My apologies if I'm posting this in the wrong thread, but I wasn't sure where else to turn.
Yesterday, my mother came home from the hospital because my grandmother ended up back there again. Both she and I are left feeling pretty confused by the medical reports, so I have a few questions. If anyone can help clarify things, I’d be very grateful.
If a patient is diagnosed with metastases on both the right and left sides of the brain, which leads to swelling on one side, is it actually possible for the metastases on one side to recede or disappear while the other side remains swollen and shows no visible signs of them?
Currently, all the findings—including the MRI—show no sign of tumors or metastases. However, the doctors are still insisting it might have been metastases, even if they aren't showing up on the scans now.
Mom is starting to wonder if there was ever even cancer at all, since every doctor seems to have a different story. The latest tests suggest she actually had a stroke. Apparently, she also had one about a year ago; the specialists at the Mayo Clinic called it an old stroke, but the doctor at the General Hospital in Brooklyn is saying that isn't true. On top of that, doctors never found a primary source, and now the most recent imaging shows no evidence of metastasis anywhere.🤷
My mom just got home from the hospital because my grandmother ended up back there again. Both of them are pretty confused by how they explained the 😕 results, so I have a few questions. If anyone can make sense of this, I’d really appreciate the help. 🙂
If someone is diagnosed with metastases on both the right and left sides of the brain, causing swelling on one side, is it possible for the metastases on one side to recede or vanish while the other side remains thickened and shows no visible signs of metastasis?
Currently, all the scans—including the MRI—show absolutely no sign of tumors or metastases. Yet, the doctors are insisting it could still have been metastatic activity, even if nothing is showing up on the imaging now.
Not sure if this is the right sub, but I’ll take my chances. As I’ve mentioned before, my grandmother is battling cancer. She isn't living with us because nobody can provide the 24/7 care she requires, so she's back at her own place. Her two youngest sons are staying with her to help out, and a visiting nurse stops by for injections. Here’s the issue: one of those sons has been caught smoking right next to her multiple times. We've told him repeatedly that it's dangerous, and while he behaves when my mother is around, he goes right back to it the moment she leaves. This morning, my mother's cousin—who is also a nurse—stopped by and caught my uncle smoking again. My mom is at a total loss on how to get through to him. How do you hammer it into an idiot's head that he is actively endangering her life? We can't exactly threaten him with the authorities because they won't intervene in a private home, and we certainly can't kick him out since he has legal rights to be in that house.
Angela Wright said:I’ve never even heard of Dermazin injections.😕😕😕Look, I know Dermazin is a silver ion ointment designed to speed up healing for burns and wounds. But there's a catch: you can't use it on radiation burns. Period. I think you’ve mixed up your terms regarding Dexamethasone. Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid. It's administered during radiation therapy specifically to prevent the edema that occurs as a side effect of the treatment. Next time a doctor tries to brush you off by claiming you don't need to know certain details, shut that down immediately. Remind them that the Patient Bill of Rights exists for a reason. It’s very clear: a physician is legally obligated to provide patients with every single piece of information regarding their treatment. Period.☕
Thanks for the response. 🙂 It sounded off to me too when my mom mentioned Dermazin. It’s entirely possible she misheard my uncle, who was just passing along what the doctor said. I told her that when she heads to the doctor's office with Grandma tomorrow, she needs to confirm the exact name. She also needs to be firm—remind the doctor that he is obligated to provide a clear answer.
Can someone please explain why a patient would be given Dermazin injections during radiation therapy? My grandmother is battling cancer, and unfortunately, the metastases have already spread to her brain. Today, my family sat down with her doctor to ask about the purpose of those specific injections, and his response was basically telling us that we don't need to know.😕What kind of medical answer is that? Is a doctor actually allowed to dodge a direct question and refuse to provide an explanation like that?🤷
Anyone else remember this one? It’s absolutely beautiful😍, but man, it hits hard. I’m sitting here tearing up just thinking about it. Total sob fest.😢 What was your take?
James White73 said:Everyone, please just disregard my previous posts and threads—I’m asking you, please don't mock me because I am dealing with something incredibly serious here. About a week ago, I was home alone when I heard this loud banging coming from the kitchen. I didn't have the nerve to actually go check it out, but I was almost 100% certain there were burglars in the house. Then, I heard the front door slam shut. My parents came over shortly after, and there wasn't any sign of a break-in at all. Fast forward to two days ago—again, I’m home by myself, and once more, I hear that banging, only it sounded even louder than before. This time, I actually worked up the courage to look, and I saw these dark shadows fleeing through the window—it looked like the curtains were fluttering, maybe from the wind, but I’m convinced it was those strange shadows. The kitchen door slammed too, which might have just been a draft, but in my mind, it was tied to those figures. And then yesterday afternoon, it happened again. Now, it’s started to haunt me. Everywhere I look, I can't stop thinking about it. I’m terrified to be alone in a room—God forbid I'm left in my apartment, especially at night—and I’m scared to be anywhere without people around. Even today, I went out for a bike ride on a trail, and out of nowhere, this panic just gripped me. It’s this sick, paralyzing fear where I feel like I’m going to hear something no matter which way I turn. I can't live like this anymore; I really can't. I’ve even had thoughts of just ending it all, just to make everything stop... I know you might think I'm not sane if I take my own life over this, but this isn't "normal" anymore. This isn't just some standard fear of the unknown. It feels like fear is everywhere, closing in on me. No matter where I go, I am afraid, and I truly cannot handle this. I don't want to talk to anyone else about it because they would undoubtedly laugh in my face. I don't know what to do... I'm lost 😢 😢😢
To weigh in here: personally, I haven't had any visions, but I have dealt with fears just as intense. They still hit me hard when I remember them. Usually, those fears and thoughts are tied to religious matters. Prayer helps, truly; it brings comfort. But going to extremes... hm... I initially thought evil spirits were hunting me, too. I'm actually shaking while typing this. In the end, it turned out to be OCD. Things seemed fine until I flushed my medication down the toilet one day, and everything spiraled again. I'm back on it now, hoping I won't need the pills as much since the depression isn't hitting quite as hard. Sorry, I drifted off-topic... To get back to it, I've gone to confession several times. Every priest said the same thing, including one at Lourdes that my mother visited. One priest even scolded me, saying that instead of just studying, I should get a job, pull myself together, and get my life in order. Basically, find a purpose. That priest at Lourdes told my mom it wasn't demons or evil spirits. He said it was simply unresolved issues from the past—things that may have affected my mother, which then trickled down to me. He said we have to face these things directly, and the fear will gradually fade. He promised it would be okay.
But if you are experiencing actual hallucinations, seek professional help (medical, specifically) and check if there is a history of schizophrenia or similar conditions in your family. For example, my father struggles with depression and even took Xanax when his mother passed away. My great-uncle had schizophrenia, though back then, people in rural areas just labeled him "crazy." It could definitely be hereditary.
Jerry Martin19 said:Don't listen to coastalcrane76. Watch Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi first. Then move on to The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith.
I disagree with Andrew Harris7 regarding Attack of the Clones being terrible. The Phantom Menace and Return of the Jedi are significantly worse. Attack of the Clones is passable.
I agree with you, but I'm just stating my preference. To me, Episode I is better than Episode II because it was the first one I saw growing up. Back then, things like directing, cinematography, and sound design didn't matter to me...
urbanbear4 said:I haven't even touched the Star Wars movies yet (you wouldn't believe 😵 ) but I finally decided to dive in, and now I'm stuck... what order am I supposed to watch them in? Is the newer stuff actually set before the old stuff or am I just totally tripping here... help me out 🙄
You aren't wrong. You could watch them from 1 through 6, though personally, I prefer starting with 4, 5, and 6, then jumping to 1, 2 (which I usually skip because it's terrible), and finally 3.
There are two couples here👎 but if I really have to pick one, it's Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie because Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes... I just can't deal with them.🤮 🤮
Just finished the movie. I’m not going to waste time dissecting specific scenes, pacing issues, or ranking the performances. I watched this specifically for the subject matter—the grim reality of what’s happening on the ground and the devastating fallout caused by the production and illegal smuggling of those Blood Diamonds. And that ridiculous campaign launched by the producers at the end? Pure disgrace.🙂
As for the cast, they nailed it. To be honest, I’ve never been a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio; he always came off as too soft or juvenile to me—even in *The Aviator*, he looked like a teenager. But here? He was impressive. My pick for this year's Oscar.🎉 Jennifer Connelly was decent enough, though there isn't much to say about her performance since the role wasn't particularly demanding or substantial. In fact, giving her character more screen time would have likely felt forced.
I don't know a single schizophrenic, but I’ve got my own psychological issues. I'm angry at everything and everyone, dissatisfied with life—to say the least. But that doesn't give me a free pass to insult others or lash out. Go start a Goodman thread about your own problems and dump all your frustrations there. At least then we won't have to listen to it here.
Jason Sanchez3 said:I’m not sure if anyone will get this, or even believe me. I really hope there are others out there like me because I could use some advice... Ever since I was a little girl, I felt everything. I felt the whole world and everyone around me. I wasn't exactly a "typical" kid—didn't really follow the rules or go with the crowd, and I never judged other kids. I've always just been... different. I eventually realized I have incredibly sharp intuition and high intelligence. My brain connects dots and processes info way faster than most people. I can see a problem from every possible angle instantly and pick the most realistic path based on my gut feeling. I didn't have many friends back then. Crowds weren't my thing, and honestly, people didn't always like me because I'm too honest. Most people are a little afraid of the truth. I was pretty withdrawn and shy. But when I turned 16, I decided to completely reinvent myself—physically and personality-wise. I wanted to be strong and magnetic. Through a lot of hard work, I did it. I built myself into a complete person. Since 16, I've spent my time observing and analyzing people, sharpening that intuition and mental processing speed even more. But now, I've hit a bit of a breaking point...
I've become hyper-sensitive to other people's pain and emotions. I can feel the energy someone is radiating just by being near them, and I can read non-verbal cues perfectly. When I'm with someone—and this applies to everyone, but especially my partner—I find it impossible to hurt them or be selfish. I can't say the wrong thing because I already know exactly how they'll feel. I can't make mistakes because I'm too aware of their fears. I can't even afford to be a flawed human being.😢 - basically, I end up knowing a person better than they know themselves in such a short time.
I'm actually great at reading and influencing people, which is helpful for my career, though I'm totally sincere and rarely use it that way.
Sometimes I'll burst into tears over a news article because I feel the tragedy in the story so deeply. Yet, at the same time, I stay completely cold toward anything exaggerated or fake. If it isn't real, I don't feel it.
Some days, I feel like a robot. My brain is constantly bombarded by emotions and data, all being analyzed and processed. I often finish people's sentences before they even get them out. I remember everything—every word said, what I said, where we were, and exactly how everyone was reacting in that moment.
It's perfect sometimes, but other times... I just want it all to stop.😢 I feel like I'm going to lose my mind.
I'd really love to hear your thoughts or if you've experienced anything similar.
That's how I used to be. I say "used to" because now I'm a total wreck. I started taking things too much to heart, and some things began to scare me. My self-confidence dropped, even though it wasn't great before. Now, I've become a bit sharper, and sometimes I lack that empathy, which scares me.// Not to mention that when I judge someone based on a first impression, I'm rarely wrong. Another issue was that I only saw the good in people; no matter how wicked they were, I searched for the good in them. I had compassion for everyone.
Two friends of mine mentioned they used to hear voices back when they were younger, even though they don't have any medical conditions or anything else going on.
I can't act sane when I'm like this.Dr. Frankenstein
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
What even qualifies as "normal" anymore? I don't think truly sane people exist in this world. Not knowing you, but given that you’re a schizophrenic, you actually seem alright to me. 😘
Dr. Frankenstein said:Everyone agrees both play a role in how diseases develop, but pinpointing which one carries more weight is an endless debate. It’s a moving target. One week, a study comes out favoring environmental triggers; the next, a paper argues genetics is the primary driver. It's hard to settle on a verdict, though nobody disputes that both factors matter—not to mention the complex interplay between them.
I agree. Even though it doesn't apply to the schizophrenia in my family, I know someone prone to depression. In my case, it was a double whammy: I inherited the genetic predisposition, and then life circumstances just piled on. My brother is different. When things go south for him, he just shrugs it off. He doesn't have that biological vulnerability.
