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Posts by Angela Wright

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Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 18, 2008

Dear Minister,
Do you ever lie awake dreaming about a little girl with blonde curls and big blue eyes, sobbing for a mother who is never coming to pick her up from preschool? You lacked both the courage and the decency to simply say "no." You held every bit of state and constitutional authority necessary to help her, yet you chose to turn your back and order your subordinates to "study" her case instead.
Listen, Minister, you’re a politician. Tell me, what does a person like you actually value? Is it just your seat at the table? Is it my vote? What do people even call "values" these days?
Personally, I hold you and the entire political establishment responsible for the death of a mother whose child never knew her to be healthy. She was a wonderful woman—someone I met once who won my heart instantly. She was my peer, an American through and through, someone who loved this country, and while fellow Americans stepped up to help her, you didn't. You aren't one of us!

Sleep well tonight knowing the blood is on your hands. You have one less vote to worry about. Mine. Not that we ever meant anything to you anyway.

Tissue biopsy (ulcer) in Health · Jun 18, 2008

Jeremy Grant said:DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET BIOPSY RESULTS BACK?? AND HAS ANYONE DEALT WITH STOMACH ULCERS BEFORE??

First off, typing in all caps is basically screaming at everyone on this forum, and you could catch a warning or get banned for it.

Whether it's just bad indigestion or an actual stomach ulcer, it's totally manageable these days, but you have to take the treatment seriously and actually stick to a diet.
I don't want to sound like a know-it-all, so just check out this link.

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 16, 2008

Hey Merien, how's your mom doing?
Any word yet on what her treatment plan looks like? I was driving through Makarska yesterday and you popped into my head.🙂
I actually ended up chatting about your mom's situation with my cousin, who's a GP. I didn't push any specific ideas on her, but she picked up on the exact same thing I did: it's highly likely that the primary tumor was basically just that "pimple" that got pushed out, meaning it's effectively gone. Her take is that they'll probably just stick to radiation for now, and if follow-up tests—God forbid—show any malignant cells are still hanging around, they'll likely move to chemo.

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 13, 2008

Thomas Alvarez19 said:Hi everyone,
A week ago, my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer—specifically
DG: CA planocellularis 1 dex eum cum infiltration mediastini KT 1 in tractu (GAP)
Surgery isn't an option because it's spread to the center near the main vessels, plus there's a small spot on the rebro that the doctors aren't too worried about right now.
He had his first round of chemo (gemcitabine) yesterday and he seemed fine,
but today...
To cut to the chase, can anyone look at this pile of Latin medical jargon and tell me what kind of cancer this actually is?

Thanks!

Squamous cell carcinoma (planocellular) falls under the broad category of non-small cell lung cancers. Squamous cell carcinoma accounts for about 30% of all lung cancer cases. It’s typically located centrally and usually measures over 4 cm in diameter. A cavity within the tumor is seen in 82% of cases, which can look like pneumonia, atelectasis (collapsed lung tissue), or a cavitary mass on an X-ray. Squamous carcinomas generally grow slowly, often taking a few years to progress from a localized area to an invasive tumor. It is less aggressive than adenocarcinoma, so the prognosis is generally better. There is also a very high correlation with smoking. www.mayoclinic.org

Look, as a layman reading through that Latin mess, it seems like your dad has a classic case of squamous cell carcinoma, specifically positioned centrally (infiltration mediastinum).
The silver lining here is that this type has a slightly better outlook compared to other types of lung cancer, so you really need to cling to that and stay optimistic. I'm obviously not a doctor and I don't know if that applies to his specific situation, but it's common for tumors that start out inoperable to shrink under chemotherapy, potentially reaching a point where surgery becomes an option.
Don't feel bad about being a nuisance and asking the doctors every single question you have. They tend to be pretty pragmatic; they usually assume that if you aren't asking questions, everything is perfectly clear and nothing needs explaining.
Pester them, nag them, and be relentless!

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 12, 2008

Rebecca Young63 said:Hi everyone,

I am so happy.
Yesterday was my first chemo session, and they gave me the heavy stuff. But honestly, I feel like I didn't even receive anything at all. Nothing weird is happening to my body—absolutely nothing. My hair will fall out, obviously, but that’s the least of my worries.

Thanks again for all the support.

Best,

God willing, it stays this way without any major side effects, but just keep in mind that some things tend to show up with a bit of a delay. Take slyseal28's partner, for example; he went through chemo and had zero reaction initially, but then a day or two later, he hit such a high fever they thought he'd picked up a bacterial infection. Anyway, he powered through it and he's fine now.😉
So, if you experience something similar, don't freak out or spiral into despair.

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 11, 2008

slyseal28 said:We have to take action! We can't just give up! If the legal amendment doesn't pass through Parliament, we’re taking to the streets. There's no other way. This isn't just about fighting for those suffering from soft tissue sarcomas anymore. This is a fight for everyone living with rare diseases. Let's all stand together—please, support us!

Of course we're going to act; fighting is basically in our DNA at this point. But what really gets under my skin and keeps me up at night is that we're constantly battling an invisible enemy or trying to win a fight with one hand tied behind our backs. You think you've finally made some headway, only for the whole thing to be slapped right back in your face. My real dilemma is: what's the point of tackling individual issues when the entire system and the government are rotten to the core? Without massive structural changes in the system and society as a whole, I honestly don't see how anything will get better in the long run. How are we supposed to fight for access to a single medication when the very system itself is denying us the basic right to live? It's absolutely twisted—honestly, it feels worse than the cancer itself🙂. It makes me want to pack it all in and move to Mars.

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 11, 2008

Angela Wright said:Read this and witness the absolute disgrace of a Secretary of Health:

Who is going to take responsibility for this wonderful woman? Who has the guts to look her family in the eye knowing they might have to fight for their vote again at the polls?☕
DISGUSTING!🙂

Here is the rest of the story:
It makes me want to weep. I feel completely powerless in this miserable country that I was born into. Imagine how Alenka and those actually living through this nightmare must feel.

Honestly, I have to ask myself if there’s even any point in trying anymore in this valley of tears. Maybe the best thing to do is just let these scumbags rot in their own filth, let everything fall apart and spiral into chaos... my poor American people! 🙂

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 11, 2008

hollowsailor33 said:I don't get why everyone is coming for Frank Taylor4. The guy genuinely wants to help and he's actually kindhearted. He speaks with good intentions, and when you have cancer in the family, you need some warmth and empathy, right?

Give me a break😲. I’ll offer my apologies to Frank Taylor4 if that’s how he felt. Look, I’m just reporting what I’ve personally experienced and what I see happening to others. I made it crystal clear from the jump that you should try everything available, but you have to be careful. This world can be incredibly predatory; people exploit suffering for profit all the time, and it's easy to play someone who isn't a medical professional. That is the sole reason I demanded that someone put their actual name, surname, and credentials on the line to guarantee effectiveness. Nothing else.

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 11, 2008

Frank Taylor4 said:Everything I’ve laid out here is factual, and any doctor or pharmacologist will back me up on this. I’m a dentist, so I’ll stay within my lane since that’s my area of expertise. A relative of mine saw Dr. Slavoj Žižek—she’s an immunologist, which is her specialty—and I’ve shared her contact info a few times. I truly believe she can give anyone reaching out the clearest explanation possible. Look, I don't want it to seem like I'm some salesman trying to push a product here. In my experience, the specialist mentioned above is the best resource available for anyone needing actual medical advice or intervention.
Regarding the clinical trials for IP6, if you head over to www.inocell.com, you can find about 50 different papers under the "published science" section covering both lab work and clinical testing for IP6. Prof. Družijanić and his research team conducted studies in Split and pulled some incredibly compelling results. It’s a shame everything is published in English; it’s highly technical stuff, and for a layperson, it’s pretty dense going to read.
I took a look at those Megamin references from the link you sent, and I totally get why you're worried.
I hope this helps answer your questions, even just a little bit.
Best to the group,

Thanks.
The reality is, in my experience, doctors tend to go completely cold when you even mention things like immunostimulants or antioxidants. They often shut down immediately, even when it's obvious the patient isn't looking for a magic cancer cure, but rather something to help them endure the grueling treatment process.
I’m sitting here waiting for a legitimate expert—an MD or maybe an oncologist—to finally step up and say, "Yes, this works, I recommend it, and it will help you," and actually stand behind that statement. As a founding member of the Patient advocacy group, I am constantly in contact with a huge number of patients, and every single person I've spoken to regarding this "issue" has run into that exact same wall of resistance from their doctors.
If these studies are truly as solid as they claim, then I'll just say one thing: It was about time something like this was developed.👍, but I really want to see doctors validate this through their own clinical practice.

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 11, 2008

Frank Taylor4 said:Look, I’m a doctor, so I have to touch upon the whole animal testing debate. Back in med school, a professor once grilled me about fruit flies. I basically told him they were irrelevant and that we should just focus on studying and treating actual humans. He hit me back with: "Once you graduate, go ahead and start experimenting on people—see how fast they throw you in jail and label you a barbarian." If you actually bother to read the literature—and there are about fifty studies out there—this formula has undergone clinical testing on cancer patients right here in our own backyard in Split!!! That’s the reality. I’m not claiming IP6 is some holy grail or a universal "cure" for cancer, but based on my own experience (admittedly limited) and the results I've seen with a sick relative, I suggest those suffering give it a shot.
Megamin is nothing more than ground-up stone, and everyone knows it.

Since you’re claiming to be a physician, why don't you step up, go public, and put your name behind these statements? Anything else is just noise; it's easy enough to manipulate a layperson.

Question for the ladies! in Health · Jun 10, 2008

I think it’s perfectly normal for a person to have total autonomy over their own body. If someone has an issue with body hair, they can just shave it off. Honestly, I’m much more concerned about whether or not they have a hairy soul.😉.

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 9, 2008

neonhound32 said:My mom was just diagnosed with bone cancer or leukemia today. It’s bad—she’s lost so much weight, she can barely move, and she’s basically lost all hope and spirit.
It took them two whole months of dragging her from doctor to doctor just to finally tell us what she’s actually dealing with. I’m in total shock; everything feels heavy right now, and honestly, I don't even know if she's going to make it.
I spent today at the hospital brushing her hair, tidying her up a bit, and making her some sandwiches. She managed to finish half a yogurt.
Tomorrow they’re doing a bone marrow biopsy, and once they pin down the exact type of cancer, the treatment starts.
Does anyone have any experience with this? Is my mom going to be okay?

If I'm understanding this correctly, she has leukemia that has metastasized to her bones?
I know you're reeling right now. But listen: your mother is going to live. There is a fight ahead of her, yes, but don't go spiraling into thoughts of death. We are all mortal, and nobody knows when or how our time comes. Your mom has "now" and she has "here." Let her live those moments to the absolute fullest, just like you should. Just stay by her side.

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 9, 2008

Frank Taylor4 said:Sure, but this thing has actually been clinically tested; there are real scientific results here, and the formula was developed by professors over at the University of Maryland. Calling Microsoft just "ground-up stone" is a joke!
My cousin used IP6—that’s why I know so much about it—both before and after taking this supplement, and he was a completely different person. During his first round of chemo, he wasn't taking the supplement, and honestly, we thought he wouldn't make it. He took such a beating from it; he caught an infection and ended up stuck in the hospital... But after just five days on this preparation, you wouldn't even recognize him. He eats normally, his hair didn't fall out, his beard grows back fine, and he walks and functions perfectly. His doctors can't even believe it's the same guy. So, you tell me...

If you had bothered to actually read the conclusion of that scientific study, you would have seen that the tests were performed on animals. It showed no toxicity, sure, but they couldn't determine an exact dosage for humans; they just scaled up based on the animal results. Look, what we're talking about here is clearly a dietary supplement—a potent antioxidant that helps boost the immune system and gets the body into enough decent shape to fight cancer on its own and handle the brutal hit of chemo and radiation. To go around calling this some kind of "universal cancer cure" is beyond pretentious. There hasn't even been a human clinical trial conducted under a specific protocol, which usually takes a decade to complete.
We also have studies done at the Ruđer Bošković Institute for things like Hedge's Native Propolis, which is another antioxidant. Their research and testing on rats proved that propolis repairs damaged DNA, stops carcinoma progression and metastasis, and kills tumor and abnormal cells without touching healthy ones. In cases of brain tumors like gliomas, it essentially prompts the body to manufacture its own medicine (immunosuppressive therapy). My mom took high doses of Propolis while dealing with a glioma. She still passed away, but she went peacefully, with far less suffering and much later than others facing the same diagnosis. It helped her tolerate the chemo incredibly well.

Regarding Microsoft, here is your list of "scientific studies" that supposedly "speak in their favor."😉

Like I said, you should try everything, but my experience tells me that this isn't THE answer, no matter how much we want it to be.😢

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 9, 2008

Frank Taylor4 said:Give Dr. Slavoj Žižek (098331420) a call—she’s an immunologist and she’s got a killer solution. They use IP6 with inositol to boost the immune system, which helps patients handle chemo much better. People are actually calling this formula the Zodiac Killer, it's incredible!!! Check it out at www.inocell.com

I wouldn't get carried away if I were you. It’s the same way people used to call Microsoft weird. Look, you should try everything available, but you really need to watch your back.

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 9, 2008

Take a look at this and witness the absolute disgrace of a Secretary of Health:

Who is going to take responsibility for this beautiful woman? Who actually has the backbone to look her family in the eye and ask for their vote during the next election?☕
Disgusting.🙂

Living with Cushing's syndrome in Health · Jun 9, 2008

Kimberly Sanders4 said:Hey everyone...
Look, I’m sorry if this topic has already been covered, but I couldn't find anything similar while searching. If there is an existing thread, please drop a link—thanks in advance. I wish I could send you all a happy waving smiley right now, but honestly, I just don't feel very cheerful. 😢

Basically, my sister was diagnosed with diabetes when she was 20. It could have been stress, college, losing our parents... I won't list everything. Long story short, she’s a great kid, a student nearing graduation, worked incredibly hard, but sometimes life just hits you with nothing but clouds instead of sunshine. 😢😢 She has Type 1 diabetes and takes insulin four times a day. Every year, she had an MRI on her pituitary gland and everything always came back fine, but this year, the scan revealed a microadenoma. They told her she has Cushing's syndrome. For the last two years, she’s been gaining massive weight around her waist, even though her legs stay thin and small compared to her upper body. Her face has become rounded, she’s constantly swollen, and she goes three or four months without a period. My sister doesn't live in Washington, D.C., she lives in Boston, and the doctors there suggested surgery would be the best move. Apparently, they can perform the procedure through the nose. Ideally, the surgery would resolve the swelling, the weight gain, and the menstrual issues—and maybe even help stabilize her blood sugar. Even with insulin, her levels sit around 15, and while she feels "okay" at 13 or 15, we all know 15 is way too high. She spoke with a neurosurgeon in Boston, but since I’m based in Washington, D.C., I would love to bring her to see a specialist here. I just want to talk things through and see what the surgical options look like in Washington, D.C. (and yes, obviously, we are prepared to pay whatever is necessary). We'll be asking around among friends and private specialists, but what I really need are your personal experiences or stories from relatives... Where should we go, how does the process work, and most importantly, WHO is the best? Feel free to PM me if you have info.

I've gotten myself all tangled up in this; I honestly don't know which way to turn. 😕

Thanks again in advance....

Go to Rib. Dr. Paladino, Dr. Henry, Dr. Darkness—everyone over there is top-tier👍. Dr. Paladino is incredibly positive and will go above and beyond, especially when dealing with a young patient. Besides that, from what I've heard, he’s probably the finest neurosurgeon in this part of the world right now.

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 9, 2008

Rebecca Young63 said:Hi everyone, I had a mastectomy at the start of May due to cancer. I’m supposed to start chemotherapy in a few days, but honestly, I am terrified.
I’m only 24, and life has already thrown everything but the kitchen sink at me. There are moments when I feel like I’m buckling under the weight of it all, but I have every reason to keep fighting—my three-year-old daughter needs me. My biggest fear right now is the chemo itself; I just don't know if I can handle what it's going to do to my body.

Hey there.

Everything you're feeling right now—that internal chaos and anxiety—is completely valid and totally normal.🙂 But listen, don't let the fear win. You have to look at this logically: you're facing a reality, and that reality requires a specific solution, which is chemo. Don't let fear drown you and hand the steering wheel of your life over to the disease. You need to be the one in the driver's seat, controlling the situation. If you approach it with that mindset, you'll manage much better and get back to being yourself. With an attitude like that, you're already winning the mental battle and moving toward full recovery. Check out our pages at the American Cancer Society to learn more about the process and what to expect regarding side effects.
Chemo isn't exactly a walk in the park, but it's definitely manageable. Plenty of people go through it without experiencing debilitating side effects. Your mindset and the support system around you are the most critical factors here. Stay positive!

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 6, 2008

brisktinker12 said:My mom was diagnosed about a month ago with diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, stage IV, and she's got this CD20+ marker. She just finished her first round of chemo and is gearing up for the second; they have her on a schedule for Rituximab every three weeks for now. Does anyone actually know what they're dealing with here? I'm looking for any insight into the therapy or what stage IV really implies in this context.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/symptoms-causes/mc_00301220

Ear issues in Health · Jun 3, 2008

nimblecyclist11 said:I've been hearing some rumors about hair dye being harmful, though I'm not entirely sure if there's any truth to it..

Exactly. It's the peroxide that kills them.

Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses in Health · Jun 3, 2008

Nancy Thomas18 said:Hey everyone! My oncologist from the Mayo Clinic just showed up and basically dragged me straight into my seventh round of chemo. I’d already started counting down the days—only four left to go—so I haven't thrown in the towel yet.
Angela Wright, I'm already so deep in debt that I wouldn't even dream of taking on more, but thanks for the suggestion.
Honestly, what can I say... don't end up like me, stalling out... we have to keep fighting!

Look, if you need a hand, speak up and we'll pull something together. You don't have to walk this path solo. THERE IS NO SHAME IN ASKING FOR HELP! And for heaven's sake, don't be too proud to accept it when someone offers.
Just look back at your very first post and remember how you felt then and how much of a mess things were. Back then, you had absolutely no clue how you'd survive all this without a single person helping you. To put it bluntly, you were in a complete tailspin, yet look at where you are now and everything you've managed to navigate on your own. You figured it out, and the pieces eventually fell into place. Right now, it feels like you've hit a brick wall, but you really haven't. It would be completely pointless to let everything you've fought through so far go to waste by quitting now. You'll find a way, and you'll manage somehow. Stop staring so far down the road. You have today, right here, right now—just do the best you can in this exact moment.