Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

Nathan Moore45 said:Hey everyone,

Reading through all your life stories really moved me, so I decided it was time to share mine too.

My name is Eddie, born September 11, 1981. When I started school back in '86 or '87,
I was about 7 years old. Things seemed fine at first, but by Friday, the nausea, headaches, and dizziness would hit,
and I’d end up vomiting. I went through countless tests, but nobody could figure out what was causing
all those issues. Even a CT scan showed absolutely nothing. It wasn't until later (when I was in 5th grade)
that I went to New York City for an MRI, and they finally found a small tumor on my brainstem.
Because of that tumor, the spinal fluid had nowhere to flow, which caused intense pressure
in my head—leading to more vomiting, headaches, and vertigo...
They installed a shunt. But toward the end of elementary school, the tumor started growing rapidly,
which threw everything into chaos, though I did manage to finish my primary schooling.
When I started high school, I began falling over on my way to class,
so I actually had to drop out halfway through the term. I was on various medications, but honestly, I can't recall the names now.
The tumor was inoperable. I don't know why, but they ended up removing the shunt.
I went through chemo and radiation, and when I was hovering right on the edge of death, one doctor finally
pulled himself together and said, "We can't go on like this; we have to try surgery, there's no other way."

After the surgery, I ended up in a wheelchair, 90% disabled—left side paralyzed,
and my right eye stayed closed because of nerve damage. That was all back in '98.
I've been doing physical therapy at home for over 10 years now, and things have improved somewhat.
I can walk slowly, provided I can steady myself with my right hand on a handrail.
My balance isn't great since I'm relying on just one eye. I spent 10 years stuck at home
24/7 because my parents wouldn't let me go anywhere. Now, for the third year in a row, I've been attending
the "Slava Raskaj" facility in Miami, and I'm also a member of the "Braveheart" Association for people with cerebral
palsy. It fills part of my day, but man, I still miss being out in the world.

Serious respect to you! You belong in the "Braveheart" Association!!!! Seriously, you've inspired me so much that I actually feel ashamed of some of the petty things I worry about, seeing how people like you find the strength and will to live after everything you've endured. I truly hope you have a long, beautiful, and fulfilling life, and that maybe some upcoming medical breakthrough can help you out...👍 👍

Jonathan Doyle55 said:Bravo! Honestly, you should join the Jedro Association. You’ve truly moved me, and frankly, I feel a sense of shame for my own foolishness; seeing how people like you maintain such strength and an unyielding will to live after everything you've endured makes my own struggles seem trivial. I sincerely hope you enjoy a long, beautiful, and fulfilling life, and perhaps some upcoming medical breakthroughs will finally provide the relief you deserve...👍 👍

Even now, things aren't easy for me; there are moments when I feel I might lose my mind, and I find myself muttering
things to myself that I probably shouldn't, especially since I still struggle with one eye.
My balance isn't quite right, and every single time I stand up from my chair to walk through the house, my dogs immediately start jumping and racing around me—that is what irritates me most.
And when I remember my doctor telling me, "That right eye is never going to open," it
drives me absolutely mad. Every single day, I search for information about my condition, hunting for solutions that don't seem to exist. I am desperately looking for a way to restore my right eye, because with that damaged nerve, I need to get the eye back into its proper position; I can see out of that right eye, but because it has drifted entirely to the side, my vision is just a blur. When all of this piles up on top of me, I feel like I'm going to explode, like I just want to vanish.

Nathan Moore45 said:Even so, today isn't easy for me either; sometimes I just lose it and start telling myself
things I really shouldn't say, because even today, I’m dealing with one eye being off,
my balance is totally shot, and every single time I get up from my chair to walk around the house, my eyes immediately jump and race around—that’s what gets to me the most.
And when I remember my doctor telling me, "That right eye is never going to open," it
makes me go crazy. Every day I’m digging for information about my condition, but I can't find any actual solutions. I'm searching for a way to fix that right eye, because since the nerve is damaged, I need to get the eye back into its proper position; I can see through that right eye, but because the whole thing has drifted sideways, everything is a blur. When it all piles up like this, I feel like I’m going to explode, like I just want to vanish.

Still, I truly believe that anything is possible, including you becoming a completely whole and healthy person again one day. What I'm telling you is actually based on what I know about a specific study regarding the search for a cure for brain tumors. It involves morphogenetic proteins that convert malignant nerve cells into healthy ones. This applies to you too, because healthy nerve cells don't multiply the way malignant ones do. What is it that drives malignant nerve cells to divide while benign ones don't? In your case, a process could eventually be triggered where cell division begins, and in a single moment—once all those lost connections between your nerve cells are re-established—that process could be flipped by those morphogenetic proteins into something benign.
Of course, all of this is still in the *in vitro* testing phase, but I firmly believe that in the future, we will be able to treat paralysis.

Accept yourself exactly as you are and push your capabilities to the absolute limit. You have every advantage in this world to be a happy person. Believe me, there are people out there who are physically perfectly healthy and aren't nearly as happy as you are right now. We all carry our own strength and the seeds of happiness within us. Don't let anyone or anything hold you back. If you want to go out, then go! I'm sure you have friends who will be right there to lend a hand whenever you lose your balance.

Jonathan Doyle55 said:I feel like I really need to jump in and back up the talk about IP6—it honestly made such a difference for my dad while he was going through chemo. You could just see he had more energy, his appetite was better, and he wasn't dealing with those nasty nauseas as much. IP6 IS NOT A CURE!!!! Please don't go thinking it is... let's be real, a definitive cure for most types of cancer hasn't been found yet... But in our case, at least, it truly helped improve his overall condition. What Grace Grant10 is saying is absolutely true.👍

this is the most important thing to understand when it comes to most supplements like this
doctors rarely suggest anything for your immune system because they basically believe the body has to fight its own battles and recover on its own—though, of course, when it comes to managing vomiting and diarrhea, doctors will happily prescribe medication
And obviously, most of these products can help patients feel a little better, but there isn't hard scientific proof behind it... plus, talking about it on forums can get a bit tricky since you occasionally run into people who are probably just here to advertise certain products 🙂

My mom is currently fighting colon cancer, so I'm wishing all of you nothing but strength in your own fights—or your family's fights... 🙂

Here I am again. I have to agree with you all that IP6 isn't a medicine. But what actually defines a medicine? By definition, a medicine is a product of the pharmaceutical industry and nothing else; it has to be chemical, not natural... The pharma industry—which is quite dirty if you ask me—has protected itself through massive lobbying, and there's just nothing anyone can do about it. Any product of natural origin can only be registered as a dietary supplement, and even then, only if it isn't manufactured by Big Pharma... Anyone who thinks taking synthetic drugs is better than natural healing is welcome to stick to chemicals and believe they've found the best solution. I happen to know that one specific supplement (it doesn't matter which one) is frequently prescribed as a first-choice treatment rather than just a supplement. I've mentioned before the book everyone should read (*Drugs They Don't Want You to Know*) to truly understand what I'm talking about. I know this group is sensitive because of the subject matter, and people often feel like someone is just trying to sell them something. But sometimes you need to dig a little deeper and realize there is a positive side to our comments and shared experiences. About ten years ago, a friend told me her mother beat cancer using only macrobiotics. I just laughed and thought she was talking nonsense. When I realized years later that she was telling the truth, I felt ashamed... In any case, I think we should trust nature much more than chemistry.
Regards,
Goga

Grace Grant10 said:Anyway, I honestly think people should stop putting so much faith in chemicals and start trusting nature a whole lot more.

The truth is, the human race doesn't trust anyone but itself. We don't need anybody else—just the universe and us... and that's exactly why we're going to go extinct.👎

Grace Grant10 said:Well, here I am again. And yeah, I have to agree with you all—IP6 isn't a "drug." But what actually defines a drug? A drug is, first and foremost, a product of the pharmaceutical industry and nobody else's... it has to be chemical, not natural in origin. The pharma industry (which is, let's face it, the dirtiest business out there) has protected itself with massive lobbies, and there’s just nothing anyone can do about it! Any product of natural origin can only be registered as a dietary supplement—and even then, only if it isn't manufactured by Big Pharma... Anyone who thinks taking synthetic drugs is better than natural healing, well, go ahead and take your chemicals and tell yourself it's the best solution. I happen to know that one specific supplement (it doesn't matter which one) is frequently prescribed as a first-choice medication rather than just a supplement. I've mentioned this book before—the one everyone really should read (*Drugs They Don't Want You To Know*)—and then maybe people would understand what I'm getting at. I know this group is very sensitive (given the whole subject matter) and that people always feel like someone is trying to sell them something. But with some things, you really need to dig a little deeper and realize there can be a positive side to our comments and sharing experiences here. About 10 years ago, a friend told me her mother beat cancer—she actually cured herself—using nothing but macrobiotics. I just laughed at her back then; I thought she was talking nonsense. When I found out years later that she was telling the truth... man, I felt so ashamed. Anyway, I just think we should trust nature much more than we trust chemistry.
Best regards,
Goga

I agree that we should look to nature for first aid, but refusing medical treatment or claiming everyone can be cured through macrobiotics, tea, or herbs is just irresponsible. We aren't talking about a headache or period cramps where a cup of tea might help—we are talking about people who are critically ill.
Of course we should base our diet on natural products, but honestly, I would be the first person to ask a court to declare my own mother legally incompetent if she refused standard medical treatment just to rely on natural medicine, Reiki, or whatever else she feels like throwing at it.😁
Nature can certainly help, but you can't get very far here without actual medicine.

And about your friend's mom... are you saying she was never treated with conventional medicine and beat cancer without surgery, chemo, or radiation?
I'm sorry, but that's a little hard for me to believe.🤷

I know it sounds unbelievable, but trust me, if people truly understood what goes into pharmaceutical drugs, they wouldn't touch them. Yet, we still put all our faith in chemistry...
From what I remember, a friend of my mom's was advised to go the standard chemotherapy route, but she turned it down because she knew the toll it takes on the body. She opted for macrobiotics and some herbal remedies instead (I'm not sure which ones specifically, but I'll ask and let the group know) and she recovered. I know it sounds incredible, but she's alive and well. There is so much available in nature; you just have to decide to embrace it. More importantly, if we focused on eating healthier—nature-based food again—the chance of developing such illnesses would be much lower. Immunity is everything.
That's all from me.
Goga

Grace Grant10 said:I know it sounds wild, but trust me, if people actually knew what was inside those drugs and chemo, they wouldn't touch them. But hey, we all just blindly trust chemistry more, I guess...
From what I remember, one of my mom's friends was told she needed standard chemo, but she turned it down because she knew exactly how much damage it does. She went the macrobiotic route and some herbal stuff (not sure which ones, I'll ask and let the group know) and she totally recovered. I know it sounds unbelievable, but she’s alive and kicking. There is so much good stuff out there in nature; you just have to decide to take it and try it. More importantly, though—we really need to eat better (nature again!!!)—then the odds of even getting these diseases would be way lower. Your immune system is everything.
That's enough from me.
Goga

Look, you have to realize that every single person—every single organism—is different. Cancer hits everyone differently too, so there isn't some one-size-fits-all magic cure. It's unique for everyone! I don't know what kind of cancer that friend's mother had, but I know I would never choose to ditch conventional medicine and treatment entirely. My husband went through both chemo and radiation. During and after those treatments, right up until today, we used a ton of natural, healthy supplements and teas. Like you said, immunity is the most important thing. We boosted his up so his body could fight the disease itself.
It's a given that there are medicines in nature and we can do a lot with them, but you can't just throw medicine away. I honestly don't believe my husband would still be here if I had only used natural remedies. No tea is going to wipe out a tumor. Chemo and radiation wiped out the tumor. Yeah, I know they wiped out things they weren't supposed to, too, but it was specifically with the help of natural remedies that we managed to see actual improvement.

Jonathan Doyle55 said:I feel compelled to weigh in and support the discussion regarding IP6, primarily because I witnessed its impact firsthand when my father was taking it during his chemotherapy sessions. It was quite noticeable; he had significantly more energy, a much better appetite, and he seemed to handle the nausea far more effectively than expected. Now, let me be absolutely clear: IP6 IS NOT A CURE. Please, do not delude yourselves—a definitive cure for the vast majority of cancers simply hasn't been discovered yet. However, in our specific situation, it played a vital role in objectively improving his overall quality of life. What Grace Grant10 is saying is absolutely true.👍

This actually brings to mind something else entirely.
In the early stages of my vulnerability—if you'll allow me to phrase it that way—I was taking dexamethasone. I believe that's the correct spelling. Honestly, damn the day I first took it; it seemed to work wonders for one thing while simultaneously making everything else worse. Initially, I was receiving it via daily injections.
He was attempting to reduce my intracranial pressure through some sort of procedure involving the base of the skull, but the results were quite unpredictable. I found myself becoming significantly bloated—swelling up, really—and despite having an insatiable appetite, none of the vitamins I was taking seemed to make even the slightest dent in how I felt. It was as if they simply had no effect at all.
I endured those injections for such an incredibly long stretch that, quite frankly, my backside ended up looking like a block of Swiss cheese. Eventually, I transitioned to injecting into my thighs before finally moving on to oral dexamethasone tablets. While that medication certainly did the trick in mitigating the constant headaches and bouts of nausea, it was a double-edged sword, to say the least. On the flip side, it left me dealing with osteoporosis and a fair amount of stretch marks caused by the bloating and weight gain. I was taking it every single day, though I honestly can't recall exactly how long that cycle lasted.

Go check out the magbula.blog.com site, just to shift your mindset a bit and help boost your energy levels...

Nathan Moore45 said:Now this whole thing just reminded me of something else.
Back when I was at my weakest (if you want to call it that), I was on dexamethasone—pretty sure that’s how you spell it—and man, damn the day I ever touched that stuff. It was a double-edged sword, plain and simple. At first, I was getting daily injections,
straight in the butt, to help bring down the intracranial pressure in my head. But man, it made me bloat like crazy. My appetite went through the roof, and honestly, none of the vitamins I was taking seemed to do squat.
I was getting those shots for so long that, well, let's just say my backside ended up looking like Swiss cheese. After that, they moved to my thighs, and then I eventually switched over to dexamethasone pills. That part actually helped dial back the headaches and nausea. But on the flip side? It gave me osteoporosis, and all that bloating left me covered in stretch marks. I was taking it every single day, though I lost track of how long.

My husband had to deal with dexamethasone injections too. He got that same bloated look, especially around his head and neck. He used to drink a cup of celery tea every day, and that actually helped him get back to feeling normal.

Lisa White54 said:You have to realize that every single person—every single organism, really—is different. Cancer hits everyone differently, so there’s no such thing as one universal cure. It’s unique for everyone!

This is actually the most vital part
when you're processing the diagnosis, dealing with all those fears, and navigating the actual treatment itself...

No matter how hard I tried to fight it, I just ended up listening to too many stories and reading way too much—those first few days were just... I couldn't stop crying, honestly. I was also dealing with a nasty cold at the time, so I kept trying to pretend to my mom that I wasn't sobbing, telling her it was just the congestion (but she knew, obviously, she knew)
But once it finally clicked in my head—that every body is distinct and reacts differently to everything happening to it—I suddenly felt this sense of hope... and I mean, a lot of hope. 🙂

And as for natural healing... well, like I said, if Mom decided to walk away from conventional medicine entirely and just rely on nature, I’d basically be stripping her of her ability to work—she needs that stability.
Of course, she uses plenty of natural supplements alongside the standard medical treatments to help boost her immune system, but relying *only* on nature? I don't know... I wouldn't dare take that kind of gamble. 🤷

Hey there, fellow fighters
It’s me—the lazy one, I guess!? What can I even tell you guys? I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels lately—or as they say, "going in circles." I've gone through a whole bunch of tests, and yet, we STILL don't know anything for certain!!! The one good thing is that about ten days ago I had a KS, and my marker dropped by almost 20 (it's at 113 now, compared to 130 last time). They tell me that's encouraging, because once things start climbing, the marker usually doesn't drop at all—it just keeps heading up. I haven't done the biopsy yet because my doctor is based in the States, but he'll be here next week, so we'll see how that goes....Anyway, I have this little issue and could really use some advice regarding MUSCLE?! For the past few days, I've been dealing with this absolutely brutal headache (forehead, temples, the back of my neck)—just nasty. My oncologist ordered a head CT, which I'm getting on October 27th, so we'll see what comes of that... The headaches are a bit lighter now, but they still pop up every now and then. If anyone has dealt with similar symptoms, please, let me know and give me some advice. Until then, warm regards, Dan P. S.

P.S. Just a quick response to the posts above... in my humble opinion, and based on my extensive time spent in hospitals, I truly believe that combining modern and alternative medicine is the best way to beat this disease or at least slow down its crazy pace...

Nathan Moore45 said:Now this actually reminds me of something else.
Back when I was first at my weakest (if that’s how you want to put it), I was taking dexamethasone—I think that's the spelling—and honestly, damn the day I first took it. It worked well for one thing, but for everything else, it was terrible. At first, I was getting daily injections,
in the butt, which helped lower the intracranial pressure in my head, but man, I puffed up so much—basically just bloated—and my appetite went through the roof. Even all the vitamins I was taking didn't seem to have any effect whatsoever.
I was on those injections for so long that, well, let's just say my backside started looking like Swiss cheese. Then they switched me to thigh injections, and eventually, I moved onto dexamethasone tablets. That part actually helped keep the headaches and nausea at bay. But on the flip side, it gave me osteoporosis, and because of all that bloating, I ended up with stretch marks. I was taking it every single day, though I can't even remember for how long.

Well, I guess they told you it helps with the nausea and headaches, so it's good in that regard, but it comes with a massive amount of side effects. 😠
And personally, I dealt with at least 80% of them. 😠
Unlike you, though, I never had an increased appetite—and I still don't. 🤷
I eat normally, but instead of losing weight, my scale just stays stagnant or I even put on a few pounds. 🤷
I used to say my backside looked like a dartboard. 😂😂

Actually, I wasn't really trying to talk about dexamethasone specifically, but rather Medrol.
Which, let's be real, is basically the exact same crap just in different packaging. 🙄

I've received two completely opposite pieces of advice regarding its use during chemotherapy.
So, the question is,
is Medrol supposed to be taken consistently throughout chemo, or is it just taken as needed?

reddriver45 said:ps... I’m feeling a bit uneasy right now... and honestly, I think about this all the time—worrying if it'll happen to me too, especially since my grandma passed away from cancer... does anyone know how I can actually control or manage that kind of fear?

I completely get where you're coming from.
Even at your age, I wasn't thinking about this nearly as much. I guess it was because my mom—after battling cancer four different times (on totally different organs over a 20-year span)—always managed to come out on top. 🙏

I was always aware that I might have a higher risk for malignant diseases, so once I hit my early thirties, I started going in for annual breast ultrasounds—God forbid anything happens—and, of course, regular gynecological exams. I actually felt pretty proud of myself for being so proactive about my health, and I was just so relieved that everything checked out... until things fell apart in a completely unexpected place. 😠My mom never had that specific type of cancer.

Honestly, you really need to keep up with certain screenings, but you also have to watch those little "details" we usually ignore until we actually get sick—things like diet, (not) smoking, staying active...

Angela Wright said:I still hold onto the belief that anything is possible, including the hope that you might one day feel whole and healthy again. My perspective isn't just empty optimism; it’s actually rooted in what I know about a specific study regarding treatments for brain tumors. It involves morphogenetic proteins that essentially coax malignant nerve cells into becoming healthy ones. This is relevant to your situation because, unlike malignant cells, healthy nerve cells don't proliferate uncontrollably. What is it that drives malignant nerve cells toward division while benign ones remain stable? In your case, there may come a time when a cellular process is triggered, and once those lost connections between your nerve cells are finally re-established, that entire mechanism could be redirected by morphogenetic proteins toward a benign outcome.
Of course, we have to acknowledge that this is all still in the *in vitro* testing phase, but I truly believe that in the future, even paralysis will be something we can treat.

Accept yourself exactly as you are right now and try to make the most of the life you have. You possess every prerequisite necessary to be a happy person in this world. Believe me, I know people who are physically perfect but aren't nearly as happy as you could be. We all carry our own inner strength and the seeds of happiness within us. Don't let anyone or anything hold you back. If you want to go out, then go! I am certain you have friends who would step up to lend a hand whenever you lose your balance.

Unfortunately, I have no one. I still live with my mother and father, and I’m an only child. They won't leave me in anyone else's care because they are simply terrified. Even though I'm 27 years old, I don't have a girlfriend; everything feels out of reach. You tell me to utilize my potential, but I don't have any opportunities to grasp, let alone realize them. My therapist tells me that people with disabilities like mine have wives, children, drive cars, and go wherever they please. But the reality is that I am completely dependent on my parents—especially my father, who restricts me constantly because he’s afraid I’ll fall. He worries that if I fall, I’ll break a bone and end up back at square one. I can walk a little on my own if I'm careful; since I lack spatial awareness due to my vision issues, I rely heavily on my right hand to steady myself. But according to my father, he’ll have to be right behind me for the rest of his life, wherever I go, and he says we just have to accept that. I simply can't endure this sense of isolation and the endless restrictions being forced upon me anymore.

Nathan Moore45 said:I don't have anyone, unfortunately. I still live with my mother and father, and I'm an only child. My parents won't leave me to anyone else because they're terrified. Even though I'm 27. I don't have a girlfriend; everything feels out of reach. You tell me to seize my opportunities, but I don't have them and I can't act on them. My therapist tells me that people with disabilities like me have wives, kids, drive cars, and go wherever they want. But I'm dependent on my mom and dad—especially my dad, who won't let me do anything because he's afraid I'll fall. He thinks if I fall, my bones will break and I'll be back at square one. I can walk a little on my own, and I'm very careful because since I only have vision in one eye, my sense of space is off, but I use my right hand to steady myself. But now, as my father says, he'll have to be right behind me wherever I go for the rest of his life, and we just have to accept that. But I can't stand this isolation and these limitations being forced on me anymore.

Honey🙂, you are an adult, a grown, mature, and responsible person. Take that strong right hand of yours and slam it on the table!
Our Association has members all over the country, including in places like Miami. Reach out on our forum. There are definitely people there—young people your age in the exact same boat—who would love to meet you, hang out, and become your friends. Don't settle for anything, especially not the way your father is suggesting, because God knows he's wrong about this. I'm certain he only wants what's best for you, but this is definitely not how he helps you or makes you a happy person. You need to gain some independence and start living your life as soon as possible. You aren't the first or the last person with a handicap like yours to live independently, work, love, and start a family. That is a reality your parents have to face. Ask your doctor to come visit your home and talk to your parents to try and explain things to them. I'm sure they'll listen to a medical professional. If that doesn't work, look for help from a social worker. There has to be a solution for you.

Don't let your parents' fear turn you into a bigger invalid than you already are. Don't let them turn you into a prisoner of their own anxiety. That fear belongs to them, not you. You have to live, and you have every right to do so!

Reach out to us if there is any way we can help. Feel free to join the Association.🙂

Pusa and stay brave—fight for your rights.🙂

Rachel Murphy77 said:I mean, they probably told you it’s solid for cutting down nausea and headaches, so it hits the mark there, but man, the side effects are just brutal. It's a total double-edged sword. 😠
I mean, I personally dealt with at least 80% of those side effects. 😠
Unlike you, I never had an appetite, and honestly, I still don't. 🤷
I'm eating totally normal, but instead of dropping weight, I'm just stuck at the same number or even putting on a few pounds. 🤷
I remember telling someone that my butt looked exactly like a dartboard. 😂😂

Actually, I wasn't even talking about dexamethasone—I meant Medrol.
It's all just the same old crap in a different wrapper. 🙄

I got two totally different stories about whether he should be using it while going through chemo.
So, here’s the thing, the question is,
Is Medrol something you take constantly while doing chemo, or just whenever you feel like it?

So, my husband started on Medrol after finishing chemo. It was a gradual taper—started at 32 mg, then dropped to 16, then 8, and finally down to 4 mg. He was on it for almost three years straight. For this past year, he hasn't touched the stuff at all, since he tapered off slowly—first doing it every other day, then every third day, and then just stopping altogether. Honestly, since he quit Medrol, he’s been totally fine. The real mess was while he was actually on the medication, because he was taking it way too long—like, three years long. His stomach was constantly bloated like a balloon, and his skin started acting up big time; we're talking rashes, itching, redness... the whole deal. But ever since he stopped the Medrol, the bloating is gone and his skin isn't nearly as sensitive anymore.
Medrol was something he was taking based on his doctor's recommendation, starting right after he finished up with chemo.

About a month and a half ago, they told us my mom was a goner.
Now she’s just lying there, covered in painkiller patches, and the days are a total blur—some are absolute nightmares, others are just okay.

The thing is, my mom is one tough cookie; she doesn't go down without a fight. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about modern cancer treatments and life in general. Honestly? Nothing feels the same anymore—especially my own life and how I move through it. I’ve played the "what if" game in my head a thousand times, obsessing over her life versus mine, wondering how different things could have been for both of us. Sometimes those thoughts eat at me, but I deal with it. Every now and then, I catch myself wondering why this happened—why we couldn't just be a normal family, where my brother and I could go our separate ways while my parents grew old together in some little house by the coast, which was exactly what they wanted...

Real talk: you can't control life. Not even close.

I also wanted to ask for a bit of advice—what should I feed someone who stays in bed all day and keeps turning down digestive aids, provided it won't cause major issues with constipation?
Supposedly milk isn't good for her, but she absolutely loves it.
Thanks 🙂