Cancer and Us

I’ll let ya’ll in on a little secret this morning and it has to do with my age. I’m so old that I remember George Carlin’s, “The seven words you can never say on TV.” Although in today’s times it is condoned to say ALL SEVEN on TV! Boy, times have changed, huh? Well, Deb and I now have come to realize the SIX LETTERS that no one wants to ever hear in regards to their family or friends, and these are simply C,A,N,C,E,R! Hopefully, down the road, none of us will ever have to hear those letters in that sequence again. Medical technology and our own (yours and ours) research together may in fact take this terrible disease right off the books! Can you say, “polio?”

With us fielding questions from readers in regards to Deb’s battle, and their own questions, due to curiosity of what we’re doing, and their own desire for more knowledge due to theirs or their families own fight in regards to cancer, I thought we’d share some of the things we’re doing. With this being the case, this morning I’ll address some of those questions. Please understand that the alternative treatments we’re using I cannot tell you that they’ve worked in our regard, and may not, but they are our choice, I mean Deb’s choice. I say ours, only on account that WHATEVER Deb wants to do…I’m 100% behind her! BUT, we both BELIEVE they WILL work! What we’re doing from a medical sense is controversial, and honestly I feel the Doctors think of these as “bunk.” But they are the treatments Deb decided upon. SO, don’t run out and just start these up…stop, look, research, and THEN, make up your own mind! Deb and I neither one are telling or asking you. Once more, these treatments are only what we’ve decided to do, and what we’re supplying you this morning . You have to do what your own heart tells you to do, okay?

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April 28th. 2011, Deb and I sat in a Doctor’s office and were told that she has stage 4 breast cancer, which by the way had moved and they had found another tumor, this below her tracheal tube in her chest area. NO CURE…8-9 months no treatment, and 4-5 years, maybe, with treatment. You want to talk total devastation…this was it. Never, ever, did we expect that type of diagnosis. Here we were, two ole “country folks” who had started doing a little column, thanks to Judi and Brian of the Canada Free Press. Those two allowed Deb and I to start sharing what little knowledge we had in regards to gardening, canning, recipes, food storage, and whatever else popped into our minds. We called it Ridin Out the Recession…in Miz Judi’s Kitchen. Honestly, we were having the time of our lives, laughin, and jokin around with all you guys…it was great!! Then, in 5 minutes time we went from Ridin Out the Recession, to Ridin Out the DEPRESSION!! But you know what? We spent hardly any time in a so called “depression.” A couple days later we were already becoming “pro-active,” instead of “reactive!” WE took control, not the cancer, or the depression associated with it. Yes, we were upset, very much so, still are, but you know what? Deb and I both believe deeply, that if you’re knocked down you get right back up, “dust off the seat of your britches,” and move forward. NEVER, never, take no for an answer! You fight the good fight, and with the good Lord’s help…you end up being victorious, no matter what your endeavor, okay? STAY POSITIVE! She has been such an inspiration to me! All jokes aside…she is “one tough cookie!” That dern heifer has taken 25 pounds of my big butt! When we first were diagnosed, we put our situation in our column, and I have to tell you that we were overwhelmed by goodness, concern, prayers, and love, from…you guys! It was astounding your response, and thank you all again for such a testimony of human kindness…to two total strangers. You guys are great! Now, what we do and have been doing. The first thing we heard from other cancer survivors was juice…juice…and juice some more, and we haven’t quit yet! From right after we found out our plight we started juicing! We did then, and still do juice 20-25 fresh fruits and vegetables daily…EVERY DAY! It is a little costly, but hey, what’s your spouse mean to you? I swear though, what a nutritional boost we get from this. This gives you practically all the “goodie” from each ingredient used. The juicer gives you the nutrition from the juice itself, the skin or peel, and even the small seeds in your fruits…they get ground up as well. Now it won’t grind up something as large and hard as a peach pit, for example, but I just make Deb swaller those! Just kiddin guys…I let her take a hammer and bust em up in two or three pieces!! So to us, juice is very important, and is the second thing we do each day. The first…walk. We walk a mile every morning, about half the time we take one around lunch, and each evening we’ll do another mile. We fluctuate our distances between a mile to a mile and a half, and some days two. For about the last month we tote dumbells while we walk. Deb started out with 2 pounders in each hand and I with 10 pounders. We then moved Deb up to 5 pounders in each hand and me to 15 pounders. We just added leg weights in the last couple of days and she wears 2-1/2 pounders on each leg and I wear 5’s. So, we get a pretty good workout with our walks and the dumbells and leg weights work you pretty good too. Then we bike a couple times a day. You add into this her house cleaning, cooking, helping out around the place, and she has quite a busy day! She looks and acts as if she were a picture of health. But once more…we BELIEVE we’re gonna whip this stuff! This is very important, and we can’t stress it enough…YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE!! You know Deb decided against chemo after her first dose, and the immune boosting shot that follows it. She was sick, sick, and even more sick. NO positivity, no desire to get up and fight this mess, had terrible dizzy spells, and honestly…just looked like you know what. After about 10 to 15 days of this she told me…no more chemo! After seeing her during the effects of chemo, and the non-positivity created from this, I was wondering to myself is this the right thing for Deb, but kept my mouth shut with these thoughts. We then had a get-to-the-hospital-now moment…go have cat scans as she may have blood clots on her lungs. Once arriving we asked if this concern was caused from the cancer rearing its head, but were told quite frankly, “No, if we do find blood clots, it will be from the chemo.” Talk about an eye-opener. The next morning we sat down and talked, and this is when Deb made me aware of her decision to forgo chemo, and concentrate on alternative treatments. I told her that I can’t promise these alternatives will work, and is she sure in her decision. More...