#Cancer Treatment Myths

[cbccindia]

Unveiling the Truth: Cancer Treatment Myths and Facts at CBCC India

Introduction

Navigating the complex world of cancer treatment, especially in regions like Trichy and Agartala, can be overwhelming. With abundant information available, distinguishing between cancer treatment myths and facts becomes crucial. At CBCC India, we are committed to providing accurate, evidence-based information to help guide patients through their treatment options.

Debunking Common Myths

Myth: Natural Remedies Can Cure Cancer

While natural cancer remedies might offer comfort and support, they should not replace conventional cancer treatments. CBCC India emphasizes the importance of evidence-based treatments like chemotherapy and radiation, backed by scientific research.

Myth: Chemotherapy Is More Harmful Than Helpful

Chemotherapy truths often get overshadowed by fears of side effects. At CBCC India, we ensure that chemotherapy is administered with the utmost care, balancing its efficacy in combating cancer with manageable side effects.

Conclusion

In our efforts to provide top-tier cancer care, CBCC India continuously educates about the realities of cancer treatment. Whether it's in Trichy or Agartala, we aim to replace misconceptions with facts, ensuring that our patients are well-informed and prepared for their journey ahead.

[therossgarden]

I’m not British, nor a royal family fan, but I must say my piece.

My mother had a tumor, a few years ago. It was benign, but we did not find out until months after the diagnosis. Those were dark, ugly times for my family and I. If my mother’s colleagues or acquaintances treated her the way you treated Kate, I would have not spared any kind words for them. So I am doing the same here.

The way you all speculated, mocked, derided, made a meme out of this and wished all the worse things to Kate Middleton simply because she disappeared from the public eye for a while, something Windsor and the royal staff had already stated, is astonishingly embarrassing.

The media team repeated multiple times that she would go back to her duties after Easter, and needed to rest, but instead of respecting this you made fun of her and made her into a joke. And maybe the monarchy in this day and age is nothing more than a joke, who knows. But those people are real. They are humans as much as you and me.

To those who bullied Kate Middleton into making a message to talk about something so delicate as cancer, something she did not want to do to protect her children: you disgust me. I hope you had your fun, because now you are covered in shame. An embarrassment.

A woman might be a princess, the future queen, but she is still a mother and a human. And facing cancer, we are all the same. Some are luckier, some aren’t. Some have access to treatment, some don’t. But cancer is still cancer, and if anything it makes her just like anyone else. Human. Not an unreachable queen or myth.

I hope now you will realize your cruelty in the past days and weeks. You might not like her, but she is not undeserving of respect. Out of all the royals, not her. And if your blind hate can’t possibly get past this, it’s your problem, and your lack of empathy.

My condolences to the princess of Wales and her family.

[renlyslittlerose]

Yesterday was my sixth month post-op date.

On the one hand it's been absolutely wild to me that I went through such a major surgery and returned to living my normal life almost two months out from the surgery. But at the same time, I'm still dealing with some issues. And any time I start to get frustrated I have to remind myself that I had organs removed, scar tissue and endo lesions cut out, an ovary drained, and cysts removed. That takes *time* to heal, and sometimes it's that last 5% that takes the longest.

Scar tissue has formed again, which I knew would happen. I can feel it pulling on my left side when I breath to deep or move in a certain way. I can also feel it behind my belly button, tugging away now and again to remind me of the surgery. I can still feel gas bubbles sliding over my old sutures and that hurts. Like. A lot. My lower half still gets sore now and again, especially after walking for too long or sitting for too long. I think I'm gonna go to a pelvic floor therapist soon, but I keep balking at the price.

As for my health? Better in some respects, but much the same in others. I don't regret the surgery in the slightest - not having to worry about bleeding ever again, dramatically decreasing my risk for ovarian cancer, and completely eliminating cervical cancer chances is a great boon. And my digestion feels way better - I can actually eat spicy food!

But a part of me wishes that this was a cure, even though I knew it wasn't. I'm sometimes struck with the reality that this is a *lifelong* condition, and even removing organs and lesions and other detritus isn't a cure. But I also take care to remember that we're on the frontier of endo treatment - it's going to get better and better with each passing year. At least, I have to hope it will. And maybe in the future there will be a cure, and maybe they'll be people who are diagnosed after me that won't have to resort to the extremes I did to get some relief. Maybe one day it'll be as easy as getting a preventative vaccine, and people won't ever be diagnosed with this disease.

As for now, I continue to heal, to educate, and to support. I open myself up to questions from anyone and everyone, trying to dispel some of the myths and satisfy people's curiosity. I should get a shirt that says 'Ask Me About my Vaginal Cuff'.

And for those who have been supporting me these last six months - thank you 💗

[inspofromancientworld]

Flowers of Mythology - Narcissus

Narcissus is a genus of plants that include daffodil and jonquil as well as narcissus. They are spring flowering perennial plants that have obvious flowers with six outer petals and a cup- or trumpet-shaped crown. These can be white or yellow and both the outer petals and crown can be the same or opposite colors. Garden varieties, which are specifically bred for other colors, can come in orange or pink. They developed approximately 20 million years ago in the area around the Iberian Peninsula. It is native to southern European and North African meadows and woods, but was cultivated elsewhere so that it reached the Far east before the 10th century. It was used for treatment of cancer and uterine tumors, as attested by Hippocrates (lived around 460-370 BCE) and possibly the Bible as the Rose of Sharon, though that usage fell out of favor as attested by Pedanius Dioscorides (lived around 40-90 CE) and Soranus of Ephesus (lived 98-138 CE). There are compounds that do help protect against the growth of tumors. Pliny the Elder (lived 23-79 AD) was an advocate for topical usage. They also repel rodents. Modern usage of narcissus include as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease.

By Unknown author - http://almacendeclasicas.blogspot.com/2015/05/pompeya-la-casa-de-marco-lucrecio.html, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112691977

The Greeks have two myths that involve the narcissus flower. One is That of the hunter Narcissus from Thespia in central Greek. The -issos ending of his names indicates that this myth likely pre-dates the Greek world, though whether the flower was named first or after the hunter is unknown. There are several versions of the myth that survive to this day. The most well known version of the myth of Echo and Narcissus is from Ovid's Metamorphoses. In that version of the myth, Tiresias, a prophet who took Zeus' side in a contest between him and Hera, so Hera blinded him. Zeus then made Tiresias a prophet. He also spent seven years as a woman, again caused by Hera for his hitting mating snakes with a stick.

By Giulio Carpioni - Web Gallery of Art:   Image  Info about artwork, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10618028

Liriope was 'ravaged' by Caphissus, a river god, and later gave birth to Narcissus, who was 'beautiful even as a child'. Tiresias prophesied Narcissus could only live a long life if he never 'came to know himself'. When he was 16, he went hunting with friends, and ended up separated from them and lost.

By John William Waterhouse - http://www.allartpainting.com/echo-and-narcissus-p-16444.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7716057

Echo, a mountain nymph, was used by Zeus to keep Hera busy while Zeus catted about behind her back, or while his lovers escaped from Olympus. Hera punished her by making it so Echo could only repeat what she'd just heard. Echo saw Narcissus and became inflamed with desire and followed after him. Narcissus became aware of Echo's presence, but he couldn't see her. He called out 'Who's there?', which she called back, and so on. Echo crept closer to Narcissus, until he could see her. She tried to embrace him and he rebuffed her, telling her to 'keep her chains'. After this, Echo wasted away until only her voice remained.

By Jamie Heath - https://www.flickr.com/photos/mumblerjamie/49345495687/in/photolist-7dQTrU-Jt9nya-6hGRqg-2ibuyGp-KnkmSu-2iUBjfG, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=138436541

Meanwhile, Nemesis, goddess of personal retribution, heard the prayers of Ameinias, a man who had also fallen in lust for Narcissus, but was likewise rebuffed. She proclaimed that Narcissus would 'never be able to be loved by the one he fell in love with.'

By Caravaggio - Self-scanned, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25450745

Narcissus, wandering in the forest, becomes thirsty and approaches a pool of water that according to Ovid, no animal had ever approached. He leans down to get a drink and in the still water, he sees his reflection, one that he likens to a marble statue. He falls in love with his reflection, fulfilling both Tiresias' prophecy and Nemesis' curse in one moment. Narcissus eventually melted from the flames of his passion, becoming a gold and white flower with a bent head.

By John William Waterhouse - http://www.jwwaterhouse.com/paintings/images/waterhouse_narcissus.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8034986

The second myth involves the capture of Persephone by Hades while picking narcissus flowers. Because of this, they're held sacred to Persephone and Hades and they're thought to grow along the River Styx.

By Original uploader was 用心阁 at zh.wikipedia - Transferred from zh.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Shizhao using CommonsHelper., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12462572

Among the Chinese, narcissus is connected to the Chinese New Year and symbolizes good luck, in contrast to the association with death in many Western cultures.

[holycatsandrabbits]

I'm thrilled to announce my folk horror story The Morrigan will appear in Illustrated Worlds magazine!

A woman dealing with the aftereffects of cancer treatment takes a job caring for an elderly woman who exhibits strange behavior. Based on the Irish myth of the Morrigan, and my own experience with cancer. Release date TBA

Part of the house had burned. The old woman’s daughter had warned Cynthia of that, but Cynthia had imagined some small damage: soot on the wall perhaps, charring by the window where the smoke had been drawn outside. But Cynthia could see the blackened part from the gravel drive as they pulled up.

The house was small and gray. There were two stories, with the lower one looking feeble, like it was not quite up to the task of carrying the upper half on its shoulders. One entire room on the top floor was black and deformed, folding in on itself in swollen, cracked beams. Long, curling tendrils of rot snaked out from the burned room onto the rest of the house, as if the long-ago fire still wanted to spread.

DannyeChase.com ~ AO3 ~ Linktree ~ Weird Wednesday writing prompts blog ~ Resources for Writers

Image credit

[vomitdodger]

Alright fellas, highly rec you read and/or save this one for future reference.

From Dr Malone’s substack (which I also rec you sign up for) and deals with the myths of prostate cancer starting with the PSA test. First two paragraphs:

The excessive medical response to the Covid pandemic made one thing abundantly clear: Medical consumers really ought to do their own research into the health issues that impact them. Furthermore, it is no longer enough simply to seek out a “second opinion” or even a “third opinion” from doctors. They may well all be misinformed or biased. Furthermore, this problem appears to predate the Covid phenomenon.

A striking example of that can be found in the recent history of prostate cancer testing and treatment, which, for personal reasons, has become a subject of interest to me. In many ways, it strongly resembles the Covid calamity, where misuse of the PCR test resulted in harming the supposedly Covid-infected with destructive treatments.

[stonecrusherdrawsthearts]

World of Heroes R - X-Force

Ohaiyo, Dudes, Dudettes, and Genders that don't identify with Dude! The name's Deadpool, and this is X-Force. We're a group of highly trained mercenaries dedicated to getting the job done by any means necessary. Don't be surprised if the situation gets crazy, because that's where we get shit done!

MEMBERS

Deadpool - The team leader and the Merc with the Mouth! I used to be just another troublemaker on the street until I got my cancer diagnosis, and my dear old brother Slade (or are we calling him Deathstroke here) chipped in to give me an experimental treatment. The treatment didn't just make it so I could survive the cancer or whatever else life threw my way (mostly knives and guns) but it opened my mind to the secrets of the universe. And I'll admit, I got a little... nutty as a result. But hey, these guys trust me enough!

Domino - One of the first to join X-Force, a girl with a bit of vitilago going on that is extremely lucky. While I personally don't believe in luck as a superpower or even a concept, she does have a habit of surviving the odds with barely a scratch, and things do tend to work out her way. So maybe... yeah, no, Luck's a myth made by society to cope with the fact that sometimes you screw up.

Wolverine - Okay, I can explain. This guy ISN'T the same Wolverine that works with the X-Men, but rather a transdimensional duplicate brought here from a universe where the missions of the X-Men didn't have quite the positive impact they did here. He's been through some shit as a result, but the fact that he's here means he has a chance to remake a name for himself. Of course there is the complication that there are now two Wolverines running around, but hey. At least this one doesn't have to worry about taxes.

Shatterstar - Another of the first to join X-Force, Shatterstar claims to have come from an alien world and was one of its greatest warriors. Personally, I think this guy heard about the Kryptonians or Tamaraneans and decided to ape their choices to stand out. No judgement, just... what kind of a name is "Mojoworld"?

Colossus - Technically an X-Man I had regular encounters with, Colossus and I have become friends through the classic method of "we fight each other enough that we just kinda stumbled into a casual relationship." Sure, you look at the guy, you see a big hulking mass of metal in the shape of a man, and think "Oh, this guy must be brutal." And he is, but he often tries to excuse his own shortcomings by going on about what makes people heroes.

Negasonic Teenage Warhead - The one X-Man I can say is cooler than Wolverine on name brand alone. Sure, it's attached to a college student who never quite grew out of her emo punk-rock phase, but her energy manipulation powers make it fit like nobody's business. Y'gotta respect a girl who fits her brand no matter how little she respects you back.

Yukio - Negasonic's girlfriend, electrokinetic extraordinaire, and all-around sweetheart. I think she's probably the most chill person I have ever met, always facing everything, even my bullshit, with a smile on her face and a pep in her step. She's the kind of girl I know I'll always appreciate on my side, even if she dresses like a substitute soul reaper on the mission. Wolverine's a little more cautious of her for some reason, but I don't wanna pry.

[mariacallous]

The myth that there is a humane way to execute someone who wants to live is getting harder to maintain in Alabama.

In early 2018, the state tried to execute a terminally ill man, Doyle Lee Hamm, whose veins had deteriorated from drug use and treatment for cancer and hepatitis C. Executioners, whose identities are concealed but who typically do not have medical backgrounds, repeatedly jabbed him in the legs, ankles and groin as they tried to set the IV line. They stopped only when the death warrant was close to expiring and Hamm’s groin was covered in blood. 

A few weeks later, the state authorized a new execution method: death by nitrogen gas. At the time, it was purely hypothetical. Two other states allow it, but there had never been a known instance of a nitrogen execution. 

That changed on Thursday, when Alabama killed 58-year-old Kenneth Smith by affixing a mask over his face and forcing him to inhale only nitrogen. He “appeared to shake and writhe on the gurney, sometimes pulling on the restraints” for at least two minutes, followed by several minutes of heavy breathing, The Associated Press reported.  

“It was the most horrible thing I think I’ve ever seen,” said the Rev. Jeff Hood, Smith’s spiritual adviser, who has observed five executions in the past 13 months. 

This was Smith’s second time in an execution chamber. A little more than a year ago, he spent four hours strapped to a gurney, awaiting execution as his final appeals made their way through the court system. Executioners jabbed his hands, arms and collarbone before finally calling off his lethal injection. The botched execution left him severely traumatized. He experienced nightmares, hypervigilance, hyperarousal and dissociation up until his death. 

Smith’s 2022 experience was the third in a series of consecutive botched executions in Alabama. 

In the lead-up to Smith’s death, his lawyers urged the courts to block the nitrogen execution, warning that Smith risked facing a slow, painful death by asphyxiation — or even surviving but in a “persistent vegetative state.” 

The state attorney general’s office dismissed those concerns, claiming that nitrogen is “perhaps the most humane method of execution ever devised,” a baseless supposition undermined by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s recommendation that nitrogen not be used to euthanize most mammals. Rats who were exposed to nitrogen gas showed signs of “panic and distress” before they died, the group said.  

The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the execution to proceed, with the three liberal justices dissenting. 

“Twice now this Court has ignored Smith’s warning that Alabama will subject him to an unconstitutional risk of pain. The first time, Smith’s predictions came true,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in her dissent on Thursday, just before the execution. “This time, he predicts that Alabama’s protocol will cause him to suffocate and choke to death on his own vomit. I sincerely hope that he is not proven correct a second time.” 

“The world is watching,” Sotomayor wrote.  Other executing states are watching, too. As states struggle to carry out lethal injections in the face of litigation and opposition from drug companies, many are looking for new ways to kill — including firing squads and even cyanide gas, the preferred killing method of Nazi Germany. That the Supreme Court allowed Alabama to evade accountability over one secretive execution method by simply switching to another will not go unnoticed in other states.

[goodthings777]

World Cancer Day, observed on February 4, raises awareness, promotes early detection, and advocates for better treatment. Led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), it focuses on cancer prevention, patient support, and research funding. The day highlights the need for equal healthcare access and dispelling myths about cancer. Through awareness and action, we can work towards early diagnosis, effective treatment, and saving lives.

Read Now: https://bit.ly/32XdyHa

#WorldCancerDay #CancerAwareness #WorldCancerDay2025

[darkmaga-returns]

Turbo Cancer is a Myth: Wikipedia

The first thing that need clearing up is “where did the Turbo Cancer phrase come from?”

If you’re in the field you might think this is a made up term but it really exemplifies the idea of a rapidly progressive cancer, that is one that is progressing or spreading much faster than you would be used to. Most oncologists know how the cancers they treat progress and so can give you an idea of what to expect. A prostate cancer in an elderly person for instance would normally take years to progress, so getting growing secondaries in a few months would be unusual. Similarly for a small breast cancer that was surgically removed or treated with radiotherapy which would be expected to be cured with the first line of treatment.

So you would think “Turbo Cancer” would be embedded in the oncologists lexicon from old, but it isn’t. In fact the first mentions were coming from twitter towards the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023. Here is Dr Charles Hoffe talking about it back in January 2023 as a relatively new phenomenon.

[mk-writes-stuff]

Ok long list of things I'd like to know more about, feel free to ramble to your hearts content

I'd like to hear a little about Tatum

Orazca sounds like an interesting place?

the Wraith that's a kickass name for a ship will we see it alot ?

How do angels fit into the story?

“Feel free to ramble to your heart’s content” is my favourite sentence :)

Tatum is one of the three main characters of the Pirates’ Roost. They are a tidemage (think avatar the last airbender waterbenders) who, at the beginning of the story, works for Captain Jetti, the captain of the Drowned Gull. Tatum is widely believed to be her best friend but in actuality hates her because she’s violently abusive and essentially holding them hostage (they’re dying of cancer and the only known treatment is synthesized from her magical blood). Jetti forces them to do a lot of really horrible things with their powers and they feel very guilty about that

Here’s a picrew of them:

Jetti does get killed eventually, so Tatum gets free of her, but that brings the whole “dying of cancer” thing back, so the crew has to find a way to save them. Which, perfectly enough, segues pretty smoothly into Orazca!

Orazca is a lost city of the Sun Empire, one of the major powers on Ixalan. It was created around an immensely powerful magical artifact called the Immortal Sun that served as a magical amplifier. It was lost for a while (Sun Empire myth says a winged lion with the face of a man stole it away) but was recently re-found. It no longer has the Immortal Sun (that vanished mysteriously and the people who know what happened haven’t bothered to tell) but it still holds a remnant of its power, allowing the city to amplify the powers of mages who are in it. For a healer mage, for example, this could let them cure otherwise-incurable diseases :)

As for the Wraith (credits to my gf for this one), we don’t see too much of it - it’s the main ship of one of the first antagonists. It’s a smuggling ship owned by a sigil-mage captain named Blythe and it can (among other things) turn invisible and turn the winds in its favour. Or, at least, it can until Merry, its sigil-host runs away. Blythe wants him back by any means necessary - but, in Merry’s defense, Blythe is also the sort of woman who carves magical sigils into her crew

The angels… well now I have to go into Ixalan angel lore. There are two kinds of angels on Ixalan. There are the Core angels, who come from the center of the world (Ixalan is a hollow earth) and are magically-empowered immortal humans. They, honestly, aren’t super relevant

The other kind of angels no one really knows exactly where they come from (except Cephlo, who isn’t telling - again credits to my gf for him). A mysterious man named Cephlo appeared to Tatum one day and essentially kidnapped them to torture and drug them into transforming into an angel. Tatum was able to escape, albeit with vestigial wings that needed to be removed and chronic back pain, but the rumour spread and a siren named Morrigan who lost her wings in a fire hunter Cephlo down and demanded that he turn her into an angel. He agreed, although he’s to this day really confused as to why she wanted it. She got a reputation for hunting slavers across the seas and becomes good friends with Captain Amelia

Thank you for the ask! Lmk if there’s anything else you’re curious about, I’m always happy to share :)

[mirandamckenni1]

Can Ejaculation Lower Your Prostate Cancer Risk? Ft. Dr. Stacy Loeb In today's episode with Stacey Loeb, we're delving into the critical topic of prostate cancer — sifting truth from myths and exploring both prevention and treatment options. Dr. Loeb, a professor of urology with a personal investment in the field, joins us to debunk common misinformation about "miracle cures" and highlight the importance of lifestyle choices such as a plant-based diet, regular exercise, and the power of social connections in reducing cancer risks. Thanks for watching!! Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content: https://ift.tt/hmS82JG Schedule an appointment with me: https://ift.tt/Fysrzlt ▶️Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:03:23 - Prostate Cancer Prevention Discussion 00:04:22 - Importance of Diet and Lifestyle 00:08:02 - Role of Supplements 00:09:26 - Risks Associated with Misinformation 00:19:19 - Frequency of Ejaculation and Prostate Cancer Risk 00:23:42 - Lack of Early Warning Signs for Prostate Cancer 00:27:58 - Discussion on Digital Rectal Examination 00:29:07 - Prostate Cancer Screening Considerations 00:35:11 - Stopping Prostate Cancer Screening 00:37:33 - Role of MRI in Prostate Cancer Diagnosis 00:38:34 - Limitations of Traditional Biopsy 00:46:02 - Investigational Treatments & Lifestyle Impact 00:48:01 - Navigating Misinformation & Reliable Sources 00:49:30 - Accessing Support & Advocating for Education 01:08:36 - Encouraging Early Screening & Wellness Practices 01:02:12 - Testosterone Therapy 01:12:56 - Emphasizing Purpose & Social Connection 01:14:12 - Conclusion: Promoting Self-Care & Community Support https://twitter.com/LoebStacy https://ift.tt/Imvt6FC Prostate cancer foundation https://www.pcf.org/ Zero Prostate Cancer https://zerocancer.org/ Urology Care Foundation https://ift.tt/jaUAg6W Watch the video till the end and let me know your thoughts in the comments. If you like this video, please SUBSCRIBE and don’t forget to press the bell 🔔, like, comment and share. Stay safe and Love all. 😍 Rena Malik, MD is a urologist and pelvic surgeon on youtube to educate people about all things urology including erectile dysfunction, how to increase testosterone, problems with sex, premature ejaculation, urinary leakage, or incontinence, overactive bladder, urinary tract infections, prostate issues and more. ▶️Check out my Amazon storefront (affiliate links included): https://ift.tt/WzsUYMo. ▶️Coupons & Discount codes (affiliate links included): https://ift.tt/q5n2r10 -------------- ▶️Please Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@RenaMalikMD/?sub_confirmation=1 ▶️Visit my website: https://ift.tt/86aOUSQ ▶️Listen to the podcast: https://ift.tt/hGBq01r --------------- ▶️Follow Me On: • Instagram: https://ift.tt/xu6y5sF • Twitter: http://twitter.com/RenaMalikMD • Facebook: https://ift.tt/qpYWf7v • Tikok: https://ift.tt/i1L2On8 • LinkedIn: https://ift.tt/KiDMV5I • Pinterest: https://ift.tt/gmfU6yt --------------- ▶️Sign up for my e-mail list and get more content from me: https://ift.tt/n6maveV ▶️Get your FREE OAB Guide: https://ift.tt/QzoD8W3 --------------- ▶️Check out these playlists: • A Urologist explains what is edging and is it SAFE: https://youtu.be/qN23jUSSdVM • Penis Problems?! Erectile Dysfunction, Premature Ejaculation & More: https://bit.ly/3wwivzS • Overactive Bladder Treatment: https://bit.ly/3hMzBoP • How to Increase Testosterone: https://bit.ly/2T9QJKV • Women’s Sexual Health: https://ift.tt/ykQIDEe -------------- ▶️DISCLAIMER: This video is purely educational and does not constitute medical advice. The content of this video is my personal opinion and not that of my employer(s). Use of this information is at your own risk. Rena Malik, M.D. will not assume any liability for any direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of the information contained in this video including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness, or death. -------------- via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbLwm2eyyK0

[ukrfeminism]

A man who murdered his girlfriend and three members of her family in south London has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 46 years. 

Joshua Jacques, 29, killed Samantha Drummonds, 27, her mother Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo, 45, her grandmother Dolet Hill, 64, and Ms Hill's husband, Denton Burke, 68, in Bermondsey in April 2022.

The scene found by police was described as being like "a horror movie". 

There was a cry of "coldblooded murderer" as Jacques was sent down. 

Addressing Jacques in the Old Bailey dock during sentencing, Mr Justice Bryan said the defendant's offending had been contributed to by an increased daily intake of skunk cannabis, and that he was "well aware" of the impact on his mental health.

'Salutary lesson'

The judge told Jacques it was a "horrific catalogue of murders inflicted by you in the most brutal of circumstances on three generations of the same family".

"It is a salutary lesson to all those who peddle the myth that cannabis is not a dangerous drug," Mr Justice Bryan added as Jacques appeared emotionless.

The defendant had murdered his girlfriend and three members of her family at the home in Delaford Road for "no apparent reason", he added.

The judge said the jury had heard Jacques had doubled his consumption of skunk cannabis in the days before the killings. 

'Drug-induced psychosis'

It was likely that Jacques had had a row with his girlfriend Samantha, which had triggered the killings that followed, the judge said.

"You and you alone bear responsibility for any such row, and for what occurred during your drug-induced psychosis," Mr Justice Bryan told him.

He added that Jacques had expressed no remorse prior to the sentencing hearing, during which the defendant had had a statement read out on his behalf in which he apologised and said he was "disgusted" with himself.

The judge paid tribute to the victims' family for their dignified manner during the trial, adding: "No sentence will ever be enough to reflect their loss." 

Following the hearing, Ms Hill's daughter Tracey-Ann Henry told reporters outside the court that Jacques should have been handed a whole life order, meaning he would never be released from prison, but added: "Justice has been served."

Chyloe Daley, Mr Burke's niece, agreed, saying: "We'll accept this for now but there is no bringing them back."

'I've lost four family members who won't come back'

Every morning, Tracey-Ann Henry, the daughter of 64-year-old victim Dolet Hill, awaits a phone call that never comes.

"I spoke to my mum every day," she explains in the run-up to Jacques' sentencing hearing. "Sometimes, four times in the day, even when I'm at work."

Ms Henry said she realised something was wrong when she tried to call her mother as usual and she did not pick up.

Ms Hill had been recovering from cancer and had just completed her final radiotherapy treatment when she was murdered in the home she shared with her husband and fellow victim Denton Burke.

Another of her daughters, Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo, also known as Racquel, sometimes stayed at Ms Hill's home to help care for her. She was also killed by Joshua Jacques that day. 

Granddaughter Samantha Drummonds, Jacques' girlfriend who was another of his victims, had been living there too because her own flat was undergoing renovation.

Concerned that she could not get hold of her mother, Ms Henry rushed to the house but found it cordoned-off by police.

"I said, 'I want to talk to my mum'," she recalls. She said the police officer asked what number she lived at, and then went to check with a colleague. "He said, 'oh, you need to sit in the car with me'."

Growing increasingly worried on her way to the police station, Ms Henry said she had used her phone to check the news headlines, remembering saying: "Four people are dead, that's mum, Racquel, Samantha and Denton."

The shock was so great, Ms Henry can barely recall what happened next, although she does remember police wanting to ask her what she knew about a man called Joshua Jacques.

He had been arrested at the scene by armed officers, who found him naked in an upstairs bathroom, screaming "Allah, take me", "kill me now", and "God please forgive me".

Later, at Lewisham Hospital, Jacques said: "I ain't even in the wrong, I did them for sacrifice," and warned: "I will do something stupid again."

Ms Henry said she had only met Jacques once, a few days earlier. "He was like a normal person," she said. "It's not like he was acting strange or anything."

Family members said it was difficult to listen to the evidence in court. "It felt like he had no remorse," Asheka Jones, the niece of Mr Burke, says. 

"Having mental health issues is one thing, but when you are abusing drugs, it's just horrible. I've lost four family members who won't come back."

Ms Henry said she would remember her mum as a "loving, bubbly person. She loved to cook, you won't come to the house and don't get fed" she added.

Although she had been trying to think of the good memories they had shared, she said she found it difficult to look forward to the future.

"If I go on holiday, most of my holidays are with my mum, so, it's really hard for me."

"Things will never be the same, there will always be that empty hole," Ms Jones agrees. "When I think of them, I think of this warmth they had, the humour. I feel like everyone was filled with such joy that can't be replaced."

[live-fast-pet-frogs]

The Good Lawyer: a surprisingly positive experience

So if you remember my last post about ABC’s backdoor pilot “The Good Lawyer”, which is also the 16th episode on season 6 of “The Good Doctor”, you know I was very skeptical about the representation of someone with OCD, especially with the wording they used in the early synopsis of the episode.  I thought I would share my thoughts again AFTER I watched the actual episode, and let me tell you I think it was a lot better than I originally thought. Just in case it wasn’t obvious I have OCD, and have had OCD since I was 2 years old, and I have been in treatment for it since 2020 and am scheduled to come off my meds soon as my compulsions have become essentially non-existent and my intrusive thoughts are quite manageable with only occasional meltdowns (so basically nothing I can’t handle). I am also a film student about to get my masters degree this autumn so this review I’m writing will hopefully come from an informed place, but since I am not a medical professional there might be some misinformation. Feel free to correct me if I got something wrong about OCD, I am basing this off mine and my friends’ experience who are/were also struggling.  1. The myth around OCD=tidy gets debunked really early on in the episode where Shaun tells Lea about hiring Joni as his lawyer for his malpractice trial.

Shaun explains to Lea that people with OCD are not, in fact just neat and tidy, but they suffer from intrusive thoughts and manage them by carrying out compulsions. I was happy this got addressed, even though it is kind of the bare minimum.  2. Joni’s OCD.

Joni exhibits typical compulsions for OCD which emphasize her obsession with the number 3, and tapping different objects three times. We find out that she developed OCD after she lost her father at a young age, and later on it became her coping mechanism as her mother struggled with alcoholism.

Not only do we see her compulsions, as an audience we also get to “get into her state of mind” when she experiences the intrusive thoughts.

When Joni gets intrusive thoughts, the space around her seem to get distorted and narrow, loses colour and the camera pans closer and closer to her face, emphasizing the panic, anxiety and loss of focus. I find this super relatable as I really tune out the rest of the world when I get my thoughts and I can even stop midway through conversation, losing my train of thought (which happens to Joni during trial as the plaintiff’s lawyer’s chair squeaks as he leans back on it). 

Joni also experiences a fair share of health anxiety, which is actually how she gets introduced in the episode, worrying about whether she can develop cancer from the material of her wooden workdesk.

She even goes as far as covering bits of her furniture in plastic and taking her “outside” clothes off in a bag the moment she gets home.

While the health anxiety I find relatable (because I totally don’t ask my bf whether I got a TBi every time I hit my head even to a small degree), I am not sure about the plastic bits. It seems a bit excessive to me, and I don’t see the point behind the plastic “doorways” in the house. If we get a proper show out of this I hope it gets explained what Joni’s health anxiety is triggered by because at this point it just seems like something to be added to “haha person with OCD is a neat freak”. 

Another thing I also was unsure about, is the way the intrusive thoughts went in Joni’s brain.

“Fix this or bad things will happen.” 

What bad things? Not to be a hater, but since my OCD doesn’t allow me to say certain trigger words out loud, “or bad things will happen” is the really toned-down version I give to my friends. With OCD, the bad things can be anything. In Joni’s case, since we saw her doing compulsions in the flashback scene in hopes that it will stop her mother from dying, it might be related to the health of her loved ones. Maybe if they varied, like “Fix this or mom will die”, or “Fix this or my client will go to prison”, “Fix this or my sister will get into an accident” it would have been a lot better. 

3. The people around Joni

So from this episode we gather there are two significant people in Joni’s life: her mentor and her sister. 

Her sister is also her carer in a way, but it also seems like she is enabling her and indulging her in her compulsions. This is very realistic that when your loved one has OCD it seems easier for you to accomodate their needs by giving reassurance or even creating an environment for them where they can carry out their compulsions. This is the wrong approach, and again, if the show gets green-lit I hope it gets explored. No blame on people supporting their loved ones with OCD but it is important to get the word out that this behaviour is damaging and can stall the problem or even make it worse on the long run. The best help a person with OCD can get is therapy, meds or both. 

Joni’s sister also seems to believe the current situation is better for Joni, since she doesn’t need to “hide her rituals”, to which Joni quickly reminds her that she isn’t happy this way, because her coworkers and boss treat her as an embarassment and hide her from the public eye, in a small closet-sized “office” where she can do “research” and not interact with others so nobody can see the state she’s in.

Joni’s mentor, Janet is what you would expect: a stone-cold career woman who absolutely cannot tolerate mistakes. (at least on the surface). The only reason she hasn’t fired Joni yet is because the latter threatened to sue the law firm for firing a disabled employee in a discriminatory way. Janet regularly belittles Joni, calls her out for her public rituals or meltdowns over intrusive thoughts.

However, she is also protectice of Joni and believes in her ability to be a good lawyer. Idk, I am not sold on Janet yet, she seems very much like a J.K. Simmons from “Whiplash” kind of mentor who bullies her protegees only to then take credit when they manage to thrive.  We also find out the reason why Joni became a lawyer is because Janet was assigned to one of the court cases on whether Joni and her sister would get taken away from their mom and go into foster care.

So yeah. I am curious to see their dynamic in the future.

4. OCD being a superpower

My biggest fear was that after reading the synopsis where they referred to Joni’s OCD as a “superpower”, we would get her to have scenes like Shaun, where he just randomly comes up with solutions because he is autistic. I cannot emphasize more that autism and OCD are two completely different conditions that may have similar symptoms but are VASTLY different. OCD is a mental illness, autism isn’t. OCD is treatable, autism isn’t because it is not an illness. 

but this also gets debunked quite quickly, Joni is simply a smart and detail-oriented person, who works well despite her diagnosis, not because of it. She explains to Park that her brain, unlike most people’s is very focused on details, which can be true for an individual who has struggled with OCD since childhood. It might be why I’m good at finding clues and solve every escape room and riddle, I don’t even know. 

But it seems like it was just the synopsis of the episode written by an absolute knob, and the actual portrayal of the character isn’t “OCD Ex Machina”.

Overall, I actually liked this episode and really hope it gets a show because the main character is quite interesting, is played by an actress with OCD (Kennedy McMann who also campaigned for the character’s illness to not be portrayed as a superpower) and I am actually curious to learn more about her and the people around her. There is potential and I do think people with OCD could and would enjoy it.

[basavatarakam-cancer-hospital]

May is Brain Cancer Awareness Month. Our Senior Neuro-Oncologist, Dr. K. Venkateswara Rao, offers an insightful exploration into brain tumors in our latest video. He addresses common myths and facts, outlines diagnostic procedures, and discusses treatment options for brain cancer. This comprehensive overview provides essential information on brain tumors.

[keithsandwich]

Astrology Ramblings - Sariel

(because I've been listening to Astrology podcasts)

Warnings: 1) These are just ramblings, don't expect many conclusions here. 2) Traditional Astrology is my thing. 3) I'm talking planets and signs as symbols, and a real person is far more complex than a Sun sign.

Saturn is the anti-light.

Saturn rules two signs: Capricorn (Gilbert) and Aquarius (Sariel). Capricorn opposes the light of the Moon (Cancer), and Aquarius opposes the light of the Sun (Leo).

Sun is the King.

Aquarius also have this thing about it: no planet finds exaltation when in it. Basically, if you think of Aquarius as a house, it belongs to Saturn. Every other planet can visit it but they'll have no special treatment, except for Sun, who'll be treated poorly. You can say it treats everyone equally and makes the Sun step down from its higher ground.

It's interesting to me that the King had brought Sariel to the palace when he was already deep in his disgrace. A disgrace that was originated when he became King, so he was already a very poor King at this point, a Sun with no light. And he had taken this marginalized Saturn boy, the complete opposite of a prince, to tutor his children, among them the future King.

Sariel is the Saturn brought by a fallen Sun to put limits in his children and in the future Sun.

And he did a great job as tutor, and does a great job as regent. He knows everyone's places, including his own, but he doesn't lower his head or give any prince more than it's needed.

(Zeus, as an eagle, kidnapping Ganymedes)

The myth of Aquarius is the myth of Ganymedes, a young man kidnapped by Zeus to serve the Gods. But to never become a God himself. The symbol of Aquarius is a lone man. Aquarius is a symbol of inadequacy, of the feeling of not belonging.

The Sun is huge, so it's absence leaves a huge space to be filled. A space as wide as Aquarius's loneliness. A space Sariel has to fill until the next king is chosen.

Aquarius can also be related to the traditions of role reversals between slaves and Kings (Saturnalia) and mock-kings (Sacea). Slaves and prisoners being treated as Kings. Saturn is boundaries, so it also relates to the idea of limiting the King's actions, of reminding him of his own mortality (Akitu), and of the power of the commoners (hi, Belle! But not exclusively) over him.

Sariel is a King in the shadows and a big brother in the shadows to the Princes. His place is in the shadows, always. In the absence of light. The only suitor who can never, ever, become a real King.

It's also funny that he started wearing glasses to be respected, by looking older than he is. Saturn is the planet of the elderly, of the maturity and experience, and since his appearance did not conveyed it, he had to fake it.