A New Season

Saturday.
Yesterday started out to be a good day for me.  I was eating more (prior to Thursday I had been eating less that 500 calories/day).  Thursday I  got over 1000 and was doing even better Friday. I got my abdomen drained that morning.   I went to have dinner and suddenly got violently sick, upchucking  over 15 times.   I realized all the food/nutrition I had for the day was still in my stomach.  So much for calories.  By 9:00 pm I was in pain.  I increased my oxycodone from 5 to 15 mg, and it still wasn't working. This continued throughout the night.

At 5:30 Friday I had a talk with God.  I said 6 weeks ago I had gotten a voice saying you still had work for me to do here.  I said my body was getting so weak (150 lbs) that I must turn around my nutrition immediately for this to work.  I asked if I needed to either go into shut-sown mode or to gear up for a fight.  I needed a clear sign so I could know for certain what I was supposed to do.  Within an hour I was getting sick, and remained in pain all night.  It wasn't the sign I hoped for, but it certainly was a clear sign.

Kathy and Bree got up, and I told them I could tell I was dying quickly.  Then Micah came over, Conor got up and we had a family talk.  Hospice came at 10:00 and we signed up.  They transitioned me onto a time release morphine to better control my pain. My  acupuncturist came to our house and gave Kathy, Micah, Conor and I treatments.  What a great help she has been.  My friend Jeff gave me energy work treatment, then I was asleep for the rest of the day and night.

If you would have asked me last week, I would have said going into shut-down was not even an option I was considering.  So I was surprised as I'm sure you are that this is what I need to do.  I'm trying to listen to my body and my internal spirit and do what I know to be the best.

This is a painful choice for me to make emotionally.  I have had such a great life, surrounding myself with quality people while contributing in my small way to the betterment of society.  It is hard for me to walk away from this.

I have no idea how long the process of shutting down will take (hospice said days or weeks).  We will keep you posted on my progress.  Thanks for all you are doing for my family and for all your positive thoughts and prayers coming my way.

I'm home!

-Back at home.  I was so grateful to get here and see family once again.  The transition has been challenging at times, especially for Kathy trying to deal with the medical establishment.  Lots of waiting, lots of frustration when they don't follow through with what they tell us they will do.  Monday I saw the gastro doctor.  My instructions when I left Mexico were to get my pain under control so I could  start eating better.  He put me on oxycodone, which seems to have many potential side effects.  I have been taking hydrocodone instead, and only half a pill when possible.  It does help me sleep better at night, which I desperately need to start doing.  He also told me I should try to wait a week in between getting fluid drained from my abdomen.  I had been drained on Friday before flying home, and this was Monday.  I decided I could wait until Tuesday.  Bad decision.  Monday afternoon I got sick again because the contents in my stomach had nowhere to move.  So Tuesday, after waiting in the hospital from 1:30-4:50 they did the 20 minute procedure and drained another 3.4 liters.  This same process in Mexico took an hour instead of 4 hours.  We got home tired but I felt better.  Today the only reason I need to go out is to get an acupuncture treatment, which I look forward to.  My neighbor has a connection from a medical marijuana grower and said she would bring me some to try.  I would much prefer this to the pain pills, especially during the day.  I hope to make a tea, as I don't want to smoke it.  Any suggestions from fellow users are appreciated.

 I continue to feel weak, and my weight is near 150 lbs.  I hope to start eating more and drinking more juices as I get the pain under control.  Kathy took leave the last 3 days and will be home with me for awhile.  She also has leave for the month of January if needed.  This is so hard on her to watch me so weak without making progress.  But I remain positive and optimistic that I (we) can do this!  My sights are still the same, my spirit is unbroken.  The Mexico doctor said this could turn around soon, or it could take several weeks.  Eating is a key ingredient in my recovery.

We've been getting surprises left--food, cards, treats, good wishes.  Thanks for your continued outpouring of love and support.

Just before returning home

Thursday morning December 13

I have been here 12 days, and this is the first time I feel enough energy to write.  Truth is, I have not felt well almost the entire time I have been here.  I have been very low energy and in pain or discomfort.  My abdomen remains bloated.  I have another appointment at the hospital tomorrow to get drained before flying on Saturday.  My gut feels about 90% swollen now.  This creates a burning feeling that makes it difficult to sleep, eat, or feel good.  I am also still dehydrated.  It is a delicate balance trying to keep my protein and electrolytes up while trying to get rid of the abdominal fluid.  Gerson says the body will heal itself and I will eventually absorb this fluid I am making, but for right now it is preventing we from proceeding with the treatment plan.  I frequently go to the dining room take a few bites, immediately feel bad, and sit there until I realize I need to return to the room and lie down.  My back has also begun to hurt, as I have spent over 95% of my time here in one position:  on my back in an elevated position.  I cannot get comfortable any other way.  I spend all night and most of the day in bed in this position.  I am not on the healing plan to any extent because I cannot eat.  My juices and number of enemas have been reduced, all in an effort to find a balance between fluid retention and dehydration.

So, if you get the picture this has not been an enjoyable and productive experience for me, you are correct.  I am glad I came.  I am now under medical guidance, I better understand what is going on, and I am hoping I get through this period of bloating so I can begin the true therapy.  This will need to happen from home.

Last night I slept almost 8 hours with only one interruption.  I felt so much better this morning I couldn't believe it.  I have been up and about this morning, and although I am still not eating very much I am hoping I might be turning a corner.  We will see.  Rodger thinks I slept because of the sound of rain--it rained hard here last night and much of the morning so far.  I think it was taking an enema last night while watching/listening to The Who on the 12 12 12 concert.  Who knows?

 I'm looking forward to being with Kathy and family soon and I hope my travels Saturday are uneventful.

A Gallon

Almost a GALLON of fluid was drained from Mark this morning!! After a really bad day on Sunday from the excessive bloating, he seemed so much more comfortable today. He ate a good lunch and we now  hope he can EAT and regain his strength.  They are doing a few things to keep the fluid from coming back.  Ruth (Rodgers wife) and I talk to the 2 of them every day.  It has seemed like a long wait to get the fluid out and we are so relieved that he feels better.
once again, thanks for the prayers and visualizations for marks healing. Now onto visualizing for the gerson therapy to get going and keep working.
kathy

1 week update

We talked with the doctor this morning and he was pleased with Mark's progress.  We are wishing it would be quicker because it seems terribly slow.  He is in a much better place with regard to how much he can eat than when we got here.  His sodium level is up, which is very important because he is no longer dehydrated, his blood work looks good and the indicators regarding his immune function continue to look good.  There is still room for improvement but it is showing a good trajectory.  Mark is still only doing two coffee breaks a day and we have developed the strategy of doing each one in stages.  We infuse half of the liquid which he holds for about five minutes before expelling and then doing the other half immediately and holding for about five minutes or a little longer if possible.  He seems to be getting a lot of sleep each day, not always at night, which is probably a healing reaction and that is a very good sign!  They have been giving Mark injections to help his peristaltic motions with the hope that they will more quickly expel the gas that has been troubling him for so long.  Mark is still in a lot of pain with the swelling in his abdomen and is spending a lot of time hooked up to an IV tube.  They will also be doing a couple of protein IVs to get his blood proteins in a little better place; they are not bad but could simply use improvement.  He has found that the oatmeal gruel is one of the best things for him to consume.  It is easy to swallow, being a liquid, and is loaded with fiber, minerals and calories.  Right now, the more calories we can get into him the better!  We continue to be very optimistic for his long-term recovery and look forward to spreading the good news about the Gerson Therapy.
     We continue to be impressed with the diversity of people who are here for therapy.  In the past couple of days, two sisters, probably in their early twenties, arrived here from Columbia .  One is the care-giver and the other is here for treatment of adeno-carsinoma (sic?).  A mother and her daughter arrived yesterday from Norway.  The mom has metastasized pancreatic cancer the same as Mark.  She was diagnosed before the symptoms got too bad because she had surgery about 18 months ago to remove a tumor.  It was probably caught on a routine follow-up exam.  A mom and her son also arrive yesterday from Washington State.  The mom is the care-giver for a week and he may be on his own for the following week.  He is about thirty five years old and has rheumatoid arthritis. He was completely debilitated by it ten years ago but brought himself back to a completely functional state of being using a technique similar to Gerson but slacked off last summer to get a project done knowing he was coming here this winter anyway and is now in pretty bad shape again.  Gerson therapy will complete what the other therapy did not have the ability to finish.
     We continue to appreciate your prayers, thoughts of concern and healing energy sent Mark's way.
Thank You Always
Mark and Rodger

Hi to all who love Mark and Kathy!  Let's knit together a network of healing support for our pals....

Mark arrived at the clinic in a very depleted state, dehydrated, and thin from his difficulty eating due to uncomfortable bloating.  I thought we might all reactivate our visualizing capacity to
assist. Imagine his belly being comfortable, non-bloated,and his body
being successful at getting stronger and detoxing.

We want to get this guy back home in better shape than when he left.  Your general prayers and healing thoughts are also, of course, very welcome!   Holding Mark, Kathy and their whole family in the healing white light and within our hearts, is simple to do... Please visit this intention as often as you can!

What a Christmas present that will be for Mark... Coming home feeling better.. and on the mend.

Thanks for anything you can do in this regard!   Judy Alexander

Lunch

Sent from Rodger.  I think Mark looks related to her.  FYI.  Lunch with Charlotte Gerson on Wed.  I hear she told mark that he needed to EAT more!  Hoping the bloating goes away soon!!

Evidence of who sat next to Mark at lunch.

Getting Started With First Things First

Mark and I are in the middle of our third day here at the Gerson Clinic. It is a great relief to
no longer wonder if what we are doing with the Gerson Therapy is according to what the people
who know and use it would recommend. It was gratifying to know that even though we were a bit
too aggressive with some of the things we were doing that no damage was done.

The doctor explained the immediate challenges we faced and the things that are in
Mark’s favor with regard to his long-term recovery. He has abdominal bloating which is most likely
from an accumulation of abdominal fluid complicated by being slightly de-hydrated generally. He
has very little energy from not being able to eat very much. Our immediate challenges are to re-
hydrate him without adding to the fluid in his abdomen thus restoring his ability to take
nourishment. His sodium was low which may explain the tissue de-hydration and even the liquid
in his abdomen so that is be corrected by adding celery to his soup and giving him whole raw
celery to eat. Yesterday they gave him an IV with vitamins and minerals to replenish what he has
missed from not eating enough. The doctor did not explain it in detail but we believe that by
replenishing the minerals and sodium in the tissues they will retain water better and stop leaking it
into the abdominal space from where it will eventually get reabsorbed. Once those issues are
resolved we will be in a position to more aggressively start to rebuild his metabolism to fight the
tumors. Mark has some very important things going for him; his liver and kidney function is still
strong, which is critical. He has the benefit of a methodology with a proven track record of
success being utilized by committed doctors and staff. Lastly, but not least, he has the thoughts
and prayers of a lot of concerned and loving people being directed to him.

The staff here at the clinic are extremely dedicated people. Work begins before 6:00am in
the kitchen, which is right next to our room, and they are busy in there all day long. I view them as
the “kitchen pharmacists”. They are truly turning food into medicine!

The man who drove the van here from the airport was loaded with stories about the
people he has transported here over the years and with whom he has stayed in contact since their
departure. One person, a cancer patient, had to come to San Diego by air ambulance because
he was in too bad a shape to travel commercially. The clinic was able to start him on the road to
recovery and he is still alive about ten years later. The driver himself has had prostate cancer and
followed the therapy on his own without the help of the clinic and his PSAs have gone from the
mid nineties to 3.5 as of his last test.

Mark wanted me to do this posting to keep you apprised of how things are going because
he was tethered to an IV pole when the first draft of this was getting typed. Besides, at least for
the time being, it is important for him to rest and conserve his energy to battle the disease. Even
though my fingers are doing the typing, we both are editing the final result in order that you know
that the messages are from both of us. Postings may be a little more frequent now in as much as
there is nothing I can do to help Mark when he is resting except to not bother him; so I will have
the time.

Wishing Every One of You The Very Best
Rodger

The week before Gerson

Hello dear family and friends.  So very much gratitude for this week. A look at our week:
Pot of chili
Organic fruit
Bloating
Peanut butter cookies
Paul and Addie
Pot pie
Juice
Harp music
Tria and Jim
Juice
Ice cream
Potato leek soup
Juice
Phone calls
Acupuncture on our very own couches
Leaf and lawn care
Lasagne
Juice
Michigan sends my brother
Passport and packing
Carrot and apple pieces for the plane
Off  in a wheelchair with Rodger
First class seat made his trip tolerable as he was weak

They made it to the clinic !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark is now with the doctors at the Gerson clinic and we can all rest easier knowing he is getting the  care he needs.  Thanks for all the prayers, positive thoughts and great energy you all are sending his way.  It has made a difference in his healing.  Please know that we are thankful for every bite of food, juicing shift, phone call, card, hugs and many other forms of help that you are sending our way. You are all holding our family up on your shoulders and we feel the support constantly.
Love to you all
Kathy and kids