Posts by Angela Wright

What kind of digging have you actually done?
Honestly, based on what you’re describing, it sounds a lot like hypoglycemia to me: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypoglycemia/symptoms-causes

Gregory James9 said:What you perceive as kindness or empathy might just be an act... honestly, if things actually progressed, there's no telling what kind of person they'd turn out to be.

I don't quite get this whole photo thing—it’s like you're choosing between two different guys... are these straight from a dating app? Honestly, stay away from internet guys; they'll tell you whatever sounds good, but you'll rarely hear the truth.

Look, plenty of women end up trapped in toxic cycles with some absolute moron who treats them like garbage. They keep crawling back because they’re clinging to a ghost—some version of him they thought they saw once, or maybe just an idealized fantasy they built in their heads. They tell themselves if they just stay patient enough, or act "good" enough, or push hard enough, that perfect moment will magically reappear. It’s that classic loop of female psychology for you. 🙂

Look, I’ve definitely been around guys who were way more toned, sun-kissed, had eyes deeper than the Pacific, or were just generally more "perfect" looking than my husband... but honestly? I just grew up, and my priorities shifted. Suddenly, he became incredibly attractive to me because his character started merging with his masculine features—his gestures, his sense of humor, all of it. It’s about actually knowing a person on a level far deeper than just unwrapping some shiny, scented cellophane to find whatever it is we imagined was inside. Like Madonna once sang, something along the lines of: "The best part of you was the version I made up in my head." 😁
...just give it time—both you and him—if you actually believe you’re both worth the effort. You can always walk away if it isn't working. Who decided you have to sleep with someone immediately just to prove a relationship is worth having? Even if it ends up being nothing more than a solid friendship, that's fine.
Beauty and attraction are totally subjective, so this "test" you're doing is pretty pointless. We'll all see things differently because we *are* different, unless we're just clinging to stereotypes or acting like immature girls who fall for Justin Bieber just because he's 😉

EDIT: To me, it looks like the exact same person in both photos, just posing differently... the facial features, the eyebrows... they look remarkably similar.

I think most people around here head over to Mexico to get that handled. There’s this pretty well-known, highly successful doctor, Miroslav Đorđević—he's a urologist—who does incredible work with those kinds of procedures there.
Give it a quick Google search. There’s actually a great little feature about it on the show Hrt svaki dan dobar dan.
You should also try reaching out to organizations like Iskorak and Kontra. I'm sure they can point you toward the best specialists for these types of surgeries and give you an idea of what the costs look like.
Good luck 🙂

Carol Price6 said:I picked up some beta glucan and propolis.😁 By the way, I don't know if you guys saw this, but I stumbled upon an article from January about how antioxidants might actually accelerate the growth of malignant tumors, specifically beta-carotene. Maybe my English is just terrible or I'm misreading it, but that info really shook me...
Has anyone here used Citrofit? I have some at home from when I was taking it in capsules myself... I read somewhere that you can take propolis up to 7 times a day? And beta glucan 1000mg daily?

That’s just nonsense. Antioxidants bind to free radicals, which directly helps prevent those malignant cells from dividing, all while boosting the immune system—which is the primary factor in fighting cancer. We all have them in our bodies every single second, and our immune systems are constantly destroying them.
My mom took propolis, three capsules three times a day; that’s what they recommended to help her recover after chemo.
I'm not sure about beta glucan. Talk to a pharmacist.
I haven't had any experience with Citrofit.

One crucial piece of advice: don't mix more than three different supplements. Once you pick a regimen, stick to it from start to finish. Ideally, you should choose based on what you personally feel will work best for you.

Carol Price6 said:God, thanks ladies for all the advice and support...
Angela Wright, thank you so much. The hardest part is coming home from work and seeing Dad—he’s home for a few days over the holidays—and he still looks okay, except for these crushing headaches that leave him constantly wearing a cap around the house... that's just it... one day at a time... that's how I've been trying to process it in my head. My little girl is suffering right along with me because I am completely checked out, constantly spinning a thousand different scenarios about what happens when the time comes.

Don't walk down that road, honey; shut those thoughts down immediately. I wandered down that path myself and ended up on the edge of anorexia and dealing with massive anxiety—basically everything my mother didn't need from me at that moment. Life can throw a million different variables at you; it is impossible to plan for it or prepare for it. It’s exhausting, and in the end, with my mom, nothing went the way I fought and struggled to make it happen... absolutely nothing.

Can I just ask what to do about nutrition? He loves to eat, and I thought maybe I should just let him eat whatever he wants since he isn't the type to handle restrictions very well... yesterday I came home and he had stocked up at the grocery store like he was preparing for war... he wanted baklava, but that stuff is loaded with sugar, which I read feeds cancer cells.😢
Do you guys know of any other natural remedies to give his immune system a quick boost before we head to the hospital? We’re leaving soon, so I want him to at least have something beneficial to sip on for these next seven days... I've been reading about Noni... does anyone know which brand is actually good?

He definitely needs to cut back on the sugar, but honestly, just let him be for these few days until the hospital visit; the tumor isn't going to go wild just because of a little sugar right now.
He should focus on eating healthy, home-cooked meals—lots of fruits and vegetables, especially anything red or orange, since those are packed with antioxidants.
I wouldn't recommend Noni. First off, it’s not native to our environment (we are genetically "tuned" to the nutrients in our own region, and what works for someone in the South Pacific might not work for us and vice versa), and secondly, it grows in volcanic soil that often contains heavy metals. Plus, it's incredibly expensive and puts a lot of strain on the liver.
I'd suggest beta-glucan and propolis. Those are the ones I've had the best luck with.

Raymond Rodriguez62 said:Thanks so much for the help. I’m going straight to a private ENT specialist even though money isn't exactly burning a hole in my pocket😁 , because my job doesn't give me the luxury of dragging myself through state hospital waiting rooms for months on end. I did a bit of digging online. In San Francisco, you can find these kinds of services at places like Kaiser Permanente or maybe a specialized clinic run by Ivica Bilić, though there isn't much info or reviews online for him specifically. This "lump" hasn't caused any major medical issues yet, but honestly, it’s been a huge psychological burden. It’s gotten to the point where I’m embarrassed to take photos because it really stands out. I know exactly how to tilt my head so it doesn't show up😁 I’ll go out to a club, stay in the dim lighting, and then my friends will just stare at me in confusion asking what happened to my head, so I usually just crack a joke and tell them I'm a Klingon. 😁

Let me know how it goes, I'm genuinely curious to hear the outcome. Good luck!🙂

Amanda Miller69 said:The lung results came back, but my mother-in-law can't quite make sense of them, so things are a bit fuzzy. Mostly, they mention massive adhesive changes (which I Googled, and apparently means scarring... fingers crossed) and translucency of the left lung parenchyma (not sure what that is, couldn't find a clear answer). Overall, though, I wouldn't say it looks much worse than the last scan (I'll know for sure once I actually have the paperwork in hand).

We’re still waiting on the CT scan and hoping for the best. They'll be running the tumor markers over at Mercy Hospital.
The follow-up is scheduled for early next month; I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything turns out okay.

So, I went down a Google rabbit hole and found this:http://oftankonyv.reak.bme.hu/tiki-i...hest+Radiology
It says:

9.1.4.1. Hyperlucencies (increased transparency)
Bilateral: emphysema (see chronic obstructive lung diseases)
Well-defined: bullous emphysema, lung cysts

Partial or total Hyperinflation occurs if the air content of the lung partially or totally increases (diffuse or bullous emphysema), if there is accumulation of air within the pleural cavity (pneumothorax), or if air-containing cavities in the lung parenchyma also “light up” from the lung view.

Then I kept digging and stumbled upon this:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c...s/faq-20058169

A recent chest X-ray showed that I have hyperinflated lungs. What could cause this?

Answers from Edward C. Rosenow III, M.D.
Hyperinflation can also occur When The Air sacs in Your lungs become less elastic, which interferes with the expulsion of air from your lungs. This can happen because air gets trapped within the lung, causing it to overinflate due to obstructions in the passages delivering air to the tissue.

One of The most Common causes of hyperinflated lungs is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)—a condition that includes emphysema. Other issues like asthma or cystic fibrosis can also trigger it.

Sometimes, lungs might look hyperinflated on an X-ray for reasons that don't actually impact lung function. If there's no shortness of breath, there might not be anything to worry about. However, if the cause isn't obvious, a doctor will likely suggest more tests.

With

Edward C. Rosenow III, M.D.

So, it doesn't necessarily mean something new has appeared or that we're looking at something catastrophic like metastasis.
Either way, once the CT results are in, we'll have a much clearer picture of what's actually going on.

Carol Price6 said:So, here’s the latest update. I stepped in and intervened, and we finally got through to Dr. Janevski. They say he’s top-tier. Honestly, I have no reason to doubt him because, unfortunately, I don't know anyone over at Mercy Hospital, and I firmly believe that when you find true professionals, you trust them to do their jobs. The surgeon made it clear that without the PET-CT results, he can't make a call on whether the tumor is operable. Dad is scheduled for admission on January 5th, and I suggested today that we just go private and get the PET-CT done now, but he shot that down immediately. He said it's out of the question—once he's back in the hospital, they’ll run it at the facility and there's no point in throwing money away. They did an MRI with contrast, as well as a CT, and unfortunately, his reaction was terrible—he broke out in this horrific rash all over his body. 😢 I feel like time is slipping through our fingers, both for him and for us, and my head is just spinning. I’m usually a pessimist by nature—the kind of brutally, radically pessimistic type—and I’m worried this will be the thing that finally breaks me. But I know the most important thing right now is to show patients support and stay positive. For me, personally, nothing is worse than someone keeping me in the dark. I need to know everything, every single detail, and then it’s up to me to figure out how to deal with it.
Everyone keeps advising me not to tell Dad anything, to just tell him the surgery is happening and that he'll be back out on the water soon... what kills me is that I can't even tell him they’ve confirmed it’s cancer, because he completely denies it's even happening...

Now, let me dive a little deeper into the philosophy of this, but I truly believe the answer to the question "Why me? Why him? Why her?" is hidden right there in the bolded part... God, nature, the universe—whatever you believe in—is pragmatic. It puts you in these exact situations to teach you how to cope, to shape you, and to make you a better person...

...look, you have to sit with yourself and have a real conversation with your own conscience first. Specifically, this isn't happening to you; this is happening to your father. You don't have the right to act in a way that makes it seem like you're suffering more than he is. He’s the one facing the worst of it, and honestly, his hesitation to face the diagnosis is likely because he knows—or fears—how you are going to handle the news. There are no shortcuts here, and there is no charging ahead blindly. This process has its own rhythm, and you have to navigate it as it unfolds. You absolutely cannot turn this into a drama, either for him or for yourself, because if you do, everything will spiral out of control. I know exactly the movie you're starring in because I'm the director of that same genre, believe me, but this situation will refine you in ways you won't believe.
The only way forward is to take it one day at a time and deal with things as they happen. Don't plan, and don't think about anything beyond tomorrow! That is your golden rule, and you should hold onto it like the Holy Bible. That is the only healthy way to move through this.

Right now, you're all in a state of shock, but once the real fight begins, it will actually be much easier for everyone. This initial shock is psychologically the hardest part of any diagnosis, at least for me, because it hits so suddenly and violently... everything else, you prepare for and manage as the situation develops.
Save your energy and don't waste it on trivialities. You’re going to see people's true colors start to show. No matter how messy things get, you’ll pull something good from it; a lot of things will eventually filter out. So, don't fall into one-dimensional thinking. Believe in yourself, believe in your strength, and believe in your dad. That is paramount, and having that foundation is a massive prerequisite for successful treatment.
We are here for you, so come here and vent whenever it gets too heavy. Hang in there. 🙂

Raymond Rodriguez62 said:I think this article breaks it down pretty well. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sinusitis/symptoms-causes

So, you know what the play is—get yourself to an ENT and a maxillofacial surgeon ASAP. http://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/otolaryngology

Carol Price6 said:Yeah, he’s claiming there was a benign growth in that exact spot discovered about 15 years ago.😢 Whether that's actually true or not is hard to say. He hadn't seen a doctor at all until those two emergency room visits when things finally hit the fan. He’s dealing with these brutal headaches, but the MRom didn't show any metastases. What exactly does this PET/CT machine show? Should I be looking into taking him to a private clinic for that scan? I am completely lost here... I don't know if I should push harder at Mercy Hospital to get him into the hands of a careful thoracic surgeon, or just let nature take its course and see who we get... Does anyone know how long someone stays in the hospital after surgeries like this? His tumor is located deep at the base of his right lung.

You absolutely have to intervene! With the holidays hitting and everyone heading off for ski trips and vacations, you need to rush this through wherever you can. You cannot afford to waste a single second.
A PET/CT is basically a hybrid of two technologies: PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and CT. While the PET tracks metabolic activity within the tissue, combining it with a CT provides a much more comprehensive picture of what's happening inside the entire body.

A PET/CT is definitely a more precise diagnostic tool than a standard CT alone. That said, it really depends on the specific goal of the imaging; sometimes a regular CT is plenty for monitoring or diagnosis. The doctor managing the patient is the best person to make that call.

He’ll likely need surgery first, and then they’ll probably send him for the PET/CT anyway to check for any other hotspots elsewhere in the body.
Also, if his brain MRI was done without contrast—and I truly hope they weren't that incompetent—it's entirely possible they missed a metastasis. If he hasn't had a brain MRI with contrast yet, go get one immediately!

Raymond Rodriguez62 said:I hate having to start yet another thread, but I’m honestly at my wit's end because nobody has given me a straight answer to my problem. Up until about five years ago, my forehead looked totally normal. I have slightly prominent brow bones, but that’s just how I was built, like most people. The issue started when the right side of my forehead, right above the eyebrow, began protruding much more significantly than the left. It looks like a literal lump over my eye, making the right side look completely asymmetrical. It’s especially obvious in dim lighting or high-res photos. People actually come up to me and ask what happened to my face. I went to see a doctor, and they sent me for head imaging. The radiologist confirmed my sinuses are clear, though I do deal with chronic sinus pressure specifically on that side. The scan clearly shows a bony protrusion on that side. Is it possible this bump grew from childhood injuries—since I took a lot of hits back then—or could sinus issues be pushing the bone forward? Or is this just one of those rare facial structures some people are born with? Thanks for listening.

Take your scans and get them in front of a maxillofacial surgeon. There are benign growths called osteomas that occur on the bone, and if they're causing issues, they can be surgically removed. A surgeon is the only one who can give you a real assessment, though. If we're talking about an osteoma, you need to know for sure; since those growths expand outward, they can also grow inward, which puts dangerous pressure on the brain. You absolutely have to rule out an osteoma.
Also, yes, it’s entirely possible to develop benign bone changes following repeated trauma. While a bone protrusion isn't caused by your sinuses, in my opinion, those sinus issues and the protrusion might be linked if the growth is pressing against them.

Carol Price6 said:Hey everyone, I’ve been following this thread off and on, always thinking how lucky I am that I don't have anyone close to me dealing with a serious illness. Reality is hitting hard and fast right now. My father—who I am incredibly close to—finally went in for a CT scan of his chest and abdomen a few days ago. They found a "star-shaped mass." He also had a bronchoscopy, and today they told me it's bronchial adenocarcinoma. Does anyone here have similar experiences? He’s suffering from these horrific headaches, though his brain MRI came back clear so far; I looked it up on Google and apparently, those headaches can be a side effect of the tumor itself. We're just lost on how to help him. He has to head back to Mercy Hospital on May 1st, but he needs to get through some cardiology workups before then. Apparently, the cancer is operable. What really haunts me—because I went through this with an uncle who meant the world to me and was my favorite part of childhood—is the fact that he ended up suffocating. I'm already terrified of what's coming for us... I'm a mess, just crying constantly, though for the last few days I kept telling myself maybe the doctors were wrong, until today when I heard the diagnosis. On the other hand, Dad is in total denial. He insists he isn't sick, claims he’s going to seek out second opinions, and argues that he just has a benign growth he's had for 15 years and that the doctors don't know what they're talking about. Maybe it's better for him to think that way; it keeps him brave, even if it makes things difficult because he refuses to stay in the hospital and complains about the conditions. We tried to book him a nice private room by taking on extra debt, but unfortunately, Mercy Hospital doesn't offer that kind of thing. There are so many experts there, and the facilities aren't just bad—they're downright abysmal. It’s heartbreaking for both the staff and the patients lying there in such agony. 😢

It’s a blessing that it’s operable, and I’m praying there hasn't been any metastasis. Unfortunately, a PhD-level tissue analysis from a bronchoscopy biopsy is rarely wrong, especially with a tumor type this common; there isn't much margin for error there. It's possible your dad had something benign previously that eventually turned malignant.
In any case, you have to latch onto the fact that it can be operated on and put all your hope there.
I had a relative with operable adenocarcinoma over 30 years ago. They removed one lung, and the person lived for another 30 years after that. They eventually passed away due to heart issues—he didn't take great care of himself and struggled with weight.

George Sullivan31 said:Hello, I am looking for some guidance. A friend of mine, about 60 years old, has been feeling incredibly weak lately. About ten days ago, we were grabbing coffee and he mentioned he wasn't feeling great; now, he can't even get out of bed due to this total exhaustion.
If you have any advice or suggestions on which specialist we should see, please let me know. We are currently in Rijeka, but we don't mind driving to Washington, D.C. if necessary.

Best regards,

If he’s reached the point where he’s actually collapsing, stop overthinking it and just take him straight to the ER. Otherwise, you need to follow the standard protocol: start with his primary care physician to run the basics—blood work, urinalysis, blood pressure—and then follow whatever referrals they provide for specialists. There is absolutely no point in making the trip to Washington, D.C. right now.

Elizabeth Parker29 said:I got prescribed Duphaston because I don’t take birth control pills. It makes zero sense for me to be on something like that if we're only seeing each other once every few months. Honestly, I tried Yas before and it absolutely wrecked me, so I try to stay far away from those kinds of hormone therapies.
The issue is that I’ve been taking this Duphaston for three days now, and I feel incredibly bloated, plus I have this weird pressure and stabbing sensation near my ovaries. I’m seriously considering just quitting, but I have no idea how that will mess with my period. I went to see my OBGYN today, but she didn't really give me any advice since she was too rushed to actually examine me—she just wrote everything down based on the fact that I'm taking the Duphaston.

Look, it all comes down to the fact that these are hormones designed to manipulate your cycle. To be blunt, I think there’s less "damage" and more actual benefit in staying on a steady birth control regimen according to a set schedule, rather than doing this stop-and-go thing where you end up chasing your tail trying to fix a chaotic cycle afterward. Yasmin isn't the only option out there. There are tons of different combined pills, and some of them would likely sit much better with your system than that one did. Don't look at birth control through such a narrow lens of just being "contraception." It can actually stabilize your cycle and clear up those physical issues you're dealing with.

Amanda Miller69 said:My father-in-law is heading in for a lung X-ray, and then the day after tomorrow he’s doing a CT scan of his abdomen and chest... fingers crossed everything comes back clean.
I assume the X-ray results will be ready immediately, but does anyone know how long the wait usually is for CT results?
He’s also supposed to get blood markers drawn, but he says they'll just do that during the appointment in Washington, D.C.... seems a bit illogical if those results are needed for the actual exam, right?

Well, you're probably looking at a week to ten days. But since the holidays are hitting right now, don't be surprised if it doesn't show up until after New Year's.

Elizabeth Parker29 said:Hey everyone! I'm in a long-distance relationship and we see each other about every three months. Every time he's scheduled to visit, I happen to be dealing with my period (which is painful and lasts forever). Since he's only staying for a week, it's pretty obvious I don't want my period hitting right then.
My doctor prescribed some pills to delay it, and I'm supposed to start tomorrow, though she isn't entirely sure if they'll actually work. My cycle has been all over the place the last two months—I had it on Oct 22nd and Nov 28th. I'm wondering if there's any way a doctor can predict when it'll hit next; if it happens around Dec 22nd, I'll be fine. I read that certain teas might help speed things up, so I've been thinking about trying that. Right now, I'm basically 50/50 on which route to take. #soconfused

What specific pills were you prescribed?
Typically, delaying a period involves taking birth control pills continuously without a break until you're ready for it to start. That’s the standard procedure when using combined oral contraceptives, like Yasmin, for example. Usually, this type of regimen starts on the first day of your period.
Look, there isn't some magic trick to speed up or delay your period other than introducing hormones into your system.

Honestly, given the irregular cycles you're dealing with and the fact that you're in a serious relationship, you should really consider a more permanent birth control option. It would at least help regulate your cycle and symptoms while giving you much more control to delay your period whenever you need to.

Chloe Gray5 said:Are there any support groups in Washington, D.C., where families of those who have fallen ill or passed away can meet?
It’s been a year since my dad passed. My mom, my sister, and I just don't talk about it at all, but lately, things have been feeling heavier than usual 😢. I really feel the need to talk to someone—maybe people my own age (I'm 23) who would actually get it—but I honestly have no idea where to turn..

The Krijesnica association has support groups specifically for grieving family members.

Melissa Long33 said:Thanks, Ivana
We received some heavy news just a few days ago. Last year, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went through neoadjuvant therapy (6 cycles of chemo using the FAC protocol, a mastectomy, and radiation).
The latest CT scan wasn't good; it showed potential metastatic changes in the temples and focal lesions in the lungs, which are most likely secondary deposits. A tumor board was convened immediately, and they decided on the following: palliative radiotherapy and 4 cycles of chemo (Taxotera, Carboplatin, Zometa). Just a note that Mom is HER negative, specifically HER (1+). Her CA-15-3 tumor marker is within normal limits.

Now, because our healthcare system is such a disaster, nobody will give us straight answers. I have a thousand questions I need answered because, ultimately, I have to organize my entire life and this whole fight based on the diagnosis and prognosis. Can someone—without sugarcoating it—give me a rough idea of how things actually stand? And what about this word "palliative"? I know that in a loose translation it means pain management and improving quality of life, but every hair on my head stands up when I hear it. It feels like we're just being handed some ointment for the dying. Does it really just mean that? That there's nothing more we can do except manage the pain? If that's the case, why bother with chemo at all? What has been the experience for others?

Radiation targeting secondary bone issues is called palliative radiation. Generally speaking, malignant cells respond quite well to that type of radiation. This should stabilize the situation regarding the bone.
I’m not going to beat around the bush or sugarcoat this. Metastases are definitely a serious complication, and you should prepare for a long haul. As for how things unfold from here—how she responds to treatment or how the disease progresses—it is highly unpredictable and entirely unique to her. That’s why I always recommend living one day at a time; don't try to plan anything further than tomorrow.

Melissa Long33 said:Hi there,
Does anyone have experience or any actual info regarding a drug called GA-40?
I found it over here removed link
What kind of site is this? Does anyone know anything about it?
Thanks

The site is basically saying, "I'll sell you smoke and mirrors, and I'll make a killing doing it." Simple as that. Stay far away. This looks like a blatant attempt to bridge the gap between mainstream medicine and "alternative" therapies. To those who actually understand how this works, the motive is obvious. You can't really reconcile alternative medicine with traditional science; if it were truly in harmony with established protocols, it wouldn't be considered an alternative anymore. In my book, "alternative" refers to anything that lacks three-phase randomized controlled trials—in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies—to prove it actually works. That’s where this whole concept falls apart. It's just a fresh way to bait people who want standard medical care but feel the need to say they're "open to everything" that might help.

PubMed is the gold standard. About 90% of all significant scientific research globally concerning new drugs or substances that might treat a disease is published there. If you stumble upon something that catches your eye, your first move should always be to look it up on PubMed.