I was just diagnosed with lymphoma after finding a lump in my neck

[turiya]

David Ansible - this is someone that I would trust to know what he's talking about...

Iodine Kills & Prevents Cancers
This file:
http://tinyurl.com/Iodine-Kills-Cancers

Contents:


Introduction Overview
Factors controlling Cancers
Diet
Liquids
Immune System
Body PH
Iodine
Insuring Success
The FAILURE of Chemotherapy & Radiation
Get started now, read the details later
Introduction to Iodine For Cancers
How to Take Iodine
Here is the Dr. Brownstein Iodine Protocol.
Books: Curing Cancer with Iodine
Cancer Testimonials - Successfully Treated with Iodine
Comments on Cancer from the Curezone
Cancer Research related to Iodine
Links to Iodine Research:
Breast Cancers & Progesterone
The Immune System must be Optimal
Stop Drinking or eating anything with Fluoride
Vitamins for Cancer:
Vitamin D3 Geltabs ( or plenty of Direct Sunshine) are essential for the Immune System
Body pH must be Optimal
Don’t Eat Foods that cause health problems. Surprise - Dr. Davis has proven that wheat has a serious impact on the immune system & causes a Pandoras Box of health problems: http://tinyurl.com/Wheat-Health-Problems
Special Report: Cancers & Iodine
Cancers THRIVE on sugars
What do Doctors Recommend for Cancers?
Iodine has been proven to kill cancer cells via the Immune System
The Silent Epidemic of Iodine Deficiency
There may be hope for those with cancers
Iodine & Cancers
Iodine & Skin Cancers
Iodine Mixed with DMSO
Thyroid Cancer
Best Doctor Links to Cancers & Iodine:
Dr. Buist
Dr. Flechas
Dr. Brownstein
Dr. Dach
Dr. Derry
Dr. Kovalik
Dr. Sircus, “Prostate Cancer – Treatment Choices”
Brophy Clinic - IODINE THERAPY - IODINE THE UNIVERSAL MEDICINE
Dr. Cousens Iodine – Universal & Holistic Super Mineral
Dr. Mercola - Prostate Cancer Treatment Choices
International Veritas Association - Bring Back the Universal Nutrient Medicine
History proves Iodine to be safe & effective
Special Report by Gabriel Cousens, MD, MD(H), DD
The Iodine Museum - History of iodine
From 11th Edition of Encyclopedia Britannica 1910-1911 ( Brownstein 2006:8 )
The Early History & Discovery of Iodine by International Wellness
Jock Itch & Dandruff
Iodine Cautions
Hashimotos
Skin painting with iodine
Detox
Iodine is not a health problem
Bottom Line:
Work with an Iodine Trained Doctor
Iodine Web Site

Index To All Grizz Files

Best of luck...

[onevoice]

Hi, David.

In March of 2016, I was diagnosed with a gallbladder cancer. At the time I didn't know that I had a cancer, I was very healthy, having been vegetarian for about 20 years at that point. I went into ER for what I thought was acute stomach pain. They found blood in my urine so I was admitted. About a week later, they had to completely remove my gallbladder. During that week was the most painful week of my life where they had to administer the strongest pain medication they had available.

According to:
https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/...cer/statistics:

The 5-year survival rate for people with stage 0 gallbladder cancer is 80%. Stage I cancer means it is found only in the gallbladder. The 5-year survival rate for stage I is 50%. About 1 out of 5 gallbladder cancers are diagnosed before spreading outside of the gallbladder.

I was in stage 1, so according to the above, my survival rate would have been 50% for 5 year survival rate. After being discharged from the hospital, I consulted 3 oncologists, and everyone of them said I needed strong chemotherapy right away. Luckily I had already been researching alternative means to treat cancer, so I decided to put my faith in alternative natural treatments instead of mainstream medical treatments. My main cancer protocol was taking 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 4 ounces of water twice a day, along with Curcumin with bioperine, and 500 mg laetrile or vitamin B17 made from extract of apricot seeds. I did that for 3 months, and the first MRI 3 months after being discharged from the hospital showed diminishing cancer nodules in my lungs. Another MRI 3 months later showed hardly any detectable levels of cancer. 6 months, later, the MRI was not conclusive of finding cancer. With each successive MRIs, my results got better, and the last several MRI didn't show any detectable signs of cancer anywhere.

Although I have been a vegetarian for the past 22 years, the few years before 2016, I did have a bit of sweet tooth and ate lot of pastries and sweet desserts. After my bout with cancer, there are many scientific studies that show strong causal relationship between consuming sugar and getting cancer. Of course sugar is not the only contributer to cancer. I think the strongest inducer of cancer is past traumatic emotional stress. In my case, I was chronically abused physically and verbally by my foster dad mainly and also by my foster mom as well during my childhood. During those times, I felt helpless and I felt losing my dignity each time I was physically abused. Ever since then, I have repressed my anger from those abuses and I believe that repressing my anger was the prime contributor of my getting gallbladder. There are lot of research that draws causal relationship between past emotional trauma and resulting in various cancer, with organ corresponding to the type of the emotional trauma experienced.

You mentioned that you experienced past emotional stress. I believe that was the main cause of your getting cancer, perhaps along with your sweet tooth, as I think it was the case with me.

So if your think you have some time to deal with situation, I would suggest giving what I tried for perhaps a month or so. I read from many places that chemotherapy have about 50% effectiveness rate. That is not a good rate. Andreas Moritz wrote the book "Cancer Is Not a Disease - It's a Survival Mechanism":
https://www.amazon.com/Cancer-Not-Di...andreas+moritz

In the book, Andreas Moritz makes compelling case that cancer is not really a disease, it is a culmination of inflammation.

Many research also shows that dealing with cancer needs to be approached from emotional, spiritual, mental, physical as well as diet aspects.

I wish you well.

[David Ansible]

Thanks Onevoice (and thanks to turiya too for the very interesting information).

Onevoice you have an interesting hypothesis about the emotional distress. I believe it may have played a role.

"My main cancer protocol was taking 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 4 ounces of water twice a day, along with Curcumin with bioperine, and 500 mg laetrile or vitamin B17 made from extract of apricot seeds."

Interesting. I will probably end up trying multiple modalities. The protocol you mention is something I will most definitely look into. Also looking at intravenous vitamin C, various mushrooms such as turkeytail and Chaga , ozone therapy, elimination of most sugar (still eating greens), frequent multi-day fasting (sigh!), insulin potentiation therapy (very low dose chemo preceded by insulin to "open up" the cancer cells), iodine, and so on.

It takes a lot of guts to resist three oncologists! And I have read some horror stories of people who have refused chemo and then had the cancer metastasize and, for example, in one case, eat away the person's spine. Very, very sad. Then I hear accounts such as yours that are very hopeful. For me, I *think* I am going to take 6 months following the news of what I am actually dealing with (i.e. PET scan results), and do everything I can to cure or begin to reverse the cancer. If I can't, then I suppose I will submit. Now, if the doctor tells me that I best do chemo right now or else, then the decision becomes more difficult. It is very, very difficult to know what to do.

[CurEus]

I really wish you the best through this.
There are a lot of highly intelligent and engaged people at Avalon that do posses a tremendous amount of wisdom and capacity to help. I expect your personal inbox may be soon filled with genuine guidance and support.

You have mentioned fasting which as I understand is a highly valuable and effective means to reassert a healthy state. I am also aware that a ketogenic diet can arrest cancers but it does not necessarily produce a remission/curative state alone. This is quite difficult to achieve as exclusively vegan. I probably differ from most Avalonians as I am not even remotely vegetarian BUT I would produce a caveat, in your situation I would probably aim towards a vegan fasted state. Juice fasting may be something to consider.

Sometimes the body requires some assistance be it B17, Cannabinoids, a Budwig diet, Vit C, MMS........there are dozens of alt therapies as options.
Well....I'll say it. Anything that is medically banned is probably worth looking into when the pharmacological options are no longer options.

I really hope your journey through this goes well.

[spade]

I'm totally with Bubu on this one - please listen to this short video and see it from a true doctor's perspective - 10 Questions to ask before starting cancer treatments.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=zScMj14mUI8

I have a simple question to ask you - how is your bowel movement each day? if you can increase your bowel movement to about 3x a day, subsisting on a fairly vegan diet - brown rice, millet, potatoes, some fruit (not too much due to high fructose), carrots, beet, celery. (no dairy, no fermented foods, no fried food, avoid meats), with B12 and B50 supplementation for energy - drinking lots of distilled water and jumping on a rebounder (for the lymph nodes to flush out) 3x a day. check back the size of the lumps after a month of being on this... before asking this chemo question again. The key to the body healing itself is the cleanse.

[Tomkoyote]

David:
If you decide to go the alternative route post back and mention if where you live you have access to chinese herbal stores (a Chinatown maybe?) and/or east indian stores.
Please note you can't combine alternative treatment with conventional treatment, it will not work.

[Justplain]

Hi David, very sorry to hear of your diagnosis. My mother-in-law has been suffering for the past year and a quarter from a combination of breast cancer and heart attacks/failure. She was so weak she couldnt even consider chemo or radiation, though she wouldnt have chosen either. My wife has been researching and trying quite a few different remedies and seems to have found a few that are helping.

My mother-in-law's heart condition has been primarily combated by allopathic medicine supplemented by vitamin c/lysine, coenzyme q10, amino acids and calcium/magnesium. Her heart condition has improved lately, which is encouraging.

For her breast cancer, she has been on medical cannibis since early on, as well as pacreatic enzymes, but recently she has been given echinacea extract, curcumin (tumeric) as well as a combination of green tea extract (+ amino acides + vitamin c) which really appear to have knocked the tumors for a loop (knock on wood).

Hope you find the combo of treatments that works for you.

[David Ansible]

Posted by spade (here)
I'm totally with Bubu on this one - please listen to this short video and see it from a true doctor's perspective - 10 Questions to ask before starting cancer treatments.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=zScMj14mUI8

I have a simple question to ask you - how is your bowel movement each day? if you can increase your bowel movement to about 3x a day, subsisting on a fairly vegan diet - brown rice, millet, potatoes, some fruit (not too much due to high fructose), carrots, beet, celery. (no dairy, no fermented foods, no fried food, avoid meats), with B12 and B50 supplementation for energy - drinking lots of distilled water and jumping on a rebounder (for the lymph nodes to flush out) 3x a day. check back the size of the lumps after a month of being on this... before asking this chemo question again. The key to the body healing itself is the cleanse.

I will watch the video. I didn't even know there was a a B50. Most say B17 for cancer. There is so much information, much of it conflicting. For example, you talk about Potatoes and beets. These are high carb. Some would say stay away because cancer love tumors. James McDougall (MD who is focused on diet) would say no added oils and a low fat diet. Lots of legumes and so on. This is contrary to the extremely low sugar approach. So it is tough to really know. I hope this video tells me what a "rebounder" is, because I have no idea. I do know, however, that I really, really want my lymph nodes to flush out those lymphocytes!

[Chanie]

Posted by David Ansible (here)

Posted by spade (here)
I'm totally with Bubu on this one - please listen to this short video and see it from a true doctor's perspective - 10 Questions to ask before starting cancer treatments.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=zScMj14mUI8

I have a simple question to ask you - how is your bowel movement each day? if you can increase your bowel movement to about 3x a day, subsisting on a fairly vegan diet - brown rice, millet, potatoes, some fruit (not too much due to high fructose), carrots, beet, celery. (no dairy, no fermented foods, no fried food, avoid meats), with B12 and B50 supplementation for energy - drinking lots of distilled water and jumping on a rebounder (for the lymph nodes to flush out) 3x a day. check back the size of the lumps after a month of being on this... before asking this chemo question again. The key to the body healing itself is the cleanse.

I will watch the video. I didn't even know there was a a B50. Most say B17 for cancer. There is so much information, much of it conflicting. For example, you talk about Potatoes and beets. These are high carb. Some would say stay away because cancer love tumors. James McDougall (MD who is focused on diet) would say no added oils and a low fat diet. Lots of legumes and so on. This is contrary to the extremely low sugar approach. So it is tough to really know. I hope this video tells me what a "rebounder" is, because I have no idea. I do know, that I really, really want my lymph nodes to flush out those lymphocytes!

I believe a rebounder is like a mini-trampoline. I know my friend who had the lymphoma for fourteen years used one.
See: https://www.chrisbeatcancer.com/rebounding/

[David Ansible]

I mentioned that I am on the 6th day of a water fast. I know that there have been threads relating to water fasting here at Avalon.
I believe water fasting to be extremely good for the body. I want to mention a study that I looked at but intend to read much more carefully. A woman with stage 3a low-grade (whatever that means) follicular lymphoma went on a supervised 21 day water fast. Following the fast her lump was no longer palpable. She appeared cancer free. The protocol also required a strict plant-based diet. She complied. A follow-up study 2 years later, and still no cancer. She was fine. This is a cancer that is supposed to be incurable, and is one of the lymphomas I have. Keep Fasting!!!

I will post links to the papers later for anyone who is interested.

Edit: I would also mention that while fasting I have had zero night sweats, which is unusual. Also, the lump has decreased in size. I do not know what the decrease means (it had reduced and enlarged again before). But I do not know that this decrease is NOT the fasting, especially considering some of the research on fasting and cancer. So, I will fast and keep fasting. Probably only 7 or 8 days this time (for one thing, the PET scan coming up will include a glucose injection which will break ketosis). But I intend to fast regularly, maybe even 21 days at some point soon.

[spade]

Great news on the decrease in size! Try the rebounder if you have access to one as well... water is the worlds best cleansing agent! Get those sewer systems (lymphatic) flowing to clear the gunk out.

[David Ansible]

Posted by spade (here)
Great news on the decrease in size! Try the rebounder if you have access to one as well... water is the worlds best cleansing agent! Get those sewer systems (lymphatic) flowing to clear the gunk out.

Thanks Spade. I am going to get one.

[PathWalker]

Beloved David,

You are in great position and strength to handle the cancer challenge.
You are responsible to your health, you are very aware about your body, your care about your body, you have self discipline, you do your research, you are open to learn, you are asking for assistance, you are reaching out.

There are probably more actions you take I did not mention. All in all you are taking action, and you are sovereign to your decisions.

Avalon is great place of miracles and magic if you just allow/ask/permit members (and readers) for healing. I was assisted with healing in Avalon in my dark times 2 years ago.
I did not find your explicit request for healing. If you do want healing. Please request explicitly.
You will be amazed, on the immediate effect.

Here are my suggestions:
In every crisis/challenge there is growth opportunity.
I humbly assume/suggest that your health challenge is physical manifestation of emotional trauma and past anger. It could be from early childhood and you can not remember the drama at all. But the hurt with the feelings accumulated and reside in the body.

Dealing with emotional trauma can be very challenging, it requires mental strength, and emotional strength. Willing to dive into your unpleasant emotions, and confront with your shadow feelings. Eventually dispersing them all.

For instant remedy, I suggest healing sessions with prime spiritual healers such as Jerry Wills and Daniel Metraux. Please research both and listen to interviews with them.

Also you can take conventional psychology/emotional therapy and it will take longer, but you will have more "control" over the process.

I have full confidence in your ability to heal.
Ask and you will receive.

Love
Joy and happiness
PathWalker

[Bubu]

Posted by David Ansible (here)

Posted by Bubu (here)
Hi David, You said you were a very healthy person doing exercise, fasting, avoiding sugar and all. But apparently not. apparently you been doing something not right. What could it be. First step to solving the problem is knowing what exactly is the problem. My understanding is that most cancer is cause by accumulated toxins. Its the cells mutating to survive in an unfavorable environment. cleansing (primarily blood cleanse) I recommend. My father was diagnose with stage 4 prostrate cancer at 74 he is now 90, didnt have a single chemo or radiation. My neighbor was diagnose with cancer around 2 years ago I told them my dads story. She never had chemo or radiation she is now also cancer free. Chemo could be the worst thing you could do. First thing you should do is fire your doctor they dont treat this kind of disease. A friend who have been taking my herbs once requested some for a doctor friend from the cancer institute because she had a cyst. She said that doctors from this cancer center with cyst or lumps dont take chemo or radiation. WHY? But of course they have to have their patients undergo such treatment because according to medical protocol its the right thing to do which means that not doing it endangers their license.

Bubu, it is possible that actions from years ago caught up with me in some way. Who knows. In my twenties and early thirties I may have been a little more "dissolute" than ideal. Also, I had profound experiences beginning in 2011 which deeply depressed me for a time. In brief, I suffered "interference" of a sort that brought me to a site like Avalon! Interaction has continued in seemingly automated form. I have become rather reticent about talking about it honestly.

Anyway, I spent a lot of time in an extremely sedentary state and gained many pounds. Thus, I went from 148 to 180 or more and back to 148. So, while I have, I believe, been doing things right for a few years, this could be past issues and events coming back to haunt me. But I would also admonish you to an extent if you don't mind: Environmental factors can (more than) conceivably cause health problems for people. It is not all a matter of "doing things right." There is such a thing as exposure to carcinogens after all. I would refer you to the asbestos example in my earlier post.

If you have information on what your father and neighbor did to avoid chemo / radiation, I'd be more than happy to know about it. Edit: I see you said "blood cleanse." I can look it up. But if you can offer a brief description, that would be great. Thanks!

http://cses.auburn.edu/weedscience/w...rass-plant.jpg

I normally use goose grass for cleanse because it is fairly abundant in our place but based on my studies sheep sorrel and burdock root has very similar characteristic. Also try Neem. boost your immune system with ganoderma mushroom or turkey tail mushroom. I would agree with you to environmental factor. But I have seen people living in the worst environment and they are glowing with health, Somehow their very healthy body is able to ward the toxins. I would suggest Listening more to your senses. Rather than the publish articles from health guru. You are your only health guru. I have watch my preferences evolve through my health journey. It is very different in every stage. Nowadays I normally start my day with a puff of marijuana and then lie on my hammock and meditate to beautiful music like tuning in to my core and then I would ask what would I want to do if I get hungry I can immediately pinpoint my what it is that my body wants. I tried to be a vegetarian a couple of times it just not for me. Also the longest fasting I had is only 35 hours. If I went longer I feel my cells dying. But my style suits me so well. I am my only health guru. Get more sun and swim on salt water. Its magical from my experience.

My dad simply had a lot of health foods mostly juices. Digesting takes a lot of energy which can be diverted to repair instead.

Most importantly cast away the fear it blocks your communication with yourself. Acceptance would be the right word I guess. One of my dads friend told me while dad is battling the cancer " I admire your dads courage, His jolly nature didn't change a bit as if he had no cancer at all". I would say birth and death is the law of nature. Have fun while you are alive while you are sick.

[BMJ]

Hi David,
You might find this link below useful:

Link: https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post565160

Quote:
"It took some time, but one by one they started to identify these sugars by their proper names,
and from where these sugars were derived from.

Here are their names,

GALACTOSE
GLUCOSE
FUCOSE
MANNOSE
XYLOSE
N-NEURAMINIC-ACID
N-ACETYL-GLUCOSAMINE
N-ACETYL-GALACTOSAMINE

SO HERE IS A MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGH

IF THE DNA IS THE KEY TO LIFE AND A
BLUEPRINT OF WHO YOU ARE...

THEN THE OPERATING PROGRAM OF THE HUMAN BODY HAD JUST BEEN
FOUND.

What does that mean? It means that by using these 8 sugars for communicating, a damaged cell
would pass information to your genes and then to your blueprint of who you are - the DNA.
The instruction would be passed to have that cell replaced according to your blueprint.

The whole of the alphabet can be tapped by the Morse code by dots and dashes and the
software operation of a computer is run by a binary language of on's and off's, so with different
combination of these 8 sugars, the instruction runs into millions of bits of information that
keeps the body in check with the blueprint, the DNA..

They found that all communicating was done by touch, and that all the messages were
transmitted between the cells by these sugars.

Well what other purpose would that have?

HOW ON EARTH CAN YOU CARRY A CANCER FOR 10 TO 15 YEARS AND YOUR
BODY KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT IT, YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT
AND WHEN IT SHOWS UP, ITS 90% THERE AND YOU ARE FIGHTING FOR YOUR
LIFE?
HOW COME THE BODY DID NOT KNOW OR DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?
BECAUSE YOUR CELLS ARE NOT COMMUNICATING

Are you beginning to see the importance of this breakthrough?

They found that when you are communicating properly, your immune system is strong and high, but when your cellular communication was poor, your immune system is low, and left you in a dangerous and open position. Your body is easily attacked and vulnerable from outside sources and from internal mismanagement."



Also see the Sarah Westall interviews discussing C60.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtO...M97yt5EHacdpKw

[Angel of the Mists]

Hello David
I read this thread yesterday, and I have been thinking about you ever since. I am writing as a nurse (and have also done some training in Naturopathy), but also as someone who's partner was diagnosed with Low-grade Follicular Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) just before Christmas 2016. He is not into 'alternative' 'treatments, and went down the Chemo route (although interestingly if it hadn't worked, would have considered cannabis oil treatment!). He is now feeling better than he has in years, and his Lymphoma is in remission. His energy levels can be a bit variable, but that is the only side effect I see, and these are improving all the time.
Every patient is different, and doctors do tend to have their own views, but I believe there is a place for all treatments. It is about balance. And there is also no underestimating the power of your mind over this. This power can be both extremely positive and extremely negative.

Michael did not have radiation. The chemo he had was not the sort that meant hair loss. He wasn't sick, because he was given medication to combat this. He had an injection every three weeks, for a 4 month period.
One thing he did do was 'visualisation' although he would deny that! But he pictured the chemo working in a positive way, and his body working with the chemo, rather than resisting it.

He would say he doesn't remember much about that period. I remember him being in a sort of closed bubble. It was like both he and his body shut down. Which is to be expected.

From my viewpoint there are three key words to consider: Belief, Trust and Love.

In my experience all disease, and especially cancer, is routed in some form of negative emotion that has not been processed or dealt with, for example, anger. Simplistically, if the anger is not 'dealt with' outwardly and appropriately, it turns inward and starts to affect the cells in our bodies, eventually manifesting as some form of disease. I say this gently and with love.

There are two books I have found very helpful: Love, Medicine & Miracles, by Bernie Siegal and You Can Heal Your Life, by Louise Hay.

Fear is the thing that any form of cancer thrives on. It is only natural that we experience fear, when we do not know what the journey ahead holds. That is why I say love is so important. Love can help us to let go of fear. And here, within the Avalon Community, you will find (and already are already experiencing) that love and support But also love and approve of yourself. Be happy to be you. Know that you are good enough just as you are. Allow yourself to both receive and express joy.

I send you love and healing energy David. And in the stillness, may you find peace. And whatever form of treatment you decide on, be well! There is still so much we have to do, and you are a part of that!!

Angel of the Mists

[Foxie Loxie]

Thank you, Angel , for writing that beautiful post! I'm sure David will derive much goodness from it!

How are things going, David! KNOW that our thoughts & good intentions are with you!

[pyrangello]

David, I just read all the posts here. Next week I will be seeing a friend of mine who had 4 different tumors at one time, she treated them with am intake lifestyle change and an assortment of vitamins and herbs for 2 years by herself. She is cancer free to this day. I also have another friend who was given a terminal diagnosis 2 years ago, he went to Canada to visit a healing church and was greeted with a congregation who prayed over him. His doctors can't explain what happen to the cancer, its gone. Just like president jimmy carter who had brain cancer, the prayers came pouring in from around the world and the tumors are gone. If you would like to talk to my friend who did the lifestyle change PM me. You will be in my daily prayers until you are better whatever path you have decided. Daily intake does seem to be a common theme here with the Avalon family so I would check that box. Keep us updated, much support here from all over the world .

[David Ansible]

Hello All – This is a bit of a blast from the past I suppose, but after all these many months, I want to provide an update to any who might be interested, and so I will get right into it.

So I ended up deciding to do chemo. Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma can sometimes be cured through chemo, and so I thought it was my best bet. I suppose I felt that my 2 seven day fasts in a month and consumption of a myriad of supplements did not seem to be having as immediate an effect as I would have liked. And, as the cancer had spread throughout my lymphatic system and may have been on the verge of invading my bone marrow and other organs, it seemed that time was of the essence.

I also acknowledge personal weakness as a possible influencer. It is difficult when people who care for you really want you to go the conventional route. For me, that psychic pressure was hard to bear. Also, my oncologist told me that I would die without treatment. Yes it is *possible* that in my case he might have ended up wrong. He also could have been right. I am sure the statistics would support his prognosis. Most people would die without chemo. So, I think even without the influence of family, I probably would have chosen chemo. Again, this type of cancer is more amenable to conventional treatment than others, and permanent eradication of the cancer is possible.

Also, I should mention (and may have mentioned already, not sure) that my sister’s husband’s sister had stage IV cancer and was given almost no chance of survival. She went through really tough chemotherapy as well as alternative treatments such as intravenous vitamin C. More than five years later and no cancer. So I am wary of simply “picking a side” and going with it in these matters. There are horror stories and “miracle cures” in both camps.

Anyway, so this is going to be a long post. In subsequent posts I will respond to some posters whose messages I did not see. I frankly stopped coming here during the chemo process and for several months following as well.

I want to emphasize that if I do not respond to your post, this in no way means it is “less important” or not meaningful to me. I have read every post here, and am very grateful for your thoughts and prayers.

Okay, chemo. So that was 6 rounds, the final of which was in late January 2019. The first round was hard. I did not realize that I should be on anti-nausea medicine from the get-go, so I was vomiting. After I figured out the medication routine, I never vomited again. I was also so constipated (tmi?) that I blew out blood vessels in my eyes. I was quite a sight to behold for a week or two. After that I pre-treated with a laxative and that part resolved itself as well.

I don’t like thinking about the chemo. It is like a hypnotic trigger. One of those substances was this red color, like koolaid actually. I can see it passing through the tube into my body, and I actually start to feel it as if it is happening.

After the first round I became severely neutropenic. My white blood count went way down, into the danger zone. Good thing I did not get an infection during that time. After that, they put me on a drug that boosted my white blood count.

On the good side, I will say that immediately following that first treatment my lumps dramatically reduced in size, so that was encouraging.

In some ways the whole process, which was 6 treatments spaced 3 weeks apart (actually the final treatment was more than a month after the 5th treatment due to illness – more on that later), is a blur to me. There was a rhythm to the ordeal. The first week was unenjoyable. The second you still aren’t thrilled. The third and you are starting to feel better and then they hit you again.

I remember finding food bitter to the taste. I of course lost all my hair (I had begun shaving my head anyway due to encroaching baldness, but I became really, really bald). There is also just a general feeling of unwellness that is difficult to describe, and perhaps even recall.

I had shooting pains in my jaw. I especially remember this after the first treatment. I developed some numbness in my fingertips (neuropathy) which worried me. For the final treatment, they cut the dose of one of the drugs to help prevent further development of that issue. I became quite a bit less nimble with my fingers. I would occasionally drop things and had difficulty locking the deadbolt on my front door. Not sure if this was neuropathy or just weakness.

My handwriting became shaky and spidery, such you might associate with a very old person.

I had a cough that lasted for many weeks, with congestion. They were worried about lung scarring from one of the drugs. Eventually I began having high fevers and, it is hard to overstate this, massive night sweats in which everything became visibly soaked. I lost my voice almost completely. I simply could not speak.

Finally, I sent the medical team a picture of my bed / swamp, and they ordered a CAT scan. There was no lung scarring but there was pneumonia and atelectasis in both lungs. In layman’s terms, I think this means that both my lungs had partially collapsed. My doctor told me that the issue could actually have been cancer invading my lungs, so, all in all, no lung scarring or cancer in the lungs, this was a good result. They put me on a strong antibiotic and the issue went away, just like that.

I will skip forward a bit. In March I had a PET scan to gauge the effects of treatment. Waiting for those results (it took about a week perhaps) and then finally knowing they are there and the “suspense” of clicking on the app to see what they are, this was unpleasant. But the result was positive: No sign of disease. Also, I was still, if I am remembering correctly, having minor night sweats at the time so I was not at all sure what the results were going to be.

Following treatment I went to the gym to try to begin the process of functioning again on a normal level. I got on the elliptical machine for I think 3 minutes on level 1. That was all I could do and I had to take a break halfway through. Part of the problem is I was able to work from home during the chemo, and I hardly got any exercise at all during that period. Before chemo, I could sometimes manage level 14 for 30 minutes, just as a point of comparison.

Now I am in much better physical condition. I have taken up Ashtanga Yoga. If it is good to take up something that embarrasses and humiliates you due to your manifest incompetence, then this has been good for me ; ) Honestly, though, it has been quite beneficial I think.

I have forsworn anything with added sugar. Obviously this means all candies, pastries, etc. It also means most breads, pasta sauces, cereals, and so on. I am pretty strict about it. My aunt made me soup and I checked and the bouillon had added sugar. Yes I still ate the soup, but I felt a little bad about it. I find it easier to be strict than slightly permissive.

Once a month I do have a spinach and feta omelet with hash browns. So I am not a vegan on that day. Other than that, I mainly eat quinoa, vegetables, tofu sometimes, Ezekiel bread, beans, olive oil, seeds and nuts. Avocado too. A little bit of fruit here and there.

I continue to have night sweats sometimes, mainly minor ones. I had an appointment with my nurse practitioner last week, and she did not seem overly concerned. The nimbleness in my fingers has returned, and the neuropathy has dissipated radically. Day to day, I do not notice it in the slightest. It is effectively gone.

I recognize that I am not out of the woods, as much as I hate to say it. There are risks, even decades in the future, that arise from the chemo treatment I underwent. These risks do not mean inevitable outcomes, just risks. Heart failure is one. Secondary cancers is another.

In this context, I would like to respond to something PathWalker wrote: “Avalon is great place of miracles and magic if you just allow/ask/permit members (and readers) for healing … I did not find your explicit request for healing. If you do want healing. Please request explicitly. You will be amazed, on the immediate effect.”

Avalonians, I do request your healing intentions should you be so willing. I would like to be healthy, strong, and full of life for many years to come. I have much that I would like to do and experience. I appreciate and am grateful for any assistance you can provide.

Anyway, I have some cancer books and dvds that were bought for me. I keep thinking that I will read these and undergo various preventive treatments. The downside is I would so much rather think about life and my plans for it, than cancer. I find it a big downer to think about cancer, as you might imagine. The headspace is not that great.

Nonetheless, I will definitely do high vitamin C periodically and other supplements as well. I do not have the motivation right now to fast for days on end, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be a good idea to do this once or twice a year. We’ll see. I do prefer to eat!

As it happens, tomorrow I get my port removed so it is kind of a milestone. This artificial thing protruding from my chest will finally be excised from my body. So that is a good thing.

So there you have it. Hopefully this was of interest to someone! I am thankful for all your posts and suggestions. Just knowing that you were concerned about this person you have never meant, mattered to me. You have my gratitude.

[rgray222]

Thanks for the update. Sounds like things are moving in the right direction and that's wonderful. I had a very serious bout with cancer about 8 years ago. Someone said something to me which I hung onto. Simply put he said......."most people today live with cancer, they don't die from cancer." Sadly that is not true for everyone but it enriched my thought power and made me feel I was going to live through it and not die from it.
It also caused me to remove negative people from my life, I even went so far as to stop people in mid-conversation and tell them not to continue with a morbid or deeply negative story they were telling.

As an FYI, long after I was declared cancer free (about 2 yrs later) I woke up one morning and told myself I was no longer going to be defined by my cancer. For two years it consumed my life and I needed it to be out front and I needed to process all the information and emotion that goes with cancer but there will be a time to say no longer.

My thoughts are with you and about you having a healthy, strong, and full of life for many years to come.