Dalinda's Story
7th February;2000
I'm just redoing all the pages on my site ,
so you will see some places where

I am still working on that page

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On Oct. 1st I was diagnosed with
malignant mesothelioma of the pleura.
Doctors have told me that I
will not live longer than a year.
The protocols offered me were so terrifying
that I decided against them.
I will E-mail more later

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Dalinda
8th February;2000
Deidre, I was very touched by your history
in the memory of your husband.
It shows so much love that I decided
to write to you and let you know
of my personal ordeal.
The symptoms began a few years back,
maybe five. I was always tired
and had pain in the chest when walking.
I'm tired right now. I'll continue later -
Dalinda

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9th February.
Deidre. Thank you for your message,
I really appreciate your caring.
Because I have so much to say I thought
it would be more convenient
to put in an attachment.
Regards,Dalinda.

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12th February;2000
Deidre. It's easier to write a letter in Word Perfect
and send it as an e-mail attachment
than it is to try to write my
whole history as a single e-mail.
Hope this gets to you OK,
and that you can read it once
you've downloaded it.

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I was born in Argentina and emigrated
to the US nearly 35 years ago.
I have lived in Baltimore,
Maryland ever since.
I have no idea when or how I was
exposed to asbestos.
According to the literature it could
have been when I was still living in Argentina.
But there is no history
for me or anyone in my family
of exposure to asbestos.
Yet I was diagnosed in October, 1999
as having malignant pleural mesothelioma.
This diagnosis was confirmed by the Clinic
I went to here in the States,
and by the hospital oncology department.

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These two institutions are considered
the best here in the US,
and are highly respected
throughout the world.
So, there is no doubt in my mind
about the correctness of the diagnosis.
After the initial diagnosis in October,
I went to two more oncologists
for a third and fourth opinion.
Their prognoses were very similar.
Without treatment I would not
survive longer than a year.
With treatment,
(a standard protocol of
chemotherapy and radiation)
I might gain an extra year.

----------------
Both of them gave no hope for a
cure or even a remission.
One of them, recommended a visit to Boston
one of the hospitals there,
where one of the doctors has been
experimenting with new protocols.
Over the last ten years he has claimed
some success with survival rates.
Prior to my visit,
though, I was interviewed by the head of
thoracic surgery at the hospital in
Bethesda, Maryland, very near Washington, DC.
This institute is also well-known
throughout the world.
Its primary goal is investigating
and experimenting with ways to fight cancer.
They are funded by US taxpayers,
and is the official "top authority"
in the US.
This doctor is the top authority in his area,
by virtue of his position at this hospital.

------------------------
He said - after weighing all the
pluses and minuses involving
both standard treatment and clinical trials
that there is no treatment for
pleural mesothelioma which will offer
any more chance of survival
than simply doing nothing,
and trying to enjoy life
as much as possible
as long as possible.
His argument was that chemotherapy
would do no good, and in fact,
it would harm the immune system so much
that death would come sooner than if
nothing at all were done.

-----------------------------------
I kept my other appointment in mid-November, 1999
with the first doctor anyway.
He had discovered - as I had been warned
that his previous trials had had no significant benefits.
He was about to embark on a new phase 1 trial,
which included surgery
followed by a new method
of using chemotherapy
(up to 200-300 times the previously recommended dose,
and applied hot, directly into the chest
cavity and other areas involved with the tumors).
I refused this treatment.
My fear was that I would
not survive the operation.
My family concurred with my decision.

-------------------------
I have decided to turn to alternative medicine
and to refuse any standard treatment or clinical trials.
I think my decision is an informed decision.
After studying articles and books,
and conversing with practitioners of
alternative (natural) approaches to my problem,
I have decided that the most promising approach
to dealing with my mesothelioma is by helping my
own body deal with it as much as possible.
If anything will conquer such cancers as mine,
it will be because the immune system
is strong enough to eliminate the cancer cells
or at least to slow down their proliferation.

---------------------------
I have had two CT-Scans since
I embarked on my alternative approach.
The second, done on January 15, 2000,
showed virtually no change from the previous one,
with an actual decrease in pleural effusion.
This is good news,
but I remember what my oncologists
have said about mesothelioma cells:
sometimes they just "hibernate" for a few months;
and then they resume their growth,
even more rapidly than before.
I'll let you know what the next CT-Scan
shows before I become too optimistic.
The next scan should be in
the middle or the end of March.
Mesothelioma is a cancer that takes years
to get to a stage where it is actually diagnosed.
And almost always,
by the time it is diagnosed
it's too late to do anything about it.
I believe I was exhibiting symptoms
long before I actually got to the point
of going to the hospital,
having the thoracoscopy, and being diagnosed

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I have always experienced lung problems.
And until 10 years ago I was a 3-pack a day cigarette smoker.
When I used to vacation at a beach
on the Atlantic Ocean,
I invariably came down with pneumonia.
X-rays always showed a "spot."
This spot was always noticed,
and the doctor always said
"We'll have to check up on that, but don't worry about it."
For the past two or three years
I have been exhibiting many of the symptoms
you list on your checklist
especially shortness of breath and fatigue.
These early symptoms can be mistaken
for so many other problems that it
would be easy for doctors to gloss over them.
Unfortunately mesothelioma occurred
so seldom during my "incubation period"
that very few doctors were looking for it.
If any doctor actually did suspect something,
he would have probably wanted to know
about any asbestos contact,
and I would have said there wasn't any;
and he would not have pursued that area any longer.
So far, this letter sums up just about
everything concerning my mesothelioma.
I'll keep you posted as new developments occur.
I hope my letter will be of some help in your quest.
Thanks so much for caring.
regards from Dalinda

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15th February; 2000.
Hi Deidre and Liz,
Today is the day I was supposed
to be in Boston for surgery.
I described that phase 1 clinical trial
in a previous letter.
Can you imagine how thankful I am that I'm sitting here
(with only mild discomfort)
writing this e-mail to you instead of being
submitted to that vivisection in Boston?
Anyway, Happy Valentine's Day!!!
Keep in touch.
I look for mail from you every morning!
Regards, Dalinda

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19th February; 2000. Deidre
Received your e-mail about Liz's Chris.
I am so sorry to hear that news.
As for you being closer to us
for all us to be closer,
really that would be wonderful.
But we do have a spiritual bond that is stronger
than any physical ties might be.
I will e-mail Liz straight away.
Chris seems to be a fighter.
Miracles do happen.
The last thing any of us should do is give up. Dalinda

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22nd February; 2000. Hi Deidre
Your web site gets better and better,
and that's pretty good for something that
started out being so good to begin with.
Nothing much new to report.
Just one item I forget:
two months before my mesothelioma diagnosis,
I was diagnosed as having a malignant melanoma,
which was removed surgically.
Ironically, just as that problem was
pronounced as having been cured,
the mesothelioma happened.
I just read Sherry's story and was wondering
if she would mind your giving me her e-mail address.
Or, if she would like to contact me,
I would be happy to hear from her.
Keep up the great work. Dalinda

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8th March; 2000. Hi Deidre
I haven't written for such a long time
because I've had some vertigo,
some kind of reaction that caused hives,
and various pains all over.
I'm feeling better now.
I'll be a better correspondent I hope.
Things are going pretty much the same right now;
nothing much really interesting to report.
But I promise to write more often
now that I am feeling better.
Regards, Dalinda.

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13th March; 2000. Hi Liz,
I was so sorry to hear about the
latest development with Chris.
You both must continue to be strong.
I know that won't be easy.
You know that you have our prayers and support.
Bob, my husband and I think of you two often.
Age doesn't seem to have any barriers
when it comes to mesothelioma
I'm 62 and still going strong.
I haven't lost any weight or appetite,
though aches and pains are always there.
The vertigo is an old symptom from
pre-mesothelioma days.
And the hives too.
Apparently there has been a long-standing
autoimmune problem,
and a couple of doctors were convinced
I was suffering from MS.
Now I think it's possible that the
"MS" wasn't MS at all, but actually symptoms
of very early stage mesothelioma.
If only they knew then
what they (say) they know now!
Please don't give up hope.
Bob and I want to hear from you as often
as you feel like writing. Love, Dalinda

-----------------------
I thought I would save you some time
with your collating of all our letters
if I wrote to Liz at the same time.
The Brazil trip sounds very interesting.
I hope you will be able to go
Most of my "news" is up in my message to Liz.
But I want to tell you how much
we all need your web site.
Without it we wouldn't have known about each other,
and that would have been a loss for all of us.
I am still continuing with my "protocol"
and am sure that my condition would
have been much worse without it.
Mesothelioma simply hasn't responded yet to anything
the docs have been able to devise.
I don't want to knock the medical profession,
but I do think they should give a lot more attention
to alternative ways of dealing with it.
Has anyone else any ideas on the subject?
I know Sherry has her own approach,
which seems to be working for her.
I am certain mine is working for me
But the more pooling of information we can do,
the better off we and your future correspondents will be.
Thanks again for :being there" for us Deidre
Love Dalinda

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30th March; 2000. Deidre
Such sad news - Chris's passing away.
I'm forwarding a copy of my e-mail to Liz for you.
I like to think of us all as family.
We are, in a way.
I just wish we could somehow have a real "family reunion."
I guess we'll have to be content
with virtual reality, though.
My own condition is fairly stable.
Just over another bout with the hives
. It's becoming a little harder to breathe
especially after going up stairs.
I find that taking short walks helps a bit.
I'm experiencing a bit more pain too,
but that's still manageable without strong pain killers.
Spring is here in Maryland, USA.
The first signs - forsythia - are everywhere,
yellow buds exploding
over the whole countryside.
And the fruit trees - all types
are in full blossom.
Haven't seen a robin yet, though.
It must be the beginning of autumn where you are.
Haven't heard anything from you for awhile.
Are you able to keep up with all
the news from all of us?
I look every day or so in your website for updates.
Love, Dalinda

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Dear Liz - I was so sorry to hear of Chris's passing.
Of course no letter is capable of
expressing my sorrow and sympathy for you.
All of us - victims and our loved ones,
the survivors - are like a family to me.
I have felt the bond so strongly.
And Chris's passing is like a part of me passing too.
No matter what the future may bring,
we must all keep our family together.
Please keep in touch, Liz.
Love, Dalinda

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Hi Deidre,
Just to let you know that I'm still OK.
Healthy enough to go to my shop
today for about 4 hours.
I've been going every day for a few hours,
but I may have to increase my appearances
there now that it's spring here
and all my best clients are returning
to Maryland from Florida,
where it stays warm all winter.
I haven't heard from you for awhile;
in fact I haven't heard from any of
"the family" since Chris passed away.
Let me know how things are going with you.
Love, Dalinda

----------------
Hi Deidre and Liz
I'm sorry I've been such a bad correspondent.
I've been very busy,
and I've neglected that.
So far I have been remarkably well.
This is the ninth month since my diagnosis.
Nine months ago I was diagnosed
as Stage III mesothelioma.
I'm still walking a
mile a day on my treadmill,
and the only problems I have are
shortness of breath on really muggy
, warm days here in the Baltimore area,
occasional nagging pain, and fatigue.
I have stuck with "Dalinda's Protocol" except I've added two things -
a supplement called blue-green algae,
and another supplement called Coenzyme Q10.
I'm convinced that my "longevity"
is a result of constant boosting
of my immune system.
No matter what anybody says,
mesothelioma is terminal.
None of the orthodox and invasive procedures
can really do anything for it.
Our own body is our best defence
I'll try and keep in touch sooner
Dalinda

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6th October; 2000.
Hi. This is Bob, Dalinda's husband.
I'll be keeping in touch with you from time to time,
when Dalinda doesn't feel well enough to do that.
Dalinda's latest CT-Scan shows some deterioration in her condition,
and yesterday was the first day she wasn't
able to control the pain with just Tylenol.
She's wearing a pain patch today
and feels much better
but doesn't feel up to using
the computer right now.
The fact that she has done so well for so long is amazing.
It's been exactly one year since her diagnosis.
And at that time the oncologists
(3 of them) agreed that she was in Stage III.
We've changed her 'protocol' only slightly,
and we feel that her longevity
and the excellent quality of life
she has enjoyed so far,
are the result of avoiding the conventional approach to cancer.
This kind of cancer just doesn't
respond to conventional medicine.
Keep the e-mails coming.
Dalinda loves to hear from you. Regards from Bob

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29th October; 2000. Hi Deidre --
Thanks for caring.
I had a few rough days with pain,
but now I am back to "normal" again.
Two weeks ago I consulted a new doctor
after the latest CT-Scan
showed new tumors.
The doctor said that surgery was out of the question
since the cancer had spread to so many places
liver, abdomen and the other lung.
I am trying to find out about
the 3D radiation that Jack Ruda told us about.
There is a hospital in Washington, D.C.
which specializes in that.
I'll let you know what happens.
Sorry I haven't written for such a long time.
I'm always busy.Love,Dalinda

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Between these two dates most of my emails
were lost when we shifted to a new house
and before I could add them to my website.
I have found the notice of Dalinda's death
which I've been able to add to her story.

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5th Sept 2001
Dalinda C. Badenhoop,
owner of Pikesville alteration shop,
died Saturday of mesothelioma
at the Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care.
She was just 63.
Since 1997, Mrs. Badenhoop had owned
and operated Dalinda's Inc,
a clothing alteration shop,
on Reisterstown Road.
Born Dalinda Abraham in Cordova, Argentina,
she was raised and graduated from
high school in Buenos Aires.
In 1969, she immigrated to Baltimore
and went to work as head fitter at Octavia,
a dress shop with stores
in Pikesville and Cross Keys.
Mrs. Badenhoop joined Saks Fifth Avenue
as manager of alterations
at its store in Owings Mills Mall
when it opened in 1986.
After Saks closed in 1996,
she became manager of alterations
for the Neiman Marcus store
at the King of Prussia Mall in Pennsylvania
until returning to the Baltimore area to open her business.
Mrs. Badenhoop was an avid painter
and antiques collector and helped in the planning
and sewing of the 1995 AIDS Quilt.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 16
at Grey Rock Mansion,
400 Grey Rock Road in Pikesville.
She is survived by her husband of 15 years,
Robert Badenhoop; two daughters, and two grandsons.

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FORGOTTEN? NEVER
Friends may think we have forgotten.
When at times they see us smile.
Little do they know the heartaches?
That our smile holds all the while.
Beautiful memories are wonderful things.
That last till the longest day.
They never wear out, they never get lost.
And can never be given away.
To some you may be forgotten.
To others, part of the past.
But to those who loved you and lost you.
Your memory will ways last.
Author unknown.

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