Reiki and Cancer

Let me say from the outset, that physicians need to work to treat cancer with "evidence based means" whenever possible. But what do we do when chemotherapy and radiation therapy have failed, and surgery is not an option?

It is no longer acceptable to say to patients, "there is nothing anyone can do" or "get your affairs in order." Faith and prayer seem almost "hard wired" into humanity, and the physician who has humility can still care for patients.

I met with two patients today who had been certified as "terminally ill" from cancer and were on my hospice unit.

"Rebecca" was quite young, and passed a landmark birthday today. Her family had not come in to see her, and she was quite alone. Her oncologist had told her that chemotherapy would only make her sicker. As we controlled her pain, using low dose Morphine, Reiki, and the spiritual support of our volunteers and Chaplian, she was feeling stronger, and willing to eat a little more. A volunteer had spent a lot of time with her yesterday, and my Nurse and i went to see her. We sang her Happy Birthday, and we focused on this special moment. She Blessed us and thanked us for being with her. And we thanked her for being with us.

I do not know any "evidence based test" that i could do to "prove" that i had helped this patient, but, the smile on her face and the fact that she was free of pain meant a lot to us.

"Paul" came onto our unit yesterday. He had been undergoing chemotherapy for lung cancer with massive liver metastases that were growing on CT scan in the face of the chemo. He was literally moaning in pain, even though he had been on some opioids (but not too much perhaps so that he would not become "addicted"). With his permission we did Reiki with him, and we increased his pain medication to the level where he was still alert, but comfortable. He said, "this isn't how i expected to feel today. I'm not vomitting and i'm not nauseous. I'm not in pain. Am i supposed to go back for more chemo now?"

We had a long talk. I explained that the chemotherapy had not been working, and that the science of chemotherapy is that it is a "poison" and the goal is to hammer the cancer and wipe it out, without damaging the person irretreivably. But in his case, the chemotherapy was not hammering the cancer at all, and by taking it, he was reducing his capacity to eat, which reduced his bodies natural ability to "fight" the cancer.

He asked me, "doc how long do i have." And with as much humility as i could muster, i told him the story of Art Buchwald, who had been told by superb doctors on stopping dialysis that he had "one week to live," and that a year later he wrote a book about his one year experience in hospice. "We don't know how long anyone will live," i told him, "only the Lord knows that."

We talked some about the "Last lecture" - the recent class given by a teacher dying of cancer of the pancreas, and asked, "do you want to live each day that you are given, as if it were a gift, or spend each day thinking about the end?"

Some doctors avoid conversations like this because, they feel it will "upset the patient." My experience is that patients respond to talking about the reality that they are living. If we cannot cure them, at the least, we can relieve their pain, and let them know that other human beings care about them.

Again, i cannot "prove" scientifically, that this makes the patient live longer. Everything in my experience as a physician says its the right thing to do - and merging Reiki with pain medication may not "cure" the patient, but if it relieves pain and allows for a human connection, it is a good thing to do.

There is an "alternative oath" to the Hippocratic oath, which i believe represents the core of "holistic medicine." It is attributed to the Jewish Philosopher/Physician Moses Maimonides (1135-1204).

"The eternal providence has appointed me to watch over the life and health of Thy creatures. May the love May the love for my art actuate me at all time; may neither avarice nor miserliness, nor thirst for glory or for a great reputation engage my mind; for the enemies of truth and philanthropy could easily deceive me and make me forgetful of my lofty aim of doing good to Thy children.

May I never see in the patient anything but a fellow creature in pain.

Grant me the strength, time and opportunity always to correct what I have acquired, always to extend its domain; for knowledge is immense and the spirit of man can extend indefinitely to enrich itself daily with new requirements.

Today he can discover his errors of yesterday and tomorrow he can obtain a new light on what he thinks himself sure of today. Oh, God, Thou has appointed me to watch over the life and death of Thy creatures; here am I ready for my vocation and now I turn unto my calling. "