Originally posted by Druid42
reply to post by paxnatus
Personally I believe it has to do with how much stress a person lives with and how they handle that stress. I also believe processed foods with
chemical additives plays a major role.
That is an amazing case study, and I think you are bang on about stress (constant stress), and diet.
Could you share a bit more about her diet while undergoing treatment? Did she do anything special to her diet? Specific foods, veggies, what?
I'm very interested.
Thank you, I would be happy to. I will break this down into 3 parts... During her first 12 weeks of chemotherapy, she could eat anything she wanted.
Unfortunately, the chemo left her with a terrible metalic taste and it would deter her from eating. Breakfast and lunch were her best meals. She
would have eggs, and a half of biscuit with fresh blue berries or mango typically. or she may have a small bowl of oatmeal with half a banana, an d
small glass of milk lactose free or juice. She always had fruit at least 2 times a day and her dinners were veggies and chicken which was broiled or
baked, fish prepared the same as the chicken. or once in a while she would crave a steak....I will say 80% of the time her dinner was all veggies.
In truth, she loved ice cream and sometimes would have a milkshake made with Ensure and ice cream. Keep in mind her portions were always very small.
she did not suffer with nausea or vomiting during this phase known as the Induction phase of treatment and she barely lost her hair....the period when
they are forcing your body into remission.
Because severe drop in the Red blood cells especially hemiglobin is how Leukemia manifests she underwent a blood transfusion usually every week and a
half. If you could see the difference this alone made in the way she felt, you would understand why Lance used this form of doping...
Following the 12 week pahse she then proceeded to phase 2 This was a very strong form of chemotherapy 3 different drugs to be exact for the next 3 and
half weeks.....She had some nausea and vomiting at this point and she did lose all of her hair. Literally, she had no apetitte, but she forced
herself to keep trying different things.
She ate a lot of fresh juice popscicles, lemon ice, organic broths, and green tea and lots of water....After a one week break she reached remission
wear she would then prepare for 5 days more intensive chemo prior to the transplant.
On Dec. 4, she underwent the transplant. Please understand this takes place simply as a blood transfusion. Fresh cells were then introduced into her
system via a portacath. (IV)
Her appetite was better during the one week break, she just could not eat even middle size portions. Again she ate lots of fresh fruits and
vegetables.
I arrived at her bedside on Dec.5, she was only taking in small amounts of liquid by the 6th. By Dec. 9 she could no longer swallow and began
suffering horrible soreness, in her mouth, down her esophagus. By the 10th of December, she entered the well known "Basement phase" basically the
entrance to hell on earth....During this time she was on IV fluids and sucked on ice chips....The following week they started her on TPN and lipids
This total Parenteral Nutrition with fats. This was a feeding she received intravenously so it bypassed her stomach completely.
She has had 3 hospitalizations since her transplant but has suffered from severe nausea, vomiting and stomach pain since up until 2 weeks ago. She is
still on the TPN and lipids, but she ate solids for the first time 2 and half weeks ago...They have her on soy yogurt and lactaid milk, apple sauce,
oatmeal, she is very hungry and has her appetite back . During this time though, she became anorexic which is a hall mark sign of GVHD and her
stomach shrunk to nothing....
Everyday, she eats a little bit more....As a nurse, there was a point that I knew she was literally starving to death. This is a very painful way to
die people. She described the pain in her gut as if it was being eaten by an animal, which was textbook for graft vs. host...
I apologize for the length of my post, and if you have any other questions I will be happy to answer them the best I can.
Thanks again,
Pax