Aug 25 - My Father's Portrait, Stage 2, and Husband's Cancer Cure

I am doing the major lay-in of the shadow shapes, using the Cool Boxes exclusively. Now human skin breaks the rules, in that cool colors are in the lighter sides, and warm colors are in the shadow sides. The Color Boot Campers will remember this, and I hope you'll be able to see it unfold as I continue with his portrait.

Now, I know you skipped down to here to find out more about the revelation of yesterday. So here goes. When my husband was diagnosed, we went with traditional medicine to prepare him for the ordeal of what I now call "burn and poison" (no cutting--surgery again was not an option). The medical community was supportive on an individual basis, in that they supported us by scheduling many appointments, were kind and solicitous, yet could not give us some very common answers. They cannot, because they are not permitted to give information for which there is no "standard of research".
He was even fitted for the radiation mask. His cancer was throat cancer, and had involved the lymph nodes in his neck. We wanted to know other options for his palliative care. Their answers were all linked back directly to drugs, chemo"fear"apy, and nothing about alternative medicine.

He began the treatments. Five radiations and his neck was sore, one chemo and his guts were in the toilet. He said, "I cannot do this. My body is screaming that this is wrong. I will live with dignity, and the quality of my life matters more to me than its length." I saw a death sentence, but was honored by his courage and decisiveness, and agreed.

But passivity is not an adjective for me, so I started my search. I spent days on the computer doing research. Much of what I found was bloody awful, because the end result of chemo"fear"apy and radiation would leave my beloved man with no taste buds, no salivary glands, and huge sores making him unable to swallow. (The doctors didn't tell us that.) There's a whole world of throat cancer people who have been subjected to traditional "medicine" over at this link. Just reading their stories pushed me further to find something else. Anything else. But no quackery.

And finally, a light. Dr. Johanna Budwig's name (link fixed). Bill Henderson and his book. Chapter five in that book. There are six protocols in that chapter that have enough research showing effectiveness for cancer treatments that Bill is willing to say they offer hope. My husband began all six, and was absolutely adamant about it. He continues these protocols to this day. After eight weeks, we saw the cancer recede to where we could not find it anywhere in his neck.

Tomorrow, the protocols, in a shortened version. My beloved is whole, healthy and without the help of big pharmaceutical companies or the dance of the insurance companies and the medical system that feeds it. We are both far healthier than we have ever been in our lives, because we both changed many of our lifestyle habits.

After I finish this painting, I'm doing one of another dear artist/mentor, who I just learned died this morning of cancer. She is now in a better place, but this woman had an outstanding and full life. She has left a huge emptiness in me, and I will paint her image as a small child. I want as many people to know that there are alternatives to cancer death, and perhaps by these two lesson paintings, I will reach someone. It's too late for my Dad, for Rowdy, for my friend Lynn Thomas, for so many others.

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