Great News - Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Today, I had an appointment with the naturopath. During the office visit, we discussed the various side effects I had experienced over the past months and how to address them. I am always glad to hear what suggestions she has. I was also happy to report that the products she prescribed during our last visit worked so well that those side effects had disappeared (the neuropathy and the chemical burns on my hands). However, it was after reviewing my blood work from the day of the fourth chemo treatment, that she made a shocking statement. She said she thought I might be able to do a round of detox after the sixth and final chemo treatment. I remembered that originally she had said I would need to wait until after radiation was complete to build my immune system, then I could begin the process of detoxing. So, when she suggested the idea of detoxing before radiation I reminded her of her original statement. Then I asked about the rebuilding segment of the protocol because of the need to have an intact immune system. It was then she explained that because my white blood cell counts were so good, my immune system was still operating. She also informed me that I was still absorbing vitamins which meant that my digestive system was operating as well, albeit not perfectly due to the chemo, but it was still in working order. Although she would make the final decision over the next month, no one but God, and another person dealing with cancer, could understand the degree to which that piece of news affected me. Let me explain. Chemo is designed to attack rapidly dividing cells. Since the digestive and immune systems produce cells rapidly, both these systems are naturally attacked by it. In addition, I have been reading that chemo damages organs, oftentimes irreparably. Because a person’s immune system is compromised by it, if there is a second attack of cancer, the body usually cannot withstand that attack. This is why after a number of years a second cancer can possibly metastasize to an organ or the bones, etc. Knowing these things beforehand, I have been doing all that I can to protect my body during this protocol. But, the thoughts of what the chemo might be doing to my body were always in the background. That is why it came as such a relief to know that after three treatments these systems were still functioning fairly well.

I left the naturopath’s office feeling as though a one hundred pound weight had rolled off my shoulders. After calling my sister and exploding with excitement over the phone, I went to work. Upon entering, I saw Marilyn, grabbed her arm and jerked her into the back room where other staff were working. I then let go of her arm and made the announcement to whoever would listen. I could not contain my joy even though most who heard me did not catch the full import of my news. Thanks be to God for His faithfulness.