Last week I made an appointment to see Chinese herbalist extraordinaire Dr. Zhang, or as I affectionately call him “my medicine man.” Like a scene out of some badly written screenplay, Dr. Zhang’s office is located in a nondescript building near Chinatown. Unsuspecting tourists and locals pass it by regularly. Go up a flight of darkly lit stairs, through an unmarked door, and you’ve made it to this remarkable cache. The heady smell of ancient aromatics, desiccated rhizomes and roots, and cancer-killing antitoxins lead you to the good doctor.
My friend Denise told me about this place and went with me. She’d been to see Dr. Zhang several times and gave me an idea of what to expect. “You tell him everything that’s wrong with you,” Denise said. “He writes it down in Chinese characters and hands the paper to a guy who goes in the back room and comes back with your powder,” she added, laughing at the simple and odd exchange. Dr. Zhang also doesn’t speak English very well, Denise mentioned, a fact that convinced us both that whatever he was going to prescribe was sure to work. But perhaps I should explain what lead me here in the first place.
You could say I’ve become a connoisseur of chemo concoctions: Carboplatin, Taxol, Cisplatin. And now I’ve got another to add to the list: Doxil. After my doctors found some residual cancer in my abdomen a month ago, I’ve spent time testing out this latest cocktail at the Memorial Sloan chemo suite, an exclusive spot in midtown Manhattan. It’s members only—the kind of place where everybody knows my name. And when I stop by, they already know what I’m having. Doxil, straight up. It’s a Cosmopolitan-martini-colored chemo that’s red on the way in and the way out. I spend an hour or two at “the Suite,” as it’s called by regulars, and leave there feeling good. It’s the following days that are the problem. I get a nasty little hangover that makes me tired and lethargic. I figure the best way to combat that lies in the secrets of the Far East. Folks there have been healing people since before Jesus was born.
So that brings me back to Dr. Zhang.
Denise and I checked in with his assistant. She took my blood pressure, examined my tongue, and felt my pulse. “Dr. Zhang isn’t in today,” the assistant told us in near-perfect English. Denise and I looked at each other half defeated. No Dr. Zhang? No difficulty communicating with wise alternative-medicine practitioners? My mystical encounter was not turning out like I had hoped, but I figured I’d make the best of it.
After a quick consultation, Dr. Zhang’s assistant wrote out my prescription, which, thankfully, included Chinese characters and handed it to the man in the back. I was instructed to stay away from shrimp, crab, and peanuts. The logic here I know not, and I didn’t ask any questions. Within minutes, I had my loot—a $35 bag full of dusty-colored powder that smells organic and wholesome. The directions were easy: “Four spoonfuls mixed with three cups of water. Boil for five to 10 minutes. Drink one cup in the morning, one at night after meal.”
I left Dr. Zhang’s a little disenchanted by his absence but eager to brew my first batch of healing tea. The next morning, I got started. Other than the minerally grains that settle at the bottom of the cup, the tea isn’t awful. I’ve been drinking it twice a day ever since. I have absolutely no clue what I’m consuming, but I can already feel it working. Surely, this is my magic potion, the serum that will lead to good health going forward. Cause, honestly, I’m over the Suite. It’s so 2008. It’s time for me to find a new hangout.
… to be continued.
Love this post! I too have visited a “medicine man”. He took one look at my tongue and eyes and pulse and said something about my chi was low and it’s caused by severe anemia. This was before, I went to a “Western Dr.” who later took my blood and then waited 10 days to finally call me (after I called several times for the results). Dr. Wang made me a concotion of herbal remedy in which I had to take for 7 days and then he performed accupuncture. All of which, in my opinion, worked like a charm. I’m not saying not to go to a “Western doctor” but I think these herbalist are great for preventive medicine and sustainability. My energy has never been better and I feel like I got my Chi flowing. I went back to have my blood tested and I am anemic free.
Another GREAT informative article!! I am sorry to hear about the residual resulting in more chemo cocktails but happy to see your additioanl armor through herbs and let’s not forget your sensational resilence! I believe the herbal man has the answers and from what I am reading here it seems to be working just great.
Chana this blog is so helpful to patients and survivors! Keep on blogging and maybe I can take a trip to the Medciine Man with you when I move to NJ partime next month!
I am already planning for new hangouts!
D
I loved this blog!
“They already know what I’m having.” Priceless!
It hurts me that you have to go through this but proud, honored and humbled that you’re taking us on the journey.
Keep keeping it real.
Love you gyrl!
We never really got a chance to sit and talk, though it was hard not to put one and one together or is it two and two? Oh well whatever it is, I have to say in reading your blogs, I am so moved…this post especially had me kind of choked up. You truly are a formidable woman. Being able to share what you’re experiencing is an inspiration to everyone who knows you. The scripture says, “He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways.” I will keep you in my prayers.
Much love and blessings,
Carbonated
i love everything u do!!!!! ur soooo inspirational!!!
I went to an acupunturist last year for the first time with a couple of friends from work and we did a “cleanse” diet which was wonderful. I felt amazing. Your post is reminding me that I should go back to see him…
-NH
Gyrl, you definitely have risen to heroine status. The Chemo cocktail, which is toxic, drains your system of most of your nutrients, especially iron, B, and D; all that lethargy hangs around for days. Your resistance drops and then your open to anything traveling on the wind. I think it’s great that you’re fortifying yourself with herbs (natural?). But please find out what’s in the potions/powders and their purpose—to build strength, fight the cancer? or both? Feel bummed out that the doctors found residual cancer traces in your abdomen. How many more cocktails (a Cosmo would be lot more fun) do you have to drink? I’m familiar with the “Suite.” A close friend had a 9 month reservation there a little over a year ago—her colon. Last month she was there for the removal of the shunt that was embedded in her upper right chest. Keep writing and I’ll keep reading. –NB
Good for you, Chana! I’m a huge fan of Eastern medicine…
Hey Chana na, your blog is really good. I shared with some folks at City Hall today. Happy Bday in advance! Love ya, think of ya often– SSC