Sleeping well -
Holding my weight gain!
Woke this morning with energy and not much pain!
Walked 1.75 miles today before breakfast
Survived hyperthermia yesterday
Food continues to be delicious -- learning to get full on non meat protiens.
Had hyperthermia last night and it was quite an experience. They raise the body temperature to simulate a fever that ia high enough that it kills the cancer cells. They do this 2 times during my stay. You lie on a bed with a mattress that has a hot water pad on it covered by a doubled sheet. Then they cover you with a sheet, a blanket and a reflective survival blanket. Then there is a tent that is over your body - kind of like a gardening row cover. Your head is out and once you reach 101, you get a terribly stylish flexible helmet that has circulating cold water in it to keep your brain from baking.
When you get hyperthermia, you also get your infusions during that time. You are hooked up with chest monitors, blood pressure cuff, oxygen meter on one finger and a line into your IV as well as the wires for your helmet. It was quite complex!
There were many suggestions how to get through this including music and sedation. Pandora does not work here :( and I tried to go without sedation. Actually, once I got the helmet on, I fell soundly asleep for a little bit. However - just as you feel wretched with a regular fever, I began to toss around. One friend sent me Olympics clips because we cannot watch olympics here (a source of great sadness to me!) which were very distracting -- and Todd brought my phone so I listened to scripture memory work --- ultimately I asked for a sedative tho -- I started to feel a little frantic caught in the sweaty sheets, and unable to reach to untangle myself because of all the lines.
One question that I received -
Does this (PET scan report) change your opinion about your treatment?
No! My only option in the states is chemo. My urologist will not do surgery on my because I am not doing chemo. Chemo is the only option that I have according to Western medicine. That systemic approach kills everything, not just the cancer. This systemic approach targets the cancer cells and builds immunity. I wish that I had taken time to find out about this last time! I would never have done the chemo, which now is shown to strengthen the stem cells in colon cancer and make them more aggressive. My oncologist denies this, but the studies are out there.
Here is more color commentary regarding the PET scan:
When the Doc presented the information, he was very low key and matter of fact. His face and body language did not convey that this was not fixable. Perhaps I am being too pollyanna - but he seemed so matter of fact and unexcited that I am encouraged.
So thankful!
O of H provided us with a lunch because we left at 9:30 and were not due back til 3:30-5:00. They were so very kind to us at the San Diego hospital -- we were invited to stay in the back in a private room after our scans to eat our lunch! Obviously they get many patients for O of H.
The tech came and talked to us - asked us questions and said that the people that come from O of H are so nice...She commented on the lovely lunch we got --
Veggie sandwiches on gluten free yummy bread with almond butter and nutella. We had apple cider and mixed nuts as well as lemon water!
Todd and her son took our driver out for lunch -- he was so funny and said he had salad -- ya right! how bout steak?
Crossing the boarder into the US was really interesting - 26-30 lanes converging. In between the lanes are vendors with their carts set up. You could buy breakfast, souveniers, newspapers, drinks of all kinds, as well as support several different charities. The vendors walk around in the traffic like they are perfectly safe - which at that point traffic is not moving very fast - but still - breathing all those fumes.....
There is a medical lane which helped us get through quickly tho.
Other stories -
Contrary to any other time in my life, I am having trouble getting IV lines put in properly. I think perhaps it is because I have gotten so thin -- Not sure - but several times have ad them try to set a line and they could not use the vein because it would not flow properly. Another new experience is that my arms are very sore where the lines did access... My Left arm is still sore from Monday! Today they accessed in the crease of my right arm. On Wed, that spot on my left arm "blew" during the PET scan because I had to have my arms over my head and it bent too much. Today I am desperately trying to keep my right arm straight so I don't kink the catheter and render it useless. That is pretty easy to remember because it hurts. It's hard to do anything tho! Try keeping your arm straight and go through a day...It's a challenge that keeps me humble!!
My day started well today, but slid down hill quickly -- I got really emotional after one of my infusions. The Doc had told us that these are harsh/hard treatments and I think that they just took a bit of a toll today. When my pain escalated, I got really grouchy and crabby and cried a fair bit, not just from pain but just felt miserable...
We changed the pain medication today, so I am trying it out to see how effective it is. So far - so good!
Food continues to be delicious -- learning to get full on non meat protiens.
It hit me today that even though this is not chemo, this definitely is strong treatment. As I was in the hyperthermia, I kept envisioning cancer cells dying miserable deaths in a desert. My physical reactions to the infusions have fallen into a pattern of total exhaustion that requires lots of sleep to recover from. I am so thankful for this place and praying that the treatments are effective.
I continue to hang on to Jehovah Rapha - The Lord who heals- from Ex 15:26
Thanks for checkin in!
Hi Christine, My name is Randee,I am Traci Wise mom. Traci told me about your battle with cancer this afternoon, and shared your blog with me. I don't know if Traci has told you, that my husband Doug(Traci's Dad) has Medullary Thyroid Cancer.
ReplyDeleteWe have been practicing many of the treatments you are receiving at Oasis of Hope for many years. Doug was diagnosed in 2004, so we have been battling this for 12 years now. This type of thyroid cancer does not respond to normal thyroid cancer treatment. It also does not respond to chemo or radiation. The cancer can only be removed by surgery. Doug has had about 7 neck surgeries. That is no longer an option because of many layers of scar tissue. Like you I wish we had known more about how cancer grows way back when he was first diagnosed. We have been seeing an integrative doctor since the beginning along with conventional doctors. I sincerely believe it is the holistic approach that has helped get us this far. We went to Germany for a month a few years ago, for similar treatments that you are receiving in Mexico. I understand your frustrations, insecurities, whining, tears and thankfulness all wrapped up together. Doug continues many of these treatments still,(the ones that are not banned by our FDA) thru the "Cancer Center for Healing" in Irvine. Dr. Connealy worked with Oasis of Hope in Mexico up until a couple years ago. I will not write you a book, but just wanted to encourage you on your Cancer Coaster, as we have called it. Many ups and downs. From coffee enemas, whole house chlorine filters, vitamin C drips, paying for supplements and treatments that could have bought you a second home. Removing all plastics from the kitchen, shopping only organic, putting nothing on your body that your wouldn't put in your mouth, infrared sauna, an empty refrigerator, juicing, growing your own food, and on and on. Although you can never go back, and many times you may slip back into old habits, keep fighting. Food is by far the hardest for my husband, and every month or so he struggles to stay on track, especially when the world revolves around food. I will be praying for you, God is the best Healer of all.