Posts by Nicholas Doyle91

Anthony Carter5 said:I'm on the hunt for a top-tier ENT specialist to get a private second opinion.

Dr. Tomislav Baudoin

redharbor12 said:Can someone translate this for me?

In the lungs, specifically in the lower right lobe, there’s a nodular lesion measuring 13 mm that shows pathological FDG uptake, with an SUVmax of 3.8.

I really need a quick answer here—my husband just got his results back yesterday.

Man, I hate to be the one to say it, but based on how that’s worded, it sounds like they might be looking at something malignant (please correct me if I'm totally off base here)...

Brenda Johnson68, oh my gosh, I have some absolutely wonderful news for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so incredibly sorry about your pup; I know he was your entire world, truly, but honestly, you’ve gotta shake off this negativity right now, like, immediately...

Why on earth would you think your last summer was okay when you're feeling this way?

Personally, I just completely lost it emotionally once everything was over—once I finished my treatments and it felt like all those built-up brakes finally just snapped...

You might deal with some moderate discomfort from the radiation itself—think things like bladder irritation, gut issues, or that stinging sensation when you're finishing up in the bathroom at the end of treatment. But man, if they have to put in a double J stent to protect your urethra from the radiation, that's a whole different ballgame. That can get pretty intense because those little tubes end up scraping against an already irritated bladder, which is just plain rough.

Arthur Thomas5 said:Where else in New York City can I get my skin checked besides that spot in Beverly Hills?
Are there any high-quality private clinics that actually take Medicare?

Man, I tried one, but the waitlist for an appointment is absolutely brutal...

Hey Brenda Johnson68, how’s it going? What's the latest scoop on everything?

Brenda Johnson68, any news on whether they can do radiation on the breast and the metastasis at the same time?
If I’m thinking about this right, those two things could totally run parallel...

See, I dealt with gynecological cancer—had a 4 cm tumor on my cervix—and I've been going through treatment, which was basically a combo of chemo and radiation, what they call chemoradiation, after doctors finally stopped playing games and actually did their jobs.
Everything is looking good on paper so far, but man, I’m dealing with this delayed reaction from the radiation where my intestines are really taking a hit... I'm heading in for an MRI tomorrow, so we'll see what's actually going on under the hood.

Hey hey, right back at ya! I’m sending nothing but good vibes your way—hope you make it through the end of the year feeling absolutely amazing 👍!
And man, we are all just sitting on the edge of our seats waiting for updates, crossing our fingers that some great news heads our way soon...

Brenda Johnson68, I’m so glad you reached out, I was honestly starting to wonder how you were doing...

Honestly, I think everything you're feeling is totally normal. It’s like a total rollercoaster, right? There were times when I genuinely wondered if I'd even live to see my oldest kid start their first day of school—which is why I completely lost it and started sobbing on that first morning, it just hit me so hard 🙂 . This whole ordeal is basically one big emotional whirlpool of highs and lows; for a while, it felt like my brain just went into some kind of survival mode or "safe mode" where I wasn't even really present in my own life... so once I finally finished treatment and those brakes finally let go, I just absolutely fell apart
.
But seriously, I think you're handling this incredibly well and your mindset is spot on 👍 .

Regarding the metastasis, has anyone mentioned whether there's an option to radiate that away?
I mean, I'm not entirely sure how they handle bone mets
?

I’m really crossing my fingers that the treatment hits the mark and you can finally kick this thing to the curb... just give it everything you've got, okay?
And honestly, I totally get where you're coming from. I spent three agonizing weeks waiting between my diagnosis and surgery, and man, the mental toll was brutal—just knowing that "thing" was living inside me every single day... I was practically counting down the minutes until they could just get in there and cut it out.

Brenda Johnson68, I am sending every bit of good luck in the world your way... but listen, do not you dare give up, you have to fight this...
Don't let anyone, and I mean anyone, tell you that the road has ended. You've got to fight. Demand that aggressive treatment they promised you, swap out doctors if you have to, knock on every single door you can find, and throw everything you've got at this. Just don't quit!

analogbison0 said:Well, here we go again... we've finished all the pre-op prep. Honestly, every single test came back perfectly fine—CBC, liver panel, urine tests, cultures, EKG, everything is totally normal—except for that one thing that's really spooked me; her fibrinogen is at 6.2, and since the lower limit is around 3, it pretty much confirms we're looking at something malignant.
As for that hormone they mentioned earlier (I think they said estradiol), we didn't even bat an eye because Mom has been in menopause since she was 33 due to some past radiation and medical mishaps... so it makes total sense that her levels would be wonky regardless.
Based on everything, the assumption is that it's advanced ovarian cancer, but like everyone knows, you won't truly know how much of a mess things are until they actually open her up. They did say oncology treatment is definitely on the table afterward, assuming she can handle the surgery, since the tumor itself is absolutely massive. If there's any silver lining, it's that her liver enzymes are normal, which suggests the cancer hasn't completely taken over the liver yet, and it’s more likely we're dealing with early-stage metastasis.
I'll check back in after the surgery on the 18th once chemo starts...

analogbison0, how did the surgery go? What do the results look like? Has she started treatment yet?

I am so incredibly sorry for your loss, Scott Davis32... I'm sending you so much love right now.

analogbison0 said:So, did you have your surgery at your local hospital or what? Honestly, I’ve got this nagging feeling they might be playing games, like giving someone just enough breathing room to "rethink" things before sending them off to San Diego instead of Washington, D.C. It just smells fishy to me... I mean, look, one lady yesterday was scheduled for her procedure later this month. Now, I don't know the specifics of her diagnosis—and I really don't want to overstep because it could be a massive emergency—but still...

Look, I can't say for sure, but from where I'm sitting, it sounds like your mom's situation is pretty urgent...
Do you even know which surgeon is handling the case?
Petrov is my home hospital, but honestly, that shouldn't be the deciding factor here. They are basically the top-tier federal referral center for anything involving precancerous or malignant lesions in the pelvic region or cervix. Even if they weren't the big shots, it shouldn't matter where you live in the US...

I mean, last Friday I walked into the OBGYN clinic and got hit with a pathology report confirming cancer, and by Monday morning, I was already being processed through the oncology outpatient department...

analogbison0 said:They’re bringing her into the clinic on Friday, September 15th, and the surgery should happen by Monday. I honestly can't tell if they moved this along super fast or what!

In my case, I was already in surgery just a month after getting the diagnosis—and only ten days after I finally got all my scans together (the MRI, PET-CT, and everything else)... though, since I fall into that younger patient category when it comes to gynecological cancers, maybe they just gave me the green light a bit faster...
If you ask me, they could've even pushed her through a little sooner...

analogbison0 said:The board meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We actually got their opinion just yesterday; naturally, they're leaning toward surgery to shrink the tumor mass first, followed by oncological treatment. Basically, based on everything they've read, they're treating this like it's definitely a cancerous mass. When they asked if it was even possible for a tumor that size to be malignant, the answer was a pretty heavy "yes" if we're looking at liver metastases. Mom’s scheduled for an appointment at their gynecology clinic this Wednesday because that's just how the bureaucracy works—even though doing a standard physical exam is basically impossible given her condition. We're really hoping they'll admit her to Mayo Clinic right away, but honestly, who knows? We haven't been able to find anyone to help bridge the gap between these outpatient exams and getting her actually hospitalized for the surgery.

analogbison0, did Mom make it to her appointments today? What's the word?

analogbison0 said:Look, don't stress, okay? I actually called the Petrov Department of Oncology directly yesterday—straight to the doctor's office—and a really lovely doctor called me back. I was out for my morning run today with all of my mom's medical files in hand, heading over to oncology to get everything submitted before the board meeting. And now, naturally, we’re just sitting here waiting. It turns out the doctor who saw her most recently is unfortunately on vacation until next week.
I also heard back from the tumor clinic, and they said the paperwork will be ready for the board review on the 24th. So now we're stuck in that waiting game, which is honestly the absolute worst part.
And hey, I didn't have them test for estradiol, so thanks for the tip!

If we're talking surgical oncology, maybe it's Dr. Lovrić?
She is such an incredible doctor and just a wonderful human being; she actually acted as my surgeon, along with Dr. Vujić, when I had my procedure... I'm not totally sure what days the board meets, but I know for sure they happen on Mondays. Do you remember when they said we'd finally hear the board's opinion?

analogbison0 said:The discharge papers finally arrived... and yeah, let's just say it’s not exactly the good news we were praying for. Typical, right?

So, we’re looking at an abdominal tumor during pregnancy? Man, that is heavy stuff. It’s one of those situations where everything just hits you at once because you're trying to navigate the whole pregnancy journey while dealing with something potentially massive and scary right in your gut. It’s like trying to run a marathon while someone’s constantly stepping on your toes—you're already managing so much physically and emotionally, and then this complication drops out of nowhere. You’ve got to weigh the health of the mom against what's happening with the baby, and honestly, it can feel like walking a tightrope without a net. It’s a total whirlwind of doctors, scans, and just trying to stay level-headed through the chaos.
So, I just finished up radiation therapy for cervical squamous cell carcinoma—it was part of that 24th St. treatment plan.
So, I just finished up my radiation therapy sessions—specifically that VAIN III stage thirteen protocol—and man, what a ride.
St. post SC aa XXXIV
So, I’m looking at these results and it looks like we might be dealing with suspected metastatic hepatitis. It’s a lot to wrap your head around, honestly—kind of like when you think you just have a localized issue in one part of the engine, but then you realize the trouble is actually spreading through the whole system. It's heavy stuff, but we'll take it one step at a time.

So, looking at the results: there’s an external female genitalia lesion, and the vagina is fused from the distal third, though it's epithelialized. On top of that, the entire abdomen is distended—it's hard to the touch but doesn't seem to be causing pain, and it extends all the way up to the xiphoid process.
Ultrasound/TV looks like we've got a decent amount of cystic tissue showing up on the scan, mostly just because things are feeling pretty tender and the pelvic floor is a bit tight.
So, I just got my ultrasound results back for my abdomen, and man, it’s a lot to wrap my head around. Basically, the whole area is packed with these cystic structures—think of them like little fluid-filled pockets—that are filled with this thick, low-echo material. On top of that, there are these solid partitions or walls running through everything that are about 4 to 5 mm thick. It sounds pretty intense when you lay it out like that.
Here’s the breakdown from the radiologist: it's an MSCT scan of the abdomen and pelvis, using both a gastrografin bowel marking and IV contrast.
So, I just got the results back, and man, it’s a bit of a heavy read. We're looking at this solid-cystic expansive mass sitting right in the abdomen and lower pelvic area—ventrally, it measures roughly 22.8 x 14.5 x 24 cm. It’s big enough that it’s actually pushing all the surrounding abdominal organs out of their usual spots. It stretches upward toward the kidneys and reaches down toward the uterus and bladder. The solid part of the thing picks up the contrast during the scan, so the doctors are currently trying to rule out whether it might be an ovarian tumor. Definitely a lot to process.
So, looking at the scan, the liver itself looks pretty standard—normal size and smooth edges. But, there are two little spots sitting right in the 7th segment, measuring about 4 and 6 mm. They aren't sharp or jagged, just these slightly defined little things that look basically the same as the rest of the tissue on the initial scan. Once the contrast gets moving through, they don't soak it up quite as much as the surrounding area does. It’s kind of like seeing two tiny pebbles in a stream; they're there, but they don't really change the flow. At this stage, the docs are playing it safe and weighing a few possibilities—it could be some harmless hemangiomas, or we might need to rule out something more serious like metastases. We'll have to see what the next steps are.
The bladder looks totally fine—walls are nice and even, and there's nothing floating around inside.
The spleen looks totally normal—size is right on the money and the structure is nice and uniform.
The pancreas looks totally normal—size is spot on and there aren't any suspicious lesions or spots popping up anywhere.
So, I just got my scan results back, and it looks like my right adrenal gland is acting up—it’s enlarged and showing up as hypodense, measuring about 31x24 mm. It picks up the contrast pretty well, too, which makes me think we might be looking at a differential diagnosis of an adenoma.
So, I was looking over the scan results, and there’s a 9mm subcapsular calcification sitting right in the middle third of the left kidney. Honestly, it's one of those things where you're basically looking at a toss-up—it could be that, or we might be looking at a standard kidney stone. It's definitely a "wait and see" or "dig deeper" kind of situation to figure out which one it actually is.

So, I just got my radiology report back;
You know, there’s something about furniture asymmetry that just hits different. Most people try to play it safe by matching everything perfectly, like they’re decorating a sterile showroom at IKEA, but honestly? That's kind of boring. It’s like wearing a perfectly pressed suit to a backyard BBQ—it works, sure, but you lose all the soul. I’ve always felt that when you lean into that off-kilter, asymmetrical vibe, the room actually starts to breathe. It’s like how jazz doesn't follow a strict metronome beat; it’s those little unexpected shifts that make the music feel alive. If you throw a heavy, chunky armchair on one side of the room and balance it out with a sleek, minimalist floor lamp or a slim console table on the other, you create this visual tension that keeps your eyes moving. It stops the space from feeling static or "stuck." It gives the whole setup a bit of swagger, you know? It feels lived-in, intentional, and way more human than anything perfectly symmetrical could ever be.
The scan shows some slight cloudiness in the lower part of the right lung. Honestly, it looks like it might just be an overlap from the soft tissue in the breast area—kind of like looking through a smudge on a camera lens—but we can't totally rule out a tiny, early-stage infiltration just yet.

So that’s the bottom line right there—that CA 125 is sitting at 101.4.

Honestly, from what I can gather, even those guys don't have a clue what they're actually dealing with until they finally crack it open and take a look. 🙂

Things are looking pretty grim right now... Honestly, it was just like when my mom went through this; they didn't have a single clue what to tell her until they actually opened up the results, and man, if they hadn't, she would've been absolutely crushed by the news.
So, did you actually manage to track down a doctor to go over those results with?

Honestly, my mom went through the exact same thing with DG, except her tumor was actually operable, so she had to deal with radiation and chemo on top of everything else.

analogbison0 said:We've been digging through some connections, I won't get too deep into the weeds here... but man, it doesn't look good at all. From what I could gather—and this is just my amateur take—it looks pretty terrifying;

Suspected TM abdominis in ops metahepatis; solid cystic expansive mass measuring 22.8x14 cm and 5x24 cm.
Hypodense adenoma on the adrenal gland.
C 53.9 or unspecified malignant tumor of the uterine cervix.
There’s also mention of some shadow on the lungs and something in the breast. I don't have the full picture yet since I haven't seen the discharge papers, but I should know everything once they arrive later today.
Total horror movie!!!

I honestly don't even know how to find the right words to comfort you, but you guys are looking at a massive fight ahead... I went through a nightmare situation myself with my mom, where her stomach was constantly bloated and we were basically playing ping-pong with doctors because nobody could pin down what was actually happening (they initially thought it was just a gyn issue), and her CA 125 levels were just skyrocketing day after day... At Mercury, they were opening her up and closing her back up, it had spread throughout the entire abdomen and they couldn't even figure out the origin point until the autopsy finally showed where the primary cancer started...

It might not turn out that way for you, but you really need to brace yourselves for a rough road... did the discharge summary come in yet?

Look, if you’ve got all your paperwork ready, I’d say head straight toward the Petrov Department to see Dr. Vujić. He usually holds clinic on Mondays, but you can't just wander in—you definitely need an appointment first. Your best bet is to go up to the second floor at the department and just hang tight until he's available. I actually have the direct number for the unit if you need it; you can always call to check when he's on duty. This isn't just some random advice, either; I'm telling you from experience...
If anyone is looking for a surgeon for gynecological procedures, he’s absolutely the guy you want...

Sending nothing but strength and good vibes to you and your mom while you guys fight through this.