Steve's Cancer: The Next Step

Dear Friends:  Just over a year and a half ago, in July of 2016, Adrienne and I sat in the clinic here on Lopez Island and were told that I have advanced stage prostate cancer. A subsequent MRI performed a few days later indicated that the cancer had metastasized, colonizing my spine, hip bones, a few ribs. 

For the rest of 2016 and the first half of 2017, I underwent chemotherapy, followed by radiation treatments. The chemotherapy appears to have slowed the cancer’s spread, but it is evident that my health is not recovering.

Since having to end my profession as a gardener, we have been provided for by Adrienne’s mother, Jean, who has been as generous and openhearted as any mother-in-law in the history of mothers-in-law. Additionally, as many of you know, Adrienne’s sister is providing a home for us, another remarkable blessing in an illness that has been characterized by remarkable blessings. (This provides one more confirmation, as I age, that my mother was right about the fact that all apparent difficulties bring with them opportunities and blessings.)

That said, we find ourselves facing this question, a simple one, but not any easy one:  Is it possible for me to regain any of my lost health? We’ve discussed this with our primary care physician and our oncologist, both of whom encourage us in our efforts to seek additional treatments. But these treatments take money we don’t have.

Having taken advantage of such traditional methods as chemotherapy and radiation, I believe I have derived as much benefit from these as possible and feel drawn to pursue health care from other sources, starting with the search for a good naturopathic oncologist. 

As difficult as this is, we are asking those who might be able to help financially in any way to consider doing so. 

We will be posting updates regularly regarding our progress as we search for healing.

Thank you.

-Steve and Adrienne