Posts by Ethan Reyes2

feralridge3 said:🙂
The waiting is just brutal, isn't it? 😲
I honestly don't know how you manage to stay so composed through all this. 🙏

feeling it too
Maria Lee54, I really have to hand it to you—your courage and sheer persistence are something else. 👍
I'm crossing my fingers that you can get through all this paperwork quickly so you can finally head in for the surgery. 🙂

redharbor23 said:Hmm... looking back at my instructions from 2003, the only contraindication listed was an iodine sensitivity. It seems like things have changed since then, I suppose. 🤷

I actually just went back to double-check everything...
and it turns out the last time the manual was updated was January 2005.

But honestly, none of that matters as much as the fact that Mom is feeling a little better. Using some Betadine for a day or two isn't going to hurt anyone, right? I'm heading over to see the doctor tomorrow to pick up her prescriptions, and from what I can gather, she’s already set up a script for Rosul..

man, honestly, someone really ought to sit down and draft some brief, practical instructions for people who find themselves grappling with an illness like this 😁

Angela Wright said:Betadine mouthwash solution.

So, I picked up some Betadine at the local pharmacy...
but I noticed the contraindications mention avoiding it before and after radiation therapy. 😕
I can't help but wonder, how much time are we actually talking about when they say "before and after"? 😕
My mom starts her radiation treatments this coming Monday...

Angela Wright, thanks so much!

What’s everyone using to manage oral mucositis—you know, that painful inflammation of the mouth that tends to crop up as a side effect of chemo?
I’m curious to hear what actually worked for you all?

Megan Parker68 said:My dad was diagnosed with colon cancer that had spread to his lungs, liver, and brain. He underwent radiation for the brain metastases, and they actually shrunk by more than 50% after just three sessions.
After that, he started chemotherapy. Those first two or three rounds really wiped him out—he couldn't even get out of bed—but once he got past those initial ones, he started feeling surprisingly good; you wouldn't even know he was sick. His hair fell out, obviously, but I just look at that as proof that the medicine is doing its job. His lungs and liver are completely clear now, and the cancer has retreated, which is something our whole family celebrated. You have to celebrate those moments, especially when a doctor tells you months ago that your father doesn't have much time left.

Don't listen to all the noise, and please, don't go reading anything on this crazy internet; people will write just about anything, and those medical shows aren't helpful either because every patient is different. Just listen to the doctors and try to hold onto hope that everything will turn out okay. That’s truly the only thing that helps.
And please, don't dwell on the dark stories you hear regarding chemo or radiation; anyone who makes a recovery did so precisely because of the chemo and the radiation, so what else would they have used?
Every doctor prescribes what is best for the individual patient, and that will be true for your mother too. The most important thing is not letting the illness progress; believe me, I was practically counting down the days until my dad could start chemo because there were so many complications beforehand.

And there I go, tearing up again...
Sending love to everyone, stay strong.

unknown, thank you for such an incredible post 🙂

She finished her first cycle of chemo. It went relatively well, thank God. She had one day where she felt incredibly nauseous, but the doctor increased her anti-nausea dosage and she felt much better almost immediately.

Her appetite has definitely dropped, and she’s developed some sores in her mouth, which she rinses with sage, and she says that helps a little bit. Still, she eats as much as she can. Fruit seems to agree with her, which feels like a great sign to me. Better than nothing, right?

The other day she told me that, for the first time since the surgery, she was able to lie on her side without feeling that sharp stinging sensation in her abdomen. So, there is some positive progress after all. 🙂

Lisa Adams said:My dear friends... I'm joining you now. 🙂

I’ve popped in here from time to time just to see how everyone is doing and to offer a bit of encouragement... but I never really wanted to be the one to write something serious... you can probably guess why... my heart is heavy right now.

But now, I feel like I have to.

It's hard because
hanging in there 😢 is difficult
🙂

Lisa White54 said:Has anyone tried Zofran? It was honestly the best thing for my husband when he was dealing with nausea.

I haven't really taken anything at all for the nausea 🤷
because she mentioned they give her those kinds of medications during her treatment sessions, so I’m a little hesitant about just handing her something on my own without checking first, you know? 🤷

wanderingmaker32 said:Oh man, I honestly don't know what to tell you. Once she gets her treatment, she can't stomach anything except maybe some broth. I try my best to whip up whatever she feels like eating that day, though... She’d eat just like she used to if it weren't for the fact that even the smell of food makes her sick.
It’s pretty obvious she’s lost a lot of weight, too, and she just doesn't have the energy she once had. She can barely make it from the living room to the kitchen without getting winded—and that's only a few steps.

and it's 🙂
exactly how it is with my mom. Just the scent of cooking is enough to make her feel nauseous.
Does your aunt's appetite come back at all once she finishes a cycle?

Is your mother taking anything extra? Something for the nausea?

no 🤷
I suggested she ask them to give her something for the nausea, but she says they already provide anti-nausea meds there at 🤷

I'm thinking about heading over to the pharmacy today to see if they have any herbal options available...

@wanderingmaker32/">@@wanderingmaker32
how’s your auntie’s appetite holding up lately?

so, my mom started her chemo rounds this week..
yesterday she began feeling this slight nausea and weakness, telling me she feels sort of drunk or lightheaded..
she felt a little better this morning, though. I suppose the body just needs some time to try and recover from all those toxins...

she actually gave me a good laugh today 😁
she opens the fridge and just asks what kind of garbage I bought??
'what garbage? you mean the arugula?'
'yeah.'
'but Mom, it's healthy, you need to eat your greens..'
'I am not eating that stinking piece of crap!'
and there I was 😕
trying to say, 'well, but..' and now I'm stuck trying to lecture her with everything I've learned about healthy eating..
and she just looks at me and says: 'oh please, just shut up! even hearing you talk makes me feel sick!' 🤣 🤣

poor thing, she's feeling so miserable that she's just completely fed up with everything

Megan Fowler78 said:Last year, my husband was diagnosed with lung cancer, and we went through the whole gauntlet—chemotherapy, radiation on the lungs, even some preventative radiation on the head... and now, after nine months, the cancer has resurfaced in his lungs, liver, and adrenal glands... Following the oncologist's advice, we jumped straight back into chemo, though they were quite blunt with us about how slim the chances are of actually stopping it.

🙂

I’m absolutely terrified
My mom starts her chemotherapy this Monday... I mean, okay, I know we're heading into a complete mess, but I suppose... I guess if we just brace ourselves, we can handle it? Or so I tell myself while I sit here trying to stay composed.

I was watching this documentary on TV yesterday, and there was this woman who had cervical cancer... she’d gone through surgery, and eventually, they sent her for radiation therapy...
And she kept saying how much of a massive mistake it was to agree to the radiation in the first place😢 because the radiation completely destroyed her intestines...

So now I’m spiraling into this total panic because I honestly don't know what the smartest move is. Mom has finally started recovering, she’s getting her strength back, and now all that grueling effort and slow, snail-like progress might just be wiped out by these treatments. I just don't know...

Yesterday, I grabbed lunch with a friend I hadn't really seen or spoken to in ages. His dad passed away this past Christmas Eve; he had cancer at the junction of his esophagus and stomach. My friend was telling me how his father suffered for months and ended up dying in such terrible agony🙂 which, frankly, was the last thing I needed to hear right now.😢

If it were me—God forbid—facing an illness, I think I know exactly what I’d do: I wouldn't go through with the therapies. But taking responsibility for someone else's life? I just don't think I can do that.

boldcanyon72 said:http://www.sandy-headquarters.blogspot.com

I think I might be getting hypnotized by all those little outfits of yours, 😁

and honestly, there’s something kind of charming about the idea of using a baby as a weight instead of actual gym equipment, isn't there? 😬

Lisa Wells65 said:So, you basically just take a decent-sized sheet of Aluminum foil and drizzle a bit of olive oil over it, though I suppose you could skip that part if you really wanted to.
You lay down your marinated protein—chicken, turkey, veal, salmon, whatever you're feeling that day—right on the foil, and then you start layering things on top: maybe a few slices of tomato, a little seasoning, then some zucchini slices if they’re actually in season, or even eggplant. Honestly, you can pretty much use any vegetable you have lying around, though if you're using something tougher like carrots, you might want to give them a quick head start with some pre-cooking. 😁 Throwing in some minced garlic wouldn't hurt either.
And for those who are into it, just top the whole thing off with a slice of mozzarella. 😁

That is totally me 😁
I am definitely going to try this

Actually, now that I think about it, I’m already doing this, I just tend to stack my layers in the opposite order 😁 I usually put the veggies at the bottom, the meat in the middle, and then finish it off with cream or mozzarella on top.

Kate Reed63 said:On Sunday at 7:45 PM, my mother—my North Star, my entire world—passed away, and she went through such intense, truly agonizing pain that lasted for forty-eight hours... damn this cancer... we really believed we could beat those terrible statistics, but I suppose we couldn't, unfortunately... her last words before the pain took over, while she was still lucid, were spoken to my father: "Please, look after my grandchildren and make sure they never forget me," especially the youngest, who, sadly, won't have any memory of her... it’s just so hard, because it’s already been a week since I last heard her voice or her laughter... it’s difficult, there is just this massive, hollow emptiness left in my heart...

Kate Reed63, I am so incredibly sorry for your loss.😢

Angela Wright said:http://www.newyorktimes.com/News/SanFrancisco...priority.aspx

It’s just devastating, really.🙂

I suppose we should once again offer our respect to the doctors who aren't afraid to speak out about the struggles cancer patients face, and to the journalists who actually bother to cover these issues properly.
In other words, Barbara Walters 👍

Maria Lee54 said:.I’m just hoping that when I move into this next phase of the fight, I'll find myself with that same reservoir of strength, faith, and luck. I really, truly could use it right now. Best wishes. 👍

🙂

Nancy Hernandez43 said:The biggest struggle for my family is just living in this small town where everyone is so quick to judge, and honestly, dealing with cancer feels like facing the ultimate social stigma. We haven't quite found our footing yet, even though it’s been three years now, but whenever anyone reached out—we tried to accept the help. I truly believe there are so many families out there, just like ours, keeping their struggles quiet and staying closed off simply because they don't have the strength to be the first ones to speak up.

No matter how much these emotions wash over you, please don't ever fall into the mindset I mentioned in bold, because regardless of how grueling or heavy the fight gets, that's just what life is. What you both realized through this whole ordeal isn't some departure from reality, but rather a harsh, inconvenient opportunity to see what life actually consists of—how incredibly trivial everything else seems when someone starts complaining about a broken nail or a fender bender in a parking lot... but I won't waste any more breath on all the things that suddenly feel so profoundly mundane!

I get hit by those waves of emotion too, and they hit hard, but I suppose that's just how it goes... if they weren't constant, I wonder what I would even be feeling? I've been living this way for a while now, oscillating between an illusion of total happiness and flashes of brutal, raw reality.🙄

And if I may add one more thing... there really is no such thing as being immediately written off or instantly labeled a "winner," because no matter how hard the doctors try—or don't try—to predict an outcome, every patient is an individual, and you just can't put a price or a percentage on how things will end.

Exactly. I just don't understand why people feel the need to hide that a family member is battling cancer. Everyone treats it like some dark, dirty secret they have to bury.😕

So, we went to pick up the results today and then headed straight to the oncologist...

I noticed that after she read the PET scan, the doctor took quite a moment to figure out how to break the news to us and explain the available options. My throat tightened, and I caught my mother's eye for a split second, and she saw exactly what I was seeing.

There are metastases in the abdominal lymph nodes, and some have settled on the head of the pancreas. It looks like she'll have to undergo the most aggressive chemotherapy possible. But that brings us to the real issue: Mom is still losing weight and is just so physically weak.

I've always trusted my gut, and right now, my intuition is telling me that a full recovery isn't going to happen.
The doctor told me to come back alone next week so we can sit down and talk through all the paths forward, including the possibility of skipping chemo and radiation altogether.😢

Lisa White54 said:It’s just because they assume it doesn't apply to them. Like cancer is just some thing happening to someone else, somewhere far away...

Exactly.
And honestly, I find it hard to wrap my head around why nobody talks about it!
It wasn't until my mom got her diagnosis and I started bringing it up with people at work that I realized there isn't a single soul in my office who hasn't been touched by cancer, whether it was themselves or someone close to them.
One colleague, a dear friend of mine, battled ovarian cancer back when she was just a teenager. Another coworker lost her father to esophageal cancer, a third lost a sister to sarcoma, a fourth lost a dad to a brain tumor, then there was a guy whose father and grandfather both had lung cancer, a woman whose mother fought melanoma, and another colleague whose mom went through ovarian cancer too... and just last week, a coworker's father passed away from liver cancer.

I mean, what are we actually talking about here? It feels like every third person you meet is dealing with a tumor.

This shouldn't be the norm, should it? It seems completely irrational to me how the media can obsess over something like Swine Flu while so many people are dying from cancer. It defies logic, and I can't quite grasp how people can rationalize that kind of focus. 😢

Ever since my mom's diagnosis, I've realized that both she and I feel somewhat detached from the life moving along right beside us. It’s as if she’s already gone, and I’m just hovering somewhere in the middle.
Judging by how fast these appointments happen, I get the impression the medical staff have already written her off. There's this palpable sense of helplessness and hopelessness coming from the healthcare workers.

Anyway, I guess I just let my emotions get the better of me today because I clearly had too much downtime to sit and overthink everything. And besides, we're heading in tomorrow to pick up the PET/CT results....

Angela Wright said:What should we even do?

Stand up and just say it out loud—tell them how things actually work and what’s really going on. Don't let fear stop you, because honestly, most politicians are just small-minded types who are terrified of regular people, though unfortunately, it seems people haven't quite realized that yet.

I'm not so sure that individual acts of "standing up" actually achieve much on their own.
Real strength comes from numbers and staying united.
From where I'm sitting, it seems more logical to join forces with organizations that can act as a support system for their members.
Is that how the Association for a New Day operates?