Doorway to the Divine

No automatic alt text available. This picture is very meaningful to me. I’m wearing a hat because I lost my hair. Chemo had reduced me to not wanting to fight anymore. I was ready to give up. My son’s spring break was coming up and I was determined we would have one last trip together, so we went to Panama and I got permission to skip two weeks of chemo. I felt alive again, remembering why I wanted to live. I made the decision that day on the beach that I was done with chemo. Tuck away some strength somewhere and, when you think, you can’t go on, pull it out and surprise yourself! BTW, this was March, 2013 and I have since travelled to Croatia, Cuba, Fiji, Vieques… 🙂

My journey with breast cancer began in August 2007. After a roller coaster ride from hell, I thought it was over after 6 months. But 5 years later, it reared it’s ugly head with a frightening terminal diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic cancer. By 2012, tumors had crushed several vertebrae in my neck and spine and split my sacroiliac joint apart. I lost the use of my legs and one arm. I had lesions on my liver, lungs, and lymph nodes.

With nothing to lose, I threw everything I could at healing. I employed a strict naturopathic regimen, received chemotherapy and radiation, and meditated on spiritual healing. I worked hard to rebuild joints and muscles and survive the cancer and toxic medicine. 13 months after diagnosis, most of my tumors were gone and I had regained 99% mobility. Although still considered terminal, I felt like I was going to live forever.

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Then, Halloween of 2013, they found a rare and dangerous type of brain metastases with an average survival of 2.8 months after diagnosis. The tumors were inoperable, nor were they eligible for radiation, most chemotherapies couldn’t penetrate, and the blood-brain barrier prevented the targeted immunotherapy that had been keeping me alive from entering my brain to kill the cancer within. I had to get creative.

I’m still alive… for now… and I am NED/NAD (No Evidence of Disease/No Active Disease) !!!!! http://imgonnaliveuntilidie.com/

I am indebted to all healers who have helped me on my path… even those who, at first look, appeared negative and obstructionist. I learned from them as well. By sharing my journey, I wish to encourage and empower you to take charge of your life and to defeat the obstacles that may face you. My path is just that… what I chose as being right for me. Perhaps reading it will spark you to take note of your own experiences in a new way. One that will allow you to incorporate the lessons you are learning into a formula for positive change. Only you truly knows what is best for you. No one will ever care as much as you about saving you, you have a lot to live for… go to it!

Cliff Notes version of Diagnoses, Western Medicine Treatments, and alternative remedies of note:

• October, 2007 – Diagnosis of DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ – stage 0)
• March, 2008 – Preventive unilateral (right) mastectomy, MD Anderson. 6 sentinel lymph nodes unremarkable except for slight trace of cytokeratin
• October, 2012 – Diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, HER2+, ER/PR-.      Mets to lungs, liver, lymph, many areas of spine and pelvis. Prognosis less than 2 months survival. Lost full use of legs and one arm from tumors crushing vertebrae and splitting sacro-iliac joint in hip. Began strict changes to diet and ingestion of naturopathic remedies (see “What I did and do and why” blog).
• October – January, 2013 – Carboplatin (5x), Taxol (13x), Herceptin (4x), Zometa (4x). Radiation treatments to pelvis (21x), to neck (15x), to T11 mid-spine area (10x). Against doctors’ orders, joined fitness club, and began to work out carefully.
• January, 2013 – present – Herceptin & Perjeta every 3 wks, Zometa every 6 weeks         (now every 6 mos).
• November, 2013 – 9 metastases/tumors identified in parietal lobe and cerebellum. Leptomeningeal involvement implies just weeks to live. 1 dose of intrathecal Methotrexate administered. I WAS Not expected to do anything but perhaps buy time. Tried Tykerb (crosses blood-brain barrier, Herceptin and Perjeta don’t) but liver, pancreas, and heart couldn’t tolerate it and so I had to quit. I also Quadrupled daily ingestion of CBD tincture, removed infected root canal tooth, and focused on intensive daily meditation.
• December, 2013 – Largest tumor (parietal) and 3 mets gone without a trace!                        1 more IT Methotrexate dose administered.
• March, 2014 – Of remaining 5 mets, 3 stable, 2 show significant progression.                      1 IT dose Methotrexate.
• May, 2014 – 5 stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatments to cerebellum.
• September, 2014 – Brain MRI NED (no evidence of disease)
• January, 2015 – PET scan and Brain MRI – NED!!
• June, 2015 – PET scan shows hot spot in left breast, Brain MRI shows suspicious mass
• July, 2015 – Mammography shows left breast hot spot to be anomaly. Brain MRI with spectroscopy splits opinions. One radiation oncologist thinks it is new metastatic activity, another thinks it is scar tissue from SRS.
• Present – I believe it is scar tissue. I believe I am still NED. We are watching & also waiting.  Oh, and I am not only NED, I hike, ski, and scuba dive!  Kaiulani Facciani 🙂