Posts by Benjamin Grant6

Linda Cox69 said:Nancy Hernandez43, Melissa Parker37, mellowbison13, and the rest of the ladies...😘

A little something for everyone... How is everyone holding up today?

So, she survived her second round of chemo... Mom finally made it home yesterday. Everything seems fine for the moment; there aren't any side effects yet, which is a relief, but I know how this goes. Just like last time, the pain tends to kick in after a few days, so I’m mentally bracing myself for tomorrow... Even though I’m desperately hoping she stays comfortable, I have to prepare for the inevitable. Last time, we were left guessing whether she could even take over-the-counter painkillers, but this time Mom actually checked with the doctors. They told her she can take Voltaren if she needs to, so she’ll just go ahead and use that rather than suffering through it unnecessarily...

Well, here is some actual good news for once... I feel compelled to share this, if only to prevent myself from droning on about nothingness...😁My mother just got back from her follow-up appointment, and the doctor mentioned that the lump on her neck has already shrunk significantly after just the first round of chemo... he actually admitted he didn't dare hope for such a positive reaction so early on. That news provided an immediate boost for Mom and all of us... I’m just hoping she absolutely crushes this thing, quite literally...👍

Mom is supposed to be resting today, though "rest" seems to be a foreign concept to her... she’s spent the entire day fussing over things around the house, moving one thing here and another there. To top it all off, some blue-collar worker caught up with her just before evening, but I really think she needs some actual downtime and a bit of breathing room to clear her head... our little hero...😍She hasn't lost all of her hair just yet... she still has quite a bit left, though you can clearly see it starting to thin out. She used to have such thick, high-quality hair, so I suspect that might actually be playing a role in how fast it's falling out...

The washing machine is all set, and since you’ve already had a look at those various packs of wipes, we might as well go ahead and pick those up too...👍

I wish you all, my dear Milena, a pleasant evening and a wonderful weekend ahead... may you find some time to rest before we tackle our next victories...

Sending my love to you all...😍

I am truly delighted to hear that things unfolded in such a manner...

Regarding the pain management, if it becomes absolutely necessary, we will resort to Voltaren. They provided us with some other painkillers—not Voltaren, mind you—and instructed us to wait until her pain scale hits somewhere between a 6 and a 10 before administering anything. Up until this point, she has simply endured everything... Today, however, I was hit with sinus pressure, stomach pains, and a general sense of exhaustion so intense that I couldn't tell if I was about to collapse or lose my lunch. I called my sweetheart to ask how she manages when the nausea and the pain become this overwhelming, only to receive a response along the lines of, "What’s the big deal? I just rest and it passes." The point of all this is that for us caregivers, there are moments where it feels even more difficult than it is for the patients themselves, because they have already grown accustomed to much more intense suffering and tend to complain far less... 👍

The hats are actually quite stylish, offering a decent variety of options... A good wig should do the trick, and honestly, no one will even realize that nothing about her appearance has changed besides a fresh new hairstyle...👍

It is quite a curious phenomenon, really... when you shed all that hair, there is this fleeting moment of emptiness, but once the process is complete, you will inevitably find that it regrows within that same timeframe—only to emerge thicker, stronger, and far more voluminous than what was lost. We discovered this firsthand when we realized my mother didn't actually have that straight, brownish hair everyone assumed... it turns out it was actually thick, curly black... 😍

I sincerely hope that everyone else’s experience proves to be just as smooth as mine, ideally with as little discomfort as possible... Hang in there.

mellowbison13 said:I can't recall if anyone brought up green honey for immune support earlier... I picked some up at the pharmacy for my mother, as it's supposedly beneficial following chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery, and their website claims it’s been certified by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. However, since there's always been talk about how certain natural supplements shouldn't be mixed with medical treatments, I'm wondering if anyone here has actually used it and seen any results? The last thing I want is for it to cause an adverse reaction, so now I'm second-guessing whether I should even give it to her, though she does have a real weakness for honey...

It's impossible for it to be anything but helpful, or at least not interfere negatively, given that it's entirely plant-based...

And besides... we're all just falling apart eventually; it's simply one of those realities where you can't always maintain a strong front...

feralridge3 said:up until this point, every single metric has remained within the acceptable range.
my concern isn't necessarily about having to wait an extra week for chemo,
it is more about securing a confirmed date for my readmission; if they delay the chemo, then even my bloodwork for the surgery might be compromised, given that the doctor is basing everything on the timeline of the most recent session. 😢
there was quite enough downtime for me to catch the flu, yet naturally, I manage to fall ill at the absolute worst possible moment... 😠

You know what... I just hope the results come back clean! I truly mean that! Please let us know how it all goes!!!!

feralridge3 said:I've been caught in the grip of a flu or perhaps some particularly nasty cold, and today marks the third day... 😢
Tomorrow I am scheduled for blood work, followed by chemotherapy on Monday
and one wonders if they will even allow me to proceed...
I am holding out hope that this congestion and these various symptoms might subside by Monday, though my blood counts remain an unpredictable variable...
The doctors have assured me that my chemo isn't particularly aggressive; I receive a single dose every five weeks, administered intravenously in just a few minutes...
Has anyone else encountered a similar situation?...

All I can offer is a weary "damn it all."..

Ultimately, the blood work is what dictates everything, regardless of how much you're sniffling... Try to get plenty of vitamins from fruits and vegetables... and I shall be keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow's results are favorable...

My mother had her treatment postponed twice due to poor blood counts, but after delaying things by about a week, everything stabilized... so I find myself believing that even if you happen to miss this round, you will simply catch it during the next scheduled visit...

Melissa Parker37 said:I want to thank everyone for the kind words of support, particularly for the advice—which I will certainly need—given that so many of you have already endured what lies ahead for me. Today was quite a struggle; I actually tripped and fell while at the hospital. It is only now, as certain pieces of this grim puzzle begin to fall into place, that I truly grasp the sheer absurdity of a disease called cancer. My father cannot return home yet because he vomited blood earlier today, and his condition remains precarious: his pancreas has effectively ceased functioning, his blood sugar spiked to 15, and he has lost all appetite. His liver can no longer process medication and is causing him significant pain, while his kidneys are steadily failing—the inevitable consequence of his diabetes. It isn't even a matter of metastasis; rather, it has focused its destruction solely on his lungs.
Do I have the right to withhold the truth from my father? I have been weighing various versions of reality, considering every possible angle... and then today, my father tells me, "Kid, once I regain some strength, they’ll start the chemo and we can finally head home." Oh, my brilliant star. Truly, the brightest of them all...

In any case, you should speak with your mother. Personally, I wouldn't tell him the full truth, especially after hearing that specific comment he made. One must maintain a certain level of detachment regardless of everything... I can only imagine how difficult it is to face this situation, but please, continue to be brave; do not allow yourself to break, for unfortunately, this too is a part of life...

mellowbison13 said:How does one convey love and appreciation to a beloved family member who is seriously ill—expressing gratitude for everything they’ve provided throughout life—without becoming overly sentimental and inadvertently centering the conversation on their illness? Especially when I am nowhere near being able to visit them regularly...

To be honest, much like you two, vita-vita and Nancy Hernandez43, we aren't the type of family that constantly showers people with affection or constant physical displays... We love one another, certainly, but we don't verbalize it incessantly. I tend to assume other members simply understand the depth of it, though I occasionally wonder if they truly grasp the scale... Every family expresses affection in its own unique way. But right now, I feel a profound need to demonstrate this to my mother; I want her to feel that she is truly the queen on her throne, yet I fear making her think we are drifting apart... because that isn't an option right now, not while there are still battles left to win. If I were home right now, I would most likely just hold her tight and never let go... but I worry such intensity might overwhelm her. I have always struggled with expressing emotions directly; it is much easier for me to put things on paper, but even then, I fear a letter might come across as some sort of final farewell. My God, I have never been able to adequately articulate how much the soul can ache...

I suspect a letter might not be the ideal solution for letting your mother know she is loved or for showing her that you are standing by her side with strength. Perhaps the only real way is to look her in the eye and speak from the heart, even if you end up breaking down into tears... And you are likely right about the hugging; you wouldn't want to startle her with such sudden intensity.

If memory serves, you will be seeing her for Easter, so try to find the strength to approach her in a way that doesn't feel like a goodbye. Instead, aim for something casual, like "You know, I was thinking..." or perhaps with a smile, "Have I ever told you how much I truly value you?" You don't need many words; a single sentence can suffice to let her know you are with her in spirit and that you believe in her ability to pull through...

I once expressed my appreciation to my mother through writing, though in a rather indirect manner: I bought her a book filled with proverbs, wise tales, and advice for a healthier lifestyle (focusing mostly on positive thinking and general wellness), and at the very end, I inscribed a quote that reminded me of her. Without unnecessary fluff, I left her with a thought that essentially whispered, "don't give up."

Melissa Parker37 said:Yesterday, they started administering morphine intravenously because his pain had become simply unmanageable... His physical condition is deteriorating rapidly, as he hasn't been able to eat a proper meal in over a month, and for the last two weeks, it has been down to mere bites... Naturally, his bloodwork is poor, and having Type II diabetes complicates everything; his liver and pancreas are essentially in a state of catastrophe. He was still lucid until the day before yesterday, but yesterday he spent nearly the entire day sleeping off the morphine... I asked the attending physician to explain what we might expect, and he was blunt: things will only get worse, and morphine is our only remaining option. This morning, my mother begged me to ask the hospital if he could be discharged so she could care for him at home, though I suspect that isn't the most prudent course of action... I don't want to dismiss her wishes—he is my father too, and she would give anything for him—and while the care here at the hospital is excellent, neither Mom nor I are equipped for this level of medical necessity. I feel completely lost... God, help me.

I cannot begin to fathom the weight of everything passing through your mind right now, and my heart truly goes out to you regarding your father's condition.

Speaking from my own experience, even though I wasn't directly involved in the care, we transitioned my grandfather from the hospital back to our home, where we arranged for a visiting nurse and my grandmother took over his daily needs.

It seems to me that a familiar home environment with the two of you might suit him better than the harshness of a hospital and the faces of strangers; perhaps being in that setting might even provide him with a small boost in strength...

There is no such thing as perfect advice in these matters, only the intuition that you should do whatever he would have wanted...
Stay strong, and try your best not to weep in front of him, because regardless of how non-lucid he may seem at times, he is still very much aware of his surroundings... Talk to him, if only because it might offer some solace to you as well.

casualraven24 said:slyseal28 and Nancy Hernandez43, I truly appreciate the private messages and the guidance you both provided; hopefully, I will eventually find a way to return the favor... We shall speak again soon. My best to everyone, and stay strong.

The primary way you can be of service is by remaining steadfast for your mother's sake—by refusing to surrender to despair or fear, and by ensuring that every step you take, regardless of its nature, is a deliberate one... It is always worth the struggle.

Drew Allen said:Read my comment directly beneath the one you just quoted...
While it remains true that a medical treatment may pass its laboratory trials, one must inevitably question its actual efficacy. We are all well aware of the success rates associated with modern treatments when dealing with cancer or leukemia... It seems that nowadays, even in the realm of healing, the primary driver has become pure profit. I can only hope this trend doesn't persist indefinitely...
Herbal teas can certainly be effective, there is no denying that part of it. However, why there always seems to be a swarm of charlatans peddling peppermint tea as a cure for cancer is quite another matter entirely... Such individuals belong behind bars. I am not the type to blindly believe everything I see, hear, or read. The only true proof of the effectiveness of a drug, a tea, or honey—whatever it may be—is a person who tells you they were treated and cured by it. Those stories are, unfortunately, the most seductive and pleasant ones to hear. Perhaps one day cancer will become as trivial as a common flu, and no one will be able to build an empire upon it anymore. My only fear is that once that happens, they will simply "invent" a new disease, and we shall find ourselves right back where we started...

I read both posts before quoting the first one, which is precisely why certain parts were bolded. Honestly, after reading three of your consecutive posts, I am somewhat unclear as to what point you are trying to make... This forum is neither a place for advertisements nor for personal attacks...

Money is a tool, yet it is often the least significant factor in treating chronic patients, a reality I have experienced firsthand in my own life rather than just through my mother's experience. For a benign condition, I was practically promised that an alternative approach would work within six to ten months. In the end, it turned out that conventional medicine could have been faster, more efficient, and ultimately less expensive...

On the other hand, we see how even the flu can escalate, and viruses mutate constantly; it is quite likely that illnesses will evolve more significantly as the years progress. When that happens, the blame will lie neither with medicine nor with money, but with us...

Regarding the text I bolded in this quote, I view it as your attempt at advocacy. I suppose my mother could sell a few pounds of honey she bought from some local farmer featured in the news, but it certainly didn't boost her immunity with the miraculous force people claim... Not to mention we have far too much Aloe Vera sitting around with no clear purpose for it...

To avoid rambling and losing my point, I will simply say this: clinging to hearsay while dismissing proven science is nothing more than pure ignorance. Personally, I do not know anyone who has been cured solely by teas, herbs, or fungi; while I don't consider it impossible, I am far more familiar with cases where conventional medicine was the sole reason for recovery...

Drew Allen said:Doctors ban herbal remedies because herbs are full of toxins? Good God... 🙏 Doctors prohibit everything from Aloe vera to the list you provided, but it isn't because they might cause harm; rather, it is because if a patient actually recovers, the doctors cannot claim credit since they can't be certain whether it was the chemotherapy or the herbs, tea, or honey that truly worked. This YouTube video illustrates the clash between those who recovered through natural means after modern medicine gave up on them, and those who manufacture and sell those very same drugs at astronomical prices. You can decide for yourselves who is right here. The video is quite exceptional, to say the least. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZTFq...rom=PL&index=7
And above, she wrote, "let the herbalist guarantee they will cure you." 🙏 I don't think any doctor could give you a guarantee that they would cure you of cancer. Honestly, who can offer a guarantee for anything? Neither side can. Neither group can. I fail to see the logic in your comment regarding the demand for a guarantee of a cure...
Of course, one shouldn't turn their back on medicine entirely, as there would be no way to monitor your health without medical diagnostics and lab work.

I don't see the reason for such a tone or for this particular post. Most people here have already reached a consensus: there is no single, magic recipe for fighting cancer! If such a thing existed, mortality rates wouldn't be what they are, nor would there be such pervasive fear among us all...

Any competent oncologist would tell you that total recovery is only possible for about one in four patients—there is plenty of statistical data and lengthy analytical explanations to prove it. Furthermore, every pharmaceutical drug has a specific composition, laboratory verification, and, most importantly, a thoroughly tested mechanism of action. No herbalist is going to provide you with the exact chemical makeup of their concoction; it is highly questionable under what conditions these preparations were made and which compounds you are actually ingesting into your system. Moreover, we hear the most about these herbalists through the media, and let’s be honest, in outlets like newspapers or online forums, anyone can hide behind a pseudonym to promote something that may not even exist. There are many instances where these herbs and "miracle cures" were merely ordinary teas that, in the desperate hopes of those seeking recovery, created a placebo effect—which, in some cases, actually did lead to healing. Currently, a fraudster from New York is facing legal action for selling simple vitamin supplements under the guise of "extraordinary medicinal preparations"...

In this modern era, where we are all essentially poisoned by our food due to various GMOs, preservatives, hard-to-digest sugars, hidden cholesterol, and I needn't go on, it is better to rely on what is proven rather than what is untested...

mistyridge5 said:Linda Cox69,

we have all endured those kinds of days, I am certain of that. For me, there was this constant internal monologue insisting that I could not falter, that I could not break down, that I had to remain resilient... when all I truly wanted was to curl up under the covers, hide from the world, and drift away into some sort of cancer-free dreamscape. To simply wake up from this nightmare...

I couldn't shoulder the fight myself, though I certainly tried to support my mother through hers; sometimes that meant offering nothing but silence, just listening as she spoke of her fears and the end of life for the first time; other times we would spend our time planning summer vacations together; or perhaps through more direct action. We shared jokes, we held serious conversations; at times she would manage things on her own, at others we worked as a team, and occasionally I acted alone.

Nancy Hernandez43 makes a valid point regarding excessive worrying. I believe I have expressed my agreement with her on this matter several times here 🙂
We were as close as a nuclear family; my relationship with Mom was always singular. However, we refused to overdo it, avoiding that patronizing tone of "offering sympathies" for everything; instead, we remained steadfast in our collective front against this monster. We never treated her like a helpless victim, because she was always a fighter, regardless of what life threw at her. At times, I felt as if she herself was lifting us up with an invisible hand whenever our spirits began to flag...

Just keep moving forward bravely 👍

The truth is, anyone living in fear experiences that same desperate need to escape it all for a moment!

In our case, this situation involves a small, somewhat detached family that grew out of a modern parenting style where parents and children are friends; we ended up becoming exactly what you described: one for all and all for one!

Big Pusa

gentletiger46 said:Well, I suppose it is my turn to weigh in. I am still waiting on an official diagnosis, but there is a strong suspicion of Hodgkin... A week ago—which feels like a lifetime ago now—I went to get a color Doppler ultrasound of my neck vessels on a whim, mostly just because they seemed slightly swollen. During the scan, they caught a slightly enlarged lymph node in my armpit and talked me into getting a biopsy. A few days later, they informed me that it could potentially be Hodgkin or ALCL. Just like that...

The only symptoms I actually experienced were pain in my neck lymph nodes and my left armpit—where there is now an enlarged node—following alcohol consumption... link The doctors' reactions were either "I've never heard of such a symptom" or outright laughter... She had gone through various tests, but nothing concrete ever surfaced. Her blood work showed some slight abnormalities, though nothing catastrophic, and after a while, everything seemed to settle down, so I eventually gave up fighting against the windmills... Now, that very same doctor—the one who actually laughed at my inquiry regarding this symptom—calls me over the phone without even a polite hello, just to tell me that I have lymphoma.

Over the last couple of days, I’ve undergone a handful of tests at the local Mayo Clinic, though hardly enough to offset the profound disappointment I feel toward our healthcare system... and more specifically, the utterly inhumane way certain doctors treat their patients. It ranged from using blunt, callous language—suggesting that if they can't get a biopsy, they’ll just have to resort to surgery to "dig around" inside me—to the fact that not a single soul took even a minute to sit down and actually explain what lies ahead. During the lymph node biopsy, I was on the verge of a complete nervous breakdown, despite having taken Apaurin... The physician performing the procedure actually had the audacity to ask why I was crying, acting as if I were overreacting to some minor injury, only to turn around and gossip with her colleague about my "damn" node that simply wouldn't cooperate for the needle. An hour wasted on petty complaints, all while they weren't even certain they could extract a viable sample... They even spent time disparaging other patients, commenting on how difficult some are to puncture because of their physical deformities. As if I don't already know what's happening... my preliminary tests clearly point toward Hodgkin, so I fail to see why the hematology team is still insisting on this biopsy. It is as if they assume I am incapable of understanding their clinical jargon, or perhaps they simply view me as nothing more than a piece of meat... It wasn't the physical pain that broke me, but rather their attitude and total lack of empathy. If the diagnosis is confirmed, I'm facing a bone biopsy, which they claim will be significantly worse than the ordeal I endured yesterday... I can only hope they offer me general anesthesia, because if not, I refuse to go through with it, and they can simply let it all go to hell...

I work alongside quite a few medical professionals, and frankly, I find it impossible to wrap my head around the way patients are actually treated—especially those facing a malignancy or even just the possibility of one... When I brought this up to my colleagues, they simply brushed me off. I haven’t even hit thirty yet; I just got married, things are finally looking up career-wise, and my husband and I are starting to talk about having a family... then out of nowhere, someone calls to tell me I have lymphoma. After that, they just treat me like a slab of meat in the hospital, poking and prodding without saying a single word to me... and then they have the audacity to wonder why I’m crying or upset. It isn't the diagnosis or the disease that scares me—it’s our doctors that truly terrify me...

Don't let the sheer absurdity of everything you've been through get the better of you... everyone experiences this madness in their own unique, exhausting way. As it was already mentioned to you—you’re young, and Hodgkin is curable, provided one possesses enough patience, strength, and, of course, the right medical treatment...

My father is thirty-five years old, yet he lives his life with lungs that feel entirely full... all thanks to having navigated two separate lymphoma diagnoses during his younger years...

Stay strong, stay committed to everything you've set out to achieve, and go win this year...

Linda Cox69 said:😘Dear friends... Ivanicapeca and Ružica, age 44...What else is there to say besides thank you...🙂
I find myself in complete agreement, and I am fully aware of everything you all have laid out here. I suppose I am just having one of those days... but reading through your posts provided a sense of relief that I didn't quite expect...

I am speaking with complete sincerity when I say that this means more than I can easily put into words, even if it is just support found within this digital space... Thank you once again.😍

As my username might suggest, I generally make an effort to maintain a positive outlook on life, and... To live...
Reacting this way isn't exactly my style, but I suppose I've simply reached my breaking point...

Regarding the suggestion that I should find ways to cheer my mother up, I have actually been quite diligent about that for some time now... We go out for manicures, hit the shops, and spend our time doing exactly what she enjoys most...
I am fully aware that the initial days following chemotherapy will be incredibly taxing, yet I remain certain that she will emerge from this entire ordeal with her spirit intact and a smile on her face...😍

I never actually told her—not then, and certainly not now—just how much I admire her courage and how deeply I respect her... We aren't one of those families that constantly showers each other with "I love yous" dozens of times a day, though I’ve always found that kind of openness quite beautiful to witness. But I know she knows. And honestly, that is more than enough for me. I have never been the type of person who finds it easy to wear my heart on my sleeve; I find it much simpler to put my thoughts into words instead... a tendency I suspect many of you have probably noticed by now...😁).
I truly wish there were some way to lighten the burden she’s carrying right now, though I am painfully aware that I cannot simply step in and shoulder the entire weight myself... It isn't as if I can take the fight upon my own shoulders just to spare her from facing it alone...

I am certainly not about to pen any more novels, so thank you all for that... It is true, life does have its bright spots. I simply need to take a moment to reflect and center myself, and I am certain I will find them...
There is this persistent sensation, like a lump caught in my throat... I swallow, I struggle, and yet, I simply press on...👍

My dear Pusa...😍

In the realm of human psychology, there exists a certain tendency that can inadvertently amplify fear, and that is the trap of excessive worrying... It is certainly a lovely sentiment to want to bring joy to one's mother by catering to her every preference, but one must strive to act with a sense of spontaneity, lest she senses the underlying weight of overbearing anxiety...

My family is quite small, and we aren't the type of people who feel the need to constantly check in a hundred times a day or repetitively offer platitudes like "how are you feeling?" or "I love you" or "I’m worried about you"... we are all distinct individuals here. However, we did make a mistake in how we approached things; at various points, each of us would shower our mother with so much attention that she eventually concluded we were only doing it because we believed she was dying... that we were desperately trying to cling to her life or force her to find joy... and she told us quite plainly that by acting this way, we were essentially confirming her fears that she was fading away. We stopped that excessive hovering immediately, stepping back to give her the space to simply exist and go about her business exactly as she always has, just as she did before the illness set in...

I never quite had the courage to pull my mother close and tell her "I love you" when she was healthy... but now that things have changed and there are days where we go without even speaking, I find myself calling her just to say, "Just so you know—I love you." It feels as though mothers almost crave those moments, even if we never expressed it that way before...

Just stay brave... because fortune favors the bold...

Linda Cox69 said:My dear ones,
it seems this is the only place where I can truly let it all out, because every single one of you understands exactly how I feel...😢

Today isn't going particularly well. Mom headed out for her second round of chemo. She’s being so brave, never once complaining; she’s holding up well. Most likely, just like the rest of us... these crises simply swallow you whole, much like they have me today.

I feel so incredibly heavy-hearted. I’m sitting here at the office, when all I want to do is be curled up in bed at home with a mountain of tissues, the TV on, and nothing but Nordorbals to focus on...

I have no strength left to live. There isn't even a tiny shred of energy left inside me.
I spoke with Mom; she’s already in her room. They’ll start the therapy soon. It will probably just be pills again today, followed by chemo tomorrow.

I’m hoping she gets to come home early tomorrow, too.

I look at all these little emojis around me, but none of them could ever capture what I am actually feeling. This kind of pain, this endless sadness... it feels like I'm in a coma.😢🙂🙂🙂

I just want today and tomorrow to pass as quickly as possible. I want Mom to handle the chemo well. I hope she doesn't suffer through those pains like last time—she could barely endure them then...

I just keep crying and crying...
God help us all through this Calvary... Here is my little poem for the forum—maybe my tone of D will lift me up just a little...

Today's post is a total depression dump. Please forgive me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~for the rest of you—since nothing is helping me today...

Pusa

I'll check back in once I've pulled myself together...🙂

Others have already left words of support for you! I can only add that the fear we all carry, triggered by situations like this, is something that defies description and cannot truly be conveyed...

I’ve spoken to many people, wondering if they were braver than I am, but generally, the answer is always: "Those things happened last year, and even though we don't know the specifics, we still remember exactly which month and day everything unfolded!"

During most of my mother's chemo sessions, I spent my time frozen in front of my computer screen, unable to get any work done, alternating between sobbing, laughing hysterically, or trying to force a fake smile... All those days ended with me in physical tension while my mother grew frustrated, unable to understand why I was so preoccupied with it all. My father and brother understood me, though; they both say that on those specific days, they can only sit there and laugh, unable to do anything more or less than that.

During her last two rounds, I actually forgot she was even going to the hospital that day, because I buried myself under such a massive workload that I didn't have the headspace to think about what was happening or how it would go.

We can't change much on our own, and besides, our mothers are in good hands. Tears won't help them; they might actually make things worse. If we put in the effort, stay busy, find some personal joy in our day, and power through it just as strongly as they are powering through their treatment, then maybe we can actually be of help!

Hang in there, and don't let these thoughts break you!

Megan Chase63 said:I find myself facing a strikingly similar dilemma... my mother was diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer with metastases spread throughout her entire body, and the doctors essentially told us there was no point in surgery or even attempting treatment. In our desperation, we purchased a blend of herbs from a phytotherapist in Indianapolis—some mixture of 180 different plants—who insists his tea will cure her, provided we abandon conventional medical protocols entirely. However, after purchasing the tea, the doctors decided to proceed with surgery anyway, and tomorrow—just twenty days post-op—she begins her first round of chemotherapy. We have been giving her these herbal teas since the surgery, and now we are paralyzed by indecision, wondering if we should continue this alongside the chemo or if we might inadvertently cause harm through potential contraindications. When we consulted the herbalist, he dismissed our concerns, claiming she could drink the tea indefinitely during chemo, and suggested that if we asked the doctors, they would simply call us crazy because they refuse to acknowledge anything outside of mainstream medicine. We are at a complete loss as to how to proceed... has anyone here ever attempted treatment using the herbal formulas from John Branko, P.E., out of Indianapolis?

As you previously noted, your mother has just undergone surgery and is about to begin chemotherapy. Since the medical team reacted swiftly and will initiate therapy in short order, one really shouldn't be contemplating alternatives or herbal teas at this specific juncture... Most oncologists will tell you that mixing alternative therapies with standard medicine can lead to adverse effects, a sentiment that Angela Wright expressed quite similarly before I did...

My own mother underwent surgery two years ago for Stage IIIC (also ovarian cancer with metastases throughout the abdomen, reaching toward the lungs and liver), and initially, we could only hope she might spend another six months with us. She lived much longer than expected, doing everything she ever wanted, thought, or finally chose to do, all while strictly consulting with her oncologist... They wouldn't allow her to take Aloe Vera, and certain vitamin supplements were rejected altogether... however, she did go through Native Propolis and Beta Glucan...

Unfortunately, there is no single, universal recipe for successfully fighting cancer. While alternative methods have helped some, those remain isolated individual cases...

Stay strong and keep your courage up...

Linda Cox69 said:my dear ones...
thank you all😍

regarding the issue of hair length, our dermatologist actually provided us with a specific recommendation...👍
we went out this past Saturday to purchase a wig.
if anyone finds this helpful or is seeking information, there is a shop in Columbus located near the medical supply center by the hospital and the train station...

we opted for a medium one, nothing overly extravagant—the gentleman assisting us insisted that while there was a wig priced at $500, there wasn't truly a noticeable difference in quality...

we settled on one for about $150 and paid an additional $30, if I recall correctly...

mother is quite pleased; it looks remarkably similar to her natural hair...

she hasn't actually lost her hair yet, but she wanted to have this resolved before her second round of chemo begins...

just yesterday, she told me herself that she can feel the lump has shrunk when she touches it; previously, it was easy to locate, but now she really had to search for it...

I am hoping the chemo does its job on that thing, and just destroys it completely...😠
otherwise, we are simply waiting for the treatment to start. mother is holding up well. my own heart feels a bit heavy with anticipation, yet she remains as brave and steady as a rock...

my mother...😍 😍

That is what mothers are like! They are tougher than any of us, and they carry themselves differently... Be proud of your mother, and keep giving her strength and smiles so she never wavers! May that thing vanish once and for all... 👍

The reality is that nothing truly compares to one's own hair. Losing it brings both physical and psychological strain, but new, stronger hair will eventually grow back. If it were possible, everyone would opt for a high-end wig made of real human hair, but those cost far more than just a few hundred dollars—they can run several thousand euros... Regardless of the price tag, the most important thing is that it suits her, because honestly, there isn't much of a qualitative difference... I already have two myself. The first was cheaper and didn't survive this second round. This second one is pricier, but I don't see any significant distinction between them...

Stay strong!!!!!! Just be brave, because... fortune favors the bold... 👍

casualrider21 said:Hello everyone!

Just a quick question here...

My father received his first dose of Zomet, but by the second scheduled appointment, the Department of State hadn't approved the Zometa, so they switched him over to Aredia. Is it effectively the same thing?
Is it just as effective?
(The nurse mentioned it’s essentially the same medication as Zometa...)

Thanks!

I see there is some good news circulating too! That's heartening to see. Hang in there, everyone...

Things are always moving fast on my end... helloooo...😉

Hello to you too, stay strong. I don't have any specific information, unfortunately, but I certainly hope the medication is just as effective! Take care...

mistyridge5 said:brave souls...

The link works perfectly fine for me...🤷

"Patients at the San Francisco Oncology Department waited hours in vain for chemotherapy! "

In short:

"About ten patients at the San Francisco Oncology Department of the Mayo Clinic spent five and a half hours today waiting fruitlessly for medication arriving from Washington, D.C., required for their chemotherapy. In the end, they never received the drugs; instead, they were simply given new appointments without any explanation whatsoever.

Given that chemotherapy patients are scheduled weeks in advance—providing the hospital ample time and opportunity to organize themselves accordingly—this conduct by a medical institution toward critically ill individuals is profoundly irresponsible and callous.

As to what actually transpired, why the necessary therapy supplies were not secured, or why patients were not notified in a timely manner—despite numerous calls and endless time spent on hold—we unfortunately failed to ascertain anything from the San Francisco hospital. We were unable to reach a spokesperson or anyone within the department, even after several hours of persistent attempts. 'The spokesperson is the only one who can provide information, and he is currently in a meeting,' was the repetitive response we received until the end of business hours, after which mobile calls were redirected to a landline that merely rang into a void."

I was starting to worry that Opera had once again failed me through some sort of faulty copy-paste error...🤣

If this eventually makes it into The Los Angeles Times, perhaps the underlying issues and the reasons such situations occur will finally become clearer...

Stay strong, everyone!

slyseal28 said:It would certainly be helpful if we knew which specific medications were involved... You see, if we are discussing drugs funded directly through hospital budgets—those already on the approved formulary—then the issue likely stems from budget caps, leading them to delay processing so they don't hit this month's limit...

I am not entirely certain, as there isn't much detail provided on Barkun. Regardless of the specifics—whether they are delaying because of budget limits on listed drugs or waiting for insurance approval for non-listed ones (which I suspect is the case)—the result remains the same: the sheer terror felt by people who desperately need chemotherapy is palpable, and all this stalling and stress only worsens the patients' conditions, not to mention how it pushes their treatment cycles back, forcing them to wait until the next scheduled visit where they might just sit in a waiting room again, exposed to everything...

I cannot find myself more in agreement than to simply copy and paste something that caught my eye, or perhaps pay closer attention to my own mother, especially when faced with news like this, which truly sickens me given that such things are occurring within our American hospitals...

Susan Ruiz76 said:Roughly ten patients at the San Francisco Mayo Clinic's Oncology Department spent five and a half hours today waiting for a medication being shipped from Washington, D.C., just so they could receive their chemotherapy treatments. In the end, the medication never arrived, and without any explanation whatsoever, they were simply given a new appointment date...

It is frankly unacceptable that an Oncology Department would allow itself to fall into a situation where a dozen patients—scheduled three weeks in advance for chemo—are sitting in a waiting room while the very drugs they need are nowhere to be found, according to one reader who witnessed today's unpleasant turn of events at the facility.

The patients, who arrived at the hospital at 8:00 AM this morning, had their appointments set weeks ago; among them, it was noted, are many individuals who travel specifically to San Francisco for treatment, waking up at 5:00 or 6:00 AM to ensure they arrive on time, only to sit fruitlessly in a crowded waiting room...

While waiting for the essential medication that was "supposed to arrive at any moment from Washington, D.C.," they reached 1:30 PM before being sent home without any clarification, receiving nothing more than a rescheduled time slot.

"We are currently in the midst of flu and virus season, when half the patients are coughing and sneezing through the hospital corridors, which is another critical factor doctors must account for, as they know perfectly well that if an oncology patient falls ill, they cannot undergo chemotherapy, and all these wasted moments are incredibly precious for them..."

Given that chemotherapy patients are scheduled weeks in advance, providing the medical institution ample time to organize its logistics, such conduct by a medical facility toward critically ill people is profoundly irresponsible and callous...

As to what actually occurred, why the necessary therapy supplies weren't procured, or why the patients weren't notified in a timely manner—even after numerous calls and being left on hold—we unfortunately failed to uncover the truth at the San Francisco hospital. We couldn't reach a spokesperson or anyone in the Department after several hours of attempts. "The spokesperson is the only one who can provide information, and they are currently in a board meeting," we heard repeatedly until the end of the business day, after which the mobile line diverted to a landline that simply rang into the void. (Barkun)

Thanks for the copy/paste!!!!!