Burzynski Clinic, Houston, TX.
Sorry for the long interval between Blog updates. We wanted to get all the information possible before writing it. Warning: This is a long one – full of what we feel are important details. Hope you can find the time to read it through.
We arrived in Houston July 27 and checked in to a great Marriott Residence type Inn at a GREAT rate. It’s a cute room, albeit small, but full kitchen and everything we need. Very comfortable bed and you all know how important that is – especially for three weeks!
Most of the day Thursday, July 28, was spent at the Clinic meeting with four Medical doctors and then a final consultation with Dr. Burzynski himself. Seems he oversees and has the final say over every patient and there are people here from all over the world. The whole place is very impressive as is the entire clinic and staff. Many are Believers. Dr. B. is very involved with his Polish Catholic Church and several of the staff attend there, I think. There are 24 medical doctors in all, huge support staff both medical & admin, even a Nutritionalist (from Arkansas) who is on the same page with us! Dr. B. has actually “imported” about 30% of his staff from Poland. Everyone is top notch in their jobs but with sweet and caring attitudes. You can’t help but feel good here. They all highly respect Dr. B. – considering him brilliant and some say, ‘genius’. I keep hearing, “You’re in the right place” from those I’ve come to know better.
Great Health Report!: It took several days to get all my tests done but results came Wednesday this week. The MRI and PetScans revealed the cancer is no longer in the adrenal gland, hardly visible in the lung and nothing more in the brain! (There were some pinhead size dots in the brain but they believe residue from previous radiation). The doctors are VERY pleased and are saying that no further metastasizing has taken place. What a great report! We are giving all the credit to God and answered prayers as I haven’t had any chemo in several weeks. The last two lesions in my brain were ‘zapped’ before we left Denver. Rich and I actually got to see the scans with the radiologist here.
I do, however, have some issues in my lungs. Partly what I was hospitalized for is still acting up. The scans showed areas of pulmonary infiltration. So the actual size of the original tumor is hard to see (it’s soooo small) and I’m on antibiotics trying to clear the infection. This is making me weak and hard to breathe with low grade fever occasionally. Docs also say the fatigue comes from all I’ve been through with the chemo & radiation – which makes sense. The breathing is what’s rough. Oxygen helps.
Now the task ahead is to rid me completely of ALL cancer – never to return! Yes, God! In order to do that, I’m on a treatment plan with the Clinic. That plan consists of five different medications. One is made by Dr. B’s lab (which we tour on Monday) and the other four are FDA approved but important to note – VERY PINPOINTED according to my blood work, etc. which we get by prescription. A far cry from being blasted with toxic chemo that goes everywhere and hopes it hit the cells targeted in the doing. The radiation has been high tech pinpointed and successful – although there are definite side effects from it as well. However, unlike chemo under Medicare – these meds are hugely expensive. But more about that in a minute.
TESTIMONIES: (First and foremost the above Health Report!)
- 1. Last Friday I called AARP/United Health Care in desperation as the drugs are enormously expensive and we have no prescription insurance. The lady spent three hours with me on the phone – and by the time she finished I was approved by the following Monday effective August 1!! A miracle! See below the difference – still huge but ……. To purchase these drugs through the Clinic pharmacy or without insurance would cost thousands.
- 2. Rich had planned to return to Denver today, Sunday, but realized he needed to be here with me the entire time. I called the airline to change his ticket (had a written doctor’s excuse) but after talking with the reservationist a while – she changed both of us to correspond with our existing air miles to August 16th and waived ALL fees and didn’t need the doctor excuse.
- 3. The Marriott Town Plaza (a residence type Inn) gave us a great rate from the Clinic of $60 a night PLUS SIX FREE nights because we have Marriott points. We’ll also be earning more points for our stay.
- 4. Great rental car for only $112 a week. It would have been difficult to get around as it turned out – now we can shop and cook in our room. We’re 15 minutes from the Clinic.
NEED FOR PRAYER:
- 1. Of course the need for complete healing of the cancer and specific prayer for whatever is in my lungs and my breathing to be restored.
- 2. My original Biopsy has been ordered by Burzynski Clinic from a lab they use in Phoenix called “Target Now”/Carsis DX.http://www.carisdx.com (worth taking a look at – fascinating!). This will pinpoint even more exactly the molecular ‘fingerprint’ of the tumor and exactly what drug therapies it will respond to unique to my genes & genetics.
However, it takes time for them to get the biopsy from the Denver hospital lab to them and the results to the Clinic here. We need to be here when it comes as it could change the meds I’m currently being prescribed and I need to be monitored. We plan to leave in nine days. Otherwise, I would have to stay on or fly back (not good).
PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS TO BE EXPEDITED QUICKLY – ESPECIALLY THIS WEEK! IT’S VITAL!
- 3. Dr. B. has prescribed the aforementioned five drugs from his extensive research and my blood work and current condition. (The above #3 could change some things).We already had to purchase three of the FDA drugs – one being the in-house manufactured drug – $3600 so far -plus a five day supply of each of the other two because I have to be monitored on each one before continuing. One was $1200 and the other $1500. For a five day supply!!! We went to Walgreens yesterday to get my new antibiotics (much better than the hospital had me on!) only $4 – yea – but found the cost of two of the main drugs I am on so far is $748 mo. and $2200 or so WITH insurance. About $3000 a month for the next two to three months in addition to the in-house drug unless the Docs change or decrease them (maybe after the Carsis Biopsy report). Hugely different from without insurance but still . . . . good grief.
And I’ll still need their in-house drug – not sure of $$ per month yet.
Then there’s the intravenous medication – Avastin. My chemo oncologist in Denver put me on the last visit there but combined with another drug which is actually a chemo drug. The medical field believes these must be taken together. Dr. B. had researched this extensively (as he has everything prescribed) and does not agree. I only need the non-chemo drug Avastin. Now the challenge will be to see if Dr. Chemo (or Dr. Doom& Gloom as you may remember my nickname for him) or another Oncologist in Denver will administer it without the corresponding chemo drug. If so, I can be under Medicare again there. The Clinic has plans to administer at least one dose here – they prefer two – but the cost of each is $4999! And they want to do it this coming week. The funds are simply not there so we’ll have to discuss options unless miracle $$ appear.
- 4. We are currently low on funds and certainly not enough to cover these drugs – even going forward more than a few days or a week. Either God has another plan or we need a miracle in finances. We don’t have a credit card or a line of credit to draw from. Selling one of our cars (maybe worth $6000) is an option but would only be a drop in the bucket and take much needed time. Hardly worth it.
There has already been a huge outpouring of giving by so many of you, it has overwhelmed us
and enabled us to get this far plus the expenses in Denver when this started before we were even accepted at Burzynski’s. The Lord has shown us, however, that we are only to look to Him and not to man – although we know He uses us in helping others. We do believe that coming here was directly led by the Lord and we ARE in the right place. We also don’t believe He takes us down the road to drop us off halfway. But how He will open the path to continue is beyond trying to figure out or strategize.
So we need your prayers – still! And we know many of you are standing the gap. We feel it and see it. We don’t know what we would have done without your prayers.
As I said before in the last Blog, Dr. Doom & Gloom, the Chemo Oncologist, gave me a very small chance to overcome this thing except for months/years of chemo to stay in remission. Dr. Burzynski and his Clinic see many complete healings of cancers far worse than mine. And people are treated according to their specific condition. Although they are NOT considered an Alternative Clinic – but, rather, a Medical and FDA approved one, they are still not under Medicare and other insurances. So it makes it difficult for people like us and many others to handle the costs – especially the drugs. A fact is that so many of the staff are sad to see, because they know the level of help received here. We have already spent close to $20,000 since arriving here (one PetScan out of pocket due to Medicare time restriction rules). By the looks of things, another $10,000 to $15,000 could be needed for drugs over the next month or months – maybe more. We have $10K of the $20K considered a deposit against the daily doctor visits and nurse fees. This doesn’t come as a surprise as we were initially told to expect at least $36,000 to include the prescriptions. We came on faith knowing we were short of that figure and now the prescription insurance will help. But still.
We are putting all of this in God’s Hands. He has taken us this far. How He will do the rest will be interesting and amazing to see. We do know that Prayer Request #2 – getting the biopsy results QUICKLY is major.
Thank you for reading this and for your prayers and support. There’s a reason for walking this out and my prayer is that this experience will help many others through all we’re learning – spirit, soul and body. This journey has been allowed by God – we have no doubt. We pray it will bear much fruit. Nothing about it has been ‘traditional’ but we have been willing to walk the path given to us. Because you have walked with us, we will all share in the ‘testimony’.
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We love and appreciate all you have done for us and for standing with us – more than words.
Anticipating more of His Grace that is sufficient for us all,
Gail & Rich
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