Posts by Jonathan Cox4

And why aren't you people even asking any questions? 😁

Must be nice, you definitely have it easy 🥳
Friday is 😍
Pam is home now, you know? 🥳

This is how I'll probably look tomorrow 😁

Anonymous said:but you don't actually look like that 🥳

Then how do I look? 🥳

Aha 😢

And how am I supposed to stay upbeat when Jojo isn't here? 😢

Back here again, I suppose.
My dad underwent surgery for his brain tumor and Lymph issues, and while he was recovering beautifully at first, unfortunately, his body was just too exhausted to keep fighting the other illnesses he had been battling. My dear dad is gone. 😢

To everyone else out there, I wish you all the best, strength, and resilience as you continue your fight against these merciless illnesses.

I just found out my dad is heading in for surgery this Friday. I'm really hoping everything goes smoothly, both during the procedure itself and through the recovery process. 🙂

Angela Wright said:The real question is whether he could avoid surgery and a laryngectomy altogether after radiation. Maybe the procedure would be less intense, but I worry the laryngectomy might still be inevitable 😢
. It isn't the end of the world to undergo a laryngectomy, regardless of how grim that sounds.
There are actually support groups for people who have had them, which really goes to show that living without a voice can still be a high-quality life—you can even sing. http://www.larynx-usa.org/

I get that. Personally, I’d rather him deal with the opening than lose him entirely. I keep trying to explain that to him, but he’s stubborn as hell and keeps pushing back. Whatever... I guess if he's arguing, it means he's still fighting.
Anyway, thanks again. 🙂
I'll keep you all posted on what happens next.

Thanks for clarifying.
It’s a bit clearer now, because I just couldn't wrap my head around this non-surgical option. So, if I’m following you correctly—in the first scenario, they would start with radiation, and if his body responds well to it, then they’d move forward with surgery?
Basically, they were trying to preserve his quality of life by avoiding a tracheostomy. A specialist told me that if they went the surgical route, they’d have to remove his wisdom teeth, larynx, and lymph nodes, which means he wouldn't be able to speak without a ventilator. Based on what you described, was the goal to find an alternative to that?

I went to the hospital today to pick up his CT scans, and one staff member there told me I really need to think everything through carefully. That actually gave me even more to chew on. Look, I know everyone thinks their own approach is best, but I felt like she was speaking to me as a real person.

The worst part for Dad is that he'll lose everything and won't be able to talk. But for me, the absolute worst thing would be sitting around doing nothing while we wait for radiation, praying that God doesn't let it spread any further.

Angela Wright said:Thank God for a second opinion!🙏

Man, I honestly don't even know what to say. At the first hospital, they told us the attending physician decided against surgery. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to catch the attending myself; I only spoke with a resident who can tell me whether the procedure will happen or not, but I just couldn't wrap my head around the logic of the whole situation. That said, I’m actually quite happy with that department. The resident wanted to check in with me constantly, and he would always stop by to talk to my dad before rounds. They let me stay with my dad whenever I needed to, and the nurses were incredibly accessible and kind. The attending is highly respected here in the States.
I still don't grasp the logic behind choosing radiation over surgery. I guess I just don't see the point.
Look, I’m no doctor, and I have no business meddling in their professional field, but you should at least do some digging. You need to ask questions and actually read up on things.

At the other hospital, they told me they can't wrap their heads around why surgery wouldn't be the obvious move here. And the doctor there? He’s highly regarded.
He actually went so far as to tell me everything was fine—as if having cancer isn't a massive problem—but he claimed things weren't nearly as bleak as that first hospital made them out to be.

Look, I have two different opinions from two highly qualified doctors. So, maybe try being a little more sensible. 🙂

I’m leaning more towards that surgery—you know, the one to remove the section that metastasized to the lymph nodes. I guess we’re probably going to go with that option after all.

Checking in briefly. We went to get a second opinion, and honestly, it’s a relief. They told us things aren't quite as bleak as what we heard at the first hospital. Surgery is definitely an option. They'll be running more tests tomorrow and the day after, and if God wills it, the next step will be the surgery itself. If that happens, the radiation schedule should work out fine for us.
I wish everyone else here nothing but strength and the best of luck in their fight!

Angela Wright said:@Lisa Ward52/">@@Lisa Ward52
It would be ideal if you could just go in, have everything surgically removed all at once. Then you’d follow up with radiation and potentially chemo, depending on the stage and severity of the disease. Honestly, summer is the absolute worst time to be hit with a cancer diagnosis. 🙄

We’re headed to a second hospital tomorrow for a second opinion. Honestly, it’s a blessing to have someone in the family working in healthcare; I guess you just can't navigate this system without some inside help. It's a shame it has to be this way. 😢

The issue is this one lymph node that’s proving incredibly difficult to reach. I'm left wondering if they can even successfully remove it—at least, that's what the doctor told my dad during his hospital stay.

Now we’ll see what the other doctor has to say about it.

We probably would have started radiation much sooner if we’d known for certain that surgery was off the table. You can't just jump straight from an operation into radiation therapy.

To be honest, my dad is holding up incredibly well, which makes this whole situation a lot easier for me to handle.

Angela Wright said:I don't mean to nag you, but if he hasn't had surgery to address the metastases, I'm worried waiting for radiation might take too long.
Try everything in your power to get him scheduled for surgery sooner!
And it’s definitely not true that chemo isn't an option. Ask the oncologist about Erbitux!

We're trying to pull some strings here. We already handed his findings over to two other doctors, and now we're just waiting to see if they think surgery is even back on the table. The worst part is that everyone is on summer vacation right now, so getting hold of the right people is a nightmare. I guess I'm feeling a bit relieved that they actually ordered the radiation—it means there's at least some hope. My biggest fear was that they'd just say there's nothing left to do and tell us to prepare for the worst.

Unfortunately, I find myself in this situation too. My dad was diagnosed with throat cancer that has already spread to his lymph nodes. Right now, radiation therapy is our only option, and we’re scheduled to start at the end of August. I lost so many tears trying to wrap my head around the fact that this could actually happen to my own father. I’m doing a bit better now, though I suppose that's mostly because he's holding up so incredibly well. You honestly wouldn't even realize he's sick.
Now we just have to gear up for the fight and figure out how to live with this reality for years to come. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but I don't want to be anything else, and frankly, I can't afford to be. 🙂

Can someone please give me a step-by-step on how to pull up the virtual keyboard?

Edit: Got it figured out. 🙂

granitebadger30 said:I always find myself rooting for whoever beat us. Right now, that's Mexico, though I suspect they might lose to Denmark.

What if you just made an exception? 😬
I mean, how much luck can Mexico have? Every single rebound just falls right into their laps. 😳

rapidstag51 said:That's just not true; you guys were all singing Mermaid 😉

Back when we hosted, everyone was singing Mermaid; there wasn't any patriotic chanting going on.

When was the last time we showed up to an awards ceremony carrying a bunch of flags? I don't recall it happening, so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
Honestly, I'm glad they showed respect to both the fans and the players. 😁

Nicholas Morales48 said:I have no idea what kind of squad Algeria is, 🤷

Dangerous! 😁

Let’s go, Denmark—show us how it's done! 😁