Nov 2020 1st CTCResults: 10 ml of blood 3.3 CTC/ml incl 1 cluster. Specimen contained single CTC (n= 16), and one cluster of CTC-like cells with 17 nuclei (n=17), total CTC (n=33), suggesting some residual disease activity. The background shows mild to moderate numbers of immune cells and occasional fungal elements. The CTC count is consistent with a mild to moderate increased risk of tumour progression or relapse.
I am thinking this is not too bad. Still room for improvement (especially re. fungal elements) but really great news worth celebrating. I will continue to pause the Zoladex for now and keep up with immune system and anti-inflammatory focus while pulsing the pathways inhibitors.
March 2022 note: I did end up stopping the Zolodex all together – did not go back to it and have continued with Melatonin which is now 60mg a night and every now and then I will pause it for 5 days and then re-start. My tumor markers remain the lowest of all time and all labs are looking really good. White blood cells were terribly low for years but have come back up to the normal range in past few months. I am living a very active pain-free life, practicing Qi Gong and working as a mental health outreach support worker. Having bone scans once a year and next one due in early May 2022.
Bone healing:
Many women who read this blog have a similar diagnosis to me and write to ask me about what I take each day in regards to my bones mets . Here’s my bone healing list of supplements and studies. None are strictly ‘bone only’ and all have multiple anti-cancer targets. In early 2023 for ease when updating I have moved my bone met healing research notes to the new parent site: My Healing Community.
You can now find my bone met healing research notes here.
Christmas 2018 Update:
On one hand, I’m celebrating many great test results received throughout 2018. An ultrasound in September showed three tumors across my chest wall have vanished completely and regular blood tests indicate my tumor markers are well and truly in the ‘normal persons’ range. My MRI and full body bone scans from December indicate my cancer is stable and possibly even retreating in one of my vertebrae.
I’m also feeling more determined then ever, that I can clear this cancer out of my body. I’m happy with my super healthy, balanced low-carb diet and energetically balanced life, my strong immune system; all have all been a great achievements, but I’m feeling like I’m now in the right place on all levels to totally slay this cancer dragon.
I have been fortunate that in the past week I found this new book by U.K cancer out- smarter, Jane McLelland. It’s really a must read for anyone looking to out-smart the dragon that is cancer. Jane has mapped the metabolic pathways of the cancer cells and ways to block these pathways using affordable re-purposed medications, (both over the counter and prescription), alongside close attention to diet and timing specific exercise.
I’ll keep you updated to how I chose to engage with the new information I’m integrating from the book and how my body responds over the coming months.
I’ve stuck this image of the Goddess Kali to my fridge to inspire me throughout the new year.
For a few months now, Neil and I have been enjoying, and no doubt greatly benefiting from drinking the very best structured water.
We live on a semi-rural property and draw some of our water from underground bore and some from the sky above. Our water gets stored as one mass in our water tank. Neil keeps the roof, gutters and tank lovely and clean. We have it checked from time to time at a water lab and it always get glowing reports.
We then take that water from our tank and send it through a couple of carbon filters which we change regularly. Once the water enters the pipe leading to the kitchen, it now passes through a MEA water structuring device.
Learn more here from the experts about how high quality structured water can greatly benefit your health.
This video is an interview with Rob Gourlay, who’s Australian company makes the device we use. He explains everything we need to know about structured water and healing in an easy to follow way.
I love to learn about people and their personal healing journeys. Everyone shares something different about what works for them. Most people who talk about healing cancer naturally seem to place a great deal of attention on what they eat and don’t eat.
I do not believe that their is just one cancer healing diet. I believe that there are many different healing diets that help many different people.
Immediately following the secondary breast cancer diagnosis in 2017, I went on the Ketogenic for Cancer Diet for 6 months. This diet cuts of the cancer’s first main food supply which is glucose. Going full ‘Keto’ was a great way to increase my sense of mental clarity and physical energy. Focusing so much attention on learning about and practicing the keto for cancer diet was also a great way for me to deal with the initial trauma of hearing such dis-empowering words from my oncologist.
I found that making such a dramatic change in my eating habits allowed me to exercise my “need to control’ a situation that felt totally out of control. I was able to poor all that ‘need to control’ into weighing and recording my macro nutrients and micro nutrients, taking and recording blood samples and shopping for new ingredients for my new fat burning fuel system.
Below are links to the apps that helped me get into and stay in a state of ketosis.
I used the Keto Diet app to get me started, and after a couple of months I moved over to the cronometer in order to get a better understanding of my micro-nutrient levels.
One year in, I am no longer strictly Keto and I enjoy a little fruit, and more vegetables than I did at first. I now steer clear of all bread, grains, white potatoes, sugars and processed foods.
These videos below are great resources to support understanding re. the correct ratios of protein, carbs and fats. The one on the different types of fasting and feasting is worth a watch too, For many people ketosis is the first step but fasting needs to be included to remain healthy.
I make an effort to eat plenty of healthy fats, fresh vegetables… and I still eat meat.
Since I switched to keto, and then to super low carb, my brain is sharper all day, and my body feels much leaner and free from inflammation, aches and pains. I also consume loads of ginger and turmeric both wonderful in their fresh or supplement form for reducing inflammation and pain throughout the body.
I’ll share more about my diet later, but for now I recommend anyone interested in cutting off the first main fuel source feeding many types of cancer cells to read this book. I believe it is the current number one resource, for all things ketogenic for cancer. I recommend this book to people who do not have cancer but are interested in finding the best resources to support them in making the change from a primarily glucose to a primarily fat burning body. The author has listed so many resources within this book. It’s gold! It was not written when I first went Keto; it would have made my life so much easier if it was.
Update April 2019:
I am no longer doing anything Ketogenic, and now have a deeper understanding about how cancer feeds thanks to Jane McLelland’s book ‘How to Starve Cancer without Starving Yourself’. I now believe that many cancer’s can start off preferring glucose over fats or proteins but over time their feeding patterns will shift.
Here’s a link to an interview that Jane the author of “How to starve Cancer…” did recently with Chris Wark, which I hope helps you understand this book:
I now run a private FB support group dedicated to better understanding this book.
We are are friendly group and already over 600 strong.
Message me if you would like to join in and have trouble finding it; I will invite you in.
More on this metabolic flexibility in relation to my breast cancer sub-type here..
