I got my PET scan results last Tuesday. I'd deem them not good, though some might say mixed. My lung mass was the same. The mass they found on my 6th or 7th rib (depending on which report you read) is slightly smaller, but now there's another mass on my sternum of about 7 mm, about the size of a pencil eraser. My doctor said there wasn't enough regression to jump up and down and bring in the big guns (his words). He tweaked my treatment a little. I had already dropped the herceptin. He wants to start me on a pill that I take daily for 3 weeks, then a week off. I can't remember if he said it did the same as the Herceptin, or the Zometa. I'm thinking the Herceptin. He also wants to add a shot (that I'm thinking replaces the Zometa) that I would get once a month, along with the other shot.
While I was there, I mentioned that we had a mix up with them putting his associates name on an authorization for the PET. I had gotten a bit excited at first (didn't tell him this) because his associate believes in taking diet into consideration, a more holistic approach. I told my doc that since he's only here 2 days out of the month, I'd like to go ahead and switch. It was a hard decision, because I've had this doc for 7 years. But, I've also been in treatment for this round of cancer for a year and a half. It's time to try something different.
I've been eating lentils almost every day. I made a humus out of chick peas (garbanzo beans) and I'm using it for a dip. Not bad. The first time I had one (they were soaking, and I wanted to see if they were tender enough), I suddenly developed a craving and ended up eating a whole handful, in one sitting. My body must recognize that I need it.
I got my book in, A World Without Cancer. It's been an interesting read so far. I won't go into detail, I'm not a book critique, but it's well worth the read. I'm a bit disappointed, as it's all trying to convince someone that this is legitimate therapy, when I'm already convinced. I was expecting a bit more about what foods to eat, etc. I did learn that the medicine form of Laetril is even more safe than the natural foods. You can't buy it in the US, only through mail order, and I understand it has a label all in Spanish. That's OK, I'll have someone I know interpret it for me. I know lots of people who speak Spanish. So I ordered some.
I have noticed a bit less pain. The pain had been in my shoulder blade and cervical spine. It's now mostly gone, unless I overdo it a bit on housework. Yesterday I managed to move all the furniture in the living room and vacuum under them (turned the recliners over on their backs, moved the end tables (4 of them) to vacuum under them). It's nice to be able to do housework again. I can't wait to see the results of taking actual Laetril. I haven't decided if I'll tell my new doctor or not. I suppose I'll feel him out a bit by starting a conversation on alternative therapies, maybe ask his opinion.
I had always heard that once it went to stage IV, there was really nothing you could do but make the patient comfortable. My mom (who is a nurse and lives a 12 hour drive away from me) always sounds so sad when I talk to her. I try to keep it upbeat, because I know that's what she's thinking, too. It's just a waiting game. This book talks about clinical trials, and how they're not really testing different drugs, but trying to find the dose that will treat or kill. It throws a really bad light on pharmaceutical companies. It makes it sound like the only reason this won't be considered a cure is because it's a food/vitamin/supplement that you can't really patent. The drug companies make more money selling poison that doesn't work, or even increases the number of people that need it, than they ever would with Laetril. We shall see.
That's why I started this blog, to document my efforts to cure myself. Just think, if Obamacare gets fully implemented, all of us over a certain age may be treating ourselves, because the doctors will be giving us pain pills and making us comfortable until the end comes.
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