Overcoming a Sudden Health Emergency in Peru

Hello all, thank you for taking time to read my story and request for help! I am reaching out for support because I have experienced a rapid onset of serious health issues over the last 2 months, ending in a diagnosis of likely cancer, that has prevented me from working. I'm currently in a health emergency that will likely take a good few months to resolve, and have exhausted my personal finances at this point. This is a pretty complex situation and I've broken it into headings with CAPS and -------- for those reading this short on time. *not written using AI*

----------THE MEDICAL PIECE AND PRACTICAL CONCERNS--------------

After a 3 week stint of unusually severe covid, I went to the ER on New Years Eve in excruciating pain to find kidney stones and an 11 x 9 x 7cm pelvic tumor on the ultrasound. This was followed by a CT 2 week later and identified as a teratoma, essentially a large mass of stem cells that inappropriately became various forms of body tissue. After a consult with an oncologist yesterday, it was determined the teratoma is "likely" to be malignant based on the size, the tumor make-up shown on the CT scan images, the physical symptoms I am experiencing, and the fact that a routine pelvic exam 9 MONTHS ago showed no growths or abnormalities. Such a case is extremely rare and has not yet spread. I was discouraged from getting a biopsy to confirm cancer 100% for the high risk of spreading it in the case it is cancerous. The recommendation was surgery, however, there are some barriers to this happening immediately. The pictures are the scan reports with an english translation (at the bottom of all the text), CT imagery of the tumor/my pelvis, and how it looks to the naked eye. They awkwardly automatically cropped the images when I wrote this, if anyone wants the full pictures that have my name, you can message me through this platform.

The main surgery barrier I am currently facing is an expired passport from my native country of the US (new one expected in a month), I have lived and worked in Peru for a decade, so have no valid work or tax history in this time within the US to get health insurance there in a timely manner. My new Peruvian residency + health insurance unfortunately can't be renewed, nor the process started, until my new passport is in my hands. With the new passport residency processing is 2 months, and the surgery wait time to be covered by the insurance is 1-3 months. To get a surgery here is looking like a 4-6 month wait, and this would be longer as well as more expensive returning to the US.

I have been 80% in bed since the round of Covid and in pretty intense pain most days, having difficulties with normal daily tasks like cooking and cleaning. I've chosen an immediate 6 week course of action aimed to shrink the tumor and reduce pain while I am navigating the bureaucratic things, and so far this resulted in a 1cm shrinkage after 1 week. I will continue to medically monitor the status of the tumor, as well as the state of my liver, kidneys, and lungs (where this form of cancer tends to mestasisize) through blood tests and ultrasound to track growth/shrinkage and check for potential signs of mestasisis, which is thankfully inexpensive here out of pocket. If surgery is still necessary by the time I receive my passport and renewed Peruvian residency, I will be getting it in the capital of Lima where there are better facilities and surgeons, and it should be largely covered by insurance.

----------A LITTLE ABOUT ME AND MY PLAN----------

I imagine there are a wide variety of people and perspectives reading this and simply ask that it is received with an open mind, an open heart, and the consideration that surgery is inaccessible for the time being. I do not have financial support from my biological family and it doesn't feel appropriate to publicly expand on this.

For those who don't know me or my story, I have been in a role of support and service since age 14 in caring for an elderly hospice patient, continuing this line of work until arriving in Peru in 2015. I immersed deeply in traditional plant medicine, apprenticeship, and have supported a couple hundred people over the years in strong healing process of preparing for death, terminal illnesses, drug addiction, chronic pain, severe childhood abuse/trauma, sexual assault, domestic abuse, depression and anxiety related disorders, and PTSD through a variety of healing modalities and plant medicine. Please note I am not referring to commercialized Ayahuasca retreats commonly associated with the phrase plant medicine, but a much deeper full spectrum practice described further below.

I have witnessed first and second hand many instances what I can only describe as medical miracles in these spaces, many come for this work when allopathic medicine has deemed a disease terminal or incurable, and come out with reversals, and some are less fortunate. Personally, I had a round of ovarian cancer 4 years ago where a 6 x 6 cm tumor vanished in the course of 2 months through this type of work.

While immensely challenging on every level, this line of work has brought a depth of fulfillment I cant put into words and is very much my passion and purpose in life that I would love to continue as soon as I am physically and psychologically ready again. For anyone curious with time on their hands, I have a pretty extensive blog where I have very openly share things I have gained and experienced in this time: My Blog

However, it also comes with periods of initiation in many ways and I am finding myself in the strongest one I have faced on a physical level. I am seeking to treat this health challenge partly in the same form of work I hold for others, because the physical manifestation of this disease is far more than it appears on the surface. There is a strong, long standing energetic component at the root, those who know me have some understanding of this. So here is the plan:

Part 1: 1. I am working with a woman locally in Peru, in week 2 of a 6 week protocol used for shrinking cysts and tumors, detoxification, supporting elimination organs, etc. It involves a very strict food diet, castor oil, and western medicinal plants/herbs and she is checking in with me daily for this time and through hour long meetings periodically to re-evaluate as I go. The only possible explanation for the 1cm shrinkage in the 2 weeks between scans is this protocol and I'll be seeing it through!

Part 2: A man very well trained and well versed in both the pharmaceutical and energetic realms of jungle plant medicine will be coming to my house in person Feb 1st to hold a 1 on 1 dieta with a combination of plants for all layers, focusing strongly on the physical/tumor.

For those unfamiliar, this involves me completely isolating from other people and technology for 2-4 weeks as I ingest large amounts of jungle plants for their pharmaceutical properties related to what my physical body is going through, as well as one for the energetic aspect. This whole space is treated sort of like a hospital stay with 24/7 dedicated care and focus, and he will also be doing food prep, running needed errands etc to allow me to fully rest and focus.

Traditional jungle plant medicine in its essence is not centered on the psychoactive plants, but those with medicinal properties to heal the body of disease, the very plants used for their medicinal compounds extracted and synthesized into pharmaceutical drugs. I won't even be ingesting Ayahuasca as a part of this treatment, but he will be helping me on the energetic, emotional, and mental levels while the plants are working on my physical body/tumor on a more medicinal and chemical level.

Part 3: When this dieta and 6 week protocol is over, I will get medically evaluated again, and if the need for surgery is still present, will be pursuing this as soon as I obtain my new residency and health insurance.

I have been happy to see allopathic medicine embracing and acknowledging the need of full spectrum healing over the last decade in such forms as cancer treatment centers incorporating spirituality/religion, Reiki, accupuncture, massage, mindfulness/meditation and mental health into their treatment plans and hold a vision that one day these will be more fully integrated and accepted as valid when it comes to things like health insurance for those who dont wish to take a route of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery for whatever reason.

----------EXPENSES BREAKDOWN----------

I will update this as I go and notate what has been paid

$275 CT scan (covered)

$60 oncology consultation (paid)

$50 ultrasound #2 1/28 (paid)

$60 oncology consult 1/28 (paid)

$700 Jan Rent (covered)

Jan utilities $110 (covered)

Jan recurring Bills (previous medical debt) $200 (covered)

Jan internet access $30 (covered)

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$700 Feb Rent (paid)

Feb utilities est $110 (paid)

Feb recurring Bills (previous medical debt) $200 (paid)

Feb internet access $30 (paid)

Feb groceries, pet care, and transport $400 (paid)

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$700 March Rent (paid)

March utilities est $110 (paid)

March recurring Bills (previous medical debt) $200 (paid)

March internet access $30 (paid)

March groceries, pet care, and transport $400 (paid)

March housekeeping assistance $90 (paid)

$700 April Rent due 15

April utilities $110 (70 for electric

due 10th, rest for gas as needed)

April recurring Bills (previous medical debt) $100 (due 28th)

April internet access $30 (due 5th)

April groceries, pet care, and transport $400 (used throughout month)

Plants and Supplies to continue current treatment through April $300 (covered)

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Passport Renewal $130 (paid)

Residency Renewal Paperwork, legal fees, and application processing: 2500 PEN or $670USD (333 PEN paid)

Protocol payment and needed supplies $375 (paid)

Dieta Payment $2000 (paid) and ideally aiming for the full month) + travel expenses (not included in GFM amount but has been covered by my partners family)

I'm so incredibly grateful for the financial and other forms of support over the last 2 weeks and feeling much more uplifted and optimistic, while my physical state is still pretty much the same. I will be updating here as I continue medical monitoring and whatever progress is made in these 6 weeks, as well as seeing what I can do to produce income in other ways possible in my current state after the 6 weeks.

I've been through many challenges and alot of trauma in life in general, and in this decade, and have learned to face such things as opportunities for deep inner growth, developing resiliency, and more deeply learning to serve in the ways I do. I see this current challenge in the same way and am very grateful to have the support and space right now to fully dedicate my focus to moving through this phase.