Hi Olaelsayed,   I'm so sorry that Ahmed is dealing with this and your whole family too.  It sounds like a terrible cancer that has not responded to Chemotherapy and the Surgeons are unable to removed it.     I don't think you live in Australia going by the postcode of 57357.  Are you in America?   Can you get a second opinion?  Try another hospital?  I don't know what to advise you and can only offer my thoughts and prayers for your family.  This is a horrible journey to be on and it's even worse when it is a child who has to cope with this at such a young age.  Can you find out if there are any clinical trials that your child may be abel to participate in, such as Immunotherapy Trials?   Research and find out as much as you can and ask for help from everyone you come into contact with.     Please let me know if you find anything to help you in the future.  Good luck to Ahmed.   ... View more

My daughter knows someone who uses cannabis oil for Multiple Sclerosis.  She either got some from him or bought some.  Not sure.   I can't tell you what strain exactly.  She organised an afternoon where we would both try it.  She wanted to try it with me so I wouldn't feel alone.  My eldest daughter came along to supervise.  When my youngest son wanted to come and visit at that particular time I had to put him off by telling the truth.  I felt very embarassed but he accepted it readily.     Our cannabis was frozen.  We put a little bit in a glass ad sat it on the fireplace to defrost.  We used 1.3mg in a syringe.  My daughter had it straight.  I mixed it up in a little bit of jelly.  We tried this before I started radiation therapy so I didn't really have any symptoms yet.  What I noticed was a complete relaxation and a stiffness I've had in my neck for a long time - eased.  I'd had valium leading up to surgery which did very little to relax me and this was much better in that respect.  My daughter had a little bit more than me and she got the giggles which I'm glad I didn't get.     It was an interesting experiment and I will be quite happy to explore this further in the future.  Let me know how you go if you try it.  I've actually ordered some online but it hasn't arrived yet.  I was worried that if my daughter was drug tested by police while driving over next few day, that cannabis woud show up in her test.  I've since read that this type of cannabis does not show up in drug tests. ... View more

I'm so sorry you're going through this with your child.  What doctors have you seen?  Is there a treatment plan?  What is the diagnosis?  I don't know what to say to you without some information.  Get the best information you can.  Take notes or ask then to write it down for you.  Research the diagnosis and get a good understanding of what you are dealing with.   This is the most terrible time to try to be hopeful but you have to be for your child.  Cancer is a big enemy but we have fantastic doctors, research and treamtent in the time we live.  I hope you find answers and are able to be the best support and comfort possible for your child.    ... View more

Hi Phil,   Good job recording your songs.  That's a great thing to do.  "When you're chewing on life's gristle, don't grumble, give a whistle.  This'll help things turn out for the best.  Always look on the bright side of life."  Good advice.  Exercising lungs is important too.    My grandson has king charles cavalier that has lived with its throughout its life backwards and forwards so we're quite attached to her.  Definitely a snorer!     I haven't made any beads after that initial day.  I am really going to  have to push myself to get back to it.   I'm listening to a book I had read about 2-3 years ago.  It's called - One hundred days of happiness by Fausto Brizzi.  The book hasn't changed but I have.  I have now understood the book more deeply as it is a glorious tale of love, cancer and dying.  Funny and sweet.  Beautifully written.  Not overly sad.  Just very factual and inspiring.     Good luck with your recording efforts today.  I'm glad you're getting great sleep.  Me too.  I slept for 10 hours too last night.  Woke up at a reasonable time - 7ish.  Sometimes I wake at 5am and I find that it makes the day too long.     Have a wonderful day. ... View more

Excellent post Phil.  Yes, I did get all references to songs along the way.  Well done!  I need a Monty Python marathon as it would be good for laughter.   I thought it was interesting that you had a sensitivity to sulphates.  Anaphalaxis is a very dangerous dance and one I've never learned.  I do have a terrible sensitivity to preservatives and food colourings whih developed over the past 10 years or so.  I've always cooked from scratch but I found if I ate someone else's food I'd get a terrible nerve reaction.  Restless legs, hot feet and inability to sleep.  I've had to be really careful as to what I eat out.  Once it was from a particular wine.     Since being diagnosed with the C word. I've wondered about what we have in common with other patients.   I don't think any doctor takes a good history.  I have never liked the taste or smell of coffee or milk.  So have abstained from these completely.  Probably have had alcohol two or three times in a year.  Not a big drinker. Really big on healthy and fresh food.  CSIRO diet believer.  Have all the books.  Genetically?  No history of cancer in family.  The cancer I have does not have a genetic link so that's really good for my children.  Pretty fit and have practised Tai Chi for past 20 years.  Stress?  Yes.  Huge amount last year from two different things all at once.  Mother's death, brothers contesting will - long legal issues,  legal issues selling business, financial worries were all big factors.  All sorted now but it was probably the most stressful time in my life.   My plans for this year were to retire, stop Tai Chi, have no commitments or appointments.  Have time to myself without any responsibilities for the very first time in my life.  It also gave me time to sort out a swollen gland in my neck.  This has given me heaps of responsibility, appointments and on-going stress.  Not quite what I had planned for this year.  To look at it positively though, I'd made space to deal with this quickly, get the best possible outcome (all clear edges at biopsy) and the lowest tumour rating.     Is it the A type personality?  Manage everything, super organised, juggling many plates all at once.  I think Claire mentioned that was her as well.   Am I just trying to find something to blame?  Possibly.  I don't know why it keeps going around and around in my head as to why this has happend.     Good news - I am 1/3rd of way through Radiotherapy treatments.  It's a long haul though.  Every day.  My energy levels are still good, sleep good and skin intact.  All attendants very happy with my progress.  Discharged from Plastic Surgeons as healing is excellent.  Two month appointment with ENT as he's happy with recovery but just needs to see me again to organise new dentures.  Then I'll probably go to 6 or 12 monthly reviews which is excellent.  Surgeon thinks I will have no further problems in the future and that is as good as news gets at the moment and I will dance every day from now on to whatever the song is.               ... View more

Hi Claire,   I'm doing very well.  Sounds like you're recovering but why is seep a memory?  Good sleep is really important so just wondering.   I did go through a few dark days where I felt everything was futile but am feeling much more positive today. Am 1/3 of the way through Radiotherapy.  10 down and 20 to go.  Everyone is very happy with me today. Weight is holding.  Nutrition is good.  No fatigue, blisters or ulcers in mouth.  Plastics have discharged me from further review as they're very happy with surgical outcome and healing of the mouth.  I think all the soups, smoothies and juices have made me incredibly strong and I could not nap during the day if you paid me.  No nausea or vomiting either.  I know it can still get worse but at least, so far, so good.     Had a brilliant idea yesterday to make poached rockling and scalloped potatoes, thinking it might be something I could eat.  The rockling was terrible and I could not swallow it.  Felt like rubber in my mouth.  Think I will try bream next.  The potatoes were beautiful and easy to eat but had the most terrible heartburn from it throughout last night which kept me awake and it was just awful.  Will not be repeating that.  My husband and dogs loved the rockling.   Today I've been thinking of the poor woman killed by a falling tree this week in Melbourne.  Terrible tragedy.  Brought home to me that despite our diagnoses, we at least had hope.  We had time to prepare ourselves and to fight to survive.  The woman who died had no inkling that her life would end on that day.   It was nothing she did or didn't do, it was just her time in that moment of time.  I've learned that it's futile to worry and where there is life, there is always hope.     I think I've been quiet because I haven't had much to say.  I'm a bit embarassed with friends and family because there is nothing new to report, I've done nothing and been nowhere.  All except for going to treatment every day which takes up most of the day.   It's pretty boring but how lucky am I to have the chance to do that?  I did make some beads yesterday which was a big break through and am quite happy about it but not rushing to makes any more right now.   Am enjoying couch time with my sleepy and exhausted dogs as well as some hand embroidery for now which is more than enough.  Constantly eating, drinking, rinsing mouth, as it feels hot and burning so always looking for cooling things to put in it.     Hopefully, Phil is doing well too.  I really hope so.  I'm really happy Claire that you are still here too!  Cabin fever is a thing!  I now look forward to weekends because it means no treatment on those days. I am not even getting out of my pj's now on weekends as I'm so happy to not have to rush off somewhwre through peak hour traffic.  Blissful.  I'm rally looking forward to Spring.    You need to look at your time at home, as crazy as it may make you, as a respite before you have to start treatment.  Use the time to get your body as strong as possible.  I don't think anything will feel normal again for a while.  I can't imagine eating out with friends or family.  I have to eat with a big tea towel because I'm now quite a messy eater and because left side of mouth and lips totally numb, I can't feel if I have food there or not.  Have a special signal organised with my husband for those moments.       Our new normal might still be good because we're here and we're with our loved ones and that's pretty good for now.  I'm sure it will just keep getting better and better over time.  Good luck with a full recovery and take care of yourself Claire.                 ... View more

Hi Phil,   Am really sorry to hear you're having trouble with the chemotherapy.  I just hope you're able to continue with it even though it's going to be incredibly hard.  Can you try to imagine that it's really good stuff going into your body killing all those nasty cancer cells?  Try ginger in your water that will help with the nausea.  I absolutely loathe nausea.  Nothing is good when you're nauseated.   Will keep you in my thoughts today and hope you can struggle through this.   Good luck. ... View more

You'll have to trust me on the watermelon juice.   Have at least one of these juices every week.  Look up th benefits so I don't have to transcribe them here.  Well worth your time especially if on chemotherapy or radiation.     I have Endep for sleep.  I was already on this before surgery at 25mg.  It's an anti depressant that I was prescribed as it has a side affect of killing osteoarthritic pain.  It was prescribed by a Rheumatologist after a cortizone injection into the shoulder gave no relief of pain.  The other side affect it has is sleepiness. In the hospital they doubled the dose to 50mg which has given me blissful sleep from 9pm to 630am every night.  It's really important to sleep well right now for all of us.  Doctors have also used this for my nerve pain as Oxycontin was not giving me any pain relief.  I now have Endep 10mg in morning, 25mg in afternoon and 50mg at night.  Working really well and I am virtually pain free.  Just have discomfort and burning in the mouth which is only relieved with really cold jelly or icecream.  It also means that I only have one drug to slowly decrease later on.     I hope you are comfortable, pain free and warm in hospital.   ... View more

Thank you .Claire.  LOVELY to have you back.  The nurses gave me injections for bloody thinning so I don't know why you have to give these to yourself.  Strange.     Love your juices.  I'd add ginger for these reasons - With Powerful Medicinal Properties Ginger is a flowering plant that originated from China. It belongs to the Zingiberaceae family, and is closely related to tumeric cardomon and galangal. The rhizome (underground part of the stem) is the part commonly used as a spice. It is often called ginger root, or simply ginger. Ginger has a very long history of use in various forms of traditional/alternative medicine. It has been used to help digestion, reduce nausea and help fight the flu and common cold, to name a few. Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice, and is sometimes added to processed foods and cosmetics. It is a very common ingredient in recipes. The unique fragrance and flavor of ginger come from its natural oils, the most important of which is gingerol. Gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger, responsible for much of its medicinal properties. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects  BOTTOM LINE:Ginger is a popular spice. It is high in gingerol, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. 2. Ginger Can Treat Many Forms of Nausea, Especially Morning Sickness Ginger appears to be highly effective against nausea For example, it has a long history of use as a sea sickness remedy, and there is some evidence that it may be as effective as prescription medication Ginger may also relieve nausea and vomiting after surgery, and in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy  But it may be the most effective when it comes to pregnancy-related nausea, such as morning sickeness According to a review of 12 studies that included a total of 1,278 pregnant women, 1.1-1.5 grams of ginger can significantly reduce symptoms of nausea  However, ginger had no effect on vomiting episodes in this study. Although ginger is considered safe, talk to your doctor before taking large amounts if you are pregnant. Some believe that large amounts can raise the risk of miscarriage, but there are currently no studies to support this. BOTTOM LINE:1-1.5 grams of ginger can help prevent various types of nausea. This applies to sea sickness, chemotherapy-related nausea, nausea after surgery and morning sickness. 3. Ginger May Reduce Muscle Pain and Soreness Ginger has been shown to be effective against exercise-induced muscle pain. In one study, consuming 2 grams of ginger per day, for 11 days, significantly reduced muscle pain in people performing elbow exercises Ginger does not have an immediate impact, but may be effective at reducing the day-to-day progression of muscle pain  These effects are believed to be mediated by the anti-inflammatory properties. BOTTOM LINE:Ginger appears to be effective at reducing the day-to-day progression of muscle pain, and may reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness.   4. The Anti-Inflammatory Effects Can Help With Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is a common health problem. It involves degeneration of the joints in the body, leading to symptoms like joint pain and stiffness. In a controlled trial of 247 people with osteoarthritis of the knee, those who took ginger extract had less pain and required less pain medication  Another study found that a combination of ginger, mastic, cinnamon and sesame oil, can reduce pain and stiffness in osteoarthritis patients when applied topically  BOTTOM LINE:There are some studies showing ginger to be effective at reducing symptoms of osteoarthritis, which is a very common health problem. 5. Ginger May Drastically Lower Blood Sugars and Improve Heart Disease Risk Factors This area of research is relatively new, but ginger may have powerful anti-diabetic properties. In a recent 2015 study of 41 participants with type 2 diabetes, 2 grams of ginger powder per day lowered fasting blood sugar by 12%  It also dramatically improved HbA1 (a marker for long-term blood sugar levels), leading to a 10% reduction over a period of 12 weeks. There was also a 28% reduction in the ApoB1/ApoA-I ratio, and a 23% reduction in markers for oxidized lipoproteins. These are both major risk factors for heart disease. However, keep in mind that this was just one small study. The results are incredibly impressive, but they need to be confirmed in larger studies before any recommendations can be made. BOTTOM LINE:Ginger has been shown to lower blood sugar levels and improve various heart disease risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes. 6. Ginger Can Help Treat Chronic Indigestion Chronic indigestion (dyspepsia) is characterized by recurrent pain and discomfort in the upper part of the stomach. It is believed that delayed emptying of the stomach is a major driver of indigestion. Interestingly, ginger has been shown to speed up emptying of the stomach in people with this condition. After eating soup, ginger reduced the time it took for the stomach to empty from 16 to 12 minutes  In a study of 24 healthy individuals, 1.2 grams of ginger powder before a meal accelerated emptying of the stomach by 50%  BOTTOM LINE:Ginger appears to speed up emptying of the stomach, which can be beneficial for people with indigestion and related stomach discomfort. 7. Ginger Powder May Significantly Reduce Menstrual Pain Menstrual pain refers to pain felt during a woman's menstrual cycle. One of the traditional uses of ginger is for pain relief, including menstrual pain. In one study, 150 women were instructed to take 1 gram of ginger powder per day, for the first 3 days of the menstrual period  Ginger managed to reduce pain as effectively as the drugs mefenamic acid and ibuprofen. BOTTOM LINE:Ginger appears to be very effective against menstrual pain when taken at the beginning of the menstrual period. 8. Ginger May Lower Cholesterol Levels High levels of LDL lipoproteins (the "bad" cholesterol) are linked to an increased risk of heart disease. The foods you eat can have a strong influence on LDL levels. In a 45-day study of 85 individuals with high cholesterol, 3 grams of ginger powder caused significant reductions in most cholesterol markers  This is supported by a study in hypothyroid rats, where ginger extract lowered LDL cholesterol to a similar extent as the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin  Both studies also showed reductions in total cholesterol and blood triglycerides. BOTTOM LINE:There is some evidence, in both animals and humans, that ginger can lead to significant reductions in LDL cholesterol and blood triglyceride levels.   9. Ginger Contains a Substance That May Help Prevent Cancer Cancer is a very serious disease that is characterized by uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. Ginger extract has been studied as an alternative treatment for several forms of cancer. The anti-cancer properties are attributed to 6-gingerol, a substance that is found in large amounts in raw ginger  In a study of 30 individuals, 2 grams of ginger extract per day significantly reduced pro-inflammatory signalling molecules in the colon However, a follow-up study in individuals at a high risk of colon cancer did not confirm these findings  There is some, albeit limited, evidence that ginger may be effective against pancreatic cancer, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. More research is needed. BOTTOM LINE:Ginger contains a substance called 6-gingerol, which may have protective effects against cancer. However, this needs to be studied a lot more. 10. Ginger May Improve Brain Function and Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation can accelerate the aging process. They are believed to be among the key drivers of Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive decline. Some studies in animals suggest that the antioxidants and bioactive compounds in ginger can inhibit inflammatory responses that occur in the brain. There is also some evidence that ginger can enhance brain function directly. In a study of 60 middle-aged women, ginger extract was shown to improve reaction time and working memory. There are also numerous studies in animals showing that ginger can protect against age-related decline in brain function  BOTTOM LINE:Studies suggest that ginger can protect against age-related damage to the brain. It can also improve brain function in elderly women. 11. The Active Ingredient in Ginger Can Help Fight Infections Gingerol, the bioactive substance in fresh ginger, can help lower the risk of infections. In fact, ginger extract can inhibit the growth of many different types of bacteria ... View more