CAM and COVID

OUR EXPERIENCE WITH CAM

After Joel's diagnosis, we made appointments with over 20 holistic practitioners in an effort to find a CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) doctor who could guide us. We visited over 12 different doctors locally, and the rest we met online through virtual conferences. We decided to go to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas to seek a second opinion, and that prompted us to move forward very quickly with conventional treatment. We did as many CAM treatments as possible alongside his chemo and radiation, and even more after treatment. We learned as we went along.

Then I was diagnosed, and life turned upside down for about five months while I had three major surgeries in a row.

IN SEARCH OF MISTLETOE

After my diagnosis and surgeries, we were both ready to explore as many CAM treatments as possible. We wanted to do all we could to not only survive for our children, but to strengthen our bodies and thrive. Mistletoe extract was a CAM treatment recommended for both colon and breast cancers, so I went searching for a CAM doctor to help us do this treatment. I finally found a doctor through an organization called Believe Big, who was licensed to administer mistletoe. At the time, there was only one doctor in Florida approved to treat with mistletoe. Her clinic was a three-hour drive from our home, so we began making the trip three times per week in February of 2020.

Then Covid 19 hit the U.S., and for nine months life completely shut down in the world — but it didn't stop our visits to the clinic. We would get up, leave our kids to do their school online, and head to the clinic for 5-7 hours of treatment. It was a bizarre, scary time for everyone, but especially our kids.

Just before starting at the clinic we read Jane McLelland’s book How To Starve Cancer. It was a good introduction for us in understanding what would happen at the clinic. Jane had stage 4 cervical cancer that spread to her lung. Jane’s plan included a combination of diet, exercise, supplements, IV (intravenous) therapies, and off-label drugs to kill cancer cells. This is exactly the kind of protocol the doctor did with Joel and me.

We had experiences with all kinds of CAM treatments. We did several hours of IV therapies each day, followed by mistletoe, supplements, off-label drugs, and other treatments. After almost a year, we just couldn't continue traveling back and forth, so we switched to a CAM doctor closer to our home that could continue to treat us.

Before choosing a CAM doctor or clinic, explore your options carefully, get several opinions, then pray on selecting the doctor. Ask friends for referrals and interview potential providers. Visit the CAM Treatment page for more information.

Joel giving me a shot of mistletoe while I’m overreacting.

We often left notes for the kids before leaving for the CAM clinic that was three hours from our home.

ALL IN VEIN

After a year, our veins started collapsing from doing so many IV therapies. We were tired — of taking supplements, of always having appointments, and just overall physically. We decided to stop and redirect our spending to our diet and lifestyle. I hired a personal trainer, and we both focused more on diet, hydration, exercise, de-stressing, and sleeping.

I found a local company to deliver fruits, vegetables, and fresh sprouts.

I purchased a concierge membership to Wellness Forum Health, and for over a year I took online courses about nutrition, cancer, and all aspects of health.

I also did a medically-supervised, water-only fast with Dr. Frank Sabatino (Balance for Life Health and Wellness Retreat) in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Read “Water Fasting Experiences” for more details about my experience.

Because we traveled to a clinic several hours from our home to receive IVs, we would do 4-6 hours of IVs each day, several times per week. We both experienced collapsed veins.

Looking back, Joel and I will never truly know what all of those IV therapies and CAM treatments did for our health and survival. We often question the time and money we spent, but we are both very grateful for all that we learned during our commitment to CAM treatments. We do feel it was helpful in giving us peace of mind — knowing that we were doing something to possibly kill cancer stem cells and improve the terrain of our bodies. And the best part is, we can now share our experience with others.