Update February 2013

Well I guess I need to write an update since some of you might be wondering what is going on with me.

I had to re-schedule my PET scan for December 15th.  I got the results a week or so later and the doctor said the cancer is still growing and spreading.  There were some new areas of activity.  One of those areas was my underarms, specifically my left side.  What is weird is that I felt a lump, but it just kind of came out of nowhere...it was large quickly...and painful, so I didn't really know that it was my lymphoma until the doctor confirmed it.  I was just thinking, "oh great, what else is wrong with me".

When the doctor told me my results, I asked if I could be re-biopsied.  I just wanted an additional confirmation that we were fighting the right disease.  So, mid-January (sorry don't remember the date) I went in to have a biopsy done.  They took a core needle biopsy from my painful underarm lymph node.  Which for some strange reason helped the lump to be less painful.

The same day as my biopsy, I also had a dye study done on my port.  I had started having pain when the nurses flushed my port.  When I went in early January to have my port flushed I warned to nurse and when she tried to push the saline in she said that it was hard to do.  She could also tell that it was quite painful for me and asked if it felt like pain or pressure, to which I answered pressure.  It is a strange feeling to try to explain but it hurt, believe me.  I am pretty tough and it was bringing tears to my eyes.  Because of this they ordered a dye study.  The dye study showed that my port catheter was blocked, by forcing dye and saline in my port, another painful experience.  At first they told me there was a hole and then that my lymphoma was pinching off the catheter, so....either way it was not functional.

The doctor spoke with me about what I wanted to do, as far as treatment.  He of course suggested beginning chemo again, and going with the regimen that he had spoke to me about before.  He also said that the port would need to come out, and he really wanted it to be replaced. 

So, last Friday, the 1st, I had a new port put in and the old one taken out.  I had some nice neighbors watch the girls for me and another one drive me and wait for me.  Thank you ladies very much!  The procedure took a little longer than expected, but turned out fine.  I am a little sore and stiff, but fine...as long as nothing touches my incision sites.  Of course with two little girls...let's just say I scream sometimes.

I have asked my doctor's office for a schedule of the chemo cycles, but the nurse said the doctor is no longer sure what cocktail he wants to start me on.  So...until then I am waiting.  My sweet neighbors have also volunteered to help with and watch the girls when I begin treatment.  I am extremely thankful for their help, especially since my husband is away for work for a few months.  Thank you again ladies!

So....that is it for now.  Thank you for your continued prayers and concern!  I will try to be better about updating.

Update

I kind of took a few months off the blog, but thought I would try to catch you up. 

Since my last post things have changed a little.  I have not been quite as strict with my diet as a was initially.  I am still trying to avoid the processed foods, sugar, gluten...but I am not eating as much raw veggies and I eat meat daily. I haven't been taking my supplements regularly either.  I also stopped eating the Budwig Protocol smoothie a little over a month ago.  It was just getting to the point where I was having a really hard time drinking it.  It's not that it was horrible, it just wasn't that good, and my body was starting to revolt and needed a change.  So, usually for breakfast I have a fried egg with sea salt and pepper, maybe a dash of Tabasco here and there.  Lunch for a long time was mainly a salad with raw sunflower seeds and avocado.  I finally gave up on dressing...because they just don't taste good without sweetener.  For dinner I would try to eat basically with the family, with maybe a few alterations.  For example, I might have organic meat while theirs is not, or I use gluten free pasta for my spaghetti and regular whole grain for them. 

I am not going to tell you that I haven't cheated...I have.  I ate some of the girls Halloween candy, I have had a few frozen pizzas, some Spam, and during Thanksgiving time...I ate rolls, pumpkin pie, green bean casserole...yum.  I have by no means been perfect at this, but I still feel that I am eating much better than before and am overall, more healthy. 

I am finally back in a healthy weight range after losing 20 pounds!!  Yay!  I always told my husband that I didn't want to change my diet to lose weight, but changing my diet definitely helped me lose weight.  Although I have been exercising as well, I really think all that weight came off due to my diet change.  I started exercising with a neighbor while my Mom was here, so she watched the girls.  After my Mom left, it was harder to go work out with the neighbor because our kid's were just not cooperating with us. (Sorry Neighbor!)  Since my husband was now home, he and I started going to the gym 3x a week.  This other gym is just easier to take your kids to because they are just behind a half wall.  You can see them; they can see you; you can talk to each other without having to stop the workout.  Anyway, I got up to running/jogging a 12 minute mile.  I was trying to add on to it but we haven't been in awhile.  I hope we can get back in there soon.

My hair is growing back in, and it is growing in curly.  For a few months I was using the clippers to keep my hair short because I thought that I was going to be losing it again and didn't want the girls, or me, to get excited about the hair, just to watch it fall out again.  Then I thought I might as well just let it grow.  I have been letting it grow since, I believe, mid to late August, and it is about 2 inches long.  I just got my first haircut, which was really just a shape up to help it look more even and lay nicer.  I still can't believe it is curly...it is kind of funny.

I am finally scheduled to get another PET scan, so I would really appreciate a few extra prayers.  My PET scan is on the morning of Monday, the 10th.  I, of course, won't get the results until later that week.

While I pray for, and still would like you all to pray for, complete healing; I just want you to pray that God's will be done.  I would love for Him to show His power and awesomeness through ridding me of my cancer!  I would love to tell people that only God saved me from this cancer!  But I guess I should already be shouting and telling people how God has already saved me...and I am not very good at that.  GOD SAVED ME!!!  He sent His precious son, Jesus, to die on the cross for MY SINS!  Because of this great gift, I have eternal life.  He has already saved my eternal life, and that is all that really matters. I only pray that He will allow me to continue this life to be a better witness for Him, and a witness to my daughters...to my friends and family, who don't know Jesus.  What kind of friend am I really, if I don't share the Truth!

My New Diet

My flax seed oil came in Thursday, the23rd, and since then I have been having my smoothie, based on the Budwig Protocol, for breakfast. 

This is how I make it:  2/3 cup organic cottage cheese; 6 Tbsp. flax seed oil--Blend this together with my immersion blender and let set 5 min.  Then I add some berries and water; blend and drink.

This is really filling, so I don't really eat lunch, just a snack in the afternoon, dinner, and sometimes a snack before bed.  The cottage cheese is the only dairy in my diet and according to my reading it loses its dairy properties when combined with the oil.  Dr. Budwig used this, along with other things, to treat cancer patients for years. 

The rest of my diet is mostly raw fruits, vegetables, and nuts.  I have tried different things like;

I tried making a green smoothie with kale and other veggies one of the first days.  My smoothie maker didn't blend it very well...and it was disgusting.  Thick and ...uchk!!  It made me gag...I drank it...but gagging.  Later I read somewhere about making sure you don't use the stalks of the kale, so maybe that was why but...not going to do that one again.

I have juiced different things for a snack or just to drink.  Carrot/Apple juice is really good.  I even juiced kale, cucumber, and carrot and it was OK.  But yesterday...mmmm!...I juiced oranges and added a little almond milk....it was delicious! Juicing the oranges makes the juice all frothy! Yummy!

I have also tried out a few raw vegan recipes so I don't have to eat salad every night.  I made these cabbage rolls that were good and I will definitely have again.  I also tried raw spaghetti (zucchini instead of noodles) that was OK.  But I have definitely had a lot of salads.  And I don't like raw collard greens...it is like trying to eat a houseplant!  I have tried a couple of dressing recipes...but I don't really care for either of them.  I need to find a good fake Ranch recipe.

I have also had some cooked meals.  I had beans, cooked spinach, and last night I made some stew with lentils and cabbage. 

I also just snack on nuts, veggies, or fruit whenever I am hungry.  Last night I ate half an avocado.

I am looking forward to trying some new recipes for both my cooked and raw meals.

I am losing weight and really feeling much better.  I don't have the upset stomach problems that I had with my old diet and my back pain, which was causing me quite a bit of pain two weeks ago, is almost non-existent.  (The doctor thought back pain was caused by cancer near my back.)

Thank you for your continued support and prayers!  God is awesome!

Formulating a New Plan

After the recent disappointment of the cancer still not responding to treatment...I am thinking "what gives? What do I need to be doing differently?"  I actually even asked my LA doctor, "Do I need to do something different? Change my diet; eating habits?"  She said no, but....I mean the chemo isn't working...it's not like a change could hurt right?  A friend mentioned looking into the Paleo diet, and while I was I saw this link to the 31-day Home Cancer Cure.  Well, I downloaded the book, can't hurt to just see what it says.  When I updated my FB status and said I downloaded this book, suddenly other friends felt free to share their ideas with me.  I was pointed to the Gerson therapy, the Primal Blueprint, eating for your blood type, and balancing your pH.  So, after a lot of reading... 

I have decided....you all are going to think I'm crazy....I am not going to do chemo at this time.  I want to give my body a chance to breathe and to fight!  Really fight; not lay tired and confused from the effects of chemo and a lifestyle of eating that wasn't helping; fight!

I will get more in-depth later, but for now here is a little bit of what I will be doing:

- Budwig Protocol-  mixture of cottage cheese and flax seed oil

- Taking supplements

- Exercising at least 30 min a day ("they" recommend rebounding)

- Changing my diet; No sugar, processed food, dairy(besides the cottage cheese in Budwig), or gluten.  I will basically be a vegan, at least for a few months.  I will be aiming to eat about 80% raw, 20% cooked.  I will be staying away also from meat and eggs at this time unless I am low on energy then I will add them for about 3 times a week and only good fish.

Other random things I am going to do/try:
- Testing my pH
- Deodorant without aluminum
- Toothpaste without fluoride

Well, that is about it I think.  I know that this seems really weird...we have been taught that our doctors know best and that if you have cancer you get chemo and/or radiation.  What if all you need is natural? I just really feel like this is the way God is leading me.  I really felt like He didn't want me to do that last treatment, but I was unsure, so I did it...and the cancer kept growing.

I know that some of you probably think I am crazy, but please continue your prayers. Thank you!

Results of 8/9 scan

I wish I had good news to share with you...but I don't.  The cancer is still unresponsive to treatment, and still seems to be growing.  The doctor called me yesterday afternoon and let me know the results and her suggested next plan of action.  She suggested COAP, which is a combination therapy of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, arabinosylcytosine, and prednisone.  She said she had already discussed it with my local oncologist.  I am going to try to talk to him today to find out a little more information and see when he is planning on beginning treatment because I have an appointment with him on Thursday and want to know more before beginning.

If you pray...please continue your prayers for my family and I.  They are very much appreciated.

Upcoming PET scan

Please pray for me and my upcoming PET scan.  I fly to LA for the scan early Thursday morning (August 9th).  I will get to go over the results with my doctor that afternoon.

I am feeling really anxious and to be honest, a little emotional.  I know that it is in God's hands either way, but it is hard to not have anxiety over it.

So please pray for me....for healing and to not be anxious. 

Adcetris #2

I received my second dose of Adcetris on the 17th. (of July)  The only side effects that I had noticed after my first dose was some numbness in my big toe. I'm not sure if this is a side effect yet...I guess I will soon if it happens again, but... at the beginning of July my eyebrows looked different.  I'm not sure if they were just thinner or if the hair just lightened.  I thought they had thinned but my Mom thought it looked like they were just lighter.  The next week they were darker or thicker...so I'm not really sure.  My hair seems to be coming back though so I don't think the Adcetris is causing hair loss for me.  However, my hair looks really light.  It seems to be getting a little darker or thicker....again I'm not really sure.  But let's just say right now I'm probably a blonde. Last night was the first time that I went in public without a head covering; we met my brother and his family for dinner.  I think my hair is kind of at the stage where people might think that I just decided to cut my hair this way...

I have and PET scan and follow-up appointment in UCLA on August 9.  If the scan shows response to treatment they could either continue the adcetris to get more of a response or hopefully get a good enough response to finally begin the high dose chemo and transplant.