Taylor Swift, your story really hit home for me. I’m thinking of you guys, and I’m joining everyone else in sending up prayers—fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly this Saturday.
Amanda Martinez28 said:quietraven0, how's your mom doing? My dad is back in the hospital again.
Sorry for the late reply, my computer was acting up on me. So, my mom is home now. She's on some heavy antibiotics, and things seem to be looking up. If everything stays on track, she might start her first round of chemo by the end of the month. Fingers crossed!
Amanda Martinez28, I'm glad to hear your dad got admitted to the hospital; at least they can take care of him properly now, and it'll give you some peace of mind. Hang in there, and please keep us posted when you can.
Melissa Parker37 said:My guiding light has gone out. Dad, I love you so much. I just hope you're in a better place now.
Melissa Parker37, I am so incredibly sorry for your loss.
We have to believe that our loved ones are truly in a better place now. Even if they aren't physically here with us anymore, they live on through us—in our hearts and in everything we remember about them. Hang in there; stay strong. That guiding light of yours is a part of who you are, and it’s still shining bright right inside your heart.
Sam Murphy33 said:I feel this overwhelming urge to write something again... Honestly, it’s just hard right now and I don't know how to deal with it.
Sam Murphy33, Both you and your mom are going through an incredibly heavy season right now. I truly get it. I know you're spiraling a bit, wondering how on earth you're going to pull through all of this, but trust me—you will. You have the strength because you love her. Try to step away for just thirty minutes. Go grab something from the grocery store, but take the long way and actually go for a walk. Take a breather and try to decompress, because you'll be able to help her so much more if you aren't running on empty. Try to come back with a better mindset; things always feel a little less heavy when you can find a reason to smile.
None of us know how many days we have left, whether we're dealing with health issues or not. That's why we have to make an effort to bring some positivity into every single day and soak up those small moments—they turn into the beautiful memories later on. We'll look back and be glad we didn't spend our limited time together just drowning in anxiety, seriousness, and gloom.
I realize laughing might be the last thing on your mind right now, but give it a shot. You'll see it lifts her spirits too. She loves you, and she wants to see you happy. Even if they don't say it out loud, most patients worry about being a burden; that weight sits on them, and it's one of the main reasons (aside from the illness itself) that people fall into depression. Don't let that happen. Try to shake off that worried expression. I know it sounds easier said than done, but stay brave. And whenever it feels like too much, come here and vent. We're all walking similar paths, so we have to be there for one another, right?
Amanda Martinez28 said:I spent almost the entire day at my dad's place today, and honestly, the hardest part is watching him slowly just give up.
Amanda Martinez28, it sounds like your dad is probably just hitting a rough patch or feeling a bit worn down right now, but please don't let him spiral into those deep, heavy thoughts. Try to snap him out of it by talking about something completely different—stuff that has nothing to do with health or being sick. Bring up things you know actually make him happy. Try to get a smile out of him; maybe recount some silly old memory from back in the day, anything really, just to remind him that life still has joyful moments and isn't just one big worry. He’ll likely feel a bit better in a couple of days, so just be patient and try not to let his heavy moods pull you down with him. Stay strong and keep a positive outlook; you know how it goes—after the storm comes the sunshine.
I owe everyone a little apology for not using the "Quote:" feature when I reply, so you all know exactly which point I’m addressing. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not exactly tech-savvy, so I still struggle with these little digital hiccups from time to time.😕 But I’ll get the hang of it soon enough.
Donna Chase, I am honestly just so relieved to hear that you've all moved past that stage and that your husband is doing well now. Every time I hear someone post about getting clean test results, it genuinely lifts my spirits and gives me so much hope. As for the whole faith aspect, I couldn't agree more with you. Having faith is incredibly, incredibly important—it really does make such a huge difference when things get tough.
Amanda Martinez28, I really have to hand it to you—your dedication and everything you’re doing for your dad is incredible. He’s lucky to have you in his corner. I’m basically running my mom through a microscope myself; I’ve got her under constant observation because I know how vital it is to catch things early. We went in for a checkup, but they ended up keeping her at the hospital, which isn't exactly the news I wanted to hear.😢 Still, I’m trying to stay positive. She’s in the right place now, and she’ll be getting the care she needs. Try to keep that same positive mindset too. Hang in there, and good luck this Friday.
Angela Wright, You hit the nail on the head with that analogy about the dog, the outside world, and just using some common sense—that’s the honest truth right there. If I didn't make it a point to get out for a walk every single day to create that little bit of distance between myself, my home, and this illness, I honestly think I’d lose my mind if I stayed cooped up.😂 And if that happened, I definitely wouldn't be much help to Mom. Since you brought up how having a dog can serve as a "positive excuse," it actually inspired me to share a quick little story, and I’m feeling pretty happy just thinking about it.
Basically, my grandmother (my mom's mom) is that type of person we all know—she isn't exactly the type to be vocal about her feelings; she doesn't really say things like "I love you." Instead, she shows her affection by making sure you're always fed, because in her mind, love goes straight through the stomach.😉 Ever since Mom got sick, I realized Grandma wanted to say those words, even just once, before it’s too late, and of course, it would mean the world to Mom to hear them. So, I came up with an "excuse" involving apple strudel. Grandma calls us up and says, "I'd love to come visit, but I haven't had time to bake any strudel, so what should I bring?" And I told her, "Nothing, just come over!" She knows Mom, and she knows that her strudel is basically her way of saying "I love you." So, Grandma comes over, walks through the door, and immediately tells my mom: "I DON'T HAVE ANY STRUDEL, BUT I'VE GOT YOU!" 🤣 We all burst out laughing, and it's such a beautiful memory to hold onto. Now, whenever she calls, she uses that little joke as her own "positive excuse"—it's silly, but it carries so much meaning!
Sorry for the long post, everyone, but I hope it at least managed to pull a smile out of you.
Donna Chase, thanks, I’ll definitely do some digging online. Honestly, I think it’s great. At the end of the day, the most important thing is that your husband actually believes the product is working for him. For instance, my mom doesn't buy into the whole aloe vera thing, so I don't bother buying it for her; instead, she trusts local honey, so that’s what I give her. We did recently start taking beta glucan to boost our immunity, though, so we'll see how that goes. I really believe it's best to teach kids about healthy habits from a young age so they actually grow to love them and it just becomes second nature. As for cigarettes, I don't think you need to stress too much; unfortunately, they see firsthand exactly how much damage they can do by watching what happened with their dad. Make sure you all spend as much time together as possible enjoying good company. Love one another and everything will be fine. Don't let a gloomy or serious expression take over—like they say, laughter is the best medicine. 👍
Angela Wright, thanks for clearing that up; I’m going to try to pick up a copy of that book as soon as I can. As for stress, I completely agree—it really is the primary trigger for most of those latent illnesses just waiting to flare up inside us. Sometimes I honestly feel like just packing up and moving to some tiny, quiet island in the Pacific 😉 but life isn't exactly that simple. For me, the thing that helps the most is just taking my dog for a walk; it helps clear my head and gives me a chance to recharge my batteries, even if just a little bit.
Angela Wright, My mom was a smoker, just like her dad, who ended up passing away from esophageal cancer. Even though I don't smoke myself, I sometimes wonder—just how much of a role does genetics play when it comes to cancer?😕
Donna Chase, I’m honestly so relieved to hear from you and so happy that your husband is doing better now. That really is wonderful news. It sounds like you guys went through something very similar, though in my mom's case, it unfortunately spread to her lymph nodes as well. She was a smoker, too. Right now, what’s actually keeping me up at night is this persistent infection we're battling.
Regarding her mental state, things are a bit complicated because her father passed away from esophageal cancer. I don't know all the specific details since it was quite a long time ago, but she saw firsthand just how brutal that disease can be. I’m doing everything in my power to keep her faith strong, keep her hopeful, and stay positive, but man, some days are just brutal. When she gets completely exhausted, she just hits a wall and says she’s had enough. And I can't help but think—we haven't even truly started yet; the chemotherapy hasn't even begun.
For her immune system, she’s taking beta glucan, vitamins B and C, plenty of honey, and juices made from beets and blackberries. She eats pretty much anything when she has an appetite, but when she doesn't, I usually just stick to making her soups. Could you give me a little more info on that IP6 inositol? I've never heard of it.
I just wanted to add one more thing: I’m honestly so grateful these forums exist. Right now, they’re such a massive source of support for me, especially knowing I'm not alone in all of this. I’ve picked up so many helpful lessons here—some of the things people have said really hit home and moved me to tears, but seeing how everyone else is fighting their battles with such courage and determination gives me a fresh wave of positivity. It makes pushing forward feel just a little bit easier.
Hi everyone, My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer back when she was 3 months into her journey, classified as stage IIIB T4N2M0. Adenocarcinoma? Five months in, they performed surgery to remove the tumor and its only metastasis. However, afterward, doctors informed us that some cells had actually reached the lymph nodes in her upper chest, which means she’ll need more chemotherapy than we initially anticipated. To make matters worse, my mom developed an infection after the surgery—specifically J86, which is a lung abscess. She started on antibiotics in the hospital and then transitioned to them at home. Everything seemed to be improving two weeks ago, and we were actually expecting her to start her first round of chemo just the day before yesterday. But over the last few days, the heavy coughing and fever have returned, and her sedimentation levels hit 85. Now she's back on antibiotics, and it's just exhausting. I assume they're going to push back the chemo again, since apparently you can't undergo treatment while fighting an active infection and being on antibiotics. :-(
Since I see everyone here has such different experiences, I wanted to ask: how fast does this disease move? Given that her tumor was removed five months in, and we're already at the end of month seven, and she still hasn't even started her first session of chemo?
Also, should I be worried because she's been sounding hoarse since yesterday? (I read somewhere that could be a bad sign, but I didn't quite grasp why)
This one should be fine, I guess.