Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

Amy Hayes28 said:My father has passed away forever😢
Thank you Jane and everyone who—in any way at all—offered a helping hand during our time of grief.

My deepest, most sincere condolences...

Amy Hayes28 said:My father has passed away forever.😢
Thank you Jane and everyone else who reached out to offer support during this difficult time.

I am so incredibly sorry. My deepest condolences.

Amy Hayes28 said:My father has passed away permanently😢
thank you Jane and everyone who extended a hand in any way during our grief.

Please accept my deepest sympathies; I am certain you will cross paths again under much brighter and happier circumstances... I know how heavy this parting feels, but please continue to stay brave and keep fighting...

Dana Baker37 said:[/B]
thank you Maria Fox : )
I am so happy for you and your mom—really—and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for everything moving forward...👍
I'm actually feeling pretty good today too because they gave me permission to visit my mom (I'm heading there tomorrow), though it’ll be super brief but honestly, it doesn't matter, just enough time to see her and bring her some essentials... Oh, I really have to give credit where it's due—the doctors and the nursing staff at Mercy Hospital are absolutely wonderful, they truly look after her and stay so vigilant : top:
Hi everyone!

thank you 🙂
and I'm just so glad you were able to go see your mom... I really hope she's doing okay, and that you all are hanging in there too...🙂

Amy Hayes28 said:My dad passed away for good...😢
thank you Jane and everyone who reached out to help us through this pain in any way at all.

my heart goes out to you...
words just feel useless right now...

Susan Diaz91 said:Guys, today is just a terrible day, I feel like I'm sinking into an abyss... I'm halfway through my pregnancy (5 months along)... I just can't stop crying... and every time I cry, my stomach starts hurting...

It feels awful, just plain awful : (

Inside, I'm such a mess of happiness—unbelievable happiness because of the pregnancy and the baby—and sadness—just overwhelming sadness because of my mom's illness...

What am I supposed to do? How should I even act?

I'm so sorry, please don't let yourself slip into hopelessness...🙂
And unfortunately, I know exactly how hard this is, but try your best not to get too worked up... because in a situation like this, when you get stressed, you aren't just hurting yourself (like the rest of us), you're affecting your little baby too...
Just try to think positively and hold onto hope that your mom will be right there beside you during your happiest moments...🙂

brisksurfer said:Okay, I finally have some actual good news to share on this thread! And I mean, incredibly, life-changingly good news!!!
I mentioned before that during Dad's follow-up CT scan, they thought they saw a new primary tumor on his bronchi with metastasis in the lungs... well, we finally got all the tests done and the biopsy results are back. It turns out there is no tumor at all!!!!! : Pivo:🙂: jumping:: tulum:🎉
They found out he had an Escherichia coli infection that flared up after his throat surgery. He just needs some antibiotics for that, and then he’ll head back for a follow-up X-ray in two months just to be safe and make sure nothing else pops up.

I honestly can't even put into words how happy I am!!! : cerek: It feels like someone just lifted three tons off my shoulders! Honestly, I just want to : mljacko: every single doctor who scared the living daylights out of us... I still can't even describe the absolute shock I was in...

It is just so wonderful to finally read news like this 🎉👋

Hey everyone—it’s been a minute since I’ve checked in here, and honestly, opening the site today just bummed me out. Sometimes it feels easier to stay away because the news just hits so hard. First off, hearing about Dan really crushed me. I was genuinely holding out hope that things would turn out okay for her in the end. My heart goes out to the family... and Amy Hayes28, my deepest condolences to you too. You guys have been such staples here, always stepping up to help and give advice—I'm just so sorry. As for the foundation, massive respect to you all; keep doing what you're doing regardless of whatever anyone else thinks or says. Regarding heart cancer? It’s definitely rare, but a distant relative of mine dealt with it about 10 years ago, had surgery, and she’s doing great today. So yeah, it’s definitely a thing. I don't have any specific details on her case to share with you guys, though. To everyone else fighting this: stay strong and keep believing you can beat this damn disease once and for all. Hopefully, we finally see a real cure soon—maybe one day this demon will be as easy to fix as a sore throat. I truly hope so, for all of us dealing with it now and everyone who'll have to face it later. Sending big hugs and nothing but good vibes to you all!👍

brisksurfer said:Finally, some actual good news to bring to this thread! And I mean incredibly good news!!!
I already mentioned that during his follow-up CT scan, they thought a new primary tumor had appeared on his bronchi with lung metastases... Well, all the tests are finally done and the biopsy results came back. Turns out, there is no tumor at all!!!!! 🙂🙂🙂🙂🎉
They found he has an Escherichia coli infection that flared up after his throat surgery. He just needs antibiotics for that and a follow-up X-ray in two months just to be safe.

I can't even describe how happy I am!!! 😍 It feels like three tons have been lifted off my shoulders. Honestly, I just want to 🙂 scream at all the doctors who scared us half to death... I can't even put into words the shock I went through...

This is truly BEAUTIFUL news 👋
I've read this several times and honestly felt your joy personally, because that's exactly how I'm picturing the outcome of my mom's treatment. After we get through six weeks of hospitalization followed by a month of recovery, we'll do more tests to see where things actually stand. That's exactly how I imagine the situation—that everything will be fine and we'll throw a massive party! 🙂
My husband had to rush out for an emergency meeting in NYC today, so he'll go visit her again later. Kisses to everyone and hang in there, we're stronger together! 🙂
Maria Fox, thank you and just keep moving forward!

Susan Diaz91 said:I’m currently caught in this whirlwind where I feel an indescribable happiness because of my pregnancy and the baby, but at the same time, I'm feeling such overwhelming sadness because of my mother's illness.

What am I supposed to do, and how should I even handle myself right now?

Larry, it truly breaks my heart to see you posting on this thread—I've followed your journey in the pregnancy groups, so I know exactly what you've been going through.

When I was pregnant, we found out he had melanoma, and it was already in the final stages. I traveled with him to Germany for his treatments, spending my time vomiting in hospital restrooms while trying to stay by his side, or having to pull away whenever he went in for radiation scans; I was absolutely terrified that our little one wouldn't get the chance to grow up knowing her dad. And all the while, I was supposed to be resting and taking care of the pregnancy. There really isn't any "smart" advice anyone can give you in a situation like this. All I can offer you is my total understanding and my full moral support. Just hang in there, and please, let it all out and cry whenever you need to.

Hey, just wanted to pop in with some killer news. We were over in Jordan yesterday getting everything checked out. Did all the tests, and honestly? Everything looks solid. The doctor told us that based on all the scans, my husband doesn't have cancer anywhere... like, at all. It turns out he was just dealing with PTSD this whole time. Thank God. I seriously can't believe we finally killed that monster—it’s truly gone! I am beyond stoked.

Amy Hayes28 said:My father has passed away for good.😢
thanks Ivanica and everyone who reached out to lend a hand during our time of grief.

Sending my deepest, most sincere condolences to you and your family. Hang in there.

Lisa White54 said:So, I just wanted to jump in here with some amazing news... We were out in Jordan yesterday for all the tests, and everything came back clear. The doctor looked at every single result and said—honestly, we're still processing this—that there's absolutely no sign of cancer anywhere... it turns out he was just dealing with PTSD. Thank God. I can't even believe we actually beat it—that the monster is truly gone! I am just so incredibly happy.

It feels so wonderful to be able to share news like this... 🙂 🎉

Lisa White54 said:Well, I wanted to check in with some wonderful news. We were at the clinic in Jordan yesterday for follow-up tests, and everything looks perfect. Based on all the scans they ran, the doctor confirmed there is absolutely no sign of carcinoma anywhere... it turns out he was just dealing with PTSD. Thank God. I can hardly believe we actually managed to kill this monster, that it’s truly gone! I am just so incredibly happy.

It is truly heartening to hear that such a bitter struggle is finally yielding a victory... Just keep moving forward with courage, and through love and faith, even the PTSD will start to fade...

Lisa White54 said:So, I wanted to check in with some good news. We were at Jordan yesterday for testing, and everything came back clear. Based on all the results, the doctor said there isn't any sign of cancer anywhere... it turns out he was just dealing with PTSD. Thank God. I can hardly believe we actually beat this thing and it’s truly gone! I am just so happy.

Lisa, I am truly so glad to hear such wonderful news.
I've been following your updates closely because my father spent quite a bit of time at Jordan as well.
It serves as living proof that you have to keep fighting, because winning is actually possible.🙂

Honestly, looking back at where our mental state was before, things are feeling way better now. The big thing is, the cancer is gone, and my husband is finally able to actually relax. My love for him, staying positive, and just having faith that a new day is coming—that’s what keeps us from sinking. We’ve been through the absolute ringer, so it’s finally time to celebrate. Tomorrow I’m baking a cake and putting together a huge feast for our little squad of four warriors: my husband, our son, our daughter, and me. It was a season of fighting for our lives, full of those brutal moments where you fall down just to find the strength to get back up... a time when it felt like it was just us against the world. But we won.
I truly hope everyone gets results like this. I want every single one of you to come out on top. You have to realize that you can do this—you are much stronger than any diagnosis. Keep fighting, people. Fight for tomorrow, and then wake up and fight for the day after that...
Love you all.

Lisa White54 said:Given the emotional rollercoaster we’ve all been riding, things are looking significantly brighter now. The most important thing is that the cancer is gone, and my husband has finally found some peace of mind, too. My love, my optimism, and my faith in a fresh start are what keep me from sinking. We’ve endured so much, and honestly, it’s finally time to celebrate. Tomorrow, I’m baking a cake and putting together a big celebratory dinner for our little squad of four warriors: my husband, our son, our daughter, and myself. This period fighting the disease was a season of both falling flat on our faces and pulling ourselves back up... a time when it felt like there was nobody else in the world but us. But we won.
I hope everyone gets news this good. I want every single one of you to win. You have to realize that you are capable, that you are stronger than any diagnosis. Keep fighting, everyone—fight for tomorrow, and then fight for the day after that...
Sending love to you all.

This is just beautiful to read; it really gives us hope for a better future
kisses!

So, I’m actually dealing with a brain tumor, which they've called epilepsy...🤷☕🙄

Hey everyone.

Just when you think our bureaucracy couldn't get any more pathetic, they pull another stunt like this.

I’ve been posting here quite a bit lately, asking for advice regarding a 26-year-old girl battling osteosarcoma.
Sadly, things have taken a turn for the absolute worst, and there’s just no saving her at this point. Even after having her right leg amputated, the cancer has spread to both lungs and is progressing incredibly fast. Right from the jump—back when she was diagnosed in March 2007—her PhD specialist noted it was a high-grade mesenchymal tumor with destructive growth patterns. Then, in April 2008, just before the amputation, an oncologist over in Germany classified it as Grade III. While osteosarcoma can sometimes be managed relatively well here, this specific bastard was just too aggressive...
The poor girl is completely wasted; she hasn't eaten in nearly a month, she’s coughing constantly, the pain is unbearable... it’s just horrific. So, we gathered all the paperwork, the latest scans, and the discharge summary from Jordan, where the diagnoses were listed in a massive, half-page long list of misery. I handed everything over to the CDC, hoping their disability commission would issue a certification so she could be exempt from supplemental health insurance premiums and get a disabled parking permit for the car. I even asked if the paperwork was sufficient, and the clerk at the CDC told me it most likely would be once they saw the discharge papers...

But nope! Out of nowhere, I get a call from the CDC Atlanta disability assessment department telling us she needs to show up in person at the Santa Monica clinic so their commissioner-expert can "verify" exactly what's going on!!!!!😠😠 😠
Can you actually believe this? They don't give a single damn that the disease is in its terminal phase and that she is physically incapable of being transported or dealing with the trauma of trekking through their assessment offices...

It’s just another heartbreaking, soul-crushing story of American bureaucracy....
😢

Maria Fox said:It is absolutely wonderful to read news like this. 🎉👋

Dana Baker37 said:This is truly STUNNING news! 👋
I’ve read your posts several times now, and honestly, I’ve been living through your good news right along with you. It’s exactly how I’m picturing my own mom’s treatment playing out. Once we push through those six grueling weeks in the hospital, there’s going to be a month of recovery, followed by all the tests to see the actual facts on the ground. That is exactly how I see this whole situation unfolding: everything is going to turn out fine, and once it does, we are throwing one massive party! 🙂

😘

Ever since this whole sickness saga kicked off last year, I’ve had this nagging, bizarre intuition that none of this was actually happening to me—like I was just waiting to snap awake. Look, there are certain things caused by the surgery that we simply can't undo. Period. But hearing this good news? It honestly feels like I've finally woken up from a total nightmare!
I want nothing more than for Mom to be okay—truly, from the bottom of my heart. But you have to hold onto that belief. You have to believe it’s going to happen. It might sound foolish to some, I know, but for years now, I've lived by that Coelho quote: "..."When you want something with everything you've got, the whole damn world conspires just to make sure you get it. It happens. Every single time.And when we finally hear some actual good news, we’re all going to have one massive virtual party right here! 🙂Hang in there, everyone!

jadetinker42 said:Hello everyone.

Here is more proof of how pathetic our bureaucracy is.

I have posted here many times before asking for advice regarding a 26-year-old girl suffering from osteosarcoma.
Unfortunately, the disease has progressed so far that there is no hope left. Despite an amputation of her right leg, the cancer spread to both lungs and is advancing at an incredible rate. From the very beginning—the diagnosis back in March 2007—the PhD stated it was a high-grade mesenchymal tumor with destructive growth. In April 2008, just before the leg amputation, an oncologist in Germany classified it as Grade III... While osteosarcoma can be treated relatively successfully here, this was one aggressive bastard...
The poor girl has completely collapsed; she hasn't eaten for almost a month, she's coughing, she's in pain... it's horrific. We gathered all the documentation, the final reports, and the discharge papers from Jordan, where the diagnoses are piled up halfway down an A4 page, one on top of the other. I submitted everything to the CDC so their disability commission could issue a certificate. This would allow her to be exempt from supplemental health insurance premiums and get a disabled parking permit so she can actually use accessible spots... I even asked if this would be enough, and the employee at the CDC told me it most likely would be once they saw the discharge summary...

What a load of garbage! Today, they call from the CDC Atlanta (disability assessment department) and demand that the girl show up in Cleveland at Santa Monica to have their commissioner-expert determine exactly what is going on!!!!!😠 😠 😠

Can you even imagine that? They don't care at all that the disease is in its terminal phase and that she is simply no longer capable of being transported or being hauled through their assessment offices...

A tragic American bureaucratic story....😢

When I was with my dad at Jordan the first time, there was this beautiful young girl in the hallway near us, short hair (just growing back after chemo), sitting in a wheelchair because her right leg had been amputated... she sat there for a long time and all the hospital staff knew her. She came from another city for an exam and was waiting because there was no one available to see her, plus the X-ray machine was broken 😠.

The hospital was totally gray and lifeless, yet there she was, so beautiful and young, just waiting... that image will stay with me for the rest of my life. For days, I told everyone how we need to be happy and grateful for our health while describing that scene... and whenever I remember it, I wonder if anyone Up Above is even watching what happens here?! And why isn't there any justice... because she certainly didn't do anything to deserve this..

I don't know if we are talking about the same person, but in any case, I feel absolutely terrible, just horribly sorry 😢... that day in the hospital I was furious because no one was available to examine her, and I feel just as much now reading this 👎.

brisksurfer said:When I was at the hospital in Jordan with my dad for the first time, there was this stunning young girl sitting right across the hallway from us. She had short hair—just starting to grow back after chemo—and she was in a wheelchair because her right leg had been amputated... she just sat there for so long, and it was obvious all the hospital staff knew her. She’d traveled in from another city for an exam and was stuck waiting because nobody was available to see her, plus the X-ray machine was broken 😠.

The whole hospital felt so gray and lifeless, and then there she was, looking so beautiful and young, just waiting... that image is burned into my mind forever. For days, I kept telling everyone how we need to be grateful for our health and just happy to be alive, describing that scene over and over... and whenever I think about it, I can't help but wonder if anyone up above is even watching what happens down here?! Why isn't there any justice... because she definitely didn't do anything to deserve this
.
I don't know if we're talking about the same person, but either way, my heart just breaks for her 😢... I was absolutely livid being in that hospital that day because they couldn't even get her seen, and reading this now just makes me feel just as furious 👎

Yeah, it’s almost certainly the same person, no doubt! I refuse to believe it's a coincidence, and honestly, God help us if there are more cases like this, because what happened to her is basically disease in its most brutal, nightmare form. I mean, look at the timeline: they rushed her to the doctor the second she felt pain in her right knee; despite getting scans in Newport where they suspected something malignant, she was rushed to the specialists in Cleveland to be under the care of Dr. Shante—who everyone raves about. Then came the first round of chemo, then a pathological fracture in the knee, then surgery to remove the affected knee and install a prosthetic, followed by a second cycle of Carboplatin 2000 mg + Vepesid 200 mg. After that, two recurrences forced them to take radical measures—amputating her right leg at the hip, which is already a total tragedy given how young she is—and they did it... only for all that suffering and those massive surgeries to be for nothing, because the cancer spread to her lungs... it just started this destructive, unstoppable path. In November, they operated at the hospital in Jordan to remove the right lung lobe and clear out metastases, and by December, she was scheduled for surgery on the left lung lobe to do the same thing... and in the end, still nothing 😢. And then you have to deal with these government bureaucrats who want to launch investigations just so they can decide whether or not to waive her supplemental health insurance payments... when she's asking the state for $2 million 😠.

Anyway, I'm not sure exactly when you were at the hospital in Jordan or when you saw her, brisksurfer... I do know it was January 15th, and that was the exact day the CT scanner broke, so they couldn't do anything for her until a week later
.

brisksurfer said:she moved here from some other city

She's from Novi Vinodolski.