Breast Cancer - the Waiting Game

27 December 2009
Dear Dr. Chris,

I'm S. I live in Jakarta. I've known you in the last 2 years through the website, and since then I'm registered to receive your newsletter regularly.

During the time, I've read a lot of amazing stories about your medication. I agree with your view that modern treatment for cancer through chemo is not the best way for battling cancer.

Actually, my mother also suffers from breast cancer (left breast), but her condition has been getting better after I brought her to one 'sinseh' (Chinese traditional doctor) in Jakarta. This sinseh gave her a kind of mushroom (ling tze), and my mom can survive for the last 2 years even though she was said to have a Stage-3 cancer (sorry I'll give the details later since I don't have the medical record with me now).

Previously, my mom underwent a brain surgery to remove a brain tumour in May 2007 (acoustic neurinoma meningioma). The surgery was successful but she can't swallow and has to eat through feeding tube until now. She only eats a nutritional liquid called Peptisol everyday. Most of the time, she also drinks apple juice between meals. She's reluctant to eat other meals such as blended porridge, but sometimes she eats the red rice porridge as advised by the sinseh.

She had used tracheostomy after the brain surgery, and 6 months later the trach was removed but the hole in the neck is still open until now. We cover it with bandage and replace it twice a day.

However, the sinseh stopped giving her ling tze in the last several months because she said my mom's already cured. The lump in the breast was the waste of hormones and not dangerous, although the lump is getting bigger in the last several months.

This morning, I've heard that my mom's nipple is bleeding, but not much. Every now and then, she feels pain in the breast but not continuously. In the last X-ray of the lungs (in October 2009), the doctor didn't find any sign of cancer spread there.

Dr. Chris, that's the reason I wrote you this email. I really want to bring my mom to see you, but frankly, I think I can't afford the cost. I've spend a lot of money for her medication during this time, even I still have to payback my loans to the banks up to now, and I don't have any savings now.

Could you please advise me what's the best way of medication for her now? Do the meals also contributed to her recovery process? And doctor, could you please give me an approximation of cost for your treatment?

Thank you so much for your help, doctor.

Dear Prof. Chris,

Please take a look on the e-mail below from S. The e-mail she sent you was on December 27, 2009. And as usual you replied her on the same day.

Last week (seven month later) S phoned me to ask for help. I don't understand from December 27, 2009 up to now, what was she doing ? Why just call for our help now ... until the problem has become serious?

Can you please give me your advice ... how we can help her mom.

Thank you . Teddy.S

Comment: I really don’t know what I can do. I cannot help by just sitting in front of the computer.