In 2021, my doctors discovered cancer had metastasized to my spine and numerous spots in my neck and chest. The radioactive iodine pill did not work because the cancer had mutated. Surgeries are just causing too much scar tissue so the talk of having to start doing Systemic Therapy began. I did my first round of radiation in July 2021, second round March 2022 at that time my endocrinologist told me that we cannot continue to chase these scattered tumors with radiation. The thought of having to be on a “chemo“ type of pill every day with severe side effects for the rest of my life became real. The last thing I want is to lose my quality of life and that is where that treatment would put me.
God had a plan and I was introduced to a very dear lady who said “I’ll send you to Mexico.” She started doing research including physically going to some centers in Mexico to take the tours to see what would be best for me. After months of us talking and me being very hesitant to try Mexico, we decided that Oasis of Hope would be the best fit for me. This is not something I was looking forward to doing and the thought of being away from home for 3 weeks was awful. If not for this dear friend insisting that I go I would not have tried Oasis! I was blessed to find a wonderful Airbnb on the beach. Although I was planning on going alone, three days before departure my sister Corrie booked a plane ticket to come with me and has not left my side the whole time, she refuses to leave me alone.❤️
I now have been here for two weeks. The first week was not easy and I thank God that Corrie was here with me. Everyday not knowing what was going to happen next…having to search for veins that will give enough blood for ozone and then last long enough for all the infusions. Monday-Thursday say me starting treatments at 9am until usually 1pm, depending on the vein. My days start off with ozone treatment which means they drain my blood into a bag then run it through a machine that puts oxygen in my blood then they put the blood back in. That is followed by infusions of vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B 17 and then vitamin C again. On Friday’s I did the Hyperthermia Capsule, I went into this chamber(picture) that gets up to 190° and keeps my body temperature at 106° for an hour. The reasoning is that tumors have a disorganized vasculature, which means they cannot dissipate heat as efficiently as normal cells. Also, hyperthermia follows the other treatments because it can make tumors susceptible to others anti-cancer agents
This week I start the Dendritic Cell Vaccine it is all very hard for me to explain. To sum it up they are re-training my cells to recognize the cancer. They will draw my blood then encode my dendritic cells with tumor specific antigen. Once matured and activated they inject it back into me and it should recognize the cancer to fight it now. I will do this every other day, last day being Thursday.
They will be sending me home with a protocol of supplements and treatments to do at home. In three months they want me to return for a week after doing blood work and a pet scan to see where we are.
The success stories that I am hearing here are incredible and I feel very encouraged. The doctors here have acknowledged how rare this poorly differentiated insular thyroid cancer is but they are hopeful that the dendritic vaccine has a good chance of working for me. One thing I was not aware is that this will be treatments that I will need to continue for years to come. I will need to come back here every 3-6 months for a week at least. This treatment has been very very costly I feel beyond blessed to be able to have this amazing opportunity!
