Posts by Steven Ward25

Maria Lee54 said:We absolutely can, because we have the strength within us, and we’ll just keep lending that extra bit of strength to one another whenever things get tough... that’s exactly why we’re all here, to offer each other support and a kind word, and honestly, just knowing that someone truly hears you and understands what you're going through makes an endless difference. We are going to make it through all of this, held up by a hope that simply refuses to fade away.

😘

Nancy Hernandez43 said:Unfortunately, you really hit the nail on the head with what you wrote... It’s true that through struggle, entirely new worlds are forged. Anyone who endures this kind of hardship finds themselves becoming stronger and more courageous, gaining a whole new depth to their character—though I suppose not everyone can truly grasp that, since we all carry our burdens in such different ways...

From everything I’ve read on the forums here, all the websites out there, and just by listening to my own mother’s experience, I’ve come to realize that there really isn't any guarantee that because one round of chemo went smoothly, the next one will follow the same pattern... It’s certainly not meant to be discouraging, but I think it is important to mentally prepare yourself for every possible outcome. During that first year, my mom bravely powered through six rounds of chemo like a true hero, hardly showing any major side effects, though she did have to deal with the hardest part for anyone's mental state, which was losing her hair. Now that we are in this second year, she tackled that first round with such courage, even though she was understandably terrified—she actually had a bit of a breakdown thinking about having to go back, and then the doctors called and completely caught us off guard by telling us she had to start therapy in just two days. She headed into the second round ready to fight, but she had a reaction and ended up being admitted to the hospital... We were told to brace ourselves for the worst since things can take unexpected turns, especially when they decide to switch up the medication. But regardless of how it unfolds, I always feel like at the beginning, everything seems so far away, and then suddenly all the cycles pass by and you find yourself wondering where the time went so fast...

From the very beginning, the doctor advised her father to be extremely careful regarding how they managed her pain levels... he was told that if she started complaining about intense discomfort, he should first have her use a small 0-10 scale to indicate the intensity herself, and if she wasn't rating it higher than a 6, he shouldn't administer any medication at all. She was consistently rating her pain around a 5, so they decided it was best not to use any painkillers... it's also worth keeping in mind that things like ibuprofen can actually lead to dependency if you aren't careful...

We’re facing our fifth round of chemo this Monday! It looks like there might be six sessions in total, but honestly, if it turns out we need more than that, we’re ready to take it on—and most importantly, she is ready... She actually sent me an article that breaks down how the treatment plan is going to look...

Just a few little scientific reminders to keep in mind...
When you hold a deep desire in your heart, try treating that wish as a prayer... If you can truly visualize your wish being fulfilled—really seeing it happen and feeling the reality of it within yourself—you will eventually experience the pure joy of having your prayers answered...

By harnessing the power of your own thoughts, you can truly begin to construct a foundation of perfect health, lasting success, and genuine happiness...

Just take a moment to really lean into that feeling of joy and pure peace, knowing deep down that everything you’re working toward is already becoming your reality...

A single mental image truly is worth a thousand words... the subconscious has this incredible way of materializing every vision we hold within our consciousness, provided those images are firmly rooted in faith...

When you sit down to pray, try to let go of any sense of force or intense mental strain... just allow yourself to drift, letting that heavy, peaceful drowsiness wash over you, all while holding onto the quiet, steady conviction that God is truly listening to your heart...

Everything you hold to be true, everything you feel deep in your soul, just let those thoughts manifest into reality—because eventually, they will come to pass and you will find yourselves fully realized... Just focus your mind on harmony, on vibrant health, on peace, and on true abundance...

Let’s all try to stay brave and keep fighting together, looking at life with a positive outlook since there really is no tomorrow, only today...

Nancy Hernandez43, thank you so much for sharing all of those helpful tips and your own personal experiences with us...😘A special and heartfelt thank you for all the truths I've learned along the way...🙂
We really ought to focus on keeping our thoughts positive...🙏👍

Maria Fox said:Hi everyone, I really hope your own battles are going well...🙂

I am feeling so happy today because my mom finally got all her test results back, and everything looks wonderful; her radiologist actually told her—though he made sure to emphasize that he technically shouldn't be saying this—that he considers her fully recovered, and given her stage and these specific findings, the chances of the disease returning are incredibly minimal...👋 🙂🙂🙂

I truly hope we get to read more news like this more often, so please, everyone, stay strong...🙂

Heartfelt congratulations!!! I'm hoping we see much more good news like this very soon...🙂

jadepilot65 said:Thanks to everyone for the advice and all the support, but look—it actually happened. I failed. 😢 It doesn't matter, though—I'm feeling a little down right now, but I'll get over it.

😢😘

Amanda Miller69 said:Unfortunately, my mom lost her battle, and it’s been almost a year now... She used to take ibuprofen for the pain. Tylenol is more for when you have a fever or muscle aches. You might want to try ibuprofen, though, since it's a pretty strong analgesic and is typically used for rheumatic pain...
Besides that, she took things like Megamin, Brocolin, Bio Bran, shiitake mushrooms, and raw propolis—not all at once, of course—to help boost her immune system...

😢I am so sorry to hear that.

Thanks for sharing this, you brave soul...🙂

Dear Lara.
I am so incredibly sorry about your mom and everything your family has been forced to endure lately.

To be honest, our own experience with the doctors wasn't exactly wonderful either, at least not until we finally made the switch to a private specialist.
I joke sometimes that they practically shaved five years off my life...
I really don't want to dwell on all our past struggles because rehashing it all just drains my energy and adds so much unnecessary weight to my shoulders, and there has always been unfairness, and there likely will be again... if we even started asking why this happened to her specifically, I don't think there would ever be an end to the questions.

We are just navigating this situation the best way we know how, though it certainly takes its toll, and sometimes I wonder where I find the strength to keep going... We are all standing right by Mom's side, doing everything possible because we refuse to let her fall.
It truly breaks my heart seeing her in pain when you feel so helpless and unable to do anything to take that suffering away...

But, deep down, I’ve always been an optimist. We have finished one round of chemo, and now we are waiting for the second, then another, and before we know it, we'll be halfway through the journey.🙂
I just really hope this next round does a better job of killing that monster (I'm usually not a violent person, but when I think about it, whew!)...

I just know that people who haven't walked through this kind of Calvary with someone they love can't truly understand what we are feeling right now. People can be sympathetic and full of empathy, but the moment it involves someone of your own blood, your entire world collapses in a heartbeat... The whole point of this story is to build a new world from the pieces, and we are building ours right now, and we aren't giving up, and we certainly aren't letting that monster win against Mom.
Our fight is going to be fierce and incredibly difficult, but I completely agree with what you said.
Even if the final outcome isn't exactly what we are praying for😢, we will know that we did absolutely everything within our power... that we fought with every last drop of blood we had, whether it was against the doctors, Medicare, that monster, or anyone else...
I won't ramble on too much longer.
I am sending nothing but positive energy to all of you as you continue your own battles.
I am right there with you...😍

Amanda Miller69 said:Based on what my mom went through with her ovarian cancer, she dealt with vomiting, diarrhea, being super sensitive to smells and food, bone pain, and just total exhaustion after every chemo session. It usually lasted anywhere from three to seven days. When it came to the nausea, besides sticking to a regular schedule, she found some relief with simple popcorn from a local grocery store and some menthol candies...
The side effects from oral chemotherapy were much more manageable, though of course, the hair loss is unavoidable

Thanks so much, Amanda Miller69😍

My mom is doing a bit better today, and I really feel like the worst part might be behind us now... although I have to say, the aches in her bones, muscles, and joints were quite intense...
Is your mom taking anything specific for the pain?
We were given some Tylenol, but it didn't seem to do much at all, so we ended up giving her some Voltaren, which actually helped ease the pain a little and made things a bit easier for her...😢

Is there anyone out there?😢

Hi everyone,
I’ve been following all your posts for quite a while now, and I finally decided it was time to jump in and register myself.
First off, I just want to say how much I admire everyone here for being so incredibly brave and staying so positive through it all. Sadly, this terrible disease has found its way into my family too. My mom is 50, and she’s fighting breast cancer. She just finished her first round of chemo.
I was wondering if you all could share what your experiences were like with chemo? Along with the chemo, my mom is also receiving immunotherapy. So far, she hasn't had any major side effects, though she does feel like she’s coming down with a bit of the flu, but nothing too overwhelming... I’m just curious if things can take a turn for the worse, meaning if new symptoms might pop up, or if we might be among those lucky enough to handle that first round of chemo pretty smoothly. Thank you.