by Dana
(Note at the end: a request for Assistance on Monday and Tuesday for available folks in SD)
There are many routes to that goal.Our route just got very interesting this past week!
Following the example of some loved ones who have conquered cancer, Dave has used marijuana to prevent nausea from chemotherapy infusions with my agreement. He didn’t mention it to our oncologist, but got a medical marijuana card and obtained his small supply from a medical marijuana dispensary.
Dr. Belani our oncologist, told us that the kind of chemo Dave would get would not give him nausea. However, other friends gave him stories of nausea horror, and it scared him quite a bit. He didn’t want to take any chances.
Things went fine for the first 2 chemo treatments, and seemed to go great for the 3rd as well. In fact, he was in such good shape for that infusion, that the nurse offered him a stronger dose of the chemo and he accepted on August 3. Even his chemo nurse was convinced he would have nausea if he fasted, so for the first treatment he did not fast.
He also had valiantly completed a 2 day water fast, and continued fasting another 24 hours after his August 3 chemo treatment. He could really feel the chemo attacking the cancer stronger than during the 2nd treatment, and felt very positive about it. With a little more “attack” he said it was starting to actually be a little painful, maybe a two on a 10 point scale.
At some point along the way, he took a pain pill without telling us.
By Tuesday, day 9 post-chemo, he had a powerful sense that he was cancer-free! It seemed like a divine experience, very convincing. He declared that he needed no more treatments. He was so peaceful and blissful, I believed him.
Wednesday, he began eating sugary treats (sugar is food for cancer) and had stopped his coffee enemas and anti-cancer diet as unnecessary.
Thursday, he wanted to be very helpful to me, and completed a number of household tasks with energy. Then he went out to do some errands. He made decisions that seemed to total about $300, and resulted in no gain. One included taking a taxi trip from his car in downtown San Diego to Mission Valley. He didn’t know why he did it, but it cost $120. (Actually, the credit card company denied the taxi charge, so we saved $120 — Thank you Chase!) So he got the money from the ATM. When he got to the store, he couldn’t remember what he came there for.
I called Dr. Belani and he said to take him to the ER to get an MRI, because it could mean the cancer had become more aggressive in the brain. By that point, Dave became a bit wild. He chanted divine songs loudly for 3 hours in the ER in the middle of the night (Dana had gone home because Jacob’s girlfriend Lauren had heroically offered to stay with him till he got to a hospital bed, awaiting the MRI).
(Lauren says its no big deal, but she rescued me from total exhaustion so I know a hero when I see one!)
Friday each time they wanted to do the MRI, his behavior was so erratic that they didn’t think he could be still for the MRI. They began using psych meds on him, and called this a “severe psych event.” The whole day passed in this way.
But his behavior gave hospital staff suspicions and they tested his urine. That is when they discovered that 10 days after his marijuana use, marijuana and opiates were still in his body. It was pretty surprising.
By evening he was calming down from the psych meds. After he went to sleep at 8:30 pm I went home (he didn’t sleep at all Thursday night in the ER). I bumped into Dr. Belani coming to see him, and discussed everything with him. He immediately jumped on the medical marijuana and said he thought that would explain all Dave’s symptoms. Of course we will wait for the MRI, but he was confident about this.
Saturday morning Dave was able to do the MRI with flying colors. And the results were worth waiting for: The many little tumors in his brain were “unrecognizable” (if I remember the doctor’s words correctly – by this point I was pretty daffy myself) and the one larger tumor of 6 cm had shrunk to 3 cm. Another doctor repeated the info, but said the rest of the brain was “fine.” WHAT a RELIEF! We were so happy to know that his brain is better, and yet sad to find that he does in fact still have cancer.
Three different doctors said that the marijuana could explain his symptoms. So apparently they had discovered this kind of problem before. I do think it was also a complex interaction with the powerful chemo dose, and the beginning of “chemo brain” symptoms.
Dave now has agreed to quit his medical marijuana, which is just not reliably enough dosed, and to receive a very pure and small dose that Dr. Belani can prescribe. Most importantly, it is a dose Dr. Belani trusts. So, all this should not happen again!!
Also, I am taking charge of his pain meds and other meds to help with any future chemo brain confusion. Lauren is helping to create a drug list to check off, and has volunteered to organize his meds every Sunday for us. What a sweetheart! She and Jacob helped us many times along the way, including strategizing a plan for his return home and for caregivers during my absence. All three of us feel this is totally necessary and I totally needed their help to keep the plan rational.
I feel so grateful that we have many angels quickly volunteering to keep Dave company as his confusion wears off, while I go take a wonderful break at Convocation on Sunday through Tuesday. This caregiver wife needs to regain her own peace and strength of mind, body, heart and soul!
So you now understand. This was our recent route to being older, wiser and healthier!
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES for available angels in San Diego who are free to keep Dave company while Dana is in LA:
3-5 hour shifts during these openings:
MONDAY: about 1 pm to 9:30 pm (our neighbor Jennifer is willing to do the whole time till 8 pm if no one is available to help her) so the ESSENTIAL TIME is 8 to 9:30 pm, When the Iggy Sr. will stay overnight with Dave.
TUESDAY: 10:30 am to 11 pm
AND Possibly: the overnight shift. If no one can stay the night, Dana can come back Tuesday night at 11 pm, or Wednesday morning at 9 am.
Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers. Your reliability is a great comfort to us all — Jacob, Lauren, Karen, Bev and Jean and myself.
Thank you, Jacob, for taking two Sunday shifts including night shift! And for all your added support and great positivity in the face of scary challenges. With Lauren and all our other supporters, God is greatly blessing Dave and I with a super strong team which we truly do need.
Love and more love,
Dave and Dana
