Posts by Angela Wright

That’s exactly why I shared the link—it looks to me like this combination with Xeloda is much easier to handle. Since they didn't even consider her a candidate for chemo right out of the gate, I’m worried she won't qualify now either under the current Medicare protocol (the oncologist has already made her stance clear). The only shot might be seeing Cepulic privately, provided he thinks there's actually a benefit to going that route.

Fiza Bisofica, check this out: http://news.cancerconnect.com/xeloda...stric-cancers/>

Fiza, listen, you need to take those test results straight to Dr. Cepulic before you even think about seeing an internist to discuss a treatment plan. Go to the internist first to hear their take, and *then* confront them with what Dr. Cepulic has suggested. Look, there’s a real chance Dr. Cepulic will propose something specific, while the other doctor might just parrot the same old thing because they lack pragmatic perspective or are just trying to cut corners. Let's be blunt: we can't "cure" your father-in-law at this stage, but we can absolutely use therapy to slow things down and buy some precious time. Remember what we discussed regarding that off-label use of Xeloda? Google it, or better yet, just ask Dr. Cepulic directly.
It is what it is. Just try to squeeze every bit of benefit out of the options available right now. I'm so sorry, dear—hang in there.😢

rapidgull39 said:I'm an out-of-state student and I don't have health insurance. How do I get covered? They're telling me I need to find a job just to qualify again. What if I CAN'T find work? Am I just stuck without any coverage? This is ridiculous. I need to see a doctor urgently—how do I get insurance right now???

If I recall correctly, you had a 30-day window after finishing school to register as unemployed with the local social services office to maintain your eligibility. I'm worried you might have missed that deadline. Honestly, your best bet might be to ask someone you know if they could hire you for a tiny, symbolic amount of hours—like maybe an hour a week cleaning up an office—just so you can technically be "employed." You could offer to cover both your own paycheck and the payroll taxes yourself; it’d probably only cost you a hundred bucks or so to stay at minimum wage status. Just do that for one month so you can head back to the agency and finally register as an individual seeking work.
See how expensive it is when you don't know your rights and responsibilities?😉

There are six different diagnoses here...
Cervical spondylosis, hemiparesis,
chronic cervicobrachial syndrome, plus a disc protrusion—which basically means a piece of the soft tissue in the spine has slipped out and gotten wedged between the discs. That’s the whole list, so I don't quite get what you're struggling with. Is it whether they're accurate or what? If you have doubts about the diagnosis, just go get a second opinion at another hospital.

Keep pushing with the Temodal as long as the treatment is actually working. Hang in there!

Sam White62 said:Look, I’m willing to pay for it, but I want it done at home. It’s just an emotional thing for me....

Trying to pull that off at home is going to be an absolute nightmare, and you won't have any control over the situation. Honestly, I’m all for home care, but only if you're surrounded by your inner circle. You’ll need a mountain of equipment—everything from a hydraulic hospital bed to specialized pumps and monitors—and when she suddenly needs an IV, you'll be scrambling to call the ER or begging some specialist to rush over just to bridge the gap until the next scheduled visit. Honey, believe me, I'm speaking from experience here: you will exhaust yourself like three Jesuses, and that's not even counting how much she'll struggle. There are incredible hospice facilities out there that have everything perfectly organized, where you can stay by her side whenever you want and as long as you want. For the money you're talking about, you aren't going to get professional-grade nursing at home, and by the time you finally get everything set up, it might already be too late.

Ronald Evans33 said:...Hey everyone, I just wanted to let you all know that my grandfather unfortunately passed away last week... despite fighting cancer and four broken ribs, he actually died from fluid in his lungs....Thank you all for the support...

I am so sorry, please accept my deepest condolences. 😢

Fiza, they aren't supposed to be giving out test results over the phone... I'm honestly surprised she told you the same thing... but look, regardless of how high that number is, you both already know deep down it isn't good news. 😢 The marker levels alone won't change the reality of the situation. It’s just going to show exactly how much things have spread, which allows them to build a solid game plan to figure out the best way to treat him and keep everything under control for a while. Hang in there, dear. 😢

My God... they really botched this one. It all comes down to pure pragmatism... Peter Memorial Hospital falls under the Rebro system, while Vinogradski is its own separate Mayo Clinic entity... everyone is just trying to protect their own budget, so if you get admitted to Rebro, they’ll kick you over to Vinogradski, and vice versa... That's just how the American healthcare system works...
...so what now? Nothing, unfortunately. Fighting it would be like tilting at windmills or arguing over whether the chicken or the egg came first. Save your energy and your nerves; you're going to need them.
How much time does she have left? Honestly, considering the fluid buildup in her pleura and abdomen—I don't believe there's much time remaining. But why stress about that right now? Mom is doing poorly and is in the terminal phase. She's moving toward palliative care. No matter how much time she has left with you, do everything in your power to ensure she spends it with dignity and peace, surrounded by her loved ones in the comfort of home, if possible.
Hang in there 😢

Check out this interesting portal launched by the medical school in Miami, where doctors and researchers weigh in on alternative treatment methods and the actual effectiveness of complementary medicines:

Tyler Vaughn5 said:Hey... quick question about that limescale buildup in a tea kettle. Is it actually harmful if you accidentally swallow some?

Well, what do you think is causing that buildup in the first place?
Aren't you a regular little chemist, huh? 😉

Rachel Martinez15 said:I don't know, I was thinking maybe the pain during bowel movements is what caused the hemorrhoids. We'll find out everything on February 25th. Thanks for the replies. 🙂

Hemić can absolutely cause pain when you're going to the bathroom. Since they contain both an anesthetic and an analgesic, they should be a huge help in this situation.

Ronald Evans33 said:Thanks for the support; I feel the exact same way. It’s especially frustrating because the doctor who took over his case kept us in the dark for nearly a month. We didn't hear a single word about it until we started prepping all the paperwork to head to Washington, D.C. to get a second opinion. Honestly, if we hadn't been proactive enough to demand those files, she probably would have kept us in the dark forever...

Look, a doctor is legally obligated to keep a patient's medical information private from any third party, so there's really no point in being angry at her for that. However, she absolutely had an obligation to be transparent with him about his own condition.

Robert Ortiz4 Asks:
Back again. I have another question: do doctors actually prescribe Facta ointment to deal with hard stools? I asked my mom why she was using it, and she said it’s for that exact reason. If that’s the case, then she doesn't have hemorrhoids, which honestly just makes me more terrified about the possibility of occult blood in her stool. She says her bowel movements are back to normal now, but I don't know—what is the actual reality with colon cancer? Does the stool consistency fluctuate, or is it a constant cycle of constipation and diarrhea? Also, can blood tests ever yield a false positive? Sorry if I'm asking a bunch of redundant questions while we're still waiting on a clear diagnosis, but I am seriously freaking out here and I don't have anyone to turn to—besides the internet, which only serves to make my anxiety ten times worse. Thanks in advance!

As far as I know, when you're dealing with hard stools, you either go with stimulant laxatives like Dulcolax or just use glycerin to lubricate things up. According to Facta:

What exactly is Facta ointment, and what is its actual purpose?
Hemorrhoids usually bring a whole mess of symptoms along for the ride—we're talking pain, bleeding, constant moisture, and that unbearable itching. As for the main active ingredient in this medication...
The Facta is that polacresulen targets only the diseased tissue when dealing with a hemorrhoid, leaving healthy tissue completely untouched. It basically acts as a protective coating.
It constricts the lesions and tightens those tiny blood vessels. That’s how you stop the bleeding and finally get rid of that constant oozing and burning sensation.
That increases blood flow, which naturally speeds up the healing process. Plus, the antiseptic properties of Facta help prevent infection.
It's about colonizing the underlying cause of the illness to effectively prevent or wipe out inflammatory processes. In this case, we're looking at using a topical anesthetic like Cinchocaine.
It helps ease both the pain and the itching.

Honestly, I’d say she’s just too embarrassed to admit it.

@neasden
The moderator over on the other forum gave you an excellent, incredibly thorough breakdown, and honestly, I couldn't agree with her more on any of it.
Hang in there and try not to turn yourself into your own worst enemy by making things harder than they need to be—just follow that advice and eat!
You’ve got a fight ahead of you and you're going to need every bit of strength you can muster, but once things really get moving, everyone usually starts feeling a lot better. This initial shock to the system is always the absolute worst part. Just deal with things as they come and take it one day at a time.

Hemorrhoids have absolutely nothing to do with what's happening in the large intestine. Since the occult blood test came back positive, the standard procedure is to go in for a colonoscopy just to rule out any polyps or—God forbid—something worse. There’s really no reason to spiral into a panic here. It’s entirely possible this is just a case of hemorrhoids, which clearly seems to be the case given how much Facta is being used.

You're asking me?😁 I’m thinking along the same lines as her doctor... we really need to watch how this evolves. You know those markers aren't exactly the gold standard; even something as simple as a heavy flu could throw them out of whack...
Why don't you check in with the ladies over in the breast health section of the Women's Health forum? I’m not nearly as much of an expert on breast health as they are.
How are things with you?

Carol Price6 said:Alright, message received. 😁 On another note, an oncologist friend recommended Emend in case my dad starts feeling absolutely miserable. I even stumbled upon some discussions about this on an alternative health forum where a user mentioned their wife’s bronchial adenocarcinoma was successfully managed using it.
Is Emend actually considered one of the better options? I asked her for her top recommendation. To be honest, what's really weighing on me is that Dad is still seeing Dr. Badovinac, who isn't even an oncologist—we haven't even been put in touch with a specialist yet... I'm wondering if anyone can tell me how many cycles of chemo typically pass before you start seeing real results?

The way things work here in the States is pretty ridiculous; they have pulmonologists handling all lung diseases, including lung cancer. It makes zero sense, but that's just how the system is set up.
You usually see the best indication of whether chemo worked after the full prescribed dose in the protocol is completed. Sometimes people show improvement after just a few doses, while for others, the real progress doesn't kick in until a couple of weeks after the final round... it really varies wildly from case to case and depending on the specific drug used.
Regardless, they'll be monitoring his markers, and once the first line of treatment is wrapped up, they should perform more extensive diagnostics to get a true picture of the situation.

Carol Price6 said:I get it. 🙂 I realize now that I'm actually drifting into the realm of "alternative" territory because I'm constantly questioning everything about his diet. 😁 We’ll find a way through this... but honestly, the panic is starting to set in at home, and I feel myself starting to give up. I just have to hope this phase passes. We are all rallying around him, and I have to say one thing that I didn't believe until I experienced it firsthand: it is incredible how much a disease can unite people. We are more tight-knit now than ever, showing an extra level of tolerance toward one another. It’s tragic that such suffering and tragedy had to happen, but unfortunately, illness finds everyone sooner or later—nobody leaves this world in perfect health...

Dietary choices aren't part of the "alternative" sphere unless you start consuming unverified and potentially dangerous substances. That is what defines an alternative approach.