CheckEmoji Community · the emoji forum
🏠 Home 🆕 What's new ❓ Unanswered 🔥 Popular 📡 RSS Members 👥 0 online log in · register
Home › Zachary Howard2 › Posts

Posts by Zachary Howard2

349 posts shown.

Here is a little something for you to ponder...
Angela Wright;15351757 said:🙄"God, things really seem to be piling up for you all lately."

Precisely. It’s almost as if there’s some sort of cosmic hex on us. From what I understand so far, they haven't even prescribed any follow-up treatment yet, so I'm inclined to believe it might not be quite as dire as it looks.
My cousin—my mom’s brother—was recently diagnosed with bladder cancer. He’s already undergone two surgeries, with the second one happening just the other day, where they had to remove his entire bladder because the tumor had completely taken over. From what I gather, they used a section of his small intestine to create a substitute for the bladder (though I’ll admit, the medical specifics are a bit fuzzy to me). Since he's a more distant relative, my aunt wasn't able to provide a precise breakdown of the details; she’s getting on in years, nearly 80, and isn't exactly an expert on all the surgical terminology. Has anyone here dealt with this specific type of cancer, or does anyone have experience with the treatment process and general prognosis?
Lisa White54 said:I’m certain you were the best daughter anyone could ask for. Your mother knew that.

I certainly hope so. I also like to think she's up there happy, reunited with my dad.
Lisa White54 said:In such an exhausting battle, preserving the patient's dignity is everything. They are the ones carrying the heaviest burden.

She’s absolutely right. I find myself feeling incredibly grateful to my mother for how she handled things during our two-year struggle. She shielded me from the full weight of her suffering. Even in those final days, if I had dared to ask if she was in pain, she would have insisted she was fine—even though we both knew she would have been crying out in agony within two minutes. Looking back, I realize I used to unfairly blame her for being stoic, but the truth was simpler: she just didn't have the strength left to express it. She wasn't being difficult; she just couldn't bear to voice it. To this day, the memory of it still catches in my throat.
"He writes in his notebook that if I don't come pick him up, he's going to end it all. Then they call me to come, even when I'm completely exhausted. I moved him into assisted living thinking it would make things easier for both of us, but it’s had the exact opposite effect. I can't sleep at night because the nurses are calling me at 5:00 AM every single morning because he’s done something ridiculous. I’m spending nearly five hours there with him every day. Sometimes I lose my patience and snap at him, and then I just feel terrible. I honestly don't know how to help him. I really don't want to move him to a specialized memory care facility like Belmont, but if the current place can't handle his needs, I don't have many other options..."

My mother wasn't in an assisted living facility; she was in a long-term care hospital over in suburban Connecticut, but her behavior was remarkably similar. The only difference was that she wasn't mobile, so she couldn't wander around. She would constantly call both my brother and me, demanding we come fetch her so she could go home. She even went as far as calling 911 to request an ambulance to take her back to our house.
If you eventually reach a point where you have to move him to a different facility, you might be better off looking at those specialized long-term hospitals, as they tend to be a step up from standard nursing homes. Both types of facilities are essentially sanatoriums, but sometimes you just have to work with what's available. I didn't have a choice in my situation; I lived alone with my mother, and I simply couldn't manage her being immobile, incontinent, and dealing with a colostomy bag that she kept pulling at. We fought like cats and dogs because of it, but I have some peace now, knowing that I at least allowed her to pass away with dignity, clean and free of pain.
I caught that segment on Focus last night; it was incredibly gripping, though it felt far too short. I’m genuinely relieved to see some actual momentum finally building regarding cancer prevention and treatment protocols. My only gripe was that one specialist from San Francisco—his commentary left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. The program hit me harder emotionally than I expected; I couldn't help but think about how much my mother would have enjoyed watching it, and all the sharp critiques she would've offered if she were still here.
rapidbear8 said:I posted here once before to share how much I was struggling with my father's illness (lung and brain cancer)... he lost his final battle on July 15th😢😢 😢It had only been six months since we first received that devastating diagnosis...


Please accept my deepest, most sincere condolences.😢
Your father is in a better place now, resting with the angels.
Linda Wright5 said:Hi everyone,
It is with a heavy heart, though a sense of peace, that I’m letting you all know my sister passed away quietly in her sleep last night.
She was a true fighter, and I am incredibly proud of her.

I’ll still be here reading your posts, and I’ll help out whenever I can.

Hang in there, everyone. Just keep moving forward.


Dear Agna,

please accept my deepest condolences.😢
Your sister is an angel now, finally free from all her pain.
Angela Wright said:Thanx😍

The feature was on the late news last night, and who knows, maybe they'll include us somewhere else today too🤷. Gogs managed to mess things up again—he lost the adapter for his laptop's TV card, so he can't record any segments🙄, otherwise we might have actually made it onto YouTube😛.
Anyway, the footage recorded by Patricia Levar is actually intended for the opening segment of the show Focus on ABC, which I assume will air this Monday at 9 PM on ABC. Slyseal28 will be appearing as a guest alongside doctors and representatives from Medicare and the Department of Health. It should be quite interesting🍿

I caught the news at 10:15 PM, but nothing was on. Unless there's some even later broadcast scheduled.
I'll definitely be tuning in to Focus on Monday.🙂
Angela Wright, slyseal28,
Do you know if they’re going to post that reportage from Central Park from yesterday?
You all were fantastic🙂.
Angela Wright said:To all my fellow patients and those of you standing strong as caregivers:>

Today at 6:00 PM in Central Park, we are holding a public presentation for our Association and officially launching the brochure we’ve written and printed specifically for you. A year ago, we were all just sitting here venting about how everything was falling apart—how the healthcare system is in total collapse, how we're being stripped of our dignity, and how we're constantly misinformed about illnesses. We all agreed that something had to be done. So, six of us—a mix of enthusiasts, altruists, and perhaps a few lunatics—decided to pick up our swords and go to war against the giants. We're doing this for all of you, so that things might actually improve, and so that you receive the level of care any human being deserves when facing such a devastating diagnosis.
That said, I have to admit I feel a profound sense of disappointment because most of you have stuck to offering verbal support and that ubiquitous, hollow "Bravo." My respect goes to the individuals who actually stepped up and dedicated their time, but the majority seem content to simply discuss *how* things should be fixed without ever asking *who* is going to do the fixing. Is it just me, slyseal28? Who else? You can't fight anything—least of all cancer and a decaying system that delivers a rotting stench along with a heavy diagnosis—by just sitting on the sidelines.
Do you truly believe you have rights? If so, then show up at Central Park. Whether you are physically able to attend or need to send your support to make a public stand, please demonstrate those rights. Speak up loudly and clearly: state that YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO LIFE, TO HEALTH, AND TO FIGHT FOR YOUR WELL-BEING using the best possible methods available right now. We live in the 21st century, where things once relegated to science fiction are now medical reality. Many severe illnesses are successfully treated today. As human beings, as dignified creatures, you have a right to everything human ingenuity has achieved, especially regarding health. Don't strip those rights away from yourselves. If you fail to step forward and raise your voice, you are essentially forfeiting a battle you should have fought tooth and nail to win. If you don't speak up, you lose the right to say "something needs to be done." Now that you realize cancer and other serious diseases aren't happening to "someone else," but to US, you have to realize that these problems won't be solved by some third party. They will be solved by YOU.

Are you thinking that this won't lead to anything anyway, making the effort feel futile?

Well, I promise you, it will matter. At the very least, we will leave this world with a clear conscience. When someone eventually asks, "What did you do?", we will actually have an answer. If things remain broken, that burden will fall on someone else's soul. Personally, I couldn't live with that weight on my shoulders.

For those of you whose loved ones lost their battles—as happened in my own life—you have a moral obligation to stand up in honor of their suffering, to ensure it isn't repeated.

With that in mind, I am appealing to everyone to join us today at Central Park and lend your voice to a better tomorrow for us all!


I will certainly be there, just as I was last week.🙂
analogridge17 said:After a long and grueling battle with lung adenocarcinoma, my grandfather Ivo passed away this past Tuesday. If anyone happens to be looking for Traceva 150 mg tablets for treating this condition, I would be willing to sell them at a very reasonable price. Feel free to reach out via private message if interested.


Please accept my sincere condolences.
dustyranger11 said:Fiž, they kicked my dad out of the hospital too. And it wasn't just him—they did the same thing to my grandmother a few years back. They literally drove her away. People were actually yelling at her, asking why she even bothered coming there to die instead of staying home, telling her it was all over anyway. Thankfully, she’s still with us. Honestly, I think going there was a massive mistake. We probably should have gone to Vinogradska or that specialized cancer clinic (where I had my fibroma surgery near the breast and underarm; they were actually quite good there).
Just mentioning the hospital makes my skin crawl.
I live in the Washington, D.C. area, so my reflex is to call an ambulance and head straight to that specific hospital since we fall under their jurisdiction.

My father passed away at that hospital. He suffered two heart attacks within two days, and instead of providing oxygen, an IV, blood thinners (I can't recall the name), and strictly keeping him immobilized, they basically just hooked him up to an EKG. To make matters worse, he was actually walking around the ICU.
Naturally, the third one finished him off, and then they had the audacity—and I mean this with all due respect—to act surprised. They acted like it was some minor issue, when in reality, it was a rupture—the absolute worst kind of heart attack.
But what happened, happened. No one can bring him back. The hardest part is living so close to that place; I pass by it several times a day. And, God forbid anyone else gets sick, I'm stuck in their service area.
Dear Agna,
It feels like I'm watching my own mother go through her final days; the symptoms are identical. At least they tried to admit your sister to the hospital, but with my mother, they practically pushed her out the door (though she did have the rib issue), so I ended up having to take her to a facility in a small town, USA.
I am so incredibly sorry you're going through all of this. May God give you all the strength needed to endure until the end.🙂
I truly hope this man doesn't end up becoming just another grim statistic in some news report.

http://www.nytimes.com/home/open/3122215/index.do
I was watching this incredible documentary today about animals that essentially saved their owners' lives. There was one story about a dog that could sense something physically wrong with its owner. He kept nudging her left breast with his nose, which she initially brushed off, even trying to push him away. Eventually, he actually nipped her there. It wasn't until she checked for a mark from the bite that she suddenly remembered she had a mammogram scheduled. She went in the very next day, and they caught an early-stage breast cancer. The tumor was located exactly where the dog had bitten her.
In Canada, they actually have programs to train dogs to detect tumors and cellular changes, but this particular dog wasn't part of any official training—he just instinctively knew something was off.
If only we had something like that here...
Angela Wright said:Just wonderful.🙄

Well, isn't this just something to be proud of?👎
Thomas Hill11 said:Hi there.
Is it actually possible to tell from a standard blood test if someone has a benign or malignant tumor?
If so, which specific part of the results would indicate an issue?
Thanks.

From what I understand, the actual type of tumor is determined through a tissue biopsy. Blood work doesn't "show" the tumor itself, but rather elevated tumor markers (for instance, CA125 is often used in relation to ovarian cancer). If a doctor suspects something might be wrong, they’ll order specific marker tests—each type of tumor typically has its own unique marker. As for anything else, I'm afraid I'm not entirely sure, and I don't recall the specifics of my mother's medical tests.
Betty Sanchez82 said:I went to the doctor today with my father to pick up his pathology report. He wouldn't even give it to us; he said he'd send it directly to the oncologist instead. Then, he dropped this bombshell that the tumor isn't operable, before telling my father to step out of the room so I could stay behind alone. The second my dad stepped out, this jerk casually mentioned a six-month prognosis with therapy. ???????????????????? I mean, seriously? First of all, I didn't even ask him that. Second, how can someone be so cold about it? My father is actually doing quite well, aside from feeling a bit more fatigued due to low iron levels. Six months???????????????????

Don't listen to doctors playing God. They gave my mother six months, yet she managed to live for nearly two years. At the end of the day, willpower and immune-boosting supplements matter. A person fights through their own determination and persistence—alongside conventional medicine, of course. A friend of my mother’s had breast cancer that was quite extensive; they had to perform a double mastectomy and clear everything around it, and here she is, twenty-five years later, healthy and thriving despite a grim prognosis. Her husband has been battling leukemia for seven years now and he refuses to back down. These are just two examples of what a real fight looks like.