Loss of an old friend

Dear Family and Friends,

I'm continuing along on my healing journey,

But it is time to say good-bye to Ira Coltan, my friend and ex-husband and father of my wonderful children.
Ira was in great pain during his hospital stay, so we are happy that he is now free from the pain.

Ira was a lifelong smoker, and was able to smoke until he entered the hospital.  No one knew that he had extensive cancer throughout his body, and that the tumors in his brain were hemoraging.

We'll alway remember Ira for his unconditional love, his generosity, and his laughter.  He always enjoyed the home-cooked meals that Tanya or I would make.  Although his passion was bridge, he could occassionally be talked into a game of chess, and be amazed that Tanya or George could beat him at a game that he used to excel at.

We will miss him.  And we wish him well on this next journey.

Here's a photo of him taken at Tanya and Mike's wedding in Mendocino a few years ago.

We lay his body to rest on Tuesday, November 24th, His body will be on a knoll in the sunshine.  It's a place that Mike and Tanya have walked to before with the dog.  I'm sure they'll be visiting it to say hello every now and then.

Love to you all,

Carol

Labor of Love

Well, I was a bit optimistic about the kitchen.  George says that by Thanksgiving it should be done.  The granite is down, the appliances all work, and he has made great progress on building the drawers.  Here are some photos: 

It is great to be home!  I arrived late Friday night, to find that Mike and Tanya and Seth had already been hard at cleaning the house, especially the bedroom and my office.  They returned on Saturday to empty out the office and office closet, clean the bones, and then coax me into letting go of some of my acquisitions.  Man, I certainly hold on to "things".  The family was gentle on me and my peculiarities,  and the results are spectacular.  The office is friendly, usable, and set up for my needs.  And as if that weren't enough,  Tanya raced out to make dinner for us: homemade soup and delicious salad!  Couldn't have been better!

I'm still coughing a bit, but that is to be expected.

And I am so grateful for the labor of Love that my family has done.  Thank you!

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