Still Cancer Free

It has been three years since I finished chemo and was proclaimed NED (no evidence of disease). I have graduated to the point where now I see Dr. Saltzman, the gynecological oncologist, every six months and I get a CT scan annually. Aside from those rather nerve-wracking appointments, I have moved on with my life and it all seems like a bad dream now.

Since I don’t know why I got the cancer in the first place, I know it’s possible it could return one day. That feels like the proverbial sword of Damocles hanging over my head. Most of the time, I don’t think about it much, but it’s there, staring me in the face, whenever it’s time to go see Dr. Saltzman again.

Am I taking steps to stay healthy? Well, yes and no. I’ve lined up a good support system and I’m using meditation apps on my smartphone. I get decent amounts of exercise taking the dogs for a walk every day, I’m trying to do a better job of taking care of myself. Sadly, I have not been able to tame my ferocious sweet tooth, and I know that’s critical if I don’t want to invite the cancer back. I’m giving up sugar–AGAIN–on New Year’s Day.

I feel infinite sorrow for those who are still struggling with cancer, for those still going through treatments, and especially for those who are losing the battle. The Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital fundraiser ads break my heart. No child should have to go through that.

Life is full of hardships, challenges, and grief. We all have some kind of cross to bear. All we can do is take one day (or one minute, or even one second) at a time and do what we can to stay positive. For me, that means practicing gratitude, finding peace wherever it’s available, staying close to God, and trusting that whatever the future holds, I’ll have the resources to meet the challenge.

Now, with the Covid-19 pandemic raging, humanity is facing a whole new set of trials. I’m hearing that too many people who need other types of medical care, such as diagnosis and treatment for cancer, are avoiding doctors for fear they’ll get Covid. What a sad thing it would be to wait too long for cancer treatment and find out the cancer was at Stage 4 and the prognosis is grim.

I was very fortunate. The cancer was caught while it was still Stage 1. I have an excellent chance of remaining cancer free for the rest of my life. Others are not so lucky. I had an old friend who developed lumps in her breast but was too scared to see a doctor. By the time she finally went, it had spread throughout her body and all the best treatments couldn’t save her. She was only 42.

Cancer treatments are getting better all the time. Some day we will conquer this horrible disease. In the meantime, please take good care of yourself, don’t avoid the doctor, and live every day as if you only have two months to live. Life is precious. Let’s not waste a single minute of it.

Blessings of the season to you and yours!

Finally, some hair!

Having finished chemo in November, I have been avidly awaiting the day when I could shed my wig.

Okay, I admit that I’m vain. My hair started coming back pretty quickly, and it was thick enough that I could have shed the wig several months ago. But it came in gray, and very curly, which has never happened before. I used to dye it blond, so I didn’t know what the natural color was, but I didn’t expect it to be gun metal gray! I also didn’t expect it to be curly!

My husband and I have had a lot of laughs about how it looked as it was coming in, sticking out all over the place, especially after it had spent a day being smashed by the wig. Even after I washed it, I couldn’t wrangle it into place to get it to look civilized. So I continued to wear the wig or a scarf when I went out in public.

On Monday this week (today is Wednesday), I finally figured it was ready for prime time–long enough to go get a trim and, hopefully, a style.

Claire, the young lady at Great Clips who was the lucky person to be my hair stylist after I walked in with no appointment, was amazing. She was very understanding and knew exactly what to suggest. And her expertise helped tremendously in getting my hair into a reasonable condition so that I can now go out in public again without having to wear the wig or a scarf.

Whew! What a relief! Not that the wig was a huge problem–it looked good, was easy to care for, and I must admit that getting ready for work was a breeze. But it was never really comfortable, even though I had a cap that I wore underneath it (otherwise it was a little scratchy and itchy). And it was constantly flopping in my face, even when I used hairspray.

Yesterday I was talking to a health professional at Kaiser and she told me she always wears a wig. I don’t remember what she gave as the reason, but I asked her if it didn’t bother her and she said no. Maybe it’s just that she’s so used to it, but maybe she also got a higher quality wig than I got. Maybe not all wigs are itchy and scratchy.

Anyway, I am happy to have my hair back, to say the least. And I actually kind of like the color. I think it makes me look distinguished. I’ve had a lot of compliments from friends and family. I’m not sure I’ll go back to dying it.

I know I’ve talked about the hair issue a lot during my chemo journey, but to me it’s been a big deal. It seems like hair is a pretty important part of our (or at least my) identity. I never did get the courage to show myself to anyone, including my husband, when I was completely bald. I’m sure that’s a moral failing–I should have been prepared to be as authentic and natural as possible all through the experience. But I wasn’t. I was too vain. Okay, I’m a wimp and I make no apologies.

I’m just really glad to have hair again.

 

Still NED, thank God

Every three months, I am powerfully reminded that I have a Sword of Damocles hanging over my head.

Most of the time I can avoid thinking about cancer altogether, and that is what I prefer to do. Learning last year to my shock and horror that I had cancer, having the full hysterectomy, and then going through six chemotherapy treatments, all seems like a bad dream now. I’d really rather not think about it any more than I have to.

Yes, I’m still recovering from the chemo. My hair is probably about two inches long now, very grey, and I can’t do a thing with it. I’m getting my energy back, although I still struggle off and on with fatigue. My immune system doesn’t seem to have fully recovered yet, since I got a cold last month and just this weekend I got a nasty little flu bug or something. BC (Before Chemo) I almost never got sick. The neuropathy hasn’t improved, so I’m taking Gabapentin which makes me sleepy all the time. But all in all I’m almost feeling normal. Apparently it does take the body awhile to recover from the onslaught of chemo.

Most of the time I’m very good at denial, except of course that I have to go every month to have the port flushed, and walking into the Kaiser Infusion Center is a hard dose of reality. But worse yet are the every-three-month visits with Dr. Saltzman for the physical exam. And this time around, I also needed a CT scan, which is supposed to happen every six months. Denial goes out the window during such times.

Thankfully the CT scan was clear, and so was the physical exam. I asked Dr. Saltzman what he’s looking for in the physical exam since I’d just had the CT scan, and he explained that the CT scan would most likely only show things that are larger than a grape. He’s looking for changes in the color of tissue, small lumps, and anything else out of the ordinary that wouldn’t show up on the CT scan.

Needless to say, it’s nerve-wracking to go through all that. But what a relief to get it done and find out I’m still cancer-free.

There was one thing that caused a small concern. When I get the port flushed every month, Dr. Saltzman has a standing order in for something called a CA 125 blood test. (https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/ca-125-test/about/pac-20393295) This is a test that measures a certain protein in the blood that could indicate ovarian cancer. The nurses call it a tumor test. It’s not 100% accurate but can sometimes point to a problem that needs checking out. Results of the test are measured in units per milliliter (U/mL), and the normal value is less than 46 U/mL.

My CA 125 test for the first few months of the year was below 10. Then suddenly in April it jumped to 20. Dr. Saltzman asked me if there was anything going on out of the ordinary at the time, like was I sick or anything? I couldn’t remember. Fortunately, the number dropped to 18 in May, but this is something we will have to monitor. If it rises again, I may need to get another CT scan in September instead of waiting till December.

So I have a few months to go back into denial. <grin>

 

 

EXCELLENT ANTI-CANCER FRUITS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR DIET

Reblogging this from digitexmedical.com:

Fruits offer nutritional gains to the human body in the form of substances such as Vitamin C, phenols, fiber, folic acid, and antioxidants. It is a strongly established fact: plenty of evidence shows the anti-cancer properties of certain compounds in fruits. Specifically, fruits such as pineapple, apple, avocado, lemon, banana, grapes, and tomato have […]

via EXCELLENT ANTI-CANCER FRUITS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR DIET — DIGITEXMedical

Do I Have Any Control Over This?

Are there steps I can take to prevent the cancer from returning, or to keep it from growing if it does return? Naturally I would like to think that there are.

I’ve been reading about alternative medicine for many years. I get emails from some of these alternative medicine doctors saying things like, “If you’re eating this, you’re growing tumors!” And “Is it possible to starve cancer?” And “Here’s the cancer cure the medical establishment doesn’t want you to know about!”

I’m skeptical, because mostly those doctors are trying to sell me some report or designer supplement that’s supposed to solve all my problems. I always think that if they TRULY had such an important answer, they would be willing to give it away for free. Of course they’re trying to make a living, so maybe not. But I take it all with a grain of salt.

There are legitimate sources of very good information on cancer prevention, however. The best I’ve found so far is the book “Anticancer,” by David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., Ph.D.

After I was diagnosed with carcinosarcoma, my husband and I spent time online researching the disease. One of the most helpful resources was a forum discussion among survivors at:

https://csn.cancer.org/node/185207

It has helpful suggestions, among which are strong recommendations to read the book “Anticancer.” I bought it immediately and finished reading it during my chemo treatments.

The author was diagnosed at a fairly young age with a deadly form of brain cancer. He was a professor and researcher, and he immediately put his experience to work researching everything he could on what causes cancer, what causes it to grow, and what prevents it. The book compiles all his research and has numerous footnotes. Even though he had a form of cancer with a dire prognosis and was not expected to live long, he went on to live more than 15 years after diagnosis. His research must have paid off.

Here are a few examples from the book:

1. Fruits and vegetables have anticancer properties.
2. A diet that’s high in Omega 6 causes inflammation, which makes us vulnerable to disease, including cancer. The Standard American Diet is very high in Omega 6s, which may explain the growing incidences of cancer and other diseases. Achieving a balanced diet that has more Omega 3s helps prevent disease. One of the most interesting things I learned in the book is that grass-fed beef is higher in Omega 3s than beef grown on factory farms or in feedlots. (It’s expensive, but worth it if it reduces medical bills, right?)
3. Sugar and refined carbohydrates cause inflammation and fuel cancer growth.
4. People who joined cancer support groups had a better prognosis than those who didn’t.
5. Anti-stress endeavors (yoga, meditation, cultivating an “attitude of gratitude,” etc.) resulted in better outcomes for cancer patients.
6. Hopelessness caused worse outcomes.

Note that the author did not advocate trying alternative means exclusively to treat cancer, but said that these methods should always be used in conjunction with conventional treatments. There are sad stories of people who decided to rely on some “miracle cure” to treat their cancer and ended up dying when they might have lived longer with conventional treatments. Conventional cancer treatment has come so far in recent years that we would be foolish not to take advantage of it, while also not relying totally on it.

I think this book is a very good place to start in an anticancer program. Obviously there are many other books out there, and many people promising to have the answers to cancer prevention and cure. For instance, many people say that a ketogenic diet is effective against cancer. Here is a link to a compelling article on this topic, which came out when Senator John McCain was diagnosed with a deadly brain cancer:

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/brain-cancer?utm_source=Diet+Doctor+Newsletter&utm_campaign=5abdbbbf98-Test&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_41db911777-5abdbbbf98-465418529

I plan to research many of these claims so I can do whatever I need to do to keep the cancer from returning or, if possible, retard its growth if it does return. I will share my findings in this blog over time.

As we face another New Year, I pray I will remain cancer-free, that I will have the strength and will to do what I need to do, and that we can all find ways to stop cancer in its destructive tracks.

I wish you all a peaceful, blessed, and healthy season.

 

NED … for now

On Tuesday, December 12, 2017, Bruce and I drove the 47 miles to Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring to meet with Dr. Andrew Saltzman, my gynecological oncologist.

We were in suspense. Dr. Hussain had emailed me that my CT scan “looks good,” which we assumed meant there was nothing to be concerned about. But we didn’t feel like we could completely count on that until we got the official word from Dr. Saltzman. We were also curious to learn what the protocol for future monitoring will be.

Dr. Saltzman did verify that the CT scan was “completely clear.” He also did a physical exam, which he declared also clear. (The physical exam is similar to having to get a pap smear–ouch. He had said earlier that I’d just reached the age where I wouldn’t be needing a gynecologist any more, but because of my cancer, unfortunately I will need a gynecologist for the rest of my life.) He says that if carcinosarcoma recurs, it tends to recur either in the vagina or in the lungs. No one knows why it would go to the lungs, but that’s what often happens. It can also show up in various organs between the pelvis and the lungs.

Just to be absolutely sure, Bruce asked Dr. Saltzman to verify that I am officially NED–No Evidence of Disease. Dr. Saltzman did verify that, and reminded us that I was already officially NED after the surgery. But it’s a relief to know that nothing has happened since then to raise any alarms.

So… Merry Christmas to us!

The schedule for monitoring is rigorous at first. Bruce and I are not sure we remember the schedule clearly, but we’ll find out as we go along. To the best of my recollection, I have to have a physical (gynecological) exam every three months for at least two years. I’ll need a CT scan every six months during that time. I believe after the two years are up, the physical exams and CT scans become less frequent. Eventually CT scans are discontinued unless there is a symptom that causes concern, such as unexplained vaginal bleeding or a persistent cough that goes on too long. Physical exams will be necessary every year for the rest of my life.

Dr. Saltzman wants me to leave the port in for a year, “just in case.” I protested about that, because it has to be flushed every month, which is inconvenient because it’s a 60+-minute drive to get to the Kaiser center where this is done. But he said it’s better to leave it in than to have to reinstall it later if something happens. Also, he can have the infusion center, which does the flush, send the blood they withdraw during the process to him so he can monitor that, too.

The port generally doesn’t bother me. Once in awhile it feels like the tube that hangs down in the artery shifts position a little and gets uncomfortable, but usually all I have to do is move around a little to get it aligned again, and then it’s fine. I’m not happy about having to make the two-hour round trip to get it flushed every month, and it does hurt a little when the needle is inserted (but so would a regular IV). But I agree that it’s better to do this than risk having to have it reinstalled if the cancer should show up somewhere.

This, of course, is a reminder that carcinosarcoma is a highly unpredictable and dangerous disease. The best chance of beating it is to catch it as early as possible. Dr. Saltzman is not taking any chances, and I appreciate that very much. I am very grateful to be working with a doctor who has experience with this kind of cancer.

So … we’re taking things one day at a time, but rejoicing that for right now I am cancer-free. What a wonderful feeling that is!

Now I need to start taking time to do more research into carcinosarcoma and what steps I might take to keep it from coming back. Future blog posts will probably focus mostly on whatever I can learn and will include links to valuable resources. If I have more time, I hope to also start publicizing this blog more so that other people can come and share their wisdom and experience. Stay tuned.

Again, my deepest appreciation and gratitude go to all the people who have given me incredible support, comfort, and encouragement, especially my husband Bruce. And to God, who I believe has walked with me every step of the way as I’ve gone through this ordeal so far. My life is totally in God’s hands, for better or worse. I hope He still has things for me to do in this world, but I will do my best to be prepared, whatever happens.

Random Thoughts on Chemotherapy

Nothing prepares us to go through chemotherapy. We’ve probably known people who have, but we can’t fully imagine what it felt like for them. We have a general impression it must be unpleasant, we know people often lose their hair and are nauseous and fatigued, but beyond that, we really just can’t imagine.

Then we get a cancer diagnosis and get to find out first-hand. We find out that yes, it’s exhausting. Yes, nausea is often a real problem. Yes, it’s unpleasant, and that’s probably a gross understatement.

Of course just how bad it is depends on the drugs we’re getting, whether we’re getting a single drug or combination, how our unique bodies react to the drugs, how healthy we are when we start, and myriad other variables.

With all that in mind, I want to record a few things I didn’t anticipate ahead of time that it might be helpful to remember if there ever is a next time.

• Hair loss: Hair generally starts falling out, if it’s going to fall out, about two weeks after the first treatment. (Note to self: get it cut short next time. That should make it seem less traumatic.) For some reason, head hair falls out faster than body hair, but eventually body hair will also fall out. There are advantages to this: not having to shave, for one thing. There are also unexpected disadvantages: staying warm, for example, and having to use makeup to replace lost eyebrows and eyelashes if one is concerned about appearance.
• Staying warm: I’m glad I didn’t start chemotherapy in the middle of winter. As the weather has gotten colder, I’ve had increasing troubles staying warm. I’m wearing two knitted caps (specially made for me by my dear friend Cindy) inside the house, and one knitted cap with a regular outdoor hat when I go outside, unless I’m wearing a wig. When the temperatures took an extreme drop in November, I was wearing four layers inside the house and was still cold. I think this is due to the hair loss (amazing how a little body hair helps us stay warm!) and also just being generally depleted from the chemo. One of the biggest problems was keeping my neck warm. I bought a fleece neck warmer on Amazon and wear it everywhere. It really helps.
• Nausea: The anti-nausea meds do help, but not 100%, and they tend to make me drowsy. During the worst post-chemo days, the best solution is to sleep as much as possible. Finding food to eat that looks appealing is a challenge, and I think it’s important to trust our cravings. We need to keep our strength up. I swear by Garden of Life Protein Powder and Greens Powder, which have given me extra nutrition when I was having a hard time eating. I will continue to use them for awhile until I feel like my health has returned to normal, which could take a few months if not longer. Ginger Ale and ginger tea help with the nausea, too.
• Neuropathy: This is a common side effect of some chemo drugs, particularly Taxol and Carboplatin, which I received. There doesn’t seem to be any good way to prevent it, but I believe acupuncture has helped at least a little. My oncologist recommended alpha lipoic acid, glutamine, and B12 supplements, but I can’t tell whether they made a difference. The neuropathy may improve, or it may not. Fortunately for me, it’s manifesting more as numbness than as pain. Gabapentin can be prescribed, but it treats the symptoms only, not the cause, and it makes me feel like a zombie. I’m using as little as possible, but sometimes it is helpful.
• Bone and muscle pain: Acupuncture definitely helped with this. After the one treatment I had where I didn’t have acupuncture, the bone and muscle pain was severe to the point where I wondered if I would be able to keep walking. Speaking of which, I recommend having a good prescription pain medicine on hand, if your doctor/oncologist will do this for you. Over the counter medicines didn’t help me much. I had good luck with Tramadol on the days when I was in quite a bit of pain. It helped me sleep. If you use this, be sure and take it with food.
• That nasty chemical taste: Fortunately, this only lasts a few days, and it’s a minor thing but can get to be really annoying. I find myself snacking a lot just to try to get rid of the taste (which is probably a good thing, because it’s important not to lose weight). On the other hand, a lot of things just don’t taste right. For me, this was especially a problem with water and coffee, which both tasted awful. It’s important to drink a lot of water to help flush the drugs through our system, so I found it helpful to put fresh lemon juice in the water. Strong flavors help the most. I also bought some Altoids to chew on. This too shall pass.
• Staying active: People told me to listen to my body, to rest when I needed to rest, to eat when I needed to eat, to ask for help when I needed it. All these things are very important. But I believe it has also been important for me to get up and get moving at times. We have barn cats, and this requires me to go out twice a day, walk down a fairly steep hill to the barn, feed and water the cats, visit with them awhile, and then trek back up the hill to the house, where I also refill several bird feeders. As hard as it was for me to do this some days, I think the activity was important to my faster recovery. It keeps the blood flowing, which gets oxygen to all parts of the body. A friend who has been an oncology nurse for 35 years said she thought I was doing really well because I didn’t just go to bed, but forced myself to get up and move around.
• Staying positive: Needless to say, attitude is very important. I had some down days, felt surly and gave into self-pity at my lot in life. But most of the time I was able to stay philosophical and wait for the troubles to pass. I saw my chemo adventure as a learning experience. I felt a great deal of empathy for other people going through chemo, especially children. I did a lot more praying. I leaned on my husband, friends, and God. I looked for ways to be grateful about as many things as possible. I actually kind of enjoyed getting the infusions, because that gave me an excuse to relax for five or six hours and just do things like read and talk to friends on Facebook.
• Doing research: I didn’t just rely on health professionals to tell me what I needed to do or make all my decisions for me. My husband and I did a lot of research, and I am continuing to research. I am not going to leave my future totally in the hands of health professionals, no matter how knowledgeable and competent they might be. It’s important for me to be proactive. I want to do everything I can to keep the cancer from returning. I realize I may not have complete control over what happens, but at least I want to know that I’m doing the best I can to take preventive measures and not passively sitting back and hoping for the best.

There’s probably a lot more I could say, but I’ll leave it at this for now. I do sincerely hope I don’t ever have to go through chemotherapy again, but if I do, I’ll be better prepared next time.

Sixth (and Final) Chemo Treatment

I had what I hope is my final chemo treatment on Thursday, November 16, nine days ago.

I’m not sure why, but the after-effects have been much less intense than they were for the previous treatments. I had a few days of feeling nauseous, exhausted, and having that awful chemical taste in my mouth. Then it mostly all cleared up and I’ve been fine ever since, except for some lingering fatigue and the ever-present neuropathy. I don’t know whether it was better this time because I was in better shape, having built myself up a little bit with the supplements, or because of my extremely positive frame of mind, or a little of both.

It’s hard to express the relief I feel to be finished. I am virtually euphoric. Now, within just a few weeks, I should be able to start seeing my hair grow back and start feeling like I’m getting more energy back. My body can heal now without getting knocked back down by another treatment. (This all assumes the next CT scan shows up clear, of course. More on that in a minute.)

My oncologist, Dr. Hussain, says that it may take up to three months to completely recover. She says I have anemia caused by the chemo, and it takes awhile for that to clear up. As for the neuropathy, it could also take up to three months, and it may not clear up at all. She said I should get a physical in three months to see how everything looks.

We had an amiable final visit. I like her a lot, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know the nurses in the Infusion Center at Kaiser in Gaithersburg, especially Jane who handled four of my six treatments. I joked with them that it was a pleasure working with them, but I hoped they would understand that I hope I never see them again. They laughed good-naturedly, but they probably hear that joke a lot.

I learned, though, that I’m not quite done with them. They recommend leaving the port in for at least three months, just in case further treatments are necessary, and it has to be flushed monthly, which I will have done in the Infusion Center.

Next on the agenda: CT scan this coming Thursday, November 30. Then Bruce and I will go meet with Dr. Salzman on December 12 to find out the results of the CT scan and what happens next. Dr. Hussain said that even if everything is clear, I will probably have to be monitored every three months for awhile. I don’t know whether that monitoring will include a CT scan each time. We’ll find out on December 12.

As a friend recently remarked, I have a lot to process now as we approach the end of the year and go through the holidays, which tend to be emotional, introspective times for me anyway. My life has changed significantly in the last six months. It’s difficult having this Sword of Damocles hanging over my head, knowing I will have to continue to be monitored and will probably never be declared officially cured.

But people who experience cancer nearly always find a silver lining. If nothing else, the shadow of death causes life to suddenly show up in vivid colors. Each moment becomes more precious. I’m spending more time wondering whether I’ve contributed anything of value to this world that might live on when I’m gone. I have a stronger sense of God’s presence than ever before, and I’m working harder at cultivating that relationship with Him. I cherish other relationships, with husband, family, and friends, more than ever. Those are the things that will live on after I’m gone.

I dream, as I’ve dreamed nearly all my life, of writing the Great American Novel, but even that would have a limited lifespan unless I suddenly morphed into a Charles Dickens or Jane Austen. But following some of those lifelong dreams has also become more important to me. Even if they never amount to anything, it’s important to respect our dreams and pursue them. We can’t know what plans God might have for us.

And there is the added benefit that our attitudes have a great deal of influence on how our cancer journey progresses. If I’m following my dreams, if I’m feeling fulfilled and content, I have a much better long-term prognosis than I would otherwise.

Now that I’m done with chemo (I hope), I can get on with other topics I want to talk about in this blog. For one thing, I’m compiling some resources I want to share. And maybe now I can devote more time to doing additional research. I’m also aware of my tendency to give in to denial, and I know there will be days when I don’t want to think about cancer, let alone come here and post anything. But I’ll have to fight that urge. I want this blog to not only be a record of my own journey, but to be a helpful resource for others who might be walking a similar path. So, to the best of my ability, I will continue to devote time and energy to this even if I get a clean bill of health on December 12.

 

Fifth Chemo Treatment

A day will come when people will look back at the use of chemotherapy in the battle against cancer and shake their heads at the barbarity of it.

In order to kill cancer cells, chemotherapy has to also kill healthy cells. While there’s not enough healthy cell death to result in death to the entire organism, it is kind of like a little death, and in some extreme cases may result in death to the person.

Chemotherapy drugs work by targeting cells that grow and divide quickly. This describes cancer cells but also describes other cells such as hair-producing cells and three types of blood cells–white cells, red cells, and platelets. Our bodies will start immediately trying to rebuild these cells. Over time the rebuilding process must take longer and become more difficult. Of course if there is any cancer present, it is also trying to reconstitute itself. Treatments are scheduled in a timely fashion to prevent cancer cells from growing back, and this will also slow the growth of normal cells.

Unlike healthy cells, cancer cells do not die naturally. Chemotherapy forces them to die. And since they are not produced naturally like other kinds of fast-growing cells, once they’re dead, they’re gone and cannot regenerate themselves.

This doesn’t mean that normal cells can’t again eventually become cancerous. This is why it’s critically important to make sure normal cells are as healthy as possible, and this means supplying them with all the resources they need, namely water, oxygen, nutrients and the means of being rid of toxins. But this is a blog post for another day.

As I mentioned earlier, each chemo treatment tends to be worse than the one before as the body struggles to recover.

I’m happy to report that the side effects of the fifth treatment were not as intense as they were after the previous treatment. For this I credit acupuncture and supplements. But I’m sad to report that the side effects, especially nausea and extreme fatigue, lasted longer this time–about eight days.

I am very grateful I only have one treatment to go. I can’t express how much I’m looking forward to being able to regain my health (and my hair!) and steadily rebuild on it till all is restored.

This, of course, assumes there won’t be any cancer that shows up on the post-chemo CT scan. One day, one challenge at a time.

I can fully understand why some people may choose not to undergo chemotherapy, considering the devastating side effects and the sheer barbarity of it. And there are plenty of so-called alternative medicine doctors out there touting some miracle natural cure that they claim has been hushed up by the medical establishment because there is huge money to be made in pharmaceutical cancer treatments.

I would just have soon skipped chemo myself, but the biology of how it works makes sense. New treatments, especially in the area of immunotherapy, are being developed and showing promise. If you dig deep to find reliable evidence that those alleged miracle natural cures really work, you will be hard pressed. For now, chemotherapy and radiation are the best we’ve got against this devastating disease.

I believe it’s worth checking out alternative treatments, especially truly natural methods such as foods, herbs, exercise, meditation, and anything else that is good, healthy, and safe for our bodies. (I highly recommend the book “Anticancer,” and that is also a blog post for another day.) These should be done in conjunction with conventional medicine, not instead of it. Is it worth gambling our lives on the word of some alternative medicine person who claims to have the next miracle cure? No, I don’t think so. Making the wrong choice could mean losing the battle altogether.

I’m blessed to have lots of support from friends and family, and to have lots of people praying for me. This fact alone is enough to give me extra strength to get through this and stay optimistic about the future. I must confess that I’m not very optimistic or positive when I’m in the throes of the nasty side effects. I wish I was better at enduring suffering. But I just keep reminding myself that it’s temporary and it’s for a good cause.

My heartfelt thanks and love to all of you who are helping to prop me up during my journey.

Acupuncture

I am convinced that anyone getting chemotherapy should also have acupuncture, if possible.

If you’ve been following my story, you will know that I received acupuncture at the Kaiser Permanente center during my first two chemo treatments. Then, since I just turned 65, Medicare kicked in and doesn’t cover acupuncture. So for the third treatment, I wasn’t able to have acupuncture, and the pain and aching in my legs and joints was almost unbearable.

Right after that, Pat, an old friend of Bruce’s who was recently in the area, called to see how I was doing and asked if I’m getting any alternative treatments. I told him about the acupuncture. He said, “Oh, because I was going to tell you I had lunch with a couple of friends in Westminster, and they spoke very highly of a local acupuncturist. I can get the name for you if you want.” I said yes, I would be very interested to know.

It turned out the acupuncturist recommended by Pat’s friends is the same guy who was recommended to me awhile back by my farrier for my arthritis pain. His name is Luke Pritchard, and he has great credentials and great online reviews. I figured Pat’s calling was providential, so I called and had a nice chat with Dr. Luke and made an appointment to meet with him.

That first appointment was eye-opening. We spent about 15 minutes just talking. He told me how acupuncture came to the United States–former president Richard Nixon was in China, injured himself and saw a traditional acupuncturist for help. The results were so remarkable that Nixon decided he had to bring acupuncture to the United States. Alas, no one took him very seriously at the time, but seeds were planted and eventually acupuncture did come to be more widely accepted in the United States.

Luke also told me about the different types of acupuncture. It was initially “invented” by the Chinese, who have been using it for some 4,000 years, if I remember correctly. Gradually it spread to other eastern countries, which came up with their own methods. Luke is a firm believer in Chinese acupuncture, which is the oldest and, he believes, most effective, and which he practices exclusively.

He explained how acupuncture works on the nervous system, which according to Eastern medicine is the foundation of everything else. If something is out of whack in the nervous system, it can cause pain and stress, which can cause tightening of muscles, which can pull bones and joints out of alignment and cause dysfunction throughout the body. The nervous system is like a series of rivers and streams that can get blocked. Acupuncture breaks up those blockages and releases tension so that everything can work smoothly and freely again. It makes sense, doesn’t it?

So I had the treatment to help prevent neuropathy in my legs and feet, to aid my liver and kidneys, and I asked him also if he could do anything to help me with the arthritis in my knees, so he treated that, too. I noticed an immediate difference in my knees–the stiffness was gone, and has continued to be greatly improved ever since.

I had another chemo treatment the next day, and I didn’t have nearly the amount of pain in my leg muscles and joints, which I attribute to the acupuncture. The neuropathy was okay at first, too, but several days later got very bad in my feet. I’m thinking perhaps the acupuncture needs to be repeated in order to be most effective. Dr. Luke does, in fact, recommend having treatments weekly while I’m going through chemotherapy.

One of the best things to come out of that first appointment was that as I was getting ready to leave, he asked, “Are you eating okay?” I said, “Well, no, not really. It’s hard to figure out what to eat when you’re nauseous.” He recommended Garden of Life Protein Powder and Greens Powder and told me I could use them as a meal replacement. They would help me not become so depleted.

I went right down the street to the Vitamin Shoppe and picked up the two bottles of supplements. I’m very impressed with the ingredients lists. They’re completely organic, plant-based, GMO free, plus they have probiotics and enzymes added. I got the chocolate flavors, which are actually quite tasty. The chocolate protein powder is just like a chocolate milkshake, only it’s healthy!

I’ve been using those supplements ever since, and I’m happy to report that I’m not nearly as fatigued as I was after previous treatments. Also, the cravings have cleared up, so I think my body is now getting the nutrition it needs to help it rebuild after each treatment.

I mentioned to my oncologist that I was using these supplements, and her response was guarded. She recommended bringing the ingredients lists into my next appointment and letting the pharmacy check on them. I’m sure there would be some concern about interactions with the chemo drugs.

Dr. Luke said that in western medicine, doctors advise against taking Chinese herbs while going through chemotherapy. Chinese doctors, however, say just the opposite. Who to believe? For me, the fact that I feel so much better after taking the supplements tells me they must be good for me, and I’m not noticing any adverse reactions. I may go ahead and let the pharmacy evaluate the ingredients, but I’m not sure I will stop taking the supplements even if they advise it. Of course it’s up to each individual to choose whether to err on the side of caution or not.

I had another acupuncture treatment last Thursday and will have another one this coming Wednesday. My next chemo treatment is Thursday. We’ll see how things go and whether i can tell much of a difference now that I’m getting regular acupuncture treatments. I am hopeful!