by Keri Lehmann
When my husband was diagnosed with cancer, he was clear. In order to avoid surgery, he was “going to go the natural alternative route.” For us, the natural route involved him temporarily moving from Northern to Southern California, 382 miles away, while I stayed home to work and raise our then 2-year old son. I’ll never forget the day, one day after his diagnosis, he packed everything he could fit into his Honda hatchback and drove away. My knees buckled. How would I do it without him?
I wanted to support my husband’s decision. It was his body, and I was determined to be brave and strong and to ask for help from friends. And it worked . . . for a while. 10 weeks later, I was on the phone begging him to come home and have the surgery.
Lots of us fear the dreaded words, “You have cancer” and “cancer treatment,” and specifically, “chemo therapy.” The natural alternative can sometimes be viewed as loftier, more evolved, less scary or just plain crazy. Jay felt if he could heal without western intervention, he would somehow redeem himself and be able to avoid facing his fears of conventional treatment. And it was the right choice for him, until it wasn’t.
We live in a world where science has advanced to a point where many faced with a cancer diagnosis will survive. And we have many ways to take the journey. I am grateful every day for western medicine and the healing wizards in that profession. I am grateful that Jay had the option of coming home and having surgery and radiation therapy and is now cancer free.
I am also grateful that we live in a time with more access to information about how to treat our bodies naturally, how to support our immune systems with diet and other natural means like emotional and spiritual well-being. When we look at those options they can seem a lot less scary than some of the more conventional cancer treatments. More and more we hear and read about the poisonous and long-term effects of chemotherapy. The thing is, it isn’t black or white.
We want doctors, practitioners, parents, or spiritual guides to tell us what to do. We are desperate for someone to tell us the “right” answer. The truth is, there isn’t one. There isn’t just one right answer for everyone, and it’s not going to come from someone else.
But there is always choice. In fact, there is choice in every moment. This is your body. You are free to explore what feels right for you. It’s not about right or wrong, black or white. What’s right for you is not necessarily what’s right for anyone else. Everyone’s cancer journey is personal and unique. And this is why we must learn to trust ourselves and our choices.
A Cancer Journey Coach can help you navigate all of the many choices and options available to you. How? By pointing you back to yourself, your truth and your power.