Colorado Springs

August 6, 2017
Hello Everyone,
It’s been several months since I’ve last updated everyone. Honestly, this is the first chance I’ve had to just sit down at the computer and start writing. We just moved to Colorado Springs last week and we’ve been in the midst of unpacking and getting settled. Back in June I had my annual PET SCAN and the results were wonderful. My oncologist said that they couldn’t have looked any better than they did. When I asked him to show me the comparisons among the three PET SCANs he really seemed at a loss and wasn’t able to show me the differences on the images. I asked if I could contact the Radiologist but was told that these MDs don’t like to speak with the patients directly. While I’m glad I have great news and the results were better than expected, I wish I could have spoken to someone who could show me physically where the cancer disappeared. I have a general idea but no specifics. All I know is that absolutely nothing lit up on the scan compared to the March 2016 scan when my bones lit up a like a Christmas tree.
Throughout the last few months I’ve had a few issues come up. One was due to a shot that I’d be given every month to help block ovarian estrogen production. This drug is given right next to the belly button and it’s called Goserlin, also known as, Zoladex. It’s given subcutaneously with a 14-gauge needle, which is extremely large, and unfortunately, I’d be receiving this for the next 10 years on a monthly basis from what I was told. For the past year I was fine with this treatment, however, in April, one of the infusion nurses gave me the shot and it wound up in a blood vessel so it essentially wasn’t working and doing what it was supposed to and it also hurt considerably. I had to have scans done because it walled itself up in the blood vessel and didn’t dissolve over the month as prescribed. I don’t have much abdominal fat and that’s really the problem. Not to mention, I had an umbilical hernia repair in February so it was not the ideal situation to have repeated shots in the same general location.
I was reluctant in having an oophorectomy, which is a procedure where the ovaries are removed, but because the cancer type was 98% responsive to estrogen, I had to either take the shots monthly or have the ovaries taken out. I decided to go with the later option because I was already being placed in chemical menopause with the Goserlin and another oral medication I take every day called, Arimidex. So far I’ve had no side effects with the Arimidex and I feel great. I also decided to cut out one of the other IV meds I receive every three weeks. It’s a monoclonal antibody called Perjeta. I decided to stick with Herceptin and that’s the only drug I take because of the triple positive breast cancer diagnosis. I’m responsive to estrogen, progesterone, and HER 2 so the Herceptin and Perjeta target the HER 2 receptors and prevent the cancer from replicating and spreading.
I also discovered some upsetting news about the implants I was given by my plastic surgeon in Louisville, KY. Jamie was with me when we went to the appointments and I asked the surgeon if he could replace the breasts with the smallest implants possible. I was never large breasted so I wanted to be the same size I had always been. He told us to our faces that he would do 325 or 350 cc size of silicone implants and that’s the smallest. However over the last several months the heaviness of these implants was bothering me through the shoulders and my neck. I went to a plastic surgeon in Boulder and he looked at both of us and asked why I had the implant size I was wearing. We told him that the plastic surgeon assured us this was the smallest he could go. The plastic surgeon in Boulder looked at me and said that the Louisville surgeon flat out lied to us. He uses much smaller implants all the time, especially for smaller framed women or those who preferred being small. I was devastated and simply started crying in the office.

I trusted the doc in Louisville but never verified whether he was telling us the truth or not. I have since written him a letter and I will be having these implants removed and going to a very small size in November so I can feel more like myself again, if that’s even possible. I just wanted to say that you have to be your own advocate and not simply trust what the experts tell you. Do your own research. This simply could have been avoided if I had known he was lying to me. I addressed this issue with him because most plastic surgeons are not only in the breast cancer business but also in cosmetic surgery. They have women who come to them wanting to be larger breasted, but they also get cancer patients when we’re upset, confused, vulnerable, unfocused, and scared. They make recommendations of what they think we’ll like and what they assume will be best, however, in my case, I was very clear on what I wanted and I was not listened to. I heard great things about this surgeon but I should have checked on what he was telling me. Lesson learned!!!
I still take a ton of supplements every day and I have added some new ones and take others off the cycle. Cancer adapts so I have to keep on my toes to make adjustments by modifying my supplements, vitamins and minerals every week. One of the biggest changes includes incorporating Diatomacous Earth. A friend of mine recommended it as she saw huge changes in her chickens’ well being along with their egg production. Yes, I said chickens!!!!You can look up Food grade Diatomaceous Earth and see the results and health benefits for yourself. Jamie and I noticed a huge difference in my stomach as it binds to all toxins, viruses, bacteria, fungi, and any parasites and it’s very healthy for the body. It’s made of silica and every cell in the body needs this mineral. It’s not the same thing as silicone as some people assume. I no longer have the abdominal distention like I had this last year. I definitely notice a physical difference across my abdomen and there is no longer any swelling . Also, I haven’t been sick with minor colds and sniffles since I’ve been using it daily. I take a heaping tablespoonful every morning and mix it in water or some green juice I’ve made and swallow it. Yes, I’m drinking dirt but it’s not that bad. I’ve actually grown accustomed to drinking it and it’s just part of my normal routine now.
I also use a magnetic pulser and ozonator in my water both increasing oxygen and killing bacteria, viruses, and fungi with electrical pulses that render them harmless. I use the SOTA products, which are often used by other cancer patients who seek out alternative treatments. when I called them in Canada, many of the employees were former cancer patients who decided to work for the company because their products helped them and took care of the cancer situations. Nobody is officially allowed to say that anything cures cancer but they no longer have active cancer growth in their bodies.
Now another area of interest is in the area of medical cannabis. The real estate market in Colorado is crazy and many of the agents and inspectors we’ve been working with claim that the legalization of medical and recreational cannabis has been one of the reasons so many people are moving to this state. Back in April I began hearing more amazing stories about the benefits of cannabis, especially with cancer patients diagnosed with stage three and four and given no hope. Well, I am meeting people here who are using cannabis oil –CBD plus THC in high doses and their cancer is going away. I have since started researching it for have and myself purchased my own bottles of medical cannabis should I need them.
Back in May a friend of mine was diagnosed with estrogen positive breast cancer. She was already in menopause so she was shocked that the cancer was growing in response to estrogen present in her body. (We ought to be wondering why we have all these estrogen mimicking chemicals in our bodies, especially women being diagnosed with estrogen positive cancers and in menopause. This alone should cue you in on the estrogen/ endocrine mimicking substance we are consuming or are exposed to in our environment.)

My friend was told she’d need to have chemo, radiation, and a mastectomy. She called me up on Good Friday and was terrified. I told her that having her breast removed was no guarantee that the cancer wouldn’t metastasize. She had been through cancer treatment 10 years ago with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and she was not about to go through it again. She was in a wheelchair for a long time and it wasn’t until she went to Sanoviv, where I went in Mexico, that she was able to walk again after four days of treatments. She found out that six years ago she had a breast reduction and somehow she developed breast cancer in her scar tissue. She had been telling the docs for the last two years that she could feel something wrong in her breast but they didn’t think there was anything suspicious. Finally she demanded they do a biopsy and sure enough it was estrogen positive breast cancer. She and I went to a cannabis warehouse and met with the owner, who we discovered has been helping many cancer patients who are end stage and is having remarkable success. He is 29 years old with no medical background but has worked the lab and producing side of cannabis for years. He was a chronic migraine sufferer and wanted off opioids. Since using and manufacturing cannabis oils, he hasn’t had a migraine in five years. His mother in law was diagnosed with stage four metastatic cancer of the stomach and it’s now completely gone. She was very skeptical at first but now she’s sold and often speaks out with other cancer patients who are their whit’s end. She is a devout Christian and never would have considered all the uses for medical cannabis until she wound up in a desperate and terminal situation.
My friend decided to try an estrogen blocker and the cannabis both orally in capsules and topically and now her breast tumor has shrunk in half. she increased her iodine and her enzymes and she is doing fabulous. Here they were going to cut , burn, and poison and instead she is traveling to Mexico on a fun vacation, going to Florida to see her relatives and taking trips all over the country. The tumor is still shrinking and she says she will continue with the cannabis. The tricky part is taking this over state lines.. Many are doing it because it’s working on so many health issues. I was always under the impression that smoking it would kill brain cells and there may be some truth to that, but when used rectally, vaginally, vaping, in capsules, or sublingually , transdermally, etc.. you are entering a whole new realm.
In July, I organized a medical marijuana tour through this same producer. He decided to purchase a warehouse in Denver’s marijuana alley for over 5 million dollars and he now grows strains and gives tours to those who are interested in learning about the medical value He helps police officers who have been injured on the job, cancer patients, those with fibromyalgia, MS, Parkinson’s, etc… He always gives the disclaimer about not being a doctor, but seeing and experiencing healing is pretty amazing. Recently there was a Docu-series on called , The Scared Plant, and It really helped clarify how cannabis can be used on so many levels, what to look for, how to take it for medicinal purposes, how to have it tested, and what strains are available. Apparently there is another system in the body that medical schools are only beginning to teach students about. It’s called the endocannabinoid system. Cannabis binds to these receptors, which are primarily in the brain , but they are all throughout the body. There is a ton of research out there on this-mostly in Israel and Spain. The USA is way behind these other countries because marijuana is a scheduled class one drug. I was initially skeptical on this whole issue but after seeing and meeting people who are using it, I’ve seen nothing but positive benefits. The research also indicates that there are no associated deaths with cannabis but there are 90,000 deaths due to prescription drugs each year. Look into this for yourself and you’ll see how it’s being used in many capacities.

I am still taking my high dose iodine, enzymes, and using infrared sauna every day. Jamie and I have also started hot yoga classes and we sweat a ton-way more than running or weight lifting. Yoga is always listed as one of the best exercises for those with cancer so we decided to take the plunge and check it out. We both love it. Sweating is apparently one of the best things you can do when you have cancer. It helps eliminate all the environmental toxins from your body. I still lift weights to keep my bone density in good standing; especially since my estrogen levels are extremely low. When you lose estrogen/testosterone you are highly susceptible for bone fractures and that is why so many elderly patients experience these problems. Their bone mass and density levels drop very low.
I am now getting resettled and the Army has issued me a case manager so she can help me get in to see the providers I need. It’s a full time job keeping track of everything and my PCM simply can’t do this alone for me as she is tasked with many other patients and their needs. This should make everything a bit easier. I still plan to continue my high dose Vitamin C Infusions and I take a drug called Xgeva quarterly to keep the cancer from sticking to the bone.
That’s about all for now. We are homeschooling all three kids again as that appears to be working. We like our new neighborhood and neighbors in the Springs and look forward to exploring the area.
Finally, the one area that has helped me more than any other is in the area of healing. I began listening to sermons on healing and wondered often why some people healed and others didn’t. For the longest time in this battle I would vacillate back and forth emotionally not knowing if God would heal me or my body. One of the lessons I learned and began to believe and claim is Jesus’ examples of healing on earth. There are over 47 scriptures on healing in the New Testament. I really began to believe that it was God’s will to heal. Everyone who asked to be healed was healed. Jesus never turned a single person away. He never said, “Let me pray about it and think about whether I want to heal you or not.” He always healed those who came to him and what I gleaned was that I have to come every time to Him in belief that He wills to heal. There is simply no harm in believing this. God’s name is Jehovah Rapha- The Lord who Heals. (Exodus 15;22-26) It’s who He is and He can’t help but heal . In verse 26 He says, “I the Lord am your Healer”. I am Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who makes bitter things sweet. “ Whether you agree with me or not on my interpretation of the Bible, all I can say is that it helped me immensely. I made a choice to believe and not look back or waver. Jesus always did His Father’s will and you never see Him stop and say, “Let me see if healing you is my Father’s will.” Jesus prayed often and secluded himself on several occasions to seek God’s will but you never see him hesitate to heal people who asked. Jesus said to the disciples that if you see Him you have seen His Father in Heaven. On some occasions when the disciples couldn’t heal someone it had to do with their lack of faith or they had doubts in their midst. I have learned to speak out loud and address those moments of doubt when I have them and to command them to move far away and be gone. Jesus told us to speak to our mountains-these are the areas of struggles and doubt. I don’t have to listen to them and I don’t have to believe them when they creep into my mind. (Trust me, they do!) I don’t even like hearing music that says “well even if you don’t (heal)……” I just don’t go there and I flip the radio station.

I once heard that every physical battle is ultimately a spiritual battle. Now I really understand this. I also realized that we don’t have to die by getting sick. We can die while we’re asleep or some other way but we don’t have to believe that an illness is going to cause our deaths. I realized that I’m not under the Old Testament curses and yes, God did allow sicknesses but we aren’t under the Old Testament anymore. Jesus didn’t put curses on people and He healed ALL who came to Him. Not some, not a few, but ALL. That is why I have so much hope now. I have my own part to do and yes there are things I have to take care of on my end like eating healthy, taking my supplements, etc.… but for now, I have peace that I’m in God’s will and the fear has been removed.
Thanks so much for all your continued prayers and emails, cards, and support.
May God Bless You,
Allison