Posts by Angela Wright

Man, just go fishing. I’m being dead serious with you. When you aren't creating anything from the soul, nothing hits harder than the weight of everything else. I know plenty of guys dealing with PTSD who swear by it—they'll tell you that sitting by a river, a lake, or out on the ocean is the one thing truly keeping them afloat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqAbjHKO5jM
p.s. life only has the meaning we decide to give it.

Sea salt scrubs mixed with oil and a heavy dose of hydrating body lotion. That’s my ritual—it’s the only way to get results, at least in my book.

Jose Miller3 said:Alright, I’m about to say something you probably won't want to hear, but please—just read it anyway.

We’re talking about an 83 or 84-year-old woman who is clearly incredibly sick. Why not make her final days a little easier? Instead of putting her through all these painful, invasive diagnostic tests, why not focus on getting her solid pain management—if she’s hurting—and just making sure this last chapter of her life is as comfortable and peaceful as possible?

Even if you managed to get an absolutely perfect diagnosis from Superman himself, what do you really think changes? Is your mother going to start some miracle treatment and be totally cured in six months? That doesn't feel like a realistic scenario at all... It seems much more likely that she’ll be battling this illness—whatever it turns out to be—until the end. Honestly, the most humane thing would be providing high-quality palliative care to help her manage the effects of the disease (and just plain old age).

Look, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I've been following this thread from the very beginning, so I figured—I might as well say what I think, even if I end up being crucified for it later. If I'm lucky enough to live to 83, I know for a fact I wouldn't want to be dragged through endless biopsies and stuff... I'd much rather just have my peace and someone to talk to. 🙂

Everything you said is true, but unfortunately, our healthcare system is buried in red tape. Without a concrete diagnosis, it is nearly impossible to access critical rights related to palliative care. For example, there is zero chance she’ll get approved for home oxygen without a malignant diagnosis; they even give you a hard time if it isn't primary lung cancer or COPD. That's why you need that specific diagnosis, as frustrating as it is, regardless of how old she is or what symptoms are expected at her age.

Look, just head straight to Mercy Hospital. If we're actually dealing with a sarcoma, you want the absolute top-tier specialists who handle that stuff—they're the best of the best. Once you get a diagnosis at Mercy, trying to transfer her over to the main specialists will be an uphill battle. It’s much easier to make that move now while things are still being figured out.

Chloe Gray5 said:Yesterday, Dad wasn't really present—it was like he was in some kind of semi-conscious haze. He didn't recognize us, though when Mom asked if he was in pain or feeling tired, he understood her. It’s just that he doesn't know who we are, even if he can answer questions occasionally. He's totally disoriented, just lying there with his eyes shut, restrained so he won't pull out all the IV lines and monitors...
I have no idea what caused this. Maybe it's just pure exhaustion since he hasn't eaten in months and is severely dehydrated?

A family friend who’s a retired doctor mentioned that nobody is willing to give a definitive diagnosis yet because it's anyone's guess. They suggested it could be the brain going into a sort of defensive mode, or perhaps a small stroke left a part of his brain without oxygen...
I am praying it isn't the latter. If it is, he'd be bedridden and semi-conscious for the rest of his life. What kind of existence is that? 😢.

Take it slow; this is a massive trauma to process, and anesthesia takes a heavy toll on the brain too. It literally shuts the system down, and then the person has to find their way back online. You'll just have to wait a few days to see how things trend.
My heart goes out to you. Seeing someone you love go through this is brutal... I've never quite grasped the sheer cruelty of that specific part of life.
Hang in there and be the rock for your mom. She needs you to stay strong by her side.

Carl Vaughn74 said:To be fair, I did take a somewhat hard hit. I was wearing my headgear, but my head was pounding all day long. I popped two Tylenols and went to bed early—boxing was at noon, and I turned in by 8:00 PM, even though I usually stay up until 1:00 or 2:00 AM. That was back on Tuesday.

Get to the ER right now!
If you took that hit on the right side, there's a very high chance that's what we're looking at. Tell them exactly what happened and mention that your lip is drooping on one side. They'll get you an MRI immediately.

Carl Vaughn74 said:The left side does seem a little looser, specifically at the corner of my lip... It’s actually pretty tough to tell if they're perfectly symmetrical when I smile. What am I looking at here?

Look, most likely you're dealing with some kind of brain swelling that's putting pressure on that side, causing a neurological glitch. That’s usually the culprit, but you have to figure out what caused the swelling in the first place. You need to get a CT scan or an MRI of your brain immediately; that's your best bet! Honestly, the smartest move is to head today to the ER neurology department. Tell them your lip is drooping and you aren't feeling right, and they'll run all the tests right away. Brain swelling can escalate incredibly fast, and things could turn south before you know it if you don't get it under control. Make sure you bring along the records from your doctor. Most places aren't doing routine MRIs today unless it's an emergency, so you might actually be able to get it done right now. Do not put this off!

I see you box. It's entirely possible you took a nasty hit that resulted in a traumatic brain injury.

Chloe Gray5 said:It’s hard to wrap my head around everything he’s been through this past month. When I saw him yesterday, things weren't looking great—gangrene had set in and the toxins hit his bloodstream. All he could say was, "I can't do this anymore." Even though the odds were slim, he actually pulled through the amputation. He’s in the ICU right now, and those toxins have him in critical condition, but we're holding onto hope. If he could survive a surgery that intense, he can get through this too. He's a fighter. I just pray he finds the strength to recover once he realizes his leg is gone.

As long as they get him stabilized, he'll be okay. The main thing is getting him to wake up from anesthesia. They'll pump him full of antibiotics; doctors deal with this kind of stuff every single day. Just try to stay positive.

Chloe Gray5 said:Just wanted to update everyone—we were told amputation is the only way forward. There’s only a 25% chance he makes it through because his heart is barely at 25% capacity and he's just too weak. They operated on him last night; Mom called around 9:30 PM while he was still in surgery, then tried again closer to 10:00, but nobody is picking up. We're just praying to God that he pulled through, that he made it into that 25%, and that the reason we haven't heard anything yet is simply because he's doing okay. 😢

😢 Hang in there, honey.

Carl Vaughn74 said:I had an appointment with my neurosurgeon today, and when I close my eyes and have her check the sensation on both sides of my face at once, there's a noticeable imbalance. It’s supposed to feel roughly 50:50, but for me, it feels more like 30:70—meaning the left side just feels significantly duller than the right.

She's sent me in for a brain MRI, so I'm curious: what could be causing this? She wasn't willing to speculate or offer any guesses, which I respect, but I'd love to know what the actual possibilities are...

It could range from anything from a minor stroke or some kind of lesion on the right side of the brain down to simple nerve inflammation.
Go look in the mirror and tell me if the left corner of your mouth looks like it's drooping a bit. Also, try smiling—do both sides move symmetrically, or does the left side seem more slack than the right?

Chloe Gray5 said:My mom just went to sign the consent forms for surgery; they’re doing a bypass, and I assume they’ll be placing stents too, otherwise there wouldn’t be much point in a bypass...
I really hope everything goes okay, I'm honestly terrified 😢.

Edit: The doctors are now saying my dad doesn't actually have an aneurysm. Back in Los Angeles, they told my mom he had lung cancer and an aneurysm, just basically guessing. Then the lung results came back and they said, "never mind, no cancer," but they hadn't even done the angiography before sending him home—how is that supposed to work?
His external iliac artery is completely blocked, so they're thinking about doing a bypass from the aorta to the femoral artery. I just hope he's strong enough to make it through the surgery and general anesthesia.

You want to know what I'll tell you? Here is the objective truth that gives me a massive amount of hope: they actually want to treat him! That carries significant weight. In my experience, American doctors are generally quite pragmatic; if they believe a patient is beyond help, they aren't going to waste time or resources on them. They wouldn't be stepping up if they didn't think there was a fighting chance.
Lean into divine providence—that guiding hand that led you away from a closed door and toward an open window. Light a candle at Stone Gate and say a prayer. That’s what always got me through when my own mother was sick.
I truly believe your dad is going to pull through. Hang in there!

Chloe Gray5 said:It was honestly a shock seeing my dad in the hospital today; they actually had him strapped to the bed. The doctors say he’s far too weak for the aneurysm surgery, which would be incredibly risky even though it would tackle both the aorta and his leg issues at once. Their plan is likely to just amputate the leg first and then hope he recovers enough to fix the aorta later. I’m completely lost on what the smarter move is—do we risk him dying on the operating table, or do we take the leg to give him a fighting chance at surviving the aortic surgery? He hasn't eaten anything in two months, he's getting weaker by the day, and he's clearly reached his limit. Plus, if they take his leg and he can't recover in time for the next surgery, he's going to spiral into a massive depression.
Personally, I might even lean toward amputation if it guarantees he survives the aortic procedure, but I have my doubts. My mom is the one making the call, and I feel terrible that the weight of this is on her shoulders. We're all struggling, but she's definitely carrying the heaviest load.

To me, this feels like a double-edged sword. An amputation isn't some minor little procedure. You really need to seek out more opinions.
Looking at it from the outside, cutting off a man's leg only to wait and see if he can even survive to get the other surgery done feels like stripping away his dignity—it's pure agony. He's already been through hell; please don't put him through that 😢. If I'm being objective, I'd rather take the gamble on the aneurysm surgery and leave the rest in God's hands. Mom needs to sit down with him and try to make this decision together. It's an impossible situation, but ultimately, I think Dad should have the final say in his own fate.
For procedures like this, Dr. Biočina in Dubravi is the absolute gold standard, by the way.

Jesse Ward45 said:My dad's stuck in the hospital right now. His bilirubin levels have spiked even higher, so I’m starting to doubt the shark oil is to blame. He's barely able to keep fluids down. The doctors are mentioning potential spots on his liver, and he's scheduled for an MRI very soon. If those spots are actually there, I’m terrified we’re looking at the end. Just about six weeks ago, an MRI showed absolutely nothing, and even five days ago, an ultrasound came back clear. Is it actually possible for things to spiral this fast in a single week, and is there anything left to do?

I find it hard to believe that a standard over-the-counter shark oil supplement could cause damage this severe. Honestly, I'm worried we're looking at liver metastases here. 😢Who can say for certain that the MRI and ultrasound results were interpreted correctly?

Chloe Gray5 said:It was an absolute disaster. My father spent a full month stuck in that hospital without them running a single meaningful test. When he finally asked for pain medication, all the nurse brought him was Tylenol. It’s disgraceful. And honestly, we only got any decent treatment because we had a "connection" there.
The only silver lining is that we're heading to Washington, D.C. to actually get things done and figure out a plan, even though he wasted so much precious time already.

When I see situations like this, it makes me feel ashamed of my future profession.

Make sure you ask if a lumbar puncture is an option right now—don't skip that question!

Honestly, nothing has changed at Washington, D.C. hospitals in the last 25 years. My late grandmother had an identical story; she was supposed to undergo bypass surgery, but it failed miserably. Instead of fixing her, they basically butchered her leg—honestly, they’d have more luck sewing up a pig than what they did to her. When she complained about the pain, they just told her to stop being dramatic because they were planning on amputating her legs in a few weeks anyway. So, she pulled some political strings and managed to get into the VIP ward at the old military hospital. She got treated there, and let me tell you, that therapy literally brought her back from the dead.

slybison6 said:Thanks for all the advice, everyone. There’s some logic behind why you're tearing me down, but honestly, you should try being a bit more compassionate instead of just being blunt—especially if any of you plan on becoming doctors, because this isn't how you handle people. You don't know where I live, how far out in the sticks I am, or how I even manage to get to a clinic... if I didn't have my insurance card on me, they wouldn't even talk to me in the US healthcare system. At this point, it feels like my only option is to handle everything myself and just ride my horse out there. Can the moderators please just delete this thread if possible? Reading these comments from certain individuals is honestly doing more harm to my health than the actual illness. Bye.

I'm sorry if what I wrote hurt your feelings, though I'm not quite sure which part hit a nerve. I was just giving you my honest opinion and explaining my reasoning... frankly, I don't think it's fair to pin your inability to process facts on me. I don't get it—why come to a forum for info and advice if you can't handle the answers? I feel bad for you, truly, but that really isn't my burden to carry.
And since I work with cancer patients who are significantly sicker than you are, and whose struggles with navigating the US medical system are exponentially greater than yours, I find your attitude pretty offensive. Especially considering both myself and vividsailor7 reached out with nothing but good intentions. Also, what does your zip code have to do with the reality of the situation? If you aren't capable of processing the information shared here and it's causing you this much distress, then maybe don't come looking for advice in this manner. You clearly want to follow your own intuition regardless, so I can only conclude what someone much sharper than me realized almost immediately:

Robin Gray8 said:[/B]

what the author is trying to say🤷

and🤷
This whole thing turned out to be a complete waste of time.
Best,

Linda Baker51 said:H

In all these years, nobody ever suggested to my mom, "Hey, let’s run some blood work and see where you stand with your vitamins and minerals." Not during her treatments, not after surgery, not even once following her rounds of chemo and radiation. Not a single word about flushing toxins out of her system or even helping her manage her weight. I have nothing against our doctors—they do their jobs—but I honestly feel there's a massive gap when it comes to providing a truly holistic approach to a patient. You can really tell the difference when you deal with a doctor who spent part of their career working overseas. You can sense that different level of approachability and genuine care for the person. They actually make time to talk through everything, even things as simple as nutrition.

And honestly, that was actually a flaw with her primary care physician, even though I know plenty of wonderful and caring family doctors out there. It makes me wonder—if doctors were compensated and treated by the system (and let's be real, by certain patients) the same way those professionals "overseas" are, maybe they'd be more motivated. That shift would almost certainly trickle down to the quality of care we receive.

Linda Baker51 said:Could you please explain what you mean by that?

Like I said before, it essentially dampens the effectiveness of the chemo. It ends up binding to those nasty free radicals produced by the drugs—the very things meant to go out and kill off the malignant cells. On top of that, there's a huge unknown factor regarding potential contraindications or dangerous chemical reactions that might occur when those components collide with the chemotherapy agents. Honestly, looking at the three specific items you mentioned, they seem like they wouldn't be a massive deal since we're talking about basic food products, if I'm being perfectly blunt.

slybison6 said:I’m sticking to the dosage, I just missed the first pill. Everything else looks fine on my labs, except they noted quite a few bacteria in my urine. The doctor at the ER mentioned my primary physician might tell me to get a urine culture or maybe not—it really depends on how they interpret things... since that's how the results look, they could go either way. Honestly, our healthcare system is a total disaster; if you don't fight for yourself, nobody's going to step up and help. And I don't even live in America.

Let's be real: you didn't "fight" for anything here, so don't try to blame the failures of the medical system to cover up your own mistake. It’s not like the healthcare system here is some flawless utopia, but someone smart eventually realized we can't just hand out antibiotics like candy without risking the rise of superbugs.☕
By the way, you aren't actually following the dose since you skipped that first tablet. Now, all you can do is hope you acted like a blind chicken stumbling onto a grain of corn and accidentally hit the right therapeutic level so this actually works.
Good luck!

redwolf4 said:Hi everyone, I’m reaching out here because I really need some guidance.
My dad just had surgery for Stage 3 colon cancer. They removed a section of his bowel, and according to both the scans and his bloodwork, there aren't any visible metastases. However, as a preventative measure, the doctors have prescribed him chemotherapy in pill form, which starts next week. (Since we don't live in the same city, I unfortunately don't know the specific name of the medication.)
I have a couple of questions:
1. He was given certain pills that he needs to take before his chemo tablets, and others for after (if I understood correctly). He also needs to eat something before taking the chemo pills, but we aren't sure what would be best. Does anyone have advice on what kind of diet he should follow while on this medication?
2. For the last two months, he’s been taking Taheebo tea, black seed oil (which he absolutely hates!), and aloe vera. Should he stop taking all of these while he's undergoing his chemo cycles?

I'd really appreciate some answers. The doctors haven't given us much direction, and he starts his treatment in just two days... thanks!

Did they actually tell you he needs to eat something beforehand, or are you just assuming? My mom had to take her treatment on an empty stomach when she was on Termodal.
Generally speaking, while undergoing treatment, you want to stick to light, easy-to-digest foods: think grains, vegetables, white meat, or fish.

Regarding the tea, oil, and aloe—some doctors argue that you should avoid antioxidants during chemo because they can interfere with how well the drugs work. Personally, I don't think what he’s taking will cause a massive issue, but it might be wise to space it out so he takes those supplements about six hours after his actual medication.

Moving forward, if you want answers, ask the doctor directly. Don't expect them to volunteer dietary advice unless you specifically prompt them. Doctors usually assume that if you aren't asking questions, everything is perfectly clear, so they won't waste time explaining things you haven't asked about.