Posts by Nicholas Hughes2

Lisa White54 said:So, I just wanted to jump in here with some amazing news... We were out in Jordan yesterday for all the tests, and everything came back clear. The doctor looked at every single result and said—honestly, we're still processing this—that there's absolutely no sign of cancer anywhere... it turns out he was just dealing with PTSD. Thank God. I can't even believe we actually beat it—that the monster is truly gone! I am just so incredibly happy.

It feels so wonderful to be able to share news like this... 🙂 🎉

Dana Baker37 said:[/B]
thank you Maria Fox : )
I am so happy for you and your mom—really—and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for everything moving forward...👍
I'm actually feeling pretty good today too because they gave me permission to visit my mom (I'm heading there tomorrow), though it’ll be super brief but honestly, it doesn't matter, just enough time to see her and bring her some essentials... Oh, I really have to give credit where it's due—the doctors and the nursing staff at Mercy Hospital are absolutely wonderful, they truly look after her and stay so vigilant : top:
Hi everyone!

thank you 🙂
and I'm just so glad you were able to go see your mom... I really hope she's doing okay, and that you all are hanging in there too...🙂

Amy Hayes28 said:My dad passed away for good...😢
thank you Jane and everyone who reached out to help us through this pain in any way at all.

my heart goes out to you...
words just feel useless right now...

Susan Diaz91 said:Guys, today is just a terrible day, I feel like I'm sinking into an abyss... I'm halfway through my pregnancy (5 months along)... I just can't stop crying... and every time I cry, my stomach starts hurting...

It feels awful, just plain awful : (

Inside, I'm such a mess of happiness—unbelievable happiness because of the pregnancy and the baby—and sadness—just overwhelming sadness because of my mom's illness...

What am I supposed to do? How should I even act?

I'm so sorry, please don't let yourself slip into hopelessness...🙂
And unfortunately, I know exactly how hard this is, but try your best not to get too worked up... because in a situation like this, when you get stressed, you aren't just hurting yourself (like the rest of us), you're affecting your little baby too...
Just try to think positively and hold onto hope that your mom will be right there beside you during your happiest moments...🙂

brisksurfer said:Okay, I finally have some actual good news to share on this thread! And I mean, incredibly, life-changingly good news!!!
I mentioned before that during Dad's follow-up CT scan, they thought they saw a new primary tumor on his bronchi with metastasis in the lungs... well, we finally got all the tests done and the biopsy results are back. It turns out there is no tumor at all!!!!! : Pivo:🙂: jumping:: tulum:🎉
They found out he had an Escherichia coli infection that flared up after his throat surgery. He just needs some antibiotics for that, and then he’ll head back for a follow-up X-ray in two months just to be safe and make sure nothing else pops up.

I honestly can't even put into words how happy I am!!! : cerek: It feels like someone just lifted three tons off my shoulders! Honestly, I just want to : mljacko: every single doctor who scared the living daylights out of us... I still can't even describe the absolute shock I was in...

It is just so wonderful to finally read news like this 🎉👋

Dana Baker37, hang in there 🙂

My mom finished her last round of chemo today—she’s feeling so happy, and honestly, I am too... now we just have to hope everything comes back looking good 🙂

The doctors want to run a bunch of tests: a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis, chest and heart X-rays, CEA, ALP, CBC, plus two different sets of blood work—biochemistry I and II

Some of these tests were ordered by the oncologist and some by the radiologist—they overlap quite a bit, obviously—so when she asked if she needed to see both specialists to go over the results, they told her she could just pick one... though if she has the extra time, she can always see both
Should we go to both doctors even if the results look okay? Just in case one of them misses something small?
And if she ends up choosing just one, would it be better to see the radiologist or an internist?
Just for context, she'd be seeing Chief Smith and Dr. Miller at the Mayo Clinic

One more thing... does anyone actually know what "biochemistry I" and "biochemistry II" refers to? 😕

Angela Wright said:And just like President Reagan used to say, "My friends, we did it!"...

Sutent and Tarceva are being added to the Medicare list starting March 1st!🎉 🙂 🙂

Get treated, people!👍

Keep moving forward!

Way to go!!! 🙏 🎉 🙂

shadowmason6 said:...well, I haven't really checked in lately. We're just waiting on my mom's CT results and her blood work, so I'm—to put it mildly—a bit of a nervous wreck...

I was actually thinking about you and your mom the other day—since you've been so quiet—and I remembered she was supposed to have a follow-up appointment right around now
keeping everything crossed that it's good news 🙂

rapidfalcon13 said:dear friends of this forum

today our Dina has gone to the angels 😢...I know it because she truly was an angel🙂. She closed her weary eyes—those sad eyes from lately—and went to be with her dad (that’s how she used to say it, that her daddy was waiting for her, but that she still had enough strength to keep going... until today)
.
I just have to write this down.. 😢
my dear D... I am going to miss you so much—all your beautiful words, all your dreams, all that optimism you held onto despite the sea of bad things surrounding you... it's hard, and my heart just aches... I love you so much, truly...

😢
I think she'll leave an inspiration for many people because of the sheer courage she showed in her fight
my heart goes out to everyone who knew her and loved her

Amanda Murphy62 said:..during chemo, white blood cell counts can only be bumped up if there's a specific medical reason for it—and that's entirely up to the doctor to decide... everything else is just hearsay... I mean, there isn't some machine that can jumpstart your bone marrow, nor does any specific food have the power to make the marrow produce extra leukocytes or platelets on command... unfortunately, that's just how it works... doctors are actually right when they say things will stabilize on their own—that's just the natural cycle during chemo therapy... it knocks the marrow down, then after a while, it recovers... honestly, for those people talking about "miracle cures," I'd suggest they spend a day shadowing a hematology ward at a major hospital... maybe if they did, they'd ask the actual hematologists who are probably already exhausted from hearing about all these magical tonics...

Of course, everything else is just talk
but if it isn't hurting the body—and the doctor specifically said she could eat bacon, provided it's in normal amounts and won't cause issues—then I don't see why they shouldn't give it a shot? 🤷
The hematologist mentioned he couldn't confirm that it helps, but he also said it wouldn't hurt, so... why not?!

I really feel like natural things, like bacon or beets, aren't going to damage the system, and if it actually makes a difference, well, nobody would be happier than me... 🙏

@Rachel Chase80/">@@Rachel Chase80 - here is the link; it's in English, so I'm not sure if it'll be helpful for you, but I hope it is 🙂

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=3120

Amanda Murphy62 said:If that experienced doctor actually said that... honestly, someone needs to check them—maybe they belong in a psych ward if that's their take... don't be so intense...

But why, for heaven's sake?!
I mean, everyone keeps talking about how helpful this is for blood counts—specifically for the white blood cell levels...
It's just that doctors usually don't recommend anything at all—they just tell you everything will fix itself naturally...
Personally, I think getting some kind of advice like that is way better than being left with nothing at all ☕

And I really do think that the steak (without onions!) helped my mom improve her blood work 🤷

Good luck to everyone with your follow-ups, the tests, and the whole fight!!!!! 🙏

Nancy Thomas18 said:I'm already heading into my third checkup by next month—the first round was a whole ordeal with CT scans, ultrasounds, lung imaging, CBCs, and tumor markers. Then came the PET/CT over at Mayo Clinic along with all the bloodwork... and of course, the mandatory colonoscopy. Now, in February, I've got more CBCs, markers, lung scans, and an ultrasound scheduled, followed by another colonoscopy right after that.

Thanks, Nancy Thomas18—I actually just found out which tests are coming up next🙂
Pelvic CT, CBC, markers... I think that covers it.
She should be back for a follow-up in early March

And until then, she still has two rounds of chemo left to push through...
The radiation gave her diarrhea for two weeks straight, so she basically lived on Indian tea, toast, and plain congee... she dropped about 13 pounds and is still trying to bounce back from that
Her gut still hurts, though it’s definitely better than it was before...
She’s supposed to start therapy next week, but honestly, I have my doubts about how well her digestive system will handle it😢
And I really can't force her to eat or drink everything that’s supposed to "improve" gut health when she hasn't even fully recovered yet...🤷
But still, there's this little spark of hope inside me... maybe her gut isn't as bad as it seems, and maybe she'll find the strength to crush this penultimate round of treatment🙂

slyrider11, I am so incredibly sorry for what you're going through

just wanted to give a little update on my end....
so, my mom just finished up her 28 radiation sessions, and she was actually doing two cycles of chemo at the same time
it's weird—during the actual radiation for the colon cancer, her bowel movements were totally fine, but then the very next day after everything wrapped up, the diarrhea just hit her out of nowhere 😢
she’s trying to eat just a tiny bit of something baked, sipping on some herbal tea, maybe a little broth... but honestly, whatever she manages to get down, it just goes right back out
I know this is a standard thing and that the intestinal lining just needs time to heal itself, but does anyone have any tips? Like, any little tricks to help calm things down???

her stomach is hurting so much from all of this—it feels like it's being "twisted" constantly, and she told me she actually felt worse now than she did right after her surgery when she was stuck in the ICU
it's just heartbreaking sitting here feeling so helpless because I can't do anything to make her comfortable 🙂
(she's been taking Pepto-Bismol, but it clearly isn't doing a thing)

cosmiceagle4 said:Where on earth did you get the idea that fruit is off-limits?

doctors

it’s pretty obvious how much you actually know about what you're lecturing us on... 🙄

someone dealing with colon cancer (not just any cancer, mind you—I'm talking specifically about this case because I've seen it firsthand) shouldn't be eating fresh fruit because the skin can stick to the intestinal wall, which ends up causing all sorts of digestive issues

(of course, people cheat and eat fruit anyway, or they just peel everything—but basing an entire diet on something that isn't recommended? honestly, that's just ridiculous. And the fact that you're getting so defensive and asking where the idea came from... well, it really shows how little you grasp this topic👋)

cosmiceagle4 said:Of course, just cutting out raw egg whites isn't enough—you’d need over 80 percent of your diet to be raw plant-based, which basically means nothing heat-treated.
That would include grains, legumes (if you steam them, I guess?), nuts, fruits, and veggies. Did I miss anything?

I won't quote the whole thing because I'm a bit rushed right now, but I really have to weigh in on this post...

I mean, seriously, what are colorectal cancer patients supposed to actually live on if they follow this logic? Since they aren't supposed to eat fruit except for maybe bananas—everything else has to be turned into compote...
And when it comes to vegetables, they can only have chard and spinach (oh, and potatoes!), but no tomatoes, no cucumbers... and don't even get me started on legumes
or any kind of grain
At this rate, they'd basically be living on nothing but chard and potatoes...🙄

Meat (and by meat, I mean everything except red meat) and white fish... according to doctors, they actually contain way more beneficial nutrients than they do harm.

Hey everyone! I really hope you’re all staying positive and keeping your spirits up—I know this miserable weather can be such a downer if you let it... 🙂

Something just crossed my mind, so I figured I’d pick the brains of those of you who have been through this before...

I was wondering, what does the follow-up schedule actually look like once treatment is finally over (you know, after finishing chemo and radiation)?
And yeah, we're talking about colon cancer, in case that changes anything...
I'm assuming check-ups happen every six months or so later on, right?
Is it mostly blood markers and PET scans, or what?
I think I read somewhere—though I honestly can't remember if it was right—that a PET scan might not catch everything... 😕

Thanks so much in advance for any insight you can share!!! 🙂

brightgardener8 said:Dear friends,
During these past 20 months spent here on these forums, it’s been so incredibly hard to read whenever you all lose your loved ones... I just truly felt that pain with you, knowing that eventually, I’d be facing the exact same thing myself.
My mom passed away yesterday. 🙂
She suffered for such a long time—so, in a way, I suppose there's a small sense of relief that the struggle is finally over.
I really, truly hope she's in a much better place now.

Nothing is ever going to feel the same without her.

I'm wishing every single one of you so much strength as you fight through your own hardest battles in life.

I am so sorry for your loss 😢
it won't be the same without her, but like you said, at least her suffering has ended
hang in there

slyrider11... I honestly don't even know what to say to you right now... there aren't any words in the world that can truly lighten the weight of what you're going through or just make those feelings go away... based on everything you've shared, it really seems like the only thing left to do is just be there by her side—to be her rock and stay close—and just pray that she isn't in pain much...
I'm sending so much love and wishing nothing but the best for both you and your mom.

Hey Diana, I just wanted to say I'm rooting for you—you really should be an inspiration to everyone out there

Dear Grace Stewart6, I am so incredibly sorry that our little virtual "meet and greet" is happening under such heavy circumstances 😢

Which hospital is he at?
What kind of tests have they run on him so far?
And what are the doctors saying—what’s the next step in the game plan?

I would definitely suggest doing a bit of reading regarding immune support and... well...
http://www.mayoclinic.org/

The advice out there can be all over the place—honestly, a bit hit or miss—but my biggest tip is that before you start giving him any supplements for his immunity, please, please check with his doctors first to make sure it won't interfere with anything else

My mom hasn't really taken anything specific, just some organic propolis from a local honey farm (http://wildflowerhoney.com/), though her eyes started watering from it—it turns out she's actually allergic to propolis, so I wanted to mention that so you aren't caught off guard if that happens (I've heard of at least two other people deal with watery eyes because of it)
Besides that, most patients I know drink beet juice—you can grab Biotta at places like Walgreens or CVS, though I usually recommend checking Target since it's noticeably cheaper
Nettle tea is also great for helping with iron levels
And apparently, holly tea is said to have anti-tumor properties

Unfortunately, I can't offer much more in terms of immune system advice, because this is pretty much everything my mom takes
(And ginger, but only because she has colon cancer, which is supposed to be good for the gut)

rapidseal49 said:at 6:30 this morning, we lost another young life...😢

my cousin, Peter (24), passed away from the complications of a severe and aggressive illness....😢

everyone, please, just hang in there—keep fighting......

My deepest condolences 😢
he’s in a better place now, finally free from all the suffering and pain

Tim - my heart really goes out to you
your mom must have been so incredibly proud to have such a brave daughter like you

Dina - hang in there. just keep believing that everything is going to work out okay
you know better than anyone how much staying positive actually matters 🙂

Angela Wright said:Rebro doesn't have a gynecology department. Maybe it would be worth reaching out to the Holy Spirit hospital instead.

What about Mount Sinai? 😕
I was honestly just scanning through the hospitals I could remember that actually offer radiotherapy... 🤷

And Angela Wright—look, I can't edit my post anymore, so I'll just leave this here... I think we should probably move the rest of this discussion to private messages...👋: