PhD. Kim,
We followed your advice and not to our surprise the nutritionist on site "don’t really know a lot about the human body"! She did not want to prescribe any pre-digestive enzymes. Basically she told Sandy she wasn't that familiar with the human anatomy. Then she told her she had too much anxiety and handed her a handful of pamphlets: Diet and Health Recommendations for Cancer Prevention by AICR (I'm sorry, we are looking for cures, she already "HAS" the disease), Eating Hints for Cancer Patients by National Cancer Institute, Nutrition and the Cancer Survivor by Amer. Cancer Society. Sandy's personal physician told her to ask the Oncologist about Enzyme Therapy. We did and it was blown off with a statement about not needing Enzyme Therapy, just eat the right foods and you'll be okay. It seems all we get are the standard AMA responses and I am not ready to let my wife die because they refuse to "open their minds" and utilize a combined medical and nutritional treatment plan that is design to "save her life" not "make her comfortable"!
I also had Sandy ask about blood work, as she is to start both Radiation and Gemzar Chemotherapy on Thursday. She was told they did that when they installed her port on March 31, 2003. Yes, almost 2 weeks ago we agreed to have a port installed to "SAVE PRECIOUS TIME"! She hasn't had the opportunity to use it as yet but we followed their advice. Now, weight loss. Sandy was on a "Weight Watchers" diet for about 4 or 5 weeks without "any” weight loss. However, she lost 10 lbs. after going off the diet and returning to "her" normal eating habits after finding out about the cancer. She appeared to be doing fine from about the middle of March through this past weekend (4/05 & 4/06/2003). She started complaining of fatigue. She also stated that she is eating far more that she use to and "not gaining" or losing any weight but her stomach has grown to where she looks like she might be 3 or 4 months pregnant. She also said she lost about 3/4 of an inch on both of her legs on the lower thigh and for the first time she can start to feel "hard spots" across her tummy where it use to be soft.
I feel that we have lost “opportunity” in these past 6 weeks (2/27/2003 – 4/10/2003) from
discovery to treatment. When Sandy asked about the nutritionist on Monday 4/7/2003 she was told not to worry about it, the nutritionist could talk to her “while” she is getting Chemotherapy. So, you can see I have great concern that my wife’s health doesn’t appear to be very important to them. We are with an HMO and the best we appear to be able to do is go to another Nutritionist in association with the HMO. My personal belief is that if the HMO doesn’t prescribe to anything but “traditional meds” then they are not about to hire a nutritionist that would be in “conflict with their personal interest” which is selling prescription medications not dietary or natural heath supplements.
You mentioned a “starter kit” of dietary supplements, vitamins, antioxidants and immune stimulants. I was also considering purchasing Hydroxygen Plus! It says it is suppose to “supply the body with a steady diet of free oxygen, hydrogen, full spectrum minerals, amino acids, and enzymes - all while cleansing your body’s cells of toxins and lactic acid. It also talks about eliminating the free radicals. Now, this sounds like something every Cancer Patient would want. Have you heard of this product?
It has rave reviews on www.cancer-treatments.net/cancer.html