Posts by Henry Sanders3

Blood work was looking pretty rough here on Monday too, but we finally kicked off the chemo... Now the nausea has officially set in, and he’s barely eating anything. At least he’s staying hydrated with water and some nettle tea, and we've been gargling sage to help... but man... how am I supposed to talk him into eating when the nausea is this bad? I want him drinking beet juice or whatever else might help... right now he's just taking his Beta glucan and that's about it....

Hannah James76 said:Thanks everyone for the support. I'm still spinning... honestly can't believe this actually happened. Just hoping time heals everything eventually...
I hope all your loved ones stay healthy and get to live long, full lives.

Oh honey Hannah James76... yeah, time heals wounds, that’s for sure... but man, you just have to survive that waiting period... I don't even know what to say besides hang in there and be strong. Grieve however you need to... I'm already a total wreck, and she's still right here with us...😢😢😢

Hey placidbear10, I haven't checked the bloodwork yet, but starting next week, I'll be right there in the thick of it too... I've been hearing people swear by taking Endovit syrup when they head in for chemo... For now, I'm just trying to keep Dad's strength up with those Biota juices you can grab at DM—specifically that one blend with beet, carrot, potato, and celery

placidbear10 you’re doing great, honestly... sounds like you’re feeling a little better too... what are we even doing? just fighting the good fight, I guess... my dad is obsessed with creamy soups, so I always tell him, long live the immersion blender... yesterday afternoon I went to see Ms. Tonković (she's a nutritionist and biochemist) and she gave us some dietary guidelines for him. Everything she said actually makes sense to me... given the type of cancer he’s dealing with—adenocarcinoma of the stomach with liver metastases—bitter, alkaline foods are key. Lots of nettle tea and oak bark, absolutely no fruit, no green veggies at all, and then a tiny pinch of baking soda in water after every meal... she had plenty of other tips that I really liked... nothing to lose, right? chemo starts this Monday and he’s actually looking forward to it. poor guy, he’s just so hopeful that one day someone will finally be able to just cut the tumor out, but...

placidbear10 you aren't alone... if you feel like you have nothing left, you have us... we might just be your virtual friends, but we're yours, we get it, and you could never be ridiculous to us... I'm so sorry you're feeling lonely... on my end though, this huge extended family is driving me absolutely crazy... everyone thinks they're such an expert with their own little ideas, and yesterday my dad finally snapped at all of it and just lost his will... he's stuck on folk remedies and won't even consider starting chemo... which we actually start this Monday... maybe try some reverse psychology, like what Angela Wright mentioned before? maybe that'll work on Dad, so he'll at least take something or eat something? I can only imagine how you feel, my dad had his first big "revolt" yesterday and I just sank... I can't even imagine what you're going through... please write to us so we know how you guys are doing...

goldenorca9 said:They admitted my dad to Oncology. I can't believe he's the same man from just 20 days ago. He's aged so much and lost 15 pounds. He wants to live so badly and keeps saying he's going to beat this. I just smile and pray for a little miracle.
I'm definitely running out of milk even though the little guy is nursing like crazy. I feed him and he just keeps asking for more. He nurses and nurses and then the poor thing just starts crying... It's awful. I somehow feel guilty.

I know exactly what you mean... when I look at my dad, I don't believe it's the same man who was out digging retaining walls around our cabin and doing masonry just two months ago... yesterday I was helping him get dressed (because it hurts him even to take off a shirt) and I saw how his skin just hangs off him... so, is your dad going to be at the Oncology clinic? Wishing you guys luck!
As for the breastfeeding, don't you dare think for one second THAT YOU ARE GUILTY... not even a little bit... unfortunately, stress just does its thing... it makes sense the little one cries if he's trying to nurse and nothing is happening... try to stay persistent for a bit, keep nursing, but try to be as calm and relaxed as possible, maybe just you and the baby if you can manage it... he needs to feel your peace... and maybe try getting that lactation spray from the pharmacy, and if that doesn't work, just let go... it's not even the worst thing that could happen... your baby will grow up healthy, happy, and smiling even without the breast... hang in there, dear goldenorca9

Hannah James76, I am just so incredibly sorry... please accept my deepest, most sincere condolences... there really aren't any words that can fix this... we can try to tell ourselves that he isn't suffering anymore, and thank God his pain has finally ended—for him, at least—but for those of you left behind, nothing anyone says seems to help... all I can say is stay strong, and please, honey, cry as much as you need to... tears won't bring him back, but....
I'm thinking of you.... and unfortunately, my dad will be heading down that same path soon too....

Oh, Hannah James76 and goldenorca9... I am just so incredibly sorry. I truly get where you're coming from and can only imagine what you're going through right now... I guess I have this one little silver lining, that my little one is 3.8 years old, so they actually have some real memories of Grandpa...
goldenorca9, look, I know it’s easy for me to say, but seriously, just let the baby nurse whenever they want... let them latch onto the breast whenever they feel like it... as soon as you get a chance, just put the baby to feed, even if it's for three hours straight if that's what it takes... honestly, it'll help you feel better too...

We just got our test results back yesterday... they sent Dad home, and there's basically no chance at surgery. He’s scheduled to start chemo on November 28th (he's losing his mind right now because, seriously, what is he supposed to do for the next ten days? Just sit around and do nothing??)...
It breaks my heart to hear him in so much pain under his right ribcage... I stayed up listening to him moaning in the middle of the night...

Angela Wright said:Hang in there, we're all right here with you. The initial shock is over, and once you catch your breath, things will start to settle... somehow. Once you have more info, check out those medical forums. We have Dr. Radić over there who might be able to give you some actual smart advice. First thing is figuring out where this all started—maybe the stomach, thyroid, gallbladder... it'll show up. That part is huge because treatment changes completely depending on what the root cause is.
The tough part is dealing with the metastases, which makes starting treatment a bit more complicated, but it’s definitely doable.
It’s such a shame he didn't pay attention to his stomach issues earlier. So many people just push through it, and if you've got a Helicobacter pylori infection lingering for too long, it can really mess things up in your stomach and esophagus.

Yeah, exactly that... we were just waiting, thinking it was just an old ache... I had a tumor surgery eight years ago and didn't feel a thing, so we fell into that trap of thinking if it doesn't hurt, it's "ugly"... we actually tried to comfort ourselves by thinking it was a good sign that it *did* hurt...
Thanks so much for reaching out, it really means a lot... and thanks for the tip about Dr. Radić... unfortunately, you guys are the ones who really get it...

Hey everyone...
Sadly, I’ve ended up on this heartbreaking thread too... I used to be at all the happy events—weddings, baby showers, celebrating new parents...
Now, just like many of you, my whole world flipped upside down overnight... It’s about my dad... He’s 67... This isn't exactly uncharted territory for him, though...
About two months ago, his stomach started acting up, but we didn't jump on it right away since he's dealt with stomach issues for years, nothing major... until I noticed he was losing weight fast... I scheduled a gastroscopy for him, and they found a massive tumor in his stomach immediately—that was Nov 3rd, and we get the official report on Nov 10th...
On Sunday, Nov 4th, he calls me thinking he has a fever (which he almost never gets)... Monday morning, I call his doctor who knows about the tumor, and she tells me it’s probably just a virus and not to be lazy, so I should take him privately for blood and urine tests to confirm... His CRP was 186 and white blood cell count was high... We went to the infectious disease ward, they suspected sepsis, and by 9 PM, since we live quite far out, I had to drive him over to the Internal Medicine unit at Vinogradska Hospital... They kept him there... The next day they did an ultrasound and were already suspicious of liver metastases... On Wednesday, they begged me to get the gastroscopy results ASAP... I called them, they contacted the lab, and it came through via fax—adenocarcinoma... I wasn't surprised... My heart just sank the day before... I went to the hospital and told Dad he has cancer, just like the doctor and I agreed... I didn't say anything about the metastases... On Friday, they did a CT scan, and the radiology tech told me straight up that it's in his pancreas too... It's just awful... I took him home for the weekend... Of course, he can barely eat, no appetite, just weak... He started having pain on his right side... the liver, I guess... On Tuesday, they did a bowel passage test, and today we should finally know everything—the full results, the prognosis, if he’s even a candidate for surgery or not... In the meantime, I gave him some Imunobran—he took that, and starting today, he's on Beta glucan... Does anyone else have any advice?...
At Vinogradska, the surgeon, Dr. Zovak, is deciding if they'll even attempt surgery... Honestly, words can't describe how I'm feeling right now.....
Anyway, I just wanted to check in because I need to feel like I'm not alone in this... Things aren't great between him and Mom, and my brother lives abroad... So, it's all on me... It's not that it's hard, because my dad is my best friend and I'd stay by his side forever and do anything for him... Just like all of us would for our loved ones... I leave for work at 6 AM, rush to the hospital, stay with him until 7 PM, and then head home to the kids... The other day I ended up at Kvatric and totally blanked... How was I supposed to get to Šalat?? Total mental block....

I honestly don't know what to tell you—it’s probably just the stitches. But like, if you ask any OBGYN, they'll tell you everything is still super raw since you literally just gave birth....
Give your doctor a call and just ask...
I went through it all myself. I had a cervical tear, plus my perineum tore, and both my labia—it was a total mess, honestly. But hey, I thought I was recovering bit by bit, until ten days later I ended up right back at Mayo Clinic because there were still some placental fragments left inside me... My six-week postpartum checkup? Total bust. The doctor couldn't even do an internal exam because he said there were too many stitches and he couldn't get "in" yet...
Then, five months after delivery, I went back for another checkup. He was telling me how great everything looked on the outside, but the second he tried to do an internal exam, I just started screaming. Basically, five months out, I still hadn't healed properly😲😲
I'm not telling you this to vent or freak you out—I'm saying it so you'll be annoying and call your doctor... Because for me, this whole thing has escalated. My husband is actually scared of intimacy now, so I'm basically living like a nun again☕

Hey everyone!!!
Huge thanks to Stella and Henry Sanders3, whose account I'm borrowing right now.....🙏🙏🙏
Anyway, I'm mistybear30 and I'm having a total nightmare trying to log in....
I mean, I could just make a brand new account, but that feels wrong, you know? Not really my style...
We already tried everything mentioned above but nothing's working, so if an admin could take a quick look at my account, I’d be seriously grateful... yeah, it's mistybear30

I know this girl who had her period for three straight months before she finally went to see her OBGYN, and he just looks at her and goes, "Ma'am, you're pregnant!!!"
So yeah... I'm really not buying that she was lying to him...

rustyscout38 said:Ladies, I need some intel...

Can someone point me toward where I can pick up a silk ribbon (or maybe satin?) to decorate a round cake—I'm planning on covering it in fondant—and I want to wrap a bouquet with the exact same ribbon. I saw a photo once where they did this, and it looked incredible...

The catch is that I need the ribbon to be pretty wide. At least 1.2 inches, though 2 inches would be even better.

thanks🙂

I grabbed mine at Macy's... they have tons of colors and widths to choose from...

Chloe Mendoza2 said:I think it might be a bit early to jump to conclusions... you won't really start feeling actual symptoms until after you miss your period.

I'm with her on this one.👍
But look, it’s pretty obvious this was the plan all along, right? Because let's be real, you can't exactly "accidentally" hit those fertile days twice in a row... I know, sounds harsh... but whatever. Wait, now I'm making you paranoid... but honestly, look at how many women track their cycles for months, even years, trying to time it perfectly and still nothing happens... so yeah, just sit tight and wait...

James Harris6 said:I just put in my order for some cookies and a cake from Em's bakery. Their treats are seriously amazing!
The only thing stressing me out right now is finding little bride and groom toppers for the cake—everything I see looks so tacky.
Does anyone know if those marzipan figures actually look good? Help a girl out, what should I do?🤔 🤔

We ended up getting both the cookies and the cake from Emma, and they were honestly incredible🙏 ...we just skipped the little bride and groom toppers since we didn't have them...

northernhawk87 said:Does anyone happen to know how many people actually showed up at your place?

I went ahead and ordered the exact same amount—100 pounds... I figured forty would cover us at both houses, and then another sixty should be plenty for the banquet hall area..

We ended up having 170 guests, dear... plus we were handing out little favor boxes for everyone to take home.😘

Don't go thinking I've gone MIA on you all (even though Magg gave me a little nudge to pop back in and say hi)... so, we were originally planning to order 100kg of sweets, but then the pastry chef herself told us 85kg was more than enough... and now she actually went and gifted me a cake for my birthday that looks just like the one we had at our wedding

So, we finally nailed down the cake situation yesterday—bottom layer is going to be chocolate and banana, the middle is black and white with some white chocolate mousse, and the top is a three-flavor parfait with chocolate, hazelnut, and vanilla🙂

mellowridge said:It's for about 130 people. The cake is actually a gift from this lady I know who does baking, so... yeah, I pretty much just need to grab some butterfly decorations or whatever else I want to put on top.

mellowridge wait, where did you find those butterflies?🙏

mellowridge, where on earth did you find those little butterflies???