MY JOURNEY
Thanks for taking the time to know why I do this. At the peak of my Television and Photography career, I remember receiving a phone call from my mother that would change my life forever as if it were yesterday. She had informed me that she had been diagnosed with cancer. The oncologist told her that it was a slow growing cancer in the neck with the doctor recommending a regiment of radiation and chemotherapy. He convinced her a full recovery if she were to do weekly radiation treatments for one month, following that up with few rounds of chemotherapy.
My mother trusted my opinion and had asked me “what do you think, what should I do?” When faced with the question, I immediately went to the web and looked up cancer, how to heal, how to cure, and every search term imaginable. Every step of the way I was researching natural treatments, there was always that opposing voice saying that natural cures don’t work. Furthermore, they were a waste of precious time that could be spent fighting the cancer, and natural treatments could also be dangerous. The abundance of opposing information had led me to the conclusion that if I told my mother to go the “Natural Healing” route and the cancer grew, or if she died from cancer, her death would be on my hands.
When the oncologist explained to us that my mother should expect a full recovery with little side effects, it seemed like a logical and promising path. She had consulted with other doctors looking for other opinions, however she felt so comfortable with this oncologist that she and said “he is the one”. You see, the doctor was very assuring with his authoritative words, impressive title, white doctor coat and the stethoscope around his neck. Speaking with full confidence that this is his field of expertise, and a good prognosis expecting to eradicate the cancer… Boom, it was a no brainer. The final decision became the unknown of natural healing or the promise of a full a full recovery. So yes, after hearing the options I even told my mom “go for the radiation and chemo.”
Those words I have come to regret. You see, after one month of weekly radiation treatments my mom’s neck muscles were permanently burned where she could no longer keep her head up straight. The damage occurred even though she wore the custom fitted Hannibal Lecter style mask to prevent damaging the surrounding healthy tissue. Her neck was burned so badly that she could not even let sunlight hit it, making her feel like her neck was on fire.
Her accepting the pain was one thing, and even realizing the permanent damage that resulted from the radiation treatment was bad, but the worst was yet to come, chemotherapy. Although her confidence was shaken, she was convinced to stay the course and see this through. This is where things got really bad, after receiving the first dose of chemotherapy, my mom was dead four days later.
That toxic cocktail had made her so sick and nauseous, describing that her head felt like it was going to explode. The pain was so bad that she had to crawl up the stairs to her bedroom on all fours, like a dog. Optimistic that the next day would be better and the symptoms would subside, never came to fruition, in fact things got worse.
The following day, symptoms persisted until she finally could not bear it any longer and she called for an ambulance. My father accompanied her to the hospital where she died a horrible death in the emergency room. “I am so sorry mom, please forgive me.” are words that I had uttered, holding her lifeless cooling hand when I had arrived at the hospital. The person in the bed next to her had taken the time to talk to me afterwards explaining how much of a fighter my mom was. He describe to me in vivid detail what he heard, with her trying to hold on to her life as the doctors resuscitated her several times. In the final moments of my mothers life, it was a painful and horrible death, fighting to her last breath.
Unfortunately, when I received the call from my dad at the hospital informing me that she might not make it, I jumped in the car with my family to visit her, hoping to encourage her, to say I love you and thank you for everything, thank you for all of the sacrifices you had made for us, all of the unconditional love, for your kindness, for all of your sacrifices, and for being such a great mother. I never got the chance to tell her any of those things that I wish I could have before she passed; after all I thought I had so much more time, as I too was convinced of that full recovery.
The biggest lesson that I have learned from this is, communicate with your mom, dad, wife, kids, and loved ones. Tell them that you love them, appreciate them, and share with them the things that most important. The time is now, talk to them as the opportunity might never happen in the future. Regret is something that you don’t want, especially when you have the ability to take action to speak to your loved ones of what is on your heart. Live in the now, appreciate all things big and small no matter what life throws your way. Rejoice and be glad! Don’t ever hold back because time is precious, limited, and always eroding. Live your life to the fullest every day, and give thanks for all you have because, the time is now. Anyone can go home to be with the Lord at any time, from a heart attack, any disease, or accident. Hindsight is always 20/20, I regret telling her to follow the doctors path. Out of this loss there is beauty for ashes.
Following the funeral it was a conversation with my brother who gave me some shocking and disturbing news. He informed me that he was giving our mother herbs and supplements, the coffee machine was put away and a juicer was in it’s place, and her diet was modified to eliminate sugars and carbohydrates.
My brother told me that when my mother went to the doctor to schedule her treatments, the doctor examined her and was baffled, you see the cancer in her neck had shrunk from eight centimeters to four centimeters. Now, instead of the doctor telling her your cancer has shrunk, let’s continue down the path that appears to be working, he did the exact opposite. He told her, “Mrs. Buffone, you can’t continue to do that as it will interfere with our treatment”.
The anger and rage that I had felt at that moment when my brother informed me our mother was getting better with the natural protocols and subsequently stoped by the oncologist, is simply indescribable. Truthfully, I had never in my life experienced that type of inner rage, hatred, and anger as my mind was racing uncontrollably. Many thoughts of, “If I would have known this prior”, and so many “what if” scenarios played through in my head repeatedly. However, what got caught up looping through my brain led me to the same place, that the herbs, juices, diet and supplements were working. Furthermore, natural healing and herbs weren’t dangerous or ineffective, they were the actually answer! The proof was experienced by the doctor and admittedly by his own disbelief.
As a Television Producer, I set out to do a documentary exposing the truth about cancer and the effectiveness of natural healing. Immediately sI tarted doing extensive research of everything out there, and that is where life threw me a curve ball. I somehow got distracted researching herbal medicines and the effectiveness of them, what they actually are, the history and chemical components of them, how modern pharmaceutical companies find herbal medicines and create them chemically or synthetically. Yes, pharmaceutical companies still look at the plant kingdom to see what they can produce in to drugs today.
Herbs have been been proven safe and effective throughout all of recorded history. When I had come to that realization, that's when my life changed. The documentary went on the back burner, I wanted to become an herbalist, and learn everything about natural healing. The goal, to help empower people to take control of their own health. It has consumed me, it was the only thing that was on my mind to the point nothing else mattered. I decided at that moment to put the past behind me, proceed with continuing education as an herbalist, helping people with natural healing, the way God intended to be.
Lena Buffone passed at 78 years young, never on any medication, active, and full of life. She walked many miles every day, oftentimes bringing food to people in need, or simply helping out anyone that crossed her path. To me, she was an example of truly living a selfless life full of love and caring for others. I miss her dearly.
I value and cherish anyone that seeks guidance for natural health and wellness. As I have shared my story, I know first hand what it is like to experience a senseless loss, and I don't want to see that happen to anyones loved ones. I thank God for this opportunity to help so many, and make a difference in this world.