We don't usually use this net for personal stuff, but this is by way of
explaining my total absence from the net lately, and Bill's brief and
relatively rare comments.
After various ailments in August and September, I was diagnosed with cancer
on Sept 29. Since then we have spent nearly three weeks away from home
while I got ready for, had, and recovered from surgery. More to the point,
it took time to get used to the idea enough to tell our kids, and somewhat
longer to clue in the rest of the family, and then a number of friends, and
finally, now, all the good folks in the CSG.
Unfortunately it is ovarian cancer, which shows no symptoms until fairly
well advanced. So I will be doing chemotherapy. Yuk. Meanwhile, I feel
fine, except for getting over the surgery.
We are looking at a couple of alternative therapies along with the regular
stuff, on the principle that they are harmless and possibly helpful. Any
suggestions?
Sorry to burden you all with this. It doesn't unburden us much, except now
we don't have to pussyfoot around about it.
Our hearts go out to you, and Bill, this day. I immediately called Patsy at
the antique shop where she helps out each Thursday. May you find the
strength to face and beat this malady that has invaded your body and changed
your life.
When the doctors were telling me in 1995 that I had only a few years to live
(as it appeared that I had hemochromotosis of the liver), I changed the
priorities in my life. Life and living became more precious than most of the
things I previously cherished. What seemed bad turned out for the good and I
am still not only breathing but breathing easier than ever before. Life has
been, and still is good.
My petition is that it will be even better in the future for you, and all of
us.
Mary,
Sorry to hear about your cancer.
I'd suggest checking out the books and website of Dr. Andrew Weil. He
combines excellent medical qualifications with many years of self education
about alternative medicine. His website is: www.pathfinder.com/drweil/
I'd also recommend researching VISUALIZATION. I've tried to do a web search
with hopes of getting to an author from New York who wrote one of the
definitive books on the topic but so far have failed. I'll try some more
later today. Weil's web has some visualization info.
Good luck. To me techniques like visualization are everyday examples of PCT
...... going internal.
David
It appears that some cells are being antisocial, have stopped participating in organs and body functions, and have instead become self-centered every-cell-for-itself colonies. But nobody knows what's in it for the cell to help constitute a body in the first place. If folks figured that out, we might be able to figure out why they stop being team players. And by the same token why sometimes cancer just goes away, spontaneous remission, which nobody understands now. So I can't dump advice on you, and probably that's just as well. Except that cancer is a lot less fixed and determinate than it might seem from doctor-talk, because so much is unknown.
One possible lead: Research into depriving tumors of blood supply are closer to trial now than when I first heard about them maybe 20 years ago. There's a good article from Scientific American four years ago that you can read at http://www.sciam.com/0996issue/0996folkman.html
A press release last February by the Canadian Cancer Society at http://www.research.cancer.ca/pubs/media/00/feb21e.htm
talks of human trials. Maybe there's something going on near you.