The Healing Attitude
The Solzhenitsyn Experience
But, you know, as I look back on the whole journey, the decision we made to discontinue the radiation and go half way around the world for treatment was the beginning of my healing process, I believe. When you are diagnosed with cancer here in the US and Canada, there are only three options, as far as the medical community goes – cut, burn or poison. Now, I am not saying that surgery and radiation don’t have their place (I don’t believe chemo ever does), they may, especially in a case like mine where the cancer is so aggressive there might not be time for anything else to work.
But, you are immediately pulled into a machine that hasn’t really changed since Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote “Cancer Ward” in 1968. Oh, sure, the technology has advanced, but you would thing that the billions of dollars spent in research every year would have come up with something new. But, it hasn’t.
You meet with the various specialists who include you in the deliberations as to the best treatments. But, in actual fact, they have already decided. And, who are you to disagree? They are the experts, aren’t they? They have the experience, don’t they? You go along with whatever they suggest. You may never have felt like you had much control over your life, but now you know that you have none whatsoever.
And, I am not saying the people treating you are impersonal or don’t care. On the contrary, most of them DO care, and they care a lot. They try very hard. I kind of feel sorry for them. It must be discouraging to see the suffering most of the patients are going through, especially the chemo ones, and know that a good portion of them won’t make it. I became good friends with some of the staff. They were rooting for me, I can tell you!
Travel and Attitude
To get back to my point, by going to India, I was taking back control. I was actively involved, instead of passively. And, in making the preparations, making the trip, dealing with the challenges of travel, especially in a different culture like India, my mind was less focused on my problem and more on getting to where I wanted to be. This, I believe is very important. It is a change in attitude, of focus.
Ox cart in the Mysore Zoo, India
About 4 years ago I came across a study in Chicago or Detroit of people being treated for cancer in one of the hospitals there. I have not been able to find it since, so it may have been mentioned in one of the many books I read on cancer. In this instance, they compared those who traveled less than 30 miles for treatment to those who traveled more than that. You know what? Those who traveled farther had a significantly higher survival rate. Interesting, isn’t it? I believe that little extra effort of traveling farther caused a different attitude that promoted healing.
According to everything I read, attitude is probably the most significant factor in the healing process. Faith in God is part of that, but faith is not just belief. Faith is action, isn’t it? Prayer for the sick is appropriate, and Biblical. But, for someone who is not flat on their back and incapable of thought or action, it is not enough.
Faith Is Action
Faith is action. And action is a result of attitude. Often, by doing something, especially something you don’t want to do, your attitude towards it may change for the better. If you are making an effort to heal, and physical effort may be important, your attitude cannot help but become more positive. That has a well-documented impact on endorphin production, and on the ability of your immune system to do its job.
So, if you are sick, ask God to give you the energy and wisdom to get involved in your healing.
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