Wilms' Tumor Story, 1954  |   Wilms' Tumor Information  |   Faith Testimony  |   Supplements Info  |   Write To Me!

NOTE: While these symptoms are more or less permanent, I have been able to slow their progress with nutritional supplements which give my body added help.

• The radiated area -- the right side of my back at my waist -- has aged (degenerated) and shrunk in size, giving my waist the look of having been gouged out or crumbled inward. This is accentuated by the initial surgery (nephrectomy) scar, which runs from my navel around to the center of my back, and has helped pull the area inward over my lifetime. Most of the degeneration occurred rapidly after the birth of our 5th child in 1989, and only slowed after I began a rigorous course of nutritional supplements.
• There is a radiation 'burn' all over the affected area, which looks somewhat like a rash. This, combined with the sunken-in look, makes my side look as though something took a big bite out of my side, then someone covered it with a tight, rashy, skin-like shrink-wrap.
• The ribs on my right side are much smaller, as though they stopped growing in my childhood (which is probably the case).
• My right breast is smaller than the left.
• As my thoracic and lumbar vertebrae of my spine have degenerated, that area has crumbled and twisted, causing scoliosis (a side-to-side curving), kyphosis (an excessive outward curving), and lordosis (a forward curving of the spine that appears to bend the upper body backward). I never went through a teenage growth spurt, and am excessively short-waisted. (I am 4'11", and my legs are almost the same length as my husband, who is 5'6".)
• Combined with all of the above, the muscles in the affected area are greatly atrophied. For many years I was told it was all scar tissue, but in recent years I have found a physical therapist and a chiropractor who have been able to relax the area to some extent and bring back a measure of elasticity to the area, which has greatly helped my posture and comfort level. I have learned, however, that some of the tightness in these muscles and my hamstrings act as anchors to help balance my posture. (Once a P.T. relaxed ligaments in my lower back too much, and I walked around leaning slightly forward for a couple of weeks until they tighted again!)

NOTE: Many of these symptoms seem directly related to whether or not I am faithfully drinking enough water, continuing water exercises (2-3x/week), taking nutritional supplements, and receiving various muscle and skeletal therapies.

Routine:

• Discomfort after sitting still or standing in one place for any length of time -- I need small support pillow for small of back whenever sitting or driving.
• Exhaustion and inflammation of good muscles on left side after long use -- I become very winded even when the rest of me is fine.
• My back muscles, ribs, sacrum, and hip flexor muscles -- really, any joint or connection in my skeleton from my neck to my legs -- can spasm, pull, cramp, or knot up with almost any type of activity such as standing at the kitchen sink, sitting at the sewing machine, running the vacuum cleaner, reaching for something in a high cabinet, carrying bags or a moderately-heavy purse, or even working at the computer too long.  I used to be in great pain from this, but I have found a physical therapist who works with her hands only and is able to calm the muscles and ligaments, restore balance, and ease pain.  Spending time in a warm pool helps with this, eases the pressure of gravity on my back, and allows me a measure of physical exercise which I cannot get on land.
• My energy level fluctuates greatly.  I must start my days slowly in order to give my back time to handle the upright position.  If I do, I have a good amount of energy for most of the day.  If I start too soon, or have too many things to do in a day, I get into pain and/or become exhausted.

Occasional:

• Susceptible to dehydration / toxicity - must drink 6-8 glasses of water daily (minimum)
• Muscle weakness / numbness — most often in my right leg
• Jaw spasms and jaw dysfunction when chewing
• Difficulty rising from a very low seated position or squatting
• Easily fatigued; an increasing tendency to be weak after an illness, taking a long time to regain my usual strength.
• Itching and scabbing of radiated area (kept away with 36+mg. beta carotene taken daily)

Rare:

• Tingling, pins & needles in legs, feet - mainly on my right side, and often after lying on my back without bending my legs
• Muscle stiffness in right leg, torso, neck
• Loss of balance
• Toes on right foot twitch
• Pain in neck, and sometimes dizziness, especially if looking to the one side (mainly left) too long
• Difficulty walking up and down steps;  I must use momentum or pull myself up with my hands
• After stooping down, I cannot lift myself back up

• 1992: Increasing back spasms, distress and exhaustion.  Days of inability to walk or move without sharp, stabbing pain in lower back.  Learned of radiation-induced degeneration of spine; started research which led to nutritional supplements, new chiropractor and other practioners who deal with muscles and skelton.
• Spring 1999: Muscle spasm in right hip caused severe spasming to spread over a large area of my side and back.  Eventually led to ballooned disk which pinched nerve controlling right front thigh muscles.  In almost constant pain, unable to lay down or sleep at night, for 3 months.  Went to physical therapist to quiet spasms, took alfalfa for natural anti-inflammatory, and went to chiropractor twice weekly for manual traction of the area.  Eventually recovered.
• Spring 2000:  Became very dehydrated one day after chiropractic and massage appointments and an afternoon of shopping; led to concern about possible kidney dysfunction... I didn't pass urine for 24 hours, was puffy and disoriented.
• Summer 2000: After several days of long days in the heat while on a family trip (son's Army graduation, tour of Kennedy Space Center), I became severely dehydrated.  I contracted an unknown infection that caused sharp pains in the nerves of my right leg, which then became electric-like shocks radiating from the back of my neck up into my head.  Antibiotics stopped the infection, but nerve involvement led to Bell's Palsy on the left side of my face for 2 weeks. The long-term effect of that has been jaw dysfunction.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort;
who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction
with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Wilms' Tumor Story, 1954  |   Wilms' Tumor Information  |   Faith Testimony  |   Supplements Info  |   Write To Me!