Posts by Angela Wright

hiddenridge12 said:An oil gland got infected. I'm on antibiotics right now... but honestly, the lump already smells terrible. I have to check in with my doctor, so they'll probably send me in to have it drained. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but basically, it smells awful. Gross.

How embarrassing.😢
They'll likely just use a sterile needle to drain the fluid. You'll be back to normal in a day or two.

hiddenridge12 said:I really need some help here if anyone can give me an idea of what's going on. I’m planning to head into my family doctor's office tomorrow morning, but I'm spiraling right now. About six months ago, I noticed this tiny, barely there bump on my shoulder—specifically at the joint where the arm meets the shoulder. For the last three weeks, it hasn't been subtle at all; in just two days, it ballooned up to nearly an inch wide. It's red, soft to the touch, and pretty sore, though not excruciating. It actually looks like it might be about to burst or leak something. Does anyone have any clue what this could be? I'm a total worrier and I honestly don't think I'll get any sleep tonight until I know something.

It could be a lipoma, or maybe you've got an inflamed sebaceous cyst. Whatever it is, do NOT try to squeeze it yourself!

nimblebear92 said:Look, nobody is under the illusion that cigarettes or weed are good for you.

Since basically nobody smokes anything else, I'm guessing there isn't much data out there on how damaging it would be to smoke something different—like mint, for instance?

Basically, what percentage of the total damage from smoking comes from the smoke itself? Is the act of inhaling smoke inherently the killer?

And could smoking mint actually, theoretically, be healthy?

Then you've got those Herbalife products... if I recall correctly, they aren't exactly "healthy" either, likely because of the CO2 produced during combustion... plus, I've heard the flavor sucks, it's pretty bland.

Kate Reed63 said:Well, she’s basically hoping she’ll start treatment too. We’ll just have to wait and see when the oncologist at the hospital where your husband gets his treatment actually orders everything and how he handles the side effects.

slyseal28's husband is dealing with an incredibly specific, rare, and brutal diagnosis. He's already gone through several rounds of chemo, and unfortunately, given how complex and aggressive this disease is, things aren't looking great right now.
How someone reacts to a specific chemo drug is entirely unique to them. It's like comparing apples to oranges—you’ll have one person who deals with endless nausea but their blood counts stay perfect, while another person feels fine physically but their blood levels absolutely crater. Some people breeze through it, others can't take it and have to stop the treatment entirely. In this whole process, the psychological aspect is massive. You have to be well-informed, prepared, and you need a solid support system around you.
At the end of the day, people tend to vent about it, no matter how uncomfortable it makes others.
Focus on boosting his immune system!

goldenfox24 said:So, here’s the deal
I’ve been an avid hiker for about seven years now—really love hitting the trails—and I’m also a regular at the gym, where I tend to push some pretty heavy weight. Interestingly enough, the whole reason I actually started lifting was to deal with constant back pain.
The thing is, whenever I lean over, my spine looks like it’s developed a massive hunch.

So, given all that, does anyone know if there’s a way to actually ease this back pain???

Go see a chiropractor and get some actual professional advice on which weights you should be moving, what exercises make sense, and whether hitting the gym is even a good idea for you at all.
An unknown condition like that is often genetic, and it sounds like you just accelerated the whole thing by going overboard at the gym.

Drew Allen said:Maybe ultrasound is the better way to go? Just asking.

For women under 40, go with ultrasound. Once you hit 40, stick to mammograms—they’re still the gold standard for accuracy.

Melissa Morgan67 said:How much radiation does an MRI actually emit?

It doesn't.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_imaging

Melissa Morgan67 said:Angela Wright, thanks for the reply. I just hope everything goes exactly the way it's supposed to.

Just stay positive. Ask your doctor every single question that crosses your mind, and don't you dare forget that you have every right to seek a second or even third opinion—so go out there and get one without any hesitation.

Susan Diaz91 said:Here’s an update regarding my mom’s multidisciplinary consultation...

She’s finished two cycles of chemo so far (each cycle consists of three sessions—Monday, Wednesday, and the following Monday—meaning she's had 6 sessions total over those two cycles).
We did her lung scans and bloodwork today, and the results are actually encouraging... things are looking slightly better; the X-ray shows some improvement. Her blood counts are surprisingly solid, too—her white cell count hasn't dropped at all, staying right at 6. She was prescribed an appetite stimulant, and she’s finally starting to eat more consistently.

She has two more cycles coming up, starting this Monday... that brings the total to 4 cycles, or 12 sessions altogether.

We’re hoping for the best, but I'm relieved there's a bit of progress. My brother and I can sleep at night knowing we did exactly what the Department Head at the Mayo Clinic suggested: we jumped straight into chemo IMMEDIATELY.

If I had sat around waiting for the call from the hospital in San Francisco—which would have taken another two months—I think we would have made a massive mistake.

Whatever happens, happens, but I’m just glad the current reports look this way. 🙂

Best to everyone, 🙂

You did everything within your power, and that realization provides a unique kind of strength and peace. I hope you're holding up okay, too. When is your appointment scheduled?

Drew Allen said:What does 90% actually mean? Are we talking about a five-year survival rate or an actual total cure?

It refers to treatment success. I'm not exactly sure how much time needs to pass before they officially call it remission, so you should probably look here to get the facts straight.

Jamie Rivera78 said:Just because someone goes through the most radical breast surgery doesn't mean they actually get better survival odds. It's the same deal with preemptively removing organs—it's not a magic button for a longer life. While medical practices change, the trend is moving toward more conservative surgeries. Preemptive removals are becoming less common.

I still think preemptive removals happen, and doctors weigh the pros and cons on a case-by-case basis before deciding what to cut.
When you're dealing with cancer, terms like "guarantees" or "certainties" are total fairy tales. There are no guarantees in this world. All we really have to work with are some statistics, hard facts, and data samples that we use to make these massive, life-altering calls on our own.

Melissa Morgan67 said:Is the mortality rate for breast cancer actually high?

Is it really considered normal practice to just rip out a healthy uterus and ovaries simply because doctors think there's a chance cancer might pop up there later?

The left breast was removed along with 9 lymph nodes, one of which tested positive.

Look, if you catch breast cancer early enough, the survival rate is incredibly high—I’m talking north of 90%.
Some tumor types have a nasty habit of jumping from one breast to the other, so surgeons often suggest taking out the "healthy" side as a precaution. Unfortunately, I know plenty of stories where that’s exactly what happens. Everything seems perfect—surgery is done, chemo and radiation are finished, scans look clean—and then, out of nowhere during a routine checkup, they find the monster hiding in the other breast, plus it's spread to the bones and lymph nodes. I'm telling you, it's a scenario you see more often than you'd think.
It’s a heavy spot to be in, feeling perfectly fine but facing this. Personally, knowing how I operate, I don't think I'd waste my time worrying unnecessarily, especially given how advanced reconstructive surgery is these days.
Take the actress Christina Applegate (Kelly Bundy😉) as an example; she decided to have her "healthy" breast removed after her diagnosis. Since her mother dealt with the same thing but chose not to go that route, seeing her mom's ongoing struggle convinced her that making the call upfront was better than living in constant fear of what might happen next.

Barrett, I’m sorry you’re going through this. I didn't reply to you directly because, honestly, looking at what's been said, you’ve already received the same answers I would have given. There’s no point in us just circling the drain by repeating the same thing over and over. On that note, I’d strongly suggest you sit down with an anesthesiologist to discuss your husband's pain levels. They are the only ones actually qualified to dial in the right dosages or mix those specific "cocktails" needed to manage his pain without making the whole situation worse.
Everyone here has felt that same agony you're dealing with right now, so please, don't ever forget that you aren't alone in this fight. There are a ton of us, and that’s exactly why staying connected matters—even when the discussions on here get under your skin or start to feel irritating.
Also, let's be real: don't expect this place to be a magic bullet that solves everything for you. That's just not realistic. Some things absolutely require a medical professional, like figuring out those precise pain management doses.
Hang in there and don't walk away. It’s not like this Forum or the patient advocacy groups are providing you with much of any use anyway if you leave.😢
If that's how it's going to be, then to hell with the association and all of it; there’s no sense in any of us wasting our time on this anymore.😢😢😢

Drew Flores13 said:Hey everyone! My mom just had her left breast removed due to cancer. Can anyone tell me how things work with Medicare now if she decides she wants an implant? Does insurance cover part of it, or does she have to foot the whole bill herself? Also, do women diagnosed with breast cancer have any rights regarding disability benefits?

Check out this link for the "All for Her" Association; they’ll give you a concrete breakdown of everything. You can also find contact info right there on the site.

shadowmason6 said:gentletiger46, I’m honestly not thrilled about seeing new faces popping up on this forum, but I have to admit, the optimism dripping from your posts is exactly what we need right now.
I don't know much about Hodgkin, but a friend’s mom went through treatment the year before last. If I recall correctly, she did both chemo and radiation (I can double-check if anyone actually cares). She lost her hair—pretty much after a few cycles—but it all grew back, and apparently, it’s even thicker than before 🙂... and everything is fine now!
I haven't been posting much lately... just trying to recharge because last year absolutely drained me, both physically and mentally. Mom has more checkups coming up at the end of May. For now, she feels fantastic. It almost feels too good to be true, and I'm bracing myself so I don't get blindsided, especially after that diagnosis last year (Dukes C).

I wanted to chime in regarding preventing infections—back when Mom was doing chemo. We used tea tree oil. Using a dropper, we’d put a few drops on a tissue or mix it with water (about 20 drops per cup) and spray it around the room. Supposedly, it's one of the best natural disinfectants out there (gentletiger46, given your background, you probably know more about this than I do?)... plus, it smells nice. You just have to be careful about where you buy essential oils; you want the pure stuff, ideally from a pharmacy or a high-end health food store. A small bottle usually runs about 40-$17

Anyway, that’s my little contribution. I hope you all stay brave. Fingers crossed for success—keep fighting... especially you, slyseal28!

Oh, and tea tree oil is amazing.👍 We also used lavender, and when we were in Split, we used to get this custom blend of St. John's Wort, chamomile, and lavender from a local priest. The home health nurse would "massage" Mom with it every single day, and she never once developed a skin infection, nor did she ever get that odor that sometimes affects patients. She looked just like a doll.😢

Lisa White54 said:Thanks for getting back to me. Honestly, I'm just having one of those absolute wreck days. I feel like I could just burst into tears. It's just one of those days. It'll pass, though.

Spill it. I'm in the same boat right now, and honestly, I don't even have any massive life crises going on at the moment.🙄

Lisa White54 said:You aren’t the only one who gets ahead of themselves. I had a doctor at the Jordanovac clinic try to convince me that there was nothing wrong with my husband. I let myself get excited; I chose to believe him. Then, reality hits, and I see that isn't the case at all. Because if everything truly were fine, he’d actually be feeling better. So, I pivot back to my initial thought: his blood work looks solid, so maybe everything really is okay. But then the doubt creeps back in—illness is a master of disguise, and it can hide behind perfectly normal lab results. Then I flip the script again, thinking, "Hey, why couldn't he be the one who actually beat cancer? Maybe everything is genuinely fine." It’s just an endless, exhausting loop.
We ran some X-rays yesterday because of a potential surgery for gallstones, and honestly, I’m completely lost. It feels like the rug has been pulled right out from under me. He isn't doing well; he’s dealing with this constant pain in his upper abdomen. About a month or two ago, an urologist told him during an ultrasound that he had stones in his gallbladder. Now we're headed back for another ultrasound. But what if it isn't stones? He doesn't even have the typical symptoms you'd expect with gallstones. To make matters worse, there's this vague note on his last CT scan from August 10th regarding something just under his right rib cage. I have no clue what that actually means.
I honestly don't get it. If this stone is actually there—and we know it is because it showed up clearly on the ultrasound back in August—why isn't it being mentioned in the CT scan or the subsequent PET CT? Is the technology just failing to pick it up? I'm genuinely stumped.

I think the reason it’s not picking it up is because the scan relies on contrast enhancement—you inject glucose combined with a radioactive isotope to make specific areas light up. A stone doesn't "take up" contrast like that because it isn't vascularized; there's no blood flow to carry the tracer there. Ultrasound works on an entirely different principle, similar to echolocation. Think about how a bat navigates its environment by emitting high-frequency sounds that bounce off objects at different rates to create a mental map of the space. That’s exactly why the ultrasound was able to catch it.
Your husband is showing all the classic signs of a gallbladder attack. Honestly, you really ought to get him to have it removed as soon as possible; if you wait, things can get incredibly messy and complicated very quickly. Most surgeons handle this via laparoscopy now, so he’ll likely be back home within three days.

casualrider21 said:He’s tried everything from Voltaren to Tramal—he was practically drowning in them... combinations, too...
None of it really hit the mark, so we switched to injections (as needed).
We are doing whatever we can just to avoid moving up to actual morphine.
The pain wipes him out to the point of passing out, yet he stays incredibly cheerful; it’s honestly hard to believe.
Even while suffering, he isn't a burden to anyone—he's still busy worrying about whether someone's walking through the house too loudly and giving us reminders.😁

It’ll all work out.

I think it would be wise to start him on Durogesic patches. If I recall correctly, that’s fentanyl—an opioid, but not quite morphine—that releases steadily through the skin over a 72-hour period. It makes maintaining a steady dose much easier, and you can always supplement it with Tramal if necessary.
There is absolutely no reason for him to endure this level of pain; pain is exhausting, and it drains the very strength he needs to keep fighting.

Karen Anderson6 said:Hi everyone,
I’ll try to explain my situation as clearly as I can...
In the past, I dealt with a brutal combination of depression and health anxiety, accompanied by intense restlessness and panic attacks. I was stuck in a place where I couldn't access medication, which made it a living hell. Once I finally started treatment, the side effects were overwhelming—dizziness, blurred vision, disorientation, you name it. After a long, exhausting battle, though, I fully recovered. I felt like my old self again.
That history is important context for what I'm facing now. My current issue started after I returned home from the World Handball Championship in America... I caught a severe flu with a high fever, and ever since, the dizziness hasn't left. I experience bouts of near-fainting, a constant sense of swaying, and even nystagmus. I've run every test imaginable—blood work, thyroid panels, visual field tests, CT scans... everything comes back normal. I tried taking 1.5mg of Bromazepam, and it actually cleared my head somewhat. Does that suggest this might be psychological, given my history? I also tried hitting the gym hard, but that just made things worse. Now, my legs feel like rubber, or like I'm walking on sponge. When I lift my head, it feels like my entire body shifts upward. When I'm sitting down, it feels like I'm perched on something bouncy, moving up and down. Everything is blurry. It's a miserable sensation, and it's been going on for two and a half months. I'm at a loss. Part of me wants to jump straight back onto antidepressants since this could be psychosomatic, and frankly, this whole ordeal has pushed me back into a depressive state...
Does anyone know if neurological vertigo can cause nystagmus?
Regarding medication, I tried Struergan Forte (nothing worked), and now I've started taking Ginkgo.
If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, please let me know...
Help me out, people. 😕

The Balance Center deals with the inner ear... hm, have you had that checked out yet?

casualrider21 said:And yeah, I asked about this once before... They put him on Zometa, he took one dose, and then the Department of Health wouldn't approve any more.
Now he's taking Aredia; they claim it’s basically the same thing and works just as well.
Do you know anything about that?

I haven't a clue. Just head over to the Association's forum and ask Dr. Jasan.

Is he taking anything for the pain?
Look, just because things feel shaky right now doesn't mean they'll stay that way. Life is a series of fluctuations. One day is a disaster, the next is an improvement—that's just how the pendulum swings. Something eventually has to swing back toward the positive.
Hang in there.