My friend, Jerry, has been healing prostate cancer which had metasticized to the bone in his hip. He started treating it last May or June, and by September no sign of his cancer could be found. He continues to seek out various alternative treatments for some other symptoms he has.
He did several things to heal the cancer, so he doesn't know exactly what might have been the active treatment. Jerry got treatments with the V.I.B.E. machine (as I did), and took several different supplements. One thing he took was Jason Winters' herbal mix called "Tribalene." Jerry loaned me the book by Jason Winters, and I read his fascinating story. You can read his story on his web site: www.sirjasonwinters.com.
Many people have healed their cancer by using the herbal mixture that Sir Winters came up with. I haven't tried it yet, but just ordered some tea as well as the Tribalene" capsules. On the product order page, it mentions that the herbal mix that has Chaparrel in it is "not available to customers in the US." I wonder why, and if the mix I ordered will be as potent?
I recommend his book, Killing Cancer, which you can order from his web site. He has led a fascinating life!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Coffee Enemas
One therapy that is recommended by the alternative practitioners is taking coffee enemas.
I was already familiar with this therapy. My husband had read about them several years ago, and knew that they were used in the treatment of cancer. When our little colt was born, he was having difficulty pooping; he was straining and straining. The vet told us to give him a soapy enema, which we did, but it didn't stop the straining. With a newborn foal, the straining can be dangerous, so we were very concerned. John suggested giving it a coffee enema, but the vet said not to. I had to leave town the next day to take part in a storytelling celebration, and after I left, John gave the foal a coffee enema. Before he gave it to him, John said the foal was looking weak and listless, and he was worried. The coffee enema perked him right up, and he started pooping easily!
John and I had also gone through a 10 day colon cleanse program summer before last, and coffee enemas were part of that program. I knew how good they can make you feel.
So I've started taking coffee enemas about three times a week. According to one web site (on a site about "tumorX"--a tumor-fighting protocol) they suggest for cancer taking up to three enemas a day! Boy, would you be buzzing on that! I am not a coffee drinker, so I really notice caffeine when I have some. The coffee enemas give me a caffeine "high" without the irritated stomach that I can get if I drink a cup of coffee. I used to drink several cups of coffee a day, but stopped when I started taking a constitutional homeopathic remedy. Coffee antidotes homeopathic remedies. I discovered when I tried to stop that I was severely addicted to coffee, both psychologically and physically. I had to find a dark brown coffee-like hot liquid to drink every morning to satisfy my craving for coffee, and I went through about three days of sick headache after I stopped. I swore after that not to allow myself to get addicted again! I hope the enemas don't make me addicted to coffee.
The rationale behind taking coffee enemas is that it stimulates the liver and the gall bladder to release toxins, which can then be flushed from the body. It can also help relieve pain, although I haven't had any pain, so I can't attest to that. I've read one concern that frequent coffee enemas might cause you to lose minerals, or offset your electrolyte balance. I don't think you want to make a long-term habit of it. In the book, How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine written by four naturopathic physicians, they state: "This technique may have some value in controlling pain and in helping the liver and gall bladder release wastes. As a rule, however, we do not recommend this technique. Coffee enemas can lower your electrolyte levels. Electrolytes are chemicals that facilitate electrical signals in nerves, muscles, and other tissues. Low electrolytes can induce cardiac arrhythmia, muscle cramping, and weakness. If you use enemas of any sort, be sure to have regular blood tests to evaluate electrolytes." (p. 198) So, I guess I'd better be careful. (Sure does feel good, though!)
I was already familiar with this therapy. My husband had read about them several years ago, and knew that they were used in the treatment of cancer. When our little colt was born, he was having difficulty pooping; he was straining and straining. The vet told us to give him a soapy enema, which we did, but it didn't stop the straining. With a newborn foal, the straining can be dangerous, so we were very concerned. John suggested giving it a coffee enema, but the vet said not to. I had to leave town the next day to take part in a storytelling celebration, and after I left, John gave the foal a coffee enema. Before he gave it to him, John said the foal was looking weak and listless, and he was worried. The coffee enema perked him right up, and he started pooping easily!
John and I had also gone through a 10 day colon cleanse program summer before last, and coffee enemas were part of that program. I knew how good they can make you feel.
So I've started taking coffee enemas about three times a week. According to one web site (on a site about "tumorX"--a tumor-fighting protocol) they suggest for cancer taking up to three enemas a day! Boy, would you be buzzing on that! I am not a coffee drinker, so I really notice caffeine when I have some. The coffee enemas give me a caffeine "high" without the irritated stomach that I can get if I drink a cup of coffee. I used to drink several cups of coffee a day, but stopped when I started taking a constitutional homeopathic remedy. Coffee antidotes homeopathic remedies. I discovered when I tried to stop that I was severely addicted to coffee, both psychologically and physically. I had to find a dark brown coffee-like hot liquid to drink every morning to satisfy my craving for coffee, and I went through about three days of sick headache after I stopped. I swore after that not to allow myself to get addicted again! I hope the enemas don't make me addicted to coffee.
The rationale behind taking coffee enemas is that it stimulates the liver and the gall bladder to release toxins, which can then be flushed from the body. It can also help relieve pain, although I haven't had any pain, so I can't attest to that. I've read one concern that frequent coffee enemas might cause you to lose minerals, or offset your electrolyte balance. I don't think you want to make a long-term habit of it. In the book, How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine written by four naturopathic physicians, they state: "This technique may have some value in controlling pain and in helping the liver and gall bladder release wastes. As a rule, however, we do not recommend this technique. Coffee enemas can lower your electrolyte levels. Electrolytes are chemicals that facilitate electrical signals in nerves, muscles, and other tissues. Low electrolytes can induce cardiac arrhythmia, muscle cramping, and weakness. If you use enemas of any sort, be sure to have regular blood tests to evaluate electrolytes." (p. 198) So, I guess I'd better be careful. (Sure does feel good, though!)
Saturday, November 29, 2008
At the Health Alternatives Office
Yesterday morning my husband John and I dropped our 11 year old daughter Veronica off at a friend's house, and drove through the cold gray countryside to Dewey, Oklahoma. It is about an hour and forty minutes from Joplin. We arrived at the "Health Alternatives" office and sat down in the comfortable recliners to await my turn at getting an IV started. Dr. Allison has one room arranged with about twelve recliners in a circle. He doesn't take appointments, it is first come, first serve. When we arrived there were four others there, but only two were getting treatments. Another couple arrived after we did.
It is a very informal atmosphere at Health Alternatives. People chat while there are getting their drips. Dr. Allison placed my IV and got the solution of vitamin C, hydrogen peroxide, and a trace of selenium started. He is very good at placing the catheter; I noticed a little pain as the needle went into my vein, but it wasn't bad. He told me I have "great veins" to work with. I always thought the veins on my arms and hands were rather unsightly, but I guess now I should be grateful for their large, prominent size. After he had me set up, he moved on to the next person.
The conversation turned to Obama. I thought: "Uh-oh. I'm in Oklahoma redneck country here. I hope they don't start saying stupid stuff about Obama." Then the man who came in after me made a very racist joke about Obama, and everybody thought it was hilarious. I could feel the ire rising in me. Especially since being diagnosed with cancer, I've found that I don't hold back my thoughts as much as I used to. "I'm sorry," I cut in, loudly enough for all to hear in the room, "I find that joke very offensive. I spent many hours trying to get Obama elected, and I do not appreciate racist jokes at his expense. It is very inappropriate! Please change the subject."
There was a rather stunned silence, but the man who told the joke nodded his head. The conversation then drifted on to dogs, and the kind of dog the Obama's might choose, then to dogs we have, and funny dog stories. I joined into the storytelling, hoping everyone wasn't too mad at me for lashing out. Dr. Allison came over to me after he finished setting the other man up, and he smiled. (Dr. Allison's smile would light up any room--it is broad and friendly, and would put anyone at ease.) He said softly to me, "You have to understand this is a very conservative area; I doubt you'll find many Obama supporters around here." I said, "I know. I'm sorry, but I'm very touchy about people making racist comments about Obama." He smiled again. "I understand," he said.
The rest of the time (about one and a half hours) we all chatted about "safe" subjects, and the time went by fast. As we were leaving, the man and his wife were also headed out the door. He turned to me and apologized for the joke. Then he said, "I voted for Obama. I think he will make a fine president. He is so intelligent and well spoken. I was just making a joke." I was surprised, and relieved as well. I told him that jokes like the one he told really are not funny; they make fun of a whole group of people in a derogatory manner, and only add to bigotry. He agreed that maybe I was right. We all left as friends.
I realized that I need to be careful about judging people! I just assumed that this man was against Obama because of his appearance and because of the joke. As it turned out, he was just a bit insensitive. I think we both learned something from that encounter!
I feel very good about starting my vitamin C treatments. I know that it will be a slow process, but I hope to see a noticeable reduction in the size of the tumor within a few weeks. I started measuring it with a tape measure. It is now 3-1/2" x 3-1/2". The edges are easy to feel, and I wrap the tape over the top and start the measurement from the edge.
It is a very informal atmosphere at Health Alternatives. People chat while there are getting their drips. Dr. Allison placed my IV and got the solution of vitamin C, hydrogen peroxide, and a trace of selenium started. He is very good at placing the catheter; I noticed a little pain as the needle went into my vein, but it wasn't bad. He told me I have "great veins" to work with. I always thought the veins on my arms and hands were rather unsightly, but I guess now I should be grateful for their large, prominent size. After he had me set up, he moved on to the next person.
The conversation turned to Obama. I thought: "Uh-oh. I'm in Oklahoma redneck country here. I hope they don't start saying stupid stuff about Obama." Then the man who came in after me made a very racist joke about Obama, and everybody thought it was hilarious. I could feel the ire rising in me. Especially since being diagnosed with cancer, I've found that I don't hold back my thoughts as much as I used to. "I'm sorry," I cut in, loudly enough for all to hear in the room, "I find that joke very offensive. I spent many hours trying to get Obama elected, and I do not appreciate racist jokes at his expense. It is very inappropriate! Please change the subject."
There was a rather stunned silence, but the man who told the joke nodded his head. The conversation then drifted on to dogs, and the kind of dog the Obama's might choose, then to dogs we have, and funny dog stories. I joined into the storytelling, hoping everyone wasn't too mad at me for lashing out. Dr. Allison came over to me after he finished setting the other man up, and he smiled. (Dr. Allison's smile would light up any room--it is broad and friendly, and would put anyone at ease.) He said softly to me, "You have to understand this is a very conservative area; I doubt you'll find many Obama supporters around here." I said, "I know. I'm sorry, but I'm very touchy about people making racist comments about Obama." He smiled again. "I understand," he said.
The rest of the time (about one and a half hours) we all chatted about "safe" subjects, and the time went by fast. As we were leaving, the man and his wife were also headed out the door. He turned to me and apologized for the joke. Then he said, "I voted for Obama. I think he will make a fine president. He is so intelligent and well spoken. I was just making a joke." I was surprised, and relieved as well. I told him that jokes like the one he told really are not funny; they make fun of a whole group of people in a derogatory manner, and only add to bigotry. He agreed that maybe I was right. We all left as friends.
I realized that I need to be careful about judging people! I just assumed that this man was against Obama because of his appearance and because of the joke. As it turned out, he was just a bit insensitive. I think we both learned something from that encounter!
I feel very good about starting my vitamin C treatments. I know that it will be a slow process, but I hope to see a noticeable reduction in the size of the tumor within a few weeks. I started measuring it with a tape measure. It is now 3-1/2" x 3-1/2". The edges are easy to feel, and I wrap the tape over the top and start the measurement from the edge.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Horse Therapy
Oh joy! Today was a beautiful day, with temperature in the low 60's, bright and sunny. I spend a couple of hours with my horses, grooming, working with them, and riding a little. Star is actually my daughter's pony--a large pony that can be ridden by an adult. He has always been hard to catch, but I've worked with him using horse treats so he will come up to me and let me put on a halter. Today he seemed to have forgotten all his lessons--he just walked away when I called to him. Finally he gave in, and I got the halter on him. Then I took it off and put it back on several times, giving him a reward each time. Then he was following me around like a puppy dog!
Diamond is my mare. She is a spotted saddle horse, which is a Tennessee Walking Horse that is spotted. She has a wonderful smooth walking gait--sort of a fast walk or slow trot. She is very sweet, easy to catch, and mellow. I rode her some today.
Apatchi is Diamond's son, also a registered spotted saddle horse. He is 19 months old now, and needs to be trained, but I have little experience training horses. I have trained him to walk with a halter, to stop when I give the command, to back up, and to let me clean his hooves. He is absolutely gorgeous--beautiful markings, with a silky long mane and tail in three colors! He has a perfect star on his forehead. Right after his birth we handled him, and he has been extremely friendly and sweet natured ever since. He is still a stallion, although that was not my intention; I planned to geld him (neuter him), but by the time his testicles had descended so the vet could do the operation, it was fly season, so we decided to wait until the weather got cold. Now it is cold, but he is so beautiful I hate to make him a gelding. I know I must make a decision soon--do I keep him and get him gelded (I don't want to keep a stallion here--I simply don't have the experience), or do I sell him to someone who might appreciate a fantastic stallion and who might train him? He would be a beautiful show horse, I know!
What do my horses have to do with my cancer story? I think it is so important to find things in my life that bring me great pleasure. When I'm working with the horses, I feel so calm and loving! I think horses are great healers.
(The pictures are of Diamond and Apatchi when he was about 3 weeks old, Apatchi at about 3 months old, and a recent one of Apatchi and me, and one of my daughter Veronica and Star, taken a couple of years ago.)
How Did I Develop Cancer, Anyway?
One of the reasons I was in denial about having cancer for so long is that I felt I was doing all the things they recommend for preventing cancer. While I do have some family history of cancer, I have none on my mother's side of the family. Two aunts and a first cousin on my father's side died of breast cancer, however. I breast fed all four of my children--the last one I nursed for three years (and if she had had her way, I would have nursed even longer!). I followed a healthy diet (for the most part). I practiced auto-urine therapy on a regular basis (see previous post about this therapy). I checked my breasts often and had my massage therapist massage my breasts and also check for lumps. When I discovered the lump (that I now know is cancerous), it already felt rather large. I was surprised that it had appeared without earlier detection--so I thought it was probably a fibroid of some kind. My GP checked it, and noted that it moved freely--also a good sign. In the beginning, the lump seemed to "wax and wane," sometimes seeming larger, sometimes smaller. A thermogram didn't indicate a characteristic cancer-looking heat pattern.
I wonder why I developed cancer?
One explanation has to do with trauma to the tissues. I had read that one potential problem with mammograms is that the machine presses the delicate breast tissue, possibly damaging it so that cancer cells could get started there. I had avoided mammograms for this reason. However, seven years ago I did damage my breast tissue significantly.
I was in Russia with my then four year old daughter. We were on our way home, and leaving from the older airport in Moscow (a horrible airport!) To get to my gate, we had to go through a hallway that had been added onto the main building, and the hallway was about 2 inches higher than the floor of the main building. There was no warning (or if there was, it was in Russian), and I was hurrying along, laden down with our baggage. I tripped on the lip and fell flat on my face and chest. I was carrying a bag over my left shoulder, and the bag broke my fall a little on that side, but the right breast came down hard on the concrete floor--BLAM! I was dazed and shaken up, but able to get up and continue on to the plane. I always carry Bach's Rescue Remedy with me in my purse, and I took some of it which helped calm me down.
By the time we got to New York, my right breast was showing signs of bruising (along with my face and shoulder), and it was sore for several weeks after that.
My friend Kyla, who is a massage therapist and lymphodema specialist (she massages the lymph system to help move lymph along), told me that many of her clients had told her that their cancers appeared in locations where they had previous physical trauma. I feel certain that the fall in Russia was the beginning of my cancer.
I don't know if there would be any way to prevent cancer from forming after a physical injury. If I had realized the danger, perhaps I would have been more diligent about checking for cancer, and I could have caught this much earlier.
I wonder why I developed cancer?
One explanation has to do with trauma to the tissues. I had read that one potential problem with mammograms is that the machine presses the delicate breast tissue, possibly damaging it so that cancer cells could get started there. I had avoided mammograms for this reason. However, seven years ago I did damage my breast tissue significantly.
I was in Russia with my then four year old daughter. We were on our way home, and leaving from the older airport in Moscow (a horrible airport!) To get to my gate, we had to go through a hallway that had been added onto the main building, and the hallway was about 2 inches higher than the floor of the main building. There was no warning (or if there was, it was in Russian), and I was hurrying along, laden down with our baggage. I tripped on the lip and fell flat on my face and chest. I was carrying a bag over my left shoulder, and the bag broke my fall a little on that side, but the right breast came down hard on the concrete floor--BLAM! I was dazed and shaken up, but able to get up and continue on to the plane. I always carry Bach's Rescue Remedy with me in my purse, and I took some of it which helped calm me down.
By the time we got to New York, my right breast was showing signs of bruising (along with my face and shoulder), and it was sore for several weeks after that.
My friend Kyla, who is a massage therapist and lymphodema specialist (she massages the lymph system to help move lymph along), told me that many of her clients had told her that their cancers appeared in locations where they had previous physical trauma. I feel certain that the fall in Russia was the beginning of my cancer.
I don't know if there would be any way to prevent cancer from forming after a physical injury. If I had realized the danger, perhaps I would have been more diligent about checking for cancer, and I could have caught this much earlier.
Diet, and eating for blood type
Dr. Allison (the doctor I'm seeing for vitamin C and ultraviolet blood irradiation therapy) suggested I use the information in Eat Right 4 Your Type by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo to work out a good diet. We had this book, and I had looked at it before, but had not really followed its recommendations for my blood type. I am type B positive. Then I found Dr. D'Adamo has another book especially for cancer: Cancer, Fight It with the Blood Type Diet. I bought the book, and found it had very useful information, not only about diet, but about cancer.
One good thing that I discovered is that type B's tend to be less susceptible to getting cancer in the first place, and if they do develop cancer, the outcome is usually more positive. But I also found out that some of the foods that have been staples in my diet (pinto beans, corn, tomatoes --yeah, I love Mexican food!) are on the "avoid" list for my blood type! Damn!
My husband is a type A, and his list of beneficial foods and foods to avoid is in many cases opposite mine. That makes family meal planning a bit difficult! Of course he doesn't have cancer, so maybe it isn't as essential for him to follow the diet.
So, I'm working out a diet based on the information in this book. In addition to dietary suggestions, the book also makes suggestions for supplements and exercise. I realize that if I am going to heal this cancer, I need to be much more diligent about changing my lifestyle. I haven't been exercising enough, and there are several supplements Dr. D'Adamo suggests that I haven't been taking. I need to make healing my very first priority, even though it will take time and careful attention.
One good thing that I discovered is that type B's tend to be less susceptible to getting cancer in the first place, and if they do develop cancer, the outcome is usually more positive. But I also found out that some of the foods that have been staples in my diet (pinto beans, corn, tomatoes --yeah, I love Mexican food!) are on the "avoid" list for my blood type! Damn!
My husband is a type A, and his list of beneficial foods and foods to avoid is in many cases opposite mine. That makes family meal planning a bit difficult! Of course he doesn't have cancer, so maybe it isn't as essential for him to follow the diet.
So, I'm working out a diet based on the information in this book. In addition to dietary suggestions, the book also makes suggestions for supplements and exercise. I realize that if I am going to heal this cancer, I need to be much more diligent about changing my lifestyle. I haven't been exercising enough, and there are several supplements Dr. D'Adamo suggests that I haven't been taking. I need to make healing my very first priority, even though it will take time and careful attention.
Intravenous Vitamin C and Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation
My husband and I drove to Dewey, OK yesterday (about an hour and 40 minutes from Joplin) for my first intravenous vitamin C treatment at Dr. L. Scott Allison's clinic. I only received about half of the solution, however, because my vein was swelling abnormally, and Dr. Allison was concerned that I might be reacting to the corn from which the vitamin C was derived. I've never known of any corn allergy--I love corn, and have eaten a lot of it with no apparent allergic reactions. He decided to stop the drip and have me come back on Saturday for a different kind of vitamin C. I thought I was going to have the blood irradiation therapy yesterday, too, but he decided to wait on starting that as well.
I had been nauseous and feverish the previous night, possibly brought on by drinking a "whole-orange juice" to which I had added about 1/2 a grapefruit. Apparently the oils in orange skin have been shown to help kill cancer cells, so I've been juicing a whole orange with our centrifugal juicer and drinking the juice. I think adding the grapefruit did something to make it more potent. Since then we've found out that side effects to orange oil treatment include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. (kind of like chemotherapy). I think the reaction was probably good for my immune system, even though it made me uncomfortable.
There are several web sites that tell about both intravenous vitamin C and blood irradiation. (Rather than listing them here, all you have to do is put "intravenous vitamin C" or "ultraviolet blood irradiation" in the search engine, and you'll find them.)
Here are some facts I've learned about the therapies:
Intravenous vitamin C:
You can't achieve the levels of vitamin C necessary to combat cancer through oral vitamin C; it must be added directly to the blood stream.
Cancer cells actively transport vitamin C into themselves, possibly because the molecular shape of vitamin C is remarkably similar to glucose, which cancer cells feed on. Whatever the reason, vitamin C accumulates in cancer cells. In unusually large concentrations, the antioxidant vitamin C starts behaving as a pro-oxidant as it interacts with intracellular copper and iron. This chemical interaction produces small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which kills the cancer cells.
Dr. Riordan, from the Garvey clinic in Wichita, Kansas was the pioneer in this work. He was able to prove that vitamin C was selectively toxic to cancer cells if given intravenously.
Vitamin C also boosts immunity (as opposed to chemotherapy which destroys the immune system temporarily).
Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation
UVBI is a process where a quantity of blood (usually 125 ml) is drawn from the body and exposed to a particular wavelength of ultraviolet A light, for a duration of 10-30 minutes. The blood is then reintroduced back into the body.
The result of the treatment is that it stimulates the immune system and various enzyme systems to "learn" how to fight bacteria, viruses, and even cancer.
This approach has been used successfully for many different conditions, including cancer.
A book was written on the subject: Into The Light, by Dr. William Campbell Douglass, MD. (I haven't read this book yet. It can be ordered from Second Opinion Publishing, phone 1-800-728-2288.)
Apparently after an UVBI treatment, the patient feels a little tired and sleepy. (That's probably why Dr. Allison decided to wait for my treatment--I was already not feeling very well yesterday.)
I had been nauseous and feverish the previous night, possibly brought on by drinking a "whole-orange juice" to which I had added about 1/2 a grapefruit. Apparently the oils in orange skin have been shown to help kill cancer cells, so I've been juicing a whole orange with our centrifugal juicer and drinking the juice. I think adding the grapefruit did something to make it more potent. Since then we've found out that side effects to orange oil treatment include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. (kind of like chemotherapy). I think the reaction was probably good for my immune system, even though it made me uncomfortable.
There are several web sites that tell about both intravenous vitamin C and blood irradiation. (Rather than listing them here, all you have to do is put "intravenous vitamin C" or "ultraviolet blood irradiation" in the search engine, and you'll find them.)
Here are some facts I've learned about the therapies:
Intravenous vitamin C:
You can't achieve the levels of vitamin C necessary to combat cancer through oral vitamin C; it must be added directly to the blood stream.
Cancer cells actively transport vitamin C into themselves, possibly because the molecular shape of vitamin C is remarkably similar to glucose, which cancer cells feed on. Whatever the reason, vitamin C accumulates in cancer cells. In unusually large concentrations, the antioxidant vitamin C starts behaving as a pro-oxidant as it interacts with intracellular copper and iron. This chemical interaction produces small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which kills the cancer cells.
Dr. Riordan, from the Garvey clinic in Wichita, Kansas was the pioneer in this work. He was able to prove that vitamin C was selectively toxic to cancer cells if given intravenously.
Vitamin C also boosts immunity (as opposed to chemotherapy which destroys the immune system temporarily).
Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation
UVBI is a process where a quantity of blood (usually 125 ml) is drawn from the body and exposed to a particular wavelength of ultraviolet A light, for a duration of 10-30 minutes. The blood is then reintroduced back into the body.
The result of the treatment is that it stimulates the immune system and various enzyme systems to "learn" how to fight bacteria, viruses, and even cancer.
This approach has been used successfully for many different conditions, including cancer.
A book was written on the subject: Into The Light, by Dr. William Campbell Douglass, MD. (I haven't read this book yet. It can be ordered from Second Opinion Publishing, phone 1-800-728-2288.)
Apparently after an UVBI treatment, the patient feels a little tired and sleepy. (That's probably why Dr. Allison decided to wait for my treatment--I was already not feeling very well yesterday.)
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Music, friends, shamans, and dreams
Yesterday was such a fantastic day! I play in an African marimba ensemble with seven other people. We play mostly music from the Shona tribe of Zimbabwe, although we also play music from other traditions and some original compositions. The music is very lively, and always makes me feel good.
Yesterday our ensemble (Kufara) was invited to perform on the local pubic radio station in Pittsburg, Kansas (about 30 miles from Joplin). We met at the studio where we practice to go over the music we were planning to perform, and everyone was so excited about this gig, we were absolutely together. Then we loaded up all the instruments--quite a task, especially the big bass marimba which has to be dismantled in order to move it--and drove to Pittsburg. We assembled all the instruments in the studio at the radio station--it was a little cramped, but OK. Then we played for 45 minutes--we were the last ones to perform on a whole day the station had devoted to local performing artists.
We had to then load the instruments back in the van, drive back to Joplin, and unload again. Our studio is up a long flight of stairs, so after carrying the heavy wooden marimbas up those stairs, we were all pretty tired. Even though I felt tired, I felt very happy and "full." The marimba music feeds my soul! When I got my diagnosis of cancer, I thought maybe I should drop out of Kufara for a while to better focus on my healing, but I think that would be huge mistake. Playing in the ensemble IS part of my healing!
Saturday night my husband and I host a weekly "sauna night" for anyone who wants to join us for a hot time in a little box, followed by a pot luck. We never know exactly who will show up. Sometimes we will have quite a crowd, and other times we'll only have one or two. Last night we had a small gathering of five extra people. Some of them had heard the radio broadcast and said it sounded wonderful. I had been worried, as the marimbas sounded very loud (like a "wall of sound") to me in that small studio space, and I wasn't sure if the microphones would be able to pick up the sound so it wouldn't just sound like undifferentiated noise.
While we were resting and cooling off between sauna rounds, my friend Kyla and I were telling another friend, Cheryl, of some of our experiences with a mutual friend who is a shaman, now living in Peru. His name is Ron, and he decided about 12 years ago to study with shamans in Peru who use various plants for healing and spiritual journeys, Ron has conducted some ceremonies here, and Kyla and I have both taken part. As we were telling Cheryl about Ron and his work, my husband John came in and told me that he received an e-mail from Ron earlier that day, and Ron told him he had conducted a healing ceremony for me (in Peru). Ron said it was a "powerful journey" and that I should notice a positive change in the cancer very soon.
This morning I woke up remembering an extremely vivid dream about Ron. In it, he came up to me and embraced me. It was a mutual embrace--I was hugging him back just as strongly as he held me. The embrace continued for some time, and I felt so much love and strength flowing into me through Ron. When the embrace finally ended, I felt filled with health and vitality. I looked into his eyes and thanked him, and he just smiled. That is all I can remember of that part of the dream.
Another dream from last night: I am in a supermarket--a Safeway store. I only put three things in my basket, one banana and two eggplants, one large one and one smaller. I give the banana to the check-out clerk, then get the smaller eggplant out of the basket, but am surprised to find that it is spoiling. There is yucky stuff oozing out of it. The clerk takes it to throw away. I get the larger eggplant thinking it is OK, but then notice a tear in the skin, and inside I can see some mushy seeds that begin to ooze out. The clerk apologizes and offers to get some other eggplants, but I say it is OK, I'll just take the banana. My thought on this dream: the eggplants are breast-shaped, and it seems like the mushy stuff that was oozing out was the cancer. I'm not sure what the banana might symbolize.
In the space between sleeping and waking this morning, I was thinking of all the water I'm drinking. I feel like I'm flushing out the cancer. A sufi poem came to mind, one that I've set to music to make a song:
Clear away the clutter,
And out of your belly,
Clear clear through you
Clear creek runs again.
Yesterday our ensemble (Kufara) was invited to perform on the local pubic radio station in Pittsburg, Kansas (about 30 miles from Joplin). We met at the studio where we practice to go over the music we were planning to perform, and everyone was so excited about this gig, we were absolutely together. Then we loaded up all the instruments--quite a task, especially the big bass marimba which has to be dismantled in order to move it--and drove to Pittsburg. We assembled all the instruments in the studio at the radio station--it was a little cramped, but OK. Then we played for 45 minutes--we were the last ones to perform on a whole day the station had devoted to local performing artists.
We had to then load the instruments back in the van, drive back to Joplin, and unload again. Our studio is up a long flight of stairs, so after carrying the heavy wooden marimbas up those stairs, we were all pretty tired. Even though I felt tired, I felt very happy and "full." The marimba music feeds my soul! When I got my diagnosis of cancer, I thought maybe I should drop out of Kufara for a while to better focus on my healing, but I think that would be huge mistake. Playing in the ensemble IS part of my healing!
Saturday night my husband and I host a weekly "sauna night" for anyone who wants to join us for a hot time in a little box, followed by a pot luck. We never know exactly who will show up. Sometimes we will have quite a crowd, and other times we'll only have one or two. Last night we had a small gathering of five extra people. Some of them had heard the radio broadcast and said it sounded wonderful. I had been worried, as the marimbas sounded very loud (like a "wall of sound") to me in that small studio space, and I wasn't sure if the microphones would be able to pick up the sound so it wouldn't just sound like undifferentiated noise.
While we were resting and cooling off between sauna rounds, my friend Kyla and I were telling another friend, Cheryl, of some of our experiences with a mutual friend who is a shaman, now living in Peru. His name is Ron, and he decided about 12 years ago to study with shamans in Peru who use various plants for healing and spiritual journeys, Ron has conducted some ceremonies here, and Kyla and I have both taken part. As we were telling Cheryl about Ron and his work, my husband John came in and told me that he received an e-mail from Ron earlier that day, and Ron told him he had conducted a healing ceremony for me (in Peru). Ron said it was a "powerful journey" and that I should notice a positive change in the cancer very soon.
This morning I woke up remembering an extremely vivid dream about Ron. In it, he came up to me and embraced me. It was a mutual embrace--I was hugging him back just as strongly as he held me. The embrace continued for some time, and I felt so much love and strength flowing into me through Ron. When the embrace finally ended, I felt filled with health and vitality. I looked into his eyes and thanked him, and he just smiled. That is all I can remember of that part of the dream.
Another dream from last night: I am in a supermarket--a Safeway store. I only put three things in my basket, one banana and two eggplants, one large one and one smaller. I give the banana to the check-out clerk, then get the smaller eggplant out of the basket, but am surprised to find that it is spoiling. There is yucky stuff oozing out of it. The clerk takes it to throw away. I get the larger eggplant thinking it is OK, but then notice a tear in the skin, and inside I can see some mushy seeds that begin to ooze out. The clerk apologizes and offers to get some other eggplants, but I say it is OK, I'll just take the banana. My thought on this dream: the eggplants are breast-shaped, and it seems like the mushy stuff that was oozing out was the cancer. I'm not sure what the banana might symbolize.
In the space between sleeping and waking this morning, I was thinking of all the water I'm drinking. I feel like I'm flushing out the cancer. A sufi poem came to mind, one that I've set to music to make a song:
Clear away the clutter,
And out of your belly,
Clear clear through you
Clear creek runs again.
Friday, November 21, 2008
My cancer treatment plan
I'm getting my treatment plan in place, and am feeling very optimistic that it will heal my cancer. There are so many therapies available, all of which have success stories. I'm taking a "shotgun approach" using several therapies simultaneously, so unfortunately I won't know for sure which ones are actually working.
I'm approaching this treatment from three directions: spiritual, emotional/mental, and physical.
Spiritual:
Daily prayer and meditation, at least two times a day, in morning and evening. I'm finding that I meditate much more than those two times, however. I feel a constant connection with God.
Others are also praying with me: Silent Unity, my church members, my storytelling friends, relatives and other friends. I feel very supported spiritually and emotionally.
Emotional/Mental
I'm writing in a journal, and also on this blog.
My friends and family are providing lots of loving support.
One thing I want to do is to go on retreat. I feel burdened by the day-to-day responsibilities of running a household, and I'd like to have more time for meditation and quiet reflection, reading, listening and playing music. My house is very cluttered--I feel the need to clear away the clutter, just like I need to clear away the cancer! I'm hoping to get some help with this project.
I need to spend time with my three horses more. These gentle beasts always bring me peace. I don't need to ride them, just be with them! The demands of the household seem to keep me from finding the time to do that, however. This I must change.
My dear friend Kyla wants to have a "healing way" gathering for me. Last year she organized a "blessing way" gathering for a young friend who had given birth, and it was a wonderful way to give her emotional support as she embarked on the blessed path of motherhood at age 16. This would be an opportunity for my friends and family to gather in positive support for my healing journey.
I continue to feel very grateful for all the support that everyone is giving me. I've never been very good at accepting assistance from others; I see this cancer as an opportunity to learn to receive instead of giving all the time.
Physical
Here is my current plan for treating my body directly:
Supplements:
IP-6 & Inositol, 4 caps daily
AHCC (extract from several mushroom mycelia) 2 caps daily
Paw Paw (from the branches of the Paw Paw tree), 4 caps daily
Graviola (anti-cancer herb) 9 caps daily
Vit. D3, 10,000 IU daily
Modified Citrus Pectin, 45 g. daily
Vitamin C (about 5 g. daily)
I'm drinking alkaline water, plan to drink up to 1 gal./daily (as soon as I buy the machine to make it).
Coffee enema 3 times a week
Heat therapy (coupled with external urine therapy): I'm applying aged urine externally every evening then heating in a moderate sauna (140-150 degrees) plus using near-infrared heat lamps directed onto the tumors for 45 minutes to an hour. My husband recommends I use a thermometer to get my core temperature up to 104; so far I've not checked my temperature.
Castor Oil packs: recommended by Edgar Cayce and others. The castor oil has been found to draw tumors out of some people.
I'm also applying castor oil to the tumor areas when under the heat lamps. When not in the sauna, I keep a castor oil pack on the tumors, covered with plastic wrap to keep the area warm.
Olive Gold3: This product was recommended by a friend who is a lay healer. I've already seen skin growths disappear by applying it to the skin. She thinks applying it to the skin over the tumors will help them go away. It is supposed to bring oxygen to the tissues.
Diet
I'll write a more detailed post on my diet in a few days. I'm still researching the best diet. For now, I've given up ALL refined sugar, and am keeping even natural sugars to a minimum. I'm making sure I get lots of raw foods, with enzymes intact, but I'm not going 100% raw food diet right now. I'm drinking a "green drink" every morning, and have some wheat, rye, and coriander seeds growing in our sun room, so soon I'll be juicing fresh greens. I'm also drinking a POWERFUL orange juice, made from the whole (organically grown) orange. It is a little bitter tasting, but my body seems to LOVE it! I know eggplant and cabbage family vegetables will be an important part of my diet. I'm using flax seed oil on salads, along with chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and almonds. More on diet later.
I continue to do yoga in a class twice a week, and need to do it every day. I plan to walk bicycle, and ride horses more (although with winter coming on, this might be more difficult).
Yesterday I met with a DO in Oklahoma who uses intravenous vitamin C and oxygen therapy, as well as irradiating the blood and putting it back into the blood stream. I really like him, and I will begin treatments 3 times a week starting next Tuesday. More on that later, too.
WHEW! This sounds like a lot, doesn't it? I should have been doing all these things over a year ago, but I was still in denial about actually having cancer. Still, the DO looked at the pathologist's report, and he said the cancer is not a rapidly growing kind, so we should be in good shape.
I'm approaching this treatment from three directions: spiritual, emotional/mental, and physical.
Spiritual:
Daily prayer and meditation, at least two times a day, in morning and evening. I'm finding that I meditate much more than those two times, however. I feel a constant connection with God.
Others are also praying with me: Silent Unity, my church members, my storytelling friends, relatives and other friends. I feel very supported spiritually and emotionally.
Emotional/Mental
I'm writing in a journal, and also on this blog.
My friends and family are providing lots of loving support.
One thing I want to do is to go on retreat. I feel burdened by the day-to-day responsibilities of running a household, and I'd like to have more time for meditation and quiet reflection, reading, listening and playing music. My house is very cluttered--I feel the need to clear away the clutter, just like I need to clear away the cancer! I'm hoping to get some help with this project.
I need to spend time with my three horses more. These gentle beasts always bring me peace. I don't need to ride them, just be with them! The demands of the household seem to keep me from finding the time to do that, however. This I must change.
My dear friend Kyla wants to have a "healing way" gathering for me. Last year she organized a "blessing way" gathering for a young friend who had given birth, and it was a wonderful way to give her emotional support as she embarked on the blessed path of motherhood at age 16. This would be an opportunity for my friends and family to gather in positive support for my healing journey.
I continue to feel very grateful for all the support that everyone is giving me. I've never been very good at accepting assistance from others; I see this cancer as an opportunity to learn to receive instead of giving all the time.
Physical
Here is my current plan for treating my body directly:
Supplements:
IP-6 & Inositol, 4 caps daily
AHCC (extract from several mushroom mycelia) 2 caps daily
Paw Paw (from the branches of the Paw Paw tree), 4 caps daily
Graviola (anti-cancer herb) 9 caps daily
Vit. D3, 10,000 IU daily
Modified Citrus Pectin, 45 g. daily
Vitamin C (about 5 g. daily)
I'm drinking alkaline water, plan to drink up to 1 gal./daily (as soon as I buy the machine to make it).
Coffee enema 3 times a week
Heat therapy (coupled with external urine therapy): I'm applying aged urine externally every evening then heating in a moderate sauna (140-150 degrees) plus using near-infrared heat lamps directed onto the tumors for 45 minutes to an hour. My husband recommends I use a thermometer to get my core temperature up to 104; so far I've not checked my temperature.
Castor Oil packs: recommended by Edgar Cayce and others. The castor oil has been found to draw tumors out of some people.
I'm also applying castor oil to the tumor areas when under the heat lamps. When not in the sauna, I keep a castor oil pack on the tumors, covered with plastic wrap to keep the area warm.
Olive Gold3: This product was recommended by a friend who is a lay healer. I've already seen skin growths disappear by applying it to the skin. She thinks applying it to the skin over the tumors will help them go away. It is supposed to bring oxygen to the tissues.
Diet
I'll write a more detailed post on my diet in a few days. I'm still researching the best diet. For now, I've given up ALL refined sugar, and am keeping even natural sugars to a minimum. I'm making sure I get lots of raw foods, with enzymes intact, but I'm not going 100% raw food diet right now. I'm drinking a "green drink" every morning, and have some wheat, rye, and coriander seeds growing in our sun room, so soon I'll be juicing fresh greens. I'm also drinking a POWERFUL orange juice, made from the whole (organically grown) orange. It is a little bitter tasting, but my body seems to LOVE it! I know eggplant and cabbage family vegetables will be an important part of my diet. I'm using flax seed oil on salads, along with chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and almonds. More on diet later.
I continue to do yoga in a class twice a week, and need to do it every day. I plan to walk bicycle, and ride horses more (although with winter coming on, this might be more difficult).
Yesterday I met with a DO in Oklahoma who uses intravenous vitamin C and oxygen therapy, as well as irradiating the blood and putting it back into the blood stream. I really like him, and I will begin treatments 3 times a week starting next Tuesday. More on that later, too.
WHEW! This sounds like a lot, doesn't it? I should have been doing all these things over a year ago, but I was still in denial about actually having cancer. Still, the DO looked at the pathologist's report, and he said the cancer is not a rapidly growing kind, so we should be in good shape.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
I promised a few days ago to post something more on urine therapy.
Almost eighteen years ago, my husband John (a chiropractor) decided to attend an international conference on complementary medicine that was being held in India. I stayed home with our three-year old son, Aaron.
I'll never forget John's arrival back home from his trip. He opened his suitcases, and they smelled like Indian bedspreads that I had used in my hippie days. I love that smell--a combination of cow dung smoke, incense, and Indian spices. He pulled out a sari for me, necklaces, little statues of Hindu gods, and other little gifts for our friends. Then he told me that the best gift he was bringing home was not in the suitcase. "Oooh, what is it?" I asked. "Something I learned about," he said, "an amazing health practice."
I wasn't surprised. John has always been curious about new health practices, and he is always willing to experiment on himself before suggesting anything to his patients. "Well, what is it?" I asked. "I'm a little afraid to tell you," John answered. Then he took a breath and said, "it is auto-urine therapy."
I groaned. I had heard of auto-urine therapy, but always thought it was a bizarre thing that I would never want to try myself. I felt apprehensive. Now my husband was telling me he was interested in this therapy, and I knew that he would certainly try it himself.
He told me about a charismatic man who gave a talk at the conference, and he was so enthusiastic about it that John became very curious. The next morning John came down with travelers' diarrhea, and the man had said that urine could cure anything. John decided to try it--he drank some of his own morning urine, and the diarrhea disappeared! He was impressed enough to take some more the following morning. He said it made him feel very good, and he intended to continue to drink it every morning.
I felt sick to my stomach just thinking about it. But every morning John would drink some of his first urine, and he would smile and make jokes about it. "Ah! The golden elixir!" "Champagne of the gods!" The amazing thing was that he started getting very healthy and happy. John had always been a bit moody. He would periodically sink into depressions, and it wasn't easy to be around him then. After starting the urine therapy, his mood became light and playful most of the time. He also stopped coming down with colds that Aaron and I would get.
I started reading some of the literature that he found on urine therapy. The "Bible of urine therapy" is a little book called The Water of Life by John Armstrong. In it he recounts stories of healing of many different people that he had worked with using urine. There were several other books I read as well. The ancient Indians (from India) wrote about urine therapy in the Vedic scriptures, which provide detailed instructions for using urine for healing. The thing that really made me want to try it myself was a tape of testimonials called "You're in Good Health." If all those normal-sounding people could do it, and sound so positive about it, then maybe I could, too.
I was hoping to having another child, but had had three miscarriages after our son was born. I was 44 years old, and was beginning to think that I wouldn't be able to get pregnant again. However, some of the testimonials I read had to do with conceiving a child when the woman thought she couldn't do so. I decided to give it a try.
I got in the shower (so I would be nice and clean) and then peed in a cup, and I drank about 4 ounces of my urine. I had to suppress the urge to gag, but I did it. Afterward, I felt euphoric! I think I was simply happy that I had finally gotten up the courage to do it! The next morning I tried again, but this time I gagged, and couldn't get any down. But, I was determined to see if urine therapy would help me conceive again, and maybe prevent another miscarriage.
The next morning I didn't try to drink the whole 4 ounces, I only took a little sip and swallowed it. The following morning I sipped again. By the third morning I was able to swallow a couple of gulps without gagging. I found if I held my nose it helped--the smell was gagging me. By the end of the week I was drinking my morning urine with no problem. It usually doesn't taste bad at all--a little salty (if you have been eating salt in your diet), and a little like chicken broth. If you are stressed out, or have been eating lots of meat, or haven't been drinking enough water, it can be rather strong.
I had been using a rhythm method for knowing when I was fertile and could conceive. It involved checking cervical mucus every day, and noticing its consistency. By this means, one can tell pretty accurately when ovulation occurs, and you know when is the best time to conceive. I used a chart on which I placed little stickers every month, so I could see the pattern of my cycles for several months. Before starting urine therapy, I was a bit irregular. Some cycles were 30 days, some 25, some 32, etc. After starting the therapy, I had a 45 day cycle! I knew I wasn't pregnant because I was charting when I ovulated, and it was considerably later than before. The next cycle was 28 days, with a perfect textbook ovulation pattern. The following cycle was also a perfect 28 days, and the one after that was, too. I conceived a baby during the third perfect cycle!
I was so excited! With urine therapy I felt that surely I would be able to bring this baby to term. I got past the 13th week, and I thought the danger of early miscarriage was over. However, I started cramping, and during the night I started bleeding. Early the next morning I passed a huge blood clot (which was probably the fetus), and I started feeling very weak and dizzy. I called to John, who took my blood pressure. He couldn't get a reading, nor could he feel a pulse! He said, "we need to call 911 and get you to the hospital immediately." I was still sitting in the bathroom on the toilet, but I said, "Could I have some of your urine?" John had peed into a huge cup, as he did every morning, and he handed it to me as he rushed into the other room to call 911. I barely had the strength to lift the cup to my lips, but I did, and started gulping down John's urine. Within seconds I felt the strength returning to my limbs and my head cleared. I called to John, "Wait! I'm feeling better!" He came back and again took my blood pressure. It was 90/60 (which is my usual blood pressure) and my pulse was back again. John helped me back to bed, and I continued to sip urine. (I later changed to an electrolyte drink--tastes better!)
So, urine saved my life. I'm sure if I had not drunk that urine, I wouldn't have survived long enough for the ambulance to get there. I don't know if there was something magical about urine, or if it simply provided the perfect electrolyte balance that I needed. Maybe just drinking water would have done it, although a doctor told me he had never heard of someone coming out of hydro cephalic shock by drinking something.
I told this story at the first all-India Urine Therapy Conference, held in Goa, India in 1993. This time Aaron and I accompanied John to India, and we also spent time in Sri Lanka (where John studied acupuncture). Urine therapy is much better accepted in India than in the US, as it has an ancient tradition there.
After my dramatic rescue from death, I urged John to put out a newsletter about urine therapy. I had been writing monthly newsletters for his chiropractic patients, and I was so excited about urine therapy, I just had to tell everybody! John said it might be professional suicide if he did, and he was right. Because of the newsletter, the Nebraska chiropractic board tried to take away his license to practice. They ended up only suspending it for a month (as a punishment), but we had already planned to move out of the state by that time, so the suspension didn't really matter, or so we thought. When we moved to Missouri a year later, the Missouri licensing board didn't want to grant him a license because it had been suspended in Nebraska for a month. John sued them, and won the case, but he can't tell anyone about urine therapy now. (Psst, I can though!)
There are basically three ways to use urine therapy: by drinking it, by rubbing it on the skin. or by injecting it. John has done quite a bit of research on the ways urine stimulates the immune system, and he thinks rubbing aged urine on the skin stimulates the immune system dramatically. The Vedic scriptures recommend rubbing aged urine on the skin to heal almost anything. You can also use fresh urine which doesn't smell as strong, but the aged urine has the most potent effect.
I'm not going to go into all the details here. There are web sites and books available that present much more information.
I have been drinking my morning urine since that day eighteen years ago when I finally overcame my aversion to it. However, it is NOT a cure-all or a preventative for such diseases as cancer (as some of its proponents claim). There many people who have been cured of cancer and many other diseases by using urine therapy. When we were in India, we met many of these people. However, there are no guarantees. Even the charismatic man who first told John about it died of a particularly voracious type of cancer, so it didn't help him.
I am using the external application of aged urine, along with heating up in the sauna afterwards, as part of my healing plan, but it will not be the only thing I do! This practice does make you feel very good--mellow, peaceful, and sleepy. An interesting aspect of it is that if you leave the stinky urine on your skin for a while, after you wash it off, your skin feels very smooth and soft, and it smells very sweet!
Almost eighteen years ago, my husband John (a chiropractor) decided to attend an international conference on complementary medicine that was being held in India. I stayed home with our three-year old son, Aaron.
I'll never forget John's arrival back home from his trip. He opened his suitcases, and they smelled like Indian bedspreads that I had used in my hippie days. I love that smell--a combination of cow dung smoke, incense, and Indian spices. He pulled out a sari for me, necklaces, little statues of Hindu gods, and other little gifts for our friends. Then he told me that the best gift he was bringing home was not in the suitcase. "Oooh, what is it?" I asked. "Something I learned about," he said, "an amazing health practice."
I wasn't surprised. John has always been curious about new health practices, and he is always willing to experiment on himself before suggesting anything to his patients. "Well, what is it?" I asked. "I'm a little afraid to tell you," John answered. Then he took a breath and said, "it is auto-urine therapy."
I groaned. I had heard of auto-urine therapy, but always thought it was a bizarre thing that I would never want to try myself. I felt apprehensive. Now my husband was telling me he was interested in this therapy, and I knew that he would certainly try it himself.
He told me about a charismatic man who gave a talk at the conference, and he was so enthusiastic about it that John became very curious. The next morning John came down with travelers' diarrhea, and the man had said that urine could cure anything. John decided to try it--he drank some of his own morning urine, and the diarrhea disappeared! He was impressed enough to take some more the following morning. He said it made him feel very good, and he intended to continue to drink it every morning.
I felt sick to my stomach just thinking about it. But every morning John would drink some of his first urine, and he would smile and make jokes about it. "Ah! The golden elixir!" "Champagne of the gods!" The amazing thing was that he started getting very healthy and happy. John had always been a bit moody. He would periodically sink into depressions, and it wasn't easy to be around him then. After starting the urine therapy, his mood became light and playful most of the time. He also stopped coming down with colds that Aaron and I would get.
I started reading some of the literature that he found on urine therapy. The "Bible of urine therapy" is a little book called The Water of Life by John Armstrong. In it he recounts stories of healing of many different people that he had worked with using urine. There were several other books I read as well. The ancient Indians (from India) wrote about urine therapy in the Vedic scriptures, which provide detailed instructions for using urine for healing. The thing that really made me want to try it myself was a tape of testimonials called "You're in Good Health." If all those normal-sounding people could do it, and sound so positive about it, then maybe I could, too.
I was hoping to having another child, but had had three miscarriages after our son was born. I was 44 years old, and was beginning to think that I wouldn't be able to get pregnant again. However, some of the testimonials I read had to do with conceiving a child when the woman thought she couldn't do so. I decided to give it a try.
I got in the shower (so I would be nice and clean) and then peed in a cup, and I drank about 4 ounces of my urine. I had to suppress the urge to gag, but I did it. Afterward, I felt euphoric! I think I was simply happy that I had finally gotten up the courage to do it! The next morning I tried again, but this time I gagged, and couldn't get any down. But, I was determined to see if urine therapy would help me conceive again, and maybe prevent another miscarriage.
The next morning I didn't try to drink the whole 4 ounces, I only took a little sip and swallowed it. The following morning I sipped again. By the third morning I was able to swallow a couple of gulps without gagging. I found if I held my nose it helped--the smell was gagging me. By the end of the week I was drinking my morning urine with no problem. It usually doesn't taste bad at all--a little salty (if you have been eating salt in your diet), and a little like chicken broth. If you are stressed out, or have been eating lots of meat, or haven't been drinking enough water, it can be rather strong.
I had been using a rhythm method for knowing when I was fertile and could conceive. It involved checking cervical mucus every day, and noticing its consistency. By this means, one can tell pretty accurately when ovulation occurs, and you know when is the best time to conceive. I used a chart on which I placed little stickers every month, so I could see the pattern of my cycles for several months. Before starting urine therapy, I was a bit irregular. Some cycles were 30 days, some 25, some 32, etc. After starting the therapy, I had a 45 day cycle! I knew I wasn't pregnant because I was charting when I ovulated, and it was considerably later than before. The next cycle was 28 days, with a perfect textbook ovulation pattern. The following cycle was also a perfect 28 days, and the one after that was, too. I conceived a baby during the third perfect cycle!
I was so excited! With urine therapy I felt that surely I would be able to bring this baby to term. I got past the 13th week, and I thought the danger of early miscarriage was over. However, I started cramping, and during the night I started bleeding. Early the next morning I passed a huge blood clot (which was probably the fetus), and I started feeling very weak and dizzy. I called to John, who took my blood pressure. He couldn't get a reading, nor could he feel a pulse! He said, "we need to call 911 and get you to the hospital immediately." I was still sitting in the bathroom on the toilet, but I said, "Could I have some of your urine?" John had peed into a huge cup, as he did every morning, and he handed it to me as he rushed into the other room to call 911. I barely had the strength to lift the cup to my lips, but I did, and started gulping down John's urine. Within seconds I felt the strength returning to my limbs and my head cleared. I called to John, "Wait! I'm feeling better!" He came back and again took my blood pressure. It was 90/60 (which is my usual blood pressure) and my pulse was back again. John helped me back to bed, and I continued to sip urine. (I later changed to an electrolyte drink--tastes better!)
So, urine saved my life. I'm sure if I had not drunk that urine, I wouldn't have survived long enough for the ambulance to get there. I don't know if there was something magical about urine, or if it simply provided the perfect electrolyte balance that I needed. Maybe just drinking water would have done it, although a doctor told me he had never heard of someone coming out of hydro cephalic shock by drinking something.
I told this story at the first all-India Urine Therapy Conference, held in Goa, India in 1993. This time Aaron and I accompanied John to India, and we also spent time in Sri Lanka (where John studied acupuncture). Urine therapy is much better accepted in India than in the US, as it has an ancient tradition there.
After my dramatic rescue from death, I urged John to put out a newsletter about urine therapy. I had been writing monthly newsletters for his chiropractic patients, and I was so excited about urine therapy, I just had to tell everybody! John said it might be professional suicide if he did, and he was right. Because of the newsletter, the Nebraska chiropractic board tried to take away his license to practice. They ended up only suspending it for a month (as a punishment), but we had already planned to move out of the state by that time, so the suspension didn't really matter, or so we thought. When we moved to Missouri a year later, the Missouri licensing board didn't want to grant him a license because it had been suspended in Nebraska for a month. John sued them, and won the case, but he can't tell anyone about urine therapy now. (Psst, I can though!)
There are basically three ways to use urine therapy: by drinking it, by rubbing it on the skin. or by injecting it. John has done quite a bit of research on the ways urine stimulates the immune system, and he thinks rubbing aged urine on the skin stimulates the immune system dramatically. The Vedic scriptures recommend rubbing aged urine on the skin to heal almost anything. You can also use fresh urine which doesn't smell as strong, but the aged urine has the most potent effect.
I'm not going to go into all the details here. There are web sites and books available that present much more information.
I have been drinking my morning urine since that day eighteen years ago when I finally overcame my aversion to it. However, it is NOT a cure-all or a preventative for such diseases as cancer (as some of its proponents claim). There many people who have been cured of cancer and many other diseases by using urine therapy. When we were in India, we met many of these people. However, there are no guarantees. Even the charismatic man who first told John about it died of a particularly voracious type of cancer, so it didn't help him.
I am using the external application of aged urine, along with heating up in the sauna afterwards, as part of my healing plan, but it will not be the only thing I do! This practice does make you feel very good--mellow, peaceful, and sleepy. An interesting aspect of it is that if you leave the stinky urine on your skin for a while, after you wash it off, your skin feels very smooth and soft, and it smells very sweet!
Kangen Water; Who to Trust?
I had an interesting experience yesterday. I stopped by a little herb and health food shop not far from my house. I had spoken to the owner of this shop before, and although she seems a bit radical, she also seems knowledgeable about alternatives to conventional medicine. She sells Kangen water machines, and I wanted to find out how much they were.
She told me a couple of stories about people who had used Kangen water (water that has been made very alkaline) that sounded very promising. One woman had a cancerous breast tumor, and the doctors wanted to operate immediately. She put them off for three and a half weeks, and started drinking a gallon of Kangen water a day. When she went in for surgery, the tumor was gone. (Hey! That sounds good to me!) The store owner also told me about a doctor who had been given a few days to live because of cancer, and he started drinking the Kangen water--guess what! He got rid of the cancer!
OK. I was pretty hooked by this time. I was ready to pay anything for this marvelous machine that changes ordinary tap water into a healing miracle. "How much is the machine?" I asked her. She told me just under $4,000. Gulp! "Oh well," I thought, "I just paid $2235 to find out I had cancer. If I go for surgery, chemo, and radiation, it would cost thousands more. What is a mere $4,000?" But I told her I'd have to check with my husband first.
Then she started talking about the second coming of Christ, and having a Muslim elected as president was one of the "signs" that it was coming soon.
Pause. "A Muslim elected as president of the US? You mean Obama?"
"Oh yes! Obama is a Muslim, and it is going to be the downfall of the country."
I protested (as I had many times in my canvassing for Obama when people had claimed these ridiculous things), but a couple of customers in her shop, and her employee all chimed in. "Oh yes, he is a Muslim, and he was sworn in on the Koran instead of a Bible." One of the customers then said, "He isn't even an American citizen!" They couldn't accept that a man with a "Muslim" name like Barack HUSSAIN Obama could possibly be an American.
Nothing I could say about checking the facts would sway these people! I've found that since being diagnosed with cancer, I'm not as patient with stupidity as I used to be. I told them all those lies were pure crap, and they needed to check them out on Factcheck.org. Then I realized that they need to believe what they believe, and no amount of fact checking would make any difference.
The customer who claimed Obama wasn't an American citizen said, "It is the worst thing that has ever happened to America." Hmmm--if these people are looking forward to the second coming, and it was a prophecy that Christ would appear after a Muslim is elected president, it seems like they should have been out campaigning for Obama to make their prophecy come about!
I did go ahead and buy some Paw-Paw supplement from her (another highly touted anti-cancer supplement), but I didn't trust her enough by this time to even consider buying a water ionizer (the Kangen machine).
A little checking on the internet revealed that the machine she sells for $4,000 is not rated as highly as some other brands that cost half that amount! The price is greatly inflated because it is a Multi-Level Marketing company, and they pay huge commissions. I think I will go ahead and purchase the less expensive (and apparently better quality) ionizer and see if it helps, but I'm not going to expect it to cure my cancer. How could I trust stories told by someone who believes all the crap that was circulated about Obama in this campaign?
She told me a couple of stories about people who had used Kangen water (water that has been made very alkaline) that sounded very promising. One woman had a cancerous breast tumor, and the doctors wanted to operate immediately. She put them off for three and a half weeks, and started drinking a gallon of Kangen water a day. When she went in for surgery, the tumor was gone. (Hey! That sounds good to me!) The store owner also told me about a doctor who had been given a few days to live because of cancer, and he started drinking the Kangen water--guess what! He got rid of the cancer!
OK. I was pretty hooked by this time. I was ready to pay anything for this marvelous machine that changes ordinary tap water into a healing miracle. "How much is the machine?" I asked her. She told me just under $4,000. Gulp! "Oh well," I thought, "I just paid $2235 to find out I had cancer. If I go for surgery, chemo, and radiation, it would cost thousands more. What is a mere $4,000?" But I told her I'd have to check with my husband first.
Then she started talking about the second coming of Christ, and having a Muslim elected as president was one of the "signs" that it was coming soon.
Pause. "A Muslim elected as president of the US? You mean Obama?"
"Oh yes! Obama is a Muslim, and it is going to be the downfall of the country."
I protested (as I had many times in my canvassing for Obama when people had claimed these ridiculous things), but a couple of customers in her shop, and her employee all chimed in. "Oh yes, he is a Muslim, and he was sworn in on the Koran instead of a Bible." One of the customers then said, "He isn't even an American citizen!" They couldn't accept that a man with a "Muslim" name like Barack HUSSAIN Obama could possibly be an American.
Nothing I could say about checking the facts would sway these people! I've found that since being diagnosed with cancer, I'm not as patient with stupidity as I used to be. I told them all those lies were pure crap, and they needed to check them out on Factcheck.org. Then I realized that they need to believe what they believe, and no amount of fact checking would make any difference.
The customer who claimed Obama wasn't an American citizen said, "It is the worst thing that has ever happened to America." Hmmm--if these people are looking forward to the second coming, and it was a prophecy that Christ would appear after a Muslim is elected president, it seems like they should have been out campaigning for Obama to make their prophecy come about!
I did go ahead and buy some Paw-Paw supplement from her (another highly touted anti-cancer supplement), but I didn't trust her enough by this time to even consider buying a water ionizer (the Kangen machine).
A little checking on the internet revealed that the machine she sells for $4,000 is not rated as highly as some other brands that cost half that amount! The price is greatly inflated because it is a Multi-Level Marketing company, and they pay huge commissions. I think I will go ahead and purchase the less expensive (and apparently better quality) ionizer and see if it helps, but I'm not going to expect it to cure my cancer. How could I trust stories told by someone who believes all the crap that was circulated about Obama in this campaign?
Monday, November 17, 2008
Thank you, storytellers!
I am filled with gratitude this evening for all the loving support I have been receiving from my storytelling "family." I've been a member of this family for several years, and we communicate through a listserv called "storytell." Storytellers from all over the world communicate via this list, and I've met many of them in person at conferences and festivals as well. Yesterday I let the list know of my cancer, and requested prayers for my healing, and also any information they might be able to share with me about possible treatments.
Since then I have received two phone calls and many e-mails. The positive energy generated by these wonderful storytellers is so very helpful to me. I think storytellers must be some of the most generous and gracious souls on the planet! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your words of support. I feel the light you are sending to me, and I also appreciate some of the information you've shared. I believe that all souls are connected on a spiritual level, and the outpouring of support from all my storytelling friends helps me realize this fundamental truth.
Last night I called one of my best friends in the storytelling family, Angela from New Orleans. Angela had told me before that she had healed herself of breast cancer some years ago, and she did it through a raw food diet and using wheat grass juice. I have already soaked my wheat (and some rye, too) to grow my grass, and in the meantime I'm using commercial preparations of green drinks. I drifted into sleep last night after hearing Angela's beautiful alto voice on the phone as she gave me words of encouragement and hope. I feel so blessed to have such loving and nurturing friends.
Thank you, God, for all my friends!
Since then I have received two phone calls and many e-mails. The positive energy generated by these wonderful storytellers is so very helpful to me. I think storytellers must be some of the most generous and gracious souls on the planet! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your words of support. I feel the light you are sending to me, and I also appreciate some of the information you've shared. I believe that all souls are connected on a spiritual level, and the outpouring of support from all my storytelling friends helps me realize this fundamental truth.
Last night I called one of my best friends in the storytelling family, Angela from New Orleans. Angela had told me before that she had healed herself of breast cancer some years ago, and she did it through a raw food diet and using wheat grass juice. I have already soaked my wheat (and some rye, too) to grow my grass, and in the meantime I'm using commercial preparations of green drinks. I drifted into sleep last night after hearing Angela's beautiful alto voice on the phone as she gave me words of encouragement and hope. I feel so blessed to have such loving and nurturing friends.
Thank you, God, for all my friends!
Trip to the biopsy doctor
I had an appointment with the doctor who did the biopsy this morning. My husband John went with me. I already knew that the results were positive; my general practitioner had called me last Friday with the news. I'm glad she did; it would have been too suspenseful waiting until this morning. The visit was very simple; he looked at my "wounds" where the needles had gone in. He seemed a little surprised at how well they had healed. Maybe they healed fast because of a product called "Olive-Gold" that I had been applying to them since yesterday. It is supposed to provide oxygen to your tissues, and heals skin problems very fast.
Then I asked what kind of cancer I had, and he very briefly showed me the pathologist report which gave it a name. I asked what that name meant, (I'm bad with names--don't remember what it was) and he said something like it was just a name for breast cancer. Duh! I knew that! I asked if I could have a copy of the report, but they said they didn't make copies for patients (even though I had paid for it!). I would have to ask my GP for a copy.
I then brought up the charges for three biopsies instead of the two I had requested. I had thought they would biopsy the main lump on my beast, and the lump on my lymph node. I had mentioned my concern about a small "bump" on the side of the larger lump, and asked if he could test that. He apparently misunderstood, and thought I wanted it tested in addition to the main lump. I was really asking if he could biopsy the main lump and the small bump from the same incision point. It wouldn't be a big deal, except that each biopsy incision cost $745. EACH incision cost $745! It didn't matter that it only took an additional couple of minutes, and that I was already there, prepped, etc. I had to pay $745 for each incision!!! During the procedure I was in deep meditation, and was really not that aware of the fact he was doing three until he started on the third one. Anyway, I'm going to write a letter of protest to the Breast Center at the hospital and complain. Maybe I'll get some money back.
Those of us without insurance must be very diligent about what is being done to us. Since most people have insurance that pays for it, the doctors don't really think about how much each little procedure might be costing. They just go ahead and do stuff without checking it out first with the patient.
The doctor also suggested I contact a breast surgeon as soon as possible. When I told him I didn't want to pursue surgery, he seemed very worried (as I knew he would be). Part of me agrees with him--I have a growth in my body that doesn't belong there--I should just cut it out! However, the reasons I want to help my body get rid of this growth without surgery are these:
1. Surgery is hard on the body. I think anytime you make an opening in the body, you can invite in pathogens and negative energies that can weaken your health. Sometimes surgery is necessary--to set a broken bone, to repair damage already done, etc. I'm sure most doctors feel cancer surgery falls in this category--a necessary surgery. However, I've heard about and read about many people who successfully cured their cancers and made even huge tumors go away without surgery.
2. I think any disturbance of a cancer tumor (including the needle biopsy) can release cancer cells into the blood stream where they have access to other areas where they can start growing. I guess that is the reason they do surgery AND chemotherapy and radiation--to kill any renegade cancer cells released by the knife.
I have already decided that surgery will be my LAST resort, not the first choice. If, after doing all the things I'm considering, the tumor has not disappeared, I will have it cut out.
So, that leaves me with needing to formulate a definite plan. My step sister called me today, and urged me to get an oncologist who can tell me exactly what kind of cancer I have, and can give me a more accurate prognosis. That is a good idea. Tomorrow I will call my GP and also another doctor friend who is very open to alternative medicine and see if there are any oncologists they would recommend in Joplin.
Then I asked what kind of cancer I had, and he very briefly showed me the pathologist report which gave it a name. I asked what that name meant, (I'm bad with names--don't remember what it was) and he said something like it was just a name for breast cancer. Duh! I knew that! I asked if I could have a copy of the report, but they said they didn't make copies for patients (even though I had paid for it!). I would have to ask my GP for a copy.
I then brought up the charges for three biopsies instead of the two I had requested. I had thought they would biopsy the main lump on my beast, and the lump on my lymph node. I had mentioned my concern about a small "bump" on the side of the larger lump, and asked if he could test that. He apparently misunderstood, and thought I wanted it tested in addition to the main lump. I was really asking if he could biopsy the main lump and the small bump from the same incision point. It wouldn't be a big deal, except that each biopsy incision cost $745. EACH incision cost $745! It didn't matter that it only took an additional couple of minutes, and that I was already there, prepped, etc. I had to pay $745 for each incision!!! During the procedure I was in deep meditation, and was really not that aware of the fact he was doing three until he started on the third one. Anyway, I'm going to write a letter of protest to the Breast Center at the hospital and complain. Maybe I'll get some money back.
Those of us without insurance must be very diligent about what is being done to us. Since most people have insurance that pays for it, the doctors don't really think about how much each little procedure might be costing. They just go ahead and do stuff without checking it out first with the patient.
The doctor also suggested I contact a breast surgeon as soon as possible. When I told him I didn't want to pursue surgery, he seemed very worried (as I knew he would be). Part of me agrees with him--I have a growth in my body that doesn't belong there--I should just cut it out! However, the reasons I want to help my body get rid of this growth without surgery are these:
1. Surgery is hard on the body. I think anytime you make an opening in the body, you can invite in pathogens and negative energies that can weaken your health. Sometimes surgery is necessary--to set a broken bone, to repair damage already done, etc. I'm sure most doctors feel cancer surgery falls in this category--a necessary surgery. However, I've heard about and read about many people who successfully cured their cancers and made even huge tumors go away without surgery.
2. I think any disturbance of a cancer tumor (including the needle biopsy) can release cancer cells into the blood stream where they have access to other areas where they can start growing. I guess that is the reason they do surgery AND chemotherapy and radiation--to kill any renegade cancer cells released by the knife.
I have already decided that surgery will be my LAST resort, not the first choice. If, after doing all the things I'm considering, the tumor has not disappeared, I will have it cut out.
So, that leaves me with needing to formulate a definite plan. My step sister called me today, and urged me to get an oncologist who can tell me exactly what kind of cancer I have, and can give me a more accurate prognosis. That is a good idea. Tomorrow I will call my GP and also another doctor friend who is very open to alternative medicine and see if there are any oncologists they would recommend in Joplin.
I begin again.
Four days ago I had a biopsy on a breast lump and an enlarged lymph node, and the next day was diagnosed with cancer. I know this is nothing new and startling--thousands of women every day are given similar diagnoses. Of course it always startling for the woman receiving the news! I had been in denial for about a year and a half after discovering my breast lump--partly because at first it didn't feel like a cancerous lump.
I had been checking my breasts on a regular basis, and also asking my massage therapist to check as well. When I discovered the lump, it was rather sizable--more like a small egg, not the little pea I had been looking for. My doctor checked it as well, and noticed that it moved around (to the touch), which was a good sign. She suggested I get a mammogram or an ultrasound. I had not had a mammogram before. (Yeah, I know--tsk tsk--but I had read that the act of squishing the breast tissue could be damaging, and could actually help a cancer get started--probably not scientific, but it made sense to me--more about tissue damage later.)
Instead of getting an ultrasound, I opted for a thermogram. I found a clinic in Kansas City that did these diagnostic procedures that can identify potential cancer in the breast even earlier than mammograms. The thermogram measures the temperature of the body, and shows it in vivid color. Warm areas are yellow, orange, and red, and cool areas are green, blue, and purple. It is a fascinating technology. The thermogram showed the lump clearly as a blue-green egg shaped thing in the middle of my breast. The radiologist's report that I received did not indicate this might be cancer, but it did suggest that I get an ultrasound or mammogram to be sure.
OK. I knew there was something there, but it wasn't warm (orange, red, or yellow) as I thought a cancer would appear. It appeared and felt like dead tissue of some kind. I decided to keep an eye on it and improve my diet as well as using castor oil packs (as recommended by Edgar Cayce) and urine therapy.
Ah, urine therapy! This is a whole other story, which I won't go into right now. Suffice it to say that I had been practicing urine therapy for many years, and it had saved my life at one time. More on this later.
My "egg" continued to grow very slowly. Sometimes I thought it was getting smaller--it seemed to wax and wane--but now I think it just felt different when I was in different positions. I really didn't worry about it much that first year. But when it hadn't gone away after a year, I decided maybe I should go ahead and get that ultrasound.
Last July I went in for the ultrasound. The ultrasound technician (a very sweet young woman named Melissa) discovered a lump on my lymph node as well. The doctor who looked at it said I should get a needle biopsy--the growth looked suspicious. I scheduled the procedure, and started taking Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) as recommended by Dr. Williams in his health newsletter.
MCP has been shown to prevent metastatic growth of cancer, and he recommended anyone getting a needle biopsy or surgery take MCP at least two weeks beforehand to help keep the cancer from growing. Metastasis occurs when cancer cells get into the blood stream and travel to other sites and attach themselves onto tissue and start growing. Apparently there is a question about whether needle biopsies could disengage individual cancer cells from the tumor, and release them into the blood stream, thus inviting metastasis of the cancer to other sites. I mentioned this to my doctor, and she laughed it off, saying, "if needle biopsies caused metastasis, they wouldn't be doing them." Hmmm--I wonder how many people who get needle biopsies end up with metastatic cancer? I'll bet those statistics haven't been gathered.
However, I knew the biopsy would cost me around $1,000, and we do not have health insurance.
I thought, "if this turns out to be cancer, what will I do? I will not opt for surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. I will improve my diet even more, and start doing more intensive urine therapy and look at other alternative therapies that strengthen the immune system." Since none of the things I would do were treatments that would hurt me, and in fact would only make me healthier, I decided to go ahead and start them, and see if I could make the lump go away. I canceled the scheduled biopsy. Then I got to work.
(This paragraph actually describes something I did earlier, but I can't seem to move it to the right place in the blog--still learning how to write text here.) I had read a book called "Sanctuary" by Stephen Levine that presented a sort of long distance way of strengthening the body through computer generated frequencies applied to a photograph. I looked into it, and found a facilitator in Kansas City who helps people apply and get on the program--called the "AIM program. There are many testimonials as to the effectiveness of this program, and I'm not going to explain it more here--you can go to the web site and get more details. At the end of last April I decided to get on this program and the first thing they did after I sent in my picture was to test my "life energy." I was surprised when my reading came back quite low--so low that they couldn't guarantee positive results! At that time I was feeling vibrantly healthy--lots of energy. I was sure they must have made a mistake. I decided to do it anyway in hopes that if what I had was cancer, the AIM program would help me get rid of it by raising my vibrational frequencies.
I cut out all refined sugar and other carbohydrates from my diet, started eating raw foods and making fresh juice, started drinking Kangan water (a highly alkalinized water), started taking supplements and certain herbs (Graviola, Cat's Claw, and mushroom extracts), doing urine baths and taking more saunas, using some light therapy, and continued meditating, praying, and using health affirmations (which I had been doing all along). I was not terribly diligent about all this--sometimes I would forget to take my supplements, or I would run out of Kangan water and be without for a couple of weeks, the urine baths got tedious, and I started eating other foods, even occasionally indulging in desserts. However, I did achieve my ideal weight of 130 pounds, and have been able to keep it at that level. (I was only around 145 pounds before, so it wasn't a big loss for me.)
I also consulted with some health practitioners. My husband John is a chiropractor, and he helped me research things I might do, and he also made dietary recommendations (which I didn't always take). We met a couple of health practitioners, Bernadine and Charlie, who live way out in the country in the hills of the Ozarks, and they invited us to come stay at their cabin for a weekend. They are proponents of ionic foot baths, and several other health treatments. They gave me several foot baths and some other treatments. I went to a naturopathic physician in Oklahoma who uses Rife machines, a "cold laser" machine, and nutritional supplements and diet to support better health. I had also been using a VIBE machine in Joplin on a frequent basis from the time I first discovered the lump.
But, none of these things made the lump go away!
So, I decided to get the biopsy. Even lying on the table having needles poked in my breast, I thought, "this will come back negative." So, I was shocked when I received a phone call from my general practitioner saying she had received the pathologist report, and both the breast and lymph node were cancerous.
I was shocked, but not frightened! The main feeling I had was relief--now I know what I'm dealing with, and I can proceed accordingly. Since the lump seems to have grown rather slowly over the last year and a half since I discovered it, I think that all the things I've been doing may have had an effect on it after all, it just wasn't enough!
I've been researching more intensive cancer treatments since getting the word on Friday. I still do not consider surgery, chemotherapy and radiation as options. I've known and heard about too many women who died after doing these treatments. I think anytime you cut into the body, you open pathways for unwanted energies and pathogens to enter. I know what chemotherapy does--it destroys the immune system. I want to strengthen my immune system, not shut it down!
I know the doctor is going to push for surgery when I see him today. I'm taking my husband with me to the visit to give me more support in stating my wishes. The doctor will try to scare me into the conventional medical route, but it is the conventional medical route that scares me. I honestly think that the current standard treatments for cancer will someday be looked at with horror. There are so many life-sustaining, health enhancing treatments available that assist the body in flushing the cancerous cells out.
So, this blog will be my cancer journal. I am a professional storyteller, and we storytellers can get a bit verbose at times. I hope my blog can perhaps help others who are on similar journeys.
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