Husband Needs Direction

tommyd82

My wife (35) recently was diagnosed with an infiltrating ductal carcinoma,grade 2, node negative, ER positive,and strongly Her2neu positive. We underwent a lumpectemy (tumor was 1.2 centimeters) and getting ready for 2nd round of chemo (adriamycin and cytoxan). We have 3 more rounds of chemo left and then 6 weeks of radiation coupled with 5 years of tamoxifen. My wife is paralyzed with fear of this coming back after treatments and I am trying to gather as much info on alternative routes to use after treatment. I feel this would mentally strenghten her will and make her feel a little more in control of this disease.Would like to attack it nutritionally, spiritually, and mentally but I am just overwhelmed by the abundance of literature out there! Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. We have chosen the medical route in killing this cancer but would will attack it from all angles to decrease the chance of it coming back.God bless everyone fighting this disease and thanks for any direction you might be able to give. Tom Dodd

loulou

Hi Tom, this is loulou, during my treatment my husband was very big on supplements. If I took any more I wouldn't have needed any food. But, it's tuff to argue good results.. If you are interested in some of his thoughts about supplements, let me know. Good luck, loulou

tiger

Hi Tom,this is Tiger, I understand your wife's fear,when i had my mastectomy it felt like,ok this is cool now the cancer is gone, but when they told me it spread to my liver I felt my world collapse. My husband has been there for me emotionally, I can cry on his shoulder when I am scared and he just holds me,he does not try to placate me,after a few months of crying and being scared I realized I am the master of my own fate, I became stronger in the knowledge that I can kill this cancer,by staying positive and feeling fear, if you feel fear your body feeds off it,and gets weaker, but when you are mentally strong your body picks up on that and gets stronger, thereby fighting the cancer and the treatments better. Having positive friends and family are so important, you do not want people around who constantly talk about the cancer,or are negative or walk on eggshells around her.We had a friend like that, all she wanted to talk about was my cancer, and she was really quiet and negative, so we just stopped hanging around her.Sounds kind of cold,but I am fighting for my life right now. We have other friends who come over and joke around or send me funny emails,one of my husbands buddies is wonderful, he knows i am tired and sore after my chemo,but he calls and says "well its about time you got your lazy **** out of bed" He is joking,but it lifts me up,we dont need someone coddling to us all the time.I go about my day as per normal, if i need help,i ask for it.I have not been depressed or felt like crying in months,I feel great because I have taken control of what is going on in my life,the only supplement i take to help with my energy level is called BOIVINE COLOSTRUM ,just like a mothers colostrum(foremilk) it comes from naturally fed cows,and is low heat processed,the best kind to buy is one that is made from cows from Australia or Argentina as they are the most naturally fed cows in the world. It helps to keep you from being so tired,and will boost the immune system so you recover from chemo better. Mind you discuss this with your onco first, mine had no problem with me taking it. I am into my 11 th month of chemo and getting very tired,but this new stuff is working so i shall persevere. Find yourself a good pastor,and pray,i was never religious,but now I find myself looking to the stars and praying and it makes me feel stronger.To be honest I dont know if nutrition makes a heck of alot of difference in the fight, when i first started out i ate whatever i wanted, including fast food,along with my fruits and veggies, the tumours shrunk, then i thought hey i will start eating really good, so i cleaned out my fridge and loaded it with nothing but health food,flaxseed oil,fish,etc, well my tumours grew considerably, now i am on a different chemo and i eat what i feel like, mind you still good for me but with a few junk food variations thrown in now and then, and lone and behold my tumours are shrinking again.So I still hold to the belief that a positive attitude is everything, live each day to its most,shop,walk,have fun and enjoy yourself, next thing you know you will have overcome your fear,and time will have flown by and you will be in remission!!!!!It is a long journey for some of us,but a learing experience as well.The ladies on this site are super, somedays I felt like I just could not go on without them here, and now I am stronger because I know that I also am helping somebody out there.
Good Luck and stay in touch with us,dont leave us hanging!!!We are here for you both. Remember laughter is the best medicine,now go kick some cancer butt!!!!!!!!Love and Hugs from Tigerxox

nancys

Hello Tom, I just read your post and I too have been looking for nutritional information about boosting our immune system to prevent recurrence. I live in the midwest and here at Kansas University, there is a homopathic doctor who uses chinese herbs for total body balance. His first visit is $150.00 dollars and he takes your medical history and after that his fee is $50.00 a visit. Herbs additional cost. I called and talked to his assistant but will need to talk to my Oncologist before going any further. There is a web site, www.drday.com . Dr. Lorrine Day was a teacher of orthopedic med. at San Francisco hospital and has very impressive credentials. She developed breast cancer and healed herself with her "Garden of Eden Diet". I mailed away for one of her tapes and her diet would be very difficult. No meat, no processed food, no dairy, Only grains, fruits, vegetables, a few nuts. Almonds are best. I once read a book about Edgar Casey, the sleeping phrophet and he said way back before cancer was the epidemic it now has become, that if we would eat one almond a day, we would never have cancer. It took me a long time to subscribe to that, but now all my children and grandchildren eat almonds everyday. Do not know that I have helped you any, but I will pass on to you at this site anything I search out. You are a wonderful husband to get this interested and help your wife in her recovery. It is a "we" situation. Your Friend, Nancy

pamtriggs

Hi Tommy

What a lovely man you are. I have done some investigation work with a company I worked for who import supplements (I live in New Zealand) and two that are strongly recommeded are Selenium and Colostrum. There is a brand available in US called New Life Colostrum who are the original developer of colostrum & they use only New Zealand colostruim from pasture fed cows. (not that I'm biased) I take 4 capsules every day and 1 selenium. I am in my second fight with cancer & so far my results have been very good in a very short time. Give it a try - what have you got to lose. I pray for you & your wife for a good outcome.

Love from Pam.

gottod

Hi,
i'm new to this site, i was 40 when i had my first cancer ('97)2 cm and + nodes, did lumpectomy, chemo A/C 4 cycles and radiation and tamofifen, I was able to continue graduae school - had jusst started but stopped work (emergency) due to my fear of germs and really would not a tall been able to do it - just to weak and tired, radiation wasn't bad in comparison to chemo, tamafexin -- i didn't know i was on it
The cancer returned 1/00 to my lymph nodes incollarbone area on right (same side) got suggestions from local MD, Madison and Mayo, had ovaries out(madison and Mayo recommended, local MD did not) -- think aabout it -- I have more info if you would like, you don't need to thinka bout unti over with radiation - 50% of people ovaries greatlly decrease in function - mine started right back up almost immediately -- less than 3 months after chemo and never missed another period
did hormone therapy of arimedix for 8 months until the tumor spread to liver, 8/00 and been on taxotere for 9 treatments since 8/00
now work full time teahiing at a college and one day a week ina dr's office,(had finished my master's degree and went back to old job n Er until finished master's and found another job --manyhuddles but.....would not give it up
you have many friends, manywho are unknoen to you or barely known to you, allow them to reaach out to you and your family, it is this time in you rlife you need all the support and encouragement you can get, feel free to email me back, i'm jus tnew to this site and new to computer stuff like this but is quite educational and endearing. i was never like that before -- rough around the edges and quite the perfectionist, others need to feel they are doing you some good because they can't take your pain away -- yours ,your hushband and do you have kids?? i have four ages 10 - just turned 19 this week.
got to go thanks for allowing me into your life donna s gotto