MS, cancer, goats
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:32 am
After such a long time that we even have changed emails, and forgetting that my password was capitalized so I couldn't get in to write about all my (many) adventures, with my extended efforts, I finally arrived here with a splash and a plop. Now what?
A short history for newcomers and for those who have forgotten I existed: I began my story on the "Regimens"section of this excellent forum, but like some others, am moving to the "Antibiotics" section - much more sensible.
I was (am still by original diagnosis) PPMS and almost 4 very long years ago was on a cane, soon to degenerate to a walker. When my sister found David Wheldon's site, I began antibiotics 43 months ago. That was the start of one of the great adventures of an exciting life filled with great adventure. My years between then and now are written on a forum which is something of a spin-off of this one on Chlamydia Pneumoniae.
My improvement has been so dramatic that last summer I drove to Gilette, Wyoming with 8 of our beloved goats to the National show, with the whole distance, round trip, being 4300 miles. My husband stayed home to care for the rest of the herd and finance the trip - to keep the boat afloat. This does not include the twice a day feeding, milking, and clipping (show preparation) of the animals. I spent the whole show day in the ring - on my feet and VERY active. By way of comparison, to demontrate what an undertaking this was, in 2004 at the Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana, we sold half our herd because it was so obvious that I was going downhill at an ever-increasing rate. That was the worst year of my life. That year I buried my last horse, our 12 and 16 year old dogs, our 11 and 15 year old goats, and was diagnosed with MS and losing my ability to do any of the things that I had loved since I was 4 years old.
This year I was diagnosed with breast cancer and in January had a bilateral mastectomy. I was fortunate - it was stage 1a - very early. I was on Arimidex (a second generation tamoxifen) for a month which was supposed to be 5 years, but it was destroying my knee and giving me suicidal thought, which I have NEVER had, so I stopped. I plan to start LDN soon. Reconstruction will begin August 5. It could have been months earlier but I have been so busy that there simply will not be time to work it in until then.
In 2005 or 2006 I gave away my cane, and now spend most of my day working in the barn with the goats. My estimate for how much of my pre-MS self has returned is between 60% and 90%. The gulf between the 2 is because I am still on abx (antibiotics) and still get knocked down considerably by flagyl. The 30% is the difference between "good" days and "bad" days - i.e., the bad days being when I am under the influence of flagyl and its aftermath. Now, 38 days after my last pulse, I am going, going, going...
My newly-awakened mind can't help but wonder if there is a connection between the way that Chlamydia Pneumonia bacteria "live" and cancer, after having discovered that CPn bugs are frequently found in cancer cells.
A short history for newcomers and for those who have forgotten I existed: I began my story on the "Regimens"section of this excellent forum, but like some others, am moving to the "Antibiotics" section - much more sensible.
I was (am still by original diagnosis) PPMS and almost 4 very long years ago was on a cane, soon to degenerate to a walker. When my sister found David Wheldon's site, I began antibiotics 43 months ago. That was the start of one of the great adventures of an exciting life filled with great adventure. My years between then and now are written on a forum which is something of a spin-off of this one on Chlamydia Pneumoniae.
My improvement has been so dramatic that last summer I drove to Gilette, Wyoming with 8 of our beloved goats to the National show, with the whole distance, round trip, being 4300 miles. My husband stayed home to care for the rest of the herd and finance the trip - to keep the boat afloat. This does not include the twice a day feeding, milking, and clipping (show preparation) of the animals. I spent the whole show day in the ring - on my feet and VERY active. By way of comparison, to demontrate what an undertaking this was, in 2004 at the Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana, we sold half our herd because it was so obvious that I was going downhill at an ever-increasing rate. That was the worst year of my life. That year I buried my last horse, our 12 and 16 year old dogs, our 11 and 15 year old goats, and was diagnosed with MS and losing my ability to do any of the things that I had loved since I was 4 years old.
This year I was diagnosed with breast cancer and in January had a bilateral mastectomy. I was fortunate - it was stage 1a - very early. I was on Arimidex (a second generation tamoxifen) for a month which was supposed to be 5 years, but it was destroying my knee and giving me suicidal thought, which I have NEVER had, so I stopped. I plan to start LDN soon. Reconstruction will begin August 5. It could have been months earlier but I have been so busy that there simply will not be time to work it in until then.
In 2005 or 2006 I gave away my cane, and now spend most of my day working in the barn with the goats. My estimate for how much of my pre-MS self has returned is between 60% and 90%. The gulf between the 2 is because I am still on abx (antibiotics) and still get knocked down considerably by flagyl. The 30% is the difference between "good" days and "bad" days - i.e., the bad days being when I am under the influence of flagyl and its aftermath. Now, 38 days after my last pulse, I am going, going, going...
My newly-awakened mind can't help but wonder if there is a connection between the way that Chlamydia Pneumonia bacteria "live" and cancer, after having discovered that CPn bugs are frequently found in cancer cells.