Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Radiation Treatment - Lumpectomy

Recently Mary Martin emailed asking for suggestions regarding a tight pulling on her side along her ribs - under the breast where she had had a lumpectomy. The only thing I could think of was our Miracle Blend - because it shouldn't be scar tissue in that spot. But, in case it could be scar tissue (out of place scar tissue!) I also suggested perhaps using rose hip seed oil with or without Helichrysum essential oil.

Mary wrote back after a few weeks:

"I've been rubbing the rosehip seed oil in that area per your suggestion and guess what? the pain and pulling has subsided significantly. I can barely feel it now. Thanks for the suggestion! I was applying rosehip oil to my lumpectomy scar to prevent scar tissue build-up but I would have never thought to apply it UNDERNEATH my breast area!

Mary Martin

P.S. I am saving the miracle blend for my carpal tunnel on my wrist. It works great for that!

When I wrote back, thanking her for the followup and asking if I could quote her, because someone else might have this same problem, she wrote the following:

Hi Marge, By all means, you can quote me!

I also used the Blue Tansy and Heli hydrosols post radiation (immediately after my treatments), along with the Tamanu oil (and I never got burned!).

After radiation, I used the sea buckthorn berry, tamanu oil and the rosehip seed oil directly on the radiated area. My skin really looked and felt ok throughout my treatments and afterwards (I got a "tan" but that was really it) and my oncologist was amazed!

Now, a year post-lumpectomy and post-radiation, I am still using the rosehip seed oil and the tamanu oil directly on my scar. It's faded quite nicely. Even my radiation oncologist said so! Of course, now the rosehip seed oil also seems to have alleviated the pulling underneath my breast as well...Mary

For the record - the suggestions on the Blue Tansy and Helichrysum hydrosols were based on a paper my mentor and friend Sylla Sheppard Hanger presented at a symposium in the year 2000, sharing her experience with dealing with her own radiation treatments.

Sylla used water based dilutions of Helichrysum and Blue Tansy since, at that time, she did not have a reliable source for the hydrosols. She also used fresh aloe vera gel. You may read Sylla's presentation here.

I am a bit concerned about the use of the Calophyllum, or any carrier oil, as it could erase the marks used to "aim" the laser during treatment. Some patients have the marks tattooed on so there can be no risk of them disappearing.

No comments: