My Cancer Story

I was enjoying my 66th year like I had the several previous years; tending my lakefront garden, baking a variety of goodies, traveling around the island visiting friends and family, volunteering on various committees and overall, filling my life full of time with family, friends in the most beautiful part of the world. But then things began to change.

It all started with a nagging pain in my side. Over time things gradually got worse and pretty soon, I was extremely uncomfortable.  My back hurt, my side hurt, my breathing was labored and my heart was racing.  Trying desperately to find relief from my discomfort, my husband and I made many trips to the emergency ward. The quest for answers included five scans and eight x-rays. Each time a possible diagnoses was offered; costio canda nerve, wet pleurisy, kidney stones, bowel obstructions, irritated bowel, blood clot, arthritis, lupus, polymyalgia rhemaitia, and so on. And then in February 2006, an x-ray showed a shadow on the lower lobe of my left lung.

Tests continued until on November 16, 2006 Dr Dewer, a cancer specialist, did a biopsy and diagnosed mesothelioma. The lung and pleura were fused together. I was informed that the cancer was inoperable. I was too weak for chemotherapy or radiation. The doctors told my family and I that I had possibly six months to live.

I tried to be strong and count my blessings but, as I began tying up loose strings, I found myself thinking with dismay, ” I am not going to make our fiftieth wedding anniversary, seven months away!”  But then, as the weeks passed, I became aware of a deep resolve,  “I AM going to make it!” I didn’t know that things would get much worse before they got better.

With the message from the doctors that there was nothing they could do, our family began looking for alternatives. Upon the advice of our oldest son Ron, I started a program with a Chinese medical doctor. The program kept me alive and I even improved slightly. The regime was intense and at first required that I travel to Victoria regularly. Things were not looking good so my husband and I had a notary come to our home and make out our wills and living wills. While I was fighting for my life, I was continually being faced with my death.

Through the Christmas holidays, birthdays, the changes in the seasons, I continued to struggle – each breath was a chore. I spent most of each day in my reclining chair but little by little I regained some strength and by June 2007 we celebrated our fiftieth wedding anniversary with about two hundred family and friends. I was still very ill and incredibly weak. I think most of our guests thought they were saying goodbye.

I continued with a variety of alternative programs over the next two years and made very gradual improvements. Eventually I hit a plateau. I remember thinking, “If this is as good as it gets, I’d rather be dead.” But then I started a program that changed my life.

In September of 2009, a friend gave me a book about a herb called Paw Paw by Nature’s Sunshine and we started consultations with a herbalist, Lorene Benoit of Duncan. The first thing she said was, “No sugar, wheat nor yeast, all organic food and no chlorine in the water.” She started me on a program including herbs to support my health and Paw Paw to kill the cancer.

Within a month my health was showing significant improvement.

About six months after starting the herbal program I went to the cancer specialist and when I told her I still had a lot of pain on my left side she replied, “Oh, the cancer could have metastasized to the bone.” I felt totally deflated. The doctor wanted me to start chemo and radiation, stop taking the herbs and have a scan. I agreed to have the scan and with hesitation accepted future appointments with the chemo and radiation technicians. After the scan we were elated to see that my lymph nodes were clear, the pancreas, liver and spleen were clear and it appeared that the cancer was receding. I called the chemo and radiation offices, cancelled my appointments and told them that I would call if I needed them in the future.

Since that day my health has continued to improve. I continue my regular consultations with Lorene Benoit so that the herbal program can be adjusted as my body continues to heal. After sitting for years with my left side clenched I found myself hunched and stiff so I visit Greg Augustine (Soma for Living) for regular sessions designed to aid my healing. I am improving every day, one foot in front of the other and now one year later I am walking over one and one half miles every day, tending our lakefront garden, traveling around the island visiting family and friends in the most beautiful place on earth.

Sincerely Marie Augustine

250 745 3330

We offer sincere thanks to Marie for her being a beacon of light and hope to so many others far and wide. She and her husband Floyd have just returned from a wonderful holiday in Hawaii and are making the best out of their re-newed  life together! Their diligence to healing on so many levels are one of the joys in this profession.

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