Dear Friends,
I am back in “blogland” and promise to update more often. I’m going to try and keep this short but hit the major points since I last wrote: honeymoon and return to clinic, and diagnosis results.
Italy was fantastic in every way: the incredible art and architecture, the ancient ruins, the breathtaking countryside with its olive groves, vineyards, and fields of sunflowers, the friendly and boisterous people, and of course, the delectable cuisine—of which, I tried to taste almost every thing. The agritourism farm houses we stayed in were gorgeous and rural and hosted by very sweet people. We met other travelers and yet felt like we had a lot of privacy, too. We also had a rental car for most of our three weeks so we did little road trips to different towns and sights almost every day. Howard was an incredible tour guide and chauffer. He really had a knack for driving in Italy—which I have to say was a bit stressful and often comical, as we circled around and around the turn-abouts until we finally figured out which exit we were supposed to take. Boy, did that confuse the Italians!
We returned to Munich Monday morning via an overnight train from Rome. We had a budget sleeper car, which was amazingly comfortable. I was afraid I wouldn’t sleep at all; but, on the contrary, I felt like I was being rocked all night. I kinda’ loved it. I had my first appointment at the clinic on Tuesday. The short of it is: SUCCESS!!! The doctor took my blood and after the right arm did not cooperate, he shook his head and said that it didn’t look hopeful BUT then the vessels in my left arm did stay open! I held my breath for next 4 hours while a machine filtered a gallon of my blood and then returned to my body what the lab didn’t need. Since I had been really trying to help my veins by hydrating all morning, 15 minutes into the treatment, I had to go to the bathroom. Frau Kübler (the doc’s wife and nurse assistant) said that she would have to disconnect me from the machine and that if the needle in my arm got jiggled at all, it probably wouldn’t work again that day. So, I waited another hour to visit the toilet, until I felt like I would explode. Luckily, with Howard’s help, the needle must not have gotten jostled ‘cuz it worked again when she re-hooked me up. Phew! Anyway, the procedure was pretty painless and I cried with relief to find it working.
We returned on Thurs to get the diagnosis, which pleasantly surprised the doctor and us: my tumor cell counts are not too bad. The goal is to get the dozen different things he checks for in the blood below 500 parts per million. Higher than 500 and you’re at risk for metastasis. I’m not sure what the highest numbers are but I’ve heard they can be in the several thousands. Mine were between 600-900—below 1,000 is actually a pretty good place!!! I’m so thrilled, as you can imagine. I was pretty worried that they’d be really high with all the tumor activity I’ve had and with all the operations (which according to Dr. Kübler increase metastasis). The doctor seemed genuinely pleased and optimistic–which is not something I take lightly from him! He said that he thinks my attitude and behavior and even the Protocel all probably contributed to me being in such a good state considering how serious my kind of cancer is. He also said that it was a prudent choice not to have done chemo or radiation since it showed up in the blood analysis that I have some kind of enzyme (or something) that blocks those treatments. Instead of those chemicals and procedures attacking the cancer cells they, in fact, would have destroyed my Natural Killer Cells (the immune system’s weapons against disease).
But what I put at the TOP of my healing list is all the prayers and love and food and cards and EVERYTHING that you all have sent my way in the last two years! I will never be able to thank you enough!
So, I start treatment on Tuesday. One day a week for 10 weeks. Again, for four hours at a time, I will be hooked up to that machine having blood taken, filtered, and returned so that a new batch can be examined to see how I am progressing, and to send to the lab to have my next dose prepared in vitro. I will also be getting some kind of vaccine that is supposed to give me flu-like symptoms within a few hours that last about a day. This vaccine is supposed to “kick-start” my immune system into action to attack the cancer cells. At another time, I will write in more detail about what this treatment is about—as I rudimentarily understand it…
Sadly, Howard left for the US today. He almost got bumped for a free intercontinental ticket and but then they didn’t need his seat afterall. Shucks! That would have really come in handy. It was very hard to say good-bye to him. We’ve been virtually inseparable for the last month and have had a great time together. I also feel more afraid about being in this new country than I expected. I tried to console myself by asking how much scarier could it be than all the operations and unknowns we’ve faced since my diagnosis but then I realized that it was always “we” facing those: Howard ever by my side. Now, I get to experience on it my own. That’s a whole different story…
But of course, I’m not alone. Like Howard, all of you are in my heart and all I have to do is think of you and the room fills with so much love and support. I continue to feel so fortunate in every way. One of the last huge blessings I’ll share is that my friend Jamy connected me with her friends Silke and Debra who have generously set me up in their gorgeous apartment, complete with bicycle, internet, and cell phone to use in a very nice neighborhood in Munich! I can walk or bike ride to the clinic and am near really wonderful little organic shops. There’s a beautiful and expansive park with a river flowing through it, a lake, even a Chinese Pagoda and Beer Garden just five minutes from my front door! I really can’t believe it!
OK, I tried to be brief but that’s what I (and you) get for me waiting so long to write. I will write more regularly now that I have internet access and a home-base.
I love you all so much. Thank you for all your well-wishes, prayers, and thoughts. Keep them coming: they’re working! I’ll be home and cured before you know it!
Kathleen

Howard Health