Day Twelve - Happy Halloween!

Entertaining at the Clinic

Tribute to Bob Hope

Giant Statue near Seaport Village - makes me miss my Sailor!

Enjoying a kiss & cuddle with my little girl!

Posing in front of an aircraft carrier

Navy ship going under Coronado bridge

One of the restaurants at Seaport Village

Yachts at Seaport Village

Happy Halloween everyone! I hope your day was fun & filled with cute little trick or treaters! And you passed out healthy candies or other alternatives?!? :o) Valentina & I had a fun day of making people smile.

I woke up extra early to be sure to have enough time to get dressed before we got in the shuttle. Needless to say, our costumes were a hit! We had photos taken all morning - even Dr. Rubio was impressed! We paraded around the entry to the clinic & there were plenty of chuckles & smiles. It was great! I haven't dressed up for Halloween in a long time.

I was the first one to finish my treatment, so I knew I would finally be back to the hotel at a decent hour. By the time we waited for the weekend rush at the border, it was about 2 o'clock. I decided to explore Seaport Village, so away we went. First the bus, then the trolley. I decided to take the costumes along & wear them around Seaport Village to see if we could bring a few smiles. Boy, did we ever! People were stopping us to take our photo & chuckling, giggling, elbowing their spouses in the ribs & pointing... It was great! We had photos taken by folks from Australia, Czech Republic, Japan, & even Italie! They were very impressed when I told them she understood Italiano!

We stopped at the pet shop & the lady who ran the shop, Nancy, said she'd been hearing about us all afternoon & was very happy that we stopped in to see her. Perhaps she was a little less happy when Valentina pee'd on her floor, but anyhow! Nancy is undergoing chemo for a cancer I can't remember exactly where. First it was her bladder & she thought it was gone. Now it's back. She is still working full time, but she was telling me about her Oncologist. He told her he doesn't want to know anything about her. He doesn't want to know if she has any kids or what her life is like, he just wants to treat her. (!) He phoned her one day & told her he was checking in to make sure that her will was up to date & funeral arrangements had been made. (!) I promptly told her about Dr. Castillo & to consider it - either now or later. I took her email address & told her I would be checking up on her! Poor woman!

Anyhow, our afternoon was near perfect making so many people smile & laugh. Unfortunately we had a hiccup. We were about to enter a shop when a lady I'd seen earlier, who walks with a cane & has a very bad leg, was just leaving the shop. What's the problem? Well, her dog (labrador size) attacks poor Valentina, lunging at her, thus pulling the lady with the cane to the floor & in the process tripping the lady's friend. They were both on the floor while her dog is still trying to attack Valentina. I'm reeling in Valentina's leash, which was already short. She's running a circle around me, eventually she's swinging around through the air as I've lifted her off the ground to get away from the dog. Some random fellow grabbed the lady's dog & got him under control. Valentina was scared spitless & I felt awful! Personally I think it was the costume her dog was in. It was a police uniform. Should have known. (We'll stick with the Drug Dogs from now on!) I went into the shop & got a band-aid for the friend who scraped her hand on the ground. Oh dear. Well, it was good while it lasted!

I decided it was time to go home at that point! We took the trolley/bus back, played on the grass & I went for a hot tub. We finally worked on a few more tricks & had a bath. I think Valentina had half of the car exhaust on her - poor girl! The water was black! Yuck! We brushed her teeth & cleaned her ears & she was very patient.

Tomorrow I think we'll venture to Fashion Valley or Mission Valley. We'll see how it goes. I'm getting the hang of the trolley system & enjoying going out. Just when I was beginning to think San Diego wasn't that pretty of a city, I went downtown in the day light & it's beautiful! Wow! Totally different than the San Ysidro I see! I don't think I could call it home, but I suppose you just never know!

Anyhow, thank you for the comments & remember if you have a yahoo or gmail account, you just sign in & comment away! Also, you can sign up to 'follow' the blog posts if you feel so inclined! I'm enjoying updating it every day & although I said I would write & journal while I was here, I suppose this is a bit like a journal. Oh, btw, anyone who wants a little Valentina of their own, her parents were 'naughty by a whoopsie' so let me know if you would like one! I would like another one, but now might not be the right time! :o) Valentina needs a little Giovanni to keep her company!

Buona Notte & Arrivederci! xxxx Jill & Valentina

Day Eleven - Another Milestone In Life!

Valentina helping Mama with the blog

Deardre - my friend from Houston

Dream come true!

Already doing her job!

Howdy Ho Everyone! I hope this day finds you fantastic & lovin' life! I certainly am! I was very sad (Estoy muy triste) this morning when I had to say goodbye to Miss Laura. I hope she had a safe flight & is enjoying the company of her husband & little girls right now!

Today was also the last day for Deardre, my friend from Houston. She accompanied Debra, if you remember, Debra had 4 auto-immune diseases, and Deardre ended up staying longer than Debra! She decided to have a check up & Dr. Castillo kept her longer! Needless to say, Deardre was very excited to head home. I think it's because she is headed to Antigua & St. Lucia for 6 weeks very shortly! Lucky gal! She is a beautiful & fascinating woman - she modeled for 22 years all over the world, runways & the whole kit & kaboodle. She has amazing hair - dreadlocks that she has been growing for 19 years! Wowser! She claims she is a senior, but I would have to see some ID to believe it! :o) I hope her & Debra have a wonderful celebration for their newfound health & vitality! You go girls!!

I had the privilege of visiting with Antonio again today. What a story for this young man. He is 45 & had his first of 5 heart attacks 3 years ago. 7 stents, 2 of which collapsed & add to that Tourette Syndrome, how unlucky can one fellow be?! He told me this incredible story of having a heart attack while crossing the border (MX/US). A Mexican fellow helped him & the US Customs pulled their guns on him, thinking he was staging something. Luckily he was able to tell them where his Nitro was & they helped him to the hospital. Another time he ended up in the ER with another heart attack. The hospital staff wouldn't help him when they saw his tattoos & because of his tics with Tourette Syndrome they thought he was on drugs! So he sat there with an artery 100% blocked for 9 hours! NINE HOURS! There was one nurse who recognized the Tourette's & would come by & put Nitro gel on his chest. She saved his life. He doesn't know her name or if she even existed (Angel?), but nonetheless, he cheated death & is still with us! His family comes from Sicily, is married with 3 children & I look forward to the progress he will make with Dr. Castillo. To date, they have not been able to figure out exactly what is causing his arteries to keep blocking.

The young man who came in yesterday with the tumor on his femur & supposed arthritis had a good report from Dr. Rubio. He is going to have radiation to stop the tumor from growing any further & will continue with the IV treatments.

Interestingly enough, I also heard the story of another man who came to Mexico to visit his son, who moved to Mexico from Vancouver. While he was visiting his son, he didn't feel well, so he went to the hospital. They discovered that his entire body is riddled with cancer! After the runaround in Canada, they have decided to stay in Mexico & he is almost 2 months into Dr. Castillo's program. He is making positive progress.

Everywhere I turn, I am amazed at the positive happenings here. It is truly miracle after miracle. I can not wait to share my miracle with the world. My heart breaks for the people who can not open their mind to change & opportunity & progress & the possibility of hope. Which brings me to the next happening of the day. I met a my first Negative Nelly. She isn't attending the Castillo Clinic, but stays at the Best Western, so we shared a shuttle ride today. She is opposed to Obama's 'Socialist Healthcare' & pretty much opposed to anything that resembles change. How sad that she can't see the bigger picture. All that mattered was that her healthcare not change. Her healthcare was great, but what about all the other millions of Americans who can't afford it? Blech, I felt slimy after my chat with her. I'm flushing those -ve vibes down the toilet. FOR SURE!

Valentina is becoming quite the little therapy dog. There are many people who have told me they want to get a little dog like her. She is so well behaved, I am truly blessed to have her as a travel companion. She loves to visit & give kisses, and of course, belly rubs. She certainly has a growing fan base! Tonight we walked from the grass, across the parking lot & up two flights of stairs without a leash. She did awesome! She stayed close & heeled before we went up each flight of stairs & by the curbs.

I had intentions to do yoga this a.m., but I am so stinkin' stiff from yesterday's session that I can hardly lift my arms over my head! I did about 7 minutes of poses this morning & called it a day. I also had intentions to hit the hot tub tonight, but when I went down, they had closed it 1/2 an hour early. NOT IMPRESSED. Apparently neither was Valentina, as she 'left' them a little present on their lawn. Was that awful? I clean it up on the dirty streets in Mexico. Anyhow...

Today I also found a store called Boot World. For those of you who know me, this would be the dream store for me! (Un)fortunately they didn't have that much selection, but they did have the UGG boots I have been wanting for 2 winters now. They are actual out of circulation. Luckily they had 1 pair left in my size. So, after having the same winter boots since I was 15, I finally got my UGG's. Mom told to say that I needed them, not just wanted them. Whoo hoo! I am getting closer to handling this winter thing.

My victory for the day, the month & the year by far was the needle I gave myself today. OMGosh! I can't believe I did it! Hey, chemo or needle - what would you pick? Miss Emily was a sweetheart & so patient as I sucked it up & stabbed myself. She instructed me how to unwrap it, screw on the needle to the syringe, suck up the venom & push out the air. Then it was into the room to do the deed. Clean the skin with alcohol, squeeze it & stab it all the way in. Stab it all the way in. Go ahead, all the way in. Fast. 1, 2, 3, GO! After a few hesitations & deep breaths I finally did it! I landed way off target than what I had planned, but I still got it in! It is so intimidating! I will take a photo of the needle next time so you can see what kind of a sissy I am. NOT!!! I only swore once! This was by far one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do in life. I can't wait until I see my husband & he can do it for me! :o) Love you Baby!

On that high note, I am going to get to bed. I need to catch some zzz's. I am super tired & plan on attempting yoga again tomorrow morning. Please keep trying to leave your comments, I love to hear feedback & thank you for all your prayers & well wishes, I know it helps! I think you have to have a gmail account to leave a comment, but there should be an option to leave an 'Anonymous' comment. If you leave an anonymous one, just tell me who you are in your comment!

Happy Halloween & loads of love & hugs!

xxxx

Jill & Valentina

p.s. - Halloween costume pictures coming tomorrow! :o)

Day Ten - Panic!

Church in Old Town

3 Hot Chicks @ Fred's

Luscious Latina Ladies making tortillas the old fashioned way

Okay, so I'm not really panicking, but I realized that tomorrow is the half-way mark. Ahhh! I'm not ready to go! I want more time here! I am enjoying everything so much I don't want it to end!

Today was my appointment with Dr. Castillo. We reviewed my blood work from Tuesday. I have made improvements already. He said my blood chemistry was perfect. My RBC (Red Blood Cell Count) was better. The first test showed 4.09 million today it was 4.3 million. Additionally my phosphorus was normal & my sedimentation rate went from 17% down to 14%, which indicates the inflammation in my body is decreasing. My WBC (White Blood Cell Count) is still elevated, in fact it is higher than the first test, but he wasn't worried.

I have also had a headache for the past two days - a bad one. I was beginning to get a little worried, as I seem to have quite a few of them lately. When I told him where the pain was, he assured me that it was only muscular. Phew! Looks like it's time to get back to the yoga again! I did a 25-minute session this morning, so I guess I have the perfect excuse to keep consistent with it now!

I will see Dr. Castillo on the 10th of November, just before I leave. I am looking forward to the progress I will make in the next 12 days! Oh, just to keep you in the loop, the lump in my neck currently looks the same to me, however, the pressure in my chest has disappeared in the last few days, so hopefully this is an indication that the mass in my chest is dissipating! Whoo hoo! Prayers answered!

As for the rest of the day, well, it was a blast! We were quite a group this morning. We filled 3 vans heading across the border, with some of us going to the Bio Medic clinic, Dr. Hitt's office & Dr. Castillo's clinic. Bio Medic is a big fancy place - $42,000/month, focusing on the Hoxsey Tonic & Dr. Hitt focuses mainly on Ozone treatments. I haven't been inside either clinics, but everyone attending the clinics is very friendly & open. It's such a wonderful atmosphere. Here you have a group of people facing life threatening illnesses & we're all laughing & sharing stories of people we've met before us or what happened yesterday. It's great!

Today I met a lady from Calgary. We only met briefly before I had to go for my appointment, but I am anxious to speak with her again, as she only arrived a day or so ago. I also met a fellow from LA, who is accompanying his brother here. Sadly his brother is riddled with cancer. While he recovered from bladder cancer, it came back & spread throughout his body. A particular tumor was pushing against his femur, causing him great pain to walk. His doctor was treating him for arthritis. That's it. So here he is, in a wheelchair, unable to walk, unable to wear shoes because everything is so swollen. It's very sad. I hope & pray that Dr. Castillo can work yet another miracle & help him to recover. Ed, the brother of the gentleman with cancer, has a Yorkie puppy, so we enjoyed a long chat about our 'little girls'. I'm sure we'll be good friends by the end of my stay.

I also met a man from Utah. He is perhaps 40 years old. He has had 5 heart attacks & 7 stents put in. They can not figure out what keeps causing his arteries to clog. My first question was, 'Do you watch your diet?' He said he went vegetarian, vegan, raw, nothing helped him. Wow! It will be an interesting week getting to know these incredible people. Count your blessings folks, count every single one of them!

After I returned to the hotel, I had a little play with Valentina & Laura & I left for supper with her friend's cousin, Joanne. We took the trolley & bus (after dark!) to Old Town. It really is Old Town! They have old store fronts & it looks like the yesteryears... Jeff would love it! In fact, I'm sure he'd really love Joanne too! :o) We enjoyed a nice Mexican meal at Fred's & great conversation. Joanne is a Nutritionist & is finishing her Masters to be a Dietician. She is from California & looks a little like a young Jane Seymour. She is running a 1/2 marathon in 2 weeks. Wow! What a gal!

Laura & I braved the trolley & bus home @ 2300. I was a little worried & my tummy did a few 'whooshes', but we made it safe & sound. A cab was $50 & I was too cheap to pay that much when I already had my day pass for the trolley. We observed a few shady characters & talked about our plan of attack just in case... I realized that the agressive side of me would most likely get me in trouble... "Sorry Honey, you picked the wrong chick. I'm bankrupt & I have cancer. I came here to get healthy & live a long life, so be darned if it's gonna end with your sorry a** taking it. What would your mother say?! Shame on you! Get yourself a real job & learn a little respect for a sister!" Yes, I thought about it for awhile. Luckily I didn't have to try it out! Strangely enough, I felt safer staying out all night on the streets of St. Petersburg, Russia than I did in San Diego! Go figure!

I am glad we rode the trolley today, as I feel a lot more comfortable riding the trolley during the day to a few more of San Diego's sights. Valentina & I can be tourists on our own now! Which brings me to my sad part of today. It is Laura's last day. She flies home tomorrow & I will miss her terribly. She has been so much fun! We have enjoyed a lot of good times & I can remember the last time I laughed so much. She's a beautiful person & how lucky for me to find such a bright shining star in light of all the messy-ness of dealing with cancer. Enjoy your girls & Henk when you get home, meanwhile, I'll be here, humming that tune... 'Tell Laura I looooooooove her....' or something like that... :o)

Okay, I must get to bed... It's late & I have had troubles getting up the past few mornings! We have a time change this weekend & that will make it even tougher! Love & hugs to you & thanks for checking in! I have also adjusted the comments section, so anyone can comment. I apologize if you tried to comment, but couldn't. I love to hear feedback, so comment as much or as often as you like!

xxxx

Jill & Valentina

Day Nine - Brrr!

About to enjoy our Sopes!

She's a hat girl too!

Laura's favourite shop & her new Guess bag!

After our late night photofest, I awoke to the bright sunshine peeking through the curtains. Excellent! Another hot day! Well, it started out warm, but the afternoon was darn chilly! I was freezing! I'm not sure what the temperature was, but the fellow in the hot tub this evening said there was snow on the 'mountain'. Whatever that means!

Today I received Hydrogen Peroxide. There was a different sensation where the IV enters my body, but other than that, nothing new. Tomorrow is my meeting with Dr. Castillo regarding my bloodwork & I have a sinking feeling that it will be my turn to learn to administer my own needles. Wish me luck! Ugh! I'm trying to psyche myself up for it, but it ain't easy!!!

After my treatment was finished, Laura & I decided to head back to Las Americas. She needed to exchange some things for her girls at the mall. This was about the time I felt the chill coming on! Just that morning we had been commenting on how the people living here were strutting around in boots, jeans, jackets, sweaters, etc, etc & how much we enjoyed the weather. Yup, those words tasted good! I found a $14 sweater to keep me from freezing!

I also purchased a luggage cart - for Valentina. My arms are about to fall off!!! Either I've fed her too many tacos or I'm getting weak in my old age, as I find her heavy these last few days! Maybe because Mom isn't here to help carry her! In any case, I was very happy to find the little cart! Laura & I had a blast looking in the shops & trying things on. I felt like I was back in Europe for a moment! She even bought a pair of boots, so it was just like the good ol' days!

We went to a little restaurant called Achiote for dinner. We each had soped without the tomatoes. What is that? Corn bread, shredded chicken, lettuce, refried beans, cheese & sour cream. I added a little green hot sauce onto mine. They were served warm & were very tasty!

After our dinner, we went to Kmart for sticky tack, didn't find any, but I did find my halloween costume! It was only $12 (MOM!) & I am so excited about it! Valentina has her's - she's a hot dog with ketchup. I'm the mustard bottle! Tee hee hee! I can't wait for Saturday! I'll wear it to the clinic to spice up their day! (& mine!) Valentina will have the same leash from the wedding, which I think looks a little like relish.

We took the bus back to the hotel & made a quick dash for the hot tub. It was great to warm up after being outside most of the day. We visited with a fellow named Ray who drives truck for GNC. Apparently Laura knows him from her first trip here. He entertained us with his stories from working on a US Navy ship in Vietnam & Russia in the late 60's. Everyone has a story. How's your story these days? Are you on track with the way you wanted your story to be told? Mine's a little off track, but I'm working on bringing it back & having a ball doing it! :o)

I have made lunch for tomorrow, as I have a late appointment with Dr. Castillo, so I will need to stay at the clinic for most of the day. After the appointment, Laura & I are going to meet her friend in Old Town. I haven't been there yet, so that will be fun! Sadly, she leaves on Friday. I've really enjoyed meeting her & we've had a blast together!

Sorry it's short & not too enthralling... I'm sure my viewer numbers are dropping :o) but I'll do my best to keep you entertained! Sending love & hugs & best wishes to you...

Jill & Valentina xxxxx

Day Eight - Cool Weather & Outlet Shopping

The funniest road sign I have seen in a long time!

Henry's Market

Laura - Valentina's new best friend

A little taste of home away from home

Hyacinth - my friend from Jamaica

Well hello everyone! Where in the world is Carmen San Diego? Ha ha... Today was a great day. I was fasting for my blood work this morning. Fun. Got the girly cramps from He**-o & they decided I could finally change rooms 10 minutes before the shuttle left, which left me running around like a chicken with my head off & up & down from 1st to 2nd floor. By the time I got to the clinic, I was ready to pass out. Then they start pulling blood & I was really ready to pass out! Emily the nurse was really kind in helping me to the bed & I was able to lay down & gain a little strength.

I fell asleep & woke up feeling much better. It was so nice to have my new 'friends & family' stop in & check on me. One brought my juice & almonds in, another brought my purse & another stopped in to let me know she'd see me back at the hotel. Wow! I'm so lucky to have met so many nice people! I discovered that the quilt I was lying under was made by a lady from Nanton! Small world! The IV was dripping really slow today, but once I woke up & paid a bit more attention, it seemed to drip a lot quicker!

I managed to get back onto the shuttle about 1230 & while we were waiting (again) to cross the border, I realized there are 25 (!) lanes for traffic heading into the US from Mexico. That doesn't include the foot traffic, either. It's crazy! Someone said it is the busiest border crossing in the world & over 100,000 people cross through everyday. With that many crossing, I'm amazed there is anyone left in Mexico!! I took a photo of the sign on the interstate today. It made Mom & I chuckle. We have deer & elk signs back home. They have 'people dashing' signs!

Once back at the hotel I finally unpacked & got settled. Not shortly thereafter the shuttle was ready to take us to Henry's Market. It is the top rated health food store in San Diego. It was really wonderful to have access to fresh produce & some of the familiar healthy brands from home. We only had 1/2 an hour, so I hurried & stocked up, as our shuttle is only once a week.

Laura & I made plans to go to Las Americas. It is a large outdoor shopping area with mainly outlets. Wow! It was brilliant! A little tough, as I did NOT buy a single item! There were some awesome bargains, but I resisted! Apparently I am supposed to decipher between 'needs' & 'wants'. Well, who doesn't NEED a new handbag or top or scarf or boots?!? Come on! :o) I'll be back with savings in my pockets next time! Let me tell ya! Laura found some great bargains on kids clothes & some really sweet deals for big kids clothes too! We took the bus both ways & it was even dark out & we survived! No scary or smelly people on the bus either! Bonus!

Once back at the hotel, we played around on Facebook & shared our photos. Laura is a talented photographer, so I enjoyed seeing some of her work & of course, I showed her the wedding photos from Africa & Canada. We looked at a few YouTube videos - search for 'sleep walking dog' - you'll howl!

I'm anxious to meet with Dr. Castillo again on Thursday. I will find out how the blood work is improving & any other insights he might have. He is an incredibly intelligent man with a broad range of expertise on many health issues. He doesn't just see cancer patients. If you are ever in a position to come, don't hesitate! It will be the best thing you have ever done! I am amazed each & every day at the number of people I am meeting who have been helped by him. I can't wait to be a walking testimony to his methods! Whoo hoo! Hyacinth, my friend from Jamaica, left today with her Lupus well under control. She flew all the way from Jamaica to see Dr. Castillo!

Oh, before I forget... I was talking to a lady in the shuttle from Cheyenne, WY, while we were waiting to cross the border. We saw a drug dog out amongst the vehicles. I said, 'Hmm, I think Valentina needs a boyfriend'. (Sorry Doug the Pug, you just haven't called?!?)

The lady says, 'Well, he would be a great choice.'

'Yeah, she likes a dog in uniform.'

'And you know he has a steady job - so at least there's a paycheck coming in.'

We had a great laugh about that. So, Valentina is on the hunt for a Drug Dog. She's free on Fridays, but has to be home by 11. :o)

So, that's it for today... Here's to an exciting tomorrow. (Don't hold your breath, I think it's laundry time!)

Love & Hugs,

Jill & Valentina xxxx

Day Seven - Adios Mama, sniffle, sniffle

Helping write the blog!

Mom & Valentina - one last walk back to the room

Chillin' out in San Diego

Sigh. Today Mama left for Canada. I am very sad to see her go. It has been so wonderful to have her here with me & spend some time together. Things have been interesting, to say the least, this past 1 1/2 years. How many 30 year olds do you know who are married & live with their mother rather than their spouse? Yeah, I thought so. I know that many too! Two grown women in a small space is never a good idea, but we have made the best of a rough situation & I'm proud to say that we are both stronger & better women because of it. **But I don't recommend trying this at home, kids!**

This morning I woke up to Valentina's 'good morning' yawn. And then it was Mom busily packing & reorganizing. She was going to take the shuttle with me & have one more treatment before she left, but unfortunately there was a time change in Mexico last night. Apparently California changes this coming weekend. I guess all those Mexican minutes need a week to catch up?!? So, with the time change, that left us one hour late for the shuttle, leaving Mom too late coming back. I hurried at the clinic & made sure they called the shuttle right away to take us back, with the hopes that I would be able to say goodbye to Mom one last time before she left. As my luck would have it, just as we were approaching the exit I saw her cab merging onto the freeway. A little lump in my throat (& my neck!) right there. Awh. I miss her already!

The hotel room was very quiet & empty when I returned. It seemed cold too. Oh wait, it was cold, she turned on the a/c. Anyhow, I decided to meet Laura by the pool for a little sun session. What a beautiful blue sky day it was! We sat there for awhile & gabbed about this that & everything. She really reminds me of Sylvia - maybe it's the laugh, I don't know, but she's Dutch too! Laura is 27 & has Thyroid Cancer. We both discovered it about the same time! And here we are in Tijuana! She has been here before, so she knows all the trolley routes, the grocery stores & the good shops! :o) I'm happy she's here, as most of the other people are a fair few years older, so it's nice to have someone younger to venture out with!

We decided to go to the Fishmart for dinner, but on our way there, we stopped to visit with the couple from Medicine Hat. They asked if I had an iPod & I said yes, of course. Well, could I help them out? Their email wasn't working. So, one hour later, I had their new gmail account up & running. But not before someone else came along & could I help them, their wireless wasn't working! Oh boy, where did dinner go?!? :o) Unfortunately the other couples laptop was Windows based, so I couldn't get them up & running. I'm such a Mac snob! But they're just so easy!

Laura, Valentina & I walked a block or so to the little strip mall, only to find the Fishmart completely closed up! Windows covered & all! Okay, next idea? We ended up at the grocery store in the deli section. It was all Mexican food. Trying to find Mexican food without tomatoes & flour & sugar is a little tough. I ended up buying refried beans, chiles rellenos, green hot sauce & I added a tortilla shell & some lettuce once I got home. Hmm, I don't think I'll be back again. Luckily I have a little fruit left in the room. Blech. If I say 'Tacos camaron', does that make me a stuck record?!?

Laura took me to a little shop that sells shoes - kind of like a mini-Winners. She found a smokin' sexxy pair of black Anne Klein heels for $20! They had some cute Coach shoes for $35, but I didn't try any on. I know, I am ill. They did have a crazy pair of heels that fit me like a glove (or shoe, I guess!), but as my luck would have it, all shoes in the shop are $20, but for the designer brand I picked up. $181. No dice.

So, back to the hotel for our icky dinner & now here I sit in my pj's with Valentina sleeping soundly on my lap. She is winning the hearts of everyone she encounters, but for the one poor kid that crossed her path & she barked at him! Excuse me!!! Little turkey!

I didn't take too many photos today, but I will try to upload another video. Valentina & I were playing fetch in the room & I threw the frog, but it landed on the edge of the bed. When she jumped up to get it, she pushed it further onto the bed. She couldn't jump high enough to get it, but all you could see were her little ears flopping over the edge of the bed. She finally made it onto the bed, but I have no idea how. It's at least 4-5 times her height & at least 2x her length! Mama's little gymnast!

Thanks for reading, even when it gets a little dull! I'll do my best to keep life spicy! Live your life to the fullest & make the most of every day! Don't ever hesitate to make the most of an opportunity! Grow! Live! Dream! Cherish! Be Grateful!

Love & Hugs,

Jill & Valentina xxxxx

Day Six - Palm Desert

Mom & I at the entrance to Palm Desert

Palm Desert - Oasis in the middle of NOWHERE!

Agave plant - used to make a natural sweetener & Tequila!

Cactus

Valentina getting her kicks on Route 79 (It was a good year, no?)

Whoo hoo! Mom, Laura & I rented a car & headed out on the highway. We managed to find one of the only car rental places open on a Sunday. Things have changed a lot in the States with this whole recession. We couldn’t drop the car off at any other location & they don’t do one way rentals anymore. Crazy for a big chain like Budget rental car, eh? But hey, for $39 for the day, we were on our way!

Mom was behind the wheel, expertly maneuvering in 6 lanes of traffic. Laura rode shotgun & Valentina & I kept things busy in the back seat. It was piping hot by 0930 when we left & things certainly heated up the further away from the coast we got. We were told it would take us 4 hours to get to Palm Desert, but we were there in 2 1/2, including a few stops!

We ventured off the busy freeway & headed out on a secondary road. Wow. It was really interesting. The landscape definitely dried up as we drove east. Pretty soon it was nothing but rocks & very little vegetation. We drove past homes that had been completely wiped out by fire. All that was left standing was the rock fireplace. It was very sad to see, but easy to understand how it could happen. It was so dry!

There were massive boulders, rounded from millions of years of weathering the elements. They reminded me of the rocks we saw at Spitzkoppe, Namibia. Shortly after the boulders starting popping up, we came to a look out point. We stopped to have a quick peek around. There were interesting cactus plants & scrub brush, cedars & even agave plants. Agave (ah-gaw-vay) is the plant they make tequila from. They also make agave nectar which is a healthy sweetner. We took some photos & managed to meet 2 couples from the UK, one couple from Wales & one couple from Shrewsbury. They were well shocked when I told them I’d been to Shrewsbury! Ha!

We carried on to Palm Desert. It really is an oasis in the desert. It was pretty wild that so many people can live in the middle of nowhere & that it can look so lush & tropical! We wandered down El Paseo, which is apparently the equivalent to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Since it was Sunday, many places were closed, although, come to think of it, it looked like a lot of places were permanently closed! They had a golf cart parade earlier in the day. Palm Desert has signage posted for golf cart traffic on the roads! Crazy!

We then headed to Palm Springs afterwards for dinner. We ended up eating at a little French-Belgian restaurant. It was absolutely gorgeous weather. It was 2030 & we were sitting on the patio in our tank tops & shorts & it was nowhere near cold. Not even cool. It was perfect!

Our drive home was fun. Laura drove & Mom helped navigate. I worked on the blog & kept Valentina company, who, by the way, has been a superstar the entire time. She hasn’t minded being in her carrier, she’s been friendly with all her admirers & she’s been extremely quiet. What a good girl!

For those of you who have been to Palm Desert & Palm Springs, I’m sure you’ll agree. It’s very beautiful & well worth a visit. The weather was stunning & the scenery spectacular. Palm trees & mountains, olive groves along the way, apparently great shopping, although I’ll have to save that for next time! (Omgosh, Ugg boots were $170 here… they are $400 in Canada!)

Tomorrow a.m. we are back to the clinic & Mom is leaving right after her treatment. I will be sad to see her go. We have had a great time in Mexico & California & I will miss her terribly once she is gone. My Mom has been my biggest supporter so far & I am so grateful to have someone like her as my Mom. I love you Mom.

xxxx Jill & Valentina

Day Five - Coronado

Roberto Vigilucci wishing me good luck on my quest for health

Mom, Laura & I at Vigilucci's (bad photographer, I know)

Valentina & I having a stroll on the beach

Seaweed on the beach

Hotel Del Coronado

Valentina dashing away from the ocean

Amen! Here's to a good night's sleep! Finally! Soft bed & no noises! Whoo hoo! I woke up feeling fantastic, ready to take on the world, but the more the day wore on, the less energy I felt I had. I just could not wake up! We caught the shuttle at 0900 & plugged our way through traffic. Man, this border crossing is insane. There is no describing it until you've experienced it on your own!

Mom had x-rays right away & I was able to get in promptly for my IV. While I was sitting there visiting with the other patients, they began talking about the needles they had to self-administer. URRRRRRCH! STOP THE TRAIN! WHAT?!?! YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT??? WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! Now, I ain't no sissy, but just hold on one cotton pickin' minute! I didn't sign up for that nonsense! Seriously? You want me to give myself a needle? Okay, calm down. Think about it. You can talk yourself through this. Only a needle, right? Imagine I were diabetic, then what, right? Yeah, these needles are WAY larger than a diabetic needle & a lot longer. Great.

I know, you're thinking, come on, you're married to a Doctor, just get him to do it, right? A little difficult when he's in Tahiti & you're in Tijuana! So, next best thing. Mom! Oh my gosh. The woman can't even wax the hair on my legs & you want me to trust her to shove a long needle ALL THE WAY into my backside?!?! Are you crazy!?!? But(t), since I was hardly in the frame of mind to shove a needle into myself, it was either her or me. She won. She did it. It didn't feel like more than a little thorn in my backside. Of course, I didn't see the needle go in, thank goodness! I have to do it myself next week. Oh Lord give me strength. If you see me with a bandage on my forehead you'll know I passed out on top of the needle. Gulp.

After all that drama, I really was tired! I waited for Mom to finish up her treatment & by that point we were the last 2 patients to leave the clinic for the weekend. We climbed into the shuttle & made our way to the border crossing. It's about 4 blocks worth of travel & it took us one hour. I slept in the van - at least this way I wouldn't need a nap when I did finally get back to the hotel!

Mom headed straight for the pool & I called the bank. Will I ever get any money? After the finances were somewhat straightened out, I took Valentina out for a break. While I wandered over to the pool, we met Laura. Laura hails from Alberta too! She lives near Edmonton & is seeing Dr. Castillo for Thyroid cancer. She is only 27 & has 3 beautiful girls. This is her 3 month check up, so she knows the ins & outs of San Diego. She offered to take us to Coronado on the trolley & we were delighted at the offer, as we had no clue how to get there.

We left shortly thereafter & made our way towards the peninsula of Coronado. We rode a bus across this huge bridge - what an engineering feat! Coronado was beautiful! Cute little homes with shutters on the windows & massive mansions with putting greens on the front lawn! We walked along the beach & Valentina had her first run in the sand & first dip in the ocean. She didn't know what to think of the moving water at first! It was pretty cute!

We decided to go for dinner at an Italian restaurant named Vigilucci's. It apparently just opened earlier this year & is one of 8(?) restaurants owned by Signor Roberto Vigilucci. The food was amazing & Sr. Vigilucci, himself was even there tonight! He stopped by our table & it was wonderful to have a little bit of Italy right there! He hails from Milano & his Sous Chef is from Napoli. What a great experience!

After our dinner we strolled over to the Del Coronado. It is this old hotel right on the beach. It's absolutely beautiful - tons of old wood inside & a cool old elevator - very Titanic-esque! Apparently the top turret on the hotel is haunted by a lady named Kate. We didn't see her. Maybe we'll call again on Halloween.

From there we caught a cab back to the hotel & called it a night! Oh yes, my word of advice for the day:

Be careful what you think. When we arrived at the end of the trolley line, we walked around the corner to wait for the bus. While we were waiting, I noticed bird poo everywhere & thought, 'yuck, that would suck'. I kid you not, 2 minutes later, SPLAT! Right on my shirt & the rest of it on Valentina's carrier. Gross. Oh well, I've heard it's good luck?!

Then, we get on the bus & Mom is holding Valentina's carrier pretty much in the bus driver's face. The driver says, 'What's in the bag?' I smile & say, 'Oh, you know, just a little somethin' somethin' for later on!' Close call!

Lastly, I have to figure out a way to smuggle my dog into this upscale Italian restaurant. We smoothly make our way to the table & I tuck Valentina under the table. When I saw the owner 'swanning' around, I thought, great, just my luck, he'll come over & schmooze us three luscious ladies, only to step on my dog's tail, she'll yelp & we'll all be kicked out of the restaurant forever! Well, thank goodness that thought didn't come true! Valentina was an angel! She didn't make a peep the entire meal! In fact, Mom was saying I should've have wrote on the comment card, 'Thanks for letting me bring my dog in'. She said this at the precise moment we walked past the Host outside the restaurant. Great timing Mom!!! We all giggled for about 2 blocks on that one! :o)

Thanks for checking in! Things are going great & loads of love & hugs to all of you! Miss you heaps & look forward to telling you all about it when I'm back. Although, at the rate the blog is going, there won't be anything left to tell! xxxx Jill & Kim & Valentina xxxx

Day Four - LONG DAY. Argh.

Adrian, one of the Pharmacists

Mariachi band at Negro Durazo

Valentina waiting patiently for Mama.

Debra when she got her AMAZING news!!

Well, I might just happen to be Little Miss The-Glass-Is-Half-Empty today. Considering I haven't yet had a good night's sleep yet, last night didn't make matters much better. The party animals next door left around 0030 & headed across the street, which is right outside our window. So I heard a bunch of boys yelling & singing, mixed in with car alarms & honking horns until Mom woke up & told me to turn the fan on. Great idea, right? Well, yes, but not after I realized I couldn't control the temperature. So I shivered all night long, might as well have been sleeping out on the deck at home. Brrr! We were up early to haul our luggage out of the Hotel Pueblo Amigo & off to the clinic.

I was able to get in for my treatments right away & Mom had her blood work. Poor little Valentina was left at the hands of her ever growing fan club. She'll be the mascot for the clinic before our time is up! I chatted with a Mrs. Groot from Smithers, BC this morning. She came to the clinic in 1992 (?) with Leukemia. She's healthy & happy these days! I'm getting to know the faces & stories of the people at the clinic & they are all fascinating. My happiest moment of the day was when Debra shared her good news with me... Her sedimentation rate when she arrived was 69%. She couldn't walk or dress herself. She was crippled with pain & 4 auto-immune diseases. To see her today, just 2 weeks later, she looks as healthy as any other human. Her sedimentation rate today was 16%. (Your sedimentation rate shows the amount of inflammation in your body) It was truly a miracle! We were hugging & crying. That woman got her life back today! She can finally carry on with her life as a wife & mother - something she hasn't done for over a year! Wow! Amazing! Inspiring!

Mom was having an appointment with Dr. Rubio this afternoon, so we ended up waiting for the late shuttle. While I waited, I decided to head out for tacos camaron. A lovely fellow from Sudbury named Jordan agreed to join me for the journey to Negro Durazo. He seemed a little nervous when my Espanol wasn't as fluent as he hoped! But we made it there & back & the shrimp tacos were perfect!

I waited & waited & waited for Mom to finish up. Finally she came out at 1545 & we were off. Wow. What a queue at the border. Not fun. We had to wait in line in the van. Then bail out of the van with ALL our luggage & wait in line inside the building. After customs checked our passports, we had to scan our luggage. However, everyone was dumping their stuff through at the same time. I was sure I was never going to see some of my luggage again. I have no idea how, but we managed to collect it all on the other side. Maybe it was too heavy for anyone to run away with?!? :o) So we made it through to the other side, now what? Where was the van? Where was the driver? Great. Oh wait, there he is. Phew. And after we headed north on the highway, what a queue of vehicles waiting to cross the border into Mexico. Yeesh. At least a 2 hour wait in your car to get back home. It is mind boggling to think of all these people busy on their wait to & from their jobs every day, thinking they are all significant. It just goes to show you how insignificant we are on the grander scale of things. Grains of sand, that's all we are!

Off to the hotel... Here we are in the US of A & I am so sad. No practicing Espanol, typical food, typical traffic, typical, typical, typical. Mom & I both agreed that we were having far more of an adventure on the 'other side'. At least we'll know for next time. Buy groceries in the US & stay in TJ.

I know, I told you, Little Miss The-Glass-Is-Half-Empty... We had a relatively nice meal at Coco's & bumped into a few more people from the clinic. The one couple was kind enough to offer us a ride to the nearest ATM to pull some $$ for Mom to pay Dr. Castillo tomorrow. Les & Linda from Hinton - they had some fantastic stories to share with us! In fact, they told us a story about a fellow from Alberta who was diagnosed with cancer. His Doctor told him he couldn't help him for one month, as he was going to be away. The gentleman didn't want to waste time, so he looked around & heard about Dr. Castillo's clinic. He came down & ran smack into his Doctor! His Doctor was being treated at Dr. Castillo's clinic! Ha! Great story!

So, it's a short note tonight, but I'm a wee bit tired. Forgive my lack of enthusiasm & here's hoping that tomorrow will be better! We're going to try & head out to Palm Desert tomorrow afternoon if all goes well. I'm super excited, as I've never been there! Until then, thanks for tuning in! xxxx

Day Three - Meeting with El Doc

Valentina all cuddled up

Outside the Hotel Pueblo Amigo

Outside Dr. Castillo's clinic

Debra - my inspiration from Houston - she couldn't walk or dress herself when she arrived!

Julietta - Valentina's new friend

Mom wanted a photo by the nice Mexican architecture. I told her her pose looked like she was 'eeking' out last nights Mexican refried beans... :o) (She'll hate me for typing that, but I hope it made you laugh!)

Interesting architecture near the hotel

Table Topics - Girls Night Out - Don't worry boys, there are NON-GIRLY versions too!

Mom, 2 fisting it with her drinks... Don't worry, one is non-alcoholic! Mmm, Pinata!!

Alrighty... Just a quick note, as it is late & I haven't been sleeping well these past few nights. This morning we took it easy, as I had an appointment with Dr. Castillo at 1400. No sense rushing into the clinic at 0900 when I would just have to sit around & wait. We had a lovely fruit plate for breakfast, which we both enjoyed out on the lawn at the Pueblo Amigo & promptly headed for the clinic at 1000. We visited with some of the familiar faces from the past few days, building our new friendships & filling ourselves with positive stories & encouragement. I love this place already! I grabbed a few email addresses from people I knew that were leaving today & tomorrow, as I really want to collect the success stories! It's amazing what goes on here! Sadly enough, the officials are still trying to shut down Dr. Castillo's office, but if I have any input into the matter, HELL NO!!!!

The IV session went much better today. The nurse put the drip a little quicker dripping than yesterday. Unbeknownst to me, it helped avoid the light-headedness, but brought about a lovely case of verbal diarrhea. Great for me, but the poor lady next to me suffered!!! :o) I didn't catch her name, but she's here from Jamaica. She has cancer & lupus in her family & although she doesn't have either, she believes that prevention is the best key! Good for her! We had a riot chuckling about life & some funny stories! Speaking of which, if you're my pal of Facebook, please take 1:23 & check out the video on the sleepwalking dog. OMGosh. That was the funniest way to start my day this morning! Thanks Lauren! Poor pup probably has a bit of a headache, but nonetheless made me howl!

Mom & I grabbed lunch at California Buffet - great healthy salad bar & 3 different enchiladas. Fresh squeezed carrot & orange juice too. I managed to sneak Valentina into the restaurant, but when we went to the shop to buy paint, the security guy quickly booted me out! Whoops! Pleased to say Mom did a bang-up job on the door... Hopefully they won't even notice! Fingers crossed!!!! We motored back to the clinic for the appointment with Dr. Castillo. There were 2 American ladies sitting opposite us when we returned. They didn't seem too chatty, but I persisted. They were there supporting their husbands. They seemed reluctant to tell me what they were there for, but eventually they cracked. 'Cancer' they both said. When I didn't seem phased, they were surprised. When they asked why I was there, they said, 'Who?' I said 'me'. Their jaws both dropped. Let's just say the ice melted after that & we had a great chat! :o)

When the appointment with Dr. Castillo began, I was amazed. What an incredible man. I hope he has a protege, as he is astounding. He knew so much about my condition - far more than my Oncologist in Canada, who specialized in hematology - blood & lymph, go figure. I think my jaw was on the floor! And to think, earlier in the day, he assisted people with colo-rectal cancer, bone cancer, thyroid cancer, liver cancer, diabetes, and one patient with 4 auto-immune diseases. Wow. Anyhow, he went through my blood work... Not to bore you, but if you're interested:

Red Blood Cell Count: 4.09 million s/be b/twn 3.9-5.0 - mild anemia

Hemoglobin (Iron): 11 s/be b/twn 12-14.5 - He suggested eating raisins, lentils, bean (esp. blk) & leafy green veggies

White Blood Cell Count: High! 11,900 s/be b/twn 5,000-10,000 this indicates inflammation

With the WBC...

Lymphocytes: 12% s/be b/twn 20-40% (helps with my immune system)

I can't remember the other part of the WBC, but it was 86% & it s/be b/twn 60-65%

Dr. Castillo explained that the 86% count was helping to balance out the lack of lymphocytes. Interesting!

Platelets: OK

Sedimentation Rate: 17% s/be b/twn 0-15 indicates inflammation

Urine: clean

Phosphorus: 2.6 s/be b/twn 2.7-4.5 - I need to eat seafood & fish - Tacos Camaron?? :o)

He said my blood chemistry was pretty much perfect!

Oh yes, the Beta 2 Microglobulin test... This is one of the 4 blood tests that can be done to read the cancer markers in your body. The particular one I had should be between 0 & 2. I was 1.8. Great news, obviously I still have tumors in my body, but this indicates that at least they aren't growing rapidly or out of control. Yippee!!!

So, after all that mumbo jumbo, now what? Well, Dr. Castillo has started me on the Hoxsey Tonic, along with a particular diet (9 items I must exclude), DMSO, Isopronosine (I think?), Thymine & Astesen. He normally waits until you return home to start you on most of this, but he wanted to start me ASAP. He also said since my tumors weren't threatening any vital organs I wouldn't need to do any chemo! Yippee x 2!!! When I asked if I would see a reduction in the lumps by the end of the month, he smiled & asked me how long I have had the lumps. '2 years', I replied. He just smiled a little bigger. Okay, Roma wasn't built in a day, but hey! I'm optimistic!

I'm sure I've forgotten other bits & bobs, but it will come to me! We went back to the mall this afternoon & then back to Saverio's for one last 'naughty' meal... Omgosh, I am so full, it's disgusting! But the food was so yummy!! I'm getting much better at my Espanol. I am going to miss talking with the cabbies every night! Mom & I played Table Topics tonight at dinner. It was a great way to keep the conversation rolling & light hearted. Check it out if you haven't heard of it before! I'm a big fan! That's how Jaco & I got to know each other so well... 4000 kms of driving... It was great!

We came back to the hotel, packed up our stuff, Mom painted the door while I desperately tried to convince Valentina to do her business outside (no luck), and now I am looking forward to bed. We have neighbours tonight. I will be very happy to move to the Best Western. There is a night club across the street. All I heard last night were car alarms & people hollering & carrying on until who knows what time. Tonight there is someone in the room next to us & they just barged into their room, cursing & swearing, blaring music, talking about their escapades crossing the border... Thankfully they have just left to go out for the night. Here's hoping they don't return until sunrise! I'll sick Valentina on them if they come back earlier! 'Combattiamo' means 'Let's fight!' I knew this Italian would come in handy! Ha ha!

Anyhow, looks like the updates will be done from the American side from now on. I'm said to be leaving Mexico, even though I will be back every day. I know, I know, get over it already. I decided today that I have supported the Mexican economy enough through the clinic, restaurants & cab fares alone. Aye chihuahua!!! :o) Dulce suenos & see you tomorrow! Thanks for reading my novels!!! Love & hugs, Jill, Kim & Lil' Miss V... Oh, btw, I'm now known as Maria at the clinic. I put my full name down & all the women call me 'Maria'. I feel so exotic! :o)