Call from Radiologist

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Posted on January 26, 2012 by Kim
Call from Radiologist
I received a call from the radiologist at UW Medical Center. The Board reviewing my case had updates for me:

They compared my new CT/PET scan with the PET scan and CT scan taken in 2005. They concluded that there is a new “uptake” (the solution they inject when taking the CT/PET scan which goes to the cancer cells and lights up the scan) in the back of my throat near my voice box that could indicate cancer there as well. This was not evident on the 2005 scans.
They want to take a biopsy to determine if the area in the back of my throat is cancer.
If the back of my throat has cancer, they want to administrate high dose radiation to that area. I asked if it would affect my vocal chords and he said that if it does, my throat could get very raspy and hoarse but I shouldn’t lose my voice all together. He couldn’t tell me how long the hoarseness would last.
They decided that I should get chemo with the radiation. Therefore, they will be scheduling me to talk with the chemotherapist.
Chemo will cause me to lose my hair, other side effects are hearing loss.
A feeding tube will need to be inserted into my stomach before the treatment begins because the radiation will burn my throat and mouth, from the inside out. I was told that it would be ten times worse than the worst sore throat I ever could imagine. I would not be able to swallow without additional extreme pain. I would not be able to eat solid foods.
The treatment will take seven weeks, five days per week.
Because of the area they are treating and the high doses, it will take months to recover.
I will never fully recover. My teeth will be at risk thereafter. My lymph nodes may be killed or never fully recover. My remaining saliva gland will be destroyed (submandibular).
Survival rate should be good after treatment but quality of life is very low.

After hearing all this, i am now thrilled to be able to go to The Burzynski Clinic where i will receive non-toxic treatment. It is extremely expensive, and I kind of feel guilty because I’m depending on them to help cure me, rather than God 100%, but if there is an alternative cure that that is non-toxic, I want it, and I believe other people need to know there are other options.