How I beat the odds, the doctors & stage 2 TNBC in 4 months!

Most of what is below is great for cancer/chemo in general, I will note TNBC specifics. I would like to mention I got sick after my first chemo treatment, about 2 hours after and it lasted 4 hours. I never got sick again. The day after my 4th and final chemo, when patients are typically in the worst shape (according to the doctors), I met a friend who was in town visiting for a celebratory drink! 

MY STORY- I will be brief but inclusive because I know many will want to compare. Diagnosed stage 2A with no lymph node involvement. Doctors recommended 4 rounds of AC followed by 12 rounds of TC. Chemo killing me scared me much more than the cancer killing me and that is where my research began. I ended up doing 4 rounds of AC only. I demanded an MRI prior to starting TC because I knew God had healed me. My oncologist literally flicked me off when I told him I did not want to do anymore chemo if the MRI looked good. This is where I found a new oncologist! My MRI came back and the tumor had gone from 5cm x 3cm to 5mm x 3mm of tissue. I knew this was residual scar tissue, which is common. Still my new oncologist and surgeon highly recommend more chemo. The doctors put heavy pressure on me and even though I had my mom in full support of my decision it was tough to stand strong.  I asked my guides for a clear and direct answer twice, both times I was told to stop chemo which confirmed what my intuition was telling me.  The surgeon agreed to do the lumpectomy but it was against her judgement. Surgery removed about 2 inches of scar tissue and one lymph node. My surgeon called a week later and said “you were right Erica, you are cancer free”!  I was referred to the radiologist who told me if I didn’t do radiation I should get a double mastectomy. Scare tactic in my opinion. I declined radiation and her recommendation of a mastectomy.  Again the lifelong effects of radiation after receiving PCR just did not make any sense to me.

GET YOUR MIND RIGHT if I had to pick only one thing to recommend, this would be it. Stress, anxiety, worry, emotional abuse…absolutely cause cancer. My diagnosis was shocking, I immediately thought of all the time I wished I would have spent with my kids. More time and memories, less electronics and busy life. I experienced my first and last panic attack. I cried and panicked for about a week. I prayed and asked why me, why my boys?! Then such clarity came over me. I knew this healing journey I had been on for the past few years was to prepare me for this. It was this day that my worry ended. I never prayed again to be healed because I knew that I already was. Going forward my prayers  thanked God for healing me. I never said I have cancer, I always said I HAD if I spoke of it. I cannot stress the importance of your mindset. Our minds are so powerful. I 1000% TRUSTED and BELIEVED God healed me and I never thought otherwise. Friends and family couldn’t understand my positivity and how I had no worries. THIS is the KEY to healing your body of any illness. 

ALKALINE YOUR BODY the best way to do this is by limiting acidic foods…sugar, animal products etc.  Also, drinking baking soda daily. I put a teaspoon in a small amount of water. I purchased aluminum free baking soda. I also purchased PH test strips to check the alkalinity of my body throughout the day. I would adjust my diet as needed. Remember disease cannot grow in an alkaline body!!

LOW METHIONINE DIET this is specific to TNBC and I continue this diet today and will for the rest of my life.  Google the methionine food list but in a nut shell I am now vegan, gluten and sugar free.  Certain foods that are healthy for most people are not good for TNBC because of the high methionine content…nuts and chia seeds are some examples. In my experience…the doctors and nutritionists at the hospital will know NOTHING about this diet.  This diet is CRUCIAL to beating TNBC.

ESSENTIAL OILS the first oil I knew I wanted was Frankincense.  I rubbed directly on my tumor 2-3 times per day.  I did not dilute but you may need to if you are sensitive.  I still use Frank daily.  I made several formulas and took them with me on chemo day.

1. Zendo & Digest Zen...I rubbed this on my lower abdomen ad soon as chemo was complete to help detox the liver.

I used DoTerra essential oils. Here is the link to purchase through my friend:

http://my.doterra.com/tiffaneymccarthy

DETOX BATHS I do not like baths…at all! I took a detox bath the three nights leading up to chemo day and then three days after chemo day (skipping chemo day). I would make the water as hot as I could stand and stay in for at least 30 minutes. This was my recipe:

1 cup of aluminum free baking soda

1 cup of epsom salt

1/4 cup bentonite clay

5 drops Juniper Berry essential oil

10 drops Rosemary essential oil

24 HOUR LEMON WATER FAST PRIOR TO CHEMO Although the doctors won’t mention this, studies have shown that by fasting, healthy cells are protected while receiving chemo and cancer cells are attacked. In addition, as soon as the nurse was done injecting the ”red devil” I was up using the restroom and peeing red!!! This is what my objective was, to flush those toxins out of my system ASAP. I was around 130-135 pounds when I started chemo….I drank 4 liters of water in those 24 hours.

IV FLUIDS When you get your chemo the nurse will also put an IV bag of fluids up. I asked my oncologist to write a script for a full 1000mg bag to be put up for me with my chemo and requested that the nurse allow me to receive that entire bag of fluids after my chemo was complete. These are things that are not standard practice but make a huge difference in flushing those toxins out. I did not feel like drinking anything after chemo, I would just go home and sleep. This was the way to ensure I got more fluid in me. Stand firm in your requests. I had one nurse try and give me the fluids before chemo…well that would defeat the purpose. If you find an amazing chemo nurse, request him or her each time.  I did! She made all the difference in my treatment days!!

I made an appointment at a local IV center for two days after chemo to receive another liter of fluids. More flushing of toxins! You can do this at the hospital as well you just need to request through your doctor. I felt so much better on day 3 after each chemo when I got this bag of fluids. Straight saline no vitamins added!!

NO VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS I stopped all vitamin supplements during chemo. Many do not interact well. When I got my IV bag of fluids at the hospital, they wanted to add vitamins, I said NO.  I did not begin supplements until a few weeks after my final chemo treatment. TNBC side note…vitamin B12 has been shown to have a correlation. I had received B12 shots several years prior to my diagnosis. I will never take a B12 supplement of any form again. Also, no glutathione with TNBC.

CASTOR OIL PACKS detoxing the liver is extremely important during chemo. I wore a castor oil back every night for several hours while I watched TV. Make sure it is organic high grade castor oil. I used the brand Queen of Thrones and the pack was super easy to use.

OXY POWDER is a life saver for constipation due to chemo. Doctors will recommend mirilax or other drugs with awful chemicals. Oxy power is all natural and works much better than those drugs. You can find it on Global Healings website.

CITRUS PECTIN I started this supplement as soon as I finished chemo In preparation for my lumpectomy. Studies have shown that by taking Modified Citrus Pectin prior to surgery the chance of a rogue cancer cell forming an adhesion, which would allow it to spread, is significantly reduced.

KETOROLAC request this from your surgeon as a pain medication during surgery. Studies have shown that patients who got ketorolac at the time of surgery, has 80% fewer early reoccurrences compared to those who got the non-NSAID drug!

LIFE AFTER A CANCER DIAGNOSIS this part isn’t talked about as much. Thoughts create things, I know this to be true. I trust in God that I am healed forever.  After a life changing diagnosis anytime you have a new ache, bump, rash, pain…worst case scenario crosses your mind.…push the thought out and replace it with positive…soon those thoughts lessen.  The PTSD the next time you walk in a hospital, the oncologists office, hear of a cancer diagnosis, drive on the same route as your chemo appointment…it’s real, I’ve been there, you are not alone but you are ALIVE!!!

I live my best life. I flew with my little boys for the first time this summer and as we took off into the sky, I started to cry…because I was so grateful to be there with them to experience their faces on an airplane.   Every day is a blessing, live each day with a grateful heart and you will be blessed with more things to be grateful for.

I continue to follow a low methionine diet (with more cheats than on chemo), I take supplements daily to keep my immune system strong (Turkey tail, Vitamin D3 and Tumeric).  Turkey tail has been studied in Japan as a breast cancer preventative, it’s also an overall immune system booster.  Despite having low white blood cell count in all of 2022, I never got sick…even when my kids got the flu!  Not all mushroom supplements are created equal! Make sure you look for organic as well as ones that use the entire fruiting body of the mushroom!  Gaia herbs is my go to for mushrooms.

I purchased a sauna that was wayyy cheaper than what I was spending to use one at the spa.  Still sit with my castor oil pack on while I work every night.  I thank God every night for my blessings and for healing me. 🙏💚