The plan continues....

The Plan Continues…

            Radiation is over. Praise Jesus. That was really, really rough. It was actually rougher than I thought it would be. I blame the massive amounts of steroids that I was on. They did a number on me. I wasn’t myself, I didn’t eat like I normally have been eating, I slept a lot, and I just all around didn’t feel like myself. I ended up losing my hair the day after I finished radiation. The doctor said that I would and I was determined to prove him wrong; however, he was right! It’s now starting to grow back, which is good…I have a little buzz cut now.  I’m starting to feel better and better everyday. I have more energy; I’m eating better, and feeling more and more like myself. I still take a catnap every afternoon and that seems to help. I’m so happy to be feeling better these days because now it’s time to move forward with the next phase of the plan.  

            We are very excited about what’s to come in the next month. I take off Sunday for Mexico. The plan has changed a little bit as far as what we expected. I won’t be staying in Santa Barbara like I originally thought. After I sent all my records and tests to the Issels clinic, they decided they wanted me to stay in their hospital/clinic in Mexico for the entire 21 days to receive the treatment that they have planned. Because of the brain lesions, they wanted to administer the injections over a slower pace to help reduce the chance of swelling and to monitor me. There will be round the clock nurses and doctors there to help provide care during these injections and to help in case there is more swelling in the brain.  Basically, the process is that the lab will take my blood and cells and create a vaccine designed to fight my cancer, which is then injected back into me. I will also go through an everyday process of building my immune system back to max capacity.  I will receive high doses of Vitamin C and B17 (lots and lots of research on this and cancer); I will have supplements, probiotics and enzymes to make up for what my immune system is lacking; and I will be detoxed, fed a special diet, given veggie juice all day, etc. Other therapies I will receive include a treatment to oxygenate my blood, which is great for the immune system, and hyperthermia treatment where they bring my body to a higher than normal temperature (on purpose) because there are studies that show that cancer can’t survive at a certain heat in the body. They will also provide counseling, which I find to be so important. It will help me deal with and process everything that has been going on with me in the past 7 years with this cancer. They will provide nutrition classes as well so I can learn about the new diet they will put me on. It basically is a 21-day, whole body, cleanse-get-rid-of-the-cancer-build-me-up-stronger-than-before-and-send-me-back-home-again-better-than-ever treatment. I leave with a 5-month supply of my own vaccine and a list of supplements, etc to continue on and access to check in with the docs whenever I need. 

      Just to ease minds about me being in Mexico instead of the US, this is a legit hospital; it’s actually the #1 hospital there. They have certified doctors and oncologists that work there. They even administer chemo and radiation if they find the patient needs it as well.  Dr. Issels (the one who founded this clinic) has been successfully doing this for 60 years. I have hope; I believe in this, I have ABSOLUTELY nothing to lose for trying it. It makes sense to me.  I’m excited to do this. 

     The logistics are working out good, too. My sister in law, Mia, will join me for the first week while I’m there. I’m so happy to be spending this time with her and to be able to catch up; and I’ll be happy to have her “doctor knowledge” there with me as well. She will leave after a week and then my mother will join me for the remaining two weeks. I can’t remember when my mom and I have had that kind of time together. I’m looking forward to having that time with her as well. She’s coming fully stocked with supplies to teach me how to crochet! We will see how that goes! I plan to provide weekly updates while I’m there to let everyone know how the treatments are going, how I’m feeling, what it’s like there, etc – so look out for those! (now that I’ve said it, I’ll have to do it…)

            I will return home to the UK and continue the course with my vaccine and supplements. I will continue to see my doctor here for blood work and normal checkups, but I probably will not have any testing done before I get back to the states this summer. I want to give this treatment a chance to work before I subject myself to more tests. My doctor here has been so supportive of this process. He told me before radiation that he is a scientist and he believes in medicine and studies and what he was taught; however, he can’t pretend to have all the answers to treatments for cancer. I thought that was a great, honest, supportive answer. I got very lucky when I found him as a doctor.

            As I close this post, I want to take the opportunity to thank everyone again for all the love and support you have given Josh, the girls and me. The GoFundMe page that my sis in law, Che, set up was one of the most humbling experiences of our lives. I couldn’t believe the way our goal was met so quickly and the selfless generosity of family, friends and strangers – it has provided such a huge help to us in this process.  Now, all we need are prayers, well wishes and good thoughts. I also appreciate everyone who has sent cards, reached out in messages, emails, and visits to our extended family during this. I have never felt so lifted up and loved.  I believe in God’s purpose, I know he has a plan for me during all this. I feel like I’m going to beat this, I really do. Thanks for loving me and believing in me!

           

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A Set Back

I have always meant, from the moment I thought about this blog, to use it as an update on all our travels and adventures and just all around cool things that we have had an opportunity to do.  For some reason, it just never turned out that way.

Why? I have no idea! What I am going to turn it into now is a way to update you all on what’s going on with me lately, health wise. There have been some new developments in that area and I really want to share them with you.

As you know, just after we arrived in the UK in 2015, I found out that my breast cancer was back after almost five years in remission.  I was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer that had come back in my bones; with small evidence in my liver, lymph nodes and lungs. I underwent 6 rounds of chemo and RADICALLY changed my lifestyle and eating habits.  I did research and traveled to a clinic in Mexico for immune boosting treatments – it all had a fantastic effect on the cancer. The disease shrank remarkably in my skeleton system, and signs elsewhere either disappeared or continued to reduce.  Things were looking up. I was feeling better, more fit, and stronger than I ever have -- like I was beginning to lead the life that God had intended for me.

A scheduled PET scan in January of this year revealed that some of the cancer had taken back up in a few of my lymph nodes. Although small, they were still there and something to attack in a different way. After lots of discussing options, we decided on a treatment of medicine from the doctor, as well as continuing to up my game in the nutrition and supplement way. Get re-tested in May and see what has changed. We were going forward with our exciting plans to move to Germany and continue living the life we want to live, doing what we feel is great for our family, Army career, and just all around purpose. The lymph nodes were a setback, but nothing we felt we could not beat, just as we have beat the other things before.

Last week I started to have massive headaches (that actually puts the word headache lightly) and vomiting. Josh took me to the hospital, and upon a CT scan we discovered that the cancer has spread to my brain. A lot scarier, a lot more to deal with, a lot more decisions that will need to be made due to this news. As usual, Josh and I have attacked it with lots of research, questions, and prayers. Here is where we are now.

Josh has deferred battalion command and we will be reassigned back to North Carolina. Back to our old neighborhood, back to our old house, back to the girls’ old school; near the beach, near family support. That is the best thing we can do right now moving forward for low stress and stability.  It is a huge disappointment to give the Germany opportunity up, but it is the only thing that we felt was right to do - and we all made that decision willingly and with a good heart.

 

While there are some traditional treatment options for what I have now, they are more limited than prior diagnoses.  We have weighed options, developed a plan, and are now prepared to go full guns ahead and find as much hope as we can possibly find, as I attack this thing through complimentary treatment – that is, both traditional medical treatment, and alternative therapies.

First, starting this week I will undergo three weeks of whole brain radiation (WBR). My doctor spent an hour with us the other night going over all these things. The goal is to stop the spreading, kill cancer cells, and shrink it back. My side effects might be some hair loss, sores in my mouth and tiredness. I could also have some cognitive damage and that bothers me, but if you know of any brainteasers to help me keep sharp during this, pass along those ideas—no kidding! I will try to prevent that loss as much as I possibly can.

The next step, after WBR, is alternative treatments and therapies at the Issels Immuno-Oncology Centers in Santa Barbara, California and Tijuana, Mexico.    I don’t know if you understand how cancer treatment is changing everywhere, but the FDA isn’t quite quick enough to keep up. There are so many things that Josh and I have come across in our research that are more than just vitamins and supplements (they are a KEY factor, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes cancer needs a little something in addition). We whole-heartedly believe in these things, they make sense to us and we feel that they offer so much hope to our situation.  I will be at the Issels clinics for about a month where I will receive an advanced oncology-focused Immunotherapy in which they create a Dendritic Cell Cancer Vaccine from my own cells, and then use this vaccine to attack the cancer throughout my body.  Additionally, I will undergo various cutting edge alternative therapies that compliment the Immunotherapy to beat the cancer – you’re interested, there’s more information on the web page here: http://issels.com.  We’ve done the research – this is THE MOST comprehensive and targeted care I can get in the world.  The clinic has reviewed my file and found me to be a good candidate; we are moving forward with setting up my time there for late April – late May of this year.

The treatments at Issels will cost us about $58,000.  As you would expect, these things aren’t covered by traditional insurance, so the financial burden falls on us, with all costs required up front. This is not a deal-breaker; we will find a way to make it happen.  We know that many of you might want to help in a tangible way, and cancer sometimes takes that ability away, because you can’t change the fact that I have it.  Prayer is so amazing and it truly helps me find my courage and strength and ability to carry on knowing those prayers are coming to me.  I feel them, there is no way they can’t be of help and we appreciate them.  As another way to help, my sister-in-law has set up “Immunotherapy For Shannon”; hosted by GoFundMe, this site offers a chance for people to donate towards the cost of this treatment. Please understand that this is not an easy thing to do -- to ask for help like this -- but we know that many will want to help, and this is truly one of the best ways.  Although we are going to do this no matter what, any small bit received will be humbling, and go directly towards my treatment. 

I will keep everyone up on the progress of what’s going on with me, where and when I am going and how I am feeling. I truly feel that there is a future for me and that I will come back from this and really look at it as a blessing and a lesson. What has it taught me, how has it changed me, how has it affected others? All these things are good things that come out of life’s challenges.  All I know is that I’m not going down without a fight.

Thanks for loving me, supporting me and praying for me.

(If interested, look for “Immunotherapy For Shannon” posted via social media – share it!)