As we wrote on our previous blog, A Year in Review: 2017 Recurrence, we created a team to help us on my healing path. Here is the approach we took to overcome Stage 4 Cancer once again.
INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH
Our Cancer Team:
Ryan – it would be important to always take a primary role as not just a patient but your own advocate. During the recurrence of cancer Ryan realized that is was incredibly important for him to dive into his emotional healing and everything we believed in. No one else can do this part of the healing but the patient.
Caroline – All around ROCKSTAR, Wife, Mom, Second Eyes, Historian
Theo – Lead Investigator and Primary Advocate
Dr. Sunil Pai – Integrative MD managing labs and review
CHIPSA – Paracentesis and overall continued support
US Based Onco – Bedamustine and Rituxin regiment
Dr. McNulty – San Diego based Naturopath to support our IV strategies to help offset Ryan’s limited ability to consume food or supplements.
Outline:
-Labs: Blood, Urine, Saliva and Stool tests. Ryan was tested for sensitivities, micronutrients, digestion and gut health, toxins, heavy metals, organ function, and more.
Supplements: These have varied and been based on my capacity and willingness to take them, changing physical responses, and lab test results. I will share some of the supplements that helped Ryan in specific areas, but please understand that just as we have learned testing for deficiencies, organ and gut health, while looking at overall health and variant detoxification needs means that what is best for one is not always best for the next. Please use this as a resource, but certainly not any type of medical recommendation.
Micronutrient Needs: Magnesium, Cal-Mag Butyrate, Zinc, Lugol’s Iodine, Vitamin D3 + K2, Methylated B-Complex,
Immune System Support: Beta 1, 3D Glucan, Black Seed Oil (gel caps), Green Tea Extract (or just drink Green Tea), IP-6 Gold Capsules
Liver Support: Milk Thistle, N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine, Alpha Lipoic Acid Capsules then we switched to the Liver Forte Formula as it contained all the previous supplements in one with the addition of Selenium. (please see my article Ascites & Healing the Liver for details on liver support.
Gut Health: Complete Digestive Enzyme Formula, Saccharomyces Boulard II Probiotics, Complete Probiotics, Proteolytic/Pancreatic Enzymes
There is definitely been a strategic effort, but you can only do what you can do on some days. Ryan kept a consistent use of anti-inflammatory compounds like CBD and Turmeric-Curcumin. The CBD has varied from a popular doctor recommended tincture to a thicker oil from a local extractor. Our favorite Turmeric-Curcumin supplement is the Inflamax. Generally disease a results of inflammation in the body and this product is designed to aide in the reduction of inflammation among a vast number of other benefits.
-IV Therapy: There has been a little more of a pattern now. But we have employed a variety of combinations based on his health needs. These have included vitamins and minerals (Vitamin C Myer’s Cocktail), Poly-MVA and the occasional Glutathione ‘push’ for its liver benefits. The frequency and approach has been organic and pretty fluid. It has been in response to my health, improvements, and any challenges.
-Ascites: Blessed to be seeing this retreat. If you have never had ascites, count your blessings. We approached this early on with a variety of foods, supplements, and IV’s to try manage the ascites. We were even beginning to explore prescription aquaretics, but fortunately the more ‘wholisitic’ approach began yielding results. But it has been the whole of the approach and never one single thing that made a difference. There have been no magic pills or overnight wins. I wish there was a package, kit or protocol I could offer another ascites sufferer. I saw how individualized approaches and support brought Ryan relief. Inflammation management, addressing specific deficiencies, diet, supplements, tumor reduction and even IV’s. We were working on gut health at the same time. So it is hard to isolate the handful of things that maybe had the greatest impact. We both think that providing liver support with the supplements above, Poly-MVA (liquid and via IV) and IP-6 (both in capsule and powder forms) were at the top of the list. Ryan showed an Alpha Lipoic Acid deficiency, but he couldn’t tolerate ALA IV’s anymore. Like I said, it was a whole approach and wasn’t a generic, one size fits all approach. (to read more details on Ryan’s ascites and liver support, click here.
-Floating: Why did we not do this sooner? Wow. If you haven’t tried it, go and do it. These are special chambers that use high grade magnesium sulfate. Ryan added these in September. The body ache and stress reduction has been wonderful.
-Cryotherapy: This is amazing stuff. It is invigorating, energizing and gives Ryan (and me too!) a boost like nothing else we have experienced. There is research all over, so look up the benefits. Some say it can increase white blood cell counts, improve circulation and help speed up healing from injury. I’m not sure if it did for Ryan but wow, just how he felt afterwards is enough for both of us to keep going.
-Massages: Ryan started engaging regular massages and alternating Lymphatic Massages in September 2017. It was hard at first because of the ascites. It felt good when the therapist expressed her surprise to see how Ryan’s body and health had been improving quickly. Sometimes we don’t see all the changes because we are with them every minute and don’t have that same frame of reference.
-Diet: The Vida Protocol adjusted for Ryan’s food sensitivities, limited capacity, and need for calories. He lost a lot of weight heading into all this. The smoothie concoction has been a life saver as it contains all of Ryan’s daily nutrient needs and he has grown to love. I (Caroline) juice all the veggies and fruit then we add the frozen fruit to give it a nice smooth taste. We also add in the handful of powders such as probiotics, Organic Greens Powder, Ground Flaxseed, Chia Seeds, Hemp Seeds, Maca and IP-6 Gold Powder,
When you can only do what you can do, even when you want to do it all, but just can’t. “The laws and principles of health, disease management and even reversal apply equally to all human beings. But the need for customization or individualized adjustment is real.” – Theo
LOVE AND SUPPORT
We always felt the genuine love and care of every person in this journey. This is especially true for the dream team. We came together to find solutions that harmonized. I saw how much each of them cared and how each of them wanted Ryan to win so badly. These were amazing people of character, accomplishments, and reputation. We are a team committed to a goal. It feels good to be winning.
THANK YOU – Again, if you are reading this, you have likely been a person who has sent us encouragement letters, beautiful gifts, loving thoughts on facebook or sent me healing prayers. Thank you from the bottom of both our hearts.
I would love to leave you with this quote:
“Inspired Effort is fun, easy and effortless, but all other effort sucks, is hard and impossible to maintain” ~ Ryan D. Luelf #TheCanceShift
#LuelfStrong
Live Loved,
Live Free . . . because #YOLO!
~Caroline Luelf
The YOLO Life Blog 
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