I finally got it!!!

[Lyn]

Well hello sister, you are not on your own, mine is back in the neck again also so I am acheduled for more radiation. From 1998 it hasn't let up and after all the juices we made up, I I couldn't look at another beetroot, definately has to be in a salad now. When mine came back after doing all the right things I decided when it came back the next time I would eat what I liked and I did needless to say with the steroids as well I looked like a beach ball. Mine has always come back in the neck glands and the skin a couple in the chest but all went with the Navelbine and Herceptin then this stubborn one came back again so now I still eat what I like but I am careful because no matter what I am determined to get my new boob and the complementary tummy tuck. There are a lot of people making a lot of money out of us poor souls and they don't have a consciense. For the last 5+ years I have been drinking Essiac tea, my dear dad used to make it up and he passed away last June and he still believed I was cured but I don't know what he thought when I used to visit him and mum after chemo, but I can't deny it helped my immune system, I wasn't about to find out, but now I take it when I feel like it. I too spent a fortune, with naturopaths, homeopaths health food shops, the best one I heard was when a hairdresser tried to tell me she had shampoo and conditioner at $70 a bottle and my hair wouldn't fall out, she was gobbed smacked when I explained that the chemo drugs worked from the inside out so it was not physically possible, don't know how much she sold after that but their is always one of us who will part with our money. So I guess over the last nearly 6 years many elements have tried to kill me including a heart attack in the beginning and heart failure just recently plus all the near misses on the high way, so I have made up my mind I am going to be around for a long long time because I think I have done enough penance and this cycle is about to end.

Love & Hugs

[Linda in Calif]

Hi Lyn: I don't know if I have talked to you before about this but I would rather repeat myself than let something bad happen to one of my "Her2 Buddies". Just wanted to tell you that I have heard some neg. things about Tram reconstruction. Initially that is what I wanted to do myself...the tummy tuck that you get along with it sounded great to me, too. But I talked to my physical therapist and she said that it could cause problems with your lymph system plus create back problems later on because you've taken the abdominal support away that your body needs. So, it might be a good idea to talk with your own physical therapist and see what their opinion is about the Tram proceedure. Well, I guess I'll get down off my soap box now...Hope things improve for you. Take Care, Linda

[lolam]

I can understand the controversy on this board lately. We all want to live a little longer and if you know how I can do that I suppose you are going to want to tell me! It would not be very nice of you to keep it from me if you thought you could save my life!
When I first got cancer in 2000, people were so helpful. My father-in-law told me that if I had chemo, I would surely die. He knew all about those conspiracy theories but I had to disappoint him. I wasn't so courageous that I could do what he thought was the alternative.
After my treatments, and I was in remission, we decided to listen up to all the advice. So we bought that expensive juicer. Every morning Bob got up early to make little jars of carrot juice for me for the day. Lots of jars.
Then we started getting the barley green. Expensive but they said it would actually cure me of cancer. Sometimes my skin was a pale green, but mostly really orange. Bob was drinking it too so we were the talk of our little church on Sunday. They wondered if it was good for us to be that orange!
Then Bob started growing our own wheat grass in the living room. We had the good dirt for that in the basement, but when he lifted the lid, all those little flies were a bit of a nuisance. And the wheat grass, Bob said "yum", I just gagged. When he came at me with my shot for the day, I grabbed my slice of lemon to shove in my mouth before I threw up.
Then people told us we couldn't have cooked food anymore because we would lose the live enzymes. So we shredded squash and called it spaghetti and used miso and sprouts, (of course we grew our own) and oatmeal soaked over night. Of course by then we were also vegan so no milk on the soaked cold oatmeal. Bob said "Yum" and I gagged. Then we went to the nutritionist who got me on all these vitamins and other things. I have always had trouble swallowing pills so you guessed it, I was gagging most of the time. Then came those people who told us that Noni juice was the cure for cancer and every other disease for that matter. So we started to buy noni juice by the case. That was expensive, but for the cure? No expense too great. I didn't like the diarrhea much that went with it!
Then someone told us that our carrots and veges should really be organic and not what we were buying at the grocery. So now we were buying our veges for five times the price. Organic carrots for juicing was really breaking the bank. We were spending about $500 a month now for groceries for the two of us, and I started looking for a part time job in the want ads!!!
I began to really crave a hot meal. I longed for a piece of cheese. I could hardly stand to get up in the morning knowing I would have to drink 6 jars of carrot juice, a shot of wheat grass, with a barley green cocktail. I finally resorted to only lettuce salads with toppings instead of all those vege recipes. It was just easier and I was really getting tired of eating altogether. One day Bob came home and I said, "Bob, why don't you just kill me now! If this is living, I would rather die!"
AFTER ALL THAT, I GET A GROWTH ON MY NECK AND I HAVE A RECURRANCE! Now wasn't that a kick in the head!!! After all I had been through! Where was my cure!!???
The gutless woman that I am, I went straight back to the cancer center and couldn't wait to get hooked up to my new poison.
Now I eat grocery store fruit and vegetables, a little fish, some chicken, take a multi-vitamin, drink a little water, think about exercising and dieting, and live one blessed day at a time. I just concentrate on living and let God decide how long I get to do that. And now that I think about it, He always has been in charge of that anyway. Before I was born He knew me, He ordained that one day I would be born. He has ordained that one day I will die. He gets to decide because He is God. I am so glad I can just live each day in the in -between, being thankful for all the little blessings I enjoy, seeing little grandchildren born, eating good food, and not worrying about tomorrow. Ahhh, Life is good.
So girls, Here's to the cure!! And in the meantime - go out and live a little!!! Love ya, Lola

[Lyn]

Hi Linda, in 1999 when I spoke to the Plastics guy, (I call them Tupperware hosts) he was going to do the TRAM, when I saw him last year he changed the procedure to DEIP which apparently leaves the musle behind, so after all I have been through lately by the time I get up to the table hopefully it can be done by lazer, but I doubt it very much. I asked about the pain and when he realised I had a fractured shoulder he said my shoulder was worse than any pain I would get. Obviously the surgery has been taken out of my hands because no matter how close I get which was about 3 days before some devine intervention takes over, the thyroid problem I had may have killed me on the table, had I not mentioned it was dicky they wouldn't have done the thyroid function test as it isn't routine so they said NO WAY, oh well after all these years and kids I can honestly say I am patient. Thanks for you reply.

Luv & Hugs Lyn

[Sherry in WV]

U R great! I have been through a really bad time over the holidays and could not even bear to get on the computer. With my first venture U made me laugh out loud. Thank you. Your posts are wonderful and U R wonderful for making us laugh and taking us "away" for a little while.
You should write a book. God Bless you.
Peace,
Sherry In WV

[paula r]

yes,you have it right,i too have done most of those things,now i just try to be normal.A specialist told me carrot juice has way too much sugar & to stop it.i have been fighting this since 1995,great job, reminded me of an erma bombeck column.

[Kim in CA]

Dear Lola,

It took me awhile too, but after denying myself too many yummy things and eating enough healthfood and supplements to gag a maggot and still seeing the cancer come back, I now make sure I get my daily dose of chocolate along with my latte and I make sure I savor every delicious moment!!!!!!!!!!! Love, Kim