Washington, D.C., New Year's Eve, around 8 PM. My father is 61 years old. He’s had two heart attacks just last year—one required 1.5 hours of resuscitation (he kept slipping away) followed by a grueling 9.5-hour heart surgery involving two bypasses, an aortic valve replacement, and addressing five existing stents. They did everything they possibly could, but he's lived with severe angina pectoris for years. Right now, he’s pale, drenched in sweat, struggling to breathe, and experiencing sharp chest pains. His pulse and blood pressure are spiking despite using Nitrolingual (which usually keeps his levels low per his cardiologist's orders). He's losing consciousness, and we're having a hard time staying in contact with him. I call 911, identify myself, and they start drilling me for his full name, date of birth, phone number, and address. I tell them he’s already in their system from his first heart attack. After a ridiculous back-and-forth with the dispatcher, I finally get a doctor on the line, who then has the nerve to tell me that "not every chest pain is a heart attack." Well, sure, technically that's true... but when you're dealing with someone with this specific medical history—someone who actually knows what a heart attack feels like because he's survived two of them—instead of sending an ambulance, they tell me, "Just monitor him a bit longer, give him some Tritace and another dose of Nitrolingual, put him in a semi-seated position, and call us back if things change." Honestly, what am I even supposed to say to that?
Bradley Wood3 said:aha, so what, if you lose a kid, a parent, a spouse—if you get assaulted or lose a limb or whatever... that's just "personal choice" too? sorry, but honestly, I don't think there's a bigger ego trip than that "everything is a personal choice" line you're obsessed with.
anyway, back to the main question—I'm not sure if I'd come back, since nobody knows what's waiting on the other side. if it's better than this life, then count me out. if it's worse, then yeah, I'd be back in a heartbeat. I'm leaning towards it being better, but faith isn't the same as knowing for sure...
Ice can help take the edge off the swelling and redness—though, let’s be honest, applying ice to a massive flare-up can actually make the surrounding skin look even more irritated at first. But you have to be careful with the sun; if you expose it, you might just end up making the redness darken into stubborn, dark spots that stick around all summer long... and potentially much longer than that.
I want to thank God that my sister is doing better... she’s finally started eating soup and yogurt. It’s slow—just a spoonful at a time—but it’s progress. Her skin is feeling incredibly sensitive and hot right now, so she has to avoid things like chocolate pudding, fruit smoothies, juices, or cocoa. She just had her first follow-up appointment, and the doctors are optimistic that she's on the mend... and honestly, we aren't even daring to imagine any other outcome. After enduring 14 surgeries in less than three years, she has proven to be much stronger than all of us... she is a true fighter. Wishing you all God's grace and good health! ...and of course, sending so much strength and optimism to all the families out there... hang in there!
Just when you think things are finally starting to look up, life throws a curveball at her. It turns out they left a tiny fragment of bone behind that’s been causing nothing but trouble through her gums, and now they have to go back in and reopen everything just to clean it out properly. Honestly, who can you even turn to when this happens? All we can do is keep our heads up and pray to God.
My sister is doing slightly better... Three days after her surgery, she had some heavy bleeding because the wound became infected and everything just broke through—it actually spread into her sinuses and even under her eye. The doctors had to clean everything out, drain the area, and start her on a combination of antibiotics and an antifungal. She’s still in a massive amount of pain, looking quite blue and swollen, and finding it hard to even speak, but thank God there's no fever and the bleeding has finally stopped. They believe they’ve cleared out the infection successfully, so the next step is likely starting her on Methotrexate, though she'll have to wait a bit before they can move forward with her prosthetics. Sending positive vibes to everyone!!!
Dear, please take some comfort in knowing you aren't alone... It feels tragic to say "welcome" to this thread, because ideally, this group would have as few members as possible, but we are all here to lean on one another. Last night, I received the news that my sister's tumor has spread to her palate... despite undergoing ten different surgeries, they haven't touched the palate area yet... I am terrified it might move into the sinuses, but I'm trying not to let those thoughts consume me. Even through all of this, she is the one trying to comfort us. So, please focus on being that pillar of strength for your loved one, and we will be right here to support you. Wishing you strength!
Nancy Hernandez43, thanks so much for those kind words and all that positivity... I truly wish strength in this fight to every single one of you and your families. Most importantly, I'm sending my heartiest wishes for health and love to everyone. Please, stay strong and hang in there!
They might also put her on Methotrexate. We’re truly trying our best to stay positive, but when we hear she has to go under the knife again, it feels like the sky is crashing down on us... then the cycle starts, where everyone begins offering mutual comfort and reassurances that everything will be fine, and it just goes on like that for three years straight. If it weren't for her wonderful boyfriend being right there by her side—not minding at all that so many of her teeth have been pulled or that she can barely even speak—we'd be lost. We all try to think the best, unable to even imagine for a single second that things could get any worse. Thanks for your kind words... this is a site I've read frequently, but I never imagined I'd one day be using it to pour my heart out. Thank you for this community, and for everything you do for others facing illness, even though, sadly, you lost your own battle.
My sister is heading into her eleventh surgery today... they’re claiming this is finally the last one, but honestly, they say that every single time. Every time we go through this, the anesthesia becomes harder to manage, the recovery takes longer and longer, and she—along with all of us standing by her side—just feels more and more exhausted by the whole ordeal.
It kept showing up on every single MRI scan... it’s definitely some kind of bone tumor, though thankfully it isn't a sarcoma or anything quite that aggressive. I really appreciate all the support you guys have been sending my way... it truly means the world to me.
I don't have all the medical records on hand since everything is still being held at her hospital, but unfortunately, this is now the third time she’s received this exact same diagnosis. It’s heartbreaking. They’ve already extracted all of her teeth on both sides, and her last surgery was back in December. She just came in for a follow-up to see if a dentist could finally reconstruct her smile, only to find out that the underlying issue has resurfaced. On top of that, there’s the massive amount of anesthesia she’s had to endure; they actually pulled her off the program today because they want to run more tests tomorrow. Honestly, I feel like screaming... crying just doesn't feel like enough to express how devastating this is.
I decided to come here to vent a little because I honestly don't know where else to turn... I really don't want to burden my friends with this, and my parents are going through an even tougher time than I am right now. Today, my sister is heading in for her tenth surgery to deal with a jaw tumor that just keeps coming back after three years of fighting it. The doctors are at their wits' end; even though the tumor isn't malignant, you'd think being "benign" would mean it stops resurfacing like this. They’re planning to try treating her with Methotrexate. I can't help but worry that this thing might spread into her sinuses or move into the rest of her facial bones... it already migrated from her upper jaw down to her lower one. I am absolutely losing my mind with anxiety... she isn't even 28 years old yet.
I don't have children of my own, but I’ve got plenty of family, godparents, and friends with kids... and my philosophy is that you should give something that truly captures the gravity of such a milestone—something the child can cherish for their entire life. All those gadgets, backpacks, and trendy little things? They're just consumables; they wear out or get forgotten in a heartbeat. Growing up, my grandmothers and my mom always steered me toward gold, usually turning up their noses if anyone suggested toys, fancy trinkets, or school supplies instead. Looking back now, I am so incredibly grateful that I have these tangible keepsakes from the major milestones of my life, gifts from grandmas who are no longer with us. I remember during the recession in the mid-80s, more than anything else, I just wanted a Hershey's Kiss. When my godmother asked what I wanted, my mom told her that the gift didn't matter as much as the sanctity of the sacrament itself. Still, I was secretly hoping for that little chocolate kiss, so when I saw a Tiffany & Co. box, I was absolutely heartbroken... but fast forward to today, and I have a substantial necklace and bracelet, whereas that chocolate would have been long gone in the trash.
Sophia Richardson56 said:I’ve decided to start a new thread here on the forum because our friends are facing a crisis, and this is one small way I can attempt to assist them...
Their two-year-old daughter has been diagnosed with myelocytic leukemia. To facilitate her recovery, she urgently needs a bone marrow transplant from an O+ donor.
If you happen to know anyone with an O+ blood type who might be willing to donate bone marrow, please reach out!
I have no doubt the parents will exhaust every possible resource, from contacting hospitals to reaching out to major charities like the Red Cross, but I simply cannot sit idly by while they struggle.
As a parent myself, I can only imagine the weight they are carrying; I would do absolutely anything to help my own child...
Thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide.
I tried reaching out to Sophia Richardson56, but it looks like she isn't active on the forum anymore. Does anyone know how I might get in touch with the parents directly?