Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

Grace Fowler said:Hey everyone, calling you all friends because that’s honestly what you are... I'm checking in with the worst news I've ever had to drop on this board.
The PET scan was pretty brutal. It showed a ton of positive lymph nodes—just a massive cluster stretching from my neck all the way down to my pelvis. Gross. Just gross. The biopsy on the neck node confirmed the scan, so we're looking at adenocarcinomca. The one silver lining? They successfully placed the stent in my right kidney, so there's a real shot at getting systemic chemo started to try and shut this thing down. If I sound down, don't take it personally, but my drive to live is still HUGE and I am not throwing in the towel. I'm heading to an oncology consultation in a few days to see what our next moves are.
PLEASE, MY FRIENDS, when you read this, don't just feel sorry for me. Instead, cross your fingers and think, DIANA CAN DO THIS!!!
Your support and good vibes mean everything to me.
Sending hugs
Diana!!

Diana, you can absolutely do this, and you will! You’re tough and incredibly brave. That hunger for life, your optimism, and your sheer grit
can work miracles!
I'll be keeping you in my prayers.

@Diana, don't let them get to you! Seriously, major props for staying so strong. 🙂

@casualpanther1/">@@casualpanther1, it's been a minute. What's the vibe over on your end? Everything holding up okay?

@Grace Stewart6/">@@Grace Stewart6
It’s most likely that "occult" tumor—if I recall the terminology correctly. There are certain types that are notoriously difficult to pin down. We actually dealt with a case over at the association's forum recently that we were lucky enough to finally identify properly.

@Grace Fowler/">@@Grace Fowler
Look, honey, the most important thing right now is that you're staying just as tough and determined as ever, and more importantly, there's a new option on the table. Life is nothing but constant fluctuations; even with your illness, you've hit a rough patch... but things will improve—they have to.

@casualpanther1/">@@casualpanther1
Serge, I find myself thinking about you guys quite often. I don't have your number anymore since it was saved on an old phone that's long since dead, otherwise I would have called you in a heartbeat. I really hope everything is still going well and that there hasn't been a recurrence. I’d love for you to post on the association's website; we desperately need more positive stories when it comes to dealing with glioblastoma.

Diana, hang in there
you're in my thoughts

Diana. Keep pushing forward! You've got this!

Diana, I find myself thinking about you... all the time. You truly are my constant source of inspiration 😉

I have a question... is it possible for cervical cancer to metastasize to the adrenal gland?

Diana, I'm pulling for you. I hope things turn around soon.

To all the other brave souls out there, I'm rooting for you too. Stay strong through the fight.

I don't post here much, but I'm thinking of you all. I read everything and I'm praying for everyone's recovery.

If anyone needs anything at all, don't hesitate to reach out.

granitebadger21 said:Diana, I’m thinking of you constantly. You can do this—you’re my biggest inspiration. 😉

I have a question... can cervical cancer metastasize to the adrenal glands?

Technically, cancer can spread almost anywhere, but please don't drain yourself by spiraling over "what-ifs" before we even know what's actually happening mid-treatment.
Try to stay level-headed and stick to the facts for now.
Hugh

I’ve been scrolling through a few posts in this thread. I stumbled upon this forum by total accident, and once I saw you guys had a corner dedicated to this, I just had to sign up right now.
So, my husband is currently stuck at the hospital waiting for brain tumor surgery. They told us everything looks okay—no signs of metastasis or anything like that, thankfully—but still. My whole family has been practically parading through the house all day long, and I’ve finally managed to grab about fifteen minutes to just sit here, surf the web, and try to dig up some actual information about this whole mess that hit us out of nowhere.
Anyway, thanks for keeping families like ours in your thoughts while we navigate what might be the hardest moment of our lives.

Elizabeth Gonzalez55 said:Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a quick update—for those following our fight against melanoma, or if anyone ever wonders if Stage IV can actually be fought:

One year after the diagnosis, the scans are still clear. Our next check-up isn't for another six months. So far, so good. We’re feeling hopeful and satisfied, but the battle continues!

I read this thread regularly and am sending positive energy to all of you. Hang in there!

Julia🎉
I'm rarely on here, but whenever I drop in, I look for news on how you two (is it three now?) are doing. Sending big kisses and nothing but good vibes!🙂

Dear Diana,
Everyone deserves the right to feel a bit down or exhausted every once in a while, yet your positivity is truly palpable. It doesn't just lift your own spirits; it provides a much-needed strength to the rest of us.
I was talking to my father today about you and everyone else on this forum—about your collective courage and resolve. I suspect hearing about it gave him a bit of a boost (though, admittedly, they did increase his pain management regimen, which likely helped as well).

Grace Fowler said:My dear friends—and I say "dear" because you truly are—I’m checking in with what is likely the most difficult news I have ever had to share on this forum.
The PET scan results were quite grim; there are numerous positive lymph nodes scattered everywhere, literally from my neck down to my pelvis. It’s revolting. The biopsy on the neck node confirmed the scan's findings: we are looking at adenocarcinoma. On a somewhat brighter note, the placement of the port in my right kidney was successful, which means there is a real possibility I can start systemic chemotherapy to try and shut this thing down. If I happen to sound a bit down, please don't take it personally; my will to live remains massive, and I have no intention of giving up. I’ll be heading to an oncology board meeting in the next few days to determine our next steps.
PLEASE, MY FRIENDS, when you read this, don't let it weigh you down. Instead, just cross your fingers and think, YOU CAN DO THIS, DIANA!!!
Your support and positive thoughts mean the world to me.
Sending hugs,
Diana!!

Diana, dear,

Don't let that monster win. Keep fighting; I know you have it in you. I am praying for you every single day, along with everyone else facing these battles. Hang in there—sending you so many good vibes and 🙂🙂🙂

Dear Diana! Your courage, strength, and optimism are just incredible. You're wonderful. I'm thinking of you and keeping my fingers crossed that this rough patch passes quickly. Sending love to everyone.

Hey Diana, I just wanted to say I'm rooting for you—you really should be an inspiration to everyone out there

@ everyone:

I want to thank you all so much for your support, but life doesn't always give us a choice in these matters. With the help of his faith, Peter passed away peacefully... even though he had been doing relatively well, his heart just simply stopped beating........

rapidseal49 said:@ everyone:

Everyone, thank you so much for all the support. Life just happens, I suppose. With the help of his faith, Peter passed away peacefully... even though he had been doing okay (relatively speaking), his heart just stopped beating.

I am truly heartbroken...🙂

Grace Fowler said:My dear friends—and I say that because you truly are—I’m reaching out to share what is, without question, the most devastating news I have ever had to post on this forum.
The PET scan results were pretty grim. It showed a massive amount of positive lymph nodes—just a solid line stretching from my neck all the way down to my pelvis. It’s honestly revolting to think about. The biopsy on the neck node confirmed what the scan suggested: we're looking at adenocarcinoma. On a more positive note, the placement of the stent in my right kidney went smoothly. Because that was successful, there's a real chance I can undergo systemic chemotherapy to try and shut this thing down. If I sound a little down, please don't take it personally; my will to live is still incredibly strong, and I have no intention of giving up. I’m heading to an oncology consultation in the next few days to figure out our next move.
Please, my friends, when you read this, don't let it get you down. Instead, just cross your fingers for me and think: YOU CAN DO THIS, DIANA!!!
Your support and positive thoughts truly mean a lot to me.
Sending you all a big hug.
Diana!

Hang in there, dear. We all know you've got this.👍

Hey there, Suborac crew!!!
So, here I am, geared up and ready for the fight... again. Here's the deal: I’ve got an appointment this Monday with my abdominal surgeon. Even though the test results look pretty rough, he told me we still have some weapons left in the arsenal to fight this. He’s going to try—using electrocautery, which is basically a palliative approach—to shrink the tumor mass in my pelvis. From what I gathered, it’s like using an electric current to burn it down or something?! The idea is that it should hopefully ease up those pelvic symptoms. Once that's done, I was at the oncology board meeting today, and they said we’ll jump straight into chemo. The plan is either Veptis or maybe Gemzar, assuming my kidneys can handle it—there's some hope there since I had surgery last Friday to get a stent placed, which should help things move along better. Anyway, more doors are opening up. Despite all the grim forecasts from certain "experts," I see plenty of ways forward. Honestly, over the last ten months, people have tried to write me off more times than I can count—but hey, I’m still standing! :-) Ovarian cancer is a brutal beast, no doubt, but I swear to you, when you align the need to heal the body with the strength of the soul, things actually work.
So, I’m keeping my fingers tightly crossed for EVERYONE. Never, ever, EVER give up..
Sending huge love to you all, Diana : five:

Grace Fowler said:Greetings to all the fighters out there!!!
So, here I am, back in the trenches and ready for more combat... the situation is this: on Monday, I’m waiting for an appointment with an abdominal surgeon who, despite some rather grim test results, insists we still have weapons left in our arsenal. He’s going to attempt—using electrocautery, which I believe is a palliative measure involving electrical currents to shrink the mass in my pelvis—to reduce the tumor size, which should hopefully alleviate some of the pelvic discomfort... Today, I also sat in on the oncology board meeting, and once this procedure is finished, we’ll jump straight into chemotherapy. The plan is likely Vyxeos or perhaps Gemzar, provided my kidneys can handle it... There is some hope, though, since I had surgery last Friday to have a stent placed, which should offer a bit of relief. It seems certain doors are opening again, and I see plenty of possibilities ahead, regardless of what certain pessimistic audiences might predict... Over the last ten rounds, they’ve tried to write me off more than a few times, but well... I’m still standing. Ovarian cancer is a formidable adversary, but I maintain that when you align the body's need for healing with the strength of the soul, things tend to work...
Therefore, I am sending my strongest support to EVERYONE; please, never, ever give up...
WARM REGARDS FROM DIANA : five:

To live is to fight, and for all of us who frequent this thread, you and your will to heal provide an extra surge of strength! As you noted yourself, ovarian cancer is relentless, and no matter how dire the outlook appears, those grim prognoses cannot withstand the power the soul provides to the body to keep fighting! So, dear, stay strong and as you said... don't give up!

We aren't giving up either; we are back at it, battling through the hospital systems once more, only now we are stronger, more optimistic, and prepared for any bad news they throw our way... We will never surrender!

Hang in there, Diana!👍

Grace Fowler said:Hey there, Springfield crew!!!
I'm back in the arena and ready to fight... here's the deal: this Monday, I've got an appointment with my abdominal surgeon. Even though the scans aren't great, he told me we still have plenty of ammo left to fight this. He’s going to try to shrink that pelvic tumor mass using electrocautery—which, if I understood correctly, is like using an electric current to burn it away?! Hopefully, that will ease up some of the pelvic symptoms. I also sat in on the oncology board meeting today, and once this procedure is done, we jump straight into chemo. The plan is either Velcade or Gemzar, provided my kidneys can handle it (fingers crossed, since my surgery last Friday to place a stent should help things along). It feels like new doors are opening again, and honestly, I see so many possibilities despite what certain people say about my prognosis. Over the last few months, they've tried to write me off more than a few times, but hey... I'm still standing! :-) Ovarian cancer is a beast, but I truly believe that when you align the healing of the body with the strength of the soul, magic happens.
So, I am sending BIG, STRONG positive vibes to EVERYONE out there. Don't you ever, EVER give up...
WARM REGARDS FROM DIANA : five:

What can I even say🙏! In this endless match of yours, you just... I don't know how you do it... you always manage to take down the opponent... and several of them at once too! And look at you, right back in the LEAD! Diana, Diana... can you feel all our strength behind you?
Crossing my fingers for you so hard👍