Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

Does anyone happen to know if you can just show up at Aviano without an appointment? Like, would they actually see us if we just walk in? Thanks in advance!

Morgan Foster75 said:Does anyone happen to know if you can just show up at Aviano without an appointment? Will they see us if we just walk in? Thanks in advance!

I really doubt they'll see you if you just show up out of the blue! My best advice is to give them a call... ask for the specific oncology clinic you need, and once you get through, make an appointment. Some doctors only have outpatient hours once a week. If you have a specific doctor in mind, try asking to speak with them directly or just coordinate a time through their nurse...

Hey everyone!

My mom started taking Femara about six months ago, and honestly, she’s having a really rough time dealing with the side effects. It’s been a struggle for her. 😢
I was wondering if anyone here has some firsthand experience with Femara?

vividsailor7 said:Don't mention it.
I am truly sorry things are going this way.
If there is anything else you need—please, don't hesitate to ask.

Yesterday, I noticed some bruising on the arms and legs, along with these tiny little blue spots. Could this be an even sharper drop in platelet counts?

Angela Wright said:The real question is how much more the heart can take. Dialysis is an option, of course.

So far, nobody has brought up dialysis—some people try to push through it, but let's be honest, it's just not the same thing.

Hannah James76 said:Nobody’s bringing up dialysis yet. Sure, you can squeeze out some fluid, but let's be real—that's not the same thing.

As long as this keeps going, they're just going to keep pushing diuretics to pull that fluid out.

Hannah James76 said:Yesterday, I noticed some bruising on her arms and legs, along with these tiny little blue spots. 1.Could this be an even sharper drop in platelets?

So far, nobody has even brought up dialysis. Sure, things might get a bit dehydrated, but let's be real—that isn't solving the actual problem.

1. It absolutely could be.
2. In my opinion, they aren't going to start dialysis unless things hit a breaking point—like pulmonary edema, heart failure, azotemia (urea >30mmol/L), or hyperkalemia (K >6mmol/L).

Things are holding steady on our end for the moment. Even though the recent blood work looks pretty rough, that’s always been the pattern following therapy, and we usually manage to get those numbers back up in time. The oncologist simply prescribed some medications to ward off potential infections and instructed us to reach out immediately if a fever develops, but so far, everything remains stable. He feels absolutely fantastic and isn't experiencing any symptoms whatsoever. Best regards.

Mom's back from the hospital, and she’s back to her old self again—fully conscious, clear-headed, and processing everything just fine—but the pain has come right back with her, making even a tiny bit of food or water feel like a massive chore... We haven't received the discharge papers yet, so we're still completely in the dark about what actually caused that episode

vividsailor7 said:1. It’s possible.
2. In my opinion, they won't start dialysis until things hit a critical point—like pulmonary edema, heart failure, azotemia (urea >30mmol/L), or hyperkalemia (K >6mmol/L).

My dad was discharged yesterday, and honestly, I’m just sitting here trying to make sense of all these results and the new diagnoses. No one at the hospital really sat us down to explain anything—they just sort of told us "this is how it is now" and hinted that things might only get worse...
The diagnoses listed are metastasis of the liver, lymph node metastasis, renal insufficiency, and thrombocytopenia.
Here are the lab results: L 5.5, E 3.57, Hb 116, Hct 0.322, MCV 90.2, MCH 32.5, MCHC 360, T 70, SE 13, WBC differential: segmented 77.6%, unsegmented 5, lymphocytes 13.8, reactive lymphocytes 0, monocytes 3.2, eosinophils 0.4, basophils 0, plasma cells 0, metamyelocytes 0, myelocytes 0, promyelocytes 0, blasts 0, PV 0.59, INR 1.36, AST 318, ALT 221, CK 26, LDH 158, GGT 146, ALP 179, Glucose 6, urea 43.4, creatinine 423, total Bilirubin 89.8, direct Bilirubin 42.7, total protein 49, albumin 22, Fe 17.3, UIBC 19.7, TIBC 37, triglycerides 1.96, total cholesterol 3.88, HDL 0.36, LDL 3.06, amylase (serum) 116, amylase (urine) 99, Ca 2.08, Na 131, K 5.6, Cl 96, ferritin 830, CRP 18.3

Protein electrophoresis: albumin 46, gamma-globulins 30.

Thanks in advance!

Hannah James76 said:My dad was released to come home yesterday, and I’m trying to make sense of his results and some new diagnoses. No one has really explained anything to us other than saying things are the way they are and that it's only going to get worse...
The diagnoses include metastatic hepatitis, lymph node metastasis, renal insufficiency, and thrombocytopenia.
Here are the labs: L 5.5, E 3.57, Hb 116, Hct 0.322, MCV 90.2, MCH 32.5, MCHC 360, T 70, SE 13, WBC diff: segmented 77.6%, unsegmented 5%, lymphocytes 13.8%, reactive lymphocytes 0, monocytes 3.2, eosinophils 0.4, basophils 0, plasma cells 0, metamyelocytes 0, myelocytes 0, promyelocytes 0, blasts 0, PV 0.59, INR 1.36, AST 318, ALT 221, CK 26, LDH 158, GGT 146, ALP 179, Glucose 6, urea 43.4, creatinine 423, total bilirubin 89.8, direct bilirubin 42.7, total protein 49, albumin 22, Iron 17.3, UIBC 19.7, TIBC 37, triglycerides 1.96, total cholesterol 3.88, HDL 0.36, LDL 3.06, amylase (serum) 116, amylase (urine) 99, Ca 2.08, Na 131, K 5.6, Cl 96, ferritin 830, CRP 18.3

Protein electrophoresis: albumin 46, gamma-globulins 30.

Thanks in advance!

There are metastases in the liver and lymph nodes, kidney failure (insufficiency), and thrombocytopenia—which means his blood isn't clotting properly because his platelet count is low.
As for the rest of the bloodwork, I don't know all the reference ranges by heart, but the liver enzymes are significantly elevated due to the metastases... honestly, what they told you is, unfortunately, the reality. 😢 You just have to patch him up and keep moving forward while you can.
Hang in there.

Hannah James76 said:My dad was finally discharged yesterday, and honestly, I’m spinning. I am desperate to make sense of these recent test results and all these new diagnoses they've thrown at us. Nobody has actually sat us down to explain anything! All we get from the doctors is this vague, terrifying "this is just how it is now" attitude, followed by the implication that things are only going to get worse from here. It's infuriating.
What exactly are we looking at here? Let me break this down for you, because these terms sound like a medical textbook threw up, but they actually describe a very serious situation. First off, **metastatic hepatitis** means the cancer has spread to the liver. It’s not just sitting in one spot anymore; it has migrated there. Then you have **metastatic lymphonodorum**, which is just a fancy way of saying the cancer has moved into the lymph nodes. When it hits the nodes, it's spreading through the body's drainage system. Then there’s **insuff. renalis**—that’s renal insufficiency. In plain English? The kidneys are struggling. They aren't filtering the blood like they should be, which can happen when the whole system is under massive stress from the disease or the treatments. Finally, **thrombocytopenia** means your platelet count is low. Platelets are what stop you from bleeding out, so when those levels drop, things get dangerous fast. It’s a heavy combination of complications. If you're dealing with this, you need to stay extremely close to your team at the Mayo Clinic. This isn't something to take lightly.
Here are the lab results: WBC 5.5, Hgb 116, Hct 0.322, MCV 90.2, MCH 32.5, MCHC 360, Platelets 70, ESR 13, WBC differential: segmented neutrophils 77.6%, immature neutrophils 5%, lymphocytes 13.8%, reactive lymphocytes 0, monocytes 3.2%, eosinophils 0.4%, basophils 0, plasma cells 0, metamyelocytes 0, myelocytes 0, promyelocytes 0, blasts 0, PV 0.59, INR 1.36, AST 318, ALT 221, CK 26, LDH 158, GGT 146, ALP 179, Glucose 6, Urea 43.4, Creatinine 423, Total Bilirubin 89.8, Direct Bilirubin 42.7, Total Protein 49, Albumin 22, Iron 17.3, UIBC 19.7, TIBC 37, Triglycerides 1.96, Total Cholesterol 3.88, HDL 0.36, LDL 3.06, Serum Amylase 116, Urine Amylase 99, Ca 2.08, Na 131, K 5.6, Cl 96, Ferritin 830, CRP 18.3

EFP: Albumin at 46, gamma globulins at 30.

Thanks in advance!

Let's be real—some of these are just straight-up terrible. Let's go through them one by one.
The diagnosis is in: metastatic liver cancer. This is heavy stuff.
Metastatic lymphadenopathy—basically, when cancer spreads to the lymph nodes. It’s heavy stuff.
Insufficiency. Renal failure. I’ve already told you guys this before—it means kidney failure.
Thrombocytopenia—basically, a drop in your platelet count. It’s a serious situation when your blood isn't clotting like it should.
The lab results are looking pretty grim. We're seeing anemia and severe hypoproteinemia, which is a massive red flag pointing toward serious liver disease. On top of that, there's some mild hypocalcemia and hyperkalemia—likely a byproduct of renal failure—along with hyponatremia caused by increased diuresis. It’s a lot to process.
Are you absolutely certain you transcribed those urea and creatinine levels correctly?
Things are looking incredibly grim, and honestly, I don't think there's any coming back from this.

vividsailor7 said:Looking at these, there are definitely several concerning indicators. Let’s take them one by one.
1. Metastatic disease—specifically liver metastases.
Lymph node metastases.
Renal insufficiency—which, as I mentioned previously, indicates kidney failure.
Thrombocytopenia—meaning a low platelet count.
The results also show anemia and severe hypoproteinemia, which points toward significant liver dysfunction. There is also mild hypocalcemia and hyperkalemia—both stemming from the kidney issues—as well as hyponatremia due to increased diuresis.
Are you absolutely certain you transcribed the urea and creatinine levels correctly?
The situation is extremely grave, and unfortunately, I don't believe there is a way back from this.

Thank you... I double-checked, and I transcribed the results correctly.

Angela Wright said:He’s dealing with lesions on the liver and lymph nodes, kidney insufficiency, plus thrombocytopenia—which is basically a blood clotting issue because his platelet count is low.
As for the rest of his bloodwork, I don't know all the specific reference ranges off the top of my head, but those liver enzymes are quite elevated, which explains why the lesions are there... honestly, what they told you is likely the reality of the situation. 😢 You just have to patch things up as you go and take it one day at a time.
Hang in there.

Thank you... It really matters that he's home with us, where he can at least feel a little bit more comfortable.

Hannah James76 said:Thanks... I think I transcribed everything correctly.

That means they’re in the pre-dialysis stage of renal Insuff, specifically Stage 4—or if you're measuring by dialysis stages, we're talking Stage 5.

Hannah James76 said:Thank you... It’s just important that he's home with us and that things feel at least a little easier for him this way.

Try to keep it that way—make sure you secure all the palliative care he needs right there at home. In the US, your dad is entitled to home health nursing services. Go straight to his primary care physician and request it. With a diagnosis like his, he qualifies for daily home visits, usually around 45 minutes per session. His wife can handle bathing and changing him, but having that professional help is a lifesaver. I can't recommend it enough because it takes a massive weight off your shoulders. Also, do yourself a favor and look into getting a hydraulic hospital bed and an alternating pressure air mattress with a compressor. Various medical supply companies, both public and private, keep these in stock and rent them out for about $133 a month. Seriously, get this gear; it will make life significantly more manageable for both him and all of you.

Hi everyone,

I’m new to this forum, and I find myself in what feels like a hopeless situation with my father—at least, that’s how it looks to me right now. I’ll try to explain everything.

My dad is currently in intensive care at Mercy Hospital. He originally came in just for surgery to remove an adrenal tumor that had progressed quite a bit; they managed to get it out about two months ago. It was a massive struggle during the procedure because the tumor was engorged with blood and was roughly the size of a human head.
Everything seemed to go fine initially—at least, that’s what we were told—but about 15 days after he was discharged, things took a turn for the worse. He started vomiting uncontrollably and couldn't keep any food down, so he had to be rushed back to the hospital for emergency surgery to clean up the surrounding area.
Following that surgery, they transferred him to the Hematology department at the Mayo Clinic, where he had to have a drain inserted due to significant bleeding.

I should mention that my father has been on GLIVEC therapy because he was treated for a rare type of leukemia about seven years ago.

While he was at the Mayo Clinic, he was receiving plenty of vitamins and twice-daily plasma transfusions. He actually started showing signs of recovery; he was walking around, and my mom was visiting him every single day.

Things stayed steady like that for a while, until something suddenly went wrong with the kidney where the gland had been removed.
He had to be rushed back to Mercy Hospital for an emergency nephrectomy to remove the kidney. We were really hoping that would finally be the end of all these struggles.

After the surgery, which the doctors say went as well as could be expected, there was quite a bit of bleeding, so they had to set up a drain along with extra packing...
On top of that, he's been on constant IV fluids. After nearly two months of this, he’s had about 40 infusions, and now he has pulmonary edema. They’ve had to put a drain in his lung—or something like that—because they had to pull two liters of fluid out of there.
Right now, it seems like none of the doctors are willing to take any decisive action because they're afraid; they're just feeding him through a tube and waiting for something to happen.
From what I can gather, his body just isn't fighting back, likely because his blood is being constantly flushed out.
His urine output is great.
But he's bleeding constantly...
I just can't wrap my head around why this is happening; every doctor we talk to says they've never seen anything quite like this case.

Lately, the whole family has just been sitting here waiting for some kind of improvement, but nothing is happening.
The hardest part is that he is fully conscious and we can still talk to him. His heart is strong, and mentally, he’s doing pretty well—he’s a fighter!

Is there any hope left? And if anyone has dealt with a similar situation, please reach out. Every minute counts right now.

I haven't mentioned any specific doctors' names, but if anyone needs them, I can provide the ones I know.

Karen Brown said:Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum, and honestly, I feel like I'm staring down a dead end regarding my father. At least, that's how it feels right now. Let me try to explain.
(...)
Right now, the whole family is just sitting here, praying for some kind of improvement, but nothing. Absolutely nothing.
The absolute worst part is that he’s fully aware of everything. We can actually sit and talk. His heart is doing great and his mental state is holding up pretty well—he's fighting!!

Is there any hope left? If anyone has dealt with a case like this, please reach out. Every single minute counts right now.

I didn't mention any doctors' names on purpose, but if anyone specifically needs them, I can provide the ones I know.

To be honest, doctor names don't mean much to me. From what I can gather, it looks like he's struggling with blood coagulation issues.
Beyond that, I'd need actual diagnoses and lab results to say anything meaningful.

I’m with Harvey on this one.
What absolutely infuriates me about our doctors is how rarely anyone actually reaches out to specialists at world-class medical centers who might have dealt with a similar issue. I honestly cannot wrap my head around why someone would let their own ego get in the way when a patient is literally placing their life in their hands. For God's sake, we live in the age of the internet, iPhones, and instant connectivity. If patients can go online and seek second opinions from top-tier global institutions themselves, why on earth is it such a massive problem for "colleagues" here in America to do the same? In our healthcare system, there is often zero communication between specialists, even within the same hospital network.
My advice: put the pressure on them. Make them work harder to consult with someone who actually has the answers if they don't!

I was wondering if there are any active clinical trials happening here in the States right now specifically for colon cancer? I'm also curious about how things are looking abroad—is there a way to track down that kind of info or see what's being tested in other countries?

Bryan Gray91 said:I'm wondering if there are any active clinical trials for colon cancer here in the States right now? What's the situation looking like abroad, and is there a way to track down that kind of info?

Go check this out.