It's good to be back! To all of you who were wandering what happened to the Pirate Queen here is the explanation:
During the summer of last year I started to experience difficulties swallowing. By October I couldn't keep any food down and had lost over a stone and a half (10 Kgs) in a couple of weeks. Finally on the 7th of November 2009 I was diagnosed with terminal, Stage IV, Oesophagical,Cancer. The tumor was adhering to the Aorta and had spread to the lymphatic nodes and the pulmonary pleura. When asked for a prognostic the oncologist apologised saying there was nothing he could do for me. When pressed for a time scale, even with intraveinousartificial feeding he gave me 10 to 15% chance to see the new year. Imagine my and my loved ones'reactions!
I couldn't afford the treatment or to stay in hospital for that long. Suddenly aware of the effect these news had on my children and partner I made a decision. Standing up I promised to them that I wasn't interested in his 10 or even 15% but that, instead, I would go for 100% and prove him wrong.
Luckily the following day I saw an article in the Irish Times about the results of researches done by Professor Gerard O'Sullivan in Cork. Studying international cancer statistics he had noticed that cancers of the digestive tract were very rare in India. Did that have to do with their diet? Very little dairy products and plenty of curry? Following this thread of thoughts and research he discovered that Turmeric (one of the spices used in curry) trigered a suicide reaction in cancerous cells. So I immediatly started taking a concoction of one tea spoon of Turmeric (the yellow spice used in curry and with safran to color rice in some mediterranean recipies) mixed with a table spoon of Manuka Honey and a table spoon of goats'yogourt. Then for the following 4 days I'll let it seep down slowly from the back of my throat. Soon I was able to swallow again.
A weeks later I had a tube inserted into a vein in my arm and threaded all the way to the Cave Vein (on top of my heart). Then I started an experimental 3X21days cycles of chemo-therapy. I would spend 5 hours in hospital being perfused with some platinum compound
followed by a 24h watch of my liver and kidneys functions. Then a bottle of chemical would be stapped to my hip and connected to the tube in my arm. With each heart beat the liquid would be pumped into my blood stream but I was able to walk and keep active.
After the third chemo and the lost of my crowning beauty, 2 days after celebrating St Patrick's day in style in Paris, I had surgery on the 21s tof March this year. The surgeon removed my oesophagus, the lymphatic nodes and some adjacent pulmonary tissues. Then to replace the missing oesophagus he dissected my stomac, stretching it into a tube and connecting it directly to my gullet. Amazing!
They did such a good job that 2 weeks latter I was able to go home and start eating and drinking again. In April the doctor who had given up on me in November last year was the same one who had to give me the results of all the post-op tests. When I walked into his clinic he couldn't believe it. Incredulous, pointing to my file, he asked : "Is that you?" "No" I replied jokingly "it is my brother". Then looking back at the file and then at me again, shaking his head he said: "No! I shouldn't be surprised... I remenber your attitude then!" To which I had to admit that "all my life people in autority always kept telling me that I had an attitude problem. As for myself I never saw it that way but on the contrary: they were the one with the problem about it, not me! Now... didn't it feel great to be eventually vindicated?"
In August all the tests still showed no sign of disease anywhere in my body. Due to savage cut backs in the health services and posponements my next tests are now due in Mid January. So in the meantime I eat (still using Turmeric as seasoning), drink, make merry and enjoy all the good things in my life. My family, my friends, the quality of my relationships (so many people who cared and supported me during that time), my health, my spirit and my luck. Truely each day is a gift! and now I understand why it is called the PRESENT.
So here I still am! like a bad weed that won't go away.
Sharing this with you I hope that my experience can be of help to others who are dealing or being confronted with something similar.
So to all of you and to all your loved one, here are my best and most sincere wishes for a happy Christmas and a New year full of health, love, hope, joy, happiness, songs, laughters, supports, energy, successes and abundance.
Love, Laughter, Life and Respect.
Maebh
