Myth, Fear and Froth Along the Abyss

We were all set to defer today's chemo appointment and maybe jump ship to pursue some kinder and gentler course of action, such as Protocel (an alternative product with a reputation for healing various cancers).. A good deal of confusion and anxiety was being generated by a lot of reading from various alternative modalities in which the "allopathic" medical model was characterized as brutal and unenlightened. And I get why this is. But the gross insensitivity attributed to the medicos is, I have to say, simple fear-mongering and myth-making. At least as far as our people at UNC are concerned. They were attentive, understanding, intelligent, accepting and open. They understood our concerns and were perfectly content to respect our powers of choice in the matter. They made their cases intelligently and compassionately and were not pushy or insensitive.

We decided to stick the course on the clinical trial and its concomitant chemo therapy, and were then sorry to learn the blood count was a tiny bit too low to resume the chemo program. Next week, if the creek don't rise. :D

I know there are many strongly-held opinions about the factors that cause predisposition, precipitation and prolongation of cancer. I have some myself! :D There is a whirlwind of advices to be had, and whichever course you choose to follow you can find strong voices admonishing against it. Perhaps the wisest path is to choose the best advice from different sources and formulate an integrated package that reflects wise choices from all worlds. Meditate between chemo sessions, or light up a doobie (does one still even say that today?) once a day before radiation, while invoking Krishna on alternate Wednesdays if you wish.

My own conclusions: Manage your own life and your chances of coming out unscarred will be higher. But don't buy into the frothy mythmaking sold at some of these market stalls if they require you to think ill of your fellow man. We're all on the same playground by day, and at night we all sing under the same stars.

heart