God made each one of us unique, so what works one way for one person may be slightly differently for another.  I am attempting to answer this with more of an over-all thought, and not to extreme detail, so that you may benefit more from it.

 

 

This webpage is updated often, so please check back!

 

Q:  What is IPT?

A:  Insulin Potentiality Therapy.  You may find information at http://www.iptq.com.

 

Q:  Is IPT “Conventional” cancer therapy, or “Alternative”?

A: IPT uses chemo drugs, which is a conventional way of treating breast cancer.  However, it uses low-dose, high frequency chemo, meaning you get the benefits of chemo without the major side effect, which is an alternative way of using the drugs.  I would say that IPT is an alternative method of using a conventional drug.

 

Q:  Did your hair fall out?

A:  I’ve been asked this so often, and I need to say, that I have talked with men who usually think that if a woman has to have hair fall out or breasts removed, it should not matter, as long as we get the cancer out.  Let me tell you, it DOES matter, a great deal.  God made woman to be a beauty to look at.  Women instinctively dress up, put make-up on and style their hair to look good.  My young girls automatically began primping and being picky about their looks, without any prompting from me.  You have only to look at the plastic surgery industry and how good they are doing to get a revelation on how important looks are to us as humans.  When a woman loses her hair, a part of her dignity leaves.  A part of who she is seems to die.  When the breasts are removed, even more happens, not only emotionally, but physically, as the body changes as well.   Many good humanitarians have opened special wig and beauty salons to help such people who have gone through these things.  http://www.specialneedsbygloria.4t.com is one such place.  They try to restore some sense of dignity to people who have been “victims of the system”, so to speak.

 

The answer to this question is that with IPT treatments, I have had some hair extra in my brush from time to time, but no, never on the pillow, never just “falling” out.  I use hair dye once a month or so to “cover my Jewish roots”, lol.  I have a head of gorgeous blond hair, and my doctor is making sure I keep it.

 

Q:  Do you get sick, i.e.; vomiting, diarrhea, etc?

A:  Before I answer this, I need to tell you that cancer is a ruthless killer.  Do not think that anyone will simply stick their head in the sand, pretend it is not there, and then one day wake up cured.  If you go into any cancer treatment thinking this, you need a reality check.  Also, if you have cancer, don’t make the fatal mistake of giving into every symptom your body has as something the cancer is doing to you.  It dawned on me one day that hey, I can get flu, colds and other “normal” sicknesses as well!  If your body is going through one of these “normal” sicknesses, don’t make the terrible mistake of blaming the cancer for it.  Don’t ever give in to the cancer...FIGHT IT!!!

 

The answer to this question is, I do not get sick all the time, but between the treatments, I did catch a flu bug.  Also, I did get some diarrhea, but not overwhelming, and as soon as I took some advanced Immodium, it went away.  I also keep the Pepto on hand.  Again, my doctor gives me medication or readjusts my medications as needed.  I have NEVER left my doctor’s office not feeling better.  You need to know that I was also dealing with the difference in climate, food, etc., from Texas to Mexico.  When it was in the 20’s here in Texas, it was in the 70’s in Tijuana!

 

Q:  Have you lost weight?

A:  Unfortunately for me, very little, lol.

 

Q:  How do you feel after treatments?

A:  I feel good.  I do not feel as though I’ve just had a cancer treatment!  Some treatments are a bit different from others, and I am a bit shaky, a bit disoriented, but generally a happy camper.  If I was sick when I went in, I usually feel better.  I am ready for a good nap by the time I get home, although once in a while, I am buzzing about, cleaning and dancing around.  Can your cancer treatment do this for you?  I think not!

 

It is interesting that I do not feel like I have had anything to help for pain, nausea, etc., and yet I am not in pain nor feel ill.  While getting into a taxi to go back to my “home away from home”, I accidentally hit my head on the outside of the doorway, trying to hurry to get in.  My friend who was with me could hear the crack of my head on the doorway and you could see everyone in the taxi had pain on their faces for me.  I just got in and looked at everyone and smiled.  My friend asked me, “are you okay?” to which I replied, “I didn’t feel a thing!”  It is great to have the effects of help without the side effects of it.  We all laughed and said that it must have been some powerful stuff my doctor gave me!

 

One other thing to remember is that when the doctor tells you to eat your fruit salad after treatment, he really means it!  I had a mix up in payment upon my first visit, and could not afford to go to the place where we get the salads, but just went back to my place to stay instead.  I was so sick by the time I got there.  But it was my fault, as I knew I should have done what I was told.  After the 7^th treatment, I could not tolerate that much fruit, so I just cut up some fresh fruit and took it with me.  Oh, the other thing about the “famous fruit salad” is that right after treatment, your body is craving to replenish what has come out during treatment.  First thing you will get is the Gatorade, which will be the best Gatorade you have ever had!  When your body is craving during this time, flavors are enhanced, and it is an incredible thing to experience!  Your fruit salad will taste like a million flavors coming alive.  After the first few treatments, my friends would laugh at me as I freaked out over everything that I ate.  Then, for the rest of the day, I was craving food, hungry.  Warning!  Resist temptation, and find something you really like that is light on the tummy! 

 

Q:  Having breast cancer usually stops someone’s everyday life and their activities.  How has IPT affected your everyday life?

A:  I am an International Choreographer and a short-term missionary.  I am also a single mother of teenage and teenage wannabe daughters, the Missions Director of my church, secretary, teacher, speaker, and whatever else may come along.  When I first found out I had breast cancer, life as I knew it, ceased, and the fear of death, or worse, having my body mutilated, was all around me.  After finding Dr. Donato through IPT, I have my life back, and much richer, I must add.  Sometimes it takes a near death experience to wake us up and really thrust ourselves into the true meaning of life.  No, I have not been given a clear bill of health – yet – but I have been pulled out of the holocaust of breast cancer victims in the US, and am living in quality of life.  Yes, I have to pace myself and be sure I get proper rest and diet.  These are things we all fall victim to when we are well.  If we would rest and take care of ourselves, many of us would not be in the situation of having to seek out Dr. Donato in the first place.

 

The only difficult thing about this whole process is that I live in Texas, and my treatments are in Tijuana, and the expense is tremendous.  I pray for the money to continue and the strength from God to hold the life in Tijuana and my own family.  This I’ve learned, if you stay busy helping people wherever you go, your time will be well spent.  I visit a rehab center in Tijuana, and have begun the process of finding other places that need my help while there.  I would love to start a mission of some sort to help Dr. Donato assist his patients with a place to stay and transportation, so their private lives can be less traumatic when they come for treatments.  It is very difficult to have your family in one place and try to keep that house running well, when you are off in another country, trying to keep that life going well also.

 

Lastly, I have been extremely blessed that I found IPT before I tried anything else, for I have not had to endure nearly what others with breast cancer have.  I truly do not know what it is like to continue in the terror I first experienced when I found out.  I went through so much “falling apart” at anytime, and I cannot begin to imagine what it would have been like had I not found Dr. Donato when I did.  It was a nightmare, where I would begin uncontrollable sobbing and weeping endlessly.  The tears came from deep inside my soul and my body until my stomach felt it was ripping apart.  I know if you have breast cancer to the extent I did, you have experienced this terrifying state of being, and still are.  If I can talk with you or pray for you, please do not hesitate to contact me!

 

Q:  What kind of cancer were you diagnosed with and how fast was it growing?

A:  Ah!  People do challenge me by wanting to know if I really had cancer or not, as they cannot believe how well my life is with the diagnoses I had.  Here is your answer:  I was diagnosed with squamis cancer cells, breast and lymph node cancer tumors.  The breast tumor was growing by about 1 to 2 inches per month, according to what I felt when I did my self-exams.  The tumor had gotten so large that I would not wear strapless dresses or shirts as you could see the tumor on the side of my breast.  I am not giving a lot of medical terms here simply because I want the everyday reader to relate to whatever symptoms they may be having.  When you have something like this, you learn much, but the purpose here is to give every reader the opportunity to see what it is like for the everyday person.  It was painful and very frightening.  I was told that as fast as it was growing and since it was the most dangerous kind of cancer, they could not operate, but needed to do at first, 9 rounds of chemotherapy on me.  This would be followed my several more rounds of chemo, probably mastectomy, and radiation.  I had just gotten over walking pneumonia and we all knew my body could not endure this, however, there was no other options available for me.  Until the cough was gone, I could not have surgery, either, which made things even worse.  As fast as the tumor was growing, yet nothing could be done but chemo, and that chemo would probably kill me due to the weak health.  When I asked about giving me something for the cough and that sickness, they told me they were cancer doctors and did not help in that area!  So was my death sentence handed to me.  I was diagnosed in September of 2002 and began IPT treatments November, that year, so you can get an idea of how big the tumor had gotten. 

 

Q:  Have you seen any changes in the tumor?

A:  Yes!  Dr. Donato and I have had a couple of what I call “Kodak moments”.  I could only imagine God looking down on us and taking a picture as we rejoiced together for the shrinking of the tumor.  Here is a man walking in the gift God has given him of helping His people get well, and here is another child of His, receiving that gift.  As of today, 01-24-03, I could only find a jelly-like bump, and I have to search hard to find that.  Now, the lymph nodes are a bit more stubborn, but I have the same faith for them as I have for the breast tumor, in fact, more so, now that the other is nearly gone.  I want to point out to you that I knew when I went to see Dr. Donato that God would use him to help me get well.  I have NEVER doubted his abilities and desire to do this and believe you should not either.  Our lives are in God’s hands, and better is it to find a doctor who knows this, than an arrogant doctor who just collects your money and you are none-the-better.  All the famous people who have done the “conventional” therapy who have died thought they had the best doctors money could bring them.  I almost feel guilty at times because I have been spared from so much suffering, but really, you can be spared, too.  If Jesus called me home tomorrow, I could have the pleasure of dancing into His Kingdom, and not being brought in piece by piece.  Will I be totally cured from cancer?  I believe so!  IPT has been doing this for years.  For you skeptics who think maybe I won’t, let me say this to you:  I am dancing today, and will be dancing until Jesus calls me home.  Can your cancer treatment do this for you?  I think not!

 

Other questions and answers will be added at another time.  If you have any questions for me, please don’t hesitate to e-mail me at:  Sonshine.IPTQ@email.com.  “Sonshine” is my online name and IPTQ stands for IPT Questions.  Remember, I am just a patient wanting to share my hope and experience with others.  I am not qualified to answer any medical questions.  For all medical questions and contact of Dr. Donato, please visit his webpage via http://www.iptq.com.

 

God’s richest blessings and healing to you and yours.  AND if you have not had a breast check-up, please do so!

 

Rev. Linda “Sonshine” Fox