BarbarainBham

Skype is a great idea. I will ask her husband if she is able to skyp. It doesn't sound like she is able, but one never knows until they ask. Great idea. Thanks.

You asked me to tell you more about the book "Imagine Heaven" by John Burke. The author has interviewed people who have died, gone to heaven and were sent back here after assorted periods of time. Some long, some short periods of time. The reason I like this book is because the people interviewed have nothing to gain from telling their story. Most had plenty to lose if they told their story, and they did anyway. They are doctors and people of integrity. I found nothing that did not match the Bible, like I have in so many other books about near death experiences. None of these people have written a book or published anything about their NDE. So I can rule out making up a story to sell it. There are some common threads that run thru all these experiences that intrigue me, which I do not find in other books. Reading this one has made me want to enter eternity yesterday. It took away my fear of the unknowns ahead. And although there are not enough words in our language to describe heaven, these people have done their very best to try and let us know about things we cannot even comprehend here on earth.
I just stumbled upon it while ordering other books on Amazon. Also, I've not read IN any other book, the experience of anyone that went to hell and came back. But there is one in this book who went to the entrance to hell and came back totally changed to tell his horrifying story. I will not spoil the stories for you.
I highly recommend this book: Imagine Heaven.

Hi BarbarainBham - I 'm just dropping by to check on you. It's been a while since I've seen any posts from you. I don't come here nearly as much as I used to - just once or twice a week these days, but I miss seeing your name! I hope you're just busy, but doing okay!

To dispose of unsed or toxic med, you need to drop it off at the police station. They have a large machine to put it in.

He is on a fentanyl pain patch and norco every 4 hours...he had 10 radiation. We go to the doctor constantly for treatments and checkups.

I am looking for another WhatNexter to write their story out for me to be featured on our Blog for our WhatNexter of The Week. Would you like to do that for us? It's pretty simple, you don't have to be a "writer". You just write out what has happened with your diagnosis from the day you found you had a problem and went to the doctor up through the current day. I usually just say to cover these points in your story and it writes itself.

How did you know you had a problem?
What was your diagnosis and stage?
What was the plan for treatments?
What have you had done so far, surgery, chemo, treatments?
What sort of side effects have you had?
What are some of the worst parts of the whole thing so far?
What have you learned about yourself, your family, friends, and life in general since diagnosis?
How has cancer changed your life in general?
How are you doing now? Still in treatments, maintenance, cruising smoothly and just watching?

If you write that out and email to me greg @ whatnext . com with a few pictures we will edit and put it together. You don't need to worry about most of the technical things while writing it out. We will make it flow, if needed, and edit for grammar and spelling, etc.

Thanks and I hope you can do this for us! Again, thanks for being with us and helping others.

Greg

Hi Barbara, You read the request exactly as I did ... but I think what was wanted was validation for how she was wanting to react, not truly what we thought or what we would do.

She is really quick to call names and just as quick to talk about her many fabulous attributes ...

Anyway, agree with your comments completely and find it a shame that she attacks back. Oh well...

I hope you're doing well. It was good to see a post from you

I don't think it's a coincidence that I got on here today after not having logged in for a long time and I see someone in the same city as me and my family [i'm the primary caregiver] and you're also HER2 positive like my mom who was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2017. i like to consider myself knowledgeable considering i work in the healthcare industry [i'm an RD that my mom refuses to listen to LOL] but I know nothing about HER2 positive diagnoses and what it entails besides the brief overview the oncologist gave us with very little statistics or facts to base any information off of. All I gathered was that it's not a hormone driven cancer [which makes sense considering my mother got a full hysterectomy ages ago so it's not due to any female hormones produced and she wasnt on any RX hormones]. so i know you're going to be a blessing to me to learn more and compare situations with. God Bless You!

Thanks Barbara, you are right she does have adenocarcinoma I have talked to her doctor I just refuse to believe what she says...she gave my mom 4 months without treatment and 1 year with. Which I know she is basing that on statistics....so I am trying to remain positive.

Hi Barbara, my mom is 73 and has stage 4 stomach cancer which has met to liver...she was on FolFox and Oxiplatin at first had 9 treatments and they discovered it didn't really help she is now on Ramucirumab and Paclitaxel, hopefully this will help. I was reading from your posts that you are on Gleevac? Now I forgot my question...I guess what stage were you when you started on that? And are you still that stage?

There are 3 oncologists in the same practice. I would have to drive 100 miles to get another opinion. Before the current cancer ctr opened I had to drive 4 hrs to the cancer ctr one way because of my nsurance. I've asked her several times about % of recurrence and ale she says is, You're a medium risk.

Hi, how are you doing? I haven't heard from you for awhile. I hope that things are going pretty good for you.

About the only interesting thing that happened around here is that Ryder or Jax-maybe Ryder and Jax -decided that a chicken was living in my pillow. They killed it. It's been a few decades since I had to clean something like that up.

They were happy last night--they came in and sang a nice coonhound duet for me. They probably were telling me about the pillow. They were prancing around-wrestling. I decided to go to bed about midnight. Feathers everywhere in the hall, on the dogs, on my bed, in my room. It took about 2 hours to clean up. Anyway, it's cleaned up with me doing lots of screaming at the dogs. Ryder wants to fight vacuum cleaners-so I got some spray-and kept spraying him.

Anyway, Merry Christmas--

I've been told that Geekling finally went too far, and too often. She used to brag about how she was banned from the site--time out for a week or month. She certainly knew how to get my Irish up.

Bless your heart-- I really liked what you last said-about the prayer question. Matter of fact, I down right enjoyed it.

I just haven't enjoyed any of her questions or comments at all. I'm pretty sure that we all know each other, and I think these hurt more than enlightened.

Plott Hound-Ryder---Jax is a wonderful dog. He was abused-I'm his 4th or 5th forever home. I think that is self-explanatory.

He was from a Ft. Worth coonhound rescue- that adopted him to someone in Wilbarger County, TX. The sheriff had to rescue the poor baby, and he was put in the Wilbarger dog pound, but the Ft. Worth Rescue group were allowed to find his forever home again-and- again. Finally the sheriff said that his office will find a home.

I saw him on Petfinder, I called up-- Vernon, TX is 458 miles, and a 7 hour trip without gas stops or road construction. It did take us an hour to get out of Amarillo-no wifi for maps- and bad road signs because of construction and detours.Some of the people in Wilbarger thought it was a prank, but we showed up in a new rental car, so Jax could be comfortable on the ride home. They decided that anybody that would do that would give him a good home.

Poor baby is a lot younger than they thought- he's grown 3 inches taller and gained 15 lbs. He was like depressed- hid a lot- was scared to make any noise at all-- It helps that he sounds a lot like either a braying jack or a fog horn for his vocalizations. Not a pretty voice at all. Jax spent much of his time hiding, he has some burn scars from being used as an ash tray, and his nose was bashed with something hard and heavy. He was scared of any male wearing a ball cap. He thought that come-meant that he'd be beaten. He didn't wet, but he was so pitiful.

He got his sense of smell back-he was challenged to smell pizza from 5 ft away. He's not worried about making noise, he's not scared of anybody here. He doesn't spend his time hiding.

Ryder has a lot to do with his emotional healing and having hound fun. They wrestle-take squeaky toys from each other- eat and sleep together--Yesterday-jax was the hound that put out an alert that somebody was loitering in the alley. Ryder has no shame, an extrovert, and he was so delighted to get a dog brother and dog mother.

The owner turned Ryder in, because of him being too noisy-one of Jax's problems. I was lucky to get him on his 2nd day there, and before lots of people messed him up like they did to Jax. Ryder knew sit, come, heel, down-which Jax didn't know. They both know OFF-- bed (to go to my bedroom and be locked in), BACK-BACK, and OUT. They now know how to go in and out of doors on a leash, then sit on the porch. They know to sit when we open car or truck doors, not to rush an open vehicle door and to wait for--OUT or that we are going to drive elsewhere. They know-- TUB means they step in the tub.

I take Ryder back to the vet Friday for his paw to be inspected, and rewrapped.

Thank you for sharing--he had a mild case of what I had, and he had less surgery. Thankfully, I had a great plastic surgeon that left my face in good condition-while it was deciding what I was going to do. I thank god that the radiation did work without killing me or causing organ damage-etc. They were going to remove my bones- everything on the right side.

Hi Barbara
Thank you so much for your concern. I am replying to your question on your wall because I feel I have hijacked the discussion. I am moving into an apartment complex for low income seniors. The apartments are equipted with grab bars. There is 24/7 security. I will be living less than 4 blocks from my son. I have purchased a medical alert system that follows me where ever I go.
To me "assisted living" is an oxymoron, After I got cancer my mother had go to assisted living when I got cancer. She tried to live with my sister and my brother but she got into too many arguements with them.
Things will definately be better for me when I get to Olympia, I can take up my Membership in the YMCA so I can do balance exercises and other things to improve my health

Dear Barbara I think that you put it so well about if the husband could drive or not to chemo-plan for the worst, but the worst might not happen.

I know that everyone is trying to encourage her with positive examples. Sometimes that can be discouraging, because a person feels the others don't understand at all. Then sometimes seeing people in a better state can be disheartening. .

Thank you--

I was not asking for another PET scan, i would think a CT scan or MRI would be appropriate

Barbara- I think that shoeless isn't feeling well-he was sort of mean-- It looks like he knew the answer all of this time- he just wanted to yank our chains a bit. Geesh--

Hi, how are you holding up in this heat? I hear that we're pretty much sharing the same heat wave. At least that's what the weathermen here say. It's all cool in the house with the ceiling fans and swamp cooler.

I just finished giving the stove a deep clean.

Hi Barb
Thanks for the nice message! It is much appreciated.
I have been pretty busy--- a trip to see my daughter in Ohio, doctor visits & now planning a bunch of medical tests.
Have been having some odd stomach issues & will be eventually seeing a gastro guy. As I had (as I know you had it as well) a GIST,
I am a little concerned. I also have lung issues, possibly caused from some drugs used to treat my Rheumatoid Arthritis. And, last but not least, the back is worsening.

I tried a chiropractor, he seemed to think that my pelvic bone is slightly tilted & twisted, causing an impingment on the sciatica nerve. He could not help me, so it's back to the Physical Medicine dr...... again. Nothing has helped. I have tried physical therapy, and everything one might do, even acupuncture, nerve abalations, the whole works. So we need to get really serious about this before I end up in a wheel chair.
It seems like each doctor I have been to comes up with a different diagnosis for the back. That is quite frustrating, obviously the cause is nothing simple.

So that is my story.
Hope you are getting good advice about your back, & I would like to hear about your story too--- so tell me when you have a chance!
Hope you are doing well.
Molly

Good morning, BarbarainBham. I am somewhat curious by nature so I would like to ask you why you believe that an outside person, a doctor, can gauge your pain better than you are able to do so. You said something like that even marijuana ought to be regulated. But pot is a plant, a weed actually, so it is something like saying that a doctor ought to tell you how much asparagus to eat at supper.

Eating leaves is a whole lot different than smoking them.

Thanks for the info about your experiences. We all have gone through so much, haven't we?
I am in my last week with a chiropractor for the sciatica. His xrays show the nerve is impinged upon by my pelvis which is slightly tilted. He will refer me to another dr. if the pain has not been helped. Actually, he has tried to help more than some of the drs. I have been to before, they just seem totally oblivious & possibly think I am imagining the back pain! I haven't been to an orthopedic specialist yet, or a neurologist either.
My stomach condition isn't too painful so far, & it is not constant, so I can wait on that problem.
Thanks for your help.
Later, Molly

Barb, Just read one of your replies & you mentioned that your back pain complaint actually led to the diagnoses of your GIST.
Would you mind giving me some further info about what sort of pain it was, and where it was located? Was pain only in your back or in stomach as well? Type of pain?
If I am too nosy, just let me know!!
I had a small GIST a few years ago as well as other cancers. Having some odd tummy feelings, but nothing real serious, just like something is poking me inside!! I know that's weird, but only way to describe it--I'm not ready to go to the dr. yet. Also having bad back-sciatica problems .
Appreciate any type of info.

Hey Barbara-- The other week you commented about most doctors wanting patients to have some reserve fat on them, instead of looking like a model.

I often feel that I'm in one of the most ignorant areas around. After radiation, the non-radiation clinic really encouraged me to attend a seminar on how to be a proper cancer patient-and a dog and pony show for a new-follow-up place for cancer patients--Medicare and insurance upped payments to the doctors and everyone else, because the system had this.

Anyway, we all were asked about our diets. They were appalled by mine. They said that I had to go in, and get on a proper diet. I told them about head radiation weight problems. They got all after me. I told them about the weight problem. Then I told them to talk to my onc radiologist. They said- That no doctor can do this-advise a patient on diet-----The doctor was enraged that they contacted him about this, and he told them that he wasn't going to refer patients to that facility. The nitwits said that I had a weird doctor, but they'd leave me alone.

Anyway the day they told me that I had to see them for diet, a new head cancer patient came from MD Anderson, Houston. He was starving to death, so he spoke up when I told them that I needed to keep my weight and diet. They jumped on him, and said they'd take care of him- get him on the right diet. I think that they killed him. Kale does not solve all problems.

I don't expect anybody to know anything about a rare cancer-but I should be able to expect that cancer treatment specialists would KNOW ABOUT HEAD CANCERS in general.

Morning Barb,
I bought a rollator last year & find it to be most helpful if going somewhere that I need to walk for a while. I bought it at a medical supply place, not Walmarts. It has a seat & inside the seat, a place to put your purse & small packages. The price was about $125, Medicare did not pay for it. It is pretty sturdy. I feel like an old lady with it, but.......!!
I am now going to a chiropractor for the sciatica problem, I will give him another week, at least he is trying to solve the problem, that is more than I can say for the docs I have seen.
Enjoy the spring weather. we finally have flowers & trees in bud!

BarbarainBham, thanks for trying (and trying) to get people to see that politics have their place ... and it isn't here. I think we can see that some people are too full of hatred and/or are just so wrapped up in what they want that they don't care how it affects anyone else.

I appreciate your efforts, for sure, but I think it is an uphill battle. I wish I had it in me to add my voice to yours, but I just don't. I'm back here in the stands yelling, "Go BarbarainBham," for what it is worth.

Maybe WhatNext needs to create a separate area for those who want to rant and rave about the President and/or the opposite party without the rest of us accidentally happening upon it. I hate reading it myself...

HI Barbara, I have a question for you about GIST and clinical trials. I have a friend that was just diagnosed with stage IV GIST, they first said he had 1 to 1.5 years maybe, of quality life. Then turned around and said he was a candidate for a clinical trial. I asked what the drug was but they don't know yet. They are still in the learning to ask stage.

Were you on a trial for yours? What was the drug being tested then? Do they still use Placebos in trials? I thought I had read that they don't do that anymore, but I can't remember, I need to read up on trials and understand them better.

@BarbarainBham .. I dont have a nosebleed. I have missing tissue from the horrific amount of radiation.