Posts by Matthew Ortiz4

Well, here I am again. My boys aren't quite a single unit anymore; they’ve officially hit the two-week mark today. Thankfully, the delivery went smoothly and both boys are perfectly healthy, though they are still just tiny little things. About four or five days ago, however, the colic started. Since I’m not breastfeeding, we’ve been using Enfamil from the very beginning, specifically using their Philips Avent Natural bottles. Once those cramps kicked in, we immediately started giving them Culturelle along with some Colikind drops, and we switched over to Dr. Brown's Natural bottles. To our surprise, the colic vanished almost instantly. Unfortunately, that relief was short-lived because, following my pediatrician's advice, we transitioned to Enfamil 1, which seems to be slightly thicker in consistency. Now, it feels like it takes them an eternity to finish a single feeding; they often drift off to sleep mid-bottle or just suck aimlessly without actually getting any milk. I went out to hunt for new nipples for the Dr. Brown's bottles—the ones meant for 3+ months—but of course, the flow is far too fast and they end up choking on it. We tried reverting to the Philips Avent, but after just one bottle, both of them were back to suffering through terrible cramps. So, we are currently stuck in a bit of a limbo. I honestly don't know what else to test out. If anyone has any insights, please share, because I am reaching a point of true desperation.

On another note, if anyone here gave birth at 36 weeks or earlier, when did you finally take them outside for the first time? No one seems willing to give me the green light yet—not my mother-in-law, who is a general practitioner, nor my husband, nor even the home health nurse. There is this theory floating around that they shouldn't go out before their actual due date, but surely we shouldn't have to wait quite that long... perhaps just a little longer until...? I truly feel like some fresh air would do them good.

Hello, Mom! I suppose it is only fitting that I introduce myself as well. We are currently holding steady, though we find ourselves waiting within the halls of the hospital for the arrival of our little ones—we are at the thirty-six-week mark. It will be two boys, and as this is my first foray into motherhood, I must confess to feeling quite overwhelmed by the sheer gravity of it all; seeing this thread has provided a much-needed sense of solace. I truly believe we shall become very close companions in the days ahead. 🙂

I suppose I am digging this topic out of the archives... I have found myself becoming quite fascinated by cross-country skiing lately, yet I am entirely at a loss as to where one even begins. I would dearly love to give it a try this coming winter, so I am hoping someone might be kind enough to answer a few of my inquiries.

Initially, I was thinking of paying for perhaps an hour or two of lessons, perhaps somewhere like Vail. Would that suffice, given that I have some experience with roller skiing, ice skating, and alpine skiing? And is Vail a sensible choice for those very first steps?

For that inaugural outing, I intend to rent skis, boots, and poles—purely to get a feel for the equipment before I commit to purchasing my own kit.

However, the primary question, for which I have failed to find a definitive answer, is this: what should one wear? I am unsure if it is absolutely essential to purchase specialized pants and jackets immediately, or if I might manage with gear I already possess for other sports. To provide some context, I am an avid runner, hiker, and alpine skier, so my closet contains warm leggings, hiking trousers, thermal base layers, technical shirts, buffs, ski gloves, a ski suit, fleeces, a hiking jacket, a softshell, and a lightweight windbreaker for running... Furthermore, my husband is a cyclist, so he has a jacket that seems quite suitable to me (with a windstopper front and a thinner back) along with cycling gloves. Surely, some combination of these items might suffice? 🙂

Dennis Morales3 has already weighed in on this dilemma. Honestly, it makes much more sense to go with the Associated Press route. The interest rate is incomparably better—something I noticed wearyorca21 completely overlooked in their initial calculations—and looking at your situation, I suspect you’d actually prefer the lower monthly payments during those first four years while you're busy paying off that other loan. From where I'm sitting, there isn't really a choice to be made here.

I’ve just finished my first round of DTIC chemotherapy (whatever on earth that actually signifies 😕). My other two doctors clearly understand the protocol, and they’ve assured me I haven't received this specific one before. Does anyone happen to know what the actual distinction is?

Angela Wright said:Right now, there aren't any open clinical trials recruiting new patients for melanoma here in the States.

It appears there might actually be one at However, from what I can gather, they aren't accepting patients who have already undergone chemotherapy 😢. I suspect they might be quite rigid regarding those specific eligibility criteria, but I shall certainly tell my mother to give them a call and inquire regardless. One can never truly be certain 🤷

Angela Wright said:To be perfectly honest, I haven't had a single positive experience with anyone practicing alternative medicine.
The mere fact that Dr. Soltysik isn't recognized by any legitimate medical authorities speaks volumes on its own. In the US, you simply cannot practice medicine unless you are registered as an official healthcare provider. Anyone operating outside those legal boundaries is essentially in direct conflict with the law.

That is precisely the conclusion I have reached as well. When I brought him up to my mother, she mentioned she had already heard of his reputation; she told me my grandmother—who was battling stomach cancer—left quite a significant sum of money in his hands, yet he didn't provide her with even a shred of actual relief.

What is your take on immunotherapy treatments over in Germany, though? From what I can gather, they operate as fully accredited medical institutions there...

And thank you ever so much for that exhaustive post regarding preventative screenings. I am certain many people besides myself will find it incredibly beneficial.

I find myself compelled to pose another question, though perhaps it strays slightly from our current focus on my mother’s melanoma. Still, I have a nagging suspicion that this particular group offers the most sensible insights. It seems to me that almost everyone who has battled cancer wishes they had caught it in its infancy. To that end, what specific screenings would you recommend for healthy individuals? How often should one undergo them, and which medical institutions or specialists would you suggest seeking out? One can't help but feel that, through sheer necessity, we have all become significantly more enlightened regarding our own health lately...

Greetings to everyone.

My mother has been battling metastatic melanoma for several years now. I mentioned this briefly in another thread on this forum, and one member suggested I look through this specific discussion for information regarding immunotherapy in Germany and strongly advised that I direct my mother to Dr. Soltysik. This is such an extensive thread, and since I am acutely aware that every single day counts, I would be deeply grateful if you could answer a few questions or perhaps point me toward a helpful link.

1) What is the typical cost of immunotherapy in Germany? I realize answering this is likely quite difficult given how many variables are involved, but I would appreciate even a rough estimate so I know what to expect financially.

2) If my understanding is correct, the immunotherapy course lasts three weeks. Where is the patient housed during that timeframe? Are they admitted to the hospital, or is it necessary to arrange private accommodations independently?

3) I am having a bit of trouble determining exactly what kind of practice Dr. Soltysik maintains. Is he a private general practitioner, or does he specialize further? If so, what sort of fee structure should we anticipate when consulting with him?

I hope I have grasped the basics correctly. I am praying that a kind soul might offer some baseline information to give me a starting point for my research. I realize that I must present a fully fleshed-out plan to my mother; otherwise, she simply won't consider it. It seems to me that she is beginning to lose her will to fight.😢

Please feel free to respond via PM as well...

Does anyone here happen to have any firsthand experience with any of these dentists:

- Leventić http://www.so-leventic.com/home.php
- Dr. Boris Džundžev
- Dr. Iva Turner Zlatar

Regarding that last practice, I happened to come across a recommendation online, though it was posted by someone who only has three entries to their name on this forum; consequently, I find myself wanting to verify that it wasn't merely some sort of paid advertisement 🤣 (and please, no offense intended toward our fellow forum member)