Cancer Update

December 27, 2012

I can hardly believe Christmas has come and gone—It has been one of my best Christmases ever because I didn’t have to leave on Saturday night to go to work! Every cloud definitely has a silver lining behind it. I did miss my Northside friends, and hope and pray everyone remembered the true meaning of the season and was touched by the beauty of the nativity story. Its true meaning is what gives me hope as I travel down this road of the hardest journey of my life— fighting cancer!

Going to Eden Valley was truly an awesome experience! When I got there I had to have help getting out of the car, but while I was there my strength was definitely renewed! The people were truly awesome and as we cried, laughed and prayed together I was healed emotionally and spiritually. The routine was very relaxed and it was wonderful to be able to sleep and sleep and sleep. I drank enough carrot juice to turn me orange, kale juice and wheat grass till I’m sure my body was oozing health from every pour! I never knew vegan food could be so good but their food was truly delicious!! There was a Far Infrared Hothouse Dome in my room that I used several times a day which the results are similar to radiation without the harmful effects. Every evening I met with Suzanne who was my wonderful therapist and I took a “hot bath” that superficially raised my temperature to 103⁰ to 104⁰. The research behind this and the infrared is that getting the internal organs above a certain temperature helps to kill cancer cells. Gradually my energy returned and I began walking more and more every day until I was able to climb two mountains while I was there. The first one was a four mile round trip with a 1,400 feet altitude gain and the second three and a half miles with 1,200 feet altitude gain. Those experiences as I viewed God’s great creation from the summit were exhilarating. This experience always makes me think of one of my favorite Bible chapters—Isaiah 40:

“.  .  .Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,
Measured heaven with a span
And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure?
Weighed the mountains in scales
And the hills in a balance?

Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Friday morning after returning home, I went to my see Dr Nadeau, my new oncologist who I am extremely happy with. He called later in the week with his update after meeting with the radiologist and his team of oncologists—they all agree that my kind of cancer is consistent with a Cholangiocarcinoma.  Also, after having the CT reviewed they assured him there is not a mass on my pancreas.   The interesting thing is that Cholangiocarcinoma has an annual incidence rate of 1–2 cases per 100,000 in the Western world. Of course I would be the one to get the rare kind of cancer-ha! Cholangiocarcinoma is considered to be an incurable and rapidly lethal malignancy unless both the primary tumor and any metastases can be removed surgically. No potentially curative treatment yet exists except surgery, but most patients such as myself, have advanced stage disease at presentation and are inoperable at the time of diagnosis. I am planning on starting chemo January 3, 2013. My sweet sister-in-law, who is a nurse anesthesia, has gotten deeply involved in my situation, and is going to every doctor appointment with me. When you hear the doctor taking about only ten to twelve months to live, I kind of zone out and miss the rest of the conversation! I do believe in miracles though and hope the holistic things I have been doing will help. I also believe that God is the true physician and the more serious my situation the greater the miracle IF He chooses to heal me. The most amazing thing is the sense of complete peace I have which I KNOW is due to the constant prayers which have surrounded me! I cannot begin to tell you how much I love you all and how much the cards, emails, phone calls and facebook comments have meant! I have the most amazing family and friends and your love, support and prayers are carrying me through!!