In September 2011 I was diagnosed with colon/rectal cancer
after a routine colonoscopy.
Three years prior I had a colon resection to remove a large
polyp from my colon that was non-cancerous.
The new cancerous tumor was located right at this resection
of my prior operation.
After several doctors’ visits and a number of tests the doctors
suggested I have radiation once a day, chemo twice a day for the
next 6 weeks. I finished therapy on Dec 12, and waited for the
results to determine if this treatment was successful.
It was during this time that I heard about Sister Dulce. My
body was very weak and my spirit and faith needed healing. In
January I met with Sister Dulce. She put her hands on my spine
and asked for healing.
She told me that there were 2 tumors and that they were
growing, she asked Papa if I would be able to raise my 5 year
old son. She said everything would be OK, but I had to be very
active in my therapy.
I met with my oncologist the next day after my visit with
Sister Dulce for a follow up appointment. I asked him if there
was more than 1 tumor and if this radiation had any effect on
the tumor. He assured me that there was only 1 tumor and that
the last 2 weeks of radiation he increased the dosage so he felt
that the tumor had decreased in size. We were then referred to
a colon/rectal surgeon to determine if I could be operated on to
remove the cancerous tumor from my colon. I was told that the
tumor was in a very dangerous location and that he felt it would
be better if I went to MD Anderson for a second opinion.
A month later we went to MD Anderson. After a number of
tests the results were that I had 2 tumors and neither the radiation
nor the chemo had any effect on them. The doctor told us that
since the tumors were in the lower part of my spine surgery was
too risky. My CEA levels were 95 on a scale of 0---100. These
levels measure your cancer and the lower the number the better.
A good number would be 5. The surgeon said I have inoperable
colon cancer, stage 4 and I had 18 months left to live if things
did not change. The radiation oncologist said it would be a year
before I could receive radiation again and there would be no
guarantee because my tumors were resistance to radiation. The
chemotherapy oncologist told us that I could receive a much
stronger dose of chemotherapy through a port but the side
effects were very severe and could be permanent. That was not
good news but it gave us hope that I could be cured. The 5 hour
drive home was miserable, it was raining and my husband and
I cried all the way home. I called Sister Dulce’s office and asked
if I could see her the next day but there were no appointments
available. A short time later we received a call back from Sister
Dulce’s office informing us that there was a cancelation and I
could see her. My husband and I met with her and she told us
not to be afraid and that God would be glorified. We both felt
renewed and that things would get better.
I met again with Sister Dulce in March, 2012 before I was
to start on a new chemotherapy. She said I have good news and
bad news. The bad news is that the first chemo would not work
but the second one would. Sister Dulce was not informed that
my first radiation and chemotherapy had not been effective.
This new chemotherapy has terrible side effects but my
body seems to respond well to it, I am not sick at all and had
little to no pain. Three months later my tests results from MD
Anderson were astonishing. The doctors are amazed that I am
not on any pain therapy. My CEA levels dropped from 95 to
3.8
and the tumors were dying. I have to receive another 3
months of chemotherapy. Only through Sister Dulce and the
intersession of Our Lady of Guadeloupe I am able to be healed
and accept God’s will. My CEA levels continue to drop. I
know that this journey is part of spiritual growth and I thank
God for all he has done for me.
Tony Demarco’s Story
I guess where to start is when all of my problems began.
About two years prior to March 2012, I suffered from almost
continued back and leg pain, until one evening while pouring
a cup of coffee at our coffee bar – I felt a pain that was almost
indescribable. It felt like a lightning bolt going through
the middle of my back down my left leg into my big toe. I
immediately fell to the floor and screamed for my wife Mary to
come and help me. I was not able to walk at all that night and
she rolled me into our bedroom with my office chair.
We were not able to go to my neurosurgeon, Dr. Landreneau
because he was ill with cancer and passed away a fewmonths ago.
Landreneau performed the last spinal surgery approximately two
years or so prior to this event. I was impressed with this man
as he asked all in the operating room to hold hands and pray
that the surgery he was about to perform would be successful,
and it was, so I thought. I walked out of the hospital with no
pain. Dr. Landreneau told my wife that this surgery may be
temporary and he would pray for the best.
I enjoyed my time mostly with moderate to severe pain
until that night when I fell to the floor. After visiting other
neurosurgeons that prescribed pain medications, steroid
injections, and physical therapy with no relief, my wife decided
to make an appointment with a spine specialist. This specialist
said the only way out of the crippling pain was surgery and
implanting metal rods and screws that would fuse my lower
Testimonials
My Cancer Story
Cathy Neyland
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