Is There A Doctor In the House?

When Jesus first told me to forgo chemo and radiation in favor of a natural approach for treating cancer, I just thought it would be much simpler than what it turned out to be.

I remember thinking that I would tell the doctor what God had told me to do, and he would work with me and monitor me while I followed the treatment to help me understand whether the disease was getting better or worse. 

Well, I was wrong.  Neither my oncologist, surgeon, or general physician wanted to monitor me on this journey.  They did not refuse to see me, but it simply wasn't the partnership or support that I felt I needed.  At every opportunity, they reminded me that I was "not doing what I was supposed to do".  Or, they pretended that I was doing absolutely nothing about my cancer with an attitude that I should "let them know" when I was ready to treat it.

All in all, I found trying to find medical support to be more disheartening and discouraging than expected.  Even though it was clear that the treatment Jesus had led me to was working, I felt assailed with doubt and fear in every visit.  It was a tremendous mental battle for me to hold on to what I knew Jesus had told me to do in light of such constant opposition. 

When you take the road that the mainstream medical community recommends, support abounds.  However, if you do not, then you need to be prepared to pursue this alone if necessary.  This is in fact one of the lessons God desired to teach me in this experience.

The lack of support I found in the medical community led me on a broad search for any medical professional who would work with me.  I prayed to God, "Lord, I don't want to go through this alone."  He responded, "You are not going through it alone.  I am with you."  I of course knew that what He said was true, but I just felt like I needed more...something tangible.  God was trying to show me that He was all I needed, and while I knew this in my head, my heart was just not that strong.

"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. " Mark 9:23-24

So, God was patient with me as I searched for support and I learned about a whole world of medical professionals I had not before known existed.  I share this information in the hopes that it may be a resource to those who are likewise looking for medical support.

Natorupaths
Naturopathic medicine is based on the belief that the human body has an innate healing ability. Naturopathic doctors (NDs) teach their patients to use diet, exercise, lifestyle changes and cutting edge natural therapies to enhance their bodies’ ability to ward off and combat disease. NDs view the patient as a complex, interrelated system (a whole person), not as a clogged artery or a tumor. Naturopathic physicians craft comprehensive treatment plans that blend the best of modern medical science and traditional natural medical approaches to not only treat disease, but to also restore health.

A licensed naturopathic physician (ND) attends a four-year, graduate-level naturopathic medical school and is educated in all of the same basic sciences as an MD, but also studies holistic and nontoxic approaches to therapy with a strong emphasis on disease prevention and optimizing wellness.

Homeopaths
Homeopathy views the state of being unwell as being a holistic disturbance in the balance of the total being.  Their focus is not to inhibit, control, or suppress symptoms; they view symptoms as the body's defensive adaptations to fight infection and/or adapt to stress.  Often called the "principle of similars", homeopaths use medicinal agents that have been found to cause in healthy people the similar syndrome of symptoms that sick people experience.  In homeopathy, medicines are not prescribed based on the disease that the person has but on the unique pattern or syndrome of symptoms that are experienced; treatment is individualized.

All licensed physicians can legally practice homeopathy under their conventional license, although several states have separate licensing boards which must grant approval within their jurisdiction. After having experienced three years of homeopathic medical practice, medical or osteopathic physicians may seek certification by the American Board of Homeotherapeutics, whereby they may affix the designation D.Ht. after their name.

Chiropractors
The term "chiropractic" combines the Greek words cheir (hand) and praxis (practice) to describe a treatment done by hand. Hands-on therapy—especially adjustment of the spine—is central to chiropractic care. Chiropractic is based on the notion that the relationship between the body's structure (primarily that of the spine) and its function (as coordinated by the nervous system) affects health.  Although practitioners may use a variety of treatment approaches, they primarily perform adjustments (manipulations) to the spine or other parts of the body with the goal of correcting alignment problems, alleviating pain, improving function, and supporting the body's natural ability to heal itself.

In the United States, chiropractic practitioners must meet the licensing and continuing education requirements of the state in which they practice. All states require practitioners to complete a Doctor of Chiropractic degree program at a properly accredited college.

Allopaths
Another word for "conventional" medical treatment. A system of medical practice that aims to combat disease by use of remedies (as drugs or surgery) producing effects different from, or incompatible with, those produced by the disease being treated; it uses the "principle of opposites" to eliminate or suppress disease symptoms.

The education of medical doctors (M.D.s) in the United States involves undergraduate education, medical school and graduate medical education. After completing education requirements, a physician must obtain a license to practice medicine from a state or jurisdiction of the United States in which they are planning to practice.

Osteopathy
Osteopathy, or osteopathic medicine, is based on the belief that most diseases are related to problems in the musculoskeletal system and that structure and function of the body are related. The musculoskeletal system is made of the nerves, muscles, and bones -- all of which are interconnected and form the body's structure. Most osteopathic doctors (D.O.s) use many of the medical and surgical treatments used by medical doctors (M.D.s). Osteopathy was founded in 1874 by Andrew Taylor Still who believed that every disease or illness began with structural problems in the spine. Still called these spinal problems "osteopathic lesions", and created osteopathic manipulation techniques (OMTs) to treat them.

Osteopathic doctors have the same education and licensing requirements as medical doctors.

Integrative Medicine
Integrative medicine is based upon a model of health and wellness, as opposed to a model of disease. IM, as it's often called, depends on a partnership between the patient and the doctor, where the goal is to treat the whole person - mind, body, and spirit - all at the same time. It combines conventional medical treatments with other therapies that are carefully selected and shown to be effective and safe. The goal is to unite the best that conventional medicine has to offer with other healing systems and therapies derived from cultures and ideas both old and new.

Because Integrative Medicine is an approach to healthcare rather than a specific type of professional, it consists of medical practitioners from all of the approaches listed above.

I never wound up finding a cancer-specific medical professional to walk with me on this journey.  I work directly with labs to have blood drawn for the various tumor marker tests needed to monitor the disease.  I also continue to see my general physician who monitors my overall health.  In the end, God had His way (Thank the Lord!) and I learned to be content and at peace just leaning on Him through this trial. 

I am NOT saying that cancer patients should not have a relationship with medical doctors.  I firmly & strongly believe that they should (hence the article).  I am saying that this was simply a lesson that God was teaching me personally so that I could grow in trust and faith in Him.  Sometimes we think we believe something, but until we are tested, how do we really know?  I had to learn to stand on what He says, even if no one else goes with me.