Friday Dec 8 Update

It’s hard to believe that we’ve been here over a week! But, time is flying. With Gretta here, it’s really flying. We’re really enjoying her! Today was my hyperthermia day and it went really well. I feel really guilty to have that incredibly hot, healing place to be when most of the people I know and love are in the middle of real winter weather! I’m grateful for the opportunity to do this and have this avenue of healing. This catheter on the outside of my arm is the best one I’ve had. I hardly know it’s there and I don’t get nearly as tangled like I did with the other ones. Praise God!

Tomorrow Gretta is coming to spend the night in the hotel with us. She’ll be with us at the clinic for all my treatments, and then we’ll have the rest of the day and night together and Sunday. Sunday night she’ll head back to her friend’s house in San Diego, then her friend will take her to the airport on Monday to go home. It’s been a great visit for us and for her, too, I think. At least she knows I’m getting good care, here.

Thanks for all your prayers and concern and emails and calls. Remember, I will answer when I can. Sometimes that’s not so quick, but I’ll get to it as soon as possible. I can’t email while I’m in treatments, and sometimes I can’t get a connection. Then, sometimes I have to share the computer with Don! J Usually the connections here are very good, so I’ll get everything answered!

I love you all!

Thursday Dec 7 Update

Today was a great day. I had the infrared light (heat) then the Galvano (electrodes applied) right onto the offending breast the very first thing this morning. Then I had a new catheter put into my arm to receive the IV treatments. (After yesterday’s drip session, they took out the previous catheter; they’re good for about 3 days, and then they remove them and put in a new one for the next three days.) This one went into the outside of my arm, up about 6 inches from my wrist. It bothers me less than the last two. The first one was on the inside of my arm about 6 inches up from my wrist. The last one was right on top of my hand; it really got in the way. After I got the new catheter I started with today’s drip sessions while she gave me the wonderful lymph massage. It is the most relaxing and wonderful thing! During the lymph massage is when Gretta got to the clinic bringing American peanuts for Don and plenty of breast cancer research reading for me. We had fun with her with us all day. She got to meet everyone at the clinic and ask the doctor tons of questions. Time flew and it was time for us to head back to the hotel and her to head for the border. She decided to walk to the hotel with us and take a taxi from there.

When we got to the hotel they had the road blocked from both directions right in front of our hotel! There were over 20 cops all over, some with huge guns. We asked if we could go into the hotel and they directed us inside. The manager told us they were doing a routine inspection of the nightclub next door. Hmmmm. We weren’t too sure of that, but they assured us we were safe. We got Gretta into a taxi and got her out of here right quick; she called me when she got back to Deeann’s so she made it fine. After a while the cops left and we never knew of anything happening, so maybe what they told us was true. As Gretta said; there are several ways to look at it. If there was something going on, they were sure on top of it, and the other is that if something happens we know there are plenty of cops out there to get right with it. Also, what could happen with all those cops out there? Somehow I’m programmed to feel safer when I don’t see cops around, though. You can imagine we were all exchanging looks and rolling some eyes!

Tomorrow is party in the hyperthermia chamber! Yee Haw!

Love you all!

Wednesday Dec 6 Update

Oh, WOW! Today was the BEST day because Gretta came to see us! She couldn’t stand being at home and worrying about us here in Tijuana. Besides, she’s had bad throat infection and her doctor said to get out of Kentucky and get some good dry air would be just the thing to get her back in shape. I suspect that he is wise enough to see that she was never going to calm down until she saw for herself that I am okay and this treatment is a good thing for me. She’s never spent much time in Missouri, but she sure is a ‘show me’ sort of person. It was wonderful to walk into the hotel and have her pop out and say, “Boo!” One of her all time best friends, Deeann, lives in San Diego, so she picked her up at the airport and came down with her to Tijuana. They went back to Deeann’s house for tonight. Deeann’s husband will bring her to the border tomorrow and she’ll take a cab over here. Then she’ll spend the day with us. She’ll get to see all my treatments, except I won’t do the Hyperthermia chamber tomorrow. She’ll see it Friday, though. She plans to come over and spend the days like that Thursday and Friday, then she’ll come and spend the night on Saturday and the day with us Sunday. She’ll go back to Deeann’s house on Sunday evening, and then Deeann will take her to the airport to go home on Monday morning. I think she can vouch to the rest of the family and the world that we are doing a good thing, here. I know she will feel lots better having spent a few days with us, and I sure hope it’s good for her throat. She is 6 months pregnant, so it’s fun for us to see her carrying the next little one in our family, too.

I did my Hyperthermia treatment and it went very well. It’s amazing how wonderful it is to do that treatment with all you people in there for the party. The first time I did one of those treatments, they kept asking me if I was doing okay and I’d just whine about how HOT I was. These last two times they ask and I just say I’m doing great! Today I asked to stay 6 hours, but they only let me stay for 2. I guess they don’t want me to scramble my brains.

Tomorrow is the really relaxing day. They’ll do the electrodes (Don says that’s called Galvano Therapy.) that feel like they’re pinching my breast; then they’ll do the really hot local treatment, then I’ll get the wonderful and awesome lymph massage and a nap. I love that day. I’ve decided to bring all of you for that, too; I figure you should be in on the fun, not just the heat. This whole thing is turning into a party! Keep those notes coming; they’re wonderful! Love you all ...

Tuesday Update

I wish I could report what all my treatments were today, but it went by so fast, I didn’t have time to ask for details! The day began with the doctor giving me the most thorough breast exam I’ve EVER had. He didn’t use a fine-toothed comb, but it was about the same. After the births of each of Tricia’s children, at home with the midwife, the midwife thoroughly examined the placenta. This was much like that examination. He also examined me to the waist and including my hands and arms pretty much like that. It was nearly like a massage as he went around my neck and shoulders feeling of every square inch. I think he trusts the nurse’s judgment from when she does the lymph massage, that there are no more cysts or lumps below the waist, plus I have no complaints. I can’t tell you exactly what he found, but I think there were two lumps that were not mobile (indicates malignancy of they don’t move). There were also a couple of what he expects to be cysts here and there. He said we will aggressively go after those lumps and that we did, today.

In addition to the drips I’ve been doing of Carnivora and vitamins, electrolytes and minerals, they did some strong electrical treatments right where those lumps that concerned him are. They placed electrodes on the breast and then turned on the machine. At first I didn’t feel anything and she kept turning it up I couldn’t tolerate it any more. I made it up to a pretty strong level before I had to stop her and she was pretty impressed. I’ll pay better attention next time so I can report better. If felt like someone was pinching my breast in several places for about 15 minutes, but I rationalized that it beats a lot of horrible things I could be doing, instead.

Then they put some direct heat right onto that breast for 15 or 20 minutes. While all this is going on there is nice, soft music playing, and I go to sleep, so it’s hard to keep up with what’s happening.

After all that I was given a full body lymph massage. You know how you have to smooth the toothpaste tube out to get the very last bit out of it? That’s sort of how the lymph massage goes. She uses caster oil with a dab of lavender oil to lubricate, and then she goes from my fingertips to my shoulders ‘rubbing out the lymph.’ Then she goes from my toes up to my hips, smoothing out the lymph. Then she wrings out my mid section and then smoothes it up to my shoulders. I love how it feels.

They took me to the dentist today (in the same building) to have a panoramic X-ray done of my teeth. We’re going to look at the possibility of having all the mercury removed from my teeth. Tomorrow I begin the day in the hyperthermia chamber and will get my first IPT treatment after the cancer cells are heated up and wilted. So, everyone get ready for the chamber party, again. I’m braced, ready, and looking forward to it. Thanks for climbing in with me!

Love you all!

Monday Update

Today’s venture into the hyperthermia chamber was awesome, thanks to all of you! The chamber is set up like a bed. It has a sheet I lay on and a pillow, then a sheet that covers me. While in there I have an IV and a monitor pinched onto my finger. So, today I imagined God climbing in first. Since He made us in His image I imagined my earthly father holding out his hand to help me into the chamber. My Daddy wasn’t a perfect man, but he was a perfect Daddy to my way of thinking. He couldn’t out-comfort my Mom, though, so she was there, too. Mentally I laid my head on her shoulder and she patted my back. Then all my friends and family climbed in with me. I have some really tall friends, and a really lot of you, so I had figure out where to ‘put’ everyone.. I remembered that Jesus said we should become as little children, so that made me think of when our kids were little and we’d put them to bed when it was bedtime. They were not allowed to cry unless something was hurting; if they insisted they had to cry then I had to spank them, so after one spanking they understood not to cry. They were allowed all the stuffed animals or dolls or soft toys they wanted in their bed and they could talk and play until they fell asleep as long as they didn’t get up or cry. It was fun to stand outside their door and listen to their conversations with their toys. With all those good memories in mind, I asked God to make all you as little children and toys so you could all fit and we really had a wonderful time. I visited with all the people who love me, even some who don’t even know I’m going through this, but I know they’d want to be here if they knew it. It was hot, like it was supposed to be, but I was having a party! It was a great way to start the day! I love you all.

A friend sent this today. Maybe you will want to go there and light a candle. It doesn’t take long at all. I checked it out at Snopes and it seems to be legit; I did it.

Bristol- Myers is donating a dollar to AIDS every time someone goes to their website and moves the match to the candle and lights it. Please forward this to your friends to spread. It takes a second to raise a dollar.

https://www.lighttounite.org/

Today they took more blood. Tomorrow I will go through another examination and be a member of the drip club (get infusions by IV). Wednesday and Friday or Saturday I will have hyperthermia again and they will do IPT at the same time. (Google IPT; it’s one of those things I can follow but not explain.). I’m looking forward to the hyperthermia, now; it’s like my own play land and we’re getting after the cancer at the same time. I’m enthusiastic. Thanks for caring and loving me enough to pray for me. I’m not excited about having breast cancer, but I am excited that it feels like “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” All the love and support I feel must be the way it is in heaven. Love you all!. . . . .

Sunday Update

Sunday was interesting. We had winds up to 60 mph, and it was pretty much like home. We went walking and nobody was out but us. Trees limbs blowing everywhere, signs broken and blowing and we just kept walking. We were hunting a biscuit for Don's breakfast; gave up on that and he had pancakes. We bought a 5 liter bottle of water because we can't seem to get enough since we can't drink from the faucet (Mexican water, you know; don't need digestive problems!). We bought a styrofoam ice chest to keep my meds cool and a bag of ice. I held onto the ice chest for dear life hoping the wind wouldn't steal it or blow me away since Don was carrying the heavy stuff and not holding me down. The locals must have been peeping out the windows wondering about the crazy Americans. We made it fine, but it wore me out. I slept for 2 hours when we got back to the hotel and Don got to watch football. Then we hiked out again tonight with a wonderful couple we met at the clinic. She has breast cancer, also, so we enjoyed comparing notes and getting to know each other at a real Mexican Restaurant that was a little like the ones at home; precious little. :) The winds were way down to just nice and balmy, so it was a nice walk, and really a nice dinner.

Tomorrow I do the hyperthermia chamber first thing in the morning. You all have been so good to load me up with tons of mental material to keep my mind occupied so that I can stay in that chamber; THANKS SO MUCH!!! I have to share this one with you; it is the absolute best and makes me smile and feel anxious to go in there! When I went to school in Japan three of us girls were so close. One of them I went back to Japan with in 1999 and we are in touch really often and still so close. The other I can't keep up with as well because she's had several moves in the last few years, care of her mom and her mom's death, etc. It's just been hard to stay so close, but we never let go of each other and we manage to keep up, if not often. Today she wrote this and you'll see why we cling to each other:

When you get into that hyperthermia
chamber just remember those prayers as though we are climbing right into
that thing with you. Although we can't really do that, you know for certain
God can.

Just the mental picture of all the people I love climbing into the chamber with me reminds me of when we used to cram all the people we could into a VW and nobody thought about claustrophobia; it was just FUN! Then to imagine God climbing in there with me; how awesome is that. Of course He is everywhere with me. He's been through tougher stuff than this with me, so I know He'll be there. Patty, thanks so much for these words. I had to share them because I know that everyone has their own hyperthermia chamber of sorts. They just go by different names. It's vital to all of to remember that wherever we climb, what a comfort to know that God is climbing right in with us! WOW!

Love to all . . . till tomorrow!

Saturday Update

Not too much new today. We went into the clinic today and I joined the 'drip club.' One guy finished his treatments and went home. He's an old guy who has pancreatic cancer. He had surgery and chemo and radiation and the doctors told him they couldn't get all his cancer, but they had drugs to bring him comfort. So, he chose to come here. He came in with a cane and was barely making it and he walked out in pretty good shape, it looked like to me. His cancer numbers were way down. I haven't been here to get too much of his story, but that's all I know. He was very positive and happy with the program and what it had done for him. One other girl lives in the Los Angeles area so she drives in for treatments and we don't see too much of her; we just pass her here and there. Another girl is from the San Francisco area. She was first diagnosed 6 years ago and had a lumpectomy. Then it came back, but it's a really rare kind. It isn't like a tumor; it more grows in sheets and is wrapped around all her nerves around her collar bone area, so they can't remove it. She has lost the use of her left hand and arm and she has a lot of pain. They've been to Europe, and Brazil seeking treatments. Now, they've been here two weeks and are a really wonderful couple. We really enjoy visiting with them. We all have tomorrow off, so we're going out to dinner with them.

The 'drip club' is those of us who sit around with and IV and a book or a laptop. After my IV, I got to have a lymph massage. Before the massage she took the catheter out of my arm that I've worn for the drip ever since I've been here. That made me feel so relieved and I was so happy to be free of it. I thought I'd have to wear it for a month! Anyway, I'd done all my dripping for today and we won't go to the clinic tomorrow, so I could have it out! WOO-HOO!!! I've had massages before, but this was the best ever. Marina (office nurse) massaged me from toe to head, literally. She used caster oil and lavender oil. Lavender is one of my favorite oils so I was right in heaven. When she finished she asked if I'd like to sleep! Every massage I've ever had before, I had to get up and leave! This time I got to just lay there and nap! How wonderful was that?! In the middle of the massage the doctor came in and examined my breast. He didn't fall over with shock or anything. He's not the main doctor, so I didn't ask him any questions. I was just glad for him to see and feel what we are attacking. The main doctor, who I talk with on the phone every day will be here on Monday. So we've laid all the ground work and we're ready for him to come in on Monday and really get with the program.

I think I've done most of what we will do over and over for a month. There is a thing called IPT, which we will do, soon. Monday, I will start on a new protocol for the oral supplements that I'm taking. I've done week one and I'll move to week 2.

Don is catching up on football and I'm catching up on emails and researching my options. I continue the oral supplements tomorrow and then run at it full speed Monday Morning, starting with 'cooking' in the hyperthermia chamber. Send me some cooling vibes Monday morning. I'll be coaching myself hard to stay in there as long as I can. It'll help me if I know I've got cool vibes coming from all over the world and I can report that I did good to stay in that oven.

Love to all . . .

Friday update

Friday seemed to fly like all the other time does! We started this morning with a checking of vitals for me. Of course I was normal in every way. Then they put me into the chamber for hyperthermia. I was looking forward to it, but it was really hot after the first 45 minutes, and I was fighting claustrophobia, too. I had to really talk myself into staying in there! The idea behind the hydrothermia (you will find it interesting to google it) is that healthy cells don't mind heat, but the cancer sells die with heat. That's good, when the cancer cells die! Also it exacerbates the good that the other things they're giving me does. So, I slept for the first 45 minutes, then I woke up and really would liked to have gotten out. I kept telling myself that the heat was killing my enemy and I could surely conquer a little claustrophobia before I could let the enemy win! The nurse or doctor would come in every 10 minutes or so to see how I was doing. I wasn't weak or anything, so they left me in there. The doctor said he was surprised I could stay so long, so I was pleased not to be a weenie . . . although I'd sure considered it for the last hour! While I was 'cooking' in the hyperthermia chamber, they had an IV drip going with electrolytes, minerals, and I'm not sure what else besides the Carnivora, which is the real scavenger for cancer cells. Then after that they gave me a saline solution drip to re-hydrate me, I guess. That was about it for the day, besides meals. Meals are not like the Mexican food we get at home. It's eating to live, not living to eat and that's how it should be. They are so gracious at the center. While I was in the chamber Don and the husband of another patient went walking around the area where we are. Then after we were done, Don took me for a bit of the walk they took. The weather is nice here, now. We were comfortable walking without a jacket this afternoon. I'm ready to get a bath and get to bed! We start early in the morning, then take Sunday off, I think.

Love you all!

Today's Update - getting started

Today started with the drawing of blood. I guess we'll have results soon; I think it's mostly for making a base of information for us to compare as we go along. Then I had a chest X-Ray which showed my lungs are clear and my heart is good (no enlargement). I also had an EKG, which was normal. Then they began a treatment with an IV drip of vitamins and minerals, plus I had some subliminal treatments of Carnivora (cancer killer), DMSO (to help with absorption of the other things), and lymph drainage (gets rid of heavy metals and other stuff that doesn't belong in the body).

Now, if all of that sounds hairy, it wasn't. Don and I are staying in a hotel that is very nice and has a king size bed with 300 count cotton sheets. It's not the Ritz, but it is plenty nice and we have TV and could get a fridge if we wanted it; we refused it. Anyway, we get up in the morning and they pick us up from the clinic and drive us the block and a half over there. Then, we are in the clinic, there is a very nice sort of sunroom on the side where all the patients and their family hang out. There is a sofa, a love seat and several big huge recliners for us to use in relaxing. They are all very soft and plush and covered in very soft leather. There are soft blankets all around in case we get chilled; very comfortable. There is a big glass table with 6 chairs where we can eat or work. Two of us have our laptops and the clinic has wireless access, as does the hotel. If I can just get time to get on the computer I can get some work and communications done. Many folks have been so kind to write; I'll try to get back to everyone; just hang tough with me. They bring us breakfast and lunch to the clinic. We eat together, but we have to eat around everyone's treatments, so the schedule usually runs kind of late. Most of us just snack for supper or skip it because we eat PLENTY during the day. The clinic is bright and fresh looking. It's not huge, but it's perfect. Off the 'sunroom' is a patio. It was too cold to go out there, today, but, I think it will be nice when it warms to normal. Everyone on the staff is so kind and loving. There are fresh flowers in every room, and that's such a boost to me; I love those flowers! There is an awesome sign on the wall in the bathroom about attitudinal healing. I mentioned to one of the doctors that I like it and hope to get time in there to copy it down tomorrow. He said, "Maybe we can type it off on the computer and copy it for you." That kind of attitude is how they always are.

Tomorrow I get to do the hyperthermia for an hour. I'm looking forward to that. I'm not too sure what it is, but I went in and met a patient who was doing it today. She appeared to be wrapped in a blanket in a box of some kind of heat and lights. She said it was cozy. I'm ready for that because it's cold here. I shouldn't even complain about the cold since it's snowing at home! I came here in jeans and a jacket since it was kind of cool at home. But the clothes in my suitcase are for warm weather! They're having a cold wave here and it's windy! It's supposed to be back up to 80 in a day or two, but it was in the 30's last night. So, wrapped in a blanket and cozy sounds good to me! Also, this hyperthermia is supposed to help the Carnivora do it's work. As I learn more I will report.

I am not keeping any secrets. I am telling you all that is happening. I may forget details. In fact they tell me a lot, and I understand it well enough to know I'm comfortable and encouraged with the treatments, but I don't understand it well enough to repeat it. You, know, the decor thing, I get . . . like starting the car I get, whereas, tuning the transmission would be too technical for me to repeat.

Thank you all for your love and prayers!

Made it fine

Just a quick note to several to let you know we made it here fine. I'm so glad Don could come with me. He was a HUGE help getting the luggage around and finding our way through the Houston airport. We were met at the airport in San Diego and deposited safely in a nice hotel. Tomorrow the tests and treatments begin; I will write and tell you as I have time, can get on the internet, etc. Trish has set up a blog for me so that I can write sort of a journal in it everyday and anyone who wants to look can and I won't be trying to remember if I've written to everyone. I'll figure that out tomorrow, I hope. It's two hours later here than at home and I started at 5:30 this morning loading the car, so I'm whipped. We don't start until 9:30 in the morning, so that's 11:30 in OK . . . I'll get to sleep in! I have fasting bloodwork at the beginning of tomorrow, so I'll be waiting to eat. I can do that as long as I get to SLEEP!

Love you all for caring!

Jo