Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

rapidfalcon13 said:hey everyone on this forum

today our Dina went to be with the angels 😢...I know it because she was a literal angel🙂. She finally closed those sad eyes of hers (lately) and went to join her dad (that's how she used to put it—that her dad was waiting for her, but she still had enough strength to keep fighting... until today)
.
I just have to get this out there... 😢
My dear D... I am going to miss you so much. I'll miss all your kind words, your big dreams, and all that optimism you held onto despite the sea of bad things surrounding you. It’s hard, and my heart is aching... I love you so much, truly...

Dear Dina,
I'm so sorry we never got the chance to really talk, but maybe it's for the best. I'm sure when we eventually meet up in the afterlife, we'll have much happier things to chat about.
I've felt a connection to you for a long time, but when I realized recently that you actually share the same name as my sister-angel, I knew I wasn't just imagining it.
Rest in peace, and give my sister a kiss for me. 🙂

Honestly, my heart just breaks for Dean....

Even though I never actually knew her personally—I just followed her fight right up until the end and watched her constant optimism here on this forum—it still hits me hard. I am truly, deeply sorry....

Sending all my love and deepest condolences to her family.😢😢

I’ve actually been lurking in this thread ever since I signed up (honestly, I wish I’d stumbled onto this sooner because my old man passed away from HCC back in September 2007, and there is some seriously useful advice floating around here) and man, you read about all kinds of crazy fates and experiences on here.

Lately, I’ve been digging through the posts to see what people are saying about experiences with Osteosarcomas, because a coworker's daughter—she's only 26—is going through it right now.

It’s gut-wrenching; things are just getting worse for her by the day. Even after they had to amputate her leg, the sarcoma metastasized to her lungs, and I’m honestly terrified that we’ve hit the point where there’s nothing left to be done...

They actually reached out to Mr. Zdenko Domančić over in Kranj, who’s this well-known healer. Actually, they asked me to try and squeeze in an appointment for them about a month and a half ago. I managed to get a hold of them, but they told me their entire schedule is slammed through the end of February because since New Year's, there have been 1,500 patients waiting for an opening from all over Canada and America... So, I ended up finding a clinic in Chicago that uses Mr. Domančić's methods and booked an appointment with them instead. They saw him four times in a row for 25 minutes each during December. And look, at first, it felt like she was actually improving, but now? Everything is just spiraling downhill....😢

I was absolutely floored when I heard about Dean😢. I don't know why—I just found myself searching through this forum and reading back through her posts. This was her tenth year fighting, people. Ten years!!!!!!!!!! I also found out she would have turned 40 this year. Maybe you think it's weird or that I'm losing it for posting this here. I wrote once before that she was my idol, and honestly, she really was. After everything she went through, I truly hoped she’d finally beat it this time—remember how happy she used to be whenever she got home and checked in here? Or how bravely she tackled the whole journey? I still can't quite believe it........
My deepest condolences to her family and friends.

I’m honestly speechless. My heart is just breaking for Dina. 🙂🙂🙂
No matter how much you prepare yourself, news like this always hits like a freight train. You never actually expect it. 😢
Fly high, brave soul. May you find some peace up there among the angels.
R.I.P.

Dina, you were one of a kind. Man, I am so sorry..

Catch the show Science Frontiers over on PBS 2 at 4:15 PM today. They’re diving into LOTHAR HIRNEISE - HEALING CANCER. Honestly, if people actually listened to this stuff, it might actually do some good for once.

I spent some time today reading through all of Dina's posts, and it hit me—we both fell ill during the exact same year with the very same disease. If I had any kind of "luck" at all, it was that my metastases appeared in my liver, which has that ability to regenerate. My heart just aches for that woman, even though we never actually met. Sometimes, the panic starts to set in. Every single person I’ve ever known who battled cancer is gone now. But... because of Dina, because of her incredible optimism, and because of everyone we hold dear and love so much, w e h a v e t o f i n d t h e s t r e n g t h. We have to force a smile and keep moving forward with courage.

rapidfalcon13 said:dear friends of this forum

today our Dina9 has gone to the angels 😢...I know it because she truly was an angel🙂. She closed her (lately) sorrowful eyes and went to join her dad (that’s how she used to say it, that her dad was waiting for her, even though she still had the strength to live... until today)
.
I just have to get this out there.. 😢
my dear D... I am going to miss you so much, all your beautiful words, all your dreams, and all that optimism you held onto despite the sea of bad things surrounding you... it’s hard, and my heart is aching... I love you deeply and sincerely...

The earth is sown with mortal seeds
But death is not the end
Because death doesn't actually exist
And there is no end
Death is merely the illuminated path upward
From the nest to the stars

Mak Dizdar

Darling, may your journey to the stars be peaceful, and thank you for giving us all strength through the hardest of times. Dina9, you really were our star.

My deepest condolences to the family.

Hey everyone,

Today 02.02.09 here in the States (at Rebro), my dad was just told he can't get the Gamma Knife procedure done. Instead, they're trying to point him toward radiation treatment over in Osijek.

I'm reaching out to see if anyone here has actually been through this or knows where we can find that specific procedure. If you have any leads—whether it's a contact, a specific clinic, a different city, or even a doctor abroad who might be able to help us get this sorted, please let me know.

Son Domagoj from Osijek
email: domagojz@hotmail.com

Thanks a million.

quietbison14 said:Hey everyone,

Today 02.02.09 in Chicago (Rebro), my dad was told he can't get the Gamma Knife procedure. (They’re pointing him toward radiation treatment in Osijek instead.)

I'm asking for help from anyone who knows from experience where this procedure can be done—any contact info, specific places, countries, or doctors we could reach out to to get this sorted.

Son Domagoj from Osijek
email: domagojz@hotmail.com

Thanks so much.

As far as I know, Rebro is the only facility in the US that has a Gamma Knife. It might exist in Canada, Mexico, or Austria. We had some pretty terrible experiences with the Canadians when we begged them to take some of our members for chemotherapy using drugs that aren't registered here. Mostly, they just brushed us off, saying they don't accept American patients, so don't be surprised if you run into that kind of wall. We don't have any experience with Mexico, but things are great with Austria. Try Googling Austrian or Swiss clinics. Just keep in mind that Medicare will likely give you a hard time approving funds for the surgery, regardless of the fact that it's subsidized domestically or that the Gamma Knife is currently out of service here. The procedure is expensive.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

rapidfalcon13 said:Hey everyone on this forum,

Our Dina went to be with the angels today 😢...I know it because she really was an angel🙂. She closed those sad eyes of hers (lately, anyway) and went to her dad—that’s how she used to put it, saying he was waiting for her, even though she still had enough strength to keep fighting... until today.

I just have to get this out.. 😢
My dear D... I'm going to miss you so much. All your kind words, all your dreams, all that optimism you held onto despite the sea of bad things surrounding you... it's hard, and my heart hurts... I love you, truly and deeply...

😢😢🙂🙂🙂This is so incredibly hard.
Dina, you really were someone special. You just radiated optimism... you made the whole day better whenever you showed up here on the forum... now you're in a better place. Rest in peace.
My deepest condolences to her family and everyone who knew her.

Angela Wright said:As far as I know, Rebro is basically the only facility in the US that has a Gamma Knife. There might be some in places like Canada, Mexico, or maybe even overseas, but honestly, we’ve had some pretty nasty experiences trying to get help from certain neighboring countries when we begged them to take our people in for chemo treatments using drugs that aren't even registered here. Most of the time, they just brushed us off, saying they don't take American patients, so don't be shocked if you hit a wall there too. We haven't dealt much with Mexico, but things are usually smooth with Canada. Try Googling clinics in Canada or Switzerland. Just keep in mind that Medicare will likely give you a hard time approving funds for the surgery, regardless of the fact that it's subsidized domestically or that the Gamma Knife is currently out of commission over here. This procedure isn't cheap.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Thanks for the quick reply. All I have is this info from the national news about one hospital being "Karolinski" in Stockholm and another being somewhere in "...Germany, Krefeld..."
How do I actually get in touch with them? Or more specifically, is there any other fresh info on where I should reach out to doctors?

Thanks for listening... really hoping for some help here.

I'm not entirely sure how viable this idea is, but you should definitely reach out to the neurosurgeons in the US about their colleagues abroad. Give them a call, lay out the situation, and just ask. It’s pretty clear you’re prepared to shoulder the surgical costs, so don't be afraid to mention that—and since their equipment is currently out of commission, they really shouldn't be withholding any information from you. If you happen to be living in a place like Chicago—where there's a solid neurosurgery department—check in with them too. Besides, they have the head of oncology, Dr. Gugić, who has traveled quite extensively; he's always looking to expand his expertise, and from what I understand, he was actually over in Stockholm last fall. He might have some insights. They likely possess more experience and specialized knowledge than we have here. Good luck.

quietbison14 said:Thanks for getting back to me so fast. I just have this bit of info from the national news stating one hospital is the "Karolinska" in Stockholm and the other is called "...German Krefeld..."
Is there any way to get in touch with them, or more specifically, is there any new information on where I can reach out to the doctors?

Thanks for listening... please help.

You’re going to have to Google it, hunt down a phone number or an email, and reach out to them directly. There isn't any other way.

Jamie Rivera78 said:There's a show on PBS 2 today at 4:15 PM called Science Frontiers. The topic is LOTHAR HIRNEISE - CURING CANCER. Honestly, I think the information might be incredibly helpful for some people.

Did anyone catch the show??? Any thoughts?

Angela Wright, slyseal28—did you guys get a chance to check my PMs and emails? It’s actually quite similar to what they were discussing on Science Frontiers. Let me know how things are moving along...

steelfalcon15 said:Did anyone catch the show??? Thoughts?

Angela Wright, slyseal28, did you guys get my PMs and emails? It’s basically a carbon copy of what went down on that "Science Frontiers" show. Let me know how things are playing out...

That show was a massive eye-opener. Look, I know everything they said is spot on, but I’m worried the propaganda has already done its damage. Big Pharma will do whatever it takes to keep the status quo alive. They’ll just keep peddling expensive snake oil to us forever.

steelfalcon15 said:Did anyone catch the show??? Thoughts?

Angela Wright, slyseal28, did you guys see my messages in your inbox and email? This feels just like that whole situation we saw on "Science Frontiers." Let me know how things are playing out...

Unfortunately, I missed the show. We’ve had next to zero TV time lately. Right now, we’re neck-deep in the fight for Sutent, crunching the numbers on the petition, and honestly, life outside this just demands everything we've got. If you have a recording, upload it to YouTube and drop the link here.

steelfalcon15 said:Did anyone catch the show??? Thoughts?

Angela Wright, slyseal28, have you guys checked my PMs and emails yet? This whole thing feels like a repeat of what went down during that "Science Frontiers" show. Let me know how things are playing out on your end...

Someone already dropped the link on our forum, so I'll just put it here too:
http://blip.tv/file/1735979

My honest take:
For someone who supposedly did such deep, extensive research and wrote an entire book, the way he opens the show by spouting absolute nonsense about the non-existence of heart cancer, while simultaneously claiming doctors couldn't explain why cancer doesn't attack the heart ( 😂 ), completely nukes his competence and credibility in my eyes. I didn't even bother finishing it. It’s pretty obvious this guy doesn't grasp basic biological facts about cancer, let alone have anything remotely useful to offer in terms of alternative treatments.

Angela Wright said:Someone posted a link here on our forum, so I figured I'd drop it here too:
http://blip.tv/file/1735979

I’m not impressed. If anything, I’m disappointed.

My take on why cancer treatment is more successful in certain countries is this: first off, it comes down to the availability of new targeted therapies and access to clinical trials, which offer a fighting chance at extending life for those facing incurable or severe diseases. For a year now, I've been trying to get my pigeon into a study, and I haven't given up yet...

As for the claim that heart cancer doesn't exist—that's nonsense. Of course heart cancer exists (though it's rare)—after all, the heart is primarily a muscle.

But what bothers me most is the assertion that cancer starts in the mind! Good grief, people, it isn't just the elderly who get sick after working for a hundred years and stressing over trivialities! Children, young adults, and seniors all get cancer! It has nothing to do with your mindset... If it did, you could just think your way out of it.