Posts by Angela Nelson51

It is with a heavy heart that I am reaching out to let you all know that my dear friend passed away yesterday, on Friday the 13th, after an incredibly grueling battle with cancer. She endured so much pain and suffering during her final days. I honestly can't put into words the massive void she has left in my soul. I saw her just the other day, and she was so swollen from the fluid buildup; it was truly heartbreaking to see her in that state. My angel is gone now, and I'm at a total loss as to how I’ll navigate life without her. I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for your support—it truly meant the world to me. Heaven has gained a beautiful angel, while I'm left here mourning her. It will likely take me a lifetime to fully process this loss, but I find comfort in the hope that we will meet again one day. At least her struggle and her suffering are finally over, even if mine is only just beginning.

My heart goes out to everyone on this thread searching for help and support while battling some of the most devastating illnesses of our time... It hit home for me personally because a close friend of mine, who is supposed to be celebrating her 27th birthday in just a few days, is actually counting down her final moments. Seeing this makes it all too clear that disease doesn't care how old you are. It's absolutely devastating. I don't have the medical expertise to offer any real help, but please know that I truly empathize with all of you.

I wanted to jump back into this discussion. I’ve been posting about my friend’s cancer battle for about a month now. She’s been hospitalized for a week and a half. They were originally planning surgery to try and remove part of her bowel because she hasn't been able to go to the bathroom for six days and has completely stopped eating. However, after running some tests, the doctors decided she’s just too weak to undergo anything more invasive; they feel there's no point in putting her through further procedures. From what I understand, she’s mostly lucid, though she drifts in and out occasionally. The day before she was admitted, she called asking me to come over, but I was down with a high fever, so I told her I’d visit the next day. I didn't make it in time. She told me she doesn't want me at the hospital right now, watching her face Death. I’m struggling with this intense urge to be there, to say my goodbyes, but they say there's no hope left. Every three days, they have to drain fluid from her abdomen. I’m at a total loss. Her family is respecting her wishes, so they won't even tell me which ward she's in. I feel terrible that I wasn't by her side. I'm planning to head over to her mother's house now to see if there's any news.

I've finally wrapped my head around things. Honestly, I think the first thing that really hit me was the sheer shock; we all live with this theoretical idea that these things happen to "other people"—never to us, or to those closest to us. I had to pull myself together and decide to stay positive. No matter how much I feel like venting, I need to remain composed and steady for her. When I called her, I made sure to act normal, just like any other regular phone call, nothing different from how we spoke before she told me the news. I told her firmly that I’d be stopping by today; she seemed a bit surprised, which made me realize she probably expected a more dramatic reaction, maybe some crying or something similar. She didn't turn me away, though. I'm going to try to learn more about her condition today—to see if there is actually a way I can help—but mostly, I just want to listen to her. I won't let her give up or just surrender to this... thank you all for the support...

Thank you so much for your kind words of comfort. The real issue is that she refuses to reach out to anyone; her own family doesn't even know she's sick because she’s keeping it all hidden. She won't even step outside just to avoid being seen by someone... she's completely isolated. It breaks my heart every time I pass by her house, but I can't stop because she doesn't want me to. I just wish I could be there by her side, talking like we always used to, acting as if everything were perfectly fine... I want to make her feel alive again, rather than making her feel like a patient. She is such a wonderful person, always so full of positivity... and now... when I was dealing with my own tumor a few years ago, she was right there by my side. It kills me that she's pushing me away, especially since I know deep down she needs me. How can I possibly reach her?

I’m joining this discussion... unfortunately... first and foremost, my heart goes out to everyone here. I never imagined I’d find myself in this position. My absolute best friend—after a five-year relationship ended, she just shut down. She pulled away, stopped responding, and I figured she just needed some space to process everything. Between the breakup and the stress of finals hitting all at once, she lost 4 kg and her stomach started acting up. After about a year, she finally seemed to be getting back on her feet, but then suddenly, she started avoiding me. I haven't seen her in months, even though she lives right across the street from me. We've been inseparable since we were kids. But this doubt has been eating at me, so I dropped by her place unannounced, and what I saw is something I'll never forget. My wonderful friend, who was always so vibrant and fit, looks so frail now. She's thin, her eyes are sunken, she has deep dark circles, and she's wearing a headscarf. I found out she had a cyst removed from her ovary, but the pathology report came back positive for cancer. She's dealing with constant diarrhea. Her long hair is gone; it just fell out. She says she's undergoing chemotherapy, and she's so weak—she sleeps constantly and can barely eat. I can see her losing her will to live, and it breaks my heart into pieces... How can I help her? How can I make this easier? Please, I'm asking for any advice... Is there hope that she'll get better? I'm praying for a miracle... Thank you in advance....