Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

wiredotter75 said:Hey Angela Wright, hang in there!!!🙂

Hey everyone, stay STRONG—keep fighting. I’m rooting for all of you and wishing nothing but the absolute best! Vedran ST, just hang in there—it’s tough, I know—but you've gotta push through! Angela Wright, hold on just a little longer, do it for your little angel... I'm sending good vibes to everyone!!! God is with the brave and the persistent! Peace.

Angela Wright said:I’m holding steady, but I’m under pretty strict supervision right now. I’ve hit 32 weeks, and just yesterday I got word that if everything stays on this track, we’re looking at waiting until week 37 before heading in for a C-section. The doctors are worried things might not kick off naturally given all the risks that have piled up lately. Honestly, the most important thing is that the baby is doing great and growing perfectly, which is such a massive weight off my shoulders. Sending love to everyone from the Holy Spirit.

The part in bold is what really matters here. 😉
The crew over at the Holy Spirit is top-notch, so I've got a good feeling everything is going to work out fine. 🙂
Hang in there, stay strong. 🙂

So, I just finished my 56th chemo session... spent about 48 hours hooked up to the pump, haha. Got home on Friday, now I'm just trying to flush my system and recover a bit. Of course, my markers jumped from 6 to 8.46—that's almost a 45% increase. If you ask me, I think the disease is progressing again, but the doctor, naturally (won't admit anything until he sees the CT scan), is totally denying it. We'll see soon enough. If things are looking bad, I'll probably just push through a second line of chemo, and then it's either some clinical trial or just heading home to meet God... hahaha
Great life, right!?? But hey, we keep moving
NO SURRENDER!

wiredotter75 said:So, here I am after 56 rounds of chemo... spent 48 hours straight hooked up to the pump, haha. Got home Friday, and now I'm just trying to detox and recover bit by bit. Naturally, my markers jumped from 6 to 8.46—that's nearly a 45% spike. Personally? I think the disease is progressing again, but of course, the doctor (who won't admit a thing until he sees the CT scan) is totally denying it. We'll see soon enough. If things are looking bad, I'll try a second line of chemo, and then it's either some clinical trial or just heading home to meet God... hahaha
What a life, right!?? But hey, we keep moving
NO SURRENDERING!

Hey wiredotter75—stay strong, don't give up! Have you looked into the Baking Soda treatment? You can find stuff about it on Google. I know, I know, it sounds totally ridiculous after all that intense chemo you've been through, but maybe it’s worth a shot—especially with those digestive issues you're having (it actually helps my husband with his stomach ulcers). I'm rooting for you to get better. There are no set rules here; we're all individuals. For some, treatment is a marathon, for others, a sprint—just stay brave!!

Casey Booth3 said:Vedran—hang in there, don't give up! Have you looked into the Baking Soda thing? It's all over Google. I know, sounds totally crazy after everything you've been through with chemo, but maybe it’s worth a shot—especially with those digestion issues you're having (it helped my husband with his stomach ulcers). Just want you to get better. There are no set rules, we're all in our own boat here. For some, treatment is long, for others it's short—just stay brave!!

Haven't tried it. I've read about it, and yeah, people have told me what they take, but honestly, I'm just lazy and have no clue where to even start... if you have any tips on how to kick this off simply, just shoot me a DM. I'd really appreciate it. Might give it a shot..

Hey everyone. Sorry I've been MIA; I’ve been dealing with some pleural effusion lately, so things have been a bit rough, but I'm hanging in there. 🙂 Whether you're fighting this yourself or watching a loved one go through it, just hang tough. Sending my best to Angela Wright—I really hope everything is going okay on your end. Kevin Bishop10, stay strong. And wiredotter75, seeing how you handle this gives me strength, so thank you for that.

ruggedpuma47 said:Hey everyone. Sorry I've been MIA for a bit, I had some pleural effusion flare up so I've been struggling through that, but I'm hanging in there somehow 🙂 Whether you're fighting this yourselves or watching a loved one go through it, just hang tough, okay? Sending so much love to Angela Wright and I'm really hoping everything turns out okay for her. Kevin Bishop10, stay strong, you can do this. And wiredotter75, honestly, seeing how you handle things gives me so much strength, so thank you.

Sending big hugs to ruggedpuma47, hang in there! Angela Wright, sending you so much love and a huge kiss too—I'm praying everything goes perfectly for both of you.
To everyone else here, I'm wishing you all so much courage to help you get through whatever life throws your way...

feralridge3 said:this is 100% spot on. Take my aunt, for example—she complains constantly, gets help, but then goes right back to her old ways—playing the victim just so she can stay the protagonist in her own little tragedy.
since all this stuff weighs on me, I’ve had to create some distance because the negativity was just wrecking my headspace. Honestly, since getting sick, I've realized I have to be my own top priority. I'm fighting for myself the best way I know how—it's my life, after all. She’s got the right to make her own choices too, though. I found a method that works: every time she started the whole "poor me" routine, I'd basically just shut it down. Once she realized she couldn't play those games with me like she does with everyone else, the whining started happening way less often. Sounds harsh, I know, but like I said, I have to put myself first.

As for my brain tumor... yeah, it's gone. 🙂
I've had the checkups done, and the MRI looks good. Since it's been five years now, I'll just go in for once a year for follow-ups. This whole process used to drive me absolutely insane because I felt like I was spending half my life hanging around hospitals. Plus, I still need to deal with this annoying ear issue. I'm setting up an appointment with an ENT specialist in about ten days.

Looking back over these five years, I can honestly say this tumor and the fight for my life actually brought a lot of good things my way. I discovered parts of myself I didn't even know existed and realized some (I think pretty vital) truths about life. I'm still putting the "puzzle pieces" together in my head, but I finally feel—regardless of any psychiatric "depressive episodes"—that I'm moving in the right direction. I've realized just how much your mindset affects your quality of life, and how important it is to get your conscious and subconscious thoughts in sync. When I look back at who I used to be, I'm not even surprised that things turned out the way they did. ☕

And it really is true what they say—help yourself first, and then God will help you.
One more thing... it's such a shame how rare it is to find doctors who actually give you support, even if it's just through a few kind words. During the toughest moments, I often thought back to what my former oncologist (who's retired now) told me. When I asked him what the prognosis looked like for my type of tumor, he just looked at me and said, "You're a fighter. You're going to make it."
I'll never forget that. I only wish I could have seen him one more time before he retired just to say thank you for those words. That happened during my second round of chemo when I was still scrambling to scrape together the money for Temodal. Seriously, a few words mean everything when they're spoken sincerely and at exactly the right time. 🙂

It breaks my heart that this thread is so heavy and somber, but I truly admire you, Angela Wright, for your persistence and your desire to help others through this. 🙏 🙏 🙏

This is the most beautiful thing I've read! When someone pops up and says "YOU'RE HEALTHY! Bravo!"—it means everything. Wishing you nothing but luck and health in your life!

Greetings, everyone.

I find myself grappling with a few uncertainties—specifically regarding beta-glucan. Mom was told she should avoid taking it while undergoing chemotherapy, yet I’ve encountered others who insist it is absolutely essential to take during treatment. It leaves me wondering: what is the actual medical consensus on this? And for those of you currently navigating your own chemo cycles, what is your experience? Are you incorporating it, or staying away?

On another note, I am concerned about the pain management aspect. Mom has finished her second round of chemotherapy, but the discomfort persists, and she is relying heavily on pain medication... how are the rest of you managing? Additionally, she is still dealing with some water retention—though, thankfully, it seems to be receding slightly. Thank you.

Actually, you shouldn't be taking any heavy-duty antioxidants—and beta-glucan definitely falls into that category—while undergoing a chemo cycle. They bind to free radicals, which in this specific scenario act as cytostatic agents, essentially neutralizing the very toxins the treatment uses to kill the cancer cells. It’s like trying to put out a fire while simultaneously throwing water on the flames; you're just undermining the whole process. It makes much more sense to save those supplements for the gaps between cycles to help with recovery.
Regarding the pain, that isn't actually caused by the chemo itself. She needs to contact the Pain Management Clinic so they can map out a specific medication cocktail and titrate the dosage until they find the sweet spot for her. I’d highly recommend hitting up the Pain Management unit over at the Trauma Center on Draskovic and Loncar.

Hey everyone. I'm new here, and honestly, my Dad is really sick right now. He was diagnosed with bile duct cancer a month ago and they had to put in a stent. It hit me like a ton of bricks, but we haven't told him the truth yet because I'm terrified it'll just kill him. I'm trying everything to help him, but it's so hard when he doesn't even know what he's fighting. Right now, I've got him on beta glucan. I also have plenty of graviola, flaxseed oil, and chia, but he won't touch them—he thinks it's just gallstones or some minor gallbladder issue. I even took him to a homeopath who wanted to give him abdominal injections, but Dad refused, saying he's perfectly fine. What am I supposed to do? Should we tell him the truth or keep him in the dark? Has anyone else dealt with this kind of thing? Please, I'm lost and don't know what to do.

Dad deserves to know at least part of the truth—that there was actually something there and that it was removed. She’s a grown woman with a sound mind, and it is her legitimate right to make her own calls about what she wants or doesn't want. You and the rest of the family don't have the right to strip that away from him; you have to be ready to respect his decisions, no matter how difficult, confusing, or hard to swallow they might seem to you.

I feel the exact same way, but I'm terrified Dad is just going to spiral into depression and lose his will to fight. He's trying right now, though. They haven't even done surgery on him yet... they just put in a stent to stop the bile from building up. Has anyone here actually dealt with beta-glucan or those injections before?

My bad, I typed it wrong, the injections had

Linda Patel21 said:I misspoke earlier; they were injections, not pills.

Your fear is totally understandable, but let's be real—it's also irrational because you're essentially discounting your dad's intelligence. You think he hasn't already figured out what's going on from the sheer mountain of supplements you guys have been piling up? Look, someone has to talk to him. Even if it's just a partial truth, it doesn't mean he has to spiral into depression. In fact, for most people, facing the reality actually triggers that survival instinct to fight. That initial depression is usually just the shock of the confrontation. What you're doing right now is a much worse approach, and honestly, it won't help either of you in the long run. That’s just my experience with these kinds of situations.
As far as the supplements go, your dad needs to be the one to choose based on his own intuition about what feels right. Beta glucan is fantastic for boosting the immune system, and I've heard some pretty positive things about injections regarding lung issues. But you need to get one thing straight: none of this cures cancer. These things simply help the body fight its own battle. Cramming a dozen different supplements into his system isn't going to improve his odds; if anything, it's just going to wreck his liver. You need to pick maybe two, maybe three sensible things and stick to them from start to finish.
I think I left a link here before to the Planetopijin website and Dr. Servan Schreiber's book, "Against cancer." You absolutely have to read it. It'll make everything much clearer and give you both a roadmap for how to handle this.

Thanks for the advice, I'll try talking to him. Everything is just hitting me so hard because I'm dealing with Crohn's myself. I'm terrified of making the wrong move... I just want to help him. Sometimes I feel like I'm doing absolutely nothing about his illness. Part of the day I'm being rational, and the rest of the time I'm just crying. I think you know exactly what I mean.

Dear forum members, my husband underwent surgery for Dukes C colon cancer on May 21, 2013, in Tampa. Following that, he was referred by his internist-oncologist to the Cancer Center of Miami to determine the next steps for his treatment plan. We picked up the referral and faxed over all the medical documentation on Tuesday, June 18, 2013. I even received verbal confirmation over the phone that everything had been received.
However, as of Monday, June 24, 2013, we still haven't heard anything regarding an appointment date. When I called the Center again to demand an explanation, I was told the specialist team hadn't even reviewed the files yet to assign a physician or a time slot. They basically told me that if nobody reaches out by Friday, June 28, then I should call them back. Of course, more waiting... My husband drove to the clinic yesterday just to check in person, and the woman at the counter repeated the exact same thing—they’ll call us next week. Does anyone here have experience dealing with such absurdly long waits for consultations and treatment scheduling? I feel completely powerless, though naturally, I can't let Dad see how much this is getting to me. What on earth should I do next? 🙂

loneraven162, that’s pretty much how it goes when they're on annual leave. Honestly, the absolute worst times to get hit with a diagnosis or try to kickstart treatment are during the summer rush or around the Christmas holidays and New Year—basically whenever everyone is out skiing. I know the waiting game drives you crazy, but nothing life-altering should happen in just a week or two. Just stay on top of them, be persistent, and keep pushing.

Linda Patel21 said:Thanks for the advice; I’ll try to talk to him. Everything feels so heavy right now because I’m dealing with my own Chron too. I’m terrified of making the wrong move... I just want to help him. Sometimes it feels like I’m doing absolutely nothing to fight his illness. Part of me stays rational during the day, but then the tears just start flowing. I think you know exactly what I mean.

I do know, and honestly, that’s where the danger lies—you’re letting his struggle become your own. This diagnosis is happening to him, just like Chron is happening to you. No one else can step in and fight these battles for you. The best thing you can do is be each other's rock, since you're both navigating this together.