Days 14 and 15 and Leaving Arcadia Clinic

I leave Germany after 3.5 weeks a changed person in many ways. How can you not change after being in a different culture with not only Germans but Swedes, Slovenians, Brits, Spaniards, Finns, Aussies, and fellow Americans from all over the US?  So much to learn and experience and, although challenging at times, I grew to trust the motives of the doctors and nurses, something that hadn't happened like it did here.

My fellow patients had stories of frustration with their disease but primarily in regard to the quality of care they had experienced in their own countries. Such brave people…some had chosen to go completely against the allopathic/conventional doctors’ wishes of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation and had done exhaustive research on integrative/complementary/holistic methods of healing. That’s why most were at Arcadia…to find ways to heal without introducing toxins into the body with poison, taking the offending parts out of the body, or burning the cancer. 

We received herbal supplements primarily in infusion form for faster healing action than if taken in pill form (approximately 1000 times more effective when it goes immediately into the bloodstream). Many of these botanicals were meant to strengthen the immune system so it can act as it should by removing some of the 1000 or so cancer cells that we form each DAY.   Most chemotherapy is designed to kill cancer cells because they are considered hostile invaders and must be killed. A more holistic approach considers the body capable of fighting the cancer cells if the immune system hasn't been compromised so one of the major goals of therapy is to improve this protective system so it is able to do the job of killing daily cancer cells that are formed. 

Each of us received a variety of botanical infusions including resveratrol, vitamin c and/or B17, artesunate, glutathione, sodium bicarbonate, and curcumin, and whole body and local hyperthermia. Some got various oxygen therapies, all of us received weekly counseling sessions with a super effective coach and at least once per week meetings with a doctor.  We had lectures on meditation and mindfulness techniques, Dr Saupe’s vitality theory, the nine factors found from Dr Kelly Turner’s research (Radical Remission) of over 1000 cancer survivors from around the world, and nutrition to prevent and treat cancer. 

We received treatment of the body but emphasis beyond the physical with a focus on the connection between the body, mind, and spirit. My goal was to improve my immune system so as to fight the cancer within BUT I learned how much control I have in my own healing IF I am aware of my thoughts and feelings.   

These three quotes, taken from, Turner’s book, reflect a new focus for me going forward. I know I will continue to heal by sticking to an anti-inflammatory diet, exercising, supplementing, getting restful and adequate sleep but I am more prepared to work on my mindset of having a life purpose, of trusting the self-healing abilities that we all possess, of depressing the thoughts and feelings of fear and reducing my stress levels by being slower to anger, allowing previous life aggravations to ‘slip off my back’, and loving and accepting myself and others more fully. 

He who has hope,has everything. Thomas Carlyle. 

In vital matters, the decision should come from the unconscious, from somewhere within ourselves. Sigmund Freud 

The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician. Paracelsus

Perhaps I will return sometime to Arcadia to get my batteries “recharged”. I know now that there are many possibilities besides the traditional standard of care and Arcadia and the outstanding staff will always be at the top of my list of "go-to" places. Rather than suffer through the ill effects and the poor patient outcomes from chemotherapy, I know there are treatments that are effective and supportive of my body. That is a blessing!

Last day's picture at dinner.  Matt is behind me and the husband of Julia in the white jacket.  They had been here for 6 weeks and were excited to go home (NYC) yesterday.  Brigitta is the woman in the black and is one of the three cooks who prepares meals all week/weekend long.  Vera is seated with the short dark hair.  She is finishing her second of three weeks and is from Portugal.  The only way she could afford the cost of this treatment was to start a GoFundMe campaign, part of which was to appear on a Portugal TV station with her story.  She received all the funds and then some from the generous people of her country.  Standing behind her in the gray is Oksana, a Russian immigrant, who is from Sacramento, CA and who just earned her law degree.  Finally, Suzanne, a Swede living in GA, USA has just finished her first week.  It is bittersweet...I will miss everyone but it will be good to get home!

Above and below are different views of the clinic.  The fall colors are evident and surprisingly I caught a sunny, blue sky!  It doesn't happen much here this time of year!

One of the many clinic rooms.  Lots of windows and modern without the clinic/hospital "feel"!

 They do have an Aldi's store in Bad Emstal and I have frequented it just to look around.  Low and behold, Trader Joe's products are in Germany😆