Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

slyseal28 said:And what bothers me most is this claim: that cancer starts at the level of the mind! Good grief, people—it isn’t just the elderly who get sick after working for a hundred years and stressing over trivial nonsense! Kids get cancer, young people get it, old people get it! It has nothing to do with your mindset... If that were true, we could all just think ourselves healthy, couldn't we?

That was actually our very first comment right after we sat down to watch the show (as a family)... I mean, how do children develop cancer? They certainly aren't sitting around getting stressed out and worked up about life...

slyseal28 said:I am far from impressed; if anything, I find myself quite disappointed...

My perspective on why cancer treatment success rates vary so significantly between certain countries is this: it primarily comes down to the availability of cutting-edge targeted therapies and much easier access to clinical trials, which can offer a genuine lifeline to those battling incurable and debilitating diseases. For over a year now, I have been trying to get the pigeon enrolled in a study, and I haven't given up hope just yet...

Regarding those claims that heart cancer doesn't exist—it’s absolute nonsense. Of course heart cancer exists, even if it is certainly rare... after all, the heart is primarily a muscle...

What bothers me most is this assertion that cancer originates at the level of the mind... Good grief, people, it isn't just centenarians who have spent a century stressing over trivialities that fall ill! Children get cancer, young people get cancer, and the elderly get cancer too. It has absolutely nothing to do with one's mindset... If it did, then perhaps we could simply think our way out of a cure...

To be more specific, taking the Avian case as an example, every single patient essentially becomes part of a larger study, consenting to have their data processed and published just so it might be slightly easier for others to receive an accurate diagnosis and move forward with treatment...

We are currently waiting for the third round of chemotherapy here... things didn't exactly go smoothly after the second session, as her neutrophil levels plummeted to an extremely low range. It’s quite difficult to discuss the specific details of the treatment with my mother, though she did manage to press the oncologists about whether there are any alternative medications—the kind not typically used in standard protocols—that are known to have a more potent effect on cancer cells... and they confirmed that such options exist and will be utilized if her condition reaches a certain stage. Unfortunately, I still don't even know which specific drug she is receiving for her chemo, as those are the types of questions that lead to rather heavy conversations...

I haven't watched the show, nor do I particularly care to, but regardless... cancer isn't a disease that picks and chooses its victims based on age or type of person...😢

What are your thoughts on this situation? Last year, my mother was diagnosed with ocular melanoma after losing partial vision in that eye. Eventually, the eye had to be completely removed. At the time, the doctors insisted they had gotten everything—that no chemotherapy would be necessary because the removal was sufficient. They scheduled a follow-up for six months later. He went in for that check-up last November, the eleventh month. Since then, the tumor has metastasized to his liver, lungs, and right shoulder bone with terrifying speed. It’s just galloping through him. He didn't have any symptoms, no pain, his appetite was perfectly fine... but now they are recommending chemo. He started the first round of therapy, and now he has absolutely no appetite, feels weak constantly, and has lost weight terribly. I don't know if my opinion might come across as harsh to some, but I wouldn't push the chemo on him. He's 70 years old... he doesn't have much time left. For heaven's sake, he shouldn't have to suffer through chemo when all it does is make him miserable and unable to eat. What do you all think about this?

Sandra Rogers48 said:He’s 70... doesn't have much time left..

Don't say things like "he doesn't have much time left." My mother is going to be 66 in two months and I really hope she's around for a long, long time! Sure, maybe she handled chemo a little easier than your grandfather did, but honestly, I truly believe this is just a rough patch for him and he'll pull through... I was reading online that how someone reacts to chemotherapy doesn't actually dictate whether the treatment works or not, so please don't let how you're feeling right now get you totally discouraged.
By the way, my grandmother lived to be 93, and in my family, the women traditionally live pretty long lives... which is why Mom's illness hit me so hard, it was such a shock :-(

What is your grandfather saying about all this? If he still has that spark, that will to fight and try, and if a few months of suffering means (hopefully) a longer life, then I think it's worth trying—especially if we can look forward to better quality of life without the chemo later on...
Though, knowing Lothar H., he probably wouldn't even agree with that...

...anyway, I haven't been posting much lately. We're just sitting here waiting on the results from Mom's CT scan and her blood work, so I'm, to put it mildly, a total nervous wreck...

And I'm sad... just incredibly sad because of Dina, and everyone else too... there are no words... I think I'm going to find myself rereading her posts whenever I feel like I'm losing my courage or my drive to keep going.
Honestly, my heart goes out to everyone who knew her and to those of you missing her even more.
May she rest in peace up there...

Sandra Rogers48 said:What are your thoughts on this .... My granddad was diagnosed with ocular melanoma last year after losing partial vision in that eye. The eye was completely removed, and the doctors assured us that was it—that they had cleared everything out and no chemotherapy would be necessary. A six-month follow-up was scheduled. He went in for that checkup last November, at the eleven-month mark. Since then, the tumor has metastasized to his liver, lungs, and right shoulder bone with terrifying speed. It’s just galloping away... he hadn't shown any symptoms, no pain, appetite was perfectly fine... then they recommended chemo... he started the first round... now he has absolutely no appetite, he feels weak constantly... he has lost weight terribly... I don't know if my opinion sounds harsh to anyone, but I wouldn't force him into chemo. He's 70... he doesn't have much time left... for heaven's sake, why make him suffer through chemo when all it does is leave him miserable and unable to eat.... what do you all think?

I kept checking back to see if anyone had replied before me. Unfortunately, cancer doesn't offer the luxury of peace, and it frequently shocks you with metastases that spread at an incredible pace...

Chemotherapy represents that sliver of hope doctors offer to those who have undergone surgery; if the physicians deem it essential, one should trust that this current bout of weakness will pass, and that subsequent rounds of chemo will proceed more smoothly...

You really ought to reconsider your thought that "he doesn't have much time left," because I would be the happiest person alive if cancer hadn't taken my grandfather, allowing him to at least reach 70 or beyond. Similarly, I have an 87-year-old grandmother who was struck down by Alzheimer's, and as difficult as it is to look into her sorrowful eyes... I am grateful she is still here, reminding me of everything she did for me, fueling the love we once shared aloud, which we now share only through glances...

After her first surgery, my mother grew visibly frail and began surrendering herself to the inevitable end that seemed to be looming. One morning, her doctor grabbed her and said, "Ma'am, pull yourself together! A human life is like a meter, and you're only halfway through... who is going to finish the rest for you?" So, your granddad is only two-thirds of the way through that meter; he still has so much to experience and endure, and he mustn't give up. There is a whole range of advice available to help restore his appetite, because even alongside chemo, it's entirely possible for appetite to vanish due to apathy and the heavy strain on the body...

Fight! Fight! No giving up! None at all! And how my mother, two years after her own "rallying," would say, "Let's keep going! What else is there for us?!" I truly hope she never stops saying that, no matter how hard it gets...

Kisses to all the fighters!

I am wondering if anyone knows where one might acquire a used copy of LOTHAR H.'s "Chemotherapy Cures Cancer and the Earth is a Flat Plane"...
Perhaps someone might have a copy available for loan so that I may make a photocopy..
My father is currently battling colon cancer; we have been navigating this struggle for approximately eight years now..
It has since metastasized to his liver—twice actually, following a surgery several years ago—as well as affecting both the small and large intestines..

shadowmason6 said:...well, I haven't really checked in lately. We're just waiting on my mom's CT results and her blood work, so I'm—to put it mildly—a bit of a nervous wreck...

I was actually thinking about you and your mom the other day—since you've been so quiet—and I remembered she was supposed to have a follow-up appointment right around now
keeping everything crossed that it's good news 🙂

What even is meta hepatitis??

Sandra Rogers48 said:What do you all think about this scenario? My grandpa was diagnosed with ocular melanoma last year after he started losing vision in that eye. They ended up removing the entire eye, and the doctors told us that would be the end of it—that they had removed everything and no chemotherapy would be necessary. He went in for his six-month checkup recently, having had the initial follow-up eleven months ago. Well, the tumor metastasized to his liver, lungs, and right shoulder bone with terrifying speed. It was just galloping through him. He hadn't shown any symptoms or pain, and his appetite was totally normal until this happened. They recommended chemo, so he started his first round of treatment, but now he has absolutely no appetite, feels weak all the time, and has lost a terrifying amount of weight. I don't want to sound insensitive, but I really wouldn't want to push him into more chemo if it's just causing him misery. He's 70 years old, and he doesn't have much time left; it seems so cruel to make him suffer through chemo when he can barely even eat anymore. What are your thoughts?

To be completely honest with you, it is scientifically established that chemotherapy isn't effective against melanoma. In maybe 10% of cases, it might buy someone an extra four to six months, but since it’s clearly so toxic—which you've already noticed firsthand—the real question is how much quality time your grandfather will actually get out of those extra weeks. Your hesitation is completely justified.

The only real fighting chance at this stage involves clinical trials, though those aren't typically conducted here in the States but rather abroad. They are expensive and difficult to get into, but it's always an option worth exploring. And then, of course, there are alternative approaches.

I'm not sure if you've been following my posts, but my husband is currently in Stage IV, so if you want to talk more deeply about clinical trials or alternative methods, feel free to send me a PM.

Nancy Hernandez43;18634345

Chemotherapy is essentially that sliver of hope doctors offer to someone who has already undergone surgery, and if they believe it's necessary, you just have to trust that this current bout of weakness will pass and that future rounds of chemo will go more smoothly. says:

Nancy, please don't take this personally because I know your heart was in the right place and you truly wrote such a beautiful, warm, and encouraging post, but I really just need to vent for a moment.

In this past year alone, while we've been fighting melanoma, about twenty different people have reached out to me after being diagnosed with stage four. And without exception, the doctors sent every single one of them straight to chemotherapy. I would love—I truly, deeply wish someone could give me an answer, preferably an oncologist, as to why they poison people and destroy them with DTIC when they know it doesn't actually achieve anything. I know they know it's futile because they told us that straight to our faces, whether we were at a clinic in a major US city, at Rebro, or even over in Germany, and anyone who knows how to use Google can find that information and see the truth for themselves.

What is the point of all this, where is the actual medicine and the Hippocratic Oath, and when will doctors finally start helping those suffering from melanoma instead of just ruining their lives? There was this wonderful young man, a father of two little children, who passed away simply because the doctors in Germany couldn't even admit him for treatment due to the severe condition his body was in from the DTIC.

I honestly feel like screaming from the sheer frustration of it all.

Paul Lewis9 said:What even is meta hepatitis??

Liver metastases.

Elizabeth Gonzalez55 said:Nancy Hernandez43, please don't take this personally, as I know your intentions were pure and you truly wrote such a lovely, warm, and encouraging post... but I simply need to vent a little...

Over the past year, as we've been fighting this battle against melanoma, about twenty different people have reached out to me after receiving a late-stage diagnosis. Without fail, every single one of them was sent straight into chemotherapy by their doctors. I would truly, deeply love for someone to give me an answer—ideally an oncologist—as to why they insist on poisoning people and destroying them with DTIC when they clearly know it achieves nothing at all... We know it doesn't work, because they told us that straight to our faces, whether we were at the local university hospital, Rebro, or even in the US or Germany, and anyone who knows how to use Google can find that information and convince themselves just as easily...

What is the point of all this? Where is the actual medicine, where is the Hippocratic Oath, and when will doctors finally start actually helping those suffering from melanoma instead of just making things worse... One wonderful young man, a father of two little children, passed away simply because the doctors in Germany couldn't admit him for treatment due to the devastating condition caused by DTIC...

I would honestly prefer if it would just end with the agony...

Unfortunately, I wasn't aware that it had no effect on melanomas...😢 That concludes my rambling regarding my preoccupation with other ailments...

What I wrote was meant to apply to most illnesses, much like those remarks relayed by my mother's oncologist... Once the recurrence appeared and she had to undergo another surgery, Mom didn't quite grasp the gravity of needing chemotherapy all over again; honestly, seeing how terrifyingly frail her arm looks after every single treatment session is devastating enough for me, so I can only imagine what she herself is feeling...

And I truly am sorry that you found yourself in a situation so distressing that you felt the need to scream...😢 You aren't the only one...

Elizabeth Gonzalez55 said:To be totally honest with you—it's scientifically proven that chemotherapy just doesn't work when it comes to melanoma...

I feel terrible—I had no idea... but look, it’s not all over yet—there are still ways and methods out there for Kyarin's grandpa.
I really hope things are looking up for you guys right now, Elizabeth... I'll shoot you a private message in a bit...

Anyway, my mom's markers are mostly normal, though her CEA bumped up compared to the last test she had about 6 or 7 months ago (it was at 2.9, and now it's 4.5), so I'm definitely feeling a little anxious about it. Has anyone dealt with something like this before?
The CT results come in on Monday...

It’s just like how President Reagan used to say: "My friends, we did it!"...

Starting March 1st, Sutent and Tarceva are officially being added to the Medicare coverage list!🎉 🙂 🙂

Get treated, people!👍

Let's keep moving forward!

👏

Angela Wright said:And just like President Reagan used to say, "My friends, we did it!"...

Starting March 1st, Sutent and Tarceva will be covered by Medicare!🎉 🙂 🙂

Please, get the treatment you need, everyone.👍

We keep moving forward!

That's great news! It feels like someone up top is finally paying attention...

Angela Wright said:And just like President Reagan used to say, "My friends, we did it!"...

Sutent and Tarceva are being added to the Medicare list starting March 1st!🎉 🙂 🙂

Get treated, people!👍

Keep moving forward!

Way to go!!! 🙏 🎉 🙂

Way to go! This is the best news possible... BRAVO!

Angela Wright said:And just like President Reagan used to say, "My friends, we did it!"...

Starting March 1st, Sutent and Tarceva will finally be covered by Medicare!🎉 🙂 🙂

Get treated, people!👍

Moving forward!

Wonderful news.

Even though they still haven't identified my father's primary tumor, and I have no way of knowing if these specific drugs will even help him, I am incredibly relieved for everyone else who will benefit from this.

Kudos to the "For a New Day" association and everyone else who helped make this happen.🙏

Angela Wright said:And just like President Reagan used to say, "My friends, we did it!"...

As of March 1st, Sutent and Tarceva will finally be added to the Medicare coverage list!🎉🙂🙂

Get the treatment you need, people...👍

Moving forward...

HATS OFF TO YOU! You all are true fighters, giving it everything you've got. RESPECT!

Angela Wright said:And just like President Reagan used to say, "My friends, we did it!"...

Starting March 1st, Sutent and Tarceva are officially being added to the Medicare formulary!🎉 🙂 🙂

Get treated, people!👍

Keep moving forward!

Bravo, 🙂