Posts by Angela Wright

Rachel Morris2 said:I'm Lela from San Diego,😛

I'm 46. About five years ago, I had surgery for ovarian cancer. I went through six rounds of chemo in Rijeka and had three different operations. Usually, I work in the hospitality industry. I stumbled upon this forum by accident, and I'm honestly glad to have a place where I can just let my soul breathe for a bit. I hope we all get along well.
By the way, could someone tell me if there's a way to change my nickname to the name above the avatar? My husband typed it in automatically when we signed up, and now we're both a little lost with it..

Best wishes to all the ladies...

I don't think you can fix the nickname anymore.😢

There are a few incredibly tough and brave women here fighting ovarian cancer. Aside from this, you should definitely check out the forum for the For a new day Association; they actually have a specific thread dedicated to ovarian cancer. Just click the link in my signature below to get to their site.

Maria Lee54 said:Angela Wright, this is my story. It was a beautiful day today, so I took advantage of the weather and went for a walk. Everything started three years ago when I went to see a doctor because my hearing was failing. During the actual exam, the doctor’s verdict was IMMEDIATE HOSPITALIZATION. That was the first shock. The CT scan showed a massive tumor—diagnosis: Glomus Jugulare. I was rushed over to the hospital, where Prof. Paladino took charge of my case. His strategy was to use Embolization and Gamma Knife radiation to try and avoid an open incision. And that is how my agony began. The EMBOLIZATION was somewhat successful, but I will never forget the Gamma Knife as long as I live. First, one doctor tells you the therapy can be done, then another says it's impossible because the tumor is out of reach—extending down into the neck—and then comes the confusion and disbelief. I will never forget that morning; it is not pleasant receiving five local anesthesias in your head just so they can set the frame, but I grit my teeth and endured that pain just to get cured, just to burn that monster away. I was so excited thinking I’d finally catch a break and get back to a normal life, but after the MRI, the bad news hit: we CANNOT do the Gamma Knife after all. My head hurt so badly I thought I was going to die; I spent so much time crying helplessly in the hallway. Since I had already consulted Prof. Dolenc before, he crossed my mind. I searched for a way out, specifically looking for approval to seek treatment abroad. Honestly, people, the bureaucracy nearly killed me. I fought through increasingly severe symptoms and had enough strength that anyone who isn't dealing with this illness wouldn't believe what was happening to me; at times, I even felt ridiculous, like I was doing someone else a favor, writing endless requests. I'm buried under the paperwork I sent to the Social Security Administration. And how am I supposed to stay in bed when they won't give me the free time to handle it all? From the discovery of the disease to the surgery, three years passed. Isn't that a thorny path? The tumor is benign, but it was pressing against my cerebellum, lodged deep in my skull, slowing me down. I haven't been able to walk independently for three years; I stumble, and I have no vision to my left. When they did scans for me in Vienna before the surgery, they couldn't believe I was walking at all. Prof. Dolenc expressed his concern and was skeptical about the surgery. He requested help from two colleagues from overseas. They agreed and came to the Ljubljana Medical Center, where I underwent surgery on January 22, 2008. I was reborn. Part of the tumor was removed; more surgeries await me, but I am not losing my strength in this fight. I won one round. I'm moving forward... My doctor called my tumor a Ten-Headed Dragon! Brrrr... sounds dangerous, and he even told me his legs were shaking when he first saw it. But the dragon is gone now; now I just need to cut off the heads so I can sleep peacefully. God is with me, and I pray for everyone else fighting an illness; I've seen so much and I think of them constantly. I am deeply sensitive to any kind of suffering, which is why my heart and soul remain wide open.

So, is this type of brain tumor benign?

Hang in there. You've come a long way.😉

Maria Lee54 said:Good evening, everyone. I wanted to reach out and send my warmest greetings to you all, along with some verses I penned not too long ago. I wrote them while lying in a hospital bed, just waiting for the doctors to give me the green light for surgery and...NOT THE THUNDER BOLTS TEARING THROUGH THE SKY
NOR THE POWERFUL WINDS THAT TOPPLE EVERYTHING
NOR THE SNOWS THAT TURN THE WORLD WHITE
NOR ALL THE FORCES OF HEAVEN WILL DAUNT ME
LIKE THEM, I SHALL GROW STRONG AND HEAL.
Thanks to the wonderful Prof. Dolenc, I am here with you today, and I cherish every single moment of my life beyond words. I’ve read through all your messages, and I am incredibly happy about every bit of progress, no matter how small. I am standing right here WITH YOU. Sending you all my strength, my faith, and plenty of smiles..

Maria Lee54, can you tell us a bit more about what you're dealing with? What exactly is the diagnosis?

Taylor Newman13 said:No, I’m actually taking 500mg twice a day.
So, you don't think it's related to anything gynecological?
And why am I feeling this slight discomfort near my right ovary now, when I usually only experience that during ovulation, which hasn't happened yet?

That sounds like your bladder. Honestly, it's also possible you've caught a chill in your ovaries. Once you finish the antibiotics, go see your OB-GYN for some swabs. And make sure you take some Fluconazole so you don't end up with a yeast infection from the meds.
For those side pains, you can just grab some Motrin or Ibuprofen; they're basically the same thing.

Steven Kelly11 said:Hey everyone, I was wondering if anyone here has experience using Immno Max or AHCC tablets? Can they actually help? Thanks in advance.

We've already covered this topic on this board. Generally speaking, Immno Max is one of the most frequently mentioned and widely used supplements for boosting immunity... it won't hurt.

slyseal28 said:Just so everyone is in the loop—the Healthcare Coalition and our own Association have sent an open letter to the Secretary of Health and all the major news outlets regarding expensive medications, along with a petition.

You can read the whole thing right here.

I’m starting to think Pukanic has managed to squeeze us out of the media cycle once again. First, when we were trying to step up for Alenka, everything got derailed by that scandal involving his wife, and now, even after he paid the ultimate price... in this country, people just can't see the forest for the trees.🙄

Amy Hayes28 said:What am I even supposed to say? I don't really know what to write to you guys... I'm just sitting here reading.
The situation over these past few months boils down to three things: regular checkups every single month, my dad’s relentless optimism and sheer will to live, and what I can only call a medical miracle that he’s still here with us.😢
Things have actually started looking up in August. I wanted to hop on here and tell you all that it really is possible to win this fight—you just need pure willpower and some Beta Glucan.🙄
Dear God, I was riding so high, and then everything just went downhill fast.
Then the "real" pain kicked in. It was this whole downward spiral: constant mumbling under my breath, sleeping all day long, losing control over my bladder, muscle stiffness, that tight sensation in my throat, dry mouth, total constipation, depression, and diabetes...
There’s nothing left to be done here; all we can do now is hope the suffering doesn't drag on too long.
The tumor is growing, metastases are everywhere, and one has even broken through the surface on my head.😢
We’re all completely falling apart right now. Mom has turned into a totally different person. I honestly just hope that once Dad passes away, things might finally settle back into some kind of normal. That's just how it is—God forbid anyone else ever has to deal with this kind of misery.😢

Dear God.😢
Mila, I want to share something my great-grandmother used to say all the time. Back then, I brushed it off as just another old cliché, but today, it hits me with full force: "May God grant you health, but above all, grant you a sound mind." You have to stay calm and rational, no matter how desperate or grueling things get. Always remember that these are things happening to actual human beings. You absolutely have to hold onto your sanity, because you’re the one who has to keep living, and let's be honest—living is hard work. Death is the easiest thing in the world. Just try to make his remaining time a little easier. Don't obsess over how much longer he has left... he is still here with us, and you should be grateful for that. Nothing else matters.
Listen, honey, just let it go and give your soul some peace.
Pusa, just keep being that brave for me.

Ovakoc:
I've been taking Yasmin, so I decided to go get some blood work done just to see where I stand.
red blood cell count 5.28 (3.68-5.08)
MCV 77.3 (83.0-97.2)
MCH 25.1 (27.4-33.9)
S-TIBC 87 (49-75)
Total cholesterol 6.9
HDL 1.9 (>1.2)
LDL 4.0
triglycerides 2.1

Everything else looks fine—my platelets are at 368 and my liver enzymes are right within the normal range.

Look, I know for the most part I'm the one to blame for my cholesterol levels, but I’m genuinely curious: how much could Yasmin actually be messing with those numbers?😕 It's not like I'm out here gorging on red meat; I barely touch it. When I do eat protein, it's almost always chicken, fish, or shellfish. My triglycerides are high because I'm a pasta lover, even though I try to stick to whole grain versions. I stay active and exercise regularly too.
As for those high red blood cells, it's probably a combination of the Yasmin and the fact that I don't drink enough water.

I asked about taking Bayer preventatively given these results, but the advice I got was to hold off and just follow the standard medical protocol instead. I actually found an identical case online involving a girl on Yasmin. Her doctor told her to take Bayer, but her gynecologist argued that the risks of taking Bayer were actually higher than the risk of the Yasmin causing a thrombosis with these specific lab results.
Is there any kind of natural supplement that can help improve my blood viscosity?

Amy Hayes28 said:It’s the same story here... I keep playing back the movies in my head, imagining all sorts of scenarios... and I find myself wondering why.
I was actually thinking today about how much easier it would be if Dad just said he wanted to die, rather than him fighting to live despite everything! It feels like that williness is actually the only thing keeping him going. But then again, what good is desire when you're in a state like this?
Well....
Is Mom able to eat normally? Could you give her a pear, or some dried prunes soaked in warm water, maybe some Donat???
That helped Dad a little bit, but nothing else worked after that. Now, out of nowhere... starting today, he's on Prosura...

Hey honey.... I didn't even dare send you a PM... I honestly thought the worst had happened since you hadn't checked in.
What's the actual situation right now?

Lisa White54 said:I just got my PET scan results back.
There aren't any pathological accumulations anywhere except in the area of the right vocal cord. There's some more intense FDG uptake registered asymmetrically in the vocal cords, specifically more intense on the right side at SUVmax=5.5.
Everything else falls within normal limits.
I called the doctor over at Jordan, and he told me it’s nothing—that I should get a laryngoscopy, but he’s certain it isn't anything serious.
I have no idea where the best place would be for that exam; maybe at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in NYC?
I can't say the doctor really calmed me down. Honestly, I was in total shock when I first read the report. At the same time, I feel like a PET scan doesn't lie, so I don't know what this actually means. Why would they flag something if it isn't malignant?
I'm losing my mind.

My own experiences with PET scans have been incredibly contradictory. In short, an ultrasound once showed something that the PET completely missed. Regardless, go see an ENT; I bet Salata is the best when it comes to that stuff. Don't spiral out of control before you have to. Doctors know a bit more than we do, and it doesn't necessarily mean everything a PET flags is malignant. Just take it one step at a time—get the checkup done, and whatever it turns out to be, you'll deal with it. Panicking won't help anyone.
Let's bring some positivity to this page, people: clap... everyone seems so worked up, and cancer thrives on that kind of vibe.

Nathan Moore45 said:I don't have anyone, unfortunately. I still live with my mother and father, and I'm an only child. My parents won't leave me to anyone else because they're terrified. Even though I'm 27. I don't have a girlfriend; everything feels out of reach. You tell me to seize my opportunities, but I don't have them and I can't act on them. My therapist tells me that people with disabilities like me have wives, kids, drive cars, and go wherever they want. But I'm dependent on my mom and dad—especially my dad, who won't let me do anything because he's afraid I'll fall. He thinks if I fall, my bones will break and I'll be back at square one. I can walk a little on my own, and I'm very careful because since I only have vision in one eye, my sense of space is off, but I use my right hand to steady myself. But now, as my father says, he'll have to be right behind me wherever I go for the rest of his life, and we just have to accept that. But I can't stand this isolation and these limitations being forced on me anymore.

Honey🙂, you are an adult, a grown, mature, and responsible person. Take that strong right hand of yours and slam it on the table!
Our Association has members all over the country, including in places like Miami. Reach out on our forum. There are definitely people there—young people your age in the exact same boat—who would love to meet you, hang out, and become your friends. Don't settle for anything, especially not the way your father is suggesting, because God knows he's wrong about this. I'm certain he only wants what's best for you, but this is definitely not how he helps you or makes you a happy person. You need to gain some independence and start living your life as soon as possible. You aren't the first or the last person with a handicap like yours to live independently, work, love, and start a family. That is a reality your parents have to face. Ask your doctor to come visit your home and talk to your parents to try and explain things to them. I'm sure they'll listen to a medical professional. If that doesn't work, look for help from a social worker. There has to be a solution for you.

Don't let your parents' fear turn you into a bigger invalid than you already are. Don't let them turn you into a prisoner of their own anxiety. That fear belongs to them, not you. You have to live, and you have every right to do so!

Reach out to us if there is any way we can help. Feel free to join the Association.🙂

Pusa and stay brave—fight for your rights.🙂

Andrew Long48 said:Hey everyone. I'm 30, and over the last couple of years, I've noticed my left thumb starts shaking uncontrollably in specific situations. If I just hold my hand flat with my fingers spread, it’s totally fine. But the moment I try to hitchhike—you know, lifting the thumb up—the twitching kicks in. It’s the same thing if I’m holding something thin, like when I'm reading the Wall Street Journal; I can feel this slight tremor. It honestly feels like I just don't have any strength in that digit. Could it be a fatigued tendon or something similar? I haven't broken anything or pulled a muscle, and generally speaking, my health is solid for someone my age. I did read somewhere that tremors could be an early sign of Parkinson's, but the literature also mentions that those tremors usually happen spontaneously regardless of hand position. In my case, it only happens when I "engage" that thumb, specifically during the movements I described. Thanks for any advice!

Tremors can be a symptom of all sorts of different conditions, and they aren't always something to panic about. I'd suggest scheduling an appointment with a neurologist. Go ahead and ask your doctor for a referral.

Typical symptoms of H. pylori.
Go see your primary care doctor first to get a referral for a gastroenterologist, then they'll likely order an endoscopy and an abdominal ultrasound.

Look, this stuff is totally fixable, but you’re going to have to be extremely disciplined about what you eat.

Nathan Moore45 said:Even so, today isn't easy for me either; sometimes I just lose it and start telling myself
things I really shouldn't say, because even today, I’m dealing with one eye being off,
my balance is totally shot, and every single time I get up from my chair to walk around the house, my eyes immediately jump and race around—that’s what gets to me the most.
And when I remember my doctor telling me, "That right eye is never going to open," it
makes me go crazy. Every day I’m digging for information about my condition, but I can't find any actual solutions. I'm searching for a way to fix that right eye, because since the nerve is damaged, I need to get the eye back into its proper position; I can see through that right eye, but because the whole thing has drifted sideways, everything is a blur. When it all piles up like this, I feel like I’m going to explode, like I just want to vanish.

Still, I truly believe that anything is possible, including you becoming a completely whole and healthy person again one day. What I'm telling you is actually based on what I know about a specific study regarding the search for a cure for brain tumors. It involves morphogenetic proteins that convert malignant nerve cells into healthy ones. This applies to you too, because healthy nerve cells don't multiply the way malignant ones do. What is it that drives malignant nerve cells to divide while benign ones don't? In your case, a process could eventually be triggered where cell division begins, and in a single moment—once all those lost connections between your nerve cells are re-established—that process could be flipped by those morphogenetic proteins into something benign.
Of course, all of this is still in the *in vitro* testing phase, but I firmly believe that in the future, we will be able to treat paralysis.

Accept yourself exactly as you are and push your capabilities to the absolute limit. You have every advantage in this world to be a happy person. Believe me, there are people out there who are physically perfectly healthy and aren't nearly as happy as you are right now. We all carry our own strength and the seeds of happiness within us. Don't let anyone or anything hold you back. If you want to go out, then go! I'm sure you have friends who will be right there to lend a hand whenever you lose your balance.

granitehound19 said:Kathy Bates - "Misery"

Oh man, her totally slipped my mind... anyone else remember that brutal scene where she breaks his leg with the sledgehammer?

Alright, I’m curious to see what you all come up with.😁
I was just thinking about that teenage psychopath from The Crush and Alicia Silverstone Making a lemonade 😍

making a lemonade, want some😍

Grace Grant10 said:I really need to address this post. Honestly, I don't think this is the right place or the right time for these kinds of arguments, but the fact that I, as Gordana Simic, couldn't sign up using just my name but had to use a combination of first and last names—it truly doesn't matter. Beyond that, if this forum isn't meant for exchanging information during a family crisis—which is what most people in this thread are going through—then I regret even trying to help anyone. My mother is doing fine now, and that’s all that matters to me. If you all refuse to look into various supplemental aids one way or another, then that’s your own problem. As for Dr. Thomas and most of his colleagues, we all know their stance on dietary supplements; they only acknowledge what they personally prescribe. I'm not trying to make this an advertisement, but anyone interested should go find the book *The Drugs They Don't Want You To Know About*. It lays out perfectly how much doctors and Big Pharma actually care about our "well-being" and our wallets.
Up until now, I've just been reading your posts, and now that I've finally decided to share some of my own positive experiences, I get hit with this.
Thanks,
Goga

If you ask me, it is the right time, absolutely, and the right place☕. If someone has doubts, fine. It's perfectly okay to voice them, just as it's okay to share an opinion or an experience regarding how something helped someone else.
There is far too much junk on the market, mostly sold with exaggerated claims of effectiveness, designed solely to squeeze every cent out of vulnerable people before they disappear😳, but lacking any concrete evidence—specifically scientific evidence based on actual studies, complete with lists of patients, medical histories, and "before and after" results. Only a product with a track record like that is actually relevant. Everything else is just hearsay and blind trial and error.

wanderingtiger7 said:The initial analysis indicates it’s a benign tumor.
Just a quick correction: she was operated on by Prof. Jelec and Dr. Hudi.
She got back home this Friday and is feeling fantastic. The only issues she's dealing with right now are slightly slower speech and some trouble bending over. But that’s just temporary until the swelling goes down.

Man, that is wonderful news😍. I really hope everything checks out as expected.

Kate Lee65, your anxiety is just a byproduct of that panic you feel when you think you can't catch your breath. Honestly, I don't see that being the core issue here. Like I mentioned before, this smells way more like GERD to me. Don't sweat it; it's pretty easy to manage once you know what you're dealing with.😉
Just go see a doctor and tackle this systematically. My boyfriend went through the whole works—heart scans, the whole nine yards—and everything came back perfectly fine.

Charles Gray said:Hey everyone. I’m looking for some help or advice from anyone with actual expertise here. My father (58) suffered a stroke last night—it hit his cerebellum right near the balance center. This morning, honestly, he looked like a walking corpse; he could barely mutter a single word. But about half an hour ago, I was back at the hospital, and things seem to be shifting. He’s finally getting some color back in his face, and his hands and feet aren't ice-cold anymore. He’s communicating normally and making sense now, though he’s completely wiped out because he was vomiting constantly all night. He’s currently on an IV. He can move all his limbs and he’s fully aware of touch and warmth everywhere. To be honest, my gut feeling is that he’s turning a corner, even if he still can't eat because of the nausea. One complication: he’s allergic to iodine-based contrast and Gingicaine, so we're stuck waiting until Monday for the MRI.
Does anyone here have any idea what the potential outcomes might look like? I'm trying to figure out how long the recovery process typically takes and just how much of their former self they might actually be able to get back.

Thanks a million.

I'm a layman, but I know enough to be dangerous.🙂:
It’s definitely a massive win that he’s already feeling so much better after just one day. Whether he makes a full recovery or deals with some lingering neurological issues really comes down to which specific part of the brain took the hit. We just have to wait for the MRI results to get the full picture—that'll tell us exactly what we're looking at and if there's any risk of another stroke or something similar down the line. He'll likely be headed to some hot springs as part of his rehab, too. He should make the most of those sessions; physical therapy is absolutely vital for getting back on track.
Right now, the absolute priority is rest. He needs peace and quiet—no constant check-ins or endless questions about how he’s feeling. Overdoing the visits just stresses him out, and we can't risk making his condition worse by keeping him agitated. Keep things positive. Talk to him like a normal person instead of walking on eggshells; reassure him that the procedure went well and that recovery is well within reach. When it comes to food, stick to light, nourishing soups to help him rebuild his strength. If he’s struggling to eat solid meals, look into nutritional shakes like Ensure or Prosura. Those drinks are specifically designed for people with low appetites because they pack all the essential nutrients of a full meal into one serving. Definitely run it by his doctor first, though.
As long as everything stays under control and they actually listen to the doctors, everything will be fine.