| I heard those dreaded words, "You have cancer." I | | | | surgeon from my inside information I gathered as a |
| heard nothing else. Life went on around me and I didn't | | | | massage therapist. I saw many clients who had |
| feel part of it. How can all these other people go on | | | | mastectomies; these women would tell me everything |
| with their lives when I was diagnosed with cancer? | | | | and I could see the results of their surgeries, even |
| We didn't know how extensive it was. It was going to | | | | years later. So I picked the surgeon whom I thought |
| take two weeks to even see the surgeon, to decide | | | | would be the best for me. I saw my surgeon almost |
| what needed to be done. Then we had to "stage" it so | | | | immediately after the diagnosis and did not have to |
| the oncology doctor could decide how he was going | | | | wait the two weeks for my appointment, because I |
| to handle my treatment plan. At the time, I did not even | | | | called her office and told her staff that I would bring a |
| know what staging meant. The doctors would then | | | | book to read while waiting for a "no-show," so I could |
| decide what to do with me. Traditional (allopathic) | | | | take that appointment. She was able to get me in and |
| medicine has a protocol for these kinds of things. | | | | spent nearly two hours with me. After she got a feel |
| Perhaps there would be a clinical trial I could enter. | | | | for how I wanted to handle this in a holistic way, she |
| I had two malignant tumors in one breast, too far apart | | | | helped me find an oncologist whom she thought would |
| for a lumpectomy, so the whole breast had to go. I | | | | be open to my approach and would be willing to work |
| had the surgery and 14 lymph nodes were also | | | | with me. Doctors know that people who participate |
| removed; 11 of them were positive and had cancer | | | | actively in their medical plan do better medically, and |
| cells in them. It looked ominous but that was not going | | | | have a better attitude. This all helps with the patient's |
| to stop me. At age 48, I was determined to beat this | | | | prognosis and outcome and gives the patient a |
| thing because I would draw upon the arsenal up my | | | | chance at having a better quality of life. |
| sleeve that the doctors did not seem to know about | | | | In addition to the surgeon, I picked my anesthesiologist, |
| or at least would not admit to knowing. Even so, I read | | | | the hospital, an energy therapist for the surgery and |
| and researched as much as I could. I also sought the | | | | post operatively, a nutritionist, a counselor, a nurse |
| opinions of other professionals around the country, a | | | | colon hydrotherapist, reflexologist, and past cancer |
| women's center in Maine, an oncologist in West | | | | conquerors for support and guidance as well as family |
| Virginia, an oncologist in Chicago, and a clinic in Texas. | | | | and friends for love and support. |
| What to do? | | | | By the time all the testing was completed (x-rays, CT |
| So it's up to me. The tests and schedules involved a | | | | scans and bone biopsy), schedules coordinated and |
| waiting game, but I didn't have to wait to do something | | | | surgery scheduled, it would be an entire month before |
| for myself. This is my life and I can make choices. I had | | | | the mastectomy could be performed. Most people |
| to decide what I was going to do for myself. | | | | would have panicked, but it gave me time to read and |
| I realized traditional medicine has limited options. I | | | | research to get my regimen together and to see if |
| decided I would go the traditional route and I would add | | | | what I was doing was having an effect on the cancer. |
| my own plan to the equation. I know there is no "cure", | | | | Days before the surgery, I requested another |
| but I believe I can create "wellness" even though I have | | | | sonogram to see if anything had changed. After |
| cancer. I feel I can achieve a feeling of well being, doing | | | | almost 5 weeks, I had changed so many things in my |
| what I can to be all I can be. It's about quality of life, not | | | | life; I wanted to know if the effects were exhibiting |
| necessarily a cure. I decided to have "cancer wellness"; | | | | positive changes on the tumors. Apparently, this had |
| therefore, I decided to attack! Complementary and | | | | never been requested before. I was warned that |
| Alternative Medicine (CAM) was not out of the | | | | insurance would not cover this, but if I insisted, they |
| question for me. I am a believer in an approach from all | | | | would do it. I went back to the doctor at the Breast |
| angles, a holistic point of view. I would look at myself | | | | Center who had done the first sonogram. I brought a |
| from the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects to | | | | friend with me, because I was sure I needed a witness |
| get my body and life back into balance. | | | | to the changes-- and an extra set of ears could never |
| I know from experience that we do things that are in | | | | hurt. |
| the realm of our knowledge base and belief system. | | | | The doctor proceeded to do the sonogram with the |
| Doctors are trained and given an extensive knowledge | | | | first set of films, taken a month earlier at her side. She |
| base. Some move beyond that base when the belief | | | | was able to compare the size and exact location of |
| exists there is more to know and we do not | | | | the two tumors. The first tumor showed little or no |
| necessarily understand everything. So I immediately set | | | | change. (At least is was not bigger.) She started |
| out to do what I thought was right for me. I wrote | | | | looking for the second tumor and continued to look. (It |
| down everything from each supplement I was taking | | | | was not hard to find it the first time.) Finally she said, "If |
| to my exercise routine. I was sure to keep my | | | | I had not done this first sonogram, I would have had |
| oncologist in the loop. This list was kept in my medical | | | | great difficulty finding the second tumor." There! I even |
| file. There were no secrets. I wanted everyone to | | | | had a witness. I believed that the approach I was |
| know what I was doing. I was not encouraged by the | | | | taking was really making a difference! I had no |
| medical community to try to find alternative ways to | | | | traditional medical intervention up to that point. It was |
| take care of myself, but I had a hand-picked "cancer | | | | interesting when I later reviewed my sonogram |
| team" that did not discourage me, even after they | | | | reports; I found no mention of the change that had |
| knew what I was doing. I am fortunate to have a more | | | | taken place. |
| open-minded medical team, and we have learned a | | | | Now it is ten years later, and I am doing well--grateful |
| great deal from each other through this whole process. | | | | each day I wake up. I lived to see my daughter get |
| Once I received the initial diagnosis, I gathered my | | | | married and give me two grandchildren. I continue |
| cancer team. I decided to pick the people who were | | | | working with others from my home using integrative |
| going to work with me. I wanted to be sure this team | | | | and complementary therapies in my holistic practice, |
| had no problem with the fact that I was putting a team | | | | and consulting with cancer patients all over the country |
| together, and it would include people who were not | | | | by phone. I plan on living a long, happy and HEALTHY |
| involved in traditional allopathic medicine. I picked the | | | | life! |