Resources and support for families dealing with cancer and serious illness

Has anyone here actually used FEMAROM? I’m curious to hear what your experience has been like.🙂

My mom mentioned things were looking up quite significantly. After completing six rounds of chemotherapy, the lung carcinoma had shrunk enough that the doctors were actually debating whether to move forward with surgery or stick to more radiation therapy.
But then, out of nowhere, he came down with a severe fever. The difference between his recent scans is just staggering; they did one at the start of the week and another by the end. That first scan was phenomenal—everything looked incredibly promising—but this latest one is a complete disaster, with the entire left lung appearing completely shadowed. They even repeated the imaging just to be sure, and the result was identical.
Right now, we are facing two possibilities: either he’s developed pneumonia, or a piece of the tumor has detached and is obscuring the lung. It’s terrifying to say, but I am praying to God that it’s just pneumonia.
If it turns out the tumor has detached, they would have to perform a bronchoscopy to remove it, but the medical team says that is an extremely high-risk procedure with a significant chance of heavy bleeding. For now, they have him on antibiotics and are monitoring him to see if the shadowing clears up if it is indeed an infection. Has anyone here dealt with something similar? What should our next steps be? I'm going to be so worried; he is absolutely devastated, feeling deeply depressed, and hasn't been able to eat anything. He has already lost about 18 pounds...

Carol Ramirez said:My dad was doing so much better. After six rounds of chemo, his lung carcinoma had shrunk significantly, and the doctors were actually debating whether to go in for surgery or hit it with more radiation.
But then, out of nowhere, he spiked a massive fever. The difference in his lung scans is night and day—one taken at the start of the week and another at the end. That first one? Phenomenal. Everything looked great. This latest one? A complete disaster; the entire left lung is just shadowed out. They repeated the scan, and it’s the exact same story.
Now we're looking at two possibilities: either he caught pneumonia, or the tumor has detached and is obscuring the lung. It sounds horrific to say, but I am praying to God it’s just pneumonia.
If the tumor has indeed detached, they’d have to remove it via bronchoscopy, but the doctors are warning us that it’s an incredibly high-risk procedure with a major chance of hemorrhaging. Right now, they have him on antibiotics to see if the shadowing clears up if it's just an infection. Has anyone dealt with something like this? What do we do? I'm going to lose my mind; he’s completely crushed, depressed, and won't eat a thing. He’s already dropped 8kg...

Oh man, Carol Ramirez, hang in there.
I know this is heavy, but try to frame both scenarios this way: what happened, happened, and the situation itself is undeniably brutal. However, even though both paths are complicated and dangerous, there is still a chance that things can be stabilized. This is just another roadblock on the track. Remember how risky the chemo itself was? A person can die from those treatments if they wreck the blood counts enough. He faced a situation like that before and pulled through. Don't let the ground slip out from under you now; you've fought such a long, grueling battle to get to this point. Life is nothing but oscillations. Look at how things were a week ago versus today—who's to say next week won't swing back toward being better? Try talking to him using that logic. Personally, I think he’s still on the path to recovery, mostly because he has such a strong, capable granddaughter in his corner.
Stay brave and keep pushing; this is all part of the same fight, just another obstacle standing between him and a solution.😘

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, and unfortunately, I’m back with some bad news—it looks like the damn thing has spread to the left lung. The X-ray shows a 5cm shadow, even though there was nothing there just a month ago. Is that even possible? We’re waiting on the tumor markers in a week. On top of that, Dad’s knee joints are incredibly swollen, and his feet are so puffed up he can't even get his shoes on. I know someone mentioned something about this before, but I just can't find the thread. Please help—what can we give him to reduce the swelling? Maybe some kidney tea or a diuretic?

northernfox9 said:So, I’m back after a while, and unfortunately, it’s not good news. It looks like this damn thing has spread to his left lung. The X-ray shows a 5cm shadow, even though there was absolutely nothing there just a month ago. Is that even possible? We’ll have the marker results in about a week. On top of that, my dad's knee joints are incredibly swollen, and his feet are so puffy he can't even get his shoes on. I know someone mentioned something about this here before, but I can't find the thread for the life of me. Please, help—what can we give him to bring the swelling down? Maybe some kidney tea or a diuretic?

Hey there! Haven't seen you in a bit.
At the start, we were giving Mom tea made from the Cleavers plant (here's the link , maybe try that? Or maybe someone else here knows a better way...

northernfox9 said:I'm back after a while, and unfortunately, it's with bad news—it looks like this damn thing has spread to the left lung. The X-ray shows a 5cm shadow that wasn't even there a month ago. Is that even possible? We’ll have the tumor markers back in a week. Also, my dad's knee joints are incredibly swollen, and his feet are so puffed up he can't even get his shoes on. I know someone mentioned this here before, but I can't find the post. Please help, what can we give him to get the swelling down? Maybe some kidney tea or a diuretic?

My mom was on Furosemide, but it kept crashing her potassium levels. Once she started taking low-dose aspirin, her circulation improved and that fluid buildup finally cleared up.
Man, just a heavy day of bad news.😢
Look, don't take that scan result as gospel just yet. Wait for the tumor markers. Who knows, maybe it's just pneumonia. His immune system is already shot from the chemo and radiation. Even > wrote about this.

They’re teetering on the edge of an infection right now—his immune system is basically non-existent following the chemotherapy. My grandfather is constantly sweating, too; he loses liters of sweat just sitting there. It wouldn't surprise me if an inflammation sets in, as his shirt is soaked through within half an hour, and even a tiny draft can do him in.
Then again, they really do have a chance of catching a cold.
I believe the most vital thing is that they don't stop eating, and we have to try our hardest to ensure he doesn't lose his appetite entirely. For a while now, Grandpa hasn't had any desire to put anything in his mouth; he simply doesn't feel the need for food anymore. The only thing he'll still take is plenty of tea.
He's starting a ten-day course of antibiotic cocktails now, so I'm hoping things start looking up.

Angela Wright, thank you so much for your kind words. 😘 You're absolutely right, we can't afford to lose our footing!

Carol Ramirez said:They are dangerously close to developing some kind of infection—their immune systems are essentially non-existent after chemotherapy. My grandfather is constantly sweating through his clothes; he loses liters of perspiration just sitting there. It wouldn’t surprise me if an inflammation sets in, as his shirt is soaked within half an hour, and even the slightest draft from an air conditioner could trigger something...
But then again, they certainly have every right to catch a cold.
I believe the most critical thing is that they don't stop eating, and one must make a concerted effort to ensure they don't lose their appetite. For some time now, Grandpa hasn't had any desire to put anything in his mouth; he simply doesn't feel the need for food anymore. The only thing he still manages to drink is plenty of tea.
He will be on a ten-day cocktail of antibiotics now, so I am hoping for some improvement.

Angela Wright, thank you so much for your kind words. 😘 You are absolutely right; we cannot afford to lose our footing here...

All of this is merely an inherent part of the struggle for both us and our loved ones. There is no reason to surrender—looking at my mother, I see that her condition fluctuates from hour to hour, rather than day by day...

When Mom first returned from the hospital, she couldn't eat for fifteen days straight. Every single day, she would barely manage a spoonful of clear broth. Dad was absolutely distraught because he didn't know how to help her regain her appetite. Eventually, he started making toasted broth every day, and little by little, she began to find the will to eat, consuming more and more as the days passed.

Over the following fifteen days, he managed to coax her into eating one banana every day. Today, her appetite is wonderful, and we often wonder where it all goes since she isn't gaining much weight. Regardless, the most vital thing is that she eats, and I must agree that it is essential for our people not to lose their appetite, lest they further compromise an already fragile immune system.

During the period when she had no appetite and was surviving on nothing but broth and perhaps a banana, the doctors recommended nutritional supplements (ENSURE PLUS), which seemed to suit her well. She no longer feels the need for them today.

I hope Grandpa regains his appetite soon. It truly makes such a difference. You must talk to him constantly, pouring strength into him so he can feel your care and concern, giving him the drive—however difficult it may be—to keep fighting and fighting...

Sending a big kiss, and hang in there!

northernfox9 said:I have some bad news after a long silence. It looks like this damn thing spread to his left lung. The X-ray shows a 5cm shadow, which wasn't there a month ago. Is that actually possible? We’ll get the markers back in a week. Also, my dad's knee joints are incredibly swollen, and his feet are so puffed up he can't even put on shoes. I know someone mentioned this somewhere, but I can't find the post. Please help—what can we give him to bring the swelling down? Maybe some kidney tea or a diuretic?

Effective diuretics include:
nettle leaf
marshmallow
birch leaf
timothy grass
dandelion leaf
watercress
There are stronger options, but I wouldn't recommend them lightly. I hope this helps.

Melissa Kim45 said:Just by reaching out, you're already helping.👍

How did you protect her skin during radiation? My mom only had five (or maybe six, I've lost track) sessions, and the front of her body is completely raw—you can barely tell where it starts. On her back, she has this dark patch like a nasty sunburn.
She’s heading back for more radiation on Monday. I have absolutely no clue what to apply to her skin. Calendula creams and Vaseline haven't done much at all.
She’s so thin and frail now, like a dry little twig.
Honestly, I don't know how she's enduring all this. Chemo, then radiation, then starting over again... and she's getting on in years.

God, if that were me, I wouldn't even bother with treatment. 🙄
I'd be totally screwed.👎

Apply a thin layer of unrefined macadamia or avocado base oil mixed with 10-20% Neem essential oil (chemotype cineole) to the area being treated about 30-60 minutes before radiation. This helps prevent burns.
After radiation, rinse the skin with a thick infusion of black elderflower (steep 8-10g of dried flowers in 3 dcl of hot water for 15 minutes—use it lukewarm!). After rinsing, you can apply a blend of unrefined Tamanu, St. John's Wort macerate in sesame, and Centella macerate in almond oil. Add 0.5-1% each of German Chamomile and/or Helichrysum essential oils, plus some CO2 calendula extract. I recommend using Pranar and Oshadhi essential and base oils, or Primaver Life base oils.
I hope this helps.

The doctor suggested picking up some kind of children's vitamin syrup this morning, hoping it might help jumpstart his appetite. Does anyone have any good recommendations? I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether they actually work.
I find myself talking his ear off constantly—just trying to stay upbeat, being gentle, and attempting to make him laugh. He told his doctor he'll need nose surgery soon because he keeps lying to me like Pinocchio; he just can't bring himself to admit when he hasn't eaten, so he makes up these little stories instead. Even his Taheebo tea has lost its charm lately (he's been drinking it since late 2006, so I suppose it's no wonder), so now I've started bringing him various different teas in small bottles so he has a choice. Honestly, I'd try a hundred different remedies if it meant he felt better..

Carol Ramirez said:The doctor mentioned this morning that we should try picking up some kind of kids' vitamin syrup—maybe it’ll jumpstart his appetite. Does anyone have a recommendation? What are your thoughts on that?
I’m sitting here talking his ear off like a fool, trying to stay gentle and keep him laughing. The doctor actually told my guy he’s going to need nose surgery to shorten it because he keeps lying to me like Pinocchio; he just can't find the heart to tell me he hasn't eaten anything, so he makes stuff up instead. Now he's even bored with the Taheebo tea (he's been on it since December 2006, so no wonder), so I've started bringing him little bottles of various different teas so he actually has a choice. Honestly, I'd try a hundred miracles if it meant he felt better..

Pikovit syrup👍
Maybe the Pikovit tablets would work better since they're basically like candy, which might give him a little boost too. We used Pikovit to get our old man back on his feet once upon a time.🙂

Thank you—we gave him some kidney tea, a blend of ribwort plantain and other herbs based on the Breuss method.
Now he’s refusing to drink anything.
Yesterday's diagnosis absolutely crushed him mentally—he just stares at the wall and cries. We are all losing our minds with worry.

Regarding those lung issues—some people swear by old-school remedies like petroleum or medical-grade gasoline. It sounds absolutely insane, I know. But a close friend of mine tried it with his mother when she was in terminal metastatic stages and the doctors had already given up on her. Well, look at her now: seven years later, still going strong and living life. Just goes to show you.
Doctors generally split these tumors into two main categories: small cell and non-small cell. Hmm. Even that classification feels like a grim way of framing a prognosis based purely on clinical statistics. It’s harsh, but that’s how medicine works.
That said, there are always those "harmless" ways to manage the symptoms and ease the struggle.
Best to everyone.🙂

I know this guy, maybe around 55 now. His mom was hit with cancer about 12 years ago, but since they lived way out in the middle of nowhere and weren't exactly big on formal education, they didn't even bother seeing a primary care doctor when it started. By the time she actually collapsed and ended up at the hospital, they basically just did a quick assessment and realized it was already everywhere—full of metastases. Since she was pretty frail and getting on in years anyway, they just sent her home as a terminal patient.
Her son went down to this local herbalist shop and picked up literally two plastic bags filled with various herbs. The pharmacist there actually warned him, saying that mixing certain plants like those could be dangerous.
I have no clue what he actually did with those herbs—whether he brewed them or just soaked them, I honestly don't know. All I know is that every single day, he gave her one egg yolk whisked into a little bit of red wine. And you know what? She recovered. She lived for another 12 years and finally passed away this past spring at something like 85.
The whole point of me telling this is that you should never, ever just take a doctor's word as the final say. Don't give up.
If anyone actually wants me to dig around and try to find more specific details, I can try to track them down.

Brenda Rogers said:If anyone's interested, I can try to dig up the specifics.

We all want them!🙂 Please, just spill the details.😳

Alright, I’m going to have my dad check in with that guy and find out exactly what kind of concoction he was actually feeding my mom. The only thing my dad could tell me today was that the woman had stomach cancer that had spread all through her abdomen. She managed to survive for at least 50 days living solely on those eggs soaked in wine and herbs before she could even start eating normal food again. And get this—once she pulled through, she was right back out in the fields working with a hoe.
I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything.

Oh, I have to say, I am incredibly curious about what that lady was using as well. 🙂

Brenda Rogers said:I know a man, about 55 now, whose mother was diagnosed with cancer twelve years ago. They lived out in the middle of nowhere, and since they weren't exactly highly educated, they didn't bother seeing a primary care physician when things first started. By the time she finally collapsed and made it to the hospital, all the doctors could do was open her up, see the massive amount of metastases, and close her back up. Given how frail and elderly she was, they just sent her home as a terminal patient.
Her son went to a local herbalist and bought basically two plastic bags full of various herbs. The pharmacist actually warned him that combining some of those specific plants could be dangerous.
As for what he did with them—whether he brewed them into a tea or just soaked them, I honestly have no clue. All I know is that every single day, she drank one egg yolk whisked into a bit of red wine. His mother recovered and lived for another twelve years; she passed away this past spring at somewhere in her 80s.
The point of my story is that you should never just accept whatever the doctors tell you.
If anyone is interested, I can try to dig up more specifics.

That’s nothing short of a miracle! Please, try to find those details. And seriously, everyone, don't ever give up... as long as there is life, there is hope. Best to all!

A tumor is essentially an immune system failure.
So, I was advised to look into pollen.
It’s affordable, too. Apparently, it boosts Immunoglobulin E, which plays a role in allergies and overall immunity.
Then there’s propolis, which works by activating the immune system—specifically by increasing lymphocyte counts.
In fact, various studies indicate that seeing lymphocytes surrounding a tumor on a histological slide is a much better prognostic sign for most cancers.
The logic is simple: you have to stimulate those lymphocytes. They are the ones providing the anti-tumor immunity.
Glucans fall into that category as well.
And don't forget triterpenoids found in plants like birch, Reishi mushrooms, Dong Quai, or Panax Ginseng. These can trigger apoptosis in certain types of cancer cells because, let's face it, not all cells in the body are created equal. Of course, we also leave the rest to God's will.

Watch this:www.gnc.com