Emily's Health Alteratives

* Laser Technology to Quit Smoking

2007-03-07T20:12:00.000-07:00

I received this very informative email from a visitor to my blog and I wanted to share it with all of you. People need to know that there are alternatives to harmful drugs out there that really work. I hope the following information helps:

I just finished reading in ETR your comments and blog info from Feedback Friday "Cigars...You Don't Need Them" and thought I'd write to you. As someone who is interested in alternatives to quit nicotine addiction whether it is cigarettes, cigars or snuff, I'd like you to know there is something that works. We are the only medical clinic in Southwest Florida utilizing low level laser technology to quit smoking without weight gain!

Please visit our website at http://www.therapeuticlasercenterfl.com/ to learn more. Beware, not all cold lasers are the same. There are many storefronts with lasers purchased over the internet. We are a medical clinic with a medical grade laser and the appropriate protocols. Our success rate is in the high 90%. The procedure is safe and painless, no chemicals, not shots, no patches or gum. It is two 30 minute sessions along with counseling. On the website you can read many, many success stories, but in our clinic we have an entire binder of successes from people who smoked as much as two cartons a week for 40 years and many smoked 50 years or more trying everything out there and failing until they came to us.

Thank you for having the information out there about your mother and what she went through. Education is vital as most people don't understand that nicotine addiction is tougher to quit than cocaine or heroin because it is inhaled and therefore a gas rather than a substance. If you think others would benefit from this info please let them know there is a safe alternative that works.

Sincerely,

Lesley Walters
Therapeutic Laser Center, LLC
Sawyer Oaks Professional Park
5535 Marquesas Circle
Sarasota, FL 33423
941-921-8342

Safe and Painless Laser Technology to Quit Smoking Without Weight Gain!

* Technical Advances in Meditation

2007-03-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

I recently received an email from a newsletter I subscribe to that talked about a technology that instantly and gently puts you into deep states of meditation. Well, it instantly got my attention because I love technology and I love it when science finally catches up and scientifically proves and acknowledges the benefits of age old practices.

If you’re like me, you don’t have the time (or patience) to invest years of practice into trying to master the art of meditation. I've tried many times but my mind just races on, prohibiting me from experiencing any of the benefits. Well, now, you don’t have to.

Centerpointe Research Institute has created a proprietary audio technology called Holosync® that instantly (and gently) puts you into deep states of meditation (in fact, even deeper than those achieved by veteran Zen Monks), at the push of a button. You can check it out and get a FREE Holosync demo CD, and a FREE Special Report, at no risk. Just go to:
http://www.centerpointe.com/?aid=369045

This means that you can now start enjoying and profiting from all the recognized health benefits of deep meditation beginning the very first day you use it instead of waiting through years of hard practice.

I was totally amazed at the level of relaxation I acquired by just listening to the introduction CD. I can hardly wait to listen to the CDs each evening (the time I chose to listen, but you can work them into your schedule any time of the day). I am overjoyed with the possibilities and benefits that await me.

Here's just a "taste" of what The Holosync Solution can do for you…
1) It can allow you to effortlessly reach states of super-deep meditation--even the very first time you use it...
2) It can dramatically accelerate your mental, emotional, and spiritual growth, giving you the results you always THOUGHT you were supposed to get from meditation (but, if you're like most people, never really got)...
3) It creates healing of emotional traumas and self-imposed limitations forever, even for people who have been unsuccessful with other methods...
4) It actually slows the aging process by stimulating the production of many neurochemicals and other substances in the body that are associated with longevity, well-being, and better health...
5) It can dramatically raise your threshold for stress and cause stress-induced dysfunctional feelings and behaviors (including anger, depression, fear, anxiety, substance abuse, and many others) to fall away...
6) It can increase your self-awareness, inner peace, and happiness, as well as your ability to connect with other people and create successful relationships.

If you've tried meditation, or some of those other personal growth approaches that just didn’t deliver, or just want to go MUCH deeper, with faster results… or if you just want to grow and improve your life at an accelerated pace, I know you'll love The Holosync Solution.

You can get a FREE Holosync demo CD, a FREE Special Report, and a special offer to try The Holosync Solution program, at no risk, by going to: http://www.centerpointe.com/?aid=369045

* Isagenix - healthy fast weight loss

2007-01-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

I just started a cleansing program that has the added benefit of weight loss. It's called the Isagenix Cleansing and Fat Burning System. I'm starting with the 9 Day Program and will follow it up with another 9 Day Program after about a one week rest. The weight loss success stories are absolutely incredible. Click here to see the pictures and read the stories. I'm hoping to lose 35 pounds over a two month period. I will keep you updated on my success.

About Isagenix
Since its inception in March 2002, Isagenix’s simple yet ambitious mission has been to search the world and share the discoveries in science and nature that will make a difference in the health, wealth, and happiness of humankind. The success we’ve had for pursuing this mission is nothing short of remarkable. In just a few short years, Isagenix is now one of the fastest-growing companies in North America with combined sales approaching $300 million. This well-capitalized company is prepared for explosive growth.

For additional information visit http://loseweightnow.isagenix.com/.

* Insulin Potentiation Therapy

2007-01-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

Insulin Potentiation Therapy (IPT) is an alternative to traditional cancer treatments. It is reported to be gentler, safer, more effective, and less expensive, with no surgery, no radiation, and usually no side effects. As stated on the IPTQ.com website, the definition for IPT (Insulin Potentiation Therapy) is a simple medical procedure that uses the hormone insulin, followed by glucose, to deliver drugs better, and to make them work more effectively, in smaller doses, with reduced or no side effects. IPTQ.com has a wealth of information on the subject of IPT, including a list of doctors within the United States that practice IPT.
Mom received IPT three times a week during her three week stay at Hospital Santa Monica. This and other treatments she received are explained in more detail in my post, Update on Alternative Treatments.

* Adventures in Mexico at Hospital Santa Monica

2007-01-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

Here is a journal of events of our trip to Mexico and Hospital Santa Monica (written 02/27/2006 - 03/19/2006):

Hi All,
Soooo, we made it to San Diego with NO problems. United Airlines was wonderful and efficient. From the time we were dropped off at the terminal to the time it took to get thru security and seated at the gate was less than 30 minutes.
The flight was uneventful except for a little turbulence and the driver for Hospital Santa Monica was right where he said he’d be in the baggage pickup area. We got checked in at the US clinic and got settled for the night.
Tomorrow we will go to the clinic for a physical exam, preliminary tests, and to start the regimen of treatments.
So, our adventure has started…..
More news to follow…
Emily

Hi All,
Sorry for the delay in updates. I thought I was going to have wireless access with no problems but it has been very intermittent and a weak signal – down to nothing now. I have my cell phone as a dialup backup but it is excruciatingly slow, eating up LOTS of minutes just to get a few email downloaded.
With that said, Mom and I are doing great. Mom has had several types of daily treatments with more to be added on. She feels fine – not better or worse – but several people commented on her rosy cheeks today. Her appetite has been great – eating as much and sometimes more than me.
More to follow as often as internet access will allow.
Emily

Hi All,
I will start out by apologizing again for the lack of updates. I have decided to not let the slow to non-existent internet connection frustrate me. There is really nothing new to report yet anyway. The days have settled down to a constant, busy routine. I thought I was going to have a lot of time on my hands (and be bored). I am so busy making sure that Mom gets from one treatment to the other, and talking to other patients and their companions that I hardly have time to read, not to mention getting on the computer, so the internet connection is kind of a moot point.
Mom gets six types of treatment on a daily basis and one treatment three days a week. Below are the names of the treatments. I will give more details to those who are interested once I get home.

Chelation Infusions
Water Massage
Spinalator
Mag Ray
Hyper Thermia
Far Infra Red
Insulin Potentiation Therapy (IPT)
Daily Doctor’s consultation

Today Mom got blood drawn for lab work. Tomorrow the doctor will go over the results, compare it to her baseline, and discuss whether he thinks it would be beneficial for her to stay another week. We will also be talking to another doctor tomorrow or Thursday about what her home protocol should be. I will send out another update to let you know what our plans are.
More later…
Emily

Hi All,
Some of you have not been receiving all of the updates so this is to let you know that due to the positive results we’ve seen, we decided to stay a third week to take advantage of more treatments since we’re already down here.
It’s Sunday evening and Mom and I just enjoyed our one day off for the week. We had a wonderful late breakfast at the restaurant next to the hotel and then I headed off to the Lavamatica to do our laundry. I then went shopping at a close by grocery store to pick up some snacks and misc. items that we’d need for an additional week. The big dietary limitation that mom has is NO SUGAR. We’ve learned that cancer absolutely thrives on sugar so you need to do your best to try and starve it. Well, we both have had sugar withdrawals and cravings. I was able to find a sugar free (sin azucar) neapolitan ice cream today. Well, you guessed it, we do have a refrigerator but no freezer, SOooo, we HAD to eat the whole thing quickly so it didn’t melt. We giggled throughout the whole affair.
That brings me to one of the major positive results that we’ve noticed: Mom’s appetite has increased ten fold!!! She has been eating as much and sometimes more than me. Another small improvement is that when we first got here, when we would walk the short distance to the clinic (across the street and up about three buildings) I would be carrying Mom’s portable oxygen generator and she would have to stop two, sometimes three times to catch her breath. The last few days she has been carrying her own oxygen and usually has only stopped once she got to the base of the stairs at the clinic. What I have been calling a “small” improvement the doctors are calling huge because it demonstrates that her body is reacting very positively to the treatments. The severe coughing spasms that mom was having on a regular basis are gone. She has not had one since the first couple of days we were here. She coughs very little now and when she does it is usually productive, getting rid of flem that has been broken up by the therapies.
We continue to be greatly encouraged by the treatments and the results, and we fully expect the improvements to continue well after we come home.
More later.
Emily

Hi All,
One more day of treatments and we’re on our way home!!!!
Mom and I are both glad we stayed another week, but boy are we ready to be HOME.
Mom continues to show “small” signs of improvement and it should continue as she takes her home protocol. There’s only one item that she takes that is VERY unpleasant in taste but she will only take that for another couple of months, tapering off in the amount the second month. For the most part the rest is just taking a bunch of capsules three times a day that she takes by the handfuls. It has been quite an educational experience for both of us being down here and we will try to apply what we’ve learned when we get home. In about a month Mom needs to get another PET scan that will show the true results of the treatments. In the mean time we will take the “small” signs to reflect “big” positive changes.
We’re looking forward to seeing (or talking to) all of you in a few days.
Emily

Hi All,
Just a quick note to let you know that Mom and I made it home safe and sound. We had a few little glitches getting home that caused some delays but no serious problems. Colorado’s March weather held off just long enough for me to get Mom home and settled and for me to get back home myself (almost – Palmer Divide had started accumulating a little snow by the time I drove up the driveway).
More to follow – after I’ve had some sleep….
Emily

* Hospital Santa Monica - Highly Recommended

2007-01-08T21:46:00.000-07:00

Hospital Santa Monica is a holistic health center in Baja California, Mexico just south of San Diego, CA. They specialize in alternative health treatments for cancer patients but they also provide holistic treatment programs for chronic degenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, candidiasis and hepatitis C, and many others.
My mom was scheduled to be treated at Hospital Santa Monica the Monday after Coretta Scott King died at their facility. As CNN reported, "Mrs. King, 78, suffered a stroke and a mild heart attack last August. As part of her rehabilitation, she was receiving further medical treatment at Hospital Santa Monica, a holistic health center, when she died, her sister Edythe Scott Bagley told CNN." Her death had nothing to do with the treatments she received, but it unfortunately turned into a political opportunity for the US FDA to try to shut down the facility by putting pressure on the Mexican government. We were delayed two weeks while they scrambled for another location for treatments while the political mess was straightened out.
Mom spent three weeks at Hospital Santa Monica and received multiple therapies daily to treat her lung cancer. It was a very positive and beneficial visit, both physically and mentally. If Mom had not suffered from unrelated medical complications, I believe that the treatments she received at Hospital Santa Monica would have prolonged and improved her quality of life. You can read the
Update on Alternative Treatments to learn more about the types of treatments Mom received during her visit to Hospital Santa Monica.

* Replace Cannulas and Hoses Often

2007-01-03T12:03:00.001-07:00

People are put on oxygen for many different reasons but the most common are for COPD, heart disease, and congestive heart failure.
Don’t depend on your oxygen supply company for general maintenance of your oxygen equipment. Take responsibility for your own health or that of a loved one. Depending on a supply company to keep track of when your oxygen hoses and cannulas need replacing can turn in to a life threatening situation.
Mom might have avoided a whole chain of events that ended up putting her in the hospital if only her oxygen hoses had been replaced.
Oxygen hoses and cannulas can be affected by many different things; dust particles can build up, moisture buildup due to humidity or the oxygen tank humidifier, kinks in the line, small punctures, etc.
Oxygen hoses should be replaced at least every six weeks, more often depending on the weather and environment. Cannulas should be replaced at least once a month. I recommend they be changed every two or three weeks. A cannula goes in your nose. It can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Replace it often. Regularly clean or replace the oxygen tank humidifier cup. It’s also a breeding ground for bacteria that can dislodge directly into your oxygen supply. Be sure to use distilled water so mineral deposits don’t build up and clog hoses and adapters.
It’s the oxygen supply company’s responsibility to provide these items. Don’t let them talk you in to a longer schedule. Also, have the oxygen supply company check the air flow and pressure all the way to the end of the hose. The delivery people usually carry a very small portable test device that effectively tests these functions.
A good way to remember to replace these items is to put a reminder note on your calendar. I added a scheduled event on my computer calendar. Whenever the reminder popped up on my screen I would call Mom to let her know it was time for a replacement. Because this equipment was a trouble area for Mom, I scheduled the hoses to alert me every 4 weeks and the cannulas popped up every 2 weeks. By using the calendar as a reminder tool we no longer had problems with these simple but critical items.
One last bit of advice. When your nose is dry from the constant oxygen flow, be sure to use only the lubricating cream provided by the oxygen supply company. Under no circumstances should you use petroleum based products such as Vaseline or generic petroleum jelly. These products are flammable, a dangerous combination with oxygen. They can also cause a breakdown and deterioration in the plastic material that cannulas are made of.

* Congestive Heart Failure

2006-12-31T09:48:00.000-07:00

Written 08/11/2006 – 09/10/2006

Mom checked herself into the hospital again because of extreme weakness and trouble breathing. It turns out her blood oxygen level was dangerously low.

Here I have included updates to my family and friends so that you might understand the roller coaster ride that care givers experience. Hopefully my account will help others to cope and support each other:

Hi All,
Mom was moved to a room on the Physical Therapy floor and started some treatments this afternoon. Basically, they got her on her feet and walking a few steps with a walker, and teaching her how to breath correctly to keep her oxygen level up.
In dealing with all the issues of cancer and COPD, the third disease that she’s had for years has been ignored, that is heart disease. The doctor feels that Mom could be dealing with some heart failure along with everything else. Congestive Heart Failure is not something that I have researched until last night and did not know that it could very well be the cause of her current problems. I thought it strictly affected the heart when in fact it can cause congested lungs, swollen ankles, fatigue, weakness, confusion, a feeling of fullness, loss of appetite, all of which Mom has been experiencing the last few weeks and more so now.
Unless Mom makes some miraculous improvement (she’s surprised us before) the doctor does not anticipate her leaving the hospital without a lot of home care or a nursing home. The doctor has NOT stated this to Mom and neither have I, so DO NOT bring it up in a phone conversation. The doctor does not want to dump too much on her at this stage and just wants to try and get her stronger. I have not talked to the doctor today, but yesterday he was still leaning toward the infection getting her down and only mentioned heart failure as an aside. He feels that if the infection can be cleared up she’ll be able to regain some strength.
So, that’s it for now.
Emily

Hi All,
So, here’s the latest on Mom… Monday afternoon the doctor was talking about possibly moving Mom to a nursing home where he anticipated that she may last a month.
On Tuesday, Mom was then moved to the Physical Therapy floor to see if she could regain some of her strength.
On Wednesday, she seemed to sound stronger and feel a little better, but Emily told me that the nurses wanted to make sure that the family understood the dire condition that Mom was in.
This morning about 10am I talked to the doctor and he was talking about putting Mom back on Hospice, moving her to the hospice floor, and just trying to make her as comfortable as possible. In the course of the conversation he stated that he felt she only had a few days to live. I asked him to clarify his statement since only Monday he had given her a month. He stated that the physical therapists were very concerned that Mom’s oxygen level would drop drastically at the least effort, like just sitting up in a chair. I left work and got to the hospital around 11am. I had just missed the doctor but he had written in her chart to continue physical therapy and a normal diet. To add to the confusion, Mom had both an upper and lower GI done this morning – doesn’t sound like comfort care to me. In addition, Mom devoured her lunch, and looked and sounded better than I’ve seen her in weeks. I got a phone message from the doctor about 1:30pm stating that Mom was eating better, breathing better, feeling better, and moving around better. He said he would talk to me again in a couple of days.
Go figure… Is this Mom doing better just before the end? Possibly. Is this Mom showing us what she’s made of and fighting to get better? Very likely, she has surprised us in the past. Is this a doctor’s hour by hour best guess? Most definitely.
So, now you are as bewildered as I am. Should you come? When should you come? I have no idea. You have to follow your own heart on this one.
Emily

Hi All,
So, it was the doctor’s best guess at the time. I got a message update and then talked to the doctor directly this afternoon. The doctor stated that Mom was doing better yesterday and much better today. He's thinking that she had a very bad day on Wednesday but is now about the same as when she came into the hospital. He is no longer pushing Hospice and morphine, and is back to watching her progress. He said that he might have overreacted yesterday morning since Mom had such a bad day on Wednesday. He plans to leave her were she's at for now and continue the physical therapy to get Mom stronger. She is on an extended stay floor and can be there for 20 days. He does not anticipate her being there that long and is back to his original plan of getting her to where she can go back to her apartment with home help. All good news...
Emily

And then one last email to a friend:

Well, I’ve put this off long enough and I still can’t bring myself to call you, so this will have to do for now.
My Mamma died last Sunday, September 3, 2006. She was in the hospital for two weeks fighting an infection and suffering some heart failure. The doctor “said” that he had both under control. Personally, I think that Mom had been experiencing heart failure for at least a month. Anyway, she went from the hospital into a nursing home for a little over a week but was not gaining any strength back.
My brother had been scheduled to visit Memorial Day weekend and arrived on Saturday morning. My middle sister had been here for about two weeks, and my oldest sister arrived on Thursday before the weekend. So, all of Mom’s kids were here to visit on Saturday. We all had a feeling she was not going to be with us much longer and we each said goodbye in our own way. Sunday morning Mom got out of bed and her heart just gave up. It’s like she said, “I’ve seen you all one more time, now I’m out of here, I’ll see you later”. Official cause of death is Respiratory Failure as a consequence of lung cancer and COPD but I think it was the heart disease that actually took her.

* Morphine and COPD, Deadly Combo

2006-12-31T09:30:00.000-07:00

Kaiser also promotes free rein of Morphine administration to their hospice
doctors and nurses:

http://www.kaiserpapers.org/hos.html

* Hospice, Morphine, and COPD

2006-12-31T09:12:00.000-07:00

For another perspective on the Mophine / COPD issue, check out what Hospice Patients Alliance has to say:

http://www.hospicepatients.org/no-prn-morphine-copd.html

* Morphine Contraindications

2006-12-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

The following is an abbreviated list of Morphine Contraindications. For complete documentation go to:http://www.themediweb.net/pharmacy/Morphine.htm#1

While reading keep in mind that my mom had lung cancer, COPD, heart disease, hypothyroidism, and she was on full time oxygen because of respiratory depression.

Contraindications for use;

Note: Several of the following conditions may be listed under both ‘contraindications for use’ and ‘cautions for use’ as several different products are included under the one heading. Generally the oral preparations have stricter notes on contraindications than the parenteral preparations. The treating physician/surgeon needs to weigh the benefits of treating vulnerable patients with morphine against the risk of harm to the patient caused by using morphine. Morphine can generally be used if extreme caution is employed in tandem with close patient monitoring and dose titration in the patient groups mentioned below.

Respiratory depression, head injury, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), known morphine sensitivity or sensitivity to any of the ingredients of any morphine preparation, acute hepatic disease and concurrent use or use within 2 weeks of discontinuation of a Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor antidepressant. Oral preparations in general should not be given to patients with paralytic ileus, an acute abdomen or delayed gastric emptying. Sevredol should additionally not be given in pregnancy and to children aged 3 or under. MST should not be used for post-operative pain in children, in lactating mothers or for administration pre-operatively. MXL should not be given in the first day postoperatively and finally sustained release preparations should not be given within 24 hours pre-operatively to patients undergoing a cordotomy or other pain relieving surgery

Cautions for use;

The dosage should be reduced in the elderly, in those patients with hypothyroidism and in significant renal or hepatic impairment. Continuous infusions are contraindicated in these patients.

Morphine should also be used with caution in opiate dependant patients, patients with raised intracranial pressure, hypotension with hypovolaemia, pancreatitis, diseases of the biliary tract, inflammatory bowel disorders, prostatic hypertrophy and adrenocorticoid insufficiency, myxoedema, urethral stricture, acute alcoholism or delerium tremens, Addison’s disease, severe kyphoscoliosis or convulsive disorders. Oral sustained release preparations should not be used postoperatively as intestinal motility is affected and should only be used when the physician/surgeon is satisfied that normal bowel motility has been restored.

Respiratory depression is the chief hazard of all morphine preparations. It occurs more frequently in elderly and debilitated patients and in those suffering from conditions accompanied by hypoxia or hypercapnia when even moderate therapeutic doses may significantly decrease pulmonary ventilation.

Morphine should be used with extreme caution in patients with COPD or cor pulmonale and in those patients with a substantially decreased respiratory reserve, hypoxia, hypercapnia or pre-existing respiratory depression. In these patients even usual therapeutic doses of morphine may increase airway resistance and decrease respiratory drive to the point of apnoea. Note: Severe pain antagonises the respiratory depressant effects of morphine.

* Morphine and COPD Don't Mix

2006-12-31T08:50:00.000-07:00

Written 04/18/2006

Dear Dr. [ ],

FYI pertaining to my Mom:

I believe I’ve identified the very likely cause of my Mom collapsing and ending up in the emergency room for the second time in a week and a half. Here is a record of the chain of events that led up to it.

Mom came home on Sunday March 19, from an alternative cancer treatment center feeling better than she had in many months, with more energy, and breathing better
On her way home she had trouble with the altitude in Black Forest but stabilized once she got home to Pueblo.
Over the week her energy and breathing slowly declined to where on Friday March 24 she checked into the ER and found that her oxygen level was extremely low - in the 50s. Once she was warmed up and on hospital oxygen her level stabilized in the 90s. An X-ray was clear other than expected cancer and COPD – no pneumonia. An EKG came back normal. Once stabilized, she was sent home.
The oxygen company was called to check out her equipment. The concentrator was checked and calibrated and her oxygen tube was switched to a liquid oxygen tank as a precaution. The tube and canella were not checked or replaced.
By Saturday April 1 Mom was again feeling a lack of energy and shortness of breath but decided to keep a previously planned shopping trip with a friend. While shopping she was using her portable oxygen unit and started feeling better.
Sunday morning April 2 Mom was again having a very difficult time breathing and no energy. I had her call the oxygen company and the hospice nurse. The oxygen company said that her tubing was clogged and replaced it along with the canella. The hospice nurse started administering Morphine to help with anxiety and breathing. When I arrived I questioned the Morphine because my Mom was not in pain or had she ever been in pain due to the cancer. I noticed that Mom was breathing through her mouth and repeatedly reminded her to breathe through her nose. After the oxygen company brought a mask at the request of the nurse, Mom’s oxygen level finally stabilized in the 90s. By this time she was pretty well out of it from the Morphine and slept most of the afternoon.
On Monday April 3 the hospice nurse came by to check on Mom. She administered more Morphine and then left my Mom by herself. My aunt brought dinner for my Mom later and she ate most of it. About 9:30 pm my aunt tried calling Mom and it was busy. Since it is unusual for my Mom to be on the phone at that time of night, my aunt got concerned and went over to her house. She found my Mom collapsed on the floor and only barely conscious. She was taken to the ER where the ER Doctor ordered an X-ray to evaluate her condition but the hospice nurse canceled the order stating that it would not be paid for by Medicare. She was moved to a private room where more Morphine was administered on a regular basis. Albuteral lung treatments were administered, but no tests were ordered to evaluate her true condition.
Throughout her treatment both at home and at the hospital I continued to question the use of Morphine. On April 5 Mom said that she did not want any more Morphine because of the way it made her feel. At the same time, hospice was discontinued and Dr. Shapiro was called in to take over her care. A Dextrose drip, antibiotics, and a steroid for her breathing were ordered and administered. A blood work and CT scan were also ordered. Mom took a sudden turn for the better.
Mom was discharged from the hospital on April 8 and has continued to improve on a daily basis.
On the evening of April 16 we dodged yet another bullet by noticing the oxygen tank was dangerously near empty. The oxygen company was called and the tank was filled.
Not having any answers as to why Mom collapsed, I began researching all of the medications that Mom was / is taking and found some very disturbing information about Morphine and COPD.

I believe that Mom’s body was already compromised by the two weeks of oxygen level fluctuations and slow oxygen depravation that was then compounded by the Morphine. The night that Mom collapsed it was apparent that she had thrown up due to regurgitated remains of her dinner in the trash can. I feel that the Morphine made her sick and also caused her to pass out and possibly stop breathing for a short time. Continued administration of Morphine in the hospital hindered her recovery progress.

Attached is the information on Morphine that I have based my assumptions on. I know that all this is speculative and behinds us now, but for the future I have advised my Mom to refuse any further administration of Morphine or any of its derivatives.

I ask that you please keep this in mind with other COPD patients so that they do not have to go through the same agonizing experience or worse. I also ask that you make the hospice doctors and nurses aware of this so that they do not just follow standard practice with COPD patients and administer Morphine at the drop of a hat.

Thanks you for your time.

* Update on Morphine Overdose

2006-12-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

Written 04/18/2006

Hi All,
As many of you already know, the all encompassing "we" have had a very stressful and worrisome few weeks with Mom. It wasn't until yesterday that I felt I had some viable answers to what put her in the hospital. This is a brief summary of what I believe happened:
Not having any answers from the doctors as to why Mom collapsed, I began researching all of the medications that Mom was / is taking and found some very disturbing information about Morphine and COPD (emphysema).
I believe that Mom’s body was already compromised by the two weeks of oxygen level fluctuations and slow oxygen depravation due to faulty equipment, that was then compounded by the administration of Morphine (the whole Morphine issue is a long story in itself). The night that Mom collapsed it was apparent that she had been sick to her stomach and vomited. I feel that the Morphine made her sick and also caused her to pass out and possibly stop breathing for a short time. Continued administration of Morphine in the hospital hindered her recovery progress.
I have passed on the detailed information of my assumptions to her doctors for their information and for Mom's records. In the mean time, Mom is recovering at home and making daily improvements from the stress her body was subjected to.
The good news in all of this is that the CT scan done in the hospital showed that her tumor has shrunk by about 29%! This should help alleviate some of the stress on her breathing caused by the COPD. Hopefully as Mom stays on her home protocol, the tumor will continue to shrink, providing added relief to her breathing.
We are looking forward to the time when Mom can again run races in Wal-Mart with their motorized shopping carts J
Emily

* CEA Results

2006-12-31T08:46:00.000-07:00

Written 03/30/2006

Hi All,
Mom got her blood test results back and it was very encouraging. Her CEA has dropped down to 10.5. Once I charted her CEA results over the last year and a half and could “see” the progress I was very excited. See the attached file. The drop that occurred in February and March of 2005 was due to the traditional chemo and radiation treatments she received. The drop in March of 2006 happened in a three week time span due to naturopathic treatments. With the continued daily use of the home protocol we hope that it will continue to drop.
Mom finally received her order of Germanium to be used in the nebulizer. So far she has used it three times and has had excellent results in “getting the crud out of her lungs”. She coughs very little (no more violent coughing spasms) and when she does it is very productive.
Overall Mom is doing very good. She even went shopping with a friend yesterday – they had races thru Wal-Mart in the electric carts.
More updates as I have them.
Emily

* Update on Alternative Treatments

2006-12-31T08:32:00.000-07:00

Written 03/28/2006

Hi All,
Well, we’ve been home about a week and all is going well – AFTER a little scare Mom decided to give us. Without going into a lot of detail, the oxygen generator that Mom uses while at home was working intermittently. Until it was discovered, it caused a lot of anxiety, stress, and concern for “everyone”. Thanks Aunt [ ] for being there!!! We will be getting a portable blood/oxygen meter so that Mom can keep track of her own blood/oxygen level and give us all peace of mind.
Mom is now getting her energy back and eating well again. She went in for a blood test last week and should be getting the results back sometime this week. Hopefully a PET scan will be scheduled in a couple of week and will show the detailed results of her treatments.
For those who enjoy the more technical aspects of the treatments Mom received while at Hospital Santa Monica, I have included a brief description of each below.
Enjoy,
Emily

Every day (Monday thru Saturday) Mom received six different therapies;
Chelation drip: contained EDTA (a blood thinner and a known cancer fighting agent), hydrogen peroxide, multi vitamins with heavy doses of C and B complex, and trace minerals. This therapy not only acted as a detoxification but oxygenated the blood and provided mega doses of vitamins and minerals to boost the immune system.
Water Massage: Helps improve circulation, break down flem, extreme relaxation
Spinalator: Roller type massage table; helps improve circulation, break down
flem, relaxation
Mag Ray Light: Focused far-infrared heat that penetrates the body by 1.5 inches. It duplicates the healing properties of the sun.
Hyperthermia Lamps: Shortwave microwave heat that penetrates the skin. It attacks and destroys cancer cell membranes, thus killing the cancer cell, without damaging normal cells.
Far-Infrared Chamber: Same as the Mag Ray only a whole body therapy. It is known to remove heavy metals, relieve muscular and other pain such as arthritis and sprains, strengthens the cardiovascular system, lowers blood pressure and relieves stress.

On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mom received IPT (Insulin Potentiation Therapy) or Potentiated Microdose Chemotherapy. This therapy is approved by the U.S. National Institute of Health but is practiced by very few. Basically how it works is that insulin is used to bring the blood glucose to below 50mg/dl. Minute amounts of chemotherapy are introduced in conjunction with the glucose necessary to bring blood glucose levels back to normal. This creates a concentration of the chemotherapy agent in the cancer cells because of the extra amounts of insulin receptor sites on the cancer cells. This results in an exceptional uptake of the chemotherapy by cancer cells. This therapy makes perfect sense to me and appears to have greatly benefited mom where traditional chemotherapy failed.

During the second week of treatments mom was provided with a nebulizer with Germanium in it. This therapy is very good at opening the bronchial tubes, breaking down flem, oxygenating the whole body, not just the lungs, and building up white blood cells and the immune system to better kill cancer cells.

In addition to the treatments, her “home protocol” both while at the clinic and continuing at home includes mega doses of vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements, along with continued use of a nebulizer. The protocol is designed specifically for lung cancer and contains known substances to boost the immune system while destroying cancer cells.

* Sugar Feeds Cancer - Letter to doctors

2006-12-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

Written 03/11/2006

Dear Dr.[ ],
I’m the daughter of [Mom] who you have treated for lung cancer since February of 2005. I’m writing you because I believe you are a truly compassionate person who cares deeply for your patients.
After treating my mom with both chemotherapy and radiation simultaneously, we found that not only had the tumor not shrunk but it had actually grown somewhat. After monitoring my mom’s condition for six months it was determined that there was no other treatment that could benefit her. In late December of 2005 she was told that her life expectancy was measured in months and it was suggested that she go on Hospice.
My mom decided that she was not going to just roll over and wait to die. She chose to go to a Mexican holistic clinic to receive alternative treatments. The treatments have been extremely beneficial and I would be glad to share the details with you if you’re interested.
While discussing the different treatments and how they affect cancer cells, we learned that cancer cells thrive on sugar, so much so because cancer cells have from 10 to 100 times the number of insulin receptors of normal cells. This information raised a great concern in me since the radiation department provided my mom with cases of Resource to help boost her energy and gain weight. My understanding is that Resource is packed with sugar. It seems totally counter productive to try to kill cancer with chemotherapy and radiation and then feed it with mega doses of sugar. I also remember the radiation department provided cookies in the waiting area for the patients.
I don’t believe that you are one to knowingly counteract your own treatment and hinder the expected results. I’m asking you to please research this further and counsel your patients to stop eating sugar in any form.
There is one particular treatment that my mom received in Mexico that I would like to share. It is called IPT (Insulin Potentiation Therapy) or Potentiated Microdose Chemotherapy. This therapy is approved by the U.S. National Institute of Health but is practiced by very few. Basically how it works is that insulin is used to bring the blood glucose to below 50mg/dl. Minute amounts of chemotherapy are introduced in conjunction with the glucose necessary to bring blood glucose levels back to normal. This creates a concentration of the chemotherapy agent in the cancer cells because of the extra amounts of insulin receptor sites on the cancer cells. This results in an exceptional uptake of the chemotherapy by cancer cells. This therapy makes perfect sense to me and appears to have greatly benefited my mom where traditional chemotherapy has failed.
I ask that you share this information with your oncology associates. It is my greatest hope that doctors like you who truly want to cure their patients will research this further and implement it as part of their treatment protocol.
With the opening of [ ] Hospital’s new cancer center, let’s make it truly cutting edge by getting some of these new technologies implemented.
Thank you very much for your time.

* Mom's medical history

2006-12-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

My Mom is 79 years old. She has COPD and lung cancer. She is a survivor of a massive heart attack and a hospice administered morphine overdose. I’m telling her story in the hope that others may be spared the lessons that she has learned the hard way.
My Mom smoked most of her adult life. It was not until she had a massive heart attack at age 66 and underwent triple by-pass surgery that she decided she had to quit smoking. The next twelve or so years were probably the most healthy years of her life. She made lifestyle changes, started eating healthy, and exercising regularly. Then she was diagnosed with COPD. She never remembered being told she had COPD. She found out when she was contacted by an organization conducting tests on people with COPD. This organization acquired my Mom’s name and contact information from Medicare. The organization explained that Medicare had just changed its policy on certain treatments for COPD patients and they were running tests to see who could benefit from the new policies. Based on only one blood oxygen level test and lifestyle history, this organization told my Mom that she needed to be on full time, 24 hour oxygen. They stated this with such urgency that my Mom was greatly alarmed and oxygen delivery was set up immediately. Up to this time Mom had experienced shortness of breath to a small extent but she was still exercising regularly in a monitored environment and at no time did her vital signs appear out of the norm. Mom continued her exercise routine on a regular basis while using a portable oxygen tank.
Mom had been on full time oxygen for about a year when she checked herself into the hospital because of chest pain. It turns out that she had pneumonia but they also found a 5cm cancerous tumor in her right lung. I’ve always felt that if more tests had been run when they first put her on oxygen the tumor would have been found earlier, and may have been the cause of her shortness of breath.
After consideration of both traditional and naturopathic cancer treatments, Mom opted for chemo and radiation. After 7.5 weeks of radiation and 12 weeks of chemo all Mom had to show for it was a tumor that had increased in size, burned, damaged lungs from the radiation, and extreme fatigue and weak immune system from the chemo.
After the traditional treatment failed, in June of 2005 Mom was put in a watch and wait mode. By December of 2005 her tumor had grown to 7cm and Mom was told by her oncologist that there was nothing more he could do for her. She was told that her life was measured in months, and hospice was offered as an option.
Mom decided that she was not going to just roll over and wait to die. We aggressively started investigating naturopathic options. I found a hospital in Mexico who’s approach to cancer treatment made perfect sense. We made arrangements to travel to Mexico in March of 2006, a major challenge when needing full time oxygen. Her treatments there were very aggressive while being totally non-invasive. After three weeks of treatments, she returned home feeling better than she had in months. Unfortunately, she returned home to a multitude of problems.
Here is a record of the chain of events that led up to my Mom collapsing and ending up in the emergency room:
Mom returned home on Sunday March 19, from an alternative cancer treatment center in Mexico feeling better than she had in many months, with more energy, and breathing better. On her way home she had trouble with the altitude but stabilized once she got home. Over the week her energy and breathing slowly declined to where on Friday March 24 she checked into the ER and found that her oxygen level was extremely low - in the 50s. Once she was warmed up and on hospital oxygen her level stabilized in the 90s. An X-ray was clear other than expected cancer and COPD – no pneumonia. An EKG came back normal. Once stabilized, she was sent home. The oxygen company was called to check out her equipment. The concentrator was checked and calibrated and her oxygen tube was switched to a liquid oxygen tank as a precaution. The tubing and cannula were NOT checked or replaced. By Saturday April 1 Mom was again feeling a lack of energy and shortness of breath but decided to keep a previously planned shopping trip with a friend. While shopping she was using her portable oxygen unit and started feeling better. Sunday morning April 2 Mom was again having a very difficult time breathing and no energy. I had her call the oxygen company and the hospice nurse. The oxygen company said that her tubing was clogged and replaced it along with the cannula. The hospice nurse started administering Morphine AND Lorazepam to help with anxiety and breathing. When I arrived I questioned the Morphine because my Mom was not in pain or had she ever been in pain due to the cancer or COPD. I noticed that Mom was breathing through her mouth and repeatedly reminded her to breathe through her nose. After the oxygen company brought a mask at the request of the nurse, Mom’s oxygen level finally stabilized in the 90s. By this time she was pretty well out of it from the Morphine and slept most of the afternoon. On Monday April 3 the hospice nurse came by to check on Mom. She administered more Morphine AND Lorazepam and then left my Mom by herself. My aunt brought dinner for my Mom later and she ate most of it. About 9:30 pm my aunt tried calling Mom and it was busy. Since it is unusual for my Mom to be on the phone at that time of night, my aunt got concerned and went over to her house. She found my Mom collapsed on the floor and only barely conscious. She was taken to the ER where the ER Doctor ordered an X-ray to evaluate her condition but the hospice nurse canceled the order stating that it would not be paid for by Medicare. She was moved to a private room where more Morphine was administered on a regular basis. Albuterol nebulizer therapy was the only treatment administered, and no tests were ordered to evaluate her true condition.
Throughout her treatment both at home and at the hospital I continued to question the use of Morphine. On April 5th Mom said that she did not want any more Morphine because of the way it made her feel. At the same time, hospice was discontinued and Mom’s lung specialist was called in to take over her care. A Dextrose drip, antibiotics, and Prednisone for her breathing were ordered and administered. A blood work and CT scan were also ordered. Mom made a remarkable recovery, was discharged from the hospital on April 8th., and has continued to improve on a daily basis.
On the evening of April 16th yet another problem was avoided when we noticed that the oxygen tank was dangerously near empty. The oxygen company was called and the tank was filled.
Many issues came out of this chain of events. Mom started having problems due to faulty oxygen equipment. Tubing and cannulas which were scheduled to be changed at least once a month had not been changed in over four months. Then due to recommendations from friends and family Mom decided to sign up for hospice because of the many “benefits” that they provide. During their “sales pitch” there was no hint that you were giving up all rights to medical care except what “they” consider comfort care. At the time that Mom was considering going on hospice I specifically asked “what would she be giving up”. I was told “nothing”, she would only be receiving all of the benefits that hospice has to offer. While Mom was in the hospital, I ended up firing hospice to get the tests and treatments she needed.
Not having any answers as to why Mom collapsed, I began researching all of the medications that Mom was / is taking and found some very disturbing information about Morphine and COPD. Morphine should be used with “extreme caution for patients with COPD”. It can cause apnoea and heart failure. Also, Morphine should never be administered along with other benzodiazepines such as Lorazepam, which is a common practice for hospice nurses.
I believe that Mom’s body was already compromised by the two weeks of oxygen level fluctuations and slow oxygen depravation due to oxygen equipment failure. Her condition was then compounded by the administration of Morphine. The night that Mom collapsed it was apparent that she had thrown up. I feel that the Morphine made her sick and also caused her to pass out and possibly stop breathing for a short time. Continued administration of Morphine in the hospital only hindered her recovery progress.
Also, due to oxygen depravation from both the equipment failure and the Morphine overdose, Mom’s short term memory has been seriously damaged. At times she will remember nothing about the day before. At other times she will remember some but be confused about the details. Hopefully over time this condition will heal itself.
Fortunately several positive things came out of her fight with Morphine. First, the CT scan that was finally done in the hospital was compared to the PET scan done in December and it showed that the cancer tumor had shrunk by almost 30%. The treatments in Mexico were definitely doing some good.
During my continued research, I found that Morphine, Prednisone, and lack of oxygen can all cause and accelerate the formation of cataracts. Mom has had slow growing cataracts for a couple of years. During her stay in the hospital, Mom’s eyesight became extremely hazy. She went from reading four books while in Mexico to not being able to read the newspaper almost overnight. Mom is now scheduled to have the cataracts replaced with implants that will allow her to continue the reading that she loves.
I know that this account is long and drawn out but I would like others to be aware of some of the pitfalls that can be avoided when dealing with COPD and hospice.

* More About Emily

2006-12-28T20:16:00.000-07:00

For years I've been concerned about our food supply and the fact that it is greatly depleted of the very nutrients that keep us healthy. I’ve tried to eat healthy and supplement my diet with quality vitamins, minerals, and herbs. Unfortunately, trying to stay healthy is expensive. My number one pet peeve is “only the wealthy can afford to be healthy”.
Although I’ve been interested in alternative medicine for some time, it wasn’t until my mom was diagnosed with lung cancer that I really started digging to find alternatives to the standard treatments for cancer of surgery, chemo, and radiation.
In my quest to help my mom I spent a lot of time researching and helping her implement the information I found. I discovered many positive alternatives that are posted here. With my mom’s permission, I have posted a short history of her health during her later life so that others might learn from her experiences and hopefully avoid some of the pit falls that overcame her.
My ultimate desire is for you to benefit from the research I’ve done and be more healthy and wise because of it. Please feel free to share your own stories about alternative health issues.