Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

melloworca6 said:I sent you a DM. I have some questions, but I'd rather not air them out in public. 😘

Maybe. I guess. 😘

Hello everyone... unfortunately, I find myself joining this discussion, though not on the most pleasant of topics 😢 but I still want to offer my praise to the person who started this thread and to all of you for sharing your experiences. I actually posted yesterday on a thread regarding LUNG CANCER, but there hasn't been a response yet. To give you the context, my father-in-law was diagnosed with a malignant lung tumor a few months ago; they performed surgery, but the malignancy couldn't be entirely removed. He has undergone various tests and produced every possible diagnostic result, and this coming Monday, he is scheduled to begin his first round of therapies. We just learned today that he will be undergoing both radiation and chemotherapy. The doctors aren't particularly optimistic, but I have made the firm decision to stand right by my father-in-law and fight through this entire ordeal alongside him. We possess a strong will, so we shall see how things unfold. I am relatively young—only 25—and I have never had to face such a vicious disease, so any advice at all would be deeply appreciated. For the moment, we are holding steady; thank God, he is eating and drinking everything I provide. I try to ensure he eats high-quality, nutritious food, though I occasionally slip in something he truly enjoys as a reward. Ever since we received the diagnosis, he has been consuming NONI, beets, quail eggs, honey, and plenty of fruit like raspberries, blueberries, and grapes every single day. We have also started him on an immunity-boosting blend consisting of propolis, oregano, pollen, honey, clover, thyme, sage, and echinacea; in addition to all that, he takes two tablespoons of flaxseed oil and oregano oil daily. I also picked up an appetite stimulant syrup for him just as a precaution. Perhaps I am overdoing it with all these supplements, but he takes them willingly and doesn't complain. His weight remains stable—neither dropping nor increasing. We are all making sure he doesn't isolate himself in his room, ensuring he has his time to rest, socialize, and spend time out in the garden in the fresh Air. I speak with him regularly about everything; I encourage him to be brave, but I refuse to lie to him—he is fully aware of his situation. If anyone has any advice for me on how to proceed or what steps to take next, please reach out. I am grateful for every single comment. <3 Don't let it get you down; we fight this together.

I am sorry about the diagnosis 🙂
Everything you're doing is right, just keep going. Don't lose heart, stay positive, and focus on recovery. Listen to the doctors; maybe don't dig too much into the internet, since everyone is different and every illness hits an organism differently, I guess

In any case, don't give up on the illness, and let him do whatever makes him happy because that helps. For the family who is already grieving, maybe explain things clearly—that there's a fight ahead. Chemo and radiation should help, but he needs to maintain his immunity. I know people who lived for six years with inoperable tumors that were shrunk by radiation and chemo, even though they were only given a month... 🙏

Every day counts! And bravo to you for being so involved! I suppose showing him love will help him realize he isn't alone—it's important that everyone carries a small part of that burden so he doesn't have to carry it all

I am praying for you 😘

We are doing everything in our power to keep things moving in this direction, and honestly, it brings me such relief to see him smiling and actually getting out there to sit with people again. As for the family members who are already weeping over him—they aren't doing it right in front of his face because they’re being sensible; even they need a way to let off some steam once in a while. I truly appreciate you reaching out and offering your support. We listen to the doctors above all else, though they tend to be quite brief with their words. I am just so incredibly glad I stumbled upon this forum where I can exchange experiences and gauge whether I am actually doing the right thing. Sending my best, and we are in this fight together.

My dear friends... it truly brings me such relief and comfort to visit a site like this and read through your stories and kind words. I have so much respect for all of you!!!! I want nothing but healing for everyone here, and I hope you find strength to endure everything—you are all absolute heroes!!!! Bravooooo!!!!!
babica4... fadedtrucker5!!!! Bravo!!!!👋👋👏👏 I admire you all; please, stay strong!
For those who aren't aware, we are fighting this battle right alongside my father. He was diagnosed with primary hepatocellular carcinoma of the liver, which is inoperable. The doctors didn't give him any chance at all, yet he is undergoing chemotherapy (he has completed 11 rounds so far, receiving them every 21 days). We are now 10 or 11 months in, and he feels wonderful. Honestly, how he is handling it is nothing short of a miracle!!!! He hasn't lost his hair, he isn't nauseous, nothing... the only issue is that, much like a musical artist 🙂🙂
What he has most of is positivity; he is completely certain and convinced that he is 100% healthy, and he carries himself that way 🙂. Perhaps that isn't always ideal, as he can get a bit too relaxed and forget his dietary restrictions, but we've decided to let him be. If he feels good, then we feel even better...
Please, do not pay any mind to what others say about how someone else fared; we are all different individuals, and God is GREAT. No one can ever truly know how long a person's journey will be. Our responsibility is to fight and to pray to God, and I truly believe in miracles!!!!
Sending my love to you all 😍

casualraven43 said:My dear friends... honestly, it is such a profound relief—and truly beautiful—to visit a site like this and read through these stories and heartfelt words. I mean, seriously, hats off to all of you! I truly wish for everyone here to find healing and for your burdens to become lighter to carry—because, let’s be honest, you all are absolute heroes. Bravooooo!!!!!
fadedtrucker5!!!! Bravo!!!!👋👋👏 👏 I truly admire you all—please, stay strong!
For those who aren't aware—and I feel like I should probably clarify this for everyone here—my father and I are fighting this battle together. He was diagnosed with primary hepatocellular carcinoma of the liver, a type that simply can't be operated on. To be honest, the doctors weren't giving him any kind of chance at all... but here we are. He’s currently undergoing chemotherapy—he’s finished 11 rounds so far, receiving them every 21 days—and it has been nearly ten or eleven months now. And the most incredible thing? He feels absolutely wonderful. How he’s handling this is nothing short of a miracle! He hasn't lost any hair, he isn't dealing with nausea, or any of those typical side effects... nothing at all. The only struggle he has is some insomnia, which is what he deals with as a musical artist 🙂🙂
What he has in abundance is pure, unadulterated positivity—he’s so convinced of his own vitality that he carries himself like someone who is 100% healthy, and honestly, he acts the part perfectly.🙂 Perhaps there’s a downside to all this—maybe it’s not always the best idea because he might get a bit too relaxed, you know? He could easily lose track of the boundaries—what’s acceptable and what isn't—but honestly, we’ve let him loose. If he feels good about it, then fine; if everything works out for us too, well, that’s even better... wouldn't you agree?
Please, don't pay any mind to the stories people tell—or how things supposedly went for one person or another—because, at the end of the day, we are all fundamentally different. And honestly? God is GREAT. No one can ever truly know how much time we have left in this life... it’s simply not within our grasp. All that matters is that we keep fighting and keep our prayers directed toward God—and personally, I still believe in miracles!!!!
I just want you all to know—I truly love you guys.😍

It truly warms my heart to hear that they’re feeling better... honestly. My own father went through the exact same thing—the doctors basically told him there was nothing more they could do, so now he's just back home, and that's really that. It's such a difficult position to be in, isn't it? To just have to accept it? He spent all of yesterday vomiting—just constant, non-stop—so it's been quite a struggle. 😢He’s strictly sticking to herbal remedies—nothing else—and maintaining this incredibly strict salt-free diet... and here I am, still holding onto the hope that some kind of miracle might happen.

Thanks to everyone for the support. To all the newcomers joining this thread because someone they love is sick—I’m truly sorry you're dealing with this, but maybe stay positive... it'll be okay, I guess.

Tomorrow is my last chemo session for this round, then it's radiation through August 22nd. Hopefully, I'll have about 23 days of downtime to get my blood counts back up. I'm aiming to be back at work by September 1st, maybe.😍

Love you all.🙂

casualraven43 said:My dear friends... honestly, it is such a profound relief to visit a site like this and read stories and words like these. I have nothing but respect for you all!!!! I truly wish for everyone here to heal and to find strength in enduring this—you are all absolute heroes!!!! Bravooooo!!!!!
babica4...fadedtrucker5!!!! bravoooo!!!!👋👋👏👏I admire you all, just stay strong!
For those who aren't aware, we are fighting this fight right alongside my father, who was diagnosed with primary hepatocellular carcinoma of the liver. It’s inoperable, and the doctors weren't giving him any kind of chance, yet he is undergoing chemotherapy (he's had 11 rounds so far, receiving them every 21 days), and after 10 or 11 months, he feels absolutely fantastic. How he handles it is nothing short of a miracle!!!! He hasn't lost any hair, he isn't vomiting, nothing... the only thing is, like a musical artist 🙂🙂
What he possesses most is positivity; he is completely certain and convinced that he is 100% healthy, and he carries himself exactly that way🙂 perhaps that isn't always ideal because he can get too relaxed and forget his limitations, but we have decided to let him be; if he feels good, then everything is fine with us, too...
Do not pay any attention to how someone else fared or what happened to them; we are all different, and God is GREAT, and no one can ever truly know how long anyone will live. Our job is to fight and to pray to God, and I believe in miracles!!!!
Sending love to you all😍

It is truly heartening to read a post like this 🙂 just keep going like this and I'll be rooting for you.

Our patient underwent his very first round of chemotherapy today, and honestly, he seems to be holding up quite well so far. The doctors informed him that he’ll be receiving treatment for five consecutive days, followed by a break of nearly a month before the cycle begins again. I am firmly holding out hope that he can endure this entire process and tolerate the side effects without too much struggle.
We have all been doing everything humanly possible to support him, and we fully intend to keep that momentum going.
Sending my best to everyone, especially fadedtrucker5

Kate Brooks2 said:Our patient had his first chemo session today. He seems okay for now, I guess. They told him he'll be doing five days straight, then a break for almost a month before starting again. Maybe he'll pull through this whole thing without too much trouble. Hopefully.
I guess we've all done our part for now. We plan to keep at it, maybe.
Greetings to everyone, especially musical artist div>

Long breaks are actually quite beneficial. I guess the blood might finally have enough time to recover. Maybe. 👍
Maybe he should take some immune supplements to help him pull through. Staying positive is probably key to recovery, too, I guess. Sending you all my best. Just surround him with love—everyone needs to carry a bit of the weight so he doesn't have to do it alone. 🙏

If anyone else needs advice on immunity supplements—I mentioned what I take a few pages back—but I guess everyone's body reacts differently. Maybe. 👍
I guess you just have to realize that asking isn't always easy. Maybe it's better to just listen to the doctors.
Prayer might be a decent way to meditate, I guess, but modern medicine is at an enviable level these days. One really should embrace it as the primary foundation.
And you all just cling to the internet!

Sending love. :*

fadedtrucker5 said:Taking long breaks is actually incredibly beneficial because it gives the blood enough time to fully recover. 👍
He needs to be taking immunity supplements to stay strong through this, and above all, he must remain positive because that mindset is absolutely vital for recovery! I am sending you all my best wishes! Surround him with love; everyone should carry a portion of this burden so he doesn't have to 🙏

If anyone else is looking for advice regarding immune support tablets, I wrote a few pages back about exactly what I take—though, obviously, every single person's needs are unique. 👍
Just keep in mind that more expensive doesn't necessarily mean better, and you really ought to listen to your doctors.
While prayer is a wonderful form of meditation, modern medicine is at an enviable level today and must be embraced as the primary, fundamental foundation.
And please, stay away from the internet!

Love to you :*

Thank you so much for always reaching out to me. I truly love reading your posts because your positivity is infectious, and I find myself easily swept up in it. I went through everything you mentioned using, and it turns out we use very similar things. On top of all that, we started using NONi quite a while ago on our doctor's recommendation, and it genuinely works to increase our patient's appetite if nothing else does. He is currently hospitalized, and while his treatments are ongoing, he is only permitted to have water or iced tea—at least two liters a day, according to the medical staff—so we can't move back to healthy foods and supplements until the treatment phase is complete. How have you been lately? How are you progressing? Ljubac

<3

Finished my last chemo session from the first round yesterday. 🙏
Still have three radiation treatments left—today, tomorrow, and Monday, God willing the machine actually works—then comes the break. They’re pulling blood on Monday to see how much I’ve "dropped" lately. After this pause, it’s more chemo with breaks every six months, though I’ll be taking a heavy dose at home...
I guess getting out of the hospital is the goal, but then again, I feel a bit guilty because I end up chatting with someone new every single day, trying to offer a little positivity or hope...

Yesterday, I was talking to a 67-year-old man who just had his second prostate surgery. He was absolutely terrified, so I told him his best years are still ahead and he needs to start planning for the next 2, 5, or 10 years—just stay positive about it all. I suppose I'll miss those moments; he thanked me like I’d handed him the world... 😍

Oh, and some woman in the waiting room mentioned that heart-shaped magnets really helped her father. 🤷 I should probably look into what that's actually about—all I know is they wear them during the scans. If anyone's interested, I can ask!

Hang in there, everyone, and try to stay positive—we woke up and got another day!
🙂

🙏

How many more people are going to try to rise from the ashes alongside you? 🙏 fadedtrucker5, you’re the perfect example of how someone should handle this—just staying positive. Honestly, I have zero doubt you’ll leave all this nonsense in the rearview mirror before you know it. 🙂

fadedtrucker5, bravo to you—your strength, your positive energy, and the way you lift others up is truly commendable.
I spent the day at the hospital visiting our patient today. He honestly looks fantastic; he isn't feeling nauseous, nor does the therapy seem to be weighing on him too heavily, even though he was dealing with some pain last night—he insists it wasn't anything serious.
I finally managed to secure both new updates and the first real, concrete information regarding his condition while I was there. They informed me that, essentially, what we are dealing with is Soft Tissue Sarcoma. No one had mentioned that specific diagnosis to us until now, so I was quite taken aback by the news. They also recommended Revit (a dietary supplement containing royal jelly), noting that he can continue taking it even during chemotherapy. I made sure to get it for him immediately, and he started taking it today. Furthermore, they mentioned there is a possibility that if the treatment works as intended, he may undergo another surgery.
That is exactly what I am praying for. He seems to be doing wonderful, and it brings me such peace to see him not suffering. This first cycle wraps up this Saturday, and they told me he won't be discharged until Monday because they don't process any discharges on Sundays. Personally, I'm glad it's handled this way; if he experiences any sudden pain, they will be right there to provide better care. Sending my best to everyone—stay strong. 🙂)))

melloworca6 said:🙏

I guess others will just rise from the ashes too. 🙏 fadedtrucker5, you're actually a prime example of how someone should be—just full of positivity. I mean, I don't even doubt you'll leave all this behind without a second thought. 🙂

🙂
And I am! Just two more radiation sessions left—tomorrow and Monday. Today at the clinic, I "threatened" them that they wouldn't get any treats on Monday if the radiation machine doesn't work for these next two days... 😍
On Tuesday, I'm heading straight to my doctor to see if I can end my medical leave on August 31st. Hopefully, I'll be back at work by September 1st. I find myself dreaming about my office, my colleagues, the job... just a normal life. 😍

Kate Brooks2 said:fadedtrucker5, bravo to you. Your strength, that positive energy... and helping others. I guess.
Visited our patient at the hospital today. He seems okay, I guess. No nausea or anything from the therapy, though he did mention some pain last night—not that it was anything major, apparently.
I finally managed to get some actual, real information from the hospital regarding his condition. They told me it’s essentially a soft tissue sarcoma. No one had even mentioned that to us until now, so I guess I'm just caught off guard. They recommended Revit (that dietary supplement with royal jelly), which he can take even during chemo. I grabbed it immediately, and he started taking it today. On top of that, they said there might be a chance for another surgery if the therapy works well. Maybe.
I hope that's how it plays out. He seems to be doing great, and I'm just relieved he isn't feeling nauseous. This first round wraps up on Saturday, but they won't let him head home until Monday, since they don't handle discharges on Sundays. I guess I'm actually glad about that.
If he ends up dealing with any pain, I guess these might actually help him more. Anyway, stay safe everyone. 🙂)))

I'm just glad everything seems to be holding up okay. I guess we can only hope for better. 🙏
Stay positive and live healthy—just keep pushing forward. I guess you should hold onto anything that might actually help. Doctors claim like 90% of healing happens in the mind through positivity, and maybe I'm right about that too.
Every day is a gift, I suppose. One should probably be happy about it. 🙏
Love you guys. Hang in there, I guess. 😍

Hey everyone. It’s actually really nice to find a corner of the internet like this where you can share something useful with others. I’m new here, so please don't judge if someone has already shared a similar story. Basically, my family is going through hell—not just me, my brother, and my dad, but our whole extended family too—because of my mother's mental illness. Every single day is nothing but screaming and chaos. Everything is somehow our fault. We can barely have a normal conversation with her, and even when we try, she just finds something to pick at and immediately raises her voice. God forbid anyone tries to make a joke; she takes everything the wrong way instantly. Her mood swings constantly throughout the day, flipping from crying to shouting without warning. It’s exhausting living with her. Her behavior is destroying us; we’re all just suffering through these outbursts. It's impossible to get anything done around her, let alone focus on studying for an exam—my brother is still in college, and I've already finished my degree. At night, she doesn't sleep at all. She wakes up a hundred times, coming into our rooms to check if we're sleeping. We have zero privacy and zero peace. This has been going on for seven years now. She's been hospitalized twice at a psychiatric facility, most recently back in 2006. Right now, she doesn't work at all, just handles housework. She used to work seasonal jobs down at the coast, which used to help calm her down, but she won't do that anymore. Her condition is just getting worse and worse. The yelling is constant. It's gotten to the point where our relatives barely visit because she's picked fights with almost everyone, including her own mother. I honestly can't remember the last time I brought a friend over, or a girlfriend, or even had a chat with a neighbor. When people see or hear her, they just shut themselves away inside the house. Sometimes it's even hard for me just to walk down the street. My dad works out on the coast, so he's fine while he's there, but when he comes home for the winter, he has to deal with this exact same thing. We would all be so much happier if she would just agree to treatment. Whenever we suggest seeing a doctor, she tells us that we're the ones who are crazy, and then the fighting starts all over again. Maybe someone else here has dealt with something like this at home and knows how it feels. I've seen plenty of different illnesses, but I think this one is the absolute worst. Honestly, I'm terrified that one day I'll end up just like that.

mellowhawk84 said:Hey everyone. It’s actually great to have a corner of the internet like this where you can share something useful with others. I’m new here, so please don't judge if someone has already told a similar story. Basically, my family—me, my brother, my dad, and our extended relatives—is dealing with a massive crisis because of my mother's mental illness. Every single day is nothing but shouting and chaos. We are all constantly being blamed for things, and having a normal conversation with her is almost impossible; even when we try, she finds some tiny thing to nitpick and immediately raises her voice. God forbid anyone makes a joke, and she’ll take it all the wrong way. Her mood swings like crazy throughout the day, cycling from sobbing to screaming over and over again. Living with her is exhausting; her behavior is destroying us, and we just have to endure these psychological outbursts. It’s impossible to get anything done near her, let alone study for an exam—my brother is still in college, and I’ve already finished my degree. To make matters worse, she doesn't sleep at night; she wakes up a hundred times, coming into our rooms to check if we’re asleep, so we have zero privacy or peace. This has been going on for seven years. She’s been hospitalized twice at a psychiatric facility, the last time back in 2006. Right now, she doesn't work and just handles housework, whereas before she used to work seasonal jobs down by the coast, which used to keep her calm, but she refuses to do that now. Her condition is just getting worse and worse; the yelling is increasing, and honestly, our relatives barely visit anymore because she’s picked fights with almost everyone, including her own mother. I can't even remember the last time I brought a friend over, or a girlfriend, or even had a chat with a neighbor. When people see or hear her, they just shut themselves away inside, and sometimes I feel embarrassed just walking down the street. My father works out on the coast, so he’s fine while he's there, but when he comes home for the winter, he has to suffer through this too. We would all be so much happier if she would just agree to treatment, but whenever we suggest seeing a doctor, she claims we’re all the ones who are crazy, and then it just turns into another fight. Maybe someone else here has dealt with something like this at home and knows how it feels? I’ve seen plenty of different illnesses, but I think this one is the worst, and I’m honestly terrified that one day I’ll end up like this.

People experiencing psychosis aren't capable of accurately assessing their own condition or deciding to seek help on their own. I’m afraid that "involuntary" hospitalization might be the only way out. You should talk to her primary care physician and see what steps they recommend next. I'd also suggest checking out the psychology forum; there are plenty of people there who have gone through similar situations. I’m sure they’ll be able to offer more intelligent advice than I can. We're mostly navigating "oncology waters" over here.

fadedtrucker5, you are an absolute legend to me 🙂))) I honestly can't even put into words how incredibly relieved I am to hear that you're doing so well.
Over here, things haven't changed much, though he did run a bit of a fever today. Everything else seems fine, but my biggest fear right now is that his mental state might take a hit.
Best to everyone

Kate Brooks2 said:fadedtrucker5, you’re an absolute saint to me 🙂))) I honestly can't put into words how happy it makes me to hear you're doing better.
Things here haven't really changed much, though he did run a fever today. Everything else seems fine, I guess, but my main fear right now is just... I don't know, that his spirit might break.
Best to everyone

Just one more round of radiation and I'm done, I suppose. Hopefully that happens this Monday.🙏

A fever is pretty standard, along with plenty of other symptoms that pop up during chemotherapy. There's no point in panicking; just follow what the doctors say.
Maybe try talking to the patient about future plans—all the good stuff waiting for them in a few weeks, months, or even a year. It’s important they stay occupied, focusing less on the illness and more on themselves and what they actually enjoy. One has to find happiness in life rather than dwelling on the negative.🙂