Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

My friend has been in a coma since last night over at the Mayo Clinic 😢😢😢

Kate Brooks2 said:Hey everyone!
Here’s an update from our side. After finishing the 3rd cycle, we went in for blood work, urine tests, and a CT scan. The blood and urine results were fantastic. Honestly, the doctors said it’s rare to see someone fighting this who has such clean labs. The only thing flagged was a high sedimentation rate. They brushed it off like it was totally normal, but I have no clue why that is—if anyone could explain that to me, I’d really appreciate it.
As for the CT scan, we are absolutely thrilled. The tumor has shrunk from 133x123x127mm down to 97x97x110mm! The doctors are pleased with the progress, and obviously, we are even happier. At the medical board meeting, they just confirmed the significant shrinkage and told us we need to push forward with the treatment. For now, they’re recommending three more rounds, specifically using KT Ifosfamide. So... the next cycle starts tomorrow. What do you all think about this? I’m looking for input especially from those of you who know their stuff. Best,

It can be elevated in malignant diseases; so yes, it's normal.

Emily Edwards19 said:my friend has been in a coma since last night over at the Mayo Clinic😢😢😢

I am so sorry😢

Emily Edwards19 said:my friend has been in a coma since last night at Mayo Clinic😢😢😢

😢
Oh man... the edema probably just spiraled out of control. If it's an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid, they can actually drain it mechanically through a puncture. When my mom fell into a coma, they did exactly that for her—it literally brought her back from the brink, giving her a fighting chance to actually start oncological treatment.
Hang in there.

thanks, Emily Edwards19...
thanks, Sarah Miller..
😢

We all recognize that while we’ve secured this particular victory, the war isn't over just yet, but honestly, this is the first bit of genuinely good news we've had in six months, so I am feeling incredibly relieved and optimistic! 😉

I was so sorry to hear about what happened with your friend, Emily Edwards19. Just stay strong; that is truly all I can say right now.

I would appreciate it if those of you who actually understand medical terminology could break down these sentences for me.

LOCALLY INFILTRATES THE COSTAL AND APICAL PLEURA, WITHOUT VISIBLE RIB EROSION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHILE PERIPHERALLY VISIBLE AMORPHOUS CALCIFICATIONS ARE PRESENT IN THE CRANIAL ASPECTS, IT ALSO COMPLETELY STENOSES THE BRONCHUS FOR THE APICAL AND POSTERIOR SEGMENTS OF THE UPPER LOBE. IN THE ANTERIOR SEGMENT OF THE UPPER LOBE AND THE MIDDLE LOBE ON THE RIGHT, TWO DISCRETE PLATE-LIKE ATELECTASIS ARE VISIBLE. IN THE BASAL SEGMENTS OF THE LOWER LOBES BILATERALLY, WITH MORE PRONOUNCED CHANGES ON THE RIGHT, BAND-LIKE AND IRREGULAR FIBROTIC CHANGES ARE OBSERVED. NO FOCAL PATHOLOGICAL LESIONS ARE SEEN IN THE LEFT LUNG. THERE IS NO PRESENCE OF PLEURAL EFFUSION. IN THE RETROCAVAL MEDIASTINAL FATTY TISSUE, IN THE AORTOPULMONARY WINDOW, LEFT OF THE AORTIC ARCH, AND SUBCARINAL, LYMPH NODES MEASURE UP TO 17 mm. ON THE RIGHT HILOPULMONARY SIDE, SEVERAL LYMPH NODES MEASURE 11 mm, AND ON THE LEFT HILOPULMONARY SIDE, LYMPH NODES MEASURE 9 mm. NO PATHOLOGICALLY ENLARGED LYMPH NODES ARE SEEN IN THE AXILLAE. NO FOCAL OSTEOLYTIC LESIONS ARE VISIBLE ON THE BONY STRUCTURES, BUT SIGNIFICANT DEGENERATIVE CHANGES ARE PRESENT IN THE THORACIC SPINE.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH IN ADVANCE

Kate Brooks2 said:Could someone who actually understands medical terminology please break down these sentences for me?

LOCALLY INFILTRATES THE COSTAL AND APICAL PLEURA, WITH NO VISIBLE RIB EROSION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND PERIPHERALLY VISIBLE AMORPHOUS CALCIFICATIONS ARE SEEN IN THE CRANIAL ASPECTS, WHICH ALSO COMPLETELY STENOSES THE BRONCHUS FOR THE APICAL AND POSTERIOR SEGMENTS OF THE UPPER LOBE. TWO DISCRETE PLATE-LIKE ATELECTASIS ARE VISIBLE IN THE ANTERIOR SEGMENT OF THE UPPER LOBE AND THE RIGHT MIDDLE LOBE. IN THE BASAL SEGMENTS OF THE LOWER LOBES BILATERALLY, MORE PRONOUNCED ON THE RIGHT, BAND-LIKE AND IRREGULAR FIBROTIC CHANGES ARE OBSERVED. NO FOCAL PATHOLOGICAL LESIONS ARE SEEN IN THE LEFT LUNG. NO PLEURAL EFFUSION IS PRESENT. IN THE RETROCAVAL MEDIASTINAL FATTY TISSUE, THE AEROPULMONARY WINDOW, LEFT OF THE AORTIC ARCH, AND SUBCARINAL LYMPH NODES MEASURE UP TO 17 mm. RIGHT HILOPULMONARY LYMPH NODES MEASURE 11 mm, AND LEFT HYLOPULMONARY LYMPH NODES MEASURE 9 mm. NO PATHOLOGICALLY ENLARGED LYMPH NODES ARE SEEN IN THE AXILLAE. NO FOCAL OSTEOLYTIC LESIONS ARE SEEN IN THE BONY STRUCTURES, BUT SEVERE DEGENERATIVE CHANGES ARE PRESENT IN THE THORACIC SPINE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE

What kind of symptoms are they having? That's almost more important than the report itself.

Kate Brooks2 said:Could those of you who understand medical terminology please help me clarify these sentences?

IT LOCALLY INFILTRATES THE COSTAL AND APICAL PLEURA, WITHOUT VISIBLE RIB EROSION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHILE PERIPHERALLY VISIBLE AMORPHOUS CALCIFICATIONS ARE PRESENT IN THE CRANIAL ASPECTS; IT ALSO ENCOMPASSES AND COMPLETELY STENOSES THE BRONCHUS FOR THE APICAL AND POSTERIOR SEGMENTS OF THE UPPER LOBE.
IN THE ANTERIOR SEGMENT OF THE UPPER LOBE AND THE MIDDLE LOBE ON THE RIGHT, TWO DISCRETE PLATE-LIKE ATELECTASIS ARE VISIBLE.
AND IN THE BASAL SEGMENTS OF THE LOWER LOBES BILATERALLY—MORE PRONOUNCED ON THE RIGHT—THERE ARE BAND-LIKE AND IRREGULAR FIBROTIC CHANGES.
NO FOCAL PATHOLOGICAL LESIONS ARE SEEN IN THE LEFT LUNG. THERE IS NO PRESENCE OF PLEURAL EFFUSION.
IN THE RETROCAVAL MEDIASTINAL FATTY TISSUE, IN THE AORTOPULMONARY WINDOW, TO THE LEFT OF THE AORTIC ARCH, AND SUBCARINAL, LYMPH NODES MEASURE UP TO 17 mm. ON THE RIGHT HILOPULMONARY SIDE, SEVERAL LYMPH NODES MEASURE 11 mm, AND ON THE LEFT HYLOPULMONARY SIDE, LYMPH NODES MEASURE 9 mm.
NO PATHOLOGICALLY ENLARGED LYMPH NODES ARE SEEN IN THE AXILLAE.
NO FOCAL OSTEOLYTIC LESIONS ARE VISIBLE IN THE BONY STRUCTURES SHOWN, BUT SIGNIFICANT DEGENERATIVE CHANGES ARE PRESENT IN THE THORACIC SPINE.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH IN ADVANCE

It feels to me as though the very beginning of the report is missing. 😕
However, I am assuming the introduction states there is a tumor process in the right(?) lung?
If that is indeed the case, then that process has involved the pleura and the bronchus, which resulted in a portion of the upper lobe of the right lung not being ventilated—meaning air cannot enter it (which is what they call atelectasis).
The tumor has not spread to the bone structures included in the scan.
The lymph nodes in the mediastinum are enlarged, as are those near the right bronchial tree; given their size, they are likely considered metastatic.

I have written all of this under the assumption that we are dealing with a tumor (infiltrative) process.

When you transcribe findings, would you please be so kind as to write them out in full, without the CAPS LOCK, and with spaces between the sentences? It is quite difficult to follow things when they are formatted this way.

Around 6 this morning, a close friend of mine passed away🙂🙂🙂🙂

Thanks to everyone for all the support—and a huge shoutout to Angela Wright for the solid info and all the help she gave me along the way... Sadly, we just couldn't pull off the win 😢

Emily Edwards19 said:My friend passed away this morning around 6:00 AM.🙂🙂🙂🙂

I am truly, deeply sorry.😢
Please accept my sincerest condolences.😢

vividsailor7 said:I am truly sorry.😢
Please accept my condolences.😢

thanks so much....

Thanks for the heads-up, everyone; I honestly had no idea that typing in all caps was against the rules here. I also decided to leave out the beginning of the medical report since the context is pretty obvious, and I just wanted to get straight to the point.

Emily Edwards19, regarding you and your friend, I am truly sorry, especially since I’ve been following your story on this forum from the very start.😢 Please accept my deepest condolences.

vividsailor7 said:The actual symptoms are almost more critical than the lab results themselves.

Right now, he’s acting and feeling like a completely healthy man. During those first three cycles of therapy, he lost weight and dealt with significant pain in his lung where the tumor is located, but currently, the pain has vanished and he has nearly regained all the weight he lost.
I didn't include the beginning of the medical report because we already understood that part, and I wanted to keep this explanation concise. For what it's worth, the tumor itself has shrunk quite a bit following those initial three treatment cycles.
Thank you so much for responding so quickly to offer your help.

Emily Edwards19, my deepest condolences😢
I am so incredibly sorry 🙂🙂

Kate Brooks2, you have no idea how happy I am for all of you!
I told you everything was going to work out 🙂

Thanks, Elizabeth Perez33 🙂 Best regards

Greetings, everyone,
Has anyone here had any experience sourcing Zomet 4mg/5ml?
I've managed to track down some pricing information from Germany and Italy, along with a general idea of how the purchasing process works there.

Thanks,

Kate Brooks2 , Elizabeth Perez33 thanks a million............😢