Adjusting

Specifics

I am trying to adjust from a Ketogenic diet, to a fasting, sugar, normal/Ketogenic diet. Actually, my stomach is trying to adjust. Why am I doing this? Read on.

I know that God has a plan, and can give us direction. He doesn't reveal his plan all at once, but will direct us to a "best" path if we listen carefully. A brother at church approached me one day with much insistence regarding treatment his father (Carl) did for his cancer. I felt as if he was supposed to tell me, and I was supposed to listen, investigate, and consider.

I have read in several places that fasting before Chemo actually helps normal body cells and weakens cancer cells. Carl did fasting. Though I am not having "Chemo" I am fasting before my Tomo treatments. Can't hurt might help. Carl, who is also a scientist and physicist did a lot of cancer research. His conclusion is that cancer cells are most vulnerable when they split.

Now you have to pay attention here. When I had the Pet Scan in December I had to make the cancer cells hungry, then feed them sugar so the scan could track how aggressively they were feeding. So, if I fast, then feed them sugar, they will go spaz (my version of them being aggressive and splitting) while I am getting a treatment. Hopefully this will take out more cancer cells. Again, can't hurt, might help. My Radiation Oncologist said that Chemo also makes the cancer cells more receptive to the Tomo treatments, but I really do not feel Chemo is for me. Here's hoping sugar will make them more receptive.

So, I fast, eat a meal of sugary stuff about 1 1/2  hours before treatment, let it digest for awhile then eat a normal meal then repeat. Today was the best day so far for my stomach, BUT it is only day 5 of 33. So if you need anything to pray for, pray for strength, and a happy stomach!

Oh, what kind of sugary stuff you ask? Marshmallows (they have to be toasted), orange juice because the sugar is absorbed quickly, I started with Brach's orange slices,  switched to  chocolate "m & m's"(but I think I have to switch again.) I believe I have allergies to chocolate! (Extreme runny nose which causes much coughing.)  And a slice of lemonade pie. This is all from what Carl did. Whatever great things happen, he and God get the credit.

End & Beginning

The End, and The Beginning

I gave my two week notice at work, and this would have been my last week. But, on Sunday afternoon my boss called and said I didn't have to come in anymore. I did have to go in to collect my belongings, but, that was the end.

Today, Thursday, February 22, 2018 @ 2:00 p.m. I had my first Tomotherapy treatment. We took pictures. After getting in my "stabilizing shell", Bob had to leave the room. We don't want any radiation "Beamlets" getting him. Treatment took about 15 minutes. I could hear the Beamlets pulsing around and around my body. I would rather have Bones from Star Trek give me some kind of pill (see Star Trek IV movie The Voyage Home) But, I have also been waiting for a food replicator. Maybe someday.

 
My stabilizing shell. My hands hold the two white posts.

 


Ready to "Go In" the tube. the table is flat and hard.

Busy

(FYI - somehow you can leave comments. At bottom of post, I think click on comments/no comments.)

Never a Dull Moment.

This week was busy. Preparing for Tomotherapy.

Monday, pick up two bottles of barium stuff to drink for the abdominal CT on Tuesday. AND, hydrate!

Tuesday, drink the stuff, (yuck, and yuck), get scanned, get a dye injection while still on the table for the thorax CT, then get scanned again. More hydration to clear the dye.

Wednesday, worked the afternoon shift training our new office person. I think I talked for 3 hours straight. More talking usually means more coughing.

Thursday, 8:15 a.m. phone call "Can you come in now for a mapping scan?" Sure. They put my head and arms (above my head) in a foam thing that sets. I have to be in it to hold me in place for treatments. It was interesting trying to get out after it was hard. They also put three tattoo dots on me for positioning. They are about the size of a pin head. THAT HURT! What are people thinking when they get real tattoos? Later another dye injection for a brain MRI. More hydration to clear the dye. (Yes I do have a brain, and no cancer there!!) Last stop, the Lymphatic massage.

Friday after work I had time to go to Mary's office to lie on the Migun Massage Bed. I got to relax!

Hard Stuff & Decisions

How Do I Choose?

What do I know?? A little bit about a lot of things, maybe a lot about a few things, but in the world of cancer, not enough.

Mary, (my holistic doctor & friend) has been instrumental in improving my knowledge. She has given me books, websites, etc. and been there just to talk. There is so much information. So I read, take notes, watch videos, talk to people, reread things, take more notes, and pray. Sometimes when it all feels like mush, I have to put the books down to let my brain rest.

After exploring options and lots of prayer, I decided to go on a Ketogenic Diet while still trying to figure out what I was supposed to do. It is natural, and works against cancer. It is not easy, but what is?

Sometimes it feels as if I take 1 step forward and 3 steps back. Depending who I talk to, there are pros and cons to everything. But, many have said, "It has to be right for you." That again leads to: prayer, scripture reading, listening to hymns, and going to the temple.

I have finally decided on something called Tomotherapy.

Christmas and More

Christmas and More

Dec. 22, 2017 - January 2018

Still reeling from the surgeon's appointment we hopped on the plane to San Antonio, Texas. Our son lives there. Our grandson was turning 12 and wanted us to be there for his church priesthood ordination as a Deacon. Of course! We stayed for Christmas, got to visit with my brother from Ohio who was visiting his daughter in Austin, and visited a dear friend outside of Dallas. We saw a reenactment of the "Cattle Drives" in Fort Worth.

 

I was trying to ignore the fact that I had a mutant tumor in my chest. (The Pulmonologist said it is cells that have mutated. So we used that when having a "Family talk" with the grandkids that stay with us almost every weekend. We explained mutation with the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". One decided that the tumor on the x-ray looked like a turtle!)

As Bob (my husband) and I had colds, I did very little of the planned cancer reading. I didn't care much because of the cold, but when I thought about cancer, I cared a lot. When we got back home, I felt so rotten one day that I said, "God, I know I could be dying of cancer, but just take me now!!"  Obviously, He didn't!!

How it began

The Beginning,  I'm Healthy Right?

June, 2017

I went for a basic routine check-up. As I hadn't had a bone density test in awhile, I need to have one.

I have Osteoporosis!! What to do? Research! Change my diet, take out more junk, add more cruciferous veggies, and exercise with weights to build bone. Weights? What do I know about weights?

Aug. 2017

OK, let's sign up at a gym and get a personal trainer for awhile. Maybe I can lose the junk around my hips making my skirts and pants tight.

Cardio almost every day 20 minutes but can be 10 at a time, and weights 3 x per week. I had moaning muscles. If they stopped moaning, it was time to increase the amount of weight, or the repetitions. Ok. I will give this a year, have another bone density test and see if it was worth it.

The upside, I lost the "junk" around my waist and my skirts fit better.

After a while, I realized I had a small persistent cough. Maybe it started when I started going to the gym. Just two little coughs, but regularly. It had been going on for about 3 weeks when I made an appointment with the doctor. By this time Bob had noticed, and commented on it.

Breathing test, look in my mouth, nose, ears. Welllll, maybe post nasal drip, or allergies. (I hadn't had allergies before) Maybe chocolate!!! Let's try this and this and this.

Sept. 2017

I went to my acupuncture/holistic doctor "Mary" before trying the pharmaceuticals. Nothing helped..

Oct. 2017

Back to the doctor. Welll, let's try this. Nothing changed.

Nov. 20, 2017

OK another breathing test etc. Then a conference between the 2 doctors and Nurse Practitioner. Go get a chest x-ray. Right now when you leave the office.

When you have an x-ray, CT scan or PET scan you can ask for a copy for yourself while you are there. They give you one to take home with you. They also say it will be 2-3 days before your doctor gets the radiology report.

I have looked at many x-ray CD's while working at the Chiropractor's office. So, when I got home and put the disk in the computer, I said, "THAT does NOT belong there". A rather large white fuzzy area in my right lung. I sent an email to my doctor explaining what I saw.

Nov. 22, 2017

They got the report and called me. A flurry of activity followed. CT for chest approved and scheduled. Pulmonologist, Biopsy, Pet Scan, Oncologist, Thoracic Surgeon. Approvals, denials, resubmit, approvals, scheduling, breathing test, lab tests to be done within 3 days of Biopsy, special diet for the Pet Scan. Tumors feed on sugar, so only meat, cheese and eggs the day before the Pet Scan. Then, a radioactive glucose injection 45 minutes before the scan so they can see how aggressively the tumor is feeding. Appointments, appointments, appointments.

Bottom Line, Lung Cancer Stage 3a.

Dec., 2017

My holistic doctor immediately gave me supplements to suppress formation of new blood vessels, and help kill cancer cells. She also gave me books, videos, web links and much information about treatments in Mexico. Yes, Mexico. In the USA the doctors can pretty much only offer chemo, radiation and surgery. If they offer any other treatment options, they may lose their medical license.  I have met with several people with firsthand Mexico experience.

Dec. 21, 2017

The final appointment was with the surgeon Dec. 21. He was not happy we were getting on a plane the next day for Texas and Christmas. He wanted me to start putting "chemicals" in my body. (His words) He did not like the fact that I said we would have to pray about it before making any decisions. He actually called the Oncologist while we were there to see if it was OK to go to Texas. 

She said it was fine.