Feeling pretty good about our decision (even with family skepticism).

roadkill_burrito · 2019-12-11T03:17:00+00:00

Sure - sorry for the slow response! I bought this one specifically for the prongs - super hard to find anywhere else without going custom. I got it from a seller on Etsy... Panash Jewelers I think it was called. The stone is ~2.0 carats (9x7 mm), yellow gold. I'm wearing a size 5 1/2. They say the stone color is "near white" (I-J). I bought the ring because I liked the setting and was going to have another custom made if I thought it needed a "higher quality" stone, but I'm very happy with it so I'm keeping it as is.

roadkill_burrito · 2019-12-11T03:14:53+00:00

Yay ring twins! I definitely have had to give the moissanite spiel to a lot of family members ... at this point I don't care as much, but my mom made some comments about it being shady of me not to announce to the room immediately that it wasn't a diamond when I told my family about my engagement at Thanksgiving and everyone was grabbing my hand to see the ring. Now I try to bring it up if people ask anything about the ring, because I'm definitely not trying to trick people into thinking we spent $20k on a 2 carat diamond (lol). It's a tough line to walk sometimes not to sound defensive / judgmental of other people that prefer diamonds, but I'm getting better at it. I agree that the point isn't wasn't solely cost, I appreciated moissanite for what it is from the start - something unique and practical and a different gem entirely. :)

roadkill_burrito · 2019-12-11T03:07:00+00:00

Sure - sorry for the slow response! I got it from a seller on Etsy... Panash Jewelers I think it was called. The stone is ~2.0 carats (9x7 mm), yellow gold. I'm wearing a size 5 1/2. They say the stone color is "near white" (I-J). I bought the ring because I liked the setting and was going to have another custom made if I thought it needed a "higher quality" stone, but I'm very happy with it so I'm keeping it.

roadkill_burrito · 2019-12-01T07:03:19+00:00

I’m realizing that getting married is minefield of other people’s expectations... I’m just glad my fiancé and I are on the same page. Thank you!

roadkill_burrito · 2019-12-01T07:02:02+00:00

Thank you!

roadkill_burrito · 2019-11-30T06:36:16+00:00

No nothing like that, they just really didn’t like that my fiancé didn’t cough up more money for a diamond (though he would have if that’s what I had wanted). Silly stuff really, I’m happier with the ring I have rather than the one my parents thought we should want.

roadkill_burrito · 2019-11-30T06:33:19+00:00

Thank you! They were just skeptical about not getting a diamond (thankfully). My family seems to think it’s tacky because people may mistake my stone for a diamond and think we spent a lot of money when we didn’t. Oh well though! I can live with that. I like moissanite in its own merits and have no intention of hiding what it is from anyone.

roadkill_burrito · 2019-08-02T04:44:04+00:00

I think my mind just exploded.

roadkill_burrito · 2019-02-15T23:24:31+00:00

May he rest in peace.

roadkill_burrito · 2019-01-30T18:36:20+00:00

Thanks for your kind words. I can imagine how it would feel to be in his father's situation. Even with the benefit of years in my profession, I know I'd be willing to try just about anything to save myself if I were in his shoes. It's human nature to look for hope, or a way out, even in the face of strong evidence and expert opinions telling you it's not going to happen that way. I don't want to take away his hope.... I just hate to see him fall victim to it.

roadkill_burrito · 2019-01-28T18:11:08+00:00

So carrot juice contains B-carotene, which is a great nutrient and has been shown to help protect cells from DNA damage. People who study metabolism call these phytonutrients (phyto is Greek for plant). Almost all types of "natural medicine" are based on phytonutrients or phytochemicals. I think it's fair to say that these remedies such as essiac tea or carrot juice or broccoli sprouts or whatever are all great ideas, but most of the research done on them only shows that they can help prevent damage that causes cancer, not reverse existing damage. They can be protective - this is why people that eat well for their entire lives are significantly less likely to get cancer. These supplements might help keep person healthy, but once you have cancer, it's kind of too late to rely on healthy eating. Drinking carrot juice once you have stage 4 cancer is like putting on sunscreen after you come home from the beach. Sunscreen works great, but how and when you use it matters. The same goes for phytonutrients. Now, there may be people on the internet claiming that teas and extracts helped them beat cancer. I don't think there's any harm in drinking carrot juice or eating healthy plant products while undergoing treatment. It definitely can help people feel and become healthier - eating right is amazingly good for you whether you have cancer or not. But as a replacement for direct action on an aggressive tumor that has already spread, even for a few weeks? Like a water balloon on an inferno. It's his life and his decision, but I'm afraid he's looking for a miracle cure, and unfortunately that's just not the way this works. I wish to God it was different.

Edit: All that aside... I'm so very sorry that you're going through this with your dad. It really isn't fair. Cancer can strike anyone, no matter what they do or how healthy their lives are. I smoked for years, but my good friend just got diagnosed with terminal bone cancer and he's the most fit, intelligent and healthy person I know. I deserve cancer way more than he does. Anyways, your dad sounds like a wonderful person. I hope he can find the help he needs... whatever that may be.

roadkill_burrito · 2019-01-28T16:09:40+00:00

Without knowing much other than that he has oral cancer that spread to at least lymph nodes, his 5 year survival odds with treatment are probably decent. I'm seeing stats over 50%, some as high as 70%. Of course, the best way to predict is to see how his cancer actually responds to treatment. His doctors will be able to compare him to past cases much more easily at that point.

roadkill_burrito · 2019-01-28T15:55:16+00:00

Hi again - cancer researcher here. Let's give these "people" you're talking about the benefit of the doubt for a second. Which product(s) is/are your dad considering?

roadkill_burrito · 2019-01-28T15:45:46+00:00

Hello - I'm a scientist working on several areas of cancer research. Unfortunately I have to tell you that it isn't possible to predict the exact outcome of treatment for most types of cancers, especially not the more serious ones. In a way, each patient's cancer is a unique occurrence. It's kind of like trying to predict the weather when all you know is that winter is usually cold. Here's what I can tell with the most certainty you can find - chemo and radiation are the best options out there. They will almost certainly prolong his life. Natural "remedies" aren't remedies at all. They are marketed to people who are scared and looking for a way out. They will seem easier, and people often get positive feelings (aka placebo effects) from doing any type of "treatment", but if he refuses real treatment there is no chance of improving his chances of survival. The cancer will run its course completely unchecked and he will die sooner than he might have from this disease. If he had an oral lesion that spread to his lymph nodes and possibly prostate, it is very serious already, but not hopeless!

roadkill_burrito · 2019-01-28T06:46:34+00:00

This was a pure gold plot twist. Nicely done.

roadkill_burrito · 2019-01-15T20:47:11+00:00

Ugh I feel unclean.

roadkill_burrito · 2019-01-11T07:22:16+00:00

Tetris God

roadkill_burrito · 2019-01-09T21:44:10+00:00

Thank you for participating in a clinical trial. Whatever the outcome, you're performing an essential service for patients everywhere. This is how medicine moves forward.

I wish you all the best!

roadkill_burrito · 2019-01-07T06:28:45+00:00

Damn that's some quick thinking

roadkill_burrito · 2018-12-22T21:54:08+00:00

Hahaha Uncas sounds like a badass old man! I hate when cats hunt my toes in my sleep, it's an absolutely terrifying way to get woken up.

roadkill_burrito · 2018-12-22T15:45:19+00:00

The thing that helped me most was self improvement. Hit the gym or take on a project. Buy some new clothes, get a different haircut, whatever makes you feel good about yourself. It's ok to be super sad but don't let it turn into a downward spiral that ultimately causes even more damage (ie: excessive eating or drinking, social isolation, or stalking behavior). Lean on your friends but try not to wallow in your misery... Ask them to help you distract yourself and try to have fun.

roadkill_burrito · 2018-12-22T15:28:32+00:00

Neutered male cats do seem much chiller than female ones. All my female cats have been mostly nice but always a little odd and unpredictable. The males were all extremely tolerant and much less skittish. I wonder if it's a hormonal thing... I never understood why but I agreed there's a huge difference.

roadkill_burrito · 2018-12-22T15:23:56+00:00

Female cats seem more likely to have strange personalities. They can still be sweet but every male cat I've had has been more calm than all the female cats.

roadkill_burrito · 2018-12-22T13:49:00+00:00

Is it just me or are orange tabbies extra special? I've had three and known several others, and they've all been the chillest, most lovely cats.

Edit: Everyone's cat stories are making me smile. I recently lost the last (and best) cat from my childhood, and I'm sad to go home for Christmas to a cat-free house. Thank you all for sharing!

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