Pieces of the Puzzle

My first follow-up appointment in Mexico was mid-June, three months after my initial three weeks of  treatments at Hope 4 Cancer.  My family and I were feeling really good about the follow up, because I still had no bone pain, blood work looked good, and I was feeling quite well again after my initial bout of Lyme disease. However, we were all thrown for a loop when I received the report from the PET scan taken the week before my follow up.  The report indicated "significant progression" of the cancer since the previous PET scan.  There was lots of new cancer and growth of the cancer that was already present.  It was in all of my long bones (both arms and legs now), throughout my entire spine and sternum and ribs, hips and pelvis. There was also evidence of destruction in some bones. It was difficult to digest the news myself, let alone share it with Bob and the kids. I had been telling people that I would be surprised if the cancer was completely gone, and I would be surprised if it was worse. I was fully expecting something in the middle--that there would still be cancer present, but that there would be indications that it was shrinking.  This report was quite devastating.  And so confusing!  If the cancer was so bad, how was it possible that I was still having no bone pain?

I think we were all doing our best not to freak out, so we determined to wait and see what my doctor at Hope 4 Cancer , Dr. Romero, had to say about the scan. Thankfully, his perspective was completely positive and changed everything!  He said that he was convinced that what the PET scan showed was simply part of the healing process, not growing cancer. Relief flooded over me, and I realized how much sense his interpretation made.  It's important to remember that scans do not diagnose anything...they simply show if something is there.  Conventional doctors and alternative doctors had completely different interpretations of what my PET scan showed.  Dr. Romero reminded me that scans can show what appears to be spreading cancer, when, in fact, it can be cancer cells being killed and breaking down. Picture what happens to a cracker when it gets wet--it breaks down and spreads out in a soggy mess.  The cracker isn't growing into a larger cracker; it's breaking apart and disintegrating, but it looks like it is taking up more volume/space. One very interesting thing about my PET scan images was that, although, yes, it looked like cancer (which shows up black on the images) was spreading significantly throughout my skeleton, it looked as if it was spreading symmetrically. The black color in the image was diffused evenly and symmetrically...down both arms and legs, the entire spine, sternum, and ribs.  But cancer doesn't work that way--it is the complete opposite of orderly and symmetrical; it is random, disorderly, and out of control.  So I interpreted that phenomenon as aligning more with Dr. Romero's interpretation that it was the healing process than with the interpretation that the cancer was growing and spreading.

Then there is what the PET scan didn't show--and what was confirmed by the ultrasound done in Mexico during my follow up. All of my organs and breasts and head/skull were clear.  In my mind, if the cancer was so much worse, it would be spreading to organs, but it isn't. Also, my previous PET scan showed a spot on my right lung and in the base of my skull; this PET scan made no mention of those spots, and instead said the lungs and skull were clear. The report didn't specifically mention those two areas and say they are now gone, so it was a bit ambiguous, but still.

Additionally, the bloodwork showed that the cancer markers continued to drop, which wouldn't make much sense if the cancer was getting worse.  

Taking into consideration all the pieces of the puzzle--no bone pain, feeling well physically, no organ involvement, dropping cancer markers, and the orderly fashion of the "spreading"--the radiologist's interpretation of the PET scan is the only piece that didn't fit.  In light of that, I chose to believe Dr. Romero's positive interpretation.  

Dr. Romero didn't make any changes to my treatment plan, either.  I purchased another three months worth of the gcMAF injections and continued with all of my home treatments as well as going to the clinic in Fond du Lac for treatment once a week.

I have been lax in updating my blog, so here it is, the week before I leave for my second and final follow-up visit to Hope 4 Cancer.  Those three months sure flew by!  I did have a second Lyme flare up which lasted five weeks (from July 6 through the second week of August), but it wasn't quite as bad as the first one. I will have another PET scan this week before I leave, and I have been praying specifically for this image to show some clear improvement.  My blood work has continued to show improvement, I still have no bone pain, and I feel better and stronger than I have in a long time.  At some point, if the treatments are working and the cancer is going away, there has to be some visual evidence in the scans, and it would be fantastic to see that this time!

My only current issue is, I believe, unrelated to the cancer. I have developed neuralgia of the trigeminal nerve in the left side of my face which has been a problem for about six weeks now.  I don't know what caused it other than the fact that I do tend to frequently sleep on my left side. I have a lot of pain and numbness, and it keeps me up throughout the night causing significant sleep issues as well. I have been throwing everything at it, but I haven't seen any improvement...only worsening.  I've been getting my jaw adjusted, doing infrared light therapy on the nerve, using essential oils and Chinese herbs and other supplements, applying  hot packs, and have done some ozone treatments to the area. Any relief is short-lived. I saw my acupuncturist, but he doesn't want to do acupuncture due to my low energy levels, because acupuncture needles actually release more energy.  At this point, though, I would rather suffer a little more low energy and get some pain relief, so I have contacted him again about treatment. I've been using my left over pain drugs from when I had bone pain early in the year to get some relief, but I'm almost out, so I have an appointment with a pain management doc this week to hopefully get some better pain meds.  

My brother, Steve, will be accompanying me on this visit to Hope 4 Cancer.  Our flight leaves bright and early this Saturday, and we are looking forward to spending a few days with our Uncle Terry and Aunt Jacki in California before heading to Mexico next Tuesday.  I will be at the clinic in Tijuana on Wednesday and Thursday, and we fly back home on Friday.

It would be awesome if I have all good news to share after the follow up, but if not, I will still love and praise my God, because He is good ALL the time!