Amy Torres4 said:Thank you so much, truly, and may God bless you for helping me through this... My nurse told me today that mom was able to walk a little bit again with the help of her physical therapist, and she’s actually showing some interest in eating... so it's something. I'm clinging to that right now; it gives me this tiny spark of hope. Even though she’s been acting a bit confused and talking nonsense yesterday and today, I'm just praying to God that this passes too, and that she regains her strength and comes back to me... I'm at work today, actually managing to function... hopefully, I'll be back to my usual self in a few days... Thanks again... I'll check back in here if I'm not being a nuisance... this has been such a huge comfort and help. XOXO
They're almost certainly giving mom something for sedation or pain management, which would definitely explain why she seems "lost" or confused. Listen, what she went through is a massive trauma, but the fact that she got up and walked is an absolutely incredible sign!
Dana Mendoza3 said:Look, a friend of mine who’s looking after two elderly women—one of whom can barely move—asked me to scour the web to see if anyone has a medical bed with a mattress and turning capabilities they no longer need, or if they’re selling one at a steal. I wasn't sure if this was the right place for it, so feel free to move this to another thread, but since my friend and I are both based in San Diego, it would be great if someone local could reach out.
Your best bet is to call nursing homes—both private facilities and state-run ones—and ask if they rent out beds from their inventory. It’s actually pretty common practice; you can usually snag a setup with a mattress, an anti-decubitus pad, and electric hydraulics for around $300$133 a month. Another option is to check with Catholic Charities or the Hospice Foundation of America. If they have stock available, they might lend you one, though you'll have to sign a liability waiver and provide official medical documentation. Honestly, don't count on someone just giving one away for free. These beds are incredibly expensive, and most people only sell them once they're done with them.
Amy Torres4 said:Thanks so much for trying to comfort me... but clearly, my sister and I just need more time to process this. It all happened on Monday. It only takes one single moment to flip your entire life upside down, and suddenly, she's the only thing on your mind. She’s always been the strong one—cheerful, funny, the light of the room—but now you look at her lying there, completely helpless, and you can't help but wonder what she's feeling, what she's thinking, if she's in pain, or if she's even fighting to stay or wanting to let go... it's just too much. Every single time I drive to the hospital, I'm terrified. I'm scared of what state I'll find her in today, or if she'll even recognize me... I just don't want her to suffer, no matter how things turn out. You just sit there wondering... will she ever come home? 😢
Everything you're feeling right now is perfectly natural; it's just part of the process. I went through this twice with my own mother, and during the second time, everyone told me it was hopeless. I spent my days sitting at home, crying while obsessively sewing a button onto a garment in the specific section of the cemetery where she wanted to be laid to rest. I must have sewn that button on and ripped it off three times; no matter how carefully I measured, I’d somehow stitch it on crookedly. I couldn't understand why I was failing so badly until my phone rang and my dad told me they were actually going to proceed with the surgery—even though they had initially been dead-set against it and it felt like there was zero chance they'd change their minds. That's when it hit me: when you finally throw your hands up and give up, God only needs to point a finger to make things happen. Even when the end finally came a year later, nothing went the way I had imagined it would. It was hard, sure, but it wasn't nearly as devastating as the version I had built up in my head. That's the mercy of God you have to lean on. So, just let go for a moment. Breathe. Whatever happens, it will happen in the way it's meant to, and in a way you can ultimately handle. You have every right to hold onto hope for the best.
My mother is in the hospital right now dealing with liver cirrhosis, and things just took a devastating turn—she’s had abdominal bleeding and her condition is critical. To be blunt, the doctors aren't exactly giving her much of a fighting chance. It’s hitting me incredibly hard; I honestly don't know how to process this or even how to keep my head above water. I can barely function. I need some help here. Please. 😢
Get it together. Look, I know things aren't exactly being handled by the best people in the business right now, but they are doing everything within their power to keep this thing afloat. You need to have some faith. Don't go making your own life harder than it already is—just deal with the situation as it unfolds. There will be plenty of time for tears if things hit the fan, God forbid. For now, what's happened has happened, and we just have to handle it however we can. 🙂
Look, you’re exactly where you are right now, and wallowing isn't going to get you anywhere. If things get tough, you'll just have to deal with it. I know plenty of women who faced equally devastating diagnoses and still managed to become mothers later on. Regarding what Smith said, he should have actually run the tests instead of just making assumptions. Not fitting perfectly into a statistical model isn't a valid excuse, and he clearly knows that, which is why you're getting such a hard time now. Hang in there and try to stay patient and keep the faith. You know, life rarely hands us exactly what we want right when we want it. Sometimes, things just take time. Use this period to prepare yourself mentally for motherhood.
Look, I don't have firsthand experience dealing with this specific type of tumor, but I definitely know what it's like working with that doctor. Your main issue right now is just too many different doctors giving you conflicting opinions. Honestly? I think Petrov really messed things up for you. You need to be firm and assertive when you're talking to your medical team—don't let them dodge your questions. Demand clear, decisive answers. When it comes down to fertility and getting pregnant, I can't recommend Dr. Bauman at Mayo Clinic enough. Whatever he tells you or suggests, you can take to the bank. Personally, I wouldn't touch hormone treatments or even dream about trying to conceive until you are 100% certain the illness is under control. Once a pregnancy starts, if God forbid the disease flares up, things get incredibly difficult, incredibly fast. For most women, pregnancy isn't some magical, fairy-tale experience like people like to pretend it is. You need to be physically healthy and mentally steady—just totally relaxed.
Once the pathology report on the removed tissue comes back, she'll finally have a clear roadmap for what happens next. My guess is that her current diagnosis is just based on the initial needle biopsy, which can often be a different story once they actually get a look at the physical tissue under a microscope. You definitely have every right to expect some real answers.
bluemason3 said:If I’m reading this right, Zele is talking about the prostate? 🤔
But honestly, that's just hearsay at this point—it goes from my aunt to her sister, then the sister tells the doctor—so who knows how much the story has been twisted along the way? 🤔
If we’re strictly talking about the prostate, I truly don't get why everyone is making such a massive scene over it. My late uncle lived with prostate issues for over 20 years; Dr. Trask at Vineyard Hospital would just perform surgery to clear everything out whenever things flared up, and he’d take some chemotherapy drugs. He lived to be 94 and eventually passed away from old age. I fail to see how managing this could have been any simpler twenty years ago than it is today.
Honestly, I don't think it's anything serious; it sounds more like a mix of dehydration and pre-period bloating. Stop stressing out and quit Googling everything!
Maria Rogers5 said:I’m new to this Forum, though unfortunately not because I’m fighting this myself... my father passed away three years ago from colon cancer that had already metastasized... after about two years of fighting, he was gone. And now... my mom found out two years ago she had a tumor in her colon too. It was operated on "in time," and back then, she didn't get any chemo after the surgery. Now, just in time for Christmas, she discovered metastases in her liver. They might be operable if it hasn't spread elsewhere, so she’s been sent for a PET-CT scan. We’re all losing our minds waiting for the results... Mom is 54, and Dad passed at 51. ;(😢
I am so incredibly sorry. 😢 Unfortunately, it only takes one single lingering malignant cell to trigger a metastasis somewhere else. What is certain is that Mom will definitely be undergoing chemotherapy this time around. Hang in there; you need to stay brave, positive, and determined for her. You’ll have to tackle things one step at a time as they unfold—try not to let the drama overwhelm you. Given her diagnosis, this kind of situation is something that could have been expected; it happens. I truly hope you can rise above these facts and fight bravely without letting fear take over. a. Edit: I don't know how old you are, but you really need to watch your own colon health because you're at risk. You likely inherited those genes, along with the dietary habits and lifestyle of your parents. Talk to your doctor about it and ask about regular occult blood testing, which you'll probably need to do periodically, and expect a colonoscopy, most likely around age forty.
Listen, Lisa White54, I was actually sitting here thinking about you the other day... hang in there, okay? Don't let the fear take over, because honestly, fear is your biggest enemy right now. You’ve been through hell and back before, and you’ll get through this too—just take things one slow step at a time. This was a massive procedure and what he went through was incredibly traumatic; recovery isn't an overnight thing, it takes real time. Once he's ready, he'll probably head down to somewhere like Palm Springs to recuperate, and they’ll have him patched up and feeling like himself again, so don't worry. Everything he's feeling right now is just a standard part of recovering from a surgery of this scale. He’s going to be fine.
So, what kind of life lesson is this supposed to be? 😢
That initial diagnosis had absolutely nothing to do with glioblastoma. We’re looking at a completely different primary tumor here, one with an entirely different cellular structure. The doctors here followed the playbook to a T; the only real failure was that the pathologists couldn't accurately interpret the pathology report, which is the gold standard for setting a diagnosis and deciding on the right treatment. If I had one gripe with the medical team, it’s that they overlooked the radiology results—which didn't match the pathology at all—and actually suggested sending him to a center of excellence to get a second opinion. But look, regardless of whether they caught it sooner, this specific diagnosis doesn't change the reality of the disease's progression or the eventual outcome. 😢 I am truly sorry. My advice is to pour every ounce of your energy into his care and improving his quality of life as much as humanly possible. Regarding his appetite, that's directly tied to the steroid therapy he's getting to manage the edema. Keep a close eye on his blood sugar, because it’s very likely to spike as a side effect of those steroids. Hang in there and don't try to look further ahead than tomorrow. That is honestly the best advice I can give you.
Kate Brooks2 said:He isn't doing chemo or radiation anymore; he’s strictly on palliative care now. He follows his doctor's specific prescription for this medication like this: First five days: 4x4 tablets Next five days: 4x2 Then another five days: 2x2 After that, he stops taking it entirely. He gets these intense pains after taking this drug, so I'm trying to figure out what's causing it. Regarding pain management, he first tried Zaracet, which didn't help at all. After spending two days at the Mayo Clinic, they put him on Naproxen and OxyContin drops, but even those aren't providing much relief. When we talk to the doctor, he just insists that the meds have to work, but the pain persists and he can't sleep. He spends 98% of his time just lying there because of the pain.
I have to admit, I've never heard of a Dexamethasone regimen being administered this way, nor why he was on it for such a short window. He really should be using Fentanyl Patches, potentially combined with something else as needed. Since the doctor seems completely unwilling to cooperate, you need to go to the ER and demand to see an anesthesiologist. They are the ones who can actually balance and titrate his pain medication doses and explain how to increase them when the pain spikes.
Kate Brooks2 said:He’s taking Dexamethasone for a five-day stretch. Thanks so much for answering our questions and giving us strength. <3
That’s likely being used as supportive therapy alongside chemo to help manage side effects. I was actually referring to a consistent, daily dose that would need to be prescribed by a doctor.
Kate Brooks2 said:We’ve reached the point where Dad is strictly on pain management. He’s mostly bedridden at home. When he’s lying down, the pills keep the pain under control, but the second he tries to sit up or walk, he feels this crushing pressure in his chest area and can't last more than a few minutes. I honestly don't know what we're supposed to do 😢 He tries his best to put on a brave face for us, but we all know how much strength that takes. His appetite is fine, but it's limited because he barely moves. The doctors have been a total disaster—they won't give us any straight answers. He was even hospitalized for two days, yet they didn't run a single meaningful test; they just gave him stuff we could have easily administered at home. We feel completely helpless, just like most of you in this brutal fight. No matter how much we braced ourselves for this, our strength is fading because watching him like this without being able to fix anything is gut-wrenching.
You need to find out if that tumor mass causing the pressure can be surgically removed—even partially—or if there's a course of palliative radiation that could shrink it down. Demand clear, decisive answers to those specific questions from the medical team! Is he on Medrol or Dexamethasone? Those are corticosteroids that should help reduce the edema caused by the tumor growth. You need to press the doctor about that too.
You should probably try posting this over on Psychosoft or Psychology. There are already a few threads floating around about open topics like this. Good luck
brightnomad11 said:I have been wrestling with this particular issue for perhaps a year or two now. Lately, I’ve noticed several extremely prominent gray hairs appearing on my head. Even after visiting the barber for a close trim—where I have the sides buzzed down to just 3mm—they seem to sprout back almost immediately.
None of this would be particularly unusual if I weren't only 19 years old. What exactly am I lacking biologically? I haven't been able to find any definitive answers through a simple web search, so I find myself compelled to turn to this community for guidance. Help! 😕
vividotter7 said:Once I felt this hit me, pure panic set in and I tossed my cigarettes immediately. At first, I figured I was just getting inside my own head, but then how else do you explain these random chest pains? Is it possible my body is just having a violent reaction to nicotine or something else entirely?
It’s entirely possible you're dealing with acid reflux, specifically GERD. The smoke, the tar, the nicotine, and all the other crap in a cigarette can trigger exactly that kind of reaction. The symptoms line up perfectly.
I’m 22 years old, and I know this probably sounds ridiculous, but I’m an incredibly cautious person when it comes to health issues. To be honest, I’ve been smoking a pack a day for about five months now. Before that, it was more sporadic—maybe a few cigarettes every two or three weeks. There were even stretches where I wouldn't touch a cigarette for a month or two, followed by another brief binge. Recently, I started feeling this pulsing sensation in my abdomen, which really spooked me. Today, I went down a rabbit hole reading up on early lung cancer symptoms, and I realized I’m experiencing chest pain, occasional stomach aches, and I just started noticing some fatigue in my legs. I’m pretty sure it’s nothing, but I’m the type of person who needs absolute certainty to feel at peace. If it weren't for my family history, I wouldn't even be questioning this, but my grandfather did have throat cancer. So, is there any actual chance this could be lung cancer, or am I just overthinking things?
Look, you generally need a much longer period of poisoning yourself and self-destructing with cigarettes before you develop lung cancer, but if you keep up this current pace, you're looking at roughly a 25% chance of developing various illnesses, including cancer. At the end of the day, if you enjoy gambling with your life and you're making a conscious choice to take that risk, then keep smoking. Personally, if I were in your shoes, I would quit right now before the habit truly takes hold; five months is still a short enough window that you haven't fully spiraled into an addiction that's impossible to break.