My End-of-Life Mushroom Trip

Iam 64 years old with a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis (since 2018). My first diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma came in 2012. In the ensuing years I endured a lumpectomy, two double mastectomies, three different types of chemotherapies, aromatase inhibitors, partial hepatectomy, thoracenteses and countless alternative therapies. I have now transitioned to hospice. I am at peace with this decision, largely due to my recent psilocybin experience in Jamaica. I have been working with my chaplain at UC Health for some time, and she asked me a few months ago if I might be interested in a psilocybin journey, as numerous studies have shown that it can be beneficial for end-of-life anxiety. I jumped at the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial through UC Health, but I came to understand that it might be a while before the study got off the ground. Also, one has to be selected for the study, and, in the end, I might get a placebo. Given my late-stage diagnosis, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to hang on long enough to benefit from this opportunity, so I started to research psilocybin on my own. What I learned is that, although it is legal to grow and buy psilocybin in Colorado, finding a trained facilitator with life experience and respect for the medicine was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. There is currently a disconnect between purchasing/growing and finding people who are experienced and qualified to facilitate and integrate this powerful experience. I was particularly concerned about finding someone who had enough life experience (specifically around death and dying) to hold space for me and make me feel safe and held. I am grateful beyond words that I found a reputable, experienced group in Jamaica. <a href="https://medium.proto.life/my-end-of-life-mushroom-trip-f77c9deb241c">Read More</a>