You have time - One advice I want to share

Since I started on my path of naturally healing my Breast cancer, it’s become more apparent to others that I’m looking and feeling better and healthier. My friends and people around me started asking me to share my story or give tips & advice for their friends or family who have been diagnosed with cancer.

If I had a chance to talk with a person who has cancer, who is just being diagnosed, or a person who has a loved one who deals with cancer, and I had to choose just one piece of advice to share with them, I would say, “Take your time. You do not have to rush into any decisions. You do have time.” This is what I’ve learned from my own healing journey.

You could choose to do an alternative treatment, or take the traditional western medical approach, or combine both; there is not just one simple answer to make a person cure from this disease. Everyone has different symptoms because of the different types of cancers and the many stages. I also think how we receive the reality of our health statement (or diagnosis, for the western medical term) would be different depending on where you live: your country and your culture.

If you live in an area which offers a great deal of the Western medical service (like America, Japan etc.), you might go to see a doctor and run some tests, from which you find you have cancer. Then your doctor would say, “You have cancer and you will need to do this and this….. as soon as possible.” That’s terrifying to hear, and almost all of us would feel that same sense of panic and urgency instantly. You feel like you absolutely must listen to our doctor, and need to start everything he/she recommends right way.
I know I felt just that. Immediately, I started imagining the worst case scenarios. The first thing that came up in my mind was “Chemotherapy is on the way,” because for me, it was the second occurrence.

Cancer is beyond overwhelming. You feel that you have to make so many critical decisions in such a limited time frame, and you don’t have enough time to research and learn about the treatment your doctor offers. You would think you’d die if you don’t agree to the treatment plan your doctor suggests. You might even think that you won’t have time to find a doctor who could give you a second opinion. I felt that everything would go in the worst direction if I did not follow the treatment offered by my doctor. It was awful.

I was helpless and did not know what I needed to do. At first, before I changed my mind and chose my natural approach, I just followed and did everything that the local hospital doctor recommended to me, because 1) I knew that she was one of the best doctors in the Breast cancer field and she would only suggest the best treatment available from her expertise. 2) I felt that it would be best to follow her because I would not have much time to research and compare options. 3) I had an impression that my cancer would spread if I did not take these treatments right way.

A big problem at the time was that, “I was not in the driver’s seat.” I was in the side seat or even the rear seat and I let my doctor drive for me, and asked my husband to navigate. I was not taking any responsibility for my own health. I admit it now. This is something I would love to write about on a deeper level in the future. But we do need to drive ourselves. If we do not know how to, we must learn!

If I recall last year, between March and May (from the diagnosis to my decision to change to an alternative approach), I think some things happened by fate.

Although my doctor suggested that I start with chemotherapy to reduce the tumor size followed by a mastectomy and possible radiation and hormone therapy depending on the outcome of the surgery, I could not start these treatments right way because we had decided to try a clinical trial. To qualify for the clinical trial, I had to do another Biopsy and a few more tests including an MRI. But my first biopsy for the clinical trial failed. They could not collect any invasive cancer cells, and the second one got the same results. What they could collect were only DCIS cells.

Each biopsy required between 10 days and 2 weeks to get results. After we decided to try the clinical trial, it ended up taking more than one month to find out that I was not qualified to apply for the trial, because my type of cancer was low risk. This waiting time was probably the worst time of my life. Every day I was imagining all the worst possible things…. Even though my husband and I could not know what we would have to do, we discussed the grave possibilities endlessly…. It was exhausting to repeat all the negative empty talk again and again. I was always fearful, imagining that my cancer would metastasize, or that I would not be able to see my daughter grow up.

Fortunately, this worst time of my life gave me time. If I did not have to wait, and could start the chemotherapy treatment right way, I would not be here as who I am today.

While we were waiting for the biopsy results of the clinical trial, in the middle of April 2016, two dear friends of my husband’s and mine sent us the link to The Truth About Cancer at almost same time. I watched. Before finishing the first episode, I had my inner voice telling me, “Let’s do this. I can do this.”

I watched all episodes and I was 200% convinced that I could heal my cancer using a natural approach and my body’s own power. The choice was not denying the western medical approach, but I felt that it would not be the best option to choose, even though I did not know what sort of alternative treatment I would follow, or how to do so. I lost no time in beginning the search for what options are available for me.

I told the doctor at the local hospital, “I want to try natural healing first. I would like to put everything on hold.” We cancelled the port placement appointment. Then, my husband and I started to search doctors who offer support for our way.

We met many, many doctors.

One of the doctors, who was recommended by my naturopathic doctor, was specialized in cancer treatment and we heard that he would use a more natural approach. His recommendation was low-dose chemotherapy. He said “If you do not start it right way, I would say that you would die in 5 years. By the way, how old is your daughter?”

I want to tell you one thing. No doctor can tell you how long your life will be. Even a doctor who does not have any negative intention behind their words, you must understand that they can not know when you will die. They speak based on study or research. For example, “based on a case study of 1000, 70% of people these people died in 5 years.” We never know if it would apply to you or me! It is their best assumption. This is another thing I have learned from my healing journey, “No one can determine when I would die. Not even me.” So, I should not live in fear, believing assumptions that haven’t happened yet.

Another typical question asked by these doctors… “How old is your daughter?”

Every parent wants to be next to their child as many years as possible. By implying that, they use this question with an implication of, “You should listen to me and follow my recommendations if you do not want to die and never see your daughter growing up.” It is sad, but we had many doctors who used this same sentence. I know that not all of them said it with the intent to intent to cause fear. But I wish that doctors could consider how very sensitive they need to be when mentioning family in our conversations where we need to make heavy decisions.

It took us two months to find a doctor who we could 100% resonate with and felt good about. My guts told me that I could trust the doctor. That was the middle of July 2016, more than 4 months after the diagnosis. He is still my primary adviser for my healing journey.

A year and a half after my diagnosis, today, I am here without any metastasis. My blood test (RGCC test) is showing great progress. It was 5.8 in July 2016, and it was 3.1 in July 2017. The MRI does not show significant change. That means that the size of the suspicious area is not growing. This, to me, means I have been managing to stop any and all growth.

Many people who are in the alternative approach field were in awe of my RGCC test result. When my 2nd test (4 month after the first test) dropped to 3.9 from 5.8, my doctor said, “You did magic”. Some other people told me that my progress with RGCC test is very much encouraging.

But, to my local hospital doctor, my RGCC test result is nothing. She sees that there are still lot of CTCs (Circulating tumor cells) and it means that I am in a very precarious situation when it comes to metastasis.

Every doctor and expert has their own theories and does their best to help us by believing what they think as best.

Sure we need someone (doctors and experts) who guides us and helps us. But I want you to take your time before you decide what to do, until you feel really right with your decision. When you decide to apply the treatments recommended by your doctor, it becomes your responsibility. The doctors do not take the responsibility of your decision. No one can take the responsibility.

Someone might say, “My cancer is terminal, Much worse than your situation, Ran. My doctor told me that I would die in a few weeks.” Yes, I understand. I think my current situation would certainly give me more time than other cases. However, there is the possibility that my cancer would metastasize if I do not do right things. My doctor at the local hospital says that there will be no cure once it becomes metastasized. But I do not believe so. After researching and learning so much about healing, I do believe that I can handle whatever my body does. I believe that I can reverse my cancer even if things get worse. It is just a matter of what I need to do; how I live through it. There are lots of real stories of people who were told that they have terminal cancers, and they live without cancer today. I will put a list of websites and books soon, so that you can read them, too.

This is how I feel. We should not rush to make any decisions because of someone who said to you, “You have no time.” You have to make your own decision even if you are not comfortable doing so. We need to make a decision based on our own will, with an agreement that comes from our hearts and our consciousnesses connected to our Higher Selves.

Do not rush to make your answer. Take your time and find the right answer for you. Your answer should not be given by anyone else. Do not choose the most available option, because you fear you’ll fail by choosing your own path. If you make your decisions with certainty, and an agreement with your own will, it will bring the best outcome. Great things start when you believe your trust and your gut. Do everything you can and make changes that you feel right!

When we face critical health issues such as cancer, fear makes you feel that you do not have the time to find the right answers. But that is not true. You always have time.

Love always, and sending peace and blessings,

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