#5 Becky's Story

The interest in this blog has been remarkable. Thank you to everyone who has written encouraging emails to me. Several people have asked why I haven’t written anything since it’s about me. Well actually, this blog is not about me, but about our joint search for the solution to a problem I share with 1 out of 4 people in the United States.

Is that statistic mind-boggling? Look around you in the grocery store the next time you’re there and realize that every 4th person you see has or will be likely to have cancer. And another statistic that is both infuriating and enlightening: there are more people employed by the cancer industry than are being treated by it on a given day. As Joe said earlier, the cancer business is about treating patients, not curing them.

My acquaintance with cancer did not being lately. My father was diagnosed with lyposarcoma (a very rare type of cancer that I always suspected was related to his military service) at the age of 52. He had no reason to doubt the local doctor who recommended surgery and chemotherapy . That was the beginning of a seven-year nightmare. The surgery “successfully” removed the tumor from above his left knee. Then for the first week of every month for the next nine he and my mom drove to Houston (from West Texas) to have chemo treatments. The second week (and often most of the rest of the month) he would spend in the local hospital recovering from pneumonia or a bladder infection. Oh, right…the doctors knew the chemo would compromise his immune system but that’s just one of the side effects.

On the first year’s anniversary he was declared to be “in remission” and we thought the battle was over. His hair grew back. We celebrated the first time he needed to shave again. He started gaining weight. For a few months anyway. Then, for no apparent reason, he started losing weight again. Still had a good appetite, still eating well, still losing weight. So back to the doctor for the disheartening news that the cancer was back. Not just one tumor like they successfully removed but several now. Still, the doctors said these looked like good candidates for more chemo and then what was left could be easily handled with surgery.

After only two months of chemo this time, he was too weak to continue. Well, that was okay because there was a “good chance” that radiation treatments would be just as successful and so began another year of trips to Houston. At least with the radiation he seemed to have fewer infections. Until ulcerating sores began to appear where the skin had been burned. We wondered to ourselves if there were similar injuries to the internal organs as well, but of course, we only got the “party line” from the doctors: he was responding as expected.

Two surgeries followed, and then another few months where the blood work and other labs came back “normal” and we let our hopes build again. Then he began having unexplained pain in his neck and shoulders. He had injured his back about 20 years before and thought it was just something related to that old injury, but after x-rays, it appeared that the cancer was back. This time in his spine.

He was in Houston again undergoing chemotherapy when he celebrated his 5th anniversary from the official diagnosis. In cancer-speak, he was a SUCCESS! A five-year survivor! My sister was a junior in high school and I was a senior. We were both working after school and trying to keep things as comfortable for my dad as possible. Teri had always thought she wanted to be a nurse and these years just intensified her determination to learn how to care for the sick. (This was probably also the germ of my still unfulfilled dream of becoming a lawyer!)

Finally, there seemed to be no solution other than surgery on his spine. The outcome was almost certain: he would be paralyzed. My folks had spent every dollar they had worked for and saved for 30 years to “beat” his cancer. When the money ran out, M.D. Anderson ran out of ways to help them and referred him to the V.A. since he was a veteran. That at least was one good decision. They gave him excellent care. He volunteered for every pilot project and clinical trial they came up with. Some seemed silly. Some were painful. When we asked him why he was doing that he said, “I know none of this will help me but they may learn something that will help someone else.”

About a week before Christmas, he was in such good spirits and looked much better than he had for weeks. We took a family picture in his hospital room. Looking at that picture now, I can’t imagine that we thought he looked good…he was little more than an animated cadaver. The next day he went into a coma and died the day before Christmas Eve. He was a good, brave man. He trusted the experts. We all did. After all, his was one of the success stories…we had the FIVE YEAR SURVIVOR banner to prove it. It just seemed so wrong.

My mom recovered and made a new life for herself. My sister finished nursing school and got married. I worked and took college classes as time and money allowed. Life went on. I was divorced and my sister and her 4-year old son moved back to Lubbock after her divorce. After I remarried my nephew lived with us for a few years while my sister worked double shifts at the hospital. Her passion for healing never waned. Those were happy years for the most part. My mom had some heart problems but seemed to be doing well with the angioplasty therapy the doctors were using. Then the news that she had cancer.

Long story short…another five year survivor who died after all the “right” decisions about chemo, surgery and radiation. Years of misery and finally penury. I was determined right then that if ever I was diagnosed with cancer I would die from the cancer but never from cancer treatment. I would never have a drop of chemotherapy, never have one radiation treatment. If someone could convince me that surgery alone would be effective (not “successful”) I might consider that. And it was about this time that I met Joe.

Beginning in my twenties, I had recurring bouts of mastitis and fibroid cysts. After a needle biopsy for a suspicious tumor showed “nothing to worry about” I decided that was exactly what I would do. Not worry about getting cancer. Live my life without that cold hand always on my shoulder. And even after I suspected that the “no worries” place was different now, I knew that I was even more determined to embrace the cancer if that’s what it was rather than embrace the medical establishment’s line of “therapy” which was mostly unchanged (and no more effective) since my dad was diagnosed 40 years ago.

But Joe began investigating alternative therapies. As we read, some sounded very familiar…in fact some were the very “experimental” treatments my dad underwent at the V.A. How strange that none of those were part of the “new” medicine. Actually, not strange at all when you consider that none of them were patentable and most were not all that expensive (lucrative from the other side of the desk). But knowing that the established cancer treatment trinity of chemo, surgery and radiation has at best about a 3 percent cure rate (not the bogus “5-year survivor” crap they throw out as success) , we put together our own treatment plan.

So, there you have the back story for this adventure. We are expecting a good outcome but it will be a long road. Actually, the road would be long no matter which fork we decided to take. But at least this way I have a functioning immune system to fight with and a host of friends and family pulling along with us. Thanks to all of you for your continuing support!

#4 The next chapter

We've begun the next chapter of this story now. While we're still trying to get our product from the first vendor after 3 going on 4 weeks... we were able to secure the necessary Ionic Cesium and Potassium solutions from an alternate source. As it happens it was probably to our benefit that the first vendor failed to make delivery or we may not have stumbled upon the second vendor.

For background... Rainbow Minerals was my first choice. This was due, in part, to the ability of their blend to make the trans-dermal migration without the addition of DMSO. (Dimethylsulfoxide) (which can generate a fairly strong sulfur odor) However, at this point, I would strongly advise against even considering attempting to do business with Rainbow Minerals. Your account is debited immediately and that is pretty much the end of things. Call and you get an answering machine. Initial E-mails are returned until you figure out that the send to address isn't the same as the link you click on. Even with the correct address you are ignored. Good looking site... lots of Bible verses but they seem to have lost their souls to greed. As soon as I can acquire a good physical address I will be paying them an in person visit for my product or a cash refund.

The second vendor was a pleasant surprise. We were called (unfortunately while still sleeping) early the next morning by a person known only as "Larry." Larry got some initial confirmation that we had indeed placed an order..... then proceeded to gather personal date about Becky. Height, weight, age etc. He then proceeded to give a rather detailed run down of the program and exactly what we could expect... both good and bad. Everything out in the open and right up front. Within a few minutes of the conclusion of the call I had two E-mails from the company. One an order confirmation with tracking number and the second a rather long detailed description of the program and many source links for additional information. In short... 1st class operation.

the Essence of Life web site is, in itself, a treasure trove of information on all things alternative. I have posted a link off to the side on the blog to make it easy to check things out. As I encounter more helpful sites they will have links posted as well.

The cesium itself actually has no taste or odor. Base carrier is highly purified spring water. If tested the product actually indicates a slight acid on litmus paper. That is the nature of the carrier.... the cesium transitions to highly alkaline once it enters the digestive tract.

In Becky's case we're combining two protocols which do not show any negative if mixed. The cesium protocol is the first and a Budwig Protocol is the second. Each targets a weakness of the cancer but in different ways. As stated previously the cesium alters the acid environment of the cancer with it's highly alkaline state. The cancer cells cannot survive in an alkaline environment.

The Budwig protocol involves the blending of Flax Oil and cottage cheese into a paste... (looks like butter) which can then be further reduced with fresh juices and berries to make a drink. The two main ingredients, when combined, somehow aid in the transport of oxygen to the cells. Since cancer is by nature an anaerobic (without oxygen) process the addition of oxygen messes up the internal workings. This protocol has been used for decades in Europe and they have a large, well established clinic in Italy.

So how is it going? Well.... Becky had stopped the Protocel several days prior to the arrival of the cesium. This was to include dietary items which aid the cesium but are contraindicated by the Protocel therapy. Within 12 hours of her first does she reported signs of lysing again. (Damaged material being eliminated by the body) Needless to say that is highly encouraging! The next indicator we're looking for is a reduction of pain in the affected areas. It is reported that this happens within 24 to 36 hours of beginning therapy. Our results may be different because those figures come from clinical tests where higher initial doses were given. But this is only day two of the cesium therapy so we have a ways to go yet.

Unfortunately things may seem to go south for a while before we break over the hump. As both protocols start to work the cancer will eventually become "unmasked" to the bodies own immune system. When this happens it will be like the reaction you would expect at the site of any major wound. Redness, tenderness, swelling, warmer than normal to the touch... etc. While uncomfortable these are all GOOD signs! Each says that we're winning and the cancer is loosing.

Check back for another update in about a week. That should be long enough for us to have some sense of how things are progressing.

#3 Brief Update

Just a brief update this evening. For those of you new to reading Blogs.... these things generally post the last entry "on top" of the older stuff. Thus if you've checked in and feel like you fell into the middle of something... that's exactly what happened. On the right side of the screen (and you may have to scroll down some) there is an entry marked "Blog Archive." As the blog gets older there will be a 2010 entry as well as the 2009 one already there. Simply scroll down to the earliest dated entry and you can start reading at the beginning. (You're welcome!) :-)

Even though Becky is at work right now we did get to spend a rather normal day together today. The cool weather made for nice snuggles but we had shopping to get done so could not snuggle too long. Besides the cancer has gotten to a couple of bones in her back which actually makes simple things like laying in bed or rolling onto one side or the other fairly uncomfortable for her.

Mostly today was a shopping expedition. Part of her therapy is concentrated on simply keeping her immune system in top condition. Years of "normal" living has resulted in her immune system being less than optimal so we're trying to strengthen it now. The method is simple enough. Her diet has shifted to more healthy "whole and natural" foods. One way to quickly get a lot of high nutritional material into the body is with juices. No... not that bottled stuff on the grocery store shelf either. Stuff that you make at home using fresh natural fruits and vegetables and a high power juicer.

[Pointless Information]

There are basically two types of juicers you can use at home. The most common is a centrifugal type. It uses a spinning perforated basket with a shredder at the bottom. Food hits the shredder and is...... well... shredded.... then the material makes it's way up the sides of the spinning basket. As the theory goes the juice should pass through the holes while the solid residue proceeds up the sides and over the top into a holding container. The biggest problem is that it's perhaps 75 to 80% efficient. Smaller pieces of matter tend to clog many of the holes and the resulting pulp is fairly damp. Still.... they are cheap. Prices start at under $40 and can go past $500. For more money you get fluff and glitter.... it's still basically the same machine at heart.

Second type is the gear type and they come in two flavors..... single gear and double gear. The single gear unit is a lot like the food grinder you may already have. One large gear (screw) that mashes and squeezes the product towards the end of the unit. Small holes at the bottom permit the juice to come out while the solids are eventually squeezed out the end nearly dry. Overall it's not too bad.

The second type is a twin gear unit. It uses two meshing helical cut gears which have a clearance of .004 inch between them and are about the diameter of a 50 cent piece and perhaps 4 inches long. At the end of each gear is another nylon gear which us used to push the waste solids out the end. These slip inside a housing which has a feeder chute on top. Insert the victim..... errrrr veggie of your choice.... and when it encounters the gears they grab it and pull in on inside. Rotational speed is low... about 150 RPM... so nothing happens suddenly. The low speed also keeps the juice from being cooked due to heat buildup.

This type of unit will get juice out of anything organic.... even grass. Efficiency is nearly perfect.... extracting more than 99% of the available product. Waste pulp is dry to the touch. Drawback? Cost. A *good* inexpensive unit will run you about $450 and prices can pass $1000. On the other hand it's very efficient and will process anything. With simple cleaning it can be an heirloom item.... they just don't wear out.

[This concludes the Pointless Information]

Thankfully Becky likes darn near everything that grows... other than pickles which we both dislike. Since price *was* a major consideration for our purchase we have the first type of juicer at home. Typically I use a combination of vegetables and fruits/berries for her drinks. Things like celery generate a lot of juice.... carrots produce less. Melons are good for juice too! Basic theory... if you like to eat it.... toss it in! Use some common sense though. Watermelon & mango is probably a nice combination. Broccoli & kale.... probably not.

We're attempting to gently shift Becky's basic body chemistry from somewhat acidic to a more alkaline state. Abnormal cells tend to favor acidic environments so we're trying to turn off the welcome light at her internal Motel 6. When the Ionic Cesium finally arrives that will greatly speed the process. (Yeah... we're still waiting for that delivery) Until then drinking things like watermelon juice is giving her a head start.

Please note: IF, this post displays as one huge run-on sentence.... I'm sorry. What I wrote had real paragraphs and indents and everything! However the three times I've viewed the posted result..... for some reaon known only to some nameless program.... all that stuff was removed. I'm hoping this 4th attempt looks more normal.

Another step on the journey

December 3rd, 2009.

Today we met with a Doctor of Osteopathy. (who, for his own protection, shall remain nameless) The reason for our visit was to secure the assistance of someone who was (1st) more informed about alternative therapy than the main stream folks we had been seeing and (2nd) to have someone capable of drawing blood and monitoring Becky's blood chemistry while we're using the cesium therapy.

We're hoping the cesium product arrives tomorrow so we can get started with it. We've already made changes to Becky's diet to utilize foods which are more alkalizing. The diet, combined with the Ionic Cesium, should produce an environment which is highly toxic to the cancer..... yet do no damage at all to the normal cells in her body. Equally important it does not negatively affect her immune system.

I think I mentioned the downside of the cesium therapy in my first posting but just in case here it is again. While the cesium is harmless to normal cells it is highly alkaline and has a tendency to bind with other minerals. Potassium, calcium and magnesium for starters. If these minerals fall below recommended levels it can result in everything from muscle cramps to irregular heartbeat. Too low and your heart just stops. Since avoiding damage to the body was the main reason we elected to go the alternative therapy route..... we need to have someone who can do the necessary monitoring for us. The fact that her insurance covers the visits is a bonus.

While we still have to pay for the alternative therapy products out of our own pockets it's still a far better deal than going the mainstream medicine route. Just the co-pay on our part of one bag of chemo could easily touch $1000. Especially since our maximum out of pocket costs have not been met for the calendar year. Cancer is big business and that means BIG money.

The D.O. we met with was most pleasant and completely unruffled by the fact that Becky has stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer and was declining normal therapy in order to treat it ourselves. With impossible ease he picked up on very minor problems all the other doctors had completely missed. He struck us as a straight shooter that would not try to BS us for a minute. If something is bad.... he's going to tell you.... it's bad. Also important was the fact that he was genuinely concerned for her overall comfort. He *suggested* a non-addictive pain medication for her.... but left it up to her as whether to take it or not. (she opted to fill the prescription just in case)

While he was familiar with Protocel only from the information we had previously provided he was keenly aware of the cesium therapy we're starting next. That was most encouraging! We can only run the cesium therapy for a maximum of 33 days at the highest dosing level. After that we need to instantly shift to another therapy so the cancer never has a chance to recover or adapt. We've selected laetrile (sometimes called Vitamin B17) as the follow on therapy once the cesium has run it's course. Thankfully he seem quite familiar with the laetrile too.

While it's illegal to sell laetrile in the US or to treat cancer with it (yes you read right... it's illegal to treat cancer in the US with a harmless substance found in the seeds of most plants) laetrile can still be had thanks to the wonderful Internet! The most under the radar method is to simply buy apricot kernels (the part inside the stony pit) and run them through a coffee mill. Years of experimentation indicates that your dose should not exceed one kernel per day for every 10 pounds of body weight. An alternative says..."do not eat more than if you were consuming the entire fruit rather than just the kernel." Either seems entirely safe.

As near as I've been able to find out so far there are no harmful side effects from laetrile at all. It seems to *only* target cancer cells or other damaged cells. Normal cells remain unaffected. In too large a dose, however, it can be toxic and can even cause death. However the quantity involved borders on the ridiculous. Another plus it that this therapy can be maintained over a very long time span in complete safety. Thus we can use it to keep the cancer at bay once we've eliminated it from her body. She *is* genetically prone to cancer so the laetrile is a simple method of introducing a prophylactic intervention on an ongoing basis.

Other than a general tiredness from her nights being interrupted every 4 hours for the Protocel and in-between for pee breaks.... Becky is in good spirits and plodding along with her usual daily routine. Since none of the therapies we've selected adversely affect general health we expect her spirits to remain high and even improve as we start to make measurable progress. Should the cesium perform as well as what we've read (which is what we expect) then her mass should be greatly reduced by the time we again visit a mainstream doctor for a follow-up.

Again there can be problems even with great success. The body needs to be able to eliminate all the dead cancer cells so that will strain her immune system greatly. However, because it has not been damaged or destroyed by chemo, she has a much improved chance of doing that. There may well be some swelling and inflammation at the cancer site once the cesium starts working. That, most likely, is the immune system "discovering" the cancer and vigorously attacking it. Remember cancer hides. The cesium will not only kill cancer cells on it's own but also unmask the cancer so the bodies defenses can join the fray.

More to come......