Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

Dr. Lorraine Day used to be a tenured professor at a medical school.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer, which grew until it was roughly the size of a ball.
The cancer had metastasized throughout her entire body, leaving her unable to even get out of bed.
At that point, it seemed like everyone had simply given up on her...
It is worth looking into her experience.
Finding it quite encouraging.

Part 1
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...73047491&hl=en

Part 2
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...21137924&hl=en

Dear Agnes,
I just finished reading your email, and I’m reaching out because I could really use your perspective on something. My sister is currently battling breast cancer, and unfortunately, it has already
spread to her bones. I’ve heard whispers that over here in the US, there’s this newer medication called Tykerb that they turn to once Herceptin stops doing its job. Could you tell me how your mother managed to access that specific treatment through her doctor?
Thanks so much.

Amanda Hernandez6 said:Hi everyone. First off, I have so much respect for anyone out there fighting these kinds of malicious diseases.

I honestly don't even know where to begin, but I wanted to ask you all for some insight. To give you the short version of what we're dealing with: my mom has been sick for six years now. She has breast cancer with bone metastases. It started with surgery, followed by Taxol, and then radiation after she lost her hair. About four years ago, she went through chemotherapy again—I wasn't exactly following the specifics back then, but she lost her hair during that round too. Then, exactly one year ago today, the metastases were discovered. She was treated with a combination of Herceptin and Tykerb, which actually seemed to work at first; her markers dropped drastically, but after a while, they started climbing again.
Recently, she’s been seeing a Filipino specialist over in Horvatovac, and she claims she feels better physically after each session, but when she had her latest bloodwork done, her markers had tripled. So, we're heading back to Taxol now, and we'll just have to see how it goes.

I wanted to ask if anyone here has any experience with Filipino practitioners. We stumbled upon this path because my dad met someone who had lung cancer and apparently refused traditional chemotherapy altogether; they say that after extensive treatments with the Filipino healer, he was fully recovered and is back to working normally today. If you know anyone who has gone through something similar, please share your stories. And please, I beg you, don't just dismiss this as a scam or anything like that.

Hey there, you brave souls!!!
Things are pretty much status quo on my end—which basically means I’m on my seventh day of Vepesid. I'm feeling a little wiped out and dealing with some nausea, though it isn't exactly a disaster or anything...
I'm already getting excited for Christmas, even if I'm not exactly running around doing all the holiday prep. Honestly, I'm just as pumped as if I were in peak physical shape. I hope you guys are still holding steady and staying brave, too. I'm counting on us all to make the most of these coming days together, as much as life allows...
Best, Din

Grace Fowler said:Hey there, brave souls!!!
Things are pretty much status quo over here. I’m currently on my seventh day of Vepesid; feeling a little wiped out and dealing with some nausea, but nothing too crazy....
I'm getting excited for Christmas, even if I'm not exactly running around doing all the prep work—I'm just as stoked as if I were in peak physical condition. I hope you guys are staying as strong as ever, and I’m looking forward to us all making the most of these upcoming days, as much as our situations allow...
Warmly, Grace Fowler

It seems like whenever I'm hitting rock bottom, you pop up with a post and lift my spirits right back up. Thanks for that. Sending love—enjoy your Christmas. You truly deserve it.😘

Grace Fowler said:Greetings to all you brave souls!!!
Things are staying relatively steady on my end, which I suppose means I'm officially on my seventh day of Vepesid; I'm feeling a little drained and dealing with some nausea, though nothing too catastrophic...
I am looking forward to Christmas, even if I haven't been particularly active with the preparations, yet I feel just as much anticipation as if I were in peak physical condition. I hope you all remain as courageous as ever, and I am expecting... well, let's just say I expect we will all find ways to enjoy these upcoming days to whatever extent our circumstances allow...
Srdacan regards, Grace Fowler

I truly hope that we can all find equal enjoyment in these holiday days ahead of us, surrounded by positive energy and joy, while surrendering ourselves to pleasant gatherings with our loved ones...

Our situation is more or less similar to yours. It was quite a shock to see the cancer return and to face chemotherapy once again, especially since my mother nearly spent Christmas in the hospital. It is difficult to force a smile when everyone is lost in their own thoughts, but I am grateful she is fighting, and I believe that a wonderful Christmas lies ahead for us, just as it does for you...

Wishing everyone the very best, and we shall continue to fight on with smiles...

I’m just not feeling that Christmas spirit, and I’d be lying if I said I was.
My dad’s been hit hard by the pain; he’s basically been "resting" for the last 15 days.
He’ll probably spend Christmas in the hospital, just like he’s been stuck there for the past month.
It kills me that he can't be here with us. 😢
I really hope we see the day when his "treatment" can actually happen at home, surrounded by his family.
Anyway, I wish you guys all the best—have fun and enjoy yourselves.

Man, I’m so sorry about your dad having to spend a holiday like this stuck in the hospital... but hey, hopefully those visits tomorrow make things suck a little less! Just know that your old man, along with all the good souls on this forum, will be in my thoughts and prayers. Wishing you guys a blessed and much healthier Christmas.

Merry Christmas to everyone! I hope you all get to spend it surrounded by your loved ones, sharing plenty of laughs and good times... I really hope we can all keep a smile on our faces and find some warmth in our hearts during this season... Best of luck to you all!

Merry Christmas to you all

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Hey there, fellow warriors!!!!
Well, here we are, entering our second year together—though I guess the story feels a little different for everyone this time around; some people are doing better, others are struggling more... As for me, my strength has totally bottomed out lately (running a fever of 103 for about ten days straight), so naturally, the chemo and the heart issues have taken a backseat for now, but hey, that’s just how it goes, I suppose.... The hardest part is having all these little ones running around the house while I can barely even open my mouth, though thank God my nose isn't stuffed up so at least I can still smell things.. :-)

I hope you all have a wonderful night tonight, and I really want to say—when midnight hits, please try to leave all the sadness and the ugly stuff behind in 2008. For the NEW 2009, I truly want your hearts to be filled with nothing but happiness and joy...

Wishing you all the very best, Din

wearyjackal76 said:Dear Agnes,
I just finished reading your email, and I was hoping you might share some advice. My sister is currently battling breast cancer with
bone metastases. I’ve heard there is a newer medication used here in the States called Tykerb, which is typically prescribed once Herceptin stops being effective. Could you also explain how your mother managed to access the specific treatment her doctor is using?
Thanks,

Dr. Lorraine Day used to be a regular professor at medical school.
Then she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and it grew to the size of a ball.
The metastases had spread throughout her entire body, eventually leaving her unable to even get out of bed.
At that point, most doctors had essentially given up on her...
It is worth looking into her experience.
It really is quite encouraging.

Part 1
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...73047491&hl=en

Part 2
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...21137924&hl=en

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Most importantly, I hope you all enjoy a massive amount of good health in the coming year; if we can get that right, everything else usually tends to fall into place.

Sending nothing but good vibes to everyone—here’s hoping this new year brings us all much better health. Grace Fowler, hang in there, and Nancy Hernandez43, stay strong... Mom is going to pull through this, I'm positive she will...

cosmiceagle4 said:Here is some firsthand insight into how cancer can truly be overcome:
Dr. Lorraine Day was a regular professor at medical school.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer, and it grew until it was the size of a ball.
The cancer had metastasized everywhere, and she couldn't even get out of bed anymore.
Everyone had basically given up on her......
Check out her story.
It is so incredibly encouraging!

Part 1
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...73047491&hl=en

Part 2
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...21137924&hl=en

Man, don't you see that people like us dealing with short bowel syndrome aren't supposed to follow that specific diet? It’s worlds apart from what someone with a different type of cancer would eat...

cosmiceagle4 said:Dr. Lorraine Day was a tenured professor at a medical school.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer. It grew until it was the size of a ball.
The metastases had spread everywhere. She couldn't even get out of bed anymore.
The whole medical establishment basically gave up on her...
Just watch her story.
It’s incredibly encouraging.

Part 1
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...73047491&hl=en

Part 2
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...21137924&hl=en

cosmiceagle4, you already posted this link. Look, don't take this the wrong way, but you're starting to get a little exhausting. 😳
We all get it—you want to help—but there's such a thing as overdoing it. People fighting cancer aren't idiots; they know how to choose their own path, whether that's alternative routes or specific drugs like Tykerb.
Ever since you joined this forum, it's been nothing but these links. You never actually contribute anything about your own experiences or engage with what other people are sharing here. Honestly, it feels like you're just trying to sell us something—mostly smoke and mirrors...
Just stop, if you have any dignity left. It’s not right👎. The people coming to this forum have been through hell and back, tried everything from mainstream medicine to alternative therapies, and yet they're still dying...seriously, enough already. 🙂

Wishing you all a happier, more peaceful, and much healthier 2009! Let's keep pushing forward and fighting side-by-side for a better tomorrow!
Sending love, Angela Wright
🙂

Maria Fox said:Hi everyone! I hope you're all staying positive and upbeat despite this terrible weather 🙂

Something just crossed my mind, so I wanted to pick the brains of those with more experience here...

I'm curious about what kind of follow-up tests are typically done after finishing treatment (meaning, once chemo and radiation are wrapped up)?
And yes, we're talking about colon cancer, if that makes a difference...
I assume check-ups happen every 6 months later on, right?
Is it blood markers and a PET scan, or something else?
I read somewhere—though I'm not sure if it was accurate—that a PET scan might not catch everything 😕)

Thanks so much in advance for the help!!! 🙂

I'm actually heading into my third check-up next month! My first one included a CT scan, ultrasound, chest X-ray, CBC, and tumor markers. After that, I had a PET/CT at Mayo Clinic along with full blood work. And, of course, a colonoscopy is a must. This February, I'll be back for more blood work, markers, chest imaging, an ultrasound, and then another colonoscopy right after that...

Look back with understanding,
look ahead with faith,
and look around with love.

Wishing you all God’s blessings and abundance in this New Year 2009—casualrider21 is rooting for you.

Things are actually looking up. My dad actually made it to the New Year with us; he got a little "pass" from the hospital to stay home until Sunday.
He even took his first few steps, and honestly, I think he’s put on a few pounds. He’s finally got some color back in his face, too. He’s much more lucid now. I’ve been playing nurse around the house lately—handling the shots, the meds, the massages... the whole bit.😉
We are all beyond happy.

Hang in there, guys. Just keep believing in God's help. He gave me so much strength through this, and now things are finally happening just like I prayed for and believed would happen. It’s getting better!

Grit your teeth and believe in the win!
casualrider21👍

Grace Fowler said:Fellow warriors!!!!
Here we are, entering our second year together, though the story feels a bit different now; some are finding their footing while others are facing steeper climbs... Lately, my energy has completely deserted me—I've been battling a fever of 103 degrees for about ten days now—and naturally, my chemo and radiation treatments have been relegated to the background for a moment, but I suppose that is simply how it goes... The hardest part is seeing all the little ones running around the house when I can barely even open my mouth, though, thankfully, my nose isn't blocked so I can at least catch their scents... :-)

I wish you all a joyful evening, and if I may, let us attempt to leave all the sorrows and unpleasantries behind in 2008, so that as we enter November 2009, our hearts might be filled with happiness and light...

Wishing you nothing but the best, Grace Fowler

Dear Grace Fowler, Nancy Thomas18, and all you brave souls with such resilient spirits and wide embraces,
The old year is finally behind us, and as we step into this new one, we can say with absolute conviction: may this year prove better than the last, remembered for its bright moments and the significant strides we make in our fight against this illness... Whatever we failed to mend in the previous year, we shall strive to rectify in this one, humbly wishing for abundant health and the strength to find joy in every single day that unfolds before us...

Just as with everyone else here, our past year was a rollercoaster of highs and lows, but we refuse to yield, and we certainly will not back down from anything...

Last year, we entered 2008 with optimism, relieved that the cancer seemed absent and that things remained stable month after month. Yet, just when one expects a period of peace toward the end of the year, we find ourselves fighting this battle once again. My mother is counting the days, her only wish being for the chemotherapy to conclude as soon as possible, while our hope is simply that she remains resilient and recognizes her own strength at every turn. Recently, her immune system has dipped, and judging by the current lab results, it is not looking ideal. However, tonight she found a spark of joy, dancing a little, and it was truly wonderful to see her smile... We will do everything in our power to ensure that smile stays fixed through all of 2009...

Sending kisses, strength, and positive thoughts to you all; please, stay brave! The fight continues...

K.