Posts by Dana Martin87

Angela Wright said:Avastin is actually a smart drug used for metastatic colorectal cancers, and it’s even shown some effectiveness in other diagnoses like glioblastoma.
I don't think this is just about palliative care; for some reason, oncologists have found this to be the better option right now.
As for a total cure, you have to face the reality that metastatic diseases are incredibly difficult to beat. The main focus is usually on regression and/or putting the disease into remission while maintaining the best possible quality of life for as long as possible. Some people even manage decades if they respond well to the therapy.

Thanks for such a quick reply. 🙂

I was up until 5:00 AM reading Vedran Sabadi's story, and honestly, it just left me feeling depressed. Someone with that much strength and optimism passing away in such intense pain is heavy. Besides him being younger than my dad, their stories feel so similar. Late-stage colon cancer diagnosis, switching up chemo regimens, that incredible optimism and belief in a recovery... and then seeing how it ended just hits hard. It looks like there wasn't even enough pain management to give him any relief.

After finishing 7 rounds of chemo under the Folfox protocol, my dad's treatment was switched over to Folfiri plus Avastin. He was originally supposed to get 12 rounds of Folfox, but now he’ll be doing 6 rounds of Folfiri instead. Actually, just 5, since he already had his first dose of the Folfiri.
My guess is this is pretty bad news, right?
Dad says he isn't sure about his markers, but his blood work looks fine and he’s feeling okay.

Is this Folfiri plus Avastin combo strictly palliative, or is it actually used for people who still have a shot at being cured?

I was way more anxious during my first pregnancy than my second. With the second one, I’m so focused on my little girl that I barely have time to think about being pregnant, except maybe when she finally crashes for a nap. Honestly, I sometimes forget I’m even carrying. My bump hasn't even changed much since before, but whenever I try to chase her around and feel that groin pain, then it hits me: yeah, I'm pregnant.

The first time around... man... I read everything. Every single genetic disorder, every birth scenario, every bit of info on breastfeeding and cramps... And when I started having contractions back in my fifth month, it sent my anxiety through the roof. Luckily, I spent a month at the hospital, hooked up to monitors several times a day, so I knew things were actually okay. If I hadn't been there, those weeks of recovery would have driven me absolutely insane with fear.

The only day I wasn't terrified was the actual day of delivery. I felt incredibly strong, just pure adrenaline. Hahaha, what a joke. Now, it's the exact opposite—it's the birth itself that scares me.

The thread seems dead, but I'm not sure where else to turn...

I'm 29 weeks pregnant. Just had a urine culture done. For the first two days, the results were clear, but on the third day, they flagged strep. On those first two occasions, I grabbed the sample right after showering. On the third day, though, I was in such a rush that I just went in the cup without washing up first.

Since the first two tests came back clean, is there actually cause for concern? Is it possible the third sample was just contaminated because I skipped the shower?

Kimberly Booth said:Sadly, my sister lost her fight. She passed away on 9/11.

I’m sorry... I hope her final moments weren't too painful.
Hang in there.

My dad supposedly has great results—no cancer currently—but his doctor prescribed six months of chemo anyway. Twice a month, involving three-day hospital stays.
It’s a bit of a gut punch because I really thought he might dodge the chemo given the scans, maybe just get some light cytostatics instead.

Angela Wright said:At least she’s being honest about it. I really hope you guys can handle that conversation privately.

No, honestly, good for her—but it's infuriating that people facing terminal illness have to jump through these hoops just to get essential scans done. He managed to pull some strings to get it scheduled, and now we're just sitting around waiting for the results. We couldn't dream of paying out of pocket; those private clinic prices are absolutely insane.

He went in for his checkup, and they basically told him he could just fix it with his bare hands. Sounds absolutely insane to me, but here we are...
The oncologist couldn't give him any real answers yet because she needs to redo the CT scan and bloodwork, since those last results were all the way back in August. She mentioned that based on the old data, she’d probably just prescribe some pills, but she needs fresh numbers first. Oh, and get this—she actually told him he needs to find some kind of connection to speed up the CT scan. Good grief...

We’re making progress. Dad lost 8 pounds after the surgery, and we have an appointment with his oncologist tomorrow, so we should finally know when he starts chemo.
The stoma is giving him some trouble—it’s protruding by a few centimeters, which sent the home health nurse into a bit of a panic, but Dad says they told him anything up to 10 cm is perfectly fine.

How’s everyone holding up? My dad doesn't see his oncologist for another 20 days or so, so we're still in limbo waiting to figure out the game plan for chemo and everything else.
He’s put on about 13 pounds.
Just gotta keep pushing...

northerncobra27 said:I am in complete agreement with the idea that parents often lack the specific expertise required to judge if their child is truly prepared for the classroom environment.

Regarding that bolded part, it seems to me that what has actually shifted are parental expectations. The standard curriculum is designed for the average student. However, it used to be perfectly normal for many kids to come home with B's or C's, whereas nowadays, it feels like every parent expects nothing less than perfection. There used to be only a handful of honor roll students in a class, which makes sense within our grading system, since honor roll kids aren't exactly "average"—they are either sharper or more hardworking than the norm. But because people today struggle to accept the reality that their precious child might just be an average kid, they create these myths about how "difficult" the curriculum is or how much extra tutoring is needed after school hours. An average child can master the elementary school curriculum without any major struggles. And someone who goes above that average? Well, that's an honor student.

Yeah... looking back now... In middle school, we maybe had 7 or 8 honor roll kids (if I stretch it, obviously, since my memory isn't perfect). From fifth to eighth grade, there were only three of us (I remember those numbers clearly because we had one total nerd who got straight As, one guy, and then me—we were all just barely scraping by, constantly competing against each other)

By high school, the number of honor students went up. Well, I definitely wasn't one of them. 🤣

We never judged each other based on grades. In middle school, we had this one girl everyone respected because she was genuinely brilliant, even though she usually pulled Bs in the upper grades. She hated studying, but she was a genius at science. She absolutely crushed it there. But when it came to memorizing history? Total disaster. D's and Cs all around. Social studies killed her.

Then there was this girl in high school we all teased for being dim. If a teacher interrupted her while she was answering, she’d have to restart from the very beginning because she had literally memorized every single comma. (Today, she’s a doctor and a researcher). As for me, without being humble, everyone thought I was smart, even though my report card was full of Ds and Fs. Because of that, my teachers specifically targeted me. I had a chemistry teacher who would give Ds to the kids who knew nothing, but she’d intentionally give me an F, saying: "I'll give them a D because they can't do any better, but you *could* do better, and you won't, so I'm always going to demand more from you."

What I'm getting at is... intelligence might matter at first, but eventually, work ethic is what wins.

I honestly believe school readiness should be left entirely to the experts, not parents. Some folks will think their kid is way ahead of where they actually are, while others get overly protective and end up keeping them home until they're eight for no real reason.

I have no clue what the curriculum looks like these days. I remember my elementary years being ridiculously easy. My parents never had to help me with homework because there was just nothing to do. I barely learned anything. I cruised through with straight A's, except for a B in PE. I started school at six and a half, and back then, I couldn't even read or write yet.

My brother started at six and five months, and school was such a breeze for him he barely even realized he was attending class.

And we were going to a school that was famous for being the toughest one in our town.

I don't know why things have changed so much... Even the kids who ended up needing summer school in later grades didn't find first grade that overwhelming. Sure, they weren't all honor roll students, but they still finished those early years with solid B's or C's.

I don't see school as some big scary monster. My daughter was born in February. Assuming everything goes smoothly, she’ll start when she's six and seven months. Anything else would just be unnecessarily late for her, provided she's healthy.

My dad put on 3 pounds. 👍 He’s feeling great about it though—walking around, eating small meals more frequently... Well, who knows how it goes...

My dad just had surgery for colon cancer, but they aren't starting any actual treatment yet. His only "job" right now is to gain weight so he’s strong enough to handle chemo.

Is it standard practice to hold off on therapy like this when dealing with colon cancer?

Jessica Martinez79 said:Look, I never thought I’d be posting on this site, but I just need to talk to someone... Today, after a lot of pushing and talking, my dad finally decided to see a doctor. He's been loaded with symptoms—he just wouldn't admit it to himself: weight loss, bloody stools, changes in bowel movements, jaundice, and the worst part was the swelling. The doctor told him it’s likely cancer, probably colon cancer, and he needs surgery. First step is an exam and a biopsy. He’s absolutely crushed; this is a man who has never shed a tear in his life, but now he's crying, giving up... I don't know how to live with this. And I don't even know if it's malignant yet, though judging by the symptoms, it definitely is. I act strong for him, but when I get home, I break down and cry like crazy. How do you push through this?

Honey, it doesn't mean there won't be good moments left for your dad. You guys are just facing the reality of it.
My dad didn't even choose to go to the doctor; they had to rush him in after he collapsed at the table, unable to move because of the pain and fever. My mom was reading me his discharge papers from the first hospital yesterday. According to those doctors, his malignant tumor was estimated at 12x16 cm! She initially thought it was maybe 5 times something... But no, 12x16!
His abdomen is full of fluid, which is a sign of the late stages...
They couldn't even perform a colonoscopy because the tumor was too massive...
The doctor told us there wasn't much they could do, and the preliminary diagnosis was GIST....

We moved him over to the Mayo Clinic, where they operated. Dad says the doctor told him they basically took out the whole damn lamb... I still don't have all the details on what exactly was removed... Honestly, I don't even care about the specifics right now. I'm just happy that he isn't in pain and that he's eating so much we can't keep up with him at the hospital. Today he had turkey with noodles, beet salad, dessert, and pear compote. He's slowly getting his strength back for the heavy fight ahead.

I'm not expecting a miracle, but I'm hoping. He went to the doctor too late, yeah. But after the initial shock—when I was just sobbing and had already mourned him in my head—I suddenly felt this urge to fight because I see that he can. Whether it's one year, two years, five years, or a total cure, whatever it takes, we're fighting.

Right now, everyone is in shock, but you'll find your footing and things will improve.

Oh, right, in my dad's case, it's cancer of the splenic flexure of the colon. He's 62.

My dad's being sent to the VA hospital in Annapolis. Does anyone know what the conditions are like there?

There’s nothing more cruel than blocking legal access to euthanasia. When my puppy was dying in agony from parvovirus, we couldn't just sit there and watch her suffer—we had to beg the vet to put her out. If it's that bad for an animal, imagine watching a human endure unbearable pain. It's sickening.

Amanda Miller69 said:Another question; a friend just told me I shouldn't be visiting hospitals while pregnant, especially places like palliative care, just in case I pick up some nasty bug or something.
It crossed my mind this Saturday too—it probably isn't the healthiest move. They’re planning to go again next weekend, so should my husband just go with his mother instead? I don't want to risk it; I'm scared of putting the baby at risk. No matter how much I love my father-in-law, the kid comes first. Always.

I think your friend is right. You've got a new life on the way—protect it. Besides, you aren't really helping your father-in-law by being there anyway.

Skegro is taking over on Monday. No word yet from the oncologists. I finally got some news from my doctor, but it was third-hand: an intestinal tangle. They found cancer at the splenic flexure of the colon.

That's all I have... Does this mean it isn't GIST after all, despite what they thought back in Mostar?

@ Regarding the "flexure"... They probably didn't write that part down correctly, right?

Angela Wright said:The difference lies in the cellular makeup. A GIST is a sarcoma originating from connective tissue, whereas a carcinoma develops from epithelial cells within an organ. They require different treatments because their distinct structures and locations mean they react differently to drugs and radiation. Sarcomas don't respond to chemo or radiation quite the same way carcinomas do. You get the best results if all the tumor tissue can be successfully removed surgically.

We haven't managed to see the doctor yet... 😢 I only know what he told my dad: that he’s happy with how the surgery went, that he did exactly what was planned, and that they’ll start either radiation or chemo in six months.

It sounds off to me... Why wait six months? Is that just how long it takes for the body to bounce back from surgery?

I just don't get this GIST stuff. I read that it usually starts in the stomach, but it can also show up in the colon, like it did with my dad...
So, here's the thing... what’s the actual difference between a GIST located in the stomach versus a stomach tumor that's spread, or a GIST in the colon versus a standard colon tumor?