Posts by Angela Wright

fadedmason, I don't mean to freak you out, but if I were in your shoes, I’d definitely get the CA-125 markers checked. It’s just about being certain that nothing nasty is brewing in the ovaries, especially since you're already dealing with PCOS.

Ryan Bailey6 said:Honestly, just washing up with warm water and soap every single time you use the restroom is the best way to prevent issues and keep things under control... though I know that's a tough one to pull off strategically since we aren't always at home...

That isn't actually the best approach for women, though. Using soap like that messes with vaginal pH levels, which just opens the door for yeast infections to move in.

Anonymous said:Thanks, everyone. 🙂 It hit me like a freight train how fast everything moved. Just last summer, she was practically healthy—I mean, she had it inside her then too, but there were no symptoms. Now, she’s just gone... Last night, twice, I actually felt like she was calling out to me...
I can't even bring myself to cry anymore. There's just this dull, creeping ache and a massive void inside me, and I can't stop seeing my mom in my mind. I didn't even get to say a proper goodbye, and now I feel terrible because yesterday morning, right before heading to work, I touched her cheek with a cold hand, and she jolted and started coughing when she had been so peaceful just moments before. 😢 These are hands down the worst days of my life. There is so much more I want to tell her, one more tight hug, one more kiss, just one more conversation... I'm living in a trance; I just can't wrap my head around the fact that she isn't here...

That numbness you're feeling is actually just a defense mechanism. It's how the body and soul react to trauma. You did forgive her properly. You were by her side until the very end; she wasn't alone, she was loved, and she passed away in the warmth of her own home. Is there any better way to go than at home surrounded by family? You will always feel that urge to tell her things, to hug her, to be near her, and everything will always feel surreal because of how she left and the fact that she's gone... I talk to my mom constantly about where I am and what I'm doing. At 6 PM, I'll have "our" coffee, and then I just talk to her in my head, pray for her, or ask her for inspiration to solve some problem I'm facing... she's still here. Sometimes I feel her so strongly it feels like I could almost reach out and touch her.

The One😢
I’m so sorry. Honestly, I am incredibly proud of how you’ve managed to push through all of this. These upcoming days are going to flash by in a heartbeat.
I know that doesn't mean much right now, but you're going to pull through, and things will get better. Your mom is always going to be right there by your side, watching over you.
Hang in there, and reach out if you ever need to talk.

Roger Smith8 said:And what’s the damage for FactSet? Money isn't really an issue for me, but I hate lugging around massive stacks of cash everywhere I go.

Just grab $33 a subscription just to be safe. It's not breaking the bank, but if my memory serves me right, you're looking at somewhere between 50 and $27 bucks.

Roger Smith8 said:Hi there.

Does anyone know which over-the-counter medications actually work for hemorrhoids? Looking for recommendations available at any local pharmacy, along with a general idea of what I should expect to pay.

Go with FactSet ointment.
http://www.farmakologija.com/materia/c_vp.htm

By the way, for anyone who still wants to join us but hasn't signed up yet, you don't have to deal with the hassle of mailing in paperwork anymore. You can just handle everything online by filling out the digital form at the exact same link where that old PDF used to be.👍

Elizabeth Gonzalez55 said:Hey everyone,

I’m just checking in today to share where my head and heart are at right now.

I’ve been following this American melanoma forum for quite a while now, and every single day there are people popping up who have fought their way through—survivors who have lived 5, 7, 10, 16, 28, or even 35 years since receiving the most terrifying diagnoses imaginable. If I didn't read all these stories, all these life journeys, I might actually think everything was lost, that hope had run dry.

In a way that feels almost masochistic, I’m actually glad we were hit with melanoma specifically—this type of cancer that can't just be wiped out by chemo or radiation, but requires pure faith and grit to face.

So, to everyone reading this: believe, hope, and for heaven's sake, do not give up. Don't let those people in white coats shut you down when they tell you it's over; they don't know the half of it. When I first joined this forum, Angela Wright told me something repeatedly that remains absolutely true to this day: no matter what happens, do not be afraid. Fear only feeds the beast; it gives it strength. No matter how brutal things get, these are precious moments where we can fully show up for our loved ones and pour all that positive energy into them.

So, my fellow fighters, keep your heads up and push forward. I am convinced that one day soon, a cure will be found, and we will be remembered as the pioneers of a new era in human history. Until then, we have plenty of work to do—I don't know about you, but I've already got my application and paperwork ready, along with the will and intention to get involved with the New Day Association. I hope to see us all meeting up there very soon! :-)

🙏Queen !!!
Thank you so much for this!
Today, slyseal28 was on Catholic Radio (she was incredibly engaging but also pretty intense, talking just like a seasoned politician😍—she's formidable, you guys really need to meet her). We also have an article posted publicly on the portal online, and next week we’ll be on NBC. Things are finally starting to pick up momentum for us. We’re working on connecting with other associations and foundations and expanding into other states. We have meetings scheduled for tomorrow and next week... everything is moving so fast and so positively. We’re even hoping to secure some local office space from the city, which would make organizing our meetups so much easier. I am honestly so thrilled about all of this.👍
We’ll be calling a meetup very soon.

There’s this claim floating around that Cardinal Aurelius was systematically poisoning people using tea laced with oleander.
Check out the Wikipedia entry on this little miracle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleander

cosmicsailor91 said:Even goats don't get cancer, and if you try to transplant cancer cells into them, they just don't survive in their system!

Oh, really😲? I'll go ahead and Google that one🙂.

Elizabeth Gonzalez55 said:Hey there!

I’m stuck... should I be celebrating or just spiraling into a depression? Either way, the fight continues, and we're looking for a win in the next round.

Don't do either. Just stay grateful that you still have the chance to keep fighting.

@Amanda Nelson54/">@@Amanda Nelson54

I was aware this specific type of cancer existed, but honestly, I haven't heard a single real-life account of it until today.
Even if this turns out to be the worst-case scenario, your dad is going to fight, and you all will be right there backing him up, no matter how much it hurts. Don't let fear take over; fear just feeds the darkness of this whole situation. The fight continues!

Linda Peterson37 said:He has an astrocytoma, which is the kind of tumor that tends to relapse more than most.
After the initial gut punch back in December 2006—finding out the tumor was back—it actually gave me this surge of determination to find anything and everything that might help my dad. After endless hours of scouring the web, talking to cancer survivors, and digging through books, we started him on macrobiotics.
Michia Kushia’s book about using nutrition to fight cancer and leukemia was a huge help to us. Unfortunately, Dad couldn't stick with macrobiotics for more than six months; he was constantly complaining about the food, and since we weren't by his side 24/7, we couldn't monitor every single bite, so he’d end up eating things he shouldn't have. Beyond the diet, he started using a Rife machine—a device that uses specific electrical frequencies tailored to combat different illnesses—along with a variety of immune-boosting supplements.
I recently heard that holly extracts are really effective, so I'm wondering if anyone here has experience with those, or maybe shark cartilage capsules? I've heard that helps too, so if anyone knows anything...

Regarding the Rifer machine, I know slyseal28's husband used it, and he's a true believer who swears by it.
As for shark cartilage, I've also heard it works wonders against tumors. The idea is that sharks are one of the few animals that seemingly don't get cancer, supposedly because of something found in their cartilage.
Please, if you don't mind, sign up for the association's website (just click my signature below). slyseal28 wrote about the Rifer machine over there, and honestly, we need as many stories as possible in one place so people can actually find reliable information.

Linda Peterson37 said:I’ve been lurking here for a while, reading through everyone’s posts, and I finally worked up the nerve to actually say something...
My family is currently fighting our own battle against a brain tumor—specifically, a recurrence in my dad. He had his first surgery back in 1999, but during an MRI checkup in December 2006, we found out the tumor was back. Because of the treatments he went through in '99, standard chemo or radiation were completely off the table, and surgery wasn't an option anymore either. So, we turned to alternative methods. Regardless of what anyone thinks about that approach, I can tell you from firsthand experience that it helped my dad. In fact, his November 2007 MRI showed that compared to the previous scan from a year prior, the tumor hadn't spread or grown at all. I don't even need to tell you how much that meant to us...
That said, there are days when Dad feels much worse than others. He’s never alone for even a single minute; someone is always by his side, and sometimes—though not every day—we have to step in and help him with meals or other basic needs.
Thanks, Angela Wright, for starting this thread. The truth is, if you haven't lived through something like this, you simply can't understand it, no matter how much you want to.

Welcome!🙂
Could you please tell us a bit more about the specific type of brain tumor he's dealing with and exactly what kind of alternative treatments he’s been using?

Sophia Price5 said:Thanks for getting back to me. I've copied the pages and I'm going to translate them to see if we can make sense of how this actually works.

I think you're going to have to find a middle ground here—a sweet spot between these two extremes. From what I can gather, they're recommending a high-fiber diet, but you're saying she can't handle any kind of macrobiotic approach at all. You'll have to find a way to balance it. Maybe try making everything into purees or soft mashes; it'll take some of the strain off her stomach.

fadedmason said:Thanks for understanding and having my back,
Depression is hitting me hard right now; everything really started spiraling when that kicked in, and the weight loss followed suit. I’ve had my thyroid hormone levels checked and they came back fine.
I don't know if you've experienced this, but I get this feeling that people in certain corporate environments are just mass-produced and then worn down like machines...
To be honest, I won't say exactly where I live, but some private doctors here have told me they won't even bother looking at results if they come from a certain county. It leaves me feeling skeptical—how can I actually trust these numbers? Who am I supposed to believe?
My blood work looks fantastic, along with all my other tests, but maybe my system hasn't fully cleared out those antibiotics yet, which might be masking inflammation or something else entirely...
I'm dealing with intense lower abdominal pain and stomach issues; I've had inflammation, plus I'm managing gastritis and a hernia.
The muscle pains and cramps are constant.
And there's more to it.
I'm incredibly on edge, I can't sleep, and then there's this physical agony.
I've just given up because people treat me like an idiot or patronize me just enough to get by...
I'm completely drained...
It's not just that I feel terrible; it's that the people who see me absolutely murder me with questions and comments about how bad I look. It's exhausting and just saps what little energy I have left...
And there's nothing I can do about it...

Look, insomnia, muscle spasms, anxiety, rapid weight loss... those are textbook symptoms of a thyroid disorder. My advice? Go back and redo those blood tests, and demand a referral for an internal medicine specialist to do an abdominal ultrasound. Your thyroid can throw your entire body into such absolute chaos that it's hard to wrap your head around. My old man was a complete wreck before they realized his thyroid was the culprit; looking back at how he acted before the diagnosis, he doesn't even recognize himself. Are you taking any medication for the gastritis or the hernia? Or perhaps birth control for PCOS?
Listen, get moving and go see a decent doctor. Don't let yourself hit a total breaking point before you start actually tackling this problem properly.

I honestly feel for you and wish I could offer more than just this: go fight for a referral for a solid internal medicine exam. Someone clearly dropped the ball somewhere. This sudden weight loss combined with the depression you’re clearly battling sounds exactly like what happens when your thyroid goes haywire. Have you actually had your hormone levels checked? It’s entirely possible that it isn't just your thyroid, but some other gland acting up too, so an endocrinologist might be able to give you some actual answers. Ideally, you'd find a way to scrape together enough cash to see a specialist privately and get everything handled right now. Maybe you have friends who could chip in and help out? Look, we're talking about your health here, not some frivolous whim. If you need to take out a loan to cover this, don't hesitate. People take out loans for all sorts of nonsense, yet when it comes to their own well-being, they suddenly become stingy.

Sophia Price5 said:Hi everyone!
I joined this forum recently because I am desperate for some help.

This past summer, my mother-in-law underwent a Whipple procedure for pancreatic cancer (so they removed part of her pancreas along with portions of her stomach, duodenum, bile duct, etc.).
She’s been battling stomach issues—like gastritis and ulcers—for about 15 years now, so the surgery didn't actually fix those underlying problems. She currently weighs only 95 pounds. She has completed three rounds of chemo, which she seems to handle relatively well. My absolute biggest struggle right now is simply knowing what to cook for her and what she can actually eat. She was prescribed Prosure, but she just can't tolerate it. I can't even follow a standard prescribed diet (like a specific pancreatic cancer diet) because she has completely cut out meat—she'll only touch turkey, chicken, or the occasional white fish. She’s also trying to strip away all fats (she’ll literally scrape the thin layer of chocolate off diabetic wafers). Eggs are out. We had to ditch milk and dairy entirely because they cause her excruciating pain. She can't have legumes or any vegetables that cause bloating, and macrobiotics is totally off the table because it's too heavy on grains and beans, which make her bloat so badly she doubles over in pain (her gut motility is just shot).
I am at my wits' end. I have no idea what to feed her to help her gain any weight at all.
Since she isn't taking in almost any nutrients, she’s getting weaker by the day. For the last two days, her blood pressure has been bottoming out and her pulse is down to 49.
Right now, she’s taking aloe vera, getting vitamin injections, using Immunomax, and taking pediatric anti-bloating drops.
If anyone has any advice, ideas, or if you've discussed this here before, please send me a link.
Thanks in advance.

These might help: this page and this one. I hope your English is good enough to get through them. If you have trouble understanding anything, let me know and I'll help you out.

Carol Sanchez2 said:Hey everyone!

I was out with my mom today—she’s fighting breast cancer—for her follow-up appointment, and so far, everything looks good. This was the first check-up since she wrapped up her treatment just a few days ago. Her tumor markers are within the normal range, and the scans didn't show any signs of metastasis. She has to head back in two months for more testing. We’re feeling relieved and just taking it one step at a time... though we know from here on out, her life is going to be a constant cycle of doctor visits and scans. It was Stage III with lymph node involvement, but it looks like the therapy really did the trick. I’m just praying there isn't a relapse....🙂 Honestly, I still feel this heavy, dull sense of dread. It's like I'm constantly looking over my shoulder, waiting for something to crawl out of the shadows. The anxiety of waiting month after month is real, even when I'm trying to hope that things will stay okay. Sending love to you all—don't give up!😉

Don't let fear take hold! Cancer is like a demon that feeds on anxiety. You have to stay firm and remind yourself that you are the one in control of the illness, not the other way around. Don't let it hijack your existence. Live your life! Your mom and all of you have every reason in the world to live normally and fully!😉 🙂

Melissa Garcia51 said:I’m worried calling 911 won't actually solve anything here. Aside from some pain meds, they might suggest a hospital stay, but honestly, if they decide her symptoms can be handled through outpatient testing, she might not even get admitted.

Based on what I've seen before, it could definitely work. If you call an ambulance over the weekend, given how bad these symptoms look, they'll likely rush her straight to the ER. They'd run all the necessary tests on the spot—including a urine culture—and get her started on antibiotics immediately.