Becky Klino
♦Becky lost her fight with cancer on February 14, 2011.. Those close to Branson’s case vow to never give up searching for her son, Branson..
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05/08/10- Letter From Becky ( Missing Branson Perry’s mother)
Becky Klino- My Battle To Fight Melanoma Cancer
I hope this finds all well! I’m not sure where to begin….or where I even left off….but I wanted to send an update as I know many have wondered and thought this would be the easiest way to let everyone know! I think the last time I emailed was back in August.
My next set of scans were in November. They turned our relatively good! Everything was showing signs of stability, with the exception of a few new lesions in different areas of my body, although still in no other organs other than my lung, most of the other places had not grown much or were only slightly larger! Halleluiah! I was feeling great…Life is good! I religiously took my herbal goodies….as I call them….and I had such a positive outlook regardless the doctor reminding me that Stage IV Melanoma is extremely unpredictable….even though I had already beaten the odds of 6 months that they gave me after the surgery. The doctor’s keep saying that it isn’t typical. They said I could go 4 months before another scan…I tried to shoot for 6….they said 4! LOL!
The nurse called in February to schedule me and I said the doctor told me I could wait for 4 months. They said ok and we’d wait. I never heard from them in March, so I thought we might be waiting the 6. The end of March I had notice a ‘hard’ knot in the area of my right ovary. I wasn’t too concerned as I’ve had issues like that with my ovary for many years. My gyn has said it wasn’t anything to be concerned about that occasionally it gets a bit of infection in it. It would always go away after a week or so. It hasn’t this time. A few days after I noticed that one, I noticed a bump…more like a swelling at the top my spine…the bottom of my neck. Again, I kind of ignored this, explaining it as being a swollen muscle. Ever since my surgery when they removed the tumor my left side has had such a numb feeling and I know sometimes the stress causes those muscles in that area to get very tight. I just ‘wished’ the problem to be that! Then a week later I could feel another knot on my lower left back side…just above my kidney. I couldn’t find an excuse for this one, so I knew I needed to go in for more scans this time. Dang the luck!
I called on the 5th, had scans done the 6th, results were in the 8th. Not good news. They found 6 lesions in my brain. 1 was the one they did the focal radiation on last June. It appeared to be dead…good news!!!….and had reduced to half the size it was!!! 3 others had been there in the last scan but had doubled in size and had considerable swelling around them. 2 were new lesions. There were a couple of new ones in my lung, a new one in my heart cavity, and the places I was now feeling were ones that had shown up before, but were now growing. They are just in the wall lining of my skin and not organs. More good news! Once again I was faced with the recommendation of whole brain radiation. No guarantees it would work, but most assuredly I would lose my short term memory that I would never get back. I can’t do that. Again I was recommended doing chemo for my body lesions. Out of the question! I want quality of life over quantity if given the choice. Neither option has much success rate with this kind of cancer, other than making one’s life worse in the end. With this news I must admit my positive attitude went down the drain pretty far….not all the way to the sewer….but it definitely went down! I took a week off work so I could regroup and get it back. When returning to work…at the suggestion of my supervisor, I emailed all my co-workers what I had been going through for the past year. Some knew…some didn’t. I was amazingly touched by their compassion…their prayers….their kindness! They helped me regain a sense of new hope and determination….and yes…my positive attitude!!!!
The brain lesions are the main problem. As they grow, there will be more swelling. More swelling will inevitably cause severe headaches and possible seizures. I asked if we could do the focal radiation again. My doctor said it is very unconventional to do more than one at a time, but she would consult with the other two doctors on my case. After doing so, she said they all agreed that I have been a very unconventional patient so far and that they were willing to try! They would only consider doing the three larger ones now though because of the dosage they use, they didn’t want to cause more harm than good. It will cause considerable swelling for a while which could put me at risk. The radiation was done on the 21st and went well by the doctors’ standards. I had difficulty with the steroid medicine they gave to help with the swelling, but now I’m off them and feel good again!
So…now I know there are still two lesions in my brain and I still have the ones in my body. While I haven’t been consumed by the cancer as the doctors’ believe I should be, then that makes be believe between prayer, positive attitude, and my herbal goodies that I have definitely kept this beast at bay. I just don’t think perhaps it is enough to ‘kick’ it in the ass! A couple of weeks ago a very strange thing happened to me. While researching something for work, I clicked on a link and this website mysteriously popped up on my screen. (the next time I clicked on the link it took me to where I should have gone.) I’ve always been one to look at things as being ‘a sign’. The website was of a clinic in Arizona that specializes in the use of ‘natural’ remedies for cures. One of the cancers listed on their website was melanoma. I have not seen another website that uses the ‘Alternative’ medicines specifically say they treat melanoma as one of the types of cancer…..another sign???? While I have toyed with the idea many times over the past year, I was drawn to this place.
I am planning to leave here Sunday to go there. They said that I would be put on a variety of very aggressive protocols. I will stay there for 8 weeks, have treatments 6 days a week, with treatments lasting around 3 hours or so. I would stay in a motel or condo during the stay. Jim and I are driving down so I will have a vehicle there. He plans to stay with me the first week and then he’ll fly home. He hopes to fly down on weekends if possible. While I’m not sure what all they will be doing until I get there and have an evaluation done, I am very excited…and nervous….and positive about it all. There are still no guarantees, but….I believe! The only drawback is the cost. It is very expensive and insurance won’t cover it because it isn’t conventional medicine. I will go into debt….$60,000….not sure how I’ll get it paid back….but I have faith. My family is all for this and tells me my life would be worth much more than that….I have to try. When I spoke to my doctor about what I wanted to do, she said she was all for it. I know they will be using oxygen therapy on me as well as intravenous vitamin therapy as two of the protocols. My doctor said there is merit and evidence they do work, but it is something they can’t do….as it isn’t conventional treatments. I just don’t understand…..
Anyway…I thought while I travel this new path, for those of you who would wish to follow my journey, I plan to post on my face book on a regular basis to keep everyone updated to the progress. Just send me a friend request and I’ll accept. I don’t know a lot about face book, but I’m learning….and thought it would be the easiest way to keep everyone informed that wanted to be.
Please…PLEASE….keep me in your prayers! Please pray I find a way to pay for this as I believe this is the road I need to take to rid my body of this evil. Prayers are answer to all good…..they keep me strong!
God Bless All of You!
Becky
Even though Becky was faced with losing her son Branson and fighting this cancer, she fought a great fight. With all of the love and support of her wonderful husband Jim and her wonderful family, she tried to live life to the fullest.. Near the end she seen and went to places that she always wanted to see and be where she felt comfort.. Her loved ones made this possible… See gallery of pictures..
Benefit Fundraiser
Don’t forget to come down to the Buffalo Bar in St. Joseph, MO this coming Saturday for a benefit fundraiser to help with our medical costs! The doors will open at 2 PM. There will be food, drinks, music and a silent and live auction. It will be a day full of fun and activities so plan to spend the day….or for a few hours to help out!
I want to add a couple more special thank you’s to my previous list…I did not mean to forget you! The first one is to Chet! Chet is Beth’s husband and is the man behind the scenes! He is always there to help Beth out in the endeavors she takes on and this one is no exception! He never asks for recognition and never seems to complain….at least I’ve never heard him! He has a huge heart and does what he can to help! He has been working very hard to secure some special items for the benefit auction that I’m sure will please everyone! Thank you Chet!! You are in my heart forever!
I would also like to thank Don Richardson. He has graciously agreed to be the auctioneer for the benefit! Don and his wife have both been very generous to Jim and I. They also spent an extremely cold April day overseeing an auction for us a couple of years ago. It had to have been the coldest April day on record and yet they spent many hours weathering the cold to help us then too! I apologize for that Hat…a moment of insanity….or perhaps the cold got to my brain!!! Thank you both for your kind hearts!
While neither Jim or I will be able to be there…please keep us in your hearts and prayers! Please know that we will be forever greatful for all your support…and hope to repay the kindness in the future! God Bless each of you!
My Arizona Journey – Saturday June 12th, 2010
by Becky Klino
Here it is Saturday…and almost gone at that. I’ve been terribly bored today! No company to help pass the time….makes me really miss being home! If all goes well though I should be home by July 4th! YIPPEE!!!
I’ve been thinking of my family and friends a lot today….I have been so blessed! I want to thank my husband Jim for everything he does! He has taken on a huge burden with me being down here in Arizona and never complains…only tells me to not worry about anything. He continues to keep his business going, working long hours some days. Then he goes home and takes care of the home stuff he can…mowing, gardening, taking care of the posies…I love my posies…., the house, my puppy Sasha, and everything else. Then he is also working on helping Beth and Tracy with what he can for the Benefit for next weekend since he won’t be able to be there. He never complains to me…only tells me not to worry about anything….that he loves me. I love you, Jim, with all my heart and know I could not go through all this without you. You have been by my side since the day I found out Branson was missing and you have never given up on me! You are my strength, my rock, my everything!
I want to thank my son, Phillip! I am so very proud of you! You have gone through so much and yet you continue to amaze me with your strength and determination! You are the light of my life!
I want to thank Beth and Tracy for taking on this benefit for me that will be held next weekend….and opening their doors to the Buffalo Bar where it will be held. I can’t begin to know the hours they have spent on it so far, nor the added stress it has caused in their lives….but I appreciate every bit of it with all my heart. I value your friendship beyond what words can describe! I also want to thank the three bands that are giving up their time for it. Thank you to Borderline Country featuring Casey & Bruce, along with Scott Alan Perry and Erin Hatcher. I also want to thank everyone who has helped in any way to make this possible…I can’t begin to know all your names, but know that I do appreciate everything you are doing!
I want to thank my family….Mona, Terry, CL, Nikki, Tymrie, Randy, Paula, and Mama. They all pitched in when I left to come down here and planted my garden and posies, knowing how important it was to me to be able to have both. They have stepped in so many times since I’ve been down here in one way or another by helping Jim mow or weed eat the yard (all 3 acres of it!), weed the garden….and replant where needed…..check on my posies….and keep my bird feeders filled so my hummingbirds don’t leave and go down to Randy’s!! They are all pitching in with the Benefit in one way or another….They are the greatest and I have been truly blessed to have such a close family! I LOVE YOU ALL so much and miss you very much. I just received a call from them….seems they are having a cookout….having a great time…all without me! Makes me want to pack my bags right now and head north! LOL!
I want to thank Linda….you have spent thousands of hours throughout the years keeping Branson’s website up to date. You have constantly found ways to keep his story in the public’s eye and in turn have helped many families like mine in the same manner. You have become a voice for us and have crossed barriers that we could never have dreamed could be crossed. You are a true inspiration and I love you!
I want to thank my extended family at United Way of Greater Kansas City! One could not ask for a better place to work! I thank you for all the cards…the emails…the flowers…and everything else! Each one brightens my day more than you can possibly imagine. I have never worked at a place that I enjoyed so much as I do there. God gave me a great blessing the day David hired me…..few people can truly say they enjoy not only what they do for a living, but also where they do it at….I can! I miss you all so much and can’t wait to be able to return!!
It’s just been a day for reflection on my many blessings in life! Tomorrow, I’ll give another health lesson! LOL! I love and miss you all!
My Arizona Journey – Update June 7, 2010
By Becky Klino
It’s Monday again! Time just has a way of flying by sometimes. Last week was great! Jim left as usual on Sunday and it was just Mama and me. It was great spending time with her. While I thoroughly enjoyed it, I think she was getting pretty bored…even though she said she wasn’t! Mama is very active and is use to working in her yard or garden when she doesn’t have things to do inside. Here there isn’t a whole lot to do outside. I came out one morning after my shower and found her washing the windows! And I don’t mean the insides!! She had one of them off the track and was cleaning the outside…but wasn’t able to get both sides to come off!!! If we were on the first floor I’m sure she would have been out there cleaning them all. She has a very difficult time not being busy….LOL!
We didn’t do a lot…mainly get up….go for our walk….fix breakfast….visit….go to my appointment … come home and eat …. take a siesta …. Visit …. sew or read …. and visit some more. I’m not the adventuring type so we didn’t go see the town. It was nice just spending time together….we don’t do that much anymore. I hadn’t realized how much I miss that. It also helped Mama to see where I’m staying … How I’m doing … and what I do here. I know she has been very worried and she left with a sense that I’m doing very good.
Jim came down again on Friday evening. We didn’t have any place particular to go this weekend, so we went to the farmer’s market and walked around for a while … stopped at a couple of garage sales …. Then we went in a store called the ‘Land of Aahhs’ that I drive by on the way to the clinic. The name fascinated me and I really wanted to check it out. It is like a consignment store and there were many things that made you say ‘Aaahhhh’! Some not so…but more like ‘WHAT is THAT’!! LOL! Very high end on some levels….and very ordinary on others. Unique is what I would call the store.
Jim and Mama left yesterday to go back home. It sure seems quiet here now. I guess I don’t have an excuse for writing updates now. With Mama here, I just didn’t feel right about spending time on the computer. It will be two weeks now before anyone comes down.
Jim is planning on staying home this coming weekend to help in any way he can for the benefit fundraiser my friends are giving on the 19th for me. He had already booked flights for the weekend of the fundraiser so he won’t be able to be there for that and wants to help as much as he can prior to it. If you have anything you would like to donate for the auction, please let me know! Anything for it would be appreciated!
One of my brothers told me about an article they heard about on the news recently about a new drug they are trying to get approved by the FDA called ipilimumab. Some of you may have heard the news story already. Too funny if you ask me….it works by blocking the T-cells that is one of the causes that keeps the immune system from working correctly. By blocking them then it causes the immune system to work better. It can have some serious side effects with it though and can even be fatal…but they believe that it is worth it even if there are some fatalities….because it is showing some very good signs of being affective with Melanoma cancer. Research is proving you MUST have a good immune system to survive it.
Then if that is true…why create a drug to do this? A drug that can cause more problems in other areas….so you can then take more drugs to fix that…..and then more….. Why not fix the problem in the first place….by building the system up and not covering up the problem by blocking how something should function. I do know the answer to that though….MONEY! The FDA nor the medical society can profit on ‘natural’ cures. They cannot put patents on ‘natural’ remedies. True, what I am doing is not really natural in the whole sense, but yet it is as they are only giving me natural remedies….vitamins, minerals, blood, oxygen, etc. They are giving them to me in high doses and intravenously, but they are of natural substances. No chemicals, no altered concoctions….nothing that will cause me ill effect later. Only things that build my system up….only things that build my immune system so it can fight naturally. Once it is built up, then it will continue to stay built as long as I take care of it.
All of it just makes me so angry….so many people suffering…..and for what expense? Jim got in the bills for my one day treatment that was done for my last focal radiation….just to give you an idea….it was over $70,000. That was only for about 5 hours. That wasn’t a cure for anything. That was only a re-active treatment to an illness. That was still leaving 2 places in my brain that would more than likely need to be treated down the road and wasn’t addressing anything that was in my body. What I am doing here does cost a bit more than that…but….I am getting 8 weeks worth of treatment here for that price! Here, they are addressing my entire body. True, there are no guarantees it will work…but then again, the radiation wasn’t either….it was only fixing one at a time….and new ones kept developing. With this, I am having very minimal side effects….with their method, who really knows the long term of it all…But, with this I have a much better chance of survival with a healthy mind and body and chance of complete recovery….with their method…well…like I said before…they had only given me 6 months. I can literally feel the difference with this treatment. The three tumors I had felt under my skin….they are much smaller…in fact I can barely feel one of them now….I can no longer feel it when I rub my hand over my skin….I have to actually press in to be able to feel it and then it is very small and difficult to find. I know it is working!
So why won’t insurance cover it? Because it can’t be approved by the FDA…because they can’t have a patent put on something considered ‘natural’….I ask why? MONEY….. If treatments like these actually cured cancer patients…and not just cancer but many illness, then there would be so much money lost to doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, etc…GRRRRR….I just get angry….!
I apologize for the tangent! I’ll be better with my updates again now! Until the next one….have a GREAT day! God Bless Each of YOU!!
My Arizona Journey – Update June 01, 2010
By Becky Klino
Well..here it is Tuesday already! Time flys by….Jim and Mama got here around 7:30 Friday night. They were exhausted…I was exhausted…but so glad they were here! Jim had called Moses…the cab driver…before they left KC and he was at the airport to pick them up when they got into Pheonix. When they got here, Moses wasn’t even in his cab. He had picked them up in his personal car! He wasn’t working as he was on vacation, but didn’t tell Jim that when he called. What an incredible person!! Again, he wouldn’t take any money for the fare and even invited us to his house for supper. We had to take a rain check as I already had supper fixed here for them.
We got up Saturday and drove up to the Grand Canyon. I thought Sedona was a site to behold….I can tell you that the Grand Canyon doesn’t even begin to compare! I can not begin to describe it in words and our futile attempts of the pictures we took….although they are much better than the Sedona pictures….Jim brought down our good camera…..cannot begin to show the grandness of it all. It was absolutely breathtaking and beyond comprehension! I will post pictures on my facebook as I can post so many more there than I can here if you want to take a look.
If you have never been there, then it is one place I would definitely suggest you make a trip to see. We didn’t go to the area where the walkway goes out over the canyon, but instead took the drive up and around the canyon. There were many places to stop and look out over the canyon. I would say it was a 25 to 30 mile drive all together. We drove part of it on Saturday and then spent the night at Grand Canyon Village and got up Sunday and finished driving around. I could have stayed much longer and hopefully Jim and I will make another trip this way so we can. Would love to do some hiking and perhaps go to the bottom sometime.
Sunday after we got back, Moses invited us to have supper with him and his family. It seemed pretty bizzare that Jim’s cab driver really wanted to have us for supper…but we went. It was a very enjoyable evening. It started with us getting there and he had a home movie playing of a wedding from his country of one of his neices. Very interesting how they celebrate. It is a constant celebration and dancing for three days. We watched it until supper was ready and then ate. Their custom is for the husband to fix all the plates. Once he served the food, he said grace, and then we ate…he told stories of his coming to this country and how they came…the greatfulness his family has for this country….and how he believes in giving back to anyone he can. They were truly amazing people. It was a wonderful evening.
Yesterday, Jim went back home….Mama and I spent the day being very lazy! We watched Meg Ryan movies all day. Some I’ve seen, some I hadn’t. Still haven’t some as I would doze in and out all day! LOL! Such a lazy day! But it felt good.
Mama and I went out for our morning walk already and now getting some breakfast. Will be time soon to head out for my treatment. It’s been a wonderful weekend and I have to tell my wonderful husband THANK YOU! It was wonderful! I LOVE YOU!!!
My Arizona Journey – Friday May 28th, 2010
By Becky Klino
Good Morning Everyone! Today is Friday and I’m so happy! My husband, Jim, will be here this evening again and he is bringing my Mama with him!! She will be staying with me this coming week! I can hardly wait….
I found out why I was having some ‘issues’ after my treatments again. They had double my dosage of the ‘liquid gold’. Wednesday I went in and told them how I had been feeling. While Paul was ‘hooking’ me up, Edna came in with the gold. Paul asked her if she used 5 and she said she used 10. He said that he was going to back it down again since I had some issues on Tuesday. I said not to waste it, that I would go ahead take it…way to expensive to waste! Paul asked if I was sure and I said…you bet! They went ahead and gave it to me and I only had mild fogginess with it on Wednesday and no problems again yesterday.
The doctor also came in yesterday before I got ’hooked’ up and wanted to look at my blood again before I got started. I went into his office…he pricked my finger….and….well this might be better told in a dialogue format….to the best of my recollection…
Doc: Your blood looks much better. See how it pools now and wants to run?
Me: So it is thinner now?
Doc: Yes…Last time it just bubbled up and wouldn’t run. This is how it should look.
Me: That’s a good sign then…
Doc:
(Puts the blood on the slide) See how it looks on the glass?
Me: Yes…it looks all watery though
Doc:
(Laughs) Yes…again that is how it is suppose to look
Me: Ok…another good sign!
Doc:
(Puts the blood under the microscope…Looks for a while…then comments) You aren’t normal..
Me:
(What does he mean I’m not normal!) Excuse Me???
Doc: You know you are not normal
. (He is still looking in the microscope)
Me:
(Now I’m thinking that he is referring to my whole journey with my cancer…that I was way too healthy so far to be having Stage IV cancer….so I go along with him) I have been told many times in the past that I wasn’t (I left out the part that my family has always said I wasn’t! LOL)
Doc: No…this isn’t normal. I have never seen anyone’s immune system kick in so fast and be working like yours is already. Look….
(He turns the monitor so I can see it too)
Looking on the screen, my red blood cells were moving very fluently. Two weeks ago, they were barely moving. Most were in a very defined circle….last time they were very irregular shaped. They now had a good solid membrane around them that showed a halo effect around half of each one….last time there was no halo effect and the outer edge was very thin. The white blood cells were almost three times the size of the red ones and looked like fireworks were going off in them….so much activity! Last time, they were barely bigger than the red cells and you could see very little activity. Between the cells there are black areas…these should be black…the last one showed that these black areas looked as if spider webs were running all through them….now…they were almost all black except for a couple of small areas that looked faded. Two weeks ago, you could see all kinds of what he calls food particles and candida moving in the black areas as well. This time, there was only small amounts of the food particles and very little candida that he could find. The pictures did look like night and day with each other. Before it looked as if many of the red blood cells had ‘exploded’, the edges looked very spiky and now they are good solid circles. My blood is definitely improving it’s quality and looks as if the immune system has kicked into high gear! He seems to be totally amazed!!
So I asked him what happens when the treatments are finished. How will my body keep the immune system they are building. He said that’s the beauty of it all. The body learns how to live with it’s environment. Once the system is built up, then it will know how to keep it there with only minimum maintenance from me. He said it didn’t get where it is at now overnight. It gradually deteriorated for one reason or another. But once it is strong again…it will know how to stay there….unless I really abuse it!
He told me that to survive Melanoma cancer you almost have to have a healthy immune system. It’s one of the few types of cancers that requires a healthy system to be able to truly fight it. He gave me several names of doctors who have done extensive research in the field, and found that until the immune system is very strong, the cancer can still spread to other areas. That is the nature of Melanoma. It is very unpredictable…can attack any area or organ….and is very random as to where it goes. It searches for weak areas….When the system becomes healthy, then it can’t spread any more….and with the correct treatment and a healthy immune system the areas currently there will die off and the body will flush them out normally…leaving you healthy.
So after all this exciting news….and finding out that he doesn’t think I’m normal either….geez…I think I am getting a complex!!….I asked him what he thought my prognosis was. He hesitated a moment and said he thought I would make it…but that it really wasn’t important what he thought….that it was what I thought. I said I did believe I would. He said that is what mattered….because if I didn’t believe, then my chances would not be very good….but from the evidence he is seeing….it all looks good!
I believe prayers and attitude are the primary healing forces here….that the treatments they are giving me are only the tools in which the prayers are working through. Please continue to keep my in your prayers…please continue to believe!
Can’t wait for Jim and Mama to get here!!!!
My Arizona Journal – May 25, 2010
by Becky Klino
Had quite the thrill tonight! I’ve been walking a mile in the morning and in the evening. The drive around the complex where I am at is a little over ½ mile. I make two laps around it each time….next week hope to do three laps and keep working my way up. Tonight as I was nearing the finish line, I saw a bottle in the street so I picked it up and took it to the dumpsters. On my way back to my place, I came across a snake slithering across the street! Geezo, if my heart rate wasn’t up after the walk…it certainly was then! It wasn’t huge…only about 1 ½ feet long and ½ inch around….but definitely too big for me! A girl was coming out of her place when I screeched and when she found out what it was…she yelled! Too funny! She said she has never seen a snake around here…she gets on the phone and tries to contact maintenance…no luck…tries a couple of other numbers…still no luck….then another girl comes out….she tells her about it….and that one says…’no big deal…it’s just a snake! It’s time for them to start getting more active‘….I thought the first girl was going to lose it! So the snake is still slithering around and the first girl is just sure it is going to end up in her place! LOL!! I should be pretty safe since I’m on the second floor!
Treatments are going pretty good still. I am still having some issues with the ‘liquid gold’ they started with me last week. Yesterday I didn’t seem to have any after effects, but today, I needed to stop by Wal-Mart for a couple of things…go figure!…and before I left there I started feeling ‘strange’…..a bit disoriented again. I thought since I was ok yesterday, that I wouldn’t get anymore of them….wrong! They told me that these are normal reactions to the treatment…that depending on where the tumor/s are it can affect people in different ways. The disoriented feeling is usually felt by all. Some people may experience more drastic sensations…such as temporary vision loss or blurriness…temporary muscle weakness…etc. The episodes won’t usually last long, but a bit freaky none the less. It is caused from when the treatment is working on the cancer and causes some swelling. This is all a GOOD sign as far as the clinic is concerned as it lets them know it is working. Once the swelling occurs, then the bad cells within that area can be attacked much easier…killed…and flushed out of the system. So as freaky as it is…I say ‘bring it on’!!
The treatment I want to share with you today is the IV Phosphatidylcholine. I receive this one every other day. Phosphatidylcholine consists of essential phospholipids from soya that are specially formulated for intravenous administration. Phospholipids are extremely important components of cell membranes. The integrity of the cell membrane is critical to the proper functioning of the cell. As the cell ages the phospholipid composition of the membrane changes and the cell’s functions deteriorate and it loses its normal shape and elasticity. Eventually the cell dies and is destroyed by the immune system. Damage to the cell membrane, and thereby aging, is thought to be mediated by the actions of highly reactive chemicals referred to as free radicals. The damage caused by free radicals must be repaired in order to preserve normal cell function, and in order to do so, the cells need an abundant supply of the essential phospholipids phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholic acid. Lipostabil Phosphatidylcholine contains these important phospholipids and other essential nutrients that allow cells to repair damage and restore youthful function.
While Phosphatidylcholine is also referred to as lecithin the IV formula is again, much greater concentration than that which you can take orally. It has many purposes, but for me, along with the obvious uses, it is being used to help stimulate my nerve endings. They told me they take the longest to heal. Since my surgery over a year ago, many of you know that I still have problems with my left side. You could take a knife and cut me down the middle…everything on the left side has been effected. Whether it is from scar tissue from the surgery or damage to the nerves because of the surgery I don’t know. It has a very numb feeling…I can’t distinguish hot and cold…and can’t tell if I am walking on carpet or tile. I am already noticing improvement. My torso feels normal most of the time now as well as my arm to my elbow and my leg to my knee. It goes back to feeling numb when I get tired….but it is so strange to have normal feeling most of the time! They believe that I will get full feeling again!! What a true blessing that will be!!
My Arizona Journey – Saturday – May 22nd, 2010
by Becky Klino
Jim got here last night around 7:30. I was so happy! I didn’t think he would ever get here! I want to thank Moses, his cab driver, for his generosity! I was very apprehensive about driving to the airport so Jim thought it would be best he took a cab. In doing so, we met an incredible man! During the drive, they got to talking about the usual stuff…where you from…what brings you to Arizona….etc…..Once they got here, Jim gets out of the cab and says that the driver wanted to meet me. Moses gets out and comes around the car and gives me a huge hug! Gives me his blessings and tells me that I am going to make it! I just wanted to cry! He was absolutely amazing! He wouldn’t even let Jim pay for the fare and gave me his wife’s business card…she does alterations of all kinds…and said if I needed anything done that she would do it for me and there would be no charge. It never ceases to amaze me the kindness and generosity that there is in the world! He gave Jim his business card and said to call him whenever he needed a ride! Thank you Moses for your kindness!
Yesterday, Paul had some difficulty getting blood for the Oxygen Therapy. He tried my right arm first and it just wouldn’t give although the vein was good for him to run the treatment in. Then he tried the left arm. It was slow, but he was able to get enough from it. He suggested I take a couple of days off to give them a rest….I really don’t want to have to have a port put in….besides, with Jim here I really wanted to be able to spend time with him!! He said taking a couple of days would give both my veins a rest and also give my body a chance to catch up with the treatments they’ve been giving me. I was concerned that I would lose the effectiveness and he assured me that it would actually be better for me! So now I have two days off! YIPPEE!
We are going to drive up to Sedona today! It is suppose to have great healing abilities there because of the vortexes there…both spiratually and physically…Here is a link to a bit more info on them: http://www.visitsedona.com/index.php?action=article&id=185
I am very excited about going…I understand it is a beautiful drive….about 15* cooler there than here…which really sold Jim on the idea of going! LOL! I have just heard so much about the area that I feel I need to go. Call me weird…call me strange….but I want to go!! LOL! I’ll take pictures and post them later!
Hope you all have a WONDERFUL weekend! Love you lots! Becky
My Arizona Journal – May 20, 2010
by Becky Klino
Yeah!!! I got my parking space! I can now park under the car port to help shield out some of the sun! As much as I love it, it can get quite hot in the car in a very short time here. As I was coming home from the clinic today, my car was saying it was 96* already and it wasn’t even noon here yet.
I briefly mentioned they began a new treatment on me yesterday. While I know I said the Oxygen and the Vitamin C therapies were the most important…maybe I’ve changed my mind! LOL! Actually, I know they all work together to provide the optimum benefits and they all work equally well in different ways…but this one intrigues me as much as the other two did!
This one I call liquid gold! It costs $800 a pop and I’ll receive 15 of them. Maybe that’s why I think it might be the best…I don’t know. The part that really excites me is that it is one of the primary ones that can cross the blood brain barrier and actually kill the cancer cells in the brain. It is called Lipoic-P. It is light sensitive and must be kept in the dark as much as possible. The IV bag is enclosed in what looks like a foil covering and the tube it runs through is a dark amber color. Even the area where it actually drips from is covered in a plastic tube that they can drop down to see it drip and then put it back in place so the liquid never gets much light. They close all the blinds and turn off the lights while giving that one…..Great! NAP TIME!!!!
It is actually given in conjunction with another drip bag that is full of vitamins and minerals. I can no longer have the IV C while they are giving this to me. They started with the C to help build up my immune system and to get my body ready to be able to use this to the fullest. Apparently taking C while taking this can cause the Lipoic to not work as efficiently!
During these treatments I will experience swelling around any current ‘tumors’ or ‘lesions’ I currently have. This is very normal and considered a GOOD sign! It means that the Lipoic is entering the ‘bad’ areas and are going to work on them. When the ‘goodies’ attach the cancer, it causes the swelling then that area will be broken away and flushed out of my system. I was told I could experience ‘strange’ sensations during this time. Last night I REALLY felt odd…in fact almost to the point of calling ER…but I stuck it out and this morning wasn’t too bad. Tonight I’ve only experienced mild dis-orientation…kind of like after I had the radiation done….can definitely feel the sense of swelling….but better than last night! Even the ‘tumors’ I had felt under my skin actually feel smaller than before! PLEASE be doing the same in my brain!!!!!
Love you all!
The following information is taken from various health sites…Becky’s health lesson #3!!:
One of the activities that cancer cells are no longer capable of carrying out is apoptosis. That is, it can’t kill itself. While that might sound good for the cell, it isn’t so great for the organism as a whole. Without programmed cell death, the replication of cancer cells is carried out without control. This is the reason why cancer produces tumors. So, the result is low energy, ‘brain dead’ cells that go on forever: think zombies and ‘Night of the Living Dead’.
One of the most powerful therapies available to reverse the slide into malignancy – as well as eliminating malignant tissue once it has already developed – is the organo-mineral compound Poly-MVA (this is an oral formula on a lower dosage amount than what I take intravenously with the two separate drips). It has been described as a non-toxic, natural chemotherapeutic agent that is the result of decades of research and experimentation.
Lipoic acid is a strong anti-oxidant, a crucial facilitator of many enzymes and is essential for aerobic respiration. Palladium is a rare precious metal similar to platinum that is an excellent catalyst with a strong affinity for hydrogen. When bound together, the metallo-organic complex becomes water and fat soluble, and can move throughout the body, even across blood-brain barrier.
The basic mechanism by which it works takes advantage of the fact that cancer cells are anaerobic, which means that they only can thrive in an oxygen-depleted environment. This is the opposite of normal, healthy body cells that in order to function properly need oxygen to produce relatively high levels of energy in the form of ATP and electrical current. By contrast, anaerobic cells produce much less ATP and have a lower electrical current.
More specifically, when Poly-MVA is ingested or taken intravenously, it crosses the cellular membrane and conducts electrical current from the membrane itself to the mitochondria, which are structures within the cell itself that serve as centers for respiration and energy production. In a normal cell, the mitochondria can redistribute the electrical charge throughout the cell to energize it and enhance it activity.
But in the low energy malignant cell, the electrical pathways to distribute the charge are absent and when the electrical current is conducted to the mitochondria, it becomes damaged and releases a substance called ‘cytochrome c’.
Cytochrome c is a protein found on the inner membrane of the mitochondria. Its release in the cell is a crucial step in initiating apoptosis, the programmed cell death that take place in multicellular organisms to control cellular development or as a response to infection or damaged DNA. With the initiation of apoptosis, enzymes are released that cause the rupture of the cellular mechanism, resulting in the destruction of the cell.
The difference in the way that healthy cells and cancer cells react to Poly-MVA has been compared to delivering a 100 watt current to two different light bulbs, one a 100 watt bulb, the other a 40 watt bulb. The former will light up, while the latter will explode.
Contrary to conventional therapies, Poly-MVA does its job without harming healthy tissues, without causing fatigue or nausea or making one’s hair fall out. Quite to the contrary, I have noticed that when people start on a regimen of it, almost invariably their energy and sense of well-being increase in rather short order. It is truly a remarkable therapeutic tool.
My Arizona Journal – May 19th, 2010
By Becky Klino
I know it has been several days since I last wrote. I apologize. My honey left for home Sunday morning and I guess I’m just adjusting to my surroundings still. I either sleep or seem to need to be up and doing something all the time! It seems I can only dust, sweep, do laundry, dishes….whatever so many times before I run out of things to do! I find it difficult to stay seated unless I’m sleeping!
I want to tell Jim how much I appreciate him. I know this is very difficult on you…trying to keep the home front under control and trying to make sure I’m doing OK! I LOVE YOU!! I have to also tell my son and family how much I appreciate them….this would not be possible without your help and support!! I can only imagine the extra burdens that have been put on your shoulders! I guess I will REALLY owe you big time now! LOL!! I love you all so much more than words could ever say!
Then I can’t forget my family at UWGKC! What you did was more than I could comprehend! I can’t begin to tell you the gratitude I felt when David told me…you truly are my family and I thank God everyday for having the opportunity to work with such amazing people! A huge weight has been lifted!
One more thanks…this goes to you Beth and Stacy! You are my heros! The idea of the fundraiser is tremendous….I wish I could be there to help! I know the work involved and I know you two are the masters at it! If anyone wants or can help with it, please contact either of them! I know they would appreciate all the help they can get! In advance…I’d like to say THANK YOU ALL!!
Last, but definitely not least…..I wish to thank Linda! You have kept Branson’s site up to date all these years…and now trying to keep my information updated. Linda has a heart bigger than anyone I know when it comes to people she often never meets. She helps many families of the missing by being advocates, and maintaining websites for them and she does an incredibly awesome job of it!
Like I said, Jim left for home Sunday. I got busy doing chores around here and ended up watching a movie…for shame!!! Should have been on here…LOL! Monday, I still needed to get in touch with our landlord! I can’t believe how laid back they are here…and I thought Gower was laidback! I still hadn’t met the landlord or the real estate guy to get them my check. They didn’t seem concerned and kept telling me every time I called that ‘we’d get it taken care of’! Well, Monday I did…been here a week and finally get it settled. I still haven’t met either of them, but I mailed it to them!
Then we seem to have an issue with our parking space. They have several carports here for you to park under and one of them is suppose to be mine! Someone has always been parked in it when we get here. Jim called the office on Friday and they said that it belonged to another tenant and that we could use 1 of 4 others in the same area. Saturday we parked in another one and low and behold came out Sunday morning and had a note saying that it belonged to someone else! Down to the office I went on Monday and it seems two people are assigned our place and they are still trying to get it resolved….not sure if they will or not!
Tomorrow I’ll give another health lesson for those who care to read! LOL! They’ve changed one of my treatments right now and I can’t seem to sleep like I could yesterday…so I shouldn’t have an excuse not to write!
I love you all!
I have truly been blessed in so many ways!
Becky
My Arizona Journey – Update May 15, 2010
By Becky Klino
Wow…Saturday already….Treatment number 5….Everything is going well or so it seems! I felt a bit nauseas last night and went to bed around 8. Still didn’t feel up to par this morning and thought about not going for my treatment, but the longer I was up the better I got to feeling. I really didn’t want to miss one although they said that it wouldn’t hurt me to every now and then. Took a small nap during it…it is just way too hard for me to just sit there for 3 1/2 hours and keep my eyes open! I did take a book today and read for a while, but even that made me sleepy! Poor Jim is exhausted and had tried to go out to the car and take a nap…without success. He should have stayed in with me and would have probably succeeded! He can’t get good sleep at night as it seems I snore…although I never hear it…LOL…and he moves to the couch which is about 2 feet too short for him so he ends up with very limited amounts! I offer to take the couch, but he won’t let me….He is my hero!! I love you baby! He is in taking a nap now….so hopefully it will help!
I posted on my wall my address. Several have asked what my mailing address is here. While I don’t have a mailing address where I’m staying as they don’t like to set one up for temporary residents, the clinic where I go for the treatments don’t mind me using thier address. It is:
Becky Klino
C/O Sunridge Medical Center
14200 N. Northsight Blvd Ste 160
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
They will see to it that I get it…In fact…I want to say THANK YOU to my friends at UWGKC for the beautiful flowers you sent! I have them sitting on on the counter that seperates the kitchen from the living room and they make the whole place look so cheerful!
I got the results from all the blood work they took on Tuesday. It looks as if they tested about 100 things from A to Z. Dr. Franco said that if another doctor had ran the tests without knowing my history, they would think I was normal…they would never suspect I had cancer. Almost everything registered in the normal range….very abnormal for someone who has Stage IV Melanoma. The only thing that was really low was my D level. He was very impressed and made a comment that I have a much better chance to beat this with them not having to start from a very low immune system. By my not having had any chemo has helped trememdously with the levels. He also doesn’t understand how my liver can be so normal….All I could say was….God is helping me through this….I believe in miracles! I believe in the power of prayer and positive attitude. I will continue to pray!
I want to share a bit about another treatment they are using. Paul thinks it is the second most important treatment they are giving me. I get it daily also. It is IVC…or intravenously giving me high amounts of vitamin C. This is also laced with other minerals such as selinium, magnesium, potassium, and I forget what else…LOL! They have to start with a lower dose and build up to the level that is theraputic. Giving C intravenously allows them to give at much higher doses than one can take orally and has HUGE benefits. The dosage they give can kill cancer cells along with many other diseases. There is actually a wide spectrum of medical uses for vitamin C. Evidence exists documenting it as the best antiviral agent now available … IF used at the proper dose. Vitamin C can neutralize and eliminate a wide range of toxins. Vitamin C will enhance host resistance, greatly augmenting the immune system’s ability to neutralize bacterial and fungal infections. Now the National Institutes of Health has published evidence demonstrating vitamin C’s anti-cancer properties. Here is some info on how it works:
Vitamin C is synthesized from glucose in only four metabolic steps. Hence, the molecular shape of vitamin C is remarkably similar to glucose. Cancer feeds on glucose. Cancer cells will actively transport vitamin C into themselves, possibly because they mistake it for glucose. Another plausible explanation is that they are using the vitamin C as an antioxidant. Regardless, the vitamin C accumulates in cancer cells.
If large amounts of vitamin C are presented to cancer cells, large amounts will be absorbed. In these unusually large concentrations, the antioxidant vitamin C will start behaving as a pro-oxidant as it interacts with intracellular copper and iron. This chemical interaction produces small amounts of hydrogen peroxide.
Because cancer cells are relatively low in an intracellular anti-oxidant enzyme called catalase, the high dose vitamin C induction of peroxide will continue to build up until it eventually lyses the cancer cell from the inside out! This effectively makes high dose IVC a non-toxic chemotherapeutic agent that can be given in conjunction with conventional cancer treatments. Based on the work of several vitamin C pioneers before him, Dr. Riordan was able to prove that vitamin C was selectively toxic to cancer cells if given intravenously. This research was recently reproduced and published by Dr. Mark Levine at the National Institutes of Health.
End of health lesson number 2! Hope I’m not boring you all with this. I just find it facinating and feel the power of knowledge is much better than not knowing what is going on. If I know what these treatments are suppose to do for me, then I somehow think I can ‘will’ them to work harder! Love you all!
My Arizona Journey – Update May 13, 2010
By Becky Klino
Greetings all! I recieved my third treatment today….not going too bad. Yesterday I was pretty zapped…not sure if it had to do with the treatments as much as with the travel catching up to me or the time zone. I was exhausted all day. I was in for the treatment about 3 1/2 hours and I ended up sleeping through the whole thing! Then when we got back ‘home’ I went to sleep for a couple more hours. Felt better after all that. The doctor said that I will go through a period of flu like symptoms and fatigue as the the treatments begin to start working. It’s a process like a war going on in my body…the good fighting the bad…the bad wanting to stay…and it all causes havoc in the system. So far the only thing I’ve felt is being tired. Today I’ve not been as bad, I only slept about 1 1/2 hours!! But I still wake up around 4 and can’t go back to sleep even though I try staying awake until 10:30 or later….no wonder I sleep through the treatment….that’s nap time!! LOL!
They are all awesome at the clininc! The guy (Paul) that comes in to get my IV in is great. My veins have always been difficult to work with, but he has gotten it in the first time two out of three days! He doesn’t want me to have to get the plug put in my chest and thinks that I won’t need to. As each day goes by, it is easier for him to locate the vein and get it in. As I have more treatments, my veins are expanding and my skin is becoming more plyable….good signs! He is so patient and answers any question I have even if it was one I asked the day before. The others there are also great…I just don’t see them as often. Paul is in checking on me every 10 minutes or so…at least during the time I’m awake! LOL!
Jim had me drive today so I would be able to get there on my own once he goes back home….he’s such a brave man…LOL! I didn’t get lost, but I did notice him putting on the brakes a couple of times! Really, it’s only about 15 minutes from where we are staying and only have 3 turns to get there so it’s not bad at all….there is just always alot of traffic going on. We are staying on one of the main roads through the town and there is always traffic going by…..a big change from the quiet of the country!
I thought I’d let you know of the various treatments they are using. My favorite…because Paul says he thinks it is one of the best…is the Autohemotherapy Therapy. I will recieve this everyday. They draw out about 200cc of my blood and then infuse it with ozone gas, and then drip it back into my system. It is one of the most preferred methods for many practioners for well over 150 diseases. The way it works is that it has one more molecule than oxygen does. This extra molecule will destroy all toxins except for about 6 or 7 things. As it enters the bloodstream the molecule breaks away leaving a new oxygen cell. The extra molecule attaches itself to bad cells and ultimately they are destroyed. All parts of the body loves oxygen, except cancer cannot live in an oxygen rich environment. The use of ozone is like oxygen therapy one level higher. As the extra molecule breaks away, it will in turn attach itself to the bad cells surrounding the cancer…ultimately killing them allowing the oxygen rich cells to multiply faster. You can do more research on this if you want…this is just a brief description of how it works. I find it facinating and as they are putting it back into me….all I can think is….GO FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT
Well here we are…..Before I begin, I want to say that I have the most amazing family and husband anyone could ask for!!! I have been so blessed and I want the world to know what you mean to me! Saturday I was feeling very overwhelmed with all that I wanted to get done before we were leaving on Sunday. The house cleaned, laundry done, car cleaned, yard mowed and trimmed, garden planted and my flowers planted. Have to have posies when I get back…LOL… My family showed up Saturday and they all pitched in and got every thing done but the planting…it was incredible. Then they came back and got everything planted after Jim and I left on Sunday…just in time for the rain….a huge burden was taken from my mind and I can never repay them….that’s what families are really about! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! My husband Jim is incredible. He has been so supportive of me through all of this….and extremely patient! He never complains and trys very hard to make sure that I am as comfortable as possible with my new surroundings. We’ve gone out a few times now so he can get me use to where I am…where I’m going…and where I might want to go so I won’t get lost….LOL! I couldn’t have possible gone on this venture without him…..I LOVE YOU JIM!!!
Jim and I left around 9 AM Sunday. We traveled until around 11:30 PM and reached Albuquerque. Took off again around 10 AM on Monday and reached Scottsdale around 5 your time. It was 3 here. From here on out I’ll refer to any time as being the time we are in here…just so you know! We ended up getting a condo instead of staying in a motel. It ended up being cheaper. I am elated with it. It is one bedroom…has washer dryer…kitchen…dining area…living room…small patio. Not too big, but comfy enough I don’t feel like I’m in a box.
Since we got here sooner than originally planned, we decided to contact the clinic to see if we could get in sooner. They could see me today at 10:30. We spoke with the doctor for over two hours. We discussed everything it seemed from A to Z! He gave his recommendations for the treatment he felt would help me the most. He seems very optimistic…especially with how I currently feel….it’s still not guaranteed…but indications are good! Then he gave the big shock….it would cost an additional $20,000 for the treatment plan he recommends…..Not sure how I’m going to manage this…He wants to attack it very aggressively since it can be a very aggressive type of cancer and since I appear to still be relatively healthy, there is a greater chance of success.
The reason for the higher cost? When he took a sample of my blood and tested it, he found there to be several deficiencies with my body. I have more cells infected with various viruses and low white blood cells than what he says is good enough to fight the cancer. The membranes around the healthy cells are very thin. It was pretty cool to see the cells and how they move, but it was also very freaky. He is using such aggressive treatments to build up my immune system as quickly as possible. Once the immune system is healthy, then the healthy cells can begin to destroy the cancer cells. Once the cancer cells start dying my system has to be strong enough to flush the bad out of my body. Pretty crazy how it all works, but makes sense to me. I’m sure I left out a lot of details…but this is the jest of it all.
I began my first treatment today. We began several that I’ll go into more detail of each one over the next several days. It requires putting in an IV and then running the treatments through there. We are looking at possibly putting in an IV Plug….they will insert a something or other into my chest cavity that will allow them to connect to it when ever needed with out having to stick a vein everyday. I will go in 6 days a week for a treatment….and it takes 3-4 hours for them to run all the stuff through the IV. I am doing Vitamin C & D & Oxygen Therapy as three of the protocols….there are 12 altogether they are giving me as well as sending me with herbal stuff I take daily orally. Doing them intravenously will allow the treatments to enter my system instantly rather than having to go through the digestive system. They can also give them in much higher doses this way.
They said that I will experience felling yucky as my body begins to start the building process and cleansing itself of the bad stuff….this shouldn’t last long….a few days…and then I should feel a renewed sense of well being. They had to give me a saline solution as I was also very dehydrated. They had a difficult time drawing blood as it was very thick. I had a difficult time believing that I was dehydrated as I drink water all the time. He said even though I drink alot, I usually pee it rather quickly too…therefore…I’m not staying hydrated. He recommended I drink ‘Smart Water’ as it has electrolytes that will keep me hydrated. He said tests have shown that the Smart Water is the best in it’s line….so I’m going to start drinking it as half of my liquid intake.
Well I guess that’s it for now. I’ll be back tomorrow after I have another treatment. Please put on your thinking caps if you can….any money making ideas are welcome. While I have secured enough for what I originally thought this would cost, I desperately want to find a way to go the full distance. I believe this will work….they are extremely positive as well….
Love you all….and keep the prayers coming!!!