G is for Grundmann

That's the name of my mistletoe doc in Baltimore. It is also the letter for the dose of mistletoe that finally created the expected red skin reaction at the injection site. Very ANNOYING skin reaction, I might add. Plenty itchy.... and somewhat swollen. And it turns out a full G dose is way too much, so I am now experimenting with a quarter of a dose.... then saving the rest in the needle in the fridge for subsequent quarter doses. Hope Nick doesn't feed them to the cat. 

On November 7, I trekked up to Baltimore to visit Dr. Grundmann. Now that we know that my tumor is estrogen-fed and that the oncologist wants to treat with an estrogen-blocker, it is time to get Dr. G's take on the situation. She knows that I only want to throw one-ball-at-a-time (mistletoe) at the tumor target. But she is also a really good MD and understands the ins and outs of estrogen-blocking big pharma meds. She recommends that we throw both balls at the tumor: mistletoe and an estrogen blocker. Problem is.... she needs to know which blocker the oncologist recommends. Based on that info, she will work to alleviate any side effects. I feel that I need to go along with this advice. It makes  sense. And luckily, this hormone-blocking med is not as debilitating as taking full cyto-toxic chemo. 

So that very day (November 7), I called my oncologist and told her that Dr. Grundmann was "on board" with the estrogen blocker. Dr. Burrell (oncologist) seemed very pleased by this news, of course, and recommended Arimidex (known in the pharma world as Anastrozole). Side effects include potential bone loss. 

I started on the Anastrozole the next day (November 8). And after spending a wonderful weekend in PA celebrating my grandson Jacob's 7th birthday, on Monday I called Dr. Grundmann to let her know what drug I was taking. She called me back within hours, having done extensive research to determine what I should use to supplement my regimen to avoid bone loss. This woman is a stickler for details. Unlike my western docs, who tell me very little unless I specifically ask, this doctor spews out so much information, I can hardly keep up. So she is sending me a care package of supplements to help ward off the "bad bone Gremlins." Ah.... another G word. 

And here's another: GRATITUDE.....for every one of you who have sent words of support and love, and for these two pretty cool lady docs whom, I am finding, are both open to working with solutions from standard and not-so-standard avenues of medical care. Maybe we are actually on our way to trail-blazing a "road more frequently traveled" for the future of medicine.