Robert's Story
Robert's story demonstrates one person's answer to some of the questions you are asking. Robert, a retired engineer, did not allow the questions to stand in his way. He is more of a student than a patient. He just started in and then refined the process on his own. This is how he got started on the self-healing path, in his own words.

After my retirement I decided to check on my health status with a routine physical. I have always been generally healthy, although I have experienced two kinds of headaches: tension headaches (I was a little surprised when these continued after my retirement) and sinus headaches. Otherwise, I have been quite well.

The doctor reported that I was perfectly healthy and that he was impressed with all of my tests except for my blood pressure, which was somewhat elevated, and my PSA (prostate specific antigen), a test for prostate cancer, which was also slightly elevated. For the blood pressure he prescribed a medication. He showed concern for the prostate reading, which was 4.3 (4 is the warning threshold), and recommended that we reevaluate in six months. I asked if there was anything preventive I could do. He answered that we would just have to wait and see.

Overall I felt good about being in better-than-average health for my age. However, I was haunted by the constant flow of information about prostate cancer and its high incidence that I was getting from the media. Over the years I had experienced an "ache" in the prostate area that grew worse with stress; now it became exaggerated. Several of my acquaintances had episodes with medications, surgical prostate removals, and radiation treatments. I was disturbed to see that they were simply not regaining their health and vitality, even with the help of renowned experts in the urology field.

Six months later I was horrified to have the PSA come back significantly elevated to a 9 (danger zone). I was immediately referred to an urologist, whose digital inspection revealed no dangerous signs, but I was not relieved. I then had a biopsy in which five out of six samples were clear. Only one was borderline. The physician felt that the risk was significant, however, and that we should begin planning the surgical removal of my prostate. He started to give me information as if I had already elected to proceed with the surgery.

I was really in a kind of shock. I kept asking if there was something I could do. Just as I was walking out the door, as an afterthought, the doctor mentioned that I might use my computer to check the Internet for on-line support groups for prostate patients. That evening I began a search of a number of Internet resources. Right away the process helped me to decide to get a second opinion from another urologist. I was fascinated to find, as I was cruising here and there on the Internet, that in addition to radiation treatment there were many unusual alternatives for prostate cancer, including exercises, diets, herbal formulas, and treatments like acupuncture.

I began to print out information that quickly grew into a large file. I set up an appointment with a second urologist. I also set up appointments with two radiation specialists so I could get a first and second opinion on the radiation alternative as well. A third PSA test came back at 5, which produced little relief as the 9 now seemed like an anomaly, and if the 9 was a fluke reading, couldn't the 5 be a fluke as well?

By the time I had seen the second urology surgeon and the two radiation practitioners I was confused and angry. I was nervous that both urologists and now the radiologists were so ready to use invasive procedures based on a test that they all felt might be giving one or more false readings. It distressed me that the surgeons were urging only the surgery alternative and the radiation doctors were urging only the radiation alternative.

It became dear that they had little understanding or knowledge about which was better, or safer, or more effective. It began to seem instead like each was seeking my business. I found that none of them knew anything about the treatment alternatives that I had discovered on the Internet. And it seemed to have slipped everyone's mind that in my biopsy only one out of six specimens was on the borderline of showing cancer, digital evaluation showed no signs, and my PSA was currently only one point over the warning threshold of 4.

I began to hunt in the bookstore for more information on the self-healing methods and alternative therapies I had located on the Internet. I found a huge book called Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide that had an interesting section on prostate cancer. I was particularly drawn to the chapter on the self-healing practices of the Chinese called Qigong (Chi Kung) that included the practical physiological reasons why simple self-healing methods are beneficial. In addition it gave me a series of practices that I could begin to use right away. I was relieved to have something that I could do. I ordered an instructional video [see page 257] that helped to bring the self-healing practices alive for me. I became even more angry that not one of my doctors had recommended anything for me to do to help myself.

I began to use the self-healing methods described in the book and video. I also began to take the herb saw palmetto, which has been found in numerous studies to be a useful remedy for the prostate. After all of the confusion and frustration with the medical approach to my situation, I began to feel a lightening of my stress load. I felt empowered.

I was really amazed when very soon my headaches stopped. They have not returned in the several months of my practicing the self-healing methods. This was exciting confirmation to me that I was on a healing path. I called the physicians and told them I would not be having any procedures until I had worked with some personal healing for a while. I promised to have follow-up PSA tests to evaluate my level of risk, which seemed reasonable.

On the one hand, I felt it must be impossible that I could personally have such a powerful effect on my medical situation. On the other, I felt inspired by the same idea: I personally could have a beneficial effect on my case. A couple of times I thought I must need a teacher or somebody to tell me what to do or confirm that I was proceeding correctly. But then I began to realize that the improvement that I was experiencing was quite confirming in itself.

I just continued, trusting the concept that no matter what disease one is challenged with and no matter what therapeutic approach one is using to resolve the disease, one must remember to take vigilant personal action to enhance health as well. This is such a reasonable idea that I still wonder why my doctors were not trained to use this concept. I am so thankful to that doctor that suggested the Internet. That brief afterthought led to a chain of events that really changed everything.

I found myself enjoying the process of trying different things. Some of the practices seemed perfect for me and my lifestyle, others were less appealing. I was able to piece together a regimen of practices. I always felt-actually perceived-a sense of increased well-being every time I would use one or several of the methods. Over a period of weeks I was delighted to find that the ache in my prostate area diminished. Several prostate symptoms-frequent urination and discomfort diminished as well.

This is not the best or most important part of Robert's story. When he finally came to the Health Action Clinic he was not saying, "I am sick, please get an expert to fix me." Instead he said, "I have been working with a serious health challenge. I would like your assistance in evaluating my health status from the perspective of Chinese medicine, and I would like your guidance on how I might improve my self-healing regimen." This is the attitude of an empowered, self-reliant individual.

The power of Robert's story isn't just in his discovery of self-healing and alternate thinking about medicine and disease. These are, of course, miracles in themselves. The spectacular lesson that Robert provides for us is that he grasped from the very beginning that he was allowed to take action to enhance his health himself. Probably due to some aspect of his upbringing or personality, Robert had not learned, as do most people, that he was not able (or allowed) to take such self-empowered actions.

Notice that he did not need a teacher, special knowledge, or certification to help himself. Nor did he need a doctor, although he did engage medical expertise to maintain a current diagnosis and track his progress. Somehow he understood it was his right and his responsibility to take action himself. He just experimented with this and that. Through personal trial and course correction, he refined a regimen of daily practices that was perfect for him.

This chapter is about how you, like Robert, can design your own set of practices. He wondered if he would do it wrong but worked his way through to a profound truth: no one else can do better in self-healing and health enhancement than a person can do for himself or herself.

Yes, we call on physician expertise. Yes, it is critical to understand the medical or diagnostic situation. Yes, we will have facilitators, mentors, teachers, and guides. But it is not necessary to get permission to enhance your health from someone else. It is not necessary to be told what to do to heal yourself or what to do to enhance your medical treatment. These are things that each individual has the capacity and right to understand.

If you are willing to pay attention, then you are actually the best person to be the chief of staff on your case. Most physicians will celebrate your intuitive and innovative nature. Who can possibly know you better than you do? Who can possibly guide your personal improvement process better than you can?

Robert's program with page numbers from THE HEALER WITHIN:

Essential Breath, pg 86
Sending Energy to the Organs, pg 74
Massage of the Hands, Feet, Ears, pg 61
Front and Back Bending, pg 44
Tracing the Acupuncture Energy Channels, pg 70
Spontaneous Method, pg 51
Power Walk
Remembering Breath, pg 89
Momentary Methods, pg 122
Flowing Motion, pg 37
Meditation, pg 99