We spoke with the oncologist about the MRI results. First thing: the tumor is still growing, and the cancer is still spreading - which was expected. However, the rate has slowed down a shocking amount, and the doctors can't explain why.
Three weeks ago, Julia had MRIs six days apart, the latter MRI ordered because she stopped using her right hand. The growth between those two MRIs was insane - the tumor had gone from barely touching her spine to wrapping completely around the brain stem. Due to this extremely aggressive growth rate, we were told she had days to live and nothing left could be done. The very next day, Reed and I started aggressively treating her with alternative medicines that have many success stories for cancer, especially brain tumors. Now two weeks have gone by, and the current MRI *only* shows a growth rate of roughly 5% (visually estimated).
So to be clear, we're still headed in the wrong direction, and the pressure being placed on her brain stem is dangerous - possibly fatal at any moment. HOWEVER, the doctors were doing absolutely nothing to treat her cancer; only Reed was. And this treatment appears to have put a major halt on one of the fastest progressing cancers there is. In the interest of not holding potentially life-saving information back from anyone currently fighting the fight, we have been using a high dose of the best-quality CBD oil we can find, as well as a high dose of Rick Simpson Oil, which is high-THC cannabis oil. When my dad was fighting metastatic melanoma (spread to the brain) over the summer, we had started looking into the validity of cancer-curing claims made by CBD/THC users. He was interested in trying it, but his health declined too rapidly and he never got the chance. As soon as we were told there were no more medical options for Julia, we knew we had to start right where we left off with my dad... just to see.
Of course we can't be 100% sure the CBD/RSO is what did it... but nothing else was being done, and the reduction in growth rate was shocking. (I also need to say I know *absolutely nothing* about either of these treatments, and we really did a rush research job and kind of shot in the dark with dosing a 2 year old... so I don't have much to offer in the way of assistance.) But I wanted to share that immediately because I've gotten so many messages from people fighting their own cancer, or a family member's cancer, and wanting to know what we were using. So from someone who has never even held a cigarette, and can't remember the last time I had alcohol... if I found out I had cancer I would immediately start medicinal doses of both CBD and RSO... I can only imagine the power this could potentially have against less-aggressive cancers.
As far as chemo; the doctors have looked into the two drugs suggested by my angel in New Zealand. They found the one does not cause swelling, and it is now on the table. We will be talking with them tomorrow and making a final decision on whether or not to start. The CBD/RSO will continue.
As far as Julia's vitals... she's in a very delicate situation. Her heart rate is currently 117, but has been in the 140s much of the day. Her ET is steady around 70. Her blood pressure is still high at 174/133. It responds mildly to the blood pressure medicine, so they're checking with the pharmacy to see if they can divide the dose into 2x a day to keep it more steady. She's also on a nerve pain medication now just in case, though they still do not believe she is in pain other than when she's moved. The "new thing" she's doing is going through periods of about 15 minutes where she doesn't take many breaths. She's generally doing 15-20 breaths per minute, but now sometimes she will go down to 6-7. This sets off all the alarms and her ET goes up into the high 90s. They suction her even if she doesn't sound junky; sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. So far her breathing just kind of goes back to normal on it's own. But it's terrifying sitting here watching her through these moments...wondering if now's the time her body is going to give out.
So that's where we stand. Cancer is still growing, as expected. Possible amazing cancer-growth-reduction qualities of CBD/RSO. Discussing starting chemo tomorrow. Hoping Julia can hold on long enough to really try to fight this.
