I am a former cancer parent. I say former because he is six years out and a healthy thirteen yearold now. I have been exactly in your shoes. Take one day at a time. Be your child's advocate. Take care of yourself so you can take care of them. Reach out for help when you need it. Use holistic medicine in conjunction with Western. Nutrition helps a body endure the chemo storm. Find support groups to help answer questions you may have as well as a shoulder to lean on. Best cancer parent tip I learned was fresh grated ginger juice works better than any nausea drugs they can prescribe. It was a saving grace for us. Sending prayers for angels to surround you a boy.
You can get a cheap juicer at Target for around $50 bucks and then buy fresh ginger root. Tastes great with red apple and orange. Juice is all up and keep in glass jars in fridge. Also you can juice fresh greens, always add lemon and an apple for taste. Even 1 per day if can be tolerated, it is amazing goodness for your cells. I will say a prayer for your precious child!!
Thank you. It is so hard to find things he can tolerate so I will definitely look into it. At this point I would milk an angry hippo if I thought I could get him to drink it.
You have my prayer to God and my empathy - I had a cancer scare before and know the anguish, fear, worry & sleeplessness it causes.
I vouch for Ginger root - check out the Motivational doc on ginger's properties.
(lots of good stuff sprinkled in his vids if interested)
Go to 3:13 for the list https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuvdyEgiKQk&t=225s
And you will probably need help sleeping - chamomile, melatonin and my prescription, keeping a tv on with no brainer escape content works miracles. Things that don't snap you into reality or negativity. (at least that's how I deal with it)
Keep praying.
Follow up to the othe person replying to this comment. Ginger can be eaten in its raw root form, just wash it. (Too much ginger can upset the stomach though)
Make ginger tea. Ginger root, cut into slices, about an 2 inches long. 35oz. Of water, steep in almost boiling water. Cover with lid. Wait till cool then heat up to desired temp. Will be very peppery add honey. Does wonders for me.
Fever Tree Ginger Beer is really strong on the ginger too. Also very sweet. Probably better for kids. Kept my nausea down when I was pregnant though... and I went through like 5 imported ginger beers trying to find the strongest.
I first had Bundaberg on a mission trip in Kenya after a run in with some bad sukuma wiki and githeri. I was surprised a few months ago when I found it at my local Wal-Mart.
A few hits a day keeps the nausea and poo Ain away... plus increased appetite. Also, tons of anecdotal.. cuz they won't study... But weed somehow makes chemo work much better. If my kid was 4, I'd still do it.
Ok.....im 5 months post stem cell transplant. One thing i hated was people always being positive and saying be positive, grateful, blah blah. You are going to have shitty days, feel down, depressed, angry, just not in the mood. THATS OK! Feel what you feel, dont hide it. This is a traumatic experience. In our support group at Memorial Sloan we say "Its not up to you to manage everyone else's emotions and feelings".
When I had my chemo/stem cell transplant, my doctor told me to not drink alkaline water. If you look into it, you will see that you can't drink alkaline water within 2 hours of taking meds, as it can alter their efficacy. I followed his guidance and I am 8 years post transplant and perfectly healthy (so he was pretty good)
I am, Fren...and same to you! A great attitude and an even better sense of humor are key components to getting through the illness and returning to enjoying your days. That, and a healthy addiction to librul tears.
As with all things, moderation is best. Definitely talk with your oncologist about it. I would bet it is something that depends on the type of chemo you are prescribed. Just like with the word cancer, chemotherapy is a generic term for a lot of very different treatments.
Oncologists don't study nutrition or holistic medicine. Despite their brilliance, they have no clue to holistic aids/cures that aren't published by big pharma paid studies. An example is Vitamin C, because they can't patent it and charge an arm and a leg for it, they won't publish studies showing its effectiveness in therapeutic doses. Alkaline water is simply water with a high 8-9 pH. When it reaches the stomach, like most content, the stomach pumps out acid to bring it down to the 2-4 pH. Where the benefit is, is that the body sends out alkalizing buffers into your tissue. Cancer needs a a slightly acidic environment to spread and actually has little pumps that create acid into neighboring tissue. There is an interesting study that was done on mice regarding this. In the group of mice given sodium bicarbonate in their water, the implanted cancer cells did not metastasize. The issue with taking alkaline water with meds is that certain meds need an acidic environment to digest and be absorbed. Sometimes chemo can really mess up digestion but alkaline water is as safe as eating a green salad. Hope this helps clear some stuff up.
Use it sparingly, it can ruin digestion in some. We need acid. When you are ready research dairy products & cancer & watch dr McDougall YouTube on cancers & his survivor testimonials. Best wishes to you & your family. Stay away from internet advice. Everything has trade offs. No one knows your specific details.
Most importantly, Pomegranate juice is life changing. It is packed with antioxidants not found in any other plant. Kroger should have 64 oz bottles of ALL POMEGRANATE by langers or Bolthouse pomegranate. Split in 3 servings of 4 oz Each per day.
Then of 2nd most importance
AMERICAN NUTRITION ESTER C powder for his age 500mg per day https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014270P6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_ZK75AH6209364S427KTG Ester C is easier on the stomach and more bioavailable than any other C
Also...
Probiotic, absolute must
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007G7JP2O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_KPNWAKA2N5WJWR10D2FZ
BOVINE COLOSTRUM powder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087Z2Q4HQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_3C2QJ9127GG7KWK6ZNZZ
ALIVE Children's multivitamin
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005XNXCMC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_65A0JERCENRH1C9XF4X6
And children's omega fish oil , this one is delicious like a treat
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RPBZKQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_R1R0BA17GE2QMF799J0P
MEGAfood gummy turmeric, 2 a day, anti inflammatory and almost miracle supplement..this one is guaranteed power
https://www.megafood.com/vitamins-supplements/gummies/turmeric-inflammation-response-gummy-10413.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiA6t6ABhDMARIsAONIYyyFyjZwIGPptIaUEyfKujzuvKH1AfRIE06kO4qWBi9OqBU17PWIkT0aAo6qEALw_wcB
CONSISTENCY IS 100% KEY, BUY IN BULK, DON'T SKIP A SINGLE DAY. THIS IS THE WAY.
NOW for the esoteric stuff..
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P21UE44/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_BX46ZDCW7TJA75751GVY
Nk activation has been legitimately studied for cancer and aids. IT'S EXPENSIVE, BUT IT WILL GET THE JOB DONE.
Measured and timed, low impact cardio 3 times a week. Physical therapist for child appropriate strength training. You also want to make sure daily water intake is 100% optimized. MEASURED to weight in pounds
i also suggest a high quality germ rice as part of daily diet. EASY to digest and nutrient packed. HAIGA MAI is the best https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007ZX63PQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_7V1Q938WX2739N2VQP01 It is way more beneficial than conventional rice
SOURSOP fruit is also highly sought out by cancer patients. IT'S SUPER EXPENSIVE, but if you can get it regularly it should help bigly.
NO MORE BEEF. NO COLD CUTS OR PROCESSED MEAT. CHICKEN, TURKEY, AND SALMON/TUNA ONLY. ANTIBIOTIC FREE AND ORGANIC WHENEVER POSSIBLE. If he wants pizza, learn to make it yourself and use apple gate brand turkey pepperoni which has no artificial nitrites. IF HE wants a burger, 93% ground turkey, season with salt, pepper and if he really needs it to taste more like beef, use natural smoke extract. SWISS, GOUDA, MOZZARELLA, AND CHEDDAR ONLY. NO more processed cheese.
If he likes veggies, top 5 are kale, artichokes, asparagus, tomatoes, and carrots. Those are nutrient packer and easier to digest.
BAKED POTATOES ARE NUTRITION POWERHOUSES. One baked potato has a huge chunk of required potassium and magnesium. EATING A SMALL POTATO per day with a little unsalted butter and a little cheese is warm, comforting, and a life saver. Remember the Irish survived a famine with them.
Lastly, fat free greek yogurt and lemon water every morning. This should keep him in a better place digestively and also set the stage for nutrition.
All this falls short of genuine prayer though...action with faith can create miracles. OPEN MIND OPEN HEART, you need more than one weapon, not just conventional medicine.
My advice seems drastic but this is war. IT'S STILL HIS MFing set.
I'd also suggest giving him inspirational fuel. My Hero Academia is an amazing anime about heroes who defy the odds. Read him The Phantom Tollbooth, A Little Princess and The Three Musketeers. Watch the first four Rocky movies and the original Christopher Reeves Superman if he hasn't.. And above everything, STUDY the 4 gospels, both Corinthians, and the PSALMS daily. I'm not necessarily a prosperity gospel believer, but I had a huge health scare a few years back and I found a lot of comfort in listening to Jesse Duplantis sermons. He's lively and regularly preaches the healing and resurrection power of Christ.
Some Paleo folk are half in it for aesthetics not longevity. WHOLE milk yogurt is good but if we are trying to prevent digestive upset or nausea we want to keep that fat free for breaking fast. The rest of the day has fats in cheese, olive oil, butter, fsh oil, meat, etc
Beef? Look up TMAO. It's toxic even to children. Women can handle it okay, but for men and boys it's a ticking time bomb. I suppose he could splurge on organic Bison and high grade wagyu but the tmao issue would still be there. Cardiovascular stress of chemo means you need to consider heart health even at a young age.
Thank you. Tomorrow is the beginning of our first round of hard chemo.... I can’t sleep worrying about it.
I am a former cancer parent. I say former because he is six years out and a healthy thirteen yearold now. I have been exactly in your shoes. Take one day at a time. Be your child's advocate. Take care of yourself so you can take care of them. Reach out for help when you need it. Use holistic medicine in conjunction with Western. Nutrition helps a body endure the chemo storm. Find support groups to help answer questions you may have as well as a shoulder to lean on. Best cancer parent tip I learned was fresh grated ginger juice works better than any nausea drugs they can prescribe. It was a saving grace for us. Sending prayers for angels to surround you a boy.
Thank you! Fresh graded ginger juice eh? Any sources for that’s in Memphis?
You can get a cheap juicer at Target for around $50 bucks and then buy fresh ginger root. Tastes great with red apple and orange. Juice is all up and keep in glass jars in fridge. Also you can juice fresh greens, always add lemon and an apple for taste. Even 1 per day if can be tolerated, it is amazing goodness for your cells. I will say a prayer for your precious child!!
Thank you. It is so hard to find things he can tolerate so I will definitely look into it. At this point I would milk an angry hippo if I thought I could get him to drink it.
You have my prayer to God and my empathy - I had a cancer scare before and know the anguish, fear, worry & sleeplessness it causes.
I vouch for Ginger root - check out the Motivational doc on ginger's properties. (lots of good stuff sprinkled in his vids if interested) Go to 3:13 for the list https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuvdyEgiKQk&t=225s
And you will probably need help sleeping - chamomile, melatonin and my prescription, keeping a tv on with no brainer escape content works miracles. Things that don't snap you into reality or negativity. (at least that's how I deal with it) Keep praying.
Follow up to the othe person replying to this comment. Ginger can be eaten in its raw root form, just wash it. (Too much ginger can upset the stomach though)
I used to juice a lot lol
Make ginger tea. Ginger root, cut into slices, about an 2 inches long. 35oz. Of water, steep in almost boiling water. Cover with lid. Wait till cool then heat up to desired temp. Will be very peppery add honey. Does wonders for me.
Try the Kroger on union ave. There's also a fresh market on union ave .
I can send you ginger if you need it. I'm Asian and we use that stuff all the time.
Where did you guys get treatment? It’s nice to hear from those that have made it through the gauntlet!
FYI...Ginger has been used for hundreds of years to treat seasickness.
Praying for you and your son. You sound like a great team !! God Bless.
CHLA, Los Angeles. It's the largest children's hospital on the West Coast. But, I'm very familiar with St. Jude.
"I am a former cancer parent." Ah jeez don't lead with that. I was already chopping onions here.
... Also, look for a good ginger beer like Bundaberg.
Bundaberg is legit. So strong.
Fever Tree Ginger Beer is really strong on the ginger too. Also very sweet. Probably better for kids. Kept my nausea down when I was pregnant though... and I went through like 5 imported ginger beers trying to find the strongest.
I first had Bundaberg on a mission trip in Kenya after a run in with some bad sukuma wiki and githeri. I was surprised a few months ago when I found it at my local Wal-Mart.
A few hits a day keeps the nausea and poo Ain away... plus increased appetite. Also, tons of anecdotal.. cuz they won't study... But weed somehow makes chemo work much better. If my kid was 4, I'd still do it.
Ditto prayers for your son
I think you are right! I have so little control here. I am used to being the boss but here all I can control is my attitude... I can influence his and
Ok.....im 5 months post stem cell transplant. One thing i hated was people always being positive and saying be positive, grateful, blah blah. You are going to have shitty days, feel down, depressed, angry, just not in the mood. THATS OK! Feel what you feel, dont hide it. This is a traumatic experience. In our support group at Memorial Sloan we say "Its not up to you to manage everyone else's emotions and feelings".
Dont wallow in it but dont suppress it either.
Crying is healthy. I hardly ever do, but when I do, I always feel so much better. It helps to feel what you need to feel and move on.
Fake positivity is the worst.
Get alkaline water. It has become trendy now but I learned of it through my chemo treatments. It really does settle your stomach.
When I had my chemo/stem cell transplant, my doctor told me to not drink alkaline water. If you look into it, you will see that you can't drink alkaline water within 2 hours of taking meds, as it can alter their efficacy. I followed his guidance and I am 8 years post transplant and perfectly healthy (so he was pretty good)
Hello fellow stem cell transplant survivor! Im 5 months out from mine. I hope you are living a rich, full life.
I am, Fren...and same to you! A great attitude and an even better sense of humor are key components to getting through the illness and returning to enjoying your days. That, and a healthy addiction to librul tears.
As with all things, moderation is best. Definitely talk with your oncologist about it. I would bet it is something that depends on the type of chemo you are prescribed. Just like with the word cancer, chemotherapy is a generic term for a lot of very different treatments.
Oncologists don't study nutrition or holistic medicine. Despite their brilliance, they have no clue to holistic aids/cures that aren't published by big pharma paid studies. An example is Vitamin C, because they can't patent it and charge an arm and a leg for it, they won't publish studies showing its effectiveness in therapeutic doses. Alkaline water is simply water with a high 8-9 pH. When it reaches the stomach, like most content, the stomach pumps out acid to bring it down to the 2-4 pH. Where the benefit is, is that the body sends out alkalizing buffers into your tissue. Cancer needs a a slightly acidic environment to spread and actually has little pumps that create acid into neighboring tissue. There is an interesting study that was done on mice regarding this. In the group of mice given sodium bicarbonate in their water, the implanted cancer cells did not metastasize. The issue with taking alkaline water with meds is that certain meds need an acidic environment to digest and be absorbed. Sometimes chemo can really mess up digestion but alkaline water is as safe as eating a green salad. Hope this helps clear some stuff up.
Where do I get it. ?
Most grocery stores carry it now.
Use it sparingly, it can ruin digestion in some. We need acid. When you are ready research dairy products & cancer & watch dr McDougall YouTube on cancers & his survivor testimonials. Best wishes to you & your family. Stay away from internet advice. Everything has trade offs. No one knows your specific details.
Lithia Springs in GA has a fantastic product. It's pricey but has important trace minerals that are essential.
Most importantly, Pomegranate juice is life changing. It is packed with antioxidants not found in any other plant. Kroger should have 64 oz bottles of ALL POMEGRANATE by langers or Bolthouse pomegranate. Split in 3 servings of 4 oz Each per day. Then of 2nd most importance AMERICAN NUTRITION ESTER C powder for his age 500mg per day https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014270P6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_ZK75AH6209364S427KTG Ester C is easier on the stomach and more bioavailable than any other C Also... Probiotic, absolute must https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007G7JP2O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_KPNWAKA2N5WJWR10D2FZ BOVINE COLOSTRUM powder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087Z2Q4HQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_3C2QJ9127GG7KWK6ZNZZ ALIVE Children's multivitamin https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005XNXCMC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_65A0JERCENRH1C9XF4X6 And children's omega fish oil , this one is delicious like a treat https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RPBZKQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_R1R0BA17GE2QMF799J0P MEGAfood gummy turmeric, 2 a day, anti inflammatory and almost miracle supplement..this one is guaranteed power https://www.megafood.com/vitamins-supplements/gummies/turmeric-inflammation-response-gummy-10413.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiA6t6ABhDMARIsAONIYyyFyjZwIGPptIaUEyfKujzuvKH1AfRIE06kO4qWBi9OqBU17PWIkT0aAo6qEALw_wcB CONSISTENCY IS 100% KEY, BUY IN BULK, DON'T SKIP A SINGLE DAY. THIS IS THE WAY. NOW for the esoteric stuff.. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P21UE44/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_BX46ZDCW7TJA75751GVY Nk activation has been legitimately studied for cancer and aids. IT'S EXPENSIVE, BUT IT WILL GET THE JOB DONE. Measured and timed, low impact cardio 3 times a week. Physical therapist for child appropriate strength training. You also want to make sure daily water intake is 100% optimized. MEASURED to weight in pounds i also suggest a high quality germ rice as part of daily diet. EASY to digest and nutrient packed. HAIGA MAI is the best https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007ZX63PQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_7V1Q938WX2739N2VQP01 It is way more beneficial than conventional rice SOURSOP fruit is also highly sought out by cancer patients. IT'S SUPER EXPENSIVE, but if you can get it regularly it should help bigly. NO MORE BEEF. NO COLD CUTS OR PROCESSED MEAT. CHICKEN, TURKEY, AND SALMON/TUNA ONLY. ANTIBIOTIC FREE AND ORGANIC WHENEVER POSSIBLE. If he wants pizza, learn to make it yourself and use apple gate brand turkey pepperoni which has no artificial nitrites. IF HE wants a burger, 93% ground turkey, season with salt, pepper and if he really needs it to taste more like beef, use natural smoke extract. SWISS, GOUDA, MOZZARELLA, AND CHEDDAR ONLY. NO more processed cheese. If he likes veggies, top 5 are kale, artichokes, asparagus, tomatoes, and carrots. Those are nutrient packer and easier to digest. BAKED POTATOES ARE NUTRITION POWERHOUSES. One baked potato has a huge chunk of required potassium and magnesium. EATING A SMALL POTATO per day with a little unsalted butter and a little cheese is warm, comforting, and a life saver. Remember the Irish survived a famine with them. Lastly, fat free greek yogurt and lemon water every morning. This should keep him in a better place digestively and also set the stage for nutrition. All this falls short of genuine prayer though...action with faith can create miracles. OPEN MIND OPEN HEART, you need more than one weapon, not just conventional medicine. My advice seems drastic but this is war. IT'S STILL HIS MFing set. I'd also suggest giving him inspirational fuel. My Hero Academia is an amazing anime about heroes who defy the odds. Read him The Phantom Tollbooth, A Little Princess and The Three Musketeers. Watch the first four Rocky movies and the original Christopher Reeves Superman if he hasn't.. And above everything, STUDY the 4 gospels, both Corinthians, and the PSALMS daily. I'm not necessarily a prosperity gospel believer, but I had a huge health scare a few years back and I found a lot of comfort in listening to Jesse Duplantis sermons. He's lively and regularly preaches the healing and resurrection power of Christ.
Fat free and no beef? The Paleo and autoimmune folks have something to say about that.
Some Paleo folk are half in it for aesthetics not longevity. WHOLE milk yogurt is good but if we are trying to prevent digestive upset or nausea we want to keep that fat free for breaking fast. The rest of the day has fats in cheese, olive oil, butter, fsh oil, meat, etc
Beef? Look up TMAO. It's toxic even to children. Women can handle it okay, but for men and boys it's a ticking time bomb. I suppose he could splurge on organic Bison and high grade wagyu but the tmao issue would still be there. Cardiovascular stress of chemo means you need to consider heart health even at a young age.
Nonsense.
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/what-is-tmao/
Of course processed meats and non-grassfed beef should be avoided. Meat in general should not be avoided whatsoever.