Unconventional?

First, and foremost, I want to thank you for praying for me.  I covet your prayers very much and can say that God is meeting me daily.  He continues to fill me with strength and joy.

Your probably wondering….where are the updates that I promised….what’s happening with the treatment plan. 

Tell you the truth, I have put this off, because it’s been a hard one to write.  I know that there will be some negative reactions to what I am going to share.

Greg and I met with the oncologist two weeks ago. Her treatment plan was to put me on a strong Chemo at first, then a lower dose.  Surgery, radiation then hormonal treatment. 

She would have to monitor my heart, liver, and kidneys because of possible negative reactions. Years down the road it could affect my bone marrow leading to leukemia.  But, of course, this is very rare.

I looked at Greg and he knew what I was thinking, “no way”.  I did not want to do this at all.

Before I went into this meeting I already had my mind made up to go another way.  Just hearing the side effects and what I would put my body through, confirmed to me that this way was not the way for me.

I was there to see if she would support my decision, or at least humor me with some time.

She said that she didn’t have any kind of nutritional education, so she couldn’t help me with that.   I’m glad she was honest... 

I have decided not to do the conventional treatment plan, chemo, surgery, radiation and hormone therapy.

Maybe you’re thinking… what are you nuts?  What are you going to do?

I have decided to go the unconventional way.  Through diet and lifestyle changes.

To me this is not unconventional. But to the majority of people it is.

I know your praying for me and I believe that this is the right thing for me.

I have been led to many people that have gone before me and who I say are truly the brave ones.

At the bottom of this page I will give some links so, that you can read some of the testimonies and see the protocol that I will be taking.

Those of you who really know me, know that this comes as no surprise.  I have been reading and researching on what is healthy for almost 30+ years.

It seems like all of my reading and research has paid off.  Nothing that I am doing is strange to me.

My days are busy. First thing in the morning, I connect with God, take puppies for a walk, go to yoga, and the store. Then, come home juice, which takes about an hour, prep my salads, read and research (about 2-3 hours). Do household stuff, and dinner. Sometimes take a nap and go for another walk. My days are full.

I am very happy and at peace with this way that I believe God is leading me. 

For those of you who are fearful, I understand.  I know that you love me and want me to be healthy and win this battle with cancer.  So, I have given some links at the that will help explain why I am taking this route.  There are many amazing testimonies of people from all over the world that have healed their cancer.

My mission now is to find a holistic oncologist. There is one in Redlands that I will be calling.

I plan on doing some more blood work checking for cancer markers and food allergies.

I also plan on doing another scan in 60-90 days to see if the tumor is shrinking, which I believe will.

I am so grateful to my landlord who has told us that we didn’t have to pay rent until August.  This has allowed me to buy all the things that it takes to make my home a safe haven and a place of healing.  I am very, very, thankful and grateful for this.

Thank you to my cousin Gail and her husband Michael who are helping me walk this journey. Michael, has brain cancer, is doing the very thing that I am doing.  He has had great success. 

Here are a few of the helpful links to ease your worries.

https://www.chrisbeatcancer.com/

https://www.thevidacenter.com/

All my love,

Mary

From a One-Star to a Five-Star

Surgeon Visit (if you’re in a hurry just skip ahead to the bold letters)

This blog is to inform all the people who want to keep up on my progress upon this journey.

There are six sections, not always covered in every blog, they are Perspective, Promises, Prayer, People, Praise, and Progress.

So, if you just want just the progress, skip to that.  If you want to see my perspective, or any of the other six things then just jump to that section.  Otherwise, this is a story about our journey.

Prognosis.

Wednesday, I went to my first breast surgeon appointment.  Today was going to be the day that I find out about what kind of treatment would be suggested. Finally, I will get some dates on the calendar and get moving with this breast cancer thing.

Before this day came, I had looked up the surgeon to see some reviews, since he was going to cut me up I wanted to see what kind of doctor people thought he was.  None of my breast cancer friends had heard of him.  To me this wasn’t really a great sign.

To my surprise, he only had one star, one review.

Well, I now was beginning to see why an HMO was cheaper than a PPO. No choices.

The day before, Tuesday, I was going to see if I could switch my HMO to a PPO, then I could pick the great surgeons and plastic surgeons.  Yes, they said I could switch and that it would cost me $500 more a month. 

At first, I thought, well that’s out of the question.  Way too much money.  But after talking with Greg, he said go for it.

I was just was going to my one-star doctor for one-star information.  I really didn’t even want to go. In fact, when I was working Tuesday I asked Carol to save the books and I could finish when I came in on Wednesday.  She told me that I was going to the doctors.  Oh yah, I forgot.

On my way to the doctor’s I got lost and was 15 minutes late.  As a side note. I really believe that the GP’s make you stupid.  Because I went right by the Wildomar sign and kept driving because the GP’s said so.

Fast forward, and I walking down the hallway, thinking this is a loser place. (yes, not a very good attitude)

Sitting in the waiting room, a patient comes out and says, “Well, that didn’t make any sense”.  So, yes, this confirms that I am definitely not having this surgeon.

So, we wait an hour and we finally see this one-star doctor.  He walks in with his scrubs on looking ready for surgery.

He was kind, low key, patient, informative, gentle.  Little by little my one-star doctor was becoming a five-star doctor.

By the end of the visit both Greg and I had peace.

This would be my surgeon. (so much for one-star reviews)

Needless to say, that we are very thankful that we didn’t have to switch and that we wouldn’t have to pay another $500 a month. 

God took care of this for us.

So, the plan now is to get a scan on the rest of my body to check for more cancer, which is next week. Then to do a biopsy on my lymph nodes to see if the cancer has spread.  I am waiting for the authorization for this procedure.  Then start chemo to shrink the tumor.  After that we will talk about surgery.  Surgery would not be until 4-6 chemo treatments, possibly more.  I won’t know the chemo schedule until next Wednesday.

It seems like my life is a constant “next Wednesday”.  But, it’s okay, just another piece of the puzzle that leads to the road that I have to take.

People (my heart is full of thanksgiving)

This week has been one of the most amazing weeks of my life.  My workmates put together a gift basket with all sorts of gift cards. Carol, thanks so much for putting all this together. You are very thoughtful.

So many gift cards for so many needs. My family and I are very humbled by the kindness of so many people.

My Chemo Bag with all sorts of goodies.

Lip gloss, candy, straws (?), Blanket, wipes,

dry shampoo (if I have any hair)          

For the cards, and well wishes.

The books and resources.

Anonymous givers.

For the help with my homework, thanks Jen.

My teachers looking past many assignments, giving me full credit when the assignment was only a quarter done.

Our landlords calling to say don’t worry about rent for the next few months.

For all the hugs and kind words.

The phone calls, the promises, the songs.

The flowers and plants. That are so beautiful.

If you turn on the news its all about hatred and division. 

This past few weeks have shown me that the news is only a small slice of what is really going on.  

There are so many kind and compassionate people out there.  It’s so refreshing.

So, from the bottom of my heart and my family’s heart we truly thank all of you. Thank you for being part of this journey. It really is….Our Journey.

Perspective (Judges 6)

This past week or so God has put on my heart to read the book of Judges, in the Bible.

As I was reading, I had to stop at the story of Gideon.  It’s one of my favorites.

A little background, probably better if you read it yourselves.  But I will try to give a full picture.

The Israelites were in a bad way, they were far from God and the Midianites were terrorizing them.

The Midianites would come into their fields and destroy everything.  An angel appeared to a man named Gideon…

^11-12 One day the angel of God came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, whose son Gideon was threshing wheat in the wine press, out of sight of the Midianites. The angel of God appeared to him and said, “God is with you, O mighty warrior!”

…..Think about it…I’m what?

…..I just see Gideon shaking his head, like what are you talking about?

¹³ Gideon replied, “With me, my master? If God is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all the miracle-wonders our parents and grandparents told us about, telling us, ‘Didn’t God deliver us from Egypt?’ The fact is, God has nothing to do with us—he has turned us over to Midian.”

…..Sometimes we can look at the situation and not realize what God is doing.

…..Gideon summed up God’s involvement by what he saw.  It was a bleak situation…so, how in the world is God with us?...

¹⁴ But God faced him directly: “Go in this strength that is yours. Save Israel from Midian. Haven’t I just sent you?”

…..I love how God isn’t fazed by Gideon and how he perceives the situation …He looks Gideon right in eyes, right in the face and speaks what is true.

…..Gideon still doesn’t hear what God is trying to say. God is patient.

¹⁵ Gideon said to him, “Me, my master? How and with what could I ever save Israel? Look at me. My clan’s the weakest in Manasseh and I’m the runt of the litter.”

…..it doesn’t matter….your status, ….your abilities, …your fears…. When God wants to do something it’s really not anything about who you are.  It’s all about who God is.

…..this has been so true for me.  God has given me joy, strength, faith.  He meets me daily with songs and scriptures.

“If God be for us who can be against us” (Romans 8:31)

¹⁶ God said to him, “I’ll be with you. Believe me, you’ll defeat Midian as one man.”

There’s more to read of this story, read it if you can.  God is not stumped, he knows all about our insecurities.  He’s not discouraged.  My strength is this….That God is with me.

We Were Made to Thrive, Not Just Survive

To My Amazing Family & Dear Friends,

First, I just wanted to thank all of you for praying.  God is answering your prayers.  It really does work, and I appreciate it.

Second, On Wednesday I went to another oncologist appointment.  So different than the last.  She was informative, supportive and very personable.

 After talking about the kind of cancer that I have and talking about the treatment options.  I still don’t know what kind of treatment I will have until I see the surgeon on this Wednesday. 

So far what I understand is that chemo most likely will be used first to shrink the cancer since the tumor is 5.5 cm and not sure that they would get clean margins operating on such a large mass.

 I talked to a Radiologist yesterday (thanks Rebecca) who told me that they have seen chemo shrink the entire tumor to nothing.  But, treatment could last up to 1 year.

This coming Wednesday I go to the surgeon to discuss his opinion on my treatment plan.  In my heart I would like to pursue chemo and hold off on the surgery. 

I am also changing my diet to a more whole foods approach and am starting to juice.  This has helped some people with cancer.  Even if it doesn’t shrink the tumor I will be stronger for chemo.

Third, I’m encouraged, not sad, or fearful.  I’m learning to just rest, be patient. There’s not much more I can do except keep learning about breast cancer so that I will have as much input into my treatment as possible. 

With all the reading and research, I feel as though I just signed up for a 5-unit crash course.  Thank you, Linda, for the book on Breast Cancer Treatment. Sent all the way from Las Vegas. I really appreciate it.

On a personal note.  I have been reading through Judges, in the Bible, I’ve been encouraged to see how God works and who he uses.  

These are stories of just ordinary people, some courageous, some timid, but how God still used them to accomplish his will. God delivered his people when they cried out again and again.  He's the God of heavens armies and He is for us.

  

I just wanted to keep singing so, I  kept listening and another song came up by Casting Crowns

...."We were made for so much more than ordinary lives, we were made to thrive"..

This really spoke to me.  God's desire for my life is not just about surviving but about thriving.  So, I coined the word, thrivior 😊  Yes, it’s silly but makes a point.

I really don’t just want to survive, I want to thrive on this journey.  I don’t know how it will all end up, if I will lose my hair, how chemo will affect me, if I need surgery, or even if the cancer will come back. 

But, I do know that God will meet me, He will fill my reservoir, He will carry me through.  Knowing him personally, giving me a right perspective, strength for the moment, peace that passes understanding and joy unspeakable.

That’s thriving!