Sunday 20th Aug

We left the Oasis of Hope yesterday to a sad farewell to the remaining patients and Doctors & Nurses. We believe there are 12 more new patients coming in this week end.

We were fast tracked through the border control and it only took around 20 minutes as opposed to 3 hours. Arrived at the Bahia Resort Hotel in Mission Beach San Diego around 2.00pm.
Room  is lovely right on the Bay Side.
Went to The Fish Market in the evening, a lively restaurant in downtown San Diego to celebrate Gays Birthday.

Friday 28th August

Well here it is our last full day for my first round of treatment at The Oasis of Hope.
Been a busy two days arranging all my medication to take home with me. We had to buy another suitcase and we still have more to pick up from San Diego on our way back.

Had my final Vaccine today with no adverse side effects just a slight headache.

We got to say our goodbyes to a lot of the remaining patients tonight and walked out to the Ukulele Cafe with four of them to watch our final Mexican Sunset. We will have a chance to speak to them at breakfast Saturday morning. Really looking forward to San Diego for the next couple of nights and we are planning to celebrate my birthday at a couple of lovely restaurants in San Diego. The Bahia Resort Hotel is located in Mission Beach and looks really nice.
Said goodbye to Ross who is a volunteer here and gives up 4 months a year to help and is a tower of strength , he is from Australia.

Ernesto prayed for me this morning after devotions that I would be fully healed in Jesus name he has a brilliant church in the midst of Tijuana and made us so welcome.

So now I have to make sure I follow the diet and take the supplements and low dose chemo, and Dr Carlos will be phoning me every 15 days to make sure I don't have any problems.
I have been so blessed to be here and I never thought I would set foot in the place God is good !
Thank you everyone who made it possible from the bottom of my heart love you all xx

Gay relaxing on Balcony

Steve reading the local Gringo Gazette

Some of Gays Home Treatment pills

Our last Mexican Sunset

Steve & Gay with Paco, the owner of the Ukulele Cafe

Thursday 27th Aug

The food at the hospital is very good , it is all organic no sugar , no dairy, no meat, they make gluten free and yeast free bread each day and almond butter.
occasionally we get cake made with sweet potato or tapioca or pancakes and strawberry sauce sweetened with stevia.
Steve is gagging for some meat after 3 weeks bless him !

ursday 27th August

Wednesday 26th August

Vaccines today then only one left. So close to leaving. Have meetings today and should start to receive information on the Home Treatment. We have to visit Wallmart to buy another suitcase as the amount of supplements and pills is huge as these have to last for nine weeks. Then they want me back for a week to boost my immune system back up. Not sure whether this is going to be an option so we will see.

Had appointment with the Oncologists today and they seem very pleased with my progress. They have given me a date of 23rd November to return for the booster treatment.
They have also given me my prescription for the next 3 months and we will be sorting them out over the next couple of days. The most expensive is the Xeloda and this is the mild chemo drug. They explained that the last 3 weeks of treatments and Vaccines have boosted my immune system so the Xeloda will target the cancer without any harmful side effects. This is the major issue with the treatment back home as they will only administer full on chemo in a very powerful form. Coupled with this most cancer patients immune systems are already low and this is why the chemo has horrible side effects including death. Even if the chemo kills the initial cancer cells patients are further at risk as their immune systems are so low the recurrence of cancer in other areas of the body is highly likely.
The treatment here at the Oasis of Hope is geared to avoiding this recurrence whilst killing the current active cancer cells giving patients a much longer and better survival rate.
From what we have seen this is the case and I pray to be testament to this.

Tuesday

No Vaccines today so we were able to go into the centre of Tijuana today by taxi.
We visited the main tourist area called Avenue Revolucion and had lunch at Cesars Restaurant were the original Ceasar |Salad was created around 1920.

Later we took a walk on the beach and had a look at the rock sculptures followed by another breathtaking sunset.

Monday 24th Aug.

Happy 10th Birthday to our Grandson Jacob!

Had 2nd Vaccine and infusion today. Had to stay in the hospital for four hours in case of any adverse reaction. Everything o.k. apart from some slight headaches and dizziness.

Gay receiving Vaccines this morning

Gay outside Hospital this afternoon

Said goodbye to another patient Margo who left earlier today.

Margo and  her Mum going back home to San Francisco         

Sunday

Day off today for Gay. We had a service in the Chapel this morning then went to a local Mexican church again for some worship. The people are so nice.

Had a couple of hours on the beach which was packed full of Mexican families along with their Chihuahuas. They are so funny to watch. The Chihuahuas I mean.

Had a couple of new patients arrive today so just getting to know them.

 

Saturday Morning 22nd Aug

Today Gay had the first of her Vaccines. They took around 20 mins but she had to stay around for 4 hours in case of any reactions. All was fine apart from a slight headache.

Seen Russel and Roger & his wife Pam off this morning as he left to go back home to Chicago &
Colorado. There are only a few of us left now though there are a few arriving tomorrow.

Roger & Gay

Russ leaving this morning

Friday Eve 21st Aug

This was the last night for some of the patients and companions so we went to a place called ukulele on the boardwalk which does organic teas and coffees.
We all had a coconut tea which was so nice, while we were there we saw dolphins in the ocean. The owner whose name is Paco explained what was in the tea so we knew it was o.k. for us to have.
We got to know the guys so well in the last 2 weeks and the journey they have been on and we will be keeping in touch.

Roger, Pam, Dianne, Margo, Gay, Steve

View from the Ukulele Cafe towards Border Fence

Ukulele Cafe

Pam, Dianne, Margo, Gay, Janice

Friday Morning 21st Aug

Our Son Jamie's Birthday today and we are so sad we will miss it. Lisa our daughter texted us earlier to let us know that he was fine and the staff at the house where he lives are doing a small party for him. They plan to take him out to the local pub The Piccadilly in Caerwys along with Matthew who lives in the same house so he should enjoy that.

We can't believe that we are ending our second week here and today Gay is having the last of her infusion treatments. Tomorrow she starts the Intravenous Vaccine treatments and she has five of these over the next week.

Last night was a sad occasion as we have 5 patients and companions leaving and we have become very close to them. They come from all over the U.S., Bulgaria, Ireland & even Tijuana Mexico.
Some have been here for their second booster week and their response to the cancer has been amazing.
We came here with only a few recommendations and testimonies so it is comforting to now speak to real people going through exactly what we went through. They all have one thing in common and that is a strong faith in the Lord which has given each and everyone of them the strength needed to force the cancer from their bodies. With the negativity of our Doctors back home and to see how despite being told there is nothing but full on Chemo which will probably cause great pain and possibly even death it is so uplifting to know that there is hope out there without radical treatment. It is sad so many people are being denied the help and support they need by a system locked into a cycle of profits and oppression. We thank the Mexican Government for allowing this hospital to thrive.
People are waking up!

Bronagh, Brendan, Radka, Johanthon, Roger, Pam, Gay, Rita, Steve, Russ & Ross

Gaynor with Bronagh from Ireland

Bronagh leaving for the airport at 0630am this morning

Wednesday morning 19th Aug.

Nurses woke us up early this morning to take blood from Gay. This is to prepare the Vaccines for next week. They use the blood and do something with it then next week she will start have the Vaccine injections.

Tuesday Morning 18th Aug.

Just had the preliminary report back on the petscan.
Given that this is a very aggressive form of cancer the doctor is very pleased with the results compared to the last scan in may.
The main tumour has not increased in size and the far lymph nodes are showing clear. There is a small indication of a growth in the liver but he feels that this is not a major concern. He believes that what Gay has been doing with her diet and colonics has really helped her immune system and that she should respond very favorably to the treatment here.

Another day of infusions

After lunch we went down to the beach which was a lot quieter after the weekend rush.

Steve about to get wet

One of the many vendors

Border fence from Mexican side of the beach

After dinner we had another consultation with another doctor who was happy with the scan results and also informed us that the results will have shown some inflammation around the tumours due to the therapy. This is normal as the cancer reacts to the therapy and in most cases gets slightly larger due to inflammation before it is eradicated. This is good news as we believe the results to be slightly better than before. He informed us that we will see a marked downsize of the tumours around October following the ongoing home treatment.

Steve is starting to struggle with the food and skipped tonight's meal. However as pancakes & strawberries may be on the breakfast menu tomorrow he has something to look forward to. We had them last week made from Tapioca & Rice and they taste just like the real thing!

Later on we watched the big TV on the Community treatment Room & joined a group of patients, some very sick, in prayer. The youngest we prayed for was a young boy of fourteen.

Monday morning and Gay has just finished her Hypothermia Treatment. Whilst she was having this for three hours she also had two Vitamin C & one B17 infusion.
It took about an hour for her temp to come back down to normal but she is o.k. now and hopefully she will have a free afternoon.
We may go out a little later.

We had a quieter day today no treatments just the dreaded gloop I have to drink, I had just enjoyed the breakfast of oatmeal strawberries melon and gluten free organic toast, everything is organic , and they gave me the vile smoothie which I know is for my good however it doesn't make it taste any better.
My nephew Paul got married today in Cornwall in a castle we were originally going to the wedding but had to cancel as I was booked to come here , the photos looked great and the weather looked good.
A few of the patient went home today which was sad as you get to know everyone and become like a family but we will be keeping in touch to see their progress.
Steve played guitar and sang in the chapel today as the minister was having a day off he played two Matt Redman songs , he got a surprise to see the whole back row filled with Amish people no pressure !!  They were very nice people.
We then went to a Mexican church and found ourselves singing in Spanish  " Santos Santos Santos"
It was lovely and they made us so welcome some one translated the sermon for us.

Steve playing in Hospital Chapel

Mexican Church

Another glorious sunset last night.

US Mexico Border

Border Fence

Border Guards

San Diego Hospital

Today we went back across the border into San Diego for a Pet Scan. We should get the results on Monday. when we arrived back Gay had to go for her infusions which took a couple of hours. I had a couple of hours in the sun on our balcony.

After dinner Gay had to have her dreaded Nutraceutical Shake. This really is the most dreaded drink in the whole place and it tastes vile. Most patients can have this in tablet form but Gay has to have it in this orange gloop.