My Appointments with Dr. R

June-October 2015

So, I saw Dr. R on June 8.  Even before I had my biopsy and before I was sure there was even one lump on my neck he said something very interesting to me.  He made a statement kinda like this (but not exactly):

"Something is going to happen here in the next month or two that is going to seem quite terrifying and horrific, but from what I can tell it will be just the opposite.  It will be actually a blessing.  I want and need you to keep focused and present and keep up with everything that you are doing to stay healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually."   

So, I felt like he knew something was going on when I saw him again for the first time after my biopsy.  I saw him again on August 15.  I came prepared with pathology reports in hand.  He saw all the papers that were in hand and asked immediately what was going on.  I told him about the lumps and the biopsy results, and he just took me in his arms for a big fatherly hug and gave me the love and support I needed.  It was like he knew just what was needed, and once that was done we were ready to get to work.

He asked me about what I planned to do, and I told him about all of my decisions (diet, scans, Brazil, etc.). He just nodded and then began asking lots of questions about my procedures/biopsies, and then he started on some muscle testing.  He tested me for different therapies including laetrile or B17, vitamin C, and Bach's Flower therapy.  I wan't really strong on either the B17  or the vitamin C therapies, but I did test strongly for the Bach's flower therapy.  

What is Bach's flower therapy?  Here is what I found to help you understand from http://www.bachflower.com/original-bach-flower-remedies/ :

"The original Bach Flower Remedies is a safe and natural method of healing discovered by Dr. Bach from 1920 – 1930’s in England. They gently restore the balance between mind and body by casting out negative emotions such as fear, worry, hatred and indecision which interfere with the equilibrium of the being as a whole. The Bach Flower Remedies allow peace and happiness to return to the sufferer so that the body is free to heal itself."

Well for me I thought this was great.  I already felt that a lot of my diagnosis was emotional or at least not totally physical.  I really feel like my emotions, belief systems, cultural/societal/religious beliefs, play a huge role in my health.  I know this is true for others too.  For example, holding onto anger can raise your blood pressure and lead to heart issues.  This is widely accepted in the medical community.  It made sense to me to do something to alleviate emotional issues to heal my body.  

Dr. R himself did not do Bach's therapy, but one of his partners did.  I will call him Dr. D.  He was able to take a break in between patients and do some tests on me to see if this was really something I could use.  He did his own form of muscle testing and Dr. D came up with the same conclusion as Dr. R.  Not only that, but he taught me a method to help drain excess lymph fluid from my armpit and chest wall area on the left side where I had had 31 lymph nodes removed.  We made an appointment for a few weeks later to figure out the Bach's therapy for myself.  

Before I left the office I reminded Dr. R what he had told me at our last appointment about something happening that would seem horrible and frightening but would actually be a blessing.  The funny thing was he didn't remember.  I thought that interesting, but I did not dwell on it too much as this has happened to me with him on more than one occasion. I left feeling good and positive and very much at peace.

Just before I left for Brazil I saw Dr. R on Oct. 20.  I left for Brazil on Oct. 24.  He usually asks me at the beginning of our appointments if there is anything new to discuss.  There wasn't, and so he proceeded onto his muscle testing.  On this visit he was asking my body questions about why the lumps had shown up and what my body was needed to heal.  He always asks my body the same question in many different ways to see if the answer stays the same.  He commented that no matter which way he asked the question he came up with the same answer.  He said that as far as he could tell the cancer had been sitting in my neck in the lymph nodes since the time of my diagnosis.  He mentioned that he believed it was in sort of a dormant state.  He said that the lumps formed because my immune system had detected the dormant cancer and started the immune response to heal and protect.

One thing that I learned while at the Gerson clinic in Mexico was that the immune system will often start it's work my causing swelling or inflammation.  It is true with most types of infections, etc.  With the swelling a person will often have fevers and redness while the immune system does its work.  From my experience I found this to be true as seen with the lump in my armpit.  That lump started out looking and feeling like an upright barbell.  My body then seemed to put a hard, protective covering around the inflammation.  Over the past two years it has shrunk and has turned from almost two separate lumps into one solid mass.  Little by little it seems to get just a bit smaller and smaller.

This was nice to hear for sure.  It was definitely refreshing news to take with me to Brazil in a couple of days. Before I left, Dr. R gave me something to take along with me to Brazil.  It was a beautiful crystal (I believe aqua marine).  He told me it was mine to keep and that I should keep it with me the whole time I at the Casa of John of God.  Once again I left his office feeling at peace and full of love, optimism, and hope.  

Decisions, Decisions...

August 2015

The day following the biopsy, my sister got preliminary results.  I received the news in the presence of my husband and my parents.  I felt horrible for putting my sister in this situation, but I couldn't take it back, and at least she was understanding and sympathetic to all of my wants and wishes.  She was great and positive even in the face of news that most people would feel were horrible.  

At this time she recommended that I get another PET scan or at the very least have some thermography testing done to detect further evidence of metastasis.  Thermography is an alternative test to normal medical imaging, etc. to find abnormalities/tumors in the body.  Recently I have seen a lot of advertising for breast thermograms in place of mammograms.  It is basically the mapping of heat distribution in the body.  Tumors need extra blood vessels to survive, so it is easy for the thermogram to detect that extra heat.  

She also recommended I do some real research on cannabis.  I lived in Oregon now, and not only was it legal for medicinal purposes with a doctor's prescription, but it soon would be legal for recreational use and growing on your own not just through a medical dispensary.  She explained that recently even the U.S. government and other major scientific journals were admitting that cannabis is great at healing cancer and a myriad of other medical conditions including epilepsy, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and the list goes on. 

Lastly, she told me to really consider traveling to see a man in Brazil that people refer to as John of God. If you have not heard of him, look him up.  He has been featured on Oprah, and more than one documentary has been done on him. This isn't the first time I have heard of him or even considered going to see him.  Dr. R recommended I see a local friend of his and do some sessions with her on a special bed that John of God uses on a regular basis.  Dr. R's friend was given special permission to use this bed and bring one back to the States.  He Muscle tested me on our first appointment together and it was determined it was a good fit for me.  Remember just because one treatment works well for one person doesn't mean it will work well for another, thus the purpose of muscle testing.  (If you are not familiar with muscle testing, look it up.  It is very interesting and helpful especially in my situation.)

Once I had met with Dr. R's friend for a session on her bed, she also recommended that I consider taking John of God's blessed herbs (passion flower).  She explained that all I needed to do was write a description of my issue (cancer diagnosis) and take a picture while wearing white clothing.  Based on the photo and the problem you needed help with, he will bless some passion flower herbs specifically for you and you alone.  I did opt to do that about two years ago, so I was very familiar with John of God at this time.  (If you are interested in learning more about John of God consider going to the YouTube channel "Be Happy Today with Cecilia and Philippe" where they answer FAQ on John of God.)

So it was time to make some decisions about what I wanted to do.  I first of all was going to do another cleanse.  Basically, this meant that I would clear my body of all toxins and poisons by eating only fruits and veggies for a week or two.  I already ate quite a bit of them, but this also means that for a week or two no dairy, gluten, or most all animal products.  I would still allow myself my morning yogurt.

Next, I decided that I would not do a PET scan or thermography for the time being.  After speaking with a dear friend and family practice doctor that also helped me with meditation, etc., she reminded me that doing this creates a lot of fear in my body.  One thing I know about myself is I don't do well when living in fear, and my body tends to feel more fatigue and drop weight quickly when in fear.  It is hard for me to stay in a healthy place when living in fear rather than living in love.  She did ask me if I would change my treatment options depending on what the scans revealed, and I replied that it would not make a difference.  If it didn't make a change on what I would do with treatment, was it really necessary to put myself through it?  Especially if I was just going to expose myself to caner causing radiation to get these results that would not affect what I would do.

Next, I did decide to try the cannabis oil.  I did research along with my sister and brother, and we found a source for high quality FEMCO.  FEMCO stands for full extract medical cannabis oil and there are high standards for the best results possible.  It is made to have both the THC and CBD (which all the research we found stated you needed both to get the desired results), and it is made with a solvent that is safe for the body.  In the past the solvents used for cannabis oil were in fact cancer causing themselves (although they did often see great results for example with the Rick Simpson Oil or RSO), so we were careful to find a good reliable source.  The best part was the testimonials they gave us access to and the daily guidance on how to use it, etc.  Someone checked in with me on an almost a daily basis, and anytime I had questions or needed assistance, they were there to help me.

For me this was a hard decision.  I grew up here in the States, and I was taught that cannabis/marijuana was a horrible drug that was for the most part very illegal everywhere.  I have never used drugs (legal or illegal).  I have never even been drunk before.  Now whether it was right to make cannabis/marijuana legal or illegal was not really the issue.  The issue was more the brainwashing that I received about it.  It was a belief system of mine to not use "drugs", and so it was very difficult to change this belief.  On the other hand, I had read so many studies and spoken with and followed stories of so many people that had been healed with cannabis oil that I just thought it was something I should start.  Another issue was money.  As insurance does not pay for any of this "alternative" treatment, my parents were very supportive and helped me out with it.  (One thing that every cancer patient needs is a great support system, and I have the best one around.  Whether they agree with my choices or not they are supportive of my decisions.  I am so blessed.)

So now my last decision was to whether or not to go to Brazil.  I, of course, really wanted to go, but there was once again the issue of money.  Not only would it be nice to see John of God, but I felt the need for rest and relaxation.  It would be wonderful to focus on me without the need to to take care of my other responsibilities whether it be juicing, food preparation, taking care of kids, etc.  After discussing things with my parents, it was decided I would go.

My mother knew an acquaintance from her Rapid Eye classes that is a guide to John of God.  The best part was that her friend was born and raised in Brazil.  Not only did she know the language, but she could really help immerse me in the experience of the Brazilian culture and help me with all of the paperwork that was needed.  I was so excited for this.  I felt like for me that this cancer was not 100% a physical issue.  I really felt like it was more of an emotional/spiritual issue that I just needed to resolve, and I felt like this was the perfect opportunity.

New Developments

June-August 2015

So....where to start...I will try at the beginning...

In early June I found a tiny bump on the left side of my neck just on top of my trapezius muscle.  The next morning when I went to look for it again, I could not find it, so I thought it was just a swollen lymph node that had resolved and was no longer an issue anymore.  

One week later (June 8 to be precise) I went in for a routine check up with my awesome doctor Dr. R.  Now, he does muscle testing and a bit of energy medicine with his conventional doctoring, and after a bit of the muscle testing he made a comment that sounded somewhat like this:

"Something is going to happen here in the next month or two that is going to seem quite terrifying and horrific, but from what I can tell it will be just the opposite.  It will be actually a blessing.  I want and need you to keep focused and present and keep up with everything that you are doing to stay healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually."

So, this was unexpected, but very intriguing to me at the same time. In the back of my mind I wondered if it had anything to do with the small bump I had felt on my neck, but I pushed that out of my mind.  I promised myself I would keep an open mind, and I went about my business as usual doing my juicing, meditations, EFT (tapping or emotional freedom technique), prayers, etc.  

Now, fast forward to mid June.  Once again I find the lump on the left side of my neck in approximately the same place I thought it had been before, but I can't be for sure.  Anyhow, I freak a little bit forgetting what Dr. R had told me, and I went to my father to check it out as he is also a doctor albeit an OB/GYN.  He felt it noting that it was was very soft and mobile.  He really felt the mobile part was a positive thing and reassured me of this, so I allowed myself to relax.  

After about a week of observing it, I made an appointment for it to be looked at.  I chose to go to my amazing sister as she was local and I wouldn't be able to get in to see Dr. R for another month or so.  So on July 20 I went to Dr. Sister's office for my appointment.  I told her what Dad had said, and she agreed adding that it felt a lot like a lipoma which is a benign tumor of sorts involving fat tissue.   Just to be on the safe side and based on my history of breast cancer, she wanted to get an ultrasound of my neck.  I agreed to it and left feeling better that I had made the appointment to set my mind at ease.  

On the same morning as my ultrasound (Friday, July 24), I found another smaller lump just below the first one.  So I was ready to get this ultrasound done with and get the results back.  Whatever it was I needed to figure it out.  My mind would often wander to dangerous territory, and it was uncomfortable at best.  I also knew that the power of your mind is a powerful thing.  Have you ever heard the phrase "thoughts become things"?

The ultrasound was quick and easy, but I did notice that she took some extra time to make lots of measurements, etc.  As a CT/x-ray technologist I had helped with and chaperoned with a lot of ultrasounds, and I knew what that could mean.  It was usually a measurement of some abnormality or another, so it did make me slightly uneasy.

On Sunday morning while getting ready for the day my fingers wandered to my neck, and I found another small lump just above my left clavicle.  This was something I needed to let my poor doctor/sister know, so when i saw her for a family dinner at my parents', I gave her the news.  She said she hadn't gotten the results to the ultrasound, but she would look first thing the next morning at the office.

The next day was my son's 4th birthday.  I did my best to have an awesome day.  I decorated and made treats and did some fun things throughout the day.  Once Nick got home my younger brother came and took the kids out to have some fun, and lo and behold my sister and mom show up and gave me the following news.  Below is the report.

So, I won't lie.  I freaked out a bit again.  It is never fun to be given unpleasant news especially if it drags up a person's cancer fears, and this certainly did.  I did work hard to keep positive and keep up the healthy routine and lifestyle.  A biopsy was scheduled for the next Monday, and the wait was not fun.  

To make the story short and sweet, the biopsy was performed by a kind radiologist.  He did both a few core biopsies and also a few fine needle biopsies.  Here is the report for the core biopsies: 

I somehow did not get a copy of the fine needle biopsy, but when/if I do, I will post it here.

Here are the reports for both the core and fine needle biopsies:

Frequently Asked Questions

The last few weeks have brought quite an influx of questions my way.  They have come in the form of email, text, and even a few in person.  They have come from friends, family, acquaintances, and even a couple strangers starting their own journey with this thing called cancer.  So I figured why not do a whole blog post with all the questions I have gotten lately?  Well, here it is.

1.  How are you doing?
I have to say I am doing very well.  Physically I feel stronger and healthier than I have for a long time.  (Not that I ever really felt sick to be truthful.)  I have started a new exercise routine that includes not only walking and yoga but also high intensity intervals, jogging, cardio-dance, muscle strength exercises/kickboxing, etc.  Mostly I do this with help from a DVD (Erin Stutland's Shrink Session DVDs).  The wonderful thing about the DVDs is that while doing them, you are also incorporating in affirmations and mantras, and they always end with a short meditation.  It is really uplifting and helpful.  She includes a CD with meditations as well.  She has a very soothing voice, and no matter the time of day, the meditations are a great way to focus more on the moment at hand.  (If you want to hear more about the DVD, check this website out: http://shrinksessionworkout.com/.)

I will admit that I have days where my emotions are all over the place.  One friend put it this way, "Isn't it a roller coaster?"  It sure feels like it some days.  On those days, I just do my best to stay in the moment.  If need be, I do some extra breathing exercises, and often I increase my meditation and prayer time.  Often times, I just need me time.  Actually, I have to have alone time on these days especially.  I know for sure I will usually get at least three 15-20 minute breaks.  (My coffee breaks are my alone time. Haha.  The things we look forward to, huh?)

2.  Have you had any new tests or scans done lately?
No.  My last PET scan was over a year ago (December of 2013).  My last blood draw was February of 2014.  I have not felt the need for further testing, and my local doctor has agreed that it is not necessary at this time since my lump currently is easy to follow and I am not showing any signs of metastasis.

3.  Are you free of cancer?
I don't think so.  For me to qualify as cancer-free I suppose that I would have to go in and have some testing done (PET scan for sure and maybe a couple blood tests).  I still have a lump in my left armpit that we have been keeping a close eye on for over a year now.  It is very superficial and easy to feel.  It is easily measured and therefore easy to see what it is doing.  It originally was shaped like a dumbbell standing upright.  In the last year the lower portion has shrunk significantly, and when last checked by my local doctor, he felt that it no longer was connected to the underlying tissue.  It feels just like a small, hard sliver under the skin.  The top portion too has changed.  It used to be an irregular, lumpy shape, but now it is smoother and more bulbous to touch.  It too seems to be very free floating and if still connected to the underlying tissue, it is not much at all.

4.  Do you still follow the Gerson protocol?
I can't say that I truly am doing the Gerson protocol anymore.  I would say it is more a modified Gerson protocol.  I still eat lots of fresh and cooked fruits and vegetables.  I do now eat nuts, farm fresh eggs from my parents' farm, and also chicken, beef, and small bits of pork from the farm.  I only eat this meat because I know exactly what they eat and consume.  They are all pasture fed or free range animals free of antibiotics and growth hormones.  If my parents cared to take the time to certify it as organic, it would be.  I still make most everything from scratch, and occasionally I will go to a local organic restaurant.

5.  Do you still follow up with the Gerson doctors?
I don't really follow their protocol to the letter, so I don't follow up with them anymore.  It seems silly to call them just to disregard what they recommend.  That is not to say I don't appreciate all they have done for me.  My body needed those 10 months of pure Gerson therapy.  It needed a good cleanse, and I definitely needed to detox.  I got what I needed, and I am thankful for the knowledge I gained from them.

6.  Do you still juice, and if so, how much do you juice?
I do still juice.  It has changed though.  I no longer do juice on an hourly basis like I used to.  Mostly it is because it is so time consuming.  I now do 2 green drinks worth of juice just after breakfast, and then I make 32 oz. of carrot juice with one apple in it.  I drink the green juice immediately as it oxidizes so quickly, and then I drink the carrot juice slowly over the next 4 hours or so.  I then do this all over again in the afternoon once my carrot juice is all gone.  Soon I will decrease the amount of juice I take.  I will always juice though, so I am glad to have the experience and to feel like it is doable on an ongoing basis.

7.  Do you still do coffee enemas, and if so, how many?
I still do them.  I have decreased them to just three times a day.  They are not always enjoyable, but as I said above, they mean quiet, alone time for me.  Plus, they continue to benefit my body and clean the liver.

8.  Would you do it all over again (treatment and surgery) knowing what you know now?
Yep.  I would do it all over again.  Every single choice that I have made.  I have learned so much and feel so great.  I have learned to find answers for myself and go with what my heart tells me is right for me.  The choice to do the mastectomy and my choice to treat the cancer with diet, etc. was the right choice for me, and I wouldn't change a thing.

Don't get me wrong.  I sometimes mourn what I had.  In fact. for the first year after my mastectomy, every time I saw a mother with a baby, or more specifically a breast feeding mother, I would break down in tears.  I knew I would never be able to do that again.  I still miss my breasts occasionally today for more cosmetic reasons, but it doesn't change that I would do it all over again.

9.  Are you enjoying life on the farm?
I really enjoy living here.  It is fun to have the birds singing outside the bedroom window every morning and to hear the coyotes howling occasionally at night.  Sometimes we even see deer, pheasant, and quail wondering around the property.  It is fun to see things grow from seed and watch the animals change before my eyes.  It is great to see my boys explore and learn things here in nature.  It is especially gratifying to watch all the cousins together.  It has been wonderful for my husband as well to get to know the family better and to find his passion in nature.

It has been an adjustment for me in other ways though to be sure.  I was used to living just a couple blocks from the grocery store and other conveniences, so that was and still is a big change for me.  I sometimes miss the hiking and jogging on the green belt or in the foothills.  I miss being close to friends and some family as well, but it just makes going to town all the better.  I feel like I appreciate things a bit more when I do have the opportunity to make the trip.

10. Are you growing most of your own produce?
In the summer we do grow most all of the produce that we need, but in the winter we do have to go shopping.  We have some plans to build an underground greenhouse, and that will make it possible for us to grow our own produce year round.  We are super excited to make this happen.

11.  Why haven't you posted lately?
This is a good question, and it has many answers.  I stay quite busy all the time.  I spend the day preparing food from scratch for myself and my family, juicing, coffee breaking, taking care of my kids, and I now help out with school as well.  We decided to home school our kiddos and the rest of their cousins with the help of their parents.  We all took different subjects, and we all split the work up.  We have a fourth grader, a second grader, and three kindergartners. It has been great (and sometimes very challenging) so far, and all the kids are learning and growing in leaps and bounds.  I am teaching Latin (thank you medical terminology) and science.  It does take time to plan the classes and make lesson plans.

I also haven't had any tests done for over a year and don't have a lot of change to report.  I don't feel the need or push to do so right now.  I have learned to trust my self more and worry less about what the tests and doctors say.  For me, this feels right.

After really thinking about this though I did come up with another answer.  This past year or two has in some ways been very difficult with the passing of some great friends (some just friends of friends or acquaintances or just people that I follow as well) and watching them and their families struggle.  I also have seen so many other people diagnosed with cancer or other chronic illnesses, and it is very hard to watch at times.  Recently, I have also seen many pediatric cancer patients being diagnosed and treated, and that in itself is very hard to hear about and witness.  I know it seems strange, but I almost feel guilty about doing so well physically when others seem to really be struggling and sometimes losing their fight.  I know it is irrational, and so now that I have identified it, I am working on it.  I am a work in progress for sure.

So, if there was an answer that you had that I didn't get around to answering, just leave me a comment.  I will do my best to get it answered for you.  Also, if you have some ideas on things you would like to see me post, feel free to leave a comment on that as well.  Thanks!  Love you all!

From Surviving to Thriving

With the two year anniversary of my breast cancer diagnosis (March 19 to be exact), I have been reflecting a lot on my journey.  Wow.  I have learned so much.  I have come a long way.  I am doing this.  I remember about a year ago on my one year anniversary thinking this same thing.   Who thought that I could still have the capacity to learn and grow even more?  And in such great big leaps and bounds?  It reminds me of the famous quote by Aristotle:

Or the one by Albert Einstein:

My life will be forever changed by my diagnosis.  I will never live life the same way again.  I will always juice, and I will always be very conscious about what I eat.  I will always meditate, and I will always do my best to live in a more mindful and conscious way.  This is okay.  It is even a good thing.  It is better than that.  It is a great thing.  Sometimes I forget how great it is...

I have a great group of friends who ask thoughtful questions or give you a thought to ponder on a weekly basis.  A couple of weeks ago the question/thought was:
Notice how it feels when you say "I have to..." versus "I get to..." about commitments, work, events, etc. Then take note about the results in an area of your life where you find yourself saying "I have to...".  Do you feel a difference?

That was a good thought for me.  I thought and pondered on this for a long time.  I often find myself saying on quite a daily basis "I have to juice." or "I have to make dinner." or "I have to go to school.", etc.  Which after I thought about it, what I was really saying was, "I don't have time for these other things because I have to do this stuff."  I was completely focused on the not so fun part rather than the complete opportunity and privilege that I have to care for myself and my family.  I have the ability to stay home and lovingly care for myself and my well-being and to prepare delicious and nutritious foods for me and my family.  I also am privileged to be able to help with the education of my children and nieces.  I completely lost focus and forgot that not all people are able to do this. What an aha moment for me.

And so I realize that as much as I have learned since my diagnosis, I am still learning.  I will never stop learning and growing.  I am a work in progress.  It just keeps getting better and better.  I now realize that it is not just about surviving my monotonous every day life.  It is about taking that life and making it beautiful and noticing the everyday miracles.  It is about those wonderful aha moments.  It is about living fully and sometimes that means changing your perspective to see all of the amazing-ness (maybe this is not a word since my spell check is alerting me...) that surrounds me.

So I have decided that I am no longer just going to survive.  I have decided that I am going to go all out and thrive.  I am going to enjoy the small things.  I am going to love the journey.  People go along in their everyday lives and they just try to get through their days.  They want to get through their week and to the weekend and then through the holidays and then onto vacation, etc., etc.. Somewhere along the way I think that we forget to truly live and smell the roses and to enjoy the beauties and miracles of everyday life.  At least I do.

So now my goal is to live life to the fullest.  I shall now leave you with a quote from the beloved Maya Angelou who says things so beautifully and whose words explain exactly how I feel.  What a great example of humanity and true beauty.

Thank you Maya.

Life On the Farm

12/15/14

I would have to say the most common thing I am asked about my new life on the farm is "How do you like it?' and the second most common question is "What is it like?"  Well, I like it just fine, and well it is different.  I used to live in a very quaint little neighborhood in the middle of a small city.  If I needed to go to the grocery store it took me all of three minutes to get there.  If I wanted to spend the afternoon at the park with the kiddos and go for a play date it could be done with just a small bit of planning.  At times I get lonely, but I'm not exactly sure why.  I have my family close by and am surrounded by a great support group near and far.

On the other hand here on the farm, I am free from the traffic and bustle of a city. It is so peaceful to be right in the middle of nature and to hear the birds outside my window (and at times coyotes and other hair raising creatures).  It is amazing to see the wildlife from my front door whether a flock of geese, squirrels, pheasant and quail, or even very occasionally a deer or two.  It is so fun to watch the boys with the cows, horses, pigs, chickens, and turkeys.  (The turkeys are no longer with us since last month at Thanksgiving, but they sure did taste good.)

What do I do on a typical day?  Well, my day is almost the same as it was before I moved.  It is just a bit different with maybe a thing or two added in.  I still juice, coffee break, cook my special meals, and the rest of my schedule.  Of course I still run my household and take care of the kiddos too.  I still meditate daily, say my prayers, and do affirmations and read or listen to uplifting books.  Occasionally, I help out with the pigs, but mostly daddy does that.

So what is different?  My oldest is in kindergarten now, and that is sure fun and challenging and amazing to see him grow and just "get" things.  To see that light bulb just turn on with understanding is awesome.  Kids truly are sponges.  We did choose to home school, so that is a bit different, but luckily I have help.  My sister with three girls and my brother with one daughter are also doing this.  This allows me to teach my subject (Latin!) just two days a week.  My sister, her husband, my sister-in-law, and another brother (who kindly volunteers his time) teach the other subjects (reading/language/literature, math, geography, and history/civics).  We do school Monday through Thursday and then save Friday as the "Fun Day" with activities that include (but not limited to) art, spirituality, science, cooking, recycling, and more.

Another change for me is that I have started to exercise more than just my gentle yoga and walks.  I have now started some heavier cardio like jogging and kickboxing.  I don't overdo it, and it feels good to workout and sweat a little bit.  I take it easy for the most part and listen well to my body and stop if I need to.  Everyday that I work out I can do a couple more minutes easily.

Many ask how my health is, and I have to say that I am great!  I feel amazing.  I am healthy and free from sickness and bugs.  I have good energy when I go to bed on time.  My family practice doctor, Dr. R., just saw me last Thursday (after three months since I am doing so well), and he is very pleased.  The small growth we have been watching in my armpit for over a year seems smaller!  It was the shape of a dumbbell that was standing upright, and on this last visit the lower part had shrunk quite a bit.  It moved easily and did not seem to be attached to any underlying tissue.  The top part also was improved.  It had moved easily in months past, but in the back it still seemed to be slightly attached to the underlying tissue.  On this visit he said if it was still attached it seemed so little he could not tell.

It is not all rainbows and butterflies of course (I have some major mood swings and can go from happy to sad to mad to frustrated in about two seconds), but life is good.  We are blessed and in a good place.  We learn so much from day to day and grow on all levels at an amazing rate.  My hubby has a job that supports us (even with the one hour drive there and back), and we have the best support system out here.  We have all that we need.  Thank you to all of our friends and family everywhere that help us even if it is just with well wishes and prayers.  We feel them, and they are appreciated.

February Labs and March Consult

3/5/14

So, this is a bit late, but better late than never.  My last consult was on March 5th with Dr. Cervantes at the Clinica Nutricion y Vida.  It went much as the other consultations have gone, and that is usually uneventful. Gratefully all labs look pretty good and I am feeling well too!

No mention was made about my sensitivity to potatoes.  I did notice that eating them even without the skin upset my stomach.  I could get away with it sporadically without trouble, but everyday seemed to cause issues.  I didn't have to really worry about all of my other sensitivities as they are not quite so important in my treatment.  I did mention that I had started eating some nuts and bone broth.  Although he wasn't excited about it, he didn't say anything about stopping them either.  

So we will begin with the CBC (complete blood count) and differential.  Basically these two give us the totals of all the different components that make up the blood as the name would suggest.   

From these results we are looking good.  Everything seemed within normal limits and he made the comment that I was not anemic at all, so that was good.

Next we have the Comprehensive Metabolic Panel or the CMP which will help determine your body's chemical balance and metabolism.

The only thing of real concern here is a slightly low glucose or blood sugar, so Dr. Cervantes suggested that I have a small piece of fruit between meals to keep it up.  Such an easy remedy.

Now for the UA...

Nothing of interest here...

Onto the thyroid with the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), T4 Free, Anti thyroglobulin AB, and the thyroid peroxidase AB.  (I will explain as I go.)

Well, Nurse J had suggested that I have my thyroid levels more thoroughly checked this time just because she thought it seemed to be a bit enlarged after a physical check of the area.  She suspected that it was fine since it felt smooth and non-lumpy, etc.  She just wanted it to be sure since in the past I had some fatigue and malaise.

Here is a short refresher on how the thyroid works. The hypothalamus releases TrH or thyrotropin releasing hormone.  This stimulates the pituitary gland to release TSH.  This in turn produces T4 or thyroxine by the thyroid.  The "free" T4 then influences the production of T3 or triiodothyronine by the thyroid as well .  The amount of free T4 in the blood then in turn tells the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland how much TrH and TSH to produce.  (Did you get all of that?) ;)

So for the TSH and T4 free...

TSH or thyroid stimulating hormone is the most common test for thyroid function, and as we can see it is normal or at least within range here.  

As stated above the T4 free measure the amount of thyroxine in the blood which also helps determine the thyroid's function.  It is normal of course!  ;)

So, because of my slightly enlarged thyroid found on physical examination, the next two test were ordered. Theses are considered thyroid antibody tests.  Antibodies are created by your body, and these ones more appropriately are made by your blood cells called lymphocytes.  This is a type of white blood cell which just happened to be within normal limits.  Often your body can start working against you especially when you have an autoimmune disorder or just something as simple as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.  Your body can sometimes begin to manufacture two very common antibodies that will either stimulate incorrectly or damage the thyroid. These two antibodies are called thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin.  (Much more information can be found on these tests if interested.  Just Google them.)

Thankfully everything seems to be within normal limits.  Dr. Cervantes was surprised to see these ordered, but said it does no harm to test, and we did see some good results.

Now for my vitamin D results.  In many women with breast cancer the vitamin D can be quite low, so Dr. Cervantes suggested I take at least 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 when taking my flax seed oil in the morning and evening.  In fact, some studies have shown that high vitamin D levels may increase breast cancer survival in general.

These result are quite good compared to the last vitamin D result of mine.  Here we can see my level rose from 39 last time to 58 this time.  Yay!

Now for my lipid panel or cholesterol levels which have been quite low altogether.  Low is usually considered good, but you do have your "good" cholesterol or high-density lipoprotein (HDL) which should be kept up.  You do have your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol to keep on the low side though.

Once again my LDL is very low, but then so is my HDL or "good" cholesterol.  It is up slightly from 40 to 42 as compared to my last test though.  (You gotta look for humor and positivity where you can.) ;)

All the results really aren't too bad.  Of course, there is always room for improvement which I strive for.  I'm not going to stress it too much though as I feel great and know my body is doing exactly what it should be doing to heal itself.

Now for the new daily/hourly schedule...

Here are my new changes:

1.  Increase potassium to 2 teaspoons of potassium, but do this in only six of the drinks instead of all the apple/carrot juices and green juices.
2. Have a piece of fruit in between meals to bring glucose back up

Dr. C was very happy with the results.  I was happy as well, and already I felt re-energized and rested from being able to just be at home to take care of me.  I am truly blessed to have so much love and support behind me at all times.  Thank you one and all. So excited to see more progress!