This is a personal blog, I feel compelled to share about.
Most every family has been touched by Cancer today, either within your family, yourself, or someone you care about. We're also in that same boat.
My grandfather died of Lung cancer.
My father in law had Lymphoma.
I am a survivor of Cervical cancer, and had 2 children AFTER the cancer when I was told I couldn't have children any more. Miracles do happen.
My mom had early stage breast cancer. My father had throat cancer & early skin cancer on his face. My mom is 78 and my father 84 today, married 60 yrs.
Our daughter had stage 0 of Melanoma, which has advanced, and we're waiting for the next tests to see what stage it's at now, she's 27 with 2 little girls.
We lost our son, age 23, to Anthrax Vaccine Leukemia. He was the first to live past one MONTH, and never left the hospital 9 months before he passed.
My sister in law has colon rectal liver cancer now, treating with chemo for 18 months now.
My husband a year ago, had thyroid cancer. One year later, was diagnosed with 4th stage Kidney cancer. In our home state (ND), the Doctor told us "if you want a chance, get the hell out of this state" as they don't treat this advanced cancer, and what they'd do is try with chemo which never touches kidney cancer and make him comfortable for maybe 6 months. That was 6 months ago. Where we're at, is one of the top American Cancer Institutes, the Huntsman Cancer Center in Salt Lake City Utah. Here he had his kidney removed surgically, which was 4x the normal size. He had a tumor on his sacrum bone wrapped around his sciatic nerve (very painful), was radiated 1 strong time and is gone. He had a tumor behind his heart, radiated 5x and another tumor near there radiated 1 light dose. This left him with severe burn in his esophagus which is healing nicely now. He had several tiny tumors in his lungs, 5 larger ones in one lung. He's been on IL2, Inner Luken, which is NOT chemo, but is Immune Therapy, which has all those tiny tumors gone, 3 of the larger tumors gone, 2 larger tumors shrunk. Then the next scan, one of those is gone, and the other shrunk to "non-concerned" tiny size.
He goes into the ICU, because they have to closely monitor him during treatments. It's not easy on the body, but as it's explained to us. You'll feel stronger and healthier after Inner Luken, whereas those getting Chemo for cancer, feel weaker and sicker. You don't lose your hair, don't throw up. However, he did lose 40 lbs (down to 154) between surgery and treatments.
During the treatment, he's in ICU for 5 days. They call the treatment times cycles 1A & B, 2 A & B, 3 A & B, 4 A & B. During his first cycle, he got 8 treatments both weeks. He's out of the hospital for a little recovery time of 9 days, then returns to ICU for another 5 days the B part of each cycle. During the second cycle he got 6 treatments each week. Which is usual to get less most often from the cycle A & B is then less, and from each cycle 1-2-3-4 to get less, so he did very well. During cycle 3 A he got another 6 treatments.
Before each cycle, they do full body scans and tests to determine if the cancer is spreading or growing. By cycle 3 they expect no cancer left. Steven they found all clear, except 2 lymphs in front of his heart had grown. They suspected this due to inflammation from fighting infection or the esophagus burn from radiation, etc. As it's highly unusual for tumors to shrink or be gone everywhere in the body, but grow in one place. However, they had to suspect these to be cancerous, and treat them as such. They were going to insert needle into these 2 lymphs that freezes them and kills them, thus treating it as if it were cancer, but not doing radiation as it's about the same place that was burned before. I'll explain next what's happened....
He's had heart issues, common to the treatment and clears up after treatments have stopped. He's on 2 heart medications now. During treatment they have a severe shaking called "Riggers" which they put a bear hugger warmer on him and medications. After the riggers stop, usually the temperature goes up and the blood pressure drops. Again medications bring the body back to normal. Once after he had left the hospital, the next day I took him to an ER with a heart rate of 185. During a cycle treatment, his heart went to 225. During the next cycle treatment, 3x his heart went to 240. He was without any symptoms, but they take precautions and are prepared for everything, which is why he's in ICU during treatments. After this last cycle 3A, he had trouble breathing, severe side pain. I got him into the Acute care, and they drained 1.5 liters of fluid from the sack around his lung, and this had collapsed that lung half way. This was painful for about a week. Four days later, we took him to ER again, they found he has a 6" blood clot in the saddle vessel between his lungs. They took him by ambulance to Huntsman cancer center (about 45 minutes from the hospital I got him to for ER). He's now in the hospital still, getting lovenox shots, and he started a fever, indicating infection, so is on very strong wide spectrum 2 antibiotics. One of those, we found he's allergic to as he turned red, itching everywhere, his lips swelled up. How, we're waiting again on tests if he's developed an infection or pneumonia. He's on 3 liters of oxygen while resting. When he walks, his oxygen drops severely, so they put him on 6 liters until he can sit or lay down again.
Through all of this, everyone who "see's" him, says he "looks" so good, doesn't even look sick or having cancer, except anyone who knows him sees the weight loss.
Attitude is EVERYTHING!!! Our son, was a fighter. When he was admitted to the hospital, after Army medic's kept saying 2 tylenol back to work... our normal white blood count is 3,000 to 5,000 and his when he collapsed was 364,000! ALL Leukemia! He was told he'd only live 2-4 WEEKS! He fought, had a good attitude, and lived 9 months. That may not sound like much to you, but it showed his determination not to let this beat him. At the hospital, the last 5 months he was cancer free, but had chemo neropathy, seizures, infections, finally pneumonia that put him in ICU intibated. Unfortunately, 2 days before he died, he was cancer free, the day before he was 52% cancer, then next day 100% and died.
My cancer, I was told I couldn't have children again, it was scarred shut from removal of the cervix. However, I had a daughter, and then another daughter, they said was a miracle and couldn't figure out how it happened.
My husband, takes 2 wks off when he's done with treatment to regain his strength and feel better. Then he drives 2 HOURS one way to work each day. He also works around our little 40 acre home, and before this last treatment, he had put in 150 fence posts and fenced around 8 acres for a new pasture. He's happy, and optimistic, and it's helping him beat his cancer. Attitude does make a Huge difference! The last word we've been told by the oncology team here, is they are impressed with how many treatments he's handling (most only get 3 a week), and how healthy he is, even with these set back complications. He's been in the hospital now 3 days, and today he's much improved without pain, can breath better, eating more, resting better than when we brought him in.
I wanted to touch on a topic of Alternative cancer treatments. This is what was explained to me... often they are UNdocumented cases, self diagnosed, the person "thinks" they have cancer, take a "cure-all" treatment and are cured. Their studies are not published because they were not controlled or research institution studies but self proclaimed. Several Doctors have lost their license to practice, have even legal charges against them, so they've turned to alternative practice. Would you want a Doctor who's graduated top of his class, or bottom? I bought the DVDs and book for "Truth About Cancer" and much of it is good information about prevention, detection signs, and "some" treatments. Do the research on the Doctors, the products, and any published resting in medical journals. They do mention Inner Luken, and I do believe in supplements. However, any time a claim is made that a simple product or treatment "cures" ALL or several types of cancer, or even stage 4 cancer, RUN!!! Cancer's are so individually complex, or they'd all have the same treatments. Stage 4 is too often a death sentence, and so involved it's not as simple as taking a product and being cured. Don't be fooled... if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. I have a friend, a 3rd cancer, after chemo the first two... which unfortunately, often chemo brings out another cancer (often Leukemia), or explodes the original cancer... well she decide that 3rd time to trust essential oils (3rd party testing now shows that several of the oils are adulterated, not pure), and light and sound therapy, she died 6 months.
Chemo is NOT the only treatment. Often smaller less populated stated, this is the only treatment offered. Unfortunately, there are Doctors and hospitals out there, that with their kick back on chemo treatments, choose their money over your life, rather than suggest you go to a better place for a true cure. Look to the Cancer Centers of America, places like John Hopkins, MD Anderson, and Huntsman cancer centers are top in the country (USA). Even Mayo doesn't treat Inner Luken that my husband is on now. Research the options available now for your particular cancer and the stage of cancer. Research for a hospital offering those treatment options. Research the Doctors, are they Board Certified Oncologist specializing in that particular cancer or cancer in general? A contractor who puts up a barn, is not qualified to build a sky scrapper. You check for a certified mechanic on your vehicle, a licensed contractor replacing your home roof... why do we blindly accept anything a Doctor says without question, without research (because we're lazy), and without knowledge to understand and make Informed choices? I've been told, that most stage 1 cancers, could probably be treated by most oncologists even in smaller hospitals. However, this is your life, you only get one chance, so a stage 2-3-4 cancer, wouldn't you rather look for the best options you can? Now your thinking, yah, but most can't afford those big fancy hospitals. Insurance, payment plans, where we're at, we see all ages, all nationalities, people coming from many states here... and all are treated equally. We've met so many, just talking while waiting for a scan or treatment, to people who are stage 3 & 4 and are now cancer free... been cancer free for 5-10 yrs even. Yes there IS options and many new treatments for cancer that are legitimate and are actually saving lives. Big Pharma is making big money and my "personal thought" is they've taken chemo as far as they can, and are now needing to show success in curing cancer and bringing out new treatment options such as these many kinds of Immune Therapies.
UPDATE: We just returned from his 3rd cycle of immune therapy treatments. The first week 3A he received 6 treatments (avg is 3, so this was very good). However, his second cycle 3B was postponed as was the surgery to freeze the 2 remaining (possible) lymph tumors in front of his heart. He had his heart rate climb to 240 three times (dangerous). Then he couldn't breath so I took him into Acute care where they drained 1.5 Liters out of the sack around the right lung (not in the lung). Think of a 2 liter pop bottle, that was a lot of fluid. Then a few days later, back to ER, they found he has a 6" blood clot between his lungs in what they call the saddle. They took him by ambulance to Huntsman cancer center, where he's been treated for 5 days. He's breathing easier, the blood clot will dissolve itself in about a month (been 2 wks now). He's swallowing better so his esophagus which was burned from radiation is healing too. We'll be returning for cycle 4 A & B in September, then catch that missing cycle before the end of the year. Cancer is NOT easy, it's complicated, there are side effects to "real" treatments. Don't be fooled by so called "cure-all's" that claim to cure all cancers and stage 4 cancers, when it's too good to be true, it always is.
If you're on Facebook, there is a group with information from Truth About Cancer, as well as other information shared at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SupportAllCancerAwareness/
