My Cancer Story

Summary of my cancer story

As a former nurse, I entered my cancer journey with a fundamental scepticism towards parts of conventional treatment. Previous experiences with the healthcare system meant that even before my diagnosis I was clear about what I would—and especially would not—put my body through.

Statistics:

When I was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer, I looked into the statistics for the recommended adjuvant treatment. I assessed that the minimal statistical benefit of chemotherapy (2%) did not justify the significant personal risk of serious side effects and late effects. No one could tell me the statistical benefit of radiotherapy. I prioritised quality of life and therefore declined both.

Holistic approach:

Instead, I consulted a holistic doctor and was given guidance on an appropriate strategy, with “repurposed drugs” (off-label medication), a major dietary change, and various supplements. I supplemented this with a wide range of complementary measures such as Reiki healing, Tapping for anxiety, and breathing exercises. Later, I put together a Protocol myself, which I still follow at present. In my story below, you can read about my thoughts and the rationale behind the choices I made.

The backstories

My cancer story symbolised by an old open book that is massively oversized in relation to the nature scene with a path and an alder tree in front of it, filling half of a blank page.

Backstory part 1

Skepticism is born

I am a trained nurse. And although it has been some years since I worked as one, I have maintained a professional interest in staying informed. Herunder hvad angår behandlingstyper i forbindelse med kræft.

In addition, natural medicine has long interested me, so I have often consulted Carsten Vagn-Hansen’s website, Radiodoktoren, when I have needed alternative treatment advice.

This interest led me to the cancer association Tidslerne, which I joined, after which I also became a member of their Facebook group.

Years of reading in this and other groups about all the quite debilitating side effects and late effects that conventional treatment can have left me highly sceptical of the public system’s conventional offerings for people affected by cancer.

Backstory part 2

Declining trust in doctors

Around 2013, I became aware of an increasing degree of fatigue. This developed to the point where, for an extended period, I lived my life in bed, where I ate all meals and from where I could barely face brushing my teeth a couple of times a day.

Eventually, it was determined that I had an underactive thyroid, and I went through various not very effective treatments until it finally succeeded in finding a medication that made a significant difference.

Along the way in this process, I experienced various doctors speaking about thyroid treatment in a way that must have been against their better judgement—otherwise, it reflects a seriously limited knowledge of thyroid disorders. I will not go into the horrors that I and others have experienced along the way. I will simply note that the trust in doctors that I still had intact suffered a serious blow. I became acutely aware that the legal conditions of the profession mean they do not dare to have an opinion of their own. They merely repeat what the Treatment Guidelines prescribe in connection with a given condition. So you cannot even count on them recommending something they themselves believe in and would undergo if they were in the patient’s position. I stopped trusting doctors whom I do not know quite well.

Backstory part 3

Stress

It was a stressful time. A close family member became increasingly helpless, and I was the closest next of kin. At the same time, I had a couple of other family members who constantly found fault with my efforts and, to an unheard-of degree, ordered me around. Why did I not set boundaries? It was not easy. I felt caught between everyone involved and just wanted to do the best I could without an unnecessary amount of conflict. It was, of course, an extremely stressful period.

Several studies have documented that stress weakens the immune system. Cancer cells are continuously formed in the body. But it has no consequence, because we have our wonderful white blood cells to tirelessly clear them away. Of course, I cannot document that there is a connection, but during that period I increasingly felt that I could not withstand the pressure. I was close to giving up several times. But someone was completely dependent on me, so it was not really an option.

New symptom

I was resting on the sofa and felt soreness in my left breast. In the past, I have very many times felt that I might be seriously ill. In fact, so often that I have become rather blasé about symptoms. Each time it has been a false alarm. Apart from the hopelessly low thyroid function, I am relatively healthy and well despite now being 75 years old.

When I was going to sleep, I found that I was still sore when I lay on my side. Therefore, I decided to call my GP just to have it looked at. I was not worried—at all. The next morning I called. I mentioned that it was not urgent. The receptionist gave me an appointment the following day, Wednesday, d. 20.12.23.

The usual…

My wonderful doctor felt the tender lump. It was almost gone and no longer sore. However, there was another small lump that we could both feel—among an unmanageable number of lumps in the breast.

She thought that, to be on the safe side, I should have it examined. I went home. Two days later, Friday, d. 22.12. I received an appointment for a clinical mammogram at a private clinic on 27/12, as the public system apparently did not believe it could meet the diagnostic time limit.

I had a mammogram and then an ultrasound scan. During the latter, the doctor found reason to take two core needle biopsies. I was convinced it was non-specific inflammation. So it was not something that made me anxious.

Gentofte summoned me for a doctor’s consultation on Friday, d. 05.01.24. In the meantime, I had informed those closest to me, including a friend who works with Reiki healing. She insisted on doing a Situational Healing for the doctor’s consultation.

To be continued…

1st consultation

My cancer story symbolised by six pictograms of people in different colours with speech bubbles above them. Black background.

The meeting, Gentofte

When I came in with my husband for the doctor’s consultation, in addition to the doctor from Gentofte Hospital, there was also a general practitioner present in some form of continuing education, which I agreed to (do you really have a choice?). We sat down and the female doctor began by saying that she would most strongly recommend that I stop using oestriol pessaries! I said that I had come to get the result of my biopsy. She persisted with her advice regarding hormones. I had to state that I was not able to listen to, let alone take in, what she was saying until I knew my biopsy result.

Then it came. Cancer. And an aggressive type that was not hormone-sensitive. After that, the doctor began talking about treatment with chemo and radiotherapy to make the tumour smaller so that I could have breast-conserving surgery.

Although I had been quite convinced that it was non-specific inflammation and therefore nothing serious, even before the meeting I was completely clear that I was not going to undergo chemotherapy, and the resulting risk of ending up in bed with the—due to low thyroid function—well-known fatigue. That was simply not a life. I value quality over quantity. And I can freely allow myself that, as I do not have minor children to whom I am obligated. As for radiotherapy, I was not quite as decided at that time.

Therefore, it was easy for me to explain that shrinking the lump was out of the question, as I did not want chemo. In addition, I expressed surprise that I should stop using oestriol pessaries when the tumour was not hormone-sensitive. The doctor replied that it was just to be on the safe side…

I then asked for a surgery date. I could see that the GP heard me—and presumably understood me as well. In any case, she was clearly good at reading people. Who knows whether she helped influence what happened next?

However, it was not immediately possible to be scheduled for surgery. The doctor thought I was in some form of shock. And in any case, it would be at least a couple of weeks before I could even be put on the list for a surgery date. All tests also had to be in place first.

Nurse consultation

My husband and I were now to speak with a nurse about how the course of treatment would proceed.

The nurse noted that my blood pressure was too high (it is usually too low)—to which I had to reply: What do you expect? I’ve just been told I have serious cancer!

She could see that. The nurse then took the opportunity to try to get my husband on board against the decision to decline adjuvant treatment. Probably based on a theory that if I were pressured hard enough, I would give in and fall into line. It did not succeed…

Meanwhile, the two doctors came back and said that I would be brought up at the next conference on Tuesday, where they would find the best solution for me. I pointed out that it was important that she made it clear that I did not want chemo, so it was not an option they needed to spend time on.

They left the room, but reappeared quite shortly afterwards. To my great joy, the doctor now offered that I could have surgery the following Friday—i.e., a week later.

Oh dear. That day I had an appointment with the Probate Court. And that is not something you can just change. In fact, it is very difficult to get in touch with them. So I had to ask whether it was in any way possible to have another day close to Friday. They came back a moment later and offered me surgery on Thursday. That is, six days from then.

I must say that I experienced it as absolutely fantastic treatment and service. So I am truly impressed.

To be continued…

The surgery

My cancer story symbolised by a white wall clock with a black rim and lots of smaller clocks around it.

Here we go

Now the nurse got busy. Blood tests were missing. An iodine seed had to be placed in the breast. Something radioactive had to be injected that could reveal the location of what is called the sentinel lymph node. This would make it easier for the surgeon to locate it so it could be removed (without removing more lymph nodes than strictly necessary) during surgery. Another ultrasound scan had to be performed, as confusion had arisen about exactly where the lump was located. And finally, I had to attend another doctor’s consultation, as there were still not answers to all tests.

Everything was planned, and I was then to attend the above examinations and procedures on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. On Thursday, I would then have surgery.

At the additional doctor’s consultation, where there was an answer as to whether it was triple-negative breast cancer, it was the same female doctor (and, incidentally, also the same nurse—very well organised). My Reiki-healing friend had again arranged a Situational Healing.

The consultation went very well. The doctor was extremely accommodating. She told me about her own friend, who had also just been diagnosed with breast cancer and was to be operated on by the same surgeon as I was. It was almost cosy, and we hugged when I left.

Surgery

Thursday, d. 11.01. I came in for breast-conserving surgery. It went more or less as expected. The surgeon came and spoke with me before I was taken to surgery (very good form—and also reassuring). Microscopy was performed on the removed lump while I was still under anaesthesia. There was not sufficient margin to healthy tissue, so another piece was taken. But for obvious reasons, I did not feel anything.

To be continued…

The decision and the meeting

My cancer story symbolised by some delicate plant sprouts in brown soil.

The decision

As soon as I came home from the first doctor’s consultation, I decided that I wanted to go on so-called repurposed drugs (medicines reused for another purpose). I therefore ordered Jane McLelland’s book, How to Starve Cancer Without Starving Yourself, and also booked an appointment for a consultation with Trude Simonsen, Livlægerne in Kolding, who would also provide guidance on diet and supplements. I was still somewhat undecided regarding radiotherapy. I wanted to wait for the meeting with the oncologists.

3rd meeting, Gentofte

Among the many appointments, it was also arranged that about three weeks after the surgery I had an appointment for another doctor’s meeting, where I was to receive the microscopy results and be informed about the course of the surgery.

Beforehand, I could read on the Health Platform that all cancer tissue had allegedly been removed. It was still an aggressive type, but it was nevertheless a great relief to read. Therefore, I did not think a Situational Healing was necessary this time.

I again came in to see the doctor whom I had embraced three weeks earlier. But where had the presence gone? It was the same person, yet I met a completely unfamiliar and downright distancing woman. I got my result. I asked about some terms from the microscopy. She did not know anything about them. And she made no effort to look into it.

A key survival mechanism in our family is humour. We laugh a lot and are amused by many things. So when the doctor declared that I was now cancer-free, and in the same sentence once again recommended chemo and radiotherapy, I could not help asking whether they had now started giving chemo to healthy people. She did not find that funny…

A strange experience after the uniquely excellent and engaged treatment I had received up to that point. Well—it did not really matter now. But I thought about it, and my husband had the same experience.

Suddenly it struck me that the aforementioned Situational Healing had not been done. I cannot help thinking that must have been the difference.

Livlægerne

At the beginning of February, I was in Kolding and received a good, albeit somewhat concerned, welcome from Trude. She emphasised that it was an aggressive type of cancer and that I needed to be quite stringent with my Protocol. I had brought a detailed plan, which I had, among other things, received help and inspiration for in a Facebook group. It was corrected and adapted here.

I was prescribed everything the heart (of someone affected by cancer) could desire of the aforementioned repurposed drugs. And given guidance on dietary restrictions and beneficial supplements.

Going forward, this is to be followed up with blood tests and new prescriptions every three months. But it can be done via email and submitted test results.

To be continued…

Implementation

My cancer story symbolised by a zip across a sky. There is a glimpse of fire and a black background behind it.

The oncologists

A few days after my consultation at Livlægerne in Kolding, I had a consultation with the oncologists at Rigshospitalet. They were very kind and sympathetic people who did everything in their power, first to answer my very long list of questions, and then to convince me that it would be almost irresponsible not to accept chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Here I asked for statistics. And then a program (Predict) was pulled up, which could calculate how much it would increase my chances of surviving five years if I accepted the offered chemotherapy—taking tumour type, size, spread, age, etc. into account.

I must admit I had difficulty not smiling when it turned out to increase my survival by a couple of percent. So perhaps I would survive. But with fairly great certainty, I would instead spare myself a sea of side effects and late effects—for I have a somewhat sensitive and fragile body. Since I also have rather hopeless veins (blood vessels) that are damaged when anything other than saline is injected into them, and I already struggle with fatigue, this led the oncologist to abandon chemo. Instead, another case was made for radiotherapy.

The agreement was that I would have a week to consider it, and then I would be contacted by the oncologist, who had, incidentally, gone through the very peripheral and quite transient side effects and late effects I might risk. Nothing to speak of.

It was difficult for me to recognise these very few and insignificant side effects the oncologists believed I might risk when I compared them with what I read in various Facebook groups.

A week later, the doctor called and I declined. She then spoke very insistently and at length to get me to change my mind, so I chose to take another couple of days to consider it.

When I presented my once again wavering decision-making process to my close family (almost all of whom are in the healthcare sector), there was clear understanding and broad agreement that it was too risky to accept radiotherapy. No one can know whether the cancer will return. But it was overwhelmingly likely that I would have a poor quality of life if I had radiotherapy and thus the, in my case, almost certain consequences in the form of damage to the lungs, heart, and reduced mobility in the shoulder and arm. Possibly also a weakened immune system.

Stopping radiotherapy when/if side effects appear can be far too late, as it is a known issue that radiation injuries are delayed and can, moreover, appear up to several years after treatment has ended.

Dietary change

From the Facebook group, I was already aware that it was important to avoid dairy products as much as possible (I still miss cheese). Also to eliminate sugar (that one was tough) and primarily eat plant-based foods and, to a lesser extent, fish, shellfish, and poultry. Alcohol was also a no-go (there went my limoncello). The importance of these restrictions was further emphasised during the visit to Livlægerne.

All the rest

My understanding that it was necessary to set all sails—not least when I opted out of the beaten path—meant that I received 21 consecutive daily Reiki treatments from my friend. In addition, I bought a couple of books on Tapping, which helped quite effectively with, among other things, anxiety, which I especially in the beginning could experience when I lay down to sleep. Furthermore, I acquired a handful of crystal bracelets with different stones, each of which allegedly has a particular effect on the wearer.

Likewise, I started doing different types of breathing exercises.

My goal was to take a walk in nature every day. On those occasions, I practise gratitude. And so far I have managed it, except on days when it is close to a cloudburst.

Support

To my great joy, I have experienced overwhelming support from both my close family and my friends. There has been understanding for my choices. And I have received help in every way. What love there is to be found.