Posts by Angela Wright

shadowmason6 said:Sorry for going slightly off-topic here!
I feel like I read this somewhere before, but I don't have the time to dig through everything right now—under the Patient Bill of Rights, do we actually have a legal right to get copies of all our hospital test results?
The thing is, we finally bit the bullet and scheduled my mom's surgery at a different hospital... When she was discharged, they only gave us the discharge summary—which did include the lab results and doctor's notes—but they wouldn't hand over the originals. The nurse just told me it wasn't possible. I specifically need those CT scans.

You absolutely have that right. The issue is that some hospitals, like Mayo Clinic for example, might not store the actual CT images in a way that's easily accessible, and they aren't legally required to act as a second-opinion institution anyway.
Insist. Insist. Insist. If you have to be difficult and borderline arrogant to get what's yours, then do it. There's really no other way around it for now.🤷

Look, fainting spells—especially when they start happening repeatedly—are not something you just brush off as "normal." If there's an underlying issue, things could spiral quickly if you don't go see a doctor immediately.
Be responsible, act like an adult, and do the right thing.

Chloe Garcia10 said:I've been feeling this weird burning sensation in my chest for the last few days. I honestly can't tell if it's coming from the Mirena, some antidepressants I'm on, my spine, or just something else entirely.

It could be acid reflux, too.

Amanda Miller69 said:Please forgive my sadness. It’s only been two weeks, and now it’s Mother's Day, and I have to face it without her.🙂

Look, you still have your mother. Who else could have brought you into this world? She might not be standing right next to you physically, but she’s still here—she lives on through you. You are quite literally her flesh and blood; you carry her DNA in every cell. Honestly, based on some of your posts, I’d bet you two share the exact same temperament, too. Your mom loves you, and that bond isn't something that just vanishes. It’s an incredibly heavy, hollow feeling when you lose someone, especially when the wound is still this raw.
We both have our mothers, but unlike us, they’re in a much better place now—somewhere brighter, more peaceful, and far more beautiful than anything we can imagine here. It’s that place where we all originally came from, and where we’ll all eventually find our way back to.🙂.

Hey, come jump into that psychology thread I started. Let’s not drag everyone down here; people need to keep their spirits up if they’re going to keep fighting this fight.

Jamie Edwards32 said:I’ve had two biopsies done already—and yeah, I still have my tonsils.

Once you've dealt with severe inflammation, your tonsils end up riddled with crypts—basically little pits where those old pus plugs used to sit. These holes act like magnets for food particles, turning them into a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. You can have a deep-seated bacterial infection hiding inside those crypts that a standard surface swab will completely miss. Bottom line: get a full blood panel to check for strep and demand a referral to an ENT specialist immediately.
My take? Your tonsils have likely lost their ability to function and have basically become a permanent bacterial reservoir. You're dealing with a low-grade, constant inflammation that's keeping your lymph nodes swollen. Those tonsils need to come out; having a continuous bacterial presence in your system is a recipe for much more serious health issues down the road.
In my opinion, we aren't looking at lymphoma here; we're looking at a doctor who is being lazy and sloppy with your care.

Jamie Edwards32 said:So, I got my throat swab back and it’s negative—no bacteria or anything. I’ve got a follow-up appointment this coming Monday, and I’m probably going to be pretty blunt and suggest they just go ahead and do the biopsy.

Get another swab and run an ASO titer test. It’s entirely possible for a swab to come up negative even if your ASO levels are positive. Sometimes the doctor just misses the specific spot where the strep is actually lurking with that little swab. You didn't answer me earlier—do you still have your tonsils, or did you have them removed?

It could also be positioned lower down.
Another possibility is genital warts, which can pop up as a result of an HP infection.
Go see your doctor to get a referral to a dermatologist so you can get a definitive answer on what we're actually dealing with.

Check out this other photo:
http://www.uptodate.com/online/conte...le_papules.jpg

So, if that's what we're looking at, you're perfectly fine and totally healthy.👍

Jamie Edwards32 said:So, they gave me two boxes of Sinacil because my lymph nodes just weren't budging—totally useless, I guess—and now I'm sitting here wondering if I should actually go through with that test. I mean, I could do it, but I'm really not sure if it's even worth the hassle, you know? If I actually have those strep bugs, wouldn't the antibiotics probably just shrink everything down anyway? What do you think... is the test even necessary at this point?

Just get it done, along with a throat swab. (Do you even have tonsils left, or did you have them out already?) Not every bacterium responds to antibiotics in the same way. If that node doesn't shrink, you need to go in for a biopsy; there really isn't any other way.🤷
Focus on boosting your immune system. Honestly, the market is absolutely flooded with antioxidants these days, and there’s been plenty of discussion about them here on the Forum.

Jamie Edwards32 said:So, I'm 17. I've had this swollen lymph node for about 6 weeks now—it's pretty hard, moves around when you touch it, and sometimes it actually hurts if I press on it. It's roughly 1.5 to 2cm wide, though you can't really see it just looking straight ahead; you only notice it when I turn my neck to the left, where it sticks out maybe 3.5mm. I went ahead and did some tests—throat and nose swabs came back negative, urine culture was clear (no bacteria), Epstein-Barr was negative, and for Cytomegalovirus, they just said the antibodies were high—IgG is at 140 but IgM is negative. My sedimentation rate and full blood count are all fine. I also ran some other labs—ALT, AST, bilirubin, calcium, fibrinogen—and everything is totally normal (perfect, really). My throat has been looking red for a while too, maybe a couple of years? I don't think it used to be this red, but it doesn't hurt. I had an ultrasound done about 20 days ago, and it showed enlarged hyperplastic lymph nodes on both sides, with the right side hitting a max dimension of 15x5mm.

Have you checked your ASO levels (antistreptolysin O titer)? That’s the test used to see if there's a lingering strep infection in your system. It's entirely possible that a persistent inflammation caused by strep is what's keeping that lymph node swollen.

Maria Nguyen2 said:It’s fine... I finally got it today, thank Bog. 😍

Well, when an old relic like her says that, you know things are actually moving in the right direction.😉

Elizabeth Gonzalez55 said:That’s a beautiful way to put it. We’ve been incredibly lucky to have support from everyone, both friends and strangers alike. Not a single friend or family member has let me down or caused any hurt, and I truly feel blessed because of that. We are surrounded by good people who do everything they can to make things easier without making a scene or bringing any negative energy into our lives.

And finally, some great news—today's PET/CT scan came back clean. I’m not going to go overboard announcing a "victory" or anything like that, because I know this disease is something we live with for life. I am just deeply grateful that it’s left us alone long enough to get through the summer and give us a chance to focus on our baby on the way.

Sending love to everyone, following the spirit of slyseal28's idea that we should all take a moment to find and meet one another!

Man, that is incredible news!😍 It looks like that immunotherapy is an absolute powerhouse. 👍

Jamie Edwards32 said:Has anyone else dealing with this stuff actually felt any pain in that swollen gland? I’m asking because I’ve got one that’s acting up, and honestly, I can't tell if it’s just some random inflammation or—God forbid—if it might be Lymphoma.

Take Hodgkin cases, for instance. The disease most commonly shows up as an enlarged node or cluster of nodes (which feel firm and painless) in the neck about 70% of the time, in the armpit 20% of the time, and in the groin roughly 10% of the time.

As for Non-Hodgkin:Most patients present with painless, swollen lymph nodes. Before you can ever land a diagnosis of lymphoma, you have to rule out bacterial, parasitic, or viral infections first. Generally speaking, any node that stays swollen for more than 4-6 weeks and measures larger than 1 cm in diameter should be treated as suspicious; that's when you need a biopsy or to have the whole node extracted and analyzed. Patients also frequently report systemic symptoms (respiratory issues, digestive problems, etc.). A lot of people complain about chest pressure and a persistent, irritating cough. If a large mass of tumor cells develops in the abdomen, or if the spleen starts swelling, you'll see symptoms like abdominal bloating, pain, fullness, feeling full too quickly, or even bowel obstructions.

For more info on lymphomas:
http://www.cancer.org/lymphoma

Maria Nguyen2 said:The title might be a little silly, but honestly, nothing else came to mind right now 🙂
I noticed there’s a thread for the exact opposite issue—delaying a period, or something like that...
But what I really want to know is if there are any actual ways to jumpstart it and get things moving sooner?

I'm starting to spiral a bit because I'm already a few days late, and I am desperately hoping I'm not pregnant 🙂
I know my own anxiety is probably just making everything worse, and being this stressed can only delay things further... is there any way to "speed up" the arrival?

There isn't really a trick to it, unless you happen to be drinking beer and suddenly cut it out during the last week, which sometimes triggers it.
Just take a breath; it'll work itself out.😉

Linda Peterson37 said:And one more thing... I used to be a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, but honestly, I’m struggling to find any logic or purpose in all of this right now. Maybe that doesn't even matter anymore. If you're asking if I'm bitter, sad, or angry—the answer is a resounding yes. But if you ask if I'm at peace, the answer is also yes. I was lucky enough to grow up in a family where love wasn't just assumed, it was actively shown, and I am endlessly grateful to God for that. Knowing my parents loved me and that I loved them back above all else—that’s what matters most.
When I look at it that way, maybe the measure of a life isn't whether you hit 50, 70, or 90 years, but rather how much love you receive from those closest to you.

If anyone needs advice, support, or anything else, reach out, because I'm still planning to fight these monsters.

Lindsay, I am so incredibly proud of you. You are a powerhouse! Your dad raised an amazing woman—someone strong, dignified, and with such a healthy perspective on life.
Keep fighting, honey. I'm right there in the trenches with you, and I can see that this struggle is exactly why everything happened. Even if there isn't some grand design, I find my purpose through this fight and by helping others; it brings me such immense comfort and peace of mind. I know my mom is happy.🙂

briskcobra7 said:Wait, so I don't necessarily have any symptoms or anything? O.o

It’s not a given that you’ll feel anything just because the bacteria is there. Look, there’s zero point in going through the whole treatment process if you’re just going to expose yourself to the bacteria all over again right after.

briskcobra7 said:hehe, I’m sure she wasn't messing around by herself; she’s a great girl and I trust her completely... That doesn't bother me at all, we were just trying to figure out the cause since she didn't bring it up with the doctor..

The dirty hands thing actually makes sense because the last time before this happened, we were fooling around in the car... so that's a very likely culprit..
Now we know for next time, even though we probably already knew but just didn't pay enough attention to it..heh

Thanks a lot 🙂

So, if I'm following you correctly, you're going to need to get swabbed too, because there's a chance you're carrying the bacteria, which means you'll need treatment as well.

And seriously, just make sure your hands are clean when you're touching her down there in the future, okay?😳 Women can be incredibly sensitive about hygiene, and you can pick up some nasty infection in a heartbeat if you aren't careful.

quietpilot87 said:Just a quick question—how do you all deal with malicious comments?
Most people aren't actually evil, but everyone reacts differently. Some folks just thrive on other people's misery, while others feel so bad they don't even know how to react properly.

My mom actually brought this up after running into an old acquaintance whose wife passed away from cancer. Even though she’s already on the mend, he hit her with a comment like, "Don't worry, you won't be around much longer either."

Look, we all know that people battling cancer aren't exactly living to see a hundred, but those kinds of remarks are a massive psychological blow to a patient. Even if there's a grain of truth in them. Why do people lack basic decency? If they can't show it to themselves, the least they could do is show it to someone else. 😢

So, what do you do when that happens? Keep in mind, these are often entire social circles you've known for years, and suddenly it feels like the best move is to just cut them all out at once.

In a situation like that, I choose to rise above the mediocrity. I just thank God that He saw fit to make someone so special that they were gifted with something others never received: a pure, noble soul.
Honestly, there's plenty of trash like that out there☕. If I wasted my breath fighting back or burning energy on them, I probably wouldn't have any left for the things that actually matter right now.

I mentioned a while ago that the situation we find ourselves in acts as an incredible filter. All the sludge and garbage that's been accumulating around you just gets stripped away, leaving you with the privilege of holding onto the few truly kind souls through sheer grace. Everything becomes crystal clear overnight; you see exactly who people are and what to expect from them, which dictates how you handle them moving forward.
That’s one of the massive silver linings of this whole ordeal, in my opinion.

What your girlfriend is dealing with has absolutely nothing to do with hormones, ovarian cysts, or birth control.
We’re talking about the Bartol gland. It’s located right in the vulvar area, nestled within the muscles of the urogenital region. If the duct for this gland gets infected, you get an ascending infection that causes the entire labia to swell up and become incredibly painful to the touch. The culprits behind this inflammation can range from gonorrhea and strep to staph and various other factors. If these infections linger and go untreated, the duct progressively narrows and can eventually seal off entirely, which turns that inflamed gland into a cyst. In the acute stage, antibiotics are the way to go, but if it becomes chronic, you're looking at a surgical procedure. When it hits the acute phase, the priority is identifying the specific pathogen and treating it—and that means both partners need treatment.
Don't jump to conclusions here; it doesn't automatically mean she was being unfaithful. Some bacteria can be spread just as easily through dirty hands.

Brian Wells4 said:Thanks, everyone. I actually stumbled upon the website for a doctor out in Chicago—a guy named Serj Tankian—so I'm going to reach out and see if he might be able to help me out.

Ask about Vertex Pharmaceuticals.