Thanks Lily and Brenda for your comments. Just to clarify -- when I had my recurrence in Aug '98, that is when I went to Dr. Gaynor. I had read his book in Aug '95 when initially dx.
I began Taxotere Sept '98, as I was told by my onc that I needed to start immediately and not wait to try and get in to clinical trials on Herceptin. As it was, they rejected me as I had had too much Adriamycin. And w/ongoing tests at the outset, my bc was fast progressing. Vit H was fast tracked by the FDA as of Sept 28, 1998 and became available to every one at that time. My docs waited till my first 8 wk set of CT scans to be certain the Taxotere was working. Then in Nov '98 I began H and have remained on it since. Stayed w/Taxotere through May '99 when I was declared in remission.
It is important to understand -- I BEGAN MY SUPPLEMENT REGIMEN IMMEDIATELY, in conjunction with my metastases. Dr. Gaynor believes that when your immune system is under siege from the chemo -- that is when you are most in need of supplements!
And I have stuck w/the program ever since. For a while I thought the demandng daily requirements were controlling me and my life. Then, I realized that taking the supplements put ME in control of my life. They further EMPOWERED me, beyond eating *right*, meditating, using guided imagery, scripting mantras for my daily mental chatter to incorporate and in fact come to dwell on (versus the fear-riddled thoughts, equating my weakened condition w/defeat, living w/thoughts full of uncertainty and helplessness). I troll for these thoughts with each day, confronting my negative and honest emotions at their arising. I investigate them and experience them, as repressing them is surely not healthy OR HEALING. Then, I move on, to programming my thoughts, reflecting what I truly want (vs what I fear most). I know to be careful what I think, as whatever it is I am concentrating all my energy on and focusing on will come to materialize in my life. This is a key truth I have learned and embrace. It is both the good news and the bad. It is up to us to choose our thoughts with clear intention and explicit expectation!!
What we think all day determines how we will feel (emotionally). It impacts our psyche and -- becomes a predictor of our fate! Once we own our BELIEF, we claim our power and can thus alter outcomes... Self-prophesying is the end result of what we dwell on all day.
The energy of our thoughts go out from us on varying frequency waves, depending on their makeup (positive or negative). The Universe (and others) sense this energy and respond to it -- IN KIND. So by envisioning myself as a Survivor I was calling upon the Universe to collude with me to bring me and make manifest what I consciously chose to infuse my mental dialogue with...
It is quite miraculous to discover how empowered we each are. We are so much more than we ever imagined. We are sacred beings indeed, meant to claim our birthright, granted us as we drew our first breath on earth...
Andi 