Sunday, July 29, 2012

What an extremely busy time we have had this past week!  A trip to Portland for a Dr. appt and shopping took one entire day.  Besides that, several consultations with Dr. Daniel and the regular chores that need doing took the rest of the time.

Leland is doing fairly well at present, but tired most of the time.  The nausea still is troublesome, but we have a remedy for that which is very helpful, so at least he is not suffering from that all the time.  Interestingly, hunger manifests itself as nausea to him, so I try really hard not to make him wait for meals.  If he gets hungry too far ahead of time a few raw almonds seem to  help.

We completed the cleanse yesterday, all 6 days of it. We were both pretty tired of juice with a lot of fiber and only raw foods.  However, I think it accomplished the purpose of restored bowel function. ( dysfunction brought on by the Zofran generic)

We are still waiting for Leland to be able to get his blood work done, and waiting to find out where the MRI will be done-in Portland somewhere.  There was an office snafu, but a phone call on Friday got it straightened out, so hopefully the blood work will be done this week, and the MRI sometime next week. 

My brother asked me a valid question on Friday which was "If the natural treatments make him nearly as sick as chemotherapy, then what is the difference?"  OK, the difference is this: chemotherapy is extremely toxic and destroys normal tissue and the immune system right along with the cancer-if indeed it does eradicate the cancer at all. Even in the event that "natural " therapy does not destroy the cancer it at least leaves the normal tissue and immune system intact, allowing for these systems to be strengthened by nutritional supplements when necessary.  Prostate cancer does not respond well to chemotherapy so it is seldom used, hormone therapy is the medical first treatment for advanced Prostate Cancer, then radiation.  Hormone therapy may buy some time, but is not considered a cure by any reputable doctor;  only a temporary "fix" to buy time before starting radiation.    Radiation has the same effects basically as chemotherapy, destroying all normal tissue and organs in the nearby area-extremely damaging. 

According to my study, chemo is effective against ovarian cancer and two others which I don't remember right now, so many times is effective for that, but is very risky for other types of cancer.

It seems there is no way to deal with cancer which does not make the host sick!

Cherilyn has been here this weekend, which is wonderful.  Mark, Tina and Grant will come tomorrow and stay until Friday, then Norm arrives on Friday.  So lots of family and lots of love.

 God is good, He makes no mistakes and has a plan for each one of us; we know we fit in there somewhere!

Sunday, July 22, 2012 5:48 am. 

Friday we went to The Dalles to do some shopping and see Dr. M who suggested another prescription and a surgical procedure called a TURP if the drugs don’t work. We are only considering this.    Dr M also ordered several tests which we will have to schedule, blood work and and  a MRI which will have to be done in Portland.  So it will be a couple of weeks before this is all  completed.   We are already struggling with the side effects of the Zofran generic (elimination problems) so are wary  of trying something else with even more listed side effects.

The prescription was called into the Wal-Mart pharmacy by mistake.  We got a phone message from them saying it would cost us 187.00;  that is with our Wal-Mart drug card thru Medi-Care. The Zofran was 37.15 here in town at KC Pharmacy but at Wal-Mart was 145.00!  We are required  to pay 17.00 per month for this card which makes no sense to use, as so far everything we have used or inquired about is much less money here where the card is not accepted.  We got the Wal-Mart drug card when our insurance agent said it was the most economical even tho the closest Wal-Mart is in Hood River.  We reasoned that we so seldom get prescription drugs that convenience was not an issue and most times it would probably pay to pick it up here in town and save the gas.  So far that is the case.  Makes no sense to have to pay for a drug card every month;  something in the system is broken. 

We consulted with Dr D also this last week;  it is his opinion that Leland has an overload of toxic stress and needs to do a cleanse.  We will be able to get the materials needed for that on Monday, and will begin the cleanse then.  It will not be easy, but something needs to change here, and we are hoping this will do it along with dropping several of the cancer fighters he is on and retaining only the Protocel and the nutrition builders for now. 

Yesterday afternoon Leland felt well enough that he suggested a drive and a picnic, so we packed a simple lunch and drove to Trout Lake then  north where we had beautiful views of Mt Adams and lots of lovely wildflowers. When he got tired, we came home;  had a light supper on the deck  and watched the day end. 

We have another appointment in Portland for a consultation  on Tuesday this next week, so it will be a busy week again-

Thank you Bob and Annie for your visit and the lovely box of garden goodies-it was very good to see you.  We appreciated the thoughtful selection of vegtables, Menucha Honey and potted plants plus the tiny corn.

Monday July 16, 2012

Ups and Downs

The week has been just what the title says; Ups and Downs.  Lots of downs, as Friday, Sabbath and Sunday were not good days.  Leland has had a lot of pain and nausea.  We  have tried all the natural stuff, ginger, mint, changing the protocol, but none of that really works for very long.   We went to his primary care Dr here in Goldendale on Friday and he gave us a prescription for Zofran for the nausea.  We decided to wait until we could talk to Dr. D. before filling it, but he was so sick on Friday night and again on Sabbath that I went to town Sabbath afternoon and filled it. 

The nausea improved right away, and then the pain began.  Lower back pain.  He thought it was muscle pain from lying around too much.  I was afraid it was bone pain because it was right in the area the bone scan showed some activity was ultimately judged “inconclusive”.  We tried message, Infra Red, changing positions, and White Willow Bark (the natural substance from which aspirin was originally derived then changed in order to patent) The WWB is fairly effective, but Ibuprophen is more so.  

Last night, another sleepless one for Leland, he took Ibuprophen, slept well except for his usual interruptions, and awakened this morning feeling well.  Unfortunately, Ibuprophen is not harmless if used long-term, or he would take it every day, since he feels so much better with it on-board. He is feeling well enough that we will go to The Dalles this morning to do some errands, and have lunch there.  It is always so nice when he is able to get out and go somewhere with me, even if it just errands and lunch at Subway! 

We have an appointment with Dr. M, the Urologist on Friday.  He will order some more testing and then hopefully we will have an objective indication of progress or lack thereof. 

Thank you Kathy K for coming over yesterday and attacking the weeds in the garden. It looks so much better and I begin to  think more positively about the possibilities there.  Thank you also for the lovely fresh peas from your own garden-and shelled no less!  It was a real labor of love, and much appreciated!

Thanks to each of you for your continuing prayers. Sometimes we just have to keep reminding ourselves that God knows all about this. He is working in our lives, He cares even more than we do, and He will make it all come out as it should.  How do people who do not know God do this?  For us that seems an utter impossibility!

July 9, 2012

It is a lovely morning, 62 degrees, sun filtering through the pines and sparkling on the water droplets in the grass. We were awakened not by all this summer beauty, but by the aroma of skunk being drawn into the bedroom by the window fan.  Skunks are so cute-and smell soooooo bad!

Leland has been feeling better-we were able to take a drive and picnic for our aniversary which was really great.  The rest of the week was up and down, but the downs were better most of the time.  The weekend was good.  We were able to go to church then spend the evening at Books Park with Del and Chuck to celebrate their 55th aniversary along with our very good friends, David and Yvonne. A wonderful day! 

Sunday was also a good day.  Lara and Kathy came to visit in the am.  Was good to see them both, then in the pm we went to the Open House for the new Better Living Center just opened by our church; a beautiful new building for fellowship and Community Service made possible by funds from church members and countless hours of volunteer labor by very special and dedicated volunteers.

The new protocol seems to be alleviating Leland's  nausea which has been such a problem, and his energy levels are better.  We are thankful and grateful!

This really speaks to me today-From Jesus Calling page 200:

 "Stop worrying long enough to hear My voice. I speak softly to you, in the depths of your being.  Your mind shuttles back and forth, hither and yon, weaving webs of anxious confusion.  As My thoughts rise up within you, they become entangled in those sticky webs of worry.  Thus, My voice is muffled, and you hear only "white noise."

Ask My Spirit to quiet your mind so that you can think My thoughts.  This ability is an awsome benefit of being My child, patterned after My own image.  Do not be deafened by the noise of the world of that of your own thinking.  Instead, be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Sit quietly in My Presence, letting My thoughts  reprogram your thinking."
                                              Deuteronomy 30:20;  Genesis 1:27;  Romans 12:2

Thank you Dolly and Stanton for the lovely tomatoes, chard and other things. And to Kathy for the spinnach and mizuna and to so many of you for your loving hugs, thoughts and prayers.  We are truely blessed.

46 Years

July 2, 2012

46 years ago  tomorrow, July 3,  Leland and I promised before God and some of you to love and honor each other in prosperity and adversity, in sickness and in health.  We have happily kept that promise.  Every year for at least the last 30 years, we have taken at least a day and often several to celebrate our anniversary. This year will be different, as we never know how Leland will feel from one hour to the next. So we will celebrate quietly at home, and if he feels well enough, maybe drive down to Mary Hill Park for supper and a change of scenery. 

Last week was really hard, tough on both of us.  I did not post for that reason, as we have tried to face this with courage and faith and reflect that in this blog.   But honestly, sometimes that is just not how either one of us feel.  It is really difficult when Leland is so sick he can  hardly eat or drag himself down the road for his 20 minute walk.    It is hard when he weighs himself once a week, then tells me he has lost two more pounds.  Not that he needs to tell me, I can see it.  I don’t want to whine or complain, but this is the most difficult era of our lives;  there is no end in sight, no guarantee, nothing to hold onto except each other and the knowledge that God really does care and has our best good in mind.  And that has to be taken on raw faith which sometimes staggers under the day to day reality of dealing with a Stage IV cancer. 

Sabbath we started out for church, but turned around about halfway there, as the nausea reared its’ familiar head yet again.  We spent a quiet day at home with him resting while I read aloud to him. 

Dr. D has changed the protocol again, hoping to alleviate the nausea, and perhaps that is working as this morning Leland felt well enough to run the rototiller across a garden bed for me.  But then he was sick all afternoon.

Our garden is producing wonderful organic strawberries for which we are thankful and enjoying very much. I have been able to put 8 quarts in the freezer, give a few away and eat all we want fresh. 

 Del and Chuck went to Mary Hill Orchards to pick cherries and apricots and also picked some for us.  Thank you, we have really enjoyed the cherries, and are anticipating the apricots getting ripe.  Alice brought by a couple dozen eggs this afternoon, much better than the store bought, even the organic supposedly free range range ones.  We are using eggs again because some animal protein is necessary with the Protocel Protocol. 

The roses are all in bloom, our favorite being a lovely red climber we see out the kitchen window gracing the garden shed trellis. A beautiful sight!

Please continue to keep us in your prayers.