Brainy MRI

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I recall the first time I had an MRI of the brain.  It was after my original diagnosis of Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer when the bone scan determined I had mets (metastasis) in my skull.  I was scared to death. Anxiety flowed through my body like the mighty Mississippi after a torrential storm. I was relieved when no brain mets were found with that first scan.

A year later, they found two tiny spots.  The docs are watching them closely, and at this point they are not concerned.  Three weeks later the spots had not changed, grown, or multiplied.  The mets was “stable,” and the lesions were so tiny they could not even triangulate them to do radiation.  The assumption is always cancer when you have Stage IV metastatic breast cancer.  So, we just keep watching.

So this past week I went in for my MRI expecting to get in a good nap. I have learned not to worry or get upset — unless they have to poke and prod more than three times to find a good vein.  Three veins were blown at the last appointment. Ouch! That did bring tears to my eyes, but the tech was so sweet and did his best to comfort me.  Chemo on the previous day may have contributed to the evasive veins. Must remember to schedule those further apart…

But the good news is – everything is still stable.  I have no additional lesions, and the tiny spots have not increased in size.  Also, my sinusitis is gone.  (The last time I went in I had a bad cold which seemed to last forever. I am so thankful I can breathe again!)

So…we continue to pray and watch.  Watch and pray.  No matter what, I trust in the Lord. That is relatively easy to say when things are going well, but it takes a great amount of faith to trust Him even when it isn’t.  The verse of the day today spoke to this clearly.

Yes, God’s riches are very great, and his wisdom and knowledge have no end! No one can explain the things God decides or understand his ways (Romans 11:33 NCV).

Why even try? His understanding is limitless. Mine is not. All we can do is trust in his infinite wisdom and knowledge, regardless of the decisions He makes in our lives. Are you trusting Him with your situation regardless of the outcome?  Feel free to comment below.

Á la prochaine…until next time.

Busy Day

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Chemo Day is always a busy day.  Fortunately, I have less work to do as the term is winding down and my biggest class finished early.  It has been a great day as well. Good news came my way on more than one occasion. But first, here’s a recap of my day…

8:30 Blood Draw

8:45-9:45 – Eat breakfast at Panera, and answer emails.

9:45 – 10:15 – Vitals, Nurse and Doctor’s appointment. Here’s where the first good news came in. The nurse told me a friend had mentioned my name. The conversation we had was positive, and I was a help to her. She couldn’t mention her name, of course, due to medical privacy. But she did say this lady was very encouraged by me, and I should keep what I’m doing. She indicates she was blessed as she was a witness to my “ministry.”  This made me feel like a rock star.  All I do is invite people to talk to me. Talk about your breast cancer, I say. This is one of the best ways to start healing. It is so great to hear my desire to help is…well… helping.

Oh, and the doctor said it’s time for more scans.  This is an every 3-4 month event, so I wasn’t surprised.  I was surprised it was February when I last had them done. Time flies. So those are now scheduled.

10:15 – 11:30 – Go to Wal-mart and do some shopping. The Wal-mart in The Woodlands is so much better than the one in Conroe.  I got an office item that should have been nearly $100, but they only charged me $40.  Again – great news!  Bought a banana and protein bars to tide me over until I can eat some lunch.

11:30 – 2:00 – Chemo – I was roomed in one of the best rooms in the house. I love the “back rooms,” which are old exam rooms converted to chemo rooms.  They have a desk, and it’s quiet back there. People don’t bother you. And the pharmacy is right by the room, so my nurse very quickly saw when my chemo was mixed and ready to go. I got a lot of work done as well.

It was 104 degrees when I came out of the building and got in my car. WOW! It’s a hot day.

 — Talk to my husband on the phone. He was getting pinged every time I would schedule a scan. He’s in Anderson this week, so he didn’t know if it was routine or something serious.  It’s great to know I have a hubby who loves me and supports me all the time!  He prayed for me this morning, and he is always telling me how much he loves me. He is definitely a keeper.

2:00 – 4:30 – Back to Panera. It’s hot outside, but still freezing in Panera.  Hot tea is always on my order, no matter how hot it is.  This time I had lunch and worked some more.  And blogged. I love their strawberry, poppyseed, chicken salad.  It’s only here in the summer, only 170 calories, and absolutely delicious! A half-salad is plenty, and I always get the sprouted grain-roll on the side, since I am cutting out white flour.

4:30 – I’m heading out to have dinner with some friends from my support group.

6:00 – 8:00 – Breast Friends. This is my monthly support group at MDAnderson.  Tonight the social worker will be speaking, so that is of interest to me as well. I’m there to get support, but I really see my role as a support to others. Plus, I can get a free massage. 🙂

All in all, it’s a very good day.

Á la prochaine…until next time.

Essential to me

The first time I was diagnosed with breast cancer in December, 2012, I went the traditional route (chemotherapy==>surgery==>radiation). I didn’t want to hear about the alternative methods out there. People sent me information on special diets, teas, essential oils, supplements and many other methods that were meant to “heal” cancer. Frankly, I didn’t buy it.  I didn’t believe it, so I didn’t make any purchases. Literally, I didn’t buy it. I just stayed the course and followed the doctors’ orders. It’s what I felt I needed to do…it’s what I had to do.

The doctors deemed me “cancer-free” after my last dose of radiation.  I was “cured.” I rang the bell designating my treatment was over.  I was so glad I would never have to deal with this again.  Or so I thought.

If you have been following my blog, you know by now that I am not cancer-free. I was re-diagnosed with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer in December 2016.  It was almost four years to the day after my first diagnosis. Now it was in my spine, ribs, skull, liver, and a few months later they found spots in my lungs. A year or so later they found some tiny spots in my brain.

For several months I did chemotherapy. The large mass on my ribs was gone at the six-month mark.  But I still had spots on my liver, spine and skull.  Those never seemed to go away. They just stayed the same.  That’s when I had an epiphany:

Apparently the traditional medicine was not enough to cure this cancer.

I decided to open my mind to the alternative methods.  I am not an Eastern Philosopher, or Guru, or Buddhist.  I am a Christian. I have been praying for healing, but God does not always respond the way we think He should.  Sometimes He doesn’t pluck us from the ocean where we are drowning…He sends a boat.

A friend, who is also a Christian, came to visit a few months into my new course of treatment.  She used reflexology on me daily, and she introduced me to essential oils.  Not the kind you find at the local grocery store, but the purest form that is grown around the world, harvested, and sealed for protection.  The healing properties are amazing, she would say. And it’s all natural. One drop of an essential oil contains millions of molecules. They are so tiny they can cross the brain blood barrier, and all essential oils have healing properties. Their role in the life of a plant is to eliminate toxins from the plant. It’s the plant’s life blood.  Sacred Frankincense, specifically, has cancer-fighting properties.  She convinced me that I could continue to do my traditional treatment, as this will not interfere.

As a researcher, I did my due diligence.  I found much literature to support the use of essential oils.   As a Christian, I had heard of frankincense. I figured if it was good enough for the baby Jesus, it’s good enough for me.  I even asked my doctor about it, and he responded, “Sure, go for it! Whatever works!”

I had another friend who recommended the exact same thing. She said I should take 5 drops of Sacred Frankincense morning and night. That stuff is expensive!  I started with 5 drops in the morning. I drop it in my juice and drink it straight.  It sounds gross, but after a few days I found that I was drawn to the aromas of the essential oils.

Results…

Before the oils–for more than six months–the liver spots never changed on any of the scans.  At my next three month scan, after taking Sacred Frankincense daily, the liver spots had decreased by 30%.  The next three month scan – completely gone!  Those spots on my skull…gone…spine…gone!  At this writing my body is “stable.”  The money spent is well spent. I believe God sent me a lifeboat.

Á la prochaine…until next time.

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