Posts by Frank Wright13

Thanks, vividsailor7!

Is this looking alright? CEA at 0.5, with a range up to 5.

CA 19-9 is 8.33, against a limit of 37...?

Honestly, what kind of nonsense is this? You need a massive credit line just to fund all this. What kind of parents actually let their kids demand stuff like this? Whether it’s a First Communion or whatever, it’s supposed to be a sacred rite, not an excuse to buy expensive gifts when people are struggling. It’s awkward when a kid starts asking for things you can't afford, and you feel stuck because you don't want to say no. My daughter is making her First Communion this year, and we already sat her down and told her: don't start making lists. Whatever we can manage, she gets. Luckily, she’s modest, so I don't expect any outbursts. But honestly, why even ask kids what they want? Their imaginations run wild, and with the economy being what it is, it's just asking for trouble. People will give something nice as a keepsake, sure, but I think it's on the parents to tell their kids not to expect anything extravagant. Why set them up for disappointment in the first place?

Try calling them in a place like Dallas—you'll be waiting at least 15 to 20 days before anyone picks up.

Hey everyone

Does anyone actually know how to deal with a Hiccup after chemo?
Thanks!!

Kimberly Wright said:my mom passed away yesterday

Kimberly Wright, I am so sorry. Please accept my sincere condolences.

Angela Wright said:Look at the big picture. I'm worried it won't work.

Thanks!
That’s what I was thinking too. He looks okay, but I don't have the actual labs because my mother-in-law keeps them under wraps. He claims his blood vessels and everything else look fine, and the CT scan shows where the stroke happened even though they didn't find a clot. He's already dealing with heart disease and high blood pressure, so who knows how he'll handle chemo?

crimsondrifter2 - so sorry for your loss 😢

Quick question for anyone who might know: my father-in-law was just diagnosed with stomach cancer. He hasn't had surgery yet, so they're looking at chemo first. However, he suffered a minor stroke four days ago that's left his left leg a bit weak. Since he's 69, we're wondering—is someone in that condition even able to handle chemo?
Thanks!

ironsailor22 said:My mom isn't in pain anymore. She passed away yesterday morning.

I'm so sorry, ironsailor22. My sincerest condolences.

Reading these recent posts just broke me. I went through all of this with my mom, and her anniversary is coming up soon. It’s just... awful. Nothing else to say.

Grace Flores14 said:My mom passed away a few days ago too. It was brutal—the pain we couldn't manage with patches, the hallucinations, the rambling... she literally wasted away until there was nothing left but bone and skin. I'm not exaggerating; she probably didn't weigh more than 70 pounds at the end. Even those extreme anorexia photos you see online look healthy compared to this. 😢 I won't forget any of it; that final stretch was just devastating. Honestly, I could write a book on how much chaos happened in such a short window. I need some time to process everything and find my footing. Our lives have flipped completely upside down. It’s just the three of us kids now, and a dad who has never once washed a single dirty dish in his life.

Maybe this belongs in the other thread for stories like this...

On another note, I’d love to get involved with the Association, but does it even make sense? You mentioned needing activists rather than just "passive" supporters, and I’ve only just turned eighteen 🙄. I'm not exactly an extrovert (not really 😁) and we haven't had enough bad experiences with the healthcare system to fuel a crusade. What else is there to do? Then again, being from New York City might be an advantage.
How do I actually sign up? Do I go through www.zanovidan.hr and then what?

Honey, I am so sorry. I know exactly what you're going through and what's coming next. I can still hear her cries and sighs even though it's been seven months. The emptiness is massive... hang in there! 😢

Grace Flores14 said:Hey everyone. I’ve been lurking here for months now, but things have finally hit a breaking point and I didn't really know who else to turn to.

My mom has pancreatic cancer with metastases in her liver, stomach, and I think her intestines too. She’s been losing weight and struggling to eat for a while, but these last few weeks have been brutal. She’s on pain patches right now—Fentanyl or something similar—but the pain is constant. She spends almost the entire day sleeping; she'll talk to us for a second and then drift right back off. She can move enough to sit up for a few minutes, but we have to help her to the bathroom. She’s barely eating anything at all. She’s lost so much weight since this started, but now it’s terrifying. It’s just skin and bones; there's nothing left to lose. Two weeks ago, she could still stand up and chat with us, but now? Now she only gets up with help, and even that is too much effort.
I've done my homework and I know exactly what's coming, but it still hits hard. I'm only 18, and I've got two younger brothers to think about while my mom hasn't even hit 40 yet. What are we supposed to do? 😢 We’re way too young for all this, aren't we?
I just wonder how much longer this phase is going to drag on. Is there even a chance it lasts more than a couple of weeks?

It’s exhausting, both mentally and physically. We were so optimistic about this illness—thinking we could just breeze through it because I'm young and caught it early. After those first couple of years, everything seemed fine, so you start thinking, "Maybe we dodged the bullet," right? Well, clearly not. Things are taking a sharp turn for the worse. To make matters even more draining, I've ended up stuck with all the cleaning and cooking. I’m not exactly a chef by nature, so don't expect anything gourmet, but I'm trying. The house is massive, and honestly, it's spiraling out of control. On top of that, there's a constant stream of visitors. I get that they want to check on Mom, but for those of us living here, it’s overwhelming. Between prepping lunches, making coffee, baking treats, and scrubbing dishes after everyone leaves, I feel less like a family member and more like I'm working a shift at a busy diner.

Anyway, that's how it goes for me. I finally vented, so now I can get back to work without losing my mind. Hopefully things are smoother for the rest of you and you're all heading in a better direction. 🙂

Honey, I’ve been exactly where you are. My mom was 52 when she passed from thyroid cancer about six months ago. If I can say one thing, it's this: stop playing hostess and quit worrying about making fancy meals. Just be with her while you still can. Talk to her, soak up every second, because the end is coming. Do what you can to make her comfortable—I don't mean to scare you, but my mom went through so much pain at the end. Hang in there. Be strong.

brisksurfer-Sorry to hear that...😢

My mom used to take Reglan for nausea, along with some high-end propolis and Megostat syrup to keep her immune system up. Her blood work stayed perfect right up until the end...

Also, a few sips of Coca-Cola can actually help with nausea. Sounds weird, I know, but it worked for her..

Kimberly Wright said:Yeah. I don't get why people feel the need to hide it when someone in their family is battling cancer. Why treat it like some dirty little secret? 😕

So, we went to pick up the results today, followed by an appointment with the oncologist. What's next?

I noticed the oncologist took quite a while to digest that PET/CT scan before deciding how to break the news to us. A knot formed in my throat, so I shot a quick glance at my wife—she saw exactly what I saw.

The metastases have spread to the abdominal lymph nodes, including some settling on the head of the pancreas. It looks like she’s headed for the heavy-duty chemotherapy. That’s the catch—she keeps losing weight and is already incredibly weak. What are you supposed to do?

I used to trust my gut, but now my gut is telling me there’s no such thing as a full recovery. Who knew?
My doctor wants to see me privately next week. We’re going to sit down and hash out all the options—including the possibility of my mom skipping chemo and radiation altogether. What else is there to do? 😢

My mother went through that too... unfortunately.

Last Sunday at 7:45 PM, my mother—my guiding star, my everything—passed away. She went through 48 hours of agonizing pain... damn cancer. We really thought we could beat those freaking statistics, but I guess not. Her last words before the pain took over, the ones she whispered to my father while she was still conscious, were: "Watch over my grandkids and make sure they never forget me," especially the youngest, who won't even remember her. It’s just... heavy. It's been a week since I last heard her voice or her laugh. There's just this massive, hollow void left behind.

goldenstag6 said:Hey!
I need help, fast. I’ve been dealing with this undefined dermatitis on both hands for years now, and it’s killing me. Basically, my palms constantly regenerate, building up thick layers of skin that eventually crack along the lines. It bleeds, it itches like crazy, and I end up scratching myself raw in my sleep... My experiences with recommended dermatologists—both private and through Medicare—have been an absolute disaster!

1. A friend suggested a private specialist near Pike Place Market (Dr. Ceković), but I nearly lost it when she charged me $83 just for looking at my hands for two minutes. She didn't actually do anything besides glance at them, and she even answered her cell phone twice during my appointment(!?). Her only reaction was, "Oh honey, what's the big deal?" Such a joke 🙂
She gave me some corticosteroids and various products for sensitive skin (hand washes and such) and told me to sleep with gloves on. After a week, things improved for about two weeks before everything flared up again... Anyway, the diagnosis was just "some form of dermatitis." When I asked which kind or how to prevent it from coming back—well, of course, she had no idea since she barely even examined me.

2. Then I went to a dermatologist at the University of Michigan community health center using Medicare. She was nice enough, and we actually talked, and she suggested it might be an allergy. She didn't send me for testing immediately because she wanted me to try her prescribed therapy first. I insisted on getting tested (there has to be a way to define "some kind of dermatitis," right?), but here's the paradox: my skin is bone-dry and cracking until it bleeds, yet she claims there's no visible inflammation because nothing is red. To be fair, samples are usually taken from inflamed areas, and while my skin isn't red or showing typical signs of inflammation, it is cracking and causing painful wounds, not to mention the itching... In the end, I got more treatment—again, corticosteroid creams, hand washes, fish oil, and other stuff for sensitive skin... It worked instantly; I felt better within a week, but as soon as I stopped the steroids, it all came right back...
By the time I went back for a follow-up, she was out on maternity leave, so I had to see someone else entirely...

3. After being let down by doctors, I turned to homeopathy. I tried five different remedies prepared by a homeopath—four months later, and $667 nothing. Zero.

4. Out of pure desperation, I saw that healer Mekki Torabi twice. I drank God knows how many liters of his "treated" water, and still nothing...

Right now, my hands are in terrible shape... so bad that I can't do anything except wrap them in gauze, almost like how Rocki walks around the city🙂... At least that way they itch less, and the bandage is too thick for me to scratch my palms if I really wanted to.

Can anyone please recommend a real dermatologist?🙂

I don't know about NYC, but in a town like Karlovac, there's a great dermatologist, Dr. Ilko Kuljanac. He's excellent; my kids have seen him before...

Does anyone know where I can get an MRI done in NYC and what the wait times look like? Also, if you have a neurosurgeon in NYC you’d recommend—maybe even a phone number—let me know.

Thanks!!

It’s exhausting. Every time I see a car, I start gagging, and I swear I feel sick on every single curve. Ever since I realized how bad I am with motion sickness, it's been a struggle. My daughters are exactly the same—nothing helps. We even bought one of those motion sickness bands for $40 wrists, but it hasn't done a thing.

Hey everyone

Does anyone actually understand why you can't just get a referral to see a specialist in another city for a second opinion? Apparently, it has to be requested by a family member now. On top of that, you can't just go once and then return to your original doctor. My mom is seeing specialists in New York City, but we wanted to head down to San Francisco for a second opinion, and now they're saying those results won't even count in NYC. They basically won't take her back. Does that make any sense? I am absolutely livid.