It's October. If you are going to "RUN" for anything, wearing your pink t-shirt, run for Selenium, as this doc suggests.
Or for mistletoe. Or for Vitamin D-3. Or for living, raw foods.
Betsy's Road Less Traveled
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Defining Success
When I tell people that "I whooped that tumor's ass!".... somehow it isn't enough. They want to label my success. They want to define the victory with medical terminology. Typical words that folks want to hear are cure.... or in remission.... or cancer-free. They don't want my whoop-ass phraseology, they want something more clinical. It isn't enough that the tumor is no longer a lump, but a hard mass of scar tissue, it isn't enough that the CEA blood markers have been in the normal range for months, it isn't enough that the latest MRI showed that the lymph nodes are clear, or that I feel great and look great. They want WORDS, a medical mandate of some kind.
So at my last oncology visit (July), I searched for that defining word. I asked the doc: "ok, so ..... how would you categorize where I am in all of this? I know you probably cannot say I am cured or cancer-free. But what WOULD you say? What is my status?"
Her response was: "I would say you are a survivor."
Survivor. Yes, now that I think of it, that's the typical jargon used. When people don their pink t-shirts and go on those breast cancer walks, that's what they call women who have beat the damn thing.
Survivors.
But being a survivor, in my mind, puts me into a passive state. One survives a tornado, or a flood, or any other natural disaster over which one has no control. Calling myself a survivor somehow makes it sound as if I was "under assault" by the cancer, or more realistically, perhaps, by the standard cure: the assault of chemo, radiation, surgery. I never subjected my body to these inhumane and toxic therapies. I took control of the situation. I changed the domain (my body) in which the cancer was doing its damage. And it worked.
I would not call myself a survivor. I would call myself a VICTOR. I did the work -- I found the right therapies for me and I applied them. I could not have done it without the help of my mistletoe doctor. I also could not have done it without all of the books and articles and resources out there that guided me through the alternative field of cancer therapies and gave me hope that I was on the right track.
I still say that I simply whooped that tumor's ass. I am the VICTOR.
My next visit with my oncologist is on September 11 (yes, really!), 2014.
Believe it or not, September 11, 2013 was the day that I received my cancer diagnosis.
What a year it has been!
Thanks to all who have supported me and prayed for my recovery.
So at my last oncology visit (July), I searched for that defining word. I asked the doc: "ok, so ..... how would you categorize where I am in all of this? I know you probably cannot say I am cured or cancer-free. But what WOULD you say? What is my status?"
Her response was: "I would say you are a survivor."
Survivor. Yes, now that I think of it, that's the typical jargon used. When people don their pink t-shirts and go on those breast cancer walks, that's what they call women who have beat the damn thing.
Survivors.
But being a survivor, in my mind, puts me into a passive state. One survives a tornado, or a flood, or any other natural disaster over which one has no control. Calling myself a survivor somehow makes it sound as if I was "under assault" by the cancer, or more realistically, perhaps, by the standard cure: the assault of chemo, radiation, surgery. I never subjected my body to these inhumane and toxic therapies. I took control of the situation. I changed the domain (my body) in which the cancer was doing its damage. And it worked.
I would not call myself a survivor. I would call myself a VICTOR. I did the work -- I found the right therapies for me and I applied them. I could not have done it without the help of my mistletoe doctor. I also could not have done it without all of the books and articles and resources out there that guided me through the alternative field of cancer therapies and gave me hope that I was on the right track.
I still say that I simply whooped that tumor's ass. I am the VICTOR.
My next visit with my oncologist is on September 11 (yes, really!), 2014.
Believe it or not, September 11, 2013 was the day that I received my cancer diagnosis.
What a year it has been!
Thanks to all who have supported me and prayed for my recovery.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Join the Crowd!
There is an important clinical trial planned to study the effects of mistletoe on cancer (specifically, of the colon). It will be CROWD-funded -- that is, by PEOPLE, not by BIG PHARMA. Dr. Peter Hinderberger, M.D., Ph.D. a practitioner at the Ruscombe Mansion Clinic in Baltimore, has a key role in this study. Here is what he has to say about it:
"As you may know, Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH) is doing a mistletoe study. An oncologist at JHH and I share a patient who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and a bleak prognosis and is now free of cancer thanks to her lifestyle changes and mistletoe. This sparked the oncologist's interest and his decision to do a trial on mistletoe. This study will cost approximately $300,000. None of the funds will come from Big Pharma.
The patient co-founded a non-profit organization, Believe Big, to help families navigate cancer treatments. She offered to do the fundraising. She organized a gala dinner and almost 600 people signed up. We have the money to start the trial but need to raise more to finish it.
This is truly historic: Johns Hopkins, one of the top-ranked medical research facilities in the world, is doing a study on a botanical substance for cancer. This in itself is absolutely remarkable. Even more remarkable is that this is patient driven, not initiated by the manufacturer, nor a researcher, by Big Pharma, or an article in the New England Journal of Medicine. There is more: this is being funded by a grass roots organization. Not Big Pharma, not the government, but by us -- YOU and ME!
I have used mistletoe in my practice successfully for over three decades. It is time for mistletoe to be an integral part of a standard cancer treatment protocol. With this study the oncological world will not be able to continue to ignore mistletoe any longer."
Early on in this blog, I discouraged folks from participating in the Pink Ribbon cancer awareness campaigns (see the link on side-bar to the right about "Pink Ribbons Inc"). Big Pharma has its dirty fingerprints all over those "races for the cure." Please, if you want to donate toward a more worthy cause, JOIN the CROWD that is funding the Johns Hopkins mistletoe study. They could really use every penny you can spare. You can donate at http://www.believebig.org/clinicaltrial.html or mail a check to: Believe Big at 14030 Woodens Lane, Reisterstown, MD 21136. All donations are tax deductible.
"As you may know, Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH) is doing a mistletoe study. An oncologist at JHH and I share a patient who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and a bleak prognosis and is now free of cancer thanks to her lifestyle changes and mistletoe. This sparked the oncologist's interest and his decision to do a trial on mistletoe. This study will cost approximately $300,000. None of the funds will come from Big Pharma.
The patient co-founded a non-profit organization, Believe Big, to help families navigate cancer treatments. She offered to do the fundraising. She organized a gala dinner and almost 600 people signed up. We have the money to start the trial but need to raise more to finish it.
This is truly historic: Johns Hopkins, one of the top-ranked medical research facilities in the world, is doing a study on a botanical substance for cancer. This in itself is absolutely remarkable. Even more remarkable is that this is patient driven, not initiated by the manufacturer, nor a researcher, by Big Pharma, or an article in the New England Journal of Medicine. There is more: this is being funded by a grass roots organization. Not Big Pharma, not the government, but by us -- YOU and ME!
I have used mistletoe in my practice successfully for over three decades. It is time for mistletoe to be an integral part of a standard cancer treatment protocol. With this study the oncological world will not be able to continue to ignore mistletoe any longer."
Early on in this blog, I discouraged folks from participating in the Pink Ribbon cancer awareness campaigns (see the link on side-bar to the right about "Pink Ribbons Inc"). Big Pharma has its dirty fingerprints all over those "races for the cure." Please, if you want to donate toward a more worthy cause, JOIN the CROWD that is funding the Johns Hopkins mistletoe study. They could really use every penny you can spare. You can donate at http://www.believebig.org/clinicaltrial.html or mail a check to: Believe Big at 14030 Woodens Lane, Reisterstown, MD 21136. All donations are tax deductible.
A Mistletoe Success Story
The fellow in this video spoke at a recent BelieveBig fundraising dinner.
What is BelieveBig? That will be the topic of my next post. For the time being,
allow Frank Ridgeway's story to pique your curiosity:
What is BelieveBig? That will be the topic of my next post. For the time being,
allow Frank Ridgeway's story to pique your curiosity:
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Betsy: 1 Cancer: 0
Well! Good news on the tumor battle front.
Follow-up (6-month) MRI reveals that the tumor is diminishing. On the MRI screen, it shows up as a dark mass. Although its diameter is just slightly smaller than the original lump, it is way flatter. My oncologist poked around and said it feels more like scar tissue. The original lump was pretty round and squishy -- now it's rather flat and seems to be more nestled against the chest wall, almost out of the perimeter of the breast.
Other good news: NO evidence of ancillary lymph node cancer. The original MRI (6 months ago) showed a small mass in a lymph node. And now it's gone -- GONE! Doctor also confirms that she feels nothing in that area upon physical examination. Oh..... yay!
More good news: the intravenous dye contrast that was sent through my veins during the MRI exam did not reveal any cell activity in the area. It appears to be "quiet" in terms of new growth.
I am still feeling great, have lost 15 pounds, and the cancer blood marker (CEA) is in the normal range. I will continue with the regimen I am following. Hey, it seems to be working!
Follow-up (6-month) MRI reveals that the tumor is diminishing. On the MRI screen, it shows up as a dark mass. Although its diameter is just slightly smaller than the original lump, it is way flatter. My oncologist poked around and said it feels more like scar tissue. The original lump was pretty round and squishy -- now it's rather flat and seems to be more nestled against the chest wall, almost out of the perimeter of the breast.
Other good news: NO evidence of ancillary lymph node cancer. The original MRI (6 months ago) showed a small mass in a lymph node. And now it's gone -- GONE! Doctor also confirms that she feels nothing in that area upon physical examination. Oh..... yay!
More good news: the intravenous dye contrast that was sent through my veins during the MRI exam did not reveal any cell activity in the area. It appears to be "quiet" in terms of new growth.
I am still feeling great, have lost 15 pounds, and the cancer blood marker (CEA) is in the normal range. I will continue with the regimen I am following. Hey, it seems to be working!
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Water Fluoridation: A National Disgrace
Fluoride occurs in nature, in our food, soil, and water. It has not been defined as an essential nutrient.
So it's gotta be ok for us to consume, right?
Big pharma sells fluoride in the form of a drug. It has been defined as such by the FDA. If you want to take pharmaceutical-grade fluoride in a pill, you have to have a doctor's prescription. You would be instructed to take a certain amount based upon your age and weight in order not to exceed "safe limits of consumption."
Would it surprise you to learn that the FDA has never actually approved fluoride for safety and efficacy? And yet, this unapproved "drug" is dumped into 70% of the tap water in this country. Without our consent. Without a prescription from our doctor. Without taking into account "dosage intake" based upon age or weight. Without any warnings to the public of the harm it can cause.
Would it surprise you to learn that the fluoride that is dumped into our water is NOT pharmaceutical grade (sodium fluoride), such as is found in toothpaste and mouth wash? It is derived largely from the toxic chemical waste of the phosphate fertilizer industry, and is defined as fluorosilicic acid.
Fluorosilicic acid = the waste accumulated after the fertilizer industry scrubs down its smoke stacks. They cannot dump this toxic waste into a stream or river; there are environmental laws against this. And it would cost too much money to clean up the toxic mess. Ah, what better way to solve this problem than to SELL it (yes, for $$$$!) to municipal water companies across the country. Let them add it to the public drinking water .... for what purpose?.... to prevent cavities, right?
But fluoridation DOES prevent cavities, doesn't it?
That's what we have been told ever since we saw those propaganda films back in the 50's. But even the proponents of water fluoridation admit that, if there is a benefit (and that is most assuredly debatable!), it is through topical application of the fluoride onto the teeth, NOT by taking it systemically. And certainly NOT by ingesting it in the form of toxic waste from the fertilizer industry.
Fluoride is a carcinogen (osteocarcoma and cancer of the liver). It stresses kidney function. It contributes to arthritis. It causes dental fluorosis of the teeth. It works with lead to block cognitive functioning of the brain. It contributes to hypothyroidism. The list of damages that can be attributed to fluoride goes on and on.
David Kennedy, DDS, has produced a very comprehensive video about the evils of fluoridation, called "Fluoride Gate." I highly recommend that you watch it. See how a top-level scientist from the EPA was fired when he tried to expose this problem way back in the 90's!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpw5fGt4UvI#t=10
On a personal level, I have tried to alert my local water company about this problem. But without huge numbers of people crying out for a change to this policy, nothing will happen. So the best I can do at this point is educate. I am a member of Fluoride Action Network. Here is a link to that organization's website. It's loaded with well-documented info:
http://fluoridealert.org/articles/50-reasons/
So it's gotta be ok for us to consume, right?
Big pharma sells fluoride in the form of a drug. It has been defined as such by the FDA. If you want to take pharmaceutical-grade fluoride in a pill, you have to have a doctor's prescription. You would be instructed to take a certain amount based upon your age and weight in order not to exceed "safe limits of consumption."
Would it surprise you to learn that the FDA has never actually approved fluoride for safety and efficacy? And yet, this unapproved "drug" is dumped into 70% of the tap water in this country. Without our consent. Without a prescription from our doctor. Without taking into account "dosage intake" based upon age or weight. Without any warnings to the public of the harm it can cause.
Would it surprise you to learn that the fluoride that is dumped into our water is NOT pharmaceutical grade (sodium fluoride), such as is found in toothpaste and mouth wash? It is derived largely from the toxic chemical waste of the phosphate fertilizer industry, and is defined as fluorosilicic acid.
Fluorosilicic acid = the waste accumulated after the fertilizer industry scrubs down its smoke stacks. They cannot dump this toxic waste into a stream or river; there are environmental laws against this. And it would cost too much money to clean up the toxic mess. Ah, what better way to solve this problem than to SELL it (yes, for $$$$!) to municipal water companies across the country. Let them add it to the public drinking water .... for what purpose?.... to prevent cavities, right?
But fluoridation DOES prevent cavities, doesn't it?
That's what we have been told ever since we saw those propaganda films back in the 50's. But even the proponents of water fluoridation admit that, if there is a benefit (and that is most assuredly debatable!), it is through topical application of the fluoride onto the teeth, NOT by taking it systemically. And certainly NOT by ingesting it in the form of toxic waste from the fertilizer industry.
Fluoride is a carcinogen (osteocarcoma and cancer of the liver). It stresses kidney function. It contributes to arthritis. It causes dental fluorosis of the teeth. It works with lead to block cognitive functioning of the brain. It contributes to hypothyroidism. The list of damages that can be attributed to fluoride goes on and on.
David Kennedy, DDS, has produced a very comprehensive video about the evils of fluoridation, called "Fluoride Gate." I highly recommend that you watch it. See how a top-level scientist from the EPA was fired when he tried to expose this problem way back in the 90's!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpw5fGt4UvI#t=10
On a personal level, I have tried to alert my local water company about this problem. But without huge numbers of people crying out for a change to this policy, nothing will happen. So the best I can do at this point is educate. I am a member of Fluoride Action Network. Here is a link to that organization's website. It's loaded with well-documented info:
http://fluoridealert.org/articles/50-reasons/
Monday, April 28, 2014
EMF, very B-A-D
Way back when, in one of my first posts, I discussed an environmental problem that I am pretty sure triggered my cancer. Hours and hours of laptop exposure, in the exact location where the tumor developed, no doubt was a culprit in the growth of the cancer. Was it the only trigger? Probably not. We all know that environmental factors contribute to cancer. Pesticides, genetically modified food, toxins in our air and water, plastics -- the list is long.
We don't see toxins, but they are there. We don't see nano crap in our food, but it is there. Studies have been done, links have been made. One of the worst, in my opinion, is electro-magnetic field radiation, dirty electricity. Our wireless technology is killing us. Cell phone towers, cordless phones, cell phones next to our ears and stored in our pants pockets and bras... they are killing us, rendering men sterile and causing breast tumors. If you haven't seen it, check out the youtube video in my blog sidebar with the descriptor "Keep your cell phone away from your body."
Before I developed the tumor just beneath my breast (and yes, I say I (moi, me, myself) helped to develop it, with my very bad habit of resting my laptop against my chest wall for hours at a time!), I became very active in the movement to fight installation of Smart Meters in my area. You probably already have one of these not-so-smart devices on the side of your very own home. Not sure? Go outside and check. Since I live in the state of Maryland, I joined a group called Smart Meter Awareness. Their website is loaded with good info about the whole smart meter issue. In their sidebar, they invite you to view a video entitled "Take Back Your Power." It is very well documented and informative. Please watch it. You will learn a lot. You have to rent it to view, but that's because the folks who put it together paid for it on their own and through crowd-funding. Here is their website:
http://marylandsmartmeterawareness.org
Here is another link with a couple of videos... including some solutions for blocking the EMF radiation from the smart meter (pretty clever!) At the moment, I do not have a smart meter, but PEPCO will be charging me $75 to opt out of the program and I will have to pay a monthly opt out fee. Also, I will still not be protected from the radiation that comes off of my neighbors' meters.
Bummer!
http://www.naturalcuresnotmedicine.com/2014/03/smart-meter-home-need-read-warning.html
We don't see toxins, but they are there. We don't see nano crap in our food, but it is there. Studies have been done, links have been made. One of the worst, in my opinion, is electro-magnetic field radiation, dirty electricity. Our wireless technology is killing us. Cell phone towers, cordless phones, cell phones next to our ears and stored in our pants pockets and bras... they are killing us, rendering men sterile and causing breast tumors. If you haven't seen it, check out the youtube video in my blog sidebar with the descriptor "Keep your cell phone away from your body."
Before I developed the tumor just beneath my breast (and yes, I say I (moi, me, myself) helped to develop it, with my very bad habit of resting my laptop against my chest wall for hours at a time!), I became very active in the movement to fight installation of Smart Meters in my area. You probably already have one of these not-so-smart devices on the side of your very own home. Not sure? Go outside and check. Since I live in the state of Maryland, I joined a group called Smart Meter Awareness. Their website is loaded with good info about the whole smart meter issue. In their sidebar, they invite you to view a video entitled "Take Back Your Power." It is very well documented and informative. Please watch it. You will learn a lot. You have to rent it to view, but that's because the folks who put it together paid for it on their own and through crowd-funding. Here is their website:
http://marylandsmartmeterawareness.org
Here is another link with a couple of videos... including some solutions for blocking the EMF radiation from the smart meter (pretty clever!) At the moment, I do not have a smart meter, but PEPCO will be charging me $75 to opt out of the program and I will have to pay a monthly opt out fee. Also, I will still not be protected from the radiation that comes off of my neighbors' meters.
Bummer!
http://www.naturalcuresnotmedicine.com/2014/03/smart-meter-home-need-read-warning.html
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
A is for Apricot
B is for B-17
C is for Cyanide (really? yes, really)
I just finished munching on my daily allotment of apricot kernels. It occurred to me that this would be a good time to post a bit about this wonderful cure from nature.
I learned about this therapy way before I had cancer, from a book entitled "A World Without Cancer," by G. Edward Griffin. The book is quite detailed and well-researched and foot-noted. Griffin also produced a documentary with the same title. Again, it is a documentary, not very slick, not meant to entertain, but to inform. Because I have promised to report to so many of you all of the therapies I am utilizing for my cancer, I thought I should include this very interesting video. The most effective use of B-17, or laetrile, is by injection. But alas.... as with so many therapies, it is not available in this country. So rather than trekking off to Mexico, I just munch on apricot kernels, which I can purchase at my local health food store. Oh... and when I eat an apple, I eat the entire core, seeds and all (same benefits as apricot kernels).
C is for Cyanide (really? yes, really)
I just finished munching on my daily allotment of apricot kernels. It occurred to me that this would be a good time to post a bit about this wonderful cure from nature.
I learned about this therapy way before I had cancer, from a book entitled "A World Without Cancer," by G. Edward Griffin. The book is quite detailed and well-researched and foot-noted. Griffin also produced a documentary with the same title. Again, it is a documentary, not very slick, not meant to entertain, but to inform. Because I have promised to report to so many of you all of the therapies I am utilizing for my cancer, I thought I should include this very interesting video. The most effective use of B-17, or laetrile, is by injection. But alas.... as with so many therapies, it is not available in this country. So rather than trekking off to Mexico, I just munch on apricot kernels, which I can purchase at my local health food store. Oh... and when I eat an apple, I eat the entire core, seeds and all (same benefits as apricot kernels).
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Turmeric
I have to give a huge shout-out to this amazing orange-colored wonder of nature. My mistletoe doc has prescribed huge quantities of turmeric for me to take every day. In addition to having proven cancer tumor-reducing qualities,
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/turmeric-extract-strikes-root-cause-cancer-malignancy
it offers many other health benefits (600, in fact!),
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/600-reasons-turmeric-may-be-worlds-most-important-herb
including relief from arthritic pain (a problem I experienced prior to my diagnosis last fall)
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/turmeric-beats-ibuprofen-arthritis-knee
Of course, you can also cook with it. I add it to sautéed veggies, soups, and salad dressings.
That's my Turmeric Tip for the day!
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/turmeric-extract-strikes-root-cause-cancer-malignancy
it offers many other health benefits (600, in fact!),
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/600-reasons-turmeric-may-be-worlds-most-important-herb
including relief from arthritic pain (a problem I experienced prior to my diagnosis last fall)
http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/turmeric-beats-ibuprofen-arthritis-knee
Of course, you can also cook with it. I add it to sautéed veggies, soups, and salad dressings.
That's my Turmeric Tip for the day!
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Horse Sense
Animals are smart. Humans are stupid.
I know, I know, a pretty broad and judgmental statement. But in terms of trusting nature, we humans just don't get it. At least, some of us don't. But there are many -- oh, so many -- who DO get it. They have tried to share their wisdom. Before I received my cancer diagnosis, I was extremely interested in cures from nature. I viewed the embedded video (below) and learned a great deal. At the moment, I am already using three of the "forbidden cancer cures" discussed in this video:
1) The Hoxsey formula. Harry Hoxsey HAD Horse Sense. He literally learned how to treat cancer from a horse. Since no one is allowed to actually market this formula in the U.S., I found a source of the eight magic herbs from nature in a formula called "Hoxsey-LIKE Formula" (Take THAT, FDA!) See the Hoxsey story at about 35 minutes into the video
2) Laetrile, Vitamin B17, also known as Amygdalin. This is a derivative from apricot kernels. It is no longer available in this country. But benefits can still be derived from eating apricot kernels. I have a handful of them every day. (in video, around 1:04 in)
3) Mistletoe -- If you have been following my blog, you already know a great deal about this therapy. In the video, it is discussed somewhere at around the one hour mark (1:09).
In the future, I hope to procure some of the Essiac tea, which is available on some websites.
This video is NOT entertaining. It is rather clinical, not slickly produced. But it is loaded with very good info. Please sit down with a cup of green tea and a bowl of popcorn (organic, non-GMO) and enjoy! I guarantee you will learn a great deal. Get to be as smart as your dog... or your cat... or your HORSE.
I know, I know, a pretty broad and judgmental statement. But in terms of trusting nature, we humans just don't get it. At least, some of us don't. But there are many -- oh, so many -- who DO get it. They have tried to share their wisdom. Before I received my cancer diagnosis, I was extremely interested in cures from nature. I viewed the embedded video (below) and learned a great deal. At the moment, I am already using three of the "forbidden cancer cures" discussed in this video:
1) The Hoxsey formula. Harry Hoxsey HAD Horse Sense. He literally learned how to treat cancer from a horse. Since no one is allowed to actually market this formula in the U.S., I found a source of the eight magic herbs from nature in a formula called "Hoxsey-LIKE Formula" (Take THAT, FDA!) See the Hoxsey story at about 35 minutes into the video
2) Laetrile, Vitamin B17, also known as Amygdalin. This is a derivative from apricot kernels. It is no longer available in this country. But benefits can still be derived from eating apricot kernels. I have a handful of them every day. (in video, around 1:04 in)
3) Mistletoe -- If you have been following my blog, you already know a great deal about this therapy. In the video, it is discussed somewhere at around the one hour mark (1:09).
In the future, I hope to procure some of the Essiac tea, which is available on some websites.
This video is NOT entertaining. It is rather clinical, not slickly produced. But it is loaded with very good info. Please sit down with a cup of green tea and a bowl of popcorn (organic, non-GMO) and enjoy! I guarantee you will learn a great deal. Get to be as smart as your dog... or your cat... or your HORSE.
Numbers up, Numbers down
We tend to measure everything numerically.
Numbers up: Sometimes scoring up is what we want (basketball, football, Scrabble); sometimes down is better (golf). In human terms, we love to live longer (numbers up), even though we hate to admit our age (we truly are "messed up," aren't we?). Last week, my age number increased and the celebration was terrific. Lots of surprises came my way: both of my bros showed up totally out of the blue, Bill from Texas -- Dave from New York; along with my way cool sisters-in-law. I digress.... sorry...
Numbers down: CEA marker (which I will try to explain in another post, perhaps) for cancer is DOWN, DOWN, DOWN. When I was first diagnosed last September, the number was 7.3; this was high and a definite indicator of the presence of cancer. My most recent blood work (mid-March) showed a CEA marker at 3.3; DOWN 4 points! This is huge. My oncologist stated that 3.3 is in the "normal" range for a female non-smoker.
Tumor size is also diminishing. It is palpable. I can feel that it is smaller, and my oncologist confirmed this. She also indicated that the ancillary lymph node, which had been initially pretty swollen, had gone down considerably.
In early May, an MRI will be done to electronically check things out. Stay tuned, report will be forthcoming.
Links and videos: I finally figured out (thanks to son Nick) how to add links and videos to a side bar. Many of the videos that are embedded in these posts will be added to that bar. Hope you find them helpful.
More later, 'gator!
Betsy's 65th Birthday
Hola, everyone!
I have good news to report in the realm of health (coming later). Meanwhile, I just keep getting older and older (which is the whole point, isn't it?)
My dear children, family and friends got together to compile a quite amazing video to help me celebrate an OLD AGE milestone (according to our benevolent government -- what do they know?)
I have good news to report in the realm of health (coming later). Meanwhile, I just keep getting older and older (which is the whole point, isn't it?)
My dear children, family and friends got together to compile a quite amazing video to help me celebrate an OLD AGE milestone (according to our benevolent government -- what do they know?)
Monday, February 17, 2014
When was your last mammogram?
This is a question that I am asked every time I go to my oncologist. My answer remains the same: "2007." The nurse always, without fail, echoes my response, but in an incredulous tone: "2007??"
I guess to say that eight years has passed since one's last mammogram is not a typical response. Then I always add, with a hopeful approval-seeking tone, "But I had a thermogram in the summer of 2013." A typical response to that statement is: "I don't know what that is..." or "We don't record that data." In western AMA-fed medicine, to refuse to have mammograms tends to label one as a fool, or a kook. I know that, in my initial visit with my oncologist, I must have been labeled somehow. Not sure how these people communicate with each other... perhaps in big red letters across a person's chart. But labeled I was. Because when I first visited the surgeon recommended by my oncologist, he had obviously been forewarned; his very first words to me were: "So.... I see here (looking at the chart, not at me, as I sat there meeting him for the first time in my lovely, white, scratchy-paper, neck-to-waist drape)... I see here that you don't believe in mammograms." (Those of you who have read all of my blogs from the beginning will remember how I locked horns with this surgeon! Can you see why?)
Ok, so that makes me wonder. Just what DID it say in that chart, which obviously contained information relayed to the surgeon from my oncologist? "Watch out... this one is a problem child"....or.... "Trouble ahead, prepare to be challenged."
When I showed the surgeon the record of my recent thermogram, he responded "I don't read these. I have no idea what this means." Wow.
Before I ever received a cancer diagnosis, I was reading many articles and books that revealed growing evidence that mammography did more harm than good. Since many have asked why I do not "believe" in mammography, as the surgeon did (like it's a religion of some kind?), I am attaching a link here that is fairly short, but outlines briefly the problems with the practice, at least in my view.
Mammograms are more harmful than you think
If you are interested in learning more about the evidence against mammography, it's out there. Just do a bit of research on your own.
Interestingly, way back in October when I had my biopsy at Holy Cross Hospital, after the procedure was over, the nurse said, "Now, Ms. Reed, please come with me to Radiology." Why? I asked.
"For your mammogram." Whoa there, Dobbin! What, says I? You have just cut me in not one, but two places (tumor site and lymph node), I have two bandages now covering two surgical biopsy wounds, and you want to do what? Give me a mammogram?
Now, obviously, this poor nurse who was just "following orders" hadn't read my chart -- that I do not "do mammograms." But that info notwithstanding.... folks, it is standard procedure (at least at this hospital) to perform mammography on a woman who has just had a surgical biopsy of the breast! I was stunned by this.
Evidently, this is just "what they do" at Holy Cross. I guess they have a technician who makes big bucks right down the hall sitting next to very expensive equipment. What a gold mine -- to take every breast-cancer-patient lamb to the slaughter of the great squeeze machine. And the purpose of this is... what? To detect cancer? I asked the nurse, "Isn't this what the biopsy is all about? And wouldn't it be barbaric (and potentially harmful to the already-disturbed tumor area) to do this immediately after the biopsy?"
Even the nurse had to admit that it didn't make much sense. But alas, that is what is "ordered" after every breast cancer biopsy. Obviously, I refused to comply with this order.
Alas... another red warning in huge block letters on my chart. Sigh.
I guess to say that eight years has passed since one's last mammogram is not a typical response. Then I always add, with a hopeful approval-seeking tone, "But I had a thermogram in the summer of 2013." A typical response to that statement is: "I don't know what that is..." or "We don't record that data." In western AMA-fed medicine, to refuse to have mammograms tends to label one as a fool, or a kook. I know that, in my initial visit with my oncologist, I must have been labeled somehow. Not sure how these people communicate with each other... perhaps in big red letters across a person's chart. But labeled I was. Because when I first visited the surgeon recommended by my oncologist, he had obviously been forewarned; his very first words to me were: "So.... I see here (looking at the chart, not at me, as I sat there meeting him for the first time in my lovely, white, scratchy-paper, neck-to-waist drape)... I see here that you don't believe in mammograms." (Those of you who have read all of my blogs from the beginning will remember how I locked horns with this surgeon! Can you see why?)
Ok, so that makes me wonder. Just what DID it say in that chart, which obviously contained information relayed to the surgeon from my oncologist? "Watch out... this one is a problem child"....or.... "Trouble ahead, prepare to be challenged."
When I showed the surgeon the record of my recent thermogram, he responded "I don't read these. I have no idea what this means." Wow.
Before I ever received a cancer diagnosis, I was reading many articles and books that revealed growing evidence that mammography did more harm than good. Since many have asked why I do not "believe" in mammography, as the surgeon did (like it's a religion of some kind?), I am attaching a link here that is fairly short, but outlines briefly the problems with the practice, at least in my view.
Mammograms are more harmful than you think
If you are interested in learning more about the evidence against mammography, it's out there. Just do a bit of research on your own.
Interestingly, way back in October when I had my biopsy at Holy Cross Hospital, after the procedure was over, the nurse said, "Now, Ms. Reed, please come with me to Radiology." Why? I asked.
"For your mammogram." Whoa there, Dobbin! What, says I? You have just cut me in not one, but two places (tumor site and lymph node), I have two bandages now covering two surgical biopsy wounds, and you want to do what? Give me a mammogram?
Now, obviously, this poor nurse who was just "following orders" hadn't read my chart -- that I do not "do mammograms." But that info notwithstanding.... folks, it is standard procedure (at least at this hospital) to perform mammography on a woman who has just had a surgical biopsy of the breast! I was stunned by this.
Evidently, this is just "what they do" at Holy Cross. I guess they have a technician who makes big bucks right down the hall sitting next to very expensive equipment. What a gold mine -- to take every breast-cancer-patient lamb to the slaughter of the great squeeze machine. And the purpose of this is... what? To detect cancer? I asked the nurse, "Isn't this what the biopsy is all about? And wouldn't it be barbaric (and potentially harmful to the already-disturbed tumor area) to do this immediately after the biopsy?"
Even the nurse had to admit that it didn't make much sense. But alas, that is what is "ordered" after every breast cancer biopsy. Obviously, I refused to comply with this order.
Alas... another red warning in huge block letters on my chart. Sigh.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Melatonin
Many folks have been asking me if I am following any other "outside-of-the-box" protocols in my journey to rid my body of cancer. The next few posts will address some of the additional add-on therapies I am using to reduce the breast tumor. One such therapy is melatonin. My mistletoe doc put me on it at my very first visit with her in October. I take 5 drops sub-lingually every night before I go to bed. I used to have a great deal of difficulty either going to sleep every night, or staying asleep. My brain just wouldn't shut down. The melatonin has dramatically changed my sleep patterns. Within minutes of my head hitting the pillow, I am 'out.' It's quite amazing -- haven't slept like that since I was a kid. In addition to improving sleep and mood, melatonin has anti-cancer benefits.
I recommend that everyone learn more about the benefits of melatonin.
Here's a link some of you may find interesting:
And meanwhile.... yes, the tumor appears to be shrinking. I am finally able to say for sure that it is smaller, as I poke and prod. And I am still feeling great: lots of energy.
As always, thanks for all the positive feedback and prayers.
Coming in future posts: Laetrile and Hoxsey formula.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Numbers
I am still here and I am still injecting every other day with mistletoe. Note amazing photo here of "mistletoe in the moonlight." Purty, ain't it?
The theme of this blog is numbers. They are going DOWN. Blood pressure is DOWN. Weight is DOWN (by 10 pounds). CEA Marker is DOWN. This marker is the one in the blood work that measures cancer in the system. When I first saw the oncologist in September, the CEA Marker was 7.4; this was high and indicated the presence of cancer. In December, the CEA had gone down to 5.3; this was a huge improvement, although still somewhat problematic. (The number 5 is a sort of dividing line, evidently.)
This week's blood work CEA Marker was measured at 3.7. Truly a cause for celebration!
So... it appears that my protocol is working. The tumor is still there, but it has diminished somewhat in size and appears to be firmer to the touch and more "floaty," less attached to the chest wall. It isn't sore and I don't sense its presence when I am lying on that side of my body -- like I used to. Let's face it -- it took a while for that thing to develop; at least two years of intense laptop exposure. So it's going to take a while to "get out of Dodge."
My regimen continues and I am getting accustomed to it. Dietary restrictions not too difficult to cope with: no sugar, no gluten, almost no dairy (sometimes I just have to sauté a few walnuts in butter to top my rice cereal). Lots of fruits and raw veggies. Some meat and chicken. No wine, no beer. I probably should be off of coffee, but I allow myself a cup every day.
My arsenal of supplements is vast. My mistletoe doc has catered a formula of "add ons" just for me. There is no "one size fits all," as she sees it. From homeopathic tinctures to special plant extracts, I am busy all day long dropping stuff into green tea or mixing special powdered stuff into something palatable. I am taking something that tastes just "god awful"! And since I have to take the stuff 3 times a day, I needed help making it go down (can't use a spoonful of sugar, Mary Poppins!). So I developed what I call Chia Chocolate Pudding. I add chia seeds to almond milk until it becomes thick and viscous, then I add cocoa, some Stevia to sweeten it, and voila! It makes a perfect pudding for mixing in the nasty stuff I have to consume. I thought I was pretty darned clever in creating this fine recipe until I found almost exactly the same stuff at Whole Foods. Of course, their version was
beaucoups buckos!
At some point in the weeks ahead, my oncologist and I will potentially revisit measuring the cancer using major tests -- MRI's, CT scans, etc. But for the time being, we are in a "wait and see" mode.
And the only NUMBER that seems to keep going UP is my age. Turns out 2014 is the year when I am officially OLD, according to the government. Yup, I hit the big 6-5! So I have signed up for Medicare. Is this a great country or what?!
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