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.
Showing posts with label Cancer Treatment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cancer Treatment. Show all posts
Sunday, January 14, 2007
* Adventures in Mexico at Hospital Santa Monica
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
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
Sunday, December 31, 2006
* Congestive Heart Failure
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)