Through a fog of lingering anesthesia, I heard the doctor say, “Your colon was clear… no polyps.”
No polyps? Did I truly thwart a genetic verdict?
No polyps? Did I truly thwart a genetic verdict?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In 2008 my world crashed when tests revealed I had a rare genetic defect that put me at risk for colon cancer. I was stunned. I ate a nutritious diet, ran two to three miles four days a week and maintained a positive outlook on life. Colon cancer was never on my radar. However, bad genetics is non-discriminating. It's part of your DNA—there's nothing you can do. Right?
The identified gene (MYH-Associated Polyposis [MAP]) had promoted the growth of twenty-five precancerous polyps and one the size of a large marble with cancer. Fortunately the cancer was in situ meaning it had not spread beyond the polyp walls.
God had spared me from a more serious outcome.
The Bible records (2 Kings 20) that King Hezekiah suffered from a deadly ailment, but it did not stop him from approaching God in prayer. God heard his prayer and granted Hezekiah fifteen more years of life. As verification, he received a sign—the sun's shadow on the stairway retreated ten steps as if the sun had reversed direction.
The fall of that year was a daze as I grieved the loss of my health. Facing a vulnerability that brought me to my knees, I sympathized with Hezekiah who curled up in the corner and wept for his life. My pride was shattered. It freed me to speak about my disorder and ask people to pray for me. I felt privileged and humbled that people regularly approached the throne of God on my behalf.
My doctor scheduled me for frequent screenings, and over the next year I had three more colonoscopies and thirty-five additional polyps removed. Following my second colonoscopy, doctors suggested my colon be removed to avoid getting colon cancer. The thought of losing my colon was unthinkable. I was not willing to sacrifice an otherwise perfectly healthy colon. I felt that removing my colon was over reactive and even barbaric.
One day my husband Bob came home with a book on cancer-fighting foods.
“What did you get that for?” I asked.
“I think you might want to look at making some changes in your diet." He put his arm around my shoulder.
I reached for the book and thumbed through it. “I just don’t know if I can do it.” My voice quivered and tears welled in my eyes.
I reached for the book and thumbed through it. “I just don’t know if I can do it.” My voice quivered and tears welled in my eyes.
“But you have to try!”
Spurred on by a determination to not let genetics dictate my health, I began a rigorous diet change. I reasoned that my already healthy diet had spared me from a grim outcome at my first colonoscopy.
My new diet included eliminating all meat (except wild-caught fish), all dairy (except goat), and no more Starbucks’ mochas—no sugar allowed. Bob also lost his wine tasting partner for good. I added more unrefined grains, nuts and seeds and focused most of my diet on eating raw organic vegetables.
Shortly after starting my new eating regimen, a friend gave me a bottle of herbal extract called Vitae Elixxir. He said his father-in-law took it to eliminate his prostate cancer and he's now cancer-free. I began taking the herbal extract daily.
I also take B17, mostly known as Amygdalin or Laetrile, Vitamin D3, digestive enzymes, iodine, seaweed and thyroid glandulars.
Shortly after starting my new eating regimen, a friend gave me a bottle of herbal extract called Vitae Elixxir. He said his father-in-law took it to eliminate his prostate cancer and he's now cancer-free. I began taking the herbal extract daily.
I also take B17, mostly known as Amygdalin or Laetrile, Vitamin D3, digestive enzymes, iodine, seaweed and thyroid glandulars.
At a follow-up appointment after my third colonoscopy, the GI doctor expressed concern for my health. “I’ve been doing some research and found a study showing the probability of getting colon cancer to be 100% for those with your genetic condition,” she said.
I didn’t like hearing that.
She went on. “The screenings are not perfect. It’s sometimes difficult to see everything, especially tiny polyps. I can’t promise you I can get them all.”
“Oh, of course. I understand,” I said. “I want you to know I am the one responsible for my health,” pointing to myself. “I’m doing all I can to see that I don’t get colon cancer. You’re not responsible for my health. I am.”
The doctor’s face relaxed. “Doctors don’t hear that kind of statement from their patients.”
In one year, doctors removed sixty-one polyps during four colonoscopies. The size, number and severity of the polyps were reduced with each screening. At the fifth screening, I heard those words, “No polyps.” God answered prayer despite the impossible nature of the request.
I’ve learned to enjoy my new diet and continue to take Vitae Elixxir every day.
I’ve learned to enjoy my new diet and continue to take Vitae Elixxir every day.
Surprisingly there has been little fanfare by the doctors involved in my treatment. Never mind what the doctors might say about the experience, I'm doing my part. And thank you very much—I’ll keep my colon.
“For nothing is impossible with God.”
Luke 1:37 (NIV)
