“…I proved five neurologists wrong— by living.”
–Sandi Gold, Westerly, RI
by Roger Zotti
Recently The Resident interviewed Sandi Gold of Westerly, RI, who began writing her book, The Art of Living, twenty years ago. When friends suggested she publish it, she said, “I can’t think of that now. I’ve got to keep on writing.” Eventually she acquiesced, looked into the publishing business, and was shocked to learn how expensive it was to “publish a book like mine.”
Because Sandi believes in “not focusing on problems but rather on their solutions,” she created www.gofundme.com/sandigold, where “people can help me help many others by donating and helping me get my book published and read by as many individuals as possible. It is a book about helping people, and I believe I have a responsibility to share what I learned from my experience—which is, to live fully and find happiness, even under difficult circumstances; to have a strong support system [for] a loved one whose health is threatened; to use the arts as a confidence-building guide; and much, much more.”
You wrote about doing what your doctors said was impossible. Yes, I did. In 1986 I was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor—life threatening but not cancerous—and was told by five neurologists I would die within a year. In 2011, two doctors urged me to have a mastectomy within a month to stop the spread of breast cancer. Instead I choose an all-natural treatment.
And what was the result? In five months my MRI and mammogram came back cancer free. Having had these unusual experiences and knowing that others can benefit from what I’ve learned, I share in my book the hope of helping others. Most people are so frightened when their doctor says they are going to die, or just hearing the word “cancer,” that they shut down and only do what their doctors tell them. Had I done that in 1986 I would have gone home to die—but I didn’t. In 2011, I had the advantage, as funny as it may sound, because I had proved five neurologists wrong—by living. Therefore I knew to say, ‘Wait a minute!’ on the mastectomy and look for other options.
I spent years navigating through the often-confusing and challenging medical world and [knew my knowledge] would help readers. I know how important the mind-body connection is and about surrounding oneself with a support system that encourages us to look within ourselves for answers— and why we need to avoid doctors and loved ones who try to strong-arm us into doing things their way.
What do you wish you had known before taking steroids or Trental? To first check if there was a natural equivalent before taking medications. They created the worst experience I’ve ever had. Thankfully, I received help from a naturopathic physician—Dr. Deidre O’Connor in Mystic—who suggested taking fish oils, which did what those medications were trying to do for months and without the horrific side effects.
Subscribe to Sandi’s blog—www.sandigold.com—and receive, free, her first chapter, which “lets people know the tone in which I write. There is no self-pity or gruesome gratuitous details. No woe-is-me. By reading the chapter, which is the book’s foundation, people can decide for themselves if they want to read more.”