Finding direction 4/17/17
What a steep learning curve this has been. A troubling one at times. A hopeful one at others.
Today we landed at the Cancer Center for Healing in Irvine - just 20 minutes from home. A friend mentioned the physician director, Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy to me because a friend of hers goes to her. I then saw her book (I don't remember where), called The Cancer Revolution. I have read or scanned much of it. Then, while taking a look at the video series, The Truth about Cancer - which you can find free by googling it - there she was again. I have also watched interviews with her online with others and she has a You Tube channel on which she does informational talks to help all of us understand how to be healthy when 1 out of 2 men and 1 out of 3 women alive in the US right now will get a cancer diagnosis in their lifetimes. Prevention is the best treatment.
Something that has been tough for me has been the idea that cleaning up my diet, reducing toxin loads on my system, managing stress better, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera (all of which I should have been doing just to feel better and for prevention), is now somehow going to cure cancer. I understand that cancer is directly impacted by the state of our immune system, but it is so hard to grasp that what I eat right now is impacting my overall health to the point of allowing cancer to grow or helping my body actively fight it.
I'm not trying to feel better here. I am trying to fight out of control cells that can do some pretty awful things.
Dr. Connealy has pulled together the polarized sides of medicine into a comprehensive and impressive array of options. She didn't just look at me and ask what I wanted to do. I have had other wellness professionals do that. Everything has seemed so vague. She is confident, professional, and ready to rock and roll.
The good news - the lymph nodes are small. We don't really know what that means but it could mean this was caught early. Also, we have resources so we can take advantage of so many options that are not covered by insurance. Just as we prioritized our boys' educational expenses, now we are able to prioritize these expenses. We certainly could have used funds for more fun things but we are so grateful we can work it out. It is so sad that most insurance plans only cover surgery, chemo, and radiation when those three options have not increased survival rates at all since 1970. We will use them if necessary, but we have so many more options.
If you are interested in what we have been learning, I suggest you watch the videos and read the book I mention here.
I am also starting the protocol of immune boosting herbs from the Hoxsey (Biomedical) Clinic in Mexico. I am continuing to look at how to use cannabis. My blood is on it's way to Greece to the RGCC labs for several reasons including to inform what chemotherapy drugs actually kill the cancer cells in me right now.
So - time for bed. I am just pooped. I arrived at the center at 7:45 am and didn't leave until after 3:30. I met a lot of interesting people and my sister, Terri or Mother Eagle as we lovingly call her, came to listen and help sort things out as she has been through this (and has learned a ton) for the past 3 years. I should have kicked her out to beat traffic much earlier than she left but - well, she's Mother Eagle and wouldn't have listened anyhow.
What is very clear - things can be hard and scary but you can have super happy and peaceful moments and even days. Tonight - I am at peace and very very hopeful. Night night.
Today we landed at the Cancer Center for Healing in Irvine - just 20 minutes from home. A friend mentioned the physician director, Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy to me because a friend of hers goes to her. I then saw her book (I don't remember where), called The Cancer Revolution. I have read or scanned much of it. Then, while taking a look at the video series, The Truth about Cancer - which you can find free by googling it - there she was again. I have also watched interviews with her online with others and she has a You Tube channel on which she does informational talks to help all of us understand how to be healthy when 1 out of 2 men and 1 out of 3 women alive in the US right now will get a cancer diagnosis in their lifetimes. Prevention is the best treatment.
Something that has been tough for me has been the idea that cleaning up my diet, reducing toxin loads on my system, managing stress better, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera (all of which I should have been doing just to feel better and for prevention), is now somehow going to cure cancer. I understand that cancer is directly impacted by the state of our immune system, but it is so hard to grasp that what I eat right now is impacting my overall health to the point of allowing cancer to grow or helping my body actively fight it.
I'm not trying to feel better here. I am trying to fight out of control cells that can do some pretty awful things.
Dr. Connealy has pulled together the polarized sides of medicine into a comprehensive and impressive array of options. She didn't just look at me and ask what I wanted to do. I have had other wellness professionals do that. Everything has seemed so vague. She is confident, professional, and ready to rock and roll.
The good news - the lymph nodes are small. We don't really know what that means but it could mean this was caught early. Also, we have resources so we can take advantage of so many options that are not covered by insurance. Just as we prioritized our boys' educational expenses, now we are able to prioritize these expenses. We certainly could have used funds for more fun things but we are so grateful we can work it out. It is so sad that most insurance plans only cover surgery, chemo, and radiation when those three options have not increased survival rates at all since 1970. We will use them if necessary, but we have so many more options.
If you are interested in what we have been learning, I suggest you watch the videos and read the book I mention here.
I am also starting the protocol of immune boosting herbs from the Hoxsey (Biomedical) Clinic in Mexico. I am continuing to look at how to use cannabis. My blood is on it's way to Greece to the RGCC labs for several reasons including to inform what chemotherapy drugs actually kill the cancer cells in me right now.
So - time for bed. I am just pooped. I arrived at the center at 7:45 am and didn't leave until after 3:30. I met a lot of interesting people and my sister, Terri or Mother Eagle as we lovingly call her, came to listen and help sort things out as she has been through this (and has learned a ton) for the past 3 years. I should have kicked her out to beat traffic much earlier than she left but - well, she's Mother Eagle and wouldn't have listened anyhow.
What is very clear - things can be hard and scary but you can have super happy and peaceful moments and even days. Tonight - I am at peace and very very hopeful. Night night.
What a blessing to have your sister by your side. I just read all of your posts and what I read through all of it is that you are strong, brave, positive and hopeful. You are God's daughter and with that comes peace in knowing He is in control... while you are still in the driver's seat. You have definitely been busy doing your research and ready to do whatever it takes to fight this yucky cancer. I am praying for guidance and wisdom as you move forward with the options available. Love, Silvia Standke
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