I forgot to add today's good news to the blog that I just wrote...
Last week they did my tumor markers. They had been creeping up, from the 5.7 to 6.1, then to 6.3. I didn't want to ask the nurses what last weeks CEA was, since it looked like I was developing another resistance to the chemo, thus the increase in counts. I just didn't want to hear the number 8, 10, 20 or ??? So I wimped out and waited until this week to ask (with fear and trepidation) for our records. Turns out it hadn't gone up at all, and stayed at 6.3. I had only been on the IVC/K3 protocol for a short time (1 1/2 weeks) when they did the blood draw for that, so it was exciting to hear. I'm hopeful that next week it could be an even better report, with higher doses of both C and K3 building up in my system.
Tim Murbach, the ND, also has a homeopathic protocol that's been used for cancer with success, and is willing to begin that as well. We ordered the remedies, but maybe I will wait a bit and see how this treatment works first. I'm so ready to be done with all of this, I want to throw everything at it, but I don't want to overwhelm my system. So maybe I'll let he and Jonathan figure out timing. That's the scoop. ooooh to be off chemo. So far Jonathan says "No". I can understand that, but it's hard to want to go in there some days!! I'm wanting to plan for a detoxing sauna and some other stuff to get rid of the chemo that's floating around in my body-I know it's done a good work in buying me time, and I still need to build up my system. But it would sure be nice to feel all those toxins out of there.
Con't prayers for effective healing, patience, tolerance of all of this, and that gas prices would go down. Yikes! Also for finances to keep up with the output. Pat got a good review and a bit of a raise at work, but this a lot.
Thank you!!
Jeanne and the gang
Thursday, May 18, 2006
IVC update...
I'm on the 3rd week of IV vitamin C treatments, and it's going well. The naturopath started me on 12 1/2 grams the first day, 25 grams for the next 2 treatments, 50 for the next 2, 75 for the next 2, and I did a blood draw last week to determine if it's at a therapeutic dose yet. Tomorrow we should know, and we'll do 10 weeks at that dosage, twice a week. If it's not at the right level, we'll either keep going up, or reduce it. Herbman Jonathan and Tim, the ND, have me taking 6 grams orally of VC/day, along with 60 mg of Vitamin K3. Since I'm tolerating the IV vitamin C well, I've begun adding K3 to my IVC days as well, to maximize the effects. I could possibly get up to 500 mg. on these days. There are no side effects that I can tell, other than today I have a ton of energy, and feel really good. And I had chemo this morning. How wierd is that. My eyelashes stopped falling out I think. There are a few left :D So...we'll just keep plodding along, finding what to do next at each level. Dr. Kenyon will be gone the entire month of June. He gets to go to Germany for the World Cup soccer games. I've got an app't set up to see him the 2nd week in June, and he'll probably have me get scans at that point. That will add some variety to sitting in chairs being tethered to IV lines for 3 days in a row. It takes a little longer that I was thinking-about 10:45-2:30 or 3 on Wed. here in town, then chemo Thursday from 9-12, and Friday a drive to Tigard, and the treatment from about 1:30-5:30 pm and a rush hour drive home. Hopefully I'll be able to see my brother up there at some point. He's had a job in Washington, and we've had plans lots of times, so we haven't connected as well as would be fun.
For the Wednesday treatments, it's at an office that I previously did massage out of. Some past clients come to visit, the acupuncturist stops in to say hi, as well as massage therapists and a chiropractor. Pat sometimes is able to come eat lunch with me, and another friend has shown up every week with snacks, a foot rub, and a good chat. Wow! Nicole and Valerie have been trading off on Fridays, coming up to Tigard. It's about a 1 1/2-2 hour drive, so we get some one on one time. The other kiddos may rotate in there as well soon as well as a friend or two. The Tigard office has students, so I get to tell them total untruths about how they should practice, and mess with their heads a bit. They're a lot of fun, and a neat group of people. I believe they all are scheduled to graduate in about 5 weeks. Tim oversees them, and is helping them get licensed in IV therapy. He in turn gets mentoring by a woman who teaches IV therapy at the Portland Naturopathic College. So I feel like I'm getting good treatment. He has to be there on Fridays, therefore so do I. The treatments evidently work best scheduled with chemo in the middle.
Funner stuff:
The lemon tree has 25 baby lemons! Artichokes are growing crazy fast, but don't know if we'll get chokes or not from them. They were hit pretty hard in the freeze. Chard & onions are growing great, and the peas are past knee high. The second planting is about 1" tall. Very cute. About 18 tomatoes are in. Yum. Potatoes are coming from random plantings over the last years. Looks like a good year for the cherries, apples and pears if the birds are tempered.
The end of the school year is here with events...Last weekend Sarah and Valerie had a violin recital, and this next weekend each of them has an orchestra concert, Nicole and Valerie have another bell choir concert, Dan has a track meet near Portland, and I've got a baby shower. I think after this, it theoretically tones down a bit. Noone needs to be tested for homeschooling this year, so they're happy happy.
I think that's all for now...
Blessings to you,
Jeanne
For the Wednesday treatments, it's at an office that I previously did massage out of. Some past clients come to visit, the acupuncturist stops in to say hi, as well as massage therapists and a chiropractor. Pat sometimes is able to come eat lunch with me, and another friend has shown up every week with snacks, a foot rub, and a good chat. Wow! Nicole and Valerie have been trading off on Fridays, coming up to Tigard. It's about a 1 1/2-2 hour drive, so we get some one on one time. The other kiddos may rotate in there as well soon as well as a friend or two. The Tigard office has students, so I get to tell them total untruths about how they should practice, and mess with their heads a bit. They're a lot of fun, and a neat group of people. I believe they all are scheduled to graduate in about 5 weeks. Tim oversees them, and is helping them get licensed in IV therapy. He in turn gets mentoring by a woman who teaches IV therapy at the Portland Naturopathic College. So I feel like I'm getting good treatment. He has to be there on Fridays, therefore so do I. The treatments evidently work best scheduled with chemo in the middle.
Funner stuff:
The lemon tree has 25 baby lemons! Artichokes are growing crazy fast, but don't know if we'll get chokes or not from them. They were hit pretty hard in the freeze. Chard & onions are growing great, and the peas are past knee high. The second planting is about 1" tall. Very cute. About 18 tomatoes are in. Yum. Potatoes are coming from random plantings over the last years. Looks like a good year for the cherries, apples and pears if the birds are tempered.
The end of the school year is here with events...Last weekend Sarah and Valerie had a violin recital, and this next weekend each of them has an orchestra concert, Nicole and Valerie have another bell choir concert, Dan has a track meet near Portland, and I've got a baby shower. I think after this, it theoretically tones down a bit. Noone needs to be tested for homeschooling this year, so they're happy happy.
I think that's all for now...
Blessings to you,
Jeanne