Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

Lisa White54 said:Given how my husband looks physically, I’m hoping the CT scan results come back clear. We’re still hoping for the best. After the CT, we have to head in for a bone scan because of the pain in his shoulders and arms, even though the X-rays didn't show anything unusual.
I suspect those aches are just linked to these sudden temperature swings—going from sweltering heat to freezing cold...
The more tests we schedule, the more the anxiety builds. What if things have actually taken a turn for the worse?

Amanda Miller69 said:A cousin of mine—my mom’s uncle—was just diagnosed with bladder cancer. He’s already gone through two surgeries, including one just the day before yesterday where they had to remove his entire bladder because the tumor had completely taken over. Apparently, they used a section of his small intestine to reconstruct things, though I don't fully grasp the mechanics of it. Since he’s a distant relative, my great-aunt didn't have all the specifics (she’s getting up there, almost 80, and doesn't quite follow all the medical jargon), so I'm a bit in the dark. Has anyone here dealt with this specific type of cancer, the treatment protocols, or the actual survival outlook?

Angela Wright;15351757 said:🙄"God, things really seem to be piling up for you all lately."

Precisely. It’s almost as if there’s some sort of cosmic hex on us. From what I understand so far, they haven't even prescribed any follow-up treatment yet, so I'm inclined to believe it might not be quite as dire as it looks.

Amanda Miller69;15358178 said:

Angela Wright said:Good grief, it really seems like everything is hitting you all at once...🙄

Exactly. It feels almost as if we’ve been cursed by some unseen force. From what I understand so far, they haven't even prescribed a specific follow-up treatment plan yet, so perhaps the situation isn't quite as dire as it seems...

Unfortunately, that is simply the nature of existence. Just when you believe you have reached your limit, life finds a way to present a new hardship, reminding you that things can always become more difficult and more painful. And those circumstances, much like life itself, are often entirely beyond our individual control...

Time will pass, and you will eventually gain a clearer understanding of the illness and what the reality of it truly entails. Try to remain resilient...😉

Thank you for sharing such an interesting perspective; I think I'll go read up on it now. I've actually heard some talk about those theories regarding how fasting might starve cancer cells, so I'm curious to see what the actual data says about Vitamin C...

Amanda Miller69 said:I have been hearing all these theories about how fasting might actually starve cancer cells... so I am considering seeing what Vitamin C can do for me...

briskskipper71 said:Hi everyone
I have a question regarding an elderly man in his eighties who developed lung cancer after smoking for over sixty years. Since I'm dealing with folks who aren't very tech-savvy or educated—people I know through my grandmother—I don't have all the specifics. All I know is that it's squamous cell carcinoma, he underwent ten days of radiation, and he's had three rounds of chemo. After that third round, he started having diarrhea that just won't quit, even after fifteen days on a strict diet and taking Linex and Ercefuryl. This is absolutely draining him, so I'm wondering: could this be a direct side effect of the chemotherapy? And if so, what can actually be done to fix it?

briskskipper71 said:Hey everyone
I’ve got a question about this old guy I know. He’s eighty, and after smoking for over sixty years, he ended up with lung cancer. Since I'm mostly hearing things through my grandma, and the people involved aren't exactly scholars, I don't have all the specifics. All I know is it's squamous cell carcinoma, he did ten days of radiation, and he’s had three rounds of chemo. After that third round, he started dealing with this diarrhea that just won't quit—even after fifteen days on a strict diet and taking Linex and Ercefuryl. It’s absolutely draining him, so I'm wondering: could this be a direct side effect of the chemo? And if it is, what can actually fix it?

Grace Fowler said:Hey there, my dears!!
Just checking in to let you know things are more or less steady!!! We managed to get to the beach for a few days, but about ten days later—bam:-( fever spiked, bad test results, and we rushed back to Chicago at lightning speed. We had our consultations and for now, the word is nothing else can be done—just REST. Pfft, and that’s supposed to be advice!? Telling me to just rest doesn't exactly work when the fever won't quit. So, for the next few days, I guess I'll just pretend to be a pillow and stare blankly at some terrible TV programming...

Fighters, I hope everything is okay with Pigeon and that you're all leading the charge toward victory.!!
Nancy Hernandez43, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you're staying brave!
Muscles, I bet you're already tan as a dark chocolate bar...
Ivanić!!!! Z I V A J for me too
Greetings Din

Grace Fowler said:Hi everyone!!
Just checking in to let you know things are more or less status quo... We managed to escape to the coast for a few days, but after about ten days, everything went south again :-( fever hit, the labs looked bad, and we rushed back to Chicago at lightning speed. We had our consultations, but for now, there’s nothing—just "rest." Honestly, is that even advice? I've been told to rest plenty, but damn, the fever won't listen to reason. So, for the next few days, I suppose I’ll just pretend to be a pillow and stare blankly at some impossible TV programming...

Fighters, I hope everything is fine with the Pigeon and that you're all front and center for the big win!!
Nancy Hernandez43, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you're staying brave!
Muscles, I bet you're already tanned like a fine piece of dark chocolate...
Angela Wright, U Z I V A J for me too
Greetings Din

slyseal28 said:Dear Grace Fowler, sending you a huge hug!

Things have taken a turn for the worse here... and frankly, it’s much more complicated than we ever anticipated.

His blood work looks okay for the most part (leukocytes were at 8.9 today; it's just the erythrocytes, hemoglobin, and hematocrit that are running low, plus his liver enzymes are elevated as usual), and after the second round of Gemzar, we dealt with some minor fever issues, which we managed to knock down with a Voltaren suppository. However, over the last two days, his cough has intensified to the point where it irritates him so badly he ends up vomiting everything he eats. He didn't sleep a wink last night because of it, so first thing this morning, we headed to a private clinic—the Mayo Clinic—to get a chest and heart X-ray. Long story short, the results aren't good. The Radiologist actually looked at me and said, "As an old doctor, I have to tell you first that I am incredibly sorry." I nearly collapsed right there. Thank goodness the Pigeon was waiting outside and didn't hear that sentence. The Radiologist suspects pneumonia has set in... And the worst part? He's already on antibiotics...
Afterward, I took him over to the medical center downtown, and he had to be admitted. I spoke with the doctor, and she actually thinks it might not be pneumonia; she mentioned they compared his current scans to the previous ones and didn't see any significant changes. Instead, she believes we're seeing side effects from that first line of chemo—that miserable Adriamycin, which is known for being cardiotoxic.

We also had a cardiac ultrasound yesterday, and our cardiologist gave us a brief update, mentioning there are some changes to his heart valve... We won't get the full report and explanation until Monday. Regardless, the situation is grim.

He's been weak all week, getting exhausted incredibly fast... and he's struggling so much to breathe...

The absolute worst part is how hard this third line of chemo is hitting... what if we have to stop? If his heart is starting to fail, what are we supposed to do then??? Ugh... To hell with sarcoma! I hate it with everything in me!

Grace Fowler said:Hey everyone!!
Just checking in to let you know things are more or less status quo. We managed to sneak away to the coast for a few days, but about ten days later—bam. Everything went south. A fever hit, the lab results looked grim, and we rushed back to Chicago at lightning speed. We’ve had our consultations, and for now, the advice is... nothing. Just rest. Seriously? That’s their big medical breakthrough? Apparently, enough rest should theoretically calm my temperature, but honestly, I doubt it. So, I guess for the next few days, I’ll be playing the part of a decorative pillow, staring blankly at some mindless TV shows...

Fighters, I really hope everything is going okay with the Pigeon and that you're all leading the charge toward a win.!!
Nancy Hernandez43, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you're still holding strong!
Misice, I bet you're already tan as a dark chocolate bar by now...
Angela Wright, Zivaj, do it for me too
Greetings Din

Grace Fowler said:Hey everyone!!
Just wanted to check in—things have been mostly steady!!! We managed to get away to the coast for a few days, but about ten days later, everything went south again :-(

slyseal28 said:Things have taken a turn for the worse over here... and it's way more complicated than we ever anticipated.