top score on MasterCard ! ouch Pete is back to work
Comments
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Yes, perhaps it is simply just too much information ...pete43lost_at_sea said:thanks for the kind and critical comments
Praise and bash away,
the challenge of our cancer and our situations are all unique.
Over the last 18 months i have shared mostly my alternative treatments, now some call them scams and others worthwhile treatments. Well i will just say I have "faith" in my alternatives and fully respect others with different opinions.
Whats really caused the financial problem is not the supplements and the alternative therapies but my decision to see if my wife could run our business while i looked after the kids and focused on my healing. That meant alot business pressure was moved to her shoulders while I coped with kids and cancer pressures. At least on a day to day level. Of course background cancer pressure is with my wife and kids.
I love my hippee alternative lifestyle, i could afford it if we disposed of assets, but we don't have agreement on that yet!. The hippee life, is just on hold! until I can do some business magic, If I still have it in me.
My focus has been healing myself and caring for family, thats cooking the meals, buying the food, picking kids up, taking them to sport. i have been juggling that and my lifestyle treatments and my rising CEA is potentially stable at 47. It may or may not be active disease. Winter i hope you are correct, but from my extensive research cea get over 10 are due to crc. Thats why I am trying so dam hard to fight this illness early on with a range of alternatives when nothing is offered by conventional medicine.
I am glad i have my meditation skills, my peaceful and joyful approach to cancer, to our potential short term financial hardship are all managable.
The extensive range of well selected supplements have all been advised by my team of alternative doctors. that was the best advice i had at the time. I also researched their suggestions and went ahead.
Maximum my supplements are costing $500 a week and that includes doctor consults, 3 lots of iv C and a massive load load "essential" supplements as i see it.
So the budget for the year is only $60K.
Whats really done us in is the financial downturn and our business and i guess my wife ability to cope with it.
So I am doing my business in a very peaceful meditiative style, much different to the old days. My wife and I are working together peacefully, except she still wants things done her way, which i simply explain my reasons on the spot.
We will be fine even if the business goes under, in someways it will be a relief.
But my business was something i built up, that suits my skills and unfortunately not my wifes.
Its a lovelly day, i have to dash peacefully to get my IV C, get into the city and then get back to pickup the kids.
hugs,
Pete
Hello Pete,
I hope that you do not take my comments as either a "praise or bash" as you mentioned in your previous post -- but, I have some comments about this thread and your response to what folks have said here.
I do think you may have missed the point a bit on some of the comments of the posters. Perhaps what may be causing the critical responses in this thread has to do with you simply providing too much information regarding your personal finances and your criticism of your wife.
It isn't really about how you spend your money, conventional or alternative treatments, that is your private business. But, what I think is bothersome, at least for me and possibly for others, is when you talk about the specifics of the amount of money you spend ... it just seems out of place. Even though some are more fortunate financially than others, as you seem to be, maybe if you discussed your financial concerns in a more general fashion your concerns would be more well-recieved.
Pete, think about it for a minute. You are stating that you have thousands of dollars surplus cash a year to spend on alternative treatments. This is a great deal of money to many people; possibly more money than their entire budget for all their life expenses for a year.
It comes across as rather insensitive to discuss the specifics of how much money you spend. There are people who come to this site who are struggling financially to maintain their jobs so they can keep their insurance as they endure their treatments, or have lost their jobs entirely because their disease simply prevents them from continuing to work, or they are trying to manage on disability insurance, or in the worse case scenario they have no insurance at all to provide for even their basic medical care.
One last point, you have implied that your wife's inability to run your family business, not your alternative treatments costs, is the reason for your financial instability. Perhaps, this also is just too much information Pete, even if you feel it is true. I can't help but feel that if your wife knew that you have been critical of her here that it might hurt and embarrass her deeply.
You speak a great deal about living peacefully and meditating ... I don't know what your mediation focus is, but as an old hippie myself, I always focused on Buddhist compassion meditation techniques. Being compassionate, being mindful, of how your comments might make others feel uncomfortable seems like a worthy ideal -- not always attainable of course -- just something to think about.
Respectfully,
Cynthia0 -
AgreeLovekitties said:Clarify please
OK Pete, I know I should probably just leave this alone but I want to be sure I understand your thinking about your current situation:
You wrote: “Whats really caused the financial problem is not the supplements and the alternative therapies but my decision to see if my wife could run our business while i looked after the kids and focused on my healing…
Whats really done us in is the financial downturn and our business and i guess my wife ability to cope with it….
But my business was something i built up, that suits my skills and unfortunately not my wifes…”
Do you mean to say that your current financial situation is due to the fact that your wife has been running your business and has not been able to handle it adequately? Or is it possible you could not have done any better under the same circumstances? Or is it possible that you could have offered guidance to help her be more successful? Cash flow has become a problem for all in the world’s poor economic condition.
You wrote: “Maximum my supplements are costing $500 a week and that includes doctor consults, 3 lots of iv C and a massive load load "essential" supplements as i see it.
So the budget for the year is only $60K.”
I take it that you mean this is your weekly cost NOW. Did the travel and expenses of the conferences you attended (one in Atlanta, GA, USA), retreats, specialized therapies, etc. over the last 18 months not contribute to your current debt? $500 per week for a year is only $26K…is the remaining $34K what you have allotted for these other activities? Or is your actual weekly cost $1,154 which would then equal the $60K per year?
You wrote: “my rising CEA is potentially stable at 47. It may or may not be active disease. Winter i hope you are correct, but from my extensive research cea get over 10 are due to crc. Thats why I am trying so dam hard to fight this illness early on with a range of alternatives when nothing is offered by conventional medicine.”
I understand that conventional medicine has not found any active cancer to explain the rise in CEA. I am uncertain if you have had full body scans or bone scans, but have to assume you have had the works to look for active disease. So, it isn’t that conventional medicine doesn’t have anything to offer…just that nothing has been found to treat. Have you considered that your CEA is rising while you are doing all the alts? It would seem to me that those are the things which are failing you, if as you say a CEA over 10 means CRC. Or is it possible that your body is reacting to an overload of alts, therefore causing the rise…which can also be attributed to infections and other things which are not CRC? There is truth to the adage that too much of a good thing can be bad for you. You have to admit that you have had numerous physical complaints while doing the various alts.
I am really trying to understand what appears on the surface to be conflicting info.
If you haven't read his blog then you should. The many supplements would boggle the mind - sorry buddy. I'm thinking that all the stuff that he is on is just making his kidneys, heart, liver, pancreas, gallblader, etc work EXTRA EXTRA hard to try and process all of these 75 at least supplements a day and still costing a fortune. If I'm going to die, then that is what God chooses, I'm not giving up my life style and then let this disease take over my life. I'm not wanting to live to a suggested supplement regime that is not studied, however he has studied this, but what someone says isn't always approved so you can go to whoever when you want to make your point. What is good about my life now is that I've not designed my whole life around a disease. Sorry buddy but you have to start living life, not living to stop "what might happen."
Kim0 -
One More Thing
Please don't make your family Vegan because you want to - you seem to impress on them, including us that is the way to go. Let your family eat what they want. Life is to short to have to eat tofu and blended greens.
Kim0 -
Well Put Cynthia...devotion10 said:Yes, perhaps it is simply just too much information ...
Hello Pete,
I hope that you do not take my comments as either a "praise or bash" as you mentioned in your previous post -- but, I have some comments about this thread and your response to what folks have said here.
I do think you may have missed the point a bit on some of the comments of the posters. Perhaps what may be causing the critical responses in this thread has to do with you simply providing too much information regarding your personal finances and your criticism of your wife.
It isn't really about how you spend your money, conventional or alternative treatments, that is your private business. But, what I think is bothersome, at least for me and possibly for others, is when you talk about the specifics of the amount of money you spend ... it just seems out of place. Even though some are more fortunate financially than others, as you seem to be, maybe if you discussed your financial concerns in a more general fashion your concerns would be more well-recieved.
Pete, think about it for a minute. You are stating that you have thousands of dollars surplus cash a year to spend on alternative treatments. This is a great deal of money to many people; possibly more money than their entire budget for all their life expenses for a year.
It comes across as rather insensitive to discuss the specifics of how much money you spend. There are people who come to this site who are struggling financially to maintain their jobs so they can keep their insurance as they endure their treatments, or have lost their jobs entirely because their disease simply prevents them from continuing to work, or they are trying to manage on disability insurance, or in the worse case scenario they have no insurance at all to provide for even their basic medical care.
One last point, you have implied that your wife's inability to run your family business, not your alternative treatments costs, is the reason for your financial instability. Perhaps, this also is just too much information Pete, even if you feel it is true. I can't help but feel that if your wife knew that you have been critical of her here that it might hurt and embarrass her deeply.
You speak a great deal about living peacefully and meditating ... I don't know what your mediation focus is, but as an old hippie myself, I always focused on Buddhist compassion meditation techniques. Being compassionate, being mindful, of how your comments might make others feel uncomfortable seems like a worthy ideal -- not always attainable of course -- just something to think about.
Respectfully,
Cynthia
I usually stay out of your threads but it does seem that putting the financial distress you are currently in on your wife seems uncalled for and really seems like a frustrated vent at best. Doesn't it go against what many forms of meditation practice? Perhaps you need to accept your situation instead of looking to point fingers. Perhaps you don't...what do I know.
Many of us just get by and live check to check. Not complaining, just saying... Same planet, different worlds.
It's also TMI which is also part of why I don't read many threads - and what bugged Blake too. I can't decipher them!
Try Chrome or Firefox! Something with spellcheck :-)
Or maybe I don't understand Australian, except Fosters (I prefer Coopers Ale)
No one wants to see others suffer, either physically or financially.
I hope things work out.
-phil0 -
thanks marie clarificationLovekitties said:Clarify please
OK Pete, I know I should probably just leave this alone but I want to be sure I understand your thinking about your current situation:
You wrote: “Whats really caused the financial problem is not the supplements and the alternative therapies but my decision to see if my wife could run our business while i looked after the kids and focused on my healing…
Whats really done us in is the financial downturn and our business and i guess my wife ability to cope with it….
But my business was something i built up, that suits my skills and unfortunately not my wifes…”
Do you mean to say that your current financial situation is due to the fact that your wife has been running your business and has not been able to handle it adequately? Or is it possible you could not have done any better under the same circumstances? Or is it possible that you could have offered guidance to help her be more successful? Cash flow has become a problem for all in the world’s poor economic condition.
You wrote: “Maximum my supplements are costing $500 a week and that includes doctor consults, 3 lots of iv C and a massive load load "essential" supplements as i see it.
So the budget for the year is only $60K.”
I take it that you mean this is your weekly cost NOW. Did the travel and expenses of the conferences you attended (one in Atlanta, GA, USA), retreats, specialized therapies, etc. over the last 18 months not contribute to your current debt? $500 per week for a year is only $26K…is the remaining $34K what you have allotted for these other activities? Or is your actual weekly cost $1,154 which would then equal the $60K per year?
You wrote: “my rising CEA is potentially stable at 47. It may or may not be active disease. Winter i hope you are correct, but from my extensive research cea get over 10 are due to crc. Thats why I am trying so dam hard to fight this illness early on with a range of alternatives when nothing is offered by conventional medicine.”
I understand that conventional medicine has not found any active cancer to explain the rise in CEA. I am uncertain if you have had full body scans or bone scans, but have to assume you have had the works to look for active disease. So, it isn’t that conventional medicine doesn’t have anything to offer…just that nothing has been found to treat. Have you considered that your CEA is rising while you are doing all the alts? It would seem to me that those are the things which are failing you, if as you say a CEA over 10 means CRC. Or is it possible that your body is reacting to an overload of alts, therefore causing the rise…which can also be attributed to infections and other things which are not CRC? There is truth to the adage that too much of a good thing can be bad for you. You have to admit that you have had numerous physical complaints while doing the various alts.
I am really trying to understand what appears on the surface to be conflicting info.
Answers in BOLD. The whole issue of estate planning was in the back of my mind when i handed the business to my wife two years ago. We have very different approaches, I have always advised her.
You wrote: “Whats really caused the financial problem is not the supplements and the alternative therapies but my decision to see if my wife could run our business while i looked after the kids and focused on my healing…
Whats really done us in is the financial downturn and our business and i guess my wife ability to cope with it….
But my business was something i built up, that suits my skills and unfortunately not my wifes…”
Do you mean to say that your current financial situation is due to the fact that your wife has been running your business and has not been able to handle it adequately? YES Or is it possible you could not have done any better under the same circumstances? I WOULD HAVE DONE MUCH BETTER Or is it possible that you could have offered guidance to help her be more successful? NOT REALLY, ALL THE GUIDANCE REJECTED Cash flow has become a problem for all in the world’s poor economic condition. NOT REALLY, we just have to meet the market, so we drop the price of a room from $350 per week to $290 per week and gets filled. Leaving the price at $350 and it stays empty for months. the specific examples are interesting, but what counts is the annual net profit, because thats what we run our lifestyle on. My decision based on advice to relax and meditate my cancer away necessitated putting the business out of my mind, at least at a day to day and week to week level. I was aware of the deteriorating state of our finances, but kind of left it to the last minute to get involved. In my mind giving myself the maximum time to heal using alternative methods.
You wrote: “Maximum my supplements are costing $500 a week and that includes doctor consults, 3 lots of iv C and a massive load load "essential" supplements as i see it.
So the budget for the year is only $60K.” The $500 a week is now and the product mix changes incrementally as different therapies are tried. Its current treatment spend on therapies and supplement like yoga, qigong, weightlifting ( free), supplements. It does not include food which is really an integral part of the treatment plan, like organic veg etc which is for the whole family.
I take it that you mean this is your weekly cost NOW. Did the travel and expenses of the conferences you attended (one in Atlanta, GA, USA), retreats, specialized therapies, etc. over the last 18 months not contribute to your current debt? $500 per week for a year is only $26K… CORRECT is the remaining $34K what you have allotted for these other activities? YES like conferences, courses, seminars, books, educational! Or is your actual weekly cost $1,154 which would then equal the $60K per year? THE 60K is an annual estimate total treatment related expenses, I have not split up conventional and alternative costs but for the last 8 months the conventional out of pocket is minimal say $2000.
You wrote: “my rising CEA is potentially stable at 47. It may or may not be active disease. Winter i hope you are correct, but from my extensive research cea get over 10 are due to crc. Thats why I am trying so dam hard to fight this illness early on with a range of alternatives when nothing is offered by conventional medicine.”
I understand that conventional medicine has not found any active cancer to explain the rise in CEA. CORRECT I am uncertain if you have had full body scans 2 x PETS or bone scans NOT YET, BUT I ASKED FOR ONE, but have to assume you have had the works to look for active disease. So, it isn’t that conventional medicine doesn’t have anything to offer…just that nothing has been found to treat. Have you considered that your CEA is rising while you are doing all the alts? NOT REALLY BECAUSE THE COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF ALTS ONLY STARTED GETTING ADVISED AFTER THE RISING TREND CONTINUED, I EVEN BACKED OFF THE VIT C AND SUPPLMENTS RECENTLY AND HAD COINCIDENTALLY THE LARGEST RISE IN MY CEA! NOT THAT PROVES ANYTHING, BUT I AM STICKING TO MY VIT C FOR THE TIME BEING. It would seem to me that those are the things which are failing you, if as you say a CEA over 10 means CRC. Or is it possible that your body is reacting to an overload of alts, therefore causing the rise…which can also be attributed to infections and other things which are not CRC? There is truth to the adage that too much of a good thing can be bad for you. You have to admit that you have had numerous physical complaints while doing the various alts. MY BLOODS, URINE, WEIGHT, FSAT RATIO ARE CAREFULLY CHECKED ALMOST WEEKLY the latest was my fatty acid levels, so now i take 2000 5ml fish oil breakfast and dinner. An increase of 50% to get optimum levels in my fatty acid analysis test, even though my result was in the top 90% my alt doctor wants better. Now Zinc is and all the minerals are tested and checked. Some weeks its iodine levels, other weeks its dysbios markers. the test results come so fast i have trouble keeping up with them
I am really trying to understand what appears on the surface to be conflicting info.
ANSWER
Sorry for the confusion Marie. I have had one complaint recently which was fecal incontinence at night, which seems to have resolved itself in the last week. No more colonics for me for along time, maybe never again. I cannot say thats what caused it, but I suspect it was! the dietary modifactions and probiotics and time to heal seem to have cleared that problem. And not a night to soon.
Just to be clear, from where my current understanding is based on all experiences so far in my treatments peace of mind is the key! I hangon to it loosely, it has not deserted me. I don't think the supplements and the meditation I am missing out on will see me keel over tomorrow but i do believe they represent for me the best chance of surviving this illness.0 -
thanks cynthiadevotion10 said:Yes, perhaps it is simply just too much information ...
Hello Pete,
I hope that you do not take my comments as either a "praise or bash" as you mentioned in your previous post -- but, I have some comments about this thread and your response to what folks have said here.
I do think you may have missed the point a bit on some of the comments of the posters. Perhaps what may be causing the critical responses in this thread has to do with you simply providing too much information regarding your personal finances and your criticism of your wife.
It isn't really about how you spend your money, conventional or alternative treatments, that is your private business. But, what I think is bothersome, at least for me and possibly for others, is when you talk about the specifics of the amount of money you spend ... it just seems out of place. Even though some are more fortunate financially than others, as you seem to be, maybe if you discussed your financial concerns in a more general fashion your concerns would be more well-recieved.
Pete, think about it for a minute. You are stating that you have thousands of dollars surplus cash a year to spend on alternative treatments. This is a great deal of money to many people; possibly more money than their entire budget for all their life expenses for a year.
It comes across as rather insensitive to discuss the specifics of how much money you spend. There are people who come to this site who are struggling financially to maintain their jobs so they can keep their insurance as they endure their treatments, or have lost their jobs entirely because their disease simply prevents them from continuing to work, or they are trying to manage on disability insurance, or in the worse case scenario they have no insurance at all to provide for even their basic medical care.
One last point, you have implied that your wife's inability to run your family business, not your alternative treatments costs, is the reason for your financial instability. Perhaps, this also is just too much information Pete, even if you feel it is true. I can't help but feel that if your wife knew that you have been critical of her here that it might hurt and embarrass her deeply.
You speak a great deal about living peacefully and meditating ... I don't know what your mediation focus is, but as an old hippie myself, I always focused on Buddhist compassion meditation techniques. Being compassionate, being mindful, of how your comments might make others feel uncomfortable seems like a worthy ideal -- not always attainable of course -- just something to think about.
Respectfully,
Cynthia
maybe more general would have been better or not at all.
its just i am compelled by finances to drop my number one alternative therapy meditation and go back into the stressful real world, something i would have preferred to do when my cea marker was normal.
is what i spend on alternatives that different to some here going to the best class treatment centers while others get the best service offered by the local hospitals they have access to. I believed sharing the real cost of a comprehensive alternative treatment regime would be of interest and not make others feel bad.
Its late, my melatonin is kicking in and i better go and contemplate compassion.
The intention of my sharing this post is that alternatives do cost real money, but that the most costly aspect for me is deliberately avoiding stress.
I love my wife, thats why I have gone back to work to help achieve her goals and also to keep a roof over our heads. My preference on the 21st November 2011 was to dispose of some assets to fund my treatments. That was the day my CEA rise was documented, the day my moderate alternative supplement regime changed to become an increasingly extreme alternative supplement regime. With interesting results thus far.
I also wonder about making others here uncomfortable here. I have contemplated this before, as my treatment choices are in the minority. But if some meditation, some wheatgrass and supplements and all my alternative treatments give me a better quality and quantity of life then i will be happy. If its gets a few thinking about their treatment choices well i guess thats why we share our journeys.
hugs,
pete0 -
thanks kimAnnabelle41415 said:One More Thing
Please don't make your family Vegan because you want to - you seem to impress on them, including us that is the way to go. Let your family eat what they want. Life is to short to have to eat tofu and blended greens.
Kim
hi kim,
its just because life is to short that they eat tofu and blended greens.
if i don't make it through this challenging illness i am keen that my family has the benefit of what i have learnt. with what i have learned to feed my family the western diet would be negligent.
my kids love my homemade organic potatoe hash browns with a little coconut oil.
now the you feed your family your way and I will feed my kids my way.
Some days are vegan for the family, somedays are not.
For me almost all days are vegan.
I put up a post about three months ago i was starting a vegan experiment based on a doctors guarantee it could help reduce my markers. Now that has not happened yet! its gotten my nutritional knowledge to another level entirely. Experiment is the key word. I don't advocate anything, ok maybe that exercise is good for us.
I never said, thats the way we should go here, i have shared that i have been told vegan is a healthy choice by some. the anti cancer diet, whatever that is depends on which alternative doctor you are talking to or seminar you are attending. they all have different perspectives on it which i find really interesting. what i eat what i have access to and what i believe is in the interests of my long term health. My wife and i went out to dinner with about 40 vegans on friday night which was a great night out. Not one unhealthy looking person on the table.
so my family is mostly eating organic, i still given them meat a few times a week. my six year old loves mixed beans and raw broccoli. not eaten together. he also likes the rare fastfood burger and icecream.
hugs,
Pete0 -
thanks philPhillieG said:Well Put Cynthia...
I usually stay out of your threads but it does seem that putting the financial distress you are currently in on your wife seems uncalled for and really seems like a frustrated vent at best. Doesn't it go against what many forms of meditation practice? Perhaps you need to accept your situation instead of looking to point fingers. Perhaps you don't...what do I know.
Many of us just get by and live check to check. Not complaining, just saying... Same planet, different worlds.
It's also TMI which is also part of why I don't read many threads - and what bugged Blake too. I can't decipher them!
Try Chrome or Firefox! Something with spellcheck :-)
Or maybe I don't understand Australian, except Fosters (I prefer Coopers Ale)
No one wants to see others suffer, either physically or financially.
I hope things work out.
-phil
of course i accept responsibility for the financial mess we are in, i gave the business to my wife, i picked my alternatives based on science and recommendations not on budget. Now budget is a factor.
my post is probably a partly a vent that my wife will not sell one property which would fund my current alternatives for a decade and give her a considerable reduction in pressure.
i can see a few positives in the situation and my next cancer markers will be interesting.
things will workout, life has a way of sorting itself out. even today my accountant friend had a few suggestions that would help.
hugs,
pete0 -
thanks KimAnnabelle41415 said:Agree
If you haven't read his blog then you should. The many supplements would boggle the mind - sorry buddy. I'm thinking that all the stuff that he is on is just making his kidneys, heart, liver, pancreas, gallblader, etc work EXTRA EXTRA hard to try and process all of these 75 at least supplements a day and still costing a fortune. If I'm going to die, then that is what God chooses, I'm not giving up my life style and then let this disease take over my life. I'm not wanting to live to a suggested supplement regime that is not studied, however he has studied this, but what someone says isn't always approved so you can go to whoever when you want to make your point. What is good about my life now is that I've not designed my whole life around a disease. Sorry buddy but you have to start living life, not living to stop "what might happen."
Kim
ok its a few supplements, i admit.
I just thought i would give the alternatives a good run for their money before i considered other treatment options if they become necessary. taking the supplments is not to difficult in itself. but yes the juicing, making the tcm teas and the entire regime i have is demanding which is why going to work is challenging.
For me I am living to try to stop "what is happening", that is a rising CEA.
If it was normal i would be back to diving and business.
I appreciate the concerns for the supp load on all the organs.
Just for the record, the supplement regime is pretty close to whats recommended by life extension. Most of my blood results are pretty good, the only dodgy one have been my lympocytes which has been attributed to heavy metal poisoning.
now most of the supplements have specific targets like milkthistle the liver, vit d or fish oil. the supplement load is nothing compared to that of most chemo's , but regular blood tests.
One test done recently said i had the blood quality of an olympic athlete, i kid you not!
I have tried to back off the supplements and replace many with diet, not successfully at present.
hugs,
Pete0 -
This discussion
I would like to suggest it is left there. I am not sure that this discussion is contributing to any positive outcome and is diverting energies away from the role of this site- to share knowledge and support each other.
I don't entirely agree with a lot of what Pete writes about his treatments, lifestyle choices and family dynamics but it is not the place for me to judge or criticise. I don't think anything he has said is pushing his beliefs onto others here and in fact I worry that others (whom I agree with more about many other things they say) are trying to push their beliefs on how a family/ marriage/ person should function and behave onto Pete.
My own feelings would be we should move on and focus once again on what is valuable in this site. We all bring diverse views and knowledge that at times conflicts with others and that can run the risk of railroading discussions into unhealthy territory.
Everyone has had a chance to put their point across- lets get back to the business of supporting one another.
steve0 -
Actually I think this discussion is quite importantsteved said:This discussion
I would like to suggest it is left there. I am not sure that this discussion is contributing to any positive outcome and is diverting energies away from the role of this site- to share knowledge and support each other.
I don't entirely agree with a lot of what Pete writes about his treatments, lifestyle choices and family dynamics but it is not the place for me to judge or criticise. I don't think anything he has said is pushing his beliefs onto others here and in fact I worry that others (whom I agree with more about many other things they say) are trying to push their beliefs on how a family/ marriage/ person should function and behave onto Pete.
My own feelings would be we should move on and focus once again on what is valuable in this site. We all bring diverse views and knowledge that at times conflicts with others and that can run the risk of railroading discussions into unhealthy territory.
Everyone has had a chance to put their point across- lets get back to the business of supporting one another.
steve
and worthy of further discussion and thinking.
I think it's extremely important that others see what can happen when a person lets cancer take over their lives, that when they seek treatments that go way out there, way past just a few supplements to a life consumed around any supplement that the person hears about, past to where your living in the real world around your family and friends because you are in pursuit of the latest supplement,or the newest meditation technique, the need to do IV vitamin C on a daily basis (really, how much vit C does one need in a day? Drink some ORANGE JUICE!!)
My husband's co-worker became desperate; he was dying of cancer, he was dying, there was no doubt about it. So he flew to the Philippines, went to a "hospital" where they stick their hand "into" your stomach and pull the cancer out and showed him. Naturally he was cured. OF COURSE HE WASN'T, this is something that is touted to people that are desperate, that are dying of cancer, and they grab a hold of it, latch on to it with all their being. Just so you know, his co-worker came back and died from his cancer the next week (pancreatic).
And I think it's important for people to see how far overboard Pete has gone, Pete's scans show no cancerous tumors, things come back clean, yet his CEA is rising, and as it rises, he takes more supplements and tries more things, which will probably make his CEA rise even more, causing him to go more overboard (now if it rises though, he's going to blame his wife for MAKING him do the dreaded thing above all else, and that is work)in an attempt to bring the CEA down.
Whereas I think if he dropped at least half if not 3/4's of the $500.00 a week supplements (including the free ones) he might actually see a decline in his CEA. I'm not a doctor, but heck if my CEA was rising and my scans were clear and the only thing different I was doing was going nuts on supplements, then by golly, I'd start looking at those supplements and NOT MY SPOUSE as the problem.
Hopefully through this discussion, others can see that going a bit crazy about the cancer isn't good for either the pocketbook or the family or even their own health.
That I think is a good reason for this discussion to be here and commented on.
Winter Marie0 -
Petepete43lost_at_sea said:thanks phil
of course i accept responsibility for the financial mess we are in, i gave the business to my wife, i picked my alternatives based on science and recommendations not on budget. Now budget is a factor.
my post is probably a partly a vent that my wife will not sell one property which would fund my current alternatives for a decade and give her a considerable reduction in pressure.
i can see a few positives in the situation and my next cancer markers will be interesting.
things will workout, life has a way of sorting itself out. even today my accountant friend had a few suggestions that would help.
hugs,
pete
I don't mean to be critical of you. Every situation is different. I REALLY admire your quest for health and I know your family means the world to you which quite probably is the driving force behind your trying to stay healthy at any cost.
My family means the world to me too, luckily I'm in this semi-stable Living With Cancer mode. At times I wonder what I'd do when/if things change for he worse... I'll cross the bridge when I get there, hopefully I can stay the course and try to keep working a healthier lifestyle into the mix.
I think we ALL need to vent, even our caregivers need to too.
I agree Pete, life has a way of sorting things out...
Hugs Back!
-p0 -
Winter Marieherdizziness said:Actually I think this discussion is quite important
and worthy of further discussion and thinking.
I think it's extremely important that others see what can happen when a person lets cancer take over their lives, that when they seek treatments that go way out there, way past just a few supplements to a life consumed around any supplement that the person hears about, past to where your living in the real world around your family and friends because you are in pursuit of the latest supplement,or the newest meditation technique, the need to do IV vitamin C on a daily basis (really, how much vit C does one need in a day? Drink some ORANGE JUICE!!)
My husband's co-worker became desperate; he was dying of cancer, he was dying, there was no doubt about it. So he flew to the Philippines, went to a "hospital" where they stick their hand "into" your stomach and pull the cancer out and showed him. Naturally he was cured. OF COURSE HE WASN'T, this is something that is touted to people that are desperate, that are dying of cancer, and they grab a hold of it, latch on to it with all their being. Just so you know, his co-worker came back and died from his cancer the next week (pancreatic).
And I think it's important for people to see how far overboard Pete has gone, Pete's scans show no cancerous tumors, things come back clean, yet his CEA is rising, and as it rises, he takes more supplements and tries more things, which will probably make his CEA rise even more, causing him to go more overboard (now if it rises though, he's going to blame his wife for MAKING him do the dreaded thing above all else, and that is work)in an attempt to bring the CEA down.
Whereas I think if he dropped at least half if not 3/4's of the $500.00 a week supplements (including the free ones) he might actually see a decline in his CEA. I'm not a doctor, but heck if my CEA was rising and my scans were clear and the only thing different I was doing was going nuts on supplements, then by golly, I'd start looking at those supplements and NOT MY SPOUSE as the problem.
Hopefully through this discussion, others can see that going a bit crazy about the cancer isn't good for either the pocketbook or the family or even their own health.
That I think is a good reason for this discussion to be here and commented on.
Winter Marie
"And I think it's important for people to see how far overboard Pete has gone"
Do you think using the word "overboard" is going a little...overboard? I'm pretty sure many on here see our use of Western Medicine and countless rounds of chemo and surgery as going overboard.
I think we all want to stay alive as long as we can and find a cure that works for us. I do agree with some things you say like the OJ thing. Just drink a glass or two. It's tasty juice. And people will go to extremes like the Witch Doctor type "procedure" that's done in the Philippines and elsewhere. That gives Which Doctors a bad name! Too many supplements? Perhaps...
While I don't agree with Pete's venting at his spouse, they seem to be in a better financial situation than most of us so that gives him more leeway with the treatments he seeks.
I agree it's an important discussion but there's an awful lot of judgement going on. I am guilty of it too. I tried to explain my thoughts better to Pete in his response to me. The discussion is as unique as cancer is, one size doesn't fit all here either.
I'm not by any means telling you what to say, I'm just continuing the dialog...
I hope you're feeling and doing well.
-phil0 -
I thinkPhillieG said:Winter Marie
"And I think it's important for people to see how far overboard Pete has gone"
Do you think using the word "overboard" is going a little...overboard? I'm pretty sure many on here see our use of Western Medicine and countless rounds of chemo and surgery as going overboard.
I think we all want to stay alive as long as we can and find a cure that works for us. I do agree with some things you say like the OJ thing. Just drink a glass or two. It's tasty juice. And people will go to extremes like the Witch Doctor type "procedure" that's done in the Philippines and elsewhere. That gives Which Doctors a bad name! Too many supplements? Perhaps...
While I don't agree with Pete's venting at his spouse, they seem to be in a better financial situation than most of us so that gives him more leeway with the treatments he seeks.
I agree it's an important discussion but there's an awful lot of judgement going on. I am guilty of it too. I tried to explain my thoughts better to Pete in his response to me. The discussion is as unique as cancer is, one size doesn't fit all here either.
I'm not by any means telling you what to say, I'm just continuing the dialog...
I hope you're feeling and doing well.
-phil
That overboard isn't too harsh a word in Pete's particular case. If you read his posts, he's got into some pretty "overboard" ideas and things that one should step back from on occasion and say to themselves, really, is this safe or sane to do?
And health wise, it may be my heart gets me before cancer does,(thank goodness for nitro) go figure!!! LOL.
Winter Marie0 -
My ex tried that Sonia, heSonia32 said:Pete
Arghhh if only we could legally rob banks, but they rob us ha lol. I hope you ease back into work with less stress.
My ex tried that Sonia, he got 10 in the penn! lol I'd say open a lemonade stand instead, it's safer. Borrow a cute kid or two.0 -
I've been finding a fewGoldie1 said:What to do??
Got a similar problem here. Pat hasn't been able to work for the last year, the bills keep coming in, and his health insurance is going to end in the next 2-3 months. As if we don't have enough worries! So, Pat is also considering going back to work. New worry...can he handle it? He drives a truck, heavy lifting, long days. Waiting for his onc to ok his return to work.
How do you psych yourself up for returning to work? It would solve our money woes but is it worth it regarding his health? Any insights would be a big help!
Thanks!
Ellen
I've been finding a few agencies that give grants online to patients. Small grants, one is $350, one is $75. I'm contacting Sloan to see if they know of anymore. Every Christmas my family does Kris Kringles for $25. This year I'm requesting a save a cancer patient fund raiser. I mean you can't save someone with $25 but it's a start. I would like them to donate gift cards to necessities, CVS and supermarkets, even hair salons and nail places because looking good to a point means feeling good. Offset some of the prescription/other items at pharmacies and food. I hope they all want to do it. I may try to recruit others. I'm going to give them directly to people who are struggling rather than a charity. My sister's friend does that with "shootout for cancer". It's a basketball charity event where kids play silly games like roll the ball under your legs. When I feel better, I will run one of those too. I've been managing to do some overtime to make up the loss of pay I'm getting hit with. Thank God I have the option. I'm exhausted but whatever, we're still afloat.0 -
I Hear You...herdizziness said:I think
That overboard isn't too harsh a word in Pete's particular case. If you read his posts, he's got into some pretty "overboard" ideas and things that one should step back from on occasion and say to themselves, really, is this safe or sane to do?
And health wise, it may be my heart gets me before cancer does,(thank goodness for nitro) go figure!!! LOL.
Winter Marie
Just when I thought it was safe to go back in the ocean, I read about ocean enemas (and I don't mean Sea Anemones).
I agree one may need to step back and reassess things from time to time. I doubt that if I had the resources I'd take the same route but again, it falls under what's comfortable for the individual.
-p0 -
Pete, I envy youpete43lost_at_sea said:thanks kim
hi kim,
its just because life is to short that they eat tofu and blended greens.
if i don't make it through this challenging illness i am keen that my family has the benefit of what i have learnt. with what i have learned to feed my family the western diet would be negligent.
my kids love my homemade organic potatoe hash browns with a little coconut oil.
now the you feed your family your way and I will feed my kids my way.
Some days are vegan for the family, somedays are not.
For me almost all days are vegan.
I put up a post about three months ago i was starting a vegan experiment based on a doctors guarantee it could help reduce my markers. Now that has not happened yet! its gotten my nutritional knowledge to another level entirely. Experiment is the key word. I don't advocate anything, ok maybe that exercise is good for us.
I never said, thats the way we should go here, i have shared that i have been told vegan is a healthy choice by some. the anti cancer diet, whatever that is depends on which alternative doctor you are talking to or seminar you are attending. they all have different perspectives on it which i find really interesting. what i eat what i have access to and what i believe is in the interests of my long term health. My wife and i went out to dinner with about 40 vegans on friday night which was a great night out. Not one unhealthy looking person on the table.
so my family is mostly eating organic, i still given them meat a few times a week. my six year old loves mixed beans and raw broccoli. not eaten together. he also likes the rare fastfood burger and icecream.
hugs,
Pete
Pete ,
i think it is great you have the opportunity to take trips and try alternative to treatment, it encouraged me to say What the hell and try some things new, I recently became a vegetarian and i try my best to only eat super foods or at least three a day. and i take suppliments and I try and enjoy my art and my kids, I even took a 8 week break from chemo.
I work even though I should not, It is very hard for me because I have to be really close to the toilet most of the time.
Right now I have to buy a dryer and it is driving me crazy because my kids have to kick in their hard earned money and my college bound daughter can't buy a needed computer because we need a dryer.
I recently applyed for public assistance and i never thought i would. I can't stand cancer and i am so broke and in so much debt. it makes me scared at night. my husband fears our cars will be taken away even though we make our payments ( mostly on time.) We almost lost our home back in August 2011 and by the grace of God and my parents we saved it.
I don't fault you for the way you treat your cancer and your life, Keep it up. I just wish i had time and money for vacations, and such. By the way i thought your photos on your web site were fantastic, but where is this blog you talk about?
That my crazy vent.
Penny0
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