Community Chat

[Havarti]

@ann1989 

I am a melanoma survivor (left lower leg) and I went through the same thing.  There was no way that major "dent" in my body would ever fill in and look normal.  I am here to tell you...SURPRISE!  That giant caved in area completely filled in and all that is left is the 5" scar.  I was shocked and would have bet everything I had that it was not possible for that area to fill in and look natural.  Good think I didn't make that bet.  It took time, was slow to happen, but it DID happen.  

I am going to pass on a couple of things a holistic doctor told me at the time (I was just learning about holistic medicine so I was open to listen, then decide what made sense to me).  

He told me to take Tagamet (cimetidine) - it is an anti-acid and no other anti-acid will do - NO substitutions but generic is OK.  It was recommended I take it from diagnosis, through surgery and for a minimum of 8 - 10 weeks following surgery.  It has to do with your body's histamine level and creating the right body chemistry so free cancer cells are eliminated from your body after being stirred up during surgery.  It was told to me at that time that I should expect that dormant cancer cells would remain in my body - potentially for the rest of my life.  I was told not to donate blood or be a donor at death.  That policy has since changed, but I believe it to still be true.

He said the dormant cancer cells would likely find a place to settle down and would hopefully stay there undisturbed for the rest of my life.  He said the likely place would be lymph nodes.  His recommendation was to never do massage, because that can flush those areas and get the cancer cells moving again - looking for a new place to settle - and that is not good.  Also, not to take any form of steroids (unless I was already dying and it would truly help me).  Steroids could feed the cancer cells and make them bigger & stronger - not what one would want to do.

You can read & ignore the info if it doesn't seem logical to you.  It did make sense to me and I am now the only survivor of the group of melanoma patients diagnosed around the same time.  I can't prove that is related to the information provided, but I personally believe it is.

Wishing you well.  Over time, your dent will fill in.  The body is truly an amazing piece of machinery that takes good care of itself whenever possible.  

[Catiele]

You are not alone in your sadness. My husband and I lost our youngest son last January. We are now facing our first holidays without him. He was always with us. He was the kindest person I have ever known. There for us always. Our minds are racing with memories. It will be difficult for us. We have Christmas parties on both sides of our family. If we go it will be so hard for both of us. My heart tells me not to go. 

[hckynut]

@CrazyKittyLvr2 

I understand what you said in your reply, and am sorry all these things happened 1 after the other after the other. The "when it rains it pours" and "bad things happen in 3's" come to my mind. You have had to deal with many things that someone weaker might not have come through mentally intact. May the rest of this year give you a break, especially your TKR.

My wife is, I believe, in week 4 of her Right TKR surgery. She is doing well, but has not reached the 90° flexion that her doctor, our friend, wanted her to reach. He has even talked about a "in-hospital manipulation" if that goal is not reached. 

After her PT this morning she is still at 83° flexion, but her extension is pretty close to zero. We will see Doctor Sam tomorrow afternoon  and see where it goes from there.

Whatever he decides will be what is best for her. He has told me many times in the past this about TKR patients. "If they don't get to 90° within 6 weeks", chances are strong they will never get close to normal flexion/hamstring contraction.

My best to you in dealing with your recovery.

hckynut

[Teddie]

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@gidgetgh wrote:

@CrazyKittyLvr2 - I understand completely. 

2019 has been a real winner here also, as was the end of 2018.  And I am NOT one of those who believes that we won't be given more than we can handle.  Things can, and do, take their toll. 

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@gidgetgh   People say that often to others, that God won’t give you more than you can handle. That isn’t in the Bible and it’s not even talking about bearing too much. People CAN be weighed down by things that are going on in their lives. We all need caring and compassion. 

[Travone]

@CrazyKittyLvr2 

2 things I have learned. 

1. There are always people in a worse situation than you.

2. When feeling down the best way to feel better is to do something nice for someone else. 

Thanksgiving was just a few days ago. ..let's be thankful for all we DO have , and help those who don't. 

[Goodie2shoes]

@CrazyKittyLvr2  I am so sorry you have had a rough year and it's easy to say hang in there when you have not gone through what you have dealt with this year. I will just say may the lord keep you in his arms and bless you. I know what you are dealing with regarding your knee replacement, I am now 9 weeks post Right TKR  so I can only say stay on track with your PT and you will be back driving and more active which should help you feel better.  God Bless

[ann1989]

@Havarti  thank you for letting me know that my wound will fiill in.  Your story makes me very happy.  My doctor did not mention tagamet, she is a very dismissive woman but I see her in January and will mention it but maybe first to her assistant who is very nice and easy going.

[Havarti]

@ann1989 

If your doctor is a dismissive type, she likely never heard about Tagamet for cancer patients.  It takes an open minded person who looks beyond the regular treatments and thinks out of the box.  I learned about it from a holistic doctor (I was seeing both when I was going through the cancer process) - I thought I needed all the information I could and then I would sort it out from my own beliefs and what made sense to me.  Since it was my body & my life, I wanted to participate in the process. 

Do some online research about it so you can talk to her without expecting her to have all the details.  Its benefits were first discovered in horses with melanoma and later for humans.  Because Tagamet is an old drug it is no longer valuable to the company that held the patent on it when it was new, so they do not invest in further research.  It is sad that an inexpensive OTC medicine could help so many people and it is not worth it for the companies to pursue it or get the word out.  Here is a link that might help get you started: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4268104/

Hopefully the mods will let it stay - it is from the national institute of health - it is not a sales link.  

Google Tagamet for skin cancer, too.

[ann1989]

@Havartithank you so much.  It's just amazing information and I will always refer to it and send out the word to others too.  I can't thank you enough!!!! 

[Snoopp]

@CrazyKittyLvr2 @I remember reading your posts when your husband passed.  I think you have done remarkably well since then and I quite admire your strength and resilience.  

I often say there must be a target on my back because lately two appliances have broken among other more horrible things going on.  It’s very hard when your spouse is no longer there to do the jobs he used to do and you are left to figure it out alone.  

Hoping 2020 brings good things.