Posts by Angela Wright

So, does that mean the main entrance is open too?

Alexander Lewis said:In Washington, D.C., a guy is being treated at Hospital A. He needs a few tests done that cost the hospital a bit more money. Instead of just doing them, Hospital A suddenly claims they can't perform those specific tests right now and tells him he needs to go to Hospital B. So, he heads over to Hospital B, only for them to tell him they don't run tests for patients who aren't "theirs," suggesting he check back in a month or two when they might be able to accommodate him.
Of course, nobody will give you anything in writing.

Questions:
1. What's this whole deal with being a "Hospital A" vs. "Hospital B" patient? This man is covered by Medicare, and as an insured person, shouldn't he have the right to receive treatment at any facility that has a contract with Medicare?
2. What exactly is stopping him from registering for those tests at the second hospital?
3. Who do you complain to at Medicare when both hospitals are failing to meet their contractual obligations?

1. It’s basically just internal finger-pointing between Hospital A, Hospital B, and Medicare, even though an insured individual has every right to get those tests performed.

2. It's usually their residency; they use your zip code to claim you belong to a different network—that's their favorite excuse to dodge responsibility.

3. You can either pray to Saint Peter or just charge in there, start yelling, and threaten to call the local news or a major TV station. Though, honestly, even that might not work; they'll probably find some way to make you look like the crazy one by claiming you misheard someone or misquoted a doctor. Alternatively, if you actually have the cash, you can just bypass the headache and pay for a private clinic to do the tests.
Medicare is a total nightmare!😠

Chloe Mendoza2 said:I’ve been scrolling through these health threads lately, and it’s honestly exhausting. It seems like every single person who has dealt with a serious medical issue treats every minor symptom as a death sentence. You ask a simple question, and suddenly everyone is diagnosing you with some terminal, life-threatening catastrophe.
It’s obvious to me that anyone going through this is paralyzed by fear, constantly bracing for the worst-case scenario, but honestly, it doesn't have to be that way. Take this situation, for example: Morgan Williams4 didn't even bother to mention if there are any other symptoms involved. He just noted that he goes for checkups frequently, so I don't see any reason to spiral into a massive panic. Besides, if you spend every waking second obsessing over a potential disaster, you'll eventually manifest exactly what you're terrified of.
Cancer isn't the only thing out there, and it certainly shouldn't be the only thing we focus on. People get so consumed by this paralyzing fear of a terminal diagnosis that they completely lose sight of everything else. We’ve become so obsessed with one specific monster under the bed that we’re ignoring all the other manageable health issues that actually need our attention.
I didn't mean to offend anyone; I was just trying to say that you all need to take a breather and actually enjoy life while you can, because it’s far too short for all this stress.

I assume this one's aimed at me, so I’ll give you my answer.
For the love of God, quit quoting me like I’m some kind of doctor. I haven't diagnosed anyone with cancer—not you, and certainly not anyone else.🙄
Is this even allowed around here? 😕

Of course there are milder ailments, and that’s exactly why I suggested he quit smoking before something much more catastrophic hits him. All those "minor" health issues are essentially the body screaming for help—a silent plea from a system that’s suffering, often shouting so loudly we just choose not to listen. Sorry, Anthony Kim18, but can you please consider the fact that those of us lucky enough to have survived serious illnesses have gained a specific kind of insight? Most of us who have been through the wringer now understand what it means when the body starts "screaming," a concept we likely ignored before because, let's face it, life isn't just one continuous string of cancer diagnoses. It doesn't have to be. But seriously, go take care of your health. Always..

@Morgan Williams4/">@@Morgan Williams4
Look, I’m glad to hear it. My advice? Turn that abstinence into a permanent lifestyle choice rather than just a temporary fix. You should try incorporating things like green tea or herbal infusions—something like Taheeboo—to help flush out the toxins that actually fuel the addiction cycle. As those impurities leave your system, you'll find that the physiological urge to smoke starts to taper off naturally. At least, that’s what everyone I know who successfully kicked the habit swears by. Also, get outside and breathe some fresh air whenever you can. It makes a massive difference.

Matthew Miller38 said:There’s no more evidence left to find—it’s all gone. All that remains is a little white goat, looking a bit scruffy.😕

It’s pretty simple: she's younger, so her skin hasn't been battered by the sun like everyone else's around her. Her pigmentation is just naturally lighter than the people nearby who have already started darkening.
Skin cancer isn't some sudden, overnight surprise; it’s more like a debt you didn't realize you were accruing. It shows up as the fallout from damage you sustained a decade ago. Think about it: those people who were reckless with their skin and spent their summers blistering under the sun ten years back? They aren't just paying for yesterday—they’re finally facing the consequences today.

Rachel Phillips9 said:I know some things aren't right, but they meant a lot to us.

That’s exactly what I was getting at when I mentioned how certain things hit our personal sense of trust and security on an individual level.
Everything you went through is just a snapshot of the system itself. This is the healthcare we have, and honestly, things are nowhere near as crazy as they seem. We’re looking at what feels like an epidemic of cancer over the last decade or so, yet the people who are supposed to be our lifeline are stretched down to a skeleton crew. They’re working in terrible conditions, pulling unpaid overtime constantly, and they're often so burnt out that they make these kinds of banal mistakes—like identity mix-ups—that wouldn't happen under normal circumstances. Still, thank God they caught their error in time and actually owned up to it; in my experience, people usually try to cover their tracks.
Look, the reality is the same whether you're at Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic, or any hospital from Seattle to Miami—it’s just how it is. But we have to navigate through it because there isn't another healthcare system coming to save us. Certain things remain completely out of reach for regular folks like us, even in supposedly "developed" countries, yet here, every child gets basic access. Just imagine a mother in the US, someone in your same position, who accidentally misses one single insurance premium after paying for years, and suddenly they refuse to treat her child who is in the exact same condition yours is in. Just think about that; that kind of thing is a daily reality in that environment.
Life is unfair. When you're facing the fact that your child is this sick, everything else feels as flat and insignificant as the Midwest. You're forced to rapidly educate yourself, read up, hunt for info, and essentially stay one step ahead of the doctors, the medicine, and the advancing cancer. Along the way, a person gets hardened by these outbursts; you become cynical, and you focus solely on your child, your mother, or whoever it is, and nothing matters but their recovery.

Honestly, after what you've been through, I don't think there is anything left in this life that could break you or that you couldn't overcome. You gained a certain kind of strength through that horrific experience. Use it. 🙂

I really hope everything is okay with the little one now.😳

Aaron Johnson29 said:The scans show 97% involvement, so they're moving fast—setting up a catheter and starting chemo immediately. Depending on how his body handles it, he’ll likely be in treatment for about two years.

He's going to pull through, just watch. You just have to keep pushing forward with courage. He's in excellent hands this time around, and they're going to wipe this thing out completely.
Give my love to the little angel, and tell them I'm thinking of you both.😘

Rachel Phillips9 said:Angela Wright, we all thought it worked that way, but it doesn't. There are massive discrepancies that sometimes mean absolutely nothing and other times they mean life or death. I’m writing this from personal experience—there were things I felt hesitant to share, but here’s a quick example;
The discharge instructions said one tablet of thioguanine daily... Dr. Rajic was incredibly insistent that we should never, under any circumstances, be late with the dose or forget it. Then the blood work comes back as a total disaster—30 clots—and we’re just sitting there waiting for her to find a tiny window of stability so we can make a run for it " After five days of waiting and listening to Rajic... the Professor finally got back from his trip. He took one glance at the results and immediately asked, "WHAT IS THIS MOTHER TAKING???" His response was basically that every child isn't just a number in a chart or a statistic; everything needs to be tailored individually. He told me not to listen to whatever some doctor on the ward writes down or says, and to call him directly every single time. Otherwise, if we kept going like this, I might as well book an apartment at the Marriott because my little girl won't be home for at least another year.
So, we switched to a quarter dose of thioguanine every other day, essentially adjusting it based on the lab results.
That’s just one small thing...

Look, to me, that behavior is completely unprofessional. These doctors are his colleagues; undermining someone else's expertise like that is just unfair. You have to realize that doctors are human beings and they make mistakes, and he isn't perfect either. My mother has a brain tumor and was on Temodal. Generally speaking, everyone receives Temodal, and there’s an official protocol, but it’s subject to "maneuvering," so to speak, depending on a doctor's specific experience. For instance, someone else might not receive Temodal the same way my mother received it at Mayo Clinic because her oncologist felt her specific method was the best possible approach. From the time she was in Lilac, Mom was on Temodal, but under a different protocol; then Vpava's husband received it differently, even though he was treated by the same oncologist treating my mom. It’s exactly like you described: it’s about the individualized approach. These disagreements regarding therapy—where a doctor goes against their own colleagues—are supposed to be handled during board meetings, without patients getting caught in the middle. Acting this way toward a patient is terrible because it erodes the credibility of the healthcare system and the doctors, which is already struggling enough with bureaucracy. In medicine, 1+1 doesn't always equal 2, and that means a different treatment approach doesn't automatically mean it's wrong or less effective than what someone else, like this highly regarded professor, is doing.
Like I said before, it all comes down to trust and a sense of security. Based on my experience, I wouldn't feel comfortable approaching that man precisely because of that kind of behavior. But truly, it's individual. With cancer, nothing is ever certain. That's just the nature of the disease.

Anthony Kim18 said:Hold on, if smoking is the culprit, why am I not feeling any pain normally?

Maybe because your body is already redlining when you're sick? It needs more oxygen to fight the battle, so your lungs have to work overtime while they're busy trying to filter out all that tar sludge... It’s just basic logic. You know, by the time things actually start hurting, it’s often too late for a diagnosis to matter much.

Rachel Phillips9 said:My advice? Stick with the professor, and don't hesitate to seek private consultations if you have to! Seriously, kudos to everyone involved, but believe me, he’s the gold standard there. We actually received written confirmation from doctors at major US hospitals stating that Doro did an incredible job. My son had AML M7, and now he’s just starting first grade. It’s all going to be fine.😉

If the doctor has introduced a new protocol, his entire team is almost certainly following suit. These types of cases aren't handled in a vacuum; they go through multidisciplinary tumor boards where every specialist weighs in, meaning everyone stays updated and remains open to suggestions from their peers. For specialized treatments like this, the procedure is standardized—it's essentially the same across any top-tier, modern American clinic specializing in this field. They are already highly efficient and well-established in their workflows, for better or worse. On top of that, there's the psychological component: having a renowned name attached to your care provides a level of peace of mind that you just can't ignore.

Anthony Kim18 said:well, it only hurt for three days...

...means😕

Look, at the end of the day, everyone is responsible for their own damn self. If you're sitting there convinced that smoking isn't part of the equation... then what am I supposed to do about it? What can I actually do, or anyone else for that matter? It's on you.

Anthony Kim18 said:if smoking wasn't causing my chest pains, then why did they only flare up when I had the flu...

It’s because your body is already fighting off a virus, and then you pile tar on top of that mess. Honestly, I don't even want to know the biological specifics; it's too grim. What I do know is that when pain hits, it’s your body screaming that something is broken and needs to change. These little distinctions you're making are trivial—they're really just an addict's way of shifting the blame from the cigarettes to the flu. Think about it.

Anthony Kim18 said:Is it actually possible for your lungs to hurt just from lying down?

😕
I highly doubt it. You might deal with back pain from staying stationary, but the lungs? Not likely.

Melissa Kim45 said:Someone on this thread (can't recall who, but thanks a lot)👍 brought up popcorn.
It really helps my mom.
Supposedly they need to be unsalted and oil-free. Honestly, back when things were getting crazy, even those stinky ones you pop in the microwave worked fine. They helped too.👍

You can find those air poppers at Pevac—they use hot air instead of oil and run about a hundred bucks. It might actually make a difference.

Anthony Kim18 said:They only hurt me once.
And that was when I had the flu.
Never happened again...

If you have bronchitis, it hits when you take a deep breath, then you get pneumonia, then tuberculosis, or an asthma attack can tighten your chest so hard it actually hurts.

@Morgan Williams4/">@@Morgan Williams4
Hey, how's it going? Did you end up seeing the doctor?

Aaron Johnson29 said:I’m new to this forum. My nephew was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia back on December 24, 2002. He went through absolute hell with treatments when he was only three years old, but he beat it. This year, he was supposed to finally start school at seven years old. But during a routine checkup this past Monday, his labs showed the leukemia is back, even though it hasn't hit his red blood cell count yet. He was admitted to the hospital today, and it looks like he'll likely need a bone marrow transplant after finishing therapy. I just want to know if anyone here knows of even one case where a child fully recovered after a relapse? All we hear are terrible prognoses. I just want to be there for my sister, give her some hope and comfort, but I don't even know how.

Listen, there is always hope.😘 You just have to take it one day at a time and refuse to let negativity take root—stay positive. If that little boy could kick this evil out once before, he can do it again; he’s bigger and stronger now. And thank God the doctors caught it right when they did, seeing as it hasn't even touched his red blood cells yet.
You’re going to run into a wall of grim predictions on this forum regarding our loved ones—cases where people are considered miracles just for being alive. Ignore the prognoses and the statistics. You have much more important things to do with your energy than obsessing over numbers. That little fighter needs you to be his rock; he needs to feel that everything is going to be okay, that this is just a hurdle he has to clear so he can go off to school with his friends like any other kid.
Hang in there and live one day at a time. This will pass, and things will be alright again.😳

brightgardener8 said:Mom started her first cycle of Temodal today—245 mg. She’s feeling nauseous and throwing up. Does anyone have advice on how to help her? Angela Wright, do you know anything about this? I'm stuck at work and feeling totally lost. She already took some Reglan.
When she was on Temodal for 42 days straight, she only felt sick once, and honestly, I'm not even sure if it was the meds or just the stress from when the woman sharing her hospital room passed away. But keep in mind, back then she was on a much lower dose—only 125 mg.
Help!

My mom only threw up about three times during her entire Temodal cycle. She never touched Reglan. If you ask me, she owes it all to taking Native Propolis in heavy doses (3x5 capsules, 30 minutes before meals) starting a week before radiation, combined with Noni (ten per day, split into three doses, also 30 minutes before eating). It's still a massive mystery to me because she always had an incredibly sensitive stomach. Any little cold would send her running to the Restroom to vomit. She dealt with gastritis constantly, which also ended with her at the Restroom.
I’d suggest trying some peppermint tea. Whenever I messed up my stomach as a kid, my late Grandma used to brew homemade mint tea, and I vividly remember the instant relief it provided. That's what just popped into my head. Another good trick is to crush up some flaxseed, pour a glass of lukewarm water over it, and let it sit for an hour or two. It releases a mucilage that works wonders by coating the stomach and intestinal walls, which stops them from being so irritated.

Eric Clark88 said:I don't find myself heading to hospitals very often, but I have an appointment at the unknown tomorrow. Does anyone happen to know if the parking garage there is open yet? Thanks.

I don't think it's open just yet.

brightgardener8 said:Mom was struggling big time with her blood sugar even before the Dex, and now things get scary when it spikes to 27 despite the insulin. That’s dangerously close to a diabetic coma. We try to keep the pills to a minimum because our doctor warned us about the risk of stomach ulcers. We really can't afford that right now. And what is the deal with those home health nurses? How do you think they manage without giving injections? I don't get it! Isn't that literally one of the main reasons we need them??

Look, my mom's nurse does give them, but the hospital doctor had to write a specific order for it to happen. Honestly, you know what? I've learned how to do it myself. Man, I feel like I've learned enough to pass the entrance exam for nursing school at this point. If a 16-year-old medical student can learn to administer an injection, we can handle it too. I'm willing to take on that responsibility. Giving an injection is the least of my worries compared to the mountain of other things I'm constantly wrestling with. My real fear is potential infections or E. coli. We've been keeping her on Ninur once a day for a while now because she actually laid there completely wiped out from an infection and couldn't get up. Between the blood sugar issues and the diaper changes, the risk is always there. She gets fungal infections down there all the time too, so I stay on top of that and jump in with Plimicol the second I see anything. I don't want anything bothering her that I have the power to prevent.

Elizabeth Collins60 said:I’m back from a quick vacation, and I wanted to weigh in. My father isn't on Dexamethasone injections yet—just oral tablets for now. He's taking 4 mg, which works out to eight pills a day. It’s absolute nonsense to claim your primary care doctor can’t prescribe Dexamethasone ampules; they order them because they're on the hospital formulary, but then Medicare refuses to reimburse the clinic, or the patient has to go down to the Medicare office to get their money back. It’s just a bureaucratic headache where the insurance denies the doctor's claim. You also have every right to request a home health nurse, though the real issue is that most of those nurses simply don't want the hassle of administering injections. Personally, in my experience as a physician, I used to visit my patients every single day just to give them their shots, leaving them with tablets over the weekend. I had one patient who was swallowing 32 pills a day! You can stay on these long-term, but they spike blood sugar levels significantly, so you have to monitor things closely and sometimes introduce glucose medications. There are plenty of side effects, sure, but none of them outweigh the primary reason we use them. The benefit clearly outweighs the risk.

I hear you, Elizabeth Collins60. My cousin is losing her mind over this exact same thing. The fact that you two are actually decent doctors who prioritize the patient over the system—only to get slapped in the face for it—is a whole different level of frustration. If only my cousin were working in Washington, D.C., or if I were near her in Miami, we could just transfer her over there immediately.
It’s not like it’s easy for my dad and me to spend an hour or two at the clinic every single day just to grab a new prescription because she's having trouble swallowing pills. I’ve even tried crushing them into a mortar and pestle and mixing them into yogurt, but you never know if she’ll actually finish the whole serving and get the full dose.
Mom has been on Glucerna for a while now. I pushed for her to be put on Glurenorm to protect her kidneys and liver, which are already under a massive amount of strain, but the "brilliant" doctors shot me down. Honestly, I have no clue why she was prescribed such an ancient medication like Glucerna when there are so many modern, superior options available. Her blood sugar still spikes as high as 18.

@Ryan Fisher64/">@@Ryan Fisher64

I am truly sorry😢. Take some comfort in knowing that God kept her here long enough for you all to weather the storm without regret. Let it comfort you that she closed a beautiful circle of life by getting to know her grandkids—that she was able to touch them with her vitality, her warmth, and her kindness. Take solace in the fact that she was exactly who she was meant to be: your mother.
She’s at peace now, resting easy because she saw that you guys are going to be alright. She lived her life to the absolute fullest. As much as this goodbye crushes you, try to find some happiness in those truths. Your mom will be right there beside you every single day of your life, and when your own time eventually comes, she’ll be waiting on the other side to take your hand and make that transition a little easier.

It’s brutal, I know, but don't lose heart; brighter days are coming as you fight the good fight for your kids. No matter how grueling that struggle feels, it's actually the most beautiful part of being alive.

This too shall pass, and you will find your footing again.😘