Posts by Jacob Williams7

For the last month, I’ve been absolutely craving salt. Like, everything I eat needs an extra shake of seasoning, even if my family keeps telling me I'm turning my food into a salt lick. In the last six months, I’ve dropped from 210 lbs down to 148, and the goal is to shave off another 20. Anyone else deal with crazy salt cravings when they're losing weight this fast?

Unfortunately, my dad is dealing with cancer again, this time in his thyroid 😢
Can anyone help me make sense of these biopsy results? I'm trying to figure out what the odds are and how far this has progressed:
Biopsy of a slightly hypervascular node (about 16 mm in diameter) located in the lower pole of the right thyroid lobe (I-II).
Peripheral blood from I-II shows numerous mostly single cells, along with scattered small acinar clusters of mild to moderate pleomorphic oxyphilic cells, some showing binucleation and nuclei mostly positioned at the periphery.
Impression: non-specific neoplasm (differential diagnosis includes Hurtle cell neoplasm and medullary neoplasm).
It's recommended to check serum calcitonin levels followed by PH verification.
If there are any doctors in here, I’d be super grateful for some insight... we're all pretty worried about him...

My PC decided to quit on me a couple of days ago and just won't boot up. Honestly, I haven't a clue what went wrong. So, I'm checking to see if anyone here actually knows their way around hardware (or knows a pro who does) and can handle this FAST. Like, ASAP—I really need to get back online immediately. Please don't try to DM me since I'm totally cut off from the web right now (writing this from a computer lab at the local community college because my phone's data is acting up), so just give me a call at 555-012-4489 instead.
Thanks in advance 🙂

Alright, the results finally came in:
Diagnosis: Malignant melanoma (superficial spreading type) T1aNxMx
The biopsy took a skin sample measuring 2x0.9x1 cm, featuring a slightly limited, unevenly pigmented lesion about 0.6 cm wide. Histologically, they found clusters and nests of atypical melanocytes sitting in the basal layers of the epidermis and the papillary dermis, but they haven't hit the reticular dermis yet. The melanocytes clearly show signs of what’s called pagetoid spread through several layers of the epidermis. No mitosis was found in the dermal part of the tumor. The maximum thickness of the tumor is 0.34 mm. There's no sign of lymphovascular invasion, microsatellitosis, or regression in the sections examined. At the base of the tumor, there are dense mononuclear infiltrates and pigmentophages, while the surface epidermis remains non-ulcerated. The tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are dense. The tumor doesn't reach the excision margins marked by the tissue dye—it's 6 mm from the nearest lateral margin and 9 mm from the base. Based on histology and immunohistochemistry (HMB45, melan-A, LCA), this is a superficial spreading melanoma T1aNxMx, Clark II, Breslow
Is there any hope?

I can't speak to the chills, but if you're sneezing constantly without feeling under the weather, it’s probably just allergies. Especially this time of year when everything is blooming like crazy. Might be worth grabbing an allergy test just to be sure.

Angela Wright said:So, did Dad actually finish the biopsy and get the official word back, or is the doctor just playing the guessing game before moving forward?
Also, having two suspicious masses doesn't necessarily mean anything major. If they look sketchy, the best move is just to get them out ASAP—that way, we’re giving Dad the absolute best medical care possible.
If you catch melanoma before it spreads, a quick procedure usually does the trick. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that’s how it plays out for my dad, too. Just remember, until a pathologist runs a full PhD-level analysis on the tissue they remove, everything else is just guesswork and being extra cautious.
No need to get all worked up about it before it even happens.

By the way, just so we're clear—melanoma isn't exactly the same thing as cancer.
Basically, carcinomas come from mutated cells in an organ's lining, whereas melanoma starts in the skin's pigment cells—the melanocytes.
Look, even though we're talking about two different types of cancer here, they aren't the same thing. They behave totally differently as they progress, and the way doctors tackle them with treatment is worlds apart, too.
Check out this piece on how Nexavar might help manage multiple myeloma alongside melanoma. It’s an interesting look at how certain treatments, like Sorafenib from Bayer, are being studied for their potential impact on both conditions. It's definitely worth a read if you're following the latest research on how these therapies interact.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy J5 on Twitter

Had surgery this past Friday, and now we’re stuck waiting about twenty days for the pathology report. Honestly, I don't get why it takes this long. They can't even tell if it's metastasized yet. Plus, they aren't scheduled to operate on the one on my forehead until July. So, there's no way to know if we're dealing with an early stage or if things have already progressed. I'm just praying to God it hasn't...

Emily Martinez61 said:A few years back, my sister had surgery for melanoma on her leg. They caught it by total accident while it was still in that early, sleeping stage. Thank God, she’s doing great now. That wasn't even her only brush with cancer—she also dealt with cervical cancer and pulled through that just fine too. Every type of cancer is its own beast, and everyone has a shot at beating it, provided they go through with the surgeries, the treatments, and basically a total lifestyle overhaul—both what you put in your body and how you handle things spiritually. My sister stays on top of her diet, and on the spiritual side, she really leaned into her faith, which helped her mindset big time. She truly believes she's healed, and she lives like it.
So don't spiral. Just face it head-on, because winning is possible.

Thanks a lot. I've actually made a vow to go to Mass at least three times a week and pray for my dad—maybe even go on a pilgrimage—but he’s just not feeling it. He isn't much of a believer like I am. I know deep down that only God can truly heal any sickness. But honestly? I'm terrified this melanoma might have already spread, especially since there are two spots and the doctors are pushing for such an urgent surgery.

Got some heavy news today. My dad just got diagnosed with cancer 😢
It’s two melanomas—one on his forehead and one on his back. They’re scheduling surgery for the one on his forehead this Friday, and then the one on his back next week.
Does anyone here know what the survival odds look like for this? Is he looking at an inevitable end, or is there actually some hope left?

Looking for a woman—doesn't matter what you look like or how old you are—just for friendship or maybe something more. Since I'm based in Washington, D.C., it’d be cool if you were somewhere nearby too. I’ve got endless love to give; I can be all in and yours completely. Honestly, I've been single my whole life, and I think it's finally time to change that. I'm not really looking for an endless pen pal situation; I'd much rather actually meet up in person. I deal with some mental and physical health stuff, but that doesn't stop me from loving someone. I can hold my own in social settings just fine. Please, reach out...