ONE YEAR CELEBRATION

This past year has been a blur since Jon's diagnosis in August last year. We have seen miracles and blessings every day as we fight the cancer battle and have come to appreciate the gift of life from God, the beauty of the earth, the blessing of family and loved ones, and the love we have for each other.

Last week we celebrated Jon's 55th birthday and his one-year mark from diagnosis. WAY TO GO JON! There was probably 150 dear friends and neighbors here to wish Jon success for another year and to share their love. Thank you for your support and kindness.

In August of last year, the doctors gave Jon 3 months to live but if he had chemo and it was somewhat successful, it would extend his life up to a year. He chose not to do chemotherapy and he continues to fight with the Rife frequency machine, strict diet, natural supplements, and hyperthermia. But his health has slipped significantly the last few months. Most of the symptoms he had last year have returned, i.e. sharp pain, vomiting, diarreah, very tired, and loss of more weight.

We felt the only option at this point was to return to Mexico with Dr. Bradford for more treatment and Jon checked into Hospital Ingles on his birthday, August 11. He will be there for two weeks receiving much of the same treatment he did last year. Actually, as of this date, he's only got a few days left and he will be back home, yeah! Since it's only for two weeks (three weeks last year) the doctors are being very aggressive with his treatments. So here's what's been happening while he's been under the doctor's care.

As soon as he arrived, blood work was done. The blood was in really good shape compared to last year after his session with chemo; everyone was pleased. They inserted the port in his chest and hooked him up to IV, much of the same protocol as last year. Dr. Bradford added two additional treatments to the daily routine.

One is ceesium chloride by IV 10 hours a day. The way it was explained by the doctor is all cells absorb nutrients through the cell lining, cancer cells having larger pores than normal blood cells. The ceesium chloride is absorbed by the cancer cells in much larger quantities and it actually clogs the pores, thereby eventually starving the cancer.

The other treatment is bicarbonate soda added to the blood to increase the PH of the body. There is an additive to the soda to keep it from calcifying in the blood and along the walls of the veins. Since cancer thrives in an acid environment, raising the PH makes the blood very alkaline.

Jon has been receiving the hyperthermia treatments every day. They work him over pretty hard and after the treatment his liver is mad and painful for a few hours. When he went to Mexico, the liver was very enlarged and hard and Jon has not noticed much change at this time. It takes time for the dead cells to shrink and be discarded through the system. We are just hoping it's enough to make a difference since his liver is so full of tumors.

The diarreah is still a big concern as they have been unable to change the lower bowel movements after trying different natural methods. How can a man gain weight if he doesn't utilize the nutrients he's putting in? He has lost another 10 pounds since March, weighing about 135. Hopefully, something will work before he is released.

We have considered staying another week. At this point he will come home, give it a month or so to see how the treatments have set and decide at that point if more treatment is needed right away. When he went to Mexico he was at a critical stage and we are anxious and confident to see improvement.

Jon does not take anything for pain at this point . . . nothing. For us that is a very positive sign and blessing knowing how painful the latter stages of cancer can be. He has a good appetite but just can't eat very much because of the enlarged liver crowding the stomach. He eats a meal about every 2 hours, trying to intake as many calories as he can. We will be trying a new soy protein powder for more calories in addition to a variety of nuts which are high in calories and natural oils. It's hard to find products that don't contain some form of sugar. Even though I've been learning so much about nutrition the past year, there is still so much to learn and I'll be working some different angles for maximum results.

I guess that's why I haven't made a blog entry the last few months because there hasn't been anything new or good to report. After his treatment with Dr. Bradford this month, we are looking for improvement and better days ahead. We are planning for the holidays, look forward to Trent returning home from his mission in May, and a Portlock family reunion in July. There is much to live for in the months ahead with a new grandson being born in December and another coming in February.

Special thanks to all our dear friends and family who have lifted us up and helped us physically, emotionally and financially during this difficult time. We are so thankful and feel your love and prayers daily. I am currently out of town and unable to access pictures of Jon and the party. When I get home I'll add some to this blog so be sure to check back Monday.