The bottom line

OK, OK,  I've procrastinated as long as I could.  I hear you ask:  "How will we know that you are truly healing, and not just placating our need to know?"  So I'm going to attempt to answer this question, for you and for me.

It's not the cough, which appears and disappears to it's own rhythm, and changes sounds, mucus evacuation, and such at will.  And since the cough could be bad (irritation) or good (eliminating dead cells), we'll just have to wait and see.

Good news!  The night sweats that I was having for the last several months are completely gone, and have been for over a week.  That is a very good sign.

There's the cancer marker, I think it is CA125,  but it is really too soon to see a big difference in that.

So I think that we will all have to wait for the next 3 months, while I take the supplements, until we have the results of the next CT-scan.  Don't want to have one too early,  because X-Rays have their own dangers, and a CT scan is the equivalent of 180 X-rays.   Then we will compare the results of the September CT-Scan with the February CT-Scan.

With that said, I want to state unequivocally that several of the modalities we are using can by themselves eliminate cancer.  If you would like to do some research, I've put together a set of links for the analytically minded, and would be happy to email it to you on request.  And I'm feeling good.  And I'm optimistic and determined.  And I'm well supported by you, my family and my friends.  And I'm accepting all of that love that you are sending to me.  Thank you!

And now on another topic:  the underwear in the tree is no longer there, and not in sight.  I'm sure the groundskeeper wondered why someone would leave underwear on the ground, once the wind shook it loose from the tree.  We'll let that be our little secret!

I'm half packed, as I leave tomorrow.  My last session at Stella Maris Clinic, and then I receive 3 months supply of supplements and a schedule on which to take them.  I'm going home to a real kitchen, I hope.  Michael, George and Pat are connecting plumbing and electricity, so that the sink, the water filter, the stove, and the dish washer will all work.  I am so excited!  I will take photos and post them to this blog for all to see!

Seth surprised me and said that he is driving up for the weekend to help me organize or clutter clear in any way he can.  My next post will be from California!!

Quiet times

Howdy, family and friends!

My blog has been quiet, reflecting my weekend and my routine.  I have lots of time for thinking, reading, resting, and doing "stuff" on the computer.

I had a bit of a diversion on Sunday,  when the Avenue of the Heros was closed to car traffic, and a little folk festival was put on.  Troupe after troupe of kids in costumes showed off the dances they were learning.  Part of the street was for skateboards,  and there was a track for bicycles and kiddie cars.  I left at the mini dog show, and found a guitarist to listen to.

Mexico ends daylight savings time a week before the US.  So I've set the clocks and am in the new time zone.

My last hyperthermia treatment is on Wednesday. It's IVs as usual thru Friday, then wrap-up, check-out, shuttle to the San Diego airport, wait patiently, fly home.

We've discovered that my coughing seems to correspond to the amount of vitamin C in my body.  Since Vit C is water soluble, what isn't needed goes out with your urine.  So I thought I was coughing more in the afternoon, when I was tired,  but we're trying oral vit C now.  I had my first dose at 4 pm, and did well for almost 2 hours.  So dosed again at 6, and again at 8.  Takes a few minutes to get circulated, but much better than coughing!

Sorry my post isn't more exciting these days.  Quiet times.  Love,  Carol

Tijuana "round-abouts" figured out

Howdy,

Still the same routine, with me as the only patient.  The change is that I am having much more energy, and am walking back from the clinic each day.

So today, I thought I would tell you about the "round-abouts" in Tijuana.  When Seth and I first came to Tijuana, we clutched our hands together, white-knuckled, at the driving.  Cars didn't seem to stop for stop signs, they didn't want to stay in any recognized lanes, it felt like we were playing grown up bumper cars.  There are several such round-abouts on Avenue of the Heros, where the clinic and the hotel are located.

Then John explained the rules of the round-about to me,  and after observing cars closely for this week, I think he is correct.  Seems like the guy in the center of the round-about has the right of way.  So if you want to take an exit, you try to get to the center and then barrel through to the exit.  Not like at home,  where if you want to take an exit, you politely go to the right hand lane and signal.  Nope, if you are in the right hand lane, you are watching the cars on your left because they have the power.  And when there is a break in traffic, then you either take your exit or try to get to the center of the round-about.

Another thing about Tijuana is in the grocery stores.  I started noticing that people were tipping the baggers.  So I asked my driver at the hotel about it.  The baggers are usually unemployed folks who are not paid by the grocery.  They survive on the tips.  So now if I have a bagger, I tip.  Remember,  a peso is about 1/12 of a dollar, less than a dime.  So you can imagine what a centavo is worth.

I have completed 2 weeks of treatment, and will be winging my way home next Friday, Oct. 30th.  To George, and to my new kitchen!!  George and his brother Pat, with help from George's son Eric, have been working on drawers.  The granite guy came and put down the countertop granite, and I hear that it is beautiful!  They will come again on Monday and put in the backsplashes and window sill.  This is very exciting!

Once home, I will be taking lots of supplements and doing some other treatments.  Then I will probably have another CT Scan to see how I am doing.  And go from there.  I can always come back to Tijuana for continued treatments, if necessary.  But I'm looking for cure, and that will take some time.

Thanks for all your good wishes!   Love,  Carol

In the Routine

Hi Friends,
It's Tuesday. Saturday John, the patient from Thailand, rented a car and we drove to Ensenada for the day. We walked the tourist street, checked out the restaurants, had lunch, and returned. Nothing much of a day, but we were both exhausted.
John's last treatment day was Monday, and today he came to the clinic to collect all the going-home supplements and documentation, etc. He flies out early Wednesday morning, and then I will be the sole patient at the clinic. John has been a good person to talk to, and a good reflection of how I need to reassess my priorities if I'm going to do the things I say I love to do.
The routine at the clinic is easy: Ophelia attaches the first IV bag, Carmen brings the breakfast, then Ophelia changes the IV bag as each one empties. If it is a hyperthermia day, then I change into a hospital gown and after breakfast I go into the hyperthermia setup. An hour or so of heat and sweating go on, and then I am wiped out. After hyperthermia, I change into a different, dry gown, and then it is time for lunch. After lunch, I usually have a coffee enema, which cleanses the intestines and stimulates the pancreas and liver. Then I can get a ride back to the hotel, or take a nice walk for about 9 blocks and enjoy the sunshine.
Once at the hotel, I check my email and my messages, and relax. Once a week I do laundry at the laundromat. 29 pesos for wash and dry. At about 12.5 pesos per dollar, it is just over $2.
I may go to a restaurant for dinner (usually fish) or use the rice cooker to cook in my room. Tonight John and I are going to dinner together. Then I'm back in the room, and usually in bed by 9 or 9:30, unless it has been a hyperthermia day.
Hope you are all doing well. Thanks for following me on this journey.
Love, Carol

All about the Stella Maris Clinic in Tijuana

Today we are taking you, if you have the patience, through the Stella Maris Clinic in Tijuana. We are using video, so there will be no airfare charges.
Come meet the staff:



And now we talk with Dr. Alvarez



And a bit about my day:



Bye for now! Carol

A view of my room at Hotel Lucerna

Another day, another treatment.  This was a hyperthermia day, and again the coughing was significantly decreased for most of the day.  Seth is here now, and we have made a little video of my environment in Tijuana. 

Hope you enjoyed the show.  Thanks for all your love and comments!  Carol

Hyperthermia and enzymes work

Well team,  the hyperthermia and enzymes worked,  and the coughing diminished significantly, and I slept really well last night.
   Today's treatment was just the IV's, the coffee enema, and the good food and supplements.
   My friend Larry took off for Los Angeles this morning, and Seth will rejoin me here in Tijuana tomorrow (Friday) and stay for the weekend.  So for my dinner companion tonight, I went to the fish restaurant across the street with John, the other patient at the clinic.  We still have to train that restaurant on "clinic" cooking, but the fish was excellent, and they gave me a nice salad with my dinner, so I was very happy.
   Yup, eating well!!  And enjoying every day, IV's and all.  The IV is not painful, and the catheter that they put in yesterday is good for one more day.
   George said that it is raining in San Rafael.  His brother Pat is coming down to help for a week, and his son Eric is coming on Monday to get his dad and his uncle up to speed on making drawers and doors.  Thank you, Thank you.
   All is well here, and I expect to sleep well tonight and continue with my healing journey.  Love to you all,  Carol.  And good night, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.

Stepping the treatment up

  My blood test report came in yesterday.  I was a might low on several of the blood items and high on platelets.  But my liver and pancreas function looks good.  So yesterday I was given 4 IV treatments (up from 2) and some additional pills to take.  Today, I had my very first Hyperthemia treatment as well.

   Let me describe this treatment.  There is this machine, see, and it looks like a table with a shiny reflective top, an end, and a far side.  The table is padded, and after you lie down, your standard IV is attached, a finger pulse reader is attached, a probe is put under your left armpit, another probe is put under your right armpit, any jewelry is removed, and all the missing sides are put up.  Looks a bit like a soft side iron lung.  Then the heat goes on.  For 30 minutes or so, the heat constantly rises and the victim constantly sweats.  Then the heat reaches the desired 104 degrees,  then the heat is maintained for a looong time,  while every pore in your body sweats.  Then gradually the sides are lowered and you lie there weakly until you have cooled off enough to sit up.  So your vital signs have been monitored and your body has wilted.

   I feel like I am still wilted.  I raise my energy level enough to eat, but I'm ready to rest again (and it is only 7:30)!

   It looks like I will repeat this performance tomorrow since the catheter is still in place.  The objective is to stop the coughing or slow it down.  I'll report more another time.

  And now, to bed, sleepy head!

Moving into Tijuana

Well, friends, the move to the Tijuana hotel went smoothly.  The shuttle from the motel on the California side took me and my luggage to the elevator of the medical office building, and then the shuttle from Hotel Lucerna and the driver carried my luggage from the doctor's office to the waiting van, and then a smooth hand-off to the waiting bellhop,  who escorted me to my room.
   So here I am in the beautiful Hotel Lucerna Tijuana, overlooking the swimming pool.  Of course I have a (small) balcony.  Larry Levine found his way over the border and arrived at 3:30 this afternoon  to keep me company.  We took a walk up the Avenue of the Heroes to the large Shopping Center (very upscale), and then across the street to the grocery store, and then back to the hotel, because I was ready for dinner.  We dined in one of the restaurants in the Hotel Lucerna, and then went upstairs.  He to fight with his internet connection and me to update this blog and respond to emails and phone calls.
   The doctor is still going easy on me while he does the detox procedures and waits for my blood test to arrive.  It should be here on Tuesday.
   I'll keep you posted.  Love,  Carol

First day of Treatment

Well, folks, after Seth and I toured 3 clinics (2 day clinics and 1 stay-in clinic) we settled on Stella Maris Clinic, and I started my first treatment today.  Stella Maris is a small clinic and very clean.  For the most part, the patients are on comfortable rocker/recliners, receiving their IV drips and being served fresh squeezed juice and fruit - really breakfast and lunch.  Patients are treated 6 days a week by Dr. Alvarez and his nurse and the cook, and then they have Sunday to themselves. 

   Seth and I have been staying in San Ysidro, in a motel-6 type place that provides shuttle service to the clinics in Tijuana.  The best part is talking with the other passengers on the shuttle.  The worst part is the patience a person has to have to cross back into California from Tijuana.  Today's trip took the longest yet:  1 1/4 hours from the time we arrived at the border station until we got out of the bus and into the processing building.

   Tonight we have moved upscale, to a Howard Johnson's express in Natonal City.  No little itchy things in the carpet.  Tomorrow night we will probably go back to the place we started from, and then Monday when I travel to the clinic, I will take my baggage and transfer to a very nice hotel in Tijuana,  the Hotel Lucerna Tijuana.  Seth leaves Sunday night (back to work, his job is done) and Larry (Levine) is coming down to take over on Monday.  You would think I was a delicate creature!

   Friday afternoon, after our tour of the 3rd clinic in Tijuana, we met up with Melissa and Vlad, who are dancing aboard one of the Carnival ships based in San Diego.  They had a few hours free, so we met for a late lunch, and then took a walk to a "pocket" park that Melissa had stumbled upon.  We really admired how green and trimmed the grass was, until Seth declared that it was artificial.  Yep, pretend grass.  It looked real, even felt real.  Melissa and Vlad look good, strong, and trim.  They also left over half their lunch each to have for dinner.  Not so Seth and I.  Hmmmmmm

   So if you want to know more about the clinic and it's treatments,  check out stellamarisclinic.com.  Here's a photo (from Seth's telephone)  of Melissa, Vlad and I sitting on the fake grass.

   And here's one taken with my cell phone having the IV of vitamin C and laetrile.  (I'm really much better looking then this photo shows:)  There were 2 other patients being treated, a guy from Australia, and a second guy from Thailand who was originally from Australia.

   By the way, my pretend phone is not working all that well.  I can get the message, but if I pick up the phone to talk, sometimes one or both of us sounds very underwater and not very understandable.  I'll let you know if we come up with something different.

  Lots of love, and thanks for all of your support!

New phone number without any surcharge

George drove me to the airport, and I had an easy, uncrowded flight to San Diego.  Seth drove down and met me at the airport,  and took me to our motel.  We exchanged some bills for Pesos, had dinner at Coco's (Goumet?  no no no), and came back to the room to work on the computer.  Lo and behold, Seth had purchased a Magic Jack and a telephone, and now I have a land line through the computer.  My new telephone number, complete with voice mail, is 415-251-3097. If you are on AT&T cell phones, then just call my cell phone number (415-497-5894) and it should automatically forward and hopefully still be a free call. Most likely I'll be near the phone in the evenings.

    After we completed our technical challenge of the evening,  we took a dip in the hot tub.  The weather here today was mild (76 or so) and calm, although it is not always this way.

    This motel offers free shuttle service to several of the Tijuana clinics,  so we will use it tomorrow to go to our first clinic, Stella Maris Clinic,  and then take a taxi to the second clinic, William Hitt Center, and then possibly go to the Rubio clinic, which is in that area.

    So starts the healing adventure!  Wish  me well!!

From the start

I returned from the family reunion in Boston very aware that I was coughing way too much.  I had assured everyone that I was fully covered with medical appointments as soon as I returned to California.  And I was.  I had a CT Scan scheduled for 9/4/09,  and a gynecology appointment for the following week.

   It was the CT Scan that was the key.  It showed that whatever remnants existed from the ovarian/uterine cancer they had removed  in August, 08, had metastasized to my lungs.  The gynecologist asked me if I would like to know the results of my CT Scan,  and she read it with me.  Things happened fast after that.  I told Mike and Tanya at dinner that night, and called Seth right after they left.  Kaiser had set up an appointment for Friday with the oncologist, and my old oncologist called to find out if I would prefer to drive into San Francisco to see him, or if I was comfortable seeing the new oncologist, closer to me.  Seth said he was driving up Thursday night to go to the oncology appointment with me.  We went to the oncology appointment, viewed the CT Scan, and there they were, multiple flecks all over both lobes of my lungs.  No wonder I had been coughing.

   We liked the new oncologist.  He was honest, and seemed to care about me.  He said that chemo would not cure me (too many spots) and that there was no target for radiation.  He said that he wanted to support me in any way he could, whether I chose to have chemo or not.

   Mike and Tanya had us all for a family dinner that night.  It was good that Seth had been there to hear the prognosis and ask questions, so there was no pressure to have chemo "just in case".  Plus Seth and I were so sure that I could heal from this, that this was just a wake up call to take better care of myself.

   Now in my case, taking better care of myself really means having more fun.  I spend a lot of time in front of the computer, but not a lot of time listening to music or dancing or playing.  I eat healthy, but not 100%.  I exercise, but I am usually last on my list of priorities.

   This challenge was no different.  I went to my favorite alternative healers, read everything I could read (but not necessarily retain), started popping several different supplements, doing a couple of anti-cancer programs, and checking in with Seth 2 to 3 times a day.  I am so aware of the amazing support from my family and friends.

   We are opting for a cancer clinic in Tijuana, Mexico.  They are able to do things there that are not permitted in the United States.  We have been studying blogs and websites to determine which of the many clinics we are interested in, and which modalities fit with our beliefs.  As of today, we have narrowed the possibilities down to 3 clinics, and I have tickets to fly to San Diego on Wednesday.  Seth will meet me there and we will check out the clinics and the lodging, and pick one.  Most likely I will stay there for the 3 or 4 week program.  Hopefully I will come home even more improved and healed.  I'll try to keep this blog updated every so often.

   My goal, to live a healthy and vibrant life.  I love my family and friends.  I love my husband and my home and my environment.  Thank you for being part of it.

   While I am in Mexico,  email will be the best way to contact me.  The cell phone is very expensive.  I'll let you know if we come up with any other options.