Posts by restlessmarlin6

I've been dying to get my hands on this, so if anyone out there knows how to track it down, could you please shoot me a PM? 🙂 🙂

Charles Edwards8 said:I think I mentioned this somewhere before, regarding how doctors communicate about specific illnesses, but let me reiterate: I don't approve of anyone giving out prognosis timelines—whether it’s a month, six months, or a year.

Honestly, me neither.
On the flip side, I’m as healthy as can be, so a car could hit me tomorrow and that's just how it goes. We're all going to kick the bucket eventually, so why not just focus on living for "here and now" instead?
Laughing.
Enjoying life. 🙂

Our experience dealing with lung cancer has been a bit different from the norm.
Reading through some of your posts, I’ve noticed that a lot of doctors seem to avoid telling people exactly what they're actually fighting.
In our case, we knew practically from day one—including the patient himself (though, honestly, it took us a little while to actually wrap our heads around the truth, but that's another story entirely).
The patient was actually in total shock because the doctor just dropped the news bluntly, without any sugarcoating whatsoever. But looking back, we eventually realized that being direct is actually better.

But man, those doctors... nobody would say anything concrete about the chemotherapy or the side effects. Today, seeing my dad so weakened—he's dropped down to 60 kg, speaks so slowly, can barely move—I almost regretted him being on chemo (even though there isn't really another way out). We took him for an IV drip, then an enema in the afternoon—poor guy has to go through all this—and he still couldn't bring himself to eat anything until we explained that he could end up with a bowel obstruction and need surgery. Only then did he force himself to eat.

We knew chemotherapy was going to be brutal, but witnessing it is a whole different beast. It is so much harder to watch it happen than it is to just know it's coming. I try to comfort myself (as much as possible) by thinking this is just how it has to be, and that everyone goes through this. I sort of get why doctors hold back on the specifics regarding side effects; I guess it's easier when you don't know exactly what's hitting you. Personally, I think giving someone a detailed roadmap of all their future suffering might actually be counterproductive.

As for the prognosis... it's terrible. You want to hear everything, you really do, but nobody is going to give you the full picture. I've done a bit of digging through various articles, and I'm painfully aware that the general outlooks aren't great, but since no one talks about the specific details, we just accepted things as they were. Still, curiosity is a killer, and now I find myself choosing to focus on every single positive sign rather than constantly reading nonsense or hunting through heavy articles for some kind of comfort (let's be real, the chances of finding actual solace in those things aren't that high anyway).

And please, don't be too hard on the doctors. Sure, there are some catastrophic ones out there, but there are plenty of excellent ones, too. 🙂

hiddenpilot69 said:The film isn't exactly a masterpiece, and let me tell you why (and no, it’s not because of Cage):
The plot is just... a little idiotic, isn't it? I mean, seriously—you sell your soul to the devil just to go cruising around on a motorcycle? It feels a bit thin.
Meh.

If this were following some standard Hollywood script, it would obviously be total garbage.
But look, it’s a comic book adaptation made for the big screen.
To be honest, I’ve never actually read Ghost Rider, but after seeing the film, I actually felt like picking up the comics to skim through them.
On the flip side—I wouldn't sit through the movie again. And God forbid they ever make sequels.
One time was plenty. 🙂

Since we’re talking about a movie based on a comic book, I definitely wasn't going in expecting some absolute cinematic masterpiece.
I went into it with pretty low expectations, honestly. 🙂
And, I guess, I wasn't actually that disappointed—it was a decent enough little distraction.

Sandra Williams70 said:They have the looks, the brains, the pedigree—everything. But my friend is a wreck. Growing than a kid, he had it all: top of his class, strongest in the room, everyone’s favorite. He was convinced he’d conquer the world—wealth, power, the whole nine yards. That dream never materialized—maybe because of some economic collapse or who knows what else. Is that the crux of it? Most kids dream big too, yet they don't end up miserable when reality sets in.
Is there actually a cure for this?

If your entire life goal is just centered on "having stuff," I honestly doubt you'll find any lasting happiness.
Sure, owning material things can provide a certain level of comfort, but it's definitely no guarantee that you'll be happy 🙂 It might just serve as a foundation to help you move toward something more meaningful.

mistycyclist14 said:We all know that dropping pounds is a massive uphill battle when you're dealing with PCOS, but what about the increased hair growth? I mean, having hair in places that aren't exactly feminine, especially with high testosterone levels from PCOS... how do you actually deal with that besides just constant shaving or waxing?

For me, Diana was the absolute lifesaver for that, and my acne too.
I also had to stay on top of it constantly—waxing, using an epilator, you name it—it was basically a full-time job, regardless of whether it was summer or winter.
It was mostly around my bikini area, though I didn't have much going on around my belly button.
Now, the growth isn't nearly as aggressive as it used to be; you can really see the difference. The hair feels lighter and thinner. In the winter, it's almost non-existent (mostly on my legs and thighs); I'll do one session around October or November and I'm pretty much good to go until spring.

Here's a solid article 🙂
http://www.inciid.org/faq.php?cat=complementarymed&id=2

Honestly, I’ve heard nothing but glowing reviews about the zone diet, and I’m talking from actual athletes here. Apparently, it can even help manage PCOS. I’ve been thinking about switching over to it pretty much constantly lately, though I have to admit, it feels a little bit overwhelming and complicated at first glance. But then again, maybe I'm just overthinking it?

brisknomad6 said:So, I had this tumor—it was actually a dermoid cyst—and I finally just decided to get it taken care of through surgery. 😬

I honestly have no clue how to deal with these "ordinary" ones. I mean, seriously, where do you even start? 😢

I'm honestly just glad you finally got that sorted out. 🙂

Anyway, I'm just hoping I can figure out the solution to these little headaches on my own. 😁
I mean, honestly, it’s been way too long since my last ultrasound. I’m planning on heading in to get checked out, but I guess I’m just waiting until I feel like my body is actually ready to handle it.

brisknomad6 said:so then I just decided to get rid of all that junk in my ovaries and

Wait, what?
I've been on Diane for years now, I stay active with sports, and for the last three months, I have been obsessively watching everything I eat (meat, veggies, soy, hardly any starch), all in the desperate hope that my next ultrasound might actually show some improvement.

brisknomad6 said:The best way is to tackle the PCOS first, and then the weight will naturally start dropping off.

I honestly think it’s the exact opposite.

But honestly, what you eat is probably way more important anyway.
Stuff with a high glycemic index is definitely not your friend if you're trying to get things under control.

restlesshound27 said:Personally, I only turn people down if I'm just not feeling it... like, if I only want to be friends, I'll be super blunt about it. That's usually where the friction happens since they're looking for something more and I'm just not there. I don't reject guys I actually dig... but they gotta have the whole package for me.

Well, personally, I need to be into them, whether it's the whole package or just parts of it 😬

Brian Moore2 said:Beauty isn't about how you look; true beauty is what comes from the heart.

Yeah, I guess maybe after a while 😬

shadowfox75 said:Following last night's heavy topic, today feels even more bleak...
I struggle to find any real purpose in my life. My childhood was wonderful; I wasn't wealthy like most kids back then, but I found happiness in the little things and was surrounded by incredibly kind people. The elders in my life were amazing, especially my mother, and my late father—who was rarely home due to his career—was my entire world.
High school was great, but then everything just fell apart. It was the turn of the millennium, specifically that infamous year 2000.
I couldn't land a steady job through 2001, so I enrolled in college. It’s almost 2007 now, and I've been an undergrad for two years without the motivation to even open a textbook to finish. (And please, don't tell me a degree is a golden ticket to success.)
Ever since I turned eighteen, I've been working manual labor from dawn until dusk just to avoid asking my parents for money; I can't stand the thought of being a burden.
The construction firm I work for keeps me on for eight months and then cuts me loose, only to call me back for another four because they need the help again.
I'm 26 years old. My romantic life has been non-existent for several years; I have zero interest. I even pushed away three people from my social circle last night for reasons I can't quite explain. Everything feels pessimistic, and... I really shouldn't keep writing this, or I'll spiral.
Criticize me, lecture me, or say whatever you need to say. Just say something.👎

But why even bother looking for purpose in the first place? 😕

Douglas Brown4 said:Why do you think they can? Also, I suppose less attractive people do this even more, maybe as a way to compensate for their lack of popularity. Unfortunately, they end up looking for friendship instead. But they can't get that from guys since they've already been rejected. So everyone ends up frustrated. I think playing rejection games just hurts the person doing the rejecting in the long run.

Look, I wasn't talking about rejecting people just for the hell of it.
I mean, what kind of woman would actually turn down a guy she’s genuinely into? 😁

What I'm trying to say is that men hitting on women is way more common than the other way around—at least here in the States. 😬

Douglas Brown4 said:Maybe you're just too intimidating for guys to approach, or maybe you're just hanging out in places where men aren't the type to make a move.
As for whether you're pretty?
Don't judge your looks based on how many guys approach you, but rather by how many reject you.
I guess about 90% of girls rejected me, so based on those stats, I'd say I'm not handsome. But then again, I know a guy who gets accepted by 99% of women, yet he has a really bad track record because his relationships never last; they're strictly just for hookups. I tend to maintain my connections, and there are very few women I've been with who don't want to see me again. Who knows which way is better, but I suppose there are easier ways to find casual sex... personally, I prefer having a girlfriend for actual companionship, trips, walks, and things like that, rather than just something for a quick fling.

But honestly, it's pretty much a given now that women reject guys way more often than men reject them. 😉
And why is that? Because they can. 🤣
Even the ones who aren't exactly models... 😁

Douglas Brown4 said:That kind of stuff is probably written by American sociologists and psychologists who don't have a clue about how things actually work outside of their surveys, statistics, and "samples."
First off, I think kids don't care about beauty; they care about pleasantness. They can tell when someone is genuinely kind and loving, and they tend to dislike those cold types who are way too serious or preoccupied with things outside of the child's world.
They're actually quite perceptive; they'll even like those detached types, provided the person has a good heart.
Usually, they don't go for the "beauties" because they sense selfishness or arrogance there.

For instance, I remember being very young, maybe under five. I definitely wasn't noticing looks—I didn't really care what anyone looked like—but I was very interested in how they treated me.

But, I've realized that a smile opens a lot of doors 🙂 Unfortunately, I only started using that to my advantage recently 😛

True, a smile is important, but it shouldn't be fake. Even if someone doesn't have teeth, a smile can still be charming.

And yeah, kids absolutely adore me, and I'm certainly no model, nor do I smile all the time.

They love me too, honestly, but I just have no clue what to actually do with them.😬
Every single time someone tries to shove a baby into my arms to hold, I basically bolt for the exit.🤣 I mean, how are you even supposed to hold one of those things?🤣

Maybe that's exactly why they like me—because I don't chase them around or try to pinch their cheeks.😁

briskowl85 said:Spot on, I'm right there with you on that one.

I think we all go through those phases where it feels like everyone else has it figured out and life is just easy for them. 🙂 The reason this stuff is actually getting to me is basically because:
First off, I recently crushed a 100% written exam all on my own, only to have my professor look me dead in the eye during the oral part and accuse me of cheating. 😠
Second, I had this group of three friends I hung out with every single day, and we had a blast, until I found out they spent a good chunk of their time gossiping about "what they'd do to me." 🙄
And third, most other girls are pretty much cold toward me—rarely an exception—no matter how hard I try to be friendly and open.
I guess it turns out that everything truly does come with its own set of pros and cons. 😉

Are you absolutely sure your looks actually played a role in all that?
I’m definitely nothing special when it comes to looks, yet everything you mentioned has happened to me. And more than once, actually.

Maybe you're just putting way too much weight on your appearance, and maybe that's what's weighing you down.
It’s like you run everything through that specific filter. Honestly, most women do. It's kind of natural, I suppose.
Some think they aren't pretty enough, while others feel like their beauty is actually working against them.

I catch myself wondering all the time what life would be like if I NEVER gave a damn about my outward appearance (whether I thought it looked good or bad in my own head).
And I've come to the conclusion that it would probably be amazing. 🙂
In those rare, bright moments where I'm not overthinking things at all—when I'm just fully immersed in what I'm doing and seeing the world through my own eyes instead of worrying about how others see me—I feel powerful. And happy.

Obsessing over how you look is basically just ego-stroking. And man, it's exhausting.

Most of us have been in a situation at least once where we missed out on something fun because of it.
"I'm not going to the beach because I don't want people seeing me in a bikini."
"I'm not dancing, everyone will be staring at me."
Sound familiar?

It's exhausting. Just... so incredibly exhausting.

velvetwolf92 said:Rice crackers with whatever you want, or maybe cook up some millet, buckwheat, or oats and just toss in some seeds...

See, the thing is, I mostly try to steer clear of all that stuff😬
I even avoid carrots and beets.
But I still eat dark chocolate😍 Just so I don't have to give up everything entirely, I guess.🤣

velvetwolf92 said:Look, it's pretty simple—sweets have sugar, and Candida thrives on sugar. That's why I can't go too heavy on grains either, since they basically turn into sugar anyway (or whatever the science goes 🤔 😬 ). Until I get this whole thing under control, I really need to steer clear of all that stuff. Maybe later I can start experimenting again...

Yeah, I'm in the same boat, though mine is more about dealing with insulin resistance.
But honestly, it’s not like I’m totally banning everything from my life. I'll still grab some of those healthier sugars, especially if I've been super active that day, just in smaller amounts, obviously. And I feel great when I do.

This is actually the first time I'm hearing that you have to avoid it completely because of Candida 😕
Anyway, I really hope you manage to power through this phase. 🙂