My Cancer Update
– My Struggle –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

May 21, 2023

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In September 2018, I knew the odds were that I only would live another 3-6 months. That wasn’t an intuition. It was my oncologist’s opinion based on his years of medical experience treating patients like me with multiple myeloma. However, I didn’t give in to his dire prognosis. I rejected chemotherapy since my bone marrow cancer was incurable, and I moved into the mode of advocating for myself.

I created my Unconventional Cancer Protocols and vowed to myself that quality of life was my one prevailing goal.

For almost 5 years, I fulfilled my desire. I enjoyed a quality of life for the most part with some setbacks along the way. But now, my body is not cooperating.

 

COVID Has Been the Thorn in My Progress

COVID has activated my multiple myeloma creating anemia, compromised pulmonary and cardiac function, and extreme exhaustion. And the multiple myeloma is spreading rapidly and causing continuous bone pain and pathological bone fractures especially in my ribs. All these manifestations rapidly progressed within the last few weeks.

On Monday, 5/15/23, I had an appointment with my medical doctor and consulted with my oncologist. On Wednesday, 5/17/23, I was examined by a pulmonologist.

My medical team has come up with some suggestions, which I will integrate with my Unconventional Cancer Protocols.

  • Medications for A-Fib, Congestive heart failure, and Compromised pulmonary function
  • Physical therapy
  • Occupational therapy

It appears the road to physical recovery will take time. These Long Haulers COVID manifestations are not well understood.

 

Quality of Life

For the second time since my diagnosis of multiple myeloma back in September 2018, I am suffering from a decrease in quality of life. The first major setback was in August 2019 when I broke several major bones and was put in a Hospice Hospital to die. Needless to say, I did not die. I recovered and revoked Hospice in September 2019, and I went on to thrive.

I will keep this positive determination to recover from this current major setback. I’ve surprised many medical professionals with my progress over the last several years, and I just might shock them once again.

However, I am not in denial. I know the multiple myeloma is progressing. And I am prepared to deal with its eventual outcome.

Hospice is my last option to continue a quality of life until I die when the time comes. I am not sure when that time will come.

 

The Future

As you might imagine, this is a stressful time for me and my wife, Sue. However, we are both survivors! One of the greatest joys in my life, besides my wonderful family, is working with patients around the world. It is my privilege to use my background and knowledge to help people regain control of their health. Quality of life is a gift, and I’ve worked incredibly hard over the last five years to find a way to maintain mine through numerous ups and downs.

Through the free resources on my website and my 1:1 coaching sessions to help guide you through specific ailments, I’m honored to still be able to help others. After all, helping others is what led me to enter the medical field over 40 years ago. If you find yourself dealing with health issues, please consider this my invitation to reach out. You never know what the future will hold so get your health in order now. Trust me, you don’t want to wait until you’re really sick.

 

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My Cancer Update
– Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib) & Severe Anemia –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

May 7, 2023

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Since my diagnosis of incurable multiple myeloma in September 2018, I have successfully maintained my quality of life and stabilized the progression of this bone marrow cancer. For those of you who aren’t familiar with my story, I was given 3-6 months to live. After determining that traditional methods such as chemotherapy wouldn’t stop the cancer, and would impact the quality of my life, I created what I call my Unconventional Cancer Protocols. While I have never been in remission, I’ve surprised everyone, including my doctors, with both my progress and perseverance. I share my methods openly as well as my ups and downs, in hopes that I can help you from finding yourself in a similar situation.

When I contracted COVID-19 in 2021, it caused an activation of my multiple myeloma. I’ve been dealing with Long Haulers COVID, which I discuss in this blog, and now I’m seeing further complications. I’ve always been transparent, and I’d like to share my current battle with you.

 

Diagnosis of A-Fib and Anemia

On Monday, 5/1/23 I had to go to my internist. I had been exceptionally weak and out of breath following just simple physical movements. After taking a few steps from my living room sofa to the bathroom, I would feel exhausted and needed to sit down.

Billy, my Internist for over 35 years, examined me and took an EKG. I was in atrial fibrillation. I have never been in A-Fib.

I then saw my on oncologist on Tuesday, 5/2/23. My blood work showed my hemoglobin to be at an extremely low level.

The decisions were made. I had A-Fib and severe anemia. I needed to integrate some conventional meds to address A-Fib, and I needed to have a blood transfusion of packed red blood cells to improve my hemoglobin. Both needed to be done ASAP.

My internist and oncologist both agreed that the COVID-19 virus had a lot to do with these manifestations.

I’ll share some facts about COVID, A-Fib, Anemia, and my integration of conventional medical treatments while still emphasizing my Unconventional Cancer Protocols.

 

COVID and Atrial Fibrillation

This video helps visualize the comparison of a normal heart rhythm to one with A-Fib:

An April 2022 study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology stated that new-onset atrial fibrillation (A-Fib) occurred in 1 out of 20 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Researchers in this study examined nearly 28,000 patients without a history of A-Fib who were hospitalized for COVID-19.

A-Fib is a quivering or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. At least 2.7 million Americans are living with A-Fib.

In this paper, new-onset A-Fib was strongly associated with increased in-hospital mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events. Of the patients in the study, those who developed new-onset A-Fib while hospitalized experienced longer hospital stays and greater need for ICU care and intubation and approximately 45% died in the hospital.

 

COVID and Anemia

COVID-19 also affects the blood. In this 2021 paper, the authors discuss the pathogenesis and clinical significance of COVID and anemia. This other paper published in 2023 discusses the connection between COVID and anemia.

Anemia is a disease that occurs when the blood does not have enough healthy red blood cells to circulate oxygen throughout the body. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a protein responsible for transporting and delivering oxygen to organs and tissues.

Having anemia means your hemoglobin levels are low, and your body is not getting enough oxygen. Without oxygen, the body lacks the energy needed to function, which causes symptoms like shortness of breath and fatigue.

Anemia has many causes and can either be a short-term or long-term condition. If left untreated, anemia has severe symptoms that may become life-threatening.

COVID-19 patients develop inflammation that causes a reduction in intestinal iron absorption and changes in iron hemostasis, resulting in reduced production of hemoglobin.

Anemia affects the body’s immunity.

In addition, anemia activates the body’s sympathetic nervous system, leading to increased heart rate, pulmonary capillary leakage, and high blood pressure, which causes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A patient with COVID-19 ARDS develops worse outcomes than typical ARDS, often resulting in respiratory failure, circulatory failure, and myocardial damage.

 

My Treatment for A-Fib and Anemia

My heart rhythm must be restored to normal; my risk of a stroke must be minimized; and my hemoglobin level must be increased.

I started treatment on Monday, 5/2/23.

I began taking two conventional heart meds to stabilize the heart rhythm as well as Eliquis to prevent a stroke. On 5/4/23, I received a pint of packed red blood cells via venal infusion to elevate my hemoglobin levels. I may need additional transfusions before my hemoglobin is restored to a healthy range.

Let me emphasize that I have not changed my Unconventional Cancer Protocols. These protocols have helped my immune system from day One of my diagnosis and are seminal to my overall wellness program.

 

NLR

I also continue to monitor my NLR.

The NLR is the Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio. Neutrophils and Lymphocytes are two different white blood cells that can be identified in a Complete Blood Count (CBC) blood test. It is a reliable blood marker for systemic inflammation in many chronic diseases as well as a most robust marker for COVID. In addition, it is an indicator of the survival prognosis for multiple myeloma patients. A rising NLR may suggest a poorer prognosis as multiple myeloma progresses.

A normal NLR is between 1:1 and 3:1. In this published study, the average NLR for hospitalized COVID patients was 6.15. When that ratio rose above 8.17 in the study, the risk of death increased. Strikingly, my NLR on 11/2/21 was 42.0 – a seriously disturbing level when I was diagnosed with COVID in November 2021! However, I was able to significantly reduce the NLR as I healed from COVID using my Protocols after my first bout with COVID.

This time around with Long Haulers COVID, my NLR was 11.6 on March 7, 2023, and then increased to 22.3 on April 4, 2023. But on May 2, 2023, the NLR dropped to 11.7, which is definitely moving in the right direction now.

My goal is to continue to reduce the NLR. I was able to do this before, and I am determined to do it again. It appears that I am being successful!

 

Getting Back to Normal

While my body is struggling right now, my mind is sharp. If you have health concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I believe that the reason I’m still here is to help others. I’ve turned “3 months to live” into 5 well-earned years while maintaining the quality of my life. No gatekeeping here. I want to help you reach your health goals and prevent anyone else from struggling with illness. Here’s the link to set up a complimentary 30 minutes with me.

 

 

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My Cancer Journey  
– Berberine as a Medicine –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

September 25, 2022

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If you know anything about me, you know that I am constantly digging for information to tweak my 11 Unconventional Cancer Protocols. In that regard, I’m a geek. However, this is a great way to be when you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Once again, I’m embarking on an experiment where N=1. And I’m the guinea pig!

This time, I’m researching a chemical called berberine. And I’m looking at it through the lens of a medicine and not a nutritional supplement.

  • A medicine is a compound for the treatment or prevention of a disease. Medicines have benefits as well as side effects.
  • A nutritional supplement is a product containing one or more ingredients that is taken to remedy a deficiency in one’s diet by providing the missing nutrient or nutrients.

 

Berberine

Berberine is a plant-based alkaloid that has been used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine for over three thousand years. This alkaloid is found in roughly 500 species of plants. It is extracted from many parts of the plant including the root, stem, leaves, fruit, and bark. Some plants that contain berberine are European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, Oregon grape, philodendron, and tree turmeric. Berberine consists of nitrogen­-containing substances which have been used to support immune function as well as to reduce inflammation, infection, high blood sugar, gut dysfunction, cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Animal and human researchers are continuing to delve into berberine’s methods of action. These scientists are uncovering the powerful effects that berberine plays in many pathways of the body including acute diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer.[1]

The numbers of revealing published studies prove to me that berberine’s methods of action are basic for overall health as well as the interruption of pathological pathways. I’m not suggesting that berberine is a cure-all for disease. But it appears to be a chemical that has significant potential for wellness.

 

Berberine’s Anti-Cancer Effects

My special interest lies in the medical studies relating to the cancer fighting effects of berberine.

Berberine has the potential to be an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent as well as an effective immunomodulator. Published peer-reviewed research suggests that berberine may become widely used in clinics for cancer therapy.[2]

Specifically, berberine demonstrates anti-tumor activity by interfering in multiple features of tumor development.[3],[4],[5]

Berberine prevents cancer cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis and controlling the cell cycle as well as autophagy. Berberine also hinders tumor cell invasion and metastasis by down-regulating metastasis-related proteins. In addition, berberine is beneficial in the early stages of cancer development by lowering epithelial–mesenchymal transition protein expression.[6]

The therapeutic efficacy of berberine has been reported for specific cancers …

  • bone
  • breast
  • colon
  • cutaneous
  • intestine
  • liver
  • oral
  • pancreatic
  • prostate
  • thyroid

 

Berberine & Multiple Myeloma

My research uncovered pertinent clinical studies showing that berberine can kill human multiple myeloma cells.[7],[8],[9],[10]

In one animal study[11], berberine treatment significantly suppressed the growth of multiple myeloma tumors. A 66.7% inhibition of tumor growth was noted at day 14 in the experimental group, which was treated with berberine (50 mg/kg) every other day for 2 consecutive weeks.

 

Side Effects

Berberine is generally well tolerated at recommended dosage levels. In clinical studies at 500 mg 2-3 times daily, side effects were generally mild but included nausea, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal distension and/or abdominal pain. It is not recommended for use during pregnancy.

 

Interactions

Berberine may interfere with the absorption of tetracycline, cyclosporine, and related antibiotics.

In addition, berberine produces significant inhibition of CYP3A enzymes in humans. Because most drugs are metabolized by these enzymes, it may decrease the clearance of many medications, thereby enhancing their effect.

People on oral diabetes drugs should monitor blood glucose levels if taking berberine since berberine by itself will decrease blood glucose levels. Because of this, patients may need to adjust the dosage of their diabetes meds.

Other interactions include:

  • Berberine might slow blood clotting. Taking berberine along with medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
  • Berberine might lower blood pressure. Taking berberine along with medications that lower blood pressure might cause blood pressure to go too low. Monitor your blood pressure closely.
  • Berberine might cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Taking berberine with sedative medications might cause breathing problems and/or too much sleepiness.

 

My N=1 Experiment

After reviewing the published science, I concluded that berberine might hold some promise for me.

Caveat: I do not recommend that anyone tries my protocol. This is my own experiment. It has not been proven or approved by the FDA to cure cancer or any disease.

However, I am going to use this product in my personal experiment and share the results as they become available over time. Here’s how I started my individual study …

Based on my weight, I started consuming 3 grams of berberine every other day on 9/12/22. There is some research that suggests that it is best to cycle in and out of dosing berberine. So, my N=1 experiment will be for me to take 3 grams of berberine every other day for three weeks. After that, I’ll give my body at least one week to recover and rebalance itself. Then, I’ll return to cycling on and off my berberine regimen. Every four weeks, I’ll have my blood work checked at my cancer clinic to see if there are any positive or negative changes. The tests my oncologist orders include:

    • CBC (Complete Blood Count)[12]
    • CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel)[13]
    • SPEP (Serum Protein ElectroPhoresis) with immunofixation[14]

 

My Emotional State

If you’ve been following my cancer journey, you know I have been experimenting with my way of eating, my gut health, and my methods to improve the robustness of my immune system. And my experimentation has included some successes and a few major setbacks.

My new protocol with berberine is just another of my N=1 experiments.

Today, I am confident in telling you that I am doing extremely well!

It is my pleasure to report that once again I have outsmarted my doctors’ prognosis. I am not only on the mend, but I am also beginning to thrive again.

Since my diagnosis in September 2018 of incurable bone marrow cancer with the dire prognosis of 3-6 months to live, I’ve learned so much.

I’ve learned that …

  • No matter how bad things seem to be, you can improve them
  • Everything you put into or onto your body affects every cell in your body
  • If you can improve the function of your immune system, you can prevent and heal most diseases
  • You are in control of your interpretation of the world around you – your attitude will guide you to your success

 

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5839379/

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6996556/

[3] https://www.spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/ol.2015.3494

[4] https://www.nature.com/articles/labinvest201771

[5] https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2019/RA/C8RA09172B

[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8658774/

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7098108/

[8] https://bmcsystbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1752-0509-8-82

[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4086496/

[10] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24843889/

[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7098108/

[12] https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/complete-blood-count

[13] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/22058-comprehensive-metabolic-panel-cmp

[14] https://n4vu.com/faq/what-is-the-difference-between-spep-and-immunofixation/

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My Cancer Journey
– My Biggest Battle Now –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

September 4, 2022

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We are all going to die.

But not yet for me!

I’m like the old Timex watch commercials – “Timex takes a licking and keeps on ticking”.

Let me take you back in time. Here’s a 1960 TV commercial for Timex watches featuring John Cameron Swayze:

 

 

First Premonition

Several years before I was diagnosed in 2018 with incurable bone marrow cancer, I wrote a letter that I showed to no one. I had an eerie feeling, and I put down on paper what I was feeling. I originally addressed this letter to my family, but never gave it to them.

I wrote in that letter that I knew something was not right in my body. Although I couldn’t put my finger on it, and I had no clinical signs or symptoms, I just knew that it would manifest into a serious medical concern that could kill me.

Then it happened. I was diagnosed with incurable multiple myeloma in September 2018 and was given 3-6 months to live. Obviously, I’ve more than outlived that dire prognosis. And that premonition did not become reality.

 

Why Did I Develop Multiple Myeloma?

After my diagnosis, I became obsessed with uncovering the reasons why I developed this life-threatening and incurable bone marrow cancer.

While most peer-reviewed medical papers state there is no known cause for multiple myeloma, there is some research suggesting that ionizing radiation may cause plasma cells to become malignant.[1] Interestingly, one research paper published in 2014 showed that 50-79-year-old male dentists had a higher risk for multiple myeloma compared to the general male population in that age group.[2] And there is additional research that suggests that cancer is a mitochondrial metabolic disease and not a genetic disease.[3] Diet, lifestyle, and toxic exposure can damage mitochondrial function[4], which increases metabolic disease.

Understanding these concepts, I embarked on a Health Plan to repair and rebuild my mitochondria and my immune system naturally – not through chemotherapy. From this research, I eventually developed my current 11 Unconventional Cancer Protocols. But I also needed to dig into the underlying causes of this cancer.

I cannot prove what caused multiple myeloma to manifest in my body. Initial damage to my plasma cells could go back decades before the emergence of clinical signs and symptoms of this bone marrow cancer. But I have some ideas. Insults to my body, which have been cumulative over time, may have initiated and advanced this disease.

  • My dental training and specialty training lasted 6 continuous years until completion in 1974. As a dental student working in the clinics for these years, I could have been exposed to the ionizing radiation produced by dental x-ray machines almost daily. I do not know how well I personally was protected from dental radiation in the clinics. This is low dose ionizing radiation. It is very possible I had excessive and continuous exposure during my 6 years of professional training.
  • In addition, as a dental student we learned to repair dental decay with amalgam fillings. Amalgam fillings are made with elemental mercury. As students, we played with mercury in our hands. Excess elemental mercury was thrown on the floor! We watched how these little balls of mercury danced on the floor, getting smaller and smaller, and eventually disappearing. Mercury vapor was all around us 24/7 in the dental school. I had no idea of the potential toxic effects from mercury exposure way back then. I certainly was exposed to excessive elemental mercury during my years as a dental student.
  • And then, other toxic elements in my environment could have compounded my toxic load to my plasma cells.

Medical doctors have known that multiple myeloma begins with one unhealthy plasma cell in the bone marrow. This unhealthy cell can multiply rapidly because it will not mature and die naturally. This malignant cell produces more malignant cells that eventually overwhelm the production of other healthy marrow cells. Specifically, malignant plasma cells crowd out healthy white and red blood cells. This can lead to fatigue, anemia, internal bleeding, kidney failure, decrease in the ability of the immune system to fight infections, and increase in bone destruction.

Multiple myeloma cells produce abnormal antibodies that the body cannot use. In time, these abnormal and nonfunctional antibodies accumulate in the body replacing healthy antibody production. Ultimately, the body succumbs.

If multiple myeloma is a mitochondrial metabolic disease, then improving mitochondrial function and metabolic health could be important and effective methods of treatment.[5] My unconventional cancer protocols are based on these methods.

 

Second Premonition

Since my diagnosis, I have been transparent in my cancer journey. Still, I never mentioned the letter that I wrote for my family years before.

I recently had another premonition which I am going to share. I won’t keep it secret.

My premonition was that I am close to death.

Once again, I can’t put my finger on the specifics. It’s just an eerie feeling like the last one I had a few years before my cancer diagnosis.

 

My Biggest Battle Now

Today, I am fighting the biggest battle of my life. I must win this battle and prove my newest premonition to be false once again!

If you have followed my Blogs, you know that I have experienced several setbacks – some severe. At no time have I accepted chemotherapy. My belief has been that chemo was too destructive to my immune system in general and could not cure me because my cancer was incurable. My goal has always been to lead a quality life as best as I could until I lost the fight.

My major setback was in August 2019 when I was admitted to a Hospice hospital. But my wife helped me turn my life around. I revoked hospice in late September 2019, and she helped me out of the abyss.

Today, I may be at the same edge of death once again. Yet I still am following my 11 Unconventional Cancer Protocols to help my body heal as best as it can. My attitude is positive, and my spiritual faith is strong.

I can tell you that I have had pain almost 24/7 since February 2022.

In late June 2021, I had severe side effects from Darzalex, an immunotherapy drug that was supposed to kill malignant plasma cells. It is not a chemotherapy drug. The severe side effects from Darzalex weakened my body to the extent that I contracted COVID. The COVID virus caused active multiple myeloma to resurface. As a result, my malignant plasma cells created many dysfunctional antibodies. These antibodies began to weaken my bone internally and put me at risk for pathological bone fractures. Shortly after the multiple myeloma reemerged, I began to develop serious fractures in many of my ribs and other areas in my body. The pain I had to deal with was the result of these pathological fractures which began after February 2022.

I don’t view myself as a victim. I am a survivor. And I certainly am not giving up!

I tell my wife that when I am in pain and I am complaining, it’s not because of a bad attitude. It’s because I have a hard time dealing with pain. My complaining should not be misinterpreted as submission.

Unfortunately, my pain since February 2022 was intense at times. To deal with the pain, I had to resort to medications. The pain was getting worse progressively as it moved to different parts of my body. It progressed throughout my rib cage, my spine, and my left leg.

My most recent pain was in my right humerus. On Saturday, August 5th, I was attempting to slide a dining room chair under my dining room table. When I tried to lift the chair, I immediately heard and felt a snap in my right humerus area. This pain was so piercing, it took my breath away.

A quick trip to the ER showed that I fractured my right humerus in the same spot where I broke it in half in 2019. Following my trip to the ER, the fracture has been healing slowly but surely. Today, the pain is beginning to ease up, but the use of my right arm is still very compromised. As a matter of fact, I am writing this blog by means of dictation using my Word Document software.

I’ve learned a lot about broken bones firsthand. I know that once the fractures have time to heal, the pain goes away.

 

Moving Forward

As I said, the pain because of pathological fractures has been my biggest challenge to date. This is a battle I must win. And I seem to be winning the fight. The intensity of the pain is subsiding!

Here’s another vintage Timex watch commercial that exemplifies my tenacity. My resolve is steadfast. I can “take such a licking and keep on ticking”:

 

 

However, I am not in denial. I know this bone marrow cancer is incurable based on what is known in conventional oncology today. But I have too much to do. And I am excited about my accomplishments going forward.

By the way, don’t forget to order my new book which I am so proud of – “Eat As If Your Life Depends On It”. It will be available in paperback as well as hardcover on Amazon on 9/9/22. In my new book, I summarize the rationale for a paleo, keto, and carnivore diet as well as how and why I blended them into my Better Belly Blueprint way of eating. This is an interactive book in that it also includes an example of a completed three-day food journal as well as a blank three-day food journal for you to fill out yourself. In addition, I explain a method for you to transition slowly into the concepts of my Better Belly Blueprint over a period of nine weeks. Transitioning slowly will help you avoid most adaptation issues that could occur if you jumped 100% into a change in diet. You’ll be transformed into a well-nourished, energetic, cognitively alert individual. Also, you will enhance your immune system to become as robust as possible, which will assist in overall wellness.

I am a firm believer that my diet is what turned my battles around and is the ticket to overcoming my current hurdle. My legacy is to share my learnings with you, so you don’t find yourself in my shoes, struggling with illness. If incorporating this knowledge helped me extend my life by 4 years (and counting), imagine what it can do for you!

Thank you for reading, listening, and being a confidant. To everyone who has been following me and my cancer journey, my desire is to be a beacon of hope and encouragement. We all can improve our overall Wellness even in the light of a life-threatening challenge.

Although we’re all going to die, it’s not yet for me!

 

[1] https://www.mymyelomateam.com/resources/exposure-to-radiation-and-the-risk-for-myeloma

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25164308

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4493566/

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4256704/

[5] https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/11/9/572/htm

 

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My Cancer Journey
– Be Your Own Advocate! –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

July 10, 2022

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This is an ongoing journey, but I want to describe what has happened to me since my last cancer update. The lessons I have learned boils down to the fact that each of us must be our own advocate.

But a little history to bring you up to speed with me …

 

A Little History

As you may know, I’ve been transparent with all my experiences – good and bad – since my diagnosis of incurable bone marrow cancer in 2018. Some of my setbacks have been severe.

At no time have I accepted chemotherapy. My belief has been that chemo was too destructive to my immune system in general and would not cure me because my cancer was incurable. My goal has always been to lead a quality life as best as I could until the end.

But I have not rejected all conventional treatments. I’ve integrated newer treatments offered by my oncologist to help my body heal. These have dovetailed with my 11 Unconventional Cancer Protocols.

The recent setback, which I described in my 6/19/22 Blog, My Cancer Journey – Old Pain; New Pain, caused me to have bone pain 24/7.

To deal with the pain, I had to resort to medications – Advil, Tylenol, Gabapentin, and Percocet. And to prevent constipation from the narcotic, I also took Senakot S. But the pain continued and progressed as it moved from my vertebral column to different parts of my body. It encompassed my entire rib cage. It was piercing, especially when I took deep breaths.

The pain was a result of the activation of malignant plasma cells after severe side effects from Darzalex (an immunotherapy drug) and the resulting COVID infection several months ago.

Much of the pain was the result of the cancer cells eating bone away from the inside out. Therefore, my bones were fragile and could be broken easily.

But I was offered a solution by my oncologist. Targeted photon TrueBeam radiation therapy could kill the cells that were the culprits of the pain. While not curing the cancer, it would be a means to help me return to my quality of life.

Here is a video that explains TrueBeam Therapy

 

For me, it was a no-brainer. Targeted Radiotherapy was what I did.

I also was told that the radiation would continue to destroy malignant cells for another 30 days after the actual irradiation of the areas.

The targeted treatment began on Thursday, 6/23/22. This was a daily regimen lasting less than 15 minutes per session over 10 consecutive weekdays.

But there are side effects from radiotherapy that a patient must know if he or she wants to make an informed decision. And there are precautions a patient could take to prevent or minimize them.

 

Side Effects & Precautions

Some of the side effects from radiotherapy could be uncomfortable, painful, and debilitating. For me, it was surprising that no oncologist in the radiation clinic where I go described them in detail to me. I guess that most patients in other clinics are not thoroughly informed of these potential problems. And I’m sure that most patients are not told how to offset them as I’ll describe below.

Here are some of the side effects of radiation that concern me:

  • Creation of unhealthy free radicals which may damage healthy cells adjacent to the cancer cells
  • Damage to the mucosal tissues of the gut creating mucositis (Mucositis is inflammation and ulceration of the digestive tract lining, which can extend into the mouth causing painful and debilitating “sores”.)
  • Disruption of the gut microbiome which could cause gut dysbiosis and diarrhea

Here are some precautions that might prevent or offset the previous side effects:

  • Molecular hydrogen will neutralize unhealthy free radicals that are created by the radiation.[1] Therefore, I consume molecular hydrogen in the form of hydrogen rich water twice a day.
  • Raw local honey has been shown to prevent mucositis and decrease the severity in patients receiving radiation therapy for cancer.[2],[3],[4] I began eating 1-2 teaspoons of raw honey about 4-5 times a day starting the day before my radiation treatments and will continue for at least a week following the end of my treatments.
  • Specific spore-based probiotics (HU58 and RestorFlora) will increase the diversity of the gut microbiome. Also, nutrients in bovine colostrum (Colostrum-6) will assist the health of the gut and bind to toxic elements in the gut. I will consume these during radiation treatments and continue them for at least 3 months.

 

Serious Complications

Although I prepared myself for the potential side effects I just mentioned above, I was not prepared for what happened.

And serious complications did happen for the first 5 sessions!

For each treatment, I had to lay down flat on a metal table that was part of the TrueBeam machine. Because of my compression fractures and masses of cancer cells, this was difficult and painful for me. But once I was flat on the table, the pain resolved, and I was OK for the treatment.

However, after each treatment, I had to be lifted off the metal table. The technicians pulled me up to a sitting position. While the technicians lifted me, I had severe pain in my back and ribs. Immediately, I had difficulty breathing. The technicians were aware of this.

But for 5 consecutive sessions, the pain got more severe every time I was lifted off the table. And the technicians said nothing about making it easier for me!

In the morning of the day before my 6th treatment (6/30/22), I had such severe pain and difficulty taking a deep breath that I had to go to the ER by ambulance.

The doctors in the ER prepared me for a CT Scan with a contrast dye. They wanted to see what was happening with my spine, ribs, and the malignant masses. They also wanted to rule out any blood clot, collapsed lung, or pneumonia.

I had no blood clot, no collapsed lung, nor pneumonia, but my malignant masses were increasing. In addition, I had some fluid accumulating below my lungs (pleural effusion). But the ER doc said I had more cracked ribs than I had when I started the radiation treatments!

The cracked ribs were creating pain and difficulty in breathing. But why did I have additional cracked ribs?

The answer was disconcerting.

When the technicians lifted me off the radiation table, they put pressure on my fragile ribs and broke them.

Yes, the radiation techs broke more of my ribs every day for 5 consecutive days.

And the proof that these new rib fractures occurred after the technicians did their job was confirmnd in the CT Scan that was taken in the ER.

Wow!

After I was discharged that day from the ER, I called the radiation clinic and stopped the 6th radiation treatment for that afternoon on Thursday, 6/30/22. I explained to the physician’s assistant that I had to go to the ER and all my records where there for the radiation oncologist to review.

The PA called me back and relayed that the radiation oncologist suggested that I take a break until 7/5/22 and then make my decision about completing the treatments.

I now had to adjust my thoughts about killing the malignant cells, healing the broken ribs, and alleviating the pain.

Rest, pain meds, and amazing support from my wife were the steps I needed to take immediately. I then made the call to my radiation oncologist on the morning of Tuesday, 7/5/22.

 

Be Your Own Advocate

This is my advice to everyone. You must be your own advocate to get proper treatment.

I called my radiation oncologist on Tuesday, 7/5/22. I asked myself, “Why did I have to tell them how to do their job?”

I had to suggest something that they should have arranged for me from the beginning of my radiation treatments.

I had to tell them that they needed to place me on a gurney that could raise and lower the upper part of my body automatically. They could wheel the gurney into the radiation room, slide me onto the radiation table, and then slide me back onto the gurney after the treatment. Then, they could slowly raise my upper body with the gurney so I could get into a wheelchair. All this would not put pressure on my ribs and would prevent any further rib fractures.

My biggest concern is that no one in the radiation clinic suggested this option. I had to advocate this by myself. And at least one of the technicians who worked on me was defensive because I spoke out.

 

My Thoughts Moving Forward

I restarted the radiation treatments on Tuesday, 7/5/22. I have 5 more sessions before I’m done. The radiation treatments should kill the masses of cancer cells and help resolve the pain.

Of course, the broken ribs will have to heal on their own. I have had previous experience with broken ribs and know this will be successful.

I am happy to report that I never developed mucositis and never had diarrhea or gut distress. Maybe my precautions were effective!

My goals are to …

  • Continue to live the highest quality of life. I’ll do this by giving my body the best nutrition and gut health I can which will improve my immune system as best as possible.
  • Publish my new book in several months titled, Eat As If Your Life Depends On It.
  • Continue with, and emphasize, my 12-Week Balanced Metabolic Coaching Program to all who are interested in overall wellness.
  • Actively publish my Blogs.
  • Personally answer all questions emailed to me from viewers and followers.
  • Continue to be grateful for the lessons I am learning from this incredible cancer journey.
  • Share all that I learn and be as transparent as possible with my successes and failures.
  • Make beautiful memories with my wife, other family members, and friends.

Throughout this journey, I’ve been my own advocate. I’ve taken information from many doctors, researched my options, and made my own decisions. I encourage you to do the same. You know your body and its abilities better than anyone else.

Don’t just take some guy’s word off Facebook over a trained medical provider without doing your due diligence. But also, remember that not every doctor is the right fit for your care. Take the time and ask questions to ensure you are working with the right people.

You have the power to find the option that is best for your unique situation. Then, don’t be afraid to tell your care team exactly what you need from them.

I can attribute my success this far in my journey to many factors, but one element that stands out is having an oncologist that lets me do things “my way”, while providing me the support I need.

You are your own best advocate. Never forget that!

[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332220307824?via%3Dihub

[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1744388118305462

[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0020748918302001

[4] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00520-019-04722-3

 

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My Cancer Journey Update
– And Newest Protocol –  

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

April 17, 2022

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Much has changed, and it’s time to share the latest update from my cancer journey. It’s been a wild ride, and I appreciate all your support along the way. It means the world to me.

There have been some recent developments I’d like to share with you, and they’ve led to an addition to my 11 Unconventional Cancer Protocols, as you’ll read at the end of this Blog.

My newest protocol will come as a surprise. It did to me too! But hey, I don’t call my protocols “unconventional” for no reason!

Let’s start with a recap, beginning in June of 2021.

 

Recap from June 2021

I had a reemergence of multiple myeloma because the severe side effects from an immunotherapy injection on June 22, 2021. The side effects weakened my body and made me susceptible to the COVID virus. By the end of July 2021, I knew I had contracted COVID-19.

At that time, I discontinued the monthly immunotherapy injections, and began to recover from the COVID acute symptoms. My recovery was the result of my efforts to enhance my immune system via my Unconventional Cancer Protocols, which I started when I was diagnosed with incurable bone marrow cancer in 2018.

During my recovery time, my oncologist thought that my symptoms were predominately the effects of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. So, I returned to the immunotherapy treatment on January 4, 2022, thinking it might still be effective for me. After that treatment, I received another injection on 2/1/22.

My oncologist and I were wrong! The reintroduction of the immunotherapy proved to be critically damaging for me.

After the immunotherapy treatment on 2/1/22, the intense side effects returned with a vengeance. Several weeks after the injection, I began to develop piercing sciatic pain in my left leg, sharp pain in my joints, and significant discomfort and weakness throughout my body. My oncologist scheduled me for a new PET Scan.

 

PET Scan Results: 2/28/22

The newest PET Scan on 2/28/22 showed a reemergence of multiple myeloma cells …

  • An accumulation of malignant plasma cells near my left eye orbit.
  • An accumulation of cancer cells in my sacral area affecting the sciatic nerve and other structures.

To determine the extent of the eye lesion, I had a Brain MRI on 3/10/22. The MRI showed a soft tissue mass approximately 2cm X 1cm X 1cm. It was invading an area around a posterior eye muscle of my left eye. But I didn’t have any symptoms, yet.

My oncologist scheduled me to see a radiation oncologist to evaluate the lesion near my left eye and the malignant plasma cells in the sacrum area. My leg pain was continuous and stabbing. It was not controllable even with narcotics.

In addition, my legs also were developing extensive edema. In just 6 weeks, I put on about 12 pounds of fluid weight. My oncologist thought there might be a blood clot, so he scheduled an ultrasound of my legs, which turned out to be negative. He then set up an appointment with a vascular surgeon to evaluate the acute leg edema.

 

Radiation Oncologist: 3/22/22

I didn’t want to go blind in my left eye, and I needed the pain in my legs to end. So, on 3/22/22, I saw the radiation oncologist, who immediately set up specific radiation therapy appointments.

The radiation oncologist explained the malignant cells near my left eye would eventually cause me to go blind in that eye and that the accumulation of the malignant plasma cells in the sacrum could be the culprit of the leg and sciatic pain as well as the edema accumulation.

Image guided radiation treatment would consist of a couple of appointments for measurements and then 10 days of consecutive radiation. The eye lesion and the sacral lesions would be treated concurrently. The entire process began on 3/23/22. But the actual radiation treatments didn’t begin until 4/4/22 and ended on 4/15/22.

However, by Monday, 4/11/22, the pain in my legs was gone! That was awesome!

 

Vascular Surgeon: 3/24/22

On 3/24/22, I was examined by the vascular surgeon, who scheduled a full vascular study of my legs. She showed me some photos of her patients who had SARS-CoV-2 virus and had serious visible lesions in their legs because the spike protein caused endothelial damage in the venous system. She suggested that my leg edema might be the result of long haulers COVID, which I believe was provoked by the Darzalex side effects and eventually caused my multiple myeloma to reactivate. My hope is that after the radiation treatment, the water retention will go down, and I will return to my “normal self” before all of this started in July 2021.

The full vascular study consisted of doppler evaluation of both of my legs. The results showed healthy arterial flow but compromised venous flow. To be proactive, I had an echocardiogram on 4/14/22 to assure my heart was not the culprit of the leg edema – and it was not.

Although the leg pain as of 4/11/22 had ended, I am still waiting for the water retention to go down. No doubt it will in time!

 

Oncology Visit on 4/8/22

I visited my oncologist on 4/8/22 for new blood work and exam. He discussed the results of the ongoing radiation treatment and the report from the vascular surgeon. It could take another month to determine the benefits of the isolated guided radiation treatment on the concentrated accumulation of the malignant cells. Most likely, I’ll have another PET Scan. I am optimistic about the outcome.

Then I discussed with him my new protocol, which I planned to start on 4/16/22. I was pleasantly surprised that he agreed with me and gave me his ‘Go Ahead”. He emphasized that he would not recommend this to any of his other cancer patients because of medical legal obstacles. But he will continue to monitor me every 4 weeks to determine its effects.

 

My Newest Protocol – Fenbendazole  

Caveat: Once again, I am describing my experiment of N=1. I am not recommending this as treatment for any disease or for anyone to try. And I don’t know if it will work for me or not.

That being said, I’m not jumping into this without doing my own research. I knew about this drug for a couple of years but didn’t consider it seriously at that time because it was a “drug”. However, with the resurgence of malignant plasma cells in isolated areas of my body, I have changed my mind to give it a try.

The drug is Fenbendazole. It is a dog dewormer. Yes, a dog dewormer!

Joe Tippens popularized this out-of-the-box protocol when he wrote about his own cancer journey that began in 2016. He set up a website to explain his story and current research.

Joe was told that there was nothing oncology or modern medicine could do for his incurable lung cancer. His doctors gave him only 3 months to live. Yet, after his veterinarian friend suggested that he try fenbendazole, Joe began his own experiment of N=1. Fenbendazole “cured” his lung cancer!

Here is a video interview of Joe Tippens in 2021, where he describes his amazing story:

 

 

My Research

During my research, I found 47 studies when I searched PubMed describing the effects of this drug on human cancers. I also used Fenbendazole.org as a source for valuable information. In addition, there are two private Facebook groups for discussions about fenbendazole:

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any research about this drug’s effects on multiple myeloma. So, as I said, I don’t know if it will help me or not.

Fenbendazole is a broad spectrum benzimidazole anthelmintic originally used against gastrointestinal parasites in animals. Merck began experimenting with fenbendazole for animal use in 1961. It was used to treat rodent pinworm infections in dogs. But now it is fast becoming a repurposed drug to treat late-stage cancers in humans. Yet, fenbendazole is not FDA approved for human usage.

Fenbendazole is a dry, tasteless powder. Research shows it to significantly inhibit tumor growth when supplemented with vitamins A, D, E, K, and B. Incidentally, my animal-based diet adequately provides these essential vitamins in bioavailable forms. So, I will not take any synthetic or processed vitamin supplemental forms with fenbendazole.

Fenbendazole appears to kill cancer cells in three specific ways:

  • It destroys microtubules that sustain the structure of the cancer cell and its ability to divide and multiply rapidly.
  • It interrupts the cancer cells’ ability to process sugar to survive.
  • It boosts the production of a cancer-killing gene called p53, a gene that cancer patients may lack. When p53 becomes mutated or can’t keep cancer cells in check, cancer cells can proliferate.

Fenbendazole also works against parasites, which might be the origin of some cancers.

 

Side Effects

Some research suggests that those who are weak from chemotherapy may experience more side effects than those not receiving conventional cancer treatment. Some common side effects include elevated liver enzymes, mild diarrhea, and mild stomach discomfort. There has been a medical report that fenbendazole caused liver damage in a lung cancer patient, but the liver healed after the patient discontinued fenbendazole.

One concern I have that has not been reported to my knowledge is the potential damage to the gut microbiome. Another antiparasitic drug, Ivermectin, has been described to damage the gut microbiome causing gut dysbiosis. So, it could be possible that fenbendazole will also cause gut dysbiosis if not mitigated by proper gut support. And gut dysbiosis is a major source of most chronic diseases.

To that end, the methods I use to improve the diversity of a healthy gut microbiome and heal any damage resulting in a leaky gut are described in my 11 Unconventional Cancer Protocols.

For example, I consume Molecular Hydrogen as a discriminate free-radical neutralizer and antioxidant as well as Bovine Colostrum, both of which improve gut health. I also consume spore-based probiotics to assist in replenishing and diversifying my gut microbiome.

While including fenbendazole in my protocols, I am not following the Joe Tippens Protocol because it includes manmade supplements. As I have said, my eating lifestyle and original cancer protocols provide the necessary elements in bioavailable forms to help my body in its healing process.

 

My Protocol for Fenbendazole

On April 16, 2022, I began taking Fenbendazole 222 mg (Panacur C) for 3 days, then taking 4 days off every week. This product is supplied in individual packets, each containing the proper dosage. I mix the powder from one packet in my Colostrum in the morning. Fenbendazole should be taken with or after a meal containing fat for better absorption.

I’ll follow this weekly protocol until I see an improvement in my PET Scan as well as in the SPEP (serum protein electrophoresis) with immunofixation blood tests. These blood tests identify dysfunctional antibodies resulting from multiple myeloma. If there is no improvement in my monthly blood work, I will increase the frequency of my dosing of fenbendazole to every day without interruption. If there are signs that fenbendazole is harmful in any way, I will stop the experiment.

All along my experiment with fenbendazole, my oncologist will be witness to the effects – good or bad. As I have mentioned, I have new blood work every 4 weeks.

Time will tell, but I am encouraged.

I know that my previous protocols have helped my body reboot and enhance my immune system. And now, this additional protocol should further my healing ability. My current 11 Unconventional Cancer Protocols might be able to take my body’s ability to fight this multiple myeloma battle to a higher level than before.

While it’s been an extremely challenging 10 months, I’m not letting it hold me back. I’ve been working on a brand-new book that I can’t wait to share with you. And I really enjoy working one-on-one with my coaching clients and writing these weekly blogs. If you have any questions you’d like to see covered in an upcoming blog, send them my way!

 

Schedule a ”30-Minute Free Consult” with me to answer some of your questions and determine if we are a good fit for a coaching program! CLICK HERE.

 

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My Roller Coaster Cancer Journey
– March 2022 Update –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

March 13, 2022

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Starting at the end of June 2021, life for me has been a roller coaster ride. My body has been challenged like at no other time – complications with my immunotherapy, fighting external viruses, dealing with body pain, and plummeting into depths of depression.

As a quick recap, I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in September of 2018, following what I thought was an extremely healthy lifestyle the previous 6 years. My oncologist gave me 3-6 months to live if I did nothing. I rejected chemotherapy and used my medical background and research to develop what I now call my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols.

This approach was not without setbacks, as I found myself in Hospice for end-of-life care in 2019. However, as you know, that was NOT the end of my story. I adjusted my approach with my continued research, and I began thriving.

However, these last 9 months have been bordering on horrific. I always try to keep an upbeat tone when I share my findings with you, but I also believe it’s important to be transparent and real. I look forward to the day when I can say, “I’m thriving again!”.

Here’s what’s been going on behind the scenes:

 

My Strength

My first pillar of strength has been my astonishing wife. And once again, she has come through with flying colors. But I can tell you, “I don’t make it easy for her.” I’ve been known to be a pain in the ass.

In addition, my oncologist stands out as stellar in his own right.

He is the most empathetic and committed medical professional I know. He is a conventional, allopathic specialist who practices in a large oncology group where I live. I dare not tell you his name, because he must follow the standard of care for his cancer patients or else his practice and most likely the medical licensing board would end his career if he deviated. But he always is interested in my “out of the box” thinking and the research I have put into my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols.

After my diagnosis in 2018, I have been adhering to my protocols, which have served me well. But by the end of June 2021, my path became repeatedly choppy.

 

June – September 2021

A botched injection of my monthly immunotherapy on June 22, 2021, may have weakened my body’s defenses. I wrote all about it HERE.

At first, I thought I developed severe side effects from this monoclonal antibody called Darzalex. (Darzalex is a human-derived monoclonal antibody that attaches itself to a specific protein on the surface of malignant plasma cells. Then the body’s immune system can eat up these tagged malignant plasma cells.)

But what developed by the beginning of July was far worse and more complicated.

Early in July, I developed a sore throat and cough. I used my Bee Propolis Spray and Nebulized 0.1% Hydrogen Peroxide saline that took care of those symptoms. Then almost immediately after that I experienced extreme exhaustion, overall muscle and intense joint pain, and headaches which just got worse. And then there was diarrhea, which I don’t deal with very well.

I never had a fever, loss of taste, or loss of smell.

These “side effects” started deteriorating my body. My oncologist believed that the exaggerated symptoms were the compounding effects from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It made sense that my body was weakened from the recent immunotherapy injection, and I was more susceptible to contracting the virus.

But it is difficult to determine what is going on for some patients with multiple myeloma. Since multiple myeloma produces dysfunctional antibodies, my immunoglobulins are not functioning as those would be for someone without cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow.

Shortly after developing all my symptoms, I had my monthly blood work drawn. My CBC showed lower than normal hemoglobin. I had a significant rise in my neutrophil count and a significant drop in my lymphocyte count. My blood chemistries showed increased serum calcium and elevated alkaline phosphatase. My immunofluorescent blood work showed a spike in my serum dysfunctional IgA antibodies. It was bizarre, but all these biomarkers were moving in the wrong direction after July 2021. This had not happened before.

 

October – November 2021

Again, I returned to my specialist’s office on 10/19/21 for a round of new blood work. At that time, he also scheduled me for a new PET Scan on 10/26/21.

The most compelling biomarker that suggested I had COVID was my NLR, which was skyrocketing when I had another CBC drawn on 11/2/21.

NLR is the Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio. It is a reliable blood marker for systemic inflammation and a most robust marker for COVID. A severely high NLR has been reported in various recent medical papers to be a hallmark of severe COVID-19.

A normal NLR is between 1:1 and 3:1. In this published study, the average NLR for hospitalized COVID patients was 6.15. When that ratio rose above 8.17 in the study, the risk of death increased. Strikingly, my NLR on 11/2/21 was 42.0 – a seriously disturbing level!

But I never had to be hospitalized. My efforts to support my immune system have played an important part in my body’s ability to heal – albeit slowly.

Another tool in the toolbox is the PET Scan. When I had my PET Scan on 10/26/21, it showed that my multiple myeloma had become slightly-to-moderately activated again and centralized in my colon area, lower spine, and pelvis.

Did all this start with a botched immunotherapy injection at the end of June? Was COVID causing havoc with my physical body, my bloodwork, as well as my multiple myeloma? The answers seem to be, “YES!”

I became very depressed.

I remember in September 2018 I was at the oncologist’s office for the very first time. My wife and adult children were at this appointment. The oncologist told me of my diagnosis and prognosis. After we discussed the options of chemo and other treatment, he said that eventually all meds eventually would prove ineffective. Then, I would succumb to the manifestations of multiple myeloma.

Was this the end? Was I going downhill for the last time? Good thoughts were replaced by dark, destructive, negative energies.

 

December 2021 – January 2022

Once again, my wife pulled me out of the abyss of depression by my bootstraps and set me straight. She has been my guiding light and pillar of strength since we married in 1969. And certainly, since my cancer diagnosis in 2018, she has been my partner in my cancer journey.

I continued with all my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols, but I added two new elements that I believe can assist in healing my body – colostrum and hydrogen-rich water.

I also began another round of my monthly immunotherapy (i.e., Darzalex FasPro) on 1/4/22 since I thought I was recovering well from the COVID symptoms.

 

Colostrum

I wrote about my experiment with eating Colostrum-6 every day. There is an abundance of research touting the health benefits of colostrum, especially with healing the gut. And you know how much emphasis I place on a healthy gut for overall health and immune support.

 

Hydrogen-Rich Water

I also wrote about another new pet research project of mine, molecular hydrogen. There are over 15 years of published medical articles about its ability to bring the body back into a state of balance or homeostasis. At high levels of concentration, molecular hydrogen dissolved in water may produce significant clinical benefits. This study describes the benefits for adults over the age of 70.

Two of the most interesting aspects of high-dose molecular hydrogen dissolved in drinking water (16PPM) is that it is a discriminating free-radical scavenger and an anti-inflammatory agent.

The emphasis is on discriminating. That means it does not destroy the good free radicals that the body creates for many biologically necessary functions. It only neutralizes the excessive free radicals and the most dangerous of them.

 

February – March 2022

Assuming that the immunotherapy would be OK, I had another injection on 2/1/22.

I was wrong!

I once again developed serious side effects. My joints and muscles became extremely painful, and I had difficulty raising my arms and walking. My shoulder joints became “frozen” (adhesive capsulitis).

I felt debilitated and incapacitated.

On 2/28/22, I had a new PET Scan. And on 3/1/22, I had new blood work and an appointment with my oncologist. He reviewed that day’s blood work and the results of the PET Scan from the previous day.

This was a crucial day in my Cancer Journey.

He told me that my Darzalex FasPro subcutaneous injections have exceeded the risk-benefit ratio. And my blood work and symptoms were reflecting this toxicity.

It now appeared that my symptoms beginning after my botched Darzalex injection on 6/22/21 and then reappearing after this last round of Darzalex on 2/1/22 were directly related to the severe and compounding side effects of Darzalex along with the underlying and lingering effects of COVID-19.

Both of which woke up my cancer, which was confirmed in my newest PET Scan taken on 2/28/22.

The Scan showed a continuation of the resurgence of multiple myeloma spreading to other areas. Through no fault of my own, but rather the fault of Darzalex’s side effects and the SARS-CoV-2 Virus, the bone marrow cancer was rearing up its ugly head.

I had to consider my next steps and options.

 

Next Steps & Options

  • I could not be in denial.
  • I could not get depressed.
  • I had to maintain the proactive attitude that brought me to where I was before June 22, 2021, when all these problems started.
  • I knew I would no longer put Darzalex into my body.

My oncologist suggested chemo, but I once again declined. Here’s why …

At my diagnosis in 2018, I rejected chemo because my quality of life could have been significantly decreased with the chemo. And quality of life meant more to me than longevity with increasingly debilitating symptoms.

Chemo cocktails are a potentially damaging combination of chemicals which can disturb all biological functions as well as everything I have been doing to support my immune system.

I am not in agreement with other conventional specialists who have said that chemo is the only answer. The side effects, which are numerous, are testaments to the fact that the recommended chemotherapy drugs have produced serious complications for some patients. The response to my concerns from many allopathic oncologists is that there are always other meds to offset the side effects from chemotherapy.

However, I can’t rationalize that statement. I can’t make any sense of it in my head because my goal is to allow my immune system to do what it can do to heal my body. The last thing I want to do is disturb and short circuit my body’s biochemical functions.

So, I know that following my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols will assist my body in healing as best as possible – just as it did in the past. I have no expectation that my Protocols will take me into remission or cure this bone marrow cancer.

A greater power than I am able to comprehend has created the human machine I call “me”. This omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, cosmic energy source made “me” perfectly balanced and functional. Why would I hamper “me” from doing what it was designed to do by God? I have a strong spiritual belief that I am here on this Earth in this body to learn important lessons, and my cancer journey is a significant part of those lessons.

 

Naysayers Have Nothing on my Support System

Although my wife is there to encourage me, I don’t always get love from everyone.

For example, when I publish my cancer journey updates on some social media sites, some individuals leave their comments in capital letters like they’re screaming at me.  Recent comments have been …

  • “GET THE HELL OFF THIS SITE”
  • “YOU’RE KILLING PEOPLE BY TELLING THEM TO EAT RED MEAT”
  • “YOU’RE A FAKE AND A SCAM ARTIST”

Generally, the most vitriolic comments are coming from those who shout,

  • “BECOME A VEGAN IF YOU WANT TO CURE YOUR CANCER”

 

Where Am I Going?

I don’t know.

I do know where I want to go. And I have the motivation and attitude to get there.

By stopping the offending Darzalex and continuing with all my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols, I expect to get back to “my normal”.

I realize that multiple myeloma is real and spreading in my body. But I also realize that my body has the potential to assist the fight without any outside chemical side effects.

One of the excellent investigative journalists I regularly follow on an uncensored social media site says, “The virus is gonna virus”. I’ll take his insight one step further and say, “The cancer is gonna cancer”.

I continue to forge ahead and always am looking to tweak my Protocols with methods to enhance my existing immune system to become the best it can be under my current circumstances. I still am dealing with lingering bone pain. But I’m working on that.

And I am moving forward with great expectations and abundance of proof that what I have done in the past has worked and will produce excellent benefits for me as time moves on.

Again, I must emphasize that I do not have a cure for cancer, and what I am doing for myself is my own personal journey. My goal is to be transparent and candid about my experiences – both good and bad.

Of course, my awesome wife is always by my side, and my empathetic oncologist is rooting me on.

 

Schedule a ”30-Minute Free Consult” with me to answer some of your questions and determine if we are a good fit for a coaching program! CLICK HERE.

 

If you don’t want to miss out on new posts, sign up for my Free “Belly Bites” Newsletter and receive your free copy of Dr Al’s “5 Things That Could Be Impacting Your Health Right Now” HERE.

Molecular Hydrogen & Health
– My Experiment –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

January 30, 2022

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As you know, I’m always looking for ways to improve my health and reduce the likelihood of cancer cells attacking my body. So, when I spoke with several accredited molecular hydrogen researchers and learned about the potential benefits of drinking hydrogen water for cancer patients, I had to give it a try. I never shy away from being my own guinea pig, and I share all my results with you – both good and bad.

So, is hydrogen water a miracle cure for cancer patients? Read on, and I’ll tell you what I’ve found so far.

 

Hydrogen

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. And hydrogen may be one of the most critical elements for maintaining health and wellness as well as healing from various diseases.

Earth’s atmosphere is composed of approximately 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.04% carbon dioxide as well as trace amounts of neon, helium, methane, krypton, ozone, and hydrogen. So, the amount of hydrogen gas in the air we breathe is extremely minute. However, hydrogen makes up about 9.5% of our body mass.

And this hydrogen has many biochemical functions. The H2 molecule is the smallest in the universe, which allows it to diffuse through all cell membranes, including the blood-brain barrier and subcellular compartments, and into the mitochondria.

 

Hydrogen and Free Radicals

This brings me to the reason for my newest N=1 experiment.

Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that have the potential to harm cells. They are created when an atom or a molecule either gains or loses an electron. Free radicals are formed naturally in the body and play an important role in many normal cellular processes. At high concentrations, however, free radicals can be hazardous to the body and damage all major components of cells, including DNA, proteins, and cell membranes. The damage to cells caused by free radicals, especially the damage to DNA, may play a role in the development of cancer as well as most other chronic diseases.

H2 is a potent selective antioxidant. The fact that it is selective is critical since many other antioxidants like vitamins C and E, are not selective. When antioxidant supplements are taken in excess, they can be counterproductive and even harmful to the body by neutralizing all free radicals – including the necessary ones. In contrast, high doses of molecular hydrogen consumed by drinking hydrogen-rich water only neutralize excessive and damaging free radical production. If these unhealthy free radicals were to go unchecked, they would be significant factors causing cancer as well as many other diseases.[1],[2],[3],[4],[5],[6]

Here is an animation of how hydrogen gas is a superior and selective antioxidant compared to other indiscriminate antioxidant supplements:

 

 

In addition, drinking water infused with molecular hydrogen can suppress the growth of cancer cells. H2 also alleviates the side effects caused by conventional chemotherapeutics that are used in treating existing cancers.

 

My N=1 Experiment

My conversations with molecular hydrogen researchers have brought me to the design of my N=1 experiment. I’ll be drinking high doses of molecular hydrogen water twice a day on an empty stomach. This may be the ideal dose to offer the greatest benefits in reducing cancer and improving healing. In this 2021 peer-reviewed published paper, the authors explain the current thinking about hydrogen-rich water and cancer.

The product I am using is HRW Rejuvenation Tablets. These patented tablets contain magnesium. Chemically, when magnesium nanoparticles react with water, nano-sized bubbles of hydrogen gas are produced by the following chemical reaction; Mg + 2H2O → Mg (OH)2 + H2.

 

 

I started my N=1 experiment with hydrogen-rich water on Monday, 1/24/22.

My goal is to consume 16mg/L (16 PPM) of hydrogen per day. I’ll divide this into two doses of 500 ml in the AM and 500 ml in the afternoon on an empty stomach. To get to this dose, I’ll dissolve 2 tablets of HRW Rejuvenation Tablets in 500 ml of spring water each time.

When I’m ready to drink the hydrogen water, I’ll drop the tablets into room temperature spring water. The water must not be carbonated. The tablets will dissolve and make the water look very “cloudy”. The “cloudy look” is the nano-sized molecular hydrogen bubbles dispersed in the water. It is important to let the tablets completely dissolve and then drink the solution immediately all at once. If the “cloudiness” goes away, the hydrogen gas will be gone, and the benefit of the hydrogen-infused water will be lost.

I’ll be using room temperature Mountain Valley Spring water as my drinking water source. In the AM drink, I will also add 1 teaspoon of SOLE as I have been doing in the past.

A side benefit of using HRW Rejuvenation Tablets is that the magnesium used to create the molecular hydrogen will provide all the magnesium my body requires.

I’m anticipating results that I can identify subjectively and objectively. I don’t know how successful I will be since I’m just starting this N=1 experiment.

  • Subjectively, I am looking for a reduction in bone pain which I experience 24/7. Currently, my only medications for bone pain are over-the-counter ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
  • Objectively, I may be able to see clinical changes in my blood tests. I have blood work every four weeks when I visit my oncologist at the Cancer Clinic. My oncologist and I will be able to see if there are any changes in these labs (i.e., CBC – complete blood count, CMP – comprehensive metabolic panel, SPEP – serum protein electrophoresis, and Immunofixation)

 

Additional Benefits of Molecular Hydrogen

Molecular hydrogen has been studied extensively and has been shown to provide benefits other than my emphasis on cancer. This 2020 published medical article is an excellent summary of how hydrogen can assist in disease treatment. I’ve listed some of the specific benefits below …

  1. Hydrogen supports the body’s natural antioxidant system by enhancing the production of endogenous antioxidants like glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, but only when they are needed.[7],[8]
  2. Hydrogen gas has been shown to be anti-inflammatory and can reduce pain. This pain relief is due to the reduction in oxidative stress by hydrogen gas.[9],[10] However, its anti-inflammatory effects do not prevent the normal inflammatory processes of the immune system.
  3. Hydrogen water can prevent muscle wasting in mice that had muscular dystrophy.[11] These beneficial effects can assist athletes with their recovery after exercise and strenuous events. It can reduce muscle fatigue by reducing lactic acid buildup.[12]
  4. Hydrogen can help cells maintain homeostasis and healthy modulation.[13]
  5. Hydrogen can reduce damage to the brain that is seen in Parkinson’s disease.[14] Its general neuroprotective properties are due to its ability to fight oxidative stress.
  6. Hydrogen increases insulin sensitivity and decreases blood sugar as well as unhealthy blood cholesterol levels.[15] These effects make hydrogen a potential therapy for fighting obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
  7. Your mitochondria are the energy sources of your cells like the batteries in a flashlight. Hydrogen-rich water has been shown to improve mitochondrial function, which may be a significant factor in chronic disease prevention and treatment.[16]
  8. Hydrogen gas significantly protects DNA against radiation damage by scavenging hydroxyl radical formation.[17]
  9. It seems that hydrogen restores healthy processes throughout the body by bringing them back to a state of balance or homeostasis.[18]
  10. Hydrogen has been observed to generally protect the body and organ function.[19]
  11. Drinking hydrogen water improves the diversity and abundance of the gut microbiome[20] as well as normalizes stool consistency.[21]
  12. Drinking hydrogen water can improve oxygen levels and exercise capacity in COVID-19 patients.[22],[23]
  13. Hydrogen-rich water may protect the liver from toxicity when consuming high doses of acetaminophen (Tylenol).[24]
  14. Molecular hydrogen exhibits multiple advantages in the treatment of sepsis due to its unique physicochemical properties.[25]

 

Is Molecular Hydrogen a Miracle?

The answer to this question is, “Probably not.” But hydrogen provides many impressive benefits.[26]

Drinking hydrogen-rich water may not do very much for a healthy person whose body and biochemical pathways are not out of balance.[27] But if a person had any cellular dysfunction, then hydrogen could bring the body back into balance. It also seems that hydrogen does not interfere with necessary biological pathways. There appears to be no “lethal dose” of hydrogen in the body. The body just uses what it needs, and any excess hydrogen leaves the body unscathed.

 

My Future Success

So, my experiment of N=1 is just beginning. You can be sure that as the weeks roll by, I will be journaling how hydrogen-rich water affects my body and my bloodwork. From my research, effects should become evident starting about two weeks after beginning my trial. My goal would be to continue drinking hydrogen-rich water indefinitely if results are positive. My oncologist will help me interpret any changes in the monthly blood results.

Two interesting biomarkers I will follow are the ratios of several white blood cells that are reported in my monthly CBC. Specifically, they are the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and the Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio (LMR).[28]

These two ratios are systemic inflammatory markers. NLR is directly related and LMR is inversely related to systemic inflammation. My goal of monitoring these ratios is to determine the direction in which they are moving. A declining NLR and a rising LMR would suggest my systemic inflammation is improving. That would be a good thing.

I’ll keep you informed as time goes by.

 

[1] https://cdn.amegroups.cn/journals/pbpc/files/journals/3/articles/23326/public/23326-PB6-1799-R4.pdf

[2] https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/4/893/htm

[3] https://stemcellres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13287-019-1241-x

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6691140/

[5] http://www.nutroncol.com/magazine/2019-07-28/001-0044-Progress%20in%20the%20Use%20of%20Molecular%20Hydrogen%20for%20Cancer%20Treatment.pdf

[6] https://www.wjgnet.com/1948-5204/full/v14/i1/242.htm

[7] https://www.nature.com/articles/nm1577

[8] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26276082/

[9] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11510417/

[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4062523/

[11] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26866650/

[12] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22520831/

[13] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21512236/

[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4865993/

[15] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21293445/

[16] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22146674/

[17] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27438130/

[18] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19766097/

[19] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5731988/

[20] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30713665/

[21] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8374459/

[22] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ccr3.5039

[23] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2020.543718/full

[24] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4394080/

[25] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6567800/

[26] https://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/omcl/2020/8384742.pdf

[27] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-75492-w

[28] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00016357.2021.1969035

 

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My Greatest Fear
– Humpty Dumpty Had a Great Fall –

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

December 19, 2021

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My greatest fear is that I may “get broken” beyond repair. And then I would lose my quality of life. I also might not be able to continue sharing and teaching all I have learned along my amazing Cancer Journey.

Yes, old dogs can learn new tricks! And at the age of almost 75, I am an “old dog” with lots of “new” tricks. But a broken dog can’t jump up and down any longer. And I like to show off.

Everything I’ve learned I want to share. I have not found anybody who has connected the medical dots as I have. But as Humpty Dumpty fell and shattered into pieces, my fragile and porous skeleton could do the same.

I don’t have a fear of death. And certainly, I am not in denial of my situation. I am realistic.

My greatest fear is suffering severe pathological fractures in the future that could incapacitate me and end the quality of life which I enjoy today.

 

My Dilemma

My dilemma is that my mind is working overtime, but my physical body has been challenging me recently.

A recent study showed that fully vaccinated patients with multiple myeloma have an increased rate of COVID-19 infection and have an increased risk of dying compared to vaccinated individuals without cancer.[1] And I’m not vaccinated for reasons I’ve discussed in previous Blogs.

My cancer journey has taken me through a lot. Most recently, the 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols I created have helped me through COVID and Long Haulers without meds and without hospitalization. I am impressed with the overall strength of my immune system because of these protocols. As I have repeated in the past, my oncologist is amazed!

Multiple myeloma is a bone marrow cancer. It weakens the immune system’s ability to create necessary antibodies, which are created by plasma cells in the bone marrow to fight invaders. Multiple myeloma also can create severe bone lesions throughout the skeleton making bones very fragile.

Initially, the symptoms in 2018 that brought me to my physician were pain in my right shoulder and sternum area. I had no idea that my problems were anything more than a torn ligament or a damaged muscle. At that time, I had no idea I had a crack in my pelvis, broken ribs, and a vertebral compression fracture causing bone and breathing pain.

Once the diagnosis of IgA Kappa Light Chain Multiple Myeloma was confirmed in September 2018 and I was given 3-6 months to live, the obvious became real to me. Most likely I would die from the complications of multiple myeloma. And I was prone to painful and life-threatening fractures even if I only twisted or bent my body in such a way that a weakened bone would snap.

My ultimate realization of my fragile body occurred in August 2019. That is when I was standing in my bathroom, twisted to the left to throw my used dental floss into the trashcan, and instantly my right femur snapped in half. I collapsed to the floor – breaking several ribs and splitting my right humerus in half. These severe fractures eventually put me in a Hospice Hospital to die.

Amazingly, I rebounded, revoked Hospice, and returned to my protocols. To the shock of most people around me, I was recovering. And when I saw my oncologist in October 2019, he was pleasantly surprised once again.

 

COVID

I continued with an excellent quality of life until 6/22/21, when I received a botched injection of my monthly immunotherapy (Darzalex[2]), which is not chemotherapy. Within a week after this injection, I began having various areas of bone and muscle pain. My oncologist and I thought these symptoms were a combination of side effects from the Darzalex injection. Yet, I never experienced bad side effects from this therapy in the past.

But then I experienced overall joint pain, total exhaustion, lack of energy, diarrhea, headaches, and a persistent cough. I finally recognized that the progressively worsening symptoms were the effects from the SARS-CoV-2 virus which took over my weakened body. The complications after the Darzalex injection in June 2021 set my body up to make me more susceptible to the virus.

 

COVID & NLR

My concerns were documented after my routine monthly CBC (Complete Blood Count) following the COVID infection and the peak of my symptoms.

The CBC looks at the components of the blood – red blood cells. white blood cells, platelets, hemoglobin, etc. A ratio of two specific white blood cells has recently been explored and documented in COVID patients. It is the ratio between the number of neutrophils and lymphocytes circulating in the blood. It is called the NLR (neutrophil lymphocyte ratio).

For a healthy individual, the NLR is usually between 1:1 to 3:1. However in severe COVID patients, the ratio is elevated along with the number of lymphocytes being significantly below normal. In a current study of hospitalized COVID patients, those with an NLR of 7.45 or higher were more likely to require a ventilator and had a higher risk of dying.

A significantly elevated NLR has become a “hallmark of severe COVID”. After my severe symptoms, my NLR was 42:1 – an extremely elevated ratio. This has never occurred before in my CBC results and concerned me.

My oncologist believes now that the increased activity of my malignant plasma cells as shown on my most recent PET Scan taken on 10/26/21 (after my severe symptoms were receding) is related to COVID’s effects on my bone marrow cells. Malignant plasma cells cannot produce healthy antibodies to the virus. So, millions of dysfunctional antibodies were produced in my bones that created more bone lesions as seen on this PET Scan.

And all those bone lesions make my skeleton more and more fragile. Like Humpty Dumpty, I’m prone to life-threatening pathological fractures.

And bone lesions cause bone pain.

 

Recovery

Bone pain is a symptom of progressing multiple myeloma. Fortunately, my bone pain in subsiding. And this bone pain just may be the final stage of “long-haulers COVID”. Whatever the cause of my bone pain, my ongoing efforts to improve my immune system should allow healing, and I’ll be fine in time. Just as I was before contracting COVID.

My most recent monthly blood work on 11/30/21 showed that my NLR dropped from 42:1 to 24:1. Still very high, but markedly better. I’m moving in the right direction!

Once again, I emphasize that the quality of life is most important to me – not longevity. But I want to live as long as possible if I can be productive for my family, friends, and myself.

Believe me, I am not a victim.

Don’t pity me.

I am a survivor.

But I am a realist.

Today, I am doing very well considering all that I have been through. I’m encouraged that I have returned to walking outside a little more than a mile most days of the week.

My attitude is positive as I deal with this challenge successfully. I’ve done it before, and I’ll do it again with my 10 Unconventional Cancer Protocols. My wife is my pillar of strength and has taught me this lesson very well.

 

Concluding Thoughts & Inspiration

There are many unknowns.

What I do know is I have found a way to do the impossible: I’ve taken an incurable diagnosis and reclaimed my quality of life even without chemotherapy. I’ve also recovered successfully from COVID. I’ve researched and experimented to beat the odds and created a system that allows me to achieve the best health and healing potential possible in my situation.

Imagine what could happen if you incorporate these methods into your life before you get sick like I did. And if you have a serious diagnosis, there is always a way to improve your situation by looking at it from a different perspective and being proactive as I have.

I’m reminded of a study that was published in 2019 that showed that 88% of the US adults are metabolically unhealthy. And this leads to serious chronic diseases including cancers. Today, I am in the minority with healthy metabolic flexibility.

My greatest joy in life is my family. My second greatest joy is helping others, just like you. If you haven’t taken the time to book a consult with me, please do. I would love nothing more than to leave a legacy of improved health and wellness.

I’ve incorporated all the lessons and facts I’ve learned into my 12-Week Balanced Metabolic Coaching Program. It’s customized to your specific health goals and needs. If this is your first time working with me, you can book a complimentary 30 minute consult to ensure we’re the right fit to work together.

If my journey has taught you anything, I hope it’s to take control and be proactive with your health. Heal your body before it’s too late. I can help.

 

 

[1] https://www.cancertherapyadvisor.com/home/cancer-topics/multiple-myeloma/covid19-multiple-myeloma-patients-increased-risk-treatment-risk/?mpweb=1323-166044-7637569

[2] https://imf-d8-prod.s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/2020-10/U-DarzaFaspro_EN_2020_h4_web.pdf

 

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My Awesome Wife  

Dr. Al Danenberg ● Nutritional Periodontist

October 31, 2021

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My cancer journey began on September 19, 2018, when I was diagnosed with incurable bone marrow cancer. Since then, I’ve written many Blogs about what I have done to get to where I am today. But I have a much bigger and more important story to tell. It is the story of my awesome wife.

What can I say?

She has been my unwavering support who has given me tough love, has pulled me out of moments of depression, and never has complained about her personal medical issues.

Regrettably, I have not been equally reciprocal.

Certainly, I have supported her when she has needed me. But during my moments of frustration and withdrawal, I have made her cry. Unintentionally, I have saddened her at times when I have been self-absorbed and oblivious to her feelings. Yet, she always forgives me. She is always strong. She is always there for me.

She is awesome.

It would be impossible for me to travel the path I have followed without her. There are so many instances where she has proved herself to be superhuman. Here are some of those times when she has shined.

 

When I was Diagnosed …

My wife was with me at the oncologist’s office in September 2018 as we both learned of my diagnosis and dire prognosis. George, my oncologist, told us that this cancer was incurable, and I had 3-6 months to live. In that moment, my entire world seemed to collapse around me.

I looked at my wife, and she looked into my eyes. I saw hope in her eyes. But I also could see her eyes tear up while still being my pillar of strength.

She did not question my decision to reject chemotherapy and follow a program that had no guarantee. My goal was to maintain a quality of life for whatever time I had left. She knew that no one had done what I was planning. I was embarking into uncharted waters. But I knew she was my partner moving forward with my Unconventional Cancer Protocols.

She never hesitates to encourage me and to think outside of the box.

 

The Discussion of Death …

My wife and I discuss death openly, spiritually, and pragmatically.

The months before my dad died many years ago, I remember my mother never allowed my sister and me to discuss death with him. How sad it was for him! How sad it was for me! I never achieved “closure” with my dad. My dad was never able to talk about his life and impending death because my mom stopped the conversation.

I saw his eyes while he was on his death bed in the hospital. His eyes were piercing mine. They were glistening and trying to speak to me. Yet, he was stifled and could never verbalize what was on his mind. That evening, he passed away.

Death is part of life. It must be openly discussed.

My wife has encouraged me to speak about death with her and with our adult children. She has made “the end of life” a celebration rather than a curse.

But in the early months following my diagnosis, I knew she was crying quietly and secretively almost every morning. She forced herself to discuss a very real but uncomfortable and scary scenario.

She continues to be awesome!

 

When I Entered Hospice …

In August 2019, I had a severe setback. In one fall in my bathroom, I split my right femur and right humerus in half along with fracturing a couple of ribs. I was ready to die, and I wanted to die. I already had outlived my prognosis.

I was placed in a hospice hospital to die.

The strength and determination of my wife turned all this around.

She gave me tough love. She convinced me that I was a survivor and not a victim.

My wife arranged for a hospital bed to be delivered to our home and was able to get me transferred from the hospital to our home while still being under hospice care. Then, she hired an in-home physical therapist to help me.

The physical therapist got me out of the hospital bed, finally got my catheter out, and had me walking with a walker within a few weeks. My wife got me back on my Unconventional Cancer Protocols, and I began to recover. I revoked hospice and scheduled to see my oncologist in early October 2019. He was shocked that I still was alive.

I owe my recovery to my awesome wife.

 

When I Thought I had COVID …

In June 2021, I had an unusual and complex reaction to my monthly immunotherapy. The injection was supposed to be subcutaneous. However, the nurse botched it, entered a vein, and immediately created a hematoma that lasted 5 weeks!

About a week after this injection, I developed physical symptoms including severe muscle aches, joint pain, extreme exhaustion, diarrhea, and headaches. These symptoms are reported to be rare but significant side effects of the immunotherapy drug, Darzalex. The confluence of these side effects was reported to occur when the benefits from the therapy began to decrease, and the risks began to increase.

I returned to my oncologist about a month after the severe symptoms had slowly resolved. We discussed the possibility that my symptoms were not only side effects from Darzalex but were typical symptoms of the Delta Variant of COVID. However, I never lost taste or smell, and never had a fever. I did have a lingering cough that eventually went away.

Likely, I suffered bad side effects from the incorrect injection of the immunotherapy drug, which may have affected the strength of my immune system. The consequence may have allowed the COVID virus an opportunity to manifest.

Once again, my wife was helping me cope with all the tumult and another bout of depression from June’s setback. During those few weeks while my discomfort became incapacitating, I thought this event could be the turning point that would put me over the edge again. But my wife was there to convince me to work with my body as I had done in the past.

To be sure, I am a terrible patient. When I don’t feel well, I am a bear to live with. I was true to form while dealing with these symptoms for several weeks. Yet my wife never flinched. She was constantly there to pick me up from my state of depression with her positive attitude and encouraging remarks.

Of course, she was insistent and right. I already had recreated a robust immune system because of my Unconventional Cancer Protocols. It is my belief that my enhanced immune system prevented more severe COVID symptoms and complications from developing.

She was awesome.

 

Today

I am facing another roadblock that is challenging. My cancer may be moving into an active state once again, causing me concern. On the other hand, there is a possibility that I am dealing with Long Haulers COVID[1] symptoms and not a resurgence of multiple myeloma.

Whatever is going on, I will continue to fight the fight I started to fight over three years ago. My resolve is strong, and my attitude is positive. Once again, making memories with my loved ones and living a quality life for as long as possible are my driving forces.

 

Support

If you have a debilitating, incurable, or terminal disease, you still have choices. You can decide how you want to handle yourself moving forward. For me, my wife has been my support. Hopefully, you have a significant other to help you in your moments of weakness.

I am only human. I could not have done what I have done for myself without the unrelenting strength and perseverance from my wife.

Together, my wife and I make a dynamic duo! But she is the conductor of this reality show I call my Cancer Journey.

Take time to figure this out for yourself: In times of illness or struggle, it is important to pay attention to those who act as your pillars, giving you strength and support to go on, even when you don’t feel like it yourself. I’d love to hear about the people who inspire you. Please feel free to share your experiences in the comments.

 

[1] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/covid-long-haulers-long-term-effects-of-covid19

 

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