Posts by driftingsurfer14

I feel like every single year, we go through this same cycle with new talent. The preseason hype is always deafening, and every coach and commentator starts talking about how this one specific rookie is going to be "the piece that changes everything."

I remember back in my college days, I played with a guy who was a absolute legend in local papers. Everyone was convinced he was a lock for the pros. Fast forward a few years, and he’s working a desk job, and we barely talk about his playing days. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of a fresh face, but the gap between "looking good in drills" and actually handling the pressure of a real game is massive.

Don't get me wrong, I love seeing new blood come in, but I've learned to keep my expectations in check until the real physical contact starts happening. It's all fun and games in practice, but the real test is when things get gritty.

How do you guys handle the preseason hype? Do you actually get excited for new players, or do you wait until they've actually proven something on the field?

dustycobra22 said:Ladies, has anyone else dealt with their period coming in cycles that feel totally off?
It’s been 5 months postpartum, and my bleeding keeps showing up every 10 days or so—it isn't heavy or painful, just lasts about 3-4 days...
I had a checkup at the clinic a few months back, and the doctor mentioned my ovaries haven't quite returned to their normal rhythm yet. It’s been 2.5 months since then, and I'm still trying to find my baseline.
I am breastfeeding... I wonder if that triggers contractions and causes this frequent bleeding??
I really don't know....

As long as you're breastfeeding, everything is perfectly normal—even if you get your period twice in one month or skip it entirely for months at a time. At least, that's what my OB-GYN told me.🙂

darkmaker said:My experience was much the same... I was born toward the end of April, so I didn't actually start school until I was seven years and four months old. My mother chose not to petition for early enrollment because she wanted me to have one more year of being a kid without any pressures. I already knew how to read and write—I picked it up in preschool out of pure curiosity—so I found the beginning of elementary school a bit tedious while the rest of my classmates were still catching up. I don't recall literacy ever being a prerequisite for entry; after all, the whole point of school is to learn those skills. That said, I had a colleague from college who started at five years and eleven months, and another at six years and three months. Both sets of parents filed for early admission, though I must admit I'm still somewhat baffled by how the former managed to get approved at such a young age.🤷

Do you regret not starting earlier?

My daughter was born in early May, and she is constantly insisting she should be in school this September—essentially wanting to start at six and four months.
Everyone tells me to just let her play, but she asks about school every single day.
She enjoys preschool, so it isn't a matter of avoiding it—but whenever she asks any older kids if school is better than preschool, they all say yes. Now she’s convinced school is absolutely phenomenal; she keeps repeating how much there is to learn and how many new friends she will make there.

A topic made just for me🙂
Joint pain, tingling in my hands, and even intense bouts of dizziness... and I honestly thought I had it rough after my first pregnancy when I didn't sit down for a month after my C-section healed 😢 (of course, those issues have returned this time around, too)
The little guy is quite heavy—my primary care physician tells me all of this stems from breastfeeding positions, lack of sleep, and constantly carrying him. He says things will improve once I stop nursing, which I don't plan to do for at least another 7 or 8 months (he's already 10 months old). I was also terrified it might be arthritis, but they say joints feel hot during inflammation, whereas mine don't—I just end up feeling incredibly sore.
To help with the dizziness, they recommended magnesium plus B vitamins, so I take those occasionally.
I'm not exactly a spring chicken at 36, though I'm certainly not ancient either.☕

Angela Richardson10 said:My hands are shaking while I type this... I truly empathize with everyone in this thread—I know exactly what you're going through. My dad was diagnosed with melanoma last year. It was removed, and his first checkup six months ago showed no signs of return. The second follow-up just now showed the same thing. But then, two weeks after that appointment, we found out there are metastases in his brain. He’s facing surgery at Rebro followed by radiation. There aren't enough words to describe how I feel right now. I really hoped it had been caught in time, but unfortunately, it wasn't.

Dear Arthur Cooper6, I know exactly what you are experiencing—my father faced the same diagnosis. To be honest, if we had known about the brain metastases, I don't think we would have agreed to the surgery, especially the radiation. Instead, he had to endure all that cutting and surgical hardship, only for there to be no help available. My father was operated on by Dr. Paladino, and his oncologist was Dr. Herceg. I assume you have researched your options thoroughly and decided on this path accordingly. I am deeply saddened that you have to deal with such a diagnosis—I truly hope the prognosis for your father is better than it was for mine.😢

Angela Wright said:I am truly sorry to hear this...😢 Melanoma is such a devastating disease when it strikes like this.

I see you have become a mother in the meantime—how wonderful. I hope she brings endless joy to your life; while no child can ever replace a loved one who has passed, I hope her presence offers some comfort. Wishing you all the best, dear, and congratulations on the most important role you will ever hold.

Thank you!
Yes, my little one is already four months old. I was so overjoyed during my postpartum period—but then came his diagnosis toward the end of my pregnancy, followed by his passing just recently—so we have been living in a state of constant tension. Still, the baby is progressing wonderfully and keeps me occupied; it certainly makes things different than if I were facing this alone.

copperbison4 said:My deepest condolences, driftingsurfer14—I noticed you hadn't posted in a while, and rather than asking how things were, I simply hoped for the best...

Thank you both,

Things became incredibly complicated with my father—those severe headaches were actually caused by melanoma metastasis (he had surgery with Paladino back in March)—and everything has just gone downhill since then. 😢
I am slowly adjusting to the reality that he is gone—though it feels like it might take the rest of my life to truly process it—because I still find myself expecting him to walk through the door at any moment. 😢

Amanda Miller69 said:Angela Wright helped us all out by starting this thread—it's vital. One gains such heavy experience dealing with this cursed illness. Personally, I find the experience I had with my mother, who passed away from ovarian cancer, to be "useful" now—at least I know how to handle things with my mother-in-law. With Mom, I tended to bury my head in the sand at first—perhaps because I simply didn't want to face the truth and hoped she would pull through (I see that same pattern happening with my husband right now).

Yes, I understand. I was constantly pestering her via private message—and Angela Wright, thank you for your initiative. My father, unfortunately, lost his battle—but I truly hope everything turns out fine for your loved ones.

Angela Wright said:Zachary Howard2, things will work out—it always does. You have an incredible talent to be proud of. What you achieved in such a short timeframe was nothing short of remarkable, and frankly, it’s purely due to your extensive experience...
.
.. otherwise, I have to admit—this actually fuels my paranoid suspicions that everything that happened with my mother was just a way to gather experience for what's next... it's a bit terrifying, really.🙂

Since you are so selfless about sharing your journey with us, I truly believe that difficult start with your mother was simply the foundation of your expertise—and I am certain that good deeds come back to you, ensuring you won't need to face those same struggles with your own loved ones.

restlessowl3 said:Even though Dexa should act as an anti-inflammatory, that just isn't working for her. When she was on Methylprednisolone, her muscles didn't ache—but now, even with Ibuprofen or Tylenol, once the pain starts, it just won't quit for hours. Plus, she’s incredibly swollen—basically waterlogged. Is there any chance her primary care doctor would prescribe morphine patches or maybe some pills to help with the swelling, considering her diagnosis?

I don't have much intelligent advice to offer—I'd just say my dad felt like his lower legs had gone completely numb while he was on Methylprednisolone—so clearly, everyone reacts differently.

copperbison4 said:@driftingsurfer14/">@@driftingsurfer14

That happened right after the 6th chemo round—later it turned out to be pneumonia. My white blood cell count was also absolutely disastrous at the time, so it all boiled down to being a side effect of the chemo. Still, my doctor insisted on running every test imaginable—brain CT, chest, abdomen, even a bronchoscopy—only for the histology to show that the shadow on the lungs was just inflammation (I honestly can't remember if it was some fungus or bacteria, I'm not sure), so they cleared it up relatively quickly. I was also seeing an infectious disease specialist during that period—they were collaborating closely with my hematologist.

We still don't have a definitive answer today, but they did rule out the meningitis they were worried about. They’re going to run an MRI, and they performed another bone marrow biopsy too.
If things got this messy after the first round, I dread to think what it will look like by the eighth. 😢

copperbison4 said:@driftingsurfer14/">@@driftingsurfer14

I was actually stuck in the hospital myself due to a fever—they had me on Tylenol—it felt like I was taking two 500mg tablets or one 1000mg dose three times a day, spaced out every 6 to 8 hours. Every time the meds wore off, the fever would just spike again. One day was so brutal they had to give me an IV fever reducer, which made me start sweating almost instantly—thankfully, that helped.

So, you should ask the doctors if he can at least take some 500mg Tylenol at regular intervals, though honestly, finding the actual cause of the fever is way more important than just masking it with pills. I guess that’s why they say to report back once it hits 100.4... 🤷 Keep an eye on those symptoms and insist the doctors get to the bottom of it.

And what caused your fever?
After spending the whole day at the rib, he ended up in infectious disease this evening. They'll be running tests tomorrow morning, so hopefully we'll know the cause of the fever and headache by noon. Fingers crossed it's nothing serious, because this has been a total nightmare.😢

Has anyone dealt with brutal headaches and fevers following chemo? What's actually safe to take in that situation?

copperbison4 said:Exactly. He’s crying because he’s scared—it’s all so new, and he doesn't even know if chemo is next or what the roadmap looks like yet. That's just how it starts. I dealt with negative thoughts for a few days myself; he handles them his way, and others handle them differently. Well, you just have to pick yourself up and keep pushing. Crying doesn't mean giving up.

On another note, I had my regular checkup today and everything looks great. I've officially been in remission for 9 months now 🙂
.
driftingsurfer14, any news on Dad? Has anything started yet?

Congrats on those clear 9 months! 🙂

I've been a bit swamped lately (I'm due to give birth any day now!), so I haven't been posting regularly, but I'll try to drop in whenever I can to update everyone on Dad—I know firsthand how much every single experience shared on this forum means. 🙂
The biopsy and CT results came back, and they're good. It means the cancer hasn't spread, which is wonderful 🙂. So, the doctor started Dad on his first round of chemo last Thursday. It lasted nearly 5 hours, and he actually handled it quite well—aside from one bout of sweating, a spike in blood sugar that required insulin, and some throat tightness. I told him he needs to stay hydrated (thanks for the advice, copperbison4!).
He was relatively okay for the next three days (though his blood sugar was acting up a bit). On the fourth day, he felt terrible—headaches, malaise, digestive issues, and a fever by the afternoon 😢. I insisted we head to the ER last night because his temperature hit 38.3.
We went to the local hospital since it's closest to us. They did a chest X-ray, a CT scan, and a urine test. The results were fine—no signs of infection—but they insisted he go to Mercy Hospital. After waiting two hours for an ambulance, the staff at Mercy told him he was okay and should just come back in the morning. They saw him again this morning and said he should return for a follow-up this Thursday. He was supposed to have a mole removed today, but they pushed it until after his second round of chemo.
He has 8 rounds of chemo (R-CVP) to go, and I'm honestly hoping they get easier, even though most of your stories suggest otherwise 😢.

restlessowl3 said:We'll just have to wait until they perform the MRI—hopefully, they decide to keep him under observation then...
And what exactly is your father fighting?

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

restlessowl3 said:It might sound harsh—but I’d actually feel more at peace knowing Mom was in the hospital. Watching her decline like this every single day... it just leaves me feeling completely helpless.

That doesn't sound harsh at all—it really just depends on the patient's condition.
If she is struggling with pain, then I believe a hospital stay would be the better option.

restlessowl3 said:I gave them a call—there is a four-month wait, so we are opting for private care instead. It is quite surprising, though, that they seem unwilling to accept patients anywhere.

Well, they filled up almost instantly—I spoke with them around January 10th. 😢
My father is sticking to outpatient treatment for now, even though getting him admitted to the hospital would speed up his tests. I suppose I view it this way—it isn't as difficult for him as it would be for those who actually have to stay overnight—so I actually prefer it this way.

restlessowl3 said:Hi everyone... So, my mother has been battling a brain tumor for four years now—I believe the diagnosis is D.33.0. She underwent surgery back in 2011 and 2012 at Mayo Clinic. Last April, the surgeon who operated on her twice stated that she isn't a candidate for further surgery; he recommended radiation, followed by chemo if that fails. However—seeking a second opinion—we went to Johns Hopkins through a connection, where they actually suggested surgery, even though they noted it wasn't an emergency. She turned that down because she was feeling fine—no symptoms at all—and decided to wait a bit longer without starting any treatment.
Currently, she's dealing with weakness in her left arm and leg which has lasted a month; she's on injections to reduce brain swelling, but there’s been no improvement whatsoever. Despite our connections, nobody seems willing to admit her for inpatient care. My question is this: how can anyone send a 41-year-old woman home to suffer while waiting a full year for an MRI?

🙂
I am not sure how, but anything is possible 😢
When were you scheduled for your MRI so late?
St. Jude's in Chicago takes referrals—you should try calling them there. When I called, the wait was only three weeks.

Angela Grant22 said:My grandfather sadly passed away the day before yesterday—after fighting leukemia for three months. He lived with us for sixteen years, since I was ten. From the moment we got the diagnosis, we held onto hope that he would pull through. He wasn't in any pain during his entire hospital stay; he was actually cleared to be discharged five different times, but he’d always develop a fever just a day early and have to stay. The day before he passed, we even prepared his room for his arrival because he was finally supposed to come home around 10 a.m. the next morning. He didn't make it. We were at the hospital by his side every single day, and honestly—it doesn't even feel like he's gone. It feels more like he's still at the hospital, just waiting for us to come pick him up.

😢 I am so incredibly sorry. 😢

copperbison4 said:driftingsurfer14

Drink plenty of water during that first chemo session—there's really no reason to let all those colorful drugs sit in your bladder once they've finished their job. You'll likely have a restroom nearby, and the nurses will disconnect the IV whenever you need a break; at least, that was my experience in outpatient care, though anyone trying to stay hooked up while on the ward is just being difficult. Grab some larger water bottles instead of those tiny half-liter ones—it saves you the hassle of dealing with cups and other nonsense, and honestly, it just makes staying hydrated much easier.

Regarding the trips to Chicago—why choose Chicago if it’s that far away? If everything goes according to plan, there will be six round trips every three weeks. It feels manageable at first—but as things progress, you only get weaker. You might actually end up forcing them to admit him to the hospital toward the end of treatment—if he simply can't handle the travel anymore. And honestly, hospital stays aren't for everyone. Personally, I was losing weight daily—between the sleep schedule being ruined by those 6:00 AM temperature checks, the food being subpar every single day, and not having anyone constantly there to grab or cook something else... you're lucky if visitors bring you something different during their visits. Most days you're alone, and your freedom is basically limited to the hallway—or maybe the stairs, if you're feeling up to it.

It is standard protocol—as clearly stated in the discharge papers following chemo—that if you develop a fever over 100.4°F at any point between treatments, you must report to the emergency department immediately. I doubt it will come to that, but it’s better to be prepared for everything. These situations can change incredibly fast. I remember a man from a small town outside of Phoenix who was discharged after his session feeling perfectly fine, only to have his temperature spike to 104°F halfway through the drive back home, forcing him to pull over and seek urgent care mid-trip.

It’s quite clear to me that everything in Chicago operates at a higher level—I actually thought the same thing myself until Dr. Nemet over at the Mayo Clinic told me straight up: if the treatment protocol for this specific type were standardized not just here in Chicago or San Diego, but across most countries, we would actually understand the "how" and "why" behind the dosing. He doesn't have anything against the current method, per se, but he pointed out it would be sheer stupidity to force an organism undergoing chemotherapy to cycle through it every three weeks. 249 miles It’s a one-way street—and if things don't go according to plan, we'll just have to meet up in Chicago. I actually connected with him at the request of his colleague and friend, so I'm assuming he isn't just saying this to get me off his back. Any potential difference would really come down to the staff—whether a specific doctor decides to push harder for chemo based on white blood cell counts, how thorough they are with testing when a fever pops up to ensure there's zero doubt, and ultimately, their bedside manner and communication with the patient.

There was also a lady in San Diego who received her therapy at a local outpatient clinic—though she still traveled to Mayo Clinic for her checkups and sent all her test results there (I can't quite recall which specific doctor was handling her case). It just goes to show that this kind of arrangement is definitely possible—so please, do ask your doctor at Mayo Clinic while you still have the chance, and then decide for yourselves what works best.

Regarding future needs—the hematology department and the outpatient clinic are quite well-organized compared to other units (based on my observations while watching games or visiting different departments)—and hygiene is kept tidy. They even have several sterile units for those preparing for transplants. There are enough IV poles—they’re older, but they get the job done—though they always seem short on beds. It would be ideal if they could run bloodwork right there in the unit instead of sending it over to Mount Sinai (though results still arrive within a few hours regardless). I also came across some older articles discussing the introduction of bone marrow transplant procedures in San Diego, noting that they just needed more staff, but that never actually materialized. As for the staff, I am satisfied. You’ll always find a mix of personalities, but everyone tries their best despite the crowds, various patient temperaments, and the lack of space. I’ve also formed some personal impressions—not necessarily definitive—of each doctor and nurse in hematology during my treatment; if anyone needs insight, feel free to send me a private message.

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your advice 🙂
We are hoping to finally begin chemotherapy during February—but first, we have to address that ulcer, which looks quite unpleasant and has changed significantly over the last year.
Regarding the choice of facility, his LOM specialist is suggesting Key West, but since we had some rather uncomfortable experiences with the staff at that hospital, we decided that Chicago is really where he should be treated—it’s where we will all feel more confident in the doctors, which is such a vital factor for recovery. We didn't consider San Diego because, unlike Chicago, there isn't any reliable lodging available, whereas in Chicago, there is guaranteed housing where he can stay as long as necessary until he stabilizes after chemo and before heading toward Metković. He has handled all the tests so far quite well—last week they gave him corticosteroids (I believe it was Medrol), which finally reduced the swelling in his neck, though it did make him lose his voice. We bought Beta-glucan, which he takes once a day, along with plenty of beet, carrot, and apple juice. We haven't even received the bone marrow biopsy results yet, but we are just staying hopeful.