My Alternative Cancer Diary : breast cancer

How I Learned About Alternative Cancer Treatments

Sue Insole — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 15:28:00 GMT

After a bit of searching on some Internet sites, I found the article about apricot kernels that I vaguely remembered from before. I read avidly, and needed to find out more. I sent for books, and that weekend I started to chew apple pips (which contain B17) and ordered apricot kernels, thinking that it could only help if I started taking them too. If nothing else, it might help me recover from the operation.

When I saw the nurse I told her I was looking at alternatives, but she didn’t seem very positive about it or think it would help much. In the end I agreed to go into hospital in a month’s time for the surgery.

We were having good summer weather, and my husband Peter and I went down to the beach and to various other places, trying to put the dreaded subject on the back burner. I cried a lot at times and raged about it at others. I had already lost Emma, my sister Diane, and my Dad, and now this disease wanted to take me too!

I remember sitting on the beach close to where we live when the nurse rang with the actual date for the operation, which put a whole dampener on the day, as it had still seemed unreal until then.

The books arrived, and I practically devoured them. I just knew that there had to be something else besides what they were proposing to get rid of the cancer. I read about several people who had recovered from cancer using B17, and I had already spoken with several people from the place that sold me the kernels about medical treatment and its drawbacks. All of this was giving me a bad feeling about the imminent operation.

This post is part of a weekly series in which Sue Insole describes her health journey. Click here to read her earlier posts. Next week, Sue tells us how she made the most important decision of her life.

Click here to get an email update when Sue writes her next post.

SUSAN INSOLE, BSYA (N Th.) is a former NHS nurse and is now a nutritional therapist in the field of natural health. She worked in a health care setting for 16 years, firstly in the field of rehabilitation and then as a welfare officer and secretary within a hospital setting. She was also an advisor for weight loss in 2001 - 2003. She achieved a diploma in 2006 for nutritional therapy. She is the author of a downloadable eBook, What Works in Health. Her website is: www.naturalhealthbenefits.com.

What the Doctor Said

Sue Insole — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 10:37:00 GMT

When my appointment with the consultant came around, I went with much trepidation, but at the same time was anxious to get it over with so I could know the worst.

My worst fears were confirmed when the consultant explained that because they had found some cancerous cells that were starting to come through from the original site in the ducts of the breast, it was no longer DCIS (or Ductal Carcinoma In Situ) but Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. It was a slow growing type and was at stage 1-2. He told me that there was a good likelihood that the cancer could be stopped by removing my left breast and some of the lymph nodes would be removed for testing at the same time. There may also be the possibility of taking Taxoxifen for a while afterwards if the cancer was oestrogen dependent.

I instinctively said “NO!” as soon as he said this, and my husband asked if there was anything else they could do besides this as it seemed such a drastic step to take for such a small area that had not been causing me any bother up until now. He sadly shook his head and repeated what he had told me.

I hadn’t put much thought into it up until then but at the back of my mind I vaguely remembered something I had read about an alternative treatment involving apricots and apple seeds, but couldn’t remember what.

I said I would go away and think about it, and would give my answer in a few days. He said that time was of the essence and it should not be left for too long.

Arrangements were made for the breast care nurse to call in a few days’ time and go over what the operation would entail. “Don’t worry,” the consultant said as we left, “We’ll look after you”. Somehow I wasn’t reassured.

This post is part of a weekly series in which Sue Insole describes her health journey. Her first post, The Letter Every Woman Dreads, describes the painful process of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Next week, Sue discusses the impact her condition had on her family, and explains how she started to think about alternative treatments.

Click here to get an email update when Sue writes her next post.

The Letter Every Woman Dreads

Sue Insole — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 12:06:00 GMT

I will never forget the day I received the letter that every woman who has been for a routine mammogram dreads. I was called back to undergo a further scan as they found something that looked suspicious. I had noticed that my left nipple was starting to go inverted slightly – but it had been this way for about a year and up until then had not paid it much attention. However, I now began to get very worried. I put a brave face on it for my husband’s sake, but I remember sitting in my garden after I received the letter, looking around at all the flowers in bloom and wondering if I would still be here to see them all again the following year.

I had good reason to feel so pessimistic. My daughter had died when she was only 20, just two months into her chemotherapy treatment for Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1996, and this had been devastating. One of my older sisters had died after her treatment for breast cancer in 1990 and my dad had also died after he was operated on for stomach cancer in 1981. A good friend of mine had died as well after they tried to burn her breast cancer away with radiotherapy 10 years before, so I was not feeling very confident about any of the medical treatment options that were open to me.

I consoled myself with the thought that perhaps treatments had improved since then and decided to put it out of my mind until my appointment came around. On the day of the appointment, I remember very clearly that the second time my left breast was placed in the machine (they could not get a clear picture the first time), I felt a sharp pain that made me cry out when the plates squeezed together. It remained throbbing for several hours afterwards. After this, I had another scan – this time with an ultrasound – and then a needle biopsy to take some of the cells from the area.

Everyone was very caring and kind, and at the end of all these tests I was told I did indeed have breast cancer. The biopsy site was dressed and I rejoined my husband out in the waiting room. One look at me was enough to realise that the worst possible scenario had happened. We went for a walk through the park as I could not face being around people, and we talked about my appointment with the consultant in a few days’ time. I was trying to put a brave face on it and decided not to tell my daughter or anyone else until I got my head around it. I was numb at this stage, but still pinned all my hopes on cancer treatments being more advanced. After all, hadn’t I heard so many stories from the media about all the various breakthroughs?

Next week, Sue discusses her feelings as she received bad news about the treatment options for her cancer.

Click here to get an email update when Sue writes her next post.