jadetinker42 said:Just dropping in to say another "match" ended today...😢😢😢
Osteosarcoma vs. Youth: 1-0😢
She was only 26 years old, man....😢
Life is just plain unfair. Sending my deepest condolences.
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Lisa White54 › Posts
Posts by Lisa White54
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Life is just plain unfair. Sending my deepest condolences.
placidheron24 said:Look, whether people are experts or just regular folks, we all deserve to know what's going on, which is exactly why I dropped those news links and that study in my last post.
Don't you dare come at me with that "you have no clue" crap.
The reason this whole thing will probably get nuked by mods is because of those forum rules you keep throwing in my face—plus, I get the feeling most people here just can't handle info that doesn't fit their narrative, even if it's right there in front of them.
Fine then, since you're so pressed, I'll go ahead and link another article for you. If anyone thinks reading this stuff is gonna blow their mind or cause a meltdown, just don't click it.
Just gotta ask: has anyone here actually dealt with a brutal cancer diagnosis? If you have, then I guess I shouldn't be surprised by how you're acting. If not, God forbid you ever have to deal with it. We're all just regular Americans on this board, desperately trying to find some way to win a fight that feels totally rigged against us. At the end of the day, everyone gets to make their own calls, so why is everyone suddenly sprinting to the doctor the second they feel a tiny hiccup?
I've already done the deep dive into all that info you're peddling. I've been fighting alongside my husband through his illness for four years now. And honestly? That stuff didn't give me any peace of mind; it just left me spinning in circles and feeling more lost than before.
Look, don't give me that face. Your mom is going to get through her treatments. There are going to be good days and bad ones, obviously, but that’s just how this disease works—you just learn to live with it. It's part of the deal now. She’s going to be there when your baby is born, she’s going to see you become a mother, and she’ll be over the moon. Just trust her doctor. If the doc said there aren't any metastases in the other lung, then there aren't. They handled the pleural effusion, right? Now she’s moving onto chemo and radiation, and that should knock it back. These non-small cell things move slow. Once you take them right in the gut, they need time to recover, and once they try to crawl back up, you gotta hit 'em hard again! My husband had Stage IV! And honestly? You wouldn't even know. Anyone looking at him would think he’s perfectly healthy. He stays active, just within his limits, you know? He goes fishing, drives the car, rides his motorcycle, does the gardening... keeps up with the cats. That's plenty. He just won't cook! Man, he could if he wanted to!
So, seriously, stop spiraling. If my husband can pull through this, your mom can too. She has every reason to keep fighting—she's got you and those future grandbabies waiting. She’s going to make it, I'm certain of it.
So, seriously, stop spiraling. If my husband can pull through this, your mom can too. She has every reason to keep fighting—she's got you and those future grandbabies waiting. She’s going to make it, I'm certain of it.
Angela Wright said:Look, Sinek, you're throwing around these studies like they're gospel, but a regular person can't actually wrap their head around what those researchers were even trying to do. You're missing the big picture because you don't have the background info to make sense of it all.
Science is always moving forward. People are constantly hunting for new methods that aren't so toxic or invasive while still being just as effective—if not better.
So, please, stop posting stuff that’s just going to mess with people's heads—especially patients who are already dealing with enough confusion. You aren't an oncologist, a biologist, or a chemist, so you really don't know what you're talking about here.☕
That's exactly why this forum has rules in the first place.😳
Honestly, I still don't get why you even bothered posting this.😕
Preach!
Susan Diaz91 said:Chest CT from Feb 10, 2009 (so this comes right before the biopsy post)
The scan was done with contrast, using the standard method covering from the top of the chest down to the upper kidneys.
The upper lobe of the right lung has completely collapsed. It’s a post-obstructive collapse. During the biopsy of the segmental bronchi for the upper lobe—which were totally blocked after an initial 16 mm obstruction—there's an irregularly shaped area about 40x30 mm within the collapsed tissue. This area shows lower vascularization compared to healthy lung tissue due to lower absorption coefficients.
In my opinion, this described area looks like an expansive process.
There's a massive amount of pleural effusion in the right chest. In the posterior costophrenic sinus, there's uneven thickening of the parietal pleura that looks suspicious for carcinoma. Along with the fluid, there's a narrow zone of compressive atelectasis.
In the left lung, and in the remaining parts of the right lung, there are numerous tiny nodular shadows that likely represent hematogenous metastases.
In the upper and middle mediastinum, specifically to the right and along the aortic arch and pulmonary thorax, several enlarged lymph nodes up to 20 mm are visible. This most likely indicates lymphatic spread of the malignancy.
There's a small osteolytic lesion in the right pedicle of the Th1 vertebra, which is likely secondary...
After this, they did her biopsy, then they put her on a breathing tube and drained the fluid and air from her lungs.
My husband has non-small cell lung cancer. But for him, it's just hitting the right lung, which collapsed, and his trachea is still clear enough to breathe through. He has a little pleural effusion, plus some air and gas trapped in there... and his pleura is thickened.
The pleural fluid sample came back okay, and the bronchoscopy results were fine too.
What I'm trying to say is, what you wrote here sounds a lot worse. Just don't lose hope. Has she started any treatment yet? Hang in there, I know how heavy this is for you. But miracles happen all the time.
Those non-small cell types grow slowly, which is some small comfort, at least for me.
Stay strong.
rowdyheron17 said:Hey everyone,
My Mom was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. It hasn't spread yet, and they're mentioning surgery... honestly, getting this news was just brutal, and it still feels heavy because we're so close to her... She's holding up okay for now, but everything is just so uncertain, and the doctors aren't giving us much to go on... She's staying at the Clinic in Jordanovac, which is a long haul for us, so we only get to see her once a week (she's already been in the hospital for over 3 weeks)... I'm constantly glued to my phone, researching how to help her, and I keep coming back to this forum... I've actually posted twice on this thread already and haven't gotten a single response....
This site is an amazing place for support, venting, and sharing bad experiences, unfortunately... I just scrolled through 197 pages in about two hours, and man, it’s full of sadness, uncertainty, death, giving up, and exhaustion—but most importantly, RECOVERY... So, I’m suggesting we start a specific thread dedicated to recovery stories from people who used exact therapies while fighting carcinogenic and deadly diseases... Please, if you or your loved ones, relatives, or friends have recovered, speak up... tell us what you used during the fight, whether it was modern medicine or an alternative path! Thanks
Look, we've all written a ton about what we used. Just scroll back a bit and you'll find it. And honestly, it's all about the individual approach—what worked for my husband might not work for anyone else. You’ve got to experiment a little to figure out what she’ll actually respond well to. Recovery is a long road, and it's definitely not easy. You really need to lift the patient's spirits and get them into a positive headspace. The whole family, friends, relatives... everyone counts. Moral support is huge! It isn't always easy to be the "strong one," and it's tough dealing with problem after problem hitting you all at once. But you have to stay persistent.
So yeah, persistence, optimism, having faith in tomorrow, changing up your lifestyle... Just look through the posts, there's plenty of experience to draw from.
We’ve replayed the whole movie a million times in our heads—from the second the diagnosis hit until right now. It’s just endless loops of "what if" and wondering if we made the right calls or totally messed up. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve told myself that if it were me, I wouldn't touch any of those intense treatments; I’d just beg for enough pain meds to get through the day, whatever it takes. There is so much noise spinning around in my brain, and honestly, it isn't stopping anytime soon. You find yourself spiraling into all sorts of thoughts. But here’s the thing, one thing is absolutely certain: if I were the one going through this, I KNOW I would dive headfirst into every possible therapy, chemo, radiation, you name it. We KNOW that without it, my husband wouldn't be here today. He’d be long gone. Because we KNOW there isn't some magic alternative out there, and if a treatment can buy even one more single day of life, you take it. You grab it.
Look, these treatments aren't some harmless walk in the park. They wreck you. They do damage, good and bad, we all know that. But at the end of the day, it’s the only shot we have. It's the only hope left.
Look, these treatments aren't some harmless walk in the park. They wreck you. They do damage, good and bad, we all know that. But at the end of the day, it’s the only shot we have. It's the only hope left.
darkmaker70 said:Thanks a ton for the reply. That website you mentioned is actually great—super helpful and easy to navigate.
So, if I'm getting this right, you can only get a PET CT done at the Medikol facility over on Vinogradski Street.
And if an oncologist signs off on it, Medicare covers it, so it ends up being free for the patient?
My big worry is that our oncologist isn't even going to give us a referral. Honestly, the guy barely says two words when we're in the room, no matter how much I try to squeeze information out of him... is there a way to just go without a referral, and if so, what’s the damage?
Also, you brought up Avastin, but nobody has ever even mentioned that drug to my mom...
Look, if you manage to snag that referral, and you've got a waiver or some decent supplemental health insurance, you won't have to pay a dime for the PET CT.
We’ve been using Durogestic patches for the pain. He started out on the 25mg ones, but we had to bump him up to 50mg recently. On top of that, he’s popping Tramal capsules. We swap the Durogestic patch every third day. He’s also got a whole arsenal—Voltaren gel, Neofen Forte, Voltaren pills, you name it... just whatever works depending on how bad the pain hits. I try my best to hold off on increasing the Durogestic dose for as long as I possibly can.
He doesn't fight the doctors when they say he needs tests; he knows they're necessary. The bronchoscopy is the one he's dreading, though. It’s the most invasive and uncomfortable one, so he’s pretty anxious about it.
As for colonoscopies, I actually had to go in for one a few years back because of some issues I was having. I went to Dr. Bates Clinic in Washington, D.C.—it was a private thing, so I paid $400 at the time. They did the whole procedure under general anesthesia, so it was totally painless. Honestly, I can't recommend them enough!
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that your dad pulls through everything.
He doesn't fight the doctors when they say he needs tests; he knows they're necessary. The bronchoscopy is the one he's dreading, though. It’s the most invasive and uncomfortable one, so he’s pretty anxious about it.
As for colonoscopies, I actually had to go in for one a few years back because of some issues I was having. I went to Dr. Bates Clinic in Washington, D.C.—it was a private thing, so I paid $400 at the time. They did the whole procedure under general anesthesia, so it was totally painless. Honestly, I can't recommend them enough!
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that your dad pulls through everything.
Susan Diaz91 said:Since I’m already six months pregnant and moving around is getting harder, my plan is kind of...
- wait for the cytology results (the bronchoscopy didn't show exactly what kind of carcinoma it is because it was peripheral and they couldn't get a good look) and then take both the cytology and bronchoscopy results to an oncologist to see what they suggest..
I'm just totally lost right now... I live in Washington, D.C., and my mom is all alone in San Francisco...
1. Should she do the first round of chemo in San Francisco and then move here to D.C., or should we just move her to D.C. immediately??
2. How long is the wait for chemo??? Are there lists or some kind of queue?
3. Will the hospitals here in Washington, D.C. accept the test results from San Francisco? (because I’ve had bad experiences, like how Petrov won't accept anything from Vinogradska)
4. Is it possible to stay in the hospital and receive chemo... because I really don't know what will happen, since I'll be about 8 or 9 months pregnant by then, and my mom would be coming back from chemo.
Please, if anyone has any advice or suggestions....
- do you know of any nursing homes or assisted living facilities... where I could put my mom after chemo until I give birth, and then once she recovers a bit, I can take her in with me?
Thanks
My husband did his chemo at Jordanovac. He’d spend the whole day there, so we expected to wait a while since we aren't from D.C., and then we’d drive him home in the evening. Basically, you don't have to stay overnight in the hospital. He got chemo every 21 days. You don't need to be admitted unless the doctor thinks it's absolutely necessary. Usually, people just head home after the treatment. The big thing is getting blood work done within those next 21 days so she's cleared for the next round, because that stuff hits both the good and bad cells hard. Honestly, not a single doctor ever gave me instructions on what to use to boost immunity. I had to go digging and ask around myself. Make sure your mom uses fresh beet juice—I've mentioned this before. Just a glass of beet juice (you can grate it yourself or buy it at a pharmacy), mix in a spoonful of honey, and squeeze some lemon or orange into it. It tastes good and it's super healthy. Aloe vera, three times a day. Eat as much fresh fruit and veg as possible, cut out red meat, eat plenty of broccoli... There's tons of nutrition advice on this forum if you scroll through. Try whatever works for her. And most importantly, drink water. Lots of it. My husband drank about 1.5 liters, and he still does. I also recommend angelica tea to everyone, one cup a day. It's medicinal.
Almost everyone gets side effects after chemo, like nausea and vomiting. We used Zofran tablets—just one a day after chemo. You can easily pick them up at a pharmacy near Vinogradska. It helps a lot. Those symptoms usually last about seven days, and then you go in to check the blood counts.
My husband didn't have to wait in line for chemo; he got it right away.
I think the D.C. hospitals will honor results from other places, but they usually prefer to run their own tests just to play it safe.
I know this is all way too much to handle while you're pregnant, but try to help your mom as much as you can. She's the one going through the hardest part.
Megan Fowler78 said:My whole world just fell apart three weeks ago. My wife went in for a routine checkup because she thought it was just a common cold, and out of nowhere, they drop this bomb: Small Cell Lung Cancer.
I’m terrified. Honestly, I can't even wrap my head around the fact that this is actually happening... The doctor here told me there's maybe a 20% chance and perhaps 18 months. I haven't told my wife the real numbers yet—I actually lied and told her there's an 80% chance she'll be fine... I'm scared that if I tell her what the doctor really said, it'll just break her right at the start of treatment, even though she's a tough, steady person. Maybe lying isn't the move, but I'm just so freaking scared... What do I do now? How am I supposed to act like everything is okay? How do I look at the person I love and try to dream about a future?...
Look, I know exactly how you feel. You've gotta steel yourself and find some serious patience. And whatever you do, don't go repeating those specific doctor's predictions to your wife. Every body works differently, and every cancer is its own beast. There aren't any set rules.
But don't lie to her about being sick. At the end of the day, she's going to hear things from other patients in the hospital anyway. It's better if she actually knows what's going on and what she's up against. Just make sure she knows this isn't the end of the line. Be there for her and fight this thing as a team. She needs your support more than anything else right now. You've gotta give it everything you've got so she feels like she can lean on you.
So, we’ve started digging into everything to figure out what's actually going on. Fingers crossed my husband is just as healthy as they say he is. He’s heading to an ENT specialist today because the PET CT results suggested it, and then he’s got a urologist appointment next week. We’re just taking it one step at a time, trying to tackle whatever issues pop up through our primary care doctor. Honestly, thank God we finally got a new GP who actually gives a damn and wants to help us out. Regarding that bone scan, I wouldn't push for it right now—not until the X-ray results maybe call for a skeletal scintigraphy later down the line. Once we get through this round of testing, we'll see if a bone scan is even necessary based on what the specialists tell us.
Susan Ruiz76 said:Hey Rose, something just isn't adding up here, and I honestly can't put my finger on it. I’ve been keeping a close eye on what your husband is going through, and that swelling in his head during those bronchoscopies back in Smalltown, USA really caught my attention. Usually, when you see that kind of swelling, it means something is putting pressure on the veins in the neck. Did they actually explain why that happened in his discharge papers? And do you actually go into the exam room with him during follow-ups? Look, patients forget so much stuff—either they forget to ask the right questions or they just blank out on what the doctor even said. That’s why having someone there is huge, even though I know everyone loves playing the "I can handle this myself" card. They act all tough and say, "Why do I need you?" But honestly? Most of the time, our loved ones play that game just so we don't have to deal with the bad news.
Look, the reason I'm asking you this is pretty simple. If the radiologist puts down on that report that a scintigraphy is absolutely mandatory, then why on earth didn't anyone just speak up? Like, seriously, why not just look the doctor in the eye and go, "Hey Doc, what's the deal with this? What's your take on this finding, and can you write us a referral for the scintigraphy?" It’s not rocket science.
Look, it’s not too late for you yet. If that radiologist's report says you need a scintigraphy, then just have your GP write up the referral. From there, you just call up the nearest hospital and check when they can squeeze you in for the scan. We handled everything like that back in Indianapolis. Just give it a shot! It won't cost you anything, and honestly, getting it done will take a massive weight off your shoulders—because let's be real, the results are gonna come back fine anyway.🙂 Hey, what's up! Greeting!
Every single time we roll into the hospital, I make sure to sit down with the doctor first. I lay it all out—every little change, every weird symptom my husband’s been dealing with lately. I explain everything, ask questions, try to be helpful... and honestly? It’s always the same old story. "Oh, don't worry about that, it's nothing." Just dismissive. I’m right there by his side through the entire exam, too. I've never once walked away with a straight answer to anything. It’s like they think I’m just some idiot who doesn't know what she's talking about.
So, we’re back at the follow-up appointment. He finally tells us there’s no cancer, and that the only thing my husband is actually battling is PTSD. Honestly? Unbelievable. I mean, who wouldn't want that kind of news for once?
So, I got the discharge papers yesterday, and let me tell you, they say something completely different from what we were told. It doesn’t say my husband is in the clear, it doesn't mention the cancer is gone, and there isn't even a single word about his PTSD... nothing. On the PET CT scan, they didn't even address the primary illness—which I specifically pointed out to the doctor, by the way—but he just brushed me off like, "There are no lesions, there's nothing there." Instead, all they wrote about was some clusters on the vocal cords. The doctor swore up and down it was nothing. He gave me his word, so I believed him. But now? Now the discharge summary is recommending an ENT follow-up. Like, seriously? If it's "nothing," why the referral? Honestly, I don't even know what to think anymore. His sedimentation levels are high, there are white blood cells in his urine, and he can't even pee properly. I'm heading to the local clinic today to try and get some actual help.
At the end of the day, you just gotta trust yourself and your own damn horsepower.
I’m just totally lost when it comes to what’s going on with my husband’s health. Why is the doctor refusing to send him for a bone scan? He’s in constant pain, and I even brought in his X-rays for his bones and spine where they literally call for a bone scan right there on the report. So why the pushback?
And honestly, how am I even supposed to get him scheduled for a scan anyway? Do we need some kind of specialist referral first?
It also makes zero sense to me—if my husband is supposedly "so healthy," and the doctor keeps insisting the only thing wrong with him is PTSD, then why does he feel like garbage? It’s not just some mental thing; the pain is physical. It's real.
I mean, I don't even know what to think anymore. On paper, he’s perfectly fine, but in reality, he’s struggling. I’m just stuck and don't know what my next move should be.
And honestly, how am I even supposed to get him scheduled for a scan anyway? Do we need some kind of specialist referral first?
It also makes zero sense to me—if my husband is supposedly "so healthy," and the doctor keeps insisting the only thing wrong with him is PTSD, then why does he feel like garbage? It’s not just some mental thing; the pain is physical. It's real.
I mean, I don't even know what to think anymore. On paper, he’s perfectly fine, but in reality, he’s struggling. I’m just stuck and don't know what my next move should be.
Goleo;18962942 said:My mom lost her fight with melanoma yesterday... she just stopped breathing, went out like a match once it burns down...:QUOTE]
Man, I am so sorry. Sending you my deepest condolences.
Honestly, looking back at where our mental state was before, things are feeling way better now. The big thing is, the cancer is gone, and my husband is finally able to actually relax. My love for him, staying positive, and just having faith that a new day is coming—that’s what keeps us from sinking. We’ve been through the absolute ringer, so it’s finally time to celebrate. Tomorrow I’m baking a cake and putting together a huge feast for our little squad of four warriors: my husband, our son, our daughter, and me. It was a season of fighting for our lives, full of those brutal moments where you fall down just to find the strength to get back up... a time when it felt like it was just us against the world. But we won.
I truly hope everyone gets results like this. I want every single one of you to come out on top. You have to realize that you can do this—you are much stronger than any diagnosis. Keep fighting, people. Fight for tomorrow, and then wake up and fight for the day after that...
Love you all.
I truly hope everyone gets results like this. I want every single one of you to come out on top. You have to realize that you can do this—you are much stronger than any diagnosis. Keep fighting, people. Fight for tomorrow, and then wake up and fight for the day after that...
Love you all.
Hey, just wanted to pop in with some killer news. We were over in Jordan yesterday getting everything checked out. Did all the tests, and honestly? Everything looks solid. The doctor told us that based on all the scans, my husband doesn't have cancer anywhere... like, at all. It turns out he was just dealing with PTSD this whole time. Thank God. I seriously can't believe we finally killed that monster—it’s truly gone! I am beyond stoked.
Amy Hayes28, I am so incredibly sorry for your loss. No matter how much you tell yourself that death is just part of the deal, nothing actually prepares you for that kind of pain. It hits you regardless.
My husband is finally heading to Jordan this Wednesday. Honestly, I have no clue if they’re going to keep him overnight for more testing, or if they’ll just discharge us once the RTG and ECG are finished.
Things have taken a turn for the worse with him, though. He started coughing, which is freaking me out because he hasn't had a cough in three years. On top of that, his shoulders, arms, and even his femur are killing him..
We bumped his Durogestic up to 50, and he's taking Tramal too.. It’s just not good. He’s looking thin and he can't seem to get comfortable.. I'll see what the doctor says, but I'm bracing myself for them to brush it off again.. saying it's all just "in his head"..
My husband is finally heading to Jordan this Wednesday. Honestly, I have no clue if they’re going to keep him overnight for more testing, or if they’ll just discharge us once the RTG and ECG are finished.
Things have taken a turn for the worse with him, though. He started coughing, which is freaking me out because he hasn't had a cough in three years. On top of that, his shoulders, arms, and even his femur are killing him..
We bumped his Durogestic up to 50, and he's taking Tramal too.. It’s just not good. He’s looking thin and he can't seem to get comfortable.. I'll see what the doctor says, but I'm bracing myself for them to brush it off again.. saying it's all just "in his head"..
Dina, you were one of a kind. Man, I am so sorry..
slyjackal38 said:The same thing happened to my dog about two weeks ago.
So sorry for your loss.