Memorial Day - Another long one but it's been awhile

• It seems wierd to not be having a BBQ today or going to a BBQ. Today is the beginning of Ric's second set of 5 days without supplements. It's also the beginning of a 2 day detox routine - the last one of this months - from here on out he will only have to do one detox per month (other than twice a day coffee enemas). The first month you do all 3 detox routines (Liver flush, Clean Sweep & Purge) to really clean out the body of all the toxins that have been building up over the years. This one is the Purge - a gallon of fresh citrus juice (grapefruit, oranges and lemons) to drink each day for today and tomorrow with nothing to eat except maybe an orange for dinner. He can also drink as much water as he needs. This one puts his body at rest and aids in the rapid removal of metabolic wastes from his body. It also pushes his body into an alkaline state so that repair and rebuilding of his damaged tissues occurs rapidly. He may feel symptoms such as nausea, headaches, muscle aches and pains. So we will see how this one affects him. The other two he pretty much breezed through.
• I've been meaning to update the blog for awhile now but it seems I have little time to do so. This 5 day break is nice as it will allow us to have a bit more freedom to not have to stick to such a rigid schedule as we do when Ric is on the supplements. It's easy to get off schedule as it only takes a minor hiccup to put him behind an hour or two which shifts everything. We've found getting back on schedule is a bit difficult but then he has only done two of the 10 day supplement schedules so far. Also having to make sure he gets meals at specific times can be challenging when things are already behind schedule. But we are doing the best we can to adjust to the new routine and we still feel that this is the best treatment for Ric. We can see the difference in him every day. The one thing that has really bothered him is that he is always cold. But when you lose 24 lbs in only a few weeks that will take a toll on you and the weather has really sucked so that isn't helping. He has gained 2 lbs back - Praise God! His appetite has picked way up - there are some days that he amazes me that he is actually putting away that much food since he started out with so little of an appetite.
• The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2010 there will have been 1,529,560 new cancer cases in the United States. Does anyone else find that statistic just out of control? Why are a million and a half people going to get cancer? 34,500 will have been in the State of Washington. I thought we were one of the healthiest states in the U.S. Have you taken a look at what you are putting into your body? There is so much crap in the food we eat especially processed foods and fast foods. I read labels before but not like I do these days. There are so many preservatives put into foods - which are NOT good for you. If it preserves the food what is it doing to your body? Sorry if you feel like I am preaching to you but just like everything else you should do your own research and not think that just because it is in your grocery store it must be safe. There are some drugs that do good things for people who need them but they all have their side effects that may cause more problems for you. Don't take the quick and easy way for things. I know that goes against the American Way but all you are doing is hurting yourself and affecting your loved ones. If you get cancer or another critical illness you will be affecting EVERYONE around you. Take control of your health and do the right thing for your body.
• We are so thankful and blessed by all the support, love and prayers we are getting from everyone. We know that there are some out there who are wondering if Ric is taking the "right" path in his treatment. Everyone should take control of their own healthcare and do what they believe is right for them. This is what we believe and what Ric is doing. We are thankful that we have options and are not forced to go one path only. We have been truly blessed to be able to choose the option that is best for Ric.
• One last thing because it is Memorial Day - we thank God for all those throughout our country's history who have made the ultimate sacrifice in giving up their lives to defend our freedoms in this country. Never ever take those freedoms for granted.

Saturday

Yea finally a day to sleep in a little and not have a million things to do (only a couple hundred) :) We had pancakes for breakfast today! Found a whole grain pancake mix at Whole Foods that did not have nasty stuff in it and it actually tastes really good. Ric was craving pancakes so was glad I found it for him. Ah the little things that bring us joy! Finally got myself organized and set up a full weeks menu so that I'm not trying to wing it every day. Winging it is not my style but it has been a teaching moment - I did it and I survived it but in order to save my sanity I must be organized. Also then my poor husband does not get the same thing every other day. Been finding some good recipes - thanks to all my friends who have assisted in that! Mom came over for a couple days to help us with things and that was certainly a blessing. Tomorrow Ric will be off the supplements for 5 days which means not having to wake up at 1:30am to take the enzymes so I know he will enjoy that. But since he's been doing that for the last 10 days I am sure that his body will wake him up anyway. We put in almost a full week of work - was off on Monday - not full days yet but about 5-6 hrs at the office. He really enjoys being back at work. It has been 8 weeks since "C" day and 7 weeks since surgery. Ric looks better every day and is getting stronger every day. Still trying to put on some weight but it's a bit difficult when the majority of your diet is vegetables and fruits. With his appetite increasing hopefully that will start happening - he would feel more comfortable with about 5-7 lbs back on. Please keep the prayers coming especially regarding continued healing and some weight gain!

Busy Busy Busy

Sorry it's been so long since I last updated the blog. We have been busy! First just trying to get used to Ric's new schedule of all the things he has to do in a day and because the best food is fresh food, I feel like when I'm home I'm preparing food for that day and then getting ready for the next day. Ric has to take 16 pancreatic enzymes every 4 hours and then takes 27 supplement capsules at breakfast & dinner and 23 at lunch. The supplements are various ones - vitamins and minerals that he is deficient in or to help build up his system. Since he's never been a "pill" taker going from nothing to 181 every day pretty much throughout the day has been a real challenge. For him just getting them down and for me as the control freak trying to make sure he's taking them when he's supposed to take them. Along with trying to make sure he gets the proper servings of the various foods that he is supposed to eat during the day so far it's been rather overwhelming. But we both know that it's a matter of getting used to the schedule and getting more organized so it all just eventually flows. We also headed to Southern California on Friday afternoon for a long weekend so that just made things a little more complicated. We were really getting stressed (especially me since this is the only thing I can control at this point) until my wonderful husband put it all into perspective while we were down south. "We have only been into this program for about 12 days now and we can't expect it to be perfect right away! We need to do the best we can at getting used to it but we also need to relax and enjoy ourselves." So we did just that. We did have a great time in So. Cal. Holly & I were originally going down to attend her college roommate Marciea's Master's of Education graduation from Loyola Marymount University. Since I was going to stay home with Ric, he decided he wanted to go with us. We had recently found out that his former boss at Southland, Frank was fighting cancer also so we were able to meet up with him. Ric & Frank had a great time comparing their surgery scars and talking about all the "fun" they've been going through lately - their scars are basically the same - they had me take a picture of them showing their bellys - boys will be boys. Frank was diagnosed in November last year so he's a little farther along in his surgery recovery. We enjoyed hanging out with Marciea (one of our other daughters), her parents Wendy & Lester (Holly's California parents) and our former coworker at Southland Nancy and her husband John (also known as Holly's California grandparents). We also got to see a few of Holly's Vanguard University softball teammates so that was fun. Ric did really well in the traveling and the activities that we did while there. We got back late last night and were back at work today. Ric put in a pretty decent day today and is feeling stronger every day. His appetite really picked up this weekend which was good to see. He's really getting antsy to get back on the riding lawnmower to mow the yard - ummm maybe in another couple weeks. Anyway that's where we are at now. Thanks so much for your thoughts, prayers, phone calls, etc. It's so nice to have so many people supporting us!

Back Home

Sorry I have been so busy since we got back have not had a chance to update the blog. We had travel issues on the way back - because of the bad weather over there our plane was over 3 hours delayed. So instead of getting back at 9:30pm on Thursday night we did not get back till 12:10am which meant not getting to bed till about 1:30am. That wore us both out so Friday was pretty much a resting day. We did have to make a trip to the store to get what we needed to start on the new diet & detox regimen. Supplements don't start till after Ric does the Liver Flush (takes 5 days for the whole process). This helps remove calcium and lipids from the arteries, normalizes cholesterol metabolism, dissolves & softens any gallstones, forces out wastes, bile and stones which all lowers cholesterol levels and improves liver function. So we are not allowed to use our microwave to heat up food. Microwaving destroys certain critical nutrients such as vitamin B6. No deep fried foods. Cooking utensils only stainless steel, non-lead enamel or glass to contact the food (without nonstick surface) - avoiding aluminum cookware. Ric is classified as a Moderate Vegetarian Metabolizer - his body will use most efficiently a diet consisting of mostly plant based foods (vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds). He has to have 70% of his food uncooked - lots of fresh made juice (Thanks Molly & Cindy for the juicer!) will be part of his uncooked diet along with salads & fruits & veggies. No red meat or poultry. Nothing with vinegar. Only flaxseed, olive or sesame oil. Never boil vegetables - they lose many water soluble vitamins and minerals in the water - must steam, bake and occasional stir fry (1-2 times weekly at most). All fruits except cranberries - no canned, processed and sweetened fruits. Whole grain breads, cereals, pasta & rice and organic. No white bread, white pasta and white rice as these are nutritionally depleted foods. (includes fortified or enriched - these are still processed). He can have up to 3 organic, free range eggs every day and fish twice a week. His protein will also come from legumes. Lots of other miscellaneous things. Had to put together a calender on when he does what - 10 days on supplements, 5 days off - 3 different detox routines to do the first month then rotate one per month. Also had to put together a list of what he has to eat/drink each day so we can make sure he does it. No white sugar - can have organic honey, organic maple syrup or organic molasses. Nuts of all types are allowed except peanuts and peanut butter - peanuts harbor a mold that produces a very potent carcinogen (this sucks cuz we both like peanuts and peanut butter). There's even more to it than this - so that's why I had to do the list and calendar to keep it all straight. FYI - this is a specific individualized diet for Ric. There are lots of good things in it that all people should follow but because of his individual makeup and what he is deficient in between the diet and the supplements they will balance out his system and get him to be as healthy as possible as well as work on the cancer - not allowing it anything that will assist in it growing. He will be reevaluated every 6 months to see what if anything needs to change. Some people get to be on a diet that consists of red meat, poultry etc that may not do as well on a mainly vegetarian diet - everyone is different. I will be doing most of this type of diet because it is easier to prepare for two but I believe that I am one who does fine on occasional red meat and poultry. Ric really doesn't like either of those so this diet actually should work well with him as he loves fruits and veggies of all kinds. We really liked Dr. Isaacs - spent over 3 hours going through everything so that we understood exactly what Ric is to do and recorded it so we can play it back whenever we need to. Everyone we met was really nice. We now have a small studio apt in New Jersey across the river from Manhattan that we can stay in for cheap due to a lady we met on the airplane that has a business here in Seattle and in New Jersey. She gave us her card and said to let her know when we would need it and if she's not there would let us use it. We decided to rent a towncar to get back to Newark Airport since it was so nasty out rather than walking to the train station and catching the train back. The hotel clerk helped us get the car and Mario the owner/driver originally from Columbia got to hear our story along the way as he & Ric talked. Mario lost a brother to lung cancer a few years ago. Mario gave us his card and told us to be sure to contact him so he could give us a ride from the airport and wherever we needed to go. He also said he'd like to take us home to have dinner with his family :) So even with the delay we had a nice trip and are looking forward to going back the end of October.

New York Day 1

So our trip here went smoothly although we got to the hotel at 1am local time and then had to be up at 8am to make sure we had time for breakfast before catching the train into Manhattan. Ric did great on the 5 hr plane ride. I'm glad we were able to find a direct flight rather than having a layover somewhere. Made the trip not as long and I believe it was easier on Ric. Manhattan is crazy - lots of people everywhere. Train ride was quick from Newark and very easy. Ric did great on the walk from Penn Station to the hotel. Since the hotel was on the way to the Dr's office we decided to stop and see if they might be able to check-in - it was about noon when we got here. We had to wait about 15 minutes and they had it ready for us. That was great so we could get into the room before heading to the Doc. The doctor appt went well. Doc is very down to earth - spent alot of time getting to know all about Ric. Tomorrow we will get Ric's specific regimen and then be heading back home in the evening. So pretty much a whirlwind trip. We will be looking forward to returning in 6 months and being able to do some sightseeing. Had lunch after the Dr. appt, a quick power nap and then walked a couple blocks south to the Empire State Building. Went up to the observatory (86th floor). You could see so much from up there. Took lots of pictures and video. The World's Largest Macy's is a couple blocks west of us so we walked past it but didn't go in. The difference between the hotel room in Newark and the one here in New York is crazy - this one is about 1/3 of the size of the one in Newark. Had read that the hotel rooms are small but didn't think it would be that small especially when you are paying 3 times the amount as the one in Newark! Anyway so far so good. Looking forward to tomorrow.

Here we go!

Okay getting ready to head to the airport. We are so excited to finally be heading to New York and getting Ric on this treatment - the start of a new adventure in our lives! He's gained a pound in the last few days so we are celebrating that too! Please just keep us in your thoughts and prayers over the next few days for safe travels, on time arrivals, that directions are clear to taking the correct trains and maneuvering around Midtown Manhattan and strength for Ric on this trip. Oh yes and that we will be able to find healthy items to eat as that is really important. Thank you all for your love, support and prayers. We'll touch base again later.

What day is it? :)

Seems the days are running together - keep thinking it's Friday but not quite yet. Ric had his post-op appt with the surgeon yesterday afternoon. He said everything is looking good & he can return to work on May 2nd. We have done quite a bit of walking the last few days & will continue to get ready for our trip to NY. We will be flying into Newark, New Jersey - Alaska Airlines has direct flights there. We will stay the night at a hotel near the airport. Then we will take the train into NY City. The doctor's office is right in Midtown Manhattan so we will be walking from Penn Station to the doc's office (.63 miles) & then to the hotel (.27 miles). Neither one of us has been to New York so this will be an experience for us. When we went to Washington DC for a week a couple years ago, we took the train/subway pretty much everywhere so we hope it will be similar to that. We won't be there long enough to do much sightseeing this trip but since we have to go back every 6 months we will have plenty of opportunity to check out the area in future trips. So far it seems as if Ric's weight has stabilized - Praise God! He's lost 20 lbs since he was admitted to the hospital before the surgery. He kept losing weight after we got home so we have been pleased that he's been maintaining the same weight over the last week. We were both trying to lose a little bit before all this for our trip to Cancun but this was not the weight loss program we were looking for :) His appetite keeps picking up more each day. He's sleeping really well at night. One thing that is so interesting is how dogs react when you are ill. Our dog Max normally would bark at Ric from the minute he gets out of bed until Ric takes him out & throws the ball for him to retrieve. Max knows that Ric cannot do this now so he does not bother him. When we go on our walks Max is on the retractable leash & will sometimes go out ahead of us as far as the leash will let him but then will stop & wait until we catch up to him. Normally Max would want to go at a faster pace but he realizes Ric can't walk that fast so Max has slowed down in his pace. Anyway it's just interesting how Max has made the adjustment to Ric & where he's at right now. So things are good & we are looking forward to Ric getting going on his new treatment this next week. At this time we are requesting prayers for Ric's continued healing, some weight gain for more strength, and for safe travels next week to NY & back. Thanks everyone!