One step forward and three steps back

I had a very disappointing check-in with the oncologist this week.  I've been really pulling out all the stops these past couple of months with the natural cancer cures (Black Seed Oil protocol - full dose; Dr. Gonazales' pancreatic enzymes - 20-30/day; and of course the much-discussed ketogenic diet).  I thought for sure my numbers would have come down quite a lot, or at the very least just a smidgen, particularly since I'd been feeling such a whole lot better. 

But no.  Not only did they not go down, they increased by the biggest margin yet, in an even shorter time than usual.  It was quite a shock, that's for sure.  It looks like drug therapy may be my only option at this point.  I certainly gave it my best shot with all the natural cures.  I'm on over 20 supplements a day, and I really thought this diet change was going to be key.  I didn't get fully into ketosis other than just a little during the day.  It's actually quite hard to do.  But my carb intake is very very low now and that's what I attribute to feeling so much better.  So I guess I will stay on a Paleo type diet indefinitely and not try and do the full ketosis thing for now, just because I enjoy this way of eating and feel so much more energy from it.  (I'm adding two books about this to the book list over on the right, Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis . . . highly recommended – at last, a nutrition book by a doctor with a sense of humor! . . . and Grain Brain by Dr. David Perlmutter.)

I have a wonderful oncologist, Dr W, and he makes me feel very reassured, that these cells can be wiped out using the various drug combinations they have for myeloma these days.  He says myeloma patients can live a long time now, it is one of the more "treatable" cancers.  So start date for that is January 13th.

Dr. W very kindly explained to me how these myeloma cells have an affinity for each other and like to clump together and get stronger that way, feeding each other the enzymes they need to proliferate, and that at a certain level, the immune system can't cope with them any more, despite all the natural cures.  He said when they were at a much lower level, these types of protocols can sometimes be useful, but once they get to a certain level, about all we can do is "go for the kill".  Then once they are down to a more manageable level, perhaps the natural protocols can help the immune system to cope with them a bit better.

We shall see.  Please pray for success, and that I can tolerate these medications.  I'll talk more about those when the time comes.  Meanwhile, I intend to enjoy the holidays and all the fun things I have planned this month, before we have to get down to business in January.