Jackie - Guthrie Family Update #3

Dear Friends Jackie & I were able to celebrate our 43rd wedding anniversary at our home in Sebastian with family and friends. We broke her out of the hospital that same day where she had been for almost a week. As you know from previous posts she is battling cancer and has had to undergo a couple of surgeries that were tangentially related but were not directly involved with the cancer itself. We are trying some alternate therapies because the protocol subscribed to by the health care system would have compromised her ability to recover. Without going into technical details her cancer was non-operable and according to the oncologists, the course of chemo/radiation at its best would have extended her life for only a short time. In other words doing nothing at all or using the best medicine available, the outcome was the same except for the difference in time. Also, using the treatments of chemo/radiation her immune system would have been compromised to the point where we could not try any alternative therapies with any realistic hope of success. While in the hospital she found herself fighting off those super-bugs that tried to sneak in and munch her for lunch. The doctors decided that she would be safer at home where we simply have the normal bugs to contend with. We agreed and she has been home for some days now. We are working with her to trying to rebuild her strength and give her body the nutrition it needs to overcome all the things she has undergone as a result of her illness and the time spent in the hospital, where even the best nutrition is mostly synthetic and not made from real food. I have taken some time off to be with my wife and kids in order to set up our own plan to recovery. It may not work but the alternatives were beyond stupid and totally unacceptable. While politicians argue over who has access to health care, I have not heard one word from any of them that has anything to do with the state of our actual health care itself. Don't get me started… We have working around the clock with family, doctors, nurses and friends. We have the protocol we will use (there's no suggestion box for other ideas). In short, we are doing it our way. And our way is on the road again. Sarah Lee and Johnny are off to Germany, Cathy will commute back and forth from Austin and I will leave in a few days to pick-up the touring schedule posted on www.arlo.net. Abe, Lisa and Annie will do the heavy lifting here at home and continue the treatments we have decided are our best shot to beat this thing. So friends: Jackie is not giving up. She is fighting a very tough battle. It's like pushing a loaded dump truck uphill, wearing 30 extra pounds of weight, with one hand tied behind her back at an altitude of 14,00 feet at night when the stars are hidden by clouds and a cold fog comes rolling in. She may not make it, but no one here is going to tell her she can't do it. And we will not allow any words, glances or whispers from anyone who doubt her determination anywhere near any of us. Your thoughts and prayers are a source of encouragement, and for that we are thankful. Keep her in mind from time to time through your busy days and nights, as we do for all of you. Much love from our entire family… adg