Why am I writing this blog?

Euclid (Cleveland), Ohio, United States
Here I share the amazing spiritual journey I began on July 19, 2007. I received the diagnosis of a golf-ball-sized tumor on top of the left parietal lobe (motor functions) of my brain. I had severe symptoms all up and down the right side of my body and had received an MRI scan of my brain. In August 2007, I learned that my diagnosis was a Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). This is a common form of fast-growing brain cancer with a challenging prognosis. That's the external story about that moment in time. In the spiritual world I found (actually more like it found me) what I came to call the Fact-Based Spirit-Guided Path, and I began an amazing journey. After October of 2008, I lost the use of my right arm, and in early 2009, my cognitive abilities were struggling, and treatment options ended. My wife, Susanne, then began doing most of the blog postings, with my review and input whenever possible. I continued to apply the Fact-Based Spirit-Guided Path as the adventure continued. My soul then flew to the Kingdom of God on July 1, 2009. Thanks for your interest in my journey. Craig

Susanne's Perspective

During this entire journey, my wife, Susanne, had an entirely different kind of experience. Initially she added comments to some of my posts describing her experience of the moments I discussed and offerred perspectives on our relationship. In the latter stage of this journey, she is writing the blog, as I am no longer able to do so. I am truly delighted that she is doing so. Susanne and I work together as marriage educators/relationship coaches and she has written many books on preparing for and strengthening marriages so you can count on her comments to be insightful and poignant.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

September 12 to 16

Since returning from Chicago, I’ve been reading Dr. Bernie Seigel’s "Love, Medicine and Miracles" and have found it to be profoundly useful in guiding my perspective on how to approach the cancer treatment and support activities. Dr. Seigel was a surgeon who came to understand that there is much more to healing than drugs and surgery. He indicates that “The state of the mind changes the state of the body through the central nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system…We must learn to give patients the option to participate in recovery from any type of disease”. I find this approach to be very consistent with the Fact-Based Spirit-Guided Path. Much of the focus of his work is with cancer patients and he has established an organization called Exceptional Cancer Patients ECaP that I’m interested in exploring. He indicates “the most important thing is to pick a therapy you believe in and proceed with a positive attitude.” One of the initial activities he recommends doing is making a drawing of yourself, your treatment, your disease and your white blood cells eliminating the disease. I did so and showed a side view of my head with the location where the tumor was removed shown. I depicted the last little pieces of the tumor as red squiggly lines and outlined my plan as follows:
  1. Prayer, meditation and visualization to support the white blood cells in creating a barrier around the last little pieces of the tumor and any pieces of it that may have infiltrated the brain beyond the solid tumor (I was visualizing building a cocoon around the tumor during the preparation for the surgery) and invite them to entirely leave my body and minimize or eliminate any potential side effects of the radiation and chemotherapy.
  2. Continue to eat good food, take supplements, and participate in exercise to keep me strong and healthy and minimize/eliminate the side effects of the radiation and chemotherapy.
  3. Welcome radiation and chemotherapy to neutralize the tumor pieces so that they can be carried away by the white blood cells.
  4. Hold as my goal effective and efficient healing with long-term survival and excellent quality of life.

A friend of Susanne’s sent her a wonderful quote that I really like:

"Really life is like riding a wave. If you are a negative thinker, you will only stay at the bottom of that wave. If you think in terms of success, you will ride that wave all the way to the shore and enjoy the marvelous experience. Really, we all have the same difficulties. It is just the way one chooses to handle them that determines how high you are on that wave." - Allen Steble

I learned of a blog written by a women named Krista in Plano, TX who was also diagnosed with GBM (Glioblastoma Multiforme) 21 months ago. I have found it to be very interesting reading her story.

The stitches, from the second surgery, were removed and most of the incision looks to be in excellent shape. There is one corner that is still somewhat problematic and a nurse will look at it again this coming Wednesday.

I have also started to get some additional degree of upward movement in my right foot. This had plateaued for the last several weeks. We have a theory that the anti-inflammatory stuff I started taking, when I sprained the ankle last week, may have contributed to this improvement. Whatever it was, I’m pleased.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The rest of the story…

We are seeing some materials that give no credence to having a positive attitude or visualization. However, we think it’s bunk! We are still learning the techniques that will help Craig (and me) come through this test in the best way possible, but powerful words such as those of Dr. Seigel are of great assistance.

From the time I was very young and my mother almost died, I’ve had regular bouts of imagining those close to me dying (all of who are still drawing breath!). It’s no different with Craig. However, I’m beginning to shift into claiming the life that he and I have created and that is yet to be completed. There appears to be much work for us yet to do on this earth before the next life claims us. So, I’m now beginning the process of visualizing life instead of death.

September 18, 2007 at 6:49 AM

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