YAY -

Just a quick note to say that I have only 2 big treatments left now. Should be done by the beginning of February.

Acupuncture

(So you guessed it - I got a stunt double, a Gibbon, if you will, to pose for an acupuncture photo.)

Today is a little over 4 days since the start of my 8th round of chemo. I'm starting to bounce back from it, although we had our first big snow storm here and now the neuropathy occurs more often and more easily rears its head. The cold snow on the ground gives me painful tingling in the feet. Bad noooze. But liveable - for 8 more weeks.
Luckily I am getting acupuncture on my hands and feet to counter its total effects.

Acupuncture is a medical treatment that is 5000 years old.

For many weeks now I have been going to see Dr. Lee, a Doctor of Chinese Medicine, to treat the neuropathy that usually accompanies the chemo that I'm on. The Oxaliplatin causes extreme tingling in the hands and feet, and also causes an extreme pain reaction to cold temperatures. There are days when I don't want go into the refrigerator to get anything because it is too cold. Luckily, the acupuncture makes this reaction short-lived and temporary. (There are many reports of this neuropathy setting in and lasting for an undetermined number of months and even years after chemo ends. That fear has been a big issue for me all along.) I get the neuropathy for minutes at a time, or only when touching something cold, but only during the week of chemo. Other than that it goes away. And I hope it stays away.

Let me tell you, yes that is my hand. If you have never done it before, the needles don't hurt at all. And I usually fall asleep or at least into a relaxed state when they are applied. They stay in for 30 minutes at a time and I only go once a week. But it works.

Other acupuncture that I have done at the same time has alternated between different points on my neck and head, for a boost to my immune system when needed, or the stomach, for an increase in energy. Some of the points are for the liver as well (Those points are located on my feet and called Liver 3.) I had some needles in my knees once which promote circulation.

There is much to say about the theory and science behind acupuncture. I learned a little about it. This much I know just from reading here and there... It has been shown to be beneficial for many ailments. How it works however is not entirely known. Basically the needles act as a stimulus to influence physiological functioning of the body. There is an energy flowing throughout the body called Qi. When the flow of this energy is blocked, insufficient, or otherwise suppressed, then illness can occur. Qi travels throughout the body in channels, and at specific points, these channels come up to the surface of the skin, where acupuncture needles can access them. The acupuncture restores the flow.

Acupuncture raises various hormones and white blood cell counts, although it is not known how this occurs. It is also known to successfully treat a variety of diseases, illness, and injury. So far it has worked for me and the neuropathy that is associated with Oxaliplatin.

Dr Lee is at Chinese Healing Art, 1854 Clavey Rd, Highland Park, IL. Tel: 847-831-1609.

Happy Thanksgiving!

First off- some good news about Erbitux. It seems that it is proving to be more effective than first expected: Read this


What more can I tell you now?

I dont know. This is the middle of treatments and things are either going to stay the same or they will get worse. When I say worse, I mean, I could be a little more tired as things go on, and have some more side effects to deal with, etc..

One good piece of news I can tell you is that my CEA score, which is a blood test that is used to measure cancer activity, is improved. Although this is debatable as I will explain. A normal CEA level can be between 0 and 5. For smokers, that number can be between 0 and 10. And things are still considered normal. My Original CEA score pre-surgery, was 2. Now midway thru chemo, it is 0.8. So it is an improvement, however, these scores are already considered within the normal range.

The truth is that the CEA can be used as an indicator, and some people show scores of 50 or 100 or even higher, but not all people produce a lot of CEA and therefore, you cant really tell when that is the case. Having a tumor, yet having a score of 2, means it isnt a reliable marker for me, yet having it drop to 0.8 is an improvement of sorts. So lets celebrate.

Other news?

Well it looks like my last day of chemo will be February 1st. That is basically 2 months from now. Sounds like a long time but it will be here before ya know it.

In the meantime I am still doing pretty good. Still working, still working out, still doing Yoga, and also working on music too. I must admit though, a few nights a week I enjoy crashing early-- err.. I mean "resting."

Interesting, I never realized this new word that has crept into conversations moreso these days.. the word "rest" or "Im resting"

Q: "What are you doing?"
A: "I'm resting..."

I never used to hear that word or use it even.. Now it seems funny to say that "on Friday night, I stayed in and rested." Resting. what a concept... Its a verb? I can't believe it..

For the moment, Im just "Slouching and Couching" -- There, you like that?

...come February.. no more resting..

HALF WAY DONE - and a recap...

Im getting my sixth round of chemo right now. Im officially halfway done with the treatments. Im excited... its all downhill from here (knock on wood)

Just to recap and fill in some blanks, here is whats happening..

In the middle of June, I went to an outdoor Doobie Brothers Concert, then two days later the results of a colonoscopy came back and I was diagnosed with Colon Cancer..

While still in shock and disbelief, I immediately emailed my friend Shyam, who is a surgeon with the US Navy, but he was in Iraq saving lives at the time. He helped me by answering my many questions via email and setting me at ease.

I got some scans done and it showed a small 3cm mass in the wall of my colon which appeared to be a Stage I tumor, which is good.

Following that, I met with several surgeons to see what my options were. One was at University of Chicago, and another was at Northwestern Memorial, the top two hospitals in the area.

I went with Dr. Steven Stryker, because he had the most experience and also felt very comfortable doing the surgery as a "Laparoscopically Assisted" procedure which meant smaller incisions and faster recovery time. He actually wrote a very important paper comparing Laparoscopic vs Open Surgery some time ago showing that the two are equally safe procedures.(Here is an abstract on it)The surgery went very well and already my scars from the incisions are fading.

Next I researched on my own, and started on a regimen of alternative medicines including ACHH, to raise the immune system, and Avemar, a substance shown to regulate the white blood cells and fight cancer.

I had surgery on July 12th. A few says later, the pathology report came back showing that this tumor skipped over stage II, and went straight to stage III; 4 out of 21 lymph nodes harvested from surgery contained stray cancer cells. Strong chemo would be necessary.

I had another small outpatient surgery to implant a port in my chest. Basically it looks like this . It rests under the skin below my collar bone and the tube feeds directly into a main artery that goes to the heart. I dont even feel it and all you would see is a slight lump under my skin. It is used as a way to give me chemo rather than constantly pricking a vein in my arm to connect an IV. After these treatments are all done, after a few months to make sure everything is allright, there will be another short surgery to remove it.

Who will be giving me chemo? I again investigated several options. Northwestern's Robert Lurie Cancer Center was one, a local option was another, and another Oncology group located across the street from Northwestern was a third option. After doing my homework, and individually meeting with several Oncologists, I chose Dr John Shaw at Hematology Oncology Associates of Illinois. He came highly recommended and also we seemed to get along the best.

He put me on FOLFOX which is the first-line chemo for Colon Cancer. FOLFOX is an acronym for three drugs. (Folonic Acid, also known as Leucovorin, 5-FU or Fluorouracil, and Oxaliplatin, also called Oxaliplatinum.)

In addition, I got into a Clinical Trial for Erbitux, a very new kind of chemo drug that attacks cancer cells based on a protein that exists on the outer cell wall. This protein is also found in skin cells so it provides a nice rash on my face. Because Im in the study, I was assigned a special Chemo-Dermatologist at Northwestern to basically thwart off skin problems that can develop, so that I will be able to take Erbitux non-stop for the entire length of the treatment. More on this in a future post.

OK.

In addition, I continued biking and rode over 400 miles this summer. Half of that time I was on chemo. Now its too cold to bike so I have to find something else to do. In the interim I have started sleeping more - as in 13 hour stretches. Its obvious that exercise makes a difference, so its time to get moving doing some aerobic exercise.

On Sundays I have been lifting weights with my cousin Daryl, at City Wide Super Slow in order to gain muscle mass and come out of this looking and feeling better than I did before. I have to say that my muscles are looking pretty good these days all things considered... (A more detailed post to follow on this)

Finally, I have also been attending a yoga class on Wednesdays which has been really great for having a peaceful mind, and stretching my body to keep it in shape.

Its all helping.

On top of it, I really appreciate my friends, relatives, and co-workers for being so supportive throughout this ordeal. This is the kind of thing where I could easily feel disconnected and isolated from people in general, but that has not been the case, in fact I feel more of a connection than before, to the people who are close to me, as well as people in general.

New Research shows stronger link to diet and cancers..

Here is a quickie:

Check out this article.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071031/hl_nm/cancer_obesity_dc

Looks like there is a stronger link to diet than first thought...

PS: I am overall doing fine and will be soon starting my 6th treatement. (The half-way mark)

Round 4, 5...

Greetings,

Well I didnt post anything after my Fourth round and now we are almost done with the 5th round.

Between the two, my brother got married and I was the Best Man. In order to make sure the weekend was great, I postphoned my chemo treatment till the following Monday. Yes, this can be done.

It was a somewhat busy week leading up to the wedding, although that was a "recovery week" and my energy grew. The wedding was really 3 days if you count the Rehearsal Dinner, wedding day with pictures, and Sunday brunch and recouping.

Then Monday I had treatment. That has been a test of strength so far. I went to work on Wednesday, and half of Thursday. Tomorrow I get the Erbutix. I havent really started bouncing back from the Folfox yet. This should be interesting. In the meantime a blood test came back showing that my liver enzymes are elevated due to the chemo. Not dangerously high, but enough to warrant further monitoring. (AST 63) (ALT 152).

On the upside, I have been gaining weight. A few pounds here and there. Been eating a lot actually but it adds up to only a couple of pounds over a 2 week period. Small but good news.

In general, everything is upbeat and optimistic. Im a little more tired for a day or two longer. After the 6th round, things will probably stay the same thru the end. That will be 12-14 weeks from now.

I also am working on a new project for a CD. More on that later. But it is something that I cant wait to tell you about - it will be very good.

What is causing that rash on my face - Erbitux

This is me and my good friend Jennifer at our high school reunion last weekend.

If you have seen me lately you must have noticed that my face is broken out like a teenage boy with acne. That is due to one of the drugs that I'm on called Erbitux.

Erbitux is one drug in a new class of Chemo drugs, called monoclonal antibodies, These drugs are much more targeted therapies than conventional chemo. Erbitux recognizes a certain receptor on cancer cells called EGRF (Epidermal Growth Receptor Factor) and attaches to it. The receptor is responsible for cell growth. The drug clogs the receptor and causes the cells to die. Unfortunately, EGRF is also found in the Epidermis, or the very top layer of skin cells, especially the ones on the head and shoulders because this area of the skin takes a lot of daily wear and tear, and therefore grows / replenishes itself at a faster rate.

Erbitux also gets to the cuticles of the fingernails because these contain skin cells that grow quick too. Therefore if you ever bit or picked at your cuticles, you can imagine the possible results.

This is all a small price to pay, and after treatment ends everything goes back to normal. Its not perfect, but it is an advancement in chemo.

Because it is so new, Erbitux is available to me only by participating in a clinical trial. I was assigned a special Chemo-dermatologist at Northwestern who only sees patients on Erbitux, to monitor what is happening. There are some more drugs to take to help make the rash go away.. somewhat. They say that since I have a healthy rash, that means I am a good responder to Erbitux and it should be working well.

More info on Erbitux

Finally here is a claim to fame, and another reason to feel good being on Erbitux. If you have been following the news lately regarding the world-famous 33-year old Chicago Chef, Grant Achatz, who has tongue cancer. He refused to have surgery because it would end his career. He is currently undergoing chemo and is on Erbitux, and has shown a lot of improvement.

Check these links out:

Grant Achatz

Despite Setback, Achatz Upbeat

Update: More good news on Grant Achatz

Chemo - round 3 done.. thoughts

Round Three was a slight bit more intense- well really it just seemed to hang around for a day longer than before. The "mono-like" fatigue was more apparent, and there were moments where I was in a bad mood, but I just followed the light at the end of the tunnel and it eventually all went away after a few days. Nausea has not been a significant problem at all thanks to Kytril, but my earlier noted digestive problems came back right on schedule. I pretty much know the routine now.

Friday I had my treatment and on Sunday I was lifting weights - and made some gains in weight but went down in reps. Endurance and fatigue are the main issues and I took more naps this week as needed. Went for walks around the neighborhood and by Thursday I was on the mountain bike doing 12 miles again.

As far as the Neuropathy, the tingling and cold sensitivity were present, and I was alarmed on two occasions when I also experienced motor neuropathy in my right hand when I would handle keys. I'd go to pick up a set of keys and put a key into the door, and just holding my fingers that way was painful. Like a cramp in the hand or like my hand had jaundice, my hand would not follow my commands. I dropped the keys and slapped my hand flat to relieve the pain. These two instances lasted only a few minutes. I took some potassium and it seemed to help. My oncology nurse Shannon suggested I add 1000 mg of calcium to my daily supplements and this has helped a lot. I have not had a recurrence since. I guess it could just be a loss of these minerals due to the chemo in general.

Friday, I was back at the Oncologists office for my quick session of Erbitux. Erbitux I get weekly, the big chemo I get only every other week. The Erbitux treatment really has no side-effects, aside from the "Erbitux rash" the acne-like breakout on my face. But the Benedryl that I get with it really knocked me out.

Acupuncture on Saturday morning went well. I really feel it is helping. Not only with neuropathy, but Dr Lee, my acupuncturist, is also targeting my immune system in different ways too. She gave me some Milk Thistle to help detox the liver, since there are so many different drugs getting metabolized in me now. She also noted a knot in the muscles between my thumb and forefinger and made adjustments to treat it. Later that night I was up till the wee hours of the morning enjoying my High School Reunion. It was a blast.

Sunday afternoon I was back in the gym, lifting weights and making very significant gains. I have the whole week to feel great now.

Oxaliplatinum Neuropathy and Accupuncture

Today I went to see an accupuncturist to see if she can help with a certain symptom of my chemo that I am not happy about. One of the chemo drugs I am on causes Neuropathy in the hands and feet. Mainly a tingling sensation or numbness which feels like your hand or foot fell asleep. It also can at times cause my hands to just not want to work so fast or precise. So far this has been transient, lasting only a few minutes at a time then disappearing. Oxaliplatinum also causes a nerve reaction to cold things and cold weather. When I drink something colder than room temperature, I get a freaky painful feeling in my mouth and throat similar to the tingling in my hands. When I reach into the refridgerator to get something, I get a frozen/burning feeling on my fingertips because they are so sensitive to the cold it is as if it is sub-zero temperature. I hear that in cold weather I could have a reaction like this too.

These feelings get stronger and stronger with each dose - and last longer. Many people have to stop treatment with this drug because the side-effects become too painful and are nonstop. After treatment ends, it can still take many months and even years before finally these feelings go away. And for 12% of patients these feelings never go away. The drug causes nerve damage. I have met many many people online who have problems from this drug.

Here is just one example of what people are experiencing, even after their treatment has ended Colon Club: How Long Should Neuropathy Last?

Needless to say this does not bode well with me. I am a guitarist and an artist. Loosing the abilities of my hands would be a big blow to me. It is of course possible that things will resolve naturally and I will have no permanent problems. That happens too. However I have done considerable research to see what I can do to ensure this.

For a time, Oncologists were giving patients interveinous Calcium and Magnesium. It seemed to cut down on the neuropathy quite a bit. That has recently been stopped because it has been learned that this interferes with the drug's cancer-fighting abilities. See Here

Barring that, there are a few things that can be tried: Taking vitamin B-Complex pills daily has been shown to help. L-acetyl-carnitine and L-glutamine powder are also something to try. Some people say Vitamin E helps too.

So finally, I went to see an accupuncturist this morning. I had been to see one in the past regarding carpal-tunnel problems I had and the accupuncture worked then. Having the pins stuck into you is actually very relaxing and enjoyable. They release endorphins into the body and I fell into a peaceful nap. I will have to do it for a while to get the most out of it.

Biking - Exercise

Exercise has been proven to be a factor in beating cancer. Studies have been done and here is a quick abstract of one: Impact of Physical Activity on Cancer Recurrence and Survival For one reason or another, it keeps your immune system high, you process toxins out of your body faster, you reduce stress, raise your metabolism, etc etc... its all good.

I have always been a fan of exercise and prior to all of this, for years, I was biking and swimming regularly. I dont want to swim laps right now because of the probable reaction I will have in the cold water while on Oxaliplatin, but I have been biking still, lifting weights, and am now in a Yoga class. When it gets colder out, I might just do something strange like get an aerobics DVD and work out in front of the TV.

Biking is a great exercise which I did a lot of this summer and continue to do on my good weeks. The weather is still warm here and I will bike until the temperature drops into the 50's. So far I do a standard 12 miles, two or three times a week and have biked over 360 miles this summer. Here is a quicktime video of one of the places I pass when biking. Not only is it great cardio exercise, but a very peaceful experience too.

Hey.. So far there might be a bug in this and it could crash your browser. I will get to it soon, but give it a try. Click on the image to play short movie. (works best with hi-speed internet)

Where Im at...

Today I had a conversation with my Oncologist during an office visit.

My Oncologist tells me that "I am well and the reason I am doing chemo is so that I will stay well."

(The malignancy was removed surgically, and the chemo is for the purpose of sweeping up any microscopic leftovers. After surgery I was declared NED meaning "No Evidence of Disease." There is a very good chance already that there are no leftovers, nonetheless this is being done to insure that. However the chemo treatments I am undergoing are the same strength as anyone else would get. For a young and otherwise healthy person, the dose is as high as it can be.)

Chemo - round 2... afterthoughts...

CT scan from early June

I expected round 2 to go similarly to the first round. Pretty much it was. I was able to drive myself there and back. The worst part about the actual infusion is getting benedryl interveinously first. That stuff makes me drowsy and anxious at the same time. After the infusion at the Oncologist's office, I really dont feel that bad or anything. It takes some time for the chemo to "get to work." I felt OK all weekend but the "uneasy mono-like feelings" that I get, hung around for a day or two longer.

I decided to stay in and vegetate over the weekend, instead of go out in the city like last time. It was probably a good thing to conserve my energy. The same gastric problems that happened round 1 returned a few days later and this time they stuck around almost all week. Didnt hurt as much as the first round because I knew what to expect and took the right meds to counter this in advance.

When I could I exercised: walked, biked and lifted weights several times. It was what got me back to normal; my symptoms subsided because of it. I only had to take an anti-nausea pill on two days and overall had no nausea problems to speak of. But I did get woosy at work after lunch once.

Only 10 rounds left.

First round of chemo done.. thoughts.

PET scan image

Well,

The weekend following my first round of chemo went very well. I brought a chuckle to my Nurse Practitioner's face after telling him that I biked, lifted weights, and went to a DJ party till 3am while wearing my infusion pump, and everything was good. Unfortunately on the following days I experienced some gastric problems, realizing that I felt like cement inside. Several remedies later, I had the opposite problem and was up all night. I experienced painful abdominal cramps which could be the result of the chemo, or the result of my diet- which might need to be changed now to accomodate the chemo. This pain occurred in the mornings around 5am or so and I even had it this morning too, although now that Im up and about it has receded.


At the Onc office, they gave me an extra liter of fluids because I was dehydrated from the gastric experiences.. I was told to follow the BRAT diet for a few days. That being Banannas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. But so far I havent done that fully - I did have rice and applesauce today, but needed more food in me for energy. Just toning down my intake of fatty and fried foods. I need to gain weight and maintain my weight so Im trying to come up with something workable. I had a taste for pancakes and eggs this morning, but had a bowl of cereal instead. I tempted fate and had chineese food for lunch today. Keeping fingers crossed.

Here is a link I found from the John Hopkins Center, on diet for colon cancer; before, during and after chemo: John Hopkins Colon Cancer Center: Diet and Nutrition

Does this sound plausable?

Here is an article that explores the mind-body connection to cancer and cancer cure. Since I have a degree in psychology, I tend to agree with it.

THE MIND BODY CONNECTION - Hanne Bom

Chemo: First infusion - report

Hey...

Here is what is going on... I had my first chemo yesterday, Friday. It was basically pretty uneventful. Feeling fine. So far so good. I even ate lunch and had a coffee while getting it. Just a lot of sitting around while some juice dripped into my veins. No biggie. I brought my laptop, cruised the internet and listened to some music. A Regge Dub mix and some electronic music. The worst of it was that they gave me some benedryl in the beginning I hear to counteract some side effects of one of the drugs. That made me drowsey. Other than that - I just did stuff on the laptop and sat there for 4-5 hours.. Not much to it.

My Oncologist said I might feel sick in 2 days though. That is about it. I can drive myself to and from the appts also.

Next week I have a 1 hour appt. just to get Erbitux, an experimental drug I am taking thru a clinical trial. The week after that I am back on for a 4 hr appt where I get FOLFOX and Erbitux. That will repeat till mid January.

A side effect of one of the drugs in the chemo, Oxaliplatin, I felt tingling in my finger tips when I was trying to write with a pen before I left. It feels a little like you cracked your funny bone. Elbow seemed to get a little hot. Now it is gone. However, from my reading, it isnt a good sign that I felt it on the first day. Usually this doesnt come on for a while. That means it will probably get worse over time and there is a possibility of it becoming permanent. Although they are watching me this for this closely. We will see what results.... Being a musician, that is the one side-effect of one of the drugs that worries me. Neuropathy to the hands and feet.

Plus - tonight I had a mildly bad reaction when, without thinking, I poured a cold glass of juice and drank.. Instantly it felt like I drank some really fizzy pop. A little suprise pain, then it went away. I think it happens only on the first mouthful, then after that the nerves are used to it or something. Basically we will see what happens as this stuff accumulates inside my system...

Other than that - I am at home now with what looks like a big old walkman from the 1980s. It is a take home pump with a thin tube under my shirt, hooked up to the port on my chest. It delivers a continuous dose of chemo for 48 hours. To go out, I just strap it on my body and wear a shirt over it. And that is what I did later that afternoon. I went mountain biking for 12 miles with it on. It stays on until Sunday afternoon then I unplug it. Im going weight lifting with my cousin on Sunday morning too with it in.

Last night I went out to my favorite watering hole and had a blackened salmon sandwich with steamed vegetables, and a red wine. Ate the whole thing. Tomorrow I might go to a party in the city. I can drink moderately - 2 drinks, and do whatever I want as long as this "walkman" doesnt get disconnected. That's about it... Carpe Diem. When I biked, I wore the pump like a holster around my neck and tied to my side. When I went out at night, I wore the pump as basically a belt over my abs, and wore a shirt over it, not tucked in. It dissappeared into my lap as I sat on the bar stool and no one even knew I had it.

I work almost full-time all week except for half days on Fridays where I head out for chemo. That is about the jist of it.

Supplements and Nutriments - Part I

I would like to call your attention to what is called alternate or complementary therapy: supplements you can take in addition to chemo. It is not recommended to blow off chemo but there are more than a few things out there which you can do additionally. You can find all kinds of claims on the internet about modern-day "Snake Oils" which can cure cancer or at least help. I researched quite a few options. Essiac Tea, Flor-Essence, Mangosteen Juice are some I passed on. The only ones I considered were the ones that had actual clinical trials and research to back up their claims. Those turned out to be ACHH pills and a substance called Avemar.

Before I go any further, here is a link to the Memorial Sloan Kettering database of various herbs and alternative products. You can look up and read about almost everything out there and see what, if any, supportive scientific evidence exists too.

You can also find more research online, and of course, the more real research you find, the better.

Essiac Tea is hailed by some as a bigtime cancer curing elixer. But the problem with is that the recipe is questionable- as it was held secret by it's maker. Flor-Essence is another brand which claims to have the original Essiac recipe, which is different, and so basically there is no way to tell which is correct. Furthermore there have never been any studies to show that it actually works or not. Simply "miracle cure" hearsay exists. A lot of it, but still not enough for me to be convinced. At best it might be a good liver detox.

Mangosteen juice is also currently being proported to be helpful. It is mainly because of its antioxidant content, and also because it contains certain polysaccharide compounds which may raise white blood cell production. However there has not been enough studies to confirm this.

Im not saying I wouldn't try drinking some, but I wouldn't bet my life on them just yet.

What did catch my attention, and what I have been taking daily since June, are Avemar and ACHH.

ACHH, developed in Japan, is basically a propriatory genetic blend of different mushrooms which have been shown to raise your immune system. Specifically, NK cells, which go out and kill cancer as well as other invaders. There is actual research supporting this and ACHH pills are currently prescribed in over 700 hospitals in Japan. It can actually raise your NK cell count as much as 300%. You can read the published research in reputable journals here.

As an aside, the mushrooms which have been shown to have medicinal value for this are: Maitake, Shitake, Coriolus Versicolor, and Reishi Mushroom

These mushrooms are also available in many different supplement pill products sold at health-food stores, but because there are so many brands and blends to choose from, I could not decide which to get. For a while, I was also trying to find the actual mushrooms at asian grocery stores, with no luck. Because of that, I decided to stick with the ACHH pills since ACHH is a consistent patented form.

----------

Avemar is a fermented wheat germ extract which has been shown in many studies to be very beneficial for fighting cancer. Not only does it help fight cancer but it also reduces the possibly damaging side effects of chemo itself. You can read boatloads of published research about Avemar here, and learn general information about it here.

Avemar was developed in Hungary, used throughout the world, but is marketed and sold in the United States as "Ave"

Taking ACHH and Avemar together is supposed to be great. The ACHH raises your white blood cell count and the Avemar appears to regulate them, basically gets them on guard, worked up, and off to battle.

A few things about Avemar: It is something that has to kept refridgerated and is mailed to you in a cooler with dry ice. It comes in 30-day supply boxes and isnt cheap. See here. However it is worth it.

It does taste aweful though. You have to mix it into a glass of water and drink it down. Drink it all...

Drink This - Green Tea

Ito En Green Tea was voted the best tasting tea recently and it deserves it. It is delicious and has no sugar. Full of Antioxidants. I could drink it all day. As a matter of fact I usually have it these days instead of my old standby, pop.

Check out this Ito En Green Tea

You can find it in many Asian grocery stores, and there is a Dr. Andrew Weil rebranded version that comes in a single-serving can at Whole Foods. Its popularity is growing.

If you need more proof of the power of Green Tea then read these:
Green Tea may stop colon cancer in its tracks- study

Findings Show How Tea Impacts Brain Waves Other Research Links Drinking Tea To Weight Management And Reduced Risk Of Heart Disease, Certain Cancers & Diabetes

A change in Diet - No more Red Meat

First of all, no more red meat. See here:

Eating Lots of Red Meat Linked to Colon Cancer

and

Diet Tied to Colon Cancer's Return

Although after surgery I could not eat raw vegetables and fruit for a few weeks, I went overboard with the cooked varieties. For sources of protein, I added more soy, and fish to my menu.

To help facilitate my new diet. I went to an Asian grocery store. It is generally known that people who follow a Western diet have a higher incidence of Colon Cancer, therefore, I wanted to see what was available to adapt an Eastern diet.

The first positive things I did..

When I first got diagnosed, it was such a total shock to me that I was walking around in a daze for about a week. I could feel the blood pressure surging in my neck and head. I thought I would have a stroke. I couldnt sleep or eat very well.

So eventually here are the first positive things I did when I got diagnosed with colon cancer:

- Deep Breathing exercises control stress. Something they teach in Yoga classes, and a Relaxation Techniques class I took to satisfy a PE requirement in college, so I could graduate... Just breath deeply thru your nose into your belly slowly. Fill up the belly before letting air into your chest. Fill the chest next.. Hold it for three or more full seconds, then breath out forcefully thru your mouth. Repeat and dont stop, keep a steady slow pace. This will make your body relax and calm you. Slow deliberate breathing. Real slow. Do it whenever you feel overwhelmed.

You know what, my Dr. gave me some anti-anxiety pills to take, and the pills had a backlash effect when they would wear off. My body felt the effects of stress even more. The deliberately slow breathing exercises worked the best for me.

-I read up on Colon Cancer as much as possible. The more information I read, the more I felt empowered. I read up on all of the procedures that I had to go thru to see what they do, and how they work. Mostly I used the internet, but on the advice of a friend, I also got a copy of Lance Armstrong's book, "It's Not About the Bike." It is a very inspirational story about how he overcame cancer.

-I told all of my relatives and good friends and didnt keep it a secret. I soon learned that everyone knows someone who has dealt with cancer. I also got a ton of advice. And I also got perhaps the most important thing to me, friends gathered around to give their support. Optimism, connectedness, and the realization of strength of friendship. When I told friends that I guess I'll be fine, the response was "No.. you WILL be fine."


-I kept exercising and increased my routine once I fould out. One of the things the Drs told me is that this tumor was growing in me for probably two or three years. It grew slowly and quietly. Exercise and diet helped.

Now here is the one bad thing that I did:

I ignored a telltale symptom of Colon Cancer for a long time. Actually I didn't ignore it, I just had no idea. I never felt sick, never felt ill, so what if there was a little blood in my poop from time to time? It would come and go. Sometimes weeks would pass and then it would come back for a few days.. Not enough to get all excited about. I mentioned it to my doctor once or twice, but it was assumed that because of my young age, it was probably due to a more likely reason, and it would probably go away on its own. Well I mention this because if you do have this symptom , you should insist on a colonoscopy right away. Dont wait because if it is cancer, then the longer you wait, the more involved your treatment will be.

First a little backgrounder-- You have cancer...

That's right, you! And you have had it all your life.

On a routine basis, cancer cells get created in the body. They are mutations when things dont go right for one reason or another. The good news is that your immune system finds and destroys them before things get out of hand.

There are lots of different kinds of cancer cells, but they all have one thing in common. They are like fucking runaway obnoxious clowns. Imagine being at a nice bar with cool mature people. Then along comes evil Brad Wesley from the movie Roadhouse. He thinks he and his friends are gunna come in and do 20 shots a piece. Next thing you know, you got clowns messing things up for everyone. Getting all revved up, starting fights, vomiting, stealing money, hitting on your wife... Now that's a cancer thats got to go. Thats when Patrick Swazie, as Dalton, comes in and kicks their ass. In the body, those are your white blood cells, and specifically NK cells, that blast the cancer cells, and other goony ass invaders, into the next century. That is exactly what happens when your immune system is working as it should..

(Hey, if you need to take your mind off things for an hour and a half, you cant go wrong watching, or watching again, the movie Roadhouse. Its one of those films that is unintentionally good for a laugh. See here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_House_(1989_film)

How this all got started...

Meet me...

Im my 30's and lead a very active lifestyle. I exercise regularly, In the warm weather I bike 12 miles a day, 3 to 4 days a week, plus swim a mile or two a week year round. I eat healthy, I drink socially, stay out of trouble, and never had a serious problem with my health before. The way things are going, Im looking at a nice long healthy life, right?

Well, aside from this bump in the road called Colon Cancer that I am dealing with right now, I still agree.

Here I will tell you all about this, and what I am doing to kick Cancer's ass.