Posts by shadownomad43

rustyfox2 said:Does anyone have a recommendation for a private pulmonologist in Washington, D.C.?

thanks

Mayo Clinic
57 Main Street
Dr. Branko Sever

or perhaps

Johns Hopkins Hospital
Dr. Puretić Hrvoje
Dr. Žuljević Ervin

Personally, all three of them have left quite an impression on me.

Grace Richardson24 said:I’m not really in the mood for deep philosophical debates, but reading your comments almost made me trip over my own feet.

So, in your first post, you claim that once the umbilical cord is cut, the clock starts ticking—and it just goes until it stops—but then in the next one, you mention waiting for your 12th surgery.

If that's the case, why not just live exactly how your God intended and turn those surgeries down?
Why let doctors cut into you or modify your body if you're against any kind of amputation?

In my book, removing an appendix or treating a stomach ulcer... that's a form of amputation, too. You aren't going into the ground exactly the way your mother brought you into this world because a piece of you is missing.

You're making some very contradictory statements—basically just playing devil's advocate whenever it suits you.
And it seems like anyone who disagrees with you (in any given moment) is automatically wrong.

I realize we're veering off-topic here—since the subject is organ donation—but when you start pushing ideas like "no amputations" or "no transfusions," it's only fair to explain why you personally undergo surgery while lecturing everyone else about an "expiration date."

Oh, and one more thing:
When a single user posts several times in a row like this, it starts to look like they're just having a conversation with themselves.😉

There is a fundamental distinction between surgical intervention and amputation.

Grace Richardson24 said:I’m not really in the mood for deep philosophical debates, but reading your comments almost made me trip over my own feet.

So, in your first post, you claim that once the umbilical cord is cut, the clock starts ticking—and it just goes until it stops—but then in the next one, you mention waiting for your 12th surgery.

If that's the case, why not just live exactly how your God intended and turn those surgeries down?
Why let doctors cut into you or modify your body if you're against any kind of amputation?

In my book, removing an appendix or treating a stomach ulcer... that's a form of amputation, too. You aren't going into the ground exactly the way your mother brought you into this world because a piece of you is missing.

You're making some very contradictory statements—basically just playing devil's advocate whenever it suits you.
And it seems like anyone who disagrees with you (in any given moment) is automatically wrong.

I realize we're veering off-topic here—since the subject is organ donation—but when you start pushing ideas like "no amputations" or "no transfusions," it's only fair to explain why you personally undergo surgery while lecturing everyone else about an "expiration date."

Oh, and one more thing:
When a single user posts several times in a row like this, it starts to look like they're just having a conversation with themselves.😉

An ulcer isn't "amputated"; it’s repaired. It’s a matter of patching a leak rather than losing a limb.

Grace Richardson24 said:I’m not really in the mood for deep philosophical debates, but reading your comments almost made me trip over my own feet.

So, in your first post, you claim that once the umbilical cord is cut, the clock starts ticking—and it just goes until it stops—but then in the next one, you mention waiting for your 12th surgery.

If that's the case, why not just live exactly how your God intended and turn those surgeries down?
Why let doctors cut into you or modify your body if you're against any kind of amputation?

In my book, removing an appendix or treating a stomach ulcer... that's a form of amputation, too. You aren't going into the ground exactly the way your mother brought you into this world because a piece of you is missing.

You're making some very contradictory statements—basically just playing devil's advocate whenever it suits you.
And it seems like anyone who disagrees with you (in any given moment) is automatically wrong.

I realize we're veering off-topic here—since the subject is organ donation—but when you start pushing ideas like "no amputations" or "no transfusions," it's only fair to explain why you personally undergo surgery while lecturing everyone else about an "expiration date."

Oh, and one more thing:
When a single user posts several times in a row like this, it starts to look like they're just having a conversation with themselves.😉

The procedures I undergo are corrective in nature. Nothing is being introduced into my system, nor is anything being permanently extracted. We really shouldn't conflate "correction" with transplantation or amputation.
And let's be clear: I am not lecturing anyone. Everyone is entitled to their own freedom of choice, myself included.
Truth be told, the more people zealously attack my decisions without a shred of respect—even while I remain perfectly respectful of theirs—the more unshakable my own convictions become.

Grace Richardson24 said:I’m not really in the mood for deep philosophical debates, but reading your comments almost made me trip over my own feet.

So, in your first post, you claim that once the umbilical cord is cut, the clock starts ticking—and it just goes until it stops—but then in the next one, you mention waiting for your 12th surgery.

If that's the case, why not just live exactly how your God intended and turn those surgeries down?
Why let doctors cut into you or modify your body if you're against any kind of amputation?

In my book, removing an appendix or treating a stomach ulcer... that's a form of amputation, too. You aren't going into the ground exactly the way your mother brought you into this world because a piece of you is missing.

You're making some very contradictory statements—basically just playing devil's advocate whenever it suits you.
And it seems like anyone who disagrees with you (in any given moment) is automatically wrong.

I realize we're veering off-topic here—since the subject is organ donation—but when you start pushing ideas like "no amputations" or "no transfusions," it's only fair to explain why you personally undergo surgery while lecturing everyone else about an "expiration date."

Oh, and one more thing:
When a single user posts several times in a row like this, it starts to look like they're just having a conversation with themselves.😉

Since you've taken notice of the consecutive posts, it’s a bit odd that you haven't realized they are sequential because they are quoted replies to various different people on the forum.

Good grief...
Not all of us are tech wizards capable of replying to everyone simultaneously within a single post...
Perhaps there is a better way to format this, but I suppose I'll have to figure it out.

nimblelynx63 said:Just so we're clear, that donor card doesn't actually carry any legal weight. It was basically just a marketing gimmick from back when they were trying to drum up awareness about organ donation.

In the US, organ donation is governed by the principle of presumed consent. This means you AREN'T officially a donor unless you’ve specifically filed that declaration with your primary care physician.
Before those grief counselors start talking—and honestly, it's because of people like them—doctors who identify potential donors and manage the pre-transplant process NEVER register anyone without sitting down with the family and getting their explicit consent.
So, sure, it's great that you signed the card, but it’s way more important to actually talk to your family and make sure they know exactly what your wishes are.
If anyone here thinks they "heard" or "know" of someone in America having their organs harvested without family permission, feel free to reach out—DM me if you want—and I will gladly help you report that to the proper authorities.

One question for shadownomad43 (respecting your religious and personal views here): during any of your 12 surgeries, or in the recovery periods afterward, did you ever receive blood or blood products? I ask because a transfusion is essentially a form of transplantation in the broader sense.
And thankfully, in the US, awareness regarding transplants has finally started to boost interest in the importance of voluntary blood donation.

NEVER. I have never received blood or any blood products, and I never will.
Because of this, I make it an absolute point before any potential surgery—specifically during my pre-op consultations with the anesthesiologist—to state clearly, and to document in a signed statement, that I am NOT a willing recipient of blood, blood products, or organs.

Benjamin Rivera4 said:My son received a liver from a young man who passed away around age 25. I find myself thinking about his parents all the time—how, in the absolute darkest moment of their lives, they chose to show such incredible humanity and ended up saving several lives in the process. It feels like a moral duty to me, a real obligation, to make sure I sign my own donor card too.

On another note, regarding pediatric transplants... there are people out there today living perfectly healthy, normal lives because they underwent liver transplants as children twenty years ago. We don't see many older recipients because, frankly, those procedures weren't even attempted much back then. But transplant medicine today? It’s nothing short of miraculous—the techniques and medications have come such a long way.

I’m not going to waste much breath on user "shadownomad43"... I'll just leave this here. ☕

shadownomad43 says:

If the One who created us had intended for us to have the ability to swap or donate organs, He probably would have thrown in some patented zippers along with everything else He gave us—or maybe He would have just given our organs the ability to regenerate so we wouldn't even need donations in the first place.

Maybe the One who created us actually wanted us to learn how to step up ourselves—as human beings—and figure out how to replace an organ when it starts to fail.

That is your perspective and your choice, and I respect it as such. Naturally, I wish nothing but the very best for you and your son.

melloworca6 said:So, for those of you who are against organ donation, do you actually have that in writing? You need to realize that under US law, if you haven't explicitly opted out, it’s basically assumed you consent. If you don't make a formal declaration, they can take your organs after you pass. 😁 On top of that, if there isn't an official statement on file saying you're not a donor, your next of kin can still make the call to donate your organs once you're gone.

Are you feeling a sense of doubt creeping in?

melloworca6 said:So, for those of you who are against organ donation, do you actually have that in writing? You need to realize that under US law, if you haven't explicitly opted out, it’s basically assumed you consent. If you don't make a formal declaration, they can take your organs after you pass. 😁 On top of that, if there isn't an official statement on file saying you're not a donor, your next of kin can still make the call to donate your organs once you're gone.

I’m telling you, anyone who would have the audacity to attempt such a thing after I’ve passed would find that sleep becomes a very restless thing indeed.

melloworca6 As stated by:
It’s worth remembering that if you haven't officially opted out of organ donation, your loved ones can still step in to make that decision on your behalf after you've passed away.

I didn't just stop at drafting a formal declaration; I made sure to ensure that anyone who might suddenly decide to act on such an idea after I'm gone would find themselves facing actual criminal charges.

It’s an interesting concept, isn't it? We often talk about vitality as if it were some finite resource we can simply tap into or exhaust, much like a battery draining in the cold. But in reality, it feels more like a shifting tide—something that ebbs and flows based on how we manage the quiet, underlying rhythms of our lives. It isn't just about the absence of being a sick person; it's about that specific, quiet momentum that carries you through a Tuesday afternoon when everything feels a bit heavy. We tend to chase these massive, cinematic bursts of energy, yet true vitality usually resides in the small, deliberate choices we make to maintain our equilibrium amidst the noise of everyday life. says:
The reality of the situation is that even if you go out of your way to state your opposition to organ donation, if you fail to officially register that refusal, your family might still give their consent. It’s a subtle trap because, under our current system, we are all essentially considered donors by default. Being an organ donor isn't just about carrying around a specific card; it's about the fact that even if you explicitly voice your dissent, the legal weight of your silence can override those personal convictions.

Fortunately, I’m lucky enough to have a family that actually respects my perspective and honors my boundaries. It’s never even crossed their minds to do anything that would go against my wishes.

It’s funny how we tend to view vitality as this sudden, explosive burst of energy—something akin to a lightning strike that just hits you out of nowhere. In reality, I’ve always found it more like the steady, quiet hum of a well-maintained engine on a cross-country drive through the Midwest. It isn't about the frantic sprint at the start of a race; it’s about that underlying capacity to sustain momentum without burning out before you even hit the state line. We spend so much time chasing these momentary peaks of excitement, yet true vigor seems to reside in the subtle, rhythmic consistency of our daily habits and the quiet resilience of our systems. The user says:
What strikes me as truly chilling is the thought of someone refusing to help their own child by donating an organ they desperately need, only to be told that the child can only receive one from a relative. It essentially means you would stand by and let them die simply because you wouldn't step up to provide what's necessary.

My children haven't really been "children" for quite some time now; they’ve transitioned into thinking for themselves. It’s an interesting development, honestly—they actually tend to share my perspective on things.

Nicholas Kelly said:When I finally kick the bucket, let them take whatever they can use. It’s not like I’m going to be needing any of it where I'm going.
I honestly don't get this whole obsession with being buried in one piece. What do I care what's left inside me? I won't have a use for it anyway.
Besides, my death will probably end up mattering to people more than my actual life ever did. And it would be an indescribable joy to know I saved a few lives—though, of course, I wouldn't be around to find out..😬

And you, shadownomad43, you're seriously talking such nonsense that I find it hard to believe people like you actually exist.🤷
A buddy of mine had both his legs crushed, and if one hadn't been amputated, he would've died from sepsis. What's he supposed to say? No thanks, I'd rather die than live without half a leg. Give me a break.
The way it is now, his quality of life will be just fine, because thank God we have whatever kind of prosthetics you want these days.

Not quite, dear; it isn't nonsense. It is simply my perspective, an opinion I hold by right, both before God and man.
As for those of you who hold the opposite view, I have neither intention of judging nor insulting you, because you are just as entitled to your own convictions as I am to mine.

Nicholas Kelly said:When I finally kick the bucket, let them take whatever they can use. It’s not like I’m going to be needing any of it where I'm going.
I honestly don't get this whole obsession with being buried in one piece. What do I care what's left inside me? I won't have a use for it anyway.
Besides, my death will probably end up mattering to people more than my actual life ever did. And it would be an indescribable joy to know I saved a few lives—though, of course, I wouldn't be around to find out..😬

And you, shadownomad43, you're seriously talking such nonsense that I find it hard to believe people like you actually exist.🤷
A buddy of mine had both his legs crushed, and if one hadn't been amputated, he would've died from sepsis. What's he supposed to say? No thanks, I'd rather die than live without half a leg. Give me a break.
The way it is now, his quality of life will be just fine, because thank God we have whatever kind of prosthetics you want these days.

My dear, I have an uncle who had both legs amputated at the hip about a year ago. His quality of life is quite a struggle, especially since prosthetics aren't even an option for him.

It is true that a living person can adapt to almost anything, but one should occasionally pause and ask themselves how much that adaptation truly costs.

melloworca6 As stated by:
John Baker, where exactly are you seeing a lack of respect for anyone's views here?

I wouldn't have even bothered weighing in on this topic if I hadn't come across that perspective—the idea that both donors and recipients are essentially acting out of self-interest, merely using artificial means to force a life to continue when it should be allowed to fade, leaving people to linger in a state of prolonged agony.

I wouldn't have even bothered weighing in on this discussion if that very first post hadn't gone out of its way to label anyone with a differing opinion as selfish.
I’d suggest scrolling back to the very beginning of the thread next time; my initial post here was actually just a direct response to that original piece.

melloworca6 As stated by:
It’s funny how people will undergo surgery just to ease their own physical burdens and reclaim some semblance of a decent quality of life, yet they turn around and cast judgment on everyone else who chooses a different path to achieve that very same goal.

That’s easy enough to say when you're someone who actually understands, firsthand, just how much life can sting.
And you shouldn't go inventing "judgments" either, considering I haven't made a single one in any of my posts.

melloworca6 As stated by:
You honestly haven't the slightest clue who is actually suffering here—who is currently cycling through hospital corridors, enduring genuine physical agony, or standing toe-to-toe with death itself. Since you have no idea who the person on the other side of this screen really is, leaning on that particular argument feels a bit hollow, don't you think?

Whether our arguments strike you as foolish or not is really beside the point; the difference between us is that we actually have them to stand on, whereas you seem to be operating on nothing at all.

melloworca6 said:I’ll let you in on a little secret. This is an online forum. You have zero clue who is actually sitting on the other side of the screen, what their life story is, or what kind of hell they’re dealing with every single day. 😉

Look, it's fine if you're getting surgery to manage your own pain. But apparently, it's "wrong" for someone battling leukemia to receive a bone marrow transplant to cure them and finally stop hurting? That's some top-tier logic right there. 🙏 It's the same deal with kidney failure—people suffer immensely, and a transplant can fix it. Does that not count? Or does the math only work when it's your pain on the line?

Well, you hit the nail right on the head there... BINGO!
Do you actually know...?

melloworca6 said:I’ll let you in on a little secret. This is an online forum. You have zero clue who is actually sitting on the other side of the screen, what their life story is, or what kind of hell they’re dealing with every single day. 😉

Look, it's fine if you're getting surgery to manage your own pain. But apparently, it's "wrong" for someone battling leukemia to receive a bone marrow transplant to cure them and finally stop hurting? That's some top-tier logic right there. 🙏 It's the same deal with kidney failure—people suffer immensely, and a transplant can fix it. Does that not count? Or does the math only work when it's your pain on the line?

Come on, please, just give me one single example. I’d love to hear about one specific person suffering from leukemia who, after receiving a bone marrow or stem cell transplant, was suddenly "cured" or found their pain completely "resolved."
Or perhaps it would be more insightful to consider those individuals who believe they have "conquered" their pain or finally found "healing" through a kidney transplant or some other organ replacement...
From what I've seen, the reality usually boils down to two scenarios: either the body treats the donated organ like a foreign invader and rejects it outright, or you get a temporary reprieve where the transplant actually takes hold for a year or two before the immune system eventually catches up, forcing the whole grueling cycle of transplantation to start all over again.
So, what exactly do you think happens there? Do you honestly believe people can just drift from one organ transplant to the next, "enjoying" life while being completely free of pain? Come on. You’re living in a total fantasy land.

Thomas Jackson9 said:Everyone has their own perspective, but thank God that so few people hold views quite like yours... Even the Catholic Church supports organ transplants, teaching that it is a sin to bury something that could save a life. It makes me wonder, though, how you managed to be a blood donor given all those diagnoses you mentioned??

Well, because of those specific health issues, I no longer qualify as a "suitable" blood donor, though I did manage to "gift" quite a few liters over the course of my life before they became an issue.

As for the Church acting as an "institution," that’s a whole other conversation entirely.
In my view, it doesn't really belong in this particular discussion.
That said, since you decided to bring up the "Church," it is curious that you didn't mention things like pedophilia or the Inquisition, among many other historical realities...

But, since you consider yourself such a devout believer, I would suggest you sit down and reflect—deeply, not just superficially—on what is actually written in the Gospels...

To get you started, here is one particularly striking passage:

(Gospel Luke 14:26-27)

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for my sake will save it."

melloworca6 said:Where on earth are you getting the idea that transplant recipients are living in some kind of constant agony? People live perfectly normal lives—they work, they have sex, they have kids, they hit the gym...

In what way is their quality of life any worse than yours? You’re out here saying you’ve got twelve more surgeries ahead of you. It seems pretty selfish to extend someone else's life with a donated organ, so how exactly is what you're doing not selfish?
I'm quoting you here: but actually, the selfish ones are those who try to "forcefully" and "artificially" extend that expiration date we were all assigned at birth, at any cost, including through organ transplants. So why undergo surgery? Why bother improving your quality of life or extending it at all?

Look, let's be clear: I'm totally fine with someone choosing not to donate organs or refusing to receive one. But this whole stance of yours feels a bit hypocritical. On one hand, you're calling others selfish for wanting to stay alive and feel better, yet on the other, you're doing the exact same thing just through a different method.

You’re speaking without any real foundation here, mostly because it seems you haven't the slightest clue what chronic illness actually entails. It’s likely you’ve never had to face a tragedy of that magnitude in your own life. You should be thanking God for that.

melloworca6 said:Where on earth are you getting the idea that transplant recipients are living in some kind of constant agony? People live perfectly normal lives—they work, they have sex, they have kids, they hit the gym...

In what way is their quality of life any worse than yours? You’re out here saying you’ve got twelve more surgeries ahead of you. It seems pretty selfish to extend someone else's life with a donated organ, so how exactly is what you're doing not selfish?
I'm quoting you here: but actually, the selfish ones are those who try to "forcefully" and "artificially" extend that expiration date we were all assigned at birth, at any cost, including through organ transplants. So why undergo surgery? Why bother improving your quality of life or extending it at all?

Look, let's be clear: I'm totally fine with someone choosing not to donate organs or refusing to receive one. But this whole stance of yours feels a bit hypocritical. On one hand, you're calling others selfish for wanting to stay alive and feel better, yet on the other, you're doing the exact same thing just through a different method.

Once again, you're comparing apples to oranges.
Managing physical pain is not the same thing as an organ transplant.

melloworca6 said:Where on earth are you getting the idea that transplant recipients are living in some kind of constant agony? People live perfectly normal lives—they work, they have sex, they have kids, they hit the gym...

In what way is their quality of life any worse than yours? You’re out here saying you’ve got twelve more surgeries ahead of you. It seems pretty selfish to extend someone else's life with a donated organ, so how exactly is what you're doing not selfish?
I'm quoting you here: but actually, the selfish ones are those who try to "forcefully" and "artificially" extend that expiration date we were all assigned at birth, at any cost, including through organ transplants. So why undergo surgery? Why bother improving your quality of life or extending it at all?

Look, let's be clear: I'm totally fine with someone choosing not to donate organs or refusing to receive one. But this whole stance of yours feels a bit hypocritical. On one hand, you're calling others selfish for wanting to stay alive and feel better, yet on the other, you're doing the exact same thing just through a different method.

It clearly hasn't clicked for you yet that for many people awaiting a transplant, there is no "quality of life" left to speak of.
I would suggest taking a walk through the nearest hospital, perhaps spending some time near the pediatric ward if you can manage it.
Maybe then the distinction between "selfishness" and "empathy" will finally become clear to you.

Patrick Young2 said:I haven't checked the boards in a while, so I'm completely out of the loop on how this conversation has evolved,
but I have a suggestion: let's pivot this thread—or rename it entirely—to focus specifically on donation acceptance and everyone's personal experiences with it.

Anything else is just noise and a waste of time.

I noticed this was structured as a poll-based thread, so I simply shared my thoughts and cast my vote. Now, I find myself popping back in just to address a couple of direct responses sent my way.

melloworca6 said:Would you really feel the same way if it were your child dying, and they could be saved by someone else's kidney, liver, or bone marrow?

You mentioned you're against implants and stuff like that. So what, you don't go to the dentist? No fillings? No crowns? That's basically just putting something artificial into your body to extend the lifespan of a tooth. It's the exact same thing.

You’re comparing apples to oranges here.

A child who is "dying" isn't going to save anyone's kidney or liver, nor does it guarantee them a long, high-quality life.
At most, it might marginally extend their time, but those "extra" days are often spent under constant medical supervision in a hospital setting, frequently tethered to a variety of machines.

So, let me flip the question back onto you:
Would you truly be at peace watching your own child barely "survive" their childhood while trapped in constant, agonizing pain?

Thomas Jackson9 said:Does that mean if you or someone close to you needed an organ, you would turn it down and choose death over receiving a transplant to stay alive??

Exactly. That is precisely the point.
The mere thought of someone else's heart beating inside my chest feels, quite frankly, revolting.

As a side note, I have a pretty extensive medical history—which translates to a significant amount of "hospital experience"—and I am actually facing my 12th surgery in a few days.
Fortunately, or perhaps by the will of God, I don't suffer from any actual organ failure; my issues tend to be more "mechanical" in nature.
However...
Since every surgical procedure (especially those involving general anesthesia) carries its own inherent risks, I took the time to draft a three-page summary of my medical history. I wanted to make things a bit easier for the doctors as they navigate the complexities of my anatomy.

In that document, I made it explicitly clear that I do NOT consent to any amputations, transplants, removals, or implants under any circumstances.
At the same time, I gave them the green light to resuscitate me if things go south, provided they exhaust all efforts while respecting the boundaries I established in the previous sentence.
Essentially, I am fine with being treated using modern medical technology, appropriate medications (assuming they exist), and the specialized knowledge gained through years of schooling. But when the time comes for me to pass away—which, like everyone else, will eventually happen—I want to go out whole. Exactly as I was born.
Whether I am 5, 15, 50, or 155 at the time doesn't matter to me one bit.

brighteagle26 said:After months of chasing ghosts trying to pin down why I have this stabbing pain in my ribs and right side of my back, it turns out I'm dealing with intercostal neuralgia. A full workup with specialists turned up absolutely nothing—even an MRI of my spine came back looking perfectly normal. It wasn't until a diagnostic block with lidocaine that we finally identified the culprits: the Th9, Th10, and Th11 nerves.
The pain used to hit me in the front, but now it has migrated entirely to my back, right at the source where those intercostal nerves originate. Honestly, I think there should be a dedicated forum thread for intercostal neuralgia and peripheral neuropathies. It feels like a relatively rare condition, yet I suspect there are others out there navigating this same maze. As for my own management, I’ve been relying on painkillers, lidocaine patches, and a TENS unit; I’ve even dabbled in magnet therapy—yes, I actually bought a device for it—and I'm currently weighing the option of acupuncture.

There is a more invasive route involving phenol blocks on those nerves, but my doctors turned that down due to the high risk of the solution migrating toward the spinal cord. I imagine there might be other aggressive interventions, like neurotomy, though I'm not particularly well-versed in those procedures.

This whole ordeal really eats away at your quality of life. In my case, the symptoms seem to flare up whenever the weather shifts. Physical activity is basically off the table; even just riding a stationary bike can trigger a setback.

Is anyone else going through this, and how are you managing? Is there anyone in the US besides Dr. Kvesić who specializes in treating this systematically?

Well, consider me officially part of the club... 😁
I completely feel for you.
As for me, my entire spine is essentially a disaster zone...
To put it bluntly...
On top of all that, I got hit by shingles about a year ago.
Your post actually reminded me so much of the specific agony that nasty virus left behind—that lingering chronic neuralgia... and so on and so forth.
For now, my primary strategy is the same as yours: staying in bed.
And no one believes me when I say that lying still is the only way to find any semblance of relief.
The pain is constant, but I try to manage it without heavy medication because I also deal with gastrointestinal issues, so I run from NSAIDs and other painkillers like they're the plague.
Right now, my biggest hurdle is a Th2-Th3 disc protrusion (on top of seven others along my spine and having already undergone two L5-S1 surgeries), because it has repeatedly irritated the nerves that control my heart and lungs...
It's hard to even describe the sensation—this pain that starts in my chest and radiates toward my jaw, over my shoulder, into my back, and down under my armpits...
It feels exactly like a heart attack.
By the way, I'm currently stuck waiting for an MRI appointment that was scheduled three months ago for April 3rd, 2017. 🙂
If I'm lucky, I'll actually make it to the appointment...
In the meantime, I'm watching these little bumps pop up constantly on my wrists, forearms, and feet... essentially neuromas accompanied by itching and paresthesia.
Then there's the tingling and pins-and-needles feeling all over my body, not to mention the nerve pain in my back that itches and aches to the point of madness...
So, yeah...
That's my situation.
It looks like there are more of us than I thought.

Here is my take on the matter...
To be perfectly clear, I am firmly opposed to any kind of explantation, implantation, transplantation, or amputation.
And before anyone accuses me of being selfish—which would be quite the contradiction, given that (believe it or not...) I am a regular blood donor.
Why limit myself to just blood?
Because blood is something the body can actually replenish.

If the Architect who designed us had seen fit to include a mechanism for replacing or donating organs, they probably would have built in some sort of biological "reset button" alongside all our other gifts; perhaps organs would simply regenerate, making the whole concept of donation obsolete.

Instead, we were left with the umbilical cord. It’s a bit poetic, really—we are essentially living on a timer that starts ticking the very moment that cord is cut at birth.

So, I don't see people who agree with me as being selfish. If anything, the true selfishness lies with those who try to bypass the natural order through transplants, desperately attempting to artificially extend a deadline that was clearly set long ago.

William Newman2 said:Then you better explain how that works, because I've tried and it’s just not happening. When I click multi-quote, nothing happens. When I finally hit quote, I only get your post. 🙂

Okay, I finally managed to get it to work, but only using the inline quote feature within a post... That bottom Wrap Quote option and the space right above the text editor are still being completely stubborn...

Just testing this out, since my usual methods aren't quite cutting it..

I’m currently wrestling with the deadline for filing annual financial reports for statistics, just like everyone else seems to be, but I’ve hit a massive brick wall. Every time I reach the SIGNING AND PROCESSING stage, the whole system just spins its wheels and tells me it can't access the certificates on my device, suggesting I check my Java console instead. I’ve poked around the settings—and believe me, I’m about as tech-savvy as a sundial—and everything looks perfectly fine on my end, yet nothing works. Looking back through previous threads, it seems like this is a universal headache because I went ahead and installed a fresh version of Java (I think it was version 8.77?) only to be met with the exact same failure. After a bit of a meltdown, I finally sent off a formal email asking for some guidance, but in this bureaucracy, who knows when they'll actually get back to me? So, if there's anyone here with a shred of technical expertise who might know how to fix this, I am humbly asking for your help. I'm just a lady in distress here, trying to figure this out on my own with zero formal training. 🤦 Come on, tech wizards, save me.... PLEASE...

Samuel Davis3 said:I’m sharing this based on my own family's experience, so hopefully it helps someone else out here.
My mom was dealing with agonizing hip pain that dragged on for three months. She tried everything under the sun—specialist visits, physical therapy, even those high-end wellness retreats—but nothing moved the needle. It got to the point where she was waking up in pain and couldn't even manage a flight of stairs without struggling. She was actually starting to seriously consider hip replacement surgery.

Eventually, I started scouring the web for stories from people who had dealt with similar issues, looking for anything that might offer relief. At first, I bought some glucosamine and a handful of other supplements, but they didn't do a thing. Then, I came across a former athlete on an international forum who suggested trying gelatin, which led me to pick this up: http://bit.ly/1QsnMyr

She started taking it three times a day—morning, noon, and night—and within just a week, the pain miraculously subsided, only to vanish entirely after about a month. She hasn't stopped since. Once, she took a two-week break, and the discomfort flared right back up, but as soon as she resumed the gelatin, the pain disappeared again. For the last two and a half years, her hip has been trouble-free. When she mentioned what she was using to her doctor, he just laughed it off; he simply couldn't wrap his head around it and thought she was talking nonsense.

Then there’s my father-in-law... He’s a former soccer player with a knee that’s seen better days. He’s 50 now and has been enduring such intense knee pain that he could barely walk normally. Nothing seemed to help; every movement felt like someone was driving a knife into his joint. Based on how much it helped my mom, I suggested he give the gelatin a shot. I bought him 🙂, and he takes it twice a day. He’s already on his second bottle. It was the exact same trajectory as my mom’s: the pain eased over a few weeks, and today, after a couple of months, he is completely pain-free. People can hardly believe it—he’s running and walking normally and wakes up feeling fine.

So, there you have it—something inexpensive that actually works. Of course, it might not be a silver bullet for everyone.
I’d love to hear if anyone else has had similar results.

You can also just use plain gelatin, dissolving it daily to eat like jelly (we haven't tried that route ourselves, but here is some info on it):
http://dailyhealthpost.com/gelatin-r...or-joint-pain/
http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/this...n-just-7-days/

Hmm... I still have vivid memories of that whole Mad Cow Disease scare. Wasn't there a lot of controversy surrounding those encapsulated "gelatin" products back then? If I recall correctly, those types of gelatin supplements were under quite a bit of scrutiny. I’m not entirely sure I’d feel comfortable diving into those kinds of supplements myself... Personally, I’d rather just whip up a homemade gelatin dish from ingredients I trust. When I think about it, those capsules can't really compete with a good, hearty homemade beef broth loaded with extra greens... which, let's face it, is packed with natural gelatin anyway...