Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

placidbear10 said:My dad passed away today at 5:50 AM.

😢
I am so incredibly sorry. Please accept my deepest, most sincere condolences.
I know how devastatingly hard this is—losing both parents in such a short span of time is an absolute weight to carry. Just remember they are together now, in a much more beautiful place than this valley of tears, watching over you. Take this time to honor them in peace, try to find your footing, and eventually, you'll find a way to move forward. Right now, you need to focus entirely on yourself. It will get better, I promise, but you have to give yourself permission to grieve. Everything will settle back into place in time.
Hang in there.

placidbear10, I am so incredibly sorry for your loss 😢 🙂 I honestly don't even know what to say to make this better, but I really hope the pain starts to ease up a little more every day 🙂

placidbear10, please accept my deepest condolences.😢🙂

Thank you all for such kind words...
I’ve been listening to "gde biti sad moj prijatel" by Drago Diklić lately... it's one of those songs people rarely stop to remember, but you really should listen to the lyrics; while Albinoni is absolutely beautiful, there is something about this track that feels so much warmer and hits much closer to the heart.

Hey everyone!

I haven't really jumped into the discussions here yet, but don't think I haven't been lurking.

I was wondering if anyone who's dealt with Torisel 2 for metastatic kidney cancer could share what they know.

Basically, we're looking at a 70-year-old patient with Stage III cancer. The kidney was removed at the end of July, and it looks like the adrenal gland and lymph nodes were hit too. No treatment until now, but starting Torisel 2 today—it’s been two months since the surgery. There aren't any metastases in the other organs!

Thanks!

ps. cheers, Lily

Ugh, well, here I am, dragging myself into this thread too. It’s not like I have anything to brag about, but honestly, sometimes you just need a kind word, or some comfort... or anything, really... even if nothing can actually change the reality of things, unfortunately 😢

My mom had a stroke exactly one year ago today, and thank God she survived it. Things were absolutely catastrophic. The left side of her body was paralyzed, and for 20 days she couldn't walk normally... control her bladder... or even move an inch out of bed... obviously, all of that dragged on for months while she fought to recover both physically and mentally. And of course, we all did too. But now... she’s heading back to the hospital soon for another procedure through the femoral artery to get more imaging done on her brain. Of course, that’s dangerous too. I’m terrified. We dealt with complications last year, and they let her come home, only for her to suffer another stroke that very same night. Not at the hospital, but at home! Right after they discharged her and told us everything was fine. We begged them to give us the blood thinners the doctor said were mandatory for three months, but the nurses wouldn't give them to us. And so, she had that stroke right there at home 😢(
I don't think anyone can truly grasp what a shock like that is. And don't even get me started on what I've been through personally, or the pain we've endured.
The worst part is that she has to go back to the hospital again. I honestly don't know if I have the strength to go through the same nightmare—God forbid—or something even worse. 😢
I feel so incredibly sad and alone... lonely in that way where nobody who hasn't lived through it could ever possibly understand. It's a specific kind of ache... not to mention the constant dread that my sister and I might also carry a hereditary condition—dilated brain aneurysms. So now you just live... you work, you study, you struggle... trying to deal with the fact that my mom could pass away any single day 😢 (It's evil. My sister is only 15, and I'm not much older than that...
I seriously wouldn't wish our situation on anyone 😢 What kind of fate is this? This fear... I'm mentally exhausted. Life just feels like it's designed to crush you sooner or later, no matter how hard you try

Hey everyone... hope you're all hanging in there... and staying strong...
I really need some help here,
right now, Natulan-Prokarbozin is completely out of stock in the US, Canada, and Mexico. It’s been ordered from Germany,
but there's no way it's going to arrive in time for the chemo session currently underway,
so if anyone happens to have this medication on hand—I'd need 200mg, which is enough for two days—I'll pay you back, please...

Brenda Jackson said:Unfortunately, here I am too, hanging out in this thread. It’s not like anyone comes here to brag, but sometimes you just need a kind word, some comfort... anything, really... even if it doesn't actually change the reality of things, unfortunately 😢

My mom had a stroke exactly one year ago, and thank God she survived it. Things were absolutely catastrophic. It hit the left side of her body, and for 20 days she couldn't walk normally... control her bladder... move an inch out of bed... of course, all of that dragged on for months while she worked to recover both physically and mentally. And honestly, all of us did too. But now... she's heading back to the hospital soon. They're doing a follow-up via a femoral artery catheter to get images of her brain again. It's dangerous, obviously. I'm terrified. We dealt with complications last year, and after they cleared her to go home, she suffered another stroke that very same night. Not at the hospital, but at home! Right after they let her go and told us everything was fine. We begged them to give us the blood thinners the doctor said she absolutely had to take every single day for three months, but the nurses wouldn't release the meds. And that's when it happened, that stroke right there at home 😢(
I don't think anyone can truly wrap their head around a shock like that. And don't even get me started on what it's been like for me, or the kind of pain we've endured.
The worst part is that she has to go back to the hospital now. I honestly don't know if I have the strength to go through the same nightmare again, or God forbid, something even worse. 😢
I feel so incredibly sad and lonely—lonely in that way where no one who hasn't lived through it can ever truly understand. It's a specific kind of ache... not to mention the constant dread of thinking my sister and I might also carry a hereditary condition—dilated brain aneurysms. So now you just live... you work, you study, you struggle... trying to exist alongside the fact that my mom could pass away any given day 😢( It's evil. My sister is only 15, and I'm not much older than that...
I really wouldn't wish our situation on anyone 😢 What kind of luck is this? What kind of fear? Mentally, I'm just done. Life has this way of just breaking you sooner or later, no matter how hard you try to fight it

Brenda Jackson, hang in there... having the same history doesn't mean you definitely have the same genetic predispositions. Don't spiral thinking about that right now; you can always get tested, both of you...
...what you're going through is just horrific... unfortunately, I know that feeling personally, and so do many others, which is why you're here... why we're all here for you... just try, in those moments when you can, to keep up with the little daily routines, just to distract yourself for a second... stay strong

So, my cousin went through absolute hell last July. She ended up with three aneurysms—can you even imagine? One of them actually ruptured, which was terrifying. She spent about ten days stuck in the ICU over at Vinogradski, and they had to rush her into surgery. Thankfully, everything went okay with that one. But she still had another one sitting right on the other side. They ended up having to do an endovascular procedure at Rebro because there just wasn't any other way to handle it. It's been a total rollercoaster.

Look, we need to get her MRI and MRA results reviewed right now—like, this month. But of course, they didn't even order them until March! Can you believe that? Total incompetence. And now the MRI is showing a clot right where she had that first surgery. Her head is pounding every single day, and honestly, I’m at my wit's end. I have no idea how to help her. To make matters worse, my cousin doesn't live in the city, so I'm flying solo on this one. It's just constant stress.
Does anyone have any advice on how I should handle this?

Robin Gray8 said:My cousin had three aneurysms back in July last year, and one of them actually bled, so she ended up spending about ten days in intensive care at a major hospital in the city getting surgery. Everything seemed fine initially, but she still has another one on the opposite side, which they handled endovascularly at Rebro because there just wasn't any other way to go about it...

She needs follow-up scans with an MRI and MRA sometime this month, but the only appointment they could get her is in March, and the MRI is showing a clot right where that first surgery took place. Her head is killing her every single day and I honestly have no clue how to help her, and she doesn't even live here in the city...
Does anyone have any advice on what we should do next?

I totally know how you feel... You probably read my post above, and that’s exactly how I’ve been talking to my mom. This wasn't even her first brain surgery for an aneurysm either, and just like your situation, they acted like everything was perfectly fixed, only for the first check-up after the operation to show she actually had more aneurysms than when she first went in for surgery. In the end, it all culminated in a stroke. It is just so incredibly hard to live through this... with my mom, it's likely that the stress and the sheer terror of the surgeries caused things to just... expand. Believe me, it's better for someone not to know than to have to relive all of this constantly. And don't even get me started on what an absolute idiot my old man is being... I can't take it anymore, does anyone know where I can find some actual professional help—like, psychological help? These problems and everything else are just driving me insane...

Hi everyone, I have a question and was hoping someone here might have some insight.
So, my father had surgery for prostate cancer last year around May. It was stage one, caught during a routine checkup.

The Gleason score was 7, and they performed a total prostatectomy. Since the surgery, he hasn't needed any radiation or chemotherapy.

At his first follow-up three months after the operation, his PSA level was 0.00.

However, at his most recent checkup, it came back at 0.01. I know that doesn't sound like much, but you know how it is—once you've been burned, you're wary of everything. We're extra cautious because the diagnosis itself wasn't straightforward; his initial PSA was high, but doctors originally thought it was just inflammation, and the ultrasound didn't show anything until further testing finally revealed the truth.
I'd really appreciate it if anyone could share their perspective: does a 0.01 reading suggest something is developing, or is it considered negligible?

I've spent the last two nights reading through this entire thread, and I honestly admire the strength everyone here shows. Hang in there. 🙂

Michelle Cooper8 said:Hi everyone, I have a question, and if anyone knows the answer, please let me know.
So, my father had surgery for prostate cancer last year in May. It was stage one, caught during a routine checkup.

The cell malignancy grade was 7, and they performed a total prostatectomy. Since then, he hasn't needed any radiation or chemotherapy.

At his first follow-up three months after the surgery, his PSA was 0.00.

However, at his most recent checkup, it was 0.01. I realize that doesn't sound like much, but you know how it is—once you've been burned, you're wary of everything. This whole thing started by accident; his PSA spiked during a checkup, but they initially brushed it off as inflammation and told him the ultrasound showed nothing, only for it to be discovered later through additional testing.
I would really appreciate it if someone could share their perspective: does a 0.01 mean something is developing, or is it just negligible?

I spent two nights reading through this entire thread from page one, and I honestly admire everyone here for their courage. Hang in there. 🙂

Markers aren't reliable diagnostic tools on their own; they are strictly used for monitoring trends and flagging potential concerns. A result like this doesn't point to anything significant. Markers can react to various things, like inflammation, for instance. That’s exactly why those reference ranges exist—to define what is considered normal.
In my view, as long as he stays consistent with his regular checkups and monitoring, there’s no reason to panic.

Angela Wright, thank you so much. I know markers aren't exactly a foolproof tool, but we've already had one "bad experience" with them, so that underlying anxiety is always there.

Kate James38 said:Hi everyone... hope you're hanging in there... and staying strong...
I need some help,
right now Natulan-Prokarbozin isn't available in America, Canada, or Canada; it's being ordered from Germany,
but it won't arrive in time for my current chemo cycle,
if anyone happens to have this drug, I need 200mg,,that's for 2 days, I'll pay you back, please...

I have Natulan-Prokarbozin, so if you need it, send me a PM!

My dear friends... reaching out before heading to the hospital. So, I got my MRI results yesterday and it looks like I have another tenant in my head who refuses to pay rent. 🙂
The doctor is positive, and so am I. Surgery should be at the end of the week, and I guess I'm hoping everything goes okay. My main priority is just getting this headache to stop...
I'll check in once everything is over, but until then, sending hugs and warm wishes to you all. Stay strong through whatever you're facing. 🙂

fadedtrucker5 said:Hey everyone, my dear friends... I wanted to check in before I head to the hospital. So, I got my MRI results back yesterday, and it looks like I’ve still got a tenant living in my head who isn't paying rent. 🙂
The doctor is optimistic, and honestly, so am I. Surgery should be happening toward the end of this week, and I’m really hoping everything goes smoothly. At the end of the day, all I want is for this headache to finally stop.
I’ll post an update once everything is over. Until then, sending you all my love and big hugs—stay strong through whatever life throws at you. 🙂

Hang in there, honey. You've got this. Sending nothing but positive vibes your way!

Hi everyone, first off, sending my best wishes and support to all of you 😉
Secondly: my father-in-law was unexpectedly diagnosed with early-stage throat cancer about three months ago. During surgery, they "supposedly" removed everything, and he spent the following two months undergoing radiation. Naturally, he’s been dealing with constant throat inflammation since then. They told him no more radiation would be necessary, yet they still gave him an even stronger dose... So, here is my question: since we are living on the West Coast and he is out in the Midwest, getting to his doctor is impossible right now. Am I allowed to request his medical records covering his treatment and current status? I'm not sure if I should ask them to fax them over or have a family member pick them up. My father-in-law doesn't say much about it, so we aren't even entirely sure how he's actually doing, and I want to get a second opinion from another doctor... I hope that makes sense, thanks 😉

feraldrifter6 said:First off, sending strength and support to everyone here. 😉
Secondly: about three months ago, my father-in-law was unexpectedly diagnosed with early-stage throat cancer. During his surgery, they "supposedly" removed everything, and he spent the last two months undergoing radiation. Naturally, he’s been dealing with constant throat inflammation since then. They told him no more radiation was necessary, yet they bumped up the intensity of his current treatments anyway. So, here is my question: we live on the West Coast while he’s out in the Midwest, making it impossible to just drop in on his doctors. Am I legally allowed—or do I even have the right—to request his full medical records covering his treatment history and his current status? I don't know if I should ask his doctors to fax them or if someone in the family can pick them up. My father-in-law isn't much of a talker, so we honestly don't even know how bad things actually are, and I want to get a second opinion from another doctor. I hope that makes sense. Thanks. 😉

Unless your father-in-law gives you the green light—assuming he's still capable of making his own calls—both you and any doctor who bypasses him would be breaking the rules.
Try sitting down with him to discuss getting a second opinion, and let him make the final call. Whatever he decides, you'll have to respect it. At the end of the day, a person has the absolute right to decide their own path, even when it feels completely wrong to the rest of us.
That said, he really ought to have all his medical records in his own possession.

Angela Wright said:Without the father-in-law's blessing—assuming he’s actually capable of making his own choices and looking after himself—both you and any doctor who goes along with it would be in the wrong.
Maybe try talking to him about getting a second opinion and let him make the call. Whatever he decides, you'll just have to respect it. A man has the right to decide for himself, even when we think he's making a huge mistake...
By the way, the father-in-law should probably keep all the medical records on hand.

Thanks for the reply. 😉 They’re a pretty difficult family, and they aren't exactly the type to talk things through, so getting through to him is tough. My grandfather actually passed away because of this cancer and because he didn't get the right guidance, so I guess I'm just trying my best to prevent that from happening again. We'll try talking to him one more time. Thanks...

Greetings to everyone! I don't usually follow this specific thread because I find "heavy" topics a bit overwhelming to process, but amidst this endless sea of bad news, I decided to share a little bit of my own good news. 🙂
After being on medical leave for 3 years, 7 months, and 6 days, I have finally returned to work with an NG tube (for those who don't recall my history, it was a malignant brain tumor—one recurrence, and a second one that was caught right at the start).
In terms of my capabilities, I am certainly not the person I used to be; my optic nerve was damaged and I’ve partially lost my hearing, but I refuse to give up just yet. I'm simply taking things one day at a time and pushing through as far as I can. 🙂The specialists here in the States have told me that, all things considered, I've done remarkably well. ☕
For me, the most important thing is that I am working and that I am not dependent on anyone else, whether physically or financially. 🙂
I wish you all—and your loved ones—nothing but success in your fight against the darkness.🙂