The beginning

Monday, November 5.  Some of you have heard from me already, so parts of this will be redundant.

On Thursday, November 1 I received a call from Dr. Julieanne Thompson about 5:30.  I had met her 2 days prior when I went to see her because I had sore and tight abdominal muscles that weren’t responding to massage or chiropractic treatment.  She told me my spleen and pancreas looked fine but she wanted me to do a full abdominal CT scan, along with blood work.  Over the phone she said I had a mass (tumor) 3.9 cm in the tail of the pancreas, 2 masses 3.0cm each in the liver, and a smaller mass on the left adrenal gland.  My reaction?  Shock.  Disbelief.  Fear.  Tears.  Are you sure you have the right person?  I happen to be one of the healthiest people I know.  I have spent 35 years making sure I am healthy.  Yoga, fasting, vegetarian for 16 years, no red meat for the past 35 years, daily visualization for healthy body and mind, healing retreats.  I walk 2 miles daily, swim for 40 minutes 3-4 times a week, cross country ski, bicycle.  I am in great shape.   I even walked away from 2 jobs in my life that became too stressful, and the past 3 years I have lived as close to stress free as one can get.  I even healed myself from back pain when I was told I had no disk left and would require a spinal fusion.  Something’s not right here.

Are you worried about me?  Don’t be, please.  Thoughts and prayers, yes, but don’t spend a moment visualizing illness.  Because today I am actually doing great.  I woke up this morning with so much energy and excitement for the day that I couldn't go back to sleep.  I have had an amazing two days that I want to briefly share with you.  Friday evening I had an awareness.  Part of who I am is who I have chosen to be close to in my life.  That means all of you.  Sharing my life with others-- through work, music, community, family, extended family, and friendships—has always been an important part of my life.  Thankfully I was able to remember this on Friday evening, so I sent out a short message to some of you indicating what I had just been told.  The response I have received from you has been beyond heartwarming.  It has been healing.  After the first few hours Friday, my tears have changed from sorrow to joy.  The energy work, prayers, and just plain caring you have extended to me helped me verify that I am needed and loved and have so much more to do and live for.  On Saturday an angel appeared in our house, that is to say a messenger bringing a gift of hope.  He introduced me to the Gerson Institute.  Last night I watched with my family a DVD about an approach to healing  that totally resonated with me.  While I wait for an endoscopy scheduled for Thursday and its results, I will be applying to become a patient at their clinic in Tijuana, Mexico.  (You can read more online if you are interested).  I will remain open to western medicine and talk with expert medical doctors to learn what they can offer that is compatible with alternative healing.   Some of you may read this and think I have a screw loose, but I doubt there is anyone who has had a diagnosis of four tumors and has seen their energy level crash so fast who feels as great as I do today.

My short term goal is to have Bree help me set up a blog that I can post on so it will be easier to follow my journey for those who wish to do so.  I might add that Bree, after living in DC for 5 years, took a position with Housing and Urban Development in Portland that began Oct. 22.  She arrived on Oct. 20 with suitcases and boxes and has been staying with us until she finds a place to live in Portland.  What a blessing it is to have her here to help both Kathy and I during this life altering process.  This healing process I am choosing is going to be slow and labor intensive, and it will consume my life for two years. 

Thanks to those who have called or written.  I have only had the energy to talk with a few people per day, so I haven’t been able to get back to everyone yet.  Don’t give up trying. 

Mark