Home from Mexico, Off to Denver

June 23, 2016
Hi Everyone,
Well it’s been over two weeks since I’ve returned and gotten back into the routine of life with kids, cooking, running errands, appointments, etc… It never ends, but it sure felt nice to have those days to just focus on getting healthy again. At firs,t I wanted to go back to the safety and security of having everything medically necessary ready available. Jamie told me that he kept the kids busy with a trip to Colorado to North Carolina to see grandparents, cousins and aunts and uncles. They had many visits and meals provided by friends and neighbors. Their time seems to fly by pretty quickly just like mine. One of the comments Jamie made upon my return was that he missed me and our conversations, but he also missed how much and how well we complement one another that he didn’t realize we do so well. We just do “life” and so many things together; we share chores, responsibilities, and take care of whatever comes up with the kids at a moment’s notice. We don’t have his or her jobs per se but we just pitch in where the other needs help. For example, while Jamie ‘s cooking, I’m simultaneously washing the dishes and we ‘re chit chatting about all kinds of topics. I think it’s those little daily patterns that are disrupted the most when you’re apart but they are good reminders of why and what you appreciate about one another. We usually walk together in the evening, yet he just didn’t feel like walking by himself. I walked a lot too, but it just wasn’t the same. Time dragged on time long sometimes just walking alone. Now that I’m back, It feels good to reconnect and pick up where we left off.
I wanted to wait until all my lab reports came back and now I have more information to pass on. First, my trip to Sanoviv definitely helped in multiple ways. My cancer marker test, known as the CA 27/29, is now at a 13. It was originally a 91 and then dropped with the chemo dose they gave me in March. Remission is technically considered anything below a 38. This is a praise. They did so many things there it’s hard to know if there were specific modalities and treatments that helped bring these numbers down or if it’s the cumulative result of many therapies I received over the full 3.5 weeks.
My dental results came back showing I had abscesses in both wisdom tooth cavitation but they were not malignant. Again, these infections were ongoing and contributed to my body’s constant defense and attack mode all these years. I had seen my dentist just in early May and all looked healthy, yet I had underlying and recurrent, deep infections and bone necrosis. I’m glad that issue has been dealt with.
I also received my chemosensitivity test results, which included genetic, biological, chemotherapy, small molecular weight, monoclonal antibody, tumor related genes, gene targeted treatments that were found to kill my specific cancer cells. The test also revealed which genes were over and under expressed, which can contribute to cancer growth or allow for apoptosis /suppression. The lab in Greece obtained over 46 cultures by harvesting a sample of circulating tumor cells every 24 hours for six days. The test results clearly indicated what was effective and what wasn’t. Some of the results were surprising. For example, I currently take two medications intravenously every three weeks that cost thousands of dollars , yet according to my results, these gene targeted therapies have zero percent (0%) effectiveness on my type of cancer. We also discovered that my biopsies, which are HER2+ and require these medications, changed from HER2+ to HER2 normal. This means I am taking medications that are not doing anything that the literature shows us to kill the circulating tumor cells. I am also on two medications (one oral tablet and one subcutaneous injection) to help block my estrogen receptors, however my test indicated that neither of these meds are working for me. Another well-known drug in the breast cancer world is Tamoxifen and this drug was shown only to be 5% effective at prohibiting further cancer metastasis. The test did indicate better options with at least 20% effectiveness or greater.
So basically, my oncologist here in KY has been giving me four medications that are not truly effective for me. They might work for other patients as clinical trials prove in the NCCN (National Cancer Comprehensive Network) but they aren’t effective on my type of cancer. This goes along with the whole mentality of treating each of us like we are all the same. We are not the same. I noticed my estrogen has little to do with this cancer compared to my insulin issues. I have never been diagnosed with diabetes, yet I seem to have a lot of issues with my insulin pathways. I’ve always wondered why I could fast for a day and still have high but normal blood sugars. Now I am beginning to understand there is more at play here.
I have shared these results with my oncologist but because the FDA hasn’t approved this test yet, she is not aware of the effectiveness or the test. They use this in Europe, especially Germany, but not here in the US. I was also given lists including oral meds that were highly effective. The good thing about biological agents like Vitamin C, mushrooms, quercetin, Poly MVA, alpha lipoid acid glutathione, etc…is that I can take these long-term. Vitamin C killed my cancer cells better than many chemotherapies and it can be taken my whole life. You can’t live on chemo, nor would you ever want to.
I like that the results list all my therapeutic options for convention and biological agents. Mistletoe, which I was taking all summer and fall and is known to kill cancer cells, had no effect on my cells, but many other agents appeared to be of great value. When doctors put you on all these meds, including chemotherapy, it really is a best-case scenario. They can only go by what is most effective as proven in clinical trials.
The bottom line is that I have an extremely resistant cancer. It survives most everything. Not one agent showed that it killed my cancer cells above 82% so I’m not sure what will ultimately happen. I appear to have many genes turned on and over expressed when they shouldn’t be. Typically the tests indicate other agents to try like diet changes, exercise, etc.. in addition to the treatments they list. Ironically the chemotherapy drugs that came up highest for sensitivity and high kill rates were drugs used for small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and lymphomas and multiple myeloma. Only one came up as a possible stage IV breast cancer option. If I had taken what the MDs in Louisville and Elizabethtown wanted me to take last summer, they would not have worked according to the test results. The Cisplatin and Adriamycin (two common chemotherapies used for breast cancer) only killed 25% of all my cancer cells, so I am defiantly glad I went with my intuition on this. Most likely, they would not have helped me.
I know these tests are in vitro and not in vivo and I realize test results can be flawed but this test has been very influential and pretty precise in recommending the best options out there. If my numbers don’t stay down I will have to reevaluate this situation. If I were to do chemo, I ‘d have to find an oncologist in Denver who would be willing to step out of the box to try me on chemo drugs not typically used for breast cancer That is going to be very difficult. Most oncologists diligently stick to the NCCN guidelines. I am very optimistic so I’m not thinking down that line. I have a new diet protocol and of course, they didn’t test the enzyme and iodine therapy along with the Budwig protocol that has been successful in 90% of stage four patients. We shall see over time. I’ve been very positive and I’m going to change some of the doctor’s orders here in KY. Everything that was done at Sanoviv was helpful. They didn’t use any chemotherapy on me and they were able to get my liver enzymes back to normal, bring my cholesterol down to normal, elevate my Vit D, and get my skin and nails looking healthy. I went through a lot of detoxification and I still take all my 70 plus supplements daily for at least the next 3-6 months. I am hoping to find a doctor in Denver who thinks outside the box and is willing to help me on this. Sanoviv gave me a ton of supplements and names of places to find them. One of them alone is $200 per ten days but it’s one of the most effective supplements I can be taking and it killed my cancer cells. It is also a Chinese supplement.
I’m learning so much through this process and it makes so much sense. My plastic surgeon was shocked when I told him what I’ve been through. He actually said, ” Why don’t oncologists test all patients like this?” I was surprised that he even asked me this question. He really had no idea. All he deals with is the plastic surgery side of this cancer treatment protocol.
God keeps showing me that my cancer situation calls for more research and study. It’s not simple and it’s very aggressive so I’m sure I will always have to be on top of it. I want to find out how to turn down the oncogenes that are over expressed and balance my cells in a healthy way. It’s all part of a great learning curve. This is my constant prayer. Seek, search , and pray for answers.I have been feeling great and I’m doing well. One of the medications ordered by my KY oncologist causes vertigo and stomach pain, but I will change that medication next month as it proved not to be effective at all.
We appreciate all the cards, support, and reaching out to us in so many ways. We are in the throws of gearing the house up for the move and taking the kids to camp in PA. Nothing ever stops and slows down like we often hope. That’s okay. The kids have been having friends over and visiting friends in the neighborhood. I have four boys in my house right now and two of my children are at others’ homes. This is typical. I like and prefer the busy-ness, constant activity ,and all the laughing/memories/good times that are being made. Jamie has been steam-cleaning the carpets and I’ve been on the phone with transportation and housing, vacuuming, and picking up the toys the kids seem to have forgotten they had now that they are in the Goodwill pile. LiFE keeps moving on! In the meantime, other friends and some of you are grieving and going through your own hardships, pain, separations, and cancer diagnoses, and scares. We are constantly seeing God’s hand in our own lives and the lives of others and He comforts us, you, and them. We are praying for some of you as well, just like you’ve been praying for me. Thank you so much.
God Bless you! Love,
Allison