Dear Family and Friends,
We wanted to take some time to share with you what God has been doing in our lives through a present struggle. In sharing this, we want you to know that we are confident that God is good and that He will--in all things, both joy and sorrow--accomplish His perfect will and our eventual joy. Some of you will be hearing about our trial for the first time. We want you to know that we are confident in the Lord that this trial comes from Him and that He is in complete control. For others, this will be the first of many updates on how God is using this trial for His glory and our joy.
Lariate, my wife, has cancer. Specifically, she has Stage IIA Rectal Cancer.
On July 21st, Lariate had her first colonoscopy—the result of a concern that our family doctor shared. During the colonoscopy, the doctor found a mass which was biopsied and later diagnosed as invasive Adenocarcinoma. We met with a G.I. Surgeon, Dr. Eugene Kim, on August 1st. He is not an oncologist, rather he specializes in colorectal surgery. He was kind, knowledgeable, insightful, and provided us with the picture of what we are dealing with. Dr. Kim sent us off to obtain a PET Scan and a special type of ultra sound. The results from these procedures indicated that Lariate’s cancer had not metastasized (spread), had not invaded the lymph nodes, and had penetrated into the outer wall of her colon, but not thru. For those of you who are medically inclined, this means that Lariate’s cancer is Stage IIA (T3, N0, M0).
“Rectal cancer is treatable.” These are the confident words of the Radiation Oncologist we met with on August 10th. There is a standard treatment for rectal cancer in America which involves Chemotherapy, Radiation therapy, and surgery. There is a good prognosis for a full recovery but equally a risk of severe and lasting side effects. Presently, we are scheduled to begin treatment on August 22nd. The three-pronged attack will consist of 5 ½ weeks of Chemotherapy AND Radiation. This will be followed by 6 weeks of rest to recover from the side effects of these powerful treatments and then surgery will be scheduled to remove the tumor. During surgery, a six inch section of Lariate’s Colon will be removed and the remaining colon re-attached. Lariate’s small intestines will be re-routed to an opening in her abdomen and she will use a colostomy bag for approximately 10 weeks while she recovers from surgery. A second surgery will follow to re-attach her small intestine to the large intestine (colon). She will then follow surgery with ongoing chemotherapy—for up to 1 year.
We are reading and learning all that we can about our options, trusting in Jesus's peace to guide us to the path that will be most beneficial for us. We believe in God and we know He is the one who heals. We also believe that God is not limited to a specific treatment plan and that He can use any means we choose. It is from this conviction that we feel a sense of peace to pursue alternative treatment options. We envision a treatment plan that would work by boosting Lariate’s immune system to do the very thing God created it to do, rather than chemotherapy which depletes and weakens the immune system and can have permanent and damaging side effects. These types of treatments are referred to as Alternative Therapies.
Alternative Cancer Therapies refer to products and practices that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine. According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), more than one-third of adults (about 38 percent) have used some form of Alternative Therapy in the treatment of cancer. About 40 percent of cancer survivors reported using some form of Alternative Therapy and 18 percent reported using multiple Alternative therapies (taken from National Institutes of Health, www.nih.gov) .
Below are some of the Alternative Therapies that we are currently researching. We invite you to share your stories, thoughts, and wisdom with us as we continue on this journey.
Alternative Cancer Therapies that we are investigating:
· GcMAF – Because cancer sends out an enzyme that neutralizes your immune fighting capabilities, GcMAF is used to trigger our immune response to cancer. Dr. Nobuto Yamamoto has shown that laboratory preparation and injections of GcMAF bypasses the cancer's deactivation process and allows your immune system to attack the cancer. This procedure has resulted in 100 percent cure rates for 4 to 7 years, the length of the studies to date. (See how GcMAF works)
· Gerson Therapy – A powerful, natural treatment that boosts your body's own immune system to heal cancer and many other diseases. The Gerson Therapy is a highly regimented diet that is high in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, micro-nutrients, extremely low in sodium and fats, and rich in fluids. Most of the vitamins and minerals needed come directly from juicing fresh fruits and vegetables. There are also frequent detoxifications of tissues and blood thru the use of enemas that stimulate the liver and bile ducts. Click here for a short video.
· Naturopathy – Just like it sounds: A combination of diet, herbal teas, and supplements. We have spoken to a few individuals here in Arizona who have had good success treating their cancer through a combination of natural herbs and supplements. One clinic we have been looking into is Arizona Integrative Medical Center. They have recently opened a new Cancer Treatment Center.
· Dichloroacetic Acid (DCA) – Normal cells have a mechanism in them that detects abnormality in cell reproduction and causes the cell to destroy itself if it’s DNA is corrupt. In Cancer cells, this mechanism is turned off allowing the cells to continue to replicate unchecked. DCA has been shown to turn on the mitochondria of cancer cells, allowing them to commit “cellular suicide.” Learn More.
We welcome any feedback or thoughts you have on these treatments or any other treatments (standard or alternative). Please respond via email. It seems like the more we read and learn, the more options we find available. This gives us hope. Along with your wisdom, and the Grace of Jesus Christ, we are ready to fight!
Sincerely,
Dhondi & Lariate Wiegel
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