Facials

Auntie Bev left us some facial kits.  Martha and I are wearing strawberry and cream, Katy is wearing chocolate.  Thanks Bev.  We had good fun.

People around me with skills to support me

Anna Friedenthal :  has expert knowledge that she is sharing with me step my step, and about how to help Martha and Katy understand and emotionally process their feelings.
Steph (next door):  a masters level nurse who specialises in care of people who have had strokes. Has worked with people who have had brain tumours removed.
Jessica Martin (niece):  graduates on 25 July with degree in speech therapy.  Her key essay was on helping adults who have had a brain tumour removed and aphasia.  She got a first for this piece of work.
Wendy a Carmichael (my mum):  qualified arometharapist and reflexologist. 
Amanda (Olivia's mum): works at Christie Hospital.          
Helen (Harry's mum): works at Christie Hospital.
Lynne (two doors down): chief exec of vegetarian society
Sarah (mum) and Jo Murphy (Finlay, Shea and Mia's mum): polates experts (I am coming back!!)
Sarah McCallward (Alfie's mum):  Helping set up BLOG and supporting me.
I live close to a national neurological hospital - Salford Royal.
I live close to a national cancer hospital - Christies.
I have been raising money for Christies and Cancer Research when I have been completing 10K (and was planning to raise money for half marathon)
I live close to Unicorn - vegan organic cooperative supermarket.
Chorlton wholefoods is on Beech Road, and do vegetable deliveries every week.

Let me know if you can help in any way.  Thanks    Sarah xxx

Good news - alternative therapy - diet and exercise :)

This is information taken from "The Choice" by Bernadette Bohan.  The book is about her battle against breast cancer.  I haven’t read it yet, but I have read the back section called “Change Simply”.

ISBN 0 00 775ch398 5

 

Juicing

·         Raw foods are better for you than cooked.  Heating food above 43ˊ destroys almost all the enzymes.

·         2 x 250ml of juice per day gives around 10 portions of fruit and vegetables.

·         All diets allow you to eat as many vegetables as you like.

·         Increases fluid intake

·         Tasty

 

She recommends a “masticating juicer”.  It is more expensive but worth it.  They are favoured because they grind, crush and press the fruit and veg slowly.

·         Produce good quality juice full of nutrients and enzymes

·         Produce little pulp

·         Simple to clean

·         Excellent for juicing leafy green vegetables and wheat grass.

·         Recommended foods – grape and apple; apple and carrot; celery and cucumber; parsley and :  spinach; wheatgrass – “a superfood”

Water

Tap water has the following:

·         Fluoride

·         Chlorine

·         Aluminium.

She recommends either the use of a home distiller that boils water and kills all germs, viruses and cysts; or a reverse osmosis filtration system.  I will get the latter.

Powerful foods

·         Nitrilosides:  wheat grass is the richest source.  Other good sources include apricot kernels, apple seeds, pear seeds, bitter almonds, walnuts, pecans, blackberries, goose-berries, cranberries, buckwheat, lentils, millet and sprouts (sprouting food)

·         Easiest seeds to start sprouting are alfalfa, red clover, fenugreek, onion, sunflower, sesame, pumpkin.

Powerful Supplements

·         Essential fats – Essential fats do not make you fat.  Excessive carbohydrates make you fat. Essential fats increase metabolic rate and noticeably boost energy levels which increases calorie burning.

·         Sources: 

o   seed oils such as flax, sunflower, sesame (keep refrigerated)

o   Oily fish

Enzymes

·         Found in raw food

·         Can be taken in supplements if you cannot keep food down (she had problems during chemotherapy)

 

Probiotics

·         Use probiotic supplements

·         Keep refrigerated

Safe personal care

·         Avoid fluoride

·         Avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulphate –harsh detergent used in commercial shampoos and toothpaste.

·         Aluminium – in antipersperants (this is true!)

·         Propylene Glycol:  found in skin care products, make up, body lotion, baby lotion.

Exercise

·         Cancer hates oxygen.  In 1931 Otto Warburg discovered lack of oxygen causes cancer, and received the Nobel Prize.  His conclusion was that oxygenating cancer cell was the best way to fight cancer as well as viruses, bacteria and fungal infections.  It follows that exercise, which oxygenates the body, will help ward off disease.  So let’s get moving!!

 

The great news is that I live within walking distance of an organic vegan supermarket, that is a local cooperative.  I think I will be doing a lot of shopping there.

 

Of course, the other news is that I will contact pilates Sarah and see if we can start an exercise programme to build up my fitness levels.

First appointment at Christies

Oh dear, I don't like the size and shape of my middle belly.  I am not in good physical shape (yet).

I have had my first appointment at Christie Hospital.  Yes, we got lost and couldn't find this giant national hospital, but we did get there on time.

The appointment was for a scan.  Simply, I was taken (on time) to have a canula inserted.  I had to wait about 15mins for the scan, and then wait 20 mins for the removal of the canula.

Next appointment is at Christies at 3pm.  This must be for the mask, but who knows!

You tube clips of clapping song and a belchy reply

I am learning how to use Katy's IPOD touch.  I have been able to upload the videos that she has taken.  I think you will enjoy both of these.  The first is Martha and Katy doing a clapping dance with a song for me.  I watched this in hospital and loved it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTPR7jAqYX4

This was my response.  The part of it that Martha and Katy love is that I accidently belch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsBDjySENQw

Information on "alternative therapies" - none of these look useful to me

Here is some information from the Macmillan website.  Looking through this, I don't think I will be following any of these programmes. 

I will discuss with my mum a lot further. 

• I am going to look at my diet (I am a fish eating veggie). 
• I want an exercise regime that is safe, and will help me rebuild my muscle

Alternative therapies and cancer

Alternative therapies are treatments that are used in place of conventional treatments. They may claim to treat or even cure cancer. There’s no scientific proof to back this up, and no alternative therapies have been proven to cure cancer or slow its growth.

On this page

• Reasons people may choose alternative therapies
• Amygdalin (Laetrile®, Vitamin B17)
• Essiac® (Vitaltea®, Flor-essence®)
• Metabolic therapy
• Diets that claim to treat cancer
• Megavitamin or orthomolecular therapy

There have been cases in which false claims made about alternative therapies have led some patients to turn away from conventional treatments that could have helped them.

No reputable alternative therapist will claim to be able to cure cancer.

Alternative therapies are sometimes very cleverly marketed so that when you read about them or are told about them, they sound very effective. Therapists may use scientific language to make their claims more convincing. But, many are based on unproven or disproven theories of how cancer begins or is sustained in the body.

Claims may be based on the therapy’s results when tested on cancer cells in a laboratory setting. But a therapy’s activity against cancer cells in a laboratory can differ greatly from how the therapy will affect someone with cancer. So claims that an alternative therapy has an anti-cancer action in the laboratory don’t necessarily mean it will be effective if taken by someone with cancer.

Very few suppliers of alternative medicines have carried out scientifically controlled clinical trials| for their products. Many alternative therapies rely on individuals' stories or testimonials as evidence that they work. This is called anecdotal evidence. It is the least reliable type of evidence because it’s usually not possible to check whether the effect described is due to the treatment or something else. It’s also not possible to check that the person’s story is true or that the person even existed or had cancer. 

Reasons people may choose alternative therapies

There are various reasons people may look to alternative therapies. Sometimes, it’s because they feel that conventional treatment can’t help them or could be harmful. The idea of having cancer treatments, which may cause unpleasant side effects, can be frightening for some people. However, many people with early cancer can be cured by conventional treatments.

If you’ve been told by your doctors that the cancer can’t be cured, this can be very hard to accept and you may look to an alternative therapy. However, if a cancer can’t be cured by conventional medical treatment, it’s equally true that it won’t be cured with alternative treatment. In this situation, some alternative therapies may do no harm, but some could be very harmful.

If you’re finding it hard to accept that further treatment won’t help to control the cancer, it can sometimes help to have a second opinion|. The second cancer specialist may see things differently and offer you another type of conventional treatment. Alternatively, if they confirm what you’ve already been told, this may help you to accept that everything that may help has been tried. If you feel very strongly that you want to continue having treatment to try to combat the cancer, you could also ask if there are any cancer research trials| that might be appropriate for you. 

If you've been told that your cancer can't be cured, you might find it helpful to see our section about coping with advanced cancer|.

If you’re considering using complementary or alternative therapies, talk to your doctor for advice and support. Doctors are generally supportive of people using any complementary therapies that may help them cope better with their illness, but may advise against using alternative therapies.

Only you can decide whether or not to use alternative cancer therapies. If you do decide to use an alternative therapy, it’s important to check it’s safe and to check the credentials of the therapist offering the treatment. Alternative therapies can be expensive and some can cause serious side effects, make people feel unwell and be harmful to health.

There are many types of alternative therapy and we can’t cover them all in this section. If you want to find out more about an alternative therapy not mentioned here, you may be able to get more information by calling the Macmillan Support Line|, who will be able to talk through any aspect of alternative therapy. 

Amygdalin (Laetrile®, Vitamin B17)

Amygdalin is a compound found in bitter almonds, and in peach and apricot stones. A synthetic form of it is marketed as Laetrile®. It is also sometimes called vitamin B17, although it isn’t actually a vitamin.

Laetrile has been marketed since the 1970s. Many websites that sell it claim it can slow or stop the growth of cancer. They sometimes also claim that Laetrile is able to selectively poison cancer cells without damaging normal cells and tissues. But there’s no evidence to support the theory this is based on. A review of studies looking at the outcomes for people with cancer taking Laetrile found no evidence that it can control or cure cancer.

Possible problems and side effects

Laetrile can have serious side effects. Some people have had cyanide poisoning while taking it, and a few people have died as a result. The sale of Laetrile has been banned by the European Commission and by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in the USA. Unlike conventional medicines, the manufacture of Laetrile isn’t controlled. So if you buy Laetrile there isn’t any way of knowing what it contains or if it’s contaminated with other substances.

If you’re thinking of taking Laetrile, it is best to discuss this with your cancer specialist.  

Essiac® (Vitaltea®, Flor-essence®)

Essiac contains burdock root, sheep sorrel, slippery elm and rhubarb and is taken as a drink. It was developed and named by Rene Caisse, a Canadian nurse, (Essiac is Caisse spelled backwards). Essiac is usually sold as a nutritional supplement.

Some websites claim that Essiac can slow down the growth of cancer, or even cure it. However, there’s no scientific evidence that taking Essiac can help to treat cancer or improve quality of life.

Potential problems and side effects

Essiac interferes with an enzyme (cytochrome p450) in the body that’s responsible for regulating hormones, vitamin D and dealing with toxins. This may mean taking Essiac with other treatments could make them less effective or increase side effects.

It’s important not to take Essiac during cancer treatment or with any other medicines without first checking with your doctor.

Metabolic therapy

Metabolic therapists think of cancer as the result of a metabolic imbalance caused by a build-up of ‘toxic substances’ in the body. They claim they can treat the cause of the disease by removing ‘toxins’ and strengthening the immune system so the body can heal itself.

Metabolic treatments vary from one practitioner to another, and may include a ‘natural food’ diet, coffee enemas, vitamins, minerals, enzymes or chemicals. These are said to flush toxins out of the body, allowing it to heal. But, there’s no evidence to support claims that these help in the treatment of cancer.

A recent study compared the results of using a metabolic therapy (Gonzalez therapy) designed for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer with conventional cancer treatment (chemotherapy with gemcitabine). The metabolic therapy included pancreatic enzymes, nutritional supplements, detoxification and organic foods. The study found that the patients who had the chemotherapy survived three times longer and had better quality of life than those who chose metabolic therapy.

Gerson therapy

Gerson therapy is one of the most well-known metabolic therapies. The diet is based on organic fruit and vegetables, taken mainly as a juice prepared with a juice extractor. In addition, a number of nutritional supplements are given, and coffee enemas are used to ‘flush out toxins’.

This diet needs a lot of time and commitment and may be expensive to follow. Some alternative therapists claim that the Gerson diet is effective in treating cancer, but evidence from research studies does not support this claim.

Possible problems and side effects

Possible side effects of Gerson therapy include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, a high temperature and headaches. The high levels of hormones and extracts used can sometimes make people feel unwell and may disrupt the body’s metabolism. Other possible side effects of the therapy relate to the use of enemas and include perforation or rupture of the large bowel (colon), infections, and fluid and electrolyte imbalances.

If you have any queries about alternative diets or are thinking of following one, get further advice from your doctor, specialist nurse or dietitian.

Diets that claim to treat cancer

There are a number of diets, in addition to the Gerson and Gonzalez diets, that claim to treat cancer. Some claim to rid the body of toxins. Many of these diets are vegetarian or vegan. They involve eating food that is raw, sugar-free and low in salt. Sometimes vegetable or fruit juices and high doses of vitamins, minerals or enzymes may be used. Other diets are based on claims that certain foods ‘feed’ cancer or affect the pH (acidity) of the body.

Advocates of these diets may make dramatic claims that they can cure people with advanced cancer. It’s completely understandable that people with cancer should be attracted to diets that seem to offer the hope of a cure. However, there’s no scientific evidence that these diets can cure cancer or help people with advanced cancer live for longer.

Some people get pleasure and satisfaction from preparing special diets. It can be rewarding to feel that you’re doing something positive for your health and to have something that you are in control of. But, following diets is not right for everyone. Some people find them boring, too expensive, time-consuming to prepare or even unpleasant to eat. There’s also a danger that people can feel guilty if they don’t follow the diet ‘properly’. People can also feel very angry and let down if they are led to believe that a particular diet will cure or control their cancer and this does not happen.

Diets that are high in fibre and low in calories and protein are not appropriate for people who have problems maintaining their weight because of cancer or its treatment. Instead, people who are underweight need protein and calories from any source.

If you choose to follow a diet that cuts out particular types of food, it’s important to make sure you aren’t missing out on important nutrients in your diet. For example, if you follow a dairy-free diet, it’s important to replace the calcium that you would otherwise get from dairy products with other calcium-rich foods.

Megavitamin or orthomolecular therapy

This type of alternative therapy advocates taking very large doses of vitamins (megavitamin therapy) as a way of preventing and treating cancer. However, there’s no evidence that taking large doses of vitamins is helpful in treating cancer, and in high doses some vitamins can be harmful.

High-dose vitamin C is one of the most widely used forms of megavitamin therapy. Scientific studies have found no benefit for people with cancer taking high-dose vitamin C by mouth (orally). More recently, there has been interest in whether high-dose vitamin C would work better if given directly into the bloodstream (intravenously). A number of clinical trials (mainly in the USA) are investigating this. Some studies are also testing the effects of high-dose intravenous vitamin C when it’s given alongside conventional cancer treatments. However, at present there isn’t reliable evidence that intravenous high-dose vitamin C can help to treat cancer.

Possible problems and side effects

High-dose vitamin C can make many cancer treatment drugs, such as cisplatin, doxorubicin, imatinib and vincristine, less effective. It may also interfere with how radiotherapy works. So it’s important to tell your cancer specialist before having high doses of vitamin C, particularly if you’re planning on using it during, or within a few weeks of, cancer treatment.

High-dose vitamin C may also interact with some complementary and alternative therapies. There have been cases of severe cyanide poisoning in people taking amygdalin (Laetrile) at the same time as high-dose vitamin C.

People who have kidney problems, a condition that causes iron overload (haemachromatosis) or who have G6PDH deficiency should always consult their doctor before taking high-dose vitamin C supplements. 

From:  http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertreatment/Complementarytherapies/Typesoftherapies/Alternativetherapies.aspx

Chemotherapy

Here is some information about chemotherapy.  I will amend this as I learn more from my consultant.  I believe that I will be taking chemotherapy in tablet form.  More to follow :)

 

How chemotherapy drugs work

Chemotherapy drugs work by stopping cancer cells reproducing.

The drugs are carried in the blood so they can reach cancer cells anywhere in the body. Different drugs| damage cancer cells in different ways. When a combination| of drugs is used each drug is chosen for its different effects.

Chemotherapy drugs are also taken up by some healthy cells. These healthy cells
can usually repair damage caused by chemotherapy but cancer cells can’t and eventually die.

Side effects

The effect that chemotherapy drugs have on some of the healthy cells in your body can cause side effects. Most side effects will go away when treatment is over.

Healthy cells in certain parts of the body, such as the bone marrow (which makes blood cells) and the digestive system, are especially sensitive to chemotherapy drugs. This is why certain side effects, such as risk of infection or feeling sick, are more common. There’s information on side effects and how they can be reduced and managed in our section on side effects|.

An overview of the side effects of chemotherapy

The side effects you get will depend on the chemotherapy drugs you’re having. Different drugs cause different side effects. Some side effects are mild and easily treated.

Others can be harder to manage but can often be reduced or helped in some way.

Most side effects are short term and usually stop or gradually go away when chemotherapy is over. Although the side effects can be unpleasant, the benefits of chemotherapy usually outweigh this.

If you’re having a single drug| you won’t usually have as many side effects as someone having a combination of drugs|. People having high doses of chemotherapy and who need to stay in hospital may have more complex side effects.

Your cancer doctor and nurse specialist will explain the side effects that your chemotherapy is likely to cause.

Always tell your doctor or nurse about any side effects. They can usually prescribe medicines to reduce them or change medicines you’re already taking to more effective ones.

 

The main areas of your body that may be affected by chemotherapy are where there’s a high turnover of normal cells, such as the:

• bone marrow (where blood cells are made)
• digestive system
• lining of your mouth
• hair follicles (where hair grows from).

 

Monitoring the effects on the cancer

During treatment, your cancer doctor may want to find out how the cancer is responding to the chemotherapy drugs.

If the cancer can be seen on a scan, you may have another scan after a few treatments of chemotherapy to see if the cancer is getting smaller. If you’re having chemotherapy to reduce the risk of cancer coming back after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy), you won’t usually need scans to check if it’s working.

With some cancers, blood tests can be used to check if treatment is working. These cancers release proteins in the blood (called tumour markers) that can be measured with a blood test. If the tumour markers are reducing it usually means the chemotherapy is working.

If results show the cancer hasn’t responded well enough, your doctor may decide to give you different chemotherapy drugs.

Having chemotherapy

Chemotherapy may be given in different ways, depending on the type of cancer you have and the chemotherapy drugs| used.

It’s standard for nurses to wear gloves and a plastic apron when they give you chemotherapy. This is just a precaution to protect themselves from any spillage of the drugs.

Chemotherapy can be given:

• by injection or a ‘drip’ directly into a vein (intravenous chemotherapy)
• by mouth as tablets or capsules(oral chemotherapy)
• by other ways, including: by injection into the fluid around the spine and brain (intrathecal chemotherapy); directly into a body cavity, for example the bladder; by injection into muscle or under the skin; directly to the skin as a cream for some skin cancers.

Chemotherapy at home

If you’re having chemotherapy at home as tablets or through a pump, there are certain things to remember:

• Chemotherapy tablets, capsules or injections may need to be stored in a particular way, such as in the fridge. Always follow the instructions given by your nurse or pharmacist.
• Other people in your household should avoid direct contact with your chemotherapy drugs and avoid picking them up with bare hands.
• All drugs must be stored out of the reach of children as they could cause serious harm if taken by accident.
• If you’re having intravenous chemotherapy by pump and you notice the drug leaking from the pump or tube, you should close the clamps on the pump, wrap it in a plastic bag and wash your hands. Some hospitals provide a ‘spill’ or ‘leakage’ kit, which includes instructions on what to do if your pump leaks. You should then contact the nurse or doctor at the hospital immediately.
• If you feel unwell at any time, contact the hospital straight away on the contact number you’ve been given (day or night) for advice.

·         Individual chemotherapy drugs

·         This section contains information about individual chemotherapy drugs. It includes information about how each drug is given and possible side effects that may be experienced with each drug.

·         A chemotherapy drug can be either given on its own or in combination with other drugs. When more than one drug is given it as known as a combination chemotherapy regimen|.

·         Drugs are listed in alphabetical order; select the one that you are interested in for further information.

·         If you can't see the drug that you are looking for, it's possible that it might be better known by a brand name|.

·         Combination chemotherapy regimen

·         A chemotherapy drug can be either given on its own or in combination with other drugs. This information is about combinations of chemotherapy that might be used to treat cancer.

·         We've included information about how each regimen is given and possible side effects that may be experienced with that regimen.

·         If you can't find information about a particular regimen there is more information about chemotherapy in the individual chemotherapy drugs| section.

·         The list of regimen is in alphabetical order, select the one you are interested in for further information. 

taken from http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Chemotherapy/Individualdrugs/Individualdrugs.aspx