OK I'm Gonna Say it
It's been in me for a while now, rumbling beneath the surface, seeking a way out of my insides and onto the blog page of My Simple Emes. I repeatedly pushed it down. 'It's not time' I thought. But you know what? It's time!
Years ago, when I was an at-home mother, people were very vocal about my parenting choices. Everything was up for judgment. Babies held in a carrier would end up with crooked necks; toddlers who don't go to nursery and kindergarten will not learn how to socialize. If I let my children sleep in my bed with me, I'll never get them to sleep alone. Kids who nurse beyond age two --- Heaven knows what will happen to them!
Well, folks, my kids are all grown up and they seem pretty well ajusted. Their necks are all straight, they no longer nurse, they don't need to sleep with me anymore, and they have all the friends they want.
I found those people annoying but I didn't let them influence our parenting decisions because we were acting in accordance with our personal truth.
I find an interesting correlation between public views of our parenting choices and outside reactions to my present day health choices.
I stand firmly for informed decision-making. And I respect every person's right to make decisions about his/her own health.
I emphasize informed decision-making. And I wonder sometimes, about these people who question my health choices. Yes; even doctors. I wonder how they can possibly think I would do something as 'rash' as refuse conventional protocol without first researching and asking questions.
A year ago, I could barely sit up in bed. My skin was grey and I was losing weight at a frightening pace. Well-intentioned doctors were trying to frighten me into invasive procedures and chemotherapy. I know what it feels like to sit across from someone in a white coat with a stethoscope around his neck telling me if I don't do it the conventional way, I am playing a very dangerous game; that there is only one way to cure lymphoma.
It's been a year. I'm not 100% well yet; but I am a lot better than I was a year ago! I can walk; I can talk; I can read; I can drive, I can dress myself, I can breathe; I am getting along on 8 hours of sleep a night instead of 18! I no longer have night sweats nor a horrific cough.
I began feeling improvement just two weeks after beginning a natural protocol. Three months into natural treatment and my cells with lymphoma markers were dying in laboratory dishes. After nine months, my blood tests were practically normal. And would you believe, people still question what I am doing? People see me standing healthy before them and find it necessary to joke about my choices.
Dear world, Hashem has put in nature everything we need to heal!
So your doctor tells you the ONLY solution to your health issue is (fill in the blank.) It can be pretty scary to take the road less traveled. But the road less traveled is the right road for me. This blog is for those of you struggling with decisions surrounding health issues. This blog is about thinking for yourself. It's about turning inward for the questions and for the answers as well.
The Internet is filled with information on any given issue. A lot of it is well resourced, professional and scientific. Here's one example. But that's not even the point.
In order to take responsibility for our health, our parenting, or any other important issue in our lives, we need to ask questions.
Questions:
Can mammograms cause cancer? What are the pros and cons of doing a mammogram? What is thermography ? Is it a safe alternative for regular breast health screening? Why hasn't my health care professional ever told me about thermography?
I am amused by the fact that the spell check in this program does not even include the word thermography.
To how much radiation am I being exposed when I go through the airport security checks? Is it worth opting for physical checks? What's the story with microwave radiation?
This is your body. It pays to be informed. It pays to think before you do. It pays to weigh all viable options before taking action.
If you knew there were scientifically proven natural methods to deal safely and effectively with heart problems, diabetes, cancer, auto-immune diseases, brain health issues, etc., wouldn't you want to find out about them and then weigh the options and decide? I know people who have. Some of them decided that the natural protocols are not for them. I respect that. They looked into it and made a decision that suited them.
More Questions:
When studies are quoted about the safety and efficacy of medications, chemotherapy, diagnostic tools and invasive surgeries, we have a responsibility to check it out. Who funded those studies? How many people were studied? Was the study conducted over a period of 30 days or 20 years? Was it a double blind study? What is a double blind study?
When studying vaccine safety, are they studying the new vaccines alongside unvaccinated populations or are they studying them alongside the old vaccine? What is the reasoning behind vaccinating new born babies? What is the overall rate of success for chemotherapy? What is the definition of the term 'success'? What long term damage, if any can be caused by statin drugs and blood pressure medication? Is there anything that can be done naturally before turning to these solutions? Do I have time to check it out?
Cancer, for instance, takes years to develop in the body. Well, then, why do doctors force a patient into a corner to do immediate surgery and start chemotherapy? If the chemo zaps the tumors, what happens to the cancer stem cells the body is still producing? Is there a cure for that? If I lower my immune system with the chemo, how can I heal? I wanted to know these things. I wasn't satisfied with the answers. I made my choice.
No matter what the issue, it pays to come prepared with questions for your health care professional. Some poo-poo your concerns. Others throw you out of their office or threaten you. Others will listen. You want the ones who are open minded enough to give you a chance to ask questions and are willing to check out your sources so you can discuss things openly.
I was lucky enough to have an oncologist who noted the vast improvement in my clinical condition and although she was cautious, was fine with allowing more time to see if improvement would continue. And thank G-d it did!
A questioning mind is a healthy mind. Balanced decisions are informed decisions. When we give over our bodies to others without questioning and researching, we surrender responsibility for our own lives.
On my journey I have developed refreshing relationships with others who have chosen to research, ask questions and decide for themselves.
I want to thank my family and friends who continue to support my power of choice - even if they disagree with my choices. I truly respect that.
And to the needlers, the smirkers, and tongue-in-cheek jokers, I say,
please refrain from dragging people down in this way. It is hurtful.
If people are willing to engage in adult discussion about these things, that's great. Otherwise, please allow them their privacy and their right to their own lives.
May we all seek and find our emes. May we each respect one another and have true compassion for others no matter what their personal choices.
To Our Health and Freedom of Choice!
Shabbat Shalom :)
MashaFaygel
PS - If you are interested in reliable source information on health subjects - Here's a great place to begin - with over 10,000 well researched health topics at your finger-tips.