20+ Year Stage 4 Breast Cancer Thriver Lori Lober!
Lori Lober - YouTube Interview
5/31/22
00:30 Lori was diagnosed in April 2000 (page 7 of her book); was 10 years in remission as of 2011 (over 20 years in 2022!!) Originally misdiagnosed
01:55 loves meeting like-minded people
all our paths are different; there is no right or wrong path – we need to embrace it and love it
When she was dx she had multiple tumors in liver and it was throughout the lymphatic system
03:12 was premenopausal so it was HER2+ (the most aggressive premenopausal cancer there is)
Found out there was a treatment center specifically for cancer - MD Anderson - they also had clinical trials
Also went to Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center
Nutraceuticals, juicing, didn’t do coffee enemas but did colonics; reflexology of hands and feet to keep her lymphatics going
Did everything her doctors said to do, but looked at odds/stats and it didn’t give her much hope
Knew if she was going to beat it at 36 years (22 years ago) she’d have to pull out all the stops in her ability (body, mind, soul, spirit) - still here, glad she never gave up. Promised God that if He would show her the way and lead her to no evidence of disease that she’d give back to anyone who asks for her help.
6:05 Every single day she gets up to live is a gift, even in this tumultuous time that we live in; we can still embrace and see the best of the beauty of every day
6:55 They asked what the prognosis was and her doctor was very - Dr. Daniel Bruiser/Buzzer (?) at MDA - he texts her back immediately
Good relationship w/oncologist is important
Dr. Robert Felt in KS City
Director of St. Luke's Institute - Dr. Timothy Pluard - loves him - the connection w/the onco is huge
At the end of a long week of tests (Friday night) went in and Dr. said you don’t have what you thought - it’s stage 4, metastatic breast cancer
A couple of Liver mets everywhere in lymphatics
FDA approved drugs (in 2000) wouldn’t give her very good odds of survival
If your wife were dx with this, what would you do? He said a clinical trial
That monday got port put in and did first chemo (clinical trial)
Went on plane and realized she needed to do more - full time job moving forward
9:50 did not work anymore from then on; they were home builders and they were able to afford her time off
Went to local book store on reflexology - not sure where it came from - read how Move lymph hands/feet is important
She did it; her husband did it for her - it cost nothing - feels it’s been huge in her journey
Wanted someone w same dx and did well - in a few weeks found that a connection had the same thing she was going through - became wellness buddy
She was a little ahead in her journey - hooked her up with a holistic Nutritionist in KS City - so hard to find! leslie pittman, stays in contact with her to this day
Similar to Bailey’s list of supplements, was swallowing 120 pills/day
Resveratrol, d3, coq10
Some doctors thought she was being a little off the wall but also said keep doing what you’re doing at the end of every test
She taught her how to eat properly combined
Ate fruit in am after lemon h2o; nothing but fruit in am; for Lunch was juicing
Evening meal - no carb w/prot & fruit - can’t break down vegetables at the same time
Cut out everything white: white potato, flour, rice - sweet potato instead of baked potato (nothing on it) - listened to her like a sponge
14:15 Details are all in her book
15:10 Her website is Welovetolive.com anyone can reach out to her; she will stay true to her promise; to help others as long as it doesn’t negatively impact her health
audio book?
15:30 Why the name of her book? Main goal of her book?
A: We’re thrown into the pink sisterhood of breast cancer; didn’t like that some types of cancer didn’t have a specific colored ribbon - all needed to be treated equally for awareness, fundraising. She wanted what her life meant to her, which is that she loved to live.
17:35 What made her think outside of the box/not just accept her prognosis?
A: From a very young age she was a very hard worker and never wanted to miss a day of school for fear of missing out on something huge; be an overachiever - more than what you have to do
They have wonderful friends and a wonderful family; she didn’t want another gal to step into the life she had created; she had worked so hard to get what she had
19:00 The people she works with?
A: She’s met very successful people who have had stage 4 cancer who reached out for help; she gave them her heart and soul and done her best to lead them and many of them haven’t made it. We can only be another messenger; everyone has to be responsible for themselves. People have to make it their goal to beat cancer the primary goal of their life; you can’t put the oxygen mask on your kids and husband if you don’t put it on yourself first. One woman didn’t do it and she didn’t make it. She thinks we all have our own journey; some people are willing to fight like hell. She wants to work with people who are willing to do whatever they can do to fight. We all have the power to give up the white stuff and see ourselves whole and well.
In her book she put in some very raw pictures of laying on the couch with a bald head; some of them she was crying, wondering why is this going on. In a weird way she believes . She wouldn’t give up her stage 4 cancer journey for anything…it led her to the rich and abundant life she has now. “I love my life.”
21:45 All things are worked together for good (to those who love Him)
Q: How do you encourage people on their journey? Do you recommend taking the same steps you did?
A: I encourage people on their own path. No matter how one person does it/what works for him/her we all have different lives/lifestyles. We have to constantly pull out toxins, build up our immune system naturally. Some people aren’t willing to give up soda, or aren’t willing to drive to get organic fruits and vegetables. Lived in Missouri and crossed into Kansas. Took supplements that had to be with and without food… Started incorporating Chinese and Tibetan medicine. Had to find a flow that worked for her; everyone has to find what works for them. There is no right or wrong; you have to believe in your path so that it will work.
24:45 Q: How did you figure out what was best for you and how do you instruct people to make their decisions, given all of the information and opinions out there?
A: Go with your gut. Try to find all the books you can written by survivors and read them.
Was drinking Essiac tea until she couldn’t drink it anymore. Maybe after 6-7 months stopped it. Did everything she could then after 7-8 yrs she felt toxic - maybe her body didn’t need 120 supplements and nutraceuticals.
Started backing off little by little. People and things come into your life at the right time. Found a regime that was easy and has been doing that for 14-15 yeras no. Still very cautious. The same rules still apply in her life.
Has a yearly test at the end of the year - her Christmas present. Annual scan in early dec. No evidence of disease call or text is her present each year. The other 11.5 months are preparing her for her ultimate Christmas gift.
27:25 Q: What is your diet like?
A: Her husband is a hunter and fisherman; “you kill it, cook it, clean it.” Eat a lot of fish, turkey, pheasant - anything he can cook and clean, he’s a very good cook. They don’t buy a lot from the store… as far as protein goes. Hormone-free chicken only if it’s from the store. It’s more expensive but you are what you eat. Food is our medicine (Hippocrates). Would rather spend more money on organic food than other things. I eat to live, not live to eat. Not perfect though, does love a hot fudge sundae every 4-5 months. Italian Ice every once in a while, though tries to get high quality. If we can pull the bad stuff out - we can’t control the air in our environment and skin. Eat organic, locally owned. They make sauces, grow asparagus, grow everything they can themselves then supp w/highest quality they can afford. Would rather have that medicine than other medicines, shots and chemo, though she loves chemo bc it does what it needs to do; it’s expensive.
30:10 Still on treatment, it doesn’t stop the fast-growing cells but blocks the her2 oncogene that her stage and type of cancer has. Looks at food as her medicine.
30:30 Q: The name of the treatment she’s still on?
A: Intravenous Herceptin; gets a triple dose every 21 days. Loves it in a way because it keeps it real and she loves visiting with new patients and the nurses. It’s her drive, what you do when you get built up by the nurses; they are friends on FB and familiar with her journey. Feels blessed to go to the chemo room.
32:08 You have to see yourself whole and well. Did you (Bailey) see yourself whole and well?
A: I didn’t start off with that mindset but had people around me who believed I could get well and encouraged me to believe that too. I didn’t know what I believed about God at that time, but I prayed, “God if You’re there, please give me a miracle.”
34:12 We are not special (we are, but) - if we can get better, others can, too.
(Bailey): “And I experienced other situations in the past year in which I thought my mind was not going to change about certain things because the pull (in one direction) was so strong, but for me, reaching out for help and wisdom from others, and the prayers of others and God changed my heart, helping me go in a better direction.”