. We are holding onto the hope that things stay this positive and that his momentum doesn't falter.

Kate Brooks2 said:It breaks my heart that everyone seems to be checking in with nothing but bad news. But hey, at least there are some truly wonderful people on this forum who step up to offer support when you need it most.
We took my father-in-law in for bloodwork today, and honestly, the numbers are incredible. His white blood cell count went from a terrifying 0.6 up to 4.2 in just six days, and now, after seven more days, he's sitting at 9.8. Even the doctors were stunned by how fast he's bouncing back! 🙂)) He’s staying at the hospital today to start his second round of chemo. We are praying everything holds steady and that he keeps this momentum going.

It is so refreshing to hear some actual good news for once. Keep pushing forward.👍

I’m not blaming every doctor out there—far from it. I have several close friends in the medical field, and most of them are perfectly fine. But then you run into that one type who simply fails to do their job properly. It sounds harsh, but I believe doctors shouldn't be making mistakes, at least not the kind that cost a life. Unfortunately, I know plenty of high-profile physicians back home in Indianapolis who have made horrific errors—like perforating an esophagus during a gastroscopy, leading to someone choking on their own blood, only for them to be declared dead from a ruptured ulcer. All just to ensure no one is held liable.
My father tried to launch an investigation into the treatment process, but back then, Tuđman was still in office, Hebrang was running things, and Jarnjak was around—doctors basically protected one another behind closed doors through unofficial pacts. Naturally, no one was ever found guilty, and nobody admitted to a single mistake. Whether it happened again is something I can't say. Honestly, we didn't have the energy to care at the time; our lives had been completely upended. My brother is gone, and nothing can bring him back—that's the saddest reality of all. The worst part is that these cases will keep happening, because those responsible don't see themselves as guilty, so they never actually learn the lesson.
That’s why I’m working so hard now, trying to convince a colleague of mine to take every possible step and never settle for just one diagnosis based solely on what a single doctor says.

stormycanyon18, I’m really sorry to hear about what happened. 🙂 You're absolutely right—when you're dealing with a situation like the one your colleague went through, there's zero downside to seeking out a second, third, or even fifth opinion if that's what it takes.

I honestly don't even know where to begin when it comes to doctors. On one hand, I get that mistakes happen because they’re human beings and not some flawless machines, but on the other hand, I find it absolutely impossible to accept how much they've reduced everything to a mindless routine. Just ten days before his diagnosis, a doctor told my father-in-law that there was nothing wrong with his lungs... he just needed to quit smoking, spend more time outdoors, and try some breathing exercises. It sounds frankly ridiculous; we went out and sought three more opinions, and all three confirmed it was a tumor. It turned out to be a massive malignant tumor. What would have happened if we had actually listened to that first opinion and wasted our time with those stupid exercises? Believe me, I don't know... we probably would have just kept living our lives until something became undeniable and far too late. This whole situation irritates me just as much as it seems to irritate all of you, but what infuriates me most is having to cough up hard-earned cash just to be promised that they will do everything in their power. I am not saying everyone is like this—we have met wonderful doctors and nurses who are truly dedicated to doing their jobs properly—but unfortunately, we have also encountered some truly terrible people. Here is a perfect example: after we paid our bill following a few days in the hospital, suddenly the staff started trying so hard—making sure he ate, making sure he drank, adjusting his bed properly, helping him to the restroom, and so on. Meanwhile, right next to our patient, there was an elderly man who couldn't move on his own and was essentially condemned to hunger until a visitor arrived or another patient decided to feed him; they didn't even bother checking on the medication he was supposed to be taking. It is appalling! Best regards to everyone

I have a question for all of you. Our patient is currently hospitalized and is set to begin five days of chemotherapy... I am wondering what kind of food is actually permissible during treatment? To be honest, he can’t even look at the hospital food anymore because he’s spent far too much time stuck with it lately, and their menu is just the same repetitive stuff over and over again. We have been bringing him fruit, green tea, and lemonade since he isn't supposed to have thick juices, but nobody has given us any concrete guidance regarding nutrition. What do you all recommend?

Kate Brooks2 said:It’s honestly a bummer that everyone keeps popping up here with nothing but bad news. But hey—there are some genuinely good people on this forum who actually show up when you need an answer.
We took my father-in-law in for bloodwork today, and man, the progress is wild. His white cell count went from a scary 0.6 up to 4.2 in just six days, and now, after seven days, he’s sitting at 9.8. Everyone—including the doctors—is pretty shocked by how fast he's bouncing back. 🙂)) He’s staying at the hospital today to start his second round of chemo. We’re just crossing our fingers and praying he stays this strong and doesn't hit a wall.

It is so great to hear some actual good news for once!!!
Just keep pushing forward... stay strong...🙂

My friend is really going through it right now....😢
She actually cut her trip short and headed back home from the coast two days early because she’s dealing with these absolutely brutal headaches. She hasn't even stepped foot outside the house for a couple of days—honestly, the last time I tried calling her, she couldn't even pick up the phone, so I ended up having to talk to her mom instead... it was just awful. It feels like things just spiral out of control so fast for her once they start going downhill...😢